Simply Grand

Same state though Kirislin? That was my plan with Quinn too but now I've moved states I'd have to arrange something else if we were to go ahead (big if).

I don't know what it is but although Quinn has been getting LOTS of attention and comments over the last 3 weeks we've been up here on the Gold Coast, no one has touched her without asking are GC people more dog savvy? more polite? I don't know. I've had kids point to her then ask their parents or me if they can pat, adults comment to each other or stop me to ask about her but they ask if they can pat as well. It's bizarre. But nice obviously!

Denali, I've sent you a PM :)

Beautiful portrait of a beautiful girl kajtek.

Great video :) it's posted in In The News as well, maybe they can be combined?

Little duck, I suspect for a lot of people who don't think about breeding responsibly they just chuck the bitch in the back yard when she's in season and leave things to happen as they do so it's not a big issue for them. Too bad for the bitch, other dogs and any resulting puppies though

That's awesome :) I was thinking about the slobber too, they'd have to call new balls every time the big brindle boy got one :laugh:

Seriously, storage for donated food can be an issue around Xmas and RSPCA are contracted with Hills to only feed science diet (whoch is generously donated by Hills!) to shelter animals so donated dry food can't be used anyway. I'm 99% sure that's the case nationally so unless your local doesn't accept donations of food they may well be happy to get rid of sone.

Check with your closest RSPCA as well, RSPCA ACT would share Christmas donations with local rescues as well as food tended to flood in during the holiday period. Sorry I don't know if other RSPCAs do the same.

I know it's really really difficult but you HAVE TO ignore the crying. It may literally go for 12 hours straight but you CANNOT react once you have her crated. At 11 weeks she IS old enough to manipulate so get the crate, get her tired, put her in at bedtime and IGNORE. I'm a shift worker too a d my dogs have learned thru consistency that if I'm sleeping you can do what you want but you'll get no attention from me. Best of luck! ETA my bedtime cue is "beddies", it means I'm going to bed so you should too or get kicked out of the family areas and sleep on your own. Calm consistency is the key.

I suspect my old cat had a couple of small strokes and eventually a bigger one that rendered her pretty catatonic and resulted in her PTS at 19. In her last year she had a couple of "spells" as you've said, where she went wobbly and and eye flickery for a few moments then seemed tired but recovered and was back to normal afterwards. Two weeks before she died she had a more serious incident where she had the same type thing but didn't go back to normal for about 18 hours, she was wobbly on her feet, would walk into corners and stay there and wouldn't eat. I put her in the dog crate, thinking I would lose her overnight or have to have her PTS then but she got better again and was ok. The final time she she went downhill instead of up, she just lay in my arms or in the crate, alive but barely responsive and I was syringing water into her mouth so after about six hours of that I called the vet to book her PTS the next morning. She remained as she was overnight so I went through with the PTS in the morning. I obviously never confirmed it was strokes so this may be of no use to you at all, but just thought I'd share. Had she been younger I would have done further investigations but I felt at 18/19 having had a bit of a rough life before she came to me at 7 years that as long as she was comfortable I wouldn't put her through poking and prodding.

Absolutely beautiful photo ness I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. What an amazing life your girl led with you.

Not a breed specific con but more a size related concern... You will have a MUCH better chance of getting a rental or share place to live down the track with a small dog than a larger one. I am hunting at the moment and there are not many pet friendly rentals around and the majority of those that are say 'small pet friendly' or 'small pet considered'. I'm much older than you but I can tell you it's bloody stressful trying deal with finding somewhere, and despite what parents say things can change (you can read about it in my "I need help with my dogs" thread is you feel like it) but even finding a PAID dog sitter who will take the larger one (and she's smaller than a Goldie) is difficult for me at the moment. I don't regret having my dogs for a moment and would sacrifice anything I have to to keep them but geez, life is more difficult, stressful and more expensive with them.

