Faolmor

That's great news! Well done, Laffi, for all your hard work

Yes, there is about a 99.9% chance that your dog will chew through the material and get to the rattle! I've seen dogs devour things from plastic bags, to electrical cords, to sunglasses, to the corners off jarrah tables...so a soft child's toy isn't going to be much of a challenge :p My cousin's dog once at half a raw pumpkin still wrapped in plastic (he was also the same dog that ate all of the aforementioned list!). I see no reason why you can't let the dog enjoy the toy until that moment, however. But don't let them eat mouthfuls of stuffing, which can be just as dangerous as plastic rattles and bells. Like with any baby, puppies do need supervision whilst playing. You don't have to stand over them...just keep a close eye on them. While you might think they're chewing quietly on a rope, they've actually left the rope and have moved on to the couch, or your shoes...or something else just as fun. You should never walk off thinking that your puppy is safe, or that it can't get at something you don't want destroyed. Looking after a puppy is just as challenging and fun as looking after a fully mobile toddler that can chew through anything and has no concept of human do's and don'ts. If your puppy does destroy something, don't yell at it - it has no concept of the fact that it has destroyed your prized possession. Just yell at yourself for leaving something where it could be "got at!" Quietly move the puppy away from the area of destruction and give it something else to occupy its very short attention span!

Thank you - hope I helped a bit :D

Apologies to the OP for going off-topic a little :D I think that dogs very quickly adapt to routines. They also read cues such as you going about the normal "pre-dinner" rituals - eg picking up the bowls, preparing the meals (yours and theirs). All these things reaffirm in the dog's mind that, yes, this has happened before and last time this happened, I got fed. But until that bowl goes on the floor, they can't be sure that they're going to get that food - or that they're going to keep it once they get it. This is why most dogs scoff down their food as fast as possible. If you bake a cake, the whole house smells great - if you left a window open, I bet you'd have half the street wishing they were about to get some cake! The dog is definitely picking up on these wonderful smells, and anticipating a great meal. Dogs have amazing scent receptors in their noses...and the part of their brain that deals with smell is much, much larger than our own. You could almost say that dogs can taste smells. Something very aromatic, like a cake, must be like torture to a dog! They can not only smell it better than us, but they can practically taste it. Imagine all that going on while mum is baking a chocolate cake So, to answer your question, no, I don't think you're humanising it. Dogs are very perceptive and have a superb sense of smell. They also know what their dinner bowl looks like, and if you pick it up, there's a pretty good chance of a meal in it. They know the dinner routine very well, and respond to this in anticipation of the meal that it knows it received last time the same routine occurred. But until that bowl goes on the floor, they have no real concept of the fact that they will be fed - or that they will be fed again tomorrow. Also, while you're not preparing the meal, or going through the pre-dinner routine, the dog isn't pestering you for food - because the dog hasn't receivedthe cues to say, okay, the meal might be on its way. Until you start the routine, the dog doesn't know it is going to be fed. Certainly, they know they feel hungry, and recognise you as the provider of their food. But they don't know that you, say, go to the shops to buy a bag of kibble for their every week and that you are planning their meal each day. It's like if you pick up a lead...the dog goes crazy because it thinks, we're going out! But you could pick up a lead to move it, or to put it in the car or whatever. The dog anticipates a walk and responds accordingly. You could pick up a dinner bowl to clean it...and the dog will get excited, because it knows that when you pick up its bowl, it sometimes gets fed. I hope that sort of explains it! (My opininon of it, anyway!) Sorry to hijack the post

okay before we descend into total chaos...I believe we were trying to help the OP with her problem? I think it should be pointed out that there is always a difference between taking food away from a dog's bowl, and taking something off them that you would like back or that they should not have (eg dead bird in retrieving trials, sock, toy, washing off the line etc). The food bowl is not neutral ground...it is territory. Yes, as an owner, you do need to be completely safe around any territory in your home, and this includes your dog's dinner bowl. However, the original point in this topic was that the OP had been told that the best way to teach her puppy to be submissive around its bowl was to have its food forcibly taken away. This had resulted in the puppy getting the wrong signals and acting inappropriately. I have already stated by opinions on why the technique she was shown was wrong, and detrimental to the trust that needs to be developed between dog and owner. There are two things that the puppy needs to be taught - one, is that her owner is NEVER going to break her trust by taking away what she thinks is her last meal on earth, so there's no reason to get grumpy (the puppy, I mean!), and two, to give up something on command. With a puppy - or in fact any dog that has developed a food aggression problem - the two issues MUST be taught separately, so as not to confuse the dog. They must also be thought of as separate issues. One, food guarding. The other, teaching the "give" command. Eventually, yes, you could use one to ASK (not command) the dog to give up something it would like to eat. But you cannot do this until the dog will trust that you are the provider of its food, and not the one there to take its food away. There is no reason to ever confuse a dog like this, and it is a shame for the OP that her puppy was placed in a position where it learned the hard way not to always trust the hand that feeds it. That is the primary damage that needs to be undone. The "give" command can wait.

