frufru

Thanks everyone, the existing barbwire and fence posts are in excellent condition and we were looking at what type of mesh or ringlock fencing we would need to add in order to dog proof - need an appropriate vocab and some idea of products before we speak to a fencing contractor. Our dogs will not be allowed out off leash until our fencing is adequate so just looking for ideas. Jade - did you do the fencing yourself or get someone in? Looks good as does yours espinay!

Just wondering what people on small acreage use to fence their property. We have just purchased 2.6 acres and want to fence the whole property. We have 1 mini poodle and 2 standards. Currently the property is fenced with barbed wire and wooden fence posts - we want to leave this as is and attatch some dog proof wire/mesh. Suggestions and pics greatly appreciated.

A woman and child were trapped in their house by a very large dog that could not be caught by 2 rangers - the police were then called. The alternative to capscium spray is presumerably a gunshot. Making sure that your dog is safely contained is sooooo very important. If fencing is not adequate then you need a fully enclosed run. So many people think it is ok for their dog to wander and just because it is a gentle giant with you does not mean it is that way with strangers.

You could also get one of the fibreglass grooming tables sold by Fidos and wash the dog on that with the hose. A table really saves your back when grooming - particularly if you teach large dogs to lie on their side as well as in a nice drop position - a pillow to rest doggies head on helps with this :D . You could only was on a fibreglass one as the others would not tolerate the water. I second the dryer - good investment

I am able to brush/comb matts out of my own dogs as they have all been show dogs and used to hours of grooming - they are very cooperative which means that you can work on the matt with a comb and gently tease it out as they lie on their side or whatever position you have placed them in. This would not work on a dog that was felted all over. Most pets are not cooperative to this degree and will struggle which means that you would hurt them so yes cutting or clipping the matt is kinder.

Mumto4girls I think in most cases where the outcome is not what the client wanted it is due to miscomunication rather than a lack of communication by either party. What is "short" can be "long" for others. What constitutes "matted"? I happily adjust a clip for a customer on pick up and work with them in subsequent visits to achieve a look they are happy with. Personall, I only phone clients during a clip if there is a medical issue. I do not charge enough to be off chatting to customers on the phone everytime I hit a matt. A wash, dry groom takes about 1.15 mins so 10 mins on the phone adds to that. I clearly indicate to newbies that I clip off matts - I only groom out small knots as it is not fair to the dog. My customers know that it "Fluffy" comes home with shaved ears or tail then there were matts. Most of my customers have been with me for years and they are happy for me to do whatever.

Don't get me wrong - I am very polite to my customers (that's why my clients are long termers) but it does give me a giggle as no amount of hairdressing skills could turn A into B. It takes years to grow a poodle into an adult show trim. This is a pet clip and this is a show dog

Tiger Jack - sounds like you have done a good job. You need to find someone who is kind and has time for this little guy to increase his confidence and build trust. Alternativley you could look for someone who will improve your grooming skills. Either way I would also look at a behaviourist to do some desensitisation with him.

Fat grooming clients - there I was thinking it was a crazy idea to have a surcharge - threatened one of mine with a price rise - it kills my back - "oh, but he eats hardly anything." (We have spoken weightloss on many occassions) Me "well, then its time to get a blood test because if he is eating sensibly and exercising he should drop some weight." Mumof4girls I think that if you read what we groomers have actually posted you will see that we generally take the upmost care to discuss what clients would like and what we think is possible. My fav's are the poodle owners who go "I don't want it to look like a show dog" when the only way that would be possible would be to swap dogs :rofl:

Gayle The groom is a pretty typical 7 blade clip - seen better and seen worse :shrug: I only do this length for dogs who are heavily matted. Although, I also have poodle customers who request this length because they live in a heavy paralysis tick area. Personally I think the dog would look much better with a scissored topknot but the owner doesn't like them apparently - this leaves the dog looking very unbalanced. A better choice for this owner would be to grow the dog into a very tight show puppy clip since she likes the topknot long.

Probably one of the most important aspects of finding yourself a good groomer is to be a good client. Using invented terms like "socks" does not assist in clear communication it leads to confusion. If you have a particular breed of dog then learn about how it is groomed and you will then be on the same page when talking to your groomer and also be able to weed out those who come out for the summer tick clip season.

