JackieW

It's like a military operation when I go out :). And although I'm on 2 acres and the dogs are crated in the house, I still won't go out at night because of their barking. I think they're actually pretty good when I'm out now though (neighbour hasn't mentioned the barking since I've been putting them in the house) but I'm still super conscious of it.

I've got an entire 9 yr old. He's sterile and has never humped or done any of those hormonal things so vets have said just to leave him.

You may be able to do the practical side of the course as a volunteer. I know a couple of the vollies at the RSPCA were doing the Animal Studies course (or whatever it's called) and did a day or two at the RSPCA per week.

Too cute! I want one :).

My wirehair would love this, but he'd probably demolish the barn in the process :).

The Adelaide critiques are in issue 9 of DNA. The next issue might have the Melb critiques?

That's why I had to start crating my oldie. Twice she got into a cupboard and chewed through plastic containers to get stuff (bonios the first time, muesli the second) and that involved 2 vet visits. She also dragged bottles of wine off a low shelf, breaking one. Why???? I have tiled floors so no real biggie cleaning up, unlike your mess. Wouldn't know where to start with oil - something to soak it up such as sawdust?? Bad enough cleaning it off tiles really (have had to do that once).

2nd heatwave we've had in SEQ and it's not even summer yet. Arrrgh. Had to resort to putting the aircon on today, even the breeze is hot. I'm NW of Brisbane and get temps more like Ipswich - it was just under 43 yesterday and over 43 today. It's supposed to be a bit cooler tomorrow and then warming up again by the end of the week. Another good thing about leaving the dogs in the house when I'm out instead of outside (the other is it lessens the barking as I mentioned in another thread) is that it's cooler indoors. When I go out in the morning I close the doors, windows and curtains so it's quite pleasant when I get back (though I'm not gone all day).

I have German wirehairs and like the longhaired weimeraner, wirehaired vizsla and Spinone, smooth coats don't do a lot for me. Except I quite like greyhounds :). I used to love deerhounds and wolfhounds but they're too big for me nowadays. As to small breeds, I'd have a bit of a dilemma there as I like quite a few of them.

I think by law (in Qld at least) you have to give people access to your front door. I have the back yard fenced off and also a gate on my front patio. If anyone comes to my house I let the dogs on to the patio when I go out to see what the person wants. A large German wirehair can look a bit intimidating, the small oldie not so much :).

One of my dogs would LOVE dock dogs :)

They were moving last week, will now be near Tyrepower on Beerburrum Road.

I took on a 4 yr old entire male. He's had a couple of wees in the house and some poos. He's a bit of a bugger for occasionally stealing and chewing things if he gets the chance, but I don't think that's to do with being entire.

I love the look of the Berger Picard.

I have a 13 yo female and a 9 yo male (who I got at 4 yo). The female was really independent and not hugely keen on cuddles until fairly recently. Now that she doesn't see so well she's really fixated on following me around. The boy has always been a bit of a soppy date, similar to my old fellow who was a real mummy's boy. I've been thinking if I get a pup of this breed I'd like a female because they tend to be a bit smaller but actually I think the males are soppier.

I probably should have read all this thread before I commented but I thought I'd just say that my oldie was recently diagnosed as having early kidney disease too. She's been raw fed all her life and I didn't want to change that. So I now have her on Dr Billinghurst's "lite" as he recommends it for dogs with kidney or liver disease. Big Dog also has a version too.

Big Dog and Dr B have raw diets suitable for dogs with kidney/liver disease.

There used to be something similar in the UK called Champdogs, not sure whether it still exists.

My condolences to you, RIP Doof

Twice a day - breakfast around 6.30am and dinner around 6.15pm, dinner later in summer if I'm out in the garden. Oldie has always been an early bird but if I've not got anywhere to go in the morning I might go back to bed for a while after they've come back in and had breakfast. They go out for a wee from about 10.30-11.45pm and occasionally one or other has a poo then too.

Luckily these biscuits weren't in the plastic container my oldie chewed her way through last week, it was Lucky Dog and IGA biscuits that she filled herself up on. That was a pleasant (not) 24 hours for her, but could have been a lot worse.

My 13 yr old has just been diagnosed with early stage kidney disease and the vet suggested a lower protein/higher carb diet. Aja is raw fed so the diet is heavy on meat with some vege and occasional grains or dry food. I'm going to have a look at the B-naturals site but has any other raw feeder dealt with this and if so what changes did you make? Thanks

I went through all this last year, tracking down tradies and getting quotes or being told it was too hard/would be too expensive. Looked into bringing one in from the UK but that was way too dear (the crate was ok, the freight was horrendous). A DOLer put me on to a guy on Fb who made one for me based on the type he was making, but when I looked on Fb after a query in another thread, he doesn't seem to be there anymore. It's not exactly what I wanted, as I really wanted a UK Barjo, but it's defnitely OK for 2 medium dogs. Unfortunately one of mine is large so it's a squeeze for him, but ok for short journeys. Mine takes up most of my boot, with a divider for the 2 dogs.

I had one made by a guy in Brisbane that looks a bit like this one. He used to have a page on Facebook but I can't find it now. It's got a sloping back and front and a removable divider. http://www.dolforums.com.au/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-31807-0-31851800-1338085978_thumb.jpg

http://www.fernvalevet.com.au/services/ You could ask here perhaps. I believe they're supposed to be good chiropractors so they might know of someone. Otherwise I suppose there's Animal Options at Ormeau, but that's a bit of a drive.