Scottsmum

I'll be a complete brag here - both my parents have a good eye for photography. But, for lots of reasons, Mum is self taught and came to photography later in life. I have to say, she takes a mean shot - even if some of her portraits are a bit daggy for my tase. This year, she earnt herself a spot in the Elders Calendar! Go Mum!!! Edit: sadly they miss-credited her & July. Which is a real shame to both photographers

Yay - and I look forward to seeing NZ too - so maybe I can use the challenge as an excuse to travel. :)

I'll do it on my phone! Really want to try new things this year. :)

This time, 12 months ago a very special little 'being' came into our lives. For a princely sum of 50 cents in the post xmas sales our bestest ever friend came into our lives. In the past 12 months he's had a few baths, lost an arm and has been stitched up by mum a few times. You'll often find him tucked safely in a crate or other dog bed (never in a people bed). Occasionally you'll find him outside but more often than not he's left inside where he's safe from ... well ... the dangers of the world. Happy gotcha day "moosey" we luvs you lots and lots. p.s. this is remarkable because not much lasts in this house. For example our christmas pressie

I don't know that I have a lot of helpful suggestions - when our peace was disturbed by neighours from hell we ended up having to medicate Scottie and ultimately moved house. We also crate trained him a bit - which helped a tiny bit but really had a very long pay off - it didnt help immediately but it did give him a safe place and it's more useful now 12+ months on. Maybe you could try a mesh or something to block the view? Heavy Shade cloth? Cheap calico? Hessian? Soothing doggy music? like the thunderstorm music for dogs? Even audio books ... (something I read the other day and have been meaning to shre) http://www.appliedanimalbehaviour.com/article/S0168-1591(15)00312-3/abstract?elsca1=etoc&elsca2=email&elsca3=0168-1591_201601_174__&elsca4=Veterinary+Science%2FMedicine%7CAnimal+Science

I duck necks too if you can find them.

I can't help. I assume it's for a naughty bed destroyer. Failing all else - We got a soft sided bed which fit perfectly in the crate. Hard to scrunch up or move about - especially because his weight was on it at all times. Not perfect - One corner was ripped during a tantrum but all in all a good solution which worked well. Sorry for the not so great photo - it's the only one I can find - this is with the short end door open - it worked better with the 'long side' door open - the ittle dip in the front of the bed lined up well with the door.

They really do though, have you seen the websites for puppy farms or dodgy kennels? They sell themselves amazingly, respond to any and every enquiry (easy when you're not at all discerning) and post constantly.I actually think they market themselves better than ethical reg breeders a lot of the time. Facebook too

Oh the things I would do if I was independently wealthy ...

There appears to be a discount here in nz for "good canine citizens" im looking into it :)

I know this is going to sound really dumb - but I haven't found a "real butcher" yet I went into a big chain one the other day - and it was just rows of freezers. Saw photos of another one online - same thing. No fresh food court in the shopping centre ... I'm sure the kind of shop you can walk into and order meat from a block with a wicked sense of humor exists - but I'm yet to find it. I would stop some friendly looking person on the street and ask. Or ask in the post office or some other local shop that doesn't sell meat. Yeh - I really need to make some friends. Also - I'm a bit of an introvert offline. but I may have to do that. Its a crap time of the year to be honest - I can't even get a volunteer gig until the new year - I thought the local SPCA would be like "hell yes - please come clean our kennels" but alas ... they're all too busy christmassing.

Well yes, Scottie is actually not "always starving" - first dog I've owned where I can say that! But on full raw he's always hungry. Another point against it (for us) really.

You're the devil ;)

I know this is going to sound really dumb - but I haven't found a "real butcher" yet I went into a big chain one the other day - and it was just rows of freezers. Saw photos of another one online - same thing. No fresh food court in the shopping centre ... I'm sure the kind of shop you can walk into and order meat from a block with a wicked sense of humor exists - but I'm yet to find it.

