The Weekly Times documents a Day of Dogs 2015
RELIVE all the fun and excitement of the first-ever Day of Dogs.
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TODAY The Weekly Times documents the first-ever Day of Dogs. SCROLL DOWN
Thanks to all our readers for join in today’s celebrations.
Over to Prada the smiling Staffy, who we reckon looks to be taking a selfie, to wrap things up.
6.40pm All tuckered out
Properties around the nation
AFTER a day filled with fun and excitement, and most importantly of all, dogs, things are winding down.
Whether dogs have spent the day at work, at play, or a combination of both, sooner or later it’s going to catch up on them.
5.30pm Time for a beer
Molly, Melbourne, Victoria
RAISE your glasses and say: “Here’s cheers” to Molly, who’s a regular sight at the bar in her local pub.
“We saved Molly from and uncertain life as a six-week-old puppy on a property in west Victoria in January,” Sally Watson said.
“She came home to live with us and our lovely six-year-old Black Lab-Kelpie Cross named Bella in the inner west suburbs of Melbourne.
“Molly is now almost 12 months old and enjoys a very good life with us and her big sister Bella.
“She is a very mischievous puppy but she gives us so many laughs.
“She is very much loved by all the family and spends time with us and her pa (my 83-year-old father-in-law).
“The working dog genes are very strong in Molly as she ‘rounds up’ Bella at the park every day. “It is funny how she was only on the farm with her mother for six weeks but still has the working dog traits.
We can’t wait to see Molly grow up, and to stop chewing the clothes on the clothesline, and she has definitely found a happy home with us.”
5.15pm Hot dogs
Frank and Mark, Woomargama Station, southern NSW
KELPIES won’t let a little bit of 40C heat stop them from working.
The Weekly Times’ Fiona Myers reports that Frank, the grey and tan kelpie, and Mark, the yellow kelpie, were hard at work today at Woomargama Station, in southern NSW, as they helped with crutching.
“It’s been a long day but the boss has promised a good feed and a nice cool drink at the end of the day,” she said.
4.00pm Busiest day of the year
Naracoorte, Limestone Coast, SA
KOOLIE-Kelpie cross working dog Bob is having his busiest day of the year.
Bob has been flat out unloading and loading sheep at the 30,000 first cross ewe lamb sale at Naracoorte in South Australia today, The Weekly Times’ Kate Dowler reports.
His owner, livestock carrier Ian Zippel, said: “Days don’t get much busier for Bob and I.”
3.15pm Pets aplenty
Properties around the nation
LOTS of our dogs are indispensable workers but pet pooches have a special places in the hearts of many, including The Weekly Times staff.
The Weekly Times’ deputy editor Natalee Ward shared this picture of the family dog Lola with her boys, Will and Harry, while they were getting ready for school this morning.
“We have no idea what sort of dog Lola is - we bought her from the lost dogs’ home a few years ago,” Natalee said.
“We had never had a dog, and weren’t quite sure how it would go, but now she rules the house all from the comfort of her woolly bed in the corner of the family room and we couldn’t imagine life without her.”
Here’s a selection of other pet dogs from our extensive Day of Dogs 2015 gallery.
We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the first-ever Day of Dogs, so be sure to check out our gallery of pictures.
2.30pm Zoe’s “pho-dog-raphy” studio
Lancefield, Macedon Ranges, Victoria
RENOWNED “pho-dog-rather” Zoe Phillips doesn’t put her camera away when she gets home.
Zoe’s own furry family members regularly feature among her photographic subjects on her farm at Lancefield.
The Weekly Times 2016 dog calendar, featuring gorgeous pictures taken by Zoe, is only $1 each when you buy the paper.
Available in participating newsagents from November 25-December 16.
1.45pm Back to the coalface
Working dogs around the traps
IT’S BACK to work after a lunch break for working dogs across the country.
David Sharp has plenty of help on his farm at Scotsburn, Victoria, with up to five to six dogs on the property at any time.
