# What kind of Pet/animal do you own?



## Green08 (24 November 2008)

We have just acquired a Blue Bloodline Beautiful miniature schnauzer!  She is gorgeous.  Looking to buy another one next year.

Cute dog though I wanted to test her on 5 acres with sheep.

Although 9 weeks old, the instinct to round up was instant the time I put her down.  She showed no fear (being 2.9 kgs)!  I wanted a little dog for work, hunting vermin and friendship.  She has surpassed all expectations.

I am used to blue heelers. She had enough energy and courage to equal them.  

I am looking at buying a Jersey cow, Cashmere goats, and the black odd chook.  None are to be eaten - I'll eat someone else’s pet!  

My question is what pet do you have? 
What do they do?
Anyone with a working property pet?
Anyone on the land?


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## chops_a_must (24 November 2008)

We have two gorgeous and hilarious ferrets.

I reckon they'd be great traders. They can get into all sorts of places, and find things no-one and no-thing could.

They have also been known to take a liking to people's leather wallets. : Must have been property spruikers in past lives. :

Had a goat for a while as well, because we CBF doing the gardening. He was a lot of fun. Ate our plastic bags for us, but would forget where his water was. Walking out in the morning to see him giving himself head was not the best start to a day though I must admit. 

And no, in the suburbs.


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## CAB SAV (24 November 2008)

6 chooks, 1 male coolie, 1 russian blue , son has 2 coolies one preg. 1minature pig. in suburbs, mad house. great fun.


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## Sean K (24 November 2008)

chops_a_must said:


> Walking out in the morning to see him giving himself head was not the best start to a day though I must admit.



I'm coming back as a goat.


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## xyzedarteerf (24 November 2008)

i love animals, in my younger days we had.

5 dogs, 3 ducks,4 cats,1 goat, 2 pigs and 2 dozen chooks a huge fish pond but sadly though current living arrangements does not allow me to have any pets at all. a few tears were shed when my favorite pig was sent to the abattoir as he became too big.


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## spottygoose (24 November 2008)

I have a red cattle dog/kelpie cross who is about to celebrate his 14th birthday. You would swear he was only 6 except for a developing case of cloth ears!

We scooped him up for free when he and his sister were give aways outside the local vet cum pet store out in west Qld. Apparently, he came from very good working parents (many people chased me down as they wanted to breed off him but we had already given him the chop ). 

He lived with us in town and was never put to work however his instinct was natural and when we played with him he would always try and round us up, when he played with other dogs rather than chase the ball he would always take the dog out. He also liked to be chased and sometimes up to 10 of us would try and catch him but he could dart and weave like the wind.

After spending the first 4 years or so in the country he moved with us to the city and then the coast. He is our pride and joy, a great watch dog, and makes us laugh every day. However, he is also a spoilt, greedy, little mama's boy.

I sometimes wonder what his sister is doing. I imagine she was taken on to a property and put to work. I think if she met him today she would be disgusted at his decadent lifestyle. It would be good for him though as he thinks we don't do nearly enough for him.


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## prawn_86 (24 November 2008)

We live in an aprtment, so we actually have a pet rat.

They are very smart, much like chops' ferrets im guessing. Each with their own personalities.


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## chops_a_must (24 November 2008)

kennas said:


> I'm coming back as a goat.



So you can eat plastic bags as well, I take it? 



prawn_86 said:


> They are very smart, much like chops' ferrets im guessing. Each with their own personalities.



I'm not sure about smart exactly...

Probably the most plotting and scheming animals I know...

They have absolutely no fear at times... and then are scared of the most stupid things. 

I mean, they used to think the goat tasted pretty good. But get their feet wet... and nup, they're off. 

Talk about personality though...


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## Tweaksta (24 November 2008)

I've got a rescued native Australian honeyeater.....manorina melanocephala.

We were walking in the park and saw this tiny (about the size of a 20c coin), featherless bird - must've been freshly hatched as it still had scrambled egg juices on it. It's eyes were still closed and it was almost blue. It was a cold day and the poor little bugger was pretty lifeless. When they are tiny they can only be away from their parents for a few hours otherwise they starve and freeze to death. We wrapped it up, took it home and fed it some Honeyeater solution.

For the next few days we fed her every hour, kept her warm and supervised her progress.

Now 6 weeks later she has become the cutest, most affectionate little member of the family. 

Of course, being wild, we will eventually allow her to join her friends outside once she has learnt feed herself and fly. For now we just adore her.


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## bluelabel (24 November 2008)

Tweaksta said:


> I've got a rescued native Australian honeyeater.....manorina melanocephala.
> 
> We were walking in the park and saw this tiny (about the size of a 20c coin), featherless bird - must've been freshly hatched as it still had scrambled egg juices on it. It's eyes were still closed and it was almost blue. It was a cold day and the poor little bugger was pretty lifeless. When they are tiny they can only be away from their parents for a few hours otherwise they starve and freeze to death. We wrapped it up, took it home and fed it some Honeyeater solution.
> 
> ...




Hazaar!!   Nice work Tweaksta.

Nothing interesting here on the pet front.  We have a King Charles Cavalier named Daisy.  She loves her bed, her food and her walks and is best friend to my 2 year old son.

She was the runt of her litter and so is extra small and extra cute.  When in the park people always say what a cute puppy she is but we always correct them and tell them she is 5.  The look of disappointment on their faces is priceless. 

We also live across the road in the burbs from a fairly large nature reserve so we get a lot of native birds in our yard who also like to torment Daisy because they know she will not ever catch them, quite funny to see, especially when a few different species team up and bombard her, haha.

Actually, I take that back, very interesting on the pet front here.  (I guess you take it for granted until prompted to think about it)


:bier:

blue


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## Knobby22 (24 November 2008)

Cute dog.

We have three guinea pigs. 
Very cute, sociable, don't smell and easy to look after. 
Our kids love them.


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## Sean K (24 November 2008)

Knobby22 said:


> We have three guinea pigs.
> Very cute, sociable, don't smell and easy to look after.
> Our kids love them.



And they're tasty depending on how they're cooked.

Bit too boney for me.


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## Real1ty (24 November 2008)

I got mine from the local pound and is one of the best dogs i've owned.

His name is Buddy and he is a staffy x kelpie (Well supposedly)

He is about 5 years old and is just so easy to train and knows exactly what he can and can't do, but of course he pushes his luck every now and again.

Loves chasing anything and cats are his specialty

He's my mate.


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## chops_a_must (24 November 2008)

One of our little boys:


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## arco (24 November 2008)

.

We've got a concrete cat......pretty realistic, even local moggies look twice, anyway its very easy to look after.......just the occasional dusting down required


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## Tysonboss1 (24 November 2008)

The big boy on the right is Tyson "the boss",.... 

they so want to come inside.


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## spartn (24 November 2008)

HI GUYZ

I own a cute 10 year old long haired domesic Cat, best thing about him is I will always remember his birthday so I can buy him a nice fish to eat. He was born on the 9th of September 1999 or 9/09/99.

He was nuded soon after he was born, but I have a small toy lion which he enjoys playing with in a sexual manner, naughty kitty.

Anyway i was just wonder if it is possible to buy a Chincilla in Australia as a Pet does anyone know where I would be able to get one, or if it is even possible? I want to buy one for my wife for Christmas.

Cheers 

Spartn

:viking:


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## Whiskers (24 November 2008)

Green08 said:


> *We have just acquired a Blue Bloodline Beautiful miniature schnauzer*!  She is gorgeous.  Looking to buy another one next year.
> 
> Cute dog though I wanted to test her on 5 acres with *sheep*.
> 
> ...




They say; 

people often resemble their pet, and
you can tell a lot about a person by their pet




> My question is what pet do you have?
> What do they do?
> Anyone with a working property pet?
> Anyone on the land?




I'm not gonna answer (yet) for fear of incriminating myself. 

Chops with ferrets... sorta reflects somethin  ... but I got a 'ferret' of sorts too.

xyzedarteerf: ...in my younger days we had... 5 dogs, 3 ducks,4 cats,1 goat, 2 pigs and 2 dozen chooks a huge fish pond. So that's why I can't make head nor tail of yer name.  

PS: ... these too...  



Real1ty said:


> I got mine from the local pound...
> Loves chasing anything and cats are his specialty
> 
> He's my mate.






arco said:


> .
> 
> We've got a concrete cat......pretty realistic, even local moggies look twice, anyway its very easy to look after.......just the occasional dusting down required


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## Green08 (24 November 2008)

Whiskers said:


> They say;
> [*]people often resemble their pet, and
> [*]you can tell a lot about a person by their pet
> I'm not gonna answer (yet) for fear of incriminating myself.




So your deduction of me is? The pup has been acquired.  The rest will come in time.

Some on Whiskers what type of Pet do you Have?  UM cat perhaps?