With mine as pups I've always had them up and around me right until I'm going to bed then last toilet, into crate or room where they'd be sleeping. Then ignore any noise. First one slept in the bathroom with a baby gate so he could hear/smell me in my room across the hall, second, third and foster were in a crate at first. I didn't do proper full crate training though, I used a large crate that had room for a small pup to sleep up one end and toilet on a pee pad up the other end, then crate opening into ensuite as they got a bit bigger etc so same principle as a puppy pen. I don't know if it actually helped them being really tired because they'd been up late but they all slept pretty well from the first night. The only one who was noisy was foster puppy, she cried quite a lot the first night from the crate in my room but I just ignored her (as in didn't respond at all, lay with eyes closed as though I was sleeping) and the second night she cried a little then gave up and was fine from then. She moved out to a different room when she got too big for the crate just because of how the house was set up, a little whinge then but ignored again and she settled. When I say keep them up I don't mean keep waking them up from naps and doing active games etc, just having them around me interacting with me and the other dogs, snoozing when they want but I found they wouldn't properly settle for the night until everyone went to bed and by then they'd be so pooped they'd be too tired to stay awake and cry. Just an extra thing to think about, along with the other advice :)

Funny, I haven't tested it but Saxon especially wags when I say "is your tail wagging?" In happy voice so I think I could train it on cue. They are so amazing in what they learn!

It's like an argument between a... I don't know, a potato and a rock? Neither have a leg to stand on IMO.

I know you didn't mean you thought Jed might take one! I just didn't want to imply with my reply that I thought she might lol.

Phew, what a day, although I'm feeling relieved tonight. I was throwing up last night and too nauseous to eat all day today and I'm pretty sure it was from anxiety, trying to sort all this out So last night I found a local lady on findadogminder.com.au and sent through a request for her to take Riley. She replied to me this arvo and we arranged to meet ASAP. Talking to her she sounded lovely and was used to have multiple of her own dogs but doesn't own any currently so I asked her if she'd consider taking both the boys. We went over there and the boys loooved her and were SO excited to be inside the house being involved in things. There was a mix up with the price she charges quoted on the website so we negotiated somewhere between what I was expecting and what she normally charges and the boys are now staying with her. I got an update saying they are happily settled on beds relaxing. So Jed, I so, so appreciate your lovely offer but I won't need to take you up on it after all :) In the meantime poor Quinn cried and howled the whole 2.5 hours I was gone taking the boys apparently mum was in with her half the time trying to calm her down and step dad was telling her off the other half. She was soooo stressed when I got back, her face looked like a person would look if they'd been crying for hours (if that makes any sense). I took her a long walk and she was SO happy, I nearly cried thinking how awful she must have felt, thinking I'd taken the boys and left her behind (brings tears writing it). When we got back I sat out with her in her area (where I still am) and she was licking my arms and legs and it was like a puppy seeking comfort. Normally when she licks me it's on my face and she does it with a real protective, maternal energy as though she's looking after me but I could feel the difference in her energy today. Then she sat next to me panting for a while and now she has finally conked out on her bed in exhaustion. Denali, I will see how we go now with just Quinn here but I really don't know how she'll cope so may well need to take you up on your kind offer when you get back :) Huge thanks to everyone for your suggestions and support, especially Jed, Gallomph and Denali. Even just being able to talk to understanding people has helped so much!

Quinn lurrrves boy Boxers, she'd love for you to steal her :D Checking PM now, thanks Jed.

I can't remember if I've said it before or not but Terri, I want to be as wise as you when I grow up! (Yes, I am 35)

Well wasn't she funny looking! Poor Kira, she was bootiful :p

That is awesome! I love looking at her different ears in each photo :laugh:

Saxon was desexed at 6 months, he's now 5.5 years, he doesn't particularly like Quinn normally but he falls in love with her when she's in season :laugh: He follows her around humping her whenever she isn't moving. Fortunately he doesn't seem to be able to figure out where exactly he's supposed to be aiming for!

That's really horrible I don't think Jed will steal mine though ;)