OSoSwift

Hmmm Cooper - Coopers Pale Ale Stoli - those Vodka drinks Not Bundy every second B/T Kelpie I have ever met is called that!! Awww are you getting excited?! When does pup come home and what's his name going to be?

Do you like place sort of names, people type names?? Australian type names??? I have rather a long list of girls, biys and either names I have hear and thought yep like that so added it. When it come time to use one I am sure there will be some that done't suit for whatever reason but I am hoping one will! Are they working Kelpies Bedazzled??? I could see one Brown and tan I think? is yours a Black and tan??? My favourite Kelpie colour

holy crap that is the closest call I have had with a snake so far this year!!! My heart rate is slowing down but not quite normal yet!!! A dugite around a foot away from Lewis and myself - Rommi was trotting along on the other side of me thank dog!!! Poor Lewis I yelled his name sooo loud he thought he was in trouble but it got him away really fast. Dogs safely removed!!! Now for a sit down and a coffee!!! Bloody hell!

Glad you got the dogs okay and sorry about your stuff. But it is stuff and at least your dogs are fine.

IT is very hard and sometimes it is an easier call to make than other times. For me the way I help myself come to the decision is to put the dogs needs first and foremost. That can be the hardest bit because we just do not want them to go - we love them. Try to think of it as something we do for them rather than to them. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, it is easy to look back and say it was too early or late. The best decision you make is the one you make for you, your dog and the one you make now. You love your dog you are not going to leave her in agony or not eating, so the time will be right for you and your dog. I have an aged Stafford and there are some days when I wonder if it is close. I really feel for you it is never an easy decision and always filled with sadness, guilt and wanting it to just go away. We are thinking of you at this time Jed that had me bawling my eyes out, such a beautiful piece of writing.

Thanks guys, if she wasn't so intent on having whatever Lewis has - doesn't care what it is only wants it because he has got it- then she would be fine. Never injured herself in the 18months before we got Lewis. Now she is always doing something stupid!

I would claim him alright and wack his backside all the way home! Oh and then sell his jetski-when possible- and make him donate the "cash" and hand it over himself. My Dad always told me I was never to big to get a smack on the bum if required!

yeh yeh I know people always have to say that - who cares really if the person backs off because my dog growled, good it worked! Not all dogs are working line bred and Schutz trained. So what. People every day avoid being hurt due to the way their PET dog acted. Call it what you will. Luckily I have never been a position where my life depended on my dogs reaction. She passed her WAC test, yes I know die hard Schutz people would probably laugh it out of the water etc, but she showed she had courage and would not back down. Good enough for me and good enough quite often for a would be criminal! ok end of rant ....sorry... back to normal programming

CC you gave me a good laugh with the mental image of the knitting needles in the ears while MIL prattles on excessivly in the back ground! Hi Bonnie, sorry cannot help you with groomers, but I am sure someone who knows the area will be able to help you out soon.

HAven't seen the footage thankfully. His jet ski should be sold and the money donated after expenses fort eh birds treatment are taken out. If he can happily do that, wonder what else he's happy to do. It is quite chilling to think that people like that live in our community.

Happy birthday Mya looks like you have landed in doggy heaven. Now be a good Husky and stop trying to escape okay - you are taking years of your mums life with all the stress. Heres to one great year down and many, many, many more to come. Great photos

Well done Mirawee and Banjo, great start to the year Sounds like a very good way to spend a NYE. I am slightly grumpy because Rommi had injured her toe again, same one but worse this time and she was just loping around their 10 X 12 dog yard. Think I might take myself off and have a frustrated cry!

The blood tests sound like the go I do remember many moons ago a young Shepherd coming into work, around 18 months old. Was very lean, not skinny, had had some skin issues and the coat was not fantastic but not bad either. He had fairly copious yellowish looking poos that were soft but loosely formed. He had EPI and once on Enzyplex was a different dog. I would never have called him really unwell looking, more just something wasn't right and he was eating quite an amount of food and was still lean. Must be very frustrating for you. Especially when you feel like you have tried pretty much everything. I do agree however now that you have the thyroid under control it wouldn't hurt to "revisit" some of the previous senarios. Goodluck.

On one occasion I had arrived late at the grounds for a show. We had put the tent up and got the dogs out to stretch their legs and toilet before going to bed. A bloke had heard us chatting and came up to let us know that another camper had his male dog not tied up in a stay near his van and had gone upstairs for tea. It was 11.30pm and he walked towards us with a torch that he shone directly at my dog and myself. I was trying to get a bit of a look at him but was finding it hard due to the torch. I looked at my bitch as her lead went tighter, she had all her weight rocked back over her hindquarter, hackles up, teeth out and started a low growl. I told him to stop-which he immediately did, asked him what he wanted. He quickly explained, I told him to drop his torch as we couldn't see him. He dropped his torch and I told my girl it was okay. She relaxed a little but was still keeping her eye one him. I told the bloke he was very close to being bitten and shouldn't walk up like that un-announced. I told him I was sorry my dog had reacted that way but what did he expect when he walked up like that in the middle of the night. I thought he might be a bit put off, but he couldn't stop talking about how lovely it was too see a dog doing what it was bred for. Considering he had Cattle dogs I would have thought he would have known better! Th only other time she guarded was at the same show when a person said they were not afraid of my Dobe and would sneak into my tent and show me that she was a pussy cat. They had had a few drinks - she was not at all fond of drunk people. The snuck over in a loudish drunk way. She started to rumble, they got closer, she started roaring and they decided that maybe they wouldn't try and sneak into my tent!

