Little Gifts

I've been through this three times in my life now. The last one (just over 12 months ago) had me questioning if I had done it too early but the risk to my girl of leaving another day, week or month was too great. We never have them for long enough. Enjoy your memories and have no regrets about doing what needed to be done for your boy. Loving them means also being willing to let them go when their time has come. Big hugs to you - there are a lot of us who know what you are going through.

Due to the number of furry snorers I am forced to share my bed with I wear ear plugs every night! I was recently house and dog sitting in a location far colder than where I live and I tell you I was very happy to be pinned into the bed by a border collie on one side and a lab on the other. Even though I couldn't move or turn I was warm!

I'm sorry Indigirl. Rest easy now Chilli.

Sorry you lost some of your babies Daisy Boo. xxx

I think there definately needs to be a Neil in honour of Neil Armstrong passing. I'm going to start the guessing game and say dad was a BC!

Poor little girl. She looks miserable but hopefully it will only be for a short period or time. People suck - I wish her original owner could see what she's going through!

PUPPIES!!!!!

Look at all those boobies!

So sorry Tralee.

I agonise over the first day I have to leave the dogs alone together but strangely the only altercation we have ever had was in front of us humans when my dog misread a new foster dog's reaction to playing with a toy it found. I don't leave toys lying around for unsupervised play so it was an accident and unfortunately it happened on the first night the dog arrived so it strained the relations with my two for a while. He was a pushy foster boy all round but is a gem with his new family! I think you get a sense of when they will all be ok on their own. I really think they all just lie around and do nothing while we are away anyway so we have comfy spots to lie in at several locations around the yard so the dogs aren't in each other's faces.

Knowing the dogs Ams takes in there are some that only have a whiff of pei in them but she takes them on regardless. I don't know for her whether it is a logistical thing, a desire to ensure any pei traits are catered for or if she just falls in love with their smooshy faces? No complaints from me as one of her foster carers either way - no wrinkles refused at our house!

That poor baby has been in terrible pain since that happened (whenever it did actually happen). It breaks my heart - we'd never leave a child like that so why a dog? Even if it was an accident by the original owner take it to a vet and have it pts if you can't afford to fix it! Don't leave it in excrutiating pain! Humans don't deserve dogs.....

People are living longer and I'd like to know how best to get our dogs to live longer (whilst remaining healthy). Cats live longer, as do horses and turtles and oodles of other animals. Why? What's missing in dogs or what are we as owners doing wrong? We just don't get to keep them for long enough.

But Rascal who and where are they? Why are they not leading the industry/public towards their cause? Why are their names not commonly known and referred to in say pet shops proud to sell their quality 'product'? Why are their no media stories on the great work they are doing? Until the number of amazing, beautiful and deserving dogs (pure or cross breed) who are dying every single day in every state of this country reduces significantly I cannot support any deliberate back yard breeding, puppy farming or selling of animals through pet shops. It is simply not necessary. Nor is it in a dog's best interests. It should not be considered an easy way to make money or supplement an income.

If you are not responsible and concerned enough about your 'pet dog' to desex it then you shouldn't own one in the first place. If you aren't prepared to interview and advise prospective adopters before selling them your 'pet dogs' then you shouldn't breed them. There will always be accidental litters, dogs requiring rehome and the like but this is my perfect world for 'pet dogs'. I don't think it is asking too much either given few people of pet buying age would be ignorant about how babies are made. Saying I didn't know my bitch was in season is an excuse. Saying I didn't know my male could get out of the yard is also an excuse. Saying my dog would make pretty babies is just stupidity. And don't get me started on those rare blue staffies that will fund your wedding day!

Aphra I was sneaky - I looked on DOL yesterday to see what mature mastiffs were avail, found a breeder in WA and looked up their website. I saw they had a brindle girl on their website and I think it's the same one! PS I just went and had a look at the mastiffs avail again and the ad is missing so it must be the one! I can't remember the breeders name so will leave Ams to fill you in on that!

