PossumCorner

You lucky duck gillybob. We live on a corner, fairly flat with not many trees. Anyone driving up the road a kilometre away can see me hanging the washing out from one road or feeding the chooks from the other. Only ten cars or so a day - just can't rely on no-one driving past at critical moments though. Lucky on the rain too: can't believe we have just had over an hour of black clouds with thunder and lightning, and not one drop of rain.

How's Zelda going Juice? Rheneas is excellent after his bad bout of diarrhoea before Christmas. It was a much cheaper trip than yours for a good outcome. All he had was anti-biotics, pain killer and re-hydration - plus a little while on a 'bland' diet til he came good. The vet was a bit non-commital at best about kangaroo, stopped short of saying don't feed it but I felt that was the drift (mentioned in Boronia's kangaroo meat thread).

Or even ordinary quality going by one vet's opinion: I heard that said a few years ago. I used to go to an older vet who is retired. He had a very old Boxer, around 18, in lovely health and condition in every way. He said he had only ever fed it Pal canned dog food, and that people who constantly bagged it had no idea what they were talking about. I used to regularly buy Royal Canin from him. He said I would wake up to myself one day. (I know not helping, and not exactly relevant, but thought I would mention it anyway),

Sweet as. Love her little sports socks.

That's a common long-term experience - I know a few chook owners who have given up keeping them, just totally disheartened after so much effort to fox-proof and still losing a pen-full overnight. Foxes have caused havoc even in commercial poultry hatcheries where every resource of money and paid staff has had a fail moment with a tennis-ball sized gap between steel framework. For myself, I have very conservatively lost $1500 worth of chickens, ducks and/or geese over six years. And constantly poured more planning, time and effort (not to mention money) into keeping poultry in a humane way with enough room to move not in "approved" legal minimum free range prisons. Bought alpacas for guardian work, strategically designed alpaca fencing to surround the Fort Knox poultry pens, geese for daylight warning. All that. And still have fox problems. Don't know anyone who keeps poultry in fox-rich country who does not. (Alpacas are brilliant but not fail-safe). Edit to add: I still can't cope with people who rant on about how much they hate foxes. How stupid. We set sheep and poultry up for failure, foxes only do what foxes do. Just wonder sometimes how these fox haters would cope if they had to contend with leopards taking their pet dogs, or had other large predators to worry about. Indians don't bat on about "I hate leopards" or the Polish "I hate bears" or lynxes or whatever.

'Home here' just a sense of oncoming doom. They say New Yorkers don't get involved, but that wasn't my experience, probably more community spirit there than most places. I think if a walker called to people for help it would be forthcoming.

They don't call it the silly season for nothing. (Go Molly).

So true, and also most owners are in complete denial.

Ha, yes I was going to say "Bragging again" but you beat me to it Perseph. Love the toes Scottsmum. Bunny of the day. Hid behind an alpaca to get close. Not the same ginger one with the damaged ear, this one a month or two younger. 1/52

Sounds like you could be good to go Perseph. I'd better get a battery charged for the morning's rabbit shots.

Din' think of that - forehead slap. Of course it's relevant, I don't even like potentially embarrassing baby shots trotted out at 21st birthdays (my usual mantra, the basis of all humour is cruelty).

Lovely. You first Scottsmum, kick it off with a new year photo of George.

Boronia that is genius. Best practical recycling of the handle too. Might do an op-shop search this week. Mingaling a lot depends on the individual dog. Frodo would ride happily in or on anything with confidence, from a bike basket to a ute. But Rheneas hates even cars, gets car-sick if I suggest a ride, that's before he gets in. He would never stay in a wheelbarrow, garden cart, shopping trolley, pram or the like for more than four wheel-turns. And that was when free-wheeling young and fit - now he is getting older and frailer he would stress out beyond any benefits.

These blog shots are almost off topic but not quite. I'd thought about 'something like' for when Frodo was an old doggie. He would have loved it because he was a natural at climbing and balancing. Now Rheneas has hit that age group but he would resist every step of the way, it would never work for him. Beanne in Thordale's link always rode ponies bareback so it suited her when she was ill. http://myshetland.co.uk/beanne-and-waffle/#comments

Yes I was thinking the same, just fairly open again, no challenges or particular themes. Except yours Scottsmum: it would be a lovely 'first year' record of bub, birthday Christmas and all. No pressure, well maybe just a little.