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## outback (24 November 2008)

Wife & some kids, very high maintenace, not for everyone, but they do have their moments.


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## robots (24 November 2008)

hello,

5 cats, all indoor

thankyou
robots


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## Joe Blow (24 November 2008)

One cat named Sid.


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## Whiskers (24 November 2008)

Green08 said:


> So your deduction of me is? :




Well... I've been there , done (most of) that... so you'll probably end up considerably more cosmopolitan, as in humanity... (not the drink).



> The pup has been acquired.  The rest will come in time.




Yeah, it tends to get that way. My staff used to call our place (when the kids were small)  'Ole Mcdonalds Farm'... mainly because of the pet pig that used to follow the kids around the paddock everywhere like a puppy.



> Some on Whiskers what type of Pet do you Have?  UM cat perhaps? :rolleyes




Yeah just a few vermin hunting, mischievous, cuddle-up-to-yer-in-bed pussy cats atm.

This is my 'ferret'... the one on the right. He's always getting up in yer face with a nice rub and lick, but often he'll (like a playfull steer, desexed) launch into a wrestle and a c'mon catch me if yer can run around game. The other is Missy... sorta after and like like a certain singer. Cutie (avatar) is the runt of the litter but very feminine, cute. Tiger was my original avatar. He's the disabled one, but still the serious, protector, father figure one. 

Will post some of my previous 'Ole Mcdonalds Farm' when I find and scan a few.


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## chops_a_must (24 November 2008)

Cute kitties Whiskers. 

I would love a Ragdoll.


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## johenmo (24 November 2008)

Down to a dog, cat and 2 guinea pigs.  The daughter moved out and the 3rats, cat, 2 guinea pigs and python went with her.  Any more animals and we'd be a zoo.

In 25 years we've had 9 months animal free.


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## Smurf1976 (24 November 2008)

I've got Polar Bear and an assortment of tropical fish kept in a tank. Also a wallaby comes around most nights (stays outside mostly although it has come inside a couple of times).


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## bluelabel (24 November 2008)

Smurf1976 said:


> I've got Polar Bear and an assortment of tropical fish kept in a tank. Also a wallaby comes around most nights (stays outside mostly although it has come inside a couple of times).




Dang, who ever said polar bears werent effected by global warming got that one seriously wrong!!

BTW, what is the bears name?

:bier:

blue


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## numbercruncher (24 November 2008)

Labrador, Beagle , 2x cats , 2x Guineas, 4x chickens, Worm farm , squillions of Birds and Wallabies that pop in for a handout ......

I have reservations about encouraging wallabies these days thou


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## 2020hindsight (24 November 2008)

There's a theory that people grow to resemble their pets ..
beware Green lol. 

But as an aside, I knew a bloke once who was a giant ... he was a welder.  .. In the course of conversation, we got around to discussing pets - .. turned out he had a pack of draught horses. 



			
				Green said:
			
		

> We have just acquired a ... miniature schnauzer! She is gorgeous.
> 
> ... Cute dog though I wanted to test her on 5 acres with sheep.
> 
> ...   9 weeks old, ...   2.9 kgs , I wanted a little dog for work, hunting vermin and friendship.




PS  you say your dog is 3kg? - I'm guessing it will cost 10% of what it costs to feed mine lol. (Rotty).   But I also reckon your dog will have trouble keeping up with a mouse lol. (no offence intended)


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## nomore4s (24 November 2008)

Nothing as exotic as some here, just a staffy for me.


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## Smurf1976 (24 November 2008)

bluelabel said:


> Dang, who ever said polar bears werent effected by global warming got that one seriously wrong!!
> 
> BTW, what is the bears name?
> 
> ...



Knew that would happen... 

Polar Bear is the name. The actual species is an ordinary cat. 

She's mostly white with a thick coat and likes eating fish, hence the name Polar Bear.

As for the wallaby, I live next to the bush so there's plenty just over the back fence. There's one that comes and has a pretty good look around sometimes though. It likes messing about with the pebbles in the garden and seems to be fascinated with the solar garden lights too (I assume it's the wallaby that's knocking them over).

The wallaby pokes its' head in through the cat door quite often but it can't fit through so I've let it in a few times. No major incidents so far but it eats all the cat biscuits. It mostly wants to come in when it's soaking wet and/or very cold. It seems to be getting over its' fear of the fire which will solve a few hassles.


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## chops_a_must (24 November 2008)

nomore4s said:


> Nothing as exotic as some here, just a staffy for me.



Looks like a very happy dog to me!


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## Julia (24 November 2008)

One gorgeous German Shepherd at present.  Another puppy will come in the next year or so.  Just can't imagine ever being without a Shepherd.


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## 2020hindsight (24 November 2008)

Real1ty said:


> I got mine from the local pound and is one of the best dogs i've owned.



ditto m8   But she's a bitch.  So was her mum lol. 
But equal best with a dog I had a few back. 

On the weekend I took her to the beach for some exercse fetching a ball from the water after recent knee reconstruction ($4K ) 

Anyway when we got home I let her take the ball up the steep driveway to the house.  - Trouble is she dropped it - I turn around and the ball's heading down the drive, and about to cross the road - and she's in hot pursuit!  (I've already had one dog skittled  ) 

Anyway, I call to her (fairly empahtically lol) to "STOP" ... and she skids to a stop and sits on the 23% slope lol. 
...
"What a dog"  I say to myself


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## Whiskers (25 November 2008)

Whiskers said:


> They say;
> 
> people often resemble their pet, and
> you can tell a lot about a person by their pet
> ...






Green08 said:


> So your deduction of me is? The pup has been acquired.  The rest will come in time.
> 
> Some on Whiskers what type of Pet do you Have?  UM cat perhaps?




Ok, I fess up... I'm an animal luva. Everything from cattle and horses to parots and the kids (not me) even had a pet rock for awhile. 

Animals seem to have always been there for me, like brothers and sisters... and my kids seem to have the midas touch too.

I've almost always had a dog, kelpie cross, Blue heeler, Labrador and last but not least, until a few years ago... a Sydney Silky Terrier. That's him with a bit of a facial so-ya-can-see-where-ya-goin, haircut.




Joe Blow said:


> One cat named Sid.





I had one like that many moons ago Joe... but not as sophisticated lookin as your Sid though. 



chops_a_must said:


> Cute kitties Whiskers.
> 
> I would love a Ragdoll.




My Ferret and Cutie in particular actually have a bit of a fat roll under their belly, like a Ragdoll apparently has. There mother has a bit of Siamese and father I thought was a bit longhair Siamese, but maybe ragdoll... or maybe it's just plain fat.


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## chops_a_must (25 November 2008)

This is my little boy, the other one is the bro's.






The name is Trotsky, and I keep him away from ice picks. He is also one of the smartest ferrets we've had. Always first to the food, despite his big brother being twice the size. : Has escaped multiple times the bastard.  But he is incredibly friendly, and loves people.


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## Whiskers (25 November 2008)

chops_a_must said:


> This is my little boy, the other one is the bro's.
> 
> 
> 
> The name is Trotsky, and I keep him away from ice picks. He is also one of the smartest ferrets we've had. Always first to the food, despite his big brother being twice the size. : Has escaped multiple times the bastard.  But he is incredibly friendly, and loves people.




Lol, sounds like a Trotsky... so you better watch out he doesn't meet the same fate.

Is he desexed? I ended up getting all my cats desexed this time. It also seems to have completely stoped the males in particular from wandering very far.


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## chops_a_must (25 November 2008)

Whiskers said:


> Lol, sounds like a Trotsky... so you better watch out he doesn't meet the same fate.
> 
> Is he desexed? I ended up getting all my cats desexed this time. It also seems to have completely stoped the males in particular from wandering very far.



Yeah.

They are very difficult to control if they aren't done.

This time of year they tend to get a bit narky even without balls. Lol! 

They will dig under fences and all manner of crazy things to get out when they get hormonal, for a lay, if they haven't had the chop.


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## Green08 (25 November 2008)

I bought my mini schnauzer for a few reasons:-

I have severe allergies (death sentence asthma and exczema) to all cats, dogs, horses etc with fur or feathers.  

I tried the poodle - no go.  Maltese - too white for the land. 

This is the first furry pet I can hold and cuddle without any reaction, it could also be a combination of her pedigree and food. - Eukanuba

The Jersey is a maybe for the kids. I'm Ok with cashmere goats though not in the house.

I don't find reptiles or fish overly cuddly so thus my choice.

2020 - She flies across the ground, I was pretty surprised to see the speed and lack of fear, the sheep were terrified of her and took off.  There was a large thunderstorm, her first, she was out running in the rain when the claps of thunder and lightening burst.  (Not close enough or I would have put her indoors!)

Look like my pet mmmm well I never liked the beard. Since we are on land she will be clippered all over.  The personality attributes of my pet - yes!

