Little Gifts

Stuffed toy addict in this house! She destroys them so I just buy them from an op shop now - she gets one a month. Her other love is fleecy toys. Despite her love for them fleecy pom poms last maybe 5 mins. The plaited ones with balls last several months, although the balls are quickly killed off in the first couple of days. She plays with the fleecies daily. I've bought fleecy offcuts so I can make some myself and obviously save some money. I also spent a fortune on kongs - she likes the ones with dangly bits but the plain rubber ones you put food into she has no interest in at all. None of my other dogs could give a toss about toys but with the destroyer - I let her destroy only those items I specifically give her and remove the debris after a play. It saves her eating all my pillows and doonas (as she also did before the toy a month idea).

Hello! Look at my name! Of course I have a weakness for puppies! Some people think skin babies smell wonderful and I think the same of fur babies! Heaven for me would be my own puppy day care centre where we all lay on a big bed having cuddles and kisses followed by naps!

My ADHD girl has slotted into my lifestyle. I think she just wants to be with me so curbs her energy when I'm in a sloth mood. I used to have this huge cat and not only did we used to carry him to his bed every night but every morning we would go out and gently rub him till he woke up, softly calling his name "Alby, Alby, time for brekkie Alby" He would take quite a while to wake properly before doing a big stretch and indicating he was ready to be carried to the kitchen. He wasn't a lazy cat either - every afternoon he went down the beach fishing with my partner and he had regular play dates with his siblings. He also spent a lot of time going for trips in the car. But when it came to sleeping he took it very seriously.

Roishana if you go with the steps idea keep in mind that a dog with some mobility problems might be unable to manage compact steps. I only say this because I bought some stairs off Deals Direct for my old staffy girl so she can get on the bed by herself during the night. She seems to find the steps too close together to be able to use them properly. The ones in my house are obviously wider and she kind of launches herself up them but the steps next to the bed seem too confined and clumsy for her and she gets on the first one but can't get onto the second. If you are going to spend the money on a ramp I'd suggest seeing if she could try one in the store before committing to it - I can't see my girl using a ramp at all. Another suggestion is to get a handyman to make some steps for your mum based on some other stairs at home that you know the dog can use. They shouldn't be too expensive to get made.

If you think a shovel is going to kill a toad then think again! You could drop a boulder on one, see its insides come out of its mouth and then later, while you're not looking it will suck those insides back in and hop off! They are very hard to bash to death. Even driving over one with your car is no guarantee. And I am not condoning this, but there are people who hook shot them over the neighbours fences with their golf clubs, but that just means they'll end up back in your yard at some stage.

The Buddhist in me turns feral whenever I hear the word 'toad'. Yes they are one of the earth's creatures but I just can't stand them! They are so destructive! In summer I always keep huge bowls of water and face clothes near the back door. If one of the dogs gets spit I immediately use the cloth and water to wipe the poison from their mouths. I found this much quicker than a hose because the poison is slimy and sticks to the tongue. I have had to do a vet visit only once. As for toad disposal I put a plastic bag in each hand and go around in the dark with the torch (dogs inside of course). I use the plastic bag on one hand to pick up the toads and I put it straight into the other bag. This is so they can't spit on me while I'm chasing them. After doing the rounds of the yard I then tie the hand bag inside the toad bag and hang it on the clothes line overnight. Next day the whole lot goes in the bin and usually the poison inside the bag has killed the toads. Yes I know it is awful but my hate of toads is so deep that I refuse to put them in my freezer! If you have ponds or dams there is also a need to catch them in the tadpole stage. Fingers crossed my memory is correct here but toads lay eggs in long strings whereas frogs lay them in like lumps of froth. If you put a toad tadpole into a white cup or bowl you will also notice its body is all round, Frogs are indented - they have a waist. Toad tadpoles will kill the frog tadpoles. With little toads it is sometimes hard to tell if they are frogs or not as there is a brown frog very similar that just never gets very big. I must admit to erring on the side of caution and leaving those just in case but generally a frog will look wetter and less gnarly than a toad. Toad spit is also dangerous for children and don't go catching them and rub near your eyes - not good either. Oh and after it has rained don't try and run over what you think may be toads on the road as they can often be huge green frogs and we want to keep those! Having said all that I do know numerous dogs who have been poisoned by toads but none that have died or who have had long term health issues.

