Little Gifts

I'm sad about this news (just saw it on FB). Was it all so bad that it couldn't be turned around or was everyone there just too exhausted from trying and still getting beaten about the head? What are the options for that area now? Will they put it out for tender?

I recline kind of sideways while I watch tv at night. I made the mistake when Stussy the SBT was still a puppy of letting her lie on my chest and sleep while I patted her. Now some 8 years later she still likes to lie on 'mummy'. Due to both our sizes these days she drapes across my right thigh most nights but she puts her head back to rest on my tummy so I can rub her ears and face while she sleeps. Not terribly comfortable for me (dead leg!) but she looks so cute I can't stop her. The worst is when I'm trying to knit or read (or play games on the tablet) and she makes it politely clear that it is very inconvenient. She is also a fan of being under the covers. in summer I tend to just throw an empty doona case over myself rather than a top sheet. Since she has chewed off all the buttons and clips on all my doona covers (she has a doona eating issue) there have been times when she has crawled under and into the doona cover and gotten stuck there. A month or so ago I was watching a video clip of a shar pei who taps her owner to make her wake up. Guess who must've been watching over my shoulder! Tempeh! She taps me with both paws and has recently added in dry licks for good measure. Tap. Tap, tap, lick. Repeat. I can't be mad at her for waking me when she is being so cute! She is such an odd dog though - even though she is almost 4 she is still coming up with strange new habits!

I use Picasa for my work photos. I'm a terrible photographer and it helps with the end result. Quite simple to use too.

I'm sitting here crying for you. I often look at my heart girl Stussy and feel that it doesn't matter how old she is when she passes over the bridge it still wouldn't be long enough for me. So to have a beautiful animal in your life for 32 years, right from when they were born, even that doesn't seem long enough (even though to some it might sound like forever). It's the unfair part of the circle of life.

Ridiculous really - how is the puppy supposed to make the connection between peeing indoors and wearing pee on its head? It performed a necessary bodily function, just in the wrong place! I still remember when I was a kid that we were told if a dog killed a chicken you hung the dead chicken around its neck for a week and it never did it again. We tried it once for maybe half a day In a Queensland summer!) but realised the dog didn't have a clue why it was attached to the dead chicken so took it off. I'm sure there are people who still rub animals noses in their pee (and maybe poop) but again, how are they supposed to make the link?

I loved that first article! Peiradise used to have 'peinics' at a small off leash dog park near the water. At one of my early peinics there were probably around 30 pei there most who had never met each other before. There was not one scuffle or fight, even when treats were being doled out. I was amazed because some people are wary of pei and think they are an aggressive breed. I think the reason there were no fights is that pei can be so focussed on their owners that they don't give a toss about the other dogs around them so there is none of the carry on of rude, unsocialised dogs invading each other's space. They just go about their business sniffing and exploring (while keeping one eye on where their humans are) and should they bump into another pei it is like "Whoops sorry about that! My bad! After you!" When my pei plays with my stafford they are equally crazy, bouncing off furniture and flying over stairs while doing zoomies and covering each other in slag from bitey face, so it's not like they don't contain the potential to be in your face and over exuberant. They just choose to do that kind of thing with friends and not strangers! Oh and I don't think I've never seen a pei try to air hump another dog either. I think a lot of dog owners can't tell the difference between play and rude behaviour. Probably because they let their dog off the leash the minute they arrived at the park and are never close enough to it to correct bite inciting behaviour. I will say that if I had a dog who was a rusher, always running to 'meet' strange dogs then that dog would not be going to an off leash park until I had that behaviour under control. I never even let mine off leash until I've sussed out who else is in the park and where they are. Why can't other dog owners exhibit some basic sensibility too?

That last pic was See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil!

Really glad you found a house. I was worried about how you would do in that environment during your treatment. You have done such an amazing job with Jonah too! He has more fun outings than me!

If you are interested in supporting groups overseas then these guys seem worthy. They care for street animals in India and some are in such dire circumstances you can't imagine how they are still alive. Even more intriguing is how they do everything in Third World style - they operate outdoors and don't have any fancy catch poles or cages or other shelter paraphenalia. I will be donating to them because I appreciate what they achieve for animals that would otherwise die horrible deaths in silence. http://animalaidunlimited.org/

He can't help it if he is big boned! It actually looks like you have two litters on the ground and one is about two weeks or so ahead of the other! And they are all beautiful, including their mummy (who I still can't over is old enough to have her own babies!). I send them imaginary belly raspberries and kisses all the time! I love the smell of puppies!

He is HUGE!!!!!!

