birding-aus

FW: [Birding-Aus] I am a dog owner - I am not the enemy

To: Birding Aus <>
Subject: FW: [Birding-Aus] I am a dog owner - I am not the enemy
From: Denise Goodfellow <>
Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:23:01 +0930
------ Forwarded Message
From: Denise Goodfellow <>
Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:22:34 +0930
To: Tony Russell <>
Conversation: [Birding-Aus] I am a dog owner - I am not the enemy
Subject: I am a dog owner - I am not the enemy

Tony, the first time it happened I found it hard to believe.  There was a
tiny bird pecking around the nostrils and eyes of my large sleeping dog!
The pardalote was the funniest though, hopping all over Lily with gay
abandon!

I remember you writing of Luther.  I think you're safer with the Chihuahua.

 Sarah, my dog, is is good with birds and little children,  and the
neighbourhood loves her . Yet she is a brilliant watch dog, sounding so
ferocious that nobody has ever burgled us (they pick on the neighbours
instead, including the police officer who lives opposite and has a big,
soppy boxer).

Once in Cairns.  I told a drunk who was giving me a hard time, that after
shooting buffalo  (I stalked them on foot through long grass armed with a
World War II 303), I considered him a mere formality!

Not so savage dogs. And there are packs of them roaming around the bushland
and mangroves up here.  I often come across their large footprints in the
mangrove mud when I'm out birding.  After one friend was mauled and another
only saved himself by lobbing rocks at a pack, I've taken to carrying a
large stick (also handy for the odd stray crocodile).

Denise


on 1/2/08 2:10 PM, Tony Russell at  wrote:

> Wow Denise, that's amazing.  My huge Dobermann, Luther, since deceased,
> used to eat everything that moved, and some things that didn't. He even
> had a couple of bites at me, which did prompt me to kick him outside for
> a few days.
> He never got out of the well fenced garden, but woe betide anything or
> anybody that trespassed. It let me sleep in safety knowing that anyone
> stupid enough to break in would be well chewed by the time I woke to the
> noise.
> Now I have a tiny Chihuahua cross Sheltie, Chiquita, and Pam has a
> Chihuahua cross Doorstep called Chile, both of whom make a lot of noise
> if anyone passes by in the street but run away if shooed at.  I still
> miss Luther.
> 
> Tony.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: 
>  On Behalf Of Denise
> Goodfellow
> Sent: Friday, February 01, 2008 11:37 AM
> To: Cheryl Ridge; Birding Aus
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] I am a dog owner - I am not the enemy
> 
> 
> I'm a dog owner too.
> 
> Our second to last dog, Lily, was a big Labrador/Staffie cross.  Lily's
> job in life, apart from being the watchdog and entertainment for every
> kid on the block, was to mother to any and everything.
> 
> There were the twin Bush Stone-curlews that someone brought us.  Lily
> took them under her big paws and began to wash them, gently.
> 
> We discovered a new way of raising nestlings when a nestling Blue-faced
> Honeyeater leapt upon our sleeping dog and proceeded to deflea and
> detick her from nose to tail.  An injured pardalote did the same. Lily
> never budged an inch.  As, everytime we had birds in the house, we
> ceased using flea powder and tick lotion, the birds came to no harm.
> Indeed, both they and Lily seemed to get a lot out of the experience.
> 
> So we hit upon a new, environmentally sensitive way of keeping Lily and
> our new dog Sarah free of unwanted pests.  We trained my son's chicken
> Henrietta, to do the job. Every Sunday dogs and hen would commune
> upstairs.
> 
> Sarah  took over when she came of age and Lily died.  She wasn't
> anywhere near as gentle as Lily when it came to cleaning Bush
> Stone-curlew chicks, but she learned fast.
> 
> Like Lily, Sarah, does not chase birds, no matter where we might be, in
> the bush or a park (we live in Palmerston, NT).  Cats are a different
> matter, but I'm convinced that to Sarah, birds  are just a different
> sort of dog. Denise
> 
> on 1/2/08 9:47 AM, Cheryl Ridge at  wrote:
> 
>> Hi all
>> 
>> As a responsible dog owner nothing bothers me more
>> than seeing people letting their dogs run around off
>> lead in areas they shouldn't. I can think
>> of atleast three areas in recent months (Parks Vic
>> managed) that are clearly sign-posted (big signs, even
>> kids would understand) as dogs not being allowed. Two
>> areas were fenced/gated/signposted CONSERVATION areas.
>> 
>> I get frustrated and normally say something to the
>> offending dog walker. Usual response is "its ok we do
>> this all the time" or "its ok he/she is on lead now"
>> or "I didn't see any signs".
>> 
>> When I enquired to Parks they basically said if they
>> SEE someone in the act they will talk to them (talk to
>> them? That all?) So I really truly don't know what
>> Park's stance is.
>> 
>> I was at a place where some young kids (no idea where
>> their parents and guardians were) running amok with a
>> dog at one of these places. I stood at the 'gate' and
>> pointed at the 'dogs not allowed' sign. Boy did they
>> grizzle and give me some lip but I stood firmly.
>> 
>> They wandered off but not far so I figured they were
>> up to no good. I headed off on my walk and it wasn't
>> long before I spied the kids back inside the area with
>> their dog. I lifted my camera and long lens up and
>> aimed it towards them pretending to take a picture of
>> them. They all squealed and ran for their lives!!!!
>> Bad nasty woman I was! ;-)
>> 
>> While this was going on my dog was quietly sleeping in
>> the car with my other half, patiently awaiting my
>> return.
>> 
>> Unfortunately I think one of the problems is that
>> there are less and less places where one can take
>> their dog these days. It is really discouraging. I
>> certainly find it a challenge to have an enjoyable day
>> out with my dog and do a bit of birding too. My Collie
>> is quiet as a mouse with little to no prey drive. Yet
>> she would be seen as the enemy by some of you folk
>> simply because she is a dog!
>> 
>> Personally I'd have thought noisy kids, balls, crowds
>> and litter a greater concern. Those things bother me
>> more.
>> 
>> Not all dogs and dog owners are bad!
>> 
>> regards
>> 
>> Cheryl
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ===============================
>> www.birding-aus.org
>> birding-aus.blogspot.com
>> 
>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
>> send the message:
>> unsubscribe
>> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
>> to: 
>> ===============================
> 
> 
> ===============================
> www.birding-aus.org
> birding-aus.blogspot.com
> 
> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
> send the message:
> unsubscribe 
> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
> to: 
> ===============================
> 

------ End of Forwarded Message


===============================
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, 
send the message:
unsubscribe 
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to: 
===============================

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • FW: [Birding-Aus] I am a dog owner - I am not the enemy, Denise Goodfellow <=
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU