Kodiak

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will be trying several of them out. A lot of the dirt is able to be brushed out when dry - but this also means the dogs can't come in when it has been wet and they haven't dried out yet. I have used the long grass in our paddock as a kind of "dog wash" system... get them running madly through it and then towel them dry... it works to a point. I guess I am looking for something I can use on the wet days... they are usually undercover but muddy!

We have two dogs who are absolutely filthy at this time of year. I am keen to wash them but the temperature is very cold and they are both double coated breeds. They will also be dirty again within minutes of going back out to their run. Neither of them have ever been hydrobathed and I am not convinced it is a good option given they will be dirty again in a blink. So... is there any product out there that will help clean them up so I can bring them inside again. I hate not having them in the house but we have carpet everywhere. Does anyone know of anything that works? I've seen lots of different brands but would like a recommendation.

It's taken over a year for me to be able to write this post and I miss you as much today as I did back then. Even now the tears still flow. Thankyou Wolfie for all those years of love and devotion. I am so glad that I had you in my life. You brought a whirlwind of adventure and spirit with you, an unfailing companionship, and so much love that my heart breaks without you. You were my best friend and constant shadow. I will always have a huge empty space in my heart for you. Wolfie - Siberian Husky, much loved and endlessly missed. 13/7/1991 - 7/7/2006

Maybe use one of those head cones to prevent her pulling off the bandage until her tail heals. It would have to be a decent sized one.

I took my puppy to a puppy preschool at a pet store, run by a "animal behaviourist". To be honest I didn't learn a thing... it was an expensive way for my puppy to play with other pups! Then I went to Four Paws and they were great! Best of all my pup loved it too (I drove for an hour to get there from the country because it was so great!). So I third or fouth the suggestion.

I think sometimes it depends on not just the owner... but the dog and the club.... years ago (and I sincerely hope it has changed) I joined my local obedience club with my first husky. They had a standing rule that you could only go with a check chain on... so I dutifully purchased one. The "corrections" had my dog go from one jumping out of her skin when she saw the lead to putting her head and tail down. She hated the method they used and the club had no room for positive reinforcement. Needless to say I didn't stay long. Having got another husky I did not go anywhere near the obedience clubs and chose instead to do reading and training at home (though this meant less socialisation with other dogs). This time with our Aussie I went to a fantastic motivational play based puppy school. But our Aussie is also so different to our huskies (one of which could have not eaten for a few days and it wouldn't have bothered her)... our Aussie is so eager to work and to please so I can see how easy it can be with a dog who wants to do obedience. All our dogs have been obedient (apart from recall with Husky no. 1 - I just couldn't find anything that motivated her as much as running free and hunting...).

:rainbow Barker Kristie I am so so sorry to hear this news.. the love you have for your dogs shines through in many of your posts. I am certain that Barker had a wonderful life with you. However long they are will us... it's always too short. Many hugs to you and your pack... you must be hurting so much at the moment.

Dave is linked to 4 paws K9 dog training... http://www.fourpawsk9training.com.au/herding.htm I have done the introduction session through them and was very happy with the information and how much time I got with my puppy on sheep.

My Husky barked whenever I mopped the floor so I filled my pocket with treats and taught her speak in about 5 minutes.

I am so sorry to hear this Tilly. Well done on knowing the time was right and easing his suffering no matter how much it hurt you to do so - it's a tough decision to make.

perhaps "canine" would be a more medical term for dog.... I should have thought of that.... hope it helps!

Sway you might need to get more "medical" in your terminology... try googling "slipped epiphysis dog"... you might find more info that way.

He is gorgeous Tilly - what wise eyes he has and he looks so cuddly!

