tdierikx

I hope the visit went smoothly Greytmate... hugs! T.

My heart dog Woosie (a Rotti with the sweetest temperament ever) wouldn't let anyone into my room if I was asleep. My poor flatmate tried to come and wake me because there was a phonecall for me... and my 10 week old "guard dog" stood over the top of me and scared the 6'4" Maori flatmate right back out the door... lol! Woosie never left the bed, and didn't bark or carry on - she just let him know she wasn't having him come any closer by using a growl he totally understood to mean "get out"... This dog was perfectly fine with everyone and everything except when I was asleep. If I were awake in bed, she wasn't fazed by people coming in... just when I was asleep... god I miss that dog! A piece of my soul went with her when she passed... T.

No negotiation - my babies leave with me, or I don't leave. I will sit on the roof and have food dropped to me before I leave my furkids to fend for themselves in a disaster. T.

Each of my babies that have gone to the Bridge have "let me know" that it was time - it's a hard thing to explain "how" one understands their need to take their final journey. It is different for each dog, but the bond you have with them just "tells" you that they need this final bit of help from you. PS - I feel for you. Me and mine send you all the strength and love we can for when your beloved fur-friend needs to take her journey to the Bridge. Jed - your writing from the heart made me cry... but it also made me remember all of my "Bridge-babies" who are patiently waiting for me to join them some day - and that makes me smile again. Thank you! T.

Not only my own dog, but a flatmate's 2 dogs also, got between me and a drunk and aggressive other flatmate who was brandishing a knife at us in a drunken rage. I'm fussier about flatmates nowadays, but I have no doubt each and every dog I've ever owned would get between me and danger without hesitation. Dogs don't have to be fully specialist trained to protect their pack members IMHO... mine are treated with love and respect, and give that back to me a thousandfold in so many ways... T.

I've got a few of the rubbery orange and blue Chuckit balls - they are tennis ball sized... and I recently saw larger ones in our local pet supply store too... they are the only things my crazy Labrador hasn't been able to destroy. Not cheap, but worth every cent for their longevity. T.

That is a totally classic photo... save it for his 21st birthday... lol! T.

*giggle.... SNORT* That is FUNNY!!! T.

Labrador pups make doing the poo patrol each day into an adventure... lol! T.

Hmmm... inbreed your family, but crossbreed your dogs... T.

There is "handling" - and then there is "man-handling"... The video shows an example of one of the above... what would you call it if it were YOUR dog on that table? T.

I have a mower with a catcher primarily because it catches all the seeding bits, etc, that can cause tummy rashes... It's a nice finish, but a bugger to have to stop and empty all the time... grrr! T.

Most rescues don't advertise their charges with the fancy petshop type names... I'm guessing that those who have bought these crossbreeds elsewhere for ludicrous sums of money want to perpetuate that they have something special because they don't want to admit they paid way too much money for a somewhat ill bred mutt... *grin* T.

My girls have only fought each other - and 3 cops with capsicum spray and batons couldn't separate them the last time they fought. Luckily the fight broke up on it's own as the senior cop was going for his taser. Once the dogs separated, the police had their guns drawn on my Lab as I whisked the Rotti/Pittie cross into the house to assess her wounds and call the vet to let them know I was coming in with 2 badly ripped up dogs... Needless to say, my girls are kept separate now. The weirdest thing is that they are both perfectly well behaved in public, and are never aggressive with other dogs - they just don't like each other much at times. Seeing 2 dogs go into a zone where they have absolutely no other focus than killing each other is definitely VERY sobering! T.

That is too funny for words! Go Luki the clown! T.

... and you didn't prank me? I feel left out now Powerlegs... hahaha! T.

I've been sent copies of gossip about me that has been circulated by someone who claims to never have any gossip... But I'm sure that quite a few people involved in rescue have had malicious gossip spread about them - we are a scary lot, and don't always see eye to eye on any given topic... *grin* T.

Fingers crossed she only has a nasty tummy bug, and will be feeling much better this morning after the overnight care. T.

Blood in the urine or in her sloppy stools? Vet... NOW! Get off the internet, and get her to the nearest emergency vet please... T.

Credit to the dog that it didn't bite her... but if anyone did that to one of my dogs, I'D bite them... Training is one thing, but that footage appears to be manhandling plain and simple - and the dog was terrified of her and looking to it's owner for some help (and didn't get it) T.

I'm really glad you've decided to keep Dylan... I think he's really well suited to your particular pack style - and the other 2 spotties obviously love him too... This has to be one of the best "saves" I've heard this year... way to go spottychick! T.

Sound decision there siks3... T.

If you want Max on the bed, then it's between you and Max... I bought a bigger bed to accommodate my pack - and got rid of the OH to make even more room (my definition of the divorce... *grin*) Max could just have been having an off day... they happen... start worrying if he does scary things like vomiting or diarrhoea combined with down or lethargic, OK? T.

If all members of the house apply the same boundaries to both dogs with regards to acceptable behaviour, I don't see a problem with the pups being friends. I have 3 foster pups here - a Beagle, a Cavalier, and a Chihuahua cross... they all get on just fine - even if the Chi X is a bit rough on the others, they can outrun him... lol! I also have crates to separate them when I'm not around to supervise their play. T.

I love the first photo of the stairway... love the composition for some reason... *grin* The creek shot is awesome too... I reckon you definitely have an eye... keep snapping away and sharing with us here please... T.