Boronia

Mac thinks he is hot stuff in his new jamas! Keep an eye on him as he will be sneaking down to the off-leash park to pick up pretty long-legged bitches.

http://www.abc.net.a...g-movie/5630762 How one oddball dog saved Middle Island's penguins Listen now Download audio Tuesday 29 July 2014 11:45AM Image: A maremma puppy trained to protect the penguins on Middle Island off the coast of Warrnambool, Victoria (David Williams) Production has wrapped up on 'Oddball', an Australian movie based on the true story of Swampy Marsh, a Victorian chook farmer whose idea of using dogs to protect penguins saved an entire colony. Verika Jokic reports on how this unlikely story made it to the silver screen. Allan Marsh is not your average chook farmer. He uses colourful language, has strong opinions and thinks if he can inspire just one person to challenge a bureaucrat, then he's lived a good life. Swampy, as he likes to be called, and his old dog Oddball are also the inspiration for Shane Jacobson's latest movie, Oddball. Oddball is a maremma sheepdog. The breed has been used for centuries in Europe to protect herds of animals from wolves and foxes. A couple of penguins came up and saw the dog and just snuck back down again but then one confident one just strolled straight up and old Oddball went to give it a sneaky sniff on the backside and the penguin gave it a squawk and went for her nose. David Williams, scientist 'A neighbour had a maremma dog and he told me how good they were with the chooks,' says Marsh. 'I used to spend my nights up with a rifle shooting foxes. One night I noticed the neighbour's dog barking and the light went on in my head. I realised he was barking at the same thing I was trying to shoot.' Marsh got himself a maremma dog named Oddball, and after six months of training and bonding with the chickens, he had no need to shoot foxes. A short distance from his farm, and just off the coast of Warrnambool in south-west Victoria, lies Middle Island. For decades the island has been home to Little Penguins that nest there six months of the year. At one point up to 200 penguins lived on the island. 'The old fishers used to tell me when they were going out and loading up their boats early in the morning they couldn't hear themselves think for all the penguins squawking,' says Marsh. However, in recent years penguin numbers began to drop off. At low tide, foxes were able to make their way to the island, where they attacked the penguins and reduced their number to less than 10. David Williams was a university science student working on Marsh's farm at the time. 'I read the article about the island and Swampy said, "what they need on that island is a maremma dog".' Williams wrote an essay for one of his science subjects about the plausibility of Marsh's idea. His father, who was a wildlife officer with the Victorian Department of Environment and Sustainability at the time, supported the idea, and after some effort, Warrnambool Council agreed to place a maremma dog on the island. Marsh says it wasn't the easiest of things to achieve. 'The problem was I was an amateur and not involved in the bureaucracy, and here I was telling bureaucracy how to suck eggs and the bureaucracy quite frankly didn't like it.' Oddball was the first dog on the island and Williams says her first encounter with the penguins was incredibly smooth. 'When we all sat out there at night waiting for the penguins to come up on the island we were all shaking in our boots wondering how it would go really because that was the big unknown.' 'A couple of penguins came up and saw the dog and just snuck back down again but then one confident one just strolled straight up and old Oddball went to give it a sneaky sniff on the backside and the penguin gave it a squawk and went for her nose.' 'Oddie popped to the side and the penguin continued on, so it was really quite uneventful I guess,' he says. Maremmas are known for being guarded with people, but Marsh says that's a misconception. 'They're big pussy cats once they know you. They love nothing more than a rub on the tummy. If you can convince a maremma that you're going to rub its tummy, you've got it for life.' Oddball stayed on the island only until Williams found replacements for her and trained them for the job. He says maremmas are great dogs for large outdoor spaces, but they're not a good match for backyards or small islands because they're noisy and bark a lot. The island now has a pair of sister maremmas who guard the penguins for six months of the year. Luke Hura is a dog trainer who worked on Red Dog and trained two dogs for Oddball's role for the movie. 'When it gets focused, man, you have trouble shifting it,' he says. 'It's got to think for itself and it's got to react on its own. 'Whereas sheepdogs ... they can take instructions and they are working with someone all the time. These dogs have to be out on their own and they've got to think for themselves and act very quickly otherwise livestock are going to get lost or they're in trouble.' 'They're aloof but highly intelligent.' The two dogs he trained for the movie are now his own dogs and Hura says he can't part with them. Filming for the movie has now finished, but before it began Shane Jacobson and his brother spent some time with Marsh. 'They wanted to pick my brain, steal my one-liners and generally get a feel for things,' he says. 'Oddball' is due to be released next year.

I have taken the dogs to a dog park near Walter Av, East Brisbane and they have dog poo dispensers that I can't get the bag out of, they dispenser has a little grab-hole and the bags are packed so tightly that I can't pull one out. The park has heaps of dog poop in it so I reckon no-one else can get the bags out either The dispenser looks a bit like this one

I usually use the F&V bags or just take some from the doo-poo-roll that hangs outside the council depot. If we are all going out to somewhere special they have their little dog poo holders on their leads, two are shaped like fire hydrants and Mac's is a camo one...he likes to travel incognito I like this one that you attach to the lead edited as I can't spel proper

Saw this on the on-line news so have posted the Youtube link instead, I found it a little sad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNh-LHE00YI

I am with BWM and they paid out (about three years back now) for Penny when she got a piece of pig cartilage stuck in her oesophagus. Penny's next renewal did have an 'object stuck in oesophagus' exclusion but I noticed it didn't appear on the next renewal. I only covered her for accident (her age prevented me on covering her for illness), BWM paid quickly, there were no problems at all. JessieA...I would be pretty interested why you are negative about BWM's reviews, I am pretty sure companies get in the poo for instigating false reviews, perhaps you should contact ACCC with your concerns.