I know it might seem silly to some but I think that is fantastic news! Tango has overcome a major fear with your persistence, patience and love! Toasty Tango!

Sadly all my dogs over the years have had ridiculous nicknames and theme songs. Usually the theme songs also need to be sung in a silly foreign or operatic accent. I have no idea why. The dogs all just look at me when I sing to them like "wtf?" My heart girl Stussy does have her own collection of silly songs (like the infamous Stussy Poo Head song sung to the tune of My Darling Clementine) but sometimes when we are sitting quietly together I sing that Beach Boys song to her "God only knows what I'd be without you" because that's how I feel about her. She came into my life at a very important time and always seems to know when I need her close by to keep me grounded. I wonder what goes through their heads when we sing nonsense to them?

Yep I was going to suggest Amelie too.

Yep, they look the same as the Kmart ones that are $12 - I have 2 staffies squished onto one beside my computer right now. Covers are washable and this one has last several months without being chewed on so I'm happy!

Trishm my staffy girl has had pancreatitis since 2000. She has just turned 16. Ever since her diagnosis I have fed her a strict diet of the Hills Prescription w/d. She gets 1 cup dry in the morning and 1 cup dry and half a tin of wet in the evening. For snacks she gets bits of toast (with nothing on it), raw carrot and vegetarian pigs ears. Absolutely no other scraps but sometimes I give her leftover plain rice, pasta or steamed vegies. She has done really, really well on this diet. She drinks a massive amount of water but has not become diabetic. Her poos are HUGE. I don't know how they don't hurt coming out! My vet is very much into homeopathic stuff so in the early days if ever she has a tummy upset I keep nux vomica bolles on hand for her. My vet also found a homemade diet for pancreatitis as I was keen on doing it myself but it contained about 20 ingredients and it was too much for me and she settled so well on the Hills that I just stayed with that. I know my vet sourced the diet from a colleague OS and unfortunately I no longer have a copy of it or I'd give it to you. Given the Internet is more popular than when she got the diet for me you might be lucky and find something online.

Thanks Jaxx's Buddy!

I'd still appreciate some advice on a good dry food as that is an ongoing struggle in our household. One has a special diet but the others get mainly raw, rice and vegies. We have tried different types of biscuits but it is a pain when they decide they don't like it and you have a 10kg bag of the stuff and it cost you a fortune. There is a Pal brand for small breeds (even though they are not small) that they gobble up so when they are being fussy we just buy that, but I'm really not happy with it because I don't think it's any more nutritious than the sugary cereal kids love - hence the need for suggestions based on nutrient value if anyone has any? Dobesrock I will check out the Black Hawk.

Again I repeat that pancreatitis is about one of the most painful things a human or dog can go through so if you love your dog please get some proper advice about her diet. Having attacks on and off will just lead to other health issues when you could be managing the situation now. You can't feed her red meat here and there if it causes her attacks. Would you do that to yourself if it made you sick? Of course you wouldn't. So that means NO BONES from red meat. And roo meat looks awfully red to me when it is raw and it is a dark meat when cooked so I'd be avoiding it too (unless the vet advises otherwise). There are other options to spoil your dog. I mentioned the vegeatarian pigs ears - all our dogs love them just as much as the real thing. The vegie biscuits - the other dogs want them and raid her container so they can't taste too bad. And dogs love raw carrot - that is my girls treat food - sweet and wet and chewy. She stopped begging at the table for scraps a long time ago. She is not missing out on anything. If you don't sort out your girl's diet you will reduce her life expectancy and it will cost you more in vet bills than if you made some changes now. The other thing I just thought of is if your girl starts limping it may not be joint pain but abdominal pain. Next time it happens have a feel around her belly to see if it is linked - it could be radiating pain causing her to limp.

