Animal Tales - 111

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up!

Apologies for not hosting an Animal Tales last month but I had so much on, something had to give and blogging pulled the short straw.  Am I forgiven?  Will a daft picture of Morgan help?

10 reasons I will never own a ferret

When I first started the #AnimalTales linky one example of the sort of post I'd love to see linked up was Pet Lists such as 10 Reasons Why I Would Never Own a Ferret ... and I have never got around to writing that post.  Anyway after 111 Animal Tales linkies I think it is about time I did it.  This post is not meant to offend those of you who love ferrets and for many they make great pets ... just not for me.

10 Reasons Why I Will Never Own a Ferret

1. They bite

I am old enough to remember this and to be quite frank that was enough for me to never want to handle a ferret.  In fairness there are plenty of ways to teach your ferret not to bite (apparently) but with those sharp needle like teeth I am not taking any risks!

Animal Tales - 110

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up!

Last month I mentioned that we were getting a new dog and you can read about him in my linked post from the gite blog. I can't quite believe we have had him a month already!  A new dog is not the only new addition at Eco-Gites of Lenault and look what I woke up to one morning last week ... a rather unexpected late lamb!

Animal Tales - 109

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up!

At some point on the blog recently I mentioned that we were looking for a new dog, realising Saari really does want some more regular canine company than just the few dogs the friends leave with us when they are away.  I still think she misses her beautiful Poppy and whilst no dog will ever replace her best friend she would now love a new friend.  And it looks like we have found that dog .... but it was only last night that we saw him and the refuge owner has yet to do a house check so you will have to wait a bit longer before I introduce him to you, here, on A Green and Rosie Life.   Instead, I give you a picture of Moo in one of her favourite sitting places ... we are not too sure how she is going to react to a new dog here!

Animal Tales - 108

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up!

I have been busy over the last couple of weeks watching over our small sheep flock as they lambed.  I had hoped to link up a lambing update on my Eco-Gites of Lenault blog but have not had the time to write it so you will have to make do with a post just mentioning our first lambs to arrive ... as well an an old post from this blog! 

Animal Tales - 107

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you and all your animal friends a Very Happy and Healthy New Year!  Mini-Pig, my friend's dog who dislocated her leg and was featured in last month's #AnimalTales, is getting better slowly after a successful operation to put her leg back in place, but she still has a good few months before she will be back to long walks again.

I currently have another dog staying, a rather lovely Lab x Spaniel but she has one major vice, she chases cats.  Poor Moo is not any good at standing up to her (Our old Henry would, in contrast, have put her in her place with one sharp wallop across the nose) so we are having to do rather a lot of Moo management, keeping the two of them apart.  At least it may, therefore, take her mind off beating up Fumée in the on-going Cat Wars we are living in.  Do you have pets that don't get on?

Moo hiding

Cat Wars

They say you can choose your friends but not your family but when you are a cat then you get no choice on which other cats your owner brings home to be your "friends".  And just like humans some cats do not like other cats. I mean some cats REALLY do not like each other:

Like Fumée and Moo, two of our cats.

Yup - we live in the middle of "cat wars" where Fumée and Moo are sworn enemies.

Animal Tales - 106

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up!

Saari and I are both wondering if you could send some healing thoughts this way.  Saari's best friend, Mini-Pig, had an accident on Sunday resulting in her dislocating a hind leg at the hip.  The vets have been unable to get the joint to stay in by manipulation so she is due to have it operated on tomorrow.  Fingers crossed she will make a full recovery and soon be back doing what she loves best - careering through the countryside at great speed.  Thank you.

Mini-Pig

Dogs and Christmas

With the Christmas season well and truly up us please do take a moment to consider dogs as well as our friends and family as their take on Christmas may not be quite the same as ours. 

Presents for Dogs

Can I let you into a secret? Dogs don't understand Christmas and they really don't need any presents.  Why not spend the money on some wild bird feed or sponsor a wild animal instead?  However if you absolutely must get them something please try and go with something that is plastic-free and maybe also good for them - a new exercise toy for example.  And if you feel totally unable to resist some pet accessory such as these canine antlers, please never leave the dog alone with them as they can all too easily become a choking hazard.

For more tips on how to own a sustainable pet have a read of this blog post.

Animal Tales - 105

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up!

One of my posts this week is about seeing wildlife in an unexpected place - you can read about it here.

Image from The Irish Times

Animal Tales - 104

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up!

