Foster Mum to an Abused Dog

I am a Volunteer for a page on Face Book and on Saturday we did a posting for a dog wandering in a suburb near a busy road.  Another Volunteer (K) lives in the area and went out to look and found him,   She saw he was heading to a house so she followed.  The fence had a large hole in it, so with the help of a next door neighbour of that house, filled the hole with rocks and bricks and left the doggie there.  Nobody was home, so later in the afternoon she popped back to speak to the owners and let them know the dog had got out and heading to the main road, and also about the hole in the fence.  

The fellow who opened the door was an indigenous Australian and K said he spoke words that would make a sailor blush.  He said the dog had been left in the laundry by previous tenants and they didn't want the #%^** dog but they let him stay around and he ate the scraps their bigger dog didn't eat.  And it was then that he hit the dog across the nose with a towel.  The Volunteer was pretty upset and she said, if you are keeping and letting it stay here then you need to ensure he stays in the yard.  Again he said he didn't want the #%^** dog and he kicked it. 

It was at this stage the Volunteer again asked did he want the dog?  On his reply of #$%&* NO!!! she picked him up and headed to her car.  The poor little thing was shaking and terrified.  Later that evening she posted on our Admin wall and asked could anyone look after a dog overnight and after a bit of discussion to size, etc I agreed and she called up to my house and spent a bit of time whilst the little dog got familiar with my 2 Terrors and then left.

He seemed a little concerned after K (the Volunteer) left and later K said she had given him quite a bit of love and cuddles for the short time she had him,

Where the heck am I, he seemed to be conveying to me.  I got a little anxious as I had never fostered a dog before and worried in case he just didn't settle down.

"I wonder what will happen to me now.  I wonder if I am going to live here?"

 On the Sunday morning, he got back on the chair that he had claimed last night to settle in for a morning indoors.

And Darcy decided it looked so jolly good he would forsake his bed with Jackie and join him on the chair next to him. 

As it was decent Autumn weather I bathed him and you would have no idea how black the water was when I had finished.  He wasn't too chuffed with getting bathed but didn't growl or snap at me.

I then christened him "Champagne Charlie" because of his colour.  By the end of the day, he was very settled in and playing so much with Darcy and chasing each other around the back yard.  I have had to have Jackie and Darcy sleeping outside as with going into Hospital I can hardly ask my son and Aida to clean up after Darcy leaving "calling cards" and I think Charlie was used to sleeping outside.  However he sure loves being inside and has made himself very much at home.

Matthew and Aida have agreed they will look after him as well as my 2 babies whilst I am in Hospital and they will be stopping here in my home, so it will be good as then the dogs will have that human company as well.  I know Darcy and Jackie will fret with me being away for a few days and having Matt and Aida here will comfort them a little.

When I get out of hospital I shall have to make arrangements for Charlie to be adopted into a furever home.  In the meantime he can adjust to other people and dogs here and gain more confidence that he is a very beautiful little dog and not some ugly mutt that a person felt it OK to kick and hit.  We love ya, Charlie!

Darcy, oh Darcy!!!

BLOOOODY DARCY!!!! 

 I drove down to the Library to get a book to read in Hospital. Opened the door and Darcy bolted. He raced across Montegue Road, headed to some new town houses on other side of the road to the  Library.  Then started to run back again to Library and traffic quite heavy.   He got across the road with me standing in the middle of the road PRAYING cars wouldn't hit Darcy or me!!!   Someone caught him at the Library doors.   BLOOOODY DOG!! As it was a short trip I didn't anchor him into his restrainer...but guess what I learned today???? ALWAYS to anchor him in his restrainer whilst in the car.  And thank goodness I parked up by Montegue Road entrance to the Civic Chambers otherwise he would have run across North East Road toward the Plaza.  

When I was browsing for a book, I just grabbed anything as my knees were still shaking and I was crying.

He really is pushing his luck. This week he ate the bag for my blower vac. He chewed up the bed I had put out for him and Jackie, and that now in the bin. He also chewed through a hessian bag doggie bed (had been Matt's dog Britney's bed) . He has also chewed the corner of my recliner chair grrrrrr.  And probably other things, we no longer count the holes he digs in the back lawn

The BIG OP!