Now questions to the forum animal lovers:

WHO HAS PET INSURANCE?            ANY COMPANY RECOMMENDED?

She is up to date on all vaccinations and will be desexed January.  My friends have spend $$$$$KKKKK repairing their pets. 

Accidents and illness - concerned with snake or spider bites
.


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## numbercruncher (25 November 2008)

Chops -

Neat ferret !


Do they scratch or bite ?


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## chops_a_must (25 November 2008)

numbercruncher said:


> Chops -
> 
> Neat ferret !
> 
> ...



Mine doesn't unless he is pissed off for some reason. He nibbles when he plays, but that's it. The other one when he gets moody is quite aggressive though. 

He is such a woman when it comes to Trotsky, so I guess he takes it out on us. 

They will "dig" your feet if you play with them bare foot though. 

But yeah, the silvermit-polecat colouring like Trotsky has there is a beautiful colouring I think. They are getting very yellow with the season now though...


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## wayneL (25 November 2008)

Not really a pet, but the grey squirrels in Hyde Park in London will run straight up your leg and eat out of your hand. Here's one that I snapped; it had just run up my Mrs' leg for a titbit. Unfortunately I wasn't fast enough with the camera to get that shot. But very cute and very cheeky.


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## Sean K (25 November 2008)

wayneL said:


> Not really a pet, but the grey squirrels in Hyde Park in London will run straight up your leg and eat out of your hand.



Yes, very cute. Better than our possums I'm afraid to say...


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## Knobby22 (25 November 2008)

kennas said:


> And they're tasty depending on how they're cooked.
> 
> Bit too boney for me.




Just another reason guinea pigs are a practical pet!


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## IFocus (25 November 2008)

Two budgies, one dog  and of course two Galahs

Galahs are great they are just so out there real Aussie's

I handle both are they are part of our family, rule is if you belong to our house hold you sleep inside.

My avatar is Layla an affectionate female until she has a bad day and then chop.

Our other galah is a male George who has personality plus a complete nut I just love it when he goes off the deep end, the family is yelling shut up and George is just going off.


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## Whiskers (25 November 2008)

Green08 said:


> I bought my mini schnauzer for a few reasons:-
> 
> I have severe allergies (death sentence asthma and exczema) to all cats, dogs, horses etc with fur or feathers.
> 
> ...




That's a terrible problem Green08. I hope you can continue to find ways to enjoy close relationships and companionship with animals. 




> The Jersey is a maybe for the kids. I'm Ok with cashmere goats though not in the house.
> 
> I don't find reptiles or fish overly cuddly so thus my choice.




Are you going to 'milk' the Jersey or just a pet?

I don't know if you're aware of miniature cattle such as Dexters... they are only about waist high when fully grown. Great as pets, but are also grown for beef and milk. But Jerseys are not a lot bigger and great temprement for kids too.



> Look like my pet mmmm well I never liked the beard. Since we are on land she will be clippered all over.  The personality attributes of my pet - yes!




Lol... yes, I imagined you as pretty well groomed and fairly sophisticated.



> Now questions to the forum animal lovers:
> 
> WHO HAS PET INSURANCE?            ANY COMPANY RECOMMENDED?
> 
> ...



. 
Never had pet insurance, only considered it some time ago when my cat 'Tiger' had to have his leg amputated. I did get some info, but so far I haven't followed through with it. 

Re snake bites, I've lost a few to suspected snake bites. Ocassionally found their body not far away. My neighbour had a dog bitten and saved, but they actually saw it happen and got help asap.

The problem with my cats is they are so affectionate they usually bring rats and mice inside for a game before execution, with a very proud 'look what I got', meow and dance. In the last few years they have caught four small snakes, one harmless keelback and three little blacks about .3 to .4m long and actually dropped two of them inside before I saw them. 

Don't know how to train them to leave snakes alone!

Oh, lost, literally lost our Sydney Silky Terrior, he got so excited when a couple of a then neighbours female dogs  on heat escaped and went walkabout. He followed them home, we got him back, but he then went walkabout to find them again, got him back... next time never saw him again. Btw the other dogs were Great Danes. Talk about a the power of hormones!


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## 2020hindsight (25 November 2008)

Green08 said:


> 1. ... severe allergies (death sentence asthma and exczema) to all cats, dogs, horses etc with fur or feathers.
> 
> 2. [mouser] ... She flies across the ground, I was pretty surprised to see the speed and lack of fear ...
> 
> ...



hi green , 

1. Allergies ... just reading this website - and thinking aloud .. I wonder if dog sweat is something to avoid (?) 

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20081112/hypoallergenic-dogs-dog-allergies-faq


> Obama Family Wants a Dog That Won't Trigger Dog Allergy in Daughter; What Are Their Options?
> By Miranda Hitti
> 
> WebMD Health News
> ...




2. I tell you, if I move some furniture, and if there's a mouse behind it .. then my dog will catch it (more often than not anyway ) 

3. Happy new year, dog 

4. not sure spiders are a problem - but snakes sure as hell are.  There must be a way to teach them "not to go there".   My dog saw a snake a month or two back, - and now she often jumps back when she sees a stick lol.


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## Real1ty (25 November 2008)

2020hindsight said:


> ditto m8   But she's a bitch.  So was her mum lol.
> But equal best with a dog I had a few back.




It's amazing how many people say that the best dogs they have had have been from the pound.

It's almost like they realise they have been on death row and you saved them.


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## mobcat (25 November 2008)

Aussie silky iam on my third and they have all been the best mates in the world .......The only bad thing about Silkys is the day you loose one the void they leave can only be filled by another one ,thus #3 and I'm sure i will have a 4,5 etc i just cant imagine coming home to a home without a silky freaking out to see you every time .....sure puts a different outlook on life when you have something around you that is 25/8 crazy happy to see you all the time


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## Smurf1976 (26 November 2008)

Whiskers said:


> The problem with my cats is they are so affectionate they usually bring rats and mice inside for a game before execution, with a very proud 'look what I got', meow and dance. In the last few years they have caught four small snakes, one harmless keelback and three little blacks about .3 to .4m long and actually dropped two of them inside before I saw them.
> 
> Don't know how to train them to leave snakes alone!



Snakes are what I'm worried about too. It was bad enough waking up with a rat climbing over my face (literally) and then finding another 2 in the house as well but at least they don't poison anything. I sure don't want to have that experience with a snake.


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## 2020hindsight (26 November 2008)

Real1ty said:


> It's amazing how many people say that the best dogs they have had have been from the pound.
> 
> It's almost like they realise they have been on death row and you saved them.



Yep - I really feel sorry for the ones who have had heartworm damage.  I would always take a healthy puppy in preference.   I just appease my emotions by arguing that  "Maybe oldies who want a less active companion dog would snap them up".  God I'd hate to work at the RSPCA. 

I once had a puppy from Animal Welfare - one of the same litter had cigarette burns.    He was never happy unless he was hiding under a sideboard.  - only made it to 4 years.  I was about to take two of the litter originally (in fact the one with the burns).  In the end I was happy I didn't.  Still, the one we took got on great with the kids. 

How does that quote go... "Eats anything .. fond of children".


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## Green08 (26 November 2008)

Yes thought of Obama's little girl when I realised I was not reacting. Will send email although he has probably had 'professional' advise.

As for hypoallergenic -it is a case of Hair - poodle, schaunzer or maltese
as you have to cut the hair constantly.

The rest are lovely but have fur, and dust mite.  When we had blue heelers I went out in a googles, mask and rubber gloves to pat them!! If I walk into someones home, can be as clean as a bell and begin sneezing about 2 mins later, I ask the owner if she has evey had a cat or dog in the house. Always a yes.

I think the RSPCA is a great organization.  I choose a Pedigree as I wanted the dog to be as pure as I could get so no reactions. 

Glad to see many loving and concerned owners here!

What about Pet Insurance.  If you haven't had it how much has a pet cost you?


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## Whiskers (26 November 2008)

Smurf1976 said:


> Snakes are what I'm worried about too. It was bad enough waking up with a rat climbing over my face (literally) and then finding another 2 in the house as well but at least they don't poison anything. I sure don't want to have that experience with a snake.




That would be trouble. 

It's bad enough when 'the cat' is crawling over yer head in bed (especially in winter) trying to snuggle up to keep warm. 

This is the mother of my cats with a previous litter... coaching them from an early age. Geez, those kittens thought it was Xmas that day. 



Green08 said:


> What about Pet Insurance.  If you haven't had it how much has a pet cost you?




Still thinking about Insurance. The leg amputation cost about $900.00, desex female's about $120 and males $80.

My four cats cost about $1.90 per day for tin food and $0.30/40 per day for dry food. I'm a bit of a scrouge, learnt from my mum... always on the lookout for specials to stock up  ...

Plus extra house clean up an odd bit of stolen food if I'm not watching, and odd item knocked over when they're fooling around... 

