Little Gifts

Some dogs just deserve a chance and surprise everyone. RIP Maggot.

There is an old book called something like "Good owner, Great dog" which I borrowed from my local library and found informative about problem behaviours. Don't think it is still in print so would have to be sourced second hand.

Ams will probably come on here too. She is based in QLD (near Ipswich) and runs Peiradise - Shar Pei Rescue QLD. I foster for her and she has some beautiful dogs. The breed is not for first time dog owners though. Peiradise also holds 'Peinics' with the next taking place in October. It is at a leash free dog park on the north side of Brisbane and we have had up to 37 pei there in one go so it's magical if you love the breed and want lots of kisses and cuddles!

Rest easy now old fella. Know that there were many who cared for you and about you along the way and even more that hoped for a better outcome. Hugs and understanding to everyone personally involved with this boy. Some decisions are harder than others.

Oh Rach you are hilarious! We have to add party planner to your cv!

I have an sbt who loves dressing up - the only dog I've ever owned who has shown any interest in this kind of thing. It started with my old sbt who needed to wear fleecies in winter due to a thinner coat. The younger girl wanted one too - scratching at the coats and nudging them. At xmas I put ribbons around their necks and draped something festive on the younger girl. She wanted more so she got her first Christmas Fairy Frock and it all went from there! She gets this look of total contentment when she is wearing something whether it be for warmth in winter or silliness at anytime of the year. Her helicopter tail starts the minute the dress goes on. She doesn't like anything on her head though. I'll admit she looks like a trucker in drag in her frocks but I certainly wouldn't make her wear anything she wasn't happy with (last year's xmas dress had the thumbs down so came off) and dress ups would not have happened without interest from her in the first place. I was at the Ekka on Thursday and had to stop myself from buying a kids bumble bee dress that would've looked spectacular on her. I have an amazing Christmas tree dress for her this festive season that I know she is going to look great in!

I witnessed the FB attack on Ams and this was the crux of the argument from people who were horrified that a physically healthy dog wsa going to be pts for fear and anxiety behaviours. They were all 'give it another chance'. They didn't care what work had been done with it to date. They didn't care that the dog was an accident waiting to happen to itself. Nope they wanted the elusive 'somebody' to come along and perform a miracle with the dog. Of course they weren't offering themselves or money or even pursuable options. They just assumed that amazing 'somebody' would appear like magic and everyone could breathe a huge sigh of relief for that one dog. This is not the reality of rescue. Sure some dogs with personality quirks and health issues are successfully rehomed but there has to be a bottom line so these dogs experience happiness and safety on a day in, day out basis.

What a terribly tragic incident. Unfortunately I note the media states they were pit bulls while the pplice spokesman refers to them as pit bull-type dog. It will be interesting to see what breed they really are.

Dogs are colour blind aren't they? Maybe they think rugs and carpet are the texture closest to grass they can find indoors? Even though I have lots of concrete outside no dog has ever vommed on anything but grass out there that I know of so maybe they really do know about splashback!

What an beautiful man! That must be one very special bond the two have.

My old SBT (now passed) would do gagging contorsions that would make a Chinese acrobat proud but rarely produced anything (she hated to vom just like her mum!). But my youngest SBT just makes a 'kack' sound and there you have it! Doesn't give much time to take precautionary measures! Yes I learnt the hard way that pale blue carpet and dogs was a dumb idea!

I'm all teary!

I've used the same vet surgery since 1988! Dr Renate Atkins at Beenleigh Veterinary Hospital. She is not for everyone though - she is german and very forthright but I love her because she also does homeopathic stuff and thinks outside the square on tough cases. She once translated a special recipe for my dog from german into english! Our shar pei foster kids use Dr Susan Dawson at Kedron Anvet and I think she is wonderful too.

What a beautiful story and how wonderful that family decided to get a dog for their disabled children!

About 5 years ago my SBT boy was pts for $0 by my lovely vet. They were very fond of him and the next day they even sent flowers and a card signed by all the staff. Mid last year I old my old SBT pts and it cost $100 (same vet but I guess times are tougher!). They also kept the vet open for me so no other clients would be there. On both occassions they wrapped the dogs in their favourite blankies for me and then wrapped them in calico and sealed plastic bags so I could take them home to be buried.

Sleeping is also an olympic sport in our house. We have dog beds in several rooms plus our dogs are allowed on our beds and lounge furniture so they just sprawl wherever we are. Even foster dogs who come here get hit with the slug stick!

I had my girl eat a lot of medication when she was a naughty teen. She has the gut of a tip goat so she survived without any probs. I'll be thinking of you and your doggies hoping for the same outcome.

