MsKatie

I don't know of anyone specific but Centitout (who we got Earl from) has helped out before with rescues - she might have an idea of who could help

Just found this - Run free gorgeous girl - my thanks to you for starting Shannon's love of Border Collies - for forever being happy to show her your tricks and for your beautiful nature. This world is a little less without you here but Rainbow Bridge has another gorgeous soul within it

I had one area that the council notified the neighbours we had applied and gave them a certain amount of time to object and another area where we had to supply a letter from each neighbor whose yard adjoined ours that they were ok with us having 3 dogs.

I live with a Bloodhound - they don't really do any other kind of face *L* (Sorry - no pics at the moment - on new computer - will upload later)

I must admit this thought has been in my mind on and off recently - I am 45 and my current dogs are a 6 year old kelpie and a 5 year old bloodhound. What I am finding at this time of my life is that my kids - who are 15 and 13 - take up a lot of time with sports and things. I am looking to the time they are no longer needing to be driven to various sports or games or activities and am able to spend time training my dogs and going for longer walks with them - I plan to be the crazy dog lady when I have the time and get into trialing and agility - given this I would be looking at another pup but not until the current 2 are gone. We have talked about moving into the city but have decided - given we will always want dogs - suburbia is where we will stay. And I have always said that my retirement dogs will be greyhounds - although adopting an older dog is also something I would consider. My mum is in her mid 70's and while she would love a dog to potter around with she travels a bit so says it wouldn't be fair.

This is it just done

We have fake turf in our yard - have had it for a few years and not had any problems with our dogs on it - the only issue is that it gets hot in the sun in summer but our yard gets lots of shade and the dogs have a cool paved area so it doesn't seem to bother them.

cassie - my heart sank when I saw who had posted this - so glad your boy is home and OK - bloat is one of my greatest fears and has been since we got Earl. I second your advice about knowing the symptoms - we do not mess around with any upset tummy symptoms - luckily our local 24 hour vet is very close (and knows Earl well) Hugs to you and Sumo

Loved reading the stories :) We had a staffy x and a a heeler x as our first dogs and they lived outside while we were out - came home one day to discover the yard absolutely white with shredded toilet paper - whole new pack of 9 rolls that were in the laundry - gone. We bought them a clam shell to lie in to keep cool and they methodically shredded the plastic - found some very interesting poos in the yard threaded with blue plastic. We had an apricot tree and we saw none of the fruit that year because they used to wait for it to fall and race each other across the yard to eat it. The heeler x had an absolute fetish for dirty undies or jeans and ate the crotch out of several pairs of mine. Staffy x spent night in hospital after seeking and destroying a family block of macadamia chocolate which was in my schoolbag. Current 2 - kelpie and bloodhound - the kelpie is a methodical and finicky destroyer of toys - she will nibble very carefully until she has a hole and the rip it until she can disembowel the whole thing. The bloodhound - well - he doesn't bother nibbling - he just swallows things - he has eaten several river stones - some he managed to pass - others were surgically removed - we have interesting chew marks on the skirting boards from the time he used to sleep in our room on his dog bed - both dogs are now crated at night and the only thing he can destroy is his nylabone. Kelpie is on her third purse - I have learnt not to leave them in her reach. One of my jackets has no pocket because I hung it on the coat rack with dog treats still in the pocket.

I talk to my 2 pretty constantly - usually stupid stuff like "Yes I know you hate having things stuck in your ears but you know how yukky they were - I know it's not nice but sometimes we just have to suck it up" I wonder what the neighbours think sometimes :)

It's 8.30 here and Earl has reluctantly gone to lie on the rug because I won't let him into the room to go to bed in his crate yet. The spoilt beast has a satin sheet draped over his - the kelpie sleeps in our walk in robe in hers.

Greyhounds are so my retirement dogs :)

My next dog will be a Finnish Lapphund - sex and name not picked out yet but definite on the breed.

I was so sad to read this MW - Tess was such a gorgeous girl and I remember with a smile the walks on the beach . Earl still carries the mark on his chin of her displeasure at his boofiness . Run free at Rainbow Bridge beautiful Tess - sending love and hugs to you and Fleming

Apparently Earl looks very much like his Dad 1st photo is Bono - 2nd photo is Earl

Run free Kibah

Sorry to hear Kavik - Run free Zoe

I use Golden Grove boarding kennels for my 2 and have been very happy with them.

My magical crate ensures we all get a good nights sleep - the kelpie sleeps in the walk in robe and the hound sleeps by the window - they start looking at me hopefully from about 8.30

I had no idea how much Bloodhounds shed till Earl lost his winter coat this year - the fluffy undercoat coming out made him look absolutely moth eaten - so we brush him regularly (outside) and are getting tiles instead of carpet :)

Hindsight is 20:20 isn't it - I have revisited so many situations when I was the reason for the reaction! I have to consciously stay calm if we see another dog because Rosie spots it from miles away and alerts (ears up - attentive stance) and can go over threshold if she isn't totally confident I have it under control. The fact that the hound whines like a pathetic little puppy and cranes his neck to see the other dog doesn't help at times!

Yes they are and he is very smooshable - except when he has just had a drink and his ears are wet and cold and he has drool hanging from his jowls - then - hhhmmm - not so smooshable (unless you have a towel :))

More gratuitous dopey Earl pics

LOL - ok - here he is bonding with his human ( my 12 year old has a great relationship with him )

Earl is a bloodhound - everything he does looks dopy