princessbella

I'm having great success with the portacot atm :D She happily goes in (the first time she cried for 2 minutes), and she goes to sleep within minutes. As soon as she wakes I take her outside on a lead, but she just sits there so after waiting for 5 minutes, I just leave her there till she cries at the back door (usually 10 mins later), then I let her back in. I aslo check on her all the time, but never sure if I should wake her or not? It's so nice not having puddles and poo's everywhere

That's so funny Zero, he says the exact same thing about "bulldogs"

I don't know exaclty how to house train, which is why sites like these were put up It's not like I wouldn't have gotten pets because they need training. Like with the children, they didn't come with instructions, I ask advise on the best why of handeling situations and take it from there. There are parenting sites just like there is this dog site I've only had Bella for 2 nights, so I think I've jumped in pretty fast with asking advise, waiting for problems would be me not asking for help with house training till say a month down the track. thanks I will do that tonight

I'll be donating the cot to her to keep It will only be short term anyway cause I plan on getting a crate. I do worry that she will chew through the mesh and get out though, but it's worth a try. It's metal framed, I'm not sure what the base is made of, but it's waterproof lined and I will be putting the mat over it. Hopefully Bella well let me know when she needs a wee and the cot will stay dry *fingers crossed*.

Spikey I'm bidding on a large metal/collapsable crate with tent like fabric around it. I'm the only bidder atm starting at 99cents it's $30 delivery, so will probably go to $30 max. If I miss out I'll use the portacot till I can get a crate

Am bidding on one at ebay, will prolly miss out though (I always do ), but till I get one, do you think a baby portacot would do the trick?

Never heard of that book before, I'll be getting asap. I also never heard of crate training beofre today, so wasn't quite sure of what it was meant to help with. So, she would sleep in there at night, and for now I would get up and let her outside for a wee when ever she wakes, if it be hourly or only once through the night? I don't mind getting up to let her out as long as I know that's what she wants. ATM she wakes when I'm alseep and just goes and wees and poo's without making a noise and I don't know till I wake in the morning. Honestly I expected this, but was just curious on how to train her not to do it in the house when I let her do it at night. Frodo is house trained, I can't even remember how I did it I think he just realised it pissed me off when he did it inside, so was smart enough not to at around 6 months old. When it comes to chewing things up, having 4 kids, it's hard to make sure all the leads to their X-box's and playstaions etc and toys are put away. I have given Bella her own chew toys, but she likes computer cords and telephone cords etc if she was a crawling infant, she wouldn't be left to roam the house at night on her own I guess that's what the crate is good for I'll have to try and get one second hand. They seem to be more expensive than a kennel

I'm taking Frodo to see a new vet next week (a Vet that CavNrott PM'd the details to me ) but until then I am continuing with the drops I have (they are for skin also, so assuming similar to MALACETIC OTIC but an antibiotic also. I will have to get a snood never heard of those before, hopefully I can get one at the vet, but will try and tie the ears up with a hair tie for now. I also like the idea of herbal/natural remedies to mantaine good health, but think the problem is beyond natural treatment atm. Thanks again for all your suggestions, I've learned so much already

I've heard good things about crate training, but want some more opinions on it before trying it out. Bella cries if I try and put her in the bathroom so she's been sleeping on a fluffy mat on the floor next to my bed. During the night she gets up and pee's and poo's all over the place and then chews things up. She's at higher risk of health problems if she's sleeps outside being a bulldog and is too young anyway. Frodo happily sleeps outside in his kennel, but I think he would be less jealous if he could see Bella sleeping in a crate at night (it would be in sight of Frodo). At the moment, for all he knows, she's sleeping in bed with me, which is unfair. I tried him inside last night and he scratched to go outside where he usually sleeps. Any suggestion would be great TIA

Ok, that's what I thought thanks!

Hi, I've been getting emails from Dean Rankin dog trainer trying to get me to buy his training program. Has anyone else tried it? was it a good program?

