I'm gonna shake all over this friggin house when I get out of here…..

This may sound soppy…..

I had to write a reflective piece for my English course – not much seems to move me emotionally so it could only be about one thing(some of the detail might seem over the top, but it met the brief).

A New Home for the New Year

I first became aware of Locky in November 2008. My wife Judith and I were looking for a second dog as a companion for Ella, our female German Shepherd Dog who had come to us in July of that year. Ella was nine months old at this time and had grown to be an energetic young dog needing plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. We had by now become aware of the plight of the many homeless dogs in the dog pounds and the rescue centres – some would be re-homed, some would remain in kennels for lengthy periods of time, and unfortunately, some would be put to sleep through no fault of their own – their only crime being that they had been abandoned by their previous owners.

Locky was advertised on the SSPCA website, a nine year old GSD – Husky cross breed. It was only due to the fact that he was listed as a GSD that I showed any interest at all, the small grainy picture did nothing to capture my attention, and at nine years old I immediately decided that he was too old – too old to have the energy to play with a boisterous young dog, and too old to be taken for long walks. I also suspected that he’d probably be suffering from some medical condition at that age. And so I ignored him, didn’t mention him to Judith, and continued to browse the websites of the rescue organisations keeping a lookout for the right dog.

It was on Christmas Eve 2008 that Locky caught Judith’s attention. She’d been informed of him by Jess, a member of Biggsd – a virtual rescue organisation – the SSPCA were running his story in the local papers in the hope that the New Year would bring a new home for Locky. The story was accompanied by a picture of a big smiling dog in front of a Christmas tree with the centre’s manager. Jess had been to the centre and had met Locky; she informed us that he was an energetic fit dog who belied his age.

Judith immediately phoned the SSPCA centre at Peterden to arrange a visit to meet Locky. Unfortunately it was too late in the day to make the 50 mile journey from our home on Christmas Eve. The centre would be closed on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so we arranged to visit when the centre re-opened on Saturday the 27th December.

We were there waiting for the centre to open on the Saturday morning, myself, Judith and Ella. When the minute hand of my watch hit the hour, we walked through the doors and rang the bell at the reception desk. We introduced ourselves to one of the SSPCA officers; she was expecting us – but not quite as early.

We were asked to wait for a short time at reception while the SSPCA officer went off to muzzle Locky and take him from his kennel to the exercise area. We were then asked to muzzle Ella and invited to follow through to where Locky was waiting – a large grassed field secured by a twelve foot fence where the dogs could run and play in safety without the risk of escaping.

Although not tall, he was well built with a barrel like chest, almost purely black, except for the tan like markings on his lower legs resembling socks, and a tan mask on his face. He was running back and forth at the fence and barking with a playful bark. We entered the field and let Ella and Locky greet each other. They then play-bowed to each other and proceeded to take turn at chasing each other around the field. We removed the muzzles then allowed them to continue with their play as my prejudices about his age faded.

The SSPCA officer left the four of us alone to get to know each other. Judith and I stood next to each other in silence with big smiles on our faces watching them chase each other. They soon ran off their initial excitement and settled down in each others company. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to leave him in the kennels, in truth I’d known that from the moment I’d first laid my eyes on him. Locky had found his new home.

when he was abandoned at 13 weeks of age

but he's grown up a bit now

and has a big brother also

I'm a GSD fan – I've ended up with three (bought the first from a breeder, and the other two were rescues).

GSD's can make great family dogs, one advantage of them is that they are relatively easy to train. There are so many needing homes though:

German Shepherd Resce[/url]
Biggsd[/url]

And my three:

the two youngest out in the local hills (it was too much for the old boy)

TooTall – Member
I read your post – you are not in a position to give the right dedication to a dog now, regardless of what went before. ……

Yet the fact is that she is in the situation she's in, she does have have a dog, and she's not ready to give up on the dog and is seeking help. Good on her.

Take a look at the resue pages/free ads – there are far too many dogs given up at the first chance. If the OP does have to rehome her dog, then she'll be able to do so knowing that she tried her best.

All the best Karinofnine, I hope it all works out for you and your dog.

Juust a thought, these two organisations may be able to recommend someone to help (rescues don't just re-home,they may be able to help):

Doberman Rehoming[/url]

Doberman Welfare[/url]

I took on a 9 year old Husky/German Shepherd that had some …. issues. I took him to classes, did everthing that I thought I should, etc etc etc

Pet dog trainers couldn't do much, so in the end I called out an ex copper (dog section). It cost me about £180 for his visit, but he was great.

