White Shepherd mom

I am so, sorry for your loss and DOL's loss for what is DOL without Cordelia and the other oldies whose stories we have read over the years. You gave her 13 years she would not have otherwise had, your bond is timeless. My heart breaks for you Jacq. Rest in Peace beautiful Cordelia.

why do poems like this make me teary-eyed. Just beautiful, it said it all. Thank you for sharing.

I am cautious about giving bones due to Casper's bout of pancreatitis early last year. Now I give them the rawhide chews in the shape of a bone. It takes them a while to get through and their teeth are in pretty good condition.

Thankfully Casper never seems to have seized when the dogs are alone. Seems he wants his mummy around so he can give me a heart attack when he does it. The dogs sleep outside and when he has seized at night, I have somehow always heard something to make me run out...and he is quiet when he seizes. He makes like a hacking sound but not loud enough for me to hear in our bedroom. Just as thankfully, I always seem to get to him while he is still having the seizure so don't know what Bella would do if he came out of it, disorientated, with her standing over him. Knowing how restless he is when he comes out of it, I don't know that Casper would be very happy to be confined in a crate after a seizure. I love my dogs with all my heart but I try not to over panic. So far they haven't killed each other! I'm glad we have put your mind at ease a little. Don't forget that too many seizures do start to affect the brain so don't be afraid to get him onto meds if your vet suggests it.

Zenith, I am sorry your dog is having seizures. You are right, they are awful things to experience and you feel so helpless. Casper has been epileptic since the age 3. He will typically have one seizure that lasts about a minute, followed by a couple of minutes of confused pacing and a huge thirst. That is followed by hours of pacing and clinging to me. Also, during his seizures, we have to hold Bella back as she stands over him growling, looking like she might attack him. Casper was put on Phenobarbitol after his 7th seizure as the vet wanted us to keep a log to determine if the seizures were getting closer together, which they were. He remained seizure free for about 3 years, then one day slipped when going through the doggy door, he panicked and started his seizure cycle again. We doubled his pheno dose which made no difference so we added Potassium Bromide and he has now been seizure free about another 3 years. He is almost 10 years old and he is fitter and more active than me. We run around 5km every second day without a problem. Each dog is different. Phenobarbitol is the first drug to try. I hope your vet can get the dosage right and your dog can enjoy many years seizure free. Hugs and good luck.

Cool website BB. Let us know when it's finished! Whose is the beauty at the top of the page?

I am so sorry for your loss Noisymina. 11 is a good old age and at least she went quickly, although it is hard to find that a consolation right now. My heart aches for you and your lovely girl. Rest in Peace Kaisie.

I prefer to walk them around 5:30pm after work for a number of reasons, 1. I'm not a morning person and I'd have to walk them at 5am in order to be on time for work. 2. I don't want to rush through our walk just because I have to get ready for work. 3. It's way too dark and cold in the morning. Of course, that said, in summer I do take them at 5am (and it kills me!) as it is too hot later in the day. They don't care either way so long as they get one!

I'm so sorry dianed. That's a good old age for a GSD, especially one with health issues. You did great by her. Rest in Peace beautiful Sophie.

13 is a really good age for a GSD, I guess sometimes that makes it harder to say goodbye. I too dread that day. Casper is not yet 10 but has issues which I think might keep him from reaching that ripe old age of 13...I hope I am wrong though. Big hugs to you. You know when you make that decision, it will be with love in your heart. Enjoy Sophie's every minute.

I signed up with Pet Insurance Australia a couple of months before the dogs turned 8. My excess is $250 as I will only use it for big bills. About 4 months after taking out the policy, Casper had his spleen removed and they paid that pretty quickly. 6 months later he had pancreatitis and they paid that quite fast too even though my claims, which totalled over $3000, were more than I'd paid them! Based on my experiences with them so far, I would definitely recommend them. Good luck!

I read about Bonnie's passing in your other thread. I was shocked, she was such a part of DOL. We all looked for updates when she and Indie got sick a few months back and all sighed a collective sigh of relief when they finally pulled through. And now this. I am so sorry julz, for your loss, your family's loss and for Indie's grief. Big hugs ;)

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Ocean Reef vet is my vet. For rehab puposes I believe they only have the pool but Casper doesn't like going into water where he can't stand and I was looking for something more...specifically acupuncture, manipulation, things to improve his balance. I was really hoping that with such a strong Perth presence on DOL, someone has a personal recommendation. I found this place online : http://www.activepetrehab.com - has anyone used them? Thanks again.

Hi guys, I am looking for a specialist who deals with mobility issues in dogs in Perth please. Casper has been diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy and the prognosis is eventual paralysis as there is no cure. Exercise is our best chance at delaying his decline but apparently acupuncture and manipulation can also help. I have taken him to a wonderful lady who specialises in mobility issues but she's SOR and is therefore a bit far for me to go to often. Thanking you in advance.

I am so sorry for your loss BB and BBJ. I don't know what else to say so I'm sending you big hugs instead.

You are a treasure for giving this little old man the home he deserved in his final months. After a life time of suffering, he died in your arms, loved and happy. Be proud of yourself as well as him. Rest in Peace Billy. I am just sorry you did not make your way into Lowchenlove's salon earlier.

