TessiesTracey

I think we all ordered from the same place. I sugested to let the company know, as they may have been able to advise customs and discuss the matter on your behalf. They are the ones that want to sell the product here. It is to their advantage to be able to discuss the product with Australian customs and get their product released. Ah, sorry, I get your point. I'll get in touch with them aswell, thanks!

Well... I just phoned the AQIS lot a little while ago. Spoke ot one of the Quarantine Officers & explained that I knew of people who had already had some Plaque Off sent through and I wouldn't have ordered it otherwise, he explained that because the item had plant matter in it (i.e seaweed) that could be why it's been held. Told him it was for dogs, they only have the tiniest amount on their food and he said he would look into it and either call me back or send the product on to me.... Here's hoping! Oakway, I ordered mine from the Ebay seller that was suggested on this thread.. rather than the company itself in Sweden.

Well no such bl**dy luck for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not a happy bunny.. got a notice of intention to destroy goods from AQIS this morning..... So much for getting Plaque Off ... how the heck did everyone else get theirs through???

Au contraire, go to his profile, there's an ignore user button oh bloomin' marvellous, thank you

Oh he'll be here before long PF... what a shame one doesn't have an 'ignore' button like one does on another forum.....*yawn*

Gotta agree with blitz here. You'll hear a darn sight worse I'm sure, but once a Stafford owner always a Stafford owner in my opinion Glad things have worked out for you now... one thing about being a first time Stafford owner is that it can be a HUGE learning curve. I'm afraid as Stafford owners of a good number of years, some of us do get a bit irrate about our breed, and once you've delved more into the breed and become a heck of a lot more involved, I'm pretty sure you'll understand why. Keep up the good work, AND asking questions and enjoy your new bub.

Glad to hear your good report. LOL, glad you didn't get on the site that wanted $65 a pot. Amazons USA were a good price but the postage was out of all proportions and the one I gave was the best including postage. Another two pots were orderd by me yesterday. $65!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hell fire that's steep!! I do think it's pretty good stuff yeah... I'm fairly paranoid about teeth in general (my own included! lol) so I've always kept my two's teeth cleaned with the odd bone as well as manual brushing, but I've noticed my male dogs breath is a bit stinky lately (probably doesn't help that he licks up Tess's pee at every opportunity - dirty git!), so really glad to have found this thread that prompted me to get some more Plaque Off. Been meaning to get some for ages, but memory like a sieve! Hope you have good results from it too!

Just ordered some aswell. Used to use Plaque Off a lot when I still lived in the UK, rate it quite highly, so glad I've been able to get some sent here (well hopefully it will get through customs here, though by Oakways experiences it looks ok!!). Though I'm peeved at the price.. looking on Amazon UK I could get it for about £4 but they wouldn't deliver to Aus!!!! F*&^ers!!!

Forgive me for not being bothered to read all replies, I'm about to run out of the door, so if this is a repeat of something someone has already said forgive me! Your pup needs to be getting used to being in the crate with the door open before anything else... she has to get used to that crate being HER space and being comfortable in it... worked for my two, didn't need to have them in the bedroom with me (though I understand some prefer to do that) and only had noise from either of them when they heard us getting up the next morning... maybe we were just lucky!

So you guys think this was a job well done and a desirable outcome? Not sure why you're quoting me.. but there we go... I think that the advice that HAS been given is sound, don't have any problems with it. I'm not a breeder myself either, but I do own STAFFORDS, and I DO know enough about them and their 'world' to know that they're on their way to hell in a handcart, so if someone is given the advice to really really scrutinise the reasons behind wanting to breed, even if it's put a bit bluntly (which I don't think in this case it was blunt at all) then so be it.

Like & like to Sandra & Clyde.

Hi all Do any of you know of a Pharaoh Hound breeder in SE Qld that may have had a litter on the 25 May 2011? If so, please could you pm me, thanks.

Do we know which other dog food brands were tested? (Other than the supermarket brands & VIP). Be interesting to see the results.

Thats a pretty good idea Crazy Daisy, a new vet opened up near me recently, so I might approach them and see what they have to say!

Fab, thanks Trishm, I'll go ahead and confirm the order for $150 I just made from petedge!!! Woohoo, love a shopping spree!

I don't want to choke this thread up with a silly question, but have done a search and can't find any info regarding if a person is liable for import tax or customs tax when importing grooming items such as clipper blades?