I would like to say I have been pretty busy, however that would be lying.  In truth I seem to have wasted my days the past couple of weeks.  I get motivated and am active for one day and achieve so much and then I tend to go on strike for the rest of the week.

However today I have been busy and achieved what I have been wanting to do the past 2 weeks.  Next week I go into hospital to have "The Big One" and  I am very much looking forward to this operation as I will also be getting a bit of repair work done that has occurred with aging.  Apparently prolapses aren't that uncommon as we get a bit older, however it is just another reminder of getting old!

It is interesting to think I am so alone that I shall have to get a taxi to the hospital.  My son works as a Brickie and he has very early starts so he is not able to take me.  However if it is afternoon surgery, I can actually catch the bus as it stops right outside the hospital entrance.  My son and his wife are going to stop here to look after Jackie {The Princess Dog) and Darcy (The Dapper Dog) which is super as I know they will fret with me being away for a few days.  I have had to have the doggies sleeping outside the past week as it was getting too much to clean up after Darcy every morning when he would leave a calling card and also peeing in the front hallway.  Pretty sad really as now it is winter,  I am sure they would much prefer to be indoors overnight.  Maybe after my operation and I am fully recovered, we can see about them moving back inside overnight then.  

Just phoned the Hospital and it is an afternoon surgery so I can have a very very early breakfast, finishing before 6.30am and be at the Hospital at 11.30 for the afternoon surgery.  All good, as now I can get the bus which isn't that far from my house.  With the wheelie suitcase, will be easy to walk to the bus stop.

I probably wont be doing anymore posts until I am home again.  Please God, look after me and keep me safe. 

Micro Chipping in Australia

The first time I had a dog micro chipped was with Jack (The Wonder Dog), now deceased, when he was about 5-6 yrs of age.  It was done by the local Council at the dog park and was quite cheap at $AU25.00.  We were subsequently posted a Certificate of Identification and urged to log into the website and update any information that was omitted at time of chipping.  This service was provided by Central Animal Records.

Jack passed away aged 18 yrs in June of last year and I only thought now to update the records and advise of his death.  This site is kept very up to date and I was able to advise online and I got a generic message to say they were sorry to hear of Jack's passing, etc etc.

So, what have I done with micro chipping for Jackie (The Princess Dog) and Darcy (The Dapper Dog)?

When I obtained Jackie from the Griffith NSW Pound, it was mandatory to have her micro chipped prior to her being permitted to be removed from the Pound.  I paid the required $45 and Jackie was handed to me.  They duly sent me out a NSW Companion Animal  Register Certificate of Identification. (An aside here, their site sucks, BIG TIME.  When you try to log in you are left hanging in suspense for ages and I am continuing the blog in hope the site eventually opens.)

And I since found the following information from the NSW Government:

"If you are moving to NSW and are going to be here for three months or more, you must have your cat or dog microchipped (if this has not already been done), entered on the NSW Companion Animals Register and lifetime registered with your local council. This must occur within three months of moving to NSW. If you do not know your local council in NSW, click here.
If your cat or dog was microchipped outside NSW or before 1 July 1999 (when the Companion Animals Act 1998 came into effect), you will need to provide proof of microchipping to your NSW local council. You will need to present a Verification of Existing Microchip (M1) Form completed and signed by a Vet or other Authorised Identifier and a completed Permanent Identification (P1A) Form.
Registration in another state or territory cannot be transferred to NSW.
You may also have listed your cat or dog on a privately-operated national microchip database. These databases are not linked to the NSW Companion Animals Register. The NSW Companion Animals Register is a NSW Government database used to record registration information for cats and dogs that reside in NSW."

Now we are not talking about Registering the dog, but I am wanting to know and update the information on the micro chip data base (which of course wont open!!). So now leaving the Jackie/Microchip hassle for a little while and shall probably just bomb them with emails about their sucky site.

