spottychick

Well it might be but lots of dog food has yeast in it. I think he just needs it mixed with something he's used to so that he gets a taste for it.

Okay that sounds good. But don't change too much at once, especially if he's only just starting to get over runny poo problems. I would perhaps alternate with the chicken and rice every other night and see how he goes. It's just that a change of diet can cause diarrhea (jeez how do you spell that word!!!!) sometimes. Also be aware that switching to VANs and natural food can cause some dogs to detox. But in the long run it will make for a healthier dog It's worth persevering with. Good luck!

Are you giving it to him "straight" - I mean with nothing else added??? That's not how you do it. I don't know why the lady said that. I would mix it with whatever you normally give the dog. What do you feed him btw? If you plan on doing it properly it should be given mixed with raw meat. But if you've been giving him something else you can slowly transition from the old food (mixed with van) to the new food (mixed with van). My dogs have always loved it with other food and will also lick it straight off the spoon. Its supposed to smell fermented and yeasty - that's the beneficial part of it. ETA I would also add smaller amounts of it to start with and gradually increase it. Especially if he's finding it a bit wierd - remember their sense of smell is fabulous so he'll smell it in his food. Try to disguise its smell a bit. You never know he might really like it once it's mixed anyway, but it's best to start off carefully.

I have to add that before I got Tango I spoke to someone at a rescue group about adopting a dalmatian from them. The conversation went a bit like this. Me: Hi there I saw your dalmatian Spotty (fictional name) on your website and I'm interested in him. I just wanted to ask a few questions about him. Lady: Oh you do, do you? Well I've got a few questions I want to ask you first. Me: Um..... Okay no problems. Shoot Lady: Do you have proper fencing? Me: the whole yard is fenced and I have had three dalmatians living here that never escaped. Lady: Are they all 6 foot high? Me: Mostly, higher than that for the majority of it but a bit lower at the front. Maybe about 5 foot. Why is he a jumper? Lady: Not that I'm aware of. It's just a rule we have when rehoming dogs. Me: Oh okay Lady: So that's that then. Goodbye Me: Wait I could ..... She hung up. I was pretty shocked by this. Her tone was really rude from the start and it nearly put me off rescuing a dog at all. But a couple of weeks later I rang some other rescue groups about dalmatians who needed new homes. I had no problem with any other person I dealt with - all of whom were from specialist dalmatian rescue groups. In the end I was actually left having to choose between three of them. Tango drew the short straw I imagine most rescue groups are doing a great job and have a sensible attitude that makes sure the dog is properly rehomed without being too fanatical about it. But there are a couple/few who take it all a bit far and might end up having a negative impact on the "rescue" cause. ETA a little more I remembered of the conversation

TD I thought that too. He is even gentle with other animals so this is a good sign. I will be introducing him to a neighbours cat next week to see how he goes. Will do re the hug.

Yes they've all been picked up. Never been a problem before LOL And yes, he's exceptionally keen to learn.

They have their moments but they are also all surprising me all the time with how well they handle things He is exceptionally photogenic aint he!!!

Thanks Tokkie! That's nice to know

LOL NOt always so well behaved - but they are trying

Wow! You'll have to post a link to a vid with you talking on it so I can hear what you're talking about! I also call Pepper "pepsi"

LOL TD That's a good way to put it. I think because she's been around the longest she sort of pushes it a bit. It's good having the two newbies tho because she's also getting a refresher course in how to behave when I'm training them Dylan is very good at this stuff. His TOT is coming along beautifully and I did some off-lead "heel" training today with him. He was brilliant! (and he likes peanut butter hee hee)

