Roova

I agree, go the Border Terrier! They're built for running, are 'gorgeous' looking scruffers and apparently have less of a terrier nature than most. They do require coat stripping I think twice a year but I believe some pet owners clip instead. Here's a clip showing how clever they can be: And one showing a bit of their running capacity: It doesn't really start until 1.10 if you want to skip forward. :D

If someone asks me if I have children I might say no, but I do have fur babies. In reality of course I know they're just my dog and cat :D

Just wanted to say Im sorry to hear that I hope it's something they can remove if it is painful for him, good luck on Monday.

. She's on a mission when she grabs it. Mine! :laugh:

Great photos and what beautiful girls they are!

Hmmmm, I hope you don't ever fall in love with French Bulldogs if that's the case! They're now creeping up to $3500+ plus through registered breeders - limited register either desexed or with contracts to be desexed. There are some ridiculous prices being asked for non standard colours through non registered breeders as well. There's a couple of non-registered breeders who constantly have litters who are asking $10,000+ for blue's, merles and other colours. (From what I've seen health testing is done on 'some' of their breeding dogs). Im on an Frenchie facebook page and the other day someone posted a link to Gumtree where someone had a three line add for their entire female Frenchie, asking $6500. She sold quite quickly Sorry to go off topic...

I can't help but think its sending a message that its ok to charge big dollars based on cuteness and not another reason like well trained, lovely nature, well socialised, good with dogs, kids, other animals etc. How is it any different to someone on gumtree selling based on cuteness only (where even they don't give a list of bad behaviour too)? If they want four figures could they at least give some decent reasons why so those caught up in the 'cute' learn there's more to want than looks I also wonder what type of carer would encourage the behaviour mentioned in the ad? I thought they worked with their charges to ensure they were setting them up for a future of not being returned to the pound for naughtiness that wears thin or resource guarding etc?

The grain is meant to be digested from VAN, that's why it's crushed and you pre soak it to start the fermentation process. The idea is that it replicates the dog eating the partly digested stomach contents of an animal it caught. Here's some extra info on the why's :) Grains in VAN...

I read this and think some sick person is working himself up to wanting to hurt humans next. RIP poor innocent souls lost

Wow! You've got an especially steady hand then. I guess there's no panning with a tripod which would make capturing a bird in flight a bit difficult :D I've often wondered if a monopod would be handy, even just to help with weight bearing at times?

Lovely photos everyone. The bird shots are especially great... can I ask Tdierikx, do you photograph hand held only or in combination with a tripod?

Simple to read with some good advice at the bottom too.

Absolutely love that photo! Being able to relax when chooks and dogs are out together is such a relief. My Frenchie Maggie and one of my ducks used to hang out together, very cute to see :D

I too didn't presume you were an idiot, but when someone says they're new to a situation its hard to tell how much information to impart. In your OP you said ...it didn't seem like a temporary situation worded that way which is why I said it was going to end up being too small. Unless you've kept chooks before you may not be aware how much room they need? I think its good that most people on this forum are on the animals side when it comes to care, they can't care for themselves so we have to have their backs :D I too hope you can work it out. Keeping chickens is heaps of fun and watching them scratch around in the back yard is a huuuge time waster. :laugh:

I have to agree. I personally wouldn't keep one adult chook in there (unless it was overnight only), let alone six. You could probably get away with it while they're small but at some point they'll just be too big and cramped and with stress you might see behavioural problems like feather plucking or egg eating. To keep things cheap and temporary, garden sheds make great hen houses as you can generally fit perches high up one end and nest boxes and food out of the weather up the other end. Theres room for them to hang in bad weather too. Star pickets and chicken wire running around the outside create an outdoor area, although not pest / fox proof. Chooks are very mobile animals so the bigger their outdoor pen the happier they'll be. It's in their nature to scratch, eat greenery, ruffle their feathers in dirt, flap up onto things, and explore their surroundings with their chooky buddies. :)

Hopefully you have better luck than I did when I first introduced chooks. I had a gentle Bullmastiff who was also obsessed with staring at them. She was on lead or inside when the chooks had free range time but I came home one day to find she'd forced her way in the pen and killed every single one. I was absolutely devastated It's very difficult to work with your dog once they've taken that final step to kill so hopefully you can work with your girl. Once they're more adult sized they may be less like a squeaky toy but that's going to be 12+ weeks away. Good luck.