Erny, I am sure you have already spoken to a vet about it but have you/can you feed him is it Thrive D and see if he improves??? There used to be a tablet digestive enzyme replacer - enzyplex I think? but from what I remember they stopped making it of course!!! If he improved then would that be confirmantion of EPI. I may be talking rubbish as well :D

Vent all you like. Even if someone has that opinion sure they would have enough brain cells to know to keep it to themselves?????? I once got told that "wasting" yes wasting money for acupuncture for my OCD Rotti was disgusting when there were so many people that couldn't afford to feed their families properly etc. I chose to not snot him and walk away. Considering at the time I myself didn't have much money but was not going to leave my dog in pain. His solution???? Leave it until it can't walk then shoot it. Yep nice one idiot!

Thought I had done mine as well - will go find them! Found and resized :D Have been adding a dog yard so had to cut the shade cloth on one corner but will stitch it back up again and am putting snake wire buried into blue metal around the bottom.

I know how you feel, we have two types of brown and tiger snakes and a few others we see rarely. I have had 9 near the house this year 4 activly trying to get into the dogs runs (snake mesh and shade cloth) and one "in" there, at least I squished it in the top of the door ABOVE my head after I had just walked trhough it! We have 5 acres mowed around the house adn our adjoining paddocks are not wild with grasses either. Fingers crossed you do not see any more!

Blimey that early. At this stage I am thinking if I miss it then I do - I would have to leave at 3am for that and because I have to drive to town to pick up my friend first I might as well not go to bed! Having a whippet, you most likely could get there for 9 and be safe, as they dont really require much preperation you could pretty much rock up, get out the car and excersise the dogs, then walk straight into the ring... perhaps enter, and then ring the week before the show and find out what numbers are in the groups/before you. Hmmm good idea. I will make sure they are all sparkly the night before so we can just get out of the car, stretch the legs and have the show leads close handy. We are camping at the grounds, easier than having to drive to a caravan park set up, take it all down before we leave in the morning etc. Good tip about calling before hand, will do that as well.

I get a discount at my vet over all fees, however they have a consult fee and a second animal consult fee which is around half price or a bit more. They have a reconsult which is the same as the second animal cons. Vaccinations include the consult and there is not discount unless you have three or more. So for mine a C5 is $88 which is the vaccine and consult, the second dog is the same. If I take two dogs for the same issue - ie a virus they have charged one consult fee but I haven't expected it. I can and have spoken to them on the phone and never been charged for their time. for an occsional phone call I probably wouldn't expect it, but t one time when rehabing a very unwell cat I was speaking to them every day ot two and no extra charges. My vets are VERY good to me and go above and beyond normal when trying to help me of fit things in. I am happy to pay for that althogh I have had a whinge to myself when I get the bill as it is a lot of money, but hey who needs money right! My vet recently came out to euthanase my horse after an early morning start and preg testing over 600 cows. It was non-urgent and could have waited until the next day, but he knew I would be upset so wanted to do it for me as soon as he could.

Blimey that early. At this stage I am thinking if I miss it then I do - I would have to leave at 3am for that and because I have to drive to town to pick up my friend first I might as well not go to bed!

I think I have heard nearly everyone of these - except the Polar bear one - that is way off! I worked in the animal industry for a good 15 years. Needless to say I am quite thankful I no longer need to sit there trying to smile through gritted teeth. The worst thing is they absoluetly truely believe what they are saying. I know of someone who got their GSD desexed because she got mismated and had crossebred puppies. One less BYB dog anyway. My Dobes would turn on me one day, they all do it was jst a matter of time. My on the top end of the height standard Whippet is too small for the breed, they should be a good few inches taller - and no they were not mistaking Whippets and Greyhounds! My Rotti who had OCD of her elbows, bandy back legs and was BYB - I know I learnt!- should have beed bred from as she was such a good example of the breed. When told she had OCD what it was and that it was hereditary, oh that doesn't matter the puppies will be alright at least for a few years. Yep I am going to breed puppies that break other people hearts just like mine was broken. I am sure there is more that I cannot remember at this moment.

Usually group 2 is very small numbers... around 10-20 dogs max... A few amstaff, staffies and maybe a jack, scotty and westie... Hmm righto, no idea how many hounds???? If there is lots and Whippets are at the end I might be right?? If all else fails and I am too late for Saturday well I just will have to miss out. It is easier than organising kids etc for two nights. I think I might just leave at 5am and then I should be there by about 10 and maybe I will have time??? Group 4 usually has about the same amount of dogs.... you would be probably safer aiming to leave for 4-4.30 Yeah but that is sooooo early! I will see how I feel closer to the time and I am also bringing a friend and her dog for trialling, not sure she will like leaving that early! Not sure I will like it

Usually group 2 is very small numbers... around 10-20 dogs max... A few amstaff, staffies and maybe a jack, scotty and westie... Hmm righto, no idea how many hounds???? If there is lots and Whippets are at the end I might be right?? If all else fails and I am too late for Saturday well I just will have to miss out. It is easier than organising kids etc for two nights. I think I might just leave at 5am and then I should be there by about 10 and maybe I will have time???

Okay I know I am a little early but who is going to go to Albany in Feb??? I am trying to figure out the best day to go. I am wanting to leave early Sat morning. The show starts at 9am group 2 then 4. Does anyone know what sort of numbers group two usually gets??? I am thinking if I have a 5 hour trip and leave at somewhere like 4 or 5am I should get there on time?? Then I only have to stay one night ) don't like the idea of being away from home for too long! Also I will have 2 dogs to trial. I was going to put them both in CCD and then if one doesn't make it, no worries, if they both do, set up with someone before hand to take one into the stays for me. I am not sure this would work though as neither have ever been handled by anyone but me, Rommi may be alright. If I put one into CD I can't go back to CCD - too many decisions!! I am also trying to figure out if I will camp one night or look for accomodation. Too many things to think of! Anyway that is my vent for this evening !!!