Steph M

I would say in the case of rescues, very few people signing up to rescue, even a breed rescue are expecting high quality, purity or papers. Most people are in it cause they love that breed dearly and hate to see it or any derivative of it left in a pound, or out in the cold. I would say in the instance you had a dog, crossed or possibly pure, common sense would be when asked down the park etc 'what sort of dog is he?' you generally just say the best guess, or closest approximation, whether that be 'he's a poodle cross' or 'we assume a german shepherd'. I doubt there's any real harm in it in cases like that, and it's always nice to chat to people down the park, especially if your dog is well mannered and well behaved, I doubt anyone would really object to it being labelled as X to the general public, when it may well be X and Y, it's generally expected of rescue dogs they're a bit of everything. However, if someone were breeding the dog, showing the dog or presenting it as the highest quality of that breed, it would be an issue, I can see that too. But I guess in day to day life if it makes your day easier to just say he's an X, then go to town.

Regardless, the friends knew the risks, they know what the dog is capable of, even going to far as to check he wasn't home before entering. What fools. Learned the hard way, IMO. Lucky no one was really injured, but speaks volumes they keep losing padlocks from the gate etc, but no mention of break ins. Dog is doing a darn fine job as a deterrent by the sounds!

Perhaps if the penning is an issue for you, and you're about done with that you could look at some kind of fence or temporary splitting of the backyard or something? An outdoor pen (though understandably would have to be pretty massive! haha) I don't know what I'd do, personally, just an idea!

What horrible people the neighbours must be to be having a whinge to her poor son at a time like that, they should be ashamed of themselves! I wonder if they realise they're acting like 5 year olds? I understand grief does odd things to a person, but for heavens sake, that's just ludicrous! So what became of the poor pooch? Did the son take him or was he PTS?

We have a dog like that, he just really fetishes over certain things, like plastic bags and bathmats. If it's non-medical, nip that sucker in the bud before it becomes a great big thing! Might also be a stress related UTI or something as simple as that, maybe the noise and new people and things in his house are freaking him out a bit, can't say I really blame him, I get shirty enough when there's road works in our street :D

Oh no, the council was notified and our details given to them, the general consensus was that if we were willing to hold onto him they would notify the pound we had him. he wasn't chipped, desexed or wearing any ID. We popped flyers up in vets, parks and shops, notified petregister etc and posted on Gumtree and the LDH lost/found forum, but no one came forward, he was like the mystery dog, still, when he realised he was staying he made himself quite at home, obviously.

Surely if you're going to go to all the effort of ensuring they have these great bloodlines, the parents are on show and they have papers etc then going for a prefix and registering your good, hard work and great intentions is the logical next step? I don't understand the 'couldn't be bothered with' It's like creating the Mona Lisa and deciding you CBF signing it, really. Sounds dodgy, purebred or not, that's a moot point, I am sure there's a reason the breeder can't be arsed applying to register herself and her dogs.

Absolutely seconded!

I think that's wonderful, and do hope more have the same approach! I guess often a poorly socialised dog who hurts a child or another dog, regardless of papers or purity will reflect badly on everyone involved in the breed if it's marked as one, so I can see where this attitude is a benefit.

You have to kind of admire her dedication though, in a way. At some point she has to have thought 'not feeling so well, should stop....OHMYGOD NUGGETS!' and pushed on with the mission. How long did it take her to get through all that? Wasn't just while you had your back turned, I assume?

Our setter has a few of these mystery old dog lumps, there's a few in inconvenient spots that are drained regularly, but not worth the risk of taking them off. He seems to fare no worse for them though! I think it's pretty positive that they wanted to get rid of it! Lots of vets aren't super keen on putting old or ill dogs under, so that in itself should bolster you a bit! He probably feels better already and can get back to his normal self, but I hope the results come back all clear!

It wasn't to be rehomed, it was some dingbat advertising their purebred, but not papered spitz dog had reached 'that age' and was hassling their female chihuahua so they were looking for a female friend to pair him with to let him do his thing and give her a rest. If it were to be rehomed that's one thing, but siring litters of unnecessary puppies is more of a shame, in my opinion.

The ad is gone now, teehee. I'm thinking they probably read your email!

Vet bills can get obscene, we had a mild bladder infection that cost us almost $500 in one of my cats while I was away and they were (thankfully) boarded at the vets, but something as simple for a human as a medicare covered doctors visit and some $20 antibiotics blew out to a huge amount of money! I'm starting to agree it's worth it, though working in insurance myself am really, really wary of the individual plan and it's limitations, I'd hate to get caught out! I was watching the news last month with my grandma and the story about Samson, the dog with prosthetic front legs came on, and she was just gobsmacked, I mean, 40 years ago I guess the average household had more to think about than 2k a leg for a seemingly older looking dog, she loves animals as much as the next person, but just couldn't fathom this was even a thing, but watching it I thought 'oh he does look happy, isn't that nice?' and knew that if it were me and it were of value to the dog and feasible, I would probably do the same. I think the cats see the vet more than I see the doctor, to be totally honest!