I take their mattresses which are used on the kennel's trampoline beds, their food, treats and Casper's medication. They don't play with toys (even though the house is full of them!) but they have each other for company and plenty other dogs to keep them occupied. I was wondering whether I should take their own bowls but since they haven't had a problem eating until now, I won't bother. Oh, I also have a typed sheet with their feeding schedule and Casper's meds schedule as well as our vet's details and our phone numbers, as well as instructions on what do if Casper has a seizure. Probably overkill as most of the info is on their own forms as well. I think we panic too much sometimes!

I'm so sorry for your loss RL1. 11 is a pretty good age. I hope your pain is replaced by happy memories and the hole in your heart mends soon.

This is a great idea. Might have to try it with Bella sometime! I tried putting a rock in her bowl but that didn't slow her down at all. Now I put carrots, broken in half, in with her food. When she gets to a carrot she has to chew them so at least she catches her breath!

Not just large dogs It tends to be the smaller ones that have the attitude problems & owners that encourage the bad behaviour. I agree with this. There have been many times when my dogs have looked on in confusion as small dogs run up to them, barking, ignoring their owners calls to go back. If you are going to make training compulsory, it should apply to all shapes and sizes.

Hey Leelaa, can you update us on the number of signatures you have collected every now and then? It will be interesting to see how you are progressing! Thanks and good luck

love this: "Suitable for large dogs up to 35 kilograms." Who on earth would lift a 35kg dog into a high chair. My back is spasming just at the thought. So glad it's not real!!

That would have been a very interesting find. Would it not be possible to think that these animals were perhaps used by trainee mummifiers (what's the correct term??) to practice their trade? I can't imagine that 8 million animals were mummified for religious purposes only? Sad to find evidence of puppy farming going so far back in time. I still find Egyptian history fascinating though.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydn...i-1226011617716 Put a leash on dog owners PUPPY owners should be forced to undergo compulsory training with their dogs in a bid to stop attacks, leading canine advocates say. The latest data reveals 12 dog attacks a day in NSW, with a total of 1168 in the December quarter. Of those, more than 680 people - including 167 children - were attacked and 394 animals killed. A total of 131 dogs were destroyed. But experts blame the owners - rather than their pets - for the majority of attacks. Dogs NSW spokesman and veterinarian Dr Peter Higgins said owners were most often at fault because of a lack of training. "People don't choose the dog that is most suitable for them, they go for the dog that is trendy, and they don't do anything about training," he said. "It's not the dog at fault, it's often the dog owner not restraining it, or training it properly, or socialising it while it is a puppy. "I am almost getting to the stage to make it compulsory for new puppies to be trained. "Most [attacks] can be prevented with obedience training." Staffordshire bull terriers, cattle dogs, german shepherds, rottweilers, labrador retrievers and jack russell terriers led the top 20 list of attack dogs. Dr Higgins said while he felt there were already too many laws, mandatory obedience training should be considered. Australia's "dog whisperer" and Dog Tech founder John Richardson agreed that large dogs should have compulsory training with their owners. "With certain breeds it should be mandatory, most certainly," he said. "People don't know how to interact with a dog correctly - they are pack animals, but people go and get a darling doggie and think it's a human in a fur coat, love it to death and they do all of the nice things but forget discipline and guidance." Dog schools surveyed yesterday said obedience classes were more about training owners than dogs. "The dog already knows how to sit," Mr Richardson said. Koala advocates, who see joey deaths in nearly 70 per cent of dog attacks in Port Stephens, believe training is not enough and called on owners to restrain their pets. "Dogs are the third biggest threat to Port Stephens' koalas, after road kills and disease," Port Stephens Koala Committee chairman Geoff Dingle said. Local Government Minister Barbara Perry said dog owners face fines of up to $55,000 and two years jail if their dog attacks a person."Any dog breed has the potential to attack and it seems that an increasing number of dog owners are heeding the message that they must keep their dogs under close supervision at all times," she said.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news...2-1226031611793 CLASSROOM canines are the new teacher's pet. Dogs are proving to be all ears when it comes to helping kids lick reading and literacy problems. A dozen primary schools in Geelong have gone to the dogs, as part of a pilot program, Classroom Canines, expected to be rolled out nationally. Instead of a teacher wagging a finger at students, would-be book worms are responding well to a happy mutt wagging a friendly tail. And rather than getting an animal stamp of approval on the hand, the students are lapping up a lick of thanks on the cheek for every tale well told. The new and novel way of encouraging shy kids to turn a new leaf in their own education is the brainchild of former Geelong primary school teacher Glenda Bridgman. "I took my own dog, Hamish, to school one day a week and noticed that attendances were up on those days and that the children were much more attentive," she said. "It is commonly known that children who may be shy or awkward with an adult are less inhibited and more relaxed in the company of an animal." The program is funded and run by the Delta Society, which aims to promote positive interaction between humans and companion animals. Ms Bridgman said children who presented with literacy problems responded much better to remedial action taken at the earliest stages of their schooling. Reading "teacher" Tori, a spoodle, aged three, is among a handful of dogs trained chapter and verse in how to deal with shy school kids.