Niques

Well this thread is a depressing read. I just got my nearly 5 year old Lab's PetPlan renewal and he's now over $300 a year more expensive. Does anyone know if it's possible to increase the PetPlan excess? I've had a poke around their website but it seems fixed. It would be really nice if someone offered 100%, high excess, no-frills (why am I paying for alternative treatments??) insurance option for the big emergencies -- surely that's not too much to ask!

My Lab was around ~8kg. And he wasn't the biggest in his litter.

I like 'em happy and independent. That said, I've only had one dog, so he's possibly shaped my expectations more than I shaped his behaviour :p James is in madly love with the world -- every dog and human is his new best friend -- and I really wouldn't have it any other way. After having him, I find the idea of owning an even slightly stand-offish dog very unappealing. He's not especially snuggly or physically affectionate (although over time he's grown used to being pulled onto the same couch as me for a cuddle . . . for a few minutes, at least). As his person, he's very attached to me but he's not glued to my heels - I very much love that about him. A Velcro dog would get annoying fast.

I get itchy if my dog licks my face. He's not an especially licky dog so it would be easy to avoid if necessary, but it's only a mild irritation so I live with it. Interestingly, my brother gets the same reaction with him and neither of us react to other dogs. James must be particularly potent :p

Good timing. First one on my boy today, as well.

He (labrador) would positively explode with excitement. Unexpected visitors make his day. He rarely barks, so I wouldn't even get that as a deterrant. His tail might fall off from wagging so hard :laugh: That's during the day; he becomes oddly serious at night. He has consistently given a warning bark everytime someone has come through the side gate at night. He sleeps with me at the front of the house and will perk up and stand at the window if there is human noise close to the house (including just neighbours' guests returning to their cars). He doesn't even run away at night. An open gate during the day and he is gone - places to go, people to see. On the two or three occasions he's had the opportunity to escape at night, he just trots out to the driveway and comes straight back inside when asked. It's interesting. I've no idea how he'd actually react to an unwanted person though.

I'm not a fan of the obvious or descriptive names - Fluffy, Blackie, etc. My favourites are people names that are uncommon on dogs. I'd like to use Thomas or Ludwig on a future dog.

How far west? I've had no troubles with both the Moggill Pet Motel and the Brookfield Pet Chalet. The Chalet's staff tend to be more personable, but the dog comes out of both of them happy as a clam.

The other front runners for James' name were Bruce and Barney. Then his breeder mentioned that two of his brothers were to be named, you guessed it, Bruce and Barney. Sort of nixed that idea. He comes from a very well-named litter though. Indiana was also up there for a while--after Mr Jones, of course--but given all the Indy's out there, I'm glad he's a James instead. As for the name itself, there was no particular reason other than the fact that it's a nice name. And it's fun to see people's reaction to a dog called James. People often seem to feel compelled to call him Sir James when they first meet him. It's very amusing. My great-grandfather was a James and my grandmother still seems a little bewildered by it. I also had to explain to my brother that I was using his middle name on the dog :laugh:

Hah, well reusable is very subjective. James' had to be repeatedly masking taped back together in the first couple of days until it eventually snapped beyond all repair :p Nonetheless, even as a one-use item, it ought not be completely written off until you've seen your dog's reaction.

James normally sleeps in my bedroom. He doesn't have his own bed in there, but rather alternates between sleeping on my bed (the majority of the time) and underneath it (if it's too warm for him). If he's not in my bedroom (usually if he's sounding nauseous, it's too hot or I've come home late and can't be bothered to move him) then he's outside the bedroom on tiles in his Bunning's compost pen with a bed of towels and/or blankets depending on the temperature.

That reminds me, James prefers throwing up on soft surfaces. Thankfully not my bed, but he will leave a tiled room to throw up on carpet. If he's stuck in a tiled area he will walk across the room (whilst retching) to specifically chunder on the doormat. He's lucky it's a quality that's bizarre and bemusing enough to actually be a little bit cute, because otherwise it would be seriously annoying. Corners as well. He prefers vomitting right in the corner of a room, up against the walls. That habit is just plain obnoxious. It's also impossible to show someone anything on a laptop. James will, without fail, climb on top or squeeze in between to see what everybody's looking at. But only when a second person enters the equation - he's not fussed if I'm simply using the computer by myself.

James often goes to stand by the laundry door (how he asks to go outside) and then runs to fetch a toy/initiate play the second I stand up. It drives me mad.

From day 1 - I simply established a "no bark rule" This. My dog has a very rarely used 'alert' bark, if you'd call it that, (typically used when he's found a big lizard or toad), but otherwise he was ignored and told 'enough' from Day 1. I want to know if/when he has found a reptile of any sort so he, even now as a 3 year old, gets praise heaped on him for an appropriate bark.

Mine will dive-bomb my head in the morning if I'm slow to wake up and is allowed to get a few face licks in in the process. He's not much for face-licking, otherwise. Occasionally I'll let him give a quick 'kiss' on the cheek, but he's not persistent. I find foot-licking infinitely more gross that face-licking and he will be quickly told off if he licks anyone's feet.