I'd suggest looking at theBritish Institute of Professional Dog Trainerspage as opposed to a pet dog trainer., or I can give you his details if you want to ask him if he can recommend someone in your area.

It's a shame you don't have somewhere secure to let him run free though.

I've got a small claims ruling against someone for £3000+ and had a court officer (i.e. the "official" debt collectors)serve notice on him.

At first he admitted to being the defendant, then denied being the defendant, then claimed he was bankrupt….. but there's no record of this.

I could have his bank account arrested – but this only freezes what's in the account at the time it's arrested, so if he get's £10000 paid in the next day, he can do with that as he pleases. He also has to be left approx £300 in credit.

I'm going down the route of tracing a vehicle atm to try and have that arrested, but it's looking like he has nothing registered in his own name, even though he's still advertising in the local papers and still trading.

I've also come across a few people who claim to have murky connections…. none have maneged to put me onto someone who can collect as yet.

If anyone really does know a man who knows a man…. any chance you can put me in touch? East central Scotland.

why is your front QR in the wrong way

That's what stands out to me !

Mine was a bit gritty even after trying to flush it out. I got the lbs to remove it from the frame (they suggested it was buggered) and soaked the whole thing in cleaner for a few min.

Was nice and smooth after that, lbs bloke seemed surprised.

As regards the undefined "out of control" ( rather than the defined "dangerously out of control) and annoyance and nuisance the definition would be I believe subject to the usual "reasonableness" test in law – which has various definitions but I like "as understood by the man on the clapham omnibus" – in other words as a normal reasonable person would see it – ultimatly as decided by a jury.

You want to be able to take owners to court and let a jury decide whether or not a dog is causing annoyance or nuisance?

I've followed this with interest over the past few days, and there's too much to read all over again.

TJ, I'll accept your definition of being under cotrol, but as far as I can see you haven't defined "nuisance or annoyance." You do though give me the impression that it would mean whatever you want it to mean. Having said that, this is what you're up against (and indeed what I/ responsible owners are up against).

I was walking along a shared use path with my GSD, along with another owner and her GSD. Some other people wanted to pass so I made my dog lay down until they were past.

When it was clear, I gave the signal that she could break and do what she wanted , at which point the other owner asked me:

"Do you make her lay down every time someone comes past?"

"Yes" I replied.

"Why do you do that?" she asked.

Now it's not that her dog was in any way a danger, it was just sniffing about, but I don't want to give anyone any excuse to complain about GSD's as they do unfortunately have a bit of a reputation (undeservedly so imo).

It strikes me that on that particular occasion, you wouldn't have been happy with her dog sniffing about – because you don't trust dogs. If it's all dogs that you don't trust, then it would seem that you do have some sort of issue despite what you claim.

In general, I'm in agreement with TJ, that dogs should be kept under control (disagree with the kicking the puppy though). But TJ, you do seem to expect everyone else to conform to your own definitions of "control, nuisance and annoyance."

annoyance of nuisance.

How would you define that?

What tyres do you intend to use?

I was afraid to ask that!

I want to leave from my house, a few miles on road, some muddy tracks, grassy singletrack, forestry type stoney track…… I was thinking of a touring tyre, but not sure which.

im running a 1.8 bonty 29er tyre on my open pro rim no problems

🙂 nice; Mavic site recommends up to 700 x 28 for Open Pro's ! Looks like a 34/35 will be ok then.

OK. cheers all.

Yes, but I just found it strange they wouldn't do the steel frame as they're quite a high class bike shop (i.e. expensive!).

The clamp on the white seatpost looks a little strange, is it facing the wrong way? (looks like it's clamped all the way down at the front with a gap at the rear)

Nice colour though.

There's one on CC. Alfine Hub on Pompino

420 cm!!!!

what's another 20 on that 🙂

i know if lol but if i keep this it means the cross check and the karate monkey may have to go mmm

Shame!

How much? 🙂

Give them a quick bull, then Klear.

I think 8 or 9 hrs is too long to leave a dog alone, but – if you're both working you could use a dog walker. Depending on the breed (and dog walker) it might be possible for the dog to have an hours off lead exercise whilst you're at work.

Favourite breed? hmmm….

