tikira

Hi all My 33 year old nephew is hoping to adopt a rescue dog and is wondering what sorts of things the rescue organisations usually look at, in order to give him a chance. It will be his first dog, but his family have had dogs all his life He owns his own, fully fenced house in Qld He plans on positive reinforcement training techniques and will be attending training and dog play dates He works from home and dog will be inside with a doggy door to the secure backyard. He has looked after family dogs when needed What other things does he need to do to help him find a companion? Any hints or ideas would be very welcome, as I cannot think of a more worthy dog owner. Cheers Di

Ours was Tippy ( named after hubby's and later Tip's favouite food-Tip-Top bread). He was a Parson Jack Russell that we got when we were forty. Taken too soon at 10 years old in 2013 from a snakebite, I still miss him every day.

I have followed your journey and am very saddened by your loss. For me when I lost my beloved Jack Russell I thought I could not bear to go through the pain of loss again, but my heart was empty and I was in a depression, until the day we picked up our new puppy! Somehow my heart expanded to love this new Jack Russell as much as I had loved Tip. It was different and my one worry (hence why I waited six months) was that I would compare and find that Jingo reminded me of Tip... but you know what.... he didn't make me sadder, he helped mend my broken heart. I took a risk, and seven years later he is warming my heart and toes. It was the best decision I made! However, only you know yourself and I think you will know when the time is right for you to try again. Maybe the best option is to accept the offer with an understanding that if you are not ready when the next litter is ready, then perhaps the one after that. Meanwhile, please keep talking to DOL, most of us truely understand how you are feeling right now and are happy to share your ups and downs as you navigate your way through the mire of sadness. Kind regards Di

Kira, our totally devoted 'three feet away girl', so named because if she could be, she was within three feet of us, has passed peacefully away. She was our second dog, a beautiful border Collie. She was the world's laziest dog, we got her because 'border Collies were good at agility'... well, not our 'curly girl'. She could not see the point in exercise (a bit like me, her mum!), Ball games were an exercise into futility, she maybe caught 1 in 10 of the balls thrown, and were, in her opinion, designed to give us both exercise, she would drop it half way between us, forcing me to retrieve it until we taught her the meaning of 'closer'. Like everyone here who loses a 4 legged family member, we are devastated. Di Three Feet From Devotion It was time; I knew my life’s race had finally been run, I had to do what I believed was the only thing to be done. I did not want you to have to give me the wings to fly I did not want my last memory to be seeing you cry. We were so closely attuned in mind, spirit and heart, it would have destroyed you if you had to help us part. No need for heartbreaking words between you and I, no need for grief filled voices whispering a last goodbye. I never was a cuddle bud, I just liked to stay near, watching you, protecting you and allaying every fear. I know after I’m gone the days will seem full of despair, your devoted ‘three feet away girl’ simply won’t be there. The choice was not mine, but I could not let it to be yours, So I chose my favourite spot, on my bed on the office floor, I went quietly, gently, peacefully, without the slightest peep, I did not even wake Jingo, my brother remained fast asleep. You know that I know the pain and anguish you will feel, When you see that your ‘curly girl’ is no longer at your heel. But as time goes on the choking pain will begin to wane, you will think of me with love, and you will smile again. I will wait at the beautiful Rainbow Bridge for you, I will watch for you with Tippy, until you come too. When it is your turn to take the final journey home, I will be just three feet from you so you will not be alone. Di Hoppe (Tikira) 23 Feb 2020

Hi Pollywaffle There is never a 'set' grieving time, although a lot of people seem to think there should be. I lost count of the people that told me (in words or actions) that I should 'snap out of it' or 'its just a dog'. They don't understand and I just think how sad it is that they never shared a bond so strong that the grief bubbles up all the time...I pity them! I lost my Jack Russell in 2013 from snakebite. I still wake up in tears, and I still sometimes get sad, I will never fully get over his loss. It took me six months to feel like I was returning to a (new type of ) 'normal' Take your time, grieve as much as you need to, but remember that how long, hard or publically we grieve is not a reflection of how much we loved. Keep honouring Polly and Bazil and keep coming here to those people who will never tell you to get on with life! You are doing an excellent job being able to function at work as wel as you are! Di

My sincerest condolences to you. We here on DOL know the deepness of your grief... they are not just dogs to us, they ARE family. What helped me most in the early days of my Jack Russell, Tip's passing was writing it all down. I started a memories book, with photos and every single story that Tip was a part of. It bought more tears, but some smiles too and best of all it recorded the memories that I did not want to forget. Fast forward 5 years and indeed, many of the things I wrote down I have now forgotten altogether, so the memories book is my link to my boy and now I smile every time i read the entries. Keep talking about her with us, it does help. Regards Di