I am with Team Bart To The Rescue http://www.teambarttotherescue.org/ (you can also find us on Facebook). Team Bart started in September last year and every two months we connect with about 3 rescue groups and get their wish lists and try and fulfill them. Some items are bulk purchased and delivered with donation dollars, some items are purchased and sent by post by individual Team Bart Champions and other items are handmade and delivered/posted. This approach allows people with practical skills (but perhaps not a lot of money) to still be part of the giving process. There is nothing more heartwarming than seeing an animal using the item that you made on a rescue's Facebook page! And you can opt in or out of every round so if you are not a fan of farm animals or are short of funds there is no expectation that you will again participate. The rescue groups can be based anywhere around Australia and there is a tendency to support groups who might not be well noticed (but who are still doing important work). So far we have done dogs, cats, wildlife and are currently moving into pocket pets. In the future we will do farm animals and the pets of homeless people (and I think birds?). The more Champions we have the more rescue groups we can support. Team Bart is also working towards getting charity status already. Team Bart Champions are a very supportive and flexible bunch too - nothing is too much hassle for the rescue groups. The person who runs it is of course an animal lover and long time rescue supporter and as far as I know 100% of dollar donations are used to buy goods - she covers all other costs in running Team Bart To The Rescue herself. I personally wouldn't donate to the RSPCA. They have funding sources that so many other smaller groups don't. They also have a recognised name and PR options. I wont talk about what they aren't doing with all that money already in their accounts or the sob stories they tell to get it in the first place. It's your money so you should donate it where you feel most comfortable. In this instance size (of funds and the group you support) doesn't matter!

Thank you Rural Pug! Another great tip!

I was going to wait till next week and if no-one here wanted them I was going to look at small local rescues and RCR was definately on the top of my list!

I got the email too but something about it just didn't feel balanced or legit so I didn't even click the link.

The RSPCA should be bringing a cruelty case against police. If any of us kept a dog in a 9 x 3ft cage for 2 years we'd be facing fines and in fact those who are responsible for law and order should be held to a much higher standard than your average joe. How anyone could think that any living thing could be kept confined and without comfort or stimulation for two years and not change in personality and behaviour is ludicrous. If I were the owner I would be suing the police for damaging and loss of property. I'm glad it is not my dog or I'd have busted Stella out after 6 months.

One of our dogs (my sister's heart girl) had to be put to sleep very unexpectedly this week. She has some supplements and meds that might be useful to rescue. I can drop off (if based in SEQ) or post at my cost. The items are as follows: 15 x 20mg Prednisolone tabs (only issued last week - not sure what else it is used for besides what we were dealing with) 1 unopened bottle of Glyde Mobility Chews for Dogs (30 chews in the bottle) 1 unopened bottle of Technyflex Canine (240 capsules in the bottle) 1 unopened 250g bottle of Sashas Blend Powder 1 opened 250g bottle of Sashas Blend Powder(about a quarter left - spoon still in bottle) My sister hopes that other rescue animals can benefit from these items. Please let me know if you need any more information about the items from their packaging.

She had just been the most amazing mother! She clearly adores her bubbas as much ad we do.

I think rescue groups do have to think of fun ways to spread the word about their dogs. As long as the same assessment process is used with adoption applications then I am fine with how people find their dogs in the first place. I was at the Dog Day Out the first year and so many dogs were adopted and left then and there with owners that I doubt home checks were done on them all. People actually turned up with leashes in their hand despite having no idea what dogs they would find there. That's not really the kind of 'prepared for a new dog' scenario I was comfortable with. We had the ability to go and do home checks (and there was a private meet and greet area) but I know there was at least one very persistent woman we repeatedly said no to. Somebody probably said yes and let a dog go home to no fence and yard full of chickens. Off topic but where I am working now there is a cat café on the same block and I have to find the time to go and check it out.

The website is http://www.dogfirstaid.com.au/courses.html ... the courses are 5hrs long and are run at 51 Wellington Street, Virginia and also Bankstown, NSW. They have a Facebook page as well - which I how I came across them. I have booked into the session on 2nd April. Thank you and will you please post in here and let us know how the course was?

Who is the course with Tilly? Could you add a link please? It's something I'd like to do too. Not prepared for much here either.

Marcus must think we are all cray-cray! I love the name Obvious - it's very fitting.

Neko's puppies come in small....medium....and extra large!

Here is my take on desexing. Most people do not give it a thought until something goes wrong or it becomes a problem - a bitch in season, spotting on the furniture, escaping, unwanted litters. If they have a male dog it could be escaping, barking, marking, leg humping, paying higher impound fees every time it is caught on the hunt for a bitch in season. Then when these people have the idea put in their mind that it can all be resolved with desexing they ring maybe 2 local vets and decide it is horribly expensive. For an operation that can save you a whole lot of stress (and maybe money if you end up with an unwanted litter of puppies) it is not expensive at all. It pays for itself in lower council registration fees too. Plus many vets (and the RSPCA) run desexing specials and of course there are payment plans. Desexing your pet will be the cheapest surgery you ever get and if you can't afford that you can't afford a pet (or unwanted litters). I don't know how you educate those who are not interested in being educated but I think that is where the problem lies. So many people just don't see it as an issue until it becomes a problem for them. Compulsory desexing is unlikely to be the answer. You will just get more people not registering their dogs - council can't police what they don't know about.

I pronounce it tit-ra. Oh dear.....