Kirislin

Yep and great globs of paint on her dog might give her the hint.

yes they're amazing, and I was very relieved her ploy worked this time. I've been taking the dogs to that lake all their lives and it must amount to thousands of times now, and so far they've never caught any of the wildlife, but usually I'm on guard at this time of year. Today I slipped up, but thankfully nature took care of the little duck family anyway.

Yes, he's obviously done a face plant. It's really smelly too. ERK

I was using my most animated happy voice to get them to look up at me and that was the best I could get out of them. :laugh:

I took the dogs for a walk up the park for the first time in ages. I'd forgotten it's duckling season. I'm strolling around the lake when a male wood duck rushes across the path closely followed by his mate who appeared to be injured. To my horror the boys Tag and Puck took off after them as they were so close to us. Father duck got into the lake safely and mother duck took off scuttling along the ground flapping her wings she had the whippets complete attention, she plays it close to the edge to keep their interest but keep out of reach as well, with a whippet that's no mean feat. As soon as she was out of range I hear peep! peep! peep!, and 3 little ducklings run across the path and into the lake. Meanwhile the boys and mumma duck are out of sight and I was thinking they'd got her. I'm calling and trying to get down the steep slope when the boys come back, thankfully without a dead duck. But this is what I was presented with. :laugh: 2 very wet dirty smelly muddy whippets, who've been outsmarted by a duck. No wonder my car is always dirty. Can dogs look embarrassed? I think so. Outsmarted by a duck! by kirislin, on Flickr IMG_3035dppt by kirislin, on Flickr IMG_3034dppt by kirislin, on Flickr

I haven't read it all but cant the boss just ask the owner to keep the dog off the work site. What if it knocked someone off a ladder or got a tin of paint spilt over it?

I would like to if I had the stomach for hacking off a roo tail or leg and throwing it in the back of the car, but I'll admit to being a bit lily livered. I did once pick up a freshly killed bunny right out the front of my house and tossed it in the backyard. the whippets went berko for it and the next day did poos that looked like felt because they literally ate everything, head, skin & fur, ears, feet, the lot. Only afterwards it occurred to me that it might not have been the best idea due to potential parasites. I wormed them all and it did them no harm. I do think freezing would be the sensible precaution to take though.

You dont mean the Mighty Quinn by Manfred Mann do you? Well, Bob Dylan wrote it and has released a recording of it, so that's the one I think of even though I know it was also released by Manfred Man. My dad is a big Dylan fan I never knew that!! I used to always wonder if it had something to do with Anthony Quinn playing an Eskimo in a movie when I was a kid.

I know you have said in the past you dont ride horses, but looking at the country there I think it would be the perfect place to have a small strong stocky little horse no bigger than 14hands, probably more like 13hands, an old style Australian pony. I could just see you riding out with a troop of dogs trotting alongside you, a packed lunch in one saddle bag and your camera in the other.

the babies in their winter woollies at the whippet fun day last weekend. See their cute little hand made collars? 5F6A8920dppt by kirislin, on Flickr Secret's brother Obi still getting the hang of chasing the lure 5F6A8982dppt by kirislin, on Flickr Using his tail as a rudder 5F6A8989dppt by kirislin, on Flickr

I would hate to be in that situation, I dont know what I would do. I'm glad they all got out of it OK, what an ordeal!

Can you get the vet to come to your home, and do you have an understanding friend who can be with you? Whether you do it in a day or a week or a month, it's not far off now. Can I just say I've recently had to let 2 dogs go and it was done differently to every other dog I've had put down in the past, and it will be the way I'll do it from now on if at all possible. I took them in to the vet, I made the decision that the time had come and he gave them a pain killer and sedative, put a line in their foreleg with some tape over it and told me to take them home and he would come to my house in about 2 hours. So we went home and in that time they weren't in pain and were quite relaxed. I was able to cuddle and love them, then he came out and we sat where they were comfy. He used the line he'd already put in at the clinic, so no messing about looking for a vein. While I cuddled them, they ever so gently just stopped living. I apologise if this upsets you, but I feel you will be dealing with it soon and I wanted to share the best way I've seen it done in the hope it will make things easier for you both.

I'm really sorry for you, from what you describe I think you know the answer. Ask yourself if you truly believe he is enjoying life now, or is he just existing? Dont be blaming yourself that you could have done something to make him better. He wont get better, he is old and he is worn out. You have to be brave and unselfish now, let him go.

Feather and Neko dont know how to pierce the shells and they've tried enough. Tag and Puck can do it and now itty bitty bratty Secret's worked it out. :laugh:

There wasn't as many as some days but it was quite chilly and rain had been forecast in the morning. We only got about 5 minutes of light rain in the afternoon, not even enough to stop for it. Probably about 20 cars and 30 or so dogs at a guess. We went till late though, it was a keen crowd. Thanks Kirislin! One day, I really want to. The photos always look so happy and carefree! they're not always. We sometimes have to call a halt to the free running which we allow at the start and end of the day. it's not so bad at the end of the day because the dogs are tired, but at the beginning it can be a bit heart stopping if dogs get too fast and too excited. If you ever do come along I'd advise you to keep Thistle on the leash then. :D

Here she is, the bratty little egg thief at the races on Saturday. 5F6A8844dppt by kirislin, on Flickr

My cheeky Secret figured out something today that some of my other dogs never have! How to crack open a hens egg. :laugh: Little devil, I'd caught her a couple of times running out of the chook house with an egg in her mouth and she dropped it when she saw me but today she obviously had time to figure it out and get the yummy gold stuff inside. She was pretty pleased with herself too.

Ah, that's hard that it came on so suddenly. I'm glad he is at peace now, and sorry for you.

There wasn't as many as some days but it was quite chilly and rain had been forecast in the morning. We only got about 5 minutes of light rain in the afternoon, not even enough to stop for it. Probably about 20 cars and 30 or so dogs at a guess. We went till late though, it was a keen crowd.

that's very sad. How old is he?

it sure will once they see those photos! Good luck puppies for long and happy lives.

Cold day chasing the lure yesterday so Neko wore her hand knitted jumper from Queensland Nanna. She doesn't care how silly it looks, this running after the lure is serious business! 5F6A8809dppt by kirislin, on Flickr Obi too dressed warmly for the occasion. 5F6A8812dppt by kirislin, on Flickr Forget about motherly love sonny boy, out here it's war! 5F6A8814dppt by kirislin, on Flickr

It's not Russian as far as I know, but it might pass for Russian sounding and I've always liked the way it looks and sounds. It's my Anglo Saxon Grandmothers name, 'Nisca' I dont know where her mother found it but I think it's pretty. I very much doubt you will find anyone else with that name.

I often get asked if my 14yo whippet Feather is "the baby" because she is small. She is grey in the face and very frail and wobbly but it doesn't stop some people thinking she is a puppy.