Little Gifts

I'm coming up to volunteer for the day, not bringing my own dogs and would LOVE to pick up a furbie. Probably only 1 though because I will also have food items to bring with me and will need a free hand. I don't have a crate either but have those seatbelt thingies to keep my dogs secure. I think I am a little in love with Bandit too if that helps? Given I am volunteering and assuming I may be behind a stall some of the time will Bandit or the other dogs be looked after by someone else while there? Anytime I am not behind a stall though I'd love to show one of them off.

Happy Birthday Holly! I have an old girl too (a dog) and she isn't fond of dressing up for Christmas either. TLC I am loving having an older dog and just watching how their bodies change but their personalities still shine through. I hope Holly makes it to 20 and beyond!

I can imagine paying more for a very rare breed of dog or one whose lines carry something exceptional, because availability affects price in most other areas of life. But since I'm not into rare breeds I would like to think I am paying for what I get, which means a skilled breeder has raised a healthy and socially capable pup ready to be safely rehomed and has assessed me as a suitable owner of own of their pups. I like to read the pups born each month on DOL and can see that there is the potential for breeders to spend a lot of money to raise litters so I would like to see a breeder adequately compensated for the efforts but not greedy or jumping on a colour bandwagon (a la blue SBTs). Like most people I am first attracted to the look (colour) of dog and do have my favourite looks for several breeds (I like short haired pieds in several breeds). But immediately after I narrow it down to that I need to know the health is good and most importantly that the dog has the personality both of the breed and of what I like/need in my life. No point me choosing a dog that doesn't like cuddles and to play when that is what gives me a lot of pleasure is it? I am not after a show dog either so a wonky ear or size not to standard are not a concern to me, but health issues that might cause me to lose a beautiful dog at a young age definately are. The dog needs to suit me and I need to suit the dog. Maybe too many people just don't go past the look of an animal? Maybe if they saw more rescue puppies they would realise that all dogs are beautiful when they are young and dependant and it is what they turn in to that they should be thinking about. A dog you adore is still a dog you adore regardless of it is 12 weeks or 12 years old.

I have 2 memorable and disfiguring ones, both by SBT's. A friend's SBT pup decided to launch itself into the air off my septic tank assuming I would catch it. It's teeth and my teeth collided taking a chunk off the bottom of my front tooth. I have had it filled numerous times since then and it still falls out so I look a bit special between dental visits. My second more serious one has life long repurcussions. I got an SBT rescue pup. I was carrying a load of washing to the line when the pup got under my feet and I landed on the concrete on my butt. It hurt a lot but xrays didn't identify any damage. Next day I was vomiting with the pain. An abcess started growing on the base of my spine. I was living on pain killers for weeks while they tried to treat it with antibiotics. Couldn't sit, couldn't sleep, could only lie on my side. Then it started leaking. Then I had emergency surgery. Then I had drains hanging out of two holes in my butt for 7 weeks. Then I had surgery again to put experimental pigs bits into the holes. Three months off work, most of which was spent lying on my side either in pain or oozing gross stuff. A third of my core body muscles were damaged by the abcess and ooze which will lead to incontinence from both ends in my old age. I still have the dog though - she ended up being my heart girl and I adore every inch of her. Plenty of other minor injuries breaking up fights, being used as a launch pad or having my arms ripped from their sockets when someone on the end of a leash does a bolt but that's just part of living with crazy dogs.

She looks absolutely amazing! A whole new dog!

We've got 6 boxes hopefully getting posted tomorrow. One of the other workgroups here did 2 and my sister's workplace should end up with 2 as well. We just did male and female soldiers as I'm sure the doggies would've done pretty well off the DOL folk. And you find out things about co-workers doing stuff like this. Not one male offered to participate. One of them even opened the chips thinking they were just for sharing at work and didn't offer to replace them when told what they were for. I also learnt our youngest staff member is a professional soldier's child. Her father is back in Iraq for his 3rd tour of duty. He has a specialist skill that means unless there is a war he doesn't get much experience doing what he is trained to do. So he has served in East Timor and Iraq. This young girl contributed a lot from her measly pay because she knows how much it means. My only real wish is that each box could weigh 5kg! There is so much more I would've loved to send!

