Little Gifts

I was scared to come into this thread thinking oh Dog, SBTs are probably in there! Of course I was also relieved to find that 'Nosy Dog' didn't make the top 5 as I have one of those here and it can be very problematic!

Oh Rozzie that is so sad. I'm sorry you lost your big fella but thank you for giving him a wonderful new life. Alyson xxx

I don't think all properties make good rentals whether there are dogs, kids or not. Timber floors will get scratched, pristine white walls will get marks and originally restored timberwork, leadlighting glass, marble kitchen bench and hard to find tiles might get damaged by accident even by the most fastideous of tenants. I have been renovating my house and I know there is no point trying to keep the timber floors from getting scratched or worrying about my lovely coloured walls being covered with dog goo. I also learnt the hard way about what colour carpet not to get! When I was younger I had either cats or dogs at every rental I lived in without any problems because the places were generally old houses done up to be rentals. They were created with wear and tear in mind. If you do up a place you need to decide to do it for either rental purposes or resale. I don't think you can have both unless you are re-selling it as a rental. Don't put your heart and soul into a house and expect anyone else to treat it as you would. Even your family wont live up to the same standards. And I don't understand the whole flea issue - I have never had a flea issue in any of my accom. Maybe I've been lucky but why would you want your dirty and flea riddled pet snuggled up with you on the lounge? Surely keeping it clean is about more than landlord issues anyway?

I'm not a breeder but from my experience with SBTs in rescue his ears are too big, his snout is too long and I don't think I've ever seen those kind of face colours/markings in a pure bed stafford. As long as you love him it doesn't matter whether he is pure bred or not. He doesn't know what he's 'supposed' to look like! He looks like a happy boy!

My old girl that passed last year was the only dog I have ever had who seemed to feel the loss of another household dog and grieve. She was always the type of dog who felt more comfortable in a pack environment and experienced the loss of three dogs over the years. The worst was when she was 13 I lost her son and she aged overnight from it as she was then the only dog in our house. A rescue pup came my way only 6 weeks later and she devoted herself to mothering and teaching it so the pup stayed (and became my first ever heart dog!). She had purpose again I guess. Anyway she lived then for almost another 4 years and was very active right until the end. After she went though the other two dogs here now didn't seem to worry in the slightest! Fickle....

It looked like you'd already bought her lots of pink girly things so no-one here is surprised she's staying. She really is the most gorgeous thing!

I remember that thread about some people not liking black dogs but how shiny and beautiful are your bubs! How could you not love them! FM is this the first litter you have bred or just Charm's first? I'd be wanting frenchie puppies all the time because they are so freaking cute! Couldn't give them to anyone else though. Well maybe tdierikx could have a fawn one if she promises to bring it back for visits....

Our dogs seem to be good judges of character and we follow their advice about strangers to our front door or new people we invite in to our lives. In particular they seem to know if a new boyf is a dud. They simply stop bothering to waste their time on them and not long after we realise we should be doing the same! My sister's dog is in the habit of closely monitoring tradesmen. She watches them like a hawk and it doesn't matter how they try and befriend her she wont have it! If they do their job quickly and well they get to leave in tact. If not then they only have themselves to blame!

She could make a fortune as a doggy model - she's got it all in the good looks department!

*facepalm* She sounds just.. bat-sh*t crazy. What theraputic reasons is there to put trousers on a kangaroo? What condition that a kangaroo might suffer require trousers? Pantlessitis? And the rest.. well, she just sounds paranoid and delusional. Perhaps Irwin chafes easily? Sorry, couldn't help myself. This is wrong on so many levels - I can't even believe the council created an ordinance so she could keep him! And how is she going to manage him when he hits that 50kg mark? The human race scares and astounds me daily...

Good luck! I hope the three of you have a brilliant time!!!!!

I'm so sorry. The old ones are very hard to let go because they have been part of our lives for so long. You'll never be forgotten Gus.

She is just gorgeous! What a cutie pie!!!!!

FM I think there is something wrong with your puppies skin - they seem to have too much of it!

