Maddie

Thanks Motorhead! Whilst I appreciate that there are folk who don't like animals I would rather advertise that fact that I have animals than to have someone arrive and be horribly disappointed.  I personally don't feel it would put off many people.  And the ones it does I probably wouldn't want staying anyway (sorry jhc, no offence intended) as any animal would sense that they were hostile towards them and, in all likelihood, be hostile back!  As you say, in a rural "gite", to come across a place where there are no animals whatsoever is highly unlikely - the French love their animals and are not well known for keeping them confined!  You don't go to stay in the country if you don't like or are afraid of animals, sorry. Can't run agility courses (not officially anyway) without the necessary French paperwork/insurances.  Already looked into it .  Too risky to run without as I live next door to the Maire! Come on, Lori and I can't be the only gite owners with dogs/animals?  

Having read Lori's post about her absolutely terrible experience with the "child" I wondered what other Gite owners do about dogs, whether they advertise the fact, add the details onto booking forms etc. I have two labradors and I did not initally say anything about them.  I was confident that I would be able to exercise the dogs well outside the times guests were up and about or when they were out and guets are advised in a welcome note that the dogs are exercised first thing in the mornign and last thing at night.  Both dogs are spoilt rotten so are more than happy to be indoors if I am with them or settle down and sleep when we are out so there is no problem with disturbing guests.  However, I have a lot of agility equipment (jumps etc) set up in my garden (4.5 acres so there's still plenty of room for guests!) so it is a bit difficult to hide the fact that there are dogs on the premises.  They don't have their own fenced in enclosure as they would bark the plac down if they knew I was indoors and they were shut outside and, technically, we all share the same garden (though the dogs are not allowed in the guests seating or garden area). Several guests with children were desperate to meet the dogs and it was only after a number of very sucessful introductions (on leash) and lovely comments about them that were left in my guest book (which is also on my website) that I "came clean" and added photgraphs of the dogs.  I've since had at least 3 ten year olds doing the agility course with my labrador and having a wonderful time thrilled with the fact that they can get the dog to do what they want it to (she's mad and just adores jumping so there's no real skill involved!!! ) 95% of my business comes via the internet - so everyone has access to the details, pictures of the dogs but I don't put anything on paper.  What do other people do and do you think I should do more? 

I use Joint formula for pets from www.healthydirect.co.uk - glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and Vit C.  £17.99 for 360 (she takes 2 a day)

[quote]La Mayenne....! Dropping the off-site Gite shortly (sale pending) - it's too much![/quote] Mmm, shame - a bit too far I reckon as I'm in the southern Haute Garonne! Good luck with the sale!

[quote]I think you have missed my point. I was advocating the use of electricity as a BACK-UP , not as your prime source of hot water heating. Therefore I was proposing an alternative form of water heat...[/quote] Owning 3 gites - you must be mad!!!!!   Where are you by the way?  Maybe you could come and have a look at my system and give me a quote for a back up.      

Not a very sympathetic response, but point taken.  As you have no idea who I used or who recommended him or how much it cost it's not really very fair to make such a comment, but he came very highly recommended to me (by my French bank manager) and I WOULD recommend him to anyone else.  The boiler is, in fact, state of the art and was definitely not what he had in his store at the time as I had to wait weeks for it to be ordered, delivered and installed. Having made the change I would NEVER go back to electric water heating!  The fioul is far more efficient and far cheaper to run that electric and means we have on-demand hot water constantly (very much appreciated by guests) and don't pay a higher tariff for electricity during the day.  I had 500 litres of fioul delivered in April and the fioul gauge has barely moved between then and now - running hot water for 5 bathrooms! My question is do any of you gite owners out there have more than one source for water heating?  If you have electric water heating do you have a back up in case of power failure?  A simple question which did not really merit such a hostile response. BTW It was fixed within 45 minutes of me calling the engineer and involved a very simple replacement part, at full temperature with a tank full of hot water within 10 minutes of his arrival and cost €63 inc parts, call out charge and tax and my guests were actually none the wiser!

I always understood that there were laws protecting employees which meant no opening on Sundays.  I don't think it has anything particularly to do with square metreage as out local BricoMarche (a VERY big store - hypermarket proportions) is open on Sundays but staffed by the franchisee, his missus and their son and their dog!  Our LeClerc just extends it's daily opening hours during the summer but does not open on Sunday.  I think many of the small shops we see open on Sundays are open because they are staffed by the owners not employees.

I'm having a bit of a crisis.  I had a new fioul chaudiere installed about 18 months ago for the central heating and hot water.  It was installed with my letting accommodation in mind - to cope with the no. of bathrooms/bedrooms etc. However, it is my only source of hot water and as sod's law would have it, it has given up the ghost when I have guests here. Was I stupid to go down that route?  After 12 months of very sucessful running I finally sold my old (also virtually new) electric water tank/heater.  I was told my my French plumber that it was not easy to connect the two together hence the disconnection and subsequent selling of it.  Now I am regretting my decision and worrying like mad what my guests may think. Is it worth the extra expense of having some separate source of hot water "just in case" bearing in mind the fioul boiler is brilliant 99% of the time?  

