Little Gifts

Could you set up a sting operation with squirts from a water bottle everytime she gets up on the chair if you are reluctant to try the mat or collar ideas?

There was a story about a frenchie bought from a pet store on The Project last night and yes it was a PIAA pet shop and they used the same spiel about not being able to police where pet stores really get their puppies from. In the story a dna test was done on the $4000 dog and it confirmed it wasn't pure bred. They also weren't provided with the relevant breed paperwork completed by the 'registered breeder' (I'm not sure what the forms were - might be a state thing?) and the pet shop wouldn't confirm who the 'registered breeder' was. They have been stripped of their PIAA membership. The other interesting thing is they said puppy mills deliberately like to transit their pups a long way from their operation to make it difficult to track them back to who bred them. Surely that in itself could be constituted as abuse when some of these pups are still too young to even be away from their mother's? The frenchie's owner was very distressed that she probably supported a puppy mill by buying that dog. I hope we get more of these stories so people get to thinking about where these gorgeous little balls of fluff in shop windows are really coming from and see they are being very badly ripped off.

Same here Stressy. I still remember the very first info night I went to when I was maybe 17 or 18 and they showed footage of animal testing - a pig being burnt live with a blow torch is the image I can still clearly see. Oh and bunnies who had lipstick poked in their eyes. It horrified me and changed my entire view on how we treat animals. I think I donated to them when I had money. The campaign that changed my mind was when they would throw red paint on people wearing furs. How does that stop animals being killed for fur exactly? And what about the indigenous peoples or those who live off the land who need furs for warmth and who have been killing animals for centuries for traditional foods, medicines and protection from the elements? PETA would be throwing red paint on them too and I realised they were a bit too irrational in their approach for change and that their tactics had not changed with the times. One thing I still do like about them is that even with all the money they rake in their admin overheads are extremely low - none of the loopies is making a lot of money working for them. I must go and read up on this Sea World/Orca business as I haven't really been following it.

Ingrid Newkirk should've taken her meds before talking to the media. I think PETA have done some important work in bringing animal cruelty, particularly around animal testing, to the general public's attention. But what the hell are Sea World supposed to do with whales who cannot be returned to the wild? Transport them to PETA's headquarters so they can be euthanized? Or just send them on their oceanic way to die of starvation or be eaten by another predator? Some of their stuff is far too out there for me to even consider let alone agree with. They are one of those bite off the nose to spite the face type of groups. I'm surprised they have survived as long as they have really.

I know a program is already running from the RSPCA at Wacol as one of my bestie's fosters dogs for people escaping DV through there. She has had some dogs as long as 6 months. As I recently learned, not all RSPCA's are the same so perhaps this is another example of a preventative program running in one area that is not available elsewhere? Now with this funding the Vic dogs have a chance too. Actually I just had a thought. If we are able to go back to fostering perhaps I'll talk to my old DV contacts and offer myself as an ancillary service? There would be some logistics that need to be worked out but it would be very rewarding.

Our backyard has good shade and weather protection but also gets nice sunny spots for those cold winter days when one must sunbake. We also have a fully protected seating area supposedly for humans but usually covered in dogs so they will stay drive during even the worst storm. But it was so hot here last summer that I started leaving the dogs inside with the air cond on and now that has become the norm - staying outside while your mum is out is so last year! I'm not working many shifts these days so they aren't inside for long but I'm trying to get a more stable job so they will have to get used to being outside day dogs again at some point.

I just about had heart failure reading this! So glad he is ok this morning. Poor boy, how scary for him! And you of course!

Several local and regional offices I worked for in the state govt had no issue with it. If a storm was brewing people would go home, grab their dogs and bring them back in even. One of the managers was a wildlife carer too so there was always featherless birds and other furless babies squealing and sqwacking from her office. I don't think we ever had an accident inside or anything damaged. Not even any bin raiding and certainly no fights or escapes. Sadly I think it has all changed now and gotten PC.

Did an image search and found it. It is by someone or a company called Huebucket. If you search their name they do all kinds of fun pug stuff. http://society6.com/product/the-great-wave-of-pug_print#1=45

He looks like he was a cracker of a dog! You will have the most amazing memories and stories to keep close to your heart. Sorry for your loss Kirty.

Ingredients are important to me because one of our dogs can't have beef. I usually bulk order our treats (we have three dogs) but if I am at a farmers market or animal event and see something nice and reasonably priced I will buy them each something special. If I knew anyone who made dog birthday cakes locally I would pre-order and I would splash out a bit price wise. Natural and fresh ingredients are also important to me so I buy these kinds of treats for immediate consumption. You also need to sell at different price points as some people have loads of money and some don't. Perhaps you can have single item prices and then better prices for people who buy multiples and they can mix and match what they want to buy? My advice is to not have too many products. Try a few and see what sells best and keep refining from there. And make it clear they are for dogs so you visually attract the right kinds of people to your stall.

