KathyM

All homed.

Hi folks Sorry for the late reply, I spent the day in hospital yesterday waiting for an emergency MRI (which I didn't get sadly!). I am pretty heavily drugged up now so if I don't make sense, soneone slap me arund a bit. Bullmastiff Welfare are aware she's looking for a home, the wonderful Mel was a go between for me. I don't know of any other Bullmastiff rescues. We are in Keighley, West Yorkshire and are in no rush to home her although as you can imagine the sooner she is settled in a great new home the better. Margaret - thanks ever so much, it's all pretty crap but we have to do what's right by them. In all reality we will most likely have to rehome Sid too but at this point that is not the priority. Thanks Kathy

Thank you so much!

I have rehomed approximately 20-30 rats a year for the last 3 years (more sporadicly before then, not as many). These mostly come in and go out in groups. Some have stayed here permanently due to health or temperament issues. ETA: I would get in touch with the NFRS if I were you - or the man interested could. They will have a lot more info on numbers of owners I would imagine.

Thank you ever so much, I will do. I have emailed Yorkshire Rose Dog Rescue and Big Dog Rescue for some help publicising her. Any advice on who else to try would be much appreciated too. xx

Not one inquiry. Been advised to have her put down as she's "too old" for homing, that's a fairly common view apparently (the age thing). Obviously that's ridiculous but shows you how little help we've found so far. Just wanted to say thank you to those who said they'd keep their eyes open for a home for her as you're the only help we've got now and we really appreciate it xx

Seems when I sat on a stool that collapsed under my gargantuan weight 3 years ago, I snapped off my coccyx, which has only now become a problem now I've lost 3.5st and it's become v. painful and involving the nerves too. Hence sore bum lol.

Just wanted to pop back in and say thank you ever so much for all the lovely messages I've had off people on here and on Feckbook and the support in finding Dharma a new home. Had one bit of interest so far but not suitable sadly. My arse is killing too (despite very heavy pain killers) which isn't helping - does anyone here have MBT shoes?

Thanks Wendy. We have had one bit of interest in her but it's too far away for me to sort transport out for meeting their dogs and therefore for backup should things not go well. I think I should basically point out that unfortunately I don't drive, so if anyone is wanting to home her outside our area they will need to have their own transport, or help in that regard. TBH people will need to have 24 hour transport with a dog this size anyway, it's something we've regretted not being able to provide.

Due to rather massive changes in personal circumstances, we are having to consider homing Dharma, our bullmastiff bitch. She is 6.5 years old, spayed, microchipped and had her puppy and first booster vaccines. She is in good health. She currently lives with another dog (a tidger) and has lived with others in the past too. She has lived with small animals and in the past cats (cat bullied her!). She has been raised around children, from when they were very young. In light of her size and needs though we would prefer a home with older kids. If we are to home Dharma, there are certain things the home needs to know. 1. We will NOT rehome to anyone who uses anything but 100% positive training methods. No pack ranking, no choke chains, no punishment. While I uphold anyone's rights to train their animals the way they feel best, I know Dharma and I know she needs a home that has the same ethos to training as us. That is 100% positive, preferably clicker, no choke chains or yanking about. 2. Dharma is housetrained but this does not mean she wants to sit alone all day while someone works. If someone is working full time we expect her to have a visitor/break through the day and preferably a neutered male canine companion. 3. Dharma must not live outside. While I'm not here to argue that all dogs should be indoors, she has to be. She is a part of our family and if you don't have room for her in your house, you need not apply. 4. All homes will be vetted. If you live outside our local area, we expect you to have approached a rescue for a home check and/or have veterinary or other relevant references to back up your suitability as an owner of a large breed dog. 5. Anyone living in rented accommodation must provide proof that they are allowed a dog, specifically a dog of her size, in their house. This can be provided via landlord letter with contact details, or the phone number/address of your landlord, or a signed tenancy agreement outlining pet keeping. 6. We will be asking a rehoming fee which will be of reasonable size and will not come to us, but be a donation to Bullmastiff Welfare/Chris and/or BBAS. I appreciate this sounds like the third degree but I also appreciate that any genuine home wouldn't mind carrying out these hurdles for such a cracking dog. Dharma is loving, generally obedient (lol) and would make a lovely addition to any family. We are absolutely heartbroken that we're having to consider this but hope that people here will rally behind her to help her find a great new home. If in the meantime I find any way around this decision, I will update regularly.

Hi all. Let me get the hugs out of the way for everyone who needs them: Haven't been on here much, I come and read sometimes but everything's been really busy. Miss you all loads. Have had some sh*te news this week that means we are having to consider homing Dharma, which I haven't posted on the rehoming boards as yet because I really can't face it. If anyone hears of the perfect positive-training, super-home for her, please remember her. Hope everyone else is having a much better year than us!

Group: 1 Number of rats: 8 (3 reserved) Sex: F Age(s): Approximately 12 weeks old. Names: Ella (Umbrella), Eostre (pronounced "Yoster"), Flora, Ingrid, LaVerne (reserved), Maia, Olwen and Pascha. Reason for rehoming: Accidental litter - girls handed in to me for rehoming. Will the group be split: Yes, pairs or trios. Transport available: To Leeds/Bradford general areas, otherwise new owners to arrange. Other info on health, temperament, colour/variety, etc: All are gorgeous black hooded girls with very unique and pretty markings. Eostre has quite a nice hood if anyone fancied a show hoodie. Very easy to tell apart, we have added photos below to illustrate this.

Thanks Celeste, it's much appreciated. Nothing major to report this afternoon apart from her "loitering". She seems to stand looking at you in a puzzled fashion rather than shifting her arse. Nothing new there though.

