------ 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:
===============================
|
