Ellie's mum

If they are definately ferals and not the neighbours I can lend you a cat trap (Im in SW Sydney also)

Definitely ferals as we have no neighbours, thank you for your offer but OH is going around to AWL to pick up a trap which we will give a go tonight, just don't want to be catching any native's by mistake.

Try comfortis. It should be effective against all life stages.

Also, flea bomb and spray your yard.

do you actually have pet cats? I personally find advantix better than FL with fleas but advantix is toxic to cats.

The FL spray on is better than the spot on.

LOL no pet cats only ferals I was thinking about using a cat product on my dog as I don't know whether dog products kill cat fleas.

Any of your flea treatments should work, when you say the Capstar is not effective is it not killing them?

You will need to treat your yard if the problem is stray cats.

I have tried to lime our house yard but as we live on acerage it is extremely hard to keep the blasted things out of the house yard. No the capstar does not seem to be killing the cat fleas or not killing them before they bite her causing a rash on her, which is the main problem, I was just wondering if the spot on treatments are effective against both sorts of fleas or would I have to use a cat flea treatment, which specifically kills cat fleas.

What sort of fleas are they? The largeish ,hopping ones, or the tiny ones which are permanently(almost) attached to ear tips /between toes.....in clumps, often.

The capstar is probably killing those immediately on her- but a couple hours later.. on hop ...more, etc etc....

Can she not have a spot on, or rinse?

I've used the rinse but as you say the moment she goes back out in the yard more hop on, I haven't used a spot on and was hoping to get some recommendations that would work against these fleas as they are giving her a rash and I cannot keep her inside during the day when I am at work.

As such we are having a cat flea problem as well, so do I have to treat Ellie with something different as her Capstar does not seem to be effective against them.

Looking for recommendations for a groomer in the Liverpool/Campbelltown area.

Just need someone to bath her and do her nails as I've hurt my back again and can't bend over the bath for her.

Mobile or not I'm not fussed just want someone who can handle a giant breed puppy.

Many thanks for all your help

Please excuse my ignorance but do you mean Manuka honey? and if so does it have to be manuka honey or can it just be raw honey.

They have been seized on animal welfare grounds.

This part has me worried more than anything is there any news on what the welfare grounds are?

Though I'm not located anywhere near there I will help however those handling this see fit.

[quote name='VJB' date='5th May 2010 - 01:12 PM' post='4510093'

Another thing I use to do was keep all her stuffed toys that she had 'un-stuffed'. I would then put some kibble inside one, roll it up and then re-stuff the largest unstuffed toy with all the other unstuffed toys...... GET IT. I know what I'm trying to say. !!! Then she would happily un-stuff them all over again. (these are hollow stuffed toys,,, I've thrown all the stuffing out)...aarrhhhgg.. I don't know if I'm expaining myself properly..

Do you mean like babushka dolls

Wasn't there a big hoo ha years ago about people using Eucalyptus wool wash on their dogs and it turned out to be poisonous to them, apparently it built up over time and wrecked the dogs kidneys.

I'm not sure if it was on Burkes Backyard or something like that as it was years ago and my memory is nothing like it used to be.

Would citronella oil be a good alternative - the human kind not the torch kind

Just wondering if anyone has bought a security screen door with a doggy door already installed?

If not are there any doggy doors you would recommend for a security screen door that are easy to install?

Can someone let me know if I'm on the right track with my pics, cause i honestly have no idea and am anxious to be learning more. All of these challenges are really helpful. I will definately be using them once I get my new camera.

So a big thank you to Ash for helping a complete beginner and to everyone else for inspiring me with their beautiful photos.

I think you had a very well written and thought provoking reply so sad others will not be able to see it as it could possibly have changed someones mind about dumping their dog at the pound.

Well I was going to wait until I had my new camera before entering any challenges but that has been put on hold until June sales kick in, I have it on good advise that the camera I'm looking at getting will be heavily marked down at that time

But I have been inspired by all of the wonderful DOL photographers and pics they put up so these are some pics I took with my old P&S and thought I would give it a go and maybe get a headstart on things before I get my DSLR

Please let me know if these are in keeping with the challenge and what needs to be improved.

I'm thinking this may be what the rule of thirds is

this one not so much, but perhaps with some cropping, would that be right?

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36733102/#hybrid_video

By Mike Celizic

TODAYshow.com contributor

updated 9:12 a.m. ET April 23, 2010

It’s not just people who have to be tough and resourceful to live in Alaska; even the pets have to be made of sterner stuff. After all, those woods are full of bears and wolves and moose.

Enter Buddy, a German shepherd who lives in Caswell Lakes, Alaska, considerably north of Anchorage, with his best friend, a 23-year-old human named Ben Heinrichs, and Ben’s parents, Lynnette and Thomas Heinrichs.

Buddy is the star of a 1-minute video shot on a state trooper’s dashcam, and it’s one of the most amazing things you’ve seen this side of the old “Lassie” and “Rin Tin Tin” TV shows and films. Except this wasn’t a movie, and Buddy wasn’t taking cues from trainers off-camera.

Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here

‘Get help’

Ben lives with his family in an area of winding country roads. On April 4, he was working in a workshop in a shed when a heater touched off a fire fueled by chemicals in the shop.

According to the Anchorage Daily News, Ben, who suffered minor flash burns on his face, fled the shop and slammed the door to confine the flames. Realizing that Buddy was still inside, Ben went back in to rescue his pet.

When he got Buddy outside, he told the dog, “We need to get help.”

That’s pretty much what TV’s Timmy used to say: “Lassie, go get help!” And, like the star collie, Buddy took the advice to heart and took off running.

The Daily News reported that Ben initially thought Buddy may have run off to hide. The dog is rather shy, according to the family.

Instead, Buddy was actually looking for help. The dog dashed off and down the road, looking for someone — anyone — to help.

Lost trooper

Meanwhile, neighbors has seen the fireball erupting on the Heinrichs' property and called the state police. Trooper Terrence Shanigan was dispatched to check it out, but his GPS froze up on him, and he was semi-lost in the twisting rural roads and about to take a turn in the wrong direction when he saw a dog in the road.

The dog was our hero, Buddy. When Buddy saw the trooper’s car, he turned and started running back home.

TODAY

Dashcam footage shows how Buddy led the state trooper, whose GPS was offline, through winding roads to the blaze.

Shanigan’s dashcam caught it all. A German shepherd takes off running down partially snow-covered roads, but keeps looking over his shoulder to make sure the car is keeping up.

Buddy sprints along for about a minute in a black-and-white landscape, the only things visible being what is illuminated by the police car’s lights. Finally, the dog takes one last turn. As Shanigan turns with the dog, his windshield lights up with a bright yellow ball of fire that used to be the Heinrichs’ workshed.

When Shanigan got out of his car, Buddy jumped up and made sure the trooper continued to the house. Then, according to the newspaper, Buddy retreated into the woods, seeing that his work as done.

A hero’s reward

Shanigan was able to guide fire trucks to the scene, in time for firefighters to save the Heinrich’s home. The workshop was a total loss.

TODAY

Thanks to Buddy, firefighters got to the scene in time to save the Heinrichs home.

"Buddy's valiant actions saved Trooper Shanigan valuable time in responding to the fire," the Daily News quotes Alaska State Police Director Col. Audie Holloway as saying. "Buddy's pluckiness is a bright spot among an otherwise tragic event for the Heinrichs family."

In recognition of Buddy’s Lassie-like heroism, the dog and his best friends were to be at state police headquarters in Anchorage Friday afternoon, where Buddy will be honored for his heroism.

He’ll even get a prize — a silver-plated dog bowl engraved with his exploit.

He’ll probably be more impressed if there’s a fresh steak in it.

Read more: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36733102/#36...6#ixzz0lx1mEzF1

I'm no expert Pawprints but have you tried putting green vegies in his diet, maybe it's a fibre imbalance that he is trying to correct himself.

Also i would watch out for fertilizers and stuff in the grass that could be causing the smelly farts and poo.

Hope this helps

So it looks like this will be the new camera, however as a complete novice to the DSLR world am stumped as to what lenses I should get with the new camera.

Can get packages with 18-55 VR lens for what seem to be reasonable prices and are quite common have also come across a package that includes 18-55mm VR Lens 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR AF-S DX Nikkor Lens + 2x Telephoto Conversion Add-on Lens + .45 Wide Angle Conversion Add-on Lens but the camera is a refurbished shop stock, refurbished by the Nikon factory apparently

So as a complete novice would the second package be any good to me or should I just go with the 1st package until I learn to use the camera

Thanks for your help and suggestions

Been watching and reading this with interest as I have just lost my canon ixus, which I was very happy with as a P&S but now I am wanting something more.

I can so understand the OP confusion as researching on the net just left me bewildered, so went on a hunt for camera shops in my area and am now not only bewildered but very disappointed. The big stores JB HIFI and HN had slick talking sales reps but they were only quoting what was on the box and the smaller shops were stocked to the rafters with frames and assorted paraphernalia but had only a very small collection of cameras and these were all P&S.

I was told that I wasn't really in need of a DSLR and a superzoom i what I should be looking at getting, so what is a superzoom?

OMG I feel for the poor owner, how does she explain that to her kids

Thank you for the explanation Staranais and for not making me feel like a

Looking at getting a G11 as I want something a bit better than my current Ixus, which funnily enough no longer works after being dropped in as puddle

I wasn't sure about going the whole DSLR route as I they seem very large and bulky, however I do require that the camera can take good fast action shots, horses dogs etc can cope with low light situations and be able to handle pics like these

Also the G11 has the ability to have extra lenses attached if I so require

I am however open to suggestions from the more experienced, this is strictly a hobby and am looking at spending no more than $1500

Honestly I know I'm gonna sound really stooopid but can someone please explain how and what they are for?

We live on 50 acres so the only times my dogs have been on a leash is when we went to the vets.

I have no idea what a pinch collar is either lol

silly question but what are they for???

These are the ones we have always used looks normal in the day glows brightly at night

http://www.glorope.com.au/catalog/index.cfm?Cat=3

hope this is of some help