He and his wife Kim have four dogs of their own — two retirees, one worker and “pet who thinks he is a worker”, says David. Kim also foster cares working dogs breeds.
12.45pm From Mildura to Melbourne
Billy, West Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria
YOU can take the dog out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the dog.
Andrea Beattie, of West Footscray, said Billy, a two-year-old Blue Heeler (below), was rescued from a pound in Mildura by a Melbourne-based animal rescue group.
“He was adopted in August 2013, and now lives in Melbourne’s western suburbs,’ Andrea said.
“Billy has adapted well to city life, loves walks, playing ball and going on road trips with his two BFFs.”
12.05pm Off to the hairdresser
Annie, Kangaroo Lake, northwest Victoria
RUTH Stirling, of Kangaroo Lake, wrote to us to introduce Annie, “our very spoiled girl, who we rescued from a local pound about three years ago.”
“She loves living here by Kangaroo Lake with us, and is friendly with most neighbourhood dogs,” Ruth said.
“Due to the number of grass seeds around this year, Annie has recently undergone a full trim, which should also be more comfortable for her in the heat.
11.25am Get social
Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria
TWITTER is proving a popular method to share Day of Dogs pictures today, but Instagram is also a great way to show off your best friends.
Just don’t forget to use #dayofdogs to ensure that we, and everyone else interested, can find your pictures.
10.35am Bath time
Skyblue Barney Banana, Gisborne, Macedon Ranges, Victoria
IT’S time for a break.
Skyblue Barney Banana, who is five months old in this picture, takes a break in a bathtub.
We can think of few better places to be on a day like today.
9.45am What a pair
Jock and Sadie, Campbell Town, Tasmania
SOMETIMES it’s just impossible to get any work done.
“This is Jock, the hardworking sheepdog, and Sadie the interfering nuisance,” said Vera Rayson of Campbell Town, Tasmania.
"Despite that they are great mates.”
Vera said Jock, Jock a Kelpie-Border Collie cross, was rejected by his previous owner while Sadie, a Jack Russell cross, was picked up from a dogs’ home
9.15am Working for a living
Gisborne, Macedon Ranges, Victoria, and Naringal East, southwest Victoria
OUR dogs are not only our constant companions, but they earn their keep to boot.
Meet happy trio (pictured below left) Sid the Kelpie, Molly the Blue Heeler and Jay the Labrador. They’re members of the team at Whitehouse Fertilisers, Naringal East.
Timber the Kelpie (above right) was from a litter of five and born in a wood shed, Jazmine Anderson from Gisborne, Macedon Ranges, Victoria, said.
“The mother Kelly had the rest of the pups inside.
“When my mum went outside she heard whining and soon found this little guy.
“He was so close to dying and was very cold and hungry.
“Lucky we saved him by getting him warm under our jumpers, he’s very special to us and is very close with our family.
“He works great with the sheep and is full of character.”
8.44am Time for a splash
Ruby, South Gippsland, Victoria
On a warm day like today, there will be no keeping Ruby (below), owned by Olivia O’Connor, of Berrys Creek, South Gippland, Victoria, from one of her favourite jobs: checking the troughs.
8.11am It’s off to work we go
Mali, Perry Bridge, Gippsland, Victoria
IT’S off to work we go, and Mali the 15-year-old Border Collie, of Perry Bridge, Victoria, isn’t considering retirement.
We’ll let Jen Ribolli, of Perry Bridge, Victoria, tell you all about her.
“This is Mali, our kind Border Collie,” Jen said.
“Mali is 15 years old and not considering retirement.
“If the four-wheeler starts she is there and keen to board, and that’s exactly where she stays unless catapulted off due to heavy breaking, bumps or sharp turns.
“It’s too risky for her to work cattle from the ground because age has slowed her reflexes, dampened her hearing and dimmed her sight.
“Mali hates her photo being taken; I managed to sneak this one before she realised.”
