Zombie Bait

@westiemum I went through a very simular situation with my dog Brembo. If you need any advice or the owners would like to talk to someone who has been through this before, feel free to pm me and I'm happy to give you my contact details.

SM you've been in my thoughts It's been 6 weeks since we made the call for Brembo and it's still incredibly hard. I think I'm ok and then something will trigger a memory or I'll forget for a second that he's gone and then it hits me like a tonne of bricks.

@Nekhbet is great. I did a phone consult with her and she was awesome. Would highly recommend!!

Twice with Sierra the ridgeback and twice with Brembo. The ex left the garage door open and forgot about it and Brembo took himself for a walk. I realised about 20 mins later that he wasn't around, ran outside and called him and he appeared from the end of the street and came running back. When we moved house someone opened the gate and let Sierra and Brembo out. I didn't know and was driving home from grocery shopping when I spotted a good looking dog sniffing around someone's front yard two streets from home. Realised it was my good looking dog, pulled the car over, opened the passenger side door and told him to get in, which thankfully Brembo did. Sierra was missing for about 45 mins at that stage, called the ex who was on his way home to search near our old place whilst I searched the streets around the new place. He found her running alongside the road near the old place, opened the car door and called her and she jumped right in and was so happy to see him. After that the gate was padlocked. The last time with Sierra was when someone let off a firecracker in the street whilst we were out. She cleared a six foot colourbond fence and disappeared for 18 hours. I was frantic and an absolute mess, called the rspca, local council, all the local vets etc. Luckily someone found her and called the rspca and they put us in contact with them. The ex went to get her and as soon as she heard his car she broke free from her rescuer and jumped in the ute. After that I locked her inside when we were out because any loud noise freaked her out and she would try to escape if we weren't home. Having a noise phobic dog that could clear six foot fencing was very stressful. The last I heard, the ex was giving her free range to the house and yard when he wasn't at home and as long as she could "hide" in his room if she heard a scary noise she was ok. I wouldn't of been comfortable giving her the chance to escape but unfortunately I no longer have any say in the matter.

I do it from time to time with Brembo. I'm sure he loves it because I always come home to his nest of pillows and blankets that he creates. If it's more than one night then he gets boarded but overnight I just feed him an hour or so before I leave and then he gets fed when I return.

When Brembo had entropion surgery he had sutures around both eyes. We had to keep the E collar on him for 10 days to prevent him from rubbing or scratching at the sutures. We also had to keep the E collar really large as he was a complete Houdini at getting his rear paws in at his eyes. Even at full length he could almost reach his eyes with the toes of his hind paws. At night he slept with me resting his coned head on my shoulder because I'm a soft touch and apparently that was the only comfortable way to sleep with an E collar on lol. I'd see if you can keep her tethered to you with a soft collar on when you can supervise her and just have the very large collar on her for those times you can't stop her from scratching or rubbing at her head.

I get people asking me this one all the time as "the resident dog/animal person". "I think the vet stuffed up the desexing! His balls are still there!!" It's a surprisingly common thought! Explaining what it's for turns to interesting dinner table discussion... I rang the vet in a panic over this when Brembo was about 6 months old. He had been desexed as an 8 week old pup (RSPCA rescue puppy). It was somewhat hilarious when the vet told me it was because he was sexually excited....apparently me returning home from work was very stimulating for him lol. I also freaked out thinking he had a brain tumour due to a dome on his head....only to be told it was his skull and completely normal :D

Love the silos Leanne! And the owls are gorgeous Ranga! Simba looks so happy Anniek :D SheWolf - your granddaughter is beautiful :) Kirty I love the silhouettes. I had a ridgeback that we nicknamed giraffe due to her incredibly long legs and neck...she reminded us of a giraffe at a watering hole with her stance at times. :) Teekay- such a cute puppy! All smiles and wagging tails :p Beautiful garden MRB. And yep, Brembo did love his bone, he was most disappointed when I put it in the bin yesterday lol. Beautiful sunset Marg. Sorry if Ive forgotten anyone!

Week 2 - grey days, grey hairs...

Week 1/52: Brembo and the dinosaur bone

Thanks guys :) I don't really have a theme, but I'm sure Brembo will feature heavily. Loving the pics so far!

Would I be able to join if it's just iPhone pics? I don't actually own a camera.

