Alkhe

Yes yes! I'm in East Brunswick and am very into dog parks :D We go to Edinburgh Gardens, which I think is probably officially Carlton North/Fitzroy. there's an off leash park there, behind the sports oval - there's usually a bunch of dogs there, regardless of the time you go. Though 5pm is absolute peak dog park time. I used to go to Princes Park, which runs between Royal Pde and the big cemetary, and which is a bunch of ovals joined together. The second from the top (ie, 2nd from most northerly) is an off leash dog park, and is also quite popular. Though that park gets quite muddy whenever it rains, and it looks like it's currently being worked on by the council, to rectify that. There are some more in surrounding suburbs, but those are probably closest (as is the fenced one that Oskar & Zsa Zsa mentioned). And those are my pick

I wish mine slept in the bed! She sleeps on it instead, guarding me from the end

She sounds like a really lovely dog! I love Ridgies - there's a gorgeous male at a dog park near me who is also really great with smaller dogs. My little one is very timid but especially around larger dogs, but she's actually comfortable enough around this RR to have a sniff (almost unheard of). I love seeing large dogs able to play roughly with other large dogs, and then calm down and sniff around with smaller/older or less full on dogs.

Candidae have some wheat free products, though I think they're actually all wheat free. Though some have oats, which means they're not gluten free. Available in wet and dry.

Oh dear, I'm sorry this isn't going well for you guys - 2 operations and a sore eye is a very traumatic and yucky thing to have to deal with. Best of luck at the vets tomorrow Keep us posted!

oh my god! I stand corrected - my apologies! I thought it was named after the Wandering Jew, but that the plant was actually Wandering Dew. The egg's on my face now!!

I think you mean Wandering Dew? Had some funny mental pictures there for a second..

I'm allergic to dogs, so will most likely only ever be able to own poodles, or variations thereof. I can't foresee anything but rescue poodles/crosses in my future, so I try not to think about what I'm missing out on, not being able to choose from any breed in the world ... though obviously, there's a huge list of breeds I'd love to own! Greyhound (had a taste through fostering ) Koolie Kelpie Dobe Instead, I have my perfect little toy poodle. Difference, much?

Yeah, I think that's a great thing actually! While it may be annoying for you - clear reminders like that are for the best for most people!

I use Advocate, which is a combined heartworm preventative which also works on fleas, mites and some other worms. I would recommend it, it comes in little squeeze tube things which you put on your dog's skin (high up between shoulder blades is suggested). You re-apply monthly, and it's worked for me - available from your vet or online, you won't find it in the supermarket.

Gah, I'd leave the boyfriend at your parents' house and get the hell out! I moved out when I was 18 and honestly, it was the best thing I ever did. My relationship with my parents improved immensely. My family also think I spoil my dog rotten (possibly true..) but at least they're in no position to actually complain about it. I'm now working part time and studying full time, and renting my place. Trust me, you can make it work. It's all about prioritising, and it sounds like your dogs are your number one priority, so I'm sure you'll be fine!

Sounds like the dog's in a better place now anyway! I don't think taking on a free to good home dog from any less than ideal situation is a bad thing, and as has been said, this girl may end up being a great owner. I love people's suggestions of helpful 'presents' There's nothing worse than thinly disguised lectured by someone who's "trying to help", but genuinely helpful suggestions of grooming places etc may go down well.

I am so so sorry for your loss Jules - I really hope you were able to speak with somebody today.. Has anybody been able to contact JulesP, who can reassure us that she is ok?

Gah, it doesn't sound like you're going wrong at all, it looks like you've just been caught smack bang in the middle of 2 people's ailing businesses! You may have some sort of legal standing around no longer 'being needed', depending on your original employment contract (though from what you described, I'm not sure whether you had a formal one?), and possibly the contract of sale between the former and new owners. But it also doesn't seem like you want to go down that path.. I wish there was some better advice I could offer you, sounds like one hell of a bad run Just keep your sights on setting up your own business, and use these people's horrid business models and practices as examples of what NOT to do!

yes that doesn't sit well at all That's the kind of thing I have real issues with also - people's (in my opinion) revolting priorities. People also have different considerations of what 'hard times' are. The amount of people who complain about their salary, and have no idea how I survive on working 3 days while I study full time.. it's all about prioritising what I really want, and budgeting accordingly. I do also agree with those who have said that we can never foresee how we would act and what we would do in certain situations. When everything's going well, it's easy to make statements about what you'd never do, but until you're there, and really faced with that choice, you never know. I can't imagine the circumstances under which I would part with my dog, and it's not something I ever consider doing. But I can't see into the future, and if disaster struck, in some unforeseeable form, perhaps there would be someone out there who could do better by her than I could.

