Erny

Granite Hills is up that way, isn't it? I haven't used it, so can't attest to care levels etc. But the grounds and yards look nice.

I wondered if that was the case, Chi. Can you do early mornings? Would the park be that busy early mornings on weekdays?

It's day-light savings. Can you not do the same as you would normally do (ie let him have a romp at wherever it is that you go), but at 7pm? I was at a park at 7pm - 8.30pm last night, still with enough day-light. Don't worry about it - you had the nowse (sp?) to ask. Perhaps your dog would be ok, if overcast, even though it is hot. But it can be a risk and no-one is going to suggest you take it. It is much more enjoyable and potentially healthier for everyone if done in the cooler hours though. I have taken my boy out when it has still been warm/hot, but overcast. However only because I knew that where we were going had a dam that he could and would wade into. He had a lot of water exercise that session .

Early morning or early evening. And if the evening isn't cool enough then we go out after dark even though that means no off-lead romp. Missing out on a romp every now and again doesn't matter - it's mental stimulation that will tire them out. But if we have stayed on-lead, then we normally have a game of ball in the back yard afterwards (flood lights ).

I took my boy out and about pretty much from the get go. But I chose wisely/cautiously as to where, until he'd had his last puppy vacc (in his case, his 2nd). I recommend to anyone to avoid stressful situations (even big excitement is stressful) for 7 days clear of each puppy vaccination. Reasoning behind this is that when the vaccination is received, the pup's immune system is 'taxed' because it is busy fighting the affects of the vaccination (this is how the disease anti-bodies are created) and therefore is a bit on the vulnerable side.

Or maybe the cat does inside what it is currently doing outside the OP's window. The owner of course would find more comfort if the cat was elsewhere making its noise. Wonder if the cat is desexed?

I think they call that the "Scarecrow" out here. Water restrictions could prove a problem for that though.

The trouble is that when we introduce species and they thrive, they often thrive too much, upsetting the ecological 'balance' that nature originally intended. So then you get the native species under attack and population threatened. Native animals often will kill native animals and by rights we should leave them to do what they do - but there is usually a fine balance. That is except for when humans have stuffed things up anyway by the destruction of native animal habitat, causing over populations in small areas.

Does Deerhoundowner wish for me to pick him/her up from the airport as well - I'm going to be there anyway ??? Elfin - was it yourself who spoke with me wanting to come with me to the seminar?

You'd be talking about Noisy Mynahs. They are native. I like them for their full on and bravado personalities. I like the Butcher Bird too (native as well, I believe). I've never had either of them try to swoop or worry me. In fact, when I lived on property with my folks, we had flocks of them that became somewhat tame and proved to be the most excellent "watch birds". If they started shrilling, we never ignored it. We'd look up into the trees to see what they were pointing at. On a couple of occasions it was a snake. And on another, there was a suspicious man who entered our property. The noisy mynahs are such characters and if you get a chance to get to *know* them, you can identify the different personalities from one to the other. :D at CL.

Ensure that YOU are leader in the minds of your dogs. Keep dogs separate when feeding. I would hazard a good guess, I think, that many altercations between two family dogs start over food. Initially all is good. Dogs get older. Then there is a scuffle (anything from minor through to serious) and voila! .... there is not only a learnt behaviour but the tussles can escalate from there towards other things.

Yes. Doesn't happen often, but it has happened and sometimes it is as though you understand the dog more than even the owner understands him/her.

I'm really sorry, Ceilidh. I understand and know your pain. You will carry on though, even if you don't feel that you can at the moment. And the reason you'll carry on is because of Hooley. Because he wouldn't want otherwise. And because he would want you to. He didn't come into your life so that when his earth life ended you would be unable to carry on. He came into your life to teach you things, as you also taught him. And with the empathy and understanding he has helped to teach you, so that you can apply that learning for good reasons. My condolences Ceilidh. RIP Hooley

Didn't you do some food refusal work with Bub?