I know she's from SA but in NSW: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/caa1998174/s5.html#working_dog couldn't find similar for SA - don't know the acts well enough but one local council states https://www.alexandrina.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Final%20-%20FORM%20for%20working%20dog%20concession.pdf

Thanks for sharing. My mums doxie works sheep but she's a bit too mouthy to be trustworthy!

300g = 3% & Scottie is always "starving" on this! He's not food driven at all but honestly on 100% BARF model raw I often slip him more veg (and occasionally a whole extra meal or kibble). It's crazy. We're all different...

Is turkey OK? Turkey mince and kibble could work? Any mince and kibble could work... That said Scottie often sucks the mince off his dry and spits the dry back out. Depends on his mood... When I was in Sydney I used to go to Woolies and hit up the clearance section of the meat cabinet - I'd buy anything suitable then portion it out into what ever sized chunks worked (kilo bags if I was mixing proteins, the original packaging if it was all white meat). Some weeks we got minute steaks, occasionally lamb chops... what ever was on special. Scottie weighs 10kg - I figure your two would be about similar - max? That means on a full raw diet they'd be getting 200-300 grams each a day over two meals. At the moment I find I can squeeze 300g into smallish tupperware / sistma containers then dole out approx 1/2 AM and PM and that doesn't take up too much space in my freezer (standard top mount fridge/freezer). But then you have double to me. I must say - while I think raw for a small "pack" and smaller dogs can have it's draw backs I do love that my weekly prep can be done in about 15 mins with very little bloody and guts or need for a hacksaw :)

Hey :) Thanks for that. I don't give him canned - he doesn't like it, he's grain free and it tends to give him the runs - so I don;t bother with it any more. Settling well but holy heck it's cold. We all went to bed in thermals / beanies and an extra blanket the other day!

I think the whole point of banning docking and cropping is that it was (at least - here in Oz, in a lot of cases) done in horrible circumstances. We had a foxie in my family for at least 25 years and have had a few litters of different breeds over the years - I have very clear memories of my mother docking some foxie pups tails with some kitchen shears and clotting them with corn starch. Makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it - then and now - but that was the way she had always done it, and her father before her and she firmly believed "that foxies needed cropped tails". Grandfather was a bit of a bush vet in his own right. I'm sure mum and grandad weren't alone. I'm sure others did it in more humane ways. On a similar theme - my Aunt's last foxie with a docked tail had hers done so short she couldn't sit properly her entire life (not done by a fmaily member - but by the dogs "breeder") Now - if we were still desexing pets / found someone to be desexing pets the way my grandfather did - head in a gumboot and a knife serialized in some alcohol I'd hope we'd call them criminal. It's called progress and it's not always bad. I have nothing against tail docking if it's done correctly, in a clean surgical environment - but I also think people - in general on the whole will take a mile given an inch. Allow it - but only if it's one at a vet - some arse will try to save a dollar by doing the butchering at home. That's human nature unfortunately - which is why I support a full ban. Also I love love love having a dog with a tail - Scottie is my first foxie with one and I love it. But hey - that's just my opinion - we're all welcome to have one

I get feeling it wouldn't pass the fussiness test but might grab a pot & see...

Very interesting thread.

Jules - Haven't. He used to est a bit of cheddar but can't really handle it anymore - I assume cottage cheese is a friendlier on the tummy? he handles Greek yoghurt OK

It does. Thank you. I know that the best choice is "the one he does well on" and he is going well on mince and kibble - he looks good and I have bloods to back that up - but I do also often wonder if I could be doing better. Then it's hard because he's so fussy and sensitive. This dog mum business is hard - and I've been doing it almost my whole life in one way or another.

OK - so big leaner question here: Would a good kibble eg ziwipeak, wellness core or VIP grain free (ok so VIP isnt premium but he likes it) and chicken be balanced enough? I know that sounds really dumb... I mean he is well - I know that and he looks good but I was worried he wasn't getting a balanced diet.