Hi Kenny Welcome to the forum, and good on you for attempting to get your thoughts straight before your decision is final. The main thing I see in your post is that you are concerned that you are doing the right thing. No-one can make up your mind for you, but your post seems to indicate very strongly that you know that this is not the right time or that your circumstances are right at the moment for this particular puppy. You mentioned your two year old wants to nurse the puppy. This will not be possible for long with a dog the size of the one you are looking at, they grow very fast. Puppy School will only be the beginning of training for your dog, it will take intensive training and socialisation by all the family for a long time to ensure any puppy is well adjusted puppy and is safe to leave alone with your young children. Are there provisions at your townhouse to separate your dog from the children when you are not supervising? Have you met the pups parents? What are their tempraments like? If the parents are not good with children or animals, you could have a much bigger problem as to whether this pup will be good with your children and your sisters dogs? By 2020 your pup will be a mad crazy hormone filled teenager, and no doubt will be headstrong. Can you train him adequately by then? What if he does not get on with your sisters dogs? Do you have a "plan B"? If you decide not to purchase this particular pup you will still have the things you have bought, and I know that after Christmas many people regret their "holiday decision", and there will be many puppies and dogs at the local pounds and in Foster Care that will need good homes. Perhaps waiting until the New Year and adopting a dog or Puppy that has all its vac's, is desexed and microchipped would be worth considering? That way you are getting value for money, peace of mind and a much better chance of a dog that is going to fit into your family. Many foster dogs are already living with families with young children and other pets, and the carer can help choose the correct friend for your family. These are just a few points to consider. Everyone here understands the desire to have a dog, and sometimes it is hard to talk yourself out of getting a "heartdog breed", but honestly, maybe you need to consider postponing getting this breed, given the fact that you have expressed that you have many doubts about the situation. This is your decision, think it through thoroughly, and try to take the emotion out of the equation. Good luck with it all, it is a hard situation to go through. Regards Di

Kira has taught me to watch where I walk. She now cannot hear me coming, and a black dog in a dark room has forced me to learn "the Kira shuffle" Jingo has taught us to stay away from an open front door... as it is a really scary thing when it eats your favourite toy! Di

Merry Christmas from Jingo and Kira.

You are very lucky that Rascal was smart enough to sound the "snake bark" . Once you have heard your dog use this bark, you recognise it immediately thereafter. We became very adept at recognising it with Tip, but as he was a prey driven Jack Russell we knew it would not always save him, and the one time it mattered he did not make a sound! Snakes are very bad this year in Armidale, we have even had a young brown right next to our front door at the Family History Centre where I volunteer, and otherwise sensible elderly members went searching for a stick to "poke" it when they finally spotted it not two feet from them on a bare patch of dirt. I made sure they left it to slither away! Be careful and vigilant everyone! Di

Hi Steph It is great to have an update from you and your beautiful family. It really does not seem that long ago since we were all raising our pupstars through their first 12 months, but I am really glad to know that we both survived the first 12 months and beyond. Jingo is an absolute joy, he is much more catlike than Jack Russell like. Not much of a barker, but "talks" a lot (aw, aw awww ), particularly to get the long suffering Kira (border Collie) to move. I think he considers himself her exercise coach, lol! The ease of having two dogs has me "puppy Clucky" too, I find myself looking at all the rescue dogs, and wishing, but I know that neither of my two would welcome a newcomer easily. That makes my decision simple at the moment, I must consider my dogs before I acceed to my own wants, oh well, I can still cluck though. Cheers Di

My boy Tip regularly appears in my dreams, and they usually involve him protecting me in some way, which I take as a sign that, just as when he was alive, he has my back! It is comforting, even when sometimes (like last night), these dreams are nightmares. I regularly wake up with a warm feeling behind my knees, which is where he always slept... a spot Jingo never chooses for some reason! I treasure those little reminders! Di

