megan_

It's not just me, it's OH as well. I want to go into academia and he is in the film industry. I don't want to leave Oz, but nor do I want to end up consulting again because I can't get a research position in Sydney or Melbourne. It's a long way in the future, but I'd rather think about it now so I can help myself as much as possible in networking and so forth and have some kind of "worst case scenario" plan. Easier said than done when you're in your early twenties. So, your priority is your career or your husband's career. So you want your research position more than you love your dog. Good on you. You picked the right thread to show your true colours. If the dog was really part of your family then the 'worst case scenario' is that you don't alter your lifestyle to exclude your dog. There are plenty of people in their early twenties that have made life decisions and plan to stick to them, it isn't an excuse for dumping a dog. Sometimes there are terribly desperate situations where people cannot keep their dog. That is tragic. Being desperately ambitious doesn't cut it. There is a big difference between responsibly rehoming a dog and dumping it.

This is what I thought they were after - explains why they tried to catch him. I'm assuming he isn't desexed yet?

Love the first one. It is like they're just strolling along asking eachother "so how are you coping with the break-up?"

The locks have been changed. I was the only person with a key - I live alone and own the house (okay, I own 2%, bank owns the rest) It is a bit disturbing that the locksmith took 3 seconds to remove the entire lock barrel! He said that if someone wanted to get in there isn't a lock in existence that can keep them out. I've also got a mega padlock on the gate to make things that bit harder. I was feeling okay until I realised they had been back. They did a professional job though so I'm assuming they are pros and aren't a bunch of druggies who'l come back when I'm home. The hardest thing is going to be leaving the dogs while I go to work. Does anyone have a rottie I can borrow? One that doesn't give a warning bark....

nothing taht I can see - laptop is still here.

you are right DR - they are watchdogs and not guard dogs. I am thankful for that because one kick would send an MS flying! Bizzare update: They came in through the back door and took the key with them. They left the door wide open. I closed the door when I left last night to go to my cousins (same time as the police). I couldn't lock the door because they had taken the key. This morning CIB came to take pics etc - the back door is locked again! It has been double locked with the key - the cops couldn't open the door. Surely thieves don't come back to lock up after themselves? What else could have happened??

Oh Hi! Yes, they do stay there. They are both fine as if nothing has happened. When I got home they jumped over me as usual, no cowering etc. They are more 'traumatised" that they have to sleep in teh laundry tonight because we're staying at my cousins. Lucy is sound asleep but Fergus is still crying, big baby that he is.

hmmm...you do know a lot about this robbery... you don't happen to be the proud owner of a 3.5 year old TV that tilts to the left do you???? My dogs are very cute so the cuddle theory does hold water. My cousin said that maybe they didn't realise I had dogs until they were in teh house. I find that highly unlikely! Lucy sounds so ferocious that she has scared off the odd delivery man even though she is behind the security grill.

I live in Murrumbeena, but would love their detaqils. It matches the MO of professionals apparently. In and out in 5 mins. They didn't go through my drawers. They just wanted the things they could easily carry and sell. A very similar thing happened to my boss who lives in the Northern suburbs. Once her insurance paid up, they tried to rob her again. She has an alarm installed by they ripped it right off and disconnected all of her electricity. The difference between us is that she has Cartier and Tiffany jewellery and I don't! Please pardon all my spelling mistakes...

The locksmith is coming out tomorrow. The dogs and I are at my cousins tonight. They didn't use the key to get in, but took it with them. The really "funny" thing is that my neighbour was telling me yesterday that my two were so great because they never barked for the sake of it. She actually said taht when she hears them carrying on she comes to check the driveway because someone must be there (normally a delivery driver). I live in a semi-detached house in a row of three. One has a stay-at-home mum and the other has a guy who works night shifts (so is at home during the day). I have two dgos and he has two big dogs who bark a lot. Surely there must be easier opportunities out there????? Hopefully they have seen the pitiful electronics that I have and won't be back!

