Chris the Rebel Wolf

Thanks all I run the birdroom at my local petshop, Cresties. So I have lots of kids come and go, and I try to take lots of photos so I can always remember them when I look back in the coming months and years.

What an interesting thread! I had heard of titre tests but never really understood their significance before. I wonder what the availability of titre testing is here in my city... will have to ask a few of the local vets I think.

I was advised by my vet not to bother with probiotics at the same time as antibiotics because they conflict basically - antibiotics make probiotic useless. They are more useful after an antibiotic treatment tio restore the healthy bacteria

Yeah, fair enough too, but I will be avidly waiting next year :D

Some things are just meant to be. I am very glad for this family that it worked out so well and that such a bond was formed

What a digesting act and a disgusting response from police. I'd make a complaint. Or call the papers. Or both. Poor guy, what a way to go... at least his owner still has the girl, and it wasn't a double heartbreak

What fantastic shots! And what a lucky lab... Zeke is not allowed to swim in my parent's pool with me!

Zeke has a trampoline bed, started out with hessian which was replaced with a shadecloth cover, good for summer for airflow and getting him off the ground in winter He has a pillow on it for softness which he quite likes. I just went and took these snaps of him modeling his bed :D

Thought I would share some of the recent photos I've been taking of my feathered kids at work They are just snapshots, but the subjects make up for the quality :D Here is Lani, a Lutino Red collar Lorikeet. Lani playing with her buddy Jazz, the Rainbow Lorikeet. Green Cheek Conures, Trouble and Trinity, after a hard day's play! Green Cheek Conure (Pineapple) called Copper, testing how snackable my finger is! Great big show off, Georgie the Sulfer-Crest cockatoo, showing off her flare on cue :D Olive, the olive Scaley Lorikeet, playing in her favourite tunnel! Lani, Jazz, Olive and Scaley Lorikeet, Jeebie. And lastly little Mo the Moustache Parrot!

Good to hear you have reported, did you keep a copy of what you wrote in the email as well? Did find this old news article which might be interesting for you to read: http://southern-courier.whereilive.com.au/local-info/story/dog-owners-off-the-leash/ But couldn't find much about leashes in Sydney. However the fact remains your pup was under your control the whole time, as well as on a lead. His dog was neither of these things.

WOW WnH, those are GREAT :D You should take photos of every event you are at and share them here, so I can drool over :D The loveliest horse I think is the bay mare, third from the bottom, first post. Amazing!

Good god. What a prick. I strongly encourage you to call the police not to the mention the council! Though it might be all talk, he encouraged his dog to attack you and in my book that is unforgivable. I would put it all in writing and lodge a complaint. Good on you for thinking of your phone and taking pictures, I probably wouldn't have thought of that in your situation, well done. Pull it out and tell him you are videoing the whole thing (even if you aren't) Bravo for protecting Roscoe! Like with freundhund's example, you need to show you were doing the right thing and were not in the wrong. What would happen if worst case scenario, you met this guy and his dog again? If he went as far to encourage Bruiser to come at you, what if you or Roscoe were hurt next time around?

Oh wow, was there amazing footage in that! Could watch that sort of thing all day. Oh, agility, how I love it :D

What a disgusting reason not to lay down a proper sentance after an equally disgusting act of cruelty.

I would consider it the fault of the dog who was not called back, especially if the owner of the dog has asked me to call my dog back. I think my feelings in such a situation would vary though; if the owner of the leashed dog had a dog who was really super reactive/aggressive, I would expect that owner to have taken the precaution of muzzling. I think dogs should be able to greet other dogs normally without getting bitten in that sort of environment but also, I respect owner wishes and if their dog wasn't that friendly and they say so and I proceed... my fault. However if my unleashed dog went to greet a on leash dog in friendly manner, no rushing and with good manners, and the owner said nothing, that would bug me. So to some extent I think it would depend on circumstance. I do not agree with the mentality I see in some offleash parks where the owners are all 'It's an offleash park and I'm not going to take any responsibility because it's an offleash park so my dog can run around like crazy and barge up to anybody offleash' I liked dancinbcss term of 'Free for alls' which is how I find some people think about offleash areas. Should be noted I don't use offleash parks very often, in part due to location and in part due to this sort of attitude that they are not always used by responsible owners. I think ringing with council and writing down what they tell you (and the name and date of who you spoke to) is a very wise precaution to take.

In no way shape or form does an irresponsible owner such as this woman deserve government handouts. If however the government were to launch a responsible pet ownership program, with school programs, that would have my support. As stated, she could have made a run, a tie out chain, or simply brought a bit of chicken wire to container her dog. The fact the dog was restricted in the first place (eg that is attacked/menaced people or other pets) is the first clue that responsibility has not been seen in this dog's life... and that the rap sheet has multiple offenses is a bit telling.

