Little Gifts

This kind of injury seems to be becoming more common. In all my years of dog owning I've never had a dog with the problem. So am I doing something differently with my animals to negate this or have I just been lucky? None of my current dogs are into extreme sports (besides zoomies) but I have previously had big time jumpers. My current pack are more in to gentle jogs so they can stop and sniff but I've also had marathon bolters that you have to drive after in the car to round up. I haven't always been as knowledgeable about quality diet but would say I've only ever had one slightly overweight dog. I've owned mainly medium sized dogs, with a couple of large breeds thrown in. No giants. One thing I have always done though is regular massages. Rather than just pat my dogs I use the time to massage and stretch out limbs or spines or whatever. Could this be making a difference? Two of my current dogs are big stretchers but I wouldn't say any of my other dogs have done it as much. So could there be a reason or is it just luck? I know numerous dogs of the same breed as two of mine that have needed this surgery at a youngish age and I'd love to avoid it for mine if there was a way to minimise the risks. Thoughts?????

Oh dear dog that is the cutest picture ever!

I have been honest and said yes I would allow my dogs on the furniture and bed because that is what they are used to at home and I would spend my whole stay trying unsuccessfully to keep them off. BUT, knowing this I would also be bringing my own furniture and bed covers and would not be taking any dirty or smelly dogs with me in the first place. Can't say if others care as much when they are breaking the rules? This issue is one of the reasons I don't travel with my dogs a whole lot. I want them to be comfortable as much as me if we are on holidays. People travel with their dogs all the time in the UK and I've been in rooms behind them and not found smells or pet hair anywhere. I'm assuming more is charged for accommodation that pets have used because a more thorough clean after they leave is required.

Based on that last colour photo showing his coat are you sure there isn't a bit of maremma in Smoke?

I just realised two things. That wanker of a pet shop owner will use this to up the price of the dogs he does have even more, telling customers how hard they are to come by and driving those impulse purchase emotions to get a sale. And second, I work in a fairly large store that probably needs 15 staff on but can't afford it. So if he can afford to employ 15 staff what does that tell you about the volume of dogs he has going through his business? All coming from puppy farmers, which apparently has nothing to do with his legitimate business. Nope! He's just the good guy giving needy puppies homes with people who have more money than sense! Is anyone else a little shocked to think people are spending $6000 on un-papered dogs? And where are they getting this money from? That's the cost of a second hand car or part of a house deposit!

Yep, where they won't be monitored at all. At least those out in the open can be inspected. And what difference are those inspections and all the rules in place making now? The shiny big farms are getting shinier on the outside and bigger on the inside. BYBers are still openly advertising online, in papers and on their fences. Even with monitoring so few are being penalised for breaching any regulations, yet we all know what is really going on. The next step is to hit them where it hurts. You cut off their biggest and easiest selling option. Trade wont cease but it will affect it. You stop people being able to buy companion animals without any thought going in to it. And you give companion animals a chance at having a good life by making them available through sources willing to assess the suitability of any potential owners. These are living things that might be here for 10 to 15 years. Some people put more thought into what phone they are going to buy. So if pets become difficult to impulse purchase I have absolutely no problem with that.

I was thinking she is getting close to that second fear developmental period too and maybe a branch landed on the shed roof or a possum or something that woke her from a deep sleep and frightened her? Not sure how you resolve that though.

You've all said what I wanted to say. That article made me laugh so much I nearly peed my pants! Gosh, it sounds to me like without those amazing puppy farmers and pet shop owners dogs are going to become extinct! I'd better rush out and stock up on them while I can! Excellent, factual and balanced news reporting as usual.

Every day I try to do this with my dogs. When I wake up (or get woken up) I try to give each dog a massage to start both our days off well. The touching of their fur and feeling their bodies spring to life as I loosen their limbs puts me in a good place and based on the ballet stretches the dogs do I'm sure they like being touched and their muscles stretched out a little before the crazy starts. Some mornings it is only one dog waiting their turn while others it is 3. So for 5 to 15 minutes we get to live in the moment, in each other's company. It's nice.

Stussy was a horror for the first three years of her life and how she didn't ever need surgery to remove anything from her stomach neither myself or my vet know - she has a gut of steel (and has also eaten some steel!). I think the scariest was one of those light bulbs that we all use now (or perhaps the packs of birth control and depression meds she ate in one sitting?). The most expensive was a 6 by 6 foot corner lounge suite. The saddest was my brand new, unwatched Powderfinger concert dvd that my friends and I were in (still haven't seen it). The naughtiest (and most regular) was her eating my doona from inside the cover while I was just having a shower - that has happened numerous times. I used to take show and tell to work frequently as no-one could believe what she was capable of consuming. But dog I love this naughty girl and will forgive her anything!