SK - the thing is the dogs greeted me at the front door when I got home. I doubt that they would lock them in and then let them out again? I kept on saying to the police taht they didn't hurt the dogs and that was all I really cared about!

I got home this afternoon from lunch at my Aunts. I normally take Fergus and/or Lucy, but my Dad was in town and he complaines about the dogs non-stop, so I left them at home. They are mini schnauzers (Fergs is a cross) and are very territorial. Many people have commentede on what great little guard dogs they are. I think, however, that they put up more front when I'm at home. The dog walker has commented before that Lucy will bark and tehn run away if I'm not at home. Anyway, I got home at about 5.15 pm and the dogs greated me as per usual (they have free reign of the house with a dog door) and took off my shoes as I wanted to get in a quick walk before it got dark. As I went into the lounge room I noticed teh TV was gone. It took a second to compute what happened. I then thought that they might still be in the house. I grabbed the dgos and ran outside into my driveway and called 000. As I was on the phone to the police, a huge van pulled right up into my driveway. They saw me and zoomed off very fast (apparently they often to a quick steal and then come back to pick up anything they can't easily take). They took the TV and the iPod, but left the laptop. The police tought that was odd, but I'm pretty sure that my dogs would have run to my bedroom (their safe place) and barked their heads off. Teh laptop was in my bedroom. They had come through my back door (which was locked) and had taken teh keys with them. The really odd (nice???) thing is that they bolted the back gate closed so that the dogs couldn't get out! The neighbours didn't hear the dogs bark (which is odd because they are very loud, even the police commented on this!). I wonder if they were dog people and manged to charm my two? Either way, I'm just glad that they're safe and my dogs didn't try to protect their house too much. Apparently theives often come back a few months later after insurnace has paid up. I'm going to leave the laptop in the lounge so that they won't be tempted to try get past the dogs. I'm half tempted to write a 'thanks for not hurting the dgos, please close the gatge on your way out" note!

I prefer his look clipped. FWIW, I have mini schnauzers and they're clipped, including over winter. They have coats and jumpers but they hate them. Lucy gives me "don't murder me" eyes and Fergus does a funny walk whenever he has his jumper off (he's trying to pull it off). So now they are sans coats and they seem just fine. If they are cold they get on my bed and next in teh doona.

ta SBT303 - my square might be a bit "spechul"

The best thing is that they will let you know when a mousey is around. My girl starts whining if she even senses a mouse - she will not settle down. She doesn't need to see it to know where it is. Fortunately, after the rat incident there have been no more!

MM, First of all, my apologies, things came out all wrong. I often read your stories in rescue and enjoy them. I know that plenty of people want an elderly dog. I my syelf own one of the most "unperfect" dogs out there that many people would (and did) say "just PTS and get a puppy". Also, I wasn't suggesting that rescuers "fob off" the dogs. An ethical rescue would assess this dog. However, not every rescue is ethical and the OP was an open call for someone to take this dog on? (That is how I interpreted it). My point was that this woman was made out to be some demon for wanting to PTS. I wouldn't want to give my elderly dog a GA. When his time came, I would PTS and be there for him. My post said that I agree with Cosmolo that many elderly dogs adapt very well.

"Fobbing off" isn't what I was suggesting nor even hinting at. If you read the OP, it seems from what she was able to see that day was not a dog who had toileting issues nor a dog that had issues with men. Further temp assessment needed (Cosmolo is set up for these, I think) definitely, but I like to think dogs stand a chance if there is one and if it could prove to be the best for the dog (ie a 'happy ever after' ending). PS How're your doggies . Haven't seen them in ages. I used too strong a word . I take it back. I wasn't actually referring to your post though (that was for the comment above). OT - My dogs are still as cute and naughty as ever. We even went for a walk along St Kilda pier on Sunday (loads of kids, riders, people etc) and Lucy was happliy trotting along. I need to call you about getting her re-assessed so that we can get that certificate!