Poor Feather (and you). That sounds pretty terrifying! I hope she'll be ok, definitely sending healing vibes your way.

What a lovely happy ending. He's very lucky boy for having you take care of him like you have.

Ohhhh lucky you! I hope you have lots of fun with it. Feel free to share any photos :D

I have one and love it! The dual card slot is amazing and I also love the movie capabilities. There's heaps of youtube information and help videos which i found very useful. I just wish I could afford one really decent lens but I'm pretty happy with my average lenses on it so far.

I saw this come up on my facebook feed and hope it comes to Australia at some point, looks interesting! I think if the least thing is does is cause people to think about what they feed their pet, its a good thing. Link to article Pet Business World journalists have watched a preview copy of the Channel 5 documentary, The Truth About Your Pet Food, which is to be aired at 9pm next Thursday, January 30. The documentary delves into the history of dog food, then looks at the different methods of feeding dogs and the various approaches to how best to feed them, from home-cooked diets to vegetarian and vegan, naturally-prepared and commercially-prepared diets, to what the programme describes as the ‘most controversial’, the raw or BARF diet. The programme makes some provocative statements, stating very early on: “War is breaking out over what we feed our dogs”, and going on to question whether the welfare of dogs is ‘playing second fiddle to big business’. It is fairly obvious from its title that the guns are aimed at commercially-prepared dog food, and the programme’s executive producer, Mark Adderley, has interviewed a number of people for their opinions including Henrietta Morrison, of Lily’s Kitchen; holistic vet Richard Allport; Vicki Marshall, co-founder of Honey’s Real Dog Food; and Piers Smart of retailer Scampers in Cambridgeshire. Henrietta, for example, tells the programme maker: “A very cheap dog food is cheap for a reason. It’s not because the company has decided out of the goodness of their heart to make a cheap pet food; it’s because the ingredients in it are extremely cheap ingredients.” Jonathan Self, author and co-founder of Honey’s Real Dog Food, states: “Manufacturers are aided enormously by the legislation – the legislators aren’t really concerned about what goes into it, as long as it doesn’t kill the dog. That’s actually what the legislation says, as long as it doesn’t damage the dog over a period of three to six months, it’s absolutely fine to put it in.” Michael Bellingham, chief executive of the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) unsurprisingly stands in the corner of the dog food makers and says: “The idea that manufacturers are making a product that is not absolutely safe is clearly nonsense.” The programme then goes on to question whether commercial dog food is a major cause of the obesity crisis in dogs, and spends a considerable amount of time looking at pet food labelling and the ingredients within some dog food brands, including colourants and preservatives. Vets also come under scrutiny for the nutritional training they receive. In its publicity material, Channel 5 asks: “How much of what we put into our pooch’s food is actually good for them? What if through the attention we put into our canine’s culinary delights we are actually making some massive mistakes?” The documentary, it says, ‘is both a profile, and a user’s guide; steering dog loving viewers through the many varied worlds and opinions around feeding our beloved pooch’. Commissioning editor Guy Davies asks: “We’re mad about dogs in the UK. Now we’re revealing some home truths about the dog food industry, and some more radical approaches from owners. Do we really know what we’re feeding our prized pets?” From its provocative title to the controversial statements made about BARF, the programme looks set to stir a hornet’s nest, causing dog owners to think long and hard about what they feed their pets.

Maggie stares at me if she wants to go to the toilet or play. I just have to be careful to pick the right one :laugh:

Gorgeous photos, what a lucky girl she is to have you as her owner!

What a cool cat!

The only thing I would add because I remember reading it on here, is dont lift puppy over the top of a playpen or they'll realise quicker that's the way to get out. Open up one side and bring them out that way. Good luck with your new puppy! :D