I read it all and it makes great sense, but what I still need is some advice on what to choose! What should I be looking for in a dry? I think wet food is pretty simple - take it back to the original products, but dry? What to avoid? What to aim for? Brand suggestions? I don't think I am ready to make my own dog food biscuits in bulk.....I still need some convenience.

That is bizarre! And Luki looks so big!!!!!

Sllebasi you really should be talking with your vet about this. My staffy girl got pancreatitis back in 2000 and after it settled went back on her normal diet but then she got it again and now has it for life. She has been on a very strict diet ever since only eating wet and dry Hills Science W/D (plus some other vegies). Pancreatitis is incredibly painful and my understanding was that any meat would trigger it in my dog - hence her diet being basically that of a vegetarian now. And she doesn't miss what the others get. She has her own special treat food - even vegetarian pigs ears! So you need to talk to your vet about your dog otherwise your dog will get sick again and even die. My girl just celebrated her 16th birthday and I would not have her now had I ignored her dietary needs.

One of my staffies got in and ate several kilos of Hills Science W/D dry, which is the diet one of the others is on. It is full of fibre so he paid for it when it was all coming out the other end! And that dog never vomited in his life that I know of, but his mother - she will walk around making these massive heaving noises, with her stomach contracting in and out, then take a deep breath and stop. No vomit. All very dramatic for nothing. And then my other one just makes this one little "cack" noise and there it is, usually on the carpet! I'm not fond of vomiting myself so like that my dogs consider my needs!

The only dog I have ever chosen for myself was back when I was a teenager and my dad got me an old english sheepdog from a breeder. But since then all the dogs who have come to live with me have all been in need - homeless, getting sent to the pound, getting put to sleep, pregnant and no longer wanted. I figured they were all meant to come into my life so I've given them a forever home and learnt about them and their individual needs as I went along. I do have a weakness for white/pied staffies these days but would never reject any dog.

Thank you for giving her some hope and a more loving transition over the bridge. She had such a trusting face and you didn't let her down.

Ricky thanks you for all her birthday wishes. Today she went with the other dogs for a hydrobath, then to the park for a big walk, then home to have a lovely long nap with the heater on. She's a bit wonky on the back legs tonight from the longer than usual walk but she's smiling and smells very pretty! I suspect the spoiling will be going on for a few more days.

Ricky was the first staffy I ever took on. She has been with me 15 years and had ups and downs health wise so I am so excited that she has made it to 16! Happy Birthday Miss Rick! :D Have a great day old girl!

"so how come they allow puppy farm dogs to stand in their own filth, day in day out , amongst other things?" This is also what I can't get my head around RSG. Why does it have to get desperate before they move in and assist or remove? If normal households have minimum standards to meet then why don't puppy farmers facilities? Maybe the secretive nature of them means they can get away with a bit more for a bit longer before the RSPCA can get enough evidence to do something? Maybe they know how to play the system? It's an aspect of this I just don't understand.

A close friend encouraged me to take in a homeless staffy pup by simply bringing it over to my house one Friday night after work. Of course I kept her. Every day at work I would do a show and tell of what she had eaten/destroyed the day before. I'd often get emails with links to contests like "Australia's Naughtiest Dog". Despite the fact that I no longer own any furniture without tooth or toenail marks I love her to pieces and have never regretted keeping her but almost 3 years later my friend is still apologising to me for bringing her into my life in the first place!

I have two comments to make. Firstly I simply don't understand how the conditions these animals are kept in isn't illegal. If an abbatoir or a kennel was keeping animals in filth they would be breaching some kind of by laws and be breached for it. So while puppy farming may be legal the conditions they are keeping animals in must also come under some kind of regulation? Really can't work that one out. And when we talk puppy farming we refer to how the bitches and pups are kept but what about the male dogs? I assume they would also be forced to breed regularly and probably are in the same filthy accom as the other dogs? Or maybe they extract their sperm and inseminate the bitches? Either way when it is done so frequently I doubt they are worried about the dogs health or safety? The males would have to be even more disposable than the bitches and pups wouldn't they? You just never much about their suffering.