Staffyluv

I have my Porteen Gear bag - I love it. Day 17 May - Bag (I love my Porteen Gear camera bag) #fmsphotoaday #porteengear by jamoore photos, on Flickr I used to have a backpack type bag but when I moved house a couple of years ago, it didn't arrive with the rest of my stuff. Lucky for me, the camera and the lenses were actually with me, in the Porteen bag..

Awe, sweet.. They are a very pretty dog..

There is a rescue group who saved 2 staff pups with cleft lips.. I will see if I can remember their facebook page and post up a link. Both pups were hand raised but are grown dogs now and just lovely - even if a bit different to look at. Link to photo of Jack

thats what got me too Staffyluv. no one was there following me around ll the time, or on my bed, and it was just sad. I dont regret getting Kokoda one bit. Ziggy was the best decision I made at that time in my life. Sure he has given me a few challenges (training) but he is a superstar with the most amazing personality. It's funny, when Ollie was here and 6 years of chemo, diet changes, palliative care, I never thought I could love a dog like I loved him. But I can and I do - Zig isn't Ollie, he can't replace him.. But his personality as a big and beautiful as Ollie's was and I wouldn't give him up for anything..

Happy Birthday Penny

We lost my husband on 2/10/2011, then our 14 year old stafford on 25/10/2011.. I picked Ziggy up from the local pound on 1/11/2011.. Everyone said I was crazy but I simply couldn't stand the house so quiet and so still.. Zig was 6 months old when we found each other - we saved each other.. It all just happened. Everyone is different, I knew I needed another dog.

I simply have no words to describe the dismay I feel for the owners and the animal and disgust I have toward the vet and everyone at the vet, who knew this was happening for six freaking months...

I think he has been given way too much air time.. The more this is talked about, the more people are thinking about what he said - and some will believe it..

You can get sardines in spring water these days - helps give them the omega oils they need, without the added 'fat' of the fish being in oil. My old SBT had huge issues with fat as he got older (plus dealing with MCT).. If he got fat in his diet, he would get the mucus in his poo as well. I used to make up a mix of lean mince (usually roo) with grated veg (zucchini, carrot, peas, etc) and as he wouldn't eat raw stuff, I used to bake it into a big meatloaf. I would also add low fat cottage cheese, some low fat grated cheese, egg, lentils etc.. Poor pup, good luck - there is some great advice in this thread that hopefully helps.

Some people judge breed specific rescues for only rescuing their preferred breed.. Just the fact that they are rescuing should be enough.. They shouldn't be judged badly because of it.

I only take on younger dogs because that is what fits best into my home.. I also only take on foster dogs when work is quiet and I have time to devote to their training and socialisation.. Do these decisions and choices make me a bad foster carer because I choose the pups I take on?? I don't think so - I learned a long time ago, that no matter how hard it is, we simply cannot save them all.. Until people learn to get their pets desexed and keep them at home, the issue of full pounds will never go away..

I dare say it is in every suburb.. My dogs have run of the house/yard - they have a dog door to come and go. I do realise that some people prefer not to have their dogs inside - but what I don't understand are those people who get a dog, put it in the back yard and never have anything to do with it again... It breaks my heart to hear the two next door when we have fireworks or a decent storm.. They are terrified.. Don't get me wrong, they have food, shelter and each other (thankfully).. So technically they are looked after. They do have good kennels, they are well built in their tiny yard. It just seems so pointless to have a dog and never do anything with it, other than feed it. The little one over the back just breaks my heart - I have had a couple of sneak peaks over the fence and she is so tiny.. I am surprised that Jess (the old BC behind us, next door to the pup) hasn't dug under the fence to the pup - her and Zig regularly dug through to each other (until I built the chicken coops and vege gardens on the fence, so they couldn't)..

