tdierikx

Hahahaha!!! Too true! T.

Shuddup you *grin* I've been up since 6:30... and I had a sleep in! T.

Well - look who's up early today... lol! T.

Dogs are so resilient, aren't they? Not much stops them from enjoying life to the fullest... Fingers crossed that Charlie has many more happy birthdays. T.

I have one dog who will actually destroy a cage crate if she's confined - I have photos to prove it too! My other 3 dogs are quite content in a crate, in fact the horse puppy jumps into hers and won't come out if I open the door... crazy dog! I have 4 dogs, and they are paired up for company when I'm not at home. 2 of my dogs can't be together at all, but are fine with the other 2, so pairing works for us well. They have company at all times with our routine, so I'm lucky that none have manifested any form of separation anxiety. Nekh - how does Roo react if she has doggy company when Jelly is out of sight? Do you think that maybe sometime down the track she might do reasonably well with a companion doggy friend? T.

Yes!!! We do!!! *grin* T.

Our rescue vet will desex rescue pups that are over 8 weeks and over 1 kg in weight... and they haven't lost one or had any complications from any of the surgeries they've done to date. They do the neatest and most pain free job every time... in fact, it's impossible to keep the pups quiet and inactive once they come out of the anaesthetic - even the girls! And pups heal so fast after surgery too! If the boys' testicles haven't dropped, we hold them in care until they have, then they are desexed before advertising. It's not completely uncommon to have the smaller breed pups in care a bit longer than the larger breed ones, as they sometimes drop later (around 10 to 12 weeks old). We've only had one boy pup who hadn't dropped by 12 weeks old, and they didn't look like they were going to anyways - his surgery was a bit more complicated, but he came through it with the same resilience as every other pup we've had done, so it all worked out in the end, and he went on to the very best forever home soon after... We also had one small breed pup that had a nasty hernia that decided to start strangling when he was 5 weeks old - he was only 800 grams, but sailed through his surgery like a true little pro - he had already dropped, so he was desexed at the same time. It was a risk that we absolutely had to take because he would have died from the hernia strangulation if he didn't have the surgery. The vet called us once the hernia was repaired and told us he was coping with the anaesthetic well, and did we want him desexed at the same time - and that's awesome service I reckon! T.

Here's what we were sent... T.

I've boarded my dogs with the local vet on occasion... worth looking into, as they have staff there all day that would probably love playing with Archie on a regular babsis. T.

I rescued a baby fruit bat from it's dead mother when I was in my teens and living up near Murwillumbah... kept it in a tea chest in my bedroom for a while... *grin*... note - don't try to mount a horse while holding a squawking baby fruit bat - the horse won't like it much... lol! Kids will do all sorts of strange things - I was notorious for bringing home all sorts of animals - snakes, the fruit bat, an octopus, a rabbit, baby swallows, a galah, pigeons, seagulls, etc. At one stage I shared my room with 2 carpet snakes, the fruit bat, a rabbit, and a budgie - all loose and coexisting just fine. Drove my mother nuts! I was jealous when one of my friends found a Puggle (baby Echidna) and raised it to an age it could be taken to the wildlife sanctuary. I hope the little boy recovers well. T.

I have a disabled dog... but nothing like poor Sassy. When Pickles first came into care, it was under the proviso that she may not come good enough to have a decent quality of life. Her disablity involves not having much feeling in all 4 legs, meaning that she really has to concentrate on walking rather than it being a natural instinct - she actually had to learn to walk. She still walks like Steady Eddie, but her sheer determination to enjoy life to the fullest means that she's doing just fine so far. I probably would have made the decision to give Sassy her wings long ago. Her issues are so severe that it seems cruel to have her battling so hard all the time. T.

Hahaha! It's great that your pugs like cameras... we should be able to get some really nice pics of them then... No more sleeps! Today is the day!! Woohoo!!! T.

Still not enough pics of the gorgeous Roo... I think we need very regular insertions of photos actually... she is absolutely stunning! Those big dark eyes just look right into your soul, don't they? I think I'm in luuurve... *sigh* As for check chains - I love them - they work very well when used correctly. I've had arguments with training groups about using one with my dogs over the years, but I usually get my own way once I've demonstrated that I DO know how to use one. The only one of my dogs I haven't used a check chain with is Pickles, and that's because she's disabled and has super sensitive spots on her neck that preclude the use of any type of collar. She has done some obedience training on a harness with positive effect - but she's a completely stubborn little turd regardless most of the time. I'm just happy if she heels nicely - I don't care if she will or won't sit or drop on command - it's difficult for her to do so due to her disability. Harper hasn't had any formal type of training yet, but she will soon (once we fix my current spinal injury issues), and I will be using a check chain for her too. T.

Are these the pups you asked for help with in the rescue forums? You can't legally enforce the actual desexing once the pups are gone from your care - whether or not it's been pre paid by the new owner. They can simply just not turn up for the desexing if they wish. If they had gone to reputable rescue, then this would never have been an issue, as reputable rescue wouldn't have even advertised them for adoption until they had been desexed. T.

Way to go Charlie... you keep on proving 'em wrong little man! T.

I tend to yell "ta ta" and start walking in the opposite direction if any of my dogs decides they are going to deviate from behaviour I find acceptable... they have always come to me then. Chasing is a great game to a dog... but running at my age is undignified... lol! 2 of my dogs have pretty exceptional recall, but the 2 younger ones are still learning. T.

I'm really looking forward to catching up with some of the wondrful people I've met previously... and meeting some new ones... *grin* T.

Roo is a simply stunning girl... I'd love to see more pics of her as often as you care to post them, OK? T.

Girl 1... :heart: T.

The lovely Canterbury staff are wondering if we can try working our magic for 2 more dogs they have in care... Celine and Bruiser... Will try to get over there during a break in the weather and see what we can do... T.

I'll try to get there on your day Tapua... if I have any leave left with work... I would so love to meet you and your dogs. Sammy is such a wonderful little ambassador for your breeding program... *grin* T.

I'm thinking along the lines of a gradual desensitisation to the object of the dog's aggression - just having a skateboard sitting there doing nothing and letting the dog get used to it on his own terms. T.

This is actually the last thing a dog so heavily into habits needs, and Roo has those habits. That and Roo is panicking before you leave :laugh: yeah people's advice ... yeaaaah ... please don't go following a million different things, we will make Roo better just don't worry and be patient. I told you your behaviorist will not like me and my ideas, not because they don't work it's because of idealistic rivalries that tend to exist in dog training. It's your dog, your money, your life, if you're not happy don't feel guilty or pressured to do something you dont like or doesnt work. If she chews the crate give her something to chew on in there then. Put her squeaker in there remember in the car she started squeaking away to placate herself? A couple of toys or a sacrificial one you dont mind chewed to bits will help redirect her onto that instead. My 10 year old bitch still needs something to chew on in the car so I gave her sacrificial toys, no more whinging and carnage :laugh: If she hasn't burst out of that crate she's doing fine, actually the fact she's chewing and pawing means she's trying to find a productive way to release her anxiety. So, nothing else to do in there, chew crate. Give her a toy to redirect that on like a huge cheap rope smeared with peanut butter to get her started etc. And you can keep opinions like this to yourself. Jelly has given up her entire life for this dog so far, it's time she takes it back and the dog settles down into a nice, calm, state. If you want to speak like this direct it to me and see what reply you really get. Well said Nekh! T.

Awww... isn't she purty! T.

Damned if you do, and damned if you don't... errr! It's nice to see a study that looked at both extremes and what issues could possibly arise from each. T.