So, on to Darcy (The Dapper Dog).  I purchased Darcy from Moorook Animal Shelter and prior to my picking him up he was desexed and microchipped and his chipping was registered with the National Pet Register,  The other day I received a Free Tag which is attached to his collar which shows his Tag Number.  This means should Darcy get lost the finder can phone a shown number and obtain all the details of name, address and owner for a safe and fast return. Otherwise a finder should take the pet to a Vet and have it scanned and the Vet then contacts the Registry to obtain owner's name and address.  Normally the Vet then holds the animal until it is picked up (if pet is scanned) otherwise the Vet gets the local Council to pick up the pet which is then impounded.

The final outcome, I have contacted and awaiting reply to transfer Jackie's microchip details to the National Pet Register which covers the whole of Australia.  This process has probably taken me most of the morning just trying to get the information from the NSW Companion Animals Register.

 **************

There are 5 National Microchip Databases in Australia. However there is also a NSW State Wide Microchip Database called the NSW Companion Animals Register.

The 5 National Microchip Databases in Australia are:

• -National Pet Register 1300 734 738
• -Central Animal Records 03 9706 3187
• -Australasian Animal Register 02 9704 1450
• -Petsafe 02 9476 5631
• -HomesafeID 1300 537 140 

You should contact the operators of any databases on which your cat or dog is listed to update your contact details on your cat or dog's microchip record:

Australasian Animal Register	Tel: 02 9704 1450	www.australiananimalregistry.com.au
Central Animal Records	Tel: 03 9706 3187 (administration and general enquiries)	www.car.com.au
National Pet Register	Tel: 1300 734 738	www.petregister.com.au
Petsafe	Tel: 02 8850 6800	www.petsafe.com.au

The Amazing NEW Jackie (The Princess Dog)

I just can't get over the improvement with Jackie (The Princess Dog) now taking the medication for her skin rash.  She is quite, by far, a different dog altogether.

Jackie is still a bit shy however she will now jump up on the armchair each evening when I sit down to watch television and I can move her around so I am a bit more comfortable and she doesn't jump off the second I move my bum to get a bit more comfy.  Darcy (The Dapper Dog) is of course first up and he is a type of "floppy" dog and any position he grabs and he is happy.  It is amazing to see some of the positions Darcy drops his head and goes to sleep - they look most uncomfortable, but he is happy.

Now the medication Jackie is taking is Prednisolone  (5mg) and she has 1/2 a tablet every second day.  The Vet had said the medication to be given only in the morning and also with food.  I usually wedge the 1/2 tablet between 2 pieces of cheese and there is no problem in her taking it then.  Of course Darcy stands in line for his piece of cheese but I always give Jackie her piece first as then she gulps it down in case Darcy steals it.

There are side effects of long term medication and I urge others to read up and also discuss with your Vet.  However my Vet agreed with me that I would prefer Jackie to have a normal, if shorter life as the pain she was in with the raw and bleeding skin was just awful to witness.

We still never established if it was a protein allergy or from grass, and even with the BARF diet she still would scratch herself raw and stank smell something awful.  I wont keep her on the Prednisolone forever, but shall take a break between the scripts to see how she goes.  She is still active and playful (with Darcy, that is) but she has a different type of personality to most dogs and this could be because of her younger life and perhaps she had been mistreated.  She at least goes to my son when he visits and appears to be more relaxed around other humans now.

Both like the "granny rug" on the chair, now the cold weather has set in

 

Darcy Pasess First Test

Ever so chuffed as last night Darcy (The Dapper Dog) passed his Obedience test and graduated from Puppy 2 into Beginners 1.  So next week we may see different doggies in our class, it depends who else graduated also.

Well done Darcy.... another notch in the card!!

It would be nice if we had some success with Jackie (The Princess Dog) and her attending Obedience Class.  Though I notice since she is now so much better with the medication, she now cries when I leave her in the car to take Darcy to the oval for training.  So who knows, maybe she might be ready to try to introduce to other dogs again.  She sure didn't like it before and would snarl and snap at any dog who put its nose anywhere near her.