I can't help but look, it's like an ulcer on your tongue you keep chewing on.... I know what you mean though, and FTGH has it's place, I would much rather know my animals, should they ever need to be rehomed, gosh forbid, but would much rather know they'll be loved and looked after than I score a hundred bucks out of it. And like everything, there's a right way to do it and a lot of very, very wrong ways. Sadly the protocol isn't always followed, I don't know whether people think they don't have time or simply don't care enough?

Noodle and my cat, Hector. Dancing for attention.

This is the gang at mum's house, we have Perry, who's the loveliest loveliest thing ever. He's an English Setter, I've been meaning to email his breeder and let her know just how fantastic he is. He's just hit 13, which is old for his kind, he's put up with all manner of rubbish from the little dogs and probably us as kids too, I still have photos of him in outfits! As you can see, he doesn't see so well now, but still manages to find his way onto the couch when no one is looking... There's Noodle and Petunia too. They kinda come as a unit, Noodle was a stray, maltese of some description, who helped himself to our hospitality around Easter, he was skinny and we suspect his previous people hadn't been too nice to him, so mum fished him out from under the train platform and fed him up on chicken breasts etc for weeks and weeks, he now expects this kind of treatment all the time and runs her life, he gets grumpy if she sits up to watch a movie and isn't in bed by what he deems to be an acceptable time, he stamps up and down the windowsills talking loudly to himself when he says its walk time and anything Petunia does that gets her attention, I;E being scared of certain floor materials (she only has one eye, so I don't think she gauges things so well, but if she hesitates and gets encouraged, he will mimic her and feign the same fears. Petunia is a pet shop shih-tzu, I worked in one for my first real job at about 18 and she was the last puppy over, no one wanted her and she was due to disappear, so I took her home. Mum was not amused, but now would never ever admit she ever thought that way! She has a host of little health issues, obviously a puppy farm drop out, but her kneecaps are fragile, she had cherry eye, a hernia, ended up losing an eye, her little back is a bit swayed and she is allergic to lots of things, which is awkward because she's the biggest piglet! She will eat everything, and is mum's kitchen companion. Opening their christmas presents! Puppy photo of Petunia.

Not dogs, but this is what I wake up to and leave all warm and snuggled up every morning at 7am. I've often woken up with no blankets on because the boyfriend has decided the cats look cold and tucked them in some more. Worth noting they tuck themselves in with their heads on the pillow and arms out of the blankets, sigh. Worked fine when I was single!

I was thinking the same thing, but couldn't quite get the words out sober. +10 to you!

things like this; http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/frankston/dogs-puppies/japanese-spitz-looking-for-love/1006308443 are just as concerning! For heavens sake.

I am so so sorry, but I am sure he's still hanging around in some way, shape or form. They don't ever really leave, I think. They come and say hello when you least expect it! I bet he's young, fit and full of beans again, and will be ecstatic to feel better. I wish with all my heart no one had to go through it, it's the worst thing, but also the loveliest thing we can do for them in the end, I quite wish if I were to get old and sick I could be lucky enough to drift off being cuddled and surrounded by love on my own terms!

Perhaps he didn't even make the connection between human head and mannequin one, do they have hair? fairly lifelike or are they more just the bald, plastic detached heads? Sounds like he just wanted to know where on earth the rest of their bodies where or what they even were! Poor dude!

I've suddenly become really allergic to one of my cats, a Persian. It's ridiculous, the rhinitis that comes with it is the bane of my existence! However I'd never dream of getting rid of him etc, so I'm using antihistamines, I'm using nasal spray that seems to help and when it settles I'm going to go have a definitive test and then a series of desensetising shots look like the best option, see how that works. I don't think it's a daily thing, but a handful designed to build a tolerance and teach the body that it isn't a big deal. In the mean time I'll second the washing them, it makes all the difference, it can be either dander, fleas or something else on the dog or saliva, so best to work out which it is with a doctor. Clean the dog bedding, get a really good vac with a hepa filter and a cheap air purifier for her bedroom and make it a strictly no doggie zone, as much as anything can be! If she's really itchy I'd say pop her in the Calamine lotion bath, it's good stuff that!

Aw that's miserable! What a shame

Also have my fingers crossed for an old dog bump! It's always nerve wracking, how are the kids? Must be tough on them too.