The incredible difference a dog can make. This happened near Glen innes in a town called Red Range, and I am sure this dog has earned himself the grtitude of a township. link http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/story/4362046/as-soon-as-i-woke-i-could-smell-smoke-how-a-rescue-dog-saved-the-family-of-high-profile-animal-activist/?cs=471 Buddy the rescue dog saves animal rights activist and her family from house fire 16 Dec 2016 Judy, who is a high profile New England animal rights activist, awoke in the early hours of the morning to find her rescue dog, Buddy, alerting her of the fire, which had already engulfed most of the Red Range home. “I was asleep in bed and Buddy, a rescue dog, jumped on the bed and licked my face and woke me,” Judy said. The former Inverell solicitor picked up Buddy through her New England rescue dog service called Dogs Without Borders. “As soon as I woke up I could smell smoke … I jumped into action and it happened in a blur,” she said. Buddy the hero: Red Range resident Judy Scrivener with her hero Buddy after fire tore through their home on Friday. Buddy the hero: Red Range resident Judy Scrivener with her hero Buddy after fire tore through their home on Friday. “I grabbed my son who is almost blind and put him out in our vehicle and took the dogs out.” Judy lost her phone in the process and had to call on her neighbours to contact fire crews. Local crews fought the fire for two hours following the alert at around 2am on Friday morning. “It was totally burnt out inside and the family has totally lost everything,” Glen Innes Fire Brigade Captain Earl Sharman said. NSW Northern Tablelands RFS manager Christopher Walbridge said Red Range Brigade, NSW Fire Rescue and Glen Innes Rural Fire Service responded. “The structure was completely destroyed,” he said. “At this stage the blaze is still under investigation.”

You may have been a bit naughty.... but the result is very nice! This is the sort of naughty that will provide many years of nice! Enjoy

I am so sorry for your loss Moosmum. It hurts so bad when your best cuddle mate is taken so suddenly in the line of duty. Sadly they sometimes take their job of protection to the ultimate finale. Rest in peace brave boy. Hugs to all your family. Di

Oh wow, he is stunning. Did you mention his name or have I missed it? You are doing so much that is right, I only wish I had it as uch together with Tip, but we, like most people I suspect, bungled through, and I loved that boy beyond measure (he lost a battl with a brown snake at 10 years old- no amount of training changed that outcome!) I am sorry the puppy class teacher is not what you need, I think it reflects badly on her that she feels too insecure to handle your boy. Is there any chance of moving to another trainer? Trust your own instincts with any advice given. I had one accredited trainer tell me to put a choke chain on my 4 month old puppy and tighten it until he gave in.... trust me, if I had done that I would have had a deceased puppy on that chain, as he would never have given in, instead I trained all his life with food and toy rewards, he would do anything for party pies!!!!! Don't worry too much, you will eventually have a well behaved dog once he understands the rules, and you have a solid plan on how to get him to that point. Consistency is the trick. We had the most success with rewarding the good, and ignoring or mildly grunting at the bad, unless it was dangerous, or as happens, I lost my cool (no lasting effects there though, thankfully!). They still all love the sound of the clicker! Keep us updated! Cheers Di

Congratulations o becoming a first time puppy parent! The first thing that struck me about your post was that you sound like any new parent (human or pet). Everyone looks at others, and thinks everyone else is coping so much better, and all other puppies are better behaved etc... Talk to any other first timers, and you will find this is so untrue, everyone has issues in the beginning, they may just not be apparent at the time. When we got our first puppy ( a headstrong Jack Russell), I spent half of the fist year thinking I had made a dreadful error, and that I was not cut out for the many many changes I or the puppy had to make to adjust! But trust me, it was worth every tear and grey hair! The best thing we did was find an experienced dog owner, (who happened to be a wonderful trainer too), who calmed us all down, and helped to put lifestyle adjustments and training options into place that we could all live with. We slowly realised that the humans in our puppy's life (ie; ME) needed to be taught how to handle a puppy, and even more,to realise that EVERY puppy will be different, and will need different solutions to unacceptable behaviour. For example, Tip was a Terrier, and a major annoyance was what we called "bark oclock", very early in the morning when he barked incessantly at birds. We looked at our trainer in horror when she suggested a cuddle in our bed early in the mornings! But we did this, and it worked brilliantly, she had shown us how to think laterally and manage the particular problem until we could train him to be quiet when asked! We still use this approach when nothing else works. We adjusted our expectations, and then trained what we wanted, or managed it if that was what worked! Your puppy is still very young, and needs time to learn the ropes. As Roova mentioned, Kikopup's training tips helped us too. The trick with googling answers is to be selective, there are great hints out there, but also not so great. Not all that is on the net will work for you, or for your pup, so if you are confused, or have a question, please don't hesitate to ask us here, you will receive a lot of advice, all different! The trick will be to filter what you read, and extract what you think may work in your particular situation. As you become more familiar with your puppy, and get to know what your own expectations are, then it will become easier to filter the advice, and put it into practice. All the very best of luck with what is the beginning of many lifetimes of joy, and unconditional love between your and you dogs. .... and we need a picture or two! Cheers Di

awww, gotta love a new "Hot water bottle" at this time of year. This looks like a match that was just waiting to happen, and I am sure everyone is very happy with the new arragements. Thank you for doing this for our oldies, and for yourself, Kirty. as I am sure the rewards are numerous. Cheers Di