Jackie so Changed now on Medication

Little Jackie (The Princess Dog) is so very changed since we have started her on the medication full time and also reducing the dosage she is now getting.  Previously at bedtime, Darcy would bound onto the bed and Jackie would go hide under the bed.  I would settle down to either read or watch Telly and it was then that Jackie would creep out and sit by the bed.  I would start to get out of bed to lift her in and off she would go to hide under the bed again.  This could be so frustrating, particularly when I was very tired and ready for sleep.

Since the medication she now heads to under the bed and by the time I am ready to hop in, she has come out and is sitting by the side of the bed for me to lift her in.

Since getting Darcy from the Shelter he has always been a "cuddle me" dog and loves to sit on my lap whilst I am watching TV.  I would have to lift Jackie up and stroke and pet her to get her to settle a bit.  Then the second I moved she would be off like a flash!  Since the medication she now jumps up and I end up with 2 doggies on my chair with me whilst I am watching TV.

All in all very happy with the results.  Also she doesn't seem to be as shy around my son and his wife now and I realize it is 12 mths in June since I got her but I really have noticed more of a positive change in her with the meds.

Darcy is enjoying his Obedience classes no end and hopefully at the end of this month we will graduate to Beginner's One class.  

Our badge for Obedience Class

RAT!!!!

This morning I could hear a bit of growling and Jackie barking at Darcy so I popped outside to see what was happening.  And there was Darcy with a rat in his mouth!!  Even though I am not a great fan at all of rats, I was upset to see the poor creature was still alive and Darcy and Jackie having a great time chasing each other and throwing the rat into the air and catching it again.

Stand back, Jackie!  It's MINE!!

Eventually the poor thing died and I tried to get it from Darcy and Jackie but it was no luck.  So I left them outside and prayed the rat hadn't eaten poison or I would have 2 sick doggies on my hands.  They have since come in and goodness knows where they buried the rat but I am keeping the back door shut until I can find the darn thing and put it in the compost bin.

When I Feel Low

I had recently posted that Jackie (The Princess Dog), Darcy (The Dapper Dog) and myself were going on holidays.  Well the holiday didn't turn out as good as I had hoped and I returned home after 9 days instead of the expected 4 weeks away.  Since my return I have tried so hard to keep myself on the up and up but I find I am steadily getting lower and lower.

I did attempt to buck up and made a cute little Doggy Quilt for Darcy but that seems to be the limit of my achievements since the Thursday before Easter.  

My younger son and his wife went away for Easter and that was one of the reason I had decided I would go away at the same time.  I really didn't look forward to spending Easter alone as here in Australia Easter is not just a Holy Feast, it is also one of the last good breaks we get prior to the Winter months.  Good Friday is a Public Holiday as is Easter Monday, and most businesses shut for that period.  But I survived Easter by heading out on the Saturday and buying some fabric (for Darcy's quilt) and getting stuck into preparing some photo albums online for my Daughter in Law, Aida.  I had popped up to their house on Good Friday to collect hundreds and hundreds of photos onto my external HD and noticed a large basket of laundry.  Now my little Aida works so very hard and I know Matthew wanted to get away on the Thursday evening so of course she wouldn't have had time to do any washing prior.  So I took the laundry home and did it on the Friday as it was such super weather and no problem getting the washing dry.   Just as well I did as the rest of the weekend was very overcast and light rain on each of the days.

I treated myself to going to the Cinema on the Saturday evening and saw Hyde Park on Hudson which left me feeling confused, to say the least.  I did enjoy Bill Murray's performance as FDR as he seemed to be enjoying his role so much.  However the role of "Daisy" Suckley left me wondering what the hell FDR saw in her to have an affair.  Talk about limpid!!! 

I attended Mass on the Sunday morning and it was lovely to witness 2 little baby girls being Baptized during Mass.  So much hope and expectation from the new parents.  So much happiness.  And it really was good to be part of that happiness, even though as an onlooker and member of the congregation.  And it was delightful after Mass when Father Peter asked one of the altar servers to fetch a basket and he then announced the Easter Bunny had visited and for all the children to come up to get a handful of chocolate Easter eggs.  Kids always make me smile and when it is a holiday like Easter and Christmas they certainly do know how to have a good time.  I then did a bit of work outside the house and mowed my back lawns.

