Sydoo

Billie had presents to open at Christmas from my boss and my mother. Very surprising as neither of them would ever buy gifts for their own dogs. She was so excited when unwrapping them that I will occasionally throw a bit of paper around an existing toy just for the fun of watching her unwrap it. Her first birthday was a non event. I think she had a raw chicken for dinner, but we didn't have cake or presents.

Add a bag of "Lectric Soda Crystals" It can be used if your dog swallows something it shouldn't. Causes the dog to vomit instantly (within 30 secs). Where do you buy Lectric Soda Crystals ? I get them at the supermarket (for human baths, haven't needed them for the dog yet touch wood). My local has them in the first aid section near bandaids, deep heat etc.

Our vet referred us to Sandra Sharpe at BVSC Albany Creek when Billie had a niggling injury. It was the first time I've needed an animal physio so I can't provide a comparative review. Billie was always very excited to go (though she also loves going to the vet) and I thought the treatment went well.

How awful JulesP My thoughts are with you and the girls.

Excited!!11! Probably like that annoying frog thing that used to be on ads all the time.

As a young child, my brother named his new cat 'Sam' after the previous cat. They were different gender/appearance/personality and my mother refers to one as 'black Sam' to distinguish when we reminisce. Then again, we have a very repetitive naming ritual for children in this family so reusing a name for a pet would hardly raise an eyebrow. It's not something I would personally do but to each their own.

I get my own back....while they are closing the door afterward, I sprint back inside and warm my wet paws on their still toasty human pillows.

Billie tried to take a random breath test today...not so much smart as plain embarrassing. Stopped at a road closure RBT. Billie is in the back seat with her head poking out the bottom corner of my window (small hatchback) hoping someone will pat her while we wait. Policeman jokingly holds the machine in her direction and says 'we'd best do you first, you seem very jolly for a Sunday afternoon' so she stuck her head out further and licked the tube. The stunned look on his face was a good match for my sudden beetroot impression. When he composed himself, he declared a 'preliminary failure for stinky breath' and instructed me to drive her home immediately. Another policeman laughing from the sidelines had to remind him to test me.

We've had a sealed bottle of Mountain Dew taken off the bench. It was hidden away somewhere and later unsealed on the bedroom carpet while we were sound asleep. A whole house of floorboards to mess up and it had to be eaten in the one carpeted room. Took me a while to figure out why my feet felt sticky the next morning. Oh ours was sealed too. Ours was actually a pack of 12 mini bottles, all of which were scattered around the house. Most completely empty by the time I got home :p Bet that was fun to clean. The sugar rush from the first bottle probably gave her the energy to keep going on the rest!

We've had a sealed bottle of Mountain Dew taken off the bench. It was hidden away somewhere and later unsealed on the bedroom carpet while we were sound asleep. A whole house of floorboards to mess up and it had to be eaten in the one carpeted room. Took me a while to figure out why my feet felt sticky the next morning.

Kedron Brook? Nope, not that area...seems it is called Downfall Creek Reserve. Description from ourbrisbane.com: Downfall Creek Reserve, Virginia/Wavell Heights - This is one of Brisbane's largest off-leash areas (4 hectares) and is a huge unfenced place for pooches. Enter from Brickyard Road in Virginia or Jefferis Street in Wavell Heights.

I can't remember the name offhand but there is a 4 hectare offleash area in Wavell Heights/Virginia that we like. Downfall Creek runs through it (though not quite enough water lately for proper swimming). Red Beach on Bribie Island is a favourite here as well. Lots of space to run once you walk away from the carpark entrance.

I am lazy and usually mix up whatever is handy in a bowl and stuff it in - I just put one with dry food, some diced lamb and yoghurt in the freezer for tomorrow morning. Peanut butter and cream cheese are both great for covering the holes. Billie bounces the food out then licks the inside clean. I should try something stickier to challenge her a bit. I crammed a whole steak in there a few months back and she had it out in less time than it took for me to put it in there.

I still buy white linen but it is only used in the guest rooms downstairs (no dog access). OH was very proud of himself for buying a new doona cover late last year. Pale grey with an embroidered design. He couldn't understand why I thought it was unsuitable for our bed...fast forward a few months and it is a right pain to keep clean and the stitching has pulled/torn in several areas. Le sigh.

I think it goes both ways. I would be quite irritated if someone came to stay at my house and expected me to keep the dog outside during their visit because they don't like dogs inside. I could hardly pull the 'my house, my rules' card on home turf then expect people to change their house rules to accommodate us.

Our BC is sleeping on the couch next to me right now. She has developed a fairly good off switch (possibly by necessity due to a few months of restricted exercise). She is all go when it is time to do something, but also likes to have a lie in of a morning and a lazy snuggle when I am relaxing of an evening. Mine does a bit of self exercise and will nap in between bursts. If we are playing with her, she won't stop for anything. We have to end the activity. Determined little thing would fetch until she couldn't walk if we let her.

We paid in this range last year - the lower end for sedation only (2 plates) and just under $300 for general and ortho specialist to review.

Billie loves the vet. She gets excited if we so much as drive near there. I have had to drop her off for the day a few times and I don't even get a second glance as she pushes her way in behind the counter. Maybe I should appreciate this more! Does your vet know about your concerns and Riley's history? If he does need to have a longer procedure, hopefully they can work something out to help things go smoothly.

Great suggestion. We donated a full house contents to a similar cause last year - a local school put us in touch with a recently arrived family who had found accommodation but had very little otherwise. OH and his brother helped transport everything to their house so it certainly wasn't a ruse for easy disposal on our part.

We have a barrel Dyson - no complaints. Must be about 5 years old now. I find the clear barrel handy for showing me exactly how much filth I've sucked up during my travels so I know when to empty. A bit OT - has anyone tried a Scooba (the mopping version of a Roomba)?

I beg to differ, Sydoo. I looked at the photo and had to click on it to enlarge it as I didn't notice Billie under the curtain at first! I can't deny my photography skills also need work.

Very cute, hiding in the 'jungle'! I've been working on hide and seek with Billie...she is excellent at seeking but her hiding skills could do with further refinement

When we are out, Billie is usually outside during the day and inside at night (with run of the house excluding bedrooms). Sometimes we leave her inside during the day (poor weather etc). My family had a dog stolen from our yard once. No idea why and unfortunately we never found a trace of her. We had two dogs at the time and the remaining dog was quiet unsettled but otherwise unharmed.

Billie loves it. We finished the sample a week ago and am waiting on a reply so we can buy a full bag. I can't smell so not the best person to assess flatulence. OH hasn't said anything so I assume no problems.

We have a border collie and mistakenly thought we would get another breed as a second dog down the track to satisfy our range of breed lemmings. Now that we have actually lived with a BC, I can't think of anything better suited than another one! I do still daydream about other breeds - mostly Weimaraners, Beagles and Tollers. Lately I've been stalking Aussie sites.