persephone

I found my Molly girl dead this morning . We presume snakebite. She was in the bitch pen...safe .yeah, right. Molly was born almost 6 years ago .. and was originally called "Moley" cos as a pup she had the velvety charcoal coat reminiscent of moles. Grown up she had a beautiful glossy black coat- soft and sweet smelling. She was not much of a worker- so became 'mine' and used to be my rabbiting dog . She had a very soft mouth ..and was a terrific retriever! certainly saved me lots of climbing up hills etc after bunnies. She did have a bad habit of barking... a lot and was fearful of strangers .. but that in itself was ok.. I knew no one would get past her to the house She was under appreciated ,and probably could have had a much happier life- but she luckily knew no better, and enjoyed what she had ..her old crotchet rug in her kennel..which she would put back if it got dragged out by her chain ..her Kong , and the odd soft toy of Hamlet's she would kidnap from inside , the deep shade under 'her' apple tree , and kissing me on the hand each time I walked past her ,along the path to our gate, her frozen bone every night, cleaning out the nearly empty peanut butter jars , and ,of course, chasing bunnies. I'll miss her . MOLLY

What exactly have you tried,can you list the chemicals you have tried, and also tell us what you have done,management wise ? That way we won't suggest what you have already done

We use the 'bird netting' I lost my Molly dog last night- presumed snake ..as we recently dispatched a BIG brown from near the pen she was in. Molly was not a worker- she was very soft mouthed, and my rabbit retrieving/hunting dog.I had her for 6 years. She was always sneaking inside and stealing Hamlet's soft toys ... Bloody snakes.

blockage ?

Oh I hope that picture of the foxhounds is photoshopped . Sending a pack over a barbed wire fence is not a smart move....

Ok... justa surmise....if the behaviour seems to occur more on muggy days ... perhaps... he is sensing the different atmospheric pressure .. a bit like dogs who alert to approaching storms? He may well be very anxious about it, but not know why--- it just happens...and he desperately wants to find somewhere safe? How is he with thunder/lightning?

Well, perhaps he needs something more to interact with? Damp sandpit? Different toys? trickling water?

What does he have which can capture his attention outside? What training/walking does he get ?Has he had a good health check? Dogs which are unwell, but not showing active symptoms can be instinctively seeking a secure 'den'/support.

Is there any dog hair on fences,etc? get him to look carefully ... pick up any stray hairs..and perhaps they can be matched to teh chook killers. Paw prints which don't belong to his dog? How awful to come home to something like that:(.

NG treats are all I buy ..and I do use the canned food in emergencies, etc .It's not bad .

It sounds as if the new living arrangements may have exacerbated behaviours he has . Not good. I would recommend a professional assessment if you can -then make the decision.I agree with you - any sign of HA , in a situation where there are kids, is not on.

That's what I thought.. perhaps the dog needs to go back for another injection of AB's ? Hope it heals up ok

Chances of him forgetting you/ ZERO!! You have bonded strongly with this boy- and put in HEAPS of work.... trust me , there is NO way he will forget you :laugh:

I think, as your dog has had an overdose, a vet should be phoned to check on possible adverse reactions !! Hopefully there will be none- BUT... better to know what may occur.... If you are seemingly wasting money on vet visits- perhaps consult a dermatologist ?

We have to take containers away..or he drives us mental - everytime we sit down for a cuppa/meal, someone shoves a container at us and stares at us....

thanks, evolving. I actually took a lot ... and will try & get them in order onto flickr .. a bit brutal... but fascinating .

DAY 3: Sunrise.

I'm glad he made you smile..that's about his only forte

DAY 2 : The spider did end up being food for wasps ....

... but collecting scraps from little old ladies is ok :p Hamlet carries his 'cup' around hopefully ..and sometimes ,like today, when Mum can't eat her food , he scores bigtime!

True smiling has the appropriate body language as well... wriggly bum , 'soft' eye expression, good eye contact with us , etc .. it is really a happy expression !We have had a couple ,over the years .. no training, they just did it .. there was no tongue out .. it was purely a grin ...and absolutely no mistaking the intention ! (except for folks who had never seen it ) I just found Now THAT's a smiley dog :p

Great photo-journalism

your dog (cos he isn't really a pup anymore) needs you to learn how to effectively train him If you don't really understand the importance of timing/rewards,etc in training... your dog won't be getting the lesson right! It takes practice , and plenty of it!!! Please book into an obedience class and/or contact a professional to work with you at home . NOT one of the quick fix franchises.. but a reputable person who can take the time to see what the problems are, and show you how to manage them. When he needs a walk? he 'should' be walked twice a day, every day , ideally- but at least once every day ,if you can not manage twice. Dogs need to be walked... they also need training at home - teaching obedience/tricks..

..and remember- dogs can be allergic to almost anything - grasses/pollen/food ingredients/proteins in food/ingredients in shampoos/cleaners etc .. so it is not just a matter of wandering dew or a food ........... allergies need the help of a dermatologist, ideally. The area around the tail base IS the 'classic' flea allergy spot- as most dogs can't reach there to chew the fleas.. so it is where the flea/s settle ;) Hope your boy settles with the polaramine ... and what Steve says in her excellent post !

Perhaps try him on large chicken wings at first?Chicken frames (carcasses) Turkey necks/wings, beef ribs .... these are all big enough ,if left WHOLE to discourage swallowing!