Less the value of rodent damage, bait etc, plenty of fun, laughter and company... and I reckon I'm way out in front.


----------



## Julia (26 November 2008)

Great photo, Whiskers.  But it leaves the viewer wondering about what happened next.  What did happen?


----------



## Whiskers (26 November 2008)

Julia said:


> Great photo, Whiskers.  But it leaves the viewer wondering about what happened next.  What did happen?




I couldn't bring myself to deprive the kittens of their fun, err education, so I just left them to it.  

The rat never got out of that corner alive.

Sorry to all those with pet rats.


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## Green08 (27 November 2008)

Whiskers said:


> Still thinking about Insurance. The leg amputation cost about $900.00, desex female's about $120 and males $80.




Pet Insurance. As I only have one it maybe more viable.

Also considering as a family we have top health cover - rarely used but usually claim the year's payment back. 

First, as always there is alot of very very small fine print!! Various different levels of cover.

This is not a ramp  it is to assist others to look around - The  ones I would not suggest I won't mention.

vetsown.com.au 1300 668 890

Though my choice may change according to her health and my finance.

Lifelong  Accident and Illness and good Health Rewards with Dental cover

The dental insurance must come with a Vet's letter that deems the animal's teeth healthy from the time you take on insurance.   She is now 11 weeks and going for the 3 month vaccination thus I will being next week. Their pretty sharp I already have battle scars.

My friend said his dog was vetipalitised (?) for tick paralysis cost $600!!  That would be the annunaly insurance for my pup.

I would appreciate any helpful comments on this before I sign off.


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## tadpole (28 November 2008)

i breed tadpoles in our swimming pool. its interesting to watch the metamorphosis from egg to fully grown frog. 

they cost nothing to keep, no maintenance required at all.

of course the pool looks a mess, but i wouldln't part with my little taddies


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## 2020hindsight (28 November 2008)

tadpole said:


> ... but i wouldln't part with my little taddies



as the bishop said to the actress lol


----------



## Green08 (26 December 2008)

Did anyone spoil their beloved pet yesterday or today.

Our Kimba loves bath time!  Yesterday my daugther said she would give her a bath.  Then I heard all the giggles, splashing, barking and more laughter.

I went into the bathroom and she was in the bath (in shorts and a T) about 15cms deep with Kimba.  Both drenched and both happy, Kimba was wagging her tail madly and had no intention of getting out!

They were both rather clean on reappearance.


----------



## Garpal Gumnut (26 December 2008)

My superdog is Garpaldog.

gg


----------



## spottygoose (26 December 2008)

Garpaldog is cute! When our dog lies like that we all it "freddo frog legs". 

As for spoiling on Christmas day - absolutely! 

Ours is a 14 year old cattle dog/kelpie and has been with us long enough to know about Christmas.

He gets excited when the tree goes up, more excited when his stocking goes up and wags his tail and jumps up and down once you mention "santa". 

Ok he probably is just hearing "food, food, yum" but it is cute the way he carefully unwraps his presents and we just love it!


----------



## wayneL (26 December 2008)

"Boo Boo" - when he is good
"Sterling" - when he is bad


----------



## Smurf1976 (26 December 2008)

Green08 said:


> Did anyone spoil their beloved pet yesterday or today.
> 
> Our Kimba loves bath time!  Yesterday my daugther said she would give her a bath.  Then I heard all the giggles, splashing, barking and more laughter.
> 
> ...



Reminds me of bathing the dog I used to have. Always lots of fun when he did the big shake still standing in a bath full of water. Even the ceiling got wet...


----------



## gav (26 December 2008)

My brother lives with me, and this is his cat, Gizmo.  I'm not a fan of cats, I like dogs.  So I taught Gizmo to fetch.  I scrunch up a bit of aluminum foil and throw it across the room.  Gizmo sprints after it, picks it up, runs back to the couch and places the aluminum ball right beside my hand, eagerly waiting for me to throw it again!


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## Mr Capital (26 December 2008)

Harvey My Purebred Labrador.


----------



## CoffeeKing (27 December 2008)

Don't have any pets to talk of...

Had a Turkey for one day ( 25th )
Got a Frog that lives behind the toilet cistern in summer
looks like the same one as last year, must be a good spot
and he/she doesn't croak - so he/she can stay there -

and the 2 following pictures are a little baby dove that flew in on Christmas night about 9pm
Little thing couldn't get over the fence, flew into the window security grill and got stuck.
Rather than leave it for the nasty night prowlers, put it in a box for the night.
Boxing day took the box outside and opened it up, nah, wasn't dead, flew up and away in a flurry of frantic flapping and made it into next doors tree.
It tried another go at flying and disappeared below fence line...

Now that was a really good Christmas sprit thing to do, and enjoyed it.


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## CoffeeKing (28 December 2008)

Geez I got hairy arms?


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## Julia (28 December 2008)

Libby, five year old German Shepherd.


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## Julia (28 December 2008)

Just trying a different size photo.


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## Julia (28 December 2008)

What type of file have those of you who have posted photos used?
I've been fiddling about trying to get the forum attachment software to accept the photo.  Finally saved it in jpeg and it has worked.


----------



## chops_a_must (28 December 2008)

Beautiful dog Julia.


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## gav (28 December 2008)

Julia,

Have you had any problems with Libby or any other German Shepherd?  I really want one, but keep hearing bad stories about them.  Even in cases where they have had very good owners...


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## Dowdy (28 December 2008)

Two very spoilt jacky boys


----------



## RoszkoRR (28 December 2008)

Dutch blue Africian peach face parrot. Very Beautiful but very noisy


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## spottygoose (28 December 2008)

Spottygoose:


----------



## Julia (28 December 2008)

gav said:


> Julia,
> 
> Have you had any problems with Libby or any other German Shepherd?  I really want one, but keep hearing bad stories about them.  Even in cases where they have had very good owners...



Gav, it's really important to get a puppy from a good breeder.
I don't know too much about other breeds but in many cases when people say they have a "German Shepherd" it turns out to be a mixed breed from some backyard breeding effort.
I have had Shepherds for more than 30 years, always from a reputable, registered GS breeder.  They have all been fantastic dogs, but all completely different in personality.

The girl in the photo is good now, but was a very difficult puppy, headstrong and determined to have her own way.  I needed to put in twice as much time training her as with any of the others.  Because of various circumstances I didn't get her until she was 12 weeks old, instead of the desired 8 weeks.

You need to get a puppy from eight weeks. Leave it until 12 weeks and they have already begun to form a definite personality.  The pup needs to come to the new owner while it is still somewhat dependent.

Informal lead training needs to start straight away.  Get the pup used to a tiny slip chain and lead.  Just a couple of minutes twice a day.  Give heaps of praise.

From 5 months find a good trainer for obedience classes.  This is absolutely necessary.  It teaches you how to train your dog.  German Shepherds are on the whole a dominant breed and they must understand that you are the leader of their pack and in charge.
If this isn't established before 6 months it can be very difficult to establish the right relationship, i.e. that you are in charge.

To anyone considering a German Shepherd, please don't get one unless you are able to be with the dog most of the time.  They are a highly intelligent, very active breed and need a constant challenge and lots of exercise, viz about 10kms - 15kms per day, plus fetching ball/stick, doing agility trials etc.

Imo the reported problems with the breed are:
1.  people getting badly bred animals
2.  people getting a Shepherd for a "guard dog" then leaving the animal alone while at work all day.  This is guaranteed (for other than a very soft natured dog) to produce an irritable, difficult, unhappy dog.  They deserve better than this.
3.  people not being prepared to put in the time with training.  The dogs love this, learn very quickly, and are keen to please.

If you're prepared to do all this, you'll have a dog which will protect you with its life, offer you unquestioning loyalty and love, and a companionship second to none.


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## gav (29 December 2008)

Thanks for your detailed response Julia


----------



## white_crane (31 December 2008)

At the moment,
3 dogs, 2 budgies and 2 lizards.

Soon it will be,
3 dogs, 2 budgies, 2 lizards, 8 indian ringnecks and a bunch of king quails (prob. 8).

1 dog and the budgies are temporary (minding them for family).


I think we should get some fish. :


----------



## CanOz (31 December 2008)

These are our two....the white one was a stray...i couldn't resist cleaning him up and giving him a good life. So far he seems to be adjusting ok.

Cheers,


CanOz


----------



## awg (31 December 2008)

Presently experiencing a plague of spiders, cockroaches and mice

do they count?

tip: some of the mice wont eat the rat bait pellets, so coat them with melted chocolate first, that gets them.

just dont forget to tell your children, if they are like my ravenous tribe, they will sneak them


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## Whiskers (17 September 2009)

I've been treating one of my cats for a skin infection with no success, thinking it got a bit of skin clawed out by another cat and started licking it as cats do... but the infected hairless skinless area has kept increasing.