Hi LisaCC It most certainly can't hurt to get Nova used to a coat while the temperature is still warm (ish). When it gets cold here it is sudden and viscious! Kira is immune to the cold, and in winter likes to lie outside in the frost, but Jingo is already complaining of the cold, but that is a bonus for me, as he becomes an even better hot water bottle!

I see you went for the next size up? Just how big do you think he will grow? :laugh: Sometimes these things happen for a reason, or he has engineered to "come Home". Enjoy each other, he looks like a beauty! Cheers Di

Happy birthday I hope you all have the best day ever. Cheers Di

That was such a beautiful tribute to a special girl. Your family gave her the most special and unselfish gift on her last day, and although her last night was painful,she knew that she was wrapped in your hearts and your arms, and in your love, and her last gift to you was proving to you absolutely that she was ready to go. RIP Punpunya, The old girl felt her worn and tired muscles relax and her pain dissolve. She drew in a long, soft breath and relaxed a little more as the familiar, loving scent of her people, filled her lungs. Memories of them rushed through her brain and warmed her heart. "A collage of happy images and tender days." She felt their soft touches against her fur. Their hands sent a tactile message of their gratitude and their love. She felt the warmth atop her head and neck and blinked and saw their faces streaked with tears. "Don't cry for me or feel sad." She heard them as she shut her eyes. They said her name and the "good girl" words, through their pain and sorrow. In her mind, her tail wagged to tell them that she heard. And understood. "Good bye, my Hearts." She is standing in a meadow, near a stream. The sky is fiercely blue. She hears the song of many birds and smells the growing grass. Her legs are strong. Her eyes are clear. She begins to walk toward a brightly colored bridge, far off on the horizon, but pauses for a moment and looks back. "Thank you. Until the day we walk together once again." She turns and wags her thick strong tail and runs. And runs. 2000 Walt Zientek

RIP Punpunya. Take the time you need and do whatever you feel is right as you grieve this terrible event. I found that I coped by getting photo's in order, and writing a diary, as I did not want to forget my boy. We showered Kira with extra games, extra treats, and extra walks, but she was very "down".. so we borrowed her best other best friend for a couple of weeks, so she had extra dog attention too. That settled her down. I never thought I could be there for the last breaths of my dogs, but now I believe I could be. Our boy was taken suddenly by a brown snake, and passed away 1 block from the vets. He took his last breath alone on the back seat of the car, and that tortures me to this day, I knew he would not make it, and I was driving, so he was alone and all I wanted to do was hold him. When you feel able, we would love to see photo's of both your dogs. Regards Di

Isabel, I am so very sorry that you are facing this heartbreaking time. Just know that the last thing your girl will see is the eyes of the person she loves and trusts the most in this life, and nobody can give their best friend a more loving and comforting gift. Let the tears flow as freely as you need them to, and don't forget we are here for you to talk to,and as time passes, to hear about the happy times. we here at DOL mostly know (or will one day know), the grief that will be a part of your life for a long time to come. Regards Di

I am so sorry you are going through this dreadful situation. All you can do is take the advise of the professionals and know you made your pup's short life a fun one.RIP to your little girl. I don't believe there is any standard "wait period", all families are different. Some need to wait, some feel their life is incomplete and move quickly, and sometimes fate steps in and makes the decision for you, and it is all okay! Do not worry about what others think, if you believe that you can love this new one while grieving your girl is possible, then I personally would consider it long and hard! Just be sure (as sure as you can be), that all your family are ready to love a new dog so soon. My worst nightmare was that I would compare my heavenly boy to my crazy new puppy, and puppy would suffer unintentionally, so we waited six long hard months until fate stepped in for us, but I still worried I would not bond with my new boy. Of course that did not happen, all that happened was my tears were suddenly replaced by smiles.... I love them all so individually that I would probably not wait so long next time. Good luck with your decision, and know that we here at DOL are thinking of you, as you make your little girls last day thebest in her life, and make memories to last you a lifetime! The think=g that comforts me most three years down the track is photo's, video's and written down memories, I have a horror that I will forget Tip! Regars Di