Obituary/Slug Pellets

Smudge and the Poinsettia

Had a very sad e-mail from Enid Southgate:

Patsy,

At this moment, I am struggling to come to terms with the fact that yesterday, we had to do the only kind thing we could, for our lovely Smudgie.

He has been blind for a year as well as deaf, but still happy to travel in the car, eating his meals and standing by his cupboard, waiting for his treats.

Sadly, three weeks ago he had a seizure/stroke. The vet said he may not have another one for months. However this last weekend, he had one on Friday and Saturday and two on Sunday! Norman and I were horrified and despite all our love cuddles and care, the only thing we could do was to let him go and be at peace.

Smudge has been the most wonderful companion and pal to me, for his thirteen and a half years. He was a perfect traveller. He will always have a special place in my heart. He was a very special Welsh terrier and at various times, displayed all their characteristics.

Many thanks to you and Sue for the club activities.

Enid.

The Rainbow Bridge

Our love and best wishes to you and Norman, Enid. All of Weltos I am sure, send their condolences . Smudge will now be at peace, after a wonderful life, having gone over the Rainbow Bridge to meet up with all those gone before. Having a little moment here to remember all our old Weltos dogs who have gone over that bridge. Love and peace to them all.

Slug Pellets

I had sent a Round Robin to remind you all about the perils of slugs and pellets, as due to the damp weather, the slugs are very plentiful at the moment. Whilst a few wrote to thank me, Jane Price wrote this:

Hi Pat,

Those disgusting slug pellets are also helping to wipe out our hedgehog population!!!!

A gardeners tip: Waitrose now have dustbins outside their shops full of the used coffee grounds that they remove from their instore coffee machines. They are free to their customers. Coffee grounds are full of nutrients that plants love such as potassium etc. If you are unable to find the free coffee grounds at Waitrose, ask at customer services. However, because they are damp they are heavy to lift . I discovered this to my horror when a Waitrose carrier bag of them burst at the entrance and went everywhere!! With coffee grounds ...Roses LOVE them but SLUGS HATE them!!!! They certainly deterred slugs eating my Hostas. I have not tried using them in the garden with a dog about as to whether they would eat them or not or if they would be put off by the smell. I am also not sure if they would also be poisonous if a dog did eat them? A lot of reputable garden centres no longer stock slug pellets instead opting for a wool substance to put around your veg. Again, maybe not dog friendly? Kind regards, Jane

Just a reminder that the farmers may still be using them in the fields, so be very careful where you let your dogs run.

Message from Jan Chamberlain;

Hi Pat,

We have been using slug pellets in the garden that are pet friendly.They are Richard Jackson's slug pellets bought from QVC.co.uk.They have been successful, not many holes in my plants and not having to worry about the dogs munching them.Which luckily they don't.

Jan

Jane Price adds:

Further to my other e mail about slugs….

I checked on the internet and apparently dogs are more sensitive to the caffeine in coffee grounds than humans making it dangerous for them to ingest. It is a difficult one!

You can’t put out beer traps to catch slugs in case your dog gets drunk?!! You can’t let your dogs eat coffee grounds (or tea leaves) in case they become overstimulated and get hyper?!!!

In all seriousness, coffee grounds have the same effect on a dogs heart as chocolate which as we all know, is also a forbidden food for dogs.

Pleased I am not a dog!!!!

Jane

Sandra Kisby writes:

Thanks for that Patsy!

I never use them in my garden, but had no idea that farmers used them in the fields. We have just returned from Norfolk where Bertie runs down the footpath along side a field everyday to the sea and frequently goes into the field for a rootle around-I shall keep him on the lead on the footpath in future!

Sandra