Her Majesty Dogmad

See that's where you are wrong.. look at this thread.. people WANT to rescue dogs, but when rescue groups get their hands on them first it makes it hard. For example, there was a Cavalier in a pound for a week, it would have cost me $150 to get him out. I posted a thread asking for some help getting him to me, and within hours of posting, his ad was pulled from the site. I bet a rescue group saw my thread and jumped on him and I wouldn't be surprised if he is now sold on for more like $300 being a pure bred. So now you are proposing that rescue groups rescue to make a profit? I don't think so. If you read my post, I rescued 2 dogs from the pound and spent $750 and $1000 on each of them. This did include the standard things such as desexing, vaccinating, microchipping, heartworm testing etc which must all be done if you are going to rescue responsibly. Out of every 50 or so dogs in the pound, perhaps 1 or 2 are already desexed - that's a major BONUS. Oh but hang on, almost all of them need a dental. See where I'm coming from? Most rescues simply cover the normal vet's charges of the basic essentials, no way do we cover the on the top costs. Most rescues are in the red, not the black. Most rescues do not charge extra for a purebred but if they did - good luck to them. Some pounds are irresponsible because they let dogs go undesexed. Sure, YOU could be a great owner that will get the dog desexed and perhaps the dental it may need. If you choose not to get it desexed, you won't let it roam or mate with another dog when it comes into season. But, if you are a backyard breeder or opportunistic, you'll think "Wow, I can make some money from breeding this Oodle with this other undesexed dog - great!".

Good examples K9Angel. What many people here may not understand is that when you rescue a dog such as you've described, you may have huge vet bills but there's no way you recoup them. I had two in a row last Christmas, $700 and $1000 in vet's bills. Rehomed them for $150 each as they were old dogs. Both had come from horrific backgrounds, I'm not about to let them go to an unsuitable home where history could repeat itself. On Saturday I drove a long way to do a homecheck, paid tolls, expended petrol, time and effort. None of this money is reimbursed. You can't claim it on tax (much to people's amazement). This is continual expenditure going in one direction. I'm not a millionaire and most rescuers struggle with finances constantly. There's not enough volunteers, I wonder why? Most people would not be prepared to do what I do for nothing, no reimbursement etc. Why do I do it? The only reason I do it (other people may have different ones) is for the benefit of the dogs, and that should be the reason. Before you denounce everyone that works in rescue, try walking a mile in our shoes, I'm not sure you'd get far. And it gives me no pleasure at all when I have to turn a home down, only disappointment because my search and efforts must continue and while I focus on one of the dogs I've rescued and house them, other dogs die.

Beautiful pictures, love the coats pic and seeing how lovely the girls are together!

Fish is good for allergic dogs sometimes as it has fish oil in but it's also tasty. I use it mixed in with the All Natural dried food I buy from www.pricelesspets.com.au. Seems to produce nice poops!

There is a new anti-nausea tablet available from the vets, I cannot recall the name of it. My friend fostered then adopted his foster dog but had trouble coping with the vomiting every time they went in the car. He bought this tablet (can't remember if vets had to order it in) and has adjusted the dose slightly to the lowest point. The tabs are quite expensive but it certainly works. The only thing he's found is that his dog doesn't usually eat his dinner on the same day of taking the tab.

So if someone has owned a dog that has died of old age or wants a second dog you will be checking the yard for small fences, fertiliser, plants, and commenting on the neighbourhood? If I went to a rescue organisation for the type of dog I wanted to rehome and said age, temperment, etc I was looking for and I was told sorry not til we check and make sure you arent lying about your fences and anything else we ask you - no we dont accept photos of said fences- and want to make sure you havent left snailbait or whatever around etc Id move on elsewhere that did understand I had owned a dog already in the same place and knew what I was looking for to suit. And then if someone said sorry that yappy dog out the back fence might upset the new dog and teach it bad habits or people walking along the fence may be a problem, etc youd be left wonderign does this organisation truly want to rehome dogs. Lucky I don't have the blunt attitude to my voluntary role that you are portraying here. You do need to be diplomatic and pleasant or you won't get the job done. People have come back to me on a repeat basis for other dogs after their dogs have died. But if I don't know you, then I don't. Simple as that. Yesterday's yard check was for a first time dog owner, perhaps I shouldn't have looked so closely, after all, if the dog I place there dies of poisoning there are plenty more aren't there? Perhaps next applicant I meet, I'll keep my rose tinted glasses on and go "She'll be right mate", just tell me which dog you want, you seem nice so you can have one. Do you think that everyone is honest in this world? I've learned that they aren't and that they will lie to get what they want. Even my former boss, wanted a labrador, swore blue in the face that he'd walk the dog twice a day. He didn't walk it at all, dog became destructive so he rescued another companion (not from me), double trouble so he got rid of them. I also don't believe in discrimination, everyone goes through the same process or it just wouldn't be fair, would it? PS I have had a full Police Check as I also volunteered in a nursing home for 6 yrs, taking my dogs in on a fortnightly basis.