I haven't seen and heard of any tablets for ticks, no. Comfortis and Capstar are the two flea tablets I know well, and the price doesn't sound right for either of them...

I'm another comfortis fan, much more stable results than the spot on products. Keeps the fleas off my boy

I would certainly get in contact with breeders, but give them your timeframe. Info can still be traded and you can get a better idea of where to look in 2-3 years

Yet another moronic, irresponsible owner doing things all the wrong way, subjecting her kids to an traumatising ordeal, and basically not claiming any responsibility whatsoever. http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2011/11/08/281225_news.html POLICE were called to the RSPCA'S Bohle shelter yesterday after a woman locked herself and her five children inside a cage with their pet dog that was about to be euthanised. Helene Douma, 25, and her children aged from nine to five months had been allowed to visit the shelter to spend time with their dog Shadow before she was put down by order of the Townsville City Council. Once inside the caged enclosure with Shadow at 9am, Ms Douma used a padlock she had hidden in her clothing to lock a chain around the gate. Police were called and at 10.50am they arrived with bolt cutters to cut the chain. The bolt cutters were not needed and 20 minutes after police arrived Ms Douma, of her own volition, led her children out of the cage after officers warned her that if they had to cut the chain she would be arrested and her children would be placed in care. When Ms Douma emerged more than two hours after locking herself in, she and her three eldest children formed a circle and hugged and cried in the shelter's carpark for several minutes before being asked by police to leave the area. The Townsville Bulletin was stopped by the Townsville City Council from speaking to Ms Douma while she was in the cage with her children at the rear of the RSPCA property. But, when she came out she said Shadow was innocent of any wrongdoing. She said the dog was a victim of malicious complaints and that Townsville City Council had erred badly in judgement and in stealing a harmless dog from its family and sentencing it to death. Ms Douma said Shadow ``would never hurt anyone''. Ms Douma's mother and father arrived at the shelter to support their daughter. Her father John Douma said Shadow was a 14-year-old bitch and that she had never hurt anyone. He said the council was using legislation in the Health and Safety Act to harass his daughter and her family. ``They use this act to bludgeon people, to make them comply,'' he said. ``This old bitch is missing most of her teeth. She wouldn't hurt a fly.'' Townsville City Council disagrees and has a rap sheet on Shadow that includes complaints about ``wandering and aggressive dogs'' and of an attack on a neighbouring dog. Council's Director of Community and Environment Gavin Lyons said what it came down to was Ms Douma's refusal to build a suitable enclosure to contain the animal which was listed as a ``regulated dog''. ``The dog was involved in a serious attack on other dogs last year and despite numerous requests over the past 15 months, Ms Douma has refused to put up a proper enclosure,'' Mr Lyons said. ``Following last year's attack the dog was declared a regulated dog under State legislation. This means the owner has to keep the dog within an enclosure 1.8 metres high and at least 10 square metres in area.'' Mr Lyons said council only impounded the dog and issued the destruction order as a last resort. He said it had given Ms Douma every opportunity to meet the conditions that would have allowed her to keep the dog. Mr Lyons said that as late as last Friday when Ms Douma discontinued an appeal to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal to have the council order overturned, council was prepared to stop the action if she put up the fence. ``Council provided Ms Douma with a chance to see the dog this morning. It was unfortunate she chose to take the action she did,'' Mr Lyons said. Ms Douma's friend Fiona Wilkinson said Shadow ``hardly had any teeth''. ``This dog is not a menace. That's why we are here,'' she said. Ms Douma said she wanted to spend time with her dog, but left when told she would be arrested and her children put into care.

I hope they catch the bastards that did this and put them in prison. Little hope of it, of course, but it should.

I would imagine that a breeder who was breeding for the dollar value and not the health check, would simply charge as much as 'the going rate' was in order to maximize profit?

Ain't he the goofiest? Meg I am curious... do humans get a go in your spa or is universally known as The Dane Spa in your household? ;D Beth, your Lottie is a stunning Aussie! Even wet she looks like she has a beautiful coat What makes me and Zeke sad is my parents recently got a new pool, and I go over to swim in it all the time. But dad won't let Zeke in! Says dog hair ruins the filter, so the poor boy stands on the other side of the fence, watching me swim with the most heartbreaking look...

What a brilliantly written article, I really empathised with that. Gives me some good tips and advise as well for my older boy who is simply not up to rambunctious two-hour play sessions anymore and will let other dogs know if they persist on pestering. "Since Lab puppies often resemble a cannonball crossed with a Sumo wrestler on drugs and consequently like heavy duty physical contact (preferably in mid-air, at great speed)" Think I may share on FB

Still eagerly reading everybody's advice, many thanks again for all these very helpful and insightful replies! This jumped out at me though... Excuse me while I take a second to... The though fo a dog nearly twice as heavy as me... phew! Another excellent suggestion too, thankyou Darjoce!