Matt and Aida returned on Monday afternoon from their Easter break and called in to say hello as we hadn't spent anytime together since my return early Thursday morning.  They didn't stop as Matt was tired as apparently the traffic was horrendous coming back from the Peninsula and I was just so thankful to see them as that road is notorious as a killer road over a holiday period.

So here we are now the Sunday after Easter and my house is looking very much like a bomb has hit it.  Other than doing dishes and making the bed, nothing else seems to be getting done.  I did vacuum the carpet and the family room and washed the floor tiles there and the vacuum cleaner still sits in my kitchen/eating area along with the mop and the bucket of cleaning water.  

I did a google to try to find some "funny" quotes on depression but they don't tend to have funny quotes on depression.  But gosh, some of the other quotes sure hit the nail on the head for me.

But I know why I am feeling this way.  I know just what has triggered my feeling of hopelessness and loss.  I know and yet I permit this bloody feeling to overtake me??  Grow up, and put ya big girl panties on and take control of your life again.  

 

 

Vet visit for Darcy and Jackie

I took young Darcy (the Dapper Dog) to the Vet after he said he would need to seed Darcy prior to quoting on removing dew claws on his 2 hind legs.  After picking myself off the floor with the quote of $595 I decided he would live with the dew claws and I shall just ensure the nails are kept clipped to prevent them growing into the pads and his legs and just pray we never have a problem.

I also asked the Vet to renew a script for Jackie (the Princess Dog) for tablets the Vet in Griffith, NSW had put her on about 2 mths after I got her and she had such a bad skin infection and couldn't stop scratching and tearing her fur out until she bled.  Not only did she do this but she ummmm how do I say it... stank smelled bad.  The Vet in Griffith said she had an allergy and probably from dog food and meat and preservatives in the food.  She would scratch and lick at her skin so much, she didnt even have whiskers anymore.  Just short stubble!!

On my return to Adelaide I googled and came up with a lot of information on her plight and also news about the medication she was on.  After putting her on a BARF diet, she still had the problem however when she was on the medication her itchiness stopped.  However long term use of the medication could prove a problem to her health.

I spoke of all these concerns to the Vet and he agreed.  But he also understood the reasoning I had that in spite of future complications, I had decided that Jackie would have perhaps a shorter life but one that was a lot less painful to her.  I had been finishing off the last of the medication from the Griffith Vet after about 2 months of her tearing herself to pieces and just smelling something awful, in spite of me bathing her each week in special dog shampoo to relieve her pain and get rid of her smell.

So the long shot was, the Vet here prescribed 40 tablets for her.  Half a tablet every morning and then 1/2 tablet every 2nd day.  She has improved no end (using the last of the original script) and also I find since she isn't as uncomfortable now, she appears to be happier and lets me approach her a bit more and she will also now jump up on my armchair for a cuddle some evenings.  Mind you, that is when young Darcy isn't already there.

And I finished making a quilt for Darcy.  Got a real bargain as Spotlight had a sale over Easter and fabric was only $3 a metre.

Blue to Colour co-ordinate with my Lounge room

 

We're Going on Holidays...

Jackie (The Princess Dog), Darcy (The Dapper Dog) and myself are all going on a holiday.  It is a long drive of over 900km which we do in the whole day, however I usually take 3 or so coffee breaks and that is when I let the kids out of the car and we all to a wee break and also a little play.  Add into that one fuel stop and I am sure the babies will travel fine.   Jackie has done the trip twice before and Darcy is getting more used to the car now.  I am sure both will travel well.

One of the main concerns I have is my QUIT programme.  I haven't had a smoke for 10 weeks and this will be the first time undertaking a long drive without cigarettes with me.  I know  I can do it as I have done so well so far, so why spoil it?  Also, I am going to take my "money jar" with me to remind me how much moula I have saved since getting healthy.

Can't wait for the trip now.

Videos of Jackie and Darcy

The Kids at play. 

