grumpette

How funny. It must be that I have a soft feeling for the "underdog" because I was going to say, Flint for me. I love the big square heads Rotties. :laugh: :laugh: What's with the "F" thing. I was dreaming a little while ago about having a Rottie in my old [er] age to plod around the neighbourhood with me and I was playing with the names Flirt and Flaunt. :D :D :D A sign that a Rottie is meant to be in your life sometime soon??

TBH I find that picture misleading. I can believe that with two dogs that size in the pool that any water would be left. Doesn't it all get displaced? Of mine, only Brandi finds water amusing. The others detest it and, being greyhounds, aren't necessarily all that buoyant. I don't push it. Neither Dee or Baylee lie down in the clam shell pool. They usually just stand in it while drinking from it. Baylee would occasionally sit in the water, which does displace some of it but nothing like Zeph who lies down in the pool and causes a tidal wave. In that photo you can see the brown water level is just below the step, indicating that the pool needs filling again, hence the presence of the hose :D

If they are the larger beef soup bones from the backbone, with a decent amount of meat on them, then they are perfect for oldies. I used to give them to Baylee all the time because at 11 years old her teeth were a bit worn down. The young ones eat them as well and I take the smaller bits of bone away from them once they have chewed them for a while.

The same with us. We noticed that Dee would venture further into the water after the ball if the other dogs were in another part of the pool, so we started teaching her with only one other dog present. Some dogs just need a bit more time and space :D

It has taken us years to get Dee and Fire to swim confidently. The boys were swimming at 4 months old. In the third last photo you can see Dee's head right at the bottom. She would have been 14 months old in that photo and the two dogs entering the water are Zeph and Tank, who were 4 months old. We were teaching the young dogs to swim using the older three and balls as enticement (Mini, Bliss and Baylee swimming back with the ball. Flint, with the blue ball, was easy to teach to swim). Dee would only splash in the very shallow water. Fire on the other hand, would run around the edge, steal the ball from the other dogs when it was on solid ground and hatch it in the plants around the pool. She never went near the water. Go forward three years and both Dee and Fire will now swim, as long as there is a shallow edge for them to get in and out of. It takes time and a lot of encouragement. All of their interactions with water must be positive and fun. Mostly the girls will just wade around the edge, but they will swim given enough incentive. Dee trying to get a stick

We did exactly the same as MM with Baylee. She loved balls and being where her sister Bliss was. So we would throw the ball into the shallow end of the lagoon pool at Kepala for Bliss and she would get it. Eventually the shear frustration and ball drive won over the fear and in Baylee went. We would call her out of the pool via the shallow end and give her heaps of praise, especially if she got the ball before her sister. Her confidence grew and she became the biggest water loving dog ever. We are now doing the same with Dee, except the enticement is her brother. However, we have to ensure that ducks and water birds are not around as her prey drive kicks in and she can suddenly swim very well

Yeah for the New Year miracle If your house is anything like ours, check crates and bedding blankets. It is amazing what gets hidden in there

I have to say that I do have a soft spot for casowner's Azure and Wolff. They are magnificant dogs :D

The perfect pairing T. These two get on so well together. They have a very similar play style, but unlike Flint, Zeph will not take any of Fire's shit, so she behaves better with him and does not drag him around by his ears. Poor Flint has a bit of a hard time with Fire attached to his ear or face all the time, but he is so easy going and does not care.

Just for you pers Miss Claus Fire (first on the left) Fairy Dee on the right and Tankasaurus in the middle Peek a boo Water baby catching splashes

Clyde it goes back row left to right: Dee, Zeph, Fire and Flint bottom row: Bliss and Baylee Yep, Zeph and Flint are very squishable

pers you can never stop at one, just like M & Ms or Malteesers. I am very sorry that your girl had HD. It is so heartbreaking when they have chronic illnesses and constant pain

Oh that is so crappy and very short sighted. I am so sorry that you experienced such breed prejudice. One of the reasons we were accepted was because being a larger breed, the dogs are able to cope with the not so gentle patting from older people with tremors and the unsteady movements of disabled people. I agree with you it is rewarding and hearbreaking. Three days after our coat presentation visit one of Zeph's favourite residents passed away. However, he made friends with two new residents on the next visit. Some residents or their visiting relatives can be scared, others are delighted. Some like a visit one day but not the next. You never take it personally as this is the nature of old age. The unconditional love and acceptance from a dog is priceless to residents.