You sound like the kind of breeder I'd feel really comfortable speaking with and buying from. I bought my girl (at 3 years) from a breeder, and felt very comfortable asking her questions, and her love of the dogs instantly came across. For better or worse, this is key for me - to deal with people who are genuinely concerned about the welfare of their dogs, who wouldn't be happy selling them to just anyone or the first person who called them, and who had all the paperwork and vetwork there for me to see. And where possible, the parents - in my case, I was buying a 3 year old who had just had a litter, and who was bred by somebody else. So I got to meet one of her puppies, but not her own parents. I was also very reassured and heartened to hear that the breeder kept reiterating that if anything happened, she wanted the dog back and would rather die than see one of her puppies in a pound. These things just give me the right kind of feeling - buying a pet, that's what I'm most concerned about Also, slightly off topic, but while it's always great to have met the breed you're about to buy, in some cases it's just not possible. I don't think I've ever, in my entire life, met a purebred Shih Tzu. Hundreds of crosses, but nobody I know or have come across has had a purebred. So look, do your research, but don't let that stop you!

I have a very timid dog also, and it looks as though you're much further down the track than I am. I'm of no help, but am using you as inspiration, to know that it's possible to get her to come out of her shell a lot more!

Not exactly, but similar - a foster greyhound I had earlier this year cut his paw and got some 'grits' in it - tiny little pieces of gravel. Luckily the vet was able to get them out with just a local anaesthetic, then bandaged the foot up. He had to wear a little space bootie thing whenever he went outside, for .. 2 weeks (from memory), which was a little round boot thing with a velcro strap. He hated it at first, but eventually associated it with going for a walk (along with his muzzle), so it wasn't too much of an issue Initially the vet thought she would have to put him under general to get them out, because they were quite deep in his paw, but he was such a trooper, he just lay there on the table while she dug around (and then wouldn't get off the table afterwards, he was so comfortable lying there getting pats!). Apparently that happens a lot with greyhounds and whippets - I met 2 whippets in the vet surgery while waiting for him to come out, and the exact same thing had happened to both of them too! Soft footed little creatures that they are :D It sounds as though you're on the road to recovery here, and your little one will probably have to wear a bootie or similar for a while. But I'm sure she'll be fine - the eye infection may be somewhat related, in that her immune system will have been knocked around fighting the infection from the grass. Good luck!

I think NSW have a similar program to this, but for customs dogs. Not quite the same, but.. fancy a lab for a while?

What a beautiful litter! Poor Fern though, she does look a bit sorry for herself in the first two pics. The last one looks a bit happier though Little pink puppy feet!

Beautiful! I bet Harper's happy that you like his feet fluffy too ;) I'm not into poodle cuts either, I think my little one looks much nicer with a bit of a fuzzy face

I found the forums after finding the Dogz Online mature dog listing and poring over it for months (along with petrescue, which I am still obsessed with). I lurked for months before joining, then again before posting

I leave for work or uni at around 7:30-8:00 and get home around 5:30, and take Maggie out for a walk as soon as I get in. She's inside while I'm out and as far as I can tell (and from what I've been told), she goes straight back to bed once I've left. Her bed is a little blanket thing on my bed, so she hangs out in my room most of the time. Though when I get home from work there's usually a sock or some hint of her presence in the lounge room I usually feed Maggie while I'm making my own dinner, and then she just hangs around me while I'm studying/whatever else I do at night. (My life is quite boring, really.. haha). So basically, she spends 99% of her time sleeping - she's usually sleeping somewhere near me! Eg now, in front of the fire. No need to put this one to bed, bed's wherever she is! She comes to bed with me whenever I go, little shadow that she is If for some reason I'm not able to get straight home, my boyfriend will come over and take Maggie for a walk.

It's funny how once you have a dog you notice the dogs in your neighborhood. I've my girl for just over a year, and so far in my local park I've met 3 Samoyeds, a Brittany, a lovely pair of Airedale pups, an elderly Visla with a young pup, and a German Wire Haired Pointer, none of which I ever saw before I had my own dog. There's also a Bedlington Terrier somewhere in the area. Not so much my neighborhood, but I quite often see a gorgeous adult Chow and pup being walked in Royal Park in the mornings. Those are probably the Chows I see! Snap! Royal Park used to be my dog park, but I've now moved on to finer (read: less muddy!) pastures at Edinburgh gardens. There's a beautiful Brittany there, too, which may be the one you've seen too?

Such a cutie!! I'm always wary of annoying my dog's former owner by sending too many photos - but it's clearly very reassuring for the breeder. I send a few pics of my girl every month or so (bearing in mind I've only had her about 4 months), suppose I should stop at some point!