YAY Pauline, I'll give that a go...hope it works. I have the ear drops the vet gave me, which is antifungal with antibiotics. I don't want to wash that away, so I guess I will put the drops in after I use the Malaseb? It won't burn his ears if I use both will it?

Awsome link thanks Rusky!

Dan I have taken my dog to see 4 different vets and NONE of them EVER suggested a dermatologist I didn't even realise you could do that!!! I knew you could see a skin speacialist for humans, but not pets :D I'm so gratefull for you information, but also furious at my vets for not informing me and just taking my money and not really helping poor Frodo. His life pretty much "stinks" because of his problem and those bloody money hungry vets let him live this life just to fill their pockets :D

Hi Dan, he was tested at my local vet at around 6 - 12 months of age (I can't remember really it was a while ago, he's 3 and a half now) he also had a skin biopsy. Cheers

I have an anti fungal wash which the vet sold me yesterday. I guess the vet was thinking the same thing :D I've heard borscht (sp?) gets rid of skunk smells too

Abergavenny, his has fuffy paws and licks them all the time, I will trim them back and make sure they are clean and dry at night. His beddding is all dry and warm

;) you must be so angry and dissapointed. How can the vet take the money when the procedure hasn't worked? Some vets are real theives Thanks again for all of the replies. I will definatly try everything Glad I know what a GSD is now too

Thanks Gareth, I have some apple cider vinegar here, so will give that a go for a few weeks and see if it works! I've had so many suggestions already that I haven't tried before, wish I found this place years ago... thanks so much for all your help everyone

Morgan you have descirbed his diet exactly. His chicken is mainly raw necks (buy them for $1 a kilo) they clean his teeth really well too I feed him chicken and rice cans of Natures gift, but will switch to Royal Canin tonight. I aslo bought some fish oil caps this morning after the vet suggested it, so hopefully that works. I've seen GSD around the forum 100 times and still haven't figured out which breed that is...

Awsome thanks Hesapandabear I'll try out thr Groomers Edge stuff and hopefully it works better than the clippers I bought from there..LOL, I think I bought the wrong sort for my breed cause they only cut his coat properly once and then became blunt His ears are floppy like a spaniels but not as long. Airing sounds like a good idea, but how do I go about pinning them back? edit to add... I got some Malaseb today, looks familiar, think I've tried it before. Hope it works!

Hi cavNrott, I have paid thousands of dollars in bloost tests and skin biopsy's and allergy tests etc and the only allergies they mentioned were flea allergy and certain chemicals in cleaning products. They didn't mention food allergy or pollen allergy, which I was very suprised at. We've been trying to fix this problem for 3 years and it keeps going in circles I'm still forking out cash for the same thing now, infact $100 at the vet just this morning!

Thanks Tigerjack I have tried all sorts of diets and the latest suggestion from the vet was to include essential Omega 3 into the diet, like giving him fish oil caps. I have tried garlic to prevent fleas, which probably works because he hasn't got a flea problem. I give him lots of chicken in his diet and he has oats and rice in his diet too. Do you have any suggestions?

I have a dog with real stinky problems. He is a spaniel X poodle and has had this problem since I got him as a pup 3 and a half years ago. I've had him at the vets on pills for his skin, sheep drench for mange which he didn't actually have, he needs clippering every 3 weeks because he chews his skin off and his breath sticks to his fur making him pong. I have just gotten some anitfungle shampoo from the vet, so fingers crossed it helps. I aslo rub Aloveen cream into his skin after a bath, which smells lovely, but only helps for a couple of hours, then he stinks again. He also has major issues with his ears. They get full on stinky, disgusting gunk all the time, and trying to clean it makes me hurl, so I have to pay the vet to clean his ears. The smelll from his ears is worse than the smell of his fur. The poor thing smells so bad, that no-one will pat him or go near him. I'm at my whits end, any advise would be greatly appreciated TIA