You can't seriously expect a groomer to shave one matted leg and leave the other 3 fluffy :eek: If a dog has one matted ear - then both are shaved. The only time I phone clients mid groom is if I come across something that may need vet attention eg paralysis tick.

I would probably not have done the dog because I am choosey about my clients - People who want their maltese to have poodle feet are referred to the groomer down the road. I don't do poodles whose owners want their legs shaved to their elbows or palm tree tails or any other weird requests. If it is a medical issue that is different. New customers are told that matted dogs will be clipped off - if you want your dog to have coat then you either maintain it or the dog comes fornightly for a wash and groom out. I am not expensive but I am demanding and hard to get into :rofl: I am also very caring and flexible for good customers and I am generally booked out but I would have 20 mins to talk to a new customer (if I was interested in taking them) ;) I am not into quantity I am into quality.

As a poodle owner, exhibitor and groomer of long standing I would probably have done the same thing. If the dog's legs were too matted there is only one thing to be done - shave them off. However - I would have made this clear to you on drop off - unless the matts weren't obvious and you had not told me about them. I would not have phoned I just would have used my proffessional judgement and done what was in the dog's best interests even if this conflicted with your desires. Why hadn't you combed the knots out? Can't comment on the topknot - I am not a fan of poodles without some topknot as I think it really doesn't compliment their face.

If only it was that simple :laugh:

I don't think it is acceptable to say that Mum to Emma is brainless :mad She is entitled to express her view without ridicule.

If they are not real leather you may as well just get one off ebay. They do not last long - leatherette is not the same as good leather. Have not purchased from the link provided - just making a general ovservation as a leatherworker of olde

Call me a bad dog owner but I would not be rushing off to the vet just because my dog vomited twice. If the dog was flat, off food etc - I would rest them and observe as the poster has done. If I thought the dog was bloating I would, of course, have been at the vets asap. Glad the problem resolved and was nothing serious.

Thanks for sharing as not everyone lives near a behaviourist, trainer or even dog training group and as you pointed out in your post it is a training tool.

I would be checking teeth very carefully - at that age our standard poodle puppy had her canines making a very nice hole in her upper gum - ouch - we had them removed at 12 weeks as it was very painful for her to eat, play or have her face held. Her adult teeth and bite are normal.

Seizure medication should only be stopped under veterinary guidance. It is very important that your dog gets it medication on time every day - being sporadic can trigger seizures. The more seizures a dog has the more likely that pathways in the brain are created which increase the chance of further seizures. If your dogs has seizures frequently enough to warrant medication there is no "natural" alternative - you could provide support through supplements and diet which you have discussed with your vet to make sure they are not going to harm your dog or interfere witht the efficacy of his/her medication. Removing chemicals which could act as possible triggers is great - but be aware that some "natural" products/chemicals can also be triggers eg eucalyptus, orange oil, Several people in an old thread on seizures used omega 3 oil capsules as a support - you could look into this.

There is a little cordless clipper called a Moser Arco or Whal SE (same clipper) and it is very light and smaller than the Professional clippers. Wahl Bellisima is another. You can get detachable blades in the form of a coarse and fine. I use mine all the time to do face feet and tail on poodles (fine blade). It does have some plastic snap on comb things to leave the hair longer - don't know what they are like to use. Depends how short your mum likes her poodles bodies. The only drawback that I can see is that they are not very sturdy and would not survive being dropped - I have had mine for several years and use it every day for a couple of dogs. Here is a link http://www.dlc.com.au/dlc/products/animalclippers/moser.html

I don't care if they were teacup variety gsds it is not in any way acceptable for someone who is in their own back yard to be confronted by someone elses dogs! :mad

Hi Judy, what did the vet say about poor Bud?

I was a fence sitter about these collars until a friend consulted K9 pro with a very difficult dog - I am amazed at how gentle the corrections are with this collar - the dog basically self corrects. She was completely out of control and well on the way to biting someone and being put to sleep. Obviously there is a huge element of training in there as well but the collar has actually allowed the owner to have the dog in a mental frame of mind where training is effective. So, it is a thumbs up from me but under guidance from a qualified trainer - too many bogan idiots out there.