Little Gifts

Still no email so I'm assuming other arrangements were made? No worries!

I know Tempeh's has developed from boredom but there is just not a lot I can do about that at prsent. I hope when life returns to normal she no longer needs to whine and can just return to general talking as at least I could understand what she is saying then! Hopefully she and Stan will never meet and it wont become permanent! But thank you, it does make me feel good to know I'm not alone!

Tempeh (our pei) has always been a talker. Her vocabulary has been quite diverse and we can usually tell what she wants or how she is feeling by the sounds she makes. But lately she is just a non-stop whiner. I can't find a spot I like on the bed (whine), Wolf is blocking the doorway (whine), my breakfast is due in 5 minutes and you aren't already making it (whine), one of the dogs is still outside and you've shut the door (whine), it's treat time (whine), I'm cold (whine), my coat is falling off (whine), I can't go outside to pee because it is raining (whine), there is a dangerous dog eating gecko on the back window (whine), this dog bed is not clean enough for me to lie on (whine), this dog bed is not in the right place for me to lie on (whine), what are you doing behind that toilet door (whine). It is endless. I find myself looking at her and asking "What?" I wish it was the kind of noise that could be ignored but she is relentless and it gets irritating and under your skin. She is doing it because her routine has been in turmoil for the past two months and it is her only way of communicating her frustration to us. I do get that. Hopefully things in our life will settle again soon and she can go back to just being quirky rather than irritating. But make me feel better, tell me there are other whiners out there? What do they whine at you about?

I'm happy to call them and arrange a suitable and soon time to visit. I'm not working for the next couple of days so my time is pretty flexible. If you need it my email addy is little_gifts at optusnet dot com dot au

Just saw this. I could do it. Think I have done home checks for Denise before.

He is getting better looking as he gets older too! He looks so soft!

I have an Oztrail 3m x 3m. Just the basic model. I use it at markets and have to take it in and out of the car, drag it around, put it up and take it down by myself. I bought it last year at Big W and it was only $129. Bargain. Not even on special! If you do a youtube search you will find plenty of clips that explain how to put it up and take it down all by yourself. I have done so many, many times. The reason my old one broke on the frame was when some idiot man decided to 'help' me put it up and with my current one the only damage is to the canopy and that happened when my doofus sister 'helped' me too - she pinched the canopy in one of the folding arms. My only complaint is also with the bag. I like to leave the canopy on as it can be used on a weekly basis but of course you can't do the bag up again with it like that and it just flops to the ground. My bag is badly scraped because I also think the wheels and pouch are on the wrong side. Obviously these were only road tested by men during the developmental phase!

Seeing that gap makes me realise we need to be vigilant to check our fence lines regularly for things our doggies might be getting up to when we are not home. The gap in that pic is a getting to a risky size particularly as it leads into a thoroughfare. Kids do dumb stuff. Hell even adults do dumb stuff. You can teach and you can tell and you can supervise but still stupid things with bad consequences happen. This really seems like an actual accident with no clear neglect. Sure the supervising adult could have done better and sure the dog owners could have patched up that gap earlier but apportioning blame solely on the dogs or the child will not stop a random accident of a similar nature happening to another child. We need to all do the best we can to keep children and pets safe, learn and change where there are learnings to be had from events of this nature but also accept accidents can and do happen. I wouldn't like to see those dogs put down for this anymore than I am happy a child lost her hand this way.

It is possible the girl's hand was damaged not only by the dog but by her trying to yank it back through the fence immediately after she was bitten. I think that would be a natural human reaction. I had a worrying situation like this once. A man was renting across the road with what was maybe an ADD type kid. He was only about 5 or 6 but I often saw him up at the T intersection from where I live on the wander. I don't think his father could cope with him. One day I discovered that he had come in to my yard, had gone through the front garden and through the small side gate (always kept bolted) and had been trying to feed my dogs under the taller back fence (which was always key locked). My dogs are fenced back from the house and street because I don't want them at risk of strangers. They were used to kids but were protective of their property (we'd had a home invasion) and I was terrified as I really had no idea if my dogs would consider him a threat sticking his hands under the wooden gate. They hadn't eaten any of the sandwiches he'd left so I have to assume they were suspicious. And we are only talking a couple of centimetres gap - there was a concrete strip under that gate so the dogs couldn't get out and people couldn't get in but hands were not something I'd factored in.