They also come in handy when you have baby chickens come to stay :) Crate pic 1 by jamoore photos, on Flickr Zig loves getting in the crate - it is a bit of a novelty to swap crates when we have fosters here (this was set up for Zippy when she was here) crate pic 2 by jamoore photos, on Flickr

I have been living next door to a guy with two dogs who both bark day and night for hours on end (purebred hunting/retrieving breeds) since 1997. He got the older dog about 10 years ago and the younger one about 6 years ago.. They live in an enclosure out in the back yard and only get let out occasionally. He has taken them hunting (for deer) twice in their lives - he doesn't take them because they aren't any good at it.. Over the years I have thrown them toys - they have no idea what to do with them.. When they do get into the backyard, they run around and around the outside perimeter with their heads down.. It reminds me of the bears or tigers in the zoo who pace back and forward in their cages.. They are nice dogs - he is just an as*hole owner.. As much as it annoys me (and yes, we have reported him a few of times over the years), it isn't the dogs fault they bark.. Now over the back we have an adorable little fluff ball who is always in the back yard and they come out to yell at her a dozen times a day to shut up.. This angel will freeze come winter (in Canberra) and she is still very much a baby.. Makes me want to lock them in the back yard..

Ziggy was crate trained when he first arrived here and I crate train all fosters to sleep in one. He now sleeps on the end of my bed but if I had to go away and he needed to sleep in a safe place, his crate is the safest place for him. His crate is always open and he has access to it all the time in the lounge room now.. He will often take his bone in there to eat. Also for longer distance trips in the car (although for short trips, the back seat and a seatbelt suffice). I also like them for down time and I have used it for feeding when I had a foster here with food guarding issues.. Each to their own but I see them as a very useful tool..

RIP Bozzy..

Brilliant!! I think it is an awesome idea to get the kitties adopted.

Our local council doesn't even supply rego tags anymore.. When I lifetime rego'd Zig, I asked about the tag and was told - we don't do that anymore!

This should be a sign on every dog park. It would be like every other sign at the park (pick up after your dog, don't bring it if it is aggressive).. Ignored by those who don't give a toss :)

It sounds like a fun time.. I take Zig to the local dog park every day. I have no qualms about pulling him out if things get exciting and dogs stop listening to owners. I despise owners who dump dogs in dog parks and then spend the rest of their time socialising with everyone except their dog.. It might be leash free but it isn't responsibility free.. We do go at specific times, with the same group of dogs - makes dog park life much happier..

It sounds like a less than pleasant situation.. It is always hard when someone doesn't like dogs and you have dogs that live inside.. I agree with Jules, just don't let the kids outside and keep Bruno in the yard for the day (or if you have friends that could take him for the day).. If Bruno has to stay out of his house for the day, the least they can do is stay in the house (or take the kids to a local park to run off steam)..

I'm so sorry - it really is the hardest decision to make.. Believe me when I say that you will know when it is time - they lose the life in their eyes and you can see, they have had enough of this life.. Ol was the same, old and sick and even the day before he was given his wings, he was jumping through the sprinklers at the park.. The day itself was totally different, I held his head in my hands and I looked into those big brown eyes and I knew - I didn't want to... Just treasure the days that you have her - every one is precious and I know she will let you know..

Zig's first interaction with pugs was at the vets and there were two very friendly (and snuffly) pugs who came towards him.. The big staffy cross leapt under the chairs and wouldn't come out :) After they had seen the vets, they all met again in the waiting room and he thought they were great..

I try to do tricks between exercises, but Bonnie isn't in the mood. she doesn't even enjoy eating her treats during class. half the time they fall out her mouth. after class she's fine though, completely back to normal My boy has never worked for food - he has no interest in it. We use a tennis ball or a tug as reward for good work. There have been times when it has been raining and we have loads of puddles at training - his favourite reward of all, is to be able to bounce around in a puddle for a few seconds.. He did a great job on figure of 8 last term and I said - go swim.. He bounced in and out of the puddle until I called him back. We do fun things - I make it rewarding by only offering high value rewards. He has two tugs that are more fun for him than the other two. So he gets to pick the tug.. We all do whatever works for out dog - in our case, it is toys (fun not food) that work to keep him excited to work and having fun. Maybe toys would work for you.