We had a little sad moment today. Dylan started playing with Pepper in the lounge room. She responded with play bowing back at him (for the first time - apart from the first day he was here!). She started darting from side to side with him so I ushered the playing pair outside. Pepper - unfortunately - immediately grabbed an old bone that was lying on the grass and Dylan just thought she was still playing so he kept doing zoomies at her and play bowing even tho she was growling and snarling at him. I was trying to get his attention and call him away but he was too thrilled to be "playing" with Pepper and just got more and more silly. Pepper was escalating her snarling and I was trying to grab him as he flew around the place. Suddenly Pepper attacked him fairly viciously, he screamed and she let go. It was the worst I'd heard between these dogs. I called him but instead of running over like he normally would he lay on his side on the grass and did this odd wriggling thing. I thought she'd injured him so I raced over to him. I felt him all over and got no responses so it didn't look like he was hurt. But he was still lying with his face flat on the grass and not responding. So I tried to get him to stand up. He wouldn't stand. I can't explain how he behaved but it was really upsetting. Like he was totally scared to move, but he wasn't cringing. Just more like a sort of heavy flop. At first it looked like his legs were unable to move. Anyway, with a lot of jollying and cajoling he finally got up and pushed himself into my arms. I actually picked the poor little dude up and carried him inside to give him a cuddle on the couch. Pepper comes over and looks at him woth her tail waggin and an expression like "Gosh! what's wrong with him?" and went to her bed. Tango came over, pushed his nose into the boys belly, moaned a bit and then started barking at him and "talking". I gave him lots of tummy rubs and played with him and he got up and was back to his old self, bashing Tango in the face again. Amazingly Tango didn't growl at him for it . Such a shame that the "play" he'd been trying to get out of Pepper went so horribly wrong so quickly.

Ooooh That's not good! I hope he's got lots of strength and can pull through this! Hugs to you and healing thoughts coming your boys way!!!

Yeah me too! After seeing this video I asked my neighbour if I can bring Dylan over to meet some of their small animals. They have a menagerie. I did introduce him to chickens yesterday - no problems at all. And apparently he used to sleep next to/with the rabbits in the previous owners back yard. I suspect getting in as early as possible is key as well as having a pup with a fairly calm temperament maybe.... Julz - that's fantastic. I hope I can get Dylan even part way to that!! Would love to see pics

This is why I gave up practising law......................

You might have already come across this Youtube legend but I only just found him so thought I'd share. He's an unusual coloured pitbull with an even more unusual love for all creatures great and small. I found one vid and then just kept looking at all the others. I have never seen a dog quite as loving and gentle as this one. This is the first vid I saw If you look under the owners name you'll see the rest. The iguana just blew me away!! Apparently he lets chooks ride on his back too.

Wow! I just read this thread from start to finish and had a smile on my face the whole time. What a wonderful story and a gorgeous girl. Good on you for giving this girl a new home - it sounds like she's rewarded you a thousand-fold tho!!!

ohhhh yes I do giggle a lot now that you mention it *giggle* ;) Dylan's definitely a happy fella.

okay...... I was mucking about with the mobile ph trying to work out how to make it record a video and suddenly I realised it WAS recording a video LMAO So I've posted it on Youtube. It's nothing special but I thought some of you might like to see Dylan and Tango and Pep in "action". Please forgive the wierd shots of cupboards etc I've never done it before so I wasn't very good at it LOL

Fingers crossed for the lovely Sophie! You've done a wonderful thing taking her on and working so hard with her. They SOUND like a good family for her. And yes, I understand the condition about giving her back. That was just so tragic! Keep us updated!

LOL Not always

Nah TD. They are lovely people and loving dog owners but I wouldn't let them have him. Rusty has a great life for a rescued cattle dog but they don't let dogs inside and they only feed her basic kibble (I cant remember the brand - large brightly coloured stuff - PAL maybe?) and their property is not fenced (although it's many many acres of forest). Rusty wont go anywhere but a dally probably would and the main road (read East Coast highway road) is just outside their property - about 3 ks from their house. Also they have 4 gorgeous cabins for tourists to stay in and a tourism display/interpretive walk so there is traffic coming and going all the time. But it's fantastic to know if Dylan is making a nuisance of himself I can just pack him in the car and get Rusty to tire him out for me