Thanks for all your input, it's all helping to drive me on to go out and do it alone! I have a couple of people who I already groom for in their homes (in their garages), it's a bit of a pain dragging all the stuff with me, but thankfully they're understanding and are happy to do it that way. Re: the baths, I'm thinking of initially buying one of those xlarge plastic booster baths (think they're manufactured by Fidos?). Any thoughts on them? From what I've seen of them and read, they seem to be a good option to start with.... It does worry me a little that people are more into someone coming to them, rather than them having to come to me? I just need to wash my hands of these other people... just too much aggro.

Thank you both. No... you're right Alkhe, no formal contract, as essentially I subcontracted to them and so it was a verbal agreement (yeah I know I'm a mug!!), because also I wasn't sure what days I would be doing and so on. I actually don't want to particularly work for them or with them anyway now after all this. I've been very lucky, in that former contacts have put me in touch with (so far) 4 pet owners who would like me to groom their dogs. It's a start at least. I've wanted to go out on my own for the longest time, but financial constraints have stopped me. Now, I just think, the hell with it, and as you've suggested dogcop, now is the time. All I need is a bath. Got everything else. Wish I'd brought my hydrobath with me from the UK, but was just no room left in the container!! Grrr! Thank you both for your words of encouragement, just what I need today

I replied on a topic a good while back with regard to how much per hour a freelance groomer working in someone else's salon should ideally be getting paid per hour. Had a really lovely reply to a message I sent a lady here kirst_goldens (who I've just realised I never replied to - I'm so sorry!!!! Can't tell you how much sh*t I've had going on here!). Anyway.. long story as short as I can make it. Went to have a trial day at a salon on the Gold Coast, they liked me and agreed to take me on, however could only pay me $X per hour and I had to invoice them (i.e. sub contract). Due to family emergency back in the UK, I had to tell them that I couldn't start immediately as I had to travel overseas. Not a problem says they, call us when you're back. So call them I did, back at the beginning of April. I should explain that Mother and father (almost retirees) own the business, daughter is the groomer. When I called to arrange going back to work for them, Mother was dealing with all the business side of things due to daughter being a complete mental and physical mess. When I said I was struggling to justify $x amount per hour, Mother starts crying and saying that the business is going to sh*t because of daughter and they were desperate. So me being me (stooopid) agreed to go in for 2 days per week to help out. Bear in mind I've had no dealings with the groomer daughter whatsoever. Mother organises hours, pay, takes all the calls for bookings etc. So fast forward 3 months. Business being sold to two new buyers, another Mother / Daughter team (no grooming background). Current owner (the Mother) has had enough of the stress involved etc and wants shot of the business. Suddenly psychotic daughter of current owners decides she wants in and NOW wants to be in charge of running the place etc. Another vital bit of info is that the books dont balance, as daughter has been filtering cash into her own pocket and not putting it through the business... doesn't groom if there is someone else to do it, and from her own mothers mouth to me - shes f***ed the business up. Anyway...contracts/handover was due to take place this week. I've only met the new owners to shake hands with them, didnt get to have a conversation with them or anything as I was mid - grooming. Asked for their contact details or for them to call me so that I could confirm I would still be required 2 days per week and so on. I was expecting to be going in for work for two days this week,only to get a phone call from current owners daughter to say I'm not required. Well, says me, Thurs & Fri are my days - whats the go???? She says it's quiet and not much to do, and I need to be here to take the calls, because otherwise no-one would take the calls for bookings. So I'm like - well I can answer a phone and take bookings for goodness sake, I ran my own salon when I still lived in England, I can do this you know! But no, not needed...... ! I THEN find out she's had another groomer in on a trial day to help her out when she's there?????? Explaination for that was that the new owners want more than two groomers on their books, just in case either of us are not around. Fair enough you might think. But when I've questioned all this and tried to discuss it with the daughter, she's resorted to insulting me by saying well actually, YOU'VE cost the business money, because you're really really slow at grooming... Can't tell you how hurt I am........ Last Friday I single handedly bathed, dried and groomed 4 dogs in 4 hours. At $x amount per hour and compared to what is charged for each dog,I've taken less than half of the money those 4 dogs generated. So now, here I am, sitting stewing and still waiting for last Fridays earnings to be dropped off to me (as arranged) - I KNEW I should have driven up to the salon and got them myself...... Not only that, having only ever dealt with the Mother owner of the salon, to then be told by her that she washes her hands of the whole mess, and that daughter is now in charge (which is fair play, but not if she's going to screw me over!) knowing what I know about her behaviour and mental state and everything her Mum has frigging moaned and moaned about..... oh blah blah blah... I guess I'm just bl**dy ranting because this is NOT the first bad experience I've had with groomer/owners on the Gold Coast...and frankly if it weren't for my financial state, I would have set my own business up long ago...I'm just so over it now.... Hellllllllllllllp edit to add - not such a short story after all - sorry!!