Darcy (The Dapper Dog) Goes to Class

Picking up for Adoption

I got young Darcy (7 mths or so) from the Moorook Animal Shelter in the Riverlands SA in early February.  So this week I registered him with the Council and then enrolled him in the Council run Dog Obedience classes.
I had previously enrolled Jackie (The Princess Dog) but we had a dreadful job of it.  She hated the classes.  She wouldn't sit, walk, drop and I often finished the classes early and close to tears with the drama.  So having given Darcy (The Dapper Dog) a little leash training in my back yard, figured he could "be da man".
So off we went to Classes and after a quick appraisal they put him in Puppy 2 as he could already sit on command.  He loved the pre class meeting all the other dogs and was so happy and tail wagging with it all whereas Jackie would growl and snap at any dog that put its head too close to her!
Well, the long and the short of it.... Darcy is a STAR!!  He walked on command.  Sat on command and even dropped.  I was thrilled and now looking forward to classes again.  I am a great believer in every dog (no matter how cute, fluffy and small it is) should have Obedience classes to learn to stay and sit on command, in particular.
I have included some photos of Darcy's first day of Adoption to our Family.  He is as outgoing and "in your face" as Jackie is timid and shying away from people.  But he has brought her out no end and they play so well and are so rough at their play also.

Jackie & Darcy at Play

Darcy the first day Home

Darcy with a rawhide bone

Meet Jackie (The Princess Dog)

I was in Griffith NSW when I had to have my old little friend, Jack (The Wonder Dog) put down due to he just couldn't  take another day of being so old and so tired.  He was 18 1/2 yrs of age and his last 2 days were so gut wrenching to witness him barely being able to walk and as  I was staying at someone else home, he didn't even know where he was :(
I lasted 10 days and saw an ad in the Griffith paper for "Dog of the Day" which showed Jackie and her litter sister at the Pound.  They were both very timid and I chose Jackie as she was shorter haired....  I often wonder what became of her litter sister.  Well, after they micro chipped her (for $45) I had another 10 days away before heading back to Adelaide and time for her to settle in.  Goodness me, she ate like there was no tomorrow and she gradually adapted to playing with Bart, the other large Jack Russel X where I was stopping.
10 days or so after I returned to Adelaide  I had her desexed and they also put a tattoo in each each ... D and M... so she is one hot doggie and so very trendy!!!  She was so ill and appeared to be in so much pain when  I collected her from the Vet and the following day I had to go back and get pain killers as she wouldn't let me near her and snarled and snapped at my hand when I got it near to her.  Eventually she healed and we started all over again to make friends of each other.
She is still frightfully timid.  She still backs away from me sometimes when I am giving her and Darcy a treat.  She HATES me after I have applied an ointment to her skin as she suffers from a skin infection and tears herself away until the skin is exposed :(    But I love her dearly and after 7 months together I think she loves me in her own standoffish way.  So here, World.... meet Jackie (The Princess Dog)

Mug Shot #1

Jackie and her Mummy

Your face smells of LOVE, Mummy

Mug Shot #2

Oh Darcy!!

This morning was pretty good insofar as when the alarm went off, I managed to grab Jackie (the Princess Dog) prior to her jumping off the bed which she tends to do the second she hears the iPhone go off.  And after a little cuddle she settled down again, but bad news was I then slept on for another hour.  Oh well, not a busy day planned so no worries.
But really bad news was when I walked down the hallway, there in the front hallway entrance was a very nasty calling card from Darcy (the Dapper Dog)!
Darcy has been here for just over 2 weeks and he may not have been an indoor dog the past 7 months but he is a very bright and alert little fella.  I reckon he should be getting the gist of it now.  Today I brought him up to the mess and growled at him and then took him outside and put him on the lawn.  Hate growling at my Doggies but sometimes they call for it.
But now I have to ask myself - was it my fault he dirtied in the hallway?  I slept on a further hour and maybe Darcy took that time to relieve himself.  As I am partially deaf (and he light) I don't hear him jump down from the bed and then up again, whereas Jackie is too short to jump up onto the bed and has to be lifted up.

Rainfall

We were blessed with 7 mm of rain yesterday.  Adelaide is the capital of South Australia and SA is classed as "the driest state in the driest continent" which actually isn't true as Antarctica is actually drier.  But 7 mm is pretty good for us in February which is one of the hottest months we get.