I spent two years travelling around Australia in the early 80s, in a trusty old Torana. That was back when you could easily have a dog in a camp ground and there were no rules about National Parks or great Australian landmarks. Back when you could leave your dog sitting outside a shop and it would be there when you came out again, back when no-one worried about your dog on the beach with you and back when you could camp for free in lots of spots around this beautiful country. I don't doubt that Badger would be fine with the travelling but I do worry about how limiting this will be for him and you because of all the no dog zones you will face. What will you do in a hot town when you want to visit somewhere? You can't leave him in the car. What will you do when you are bone tired after a long day of driving but can't find a camp ground that will let you have an animal? What if you really want to visit a particular National Park but can't even park there because you have poor Badger. Yes I know how this really sucks because he is a beautiful boy and just a pup. Back then I owned an adult old english sheepdog (who would've taken up a lot more room in the Torana!) and I practically broke up with my partner over him not allowing me to bring my dog with us. I couldn't understand it given he was an animal lover himself, but pretty much straight away I realised how difficult it would've been, particularly in the summer in QLD, NT and northern WA. And there were so many places we visited that my girl would've sruggled with - she couldn't have climbed inside caves or spent hours floating around in hot springs or watched from the hot sand as we snorkelled the ocean. What would we have done with her when we went on short side trips to islands? Sorry to be Devil's Advocate but there is a lot to see and do in this great country and taking a dog with you will restrict what you do and how you do it. If you are ok with this then go for it, but if you make a list of what you want to experience and for at least 10% of it Badger has to be exluded then you need to think realistically about how you will manage this from Badger's perspective. One thing about travelling around Australia too is that it is easy to get side tracked by things, people and places you never imagined existed and whether Badger goes with you or not I hope you have a magical trip. It really is an amazing country.

There are a lot of sick people that we have to share our world with.

I think a star must shine over your house Rachel guiding the lost animals to your door. Poor Lucky. You did your best and he passed with someone at least caring about him. And I think you did the right thing with Jack.

Tnank you Ams. I like to do home checks in Brissie when I can but the heat is really knocking me around at the moment and I'm a walking zombie so no driving for me until I am alert again!

Julie I'm currently knitting two dog coats for you so will post once they are done - probably a week or so.

Thank you for including us on this joyous journey - they are all so squishable!

I can apprecaite the need to 'legally' fundraise because there are unscrupulous people out there who pretend to be representing not for profit organisations. Rescue groups that become incorporated can also offer tax receipts, which is an encouragement for some people to dig into their pockets. I can also appreciate other rescuers asking for monies to go directly to a vet bill or transport company or only asking for goods. I really think the more options the better. But still for me it is about the dogs and I don't care how a group or individual rescuer operates - if I feel they are genuine at what they are doing and a dog is in need (even if said dog doesn't make it through treatment) I will provide money or goods or pay for services rendered. I'm sure there are others like me out there. There are a couple of things I am uncomfortable about providing towards (which not everyone will agree with) - mid to late terminations where it is not necessary for the safety of the mother and long term kennelling where foster placement or return to home options are not being actively sought (ie taking into consideration Pacers where the aim may be for the animal to return to its original owner when it is possible). I personally don't feel a dog has a chance of being rehomed if it remains too long in a kennel environment. There are a couple of things I'd love to provide funds for - a joint foster carer recruitment drive between a couple of rescue groups (which I'm sure a big dog food company would also love to get behind) and retaining/training specialist foster carers. Wouldn't it just be awesome to have a difficult or sick dog come into your care and have somewhere special for it to go?!

My girl has a bed right beside the computer but when she thinks I have been distracted long enough she comes around the other side and swats me repeatedly on the arm with both paws like was a prize fighter.

This cracked me up - he sounds like a failed foster!

As someone who donates mine and other people's money I have fundraised to rescue every month I can tell you that I know rescue costs will forever far exceed anything I donate. I don't care if you spend 'my' money on toys for the dogs to destroy because I know you will also be spending money on the basics such as food and vet fees as well. I also have no concerns about donating to rescue groups interstate (as well as locally) or to groups or individual rescue because the need is everywhere and I do it for the dogs. Their love and trust knows no boundaries so why should my commitment? My motivation to donate is partly because I am not rescuing myself and am therefore not spending money directly on animal care, and partly because I desire change. Before I die I'd like to live in a society where animals were not so disposable. I can also tell you that when I first started donating, particularly when I donated items, I desperately wanted a little thank you. But then I realised how unrealistic that was and that it detracted from rescuers doing their work. I realised that meant I was doing it for me and not for the dogs. So I would be horrified if you kept detailed notes of how you spent my money or took time to send me photos or updates. I'd much rather you spent that precious time on the dogs! If I want to know how you spent my money all I need to do is ask. I am not your accountant and I am not the tax man - it is not my business how you manage the limited finances that rescue attracts against the potentially huge outlays. As for the people who use our office book club or who partake in raffles or other fundraising activities I regularly run, not one of them has ever questioned me about where the money goes. Not one in three years. They don't even ask who I give it to (which is always my choice) let alone want to know which dogs or what equipment or treatment it was spent on. My last comment is that those of us who donate do not know you are in need unless you say so. I have two places I regularly donate to but if there is a specific dog with specific needs that comes to my attention then I can divert funds anyway I choose and for however long I choose. So if I don't know I can't help.

Thank you Raffikki - the pics on that one were much bigger.