My story is slightly different. I had to take my dog to an emergency vet for an eye issue. When I rushed her in there, there were no people. When I came out to pay it was the same. I stood at the counter behind a lady who had a cat in a carrier. The cat was very quiet (as was my dog). The cat's precious mother went all crazy at me and demanded I move away from her and her cat. I did but she told me I wasn't far enough away. So I moved again to a seat in the waiting room. The receptionist was very, very slow and the cat's mother asked loads of questions. By the time it appeared they had concluded their business a huge queue had grown behind crazy cat lady. She didn't chastise any of these people and their dogs but did ask them to move back. My girl was in pain and needed to go home so I had to go up and try and explain to about 8 people that I was actually next in the queue. No help from the receptionist. I don't think they believed me but my dog was carrying on quite a bit by then so they let me. The receptionist was again awfully slow with me and I felt terrible for any emergency cases waiting in the queue that was getting longer each minute. So precious mums exist for animals too!

I'm a bit worried about where you're going to sleep after Miss Amnesty arrives given there's no space on the bed for you now! She looks very regal and I suspect she will probably grow taller than me....

YAY!!!!!!

Ams you constantly deny yourself for the sake of the dogs you take on. I don't think anyone who supports your group ever looks at what you do in terms of numbers. It's really about each and every dog you give a second chance to. I personally think the numbers you have been juggling are impossible for a single person anyway - it is burn out or bankruptcy material. Or it could even be your health that suffers and that is even more serious! You deserve personal satisfaction too. This is clearly something on your mind for quite a while and you don't need anyone elses approval to do it. The number of dogs needing help will continue to grow. New rescuers and rescue groups will appear while others will cease operating for various reasons. Life goes on. Just make sure yours is a happy and fulfilled one! PS I can bring the dog home for you if it is down this way!!!!!!

I'm currently doing my first stint as a house and dog sitter for a breeder interstate and I'm loving every minute of it! It's like having an holiday with lots of furry friends! Sandra as I normally live in Brissie I'd offer to do the same for you but my sister is going away at that time so I need to be home for our fur kids. Hope you sort something out that you are comfortable with.

I always felt really proud when someone would notice and ask how old my girl was because she was heading on to 17 but still wanted to be out and about with the rest of the pack and I wanted people to see that an old dog can still be an important part of a 'family' and enjoy walks and other activities. Our activities had to be adjusted of course but I dislike people thinking that an old dog doesn't need stimulation or should be pts just because they are old and blind and deaf and sprouting lumps and bumps. The reality is that not all dogs live to good ages and you should be proud that your GSD boy is one of them. If people make comment to you about his age I'd be more inclined to say "Yes, isn't wonderful he still enjoys his special walk time with me!" I love the oldies with their grey snouts - they really are precious!

There was a similar incident in Australia but there was an accident and the man was able to be rescued but the dog wasn't. He went back as soon as he could and got his dog. I think they had to be winched from a ledge. I also remember a dog that got trapped in a rock fall and a major effort was made to get the dog out by the owner including cameras down crevices and blasting/drilling of the rocks. Also here in Australia. I'd pay whatever I had to to get my dog out with me or as soon as possible after. Leaving an injured dog in the wild is plain evil in my book. The guy only had to post something about it on FB and I bet he would've had loads of people willing to assist.

I've been lcky to spend time with the potential adopters and talk to them about the dogs quirks or training/developmental work that still needs to be done prior to them taking the dogs. So when I get an update telling me there have been no probs with new sleeping arrangements or how much the dogs have bonded with the kids in their new family I am so grateful. I really do care about my foster babies and I think the adopters can sense that. I've even offered to care for one special boy should the family want to go on holidays and can't take him with them as he would shrivel emotionally in a kennel. I've also loaned other adopters some doggy stuff while they sort out their own. It does feel like the extended family just keeps growing but that's perhaps also because we are breed specific. It's been such a positive experience for me and I hope it is the same for the adopters (as well as the dogs!). Hopefully that helps spread the word that rescue can be a great experience.

It varies but if I've had contact by text or email I always send a quick follow up the day after to see how they went for that first night. I'm a worry wart and want it to all go well! I've got one couple who friended me on FB before they got the dog and of course they post pics of their new boy every couple of days so I am very lucky there. One boy was a bit of a special case and we had a lot of initial updates and the family will also come to future get togethers. But our first foster this year went to a family that have not kept in contact with me or the rescue at all. Boo hoo! I think after the trial period the amount of contact becomes up to the adopter as some seem to like to just get on with their lives while others are happy to share!