OMG Clyde the best photos to melt your heart The most gorgeous couple ever. And best friends for life. I totally agree pers. You do need the right owners who can provide the right living conditions and stimulation. My three Rotties were totally different. Baylee was a gentle soul who loved to work and please you. She adored kids and would do their every command. She loved to be with her people. Dee is a totally different girl. Loves to work, but not as confident as her brother (same sire and dam). However, she has a huge prey drive and will chase anything that moves, animals and children alike. She requires escape proof fencing, strong confident leadership, calm direction and reassurance. Zeph is more like Baylee in that he loves to work and please you, loves children, but can be drivey like Dee, so needs to have hands on supervision around children. Loves people, which is why he is a great therapy dog. However, he is an arrogant confident sod who will use every opportunity to stick his middle finger up at you and do as he pleases. He is a great problem solver and escape artist, who requires a lot of stimulation, exercise and firm leadership. They are all inside dogs. They spend time outside, but at night when the wildlife come out they are inside because they will bark and hunt. They love to be invovled in family life and go to training each week. A Rottweiler is not a dog that you just put in the yard and leave it there to guard. They will become a nightmare to live with. These are happy, well adjusted, active Rottweilers aged 11 years to 4 years

They have the best of intentions but very poor execution Or is that to much enthusiasm :laugh:

Poor Stan is so resigned to constant dressups Happy New Year to you all. May 2014 be kinder to you than 2013 has been, may there be many more happy memories, and may the year be filled with lots of special moments with your loved ones, both human and furry PS LG it is the slime that keeps the jigsaw together, so they are only helping :laugh:

Zeph visiting the nursing home just before Christmas dressed as an elf And when he was presented with his therapy dog vest in November It is so rewarding when the residents come alive as Zeph walks in their room. Some days they do not remember us or feel like a pat, but their family members get just as much out of the visits even if their loved ones don't want a pat on the day. The staff also love the distraction and antics of the dogs. We are currently working on some dances with dogs moves for the new year, God help us

This is the best balancing act that Dee can do It involves lots of patience and drool :laugh:

Beautiful photo. And such a wonderful gift that you give Antoinette in the form of the visits and the photo :D

Rubystar they are absolutely brilliant Christmas photos, especially the outtake I have to admit that Castiel's little guy is just the cutest I have to ask SM, Did Rudolph get dug up or his antlers eaten? My guys would be dragging him all over the beach given half a chance.

Oh that is a brilliant story and a fantastic out come :D Love the photos. They will be friends for life and their antics will brighten your house each day. Baylee and Dee had a morning game of noisy bitey face and chasey. It sounded like a herd of hephalumps first thing in the morning. There was 6 years difference in age between them and Dee was always the pup who got picked on and was unsure about how to play with the other dogs. She would stand back and watch. Now that Baylee is gone Dee has tried to play the same game with Zeph but he is not sure how to play her game. Enjoy Feather and Neko's game. Take lots of photos. And just sit and watch them play. It is really good for your soul and a great way to start the day. May they have many years of playtime together :D

Zeph loved meeting Breeze yesterday. She is gorgeous. It was great to see you. :D

Brilliant video Dyz. I love Seven's enthusiasm I want to try Treiball with Zeph. I think of it as soccer for dogs

Poor Rudolph. That is hilarious SM. I love it :D

One very Happy Christmas Elf at the Big Day Out For Dogs. He got to run through the GSDC's agility tunnels dressed as an Elf again, and again, and again, until nature called, then he was off into the tunnels again and again Oh the shame