I must admit I'd like a Rottweiler – even though they get a bad press which is a shame.

Q3 as Q1.

Given up at 13 weeks, turned one today. From this:

to this:

And his older brother, given up aged 9, wiil be 11 next month.

He's a financial drain. Had a behaviourist out to him. Dog class, presciption food, seraquin, metacam, hydrotherapy…. and worth every penny of it.

Does no-one play acoustic anymore?

Oh aye:

Can you send it to me also please.

littleboyluke@aol.com (no, I don't use that address on my cv's!)

I'm off the bike again, and giving serious consideration to putting all that I own (mtb related) on the classifieds and sticking to road riding. I am playing the guitar a lot more though, and finding that I think I actually need another guitar. And a 4 track. And some new dvd's……

I've got a malamute/gsd cross. His recall is terrible so i was trying to train him using a long line.

A dog came running towards him, so off he went towards the dog. I shouldn't have been holding that line (with loop)in my hand – but I was – it somehow got tangled around my knee with 40kg+ of running dog at the other end.

Orthopod suggested I may not be able to ride again (too many bolts in the knee allready to anything further).

As a result of that, sold my SS and fixie. Knee has got better, but I only ride on road these days.

And how are you going to be able to prove in the small claims court that's it's his fault…

I think you'll find that the burden of proof is reversed in the small claims court, it's up to the defender to defend the case. Though I agree that trying to sort things amicably first is the best option. (In my case he simply refused to put things right and said "take me to court" – seems he knew what he was doing there !)

Taylorplayer how about winding up his company? I believe it's not too difficult to do.

Are you talking "practical joke" type wind up or are you suggesting that I somehow financialy wind up his company?

I know that he now has 2 vehicles that he didn't previously so intend to have the sheriff court officers go around (which will cost me) but if the vehicles are in his partner's name then they're not his vehicles.

Small claims isn't the definitive victory that many on here seem to think it is.

He is coming next week for his 'one last time' and I will serve the letter on him then – that I intend to have the work independently assessed and he will be liable for any additional costs I incur.

I'd suggest waiting untill he's been,tell him as he leaves what you're going to do, then send a letter by recorded mail.

I've gone through something similar, check your houshold insurance for legal cover and see if you can use the "full court" as opposed to small claims.

I eventually went down the small claims route (and won). But the the guy has been quite cute and has nothing in his name, so I'm left with a piece of paper that basicly says he ows me £3000.

Contacted Trading Standards who said it was nothing to do with them and HM Customs who don'tt seem to have done anything as he's still advertising localy.

I could have his bank account arrested, but it will cost me each time, is only valid for the credit in his account on that day, and he must be left with £275 credit anyway – it's frustrating, and I doubt I'll ever see any of it.

If anyone knows where I can go to find a buisnessman with the principles of Peter van Hoogstaten in east central Scotland let me know – I'm beyond caring whether or not I recieve the money, I just want the **** to have to pay up.

Apologies for turning this into a bit of a personal rant !

£80 from SSPCA

Running costs:
Insurance £30 a month
Prescription food £65 a month
Swimming £28.50 each week.

Routine vet costs on top, I've claimed back well over what I've paid out on this one.

What sort of dog are you thinking of getting ?

I'm listening to it on radio, Steve Bunce is begining to make me want Valuev to knock Haye out!

That guy who bashed his pupil on the head with a heavy weight also had a PGCE

The PGCE is a passport to a low-pay, low-status, high stress job.

People with PGCEs on average don't make it to their official retirement age of 60

They're either dead or on long term absence from stress
Or, to avoid the above, get out early on a poverty pension
Or get sacked for unproved allegations by pupils

OK, but what about the downside ?

I've got an L2D, and an LD20. I'd treat with suspeicion any claims that a L2D runs for over 2 hours on turbo. The best I managed with GP 2700 batteries was arond 1 hr 45, and that was after charging/discharging the batteries a couple of times.

The LD20 seems to run for longer, not sure by how much though.

There is one Baby in Dubai somewhere one out on loan somewhere in lancs with Montylikesbeer …….

Well if there's a demo doing the rounds can I get my name down? More than willing to take it over a weekend !(cheeky I know, but worth a try and we might get to 2000 !)

Anyone running a baby trout? Got any beam shots? Too much for a road light?

Didn't Sinbad open a kebab shop in Coronation St then move to Spain?