Oh my, I just went and googled Tonkey and there are some pics where he looks more like a stuffed toy than a real dog. I was shocked when I saw so many on Scumtree (don't know why I torture myself and look) and even weirder there were quite a few husky x pei litters and now it makes me wonder if they are trying to breed for the Tonkey teddy bear look? Very sad for the pups themselves. I also noticed a few creams on there which you don't usually see a lot of and I wondered whether that was because of the current Paddington craze? People are idiots. All pei are unique and cute!

I'm so pleased that Pudding has come good! Rupert is divine!

I don't think Ams is on DOL anymore but if you PM Coogie she might remember the breeder Ams got Avatar from as her breeder was considered a quality one. There were a few bear coats on Scumtree when I looked last week. I still haven't seen one in RL myself!

Joining Pudding vigil. Glad the other two are now home. What a nightmare. I hope you are holding up ok. Absolutely not your fault either. We can't predict everything our dogs are going to do, particularly if they haven't done it before. Hugs to you Kirty. XXX

I think this is good news. All three have improved overnight and just need to keep taking steps forward. I'm so glad you found them when you did. There is a lesson here for all of us with what we bury in our yards.

Oh Kirty I am so sorry. Waiting to hear an update on them all hoping it is a positive one. Fingers, toes and paws crossed here for you.

My love everyone Stafford girl was traumatised by a groomer with one of the RSPCA super stores when she was about 3 years old. I'd left her to get her nails cut while I was using the machine to wash our other two dogs. I realised she was screaming and went in and discovered the girl had her pinned to the floor with her body and was being really rough and verbally aggressive with her to cut them. She'd never had a problem with having them done before but she is almost 8 now and ever since that one event she is terrified of anyone even touching her paws let alone getting clippers near her toes. I've tried desensitising her but she still wont even let me pat near her paw without pulling her leg away.

I think everyone has heard a story about a dog dragged along behind a ute and it is just such a horrific way to die or be seriously injured. A long, long time ago I was in a ute on a no stopping section of freeway and the dog the driver had in the back decided he wanted to crawl inside the cab. His chain was long enough that the dog was able to do so too while the car travelled at 120km. It was terrifying and the struggling dog (large breed) had to be dragged in through the drivers window while he was driving. He was luckily unharmed. There will always be a need to secure dogs on the back of utes (because that is the type of vehicle a lot of people own for their jobs) and I much prefer a cage set up as the dogs will at least have shade, maybe water, are safe from falling off the side or being thrown from the vehicle in an accident, as well as safe from theft.

Just bumping this as the giving will commence in September. If you want to give or receive then please follow the link I provided. A webpage has also been set up. I can't link it from my phone right now but Google Team Bart and you should find it.

What is the answer? Should they be forced to give all of the money they earned through those dogs to rescue? Would that be a deterrant to them or others? They certainly don't deserve to own any more animals! It really pisses me off that the son's employment needs were more important than so many dogs lives. Out in the real world people with disabilities and mental health issues have to find jobs to suit their specific needs all the time. I think that excuse is a cop out they just used in court when you consider how much money they were making from their little family business. Maybe when the courts start handing out sentences that are more meaningful and in line with the harm caused we might be able to work towards a solution. I don't see anything going underground anytime soon. It seems to me the farming approach remains very lucrative with enough legal loopholes to see these places operate for years without any real impact on their growth and income. Sickening to think we share air space with people who have no problems owning businesses like this.

Yes, very important. Don't ever assume it is all ok! Tempeh's transfer never went through properly at the registering end and I only found out when I did an online search (prompted by a DOL thread!) maybe a year after she came to live with me to check all her details were current and they had no record of her at all! Further digging revealed a query on the transfer paperwork that they had never bothered to follow up with through either me, the rescue or the vet who did the microchipping. I was not very happy they had left her at risk for so long. She never would've found her way home to anyone if lost.

