Rysup

My dogs only get dry food as their staple diet. They will occasionally get raw meaty bones, but its not a set thing, only when I think of it. They survive and thrive on dry food.

ROTF My puppy yard an old aviary (something like 3m wide x 9m long) with a fence around 2 sides. Its not a huge yard, but its big enough for its purpose. This photo is the front part, where we added gravel as I was sick of the mud!! We paved the area around the gate.... Its not very tall, but I dont need it tall for puppies or adults as none of mine are jumpers.

Nothing wrong with Pedigree Puppy. Feed what the dog will eat, I say.

Thats a hard one! I know people who move their litters outside at 5 weeks. Me, I moved mine outside around 10 weeks old, but all my dogs sleep inside, in pens in the garage, of a night. I would never leave a baby outside full time. But during the day, as long as they can get out of the weather, then I have no issues.

Yep when they skip it can be a sign of luxating patella. I possibly would not worry about it unless he is distinct pain.

Chlorophyll - should be able to get that from the health food shop. I have seen it in capsule form in Coles, some time ago though. Definately health food section.

Put your bitches onto Chlorophyll liquid. I am not sure on dosage, but if they get it a few weeks before each season, its meant to substantially reduce their 'odour' for the boys. I too have an idiot of a male, 5 years old too! If I new I wouldnt want to breed with him, I would get him the snip too LOL

You mean like this? The ONLY way we stop this, is by locking the gates in and out My Keeshonds have NEVER touched my washing, but the Amstaffs are TERRIBLE for it, and are banned from that part of the yard when washing is hanging.

Glad it helped!

Not sure, my friends tow their dog trailer with a Barina though.

Yeah lots of things to chew on, I found tendon chews great, but as a last resort it needs to be pulled. Is it loose? Can you wiggle it?

I just go to a hairdresser supplier and buy a human grade one. Think the last one I got was Schwartzkopf.

Yep I have a couple of bitches who cock their legs better than the boys. Pee on each other too. Lovely.

I have had them start as young as 4 months and as old as 3 years. So there is no norm, it is whenever they start to sexually mature. So then you will get some who never cock their legs!

LOL thats quite ok Erny, anything to lighten the load. Some people are just too serious in here sometimes!! Babies are much more interesting :D

Hmm thank you. Not sure how I would go about that, but thanks for the information. Oh Haven only just noticed you are due to pop any day, good luck with bubs!

12 weeks? My vet always told me as long as you start by 6 months you are fine. Hmmm interesting!

Please explain?

Thanks haven. Yes I have been chatting to a few people, and think that the problems I am having may not be permanently fixed with a prong. Especially as I cannot show her on one, so she may more than likely learn the difference between collars. I am going to try and talk to some trainers who can see what she is doing and we will go from there. And I do agree, an easy fix, is still a fix, so long as it is fixed, why is the easy way any worse than the hard way?

Tatelina, I am NOT seeking the EASY way out. I was just asking a question. Thanks. I do not know if the prong is the right tool for my needs, so I asked, would you rather I just went and got myself one without finding out? Why do you think her training is all over the place and confusing? What makes you assume that? Haven, I sure dont give her any sort of attention when she does it, I try to ignore the behaviour. You may be right, OH may have taught her to pull, I dont go with them, so I dont really know. When she does the slink thing, she will often keep doing it for a few minutes Luke - no I dont just jerk her around, in fact I probably dont give corrections with the chain very often at all. I try to keep our practice sessions up beat, but I do find that I need to keep constant pressure on the lead. She would just hoover the ground otherwise, or pull me along.

Thanks guys, As I said, I dont do ANY obedience as such. I have trained as an obedience instructor many moons ago, but its not my interest as such. I ONLY want her to walk on a loose lead and stand for exam, thats it, I dont want sits, drops and stays, at this point in time. I can teach all my other dogs to heal, but she just doesnt get it, and I am having trouble getting her to that point now because she is so strong. Thats why I thought a prong collar might give me a bit better control so I CAN teach her things. She is probably going back to her breeder for a while, to see what they think. Apparently her mother wont walk on a lead either.

I have an Amstaff bitch who is a terrible puller and I have failed to teach her that she does not need to pull my arm out of its socket. I have been showing her consistently since she was 3 months old, she just turned 1 year. If I give her a correction on a normal choker, she drops to the ground. She started slinking around, like she hates being on the lead. When the OH takes her for walks, she also pulls constantly, and gets very excited and uppity with other dogs. She was OK up until she had her first season (though she always pulled), but now she is becoming a problem, so much so that I dont like to show her. I have to string her up on a lead to get her to look even half decent. I have not done any obedience work with her, it is not my interest at this point in time, but we have worked constantly on walking on lead, standing, and all the sort of things you do when you show. Yet she cannot even get that part. So anyway do you think a prong collar might be of help here? I dont want any arguments over right and wrong, just some sound advice from those who work with prong collars. Thanks!

How old is he? Yes he needs heartworm monthly, but he does not need to start before 6 months old.

The breed will make a big difference here......

Interesting! All I know is that now one of my old girls has gone deaf, I am forever jumping up and down like a lunatic to get her attention.