westiemum

Mac has had quite a birthday festival! He had lunch with his Westie and rescue mates in the park on Saturday (while his hoomans had a glass of red!) and today, his true birthday, he spent the day at Dogcity Daycare while his mother worked to pay for it all. Presents? Of course! Treats, a gorgeous green pig squeaky toy (which Andy loves) and a bob-a-lot - the only toy I've seen him really play with. Mac and his lovely carer Alex taken today at Dogcity His birthday boy badge... And his birthday 'meatloaf' cake from Saturday If he runs true to the tie-back surgery stats, this will probably be his last birthday - so we celebrated in style!!! Happy Birthday my lovely little old man!!

Good. Coughing basically means liquid is slipping down the wrong way - same as with us. So I hope the vet can get to the bottom of it for you.

Any changes to her breathing, bark, exercise tolerance DD?

VM I can vouch for the Conni pads - Perse put me onto them when Mac first started becoming unreliable overnight - and in my case a Conni mattress protector and the Conni pet pads have meant Mac hasn't been banished from my bed. I bought a set of assorted sizes and a set of medium I think from memory and use them anywhere he likes to go/lay down/ sleep - beds, chairs or if he has to spend time in the car on a trip. They are brilliant. As to beds I have a hammock bed from Big W with a piece of vet bed on it ( the really thick grey one) and an Ikea blanket. If he has an accident on it while I'm at work it seeps through to the tiles below saving his skin. I bought 1.5 metres (I think!) and cut it up into three perfect size blankets. Wasn't cheap but totally worth it. In winter I also leave a snugglesafe heat pad in each bed when I go to work - it lasts 6-8 hours a day and helps old bones keep warm. Hope that helps.

Yes he is a bit of a model and fashionista isn't he! Unlike his 'mother'!! Not a bad effort on the runway considering he'll be 15 next Wednesday! Thanks everyone.

No not at all LG - I think it's perfect! Particularly for a doddery old man where you don't want it too long and then risk his puny stiff old back legs getting caught in it. It's Beautiful!!! Thank you so much! ETA: Because he has an open airway and is at high risk of infection, I'm much more concerned about it fitting his neck properly and keeping his chest warm - so its brilliant!

Mac's winter wardrobe is now complete! Little Gifts beautiful new jumper for him has arrived!!! Thanks so much LG - the colours are superb, the neckline is perfect and the fit is brilliant! He now has PJs, a polar fleece and a jumper! Mac modeling on the 'runway' (ie the coffee table!) And one of the few I managed to get of him facing the camera! Thanks so much Little Gifts, Gallomph and everyone!

So sorry PD. I'm sure Doof is grateful for your love, grace and courage. RIP Doof.

Yep same here - 7.30 am they get a chicken necks or wings snack, then usually around 6.30 - 7.00 they get their main meal - or failing that when I get home!!! And no they're not starving although they think they are! Almost exclusively raw feeding here.

I'm a raw feeder so I only have a small bag for emergencies. Sarah my 13 year old Westie would scratch like there's no tomorrow on other dry good. On this stuff she's fine. So I think it's great value for money and seems to be genuinely grain free.

Interesting Perse - I wonder if its part of our societal evolution to respect companion animals and treat stock animals well in life and in death... just a Sunday afternoon musing...

PME dementia in dogs is a toughy - its not easy to diagnose and takes really careful observation and reporting for the vet. And there are many things it can be confused with. Here is the link to the dementia thread I started some years ago. It contains some really extensive discussion on managing dementia in dogs. Mac was roughly 12 from memory when he was diagnosed. He'll turn 15 on Wednesday week. And the truth is he's still going strong from a dementia point of view. His dementia is certainly slowly worsening - but only very slowly. The biggest change over the last 6 or so months has been getting caught in corners and not being able to work out how to get out. So I manage that by where possible making sure that rooms are set-up without extra 'corners' where he can get caught. In my mind the problem with dementia is the diagnosis. Mac is a very elderly boy with multiple other disabilities. (Deaf, losing his night vision, laryngeal paralysis, ACL repairs x2, an complete left ear ablation and probably a gradually progressing polyneuropathy as part of GOLPP which means his mobility is compromised, his hind legs are very wobbly and he's occasionally incontinent). So its very important not to confuse it with deteriorating sight or hearing which is very easy to do. In terms of management, interestingly, the PJs Gallomph very kindly sent him seem to act like a thunder shirt and he's sleeping like a log at the moment so I'd certainly try a thunder-shirt or something similar to help manage his stress. I'd also try some Chinese Herbs and or Herb Robert (she Mac's thread) - I found them very helpful. Yet despite such a long list of problems Mac still has good quality of life. I couldn't believe how he ran across the large expanse of back yard paving this morning - amazing!! So as long as thats the case, I'll continue managing and helping him to enjoy life. And quite frankly, at the moment the dementia is the least of my concerns. I'm much more concerned about his lung health with his open airway - but thats another story. Anyway the moment that his quality of life deteriorates, I'll give him his wings. So the question in my mind is quality of life and how far owners are prepared to go to mange it - and that will legitimately vary from family to family. However in Mac's case the vet is amazed at how well he is despite his multiple disabilities - and despite his multiple problems he's still really enjoying life - so I'll continue to manage him. Hope that helps.

Love it B!

And here's the old boy in his gorgeous very smart polar fleece taken this evening. He wore it all day today and was quite spritely this evening when I got home. I think the warmth helped him a lot. And he'll wear it to doggy daycare tomorrow as well. Thanks again Gallomph!! ETA and I forgot to say that its the perfect design for a wobbly old boy - nice and low on the neck and easy to get on and off - brilliant!

Flexistentialist your boy is gorgeous in his hoodie!!

They sure do - thanks so much again - they really are a perfect fit - and he is so comfy - but then again he is a bit bigger than a chi!!

Hmn... As I thought... Maybe a breed re-think is in order...

There are 51 litters listed on DOL so it isn't as if they would have to wait long. They just need to visit a couple more breeders. Than again if they are too lazy to look for a good puppy they will probably be too lazy to train it. BCs are wonderful but they are a lot of work to keep their minds active. You read my mind - I'm no BC expert but it occurred to me that if they won't make an effort to find a breeder they are happy with will they actually find the time to exercise and mentally stimulate a BC? I could never have a BC because of my work hours and voluntary commitments. Westies are a perfect fit to my lifestyle as they don't meltdown if they don't get walked daily. Hmn... Maybe they need to re-consider the breed as well as the breeder...

Ah, the whelping in the bedroom scenario. I know that one :D Kizie Poodle had a great whelping box build for her in an air-conditioned room. She had been shown the box, slept in the box. Day of wehlping, she nudged open the bottom drawer of a hand-made cedar chest of drawers. It was her home for the next 6 weeks. Kizie is clearly an elegant girl with great taste!!

Yep agreed Lisa and Ness - choosing a breed is really just a best guesstimate - how any individual puppy or dog works out is a matter of genetics, upbringing, training and luck!!

Maybel good to see your sensible approach to this and your research - well done. Aussies are fantastic dogs - on my bucket list for what it's worth. But any dog can have problems so it's a case I think of finding a breed you like, selecting a breeder you like and can work with who breeds and shows good healthy dogs and then dealing with whatever happens with your individual puppy/dog. With my three - Mac has been incredibly high maintenance but Andy is so low maintenance he's in danger of becoming the invisible dog if I'm not careful - and they are both puppy farm rescues from the same puppy farm. So in the end there's an element of 'the luck of the draw'. Bit like a marriage - 'for better or for worse'. ETA: great post Lisa!!!

Oh and I second a GAP greyhound and border terrier - great suggestions.

Leah is right - high shedding dogs don't need grooming as they shed their coats themselves. Low shredders like westies don't shed a lot but do require grooming regularly to keep their coats in good condition - so it's really personal preference - low shredders and grooming (you learn to do it or pay a groomer) or accept high shedding, regular vacuuming and fur around the place and no grooming expenses). In broad terms they're the choices from a coat perspective. West Highland White Terriers have an independent (some would say stubborn) nature at times but I wouldn't say they have temperament problems. They are low-shedding therefore require grooming, alert barkers, not yappy and mine are smoochy affectionate lap-dogs. All of which seems to fit your requirements. The only thing to watch is lines with skin issues - which I find are kept easily under control with grain free food. They are one of the least dumped dogs in Australia according to pound statistics. They are rarely seen in pounds. Having said that I also agree with Mita - there will always be individual variations between individual dogs of the same breed. I have three westies, two are puppy farm rescues, all from different sources/breeders and they are all great little dogs but very different physically and personality-wise. I also agree with Mita - head to the shows if you can, and talk to a couple of breeders of breeds you like and go from there. It will really re- enforce for you how different individual dogs of the same breed are from each other. Remember though the breeders are very busy on show days... So expect they won't have a lot of time before they head to the ring. ( I usually go and talk with them after they're finished in the ring). Lastly, obviously I'm biased towards westies, but another breed might fit your needs is a schnauzer - mini, standard or giant - but be aware they are not simply different sizes of the same breed - but quite different types and personalities. But maybe one of the schnauzer experts might pop along and fill you in with some more detail. Hope that helps. :)

The other thing I noticed last night is Mac slept like a log - didn't move all night where usually he's a bit restless. (Added bonus was I slept better too)! And he was actually a bit indignant when I woke him up for breakfast! In thinking about it - I think his new Jammie's are such a good fit they work like a thunder- shirt but a bit looser. He was one very well rested happy boy this morning. I've left him this morning in his very smart navy polar fleece which zips up the back from Gallomph - will post a photo tonight.