"Heart Dog" is the equivalent of "Soul Mate". For one dog to be your "heart dog" doesn't mean you don't love any of your others any less. It just means that there was a very very special potentially one in a million 'connection'. Kal (my avatar girl - RIP and bless her cotton socks) is and always will be my "heart dog". I love my current boy, Mandela, to bits, but it is because of Kal that I am where I am today and also why I feel I understand Mandela better than I otherwise could have - even though they are two very different temperamented dogs. I would be just as devastated to lose Mandela as I was Kal and when Mandela's 'time' comes (I hope that is a long way away) I will miss him as much as I still miss Kal. But Kal is my soul dog ..... without intending to be melodramatic about it, it is almost as though her 'essence' runs like veins through my heart - even 3.5 years on she is part of me, not just a dog whom I loved dearly.

A good leader is also the one who is usually calm but assertive, not one who is unnecessarily and inappropriately bossy. Bub could well still be the 'top dog' of the two, but enjoys the interactions of your other, so there's no need to fight, grump, etc. I do believe there is always an 'order' of sorts - but when it's a great relationship, this 'order' can be so subtle as to not to be overly noticeable. Think of two people (although I don't usually like directly correlating people to dogs). They can be the best of friends. Congenial. Like mucking around with each other, perhaps doing a bit of a play fight now and again; sharing company etc. etc. But then something happens where an important and urgent decision needs to be made. You'll often find that one becomes the more dominant at that time. Yet chances are, when that 'moment of decision making' is over, the two friends go back to their interactions without consciously being aware that one over-stands the other - because in so many other things, they probably don't. This is just an example. Not necessarily a good one. But it might help that you can understand that one dog being the more dominant to the other doesn't mean he/she has to rule over everything all of the time nor that it has to be an overt act.

Ooh, goodness! That means I'll need to clear my car out of all the training junk in it (and just generally clean it out) . No worries - yes, please email your flight details to [email protected]

Ditto

What time/flight details and I'll come pick you up. Someone else asked if they could come with me to the seminar (and I'm sorry ..... I've forgotten who that was ). If that person would still would like to do that she is more than welcome, although I'll be leaving here earlier to get to the airport and back to the seminar venue in time. Please contact me to let me know.

You do understand, 16Paws, that the 'cat trap' doesn't harm the cat? It just a cage where the door shuts quickly behind them when the cat goes in there. Then the Council comes, picks them up and they go through the pound process. If the cat is microchipped, the owner is contacted. And yes, the owner pays the fine for their cat wandering in the first place, just as owners of stray/escaped dogs do. If your cat got out and someone trapped it and rang the rangers you should be pleased, because it means someone is helping to prevent your kitty becoming hit by a car or encountering some other danger.

That's just dandy, isn't it? Yet these same people "looooooooove" their cats "sooooooooo" much, but happy for their cat to be out and about going who knows where and getting into who knows what trouble and danger in the meantime.

Problem with that is that you have to be around to be able to do this. And if that cat is as wiley as the one I have that invites itself to my backyard and into my house when I leave the back door open (to investigate the possibility of food that might still be in the dog's bowl, or worse, up on my kitchen bench ), there is no way it is going to come over while the OP is out in the yard nor linger once the OP steps out the back door.

You only like it because it has black dots! LOL Agree though - "goofy squishy face" is an apt description. Good on the person who owns this dog . I agree regarding the tracking too ..... I think anyone who wants to try it should be encouraged to have a go. I did a workshop with my avatar girl once upon a time but I don't think she was well liked for her 'lack of talent' ..... not because she couldn't get the job done, but because she would air-scent (proved a quicker result for her) more than ground scent. To me, it didn't matter. She found me and she was so chuffed at her cleverness LOL.

Thanks Riesenhaft. Thought it was worth checking .

Good - the reason I mention is because (and I'm relating what I've heard in layman's language as I understand it) ant-acids can have the affect of thinning out the protective lining of the stomach.