Many hugs from me Tilly. :D I know first hand how difficult this decision can be. Wishing you more time than expected and wishing your old boy to be painfree for as long as possible. No matter how or when it happens it is hard to lose a much loved pet. Wishing you strength to deal with this when the time comes. xxx

The grief we feel for the loss of our pets is no different to how we feel about other deaths in our lives. In many cases our pets are like our children and while we know their lives are short in comparrison to ours we fall so deeply in love with them and it hurts like hell when the time comes and we lose them. My beautiful Wolfie had to be euthanased last July. I still cry about her but it has got a bit easier to bear the pain of her leaving. Can you do something to help you grieve? Make up an album, write a eulogy. Make a memorial garden. Something that can help you focus on your beautiful Cassie and let the feelings out. It's okay to cry, it's okay to feel very low... talking to someone who understands can help and perhaps this is what Dogmad's friend meant about seeing a doctor. There is no smooth formula for grief... you cannot know when the cloud will begin lifting and right now you may not want it to. It sounds like you have a lot to deal with at the moment. Do you think you can give this new puppy what he needs? It may be best to discuss the situation with his breeder, the timing may just not be right at the moment. Thinking of you.

Poor Sheeka . Everything crossed here for her.

I found a link for NILF on the K9 Force website... http://www.k9force.net/index.html?row2col2=nilif.html Everything crossed that your friend's pup is okay and that these issues can be ironed out. My first Husky drew blood when I took a bone from her. I hadn't thought through what might happen and while I didn't smack her at all I put on a really gruff growl which scared her immediately it happened... she never did it again. It was rather accidental (and I had learnt a lot more about food behaviour around dogs by the time we got our second and third pups) but it taught me to be careful around dogs and anything they perceive as rewarding. Haven't been bitten since! Biting can be very serious -- I really think a session with a dog behaviourist would benefit this puppy hugely.

Crossing fingers and toes that Fern bounces back.

Ooh and the weather was fine/sunny - no rain but lots of mud (hope it's raining there again now - we have the pitter patter of rain drops on our roof at the moment). Sonovagun - you might need to give people an idea of where you are from - no point in recommending somewhere in Victoria if you are in WA or the USA for example!!

We had a great time too - though a lot of sleep was had on the way home (not by me ). It was lovely putting a face (and dog) to the name indi-dog too - just an added bonus. I had to laugh (with sympathy I promise) at what you wrote about keeping your knees together - especially as a young ram ran through another girls legs and didn't hurt her at all. I am thinking knees together is not the best choice! Hope your bruise heals quickly!

Sibes can be a handful, especially when you get one that hasn't been well socialised and trained. I am glad your friend is getting help from an experienced Sibe owner . I would also suggest (from my own experience with the breed) looking at the posts in the training section on the NILF (nothing in life is free) and TOT (Triangle of Temptataion) http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?showtopic=64101 .... I know I read the NILF one last year.... but can't find it now (am on dialup so have given up looking!). Both these methods help establish leadership - it definitely sounds like this husky needs it. Sibes tend to be very heirachical in their approach to their "pack" and it sounds like this pup thinks she is the top dog. The idea of NILF and TOT is to give the dog the idea that they are lower in the pack than the humans. I am by no means an expert but am speaking from personal experience. Aggression is best handled by an animal behaviourist.

I have just checked the weather forecast for Diggers Rest and it is for rain and more rain.... looks like it's going to be a "bring a change of clothes" kind of day.... You might get wet patting sheepies!

Thanks for the info CTD - it all helps! I am mostly nervous about my dog's behaviour as she seems to have hit that rebellious phase - she's been 100% on recalls and all of a sudden I can't get her to come to me! That bothers me if she's doing something she shouldn't! Will let you know how we go!

I have just booked myself in for the 28th too! Maybe I'll see you there indi_dog! I am a total novice so very nervous (especially about how my dog will behave).

Dought conditions bring fleas out in their millions - they like the dry! They are probably in the soil, dog bedding and any carpets you have on your floors if they are indoors. Vacuuming every day is good if they are in the carptet - you need to do it everyday to break the breeding cycle. I got a tip on DOL of putting a piece of flea collar in the vacuum bag so any sucked up fleas are killed. Lime is good for the soil - you may need to sprinkle it under the house too. If you look there was a great thread a while back (probably in this section) with tips about flea control. I hate flea collars, flea shampoos and chemicals you put on the animals coat because I have young children who may inadvertently transfer the chemicals to their mouths. I prefer to use a flea comb and some hot water to kill the fleas in plus give the dogs sentinel spectrum to aid in breaking the breeding cycle. With fleas persistence pays off.