Loving my Oldies

Well, that's part of it of course. But I really believe we can over-think these things. You have a gorgeous young puppy and he will be very quickly out of puppyhood, so enjoy it while you can. When Husband stages an Intervention, hand him a tug toy and hide the bills - LOL. I'm so clever and managed so well :D :D :D when I first brought home two little Maltese puppies (8 weeks and 9 weeks of age) a long long time ago, I took two weeks off work, was a nervous wreck when I had to go back to work, hired a doggy walker to come to the house 3 days a week just to check they were okay and spend some time with them. I also asked my vet if puppies could die of cot death . I could hardly bring myself to leave the house on weekends except to do necessary shopping. You are not alone !!

I was speaking generally, Diva, and not in reference to this particular case :)

The point many DOLers and seasoned dog owners tend to forget is that members of the general public know absolutely zero about pounds and/or what to do if their dog gets out or is lost. It is all very well to say that they should find out, but in most cases it would be a matter of not knowing that they don't know. Of course mistakes happen and it is a part of life. But let's not forget pound people are dealing with lives. They should be checking and rechecking and then checking again. They should explain to people who come in and ask whether or not a particular sort of dog is there that the people need to go around and look for themselves and to keep coming back and repeating the exercise. As for your comment about the sex of dogs in pounds - ain't that the truth. I have one here as verification. Was sent to the pound to collect a little male, next day on closure observation (hadn't disturbed the dog because she was totally traumatised) we found we had a little female. Also picked up a little dog who was supposed to have dreadful mammary tumours. They were hernias. Many pounds and their staff do an amazing job. Many pounds and their staff don't.

Despite your reservations, I think you need to very seriously consider an arrangement such as skyefool has suggested. I would ask at your vets for a start as well as contacting those people who do it professionally. Vet nurses often house sit, but I would be wanting to ensure they were experienced and mature before I entrusted a special needs pet to someone. Good luck. Such a worry when we have to leave dogs who have needs over and above the everyday.

Geez, what's the problem with spending 98% of your time with the dogs? And a puppy dog at that . Sounds pretty okay to me. Sorry, I'm just being silly, imagining how difficult it would be to get anything done around a gorgeous 13 weeks old fluff ball. Hard to take your eyes off him, I would think. Agree with the others that stucture and routine are necessary, but also taking on board that some days you will have chaos and interruptions by the dozen no matter what you do. Regarding your having velcro dogs. This is part and parcel of working from home, I believe. I am retired and so my dogs (5 littles) are used to having me around. A couple of them are velcro, a couple are on a string in that if they haven't seen me for a while, they come looking and one is where any patch of sun is. Looking forward to cyber sharing your journey.

Good to see your last post as that was my immediate response. CHANGE VETS.

I've not heard of it, but if it works . The only thing I thought of is that if it is used regularly in the manner you did, how quickly would the smell disperse and would dogs become used to sniffing it as they walked around which would obviously reduce its usefulness. Not that it would need to be sprayed every few metres, of course :D , just thinking out aloud.

Not qualified to give advice, but I just wanted to say that it looks a delightful area and mum and pups seems to be very happy.

Well posted, Trudy08. So much "dog skiing" around here, and, as I said on previous occasions, the proliferation of retractable leads is making things worse. One woman has a Dalmatian on a retractable lead so long that the dog is able to bounce across the road from one footpath to the footpath on the other side . Dog is totally out of control and if she sees me coming, she does not seem to have the will or the strenght to rein her dog in. The dog is probably a delightful happy dog, but the owner has no idea of her responsibilities in walking and training a young, large and excitable dog.

Part of my recent letter to my council: "...... and 2) councils are not interested in regulating and enforcing the laws we already have in place. "While Councils ignore their own laws, the community will do the same and the result will be more dog attacks, more people hurt, traumatised and killed with lives forever ruined. It is about time Councils did what they are elected and paid to do." I await with interest and (sadly) scepticism their response.

The last time I opened my car door and in hopped the wandering Labrador, it transpired that her owners had been burgled and naturally the gates had been left open. Thank god I happened along because, although the dog was having a lovely time being out and free, she was heading towards a six lane highway

Exactly. There is plenty of legislation, but until councils step up to the plate and regulate and enforce them, we will still be having this conversation in 50 years time.

Hmm, that conclusion is a bit extreme, T, but I have to concur that most dogs I have found wandering have been friendly and quite often, if I am in the car, have happily jumped in for the trip to the vet for scanning or if gardening out the front, enticing into my garage so I can check tags. If I come across them when walking, it isn't so easy, because I have five littlies and one is reactive. I can never be sure how good natured a wandering dog is if Myrtie decides to start barking. Some are brilliant (as with two border collies wandering along Myrtle Street one day) and take absolutely no notice, but I can't expect them all to be so sanguine. The only time of late that I was unable to get close to a wandering dog (growling and bared teeth tend to tell one to stay away :D ), when I finally reached a real person to talk to in the Council, I was informed that the rangers had given instructions not to be called for wandering dogs . I agree wholeheartedly with dee lee regarding repeatedly calling the Council and her comments about people who think they are cool because they don't use leads. Frankly, they aren't cool. They are dickheads.