I think I must be missing the point. The women with the dog sounds like an idiot BUT I wouldn't want to put my 15 year old dog under GA either. I wouldn't say "put him down" (as long as he wasn't in pain), but I know that, soon enough, his teeth would rot through and I would put him down. I would choose to do it sooner rather than later because dogs are stoic (at least mine are) and they can be in EXTREME pain before they even show it. It is my responsibility to ensure my dod never gets to that point. I wouldn't send him to a shelter to be put down by someone else, or to die under GA while they tried to fix his teeth. I would be with him to his end-of-days, what is so wrong with that? Erny - if an owner says a dog is aggressive, most (all?) ethical rescuers won't rehome even if the temp test goes well. Why? Because a temp test only tests a certain amount of circumsatances and they are opening themselves up to legal liability if the dog turn out to be aggressive and they had been told that it was that way. Agree with pers - fobbing off un unhouse trained, potentially aggressive dog with rotting teeth to an elderly person wouldn't cut it for me. ETA: I also agree with Cosmolo - dogs adapt a lot better than we give them credit for!

Sunnyflower - teh fact that this diet is being recommended to your dog may mean that he has soemthign different than "just" a UTI? If in doubt, ring the vet. My boy was on a prescription diet for a while, but he only had a temporary ailment.

When my girl caught a rat I called the Animal Hospital to check if she would be okay if the rat had been poisoned. They said that if she had ingested it, I wouldn't know within the first day or so. It can cause hemmoeraging (sp all wrong I know...) and if she showed signs of this (which could include blood coming out of her nose or eyes) to get her to emergency ASAP. She would need shots and then a 6 week course of meds. ETA: She said if they had eaten snail pellets they would be violently ill and possibly dead by the time I saw the rat and called :-(

I have never met you or Rex, but I did enjoy reading about him. What a great ambasador for a much misunderstood breed. Vale Rexy.

YES - and the dog can be very sick before you even notice

It might be standard for some breeders to desex the puppies, but it isn't standard not to tell the owner!

JJ - if you have pet insurance, you need to think of the implications of what is covered and what isn't. For example, the KC vaccine doesn't stop all KC. However, if your dog gets KC and develops complications that need expensive treatment, then the insurance company would be well within their rights not to pay your claim. I am getting the annual KC booster (to cover me for insurnace and kennels) and a letter from my vet to say that my dogs are covered for parvo and distemper (and the other thing that is included that I forget) until June 2012 (they were vacc'd in 2009). We came to this agreement after a good 1/2 an hour discussion. He said that many vets are still sticking to the annual regime due to vaccination numbers being low in Melbourne (I think he said it was below 60% and herd immunity required 70%) and the fact that the AVA has many academics that didn't see parvo on the ground. I might have got my facts muddled so don't quote me on that - I appreciate that he spent a lot of time on the phone to me (without charge) and explained the complications of each scenario and worked out a solution that we're both happy with. FWIW apparently the pharma companies haven't come to the table with the AVA and are saying that it should still be annual apparently.

Mine have seperate time with me (I try to aim for every day, but it doesn't always happen in winter). This was a life saver when Fergus got sick and had to stay in hospital for three days. Lucy seemed to cope okay because she was used to having alone time. I think it is normal for dogs who live together to be attached, but they NEED to be able to cope with being on their own. It is in their own best interest. I cringe everytime some poor rescuer is stuck trying to rehome two dogs who MUST stay together. Their owners would have done them a much better service raising well adjusted dogs who can cope without the other one. I can't fathom how some people think it is cute and it means they "love" eachother. Bub - I wouldn't worry too much. You are giving Bitty alone time and she is learning to be okay on her own. She is fond of Bubs and that is okay too. One day, she might be without him, but dogs are stoic and they seem to cope better that us when the time comes. ETA: I leave them together when I work. They like eachother but are not totally dependant.