It is amazing how much wrong you can find with a dog who has been rescued. Then it depends on how far the rescue group is prepared to go. I know any dog I rescued/fostered deserved the same sort of treatment I would give my own. Very easy for a dog who has [forgotten name - similar to parvo] to rack up a bill of a few thousand dollars. Coccidia DDD? Food bills can be quite high and to attract a good discount a rescue might put in a bulk order that is worth thousands. There could be utility bills to pay or maintenance/upgrading costs if they have a shelter. There could be a vehicle that needs a service. Plus a rescue might owe money and be paying off vet charges so while no one dog might've cost $8000, the last ten dogs in who were health checked, vaccinated, micro-chipped and desexed might've run up a bill to that level. Plus, how often will a smaller rescue group ever have that amount of money at one time? It is their opportunity to clear debts or purchase necessary items for future use. Rather than delete your message and block you and make you suspicious they could've private messaged you or explained their financial situation in general terms in response to your post. A rescue group is not cheap to run but I too get put off when all you see is money, money, money. I prefer the ones that share stories about past and current rescues, who share the highs and lows with their supporters and who also add educational info to the mix.

I just love his name! And isn't it amazing what that council are doing to ensure he gets back home? Lucky he wasn't in Vic in the 'care' of LDH.

I don't even know where to start with that owner but that pup has teenage surrender written all over it already with her as its owner.

People could buy a rescue dog for around the tenth of that which probably has as good a pedigree and health check as what he is offering. It is so maddening!

Martin McKenna (dreadlocked dog whisperer) sticks his finger in his mouth and rubs his teeth then sticks it into the mouth of a stressed out dog as a way of calming it down. I know when our pei is stressed our SBT gets in there and gives her teeth a good licking too. Spit swapping has a purpose. I used to have an SBT who was a hard core licker. She liked cleaning out the other pets inner ears. We also had an old cat and she would lick that cat top to bottom until it was dripping with her spit. In particular she loved to lick my mum though so mum came up with the idea of putting eucalyptus oil on her knees before a visit, which automatically repelled the licker. If I ever remove any eye goobies, scabs or ear wax off my lot they then try to eat it off my fingers. Clearly I don't feed them enough.

And where was the kelpie's owner SG? Did the owner even see what happened? The issue can't be managed if the owner doesn't acknowledge it (or give a sh*t). Same old....

His judgement day will come. The fall from his perch will be swift and painful.

I know, I was being a smart bum. A wound like that could easy go to the bone. Size doesn't always matter!

Thanks Westiemum! I'll read the report tomorrow when I'm not so tired.

Are you reading from your mobile? It says 1.5cm here on my big screen computer! More a scratch than a laceration!

Hi everyone - resurrecting an older thread because I am actually considering pet insurance and am starting from scratch. I have less cash on hand these days if something major was to happen so am considering this as a preventative, ongoing measure. I have an SBT who is 7.5 and who has no ongoing health issues. I also have an almost 3 year old shar pei with no ongoing health issues. Had some skin allergies for a couple of months last year out of the blue but all has cleared up. She had entropian surgery as a pup and gets dirty ears but no infections and we keep on top of it. Despite her young age when I got a quote for insurance on her it was far more expensive than the SBT! I can see that others have recommended PetPlan. I think my house and car is with Allianz so I will definitely check them out. I was also thinking of Medibank Private as I have my health insurance with them and will get a discount. But what am I looking for in pet insurance? I know I worry about Stussy needing a teeth clean sometime during her life but all that routine stuff can also add up. And when does an excess apply - is it just hospitalisation (like for people)? Thanks for any advice you can offer so I know what to look out for in their policy disclosures.

Hmmm, so we have an escaping dog who attacked another dog and while trying to separate the fighting dogs a woman was also bitten. It all comes back to those stupid owners again, doesn't it. If Izzy couldn't get out of her backyard then she wouldn't have spent the past 21 months in a cage. I know accidents happen but these dogs are paying with their lives. They don't understand what they have done wrong.

Fantastic news! I felt so bad for you at the time, not being able to offer any help given we have three here too. I couldn't imagine not being able to share a house with them!

My SBT Stussy has a high prey drive but is absolutely useless at catching even a mouse already caught in a trap! She chases everything in the wrong direction! I don't really want her to be the kind of dog who goes beserk over a small animal or bird in the yard and living in cane toad land I don't want her outside at night frothing for a catch. She has had crazy face before when over stimulated and I try to avoid her getting to that point over anything. My approach might sound lame but what I do is encourage her discovery of something but ignore/discourage any efforts to catch and disembowel it. She knows that is my job. She has always had an excellent response to my 'leave' command (thank goodness!). It seems to be a strategy that satisfies both of us. I also buy her big, colourful, non-animal stuffed toys from an op shop each month and I encourage her to go crazy with it. They normally last a couple of seconds before the brains are spilling from the skull (zombie kill). I never give her a stuffed animal type toy. Once she has finished whatever is left over is immediately collected up and removed. Stussy has always loved tug too and her fave is either just a simple fleece plait or the limbs of a stuffed toy. I actually have footage of her teaching a foster to play tug with her. She'd throw it in his face till he latched on. Initially he'd just run off with it but he eventually got the idea. She's always very gentle in her tug play and always makes sure the other dog has appropriate room to grab on too. She is likely to leave it rather than compete for it if the other dog is more aggressive with it.

There is no online link to the story on TT Adelaide's website but it says a record litter of 17 pups was born and if you would like to purchase a pup call Craig on XXXX XXX XXX. What the hell? I've never seen them be selling agents before! The comments are very scathing of the family saying they were on Centrelink and had bred and sold puppies before. It looks like the puppies are those rare blue staffies too!