7.55am Gallery opening
Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria
WE ASKED The Weekly Times readers to join us to celebrate the day, and you’ve listened, with pictures of mutts, pure breds and pooches continuing to pour in.
Many of the pictures we have received have already been added to an online gallery (below), so make sure you check it out now.
There’s also a steady stream of great pictures lobbing into the #dayofdogs Twitter feed, so be sure to keep an eye on that throughout the day as well.
7.30am Just hangin’ out
Charlie, Sea Lake, Mallee, Victoria
FEMALE Fox terrier Charlie, 13, has an ideal vantage point to get some morning sun.
Meryl Harrison, said the Female Fox terrier, named Charlie as she came from Charlton, was a very active girl.
“Charlie in the photo (above left) is marooned in a self-made hammock from the dogs’ blanket I had draped over two old kitchen chairs that are on our veranda,” Meryl says.
“Great spot at sunrise.”
Charlie is prepared to share her good fortune, though, seeking out warm or cool spots with her best mate, Buckley (above right), depending on the weather.
7.15am Cool change
Buddha and Rex, Nulla Vale, Macedon Ranges, Victoria
IT’S going to be a warm one today in southeastern Australia where The Weekly Times office and many of our readers are located, so here’s a figurative blast from Antarctica.
Tarsha Walters, of Nulla Vale, Victoria sent in this picture (below) of two Kelpie pups, Buddha and Rex, on the dam bank during a frosty morning.
Tarsha said she had five dogs in total and that all were used on the farm but were also very spoiled pets.
6.55am Time to get up!
Pixie, Timboon, southest Victoria
“HEY, c’mon, I know it’s The Weekly Times Day of Dogs. I just don’t want to get up yet.”
If dogs could talk, that’s what we reckon Pixie (below), the four-year-old Irish wolfhound, would be saying right now.
“When I took this photo I was off to work for an early start,” Pixie’s owner, Leonie Smith, of Timboon, Victoria, said.
“As you can see, me clattering around getting ready didn’t disturb her beauty sleep (or my husband’s).”
Just one day to go: Friends and colleagues
Buck and Gus, Lancefield, Victoria
LANCEFIELD farm manager Peter Shannon has always had working dogs.
He brings his two Kelpies, Buck and Gus, to work every day at the prime lamb farm he manages at Romsey.
“I’ve always loved Kelpies,” Peter said.
“I’m with them all day, every day, and they’re like your best friends.”
Once home, his “house pet”, Australian terrier Reggie, is there to greet him.
Dogs are a vital part of work and home for people across the country and tomorrow, The Weekly Times is inviting readers to celebrate their dogs in The Weekly Times Day of Dogs.
From sheep dogs to pampered pure breeds, we want to see your pictures and hear the stories behind your dogs, whether they’re in the paddock, on the couch or at the saleyards.
Two days to go: Picture perfect pooches
Prada, Preston, Victoria
Three days to go: It’s getting wild and woolly
Dot, Buangor, Victoria
Four days to go: Drive slowly, look for dog
Mathoura, NSW
Five days to go: Learning the trade
Pumbar Dusty Bootz, Gisborne, Victoria
Michelle Whyte, of Gisborne, Victoria, who sent this great picture of Pumbar Dusty Bootz, who’s seen training on sheep, aged eight months.
Six days to go: Living up to his name
Rowdy, Naringal East, Victoria
Blue Heeler, Rowdy (below), has been prompting howls of delight in our newsroom.
He may look pretty relaxed, but he lives up to his name, the pup’s owner Eloise Haines, of Naringal East, Victoria, says.
We want Day of Dogs to reflect how dogs are a part of life from dawn until dusk, so make sure you send us pictures of your dog and information about why your best friend is special.
Bookmark this story, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and get ready for Day of Dogs on November 19!
DAY OF DOGS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2015
Email us: online@theweeklytimes.com.au
Facebook: The Weekly Times
Twitter: @theweeklytimes
Instagram: theweeklytimes
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