rose of tralee

Very interesting. Minding an inlaw's 14 yo castrated male IT for a week. I hadn't seen him for a couple of years, he is still capable of quality activity. I'm not game to let him off the lead, even with three mates and room on acreage. He was known as an eager escape artist and irresponsive to recall. He's always been an outside dog. A great leg lifter (he was 12 when he was cut) and I wouldn't trust him even in the laundry. His howl has me intrigued, for want of a better word. A dreadful, strangled-type sound; thankfully it is easing up as he gets used to this place.

interesting! Late Dal made a subtle sound low in her throat which seemed to indicate contentment. Usually when we were just moving around the house together. Other family members never heard it.

Recently read about the Super Butcher outlets in SE Qld at Birkdale, Eagle Farm and several further south. The business has been bought out of receivership and the new owners state they may expand the locations. I'll certainly check them out next time in Brisbane with a car and the big esky! More info on the website and a newsletter has the specials.

Mackay It's easier to be pure about grass fed beef when there is a reliable local source and this family is pleased to have one now. Just check with the meat people at the Saturday markets at the showground. They also travel with a cold room to the coalfields. Along those lines, I appreciated the article What's Your Beef in the Weekend Australian magazine.

Leave with friend, outcome predicable. Well, unpredictable anyway, which is why we PTS our (locally obtained) cats when we left Asia after 10 years.

A different approach may have yielded more civilised results. However, sleeping with the family kitten isn't a character reference once out and about.

No to the litter. That does belong in unreasoning times. I support allowing one season, and allowing adequate time for the oestrus hormones to lower before surgery. It's not necessary to dash in as soon as the signs of the season subside, assuming the girl has been kept safe. And that isn't difficult, with planning and 100% care and attention.

Yes, this animal adores it too. About to fence it off for a recovery period.

I asked a nice breeder and frequent exhibitor I see once a year whether she was interested in any other breeds. And was so surprised/ educated to hear her nominate a breed and say, I'm putting the legwork in and getting known to the breeder.

Feel positively guilty at dodging weather strife over the last few years in particular....all good strong thoughts coming your way. Thank you for telling your story. Bless your SIL, SES, poodle-minding friend...

I haven't time to read all your replies, am sure there's gold there. My thing now to make things easier for my back and ordinary eyesight is to pick up each foot as I would a horses hoof That is, the feet picked up and flexed towards to the rear. This girl is not mad about the procedure, she can't instinctively jerk back with the fronts this way and it's over quicker.

Ants taste yukky because of the formic acid...meaning that the dogs will probably avoid any strays left after action taken to get rid of them. Yep, no need to waste the tucker. Ants are likely chasing protein.

Mackay here. I've had no reason to go near the beaches to see what's going on there. My suburb is busy, folk filling gas bottles, visiting Woolies etc. Generators sold out! We were here for Ului last March, also the floods of 2008. This one ramps it up. La Lola isn't overly fearful and will be under the internal steps with us of course if it comes to that. Cyclone roller shutters look good for a window upgrade.

Single Dal 10 yo She 'dogs' me from room to room, needs to know my whereabouts at all times. Just like the previous three Dal girls. She goes out as required (door always open) into large backyard but toileting mostly occurs on walks. I put down 2 x walks daily though if she has one long one the second would be a mini down the street and back. When the backyard is in deep shade around 4 pm, she may seek out a squeaky toy and ask for play. She also has sight, sound and smell from the street tho' little happens there during the day.

Re OP's case...the dog being relaxed would give it some buffer v. an animal which is stressed straightaway at being left. Last visit to My Locksmith for a key copy, I was pleased (but not all that surprised as he is a very nice bloke) to see a notice on his front desk stating he was available for no charge call outs for animals needing release from cars and providing his phone number. Which I put in my mobile along with local police and animal rescue numbers. I absolutely take my girl on selected trips, planning ahead for availability of quality shade, and having water in a secure Coolman type thing and windows down generously. Also only to places where I could hear the car alarm or a bark...she will bark once or twice loudly if eyeballed by a stranger. She's always sitting/lying quietly when I return. Fewer/no car trips = more backyard time (in her case, more lounge chair waiting for an outing ) An option I have used on occasion (and seen in other cars) is to leave a mobile number in clear view. Just in case...

If necessary, you may find someone on aussiehousesitters. It's free to search registered sitters, you pay to place your own ad. www.aussiehousesitters.com.au/ I have seen ads for people staying put and needing light help.

I suspect you'd need to book quickly to get into Barretts' cabins(Henderson Park). Very popular with the locals. I looked up Capricorn Caverns at The Caves knowing they have accommodation. No Pets in the van park so I guess it is implied for the cabins. Mightn't hurt to ring and ask for the owner, Ann? Clairview is a couple of hours further north, cabins and pets on approval are mentioned. Clairview caravan park

Two comments... weight bearing much less relevant in lambs considering their lighter mass and the short time they are around; and a dog who regularly consumes raw animal parts should have the low pH stomach all the better to digest fresh bone...as persephone said. Meaning, I'd be somewhat more concerned about a dry food eater who scoffed an infrequent bone.

I've just flicked through fast to see mention of usual diet. Apples may not be apples of course....our old (13.5 yo) Dal improved to an extent I would not have thought possible with no other treatment when dry food and grains were removed. She remained dry apart from inconsequential amounts in a deep sleep until she died at 14. Very taken by the idea of pelvic floor exercises.

Re kids interrupting, running the show... I spent a hour or so with a friend and her rising 4 yo grandson recently. She used my presence as a stranger to reinforce some manners training and we were both chuffed towards the end of the visit (he'd been quite full on, I wouldn't have the energy even for her one day a week:)) when the young fella ran up, lifted a finger for attention, and said, May I speak? Friend is also making sure he treats her elderly animals respectfully. Regretfully, so many parents are neglecting to parent.

You wrote so movingly and sincerely about your Kaspar. You can feel his loss however you will, and for as long as you need to; the day will come when you can smile again and recall the sweet and funny moments.

Up here anyway (Qld) you do the environment a favour too by not growing the fertile, seed grown Murraya. Some nurseries may stock a cutting grown kind which sets little/ no fruit. My preference is for some kind of native lillypilly (Syzygium etc). Look for a species which doesn't suffer from unsightly pysllid infestation. The fruit are non-toxic and often quite yummy. Another suggestion is to see what other kinds of hedging plants do well in your area, get an ID and do the research.

Have so loved reading about this lad. He's deacclimatised successfully from the cold grass as shown by strong attachment to The Bed.

No problem, except I feel unlikely to go away again for a long time. I used ?Aussie home sitters to find a couple to mind our dog + house for 2 weeks. Worked out brilliantly. Vaguely remember the fee for a sitter was $65, no charge to view and communicate with potential sitters.

It's emotive for me, eating baby anything. I was reared with lots of beef cattle, station milkers, always had some pettable ones The promise of a lengthy scratch of dewlap/ back leg made many a grown bull into a pussycat. Plenty of examples too of which animals to stay well clear of! The signs are there....usually, noticed Charolais could be quite deceptive, and also have their particular humans they disliked, fine with others. When we get back to live on our acreage long enough to contemplate bovine anything, I reckon a little training won't go amiss. At least to be halter broken, tie up reliably like a horse. I love the bullock teams, glad some are keeping the knowledge alive. One thing that can save a lot of grief is to make sure the little ones respect their fences. Once cattle learn the some of the tricks of escape, life is never the same.