So sorry Nekhbet. To lose three dogs in 12 months is more than a person whould have to bear. Run free beautiful boy.

Can't help with buying probs sorry as I already have gazillions of coats. inc raincoat type ones so I wasn't planning on buying - just enabling!

I have often wondered if puppy farmers originally started out as BYB and realised how little work they had to do to make a lot of money? Get some FTGH dogs and they do all the work for you! Call me cynical but even cattle, sheep and diary farmers know that healthy and well bred livestock will make them more money. They also drench and take other preventative measures to ensure their stock stays healthy and monitor their environment and food supply to ensure their wellbeing. So why are puppy 'farmers' allowed to neglect companion animals so dreadfully? How many need to die or be euthanised after being saved before enough is enough in this country? It is simply not appropriate to breed companion animals using a bulk breeding or farming approach. How many puppy farms can anyone name that operate appropriately to the animals they are breeding? As for breeders making it hard to buy a dog I have absolutely no issue with that. It might make people realise how special owning a live animal is and how it will change their lives. I filled out a very long application (offering referees) and had a home check before being even able to foster a dog. The reason this kind of scrutiny is now demanded by breeders or rescue groups that actually care about what happens to their precious dogs is that there are so many people out there now who either don't have a clue about how to meet a companion animals needs or simply don't care. That doesn't mean they wouldn't call themselves an animal lover either! And if anyone doesn't understand why some people are so passionate about this problem then I suggest they contact one of the DOL members who do the pound lists and see if they can go around their local pound with one of the volunteer assessors. Look at the number of beautiful dogs with pleading eyes facing death and tell me this issue does not exist or does not need to be acted on immediately.

A beautiful tribute for a beautiful girl who will be sadly missed. Run free sweet girl. XXX

Just bumping this to remind anyone interested in coming along that it is happening tomorrow!

I nearly had a total falling out with my best friend of over 20 years when she bought a 'shiatsu' (she didn't even know the correct breed name when she got it) from a back yard breeder. She got this particular dog after finding an escaped dog of the same breed and deciding it was so cute she had to have one herself. I was livid that she had not listened to all the stuff I'd gone on about over the years about backyard breeding and puppy farms and giving rescue dogs a chance. She paid the same for her 'shiatsu' from a backyard source as she would've done from a registered breeder and brought that tiny thing home at only 6 weeks of age. She also went to a pet shop that sells puppies and spent $700 on accessories for her new pet. Her dog is now almost 3 and it wasn't till she watched the RSPCA show the other night that she put it all together and rang me and apologised. She is now educated. I have asked her to now pass on what she knows and feels to someone else in her circle. I actually don't care if good breeders or rescue groups make it hard for people to obtain a pet. Those that are committed to a particular animal will go the distance and that pet's life will be better for it as the match will be an informed and dearly wanted one, not just on a whim.

No Poodle prices up but cav puppies were $850 to $900. I'm going to look at huskies now as they are common in pet shops (and rescue!) up here. Couldn't find any puppy husky prices. I remember seeing an older shar pei puppy in a pet shop for sale for $785 and being told by the shop owner that she could tell it was pure bred by the black tongue. The dog was terrified. Now I actually know more about shar pei I know that dog was a cross with something much larger and it has probably ended up in rescue for being unmanageable as it would've not have gone to the right kind of home. Oh and there is a 14 month old pure bred pei being sold on DOL for $450 so some idiot paid $785 for a bitsa. When I was a kid the only way you could get rid of a bitsa was to give it away! People are being ripped off and dogs are suffering and dying. The only winners are pet shop owners and the so called 'breeders'. Maybe there should be some kind of legal cooling off period for live animal purchases (like with door to door sales people) so that people go home and do their homework to make sure they got a healthy dog and can meet its needs? I accept this would be hard on any puppies returned BUT if pet shop owners had to accept returns and provide refunds perhaps they would be more careful in sourcing healthier puppies to sell, selling them as the true breed they are (ie obtaining more history on the animal) and be more focussed on selling to the right homes? Surely if they want to be in the business of selling live animals they have to take some responsibility in the process? Even when you buy fish you will get asked which size and type of tank you already own so you don't go trying to put a large warm water fish in a small tank without heating.But all pet shops seem to be concerned about with puppies is if you need a collar and leash, bed, coat, food, etc. Where is their duty of care to the animals and customers? This issue is totally bugging me today after the show last night. Whatever consumer education is out there is not working.

I'm going to go into the sale area and have a look! :D