Lori I have totally sympathy with you.  I have two dogs, both adore people and have an excellent track record with kids from toddlers upwards.  The only problem is that they are very boisterous, one more so that the other.  They are both obedience trained (yeah, right!) until they see a new person or small child they can go and give a good licking to.  Also one is mad keen on water so will JUMP OVER the pool fence if she sees the pool cover is off.  Guests know there are two dogs (their pictures are on my website so it's not a surprise to them) and that they are exercised early in the morning and evening.  If guests and their children want to make friends with them and ask to do so then I allow controlled meetings but never unsupervised and always on a lead.  It's been too hot to leave them outside here so I keep them indoors during the day in the cool.  I've had 4 parties with kids so far and fortunately only one screaming fit (porbalby because the child found she had the same name as the dog!).  Providing you make every effort to keep the dog and children apart I don't think you can reasonably be expected do much more.  After all, presumably these people know they are coming to your home environment, what do they expect, a museum?  If they had no idea there was a dog/dogs then that's a different matter.

We open our pool each day at around 10.00am and it's open until it gets dark unless we are around to supervise late night/floodlit swimming. Our major problem is that we have a water loving dog who, if she sees the pool cover is off, will be in there like a maniac no matter how well trained she is when no water is in sight!  Having said that a season of dog swimming (last year) caused no damage to the liner/filter whereas ONE WEEK of a family with 2 kids this year has meant an extra hour on change over day scrubbing their greasy suncream scum line off already!  Thinking of only allowing couples with dogs and no children for next year! 

Why not try that great magazine Living France?   We have a yearly ad and have had lots of bookings and enquiries for out of season!

£250 per let, paid up front, cheque cashed, 8 weeks before arrival.  Not one person has complained, no breakages (apart from family!), all perfectly clear in terms and conditions and agreed up front.  We do inspection and thorough clean after departure and if all okay monies refunded within two weeks.  Noticed a few sticky marks after lastest party (we're not really geared up for small kids)but nothing a sponge an warm water wouldn't resolve so wonlt be charging.

My heart is now sinking. Our pool has been open since the beginning of June yet in just one week of guests with children this dreaded tide mark has appeared.  I was desperatley hoping that the pool liner cleaner I've bought will do the trick. Has anyone sucessfully banned the use of suncream before swimming?  Personally, I would prefer to pay for tee shrits for my guests to use when swimming rather than have to scrub the scum off the pool on a weekly basis. (But then I'm a bit lazy! :blush

[quote]Take your point, Mrs MDW, but remember why Ian stopped posting there! And some of those shoulder needers...[/quote] I know and I think it is a huge shame things got so "out of hand".  These things do happen from time to time in the virtual world and in real life. Personally, I find it hard living in France and, from time to time, I'm one of those "shoulder needers" too!  Off topic a bit - but they are opening a new museum to celebrate the history of the GP motor circuit at St Gaudens later this year, so I've heard. Back to topic.  A balance of information and good company is all I ask for. And I know where to find it - in more than one place (...dreams of a ADSL connection...)

[quote]Not if/when new emails are set up to rejoin.[/quote] Surely in this day and age there is more than one way of identify a specific internet user not just by their email address? Isn't there some sort of unique number linked to the PC/ISP that can identify users?   

Personally, I enjoy both forums. I just really wish this one would run as quickly on my doddery old dial-up as quickly as the others do.  If it had I would not have ventured to look elsewhere. Well things may have changed since I last visited LF regularly but, boy, at one time it was scary with abuse being thrown all around by all sorts. There's still tons of useful inforamtion to be gained and shared wherever you look.  Make the most of everything that's available is what I say.  We all have a useful contribution to make to someone, somewhere, no matter how small or insignificant whether it's enlightening someone on "bugs down a bog" or cheering up an unhappy person by offering a virtual coffee or shoulder to lean on. Live and let live. Ian, I miss you!

Christine Thank you so much for the web link.  Yes it is so important that we all make sure our pets are properly identifiable via chip or tattoo.  George's owner hadn't got round to getting him chipped but he wore a collar with ID on it and has some identifying scars. I had no idea that the demand was in SW France (where I live and own 2 labradors!). Caroline has posted on every lost dog site in the UK, written 10,000 of letters to vets, schools, newpapers, got TV involved and has set up a website with a fellow pet owner who also had a dog stolen.  I will pass on the information to Caroline and her friends on www.labforums.co.uk  forum in the hope that we can all continue to help with the search. Thank you once again. ANY help, comments and suggestions are appreciated. Nicola

