persephone

Well, if they are mites who live on sap..they shouldn't live on mammals very long at all. So- not really mystery solved... mystery as to what,how and why! How my brain works Of course I know of spider mites living on plants ! But just saw 'mites' and thought of mammalian host-specific ones which do NOT live on plants :D Have fun solving the mystery!!

I guess you would need to ID the mites first they could be a bird mite--- AFIK mites don't live in bushes.. but they do seek other hosts if their host dies. Bird nests/dead birds are a source of infection. They could also be rat mites..... Killing them? Not sure- plain water wouldn't do it..

yes- a tough one. Ask which vet she went to, and can you speak with the vet? I certainly wouldn't be paying just on his request!

HI- These depend a lot on the education you give your pup Does your ridgie have any experience with pups? has The ridgie always been an only dog? It may not be fair to the old dog to suddenly have a pup in its face Not all old dogs will tolerate puppies. ALMOST ANY dog can be encouraged to bark as a warning... All dogs should be walked every day- preferably twice....it's nice to get out of prison for some new smells/sights A large yard doesn't mean much really- unless there are two pups/dogs running and playing. Mental stimulation is more important, IMO.

Soy is not easy to digest... I wouldn't use it.

VET time. Notify the breeder- and ask if any littermates are ill... (it sounds as if puppy could have already had this bug in his system when you got him ) and take puppy to the vet. Puppies can suffer greatly if they have diarrhoea- they lose condition quickly- so treatment now is important best of luck at the vet.

Poor little mite The hospital sounds as if they are a caring place- so hopefully they can do what's needed for your girl. *fingers crossed*

How sad. In my previous life, I helped organise the sale of many young dogs who failed their assessment/training, and have also placed older retired dogs. No way should a 14 mth old have been sold to such an elderly pair. regarding the lack of response to the 'come' command, may I suggest that the dog probably did know it at 14 mths...but now, another 16 mths on, and with no regular reinforcing training, he is probably not responsive to much.

The main point ,that I can think of, is that YOU, or her toys, need to be MORE interesting than the walls, etc. Do you rotate her toys? Often, we buy toys which look good to US- but do not satisfy a pup's needs... I have quite a few toys lying around which never get used..and the same tatty old things which are always being carried!! Does she have bones on which to chew? I am sure a bone would win over a skirting board ! With toys- does she have treat balls/cubes? These can have her kibble in, and as she rolls them around, she is 'working', and getting food rewards..... and occupying her brain ,PLUS filling her tummy, should make her relaxed and not looking for wood to chew

Great progress !! Well Done .

painted on skirting boards????

If he has been having the food dry, then leave it dry Any pups we have get supercoat as dry, and they have lovely little poos ;) Are you giving him the same quantity as the breeder advised? I agree- he doesn't need the puppy milk... If he's used to having it, it should not be upsetting him,as it is low lactose- but he doesn't need it. Hope he settles soon

puppy poo should be just like normal dog poo, but smaller . frequency? depends on the food...and the water, and the treats etc . What diet is pup on, and what does his breeder say?

as long as he is happy..... but bear in mind the other dog will now have more claim over the bitch

The younger male will now be fully mature/adult... and so there will be challenges. 2 males and one entire female is not the ideal trio Good for you separating them- may I also suggest you get a trainer/behaviourist in .You will need longterm strategies to manage these three! dividing the yard is fine, but if they can fence run, the aggression may well increase.... Castrated males can and do mate with bitches, and achieve a tie . You will need to keep all three dogs separate, at times, it seems and also bear in mind- one of your dogs, removed from home AND a desirable bitch WILL PROBABLY try and get home again ...he may try and dig/jump to escape- is this fair on your neighbour?

lola09- maybe put pup somewhere without access to shutters, etc when you cannot supervise? Some things applied to wood/painted surfaces may stain or damage your home! What else does pup have to chew on which may be yummier than shutters?

So Glad to hear all is well It's important to keep Mischa moving, and active. Being a single pup, she will be getting too much food and no exercise... this can lead to joint problems Maybe do some 'physio ' with her-- roll her around gently, put her on uneven bedding- so she has to climb over bumps and ridges, and get things moving!I have played with singletons- roll her gently on her back, and use your hand as another puppy- lightly gripping her front legs/neck ,like play-fighting Just for a minute- then again a bit later .... also- remove her from Molly's side and put her at the other side of the bed, so she has to crawl back.... This is my favourite age for puppies- as they become dogs, and not jellybeans I love watching 10 day/2 week ones learning to see, and walk,and wobbling their way around

Excellent!!

supplying them with extra tennis balls (....in case one goes over the fence and we aren't home to retrieve it for you....) and running a line of barbed wire along the top of your fence/edge of shed etc.. should stop it .

also- i was told to wash whole dog regularly in malaseb- paying attention to between toes, and under tail . both these spots are moister and ideal for growing/transferring 'bugs!' good fresh diet, probiotics will certainly give you a chance !

I have never, and would prefer never to, use a crate in everyday life - however, I can see how in today's lifestyles crate training could be useful I believe : A crate is set up as THE bestest spot to rest- cosy, comfy and with a toy or three. A crate is a secure spot where dog can be away from kids and household bustle. A crate is also useful for periods of time where supervision is not possible, and where dog can be safely housed for a few minutes/hours. A crate can be a useful way of getting a dog to be happy just staying still in one spot

I would still suggest a vet check- AND a behaviourist assessment/session to help you understand the whys, and give you some things to help restore harmony.

They are dogs Dogs behave very differently to humans.. and most things they do are perfectly normal. Unless they are sitting there licking for minutes on end... just totally ignore it. or, if it does upset you- walk off ,or into another room, then call one or the other to you, and do a couple of minutes training, just as a distraction for everyone

So Sorry.

I also do not think trimming of fur on feet/clipping nails is anywhere near the same as gluing ears into a set position. Nails/fur grow again,quickly. They are trimmed often for the general health of the dog. AFAIK, Developing ear cartilage is taped/glued in a SET position, so that it then grows in that position. Once 'set' the ear is then permanently like that. The ear's conformation is thus permanently changed/altered,albeit subtly; not for any health reason, but to suit the standard.