I know that Ron Turle (has Barbaron Westies at Munruben) works at a groomers near Logan or Carindale (I think) Here are his DOL Breeders contact details http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/breeders/west-highland-white-terrier.asp?state=QLD&Submit=Go and web page http://barbaronwesties.com/ it may be worth while to email him and ask

O WM Hang in there WM's Mac

Coconut oil or flaxseed oil is good, I usually give about 1/4 tsp of coconut oil mixed with their dinner. I also add about 1/3 cup of cold pressed olive oil (Australian, available at Aldi $17 4L) when I am making a bucket-load of their raw vegie slops. If you are giving fish oil make sure you supplement with Vitamin E I also give Penny and Mac Synflex which has is beneficial for old bones http://www.dogcancer...-contact-us.php http://www.dogcancer...tis-synflex.php

I thought I'd update Jan's post by saying that I received an enail from her last week. In part of it Jan writes: I just want to tell you the sad news that our precious Gabby-Lea lost her battle with lymphoma late last week. It happened all so quickly but she was so beautiful and peaceful as she slipped away. We are missing her something terrible and are waiting for her ashes this Wednesday. We will have loving memories of her forever. RIP Jan's dear Gabby-Lea, you were loved

I know many of you don't agree with Oscar's Law (tactics) but this is good http://www.theguardi...n-beyoncethedog

I usually use Argan oil mixed with water, it helps the comb go through the hair easier. My three don't get mats but sometimes they get tiny cobwebs which are ouchy edited as I can't spel proper

Isla looks like a Wheaten Scottish terrier, here are some images--> https://www.google.c...iw=1024&bih=582 and a screenshot of one of those images showing the different colours

Yaaaay for Mac, the 2nd loveliest dog with that name on the planet! Happy Anniversary Day lil' fella

Thanks for clarifying that BCC, much appreciated :)

Any news yet? it has been four days since you received an answer for a contact HC and it'd be good if you can update on whether little Whippy is in a safe place

Good news BCC, just a question though (I may have read your post incorrectly) but wouldn't the antibiotics kill the probiotics? or are the probiotics antibiotic-proof? I would be interested in what did your vet said about giving them together....I am definitely not criticising, I would just like to know.

Before I got Penny she was bought by a woman who wanted a registered Westie for breeding, the woman went to see her with the plan to buy her, she saw that Penny was in dreadful condition...sores, hair missing plus other problems. She bought Penny then headed off to the vet, got her on a health-plan, built up her health then got her desexed. Then Penny got crook again and kidney stones was diagnosed, these were removed. Due to tragic circumstances with Penny (and Mac's) owner I ended up with them both. I phoned Penny's vet shortly after buying her to get some info on her medical history, I talked to the nurse and was told about the kidney stones, she checked with Penny's vet and I was advised to avoid all red meat as a preventative measure...just stick to chicken, fish (I do feed her turkey). I feed 90% raw incl vegies and also mix in non-pasteurised apple cider vinegar So far she has had no recurrence and I have had her since 2008 I hope this helps

O Noes, I am so sorry DDD. I am so sad for you. Dear Myrtie, you will be missed you darling little dog

I am hoping Myrtie is rallying DDD. Dear little soul that she is ❤

How is Gabby-lea getting on Jan? When I spoke to you at the Westie picnic I didn't realise she was so crook. I am hoping she is still coping ok and not in pain.

Maybe this should go in the protected Forum above. how come the Xoloitzcuintle looks like that? Why is that man holding Sweepea Rambo like that? I can't load the whole page as there are too many pictures so you will need to click on the link http://www.theguardi...est-in-pictures World's Ugliest Dog contest – in pictures Owners bring their pets with only faces they could love to the annual tournament in California theguardian.com, Saturday 21 June 2014 22.12 AEST Contestants line up during the judging of the annual 2014 World's Ugliest Dog contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California. Photograph: Peter Dasilva/EPA Prince Austin, a pug-pomeranian mix, is presented at the contest. Photograph: Stephen Lam/Reuters Precious is carried down the red carpet. Photograph: Stephen Lam/Reuters SweePee Rambo, a chihuahua/Chinese crested mix, is held by owner Jason Wurtz. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images Josie, a previous winner of the competition, sticks out her tongue during the contest. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images Walle, last year's winner, walks down the red carpet. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images Yvonne Swayer with Scamp, Jayne Carrillo with Alvin, and Cheryl Pabros with dog Kate Rose wait to show their hounds. Photograph: Stephen Lam/Reuters Quasi Modo, whom the owner claims has a back too short for its body, walks on the stage. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images Icky, a five-year-old Chinese crested, is presented to the audience by owner Jon Adler. Photograph: Stephen Lam/Reuters

Sending Myrtie healing thoughts this morning. Come on Myrtie, get more weller and betterer for us.

There are some here on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/search?search_submit=&hp_ref=primary&q=dog+coat+whippet&order=most_relevant&view_type=gallery&ship_to=AU some pretty neat-looking collars as well!

Oveds (also called Omars) Here is a link to the Sentinel page http://ovedshorseandpetstore.com.au/Dog-Products/Flea-Tick-Control/Sentinel-Spectrum.html I usually get my Advantix from them...excellent service. Postage is usually about $6 and the minimum order is $50 which is ok as there is always some other frivolous important stuff to get