persephone

Good start

Just on what you said.. and obviously not an expert opinion...I would suggest that ,as he is a well covered big pup.. . and is lying on a cushiony bed.. he is hot . Maybe try him on an open weave trampoline type bed ?Hamlet sleeps on a home made one- a camp stretcher covered with shadecloth ..and just a sheet over the shadecloth in Summer- with a fan on him all night. This way air circualtes all round teh dog- dispelling body heat very effectively My dogs do that heavy breathing if they are too warm..and just before it gets to the open mouth stage ....

Buy yourself one of those water cannon things the kids use- put it on full.. and give the cat a good squirt....not just a spray.. he needs soaking and shocking!Better than dog jaws .....

I'm sorry It does sound like sooner rather than later would be the kinder thing to do.... if she is not handling food... and is unable to show her joy at things like a car ride- then a lot of enjoyment has gone forever- not to mention that eating is important. She is very tired,and you have it in your power to give her those final conscious moments where she can sigh and relax and enjoy, before she trots off over the bridge ... not easy at all..thinking of you.

That's just sad- no giggles here.

Are the neighbours aware you have dogs which may kill their cat?

That last series is gold!

You will find , that on here we can only initially react to what you write So - if you write Then I guess assumptions are made Good for you in coming here- surviving your first day (your 'initiation'..:D ) and being open to suggestion . Laycie will benefit, your little daughter will benefit, and I look forward to all the stories !

'zackly!They were being a pack

Kate- if you CLICK HERE, you will find some very good information on kids & dogs/pups. Your little girl will need to be taught that calm and quiet are what will help keep her from being scratched/chased/bounced upon

Sounds normal to me . I have never done clicker training so can't help.... he is but a baby ... and depending on breed- may be more a baby than others of the same age .....

A friend who lives in a fruit growing area kept losing chooks ... his immediate neighbours (on 'blocks') had no dogs One day, after several incidents, he took action.. and the owners received the empty dog collars ..just so they wouldn't spend time searching for their missing dogs. My Dad once shot a lab.. killing sheep We always call and spend time with food etc to try & catch a dog we see roaming ..(.being miles from anywhere- they are usually dumped/lost) if we can't, then it's a bullet. Hungry dogs will chase/kill things, unfortunately.

Lucky dog - to have been spotted by someone who knew exactly what to do !

I have emailed the paper ... suggesting they do a follow-up. story at some stage...and ascertain just how much these free/cheap puppies cost the new owners , if the vaccs/desexing etc are all done.

220 milligrams - or 200 grams of choc? That's a big chomp for a little dog ... he's in the best spot now anyway.. hopefully he'll be fine and just upset at being made to throw up .

A run need not be huge... and it can be snake proofed to a certain extent. OK... if there is room for this setup.. then why not consider a long,narrow run in teh same spot? Something to think on, too.... the more freedom/running you let your dog have- the more he will expect/need. if puppies are raised with 'down time' , regular exercise periods, daily mental exercise in the form of training ..then they adjust well to that lifestyle. pups allowed to roam/chase are a bit like street kids- they can then have trouble becoming socially acceptable

AGREED!! Laycie is now with someone who cares

I think I would be taking her to Werribee for a second opinion, anyway Don't panic yet- get someone there to do an examination..give them ALL her history, including recently prescribed drugs... and then make your decisions.

..also- what vaccinations has your puppy had ?Did the breeder advise you on a vaccination schedule..and how to avoid your puppy picking up possibly fatal diseases while vulnerable? One thing I will suggest is that you take her to your selected vet ASAP and get her thoroughly checked/have any vacc's done if needed, and , if the breeder has not done so- get some worming tablets into her ,and make sure her eyes/mouth/feet are all normal for her age/breed.

Dogs need good quality meat - they do not really need much grain- and do not digest it well... Have a think about it - what do the dog's wild relatives eat? Mother wild dogs do not bring mouthfuls of wheat/oats back to the den for their babies - they bring whole small animals, or pieces of meat/bone/skin Most ordinary processed dog food has some grains in- but ,with research, you can find the ones which are the best utilised by your dog. Weetbix is purely a 'filler'.. edit to add- so this pup was still drinking from teh mother when you bought it? The breeder then did not wean the pups before sale .. and see that they were happily eating independently ? Makes more work for you-- as you have discovered- puppy doesn't really know what food IS .

Ok... perhaps you should have done all the research before you bought a pup- but it's good to see you looking to do things right Any reason why you are not letting your pup be with you in the living areas? is it because you think she will not behave ,will jump on furniture,or perhaps be 'dirty'? If it is- then I will let you into a secret ...... these things are totally in your control if not- if for allergy reasons or something.. then that's fine. Here is some reading for you ...lots of hints,and explanations of behaviour,etc. CLICK here CLICK here and CLICK here

Dogs don't usually learn from being snake bitten- as, unless they are IMMEDIATELY put in hospital, they usually die. Why can't you buy a 2nd hand dog run.. or build one? Would be a LOT easier than dog proofing 5 acres!!Look around for 2nd hand materials- frames/weldmesh.colourbond.... Look in the Stock Journal newspaper perhaps? If he loves to run.. that's fine. YOU need to put the training in so that he learns recall and respect - so then he can run safely ,and you know you can call him back at any time.

So sorry your boy had to go... take care.

Some fibre like metamucil/psyllium husks were what my vet advised ..as this is insoluble and provides both a 'cushioning ' of any sharp bits- and also a lubricating effect on the bowel lining.For a munchkin like yours. probably only at most a scant 1/2 teaspoon ..moistened/soaked for a few minutes before adding to food. If nothing like that- I would be using half a weetbix Something which will bulk things up a bit Most likely there will be no trouble- lost of dogs live on cooked bones!

To be able to touch your dog's food/treasured items.. your dog needs to be able to have complete trust in you and to BE TRAINED to do swapping /giving etc. You trained her to win. You let her take control of the game, and the toy. Training is often VERY easy ... especially when the training is done by the dog She now knows if she pulls hard enough- she gets the toy. If she snaps- you stop annoying her when she's eating. PS - why does your Mum want to let people handle the dog when she's eating? May I suggest you use the TRIANGLE of TEMPTATION to feed your dog...and don't muck around with her bowl/food :D CLICK here When my puppies are new and open minded and trusting..THEN I teach them 'swap'/give. While they wobble around with a toy, I play with them.. then say give/swap, take the toy and immediately praise and return it, or give a treat .. repeat, repeat, until it second nature .I never abuse the privilege ..and if I must take away something forbidden/dangerous, I try & replace it with something ..if no treat/toy, then a little game May I also suggest you use the services of a professional- just to assess you ,your dog,and the relationship- and perhaps give you some strategies to help get things back on track.