Poor cat... I've just realised it's probably mange that caused the first bit of hair and skin to come out. 

I'm off to the vet tomorrow to see what I can do to cure it. A quick search of the web suggests a 2% Lime Sulfur bath for a few weeks should cure it. It seems that there are few medicinal treatments approved for mange in cats, most are off Label remedies with some being potentially fatal to cats dependent on other issues with the cat.

Has anyone had success with Lime Sulphur? What other remedies have worked?


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## Tink (18 September 2009)

I would take him to the vet Whiskers as he will probably need antibiotics..

We have a 14yo tortoiseshell cat and 7yo Pomeranian 

Also have a Tropical Fish Tank


----------



## kincella (18 September 2009)

I would be taking the cat to the vet.....I would not be using a fungicide like lime sulphur on the poor animal.....and see below there are better more effective treatments....
did you realise its a mite that buries into the skin....
regarding lime sulphur....
*Dipping is labor intensive and rarely done any more as the other products are easier and more rapidly effective. *We mention dipping since it has been a standard mange treatment for decades prior to the introduction of ivermectin.
Treatment 

While sarcoptic mange is difficult to diagnose definitively, it is fairly easy to treat and a number of choices are available. 

REMEMBER, ALL DOGS IN A HOUSEHOLD WHERE SARCOPTIC MANGE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED SHOULD BE TREATED. 

Ivermectin - This is one of the most effective treatments against Sarcoptes scabiei yet it is off-label as far as the FDA is concerned. There are several protocols because of the long activity of this drug in the body. Typically an injection is given either weekly or every two weeks in one to four doses. 

In most cases this treatment is safe and effective but some individuals have a mutation that makes ivermectin toxic at the doses used to kill mites. These individuals are usually of the Collie family: Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, and Australian Shepherds are classically affected. There is now a test that can determine if any dog has the mutation that makes ivermectin use dangerous. An additional caution comes from an interaction with the relatively new flea control product Comfortis ® (spinosad). Relatively high doses of ivermectin are needed to treat sarcoptic mange and if Comfortis ® is used concurrently, ivermectin side effects are more likely to occur. While ivermectin is a prototype compound upon which most other sarcoptic mange treatments are based, it may be worth using a product that has actually been approved for the treatment of sarcoptic mange. 


Selamectin (Revolution ®) - Selamectin is an ivermectin derivative recently marketed for dogs for the control of fleas, ticks, heartworm, ear mites, and sarcoptic mange mites. Normal monthly use of this product should prevent a sarcoptic mange problem but to reliably clear an actual infection studies show an extra dose is usually needed after 2 weeks. This product is probably the best choice for Collie or Australian shepherd breeds. 

See more information from the manufacturer on Revolution. 

Moxidectin (Advantage Multi ®) – Moxidectin is yet another ivermectin derivative. In Advantage Multi, it is combined with imidacloprid, a flea killing topical, to create a product used against heartworm, hookworm, roundworm, whipworm, and fleas. In the U.S. this product is not FDA labeled for sarcoptic mange but it is in other countries and should still be effective even though technically it is off-label. 

See more information from the manufacturer on Advantage Multi. 

Milbemycin Oxime (Interceptor ® or Sentinel ®) - Milbemycin oxime is approved for heartworm prevention as a monthly oral treatment (as either Interceptor ® or Sentinel ®). Happily, it also has activity against sarcoptic mange and several protocols have been recommended by different dermatologists. This is another medication that one might find recommended. 

See more information on Interceptor from the manufacturer, and see their page for Sentinel. 

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=616


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## kincella (18 September 2009)

some people keep pet mice and pet rats....and allow them to breed....then they escape to surrounding places..others have giant spiders for pets...

I know of a family who bought 2 rabbits for their only child....the rabbits started breeding as they do....it all got totally out of control...at one stage they counted over 100 rabbits in their back yard...of course the rabbits did not stay within the confines and spread around the neighbourhood.....it was very sad really, rabbits everywhere....most neighbours within about 500 yards were reasonably angry with that family...

and what about the people who keep snakes.....I know a bloke who had a pet python...locked in a cage in the backyard....that python was 3 metres long, just a baby at that stage....jaws like a dog....someone left the cage unlocked....python escaped... the previously rowdy neighbours were suddenly very quiet...no more back door slanging matches with them (too frightened to go out the back door in case snake was there)....he eventually found same snake dead, it had coiled itself around the steering column in his car and got its head stuck in under the dashboard....poor thing....
needless to say he was freaked out after finding python in his car....twas the end of his snake as a pet days....


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## Whiskers (18 September 2009)

Thanks for that info Kincella.

It was a Merch Pharmacuticals site that I quickly browsed earlier... no wonder the range of options was pretty skinny.

My vet gave me 'Revolution' from the opposition Phizer, to apply as a topical treatment. It controls fleas, a range of worms as well as mites.

I recall I looked at Revolution ages ago when selecting a flea control, but chose another cheaper product. It kept the fleas at bay alright, but in this case the extra cost of Revolution seems to be in it's ability to treat a broarder range of paracites.

This stuff is more expensive than gold... a 60mg dose, a tiny drop, cost me $15.00 x 6 pack, $90.00 to treat all four cats and follow up on the infected one.

I agree with your concern about uncontrolled breeding of pets. All mine are de-sexed. I suspect my cat picked up mange from some strays and probably ferrels that sneak in and steal their food off the verandah. I've had to leave their dry food dish that the can access anytime, inside the house, but even then I ocassionally catch a stray sneaking inside to get a feed.


Btw Tink, that's a pretty cute looking little dog there.


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## Garpal Gumnut (18 September 2009)

I have a money spider that lives in my home office.

Quite a lively little bugger.

gg


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## nunthewiser (18 September 2009)

i keep  Damaras 

the one one the left is named "sunday roast " a tribute to nicole kidman 

the one on the right is named "lamb chop" 

the one in the middle WAS named "spit" alas no longer with us 

the ram is named "rambamthankyoumam" you can work that one out 

great pets ...... with the bonus of being polite enough to share a dinner table with you


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## Garpal Gumnut (18 September 2009)

nunthewiser said:


> i keep  Damaras
> 
> the one one the left is named "sunday roast " a tribute to nicole kidman
> 
> ...




Beaut animals nun.

gg


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## nunthewiser (18 September 2009)

i also have a pink and grey galah that swears a bit and whistles and sqwawks  while parading around the loungeroom looking for unprotected feet to chew on

must have more lives than a cat as he likes to chew on power cords also


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## Garpal Gumnut (18 September 2009)

nunthewiser said:


> i also have a pink and grey galah that swears a bit and whistles and sqwawks  while parading around the loungeroom looking for unprotected feet to chew on
> 
> must have more lives than a cat as he likes to chew on power cords also




You are so lucky.

My brother in law has a galah as a pet.

Who needs power and comms when you have a galah !!!

gg


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## Hedders (18 September 2009)

There are heaps of native animals around our place- roos, wombats, possums, tortoises, snakes etc, but one of the most aggressive ones I've come across was the Lace Monitor that got caught in my chook house. I had to remove him because he couldn't find his own way out. It was more of an ordeal than any snake I've handled. He was nearly as tall as me. I've attached a pic of one of his forearms to show how big his claws were. I relocated him to a local reserve, only to find that he made his way back to my place the next day! They love chook eggs.


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## ck13488 (18 September 2009)

^^i remember going camping as a little'un and taking whole eggs and putting them out for them to eat...they would swallow them whole and spit out the shell, i was always amazed!

we have a dozen chooks, 2 cats, a fishtank (had tetras but replacing with yabbies in a few weeks), a mum and baby possum who visit us and are quite tame. also a koala sits in a tree between out house and garage during summer!


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## Julia (19 September 2009)

Whiskers said:


> My vet gave me 'Revolution' from the opposition Phizer, to apply as a topical treatment. It controls fleas, a range of worms as well as mites.
> 
> I recall I looked at Revolution ages ago when selecting a flea control, but chose another cheaper product. It kept the fleas at bay alright, but in this case the extra cost of Revolution seems to be in it's ability to treat a broarder range of paracites.



Whiskers, the best product is "Advocate".  It covers everything with a monthly squeeze onto the back of the neck.  Costs a little more but is really worth it.


----------



## Whiskers (19 September 2009)

Thanks for that Julia... I'll check it out.

It may be a good idea as with agricultural chemicals to rotate between different chemical groups to prevent or at least slow the pests developing an immunity to a particular chemical.

This mite problem has come as a bit of a surprise, since I only switched to a squeeze on flea control more recently for conveinence, having only used a bit of flea powder ocassionally previously. But considering the state of the strays around here and the bush they hide in, it looks like it will be a continuing problem.


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## gav (18 November 2009)

This is Pixi, she is a Ragdoll and is 9 months old now.  Her father is my parents Ragdoll, and her mother is my cousins Ragdoll.  Despite her cute and innocent looks, she is quite mischievous and rebellious. 






In my gym bag






























WAASSSSSUP!!!! (anyone who's seen the Budweiser ads will know what I'm talking about)


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## Julia (18 November 2009)

Very cute, Gav.  I'm not much into cats, but I gather the Ragdoll is in personality much more like a dog.
Seems you will get a lot of pleasure from Pixie.  Thanks for putting up the photos.


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## Nyden (19 November 2009)

Hedders said:


> There are heaps of native animals around our place- roos, wombats, possums, tortoises, snakes etc, but one of the most aggressive ones I've come across was the Lace Monitor that got caught in my chook house. I had to remove him because he couldn't find his own way out. It was more of an ordeal than any snake I've handled. He was nearly as tall as me. I've attached a pic of one of his forearms to show how big his claws were. I relocated him to a local reserve, only to find that he made his way back to my place the next day! They love chook eggs.




Holy crap,  it's an alien!


----------



## Prospector (19 November 2009)

Hey Gav, you have a Ragdoll!  Julia alerted me today (I havent posted much lately as too busy) but we have just taken delivery of a 12 week old Ragdoll.  Now, I think yours is a Blue pointed Raggie?  Just so we can compare, this is our now 15 week old Raggie.


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## Bushman (19 November 2009)

A regular zoo at my joint - 2 dogs (one found in a park with a stuffed leg and a new one from the RSPCA), a Russian Blue and a rabbit. 

The chooks had to be adopted out as they kept getting into my my veggie patch.


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## bloomy88 (19 November 2009)

Bushman said:


> A regular zoo at my joint - 2 dogs (one found in a park with a stuffed leg and a new one from the RSPCA), a Russian Blue and a rabbit.




Wow that's impressive. Got 2 dogs at my house, a cocker spanial and an Australian terrier. 
Animals are fantastic to have around the house


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## bloomy88 (19 November 2009)

Ps. not a massive fan of cats but they are some pretty cute photos


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## Prospector (19 November 2009)

bloomy88 said:


> Ps. not a massive fan of cats but they are some pretty cute photos




Hey bloomy, neither was I!  A dog girl all the way until a few years ago when a stray kitten landed on our doorstep.  Cats have a quite, um, different personality to dogs.


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## dalek (19 November 2009)

The truth about cats and dog's. 

 Subject: Excerpts from a Dog's Diary 

 8:00 am - Dog food!   My favourite thing! 

 9:30 am - A car ride!  My favourite thing! 

 9:40 am - A walk in the park!  My  favourite thing! 

 10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted!  My favourite thing! 

12:00 PM - Lunch!  My favourite thing! 

 1:00 PM - Played in the   backyard! My favourite thing! 

.3:00 PM - Wagged my tail!  My favourite thing! 

 5:00 PM - Dinner!  My favourite thing! 

 7:00 PM - Got to play ball!  My favourite thing! 

 8:00 PM - Wow!  Watched TV with the people!  My favourite thing! 

 11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed!  My favourite thing! 

 Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary. .. 

 Day 983 of my captivity. 

 My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. 

 Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards. 

 There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. 

 However, I could hear the noises and smell the food.  I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage. 

 Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs. 

.I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return.  He is obviously retarded. 

The bird has got to be an informant.  I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move.  My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. 

For now...............


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## prawn_86 (19 November 2009)

ROFL Dalek. Thats great!


----------



## Tink (19 November 2009)

prawn_86 said:


> ROFL Dalek. Thats great!




I agree 

I love cats and dogs. They are both so funny to watch.


----------



## gav (19 November 2009)

Prospector said:


> Hey Gav, you have a Ragdoll!  Julia alerted me today (I havent posted much lately as too busy) but we have just taken delivery of a 12 week old Ragdoll.  Now, I think yours is a Blue pointed Raggie?  Just so we can compare, this is our now 15 week old Raggie.




Hi Prospector, your Ragdoll is very cute!  What's his/her name?  He/she looks strikingly similar to the kitten we almost chose (we had first choice of the litter).  But I ended up choosing Pixi as her markings are almost identical to her father, and that is the 'look' I liked.  I'm not sure if Pixi is "Blue Pointed", I'll find out and get back to you.

I think the colour around your Ragdoll's face, ears and tail will get darker over time (Pixi's has, and so has her parents).  If you want some earlier photos of Pixi to see the difference, PM me your email and I'll send them to you.

When Pixi was younger, she LOVED chewing everything in sight.  She was more mischievous than others in her litter, so you might not have this problem as much as us.  She would chew everything, especially TV/computer cables.  Squirting her with water did nothing (except she'd give us a dirty look), but we found that leaving tissues lightly covered with lemon juice or essential oils around those areas helped stop this.  The chewing stopped at the 6 month mark, and a friend at work who also has a Ragdoll said that hers stopped chewing at 6 months old too.  

She loves playing with cardboard boxes, so we leave a few in our spare room for her to play with (plus she has a heap of toys that my partner bought).  As I was telling Julia, Pixi can be quite rebellious.  When we'd tell her off she would give us a dirty look as if to say "f*** you, I'll do what I want".  It's hard not to laugh! She loves playing chasey around the house, she'll jump at your leg then run away wanting you to chase her.  Then at other times she lives up to her breed name "Ragdoll" and simply flops on your lap and wants cuddles.

I was always a "dog" person and never liked cats either.  That changed when my parents got their Ragdoll.


----------



## Prospector (19 November 2009)

gav said:


> Hi Prospector, your Ragdoll is very cute!  What's his/her name?  He/she looks strikingly similar to the kitten we almost chose (we had first choice of the litter).  But I ended up choosing Pixi as her markings are almost identical to her father, and that is the 'look' I liked.  I'm not sure if Pixi is "Blue Pointed", I'll find out and get back to you.
> 
> I think the colour around your Ragdoll's face, ears and tail will get darker over time (Pixi's has, and so has her parents).  If you want some earlier photos of Pixi to see the difference, PM me your email and I'll send them to you..




Yup, Mikko is already darkening up.  When we got the first photo (blue background) I said to my son (who had picked Mikko out and named him) trust him to pick the only Ragdoll that had dreads!



gav said:


> When Pixi was younger, she LOVED chewing everything in sight.  She was more mischievous than others in her litter, so you might not have this problem as much as us.  She would chew everything, especially TV/computer cables.  .




Especially TV and computer cables.



gav said:


> She loves playing with cardboard boxes, so we leave a few in our spare room for her to play with (plus she has a heap of toys that my partner bought).




Yep - we have a great shot of him in a six pack carton with his legs poking through the hole where the bottle necks go.  And tunnels, anything that makes a tunnel, he goes through it.



gav said:


> As I was telling Julia, Pixi can be quite rebellious.  When we'd tell her off she would give us a dirty look as if to say "f*** you, I'll do what I want".  It's hard not to laugh! She loves playing chasey around the house, she'll jump at your leg then run away wanting you to chase her.  Then at other times she lives up to her breed name "Ragdoll" and simply flops on your lap and wants cuddles.
> 
> I was always a "dog" person and never liked cats either.  That changed when my parents got their Ragdoll.




Yup, we are started him to play 'go fetch' with a ball.  (Gawd, almost said 'his balls' - they are long gone!  He is still tiny and his favourite ball is a small wood cedar ball which he carries around in his mouth and then just drops it on the wooden floor.  They do have attitude, dont they!


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## milothedog (19 November 2009)

Absolutely hilarious Dalek 

Umm and yes...I have a dog....and no....no prizes for guessing the name.


----------



## Julia (19 November 2009)

Dalek, that's one of the funniest commentaries about dogs and cats I've ever read.  Hilarious.  Thanks for posting.


----------



## bloomy88 (19 November 2009)

dalek said:


> .I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return.  He is obviously retarded.




Lol hilarious, couldn't stop laughing at this bit. Did you write the cat bit with Stewie from family guy in mind???


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## Prospector (20 November 2009)

Great Post Dalek. And sorry my pictures are so big - they are bigger than Mikko!

Anyway, here he is enjoying the remains of some coldies - the cardboard, anyway. He is quite a fan of Boags


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## bloomy88 (20 November 2009)

Prospector said:


> Great Post Dalek. And sorry my pictures are so big - they are bigger than Mikko!
> 
> Anyway, here he is enjoying the remains of some coldies - the cardboard, anyway. He is quite a fan of Boags




Lol, one of the few fans of Boags St George going around


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## jono1887 (20 November 2009)

I've got 3 dead fish... not to sure how they died though... :


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## springhill (9 August 2011)

Our new american staffy x blue heeler pup


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## Julia (9 August 2011)

Interesting combination, springhill.  Hope you'll be making an early start on the training!
How is he/she doing so far?  Looks about 7 or 8 weeks?  How is the toilet training going?