I have to say I disagree with this. It depends on the individual situation. Both my OH and I work full time and bought 2 puppies into our family. Both are happy, well adjusted dogs, never had a neighbour complaint, garden is still in tact, no behavioural problems. why? because we spend quality time exercising/training our dogs and wen we arent here, they have plenty to occupy them (toys, kongs etc). I dont think a blanket statement like that is fair. Just my opinion, of course But it wasn't a "blanket statement" - I said CAN happen when you work full time not DOES or THAT"S WHAT HAPPENS. I got a 2 yr old foster dog and he was just fine. I don't take younger than that but even 2 yr olds can be a problem when you work fulltime. You also need to understand that I get many phone calls from people having problems with young dogs when they work full time. There are exceptions to every rule but I have found it certainly doesn't suit me - one young dog I had received 2 hours worth of exercise every day, I was worn out but she certainly wasn't and proceeded to destroy much of my yard and furniture was chewed etc. I didn't get rid of her but I rehomed her appropriately.

Homechecks are an extremely good idea. I did one yesterday. You can't see Wandering Jew from Google Earth, nor can you see tiny gaps in fences, portions of fencing that are only knee height, toxic chemicals & fertiliser standing right where the dog will be (as I did yesterday). Fertiliser is attractive to dogs - I know from firsthand experience of having 3 of my dogs requring stomach pumping after eating it in a friend's yard. My homechecks go much further than a look round the back yard, I discuss any concerns, potential issues such as dogs next door and so on. I used to be a typical dog owner, one dog for many years etc and a love of them. It wasn't until I started handling dogs at a shelter and fostering many dogs myself, reading about behaviour etc that I got to where I am now. In a position to offer advice and assistance - it isn't about being high and mighty and difficult to deal with. What I do is about the dogs and ensuring that they are going to be happy, loved and mostly kept in the home I'm placing them in for the rest of their lives. During that time they should be provided with a kind and loving enviroment with all their exercise and medical needs taken care of. It's also about ensuring I make a good match with what the people want - it isn't only about the look of the dog, it's whether it is going to be a good fit with their wants and needs, otherwise they'll end up moving the dog eventually. Does that sound ridiculous to you? I just had a long conversation with someone who adopted a purebred puppy from a breeder, this person has suffered with this dog for 18 months. It is not the dog's fault, it's just that it is a mismatch - not so much the breed but the age. The dog is far too active for this peron's lifestyle, they dont want to return to the breeder for reasons I won't disclose but I wouldn't either in this case. The dog is desperately trying to interact with the old dogs the person has and just causes fights because they don't want to play. It also barks incessantly so the neighbours have complained. That's what can happen when you work full time and bring a puppy in ... I could go on but I'm sure I've bored everyone. Rescue people do make mistakes but so do applicants - like forgetting to tell me they have: 1. An unfenced pool 2. Cats 3. Children 4. Free range rabbits, chicken, guinea pigs Lucky I'm thorough.

Driving through busy London, I saw quite a few young men with bull terrier type dogs off leash and undesexed, England is not the place it used to be, these animals are not pets but are used to intimidate. The local branch of the Battersea Dogs Home had 70 dogs when I visited in July, only 3 were not staffy types. Many of the staffy types are listed as not good with other dogs. Luckily my mum managed to get a nice natured dog from Battersea, a 3 legged lurcher last Thursday as a foster dog. However she's been very fearful for the last few years about dog attacks because it is so common over there. My cousins wanted a German Shepherd type dog (cross was OK) and had to wait months, my cousin is a dog trainer and refused to have anything with staffy in it. Very hard to come by it seems.

Roo is too rich for many dogs, will give them the runs. Have you tried the Slippery Elm powder I suggested?