You have to realise, too, that every time you take food away from your puppy, you're teaching her not to trust that the meal GIVEN to her is safe to be eaten in peace. I understand that you want to feel safe around your dog, and want your dog to see you as leader, but would you like it if you went to a restaurant and whenever you tried to eat, the waiter kept taking your plate away? I really understand your reasons why, but to me, this sort of training method just borders on cruelty. People that punish their dogs for reacting to have food removed from them (IMO) don't understand their dogs very well at all. If you never trusted that the food you were given was going to stay in front of you, you'd get upset pretty quickly about people approaching you when you were eating. Don't forget that your dog has NO concept of that fact that you will feed it again. Ever. As far as your dog knows, the meal you've give in it its last meal on earth. Of course it is going to want to protect that food. What you have to teach your dog is NOT that the food can be taken away, but that the dog can feel safe if approached by you (or anyone else) while it is eating. Why do you want to take the dog's food away anyway? To give it back, once you've proven that you're the boss? What does that teach the dog? Nothing. Try ADDING food to your dog's bowl while it is eating. For example, give it half its usual meal. Then, while it is eating, approach and pour the other half into its bowl. It will quickly learn to associate your approaching its bowl with something pleasurable, rather than needing to go on the defensive. If you're worried that you won't be able to take something dangerous off your dog that it might pick up to eat, such as a plastic bag etc, then teach your dog the "give" command. This can be done away from the dinner bowl, where the dog feels safe and happy. But you can still use food as a reward for acceptable behaviour. If your dog knows this command, it should obey if it picks up something you don't want it to eat. Remember, the dog will always ask itself, "what's in it for me?" If all it sees is you coming to take away a good feed, well would you be happy about it? Of course not! Always have something to offer the dog that is better than what it has. That way, the dog learns to see you as a positive presence, not someone it needs to fear.

The thing is, don't make a big deal out of it. If you tell the dog to "stop it," or speak to them, you're reinforcing the behaviour. If you don't want him to do this, simply take him by the collar when he starts, and WITHOUT speaking to him, take him by you to a chair and sit quietly with him until he calms down. Then release him. Repeat if he goes back to it. The more you make of it, the more he will.

This is one of those "it's up to you" kind of questions. Personally, I WOULD clip, because it helps keep things like grass seeds out from between the toes - and helps to make it easier to find things, like grass seeds, that get stuck between the toes. Also helps to keep the feet drier in the wet weather, and cuts down on mud and dirt getting stuck between the toes. It's easy enough to do to trim out this hair. If you're a bit unsure, maybe get an experienced groomer to help the first few times, and watch and learn. Also might pay to get your dog comfortable with having its feet touched. You can do this by touching the paws and praising or giving treats. Don't make a big deal out of it - and NEVER punish or shout at the dog if they pull their feet away. Just quietly move on to the next foot and go back to the other foot later. They will very soon get used to it.

Hi Peigirl Yep, our dog is the same. If he has a flare up, it also affects the gut/bowel and we get spectacular amounts of poo - usually in the crate at 3am, which, you know, is just SO much fun...especially once it is trodden in, and squished, and then smeared across the floor while we try to get the poor dog outside... But (touch wood) this has not happened in ages. We still have to be really careful what we feed him. We had a lot of trouble getting weight on him for a long time. Even now, he's probably 10kgs lighter than most other dogs of his breed. But he is starting to look healthy rather than emaciated. I guess the trick for us was perserving with the diet that worked for him, even when we had minor set-backs. I really hope your dog enjoys the same outcome as ours! Good luck, and give your dog a pat from me

we have managed to control our dog's Atopy with diet and only use meds when he has a big flare up - which he has not had in over a year now. Every dog is different however, so what has worked for us, might not work for any other dog. Or it might. We stopped feeding everything except for roo meat and vegies. We fed that exclusively for a long time until he settled down, medicating very occasionally for one or two days only when we saw a flare-up. Now, we can even feed a cup of kibble each day, because he has had such a good response. But like I said...that's just one dog...

So...she called your dog, he obeyed, and then she punished him for being obedient? sounds like a great way to teach a dog not to come when called the next time! Your poor dog. Nope, definitely NOT what you are meant to do. There are definitely other ways to teach your dog to be more gentle at play. All that lady succeeded in doing was to a) punish your dog for coming when called, and b) fear the next stranger to put their hands on him. What a total idiot. I hope your dog is okay! I usually find that the best "punishment" for a dog that plays too rough is to remove it from the game for some time out until they learn that rough play means an immediate end to the fun. Gentle play means that they get to keep playing.

It's a good idea to teach him not to nip under any circumstances, so you're on the right track there! Especially if you have young children around. If he nips, give him a firm, "[dog's name], no biting," and offer him something he is allowed to chew on, like a ball or toy.

Hi Yes, puppy preschool is held in a park, in two pens specially enclosed for the puppies and completely separated from the other dogs by several hundred metres. To my knowledge, no puppies have come down with parvo there. I'm not saying that it would never happen - and parvo is definitely something to fear