A thoughtful idea from a GSD owner

[Mollys_mum]

For the last few mornings, I've spotted a guy out in the local park battling with his dog's blown coat.

He explained to me that he does this in the park because the little birds are picking up the fur and using it for their nests. I thought this to be a really good idea, especially as I have a soft spot for wildlife, so just thought I'd share it with everyone.

[Stranger]

we normally go to the park and brush the boys, we collect most of it and find it easier then if in the house where it tends to get in your face and every where lol

[robke]

I at times do it in the garden for the same reason

[Daniel Cameron]

I do that too in our garden:)

[Mollys_mum]

we normally go to the park and brush the boys, we collect most of it and find it easier then if in the house where it tends to get in your face and every where lol

I haven't had the 'pleasure' of a blown coat yet, but I'm bracing myself for it.

[Chris83]

i collect kai's and put it out for the birds

[flyingspanner]

I also use the park and garden.

There was however a case recently where someone (I believe in NW UK) was fined for littering for doing exactly the same thing.

[Mollys_mum]

I also use the park and garden.

There was however a case recently where someone (I believe in NW UK) was fined for littering for doing exactly the same thing.

Oh no!:eek:

Where on earth has common sense gone with councils these days?:mad:

[flyingspanner]

Oh no!:eek:

Where on earth has common sense gone with councils these days?:mad:

No-one's allowed to use Common Sense any more, 'cos it can't be written down and adhered to, Procedures are the only thing that count now.

You may or may not have seen this before:

The Sad Passing of Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.

No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain,

why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting

strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.

Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate;

teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student,

only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they had failed to do in disciplining their

unruly children

He declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Panadol,

sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student; but, could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and

wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses

and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can

sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot.

She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter,

Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone.

If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

[Mollys_mum]

Thanks for this, Nick. No, not seen it before, but it is all depressingly familiar and I'll certainly pass it on to all in my contacts.

[Stranger]

wow thats so true....will be keeping that one cheers

my two havent blown much this year, i suspect we will get it bad later in the year. although i have found thst brushing them weekly reduces the amount they blow as you are removing it gradually rather than waiting for it all to drop out lol x

[Laine]

My two are... shedding. I honestly don't know if their coats are preparing for winter or starting to blow for spring, the weather has been so weird here it's hard to tell. Shila looks funny though because it's all long and coming out except for her sides over her ribs. There it's still shortish and smooth.

Ri you can't tell he's blowing his coat at all.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

i heard about that too (the fine for brushing a dog outside)

i brush mine in the garden

[Nadine Martin]

I brush Kai in the garden, but always put his hair in the bin. that thought has never even crossed my mind.. that's awesome =], may leave a little out for them next time

[Ravenwolf]

I also use the park and garden.

There was however a case recently where someone (I believe in NW UK) was fined for littering for doing exactly the same thing.

That doesn't surprise me. Yes, it's great that the birds will make use of it, but other than that, you're leaving huge chunks of hair in a public park. Hair that clumps together and doesn't blow apart, gets stuck in bushes and compacted into the grass. A site of a huge fursplosion that doesn't just blow away with the wind and is unsightly to other users of the park. Like any trash, it should be picked up and thrown away. A small amount can be left for birds, but they aren't going to use it all and it's just a hairy clumpy mess you've dumped on parks maintenance staff to deal with.

ETA - I usually brush mine in the back yard on my deck. I still throw it in a bag and throw most of it away, thought I don't fret about every little bit. I do, however, notice that certain areas of my yard tend to collect deposits of hair, and they do start to stink, so I try to clean them out regularly.

[Smokey]

I agree with Ravenwolf. I have in the passed been guilty of brushing my dogs in the park but I pick up after them as the clumps of hair lasts FOREVER in the grass and the bushes. It is unsightly. I'm sure a few hairs here and there (as GSDs don't shed nearly as much as huskies) is fine but all in all I definitely think that it should be picked up to a certain extent...

[valkyries]

i do mine in the garden the birds take it, it's never there long xxxx

[Elyse]

I saw someone at the dog park do it a year ago, and now I only brush Suka's fur outside. It's amazing in the spring when the birds are building their nests...they will come down and take huge tufts of fur in their beaks.

At least the nests would be nice and warm!

[Liz Jones]

Have to do Indi with the hoover as she has terrible static when she blows so it just all sticks to you even when windy outside

[Rosemary]

We brush our huskies inside I posted this pic a while ago about the one-stop-shop for birds my husband made last year.

http://www.husky-owners.com/forum/threads/birds-husky-fur-one-photo.32094/#post-511734

[Dunc]

Sue does ours in the garden unless I catch her :mad:

[saintlysinner :-)]

I live on an acre so brushing outside with GSD is perfect ...cannot be fined for littering in my own garden....and have seen many birds fly off with the efforts of my work, and have no doubt Shylah in the future shall be feathering many a nest in the future !!

[aronoiiel]

I do mine inside and at the park depending on the season. Our big dog park is full to the brim of wild birds both and there's even a part of the rules that says it's ok only during certain months so the birds get nice toasty nests for their hatchlings.

[Paranormal Wolf]

I usually brush Kuma outside for this reason and the fact that it just blows away and I don't have to pick it up HAHA!

[Austinville]

The birds in our yard have had the softest, husky fur-lined nests for 17 plus years.