A PLEA - if you are going to link up please have he decency to comment on at least some of the other blogs.  I know I have been late getting there this month but that has just served to show me how few comments some of the lovely posts have got from people joining in the linky.  

Animal Tales - 103

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up!

I am afraid my first post this month is a sad one as we had to bid our final farewell to one of our cats, Henry.  It is always the hardest of decisions to make and I have written a post that I hope might helps others know when the time is right to let their pet go.  I have also added a more light hearted one one from 8 years ago - the day we made Henry sulk!

Henry - a noble puss who never had a hair out of place

Deciding when to have a pet put down

Last week we had Henry, our oldest cat, put to down.  He had had kidney failure for several years but the wonders of modern medicine and specialist foods had kept him going as the disease advanced.  But all pet owners must, at some point, make the decision to have a pet put down.  So how do you know when it is right to say goodbye?

Henry

Animal Tales - 102

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky for all your animal stories.  If you have an animal related blog post (old or new) then come and link up! I had hoped to write an animals of Eco-Gites of Lenault update but failed to find the time. So instead I thought you might like this photo.  Remember the ducklings that hatched earlier in the year?  Well they have grown up a bit and have learnt how to fly.  Here they are on the sheep shelter with Bertie, the ram and Moo the cat to keep them company!

Saving the Iberian Lynx one salt pot at a time

Last week these pots of salt caught my eye for all the right reasons - they are made from cardboard and have a cork lid, not the usual plastic one.  The salt I normally buy comes in a plastic pot but this will be my salt of choice from now on, not just because of the lack of plastic (which in itself is a positive step forwards) but because the cork lids helps to preserve one of the rarest of our big cats - the Iberian Lynx.

Animal Tales - 101

Welcome to Animal Tales, the monthly linky just for all your animal stories.  Got an animal related blog post (old or new? Then come and link up!

A change to Animal Tales

Over the 100 linkies Animal Tales has taken a lot of my time - not that I ever mind reading about animals mind you.  I am also finding that my other linky Going Green is getting bigger by the month so I have decided that from now on Animal Tales will run just once a month ... on the second Tuesday.  It will stay open for a week ans from now on please link up to TWO of your animal posts. 

Animal Tales - 100

Welcome to the 100th Animal Tales.  Wow - 100 linkies bringing together all sorts of animal blog posts from all over the world.  And what a variety of animals there have been.  Everything from tiny insects to wonderful huge hippos.  (possibly not quite enough hippos but hey ho - I have loved seeing those that were linked up!!)  We have welcomed new pets into our lives and bid others the saddest of farewells.  I feel I have got to know many of your pets so well and have shed tears of laughter and sadness on so many posts.  Thank you all for your support.  

To celebrate I would love it if you would link up to THREE posts each which can include old ones you may already have linked but that you think might like another airing.  I know there are some posts I would love to read again.

Keeping Dogs Cool in Hot weather

As Britain and much of Europe wilt under the sudden onset of some extremely hot weather it is vitally important that we protect our dogs from the heat.  All too easily they can suffer heat stroke which in extreme cases can lead to death and therefore helping pooch to stay cool is vital in hot weather.

Animal Tales - 99

Welcome to Animal Tales, the blog linky that brings together all sorts of animal blog posts from all over the world.  It usually runs every other Tuesday to the following Thursday evening.  However I have been away for a week (which is why Animal Tales is up a day late) so this week I will leave the linky open until Friday evening.

Next week is the 100th Animal Tales

Next week it will be the 100th Animal Tales which is a point I could never have envisaged reaching when I started the linky. We may not be up there with the big linkies that get masses of bloggers joining every week but I think we have some of the nicest posts of any linky ... not that I am biased or anything!!  So let's have a little Animal Tales party next time.  Cut yourself a slice of ckae, crack open the bubbly and then link up TWO posts.  You can link up any new post you have and if you want one that you have already linked before - maybe it is an absolute favourite and a post that you think everyone might like to revisit or maybe you feel it just needs a bit more love.  If you haven't got a new post why not add 2 old ones and let's celebrate the wonderful animal and their tales. 

 

Saari is 10 - Happy Birthday

10 years ago we moved to France.  A few weeks after we arrived we found a nearby dog refuge and went for a "quick look round" ... and came home with Saari, an 11 week old puppy!  She will be 10 this week so I thought I would celebrate this with some of my favourite pictures of her.  I hope you enjoy them too.

Thief - she finally pulled it over!