LOL There was nothing wrong with your advice MM - And I took it on board when thinking about what to do. He had a lovely time this afternoon. I took him to a special place where I've been walking the dallys lately. It's a tourist attraction area with beautiful walks etc and the guy who runs it owns a rescued "failed" cattle dog (kelpie I think) girl who when I first met them they told me "didn't get along with other dogs". But we introduced Tango and Pepper and they've become BFFs LMAO She gets all silly when she sees our car and starts leaping about and whimpering apparently. So I have a routine now where I call in to their house on the way to the forest walk and collect Rusty to come with us. But I wasnt sure about introducing another dog, let alone a bouncy big puppy into the mix. Also, this is the place where Tango seems to get a little feral and nicks off on me when we're heading back to the car. I have to go driving around looking for him!!!!! So I'd been reluctant to put myself thru all the stress of idiotic Tango antics as well as the new pup. But I'd run into Rusty's owner down the shop who'd asked when I was coming up for a walk next so I thought Id give it a go. ANYway. I drove in and called Rusty (I call and beep the horn and she follows the car to the parking bay about a mile from her house) and got to the walking track. Let all three dogs out and she and Dylan are all sniffing at each other and carrying on. Next thing...... they're off and running!!! Tearing around like a couple of interlocked Disneyland Tassie Devils! :rolleyes: They had the BEST time. Usually Rusty has fun but in an odd way. She tries to play "herding" with Tango but he takes off at great speed and she gives up. So Rusty hides behind bushes and rushes out at Pepper instead, but Pepper isn't into pretending to be a mob of sheep for Rusty to herd and just sort of looks at her disdainfully and trots off. Still Rusty seems to love it anyway. I could just tell that "something" was missing for her. But Dylan was up for anything! They hurtled around jumping all over each other and nearly knocking me off my feet several times - if I hadn't been nimble and leapt out of their way. Manic little devils. Dylan was sent tumbling several times by Rusty's exuberance and he LOVED it. I have no idea what Tango did or where he was. I was so busy monitoring the idiots and dodging hurtling dogs and calling out to Pepper to "Look out!!!!!" that I didn't have time to think about tango. Occassionally I'd call him just to let him know vaguely where we were. Every now and then he appeared out of nowhere, grabbed a treat and buggered off again. Pepper and Rusty also popped over for treats but try as I might I couldn't raise any interest in treats from Dylan. He'd come over because the other two were with me but all he did was leap on them and ignored my hand with the treat in it. SO we got back to the car. Tango has - of course - raced ahead and nicked off somewhere, as usual. Rusty is lying down near the car looking exhausted. Pepper hops in the back of the car, Rusty gets in the back seat and Dylan refuses to get in at all. In the end I had to pick him up and put him in the back just as Rusty got out again and sat back on the ground. And then, as I was closing the back of the car on Dylan, Tango comes running up from wherever the hell he'd been! I dared not open the back of the car again because Pep and Dylan would jump out and the whole thing would start all over again. So I opened the back passenger door and Tango hopped in and sat up nicely, like a little person. He looked well pleased with himself sitting up there in the back seat all the way home hahahahahahaha On the way home I popped in on friends to pick up some eggs and I let Dylan out of the car. There were chickens and other critters wandering about everywhere. He showed no interest at all - even when the chooks fluttered and clucked at him. And now...................... they are all sleeping! Dylan and his bone

Harley - he really is. You should see him in person. This fella is behaving incredibly well and has already slotted into the routine here. Ahh mothermoocher - A Diversion of delightful dotty dalmatians hee hee Dylan spent most of yesterday afternoon/this morning chewing on a huge doggy bone. They all had one and there was NO aggression from anyone. Occassionally someone snarled and pinched someone else's bone and then they all swapped until it happened again. But there was nothing serious behind it. Today he's just sitting here quietly waiting to go for a walk. Little angel .... for the moment.

I've never owned a JRT but I've known lots of them and I loved every single one of them. I always thought they were smart little dogs and they remind me of Dalmatians - a bit wilful but great if you know how to train them. I've often thought of getting one myself. I have known them to be a bit yappy - but only the neglected ones. I reckon go for it :rolleyes: