phoenix21

ooo hes filling out lots! hes looking really well - love his markings love the third pic! very very cute.

thanks for advice and experience. dont have pet insurance - know i should have got it last year i so nearly did am not sure she would enjoy it - last time she went to vets the table was shaking because she was shaking so much! but its worth a try. Am taking them for their vaccs soon so will ask the vet then. The vet that does it is only 15 miles from my vets so its not too bad. what sort of massaging do you do EAD? I try to massage mollys back legs sometimes (she has arthritis and spondylosis) but not sure i actually do it right or in the right place. Hope it works for benji

I was thinking of taking phoenix to have some acupuncture for her spondylosis but was wondering if it was worth it and if other people had any experience? I have found someone that is registered not too far away. Phoenix isnt too bad at the minute but at only 6 i am worried about its progression as she is such an active dog i dont want it to limit her too much. Yesterday evening i was out in the garden with her and was asking her to sit before i threw her ball. I just pushed down on her bum (gently) to get her to sit and she yelped and held her back leg up and out to the side. Felt so guilty - she soon ran it off but if that hurts with gentle pressure what injuries could she do when she is out on walks as she is really a bull in a china shop. At the minute she only limps at night and after a very long walk (i know i shouldnt take her very long walks but she does love them so its an odd treat) and she is on runaround and fish oils (although not seen much difference regarding limping) so do you think acupuncture would have any impact at present? Do i need a referral from my vet and how much does it normally cost? thanks

extra wide!! he must have filled out a bit! any pics? thats really interesting that you mentioned rape pollen. the farmers are growing more rape round here this year and the farmer at the bottom of the track to work has a big field full of rape so thats a possibility. They are getting some sort of inhaler for her which is used with one of those sort of masks u get at boots for babies. My friend who is just graduating from RVC said the vaccines can have an effect but no more than 3 days later and normally when the system is not 100% to begin with as when they get the vaccine thier system has to spend time dealing with that so probably makes her more rundown. I think she will be retired soon hopefully.

i had a similar situation a few years ago - ground floor 2 bed flat with v.large mainly unfenced communal garden and had phoenix and 2 cats. cats would come in and out of window when they liked and phoenix was quite happy so long as she got 2 nice long walks a day. Have to say that my cat (the other was my sisters) loved it when i brought him down to my parents house when i moved back in with them - it has a huge garden for exploring - but he was run over 5 months later Am moving back up to the same flat next month just with phoenix this time. The neighbour upstairs hates her for some reason. Last time i went up there to do some work on the flat (i had moved out over 6mths before) she came downstairs and said phoenix messed in the garden and had been in the bins crazy lady. That the downside with communal gardens is if you are the only one in the block of flats with a dog you get the blame if there is dog mess and bins ripped open (despite the numerous foxes seen). There are a number of dogs that are let out to wander during the day that mess in the gardens but because i have a dog i would get the blame for it - I used to pick up all the dog mess but cant keep everyone happy. I think its hard if you have a noisy dog and awkward neighbours - it can be hard to keep them happy. It works with phoenix as she is small and never barks so except the odd occasion i dont get too much hassle! I do wonder when and if i get another dog as a companion for phoenix if a rescue would consider me if it was only a communal garden with no proper fencing and a flat.

oo they are really good! Molly loves going swimming but gets quite stiff if she is not dried off after getting wet - she wears the towelling coat and it really dries her off nicely. well worth it tp get one.

this is annas site annas I love those hamish mcbeth collars - only thing is phoenix has had her collar for years - its a leather staffie one with brass fittings specially made for her and she really suits it - might have to buy a special occasion collar for her thou - i love annas ones esp the one sully is wearing on the frontpage of her website.

what a nice thread. I grew up from day 1 with a golden retriver called Sally - pictured below. Sally was pts when i was 11 - she was 15 1/2 and her back legs had given up. We got molly when i was about 12-13. Molly is nearly 13 now bless her. As my mum and dad both worked full time when i was little i stayed round at my grandparents lots who lived a few streets away so grew up with milly and jenny as well - king charles cavaliers. this is milly - whose fav hobbies included eating everything, getting ears as grubby as poss and picking up feathers wherever she could find them and this is one of all the dogs reflecting on the recent BARF, quality dog food threads it does make me wonder about the stuff we fed dogs in the past. Sally used to get 4 slices of white bread broken up and 1/2 big tin of pedigree chum then mixed together with milk. Wouldnt dream of giving the dogs that now but then sally did live till she was nearly 16 - fantastic age for a retriever. oo and just to slip in another dog that my dad grew up with - this was becky - a rescued staffie who used to eat needles

WOW that arena is huge!!! i wonder if any one knows much about vaccine reactions? We have a 16ish yr old dartmoor pony at work who has been poorly the past few days. She has been on limited grazing as she is prone to laminitis but this has caused her to drop weight - she also has a pollen allergy. On sat she came in shivering so popped her in with rug to keep her warm and she kept lying down, getting up, lying down again etc and she didnt eat all her breakfast. She perked up a bit at end of day and went out in normal field (partly because she has 3 friends which would not have settled it she wasnt there). She came in today and didnt eat her breakfast so took her walk and wouldnt eat grass. The vet came and couldnt find much wrong but took blood tests which they would have the results of by now. Anyhow - all the horses had their prevac on thurs and I just wonder if it is a coincidence that she become ill since then or could it be a reaction to the vaccination? I wasnt there when the vet was so dont know if he considered this (am sure he will have done) but do horses get bad reactions to vaccs like say dogs sometimes do? hope everyone else had a good weekend with their horseysx

