Loving my Oldies

I heard on the news that the punishment could be 5 years in jail. I hope the judge is a dog lover and does the right thing in honour of all animals let down by humans.

I sure hope he is caught. Poor woman is, naturally, distraught. It sounded as though she thought the man’s dog had attacked hers, but the vet confirmed he had been stabbed What gets me is that a man who was interviewed in the park said he heard a woman screaming ........ but did nothing about it. I don’t know if anyone else heard the interview and there was more to it. I can’t believe you’d hear someone screaming and not go to help.

A guard dog does not have to live outside. The sweetest gentlest of dogs can still be excellent at guarding their home. Leaving aside working dogs (dogs who work on farms and properties), the idea of having one dog being a inside dog and one being an outside dog sounds absolutely horrible to me and a potential disaster in the making. A so-called inside dog must have access to the outdoors pretty well all the time as well. You can’t expect a dog, unless superbly trained, to wait for hours until the human is around to let it outside to toilet. Please start getting books and reading up on having dogs living with you.

I agree with this. We can be a bit too frightened of powerful drugs, but if they do the trick, that’s all that matters. Comet’s anxieties do seem extreme and if a little pill helps him get through the day with a lot less anxiety, why not. Good luck.

If it is for one night only, I’d check with your vet. Better he be with someone he knows since it is such a short time.

What a magnificent dog . Deepest condolences family.in.brisbane. Yes, they leave such an enormous hole in our live when they are gone. So many wonderful dogs and other family members leaving us. As hard as it is I always think of the words of the poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson: “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

Many years I adopted a little dog into a home in Brisbane. Up until then, I hadn’t given canetoads a thought and in all other respects, it was a perfect home and he was perfect for the home. Less than a fortnight later he was dead . Just heartbreaking.

Your pup is very young and isn’t being naughty - he is being a pup who needs to be shown what is right and what is wrong. It is vital that you get on top of the biting hands and clothes right now as it is something that will most likely just escalate. There are plenty of excellent trainers on this forum who, I hope, will jump on here with better advice than I can give. Until they do, the thing you must do straight away is the moment he starts to bite if it is while you are playing stop, give him a firm “no” and walk away. And don’t forget to get a crate . Your pup is very young, very active, but still needs time out and to be given a space where he knows it is time to switch off.

Are there cane toads where you live, @Boronia? He is a little darling, really. Very playful, a good watch dog, a but hesitant and skittish when meeting someone, but giving him treats works wonders, strangely enough LOL. LOL. Sleeps snuggled led up beside me which is wonderful now nights are getting cold. Just turned around to see where he is and he is curled up in the crate.

I bought Benji a new tug toy today. I needed a longer one that I could hold onto without having my hand taken off by a very eager to play little boy. He loves it. Here is is surrounded by all his existing toys, but very happy with his new one

I keep getting text reminders from a vet I’ve never heard of about a dog I’ve never owned LOL. I have advised them of their mistake - to no avail

Yep. Just move. Your pet’s health and happiness is more important to you than the vet’s feelings. Unless it is a practice with several vets and one in particular is failing in the ability and caring stakes and then I would report to the practice owner/manager.

My first vet used to tell me that the most dangerous times for dogs was when there were tradies in the house ...... because of open doors, gates, etc. You cannot rely on or expect tradies to keep your dogs safe. I am so lucky in this area - my groomers are just down the road and I take my dogs down there if tradies are going to be in the house for any length of time.

For sure, but I still feel the dog should have access to inside and outside most of the time. Pups trained early and kindly grow up to be the best dogs. Many humans have totally unrealistic ideas about dog ownership and expect dogs to pop out knowing how to switch off, speak English/home language, sit, stay, drop, etc etc etc. All of these things needs to be taught. The more uptight about rules and regulations a human is, the worse for the dog. As for the premise that a dog needs to wait for the person to go out first ..... what rubbish. I stand at the door and wave the dogs through, counting Editing to add regarding my post about crating. I didn’t teach my foster, Stevie, to go into his crate: he just started doing it because he new it meant goodies LOL. Just saying because it can be very easy and such a relief knowing the dog is safe for the short period of time you need him to be and you can’t watch him.

You have yourself one very smart little breed of dog . It is up to you to give him the mental and physical stimulation that he deserves. That said, he still have to live with you and vice versa. I confess, I don’t know why it is a problem for a dog to have access to the outside at all times . I have a doggy door which is propped open because mine a small and now elderly and pushing it open is a little bit too hard. A dog should be able to come and go as it pleases, so it can toilet immediately it needs to outside. And outside is where all the good smells are. One of the better things a dog owner can invest in is a crate. They can be a godsend if your dog isn’t well, you have another dog staying with you, you have a little dog you are worried will find a way out, etc etc. At the moment, I have a little foster dog (been her for less than a fortnight) and because he gulps down his food in three seconds flat, I crate him for meals so the others can have theirs in peace. They learn very very quickly and a few days ago, he started putting himself in the crate when I was getting their meals ready. Invest in a crate, make it a great place for him to hole up in, his little cave. Here is the photographic proof of my little foster dog waiting for his dinner:

She is a sweetie, but sooooooooooo timid, it breaks my heart. . She has been with me for nearly 13 years (puppy from pound) and still such a timid little bunny. She loves her walks, but because she is so pretty, everyone (especially children) wants a pat and cuddle. I have to always tell people that she is too scared and they have to adore from afar

There are a few DOLers whose names don’t indicate their gender

LOL. No, he bounds out racing around to check whether there is anything else in other bowls.

He looks like that a lot of the time. He is a funny boy: a mixture of timidity and demanding cuddles and kisses.

Just for you @Scottsmum . Stevie has to be fed in his crate as he wolfs down his food in seconds flat - despite my using a slow feeding bowl. He nows hops in a waits for his meals.

Is DOLER Steve still on this forum? She ran MDBA. Maybe try her.

don’t tell anyone.

What a beautiful spot. Is that the Swan River?

Oh No!!! Poor Tigger - such a beautiful dog. Dog parks are like social media: people think they are entitled to be nasty.

How absolutely wonderful to see Ronin and Tigger again, Yonjuro. Loved the sledding through the bush - just amazing. The dogs just wore themselves out trying to race. If the path had been wider, Ronin would have left the other two far behind LOL. The slo-mo in the last vid was so interesting. Thanks for giving us so much pleasure.