Brembo has been inside with the aircon on all day, plus ice blocks in his water bowl. Just got home and let him out to pee and then straight back into the aircon. I'm the fool that decided today would be the day to run errands - foolish woman lol. Back out into it I go!

I'm currently single so no problems at the moment. When I was with my ex we did have a few issues over the dogs. He had no issues deferring to me on what they ate, medical decisions or that they were inside/outside dogs. The thing we came to loggerheads over was behavioural issues. Brembo was and still is reactive to certain dogs, most strange men and had issues with our neighbours. Sierra was noise phobic and could scale 6 foot colourbond fencing if spooked. I insisted that both dogs be in a locked dog run or inside whilst we were away from the house for both the safety of them and keeping good relationships with neighbours. He disagreed and thought that Brembo was "doing his job" by barking and rushing the fence whenever a neighbour entered their own yard. It took 6 months of arguments and me actually ending the relationship (for other reasons) for him to start to build the dog run. When I left it still wasn't finished. I took Brembo when I left but Sierra was his dog so he kept her. I've since had to use a bark collar for Brembo for when I'm not at home (which I know he was dead set against). He also used to put the dogs in situations where they could "fail" when I wasn't present. He had the attitude of "she'll be right", when in reality it meant that Brembo had the opportunity to nip 2 people when he felt threatened. I feel that Brembo (and the general public) are much safer now that he is no longer a part of our lives. I do still worry about Sierra even after 3 years

Neocort is awesome for human itchies, must get some more for both myself and the dog :) Have also been known to use the dogs brush too.

That made me tear up Raineth, it was a fitting and beautiful ending to a magnificent life. Hugs xx

Brembo has always been MY dog, he chose me from the start and decided I was his human. One of the moments that stands out to me is when I went O/S for 7 weeks. He stayed with my parents and was fine whilst I was gone. When I returned he didn't do his usual bouncy tail wag greeting - he just buried his head into me and let out a sigh. He then spent the next 24 hours glued to my side. It was like he needed to touch me to make sure I was really there.

Raineth - I'm more of a lurker than a poster but Digby was one of my favourite DOL dogs - I'm so sorry to hear of his passing. Thank you giving him such a great life and a gentle passing. Your family, Delta and yourself will be in my thoughts. Run free Digby x

I've always wanted a male mantle Great Dane and wanted his show name to be *prefix* Forty Six And Two, call name Maynard. My favourite band is Tool, forty six & 2 is one of my favourite songs and Maynard James Keenan is their lead singer. :) I helped name Sierra, the ridgeback my ex kept. She was *prefix* Lady Cosworth, call name Sierra, named after the Ford Sierra Cosworth (a car).

<3 this!!

Congrats!! He looks so happy :D He has a really sweet face :)

Brembo is not impressed.... Lol

Haha thanks Fran :p Love that pic of Luuka - such a happy fluff monster!

Hey Fran, From memory when I looked into moving Brembo and I over to America there was no quarantine going over, but there will be if you come back and bring Luuka back. She'll need to have all her rabies vaccinations done prior to her leaving. If you pm Wayrod, I believe he would be able to give you a quote and an idea of what vaccinations she needs. :)

Brembo is unfortunately reactive. He has snapped at a few people. With one person he broke the skin and left a large blood blister. I have met with a behaviourist and after walking her through the situation that happened, she felt that he was being protective of both his home and me. I try and minimise contact with strangers with him, particularly men. He has also "attacked" a dog that required surgery. The next door neighbours dog and him used to fence fight. The dog next door also liked to dig and dug under the fence. It stuck it's face through the gap it had made and Brembo degloved it's face. I paid for half the vet fees and concreted along my side of the fence to prevent it happening again. He has attacked a cat once. Brembo and Sierra were zoomying around the yard on dusk when a cat casually walked through the backyard. Both dogs actually collided with it before they realised there was a cat there. They then both gave chase and cornered it. We called the dogs off and the cat escaped but I do think he did some damage to it. I manage him as best I can. I minimise his alone time with anyone but myself. I warn people that do have to spend time with him alone (vet, pet transport etc). I don't socialise him with other dogs (although him and the current neighbours dog get along great, as in they both pretend the other one isn't there lol). As far as cats or birds that enter his yard, I make no apologies. It's his yard and they should stay out. I love my dog and I'd never get rid of him, but I do long for the day that I own a dog that isn't reactive. Ams - I hope that Kimo is ok and I'm sorry to hear about your mastiff