I really enjoyed this too. Our pei girl Tempeh has absolutely no interest in going to new places, meeting new people or new animals. She is happiest when her humans and the other dogs are all home together just lounging around. Why force her to go on car trips to unknown places letting her anxiety build till she vomits? Just because that is my other dog's idea of heaven I have to accept it is not hers. She misses out on extra stimulation and socialisation outside of the house but she also isn't in a constant state of internal chaos. One of my previous dogs had lots of fears that made him do irrational and dangerous things in an effort to be with humans where he felt safe. His was from a health issue and was mainly triggered by noises - storms, the garbage man, fireworks, gunshots, Mr Whippy, not all of which could be predicted. He was such a lovely boy my family, neighbours and workplace made allowances for him so he was rarely left alone for his fears to go unattended. We managed things for over 12 years but eventually he did something in a brief fit of anxiousness (over I don't know what) that resulted in him needing to be pts. Even my vet and her staff were devastated it ended like it did. I was very lucky really to have such a great support network for him. It really didn't seem like that much of an effort to manage once we accepted he wasn't going to miraculously desensitise to the things that frightened him. I doubt I would be so lucky if I had a dog like him now.

Humans truly are a horrid and selfish species and yet we are free to own all the other living things on this earth and do with them what we want. And we think we have grown since our caveman days....pfft.

Fantastic news DDD! How is his weight now?

Melissa do you know about Pet Rescue? The majority of rescue groups will list their dogs on there and you can search by size of dog, age, gender and state. It could be a starting point for you to see what is out there if you don't pursue a dog through a good registered breeder. https://www.petrescue.com.au/ If you do decide to go with a rescue dog there is a list here of rescue groups in QLD as I'm not sure what part of the state you live in. Some of these groups will also have websites and Facebook pages and you could find a local group you'd like to support and monitor it for suitable dogs/puppies as they become available. A good rescue group will have their dogs in foster care and know what type of family they are looking for, aiming to match you with the right dog for your personal situation rather than just selling you any old dog like a pet shop or back yard breeder will. Likewise, a good registered breeder will be aiming to make a lifelong match. https://www.petrescue.com.au/rescue_directory?utf8=%E2%9C%93&term=&state=3&commit=Filter Good luck with whatever you decide to do. A house can be incredibly empty when you are used to multiple dogs!

Fully supervising ALL contact is essential. My great-niece has been visiting here since Tempeh (shar pei) was a pup and she was about 3. The other dogs (one large and one medium) are fine with her, not over exuberant, but it is Temp that she desperately wants to play with the most. Tempeh has been reluctant to do so as she remains unsure of all the noises and movement my great-niece makes so stays close but out of hands reach. But late last year they visited and she kept trying with Temp and Temp got brave enough to stand still, turn around and do a play bow back, indicating she was up for a play. My poor great-niece got such a shock that she thought Temp was attacking her and burst in to tears. Tempeh of course got a shock too and couldn't understand what went wrong so we have had a set back. We will return to two leash walks next visit - me holding the main leash and my great-niece holding the other, nothing too exciting but at least they are in close proximity getting used to each other again. I'll be interested to see how well it goes for both of them, particularly as my great-niece now has a kitten and is probably calmer around animals in general. Don't put your nephew or dog in a position to fail is my best advice so no over-stimulation for either of them when they can see each other or are interacting or in the same general space.

I've used them for quite a while. I have a regular bulk kibble order and sometimes I buy my heartworm/worm stuff and maybe some toys if there is something cool on special. Only issue for me is if I am due a kibble order it can get held up waiting for the toys or worm stuff so I usually have to call and make sure it can all get sent together. The large bags of Black Hawk kibble are very reasonably priced.

He never fails to put a smile on my face!

Oh I want him to suffer for this. Even if there was only 1kg inside each pup imagine what would've happened to them had those bags burst? And they had uncessecary surgery. Arsehole.

I wonder if Don knows he sired a supermodel who only gets out of bed for one stuffed toy a day?

Wouldn't it be cool to watch this at a movie in the park type event with your dogs so we could check their little faces for signs of what they really get up to when we are not home. Mine would be jealous we don't own a mixer!

Gosh, so much common sense seems to fly out the window. How the hell is a dog expected to know its a human baby and how to act around it? Parenting is not even instinctual for all humans so why do we assume that dogs can do better? And a dog might be great with an older school aged child but that doesn't mean it can translate those skills and knowledge to how to behave with a toddler hanging off them or a wriggling baby lying on a bouncer. Why must us humans continually put them in situations where they can potentially fail so horribly? I just saw what Huski said and that is so true. Dogs don't rule the roost and survive quite happily having rules that enforce things that are out of bounds (like new born babies). We want them to be friends for our own selfish needs and conveniences.

We need more Smoke!

Cheeses. More freaking idiots.

My initial thoughts were an accidental death or serious injury of her owner and no-one else to care for the dog or the dog ended up in a pound far, far away from where it lived so the owners simply couldn't find it. Otherwise it is just too weird for me to get my head around. I love how focussed she is on you guys in the shop already. She looks like a smart girl underneath all that lack of training.