I'm sorry to say that it looks like the two remaining foster girls have permanent lung scarring (possibly emphysema I am told, although we will know more after their meds have finished). They will therefore remain with me as long as their QOL allows. I would've loved to have seen them recover well and go into new homes, but I suspect these health issues are the reason they were dumped, rather than the result of being dumped.

Any ideas of what I need to be prepared for the possibility of? I'm beginning to wonder if senility is the good option. She doesn't seem to be displaying any signs of health problems. Her joints are fairly good at the moment (she's had problems with her neck in the past). I've caught her just standing staring at the floor, almost like an absence in epilepsy, but she's not having any other symptoms of that. It's like she's forgotten what she was doing. The "going" for the guinea pigs is just so unlike her - it's not like she's after killing them but just shoves her head through the hutch like a puppy who doesn't "know" them. She "forgot" about half a bowl of food too - turned around to pay attention to something then forgot to go back to it. When she saw it again it was like it had just been put out - nothing normally distracts her from food and it seriously reminded me of my Nanna when she used to (through Alzheimer's) come back from a posh meal out and set the table for tea because she'd forgotten. Baz says the more we watch her the more we see her getting old, and I don't know if that's because something's genuinely going on or because we're looking out for it. If it's not senility and she's not showing signs of illness, I can't think of anything else. Unless she's just doing it to spite us lol.

Thanks, will look out for that too. Something's going on with her, last night she got into a cupboard and chewed through a prescription Baz had picked up for me (6 packets of the mini-pill lol, she didn't get through to the tablets thank God!). I know this is something you would normally "puppy proof" against but you get complacent when they are grownup and trained and behave well lol. This morning she put her head through the guinea pig hutch (literally headbutted her way into it, pushing the bars out of the door), she's never, not once been aggressive with small animals. It's exasperating, it's like she's reverting to a big and potentially dangerous puppy and I've got to accept it's her getting on and not being wilfully disobedient when she should know better. She *did* know better but I'm not sure at all now. I'm going to cave and take her down to the vets after my exam on Monday (so prolly Tuesday). I think we'll ask to get her onto Hills BD and take it from there. I feel a bit cheated and (probably stupidly) bereaved - like we've waited for years for her to come out of puppyhood and she went straight into old age, and while I know we've got her for years yet I don't like having to accept she's maybe getting old.

Just for those who have the same problem who might not have seen these, these are the ones I was talking about (thanks for the heads up on Aktivaite, I will check them out too): http://www.amazinghealth.co.uk/cognitise-dog-senile.htm

Thank you all so much! I've found some dog vitamin thingies online specifically for senility that I might give a go. I've read some info on choline with strong evidence to suggest it helps, so have sent Baz to H&B just now for that or a B complex with it in. Anyone know a good magnetic collar seller that isn't going to cost me a fortune for a big dog? Actually I think Lisa got one for her dane Blu somewhere quite cheaply, I'll ask her too. Thank you all for the help, I'm off down to the vets next week anyway with a poorly rat so will bob her down too. Kathy xx

Thank you so much, I'll bear that in mind! Does a magnetic collar help brain function? I might try that. I was thinking of trying her on Hills BD as it's non-prescription now so presume it can't do any harm to try it. She is otherwise fit and well, just a bit dimmer than usual. She sometimes just doesn't know if she's coming or going, and when you're stood behind such a great big oaf as her and she can't decide, you're there a while lol. I read an article on Canine Cognitive Disfunction and she ticks a lot of the boxes. Other sites recommend B vits, so am off to H&B tomorrow. Does anyone else know any dietary ideas for cognitive function? Thanks ever so much!

Over the last year Dharma has slipped from eternal puppyhood into looking like a "senior" dog. She is 7.5 now and while in other breeds I would have no cause for concern, in bullmastiffs I have heard this is "older". She is grey around her muzzle and isn't *quite* as boingy as she was (although she tries lol). Over the last couple of months we have started to see "naughty" behaviours arise again. I say "naughty", they're not at all, but they are antisocial and annoying behaviours that at first I put down to having Sid about, and now I'm not so sure. She is getting destructive on a minor level, something she hasn't done since she was a puppy. Today it was shredding newspaper all over the dining room and taking a big wee in the middle of it (she is on occasion losing control of that side of things though, but it's not an "issue" as yet). She also has taken to barking incessantly sometimes at the small animals here, something she's never done before as she has been brought up with them. I don't need to find a way to deal with the behaviours as I will take it right back to how we trained her as a pup, that's not why I'm posting. I'm posting because someone suggested she is going senile. While I know she is "older" for a bullmastiff, isn't she too young to be having senility issues? I would really appreciate any thoughts and also any advice re treatment/diet if that's what she needs.

Completely agree. I would rather see DNB on than not, although understand it would be daunting when everyone's so stuck on being biased. ETA: This was in reply to DNB going on telly, not subsequent posts that appeared out of nowhere (my computer is mad I swear!). It is being reported that the dog in this case has been confirmed as an illegal "breed", the "pit bull type". Earlier they were saying it was an American Bulldog. And everyone's commenting on Staffies on TV and the likes - nice to see they can narrow it down.

Absolutely! Thank you so much for asking after them, none of these special ones have had any interest elsewhere so it means a lot.

The Daily Mail link is being bandied about a lot and they're reporting it was a "pit bull". I despise that paper but reading the comments made me glad I don't read it normally.

I thought it was clear, sorry. I feel very strongly that the seizures and amnesties were unecessary and wrong, and they wouldn't, couldn't and didn't prevent anything. The two major dog incidents since have been in two areas that were hardest hitting towards innocent dogs - Bradford and now Liverpool. As for "blaming" the police, I have not and would never do any such thing, please don't take my small words and personal view and run with it into something I didn't say nor even imply.

An absolute tragedy Wonder what the Merseyside Police think of the success of their campaigns now.