Tonight was supposed to be a super moon or a blood moon. It looked pretty normal to me, was white against a milky sky for the first hour or so, I took a quick photo to spark up some enthusiasm for the late January event: and mini New Year's Resolution to use a Nikon for that one, not the little Lumix which is over-challenged by star and moon stuff. End of the month is supposed to be super moon, blood moon, semi eclipse all on one night, hope it won't be cloudy and there is something good to see. I think this link gives some detail of times and what is happening. https://www.space.com/39208-super-blue-blood-moon-guide.html Edit to add: reading that link pointed out my errors in this post: I blame it on mis-information from a radio announcement this afternoon.

Relate to that Sars, I used to handle multiple horses on the ground, or ride one and lead several roadwork - wouldn't even think about it now - can't trust a crook leg and a crook arm to be right there when they are needed. And I used to walk my own three dogs on a tri-lead (they were all obedience-trained and did dog sports, so controlled and sociable) but I would not consider it now. I still muck about with the ponies and have two horses, but knowing my own limitations avoids accidents. I'm totally with Sandgrubber's take on this issue: probably stronger on ban the guns - but you can't legislate on stupid behaviours down to such a twee level, there wouldn't be enough resources to police it - sheesh they can't even police texting while driving, which causes accidents on a daily basis - who is going to police walking dogs? The dogs would be the greatest losers by being left home with zero exercise.

Will find two from this morning - so have done start and finish, just fell off the swing for the middle bit. Bunny - from two sides - he was so close he didn't know which way to run for a moment. We might get our first pomegranates this summer: but I just noticed the piece of 'honeycomb' in the top right - don't know if it's wild bees in the pomegranate shrub or a piece of plastic packing that's blown into it - will investigate in the morning. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Hope all Dolers are safe. It's not the time I suppose to repeat what I've said for years, fireworks have had their day, we should know when to stop. So sorry to hear of the NSW accident with them. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/nye-fireworks-barge-catches-fire-in-terrigal/news-story/ccdf138d360e10753fbf3d09dc6d48b3

Re the photos from overseas, no. Bears no relation to Australian systems/methods. New York dog walkers are experienced, not some random from down the street (cheap labour, no idea etc). And the dogs from the apartments are as experienced as their walkers, they know the drill from puppyhood. You just don't see dogs mucking up or being difficult, because the walkers train them well, and are 'one jump ahead' if there is an issue. Australians don't on the whole employ competent dog walkers, and the inconsistent life style (walkers are usually just a short term need, holidays and long weekends: not daily year-in-year-out) makes what we think a little irrelevant. It's like comparing cheese and Volkswagens. If a group being walked in New York is approaching it hardly registers, just normal street traffic: if a group of 4+ in Australia approached me I'd be the one crossing the road.

I like that they have the 'ancient dog' look about them, with a confident stance - bit like Basenjis - the first photo shows an almost Basenji-like head, (well there's a bit of wrinkle).

Good decision adlt, be interested to know what your vet suggests. My guess on what you have said would be a bacterial infection, nothing that some antibiotics and pain relief, re-hydration, then bland food (rice, chicken even) won't fix. I hope it is nothing more serious.

Oh Luvmybulldog, you tried so hard for her, just so sorry.

Oh yes, in Vic once a dog or cat is surrendered to the RSPCA they have lifetime ownership (even after adoption), that is not negotiable, and they are not obliged to adopt the dog back to the finder even if it passes all the temperament tests etc for adoption. In that way it is different to the council pounds. Sometimes a Council will contract/commission/pay the RSPCA to act as its pound if the council does not have facilities. But dogs are sent there by the Council, I think it comes under different regulation, and a different kennel area at the RSPCA. But probably their arrangement with Council is to integrate the dog into their system after the waiting period. It's a money raiser after all. Murky waters. Re the cat, I'm sure regulations are different concerning stray cats and dogs, for example no fine for having cats at large out of curfew hours (if they apply). Plus the RSPCA can be so overloaded with cats that they quite likely said that to your friend because they already had too many to re-home.

We used to pick up the odd lost/runaway dog around Sherbrooke Forest (Vic). and would ring the Council/Vets to see whether owners searching. Options offered were they could send Ranger to collect, or we could take to Pound. OR we could hang onto it for a day or two, if an owner described lost dog at Council or Pound they would direct them to us. Which would save the owner a fine and pound fees both. When Rheneas went missing he was picked up and taken in by a local. Council rang us to say where he was and gave contact details to phone and collect him. So I guess different councils interpret the rules flexibly or not. What is inflexible is the fine and pound fee if they pick up a straying dog. Theft is theft - lost property is never the legal right of the finder, even after reasonable efforts to find the owner have been made. Proper channels apply, responsibility is to notify and hand in.