Dear all Many of you know that I am a very keen dog lover and labrador owner.  I have been recently helping a fellow labrador owner called Caroline via another Forum for labrador lovers.  She has gone to the ends of the earth trying to trace her beloved dog and if anyone can help her, no matter how remote the possibility, please take a few minutes to read on, there is a possibility he may be in France... Here's her original post: "Hi everyone, I'm writing to ask for your help in trying to find my beautiful dog George who was stolen on the 4th March from the Riding School where I live and work, in North Hampshire. George is a 4 year old, neutered, very large black labrador. He is extremely friendly, but unfortunately suffers from epilepsy. He needs medication to keep his seizures under control. Unfortunately George was not chipped yet. If anybody knows anything at all about a new dog in their area who may fit his description, please, please can you let me know as I'm desperate. I am offerring a substantial reward for his safe return. So far I have posted his details everywhere, and spoken to hundreds of rescue centres, vets, authorities etc. and although I have managed to find and 'rescue' 2 stray black labs, and find their owners, I've had absolutely no news at all of my boy. I'm going to post his details on the lost pages also. Any help at all (or advice in case I've missed calling anyone) will be greatly appreciated - if I can work out how to put a picture on the site I will do. Thanks for reading - Caroline x" George Here are some links to her own site and other lost dogs sites http://hometown.aol.co.uk/cmcmerritt/myhomepage/dog.html http://www.doglost.co.uk/forum.asp?ID=2775 Here is a latest message from Caroline..."Hi all, I have a bit of a lead on a stolen dog racket thats going on in the south. Apparently stolen dogs (particularly gun dogs) are being 'smuggled' (if thats the right word - in fact dogs in cars taken abroad by ferry are not checked) to France via the Isle of Wight, and are then sold on. Gun dogs (labs and spaniels) are apparently sought after over there. If anyone has any contact with anyone in France who may be able to help - please let me know. I'd really like to send an email to vets, local authorities (does France have Dog Wardens?), and in particular any gun dog societies. However, as I don't speak French a search of French websites is going to be really hard! Any ideas anyone? Caroline xx " If anyone has any information please feel free to pass it onto me or directly to Caroline.  Call 07867 603568 or e-mail her at [email protected]. She is offering a £1000 reward for any information leading to his return - NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Please help if you can.

Deby I always worry about this too.  I make people fully aware when they arrive that no unsupervised swimmng is allowed.  I think providing your pool complies with the regs (fencing/alarm etc) and you have made people fully aware of the safety procedures and your "rules" then there is little else you can practically do. Nicola

Check out this web site for the device to remove them.  It works perfectly and I've never had the problem of the head parts being left behind. http://www.otom.com/

[quote]I'm not an expert in biology or veterinary medicine either, and consequently I can't explain how ticks or fleas or any other parasite adapts to certain poisons, but I know that they do. I have been to...[/quote] Then again, my lab had a huge allergic reaction to a flea bite just after we got here. I've been using Frontline ever since and no fleas and only piroplasmosis in one out of my two dogs (funnily enough the lab who DOES NOT go exploring in the long grass).  Are you sure any vet has nothing to gain by recomending another product?  They may well sell similar products at similar prices to their clients but do we know how much they actually pay the manufacturers for them or what the markup is?  You can bet your bottom dollar that they are not all the same cost price and different drug companies  have special promotional prices for certain products.  Lets face it, vets and drug manufacturers are running a business not a charity.

Just a quickie (which you probably know anyway), Frontline DOES NOT STOP the ticks attaching.  They still attach but it kills the little blighters before they get a chance to eat their fill and pass on diseases (usually within 24-48 hours) then they drop off.  It's always a wise precaution to treat with something (personally I think Frontline is fine) and groom, groom, groom!  Since grooming (and keeping the grass on my 13,000m2 short - a mammouth task in itself) I've only found one tick attached.  Before with long grass and only Frontline used one of mine got piroplasmosis hence the obsession with grooming and mowing!!!  The little green tic toc things are great too, just hook, twist and pull - job done!

Keeping the dog crated at night may help with the poohing thing (they do not like to pooh in their own beds, in theory).  Make the crate a comfy place to be, with washable bedding (vet bed is great), and maybe a toy (like a stuffed kong), make it a bed or den not just a cage.  Somewhere where the dog feels safe.  It works well with pups.  My lab pup did not soil indoors during the night once.  You could try taking her outside before you go to bed (on a lead if she's a houdini ), go to the same place each time so the scent of pee and pooh is already there and she associates it with a toilet, perhaps build in a command for doing "the business", reward and praise lots (mine both will wee and pooh practically on command now) then go to bed and shut the dog in the crate. Then first thing let her out, on lead, take her to the "toilet place" and give lots of praise if she and when does her business outside.  This worked for me but is likely to be harder work with an older dog.  Sounds like your dog is a bit og a scent hound anyway so the hunting instinct is going to be very hard to get around  A training class should be able to help you with a recall but it will take time and patience (yes, I know the feeling!!!).  Try http://www.cnea.net/ and click on "les clubs" and then your department to find a training club near you. Good luck!  

I've only ever bought two things in Habitat (funnily enough we always used to call it Shabitat too!) a coffee table (which turned out, when delivered, to be flat pack despite the enormous cost and was ten times more complicated to put together than IKEA stuff ) and some shelves - "laminated" pine on two wrought-iron, free-standing supports.  I've subsequently had the wrought iron shelves copied several times by a local blacksmith and now they the most useful items of furniture I possess!

Full time, Haute Garonne (31), spitting distance from the Pyrenees.  Here's a piccie to prove it!