Don't get your knickers in a twist about Andrew Bolt get your knickers in a real twist about the Matt Smith who via his teaching profession at La Trobe University is indoctinating the next generation of jounalists on how we should not own dogs! ""Pooch pie on the menu if we don't cut ecological pawprint" Matt Smith November 25, 2010 http://m.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and...1124-187bh.html Go and get your knickers in a twist that The Age would print such garbage!! Sorry, I see the name Andrew Bolt and the mad woman within takes over. Hopefully those being submitted to the irrational rantings of Matt Smith will be intelligent enough to make their own decisions, particularly as a large proportion would be dog lovers/owners. There always seems to be some radicals teaching at universities - I know I had a couple during my studies.

I am going to be having stern words with my camera - I get nothing like these and it has to stop immediately! I want cool mouse and elephlunk photos!

Andrew Bolt is the biggest mud slinging journo out there. He should've had his lips stitched up and fingers cut off years ago. He doesn't abide by any journalist ethics that I want to be part of. His sole aim is to cause chaos. He is like print media's Kyle Sandilands. Don't even bother reading anything he writes because it will not contain balanced arguments or info sources from both sides, just his single minded opinions.

I was thinking about the pain it endured too Persephone. And I think I read somewhere that dehydration is a horrible death experience too. I will never understand the mistreatment of animals and in particular the physical abuse of puppies (who wouldn't know not to cry when hurt) and the neglect and abandonment of old animals. Do they think if they ignore an older animal they will just hurry up and die? Grow some balls and pts an old dog who is suffering (I can't imagine them caring enough to engage with a rescue group to rehome it). A person who abuses or neglects a companion animal should never be allowed to own or co-own another one in their entire lives. Not even goldfish.

Yep I'd be keen to hear what P&S cameras others are using so I know what mine might also be capable of! Mine is a Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ3. I will post a couple of pics up from home - don't have them with me at work. I must admit it has photographed more concerts than my dogs!

Hi everyone, I don't normally make it to any meets but am hoping to change that in the new year when I get myself more organised. I hang out in the rescue threads and Australian Working Dog Rescue are having a BBQ ont he day of your next meet - 5/12, at Clayfield. I thought I'd point it out in case you want to kill two birds with one stone - enjoy a sausage sizzle and have a meet up? Here's the link to the thread: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...p;#entry4975510

http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/prod4741.htm This is what I have in a lovely dark blue colour. Obviously there is a newer model out now. I just don't get the same vibrancy and crispness in my photos that my friend, who had the same camera, got.

I have a Lumix too after seeing the photos a friend took on his on the same OS trip as me. I have tried experimenting with the different options but a bad photographer is still a bad photographer! I have bravely let go of the flash for most photos but find myself fiddling so much with the zoom that the subject in question has usually moved on. My other issue is I now need seperate glasses for close up and distance things but no glasses for say working on a computer. I never to know whether to have glasses on or off and whether that is affecting my focussing. The saddest part is I studied photography in high school on a very good (back then) 35mm camera and have studied digital video at uni so you think I'd know something????? I think I suffer from pressing (the button) pressure.....

I have a kong hater here. Even with food inside it she still doesn't know what the hell she is expected to do with it. But leave a used tissue somewhere and hours of fun can be had shredding it into teensy tiny little pieces of confetti!