Tempeh is a kisser. It seems to be a pei thing as most I know like to give them. I sometimes request one and other times she just wants to give multiple kisses to you herself. My SBT girl is a licker - people, the floor, the furniture, the bedding, your clothes, other dogs. She is a mild licker compared to my deceased SBT. She even licked the air! If she managed to pin down the old family cat it would be dripping wet after her version of a spa session! he was so bad my mum would put eucalyptus oil on her knees so that Ricky would run over, get a whiff and back off. Otherwise mum would go home with soggy stockings. Edited to add I do give Tempeh kisses on the snozz but I never lick Stussy back and I actually try to discourage her as she has slimy phlegm. Temp's kisses are dry ones.

Feel free MRB. It bugs me that we do all that for dogs to give them the best ever chance of a new home and some people still think they are damaged goods not worth considering. Even worse are the people who complain about paying an adoption fee. I mean the rescue gets them for free right? Just cause their original owners didn't value them doesn't mean that we don't. And I loved that clip - dogs have more uses than a Swisse Army Knife!

There is something important I wanted to add here about adopting a rescue dog that has been with a foster carer. While dogs (regardless of age) are in their care, foster carers (with the help of their rescue group) endeavour to: - Toilet train - Crate train - Provide basic command training (sit, stay, walk on a leash, etc) - Assess temperament and personality (so adopters know what type of dog they are getting) - Address behavioural and health issues - Socialise and expose foster dogs to a range of stimulus and experiences - Provide a positive homestyle environment so the foster dog can successfully transition to a permanent adoptive home environment. You will also get the above with a quality registered breeder but you will never get this from puppy farmed or BYB dogs regardless of their age or breed. You may also get some of this from a dog rescued from a pound or adopted through a shelter style environment. But for the money you pay why wouldn't you choose a dog with known temperament (even if it is only still a puppy)? Why wouldn't you choose one that already has positive toileting habits? Why wouldn't you choose a dog who can simply transition from one home to another with its routines, likes and dislikes already known? You also end up with a support network AND a return policy if you run into any transitioning problems. People don't seem to see how much value there is in these kinds of rescue dogs and pups. The main goal of a foster carer, from the day that dog arrives, is to prepare them for a forever home and unlike pet shop dogs, none of that work is added to the sale price. We've done the road testing and trouble shooting all for you and are still offering our 'product' at bargain basement prices!

That coat is very Coco Chanel!

I've also posted about this in Off Topic but I really didn't want any rescue groups or their supporters to miss this information. Bart Chambers is a very special dog who is owned by some very special, animal loving humans who have supported many animal rescues over the years. Bart has faced, and continues to face some serious health issues. Despite his advanced years is a very prolific poster on Facebook. His skin parents decided to garner his popularity and turn it into something positive. Team Bart To The Rescue was born. Bart always likes to do things a little different. Team Bart is seeking Champions - people interested in making, buying or donating a little or a lot on a bi-monthly basis so as a group we can support a range of rescue groups wherever they have set up shop. Team Bart is also seeking rescue groups (big or small it doesn't matter to Bart!) to register their interest in receiving goods as follows: - Sept/Oct - Dog Rescue - Nov/Dec - Wildlife and Exotics Rescue - Jan/Feb - Cat Rescue - Mar/Apr - Pocket Pets Rescue - May/Jun - Farm Animal Rescue - Jul/Aug - Providing assistance to the pets of homeless people The reason groups need to register interest is so we can target what we donate - we want these items to make a difference. So we are wanting to spread the word and find more Champions but we are also wanting to get the message out to the rescue world too and DOL has always been great at sharing information. I'd personally love to see small and remote groups getting some assistance. And we know not all Champions have cash to spare (like me these days) so we are after creative types who can make useful items (we know there are some here!) and we've even started a Pinterest page with ideas! Why not have a look at Bart's page where he explains it all a little more eloquently and register your interest in being part of something a little special, unique and grounded in a love for animals?