Oh god yes! I remember using Dynamic Lifter . . . . . . once.

A vet told me a long time ago that having tradesmen working in the house and/or yard is the most dangerous time for dogs. Tradesmen too busy/forgetful about gates and doors. When I have tradesmen here, I don't leave the house. Edit: Sorry, I see you mean the dogs owned by tradesmen. Yes, they can be a problem too. Neighbours on both sides used get in mower people to do their lawns who would bring their dogs. The mowing was bad enough to set my dogs off, let alone having a strang dog running the fences. Hasn't happened for a long time though.

Oh goody. My house and deck have been wee free today. They were just being cranky pants boys and girls obviously. Upset their routine and/or equilibrium and we pay for it

This should be broadcast far and wide. I want to cry when I see acres and acres (exaggeration LOL) of kitty litter in supermarkets. Bit of soil in decent sized litter trays and dump in garden. If no garden, around trees on footpaths. If no trees on footpaths, plant some - LOL.

Oh dear. It is all so despressing really and sad. I thought of this thread this morning as I walked out of my gate with my five only to see a couple of houses up Walter the Weimaraner wandering down the footpath. Now I know where Walter lives and he is a lovely dog, but I have one highly reactive little dog who sets the others off, particularly if there is a dog on the loose, so I didn't care to see how placid Walter would be with my lot telling him he should not be there. When Walter saw me and mine, he started loping towards me, naturally, as any dog out having a wander and sniff would do. I dragged mine back down the garden, shut them inside, looked back to see Walter's rear end poking out of my side garden, tail going like a windmill obviously having a a great time. However, by the time I'd unsnipped the dogs' leads and gone outside again with a spare lead and a handful of treats, he was nowhere to be seen. I checked a couple of neighbours' yards, but couldn't see him. His colour of course is a wonderful camouflage. So I set out again with just two dogs figuring they'd be the "tethered goat" and hopefully would flush Walter out :D :D . I didn't see him again, but heard him when I passed by his house on my return journey. This is the second time in as many days that I have found Walter wandering. Do you need to be told? ...... his owners have tradesmen working in their yard. I'll be popping in later to let them know ...... as if they didn't .

Soil. What I though LOL.

No, far from boring. Should have been done by those who were categorically stating facts they knew nothing about before they said anything. And that includes what I said about the bed, but I mainly said that because of another post by someone who knew it all without any evidence. What institutions are legally called upon to do means very little in reality.

And since I posted, have found a few more. I've removed the barricades to the back yard and bugger the new cement - LOL. Actually, I've tested it and I doubt even if they do scratch, there will be marks. Poor Jeune wee'd like she was trying to emulate Niagra Falls.

It is just mind boggling that some people take little or no responsibility for the actions of their dogs. All I can suggest is that every incident, no matter how small, is reported to the council. My letter has been posted and I concluded by saying that Councils had to start doing what they were elected for and being paid for. If I get a response, it will be full of platitudinous self righteousness about all the actions they do take, etc etc etc etc. Oh, and how much better they are than any previously government. The only thing to do is to bombard them.

OMG! Remind me NEVER to enter into these sorts of threads. I JINXED MYSELF BIG TIME Yesterday, I had cement pathways laid through my garden and have to keep the dogs off them for a couple of days. Luckily (so I thought) I have a large undercover deck and although a couple of dogs would go out in the pouring rain rather than wee on the deck so thought I might have a bit of trouble, they are protesting at their confinement. About to go to bed, very late (past midnight) last night, when I noticed a wee on the bed. It had gone right through blankets, sheets, mattress protector and into the mattress. Bed stripped and then out with the paper towels and water/vinegar mix. I turned the mattress (slatted bed so will dry out) fresh bedding on the bed and then put a load of washing on. Going around the house turning off the lights, noticed puddle by the entrance carpet runner. Up with that and hang on the deck, clean the floor. This morning awoke sniffing!!! Big wet stain right where Tamar sleeps under the bedclothes. Luckily this time only through the fitted sheet and the mattress protector had prevented the mattress getting wet. Bed stripped again and put sheet in to soak in napisan. Came back from walking the dogs to find a flood in the laundry as I'd omitted to turn the tap off So here I was, although empathising with Westiemum's pain, being somewhat relieved that I wasn't experiencing it. Murphy's Law and all that. Is it too early for a drink?

This is outrageous! The council should have stepped in on three counts: 1. dogs being in eating areas (it doesn't worry me but it is illegal). 2. dogs being in public unrestrained. 3. dogs attacking This is it. The dogs NEED to go outside their front gates for, as the terminology is, environmental enrichment. Again. Council is not regulating and enforcing their laws. The parents should have all be admonished at the very least by council rangers. Tell you friend to report this to the rangers.

In fact, the title of this thread has been bothering me. Some dogs aren't more special than others. They are all special but some have greater needs physically and psychologically. This message was brought home to me many years ago when my first dog died of congestive heart failure very young. I said to someone, "But she was so special." The other person said, "They are all special, Cynthia." Lesson taken on board. :) :)