For me it is about what the treatment would achieve for the animal. I adore my dogs and am a VIP client who gets a discount at my vet, so that tells you how much money I have spent there over the years. As an example - I have an old staffy who has cancer. I know owners who would say they didn't care what it cost they had to try and save their dog. I say she has cancer, it is terminal and rather than subject her to excessive treatments to prolong her life so I can feel better I will closely monitor her and seek vetinary assistance if/when she needs it. I will feed her what she needs to keep her body strong. I will massage her to keep her joints and muscles active. I will change how I walk/exercise her to minimise strain. I will create more comfortable and accessible sleeping arrangements. I will give her more of my love and attention for as long as she has got left. So far that has equated to several quality years together even though the cancer is now in her organs. When there has been an accident and bones are broken I think it would be very difficult to say no to treatment but I would be seeking a second opinion and ensuring I was paying for a specialist if the bill was high. I remember taking one of my dogs to an emergency vet after she was collar choked by someone breaking up a dog fight and all her eyes went red with burst blood vessels. It would be negligent of me to have a healthy 1 year old dog go blind because I didn't get it checked, but it cost a lot to be told it was all ok and would heal. I remember on Bondi Vet ages ago a lovely dog with a deformity who had to have all four legs reset with pins and the owner had to tighten the pins every day. How do you explain that pain and encumberance of a metal frame around each leg for months to a dog? I am still not sure I could put a dog through that kind of surgery because of its inability to understand what it was going through. It cost thousands as well.

I love my old girl but don't like the fact her brain and her arse are no longer connected. It is like caring for a puppy all over again.

I've certainly come to appreciate larger breed dogs since being on DOL. Instead of thinking they just look big and scary I can see their lovely personalities and realise that they don't see themselves as a particular size - if they want to sit on your lap for a cuddle then they still give it a try!

That really pisses me off! If local councils or the RSPCA were managing the issue then there would be no need for private shelters or rescue groups whether they are registered or not. Rescue groups spring up in response to need, not because the people involved have nothing better to do with themselves. People put all the spare money and time they have into trying to give these dogs (and cats) a chance to live without expecting anything in return. I find it offensive that the focus has been shifted from why all these dogs need to be rescued to the people who choose to rescue them. Shame on you Vic government.

Mina I loved the self washing staffy and Nala! So funny!

What a beautiful collage of memories. He was such a cuter as a pup and had such a great personality as an older dog. He is missed by lots of people - even pug thread lurkers like me.....

"I was doing you a favour - pirated dvd's are illegal you know!"

Renovation Rescue- "But I thought you said I'd look after the soft furnishings while you picked the right colour yellow for the walls?"

That cracked me up! I've never had a simple or a helper dog but I have had one flop around the house like a dying fish (just in case I hadn't noticed he was extremely unhappy from the other irritating things he had done like walk very slowly in my way while I was carrying something heavy or lie on top of the things I was trying to pack). They probably think we are terribly stupid or uncaring sometimes!

I just had a very simple idea regarding this. Remember years back where people would have Neighbourhood Watch stickers on their letterboxes to indicate a safe place and responsible resident inside? What about something similar for good dog owners? People who had registered and perhaps even obedience trained dogs, or social dogs able to spend time with other social dogs could have stickers on their letterboxes. This could indicate to new residents or even potential new dog owners in your street someone who was like minded and who could give advice on local vets, dog parks, etc. I'm not saying people with stickers were experts on dog matters (no-one expected neighbourhood watch people to be experts at anything) but linking people with similar interests might provide a support and trouble shooting network. As an example - I own 3 dogs who we take to the beach and several local parks, including an agility park. I also have a great vet. A new neighbour with a dog moves in and knows none of these things about the area but sees I have a sticker and might come and ask me for some suggestions. It would be up to the owner what they then did of course. And a household with a single dog might benefit from interaction with another dog, or an owner might need to be away overnight. I'd be happy to try my dogs with other new dogs on play dates and I'd also be happy to feed a neighbour's dog and keep an eye and ear on it for a night. I have that kind of relationship with a couple of my direct neighbours now but lots of neighbourhoods have lost that. We spend all our time indoors behind locked screens and surrounded by 6 foot fences.