I know I prob shouldnt think like this but in my mind staffies are probably harder to rehome than other dogs because there is a need to ensure the home is perfect for them and that nothing would happen that could possibly give the dog bad press. Am not saying that there is a likelyhood of a staffie attacking another dog or whatever more than any other - simply that it may just promote a bad image of the breed if one did. (ok cant really put it into words what i mean but maybe you get the point). Again though - 6 weeks isnt long to be looking so i would keep trying. I have 2 bitches here fair enough only 1 is a bull breed and she has grown up with the lab but there has never been a fight or so much as a disagreement with both dogs left on their own together at some point most days. Saying that I dont think i could leave any other dog on their own with phoenix. staffies do play hard and make a lot of noise that i think it can be misinterpreted by other dogs as well resulting in fights - it has with phoenix anyway.

mason has gone back to dealers today so i heard - was at uni today didnt even know he was going - he was cool. hope he gets a good home understand why as he wouldnt have been good for customers but could have tried for a bit longer with him. he was really good in the school the other day, oh well. had first lesson in ages last fri (cant remember if posted about it or not) was really good. The instructor is a dressage rider and my last instructor was a showjumper and its quite a different method of riding. This instructor focuses on using legs and seat as aids, turning using shoulders to shift weight in seat bones etc, its quite different to how i ride but i think its a better way. She got on one of the horses to show us how its done at one point and she is just amazing. She has taken 2 of the former trekking horses from the stables and turned them both into dressage horses - one (solo - colored cob) won championships last week. So hopefully will improve my riding any how. good to hear about loki clare. Really interesting about the reiki. well done rolo what a brave boy with the clippers

I dont know much about adoption processes etc but 6 weeks seems such a short time to be looking. As you are a previous staffie owner - you will know that quite a few staffies dont get on with other dogs and their other requirements etc (not saying all but the ones i know tend to be more people friendly and like to be with people than left on their own for long periods) and a rescue will have assessed the dog and know exactly what type of home the dog requires. Am sure there is one out for you somewhere just be patient and you will get there

Sorry to hear this Hope she enjoys being utterly spoilt on her last few days

could be nettles - phoenix's skin gets all raised and sore when she goes through nettles although she has learnt now and wont go near them - i have to lift her over them on walks If aggie has a thin coat it probably is the nettles.

My mum asked me about this today - if they ever left us when we were little and the only time we could think of was when we had weekends away and the hotel did not allow kids in the dining room (i was around 6/7 and my sister 9/10 at the time) so we stayed asleep in the hotel room upstairs. Obivously my heart goes out to the poor parents who must be going though hell but i would not leave 2 18mth year olds and a 3yr old on their own. When i was young we played out with our friends on the road on bikes and go karts etc- i would have been 5/6 but it was a small cul de sac and we knew everyone on the road. We lived in a small market town and I was allowed to go into town with my sister (3 yrs older) when i was 7, and go to my grandparents house on my own who live a few streets away. I think its good to give children a bit of freedom but a 3 yr olds version of freedom and that of a 7-10yr olds is completely different and they should have been supervised and i would have thought even more so abroad when you dont know anyone living around you etc. We can be too paranoid and overprotective of children though. I took a lady out on a ride (work for stables that centre parcs uses). She and her daughters (around 9 and 11 i think) were staying there and she said she would not let the children use their bikes unsupervised or out of the door unsupervised. She works in the police dealing with paedophiles and she said that a place like centre parcs was a prime spot for paedophiles. Fair enough but children that age should be allowed to have some freedom and experience life. You cant protect them from everything and there comes a time when you have to let go and give them independance (as said thou there is a difference between giving 3yr old freedom and 6-7yrs and up freedom!)

not at all marion! i couldnt believe how much stuff either! hope george and archie enjoy it and need some pics!!

my dad doesnt believe me when i insist on spending money on natures menu for her to mix in with her JWB but it really has made such a difference to her coat - am glad someone else can tell!!!!

oo lovely pics what breed are they - ABDs? love thier blue eyes . Tony looks like a little scampy

Well, i was dead chuffed that phoenix won a 1st and 2nd in the dnb photo comp and was happy to get a rosette but then this massive parcel arrived today full of goodies!! think i was as excited as the dogs. Phoenix liked the rope with the tennis ball in the middle the best although only the tennis ball remains now Molly who never plays with toys now (Mainly as phoenix barges in as soon as she attempts to) loved the one with the ball inside the middle and was even playing with it - bless her havent seen her play with anything for a good few years and phoenix was so preoccupied with the others that she didnt bother her. Anyway here are the pics and phoenix and molly send lots of wags and licks to all the organisers and present givers opps bit of a pic overload!!! congrats to best in show and all the other entrants and winners - and big thank you to all the organisers

its not great quality cause i need to rescan it in - but this is phoenix when she was about 2 and is my fav pic. love everyones pics - really good edited: pic doesnt look too bad quality on here compared to in photobucket.

aw am sure Kane will be fine and anyway a whole day with him tomorrow will more than make up for it Been quiet at work today - took mason in the school for a while - and he was such a good boy - although just walked and trotted - trying to get him to bend right as he doesnt really at all at the minute He was going really nicely though. Am quite nervous as have a riding lesson tomorrow at the boss' house - for some silly reason me and my friend who is in the lesson with me thought it would be a good idea to go to an abs class beforehand - if the lesson wasnt going to wear us out enough!!

Dear Auntie Melps I frequently do not wash/brush mushrooms before i cook them and indeed eat the bottom as i did for my tea tonight - will bad things happen?

could help from lancaster area but again i dont have a crate or dog guard just harnesses there must be someone one here.

excellent - you deserve some good news finally!!! hope all goes well when you get back on him

aw hes a clever little boy to get all the way up there bless veyr cute