I think the key word I am reading here is "SOME" rescue organisations. Speaking from the rescue organisation side, I don't like dealing with members of the general public who insist that "Rover" advertised is the dog for them. Rover has been advertised as not suitable for a home with cats and children but the member of the public insists that their own cat will be "fine" and so will their children. Should I disappoint them I wonder? Or the people that call you late at night and want an instant dog? Like 10.00 pm. It just couldn't wait and they are very important you know. They are going to give a very lucky dog a home and you'd better jump to it. Or the person that called me last week to adopt an old dog, I asked a simple question - is your yard fenced? The answer was yes, three quarters of it is. My answer was that the last quarter of the fence would be the essential part of my decision not to allow him to adopt the dog. Disappointment after disappointment, served up in the nicest possible way of course.

Poor old chap, hope he makes a full recovery

And there they were on TV tonight, trying to convince people to move to these towns? Scary stuff. The dog shouldn't have been wandering but the neighbour is a prize a---hole. Offering to buy them another dog?? And that will make it all right? Scum.

How wonderful to see her, so full of joy for life at an advanced age! What a great save! She is gorgeous. Old dogs are the best and have so much to give, shame that so many people can't see it.

I still believe this is a mismatched owner and dog, as someone who is tall with a bad back/neck, I know that a large, strong and uncontrolled dog is a disaster for me, physically and so is a medium one. People with bad backs have to know their limitations. It's about commonsense really but medical practitioners also advise you of your limits. As for worrying about getting a destruction order on the dog if it kills/maims another dog, how about seeing it from the other owner's point of view? You could seriously ruin someone's life by having such an event take place. The agony and distress of both the other dog and owner and other witnesses is not something to take lightly. This world is not all about us. And it it lives, you'll be paying the vet bills. (recently a dog I rehomed was attacked and the bill was over $4000 as it was a specialist surgery so the dog could walk again. This was a little dog with it's 82 year old owner, both ended up in the gutter screaming whilst the other owner took off.) When reading that knowing how bad this dog is, the OP is still putting him in situations where he gets the chance to attack other dogs makes me fume. Has even let him off the lead FFS. The OP is trying to get some help but should not have put herself (and other people at risk) in this position in the first place.

I've had quite a few rescue JRT crosses as foster dogs, almost every one has been absolutely wonderful! My latest (one passed away last year and I've rehomed the others) is a JRT/chihuahua cross most likely. She's very JRT in behaviour but she's a fantastic little dog, a real character and very devoted to me. Had her for 8 months as a foster dog and then she became a foster failure! All my JRT types have been very loving little dogs, this one only yaps whilst on the lead and seeing other dogs (you can work on this) and when it's dinner time. She's quieter than my other dogs generally.

I have a potential home for this little girl, spoke to some Chinese Crestie enthusiasts today and I will pm you!

I wonder if a vinegar/water rinse followed by a shampoo would work? One rule I follow is never to use any human shampoo on a dog, their skin is different from ours. I always use Alloveen which is expensive - I had to go to a pet store last week and found some new shampoos that are very similar but one third of the price, eg about $12 for a bottle. Still exy but this stinky little foster dog I have smelt a million dollars after a bath.

This would be hard to cope with. I've had an elderly female malt with this issue, Stiboestrel was what worked for her although the dosage needed adjusting at times. She began to wet when she was sleeping, she was a very clean girl otherwise. I think you can get nappies for dogs now but hopefully there will be a medication that helps. What has the vet tried?

Shame that 2nd heart attack didn't kill him, what an oxygen thief.

I spent 3 weeks in the UK in July and was staggered to see so many crossbreeds. One day in Dorset I counted 6 Border Terriers (my fave terrier). I don't think I saw a designer dog at all. Most popular breeds seemed to be Westies, Jack Russells with a lot of Labs and poodles amongst them. Very interesting - pet shops don't sell dogs over there! I long for the day that this happens over here although I do have a house full of rescued mongrels - oh hang on, they are really DDs ....

It's actually illegal in NSW, I thought they'd stopped the Parklea market people previously.

Found a load today in the garden, it's come up all of a sudden. Could it be ringworm? Best go to a vet.

Scum.

A pet sitter is OK for a weekend but not for much longer, too lonely for the animals. I have been recommended a house sitter for a friend who's going away for a month at Christmas. About to give him a ring! Do you want me to ask if he's free to help you?