Andis every time. Bought myself a spare set of Wahl KM2's,ONLY because I was impatient and thought I might need a spare set imminently - big waste of money for me personally. Went out and bought a 2nd set of Andis 2 speeds, and will be selling the Wahls. Don't get on with them at all.

Apart from the obvious - i.e. incessant dog talk, I wanted to broaden those discussions with other people from other countries, and knowing that DOL is Aus based, and I was in the UK, I thought it was a good place to start... Oh and the fact that the forum was mentioned several times on another dog forum, I was curious.... AND a male 'friend' frequented this forum too, so wanted to be where he was (yeah I know - sad!!! lol), but it meant that we have become good friends

Article A three-year-old boy could be scarred for life after he was savaged by a dog during a family picnic. Logan Trim was left with horrific facial injuries when he was mauled by the black Labrador in a park at Poole Harbour, Dorset. The attack was especially shocking as Labradors are known for having an excellent temperament and are friendly around children and other dogs, according to experts. The youngster was left covered in blood, and needed 40 stitches to the wounds on his face after the shocking attack, which happened as his mother bent down to stroke a puppy. The Labrador was not thought to be the puppy's mother. Logan had been at the park with his mother Lara Slingsby, baby brother Eithan and his grandparents when they spotted a woman with a puppy and a black Labrador. Miss Slingsby had walked over to stroke the puppy when the Labrador jumped on the three-year-old without warning, savaging the right side of his face. The 22-year-old carer, from Colehill, near Wimborne, said: 'The whole thing was just and was like something out of a horror film. 'Logan has had nightmares about it and has woken up saying "bad doggy, naughty doggy". 'If a dog does something like that to a child then it's likely to do it again.' An ambulance was called to Whitecliff Park and his mother tried to stem the blood with Eithan's muslin. Logan was taken to Poole Hospital where he underwent surgery for his wounds. Stitches were sewn into his face from the bottom of his eye to the middle of his mouth, and his cheek swelled to the size of tennis ball. He now faces being scarred for life. Miss Slingsby and her children had gone to the seaside park with her parents, Tricia, 45, and Paul, 46, to enjoy the sunshine. She said: 'We had been in the park for a family day out as it was lovely and sunny. 'We had a picnic and Logan had just got off the swings in the park because his granddad had gone to the car to get his kite. 'We saw a lady sat down about 40 feet away. She had the dog, which looked like a Labrador, and a puppy with her. 'It wasn't a pitbull or a Staffordshire bull terrier that you would think would be dangerous. 'She saw us and smiled so we walked over to her. Logan was a couple of steps behind me. The dog was off the lead and right next to a children's park so I assumed it would be fine. 'I put my hand up to the Labrador dog and it sniffed my hand and then I went over to the puppy. 'I didn't see what happened but Logan wasn't running or shouting and didn't do anything to provoke it. 'The next thing I knew I heard growling and screaming. I looked around and saw Logan lying on the floor. The dog was just getting off him. 'The woman grabbed hold of the dog and started apologising. 'I picked Logan up and took him to the nearest bench. My dad came running over and a lady nearby called an ambulance. Logan's face was covered in blood, it was everywhere. His T-shirt was covered in it. He was screaming and he went into shock. 'It was hard because I just wanted to break down, but you don't want to worry them. They know something is wrong if mum's crying. 'He had two big gashes on his lip and another gash below his nose. His lip swelled right up. 'It was devastating and I was terrified.' Miss Slingsby said that the woman owner of the Labrador - which was called Sammy - apologised to the Logan's mother and handed over her phone number. She added: 'Logan is recovering now and is back running around and playing and his face has healed. Because he is so young his skin should heal but he is definitely going to have some scarring.' She also said that after the attack the woman owner called a man who arrived minutes later and took the dog away. She said she wants the dog, which is about one-year-old, destroyed, adding: 'You cannot trust the owner to keep it on a leash or a muzzle. A spokesman for Dorset police said: 'On May 31 we received a report from the ambulance service that a child had received a dog bite to the face at Whitecliff park. 'The child was taken to hospital. Officers are investigating.'

The only other quote I've had so far was from Premier Pets, and they want almost $700 I think off the top of my head. (With less liability cover).

Well BarkerMeier have come back with $450 annually. That includes $10 million liability and Good in control of $100k.

Thanks mate, I'll look at both!