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## springhill (9 August 2011)

Julia said:


> Interesting combination, springhill.  Hope you'll be making an early start on the training!
> How is he/she doing so far?  Looks about 7 or 8 weeks?  How is the toilet training going?




She's 3/4 staff, 1/4 heeler. Are you thinking this is not a good combo Julia? The owners wanted the pure bred mum to mate with another pure bred male, but looks like some other cheeky doggy got there first. 

You're good, she is 7 and 1/2 weeks but don't pick her up until thursday night as they recommend 8 weeks with the mother before separation.

Puppy classes are on the agenda for sure i think it's important to have a social and structured start, haven't toilet trained a dog before so any advice on that would be helpful!


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## NewOrder (10 August 2011)

Here is my baby, he is not as cuddly as some of the others but he is much cheaper to feed.


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## samanne1 (10 August 2011)

1 cat and 2 kids. Oh, and 5 chickens.


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## Julia (10 August 2011)

springhill said:


> She's 3/4 staff, 1/4 heeler. Are you thinking this is not a good combo Julia? The owners wanted the pure bred mum to mate with another pure bred male, but looks like some other cheeky doggy got there first.



No, not at all commenting about the combination, springhill.  Rather, that both breeds are - in different ways - inclined to be strong natured:  therefore they need to be well trained in order to be a polite member of your household and when out in public.
The Border Collie is a working dog so needs to have the challenge of 'a job to do'.
If not trained, they can become escape artists in order to chase cars, people, other dogs, anything.  The Staffy is less that way inclined but can sometimes really dislike other dogs so you need to watch for any aggression and curtail it.



> Puppy classes are on the agenda for sure i think it's important to have a social and structured start,



There are different views about puppy classes.  Personally, I'd never put my puppy in them because they are usually pretty unstructured and the puppies are encouraged to roll around and play with one another.  Now, you might think, hey that's a really good thing for their social development, but you have to balance that up against the puppy getting the idea that it's always good to rush up and engage with every other canine creature it sees when you begin to take it out in public.  This can be very difficult to counteract and will depend on your puppy's basic disposition.

Example:  I've had German Shepherds for 35 years.  They are usually a pretty reserved breed and as a rule have much more interest in their owner than in other dogs.  Consequently they are pretty easy to train.  However, my current girl has been quite the opposite and is immensely social.  So I've had a really hard time discouraging her from a determination to make friends with every person and every dog she encounters.

You might think that it's really nice that your dog is so friendly, but many other dog owners simply do not want your dog pestering their dog.  You will find plenty of opportunities for your puppy/dog to play with dogs belonging to your friends etc in controlled circumstances.

You want to train your dog to walk calmly at heel beside you, knowing he/she will not suddenly rush off to meet another dog/chase a bird etc.  Apart from the obedience factor, an impulsive dog can cause harm to itself or others.

With apologies if you already know about pack structure, this is fundamental to your relationship with and training of your dog.  The dog is a pack animal and absolutely requires a pack leader.  So far this is its mother.  When it comes into your home you have to become the pack leader and set boundaries for it.  

You need to decide where the puppy will sleep.  In a cosy basket, or padded dog bed in your bedroom will help the puppy settle.  If you're not comfortable with this, make a warm and comfortable place in the laundry or other suitable small room.  Hopefully you won't want to put the puppy outside by himself.  Be firm about where he sleeps.  He shouldn't be allowed to decide for himself e.g. that he will sleep on the sofa!
Do not allow the puppy on your bed.  This is in his mind elevating him to human status and will be a powerful message to him as to his status if you let it happen.
And yes, it's really difficult to resist this with that cute, cuddly little thing.  



> haven't toilet trained a dog before so any advice on that would be helpful!



I'm assuming the puppy is going to be in the house with you.
If you have carpeted areas, the easiest thing is to get large pieces of plastic and lay over the carpet, anchoring firmly with furniture.  Until you get the pup trained, he will simply go when and where he feels like it. 
If you don't do this and he does go on carpet, *do not get angry with him*, especially if it's after the event.  If you see him about to go or starting, say a very loud NO! and just pick him up - midstream if necessary - and take him outside and put him down where you want him to go.

I have an area covered with smallish stones, about 3 metres or so square and this is the dog's toilet area.  It's easily hosed down  and avoids those hideous yellow patches on your lawn if you have one.

The puppy's bladder is very small and he will need to go about every two hours.
He will also usually go when he wakes up and after eating and drinking.
So, decide where you want him to go and just pick him up and put him on this area with whatever word you decide to use, e.g. "toilet, Rover".  Let him sniff around and wait for a while, but if he clearly is not going to go, go and do something else with him and then put him back there in half an hour or so.  Keep doing this until he does go.  Then, in a hugely delighted, high voice give him heaps of praise and maybe a small food reward.

Don't ever have a conversation with your dog.  They don't understand English and you don't understand Dog.  What they respond to is your tone of voice and body language.
A good example of this is when a dog is afraid of thunder.  Many owners cuddle the shaking, terrified animal, making what they think are soothing, comforting reassurances.  e.g. "it's all right, Rover, it will all go away soon,  you're quite safe here with me".  Do not do this.  The dog just perceives your 'reassuring' tone of voice as your approval of what it is doing and you will further cement his reaction to storms.

Instead, act as if nothing unusual is happening, adopt a bright, cheerful tone and divert the dog to something else.  e.g. get a toy out and play with him, roll a ball along the floor etc.

There's a bloke I walk past often who stands outside his house with a miniature Dachsund on a lead.  When we approach, my dog is calmly walking beside me, not going anywhere near the small dog.  The small dog, however, barks furiously.
The owner says "it's all right, ratface, the nasty big dog isn't going to hurt you, daddy is here looking after you" and other such garbage.
What that owner should be doing is saying to his dog a very loud NO! and then giving the dog a command to SIT and then enforce it.
His nonsensical murmurings to the dog are totally reinforcing its current behaviour.

If you are consistent and patient with your puppy in the above toilet training, he will catch on quickly and will be trained for life to go when and where you want him to.
This, particularly if it's a male, is way better than having the dog stop at every lamp post when you're out walking.

There will be accidents inside the house.  Do not get cross and do not punish the puppy for this.  Just clean it up without comment.  If he does go on carpet, just blot immediately with plenty of paper towels.  Do not rub.  Then saturate the carpet with soda water, blot with fresh paper towels to absorb but leave area wet.  It will dry with no stain and no odour.  Do not use bleach, detergent or carpet shampoo.
I have even got liquid diarrhoea type poo off cream carpet with this method.

Sorry to probably give you more than you ever wanted to know, springhill.  Hope it's useful.  I'm pretty passionate about dogs being properly trained.

And you can start training him right from the start to get the idea of walking at heel.
Put a little soft collar or small slip chain on him and for just a few minutes at a time encourage him to walk at your left side, staying level with you, not pulling ahead, and then when you stop walking gently push his bottom down while saying "Sit".  They learn this easily and it's setting the foundation for having an adult dog which walks calmly beside you, off a lead, automatically stopping and sitting each time you stop walking, ignoring all distractions.

Keep us posted on how you're going.  Puppies are gorgeous, such fun.  Just remember that you are the boss and that is what they need.  This co-exists perfectly with giving your puppy all the love and affection it needs.
There's a great little book called "Who's the Boss" by dog trainer Val Bonney.
You can order it from Val at http://www.bonnies.com.au/

PS  Do not take your puppy out to public areas until he/she has had the 12 week vaccination.  Not safe from parvo etc until that time.

All the best
Julia


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## sptrawler (10 August 2011)

Julia it was great to hear you telling people that not all owners want other peoples dogs comming over to socialise.
I always try to walk my Jack Russel when nobody is around. This is because he suffered from Adisons desease which killed his adrenal glands, this requires him to have steroids every day.
If another dog invades his space he panics and doesn't know whether to run or fight, he tends to attack then run away. The problem then his body chemistry gets out of kilter and he is a bed ridden wreck for the next couple of days. Costs me a fortune.LOL


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## springhill (12 August 2011)

Julia said:


> No, not at all commenting about the combination, springhill.  Rather, that both breeds are - in different ways - inclined to be strong natured:  therefore they need to be well trained in order to be a polite member of your household and when out in public.
> The Border Collie is a working dog so needs to have the challenge of 'a job to do'.
> If not trained, they can become escape artists in order to chase cars, people, other dogs, anything.  The Staffy is less that way inclined but can sometimes really dislike other dogs so you need to watch for any aggression and curtail it.
> 
> ...




Thankyou so much for taking the time to provide all this information, Julia. My partner and I sat down and read it several times over and although I have always had dogs, they have always been outside/orchard dogs. So not alot of experience with raising one indoors, she had her first night, last night, and was quite reserved but when we took her outside to familiarise herself with our block she sparked up a bit and this morning she is alot more playful and sure of her surroundings.

Just one question, if that's ok. When we went to bed (our laundry is directly across the hall from our bedroom) and left the door open on both rooms. She started crying immediately, but we thought it best to ignore it as not to encourage this behaviour. After 2-3 minutes she gave up and went to sleep (we can tell because she snores a little ). During the night she did it again a couple more times and we are unsure whether to continue to ignore it, or if she is crying because she wants to go outside to toilet. The first time I decided to take her out but she did nothing. After that there was more crying later but we ignored those. This morning there was a solid and a puddle on the floor, which is no big deal, easy enough to clean up.
What do you think is the right course of action here?


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## Julia (12 August 2011)

Hello springhill, if you've decided she should sleep in the laundry and you're at least going to leave the door open, there's nothing wrong with that.

It's not at all unusual for her to cry during the first couple of nights or so, but as she adjusts to being away from her mother and littermates, and realises you and your partner are her new pack, she'll be fine.

*However*, what I said earlier about a pup's bladder only being good for 2 hours applies during the night just as much as in the daytime!  Sorry, but you need to get up every couple of hours and take her outside to her toilet area and instruct her to go as described.  She may not oblige you by going immediately.  Remember, she's just a baby and is in a whole new, quite possibly frightening, environment.  Just wait with her for a few minutes.   She is not going to get the whole toilet thing in a couple of days.  The puppy of all of mine that was the most quick to get it still took a couple of weeks.  You just have to persist.  

It's worth doing it, I promise.

Is she eating well?   Four meals a day?   
Do you have vaccination certificates for the first two vaccinations?


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## springhill (12 August 2011)

Julia said:


> Hello springhill, if you've decided she should sleep in the laundry and you're at least going to leave the door open, there's nothing wrong with that.




We had to compromise . I have never been a fan of indoor dogs, but partner's family have only ever had indoor dogs. I said as long as she stays off the carpets then I am happy to have her inside (the pup, not the girl!).



Julia said:


> It's not at all unusual for her to cry during the first couple of nights or so, but as she adjusts to being away from her mother and littermates, and realises you and your partner are her new pack, she'll be fine.




Good to hear, we were torn between not encouraging the behaviour, but recognising she needs to go outside several times each night. Is the right course of action to pick her up, without making a fuss of her, take her straight outside and when she is done bring her straight back in? Again making no fuss when we leave her to go back to bed?

She is actually really good already with the toilet situation, she will not indiscriminately wizz all over the house, but waits until we take her outside. Quite a blessing, hope it continues!



Julia said:


> *However*, what I said earlier about a pup's bladder only being good for 2 hours applies during the night just as much as in the daytime!  Sorry, but you need to get up every couple of hours and take her outside to her toilet area and instruct her to go as described.  She may not oblige you by going immediately.  Remember, she's just a baby and is in a whole new, quite possibly frightening, environment.  Just wait with her for a few minutes.   She is not going to get the whole toilet thing in a couple of days.  The puppy of all of mine that was the most quick to get it still took a couple of weeks.  You just have to persist.
> 
> It's worth doing it, I promise.




We don't expect miracles, but as stated above she is incredibly good for age and state of training already.



Julia said:


> Is she eating well?   Four meals a day?
> Do you have vaccination certificates for the first two vaccinations?




Eating habits are good, we feed her 3 times a day. Morning, lunch and night, but she has a ball with treats inside she can play with if she feels playful or snacky.
First vaccination has been completed and the vet said bring her in at 10 weeks for her next one.

Thanks again for all the help and advice, it is much appreciated.


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## Julia (12 August 2011)

springhill said:


> Good to hear, we were torn between not encouraging the behaviour, but recognising she needs to go outside several times each night. Is the right course of action to pick her up, without making a fuss of her, take her straight outside and when she is done bring her straight back in? Again making no fuss when we leave her to go back to bed?



Yes, absolutely, on the picking her up and taking her straight outside without fuss, but if she goes, you should give her lots of praise and a cuddle, then bring her back to her bed, give her another cuddle, then leave her.
Remember she's still just a baby and in a strange situation.  Nothing wrong with giving her some affection and praise.



> She is actually really good already with the toilet situation, she will not indiscriminately wizz all over the house, but waits until we take her outside. Quite a blessing, hope it continues!






> We don't expect miracles, but as stated above she is incredibly good for age and state of training already.



That's just terrific.  You're very lucky.   Probably there will still be accidents, though.
Do not get angry with her when this happens.  



> Eating habits are good, we feed her 3 times a day. Morning, lunch and night, but she has a ball with treats inside she can play with if she feels playful or snacky.
> First vaccination has been completed and the vet said bring her in at 10 weeks for her next one.
> 
> Thanks again for all the help and advice, it is much appreciated.



You're very welcome, springhill.  Happy to help with step by step obedience training when she's ready for this.

Do you both work?  Will she be left alone during the day?


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## springhill (12 August 2011)

Julia said:


> You're very welcome, springhill.  Happy to help with step by step obedience training when she's ready for this.
> 
> Do you both work?  Will she be left alone during the day?




Thanks for the offer, will have no hesitation in asking for help with obedience if we are unsure or she is not responding.

We do both work, but I come home for lunch during the day between 12-1.30, so she will not be stuck alone for 8-9 hours. Maybe 4-5 hours at a time tops. Partner has bought her all the toys in the world, but would leaving a radio on during the day be of some comfort for her? What else can you recommend in the way of comfort/entertainment? We are kind of dreading Monday, as it will be her first day home alone.


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## Garpal Gumnut (12 August 2011)

A rather delicate request.

My dog after years of crapping at a distance from the house, has started crapping just on my favourite lawn.

How does one train a mature dog, to crap in the appropriate place?

gg


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## Julia (12 August 2011)

Glad to hear you will come home and spend time with her at lunchtime.  Where are you going to leave her?  If outside, have you checked for any potential dangers, i.e. plants that are poisonous to dogs, swimming pool, garden pond etc?

I had a real fright with one of my new puppies when I left her (I thought) secure on the patio which is contained by a pool fence.  I went inside and just shortly after I heard a splash.  She was so tiny under all that fluff that she was able to squeeze through the bars on the pool fence, had gone exploring, and had fallen into the pool.
If I'd not heard the splash, she would have drowned.

Is there a neighbour who would maybe like to have her for an hour or so?

Most people love puppies and this would break the time up for her a bit.

She will still be sleeping a lot, so if you make sure to play with her and wear her out before you leave for work, then keep her active at lunchtime, she should be OK.


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## springhill (12 August 2011)

Garpal Gumnut said:


> A rather delicate request.
> 
> My dog after years of crapping at a distance from the house, has started crapping just on my favourite lawn.
> 
> ...




Is it a Gillardski Terrier? As they get older, uglier and more sure of their environment, they tend to crap closer to their own nest, until they just start sh!tting right in it.


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## springhill (12 August 2011)

Julia said:


> Glad to hear you will come home and spend time with her at lunchtime.  Where are you going to leave her?  If outside, have you checked for any potential dangers, i.e. plants that are poisonous to dogs, swimming pool, garden pond etc?
> 
> I had a real fright with one of my new puppies when I left her (I thought) secure on the patio which is contained by a pool fence.  I went inside and just shortly after I heard a splash.  She was so tiny under all that fluff that she was able to squeeze through the bars on the pool fence, had gone exploring, and had fallen into the pool.
> If I'd not heard the splash, she would have drowned.
> ...




Our block is not secured appropriately enough at the moment to leave her outdoors during the day, so she will be indoors. Our laundry is directly connected to our garage, so was going to leave the internal garage door open in case she felt like more room to amuse herself during the day, rather than just the laundry, that would be too small i feel. At lunch i will have her outside and after work when i am outside setting up garden areas. We live in a small cul-de-sac and neighbours are mostly double income as it's a new-ish area so time with neighbours is probably out of the question for now. She is not shy on the snooze, but will be sure to make it so she gets plenty of out and indoor playtime to tire her out. She is very much in exploration stage still.
There are no waters she can get into strife on our block, and no plans for a pool or pond, so all safe there. Glad to hear you saved your pups in time, that would have been heartbreaking. Plants are all good for animals, nothing dangerous there.

Is it true dogs do not have a great concept of time, or just an old wives tale?


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## Garpal Gumnut (12 August 2011)

springhill said:


> Is it a Gillardski Terrier? As they get older, uglier and more sure of their environment, they tend to crap closer to their own nest, until they just start sh!tting right in it.




He is a Lab, I love him and he loves me, however his craps are not inconsiderate.

Puleeze someone help me.

gg


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## sptrawler (12 August 2011)

When he goes to crap at your place, kick him towards next door, when he craps on their lawn give him a treat.
Just joking.


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## Knobby22 (4 September 2022)

She was cold. Our dog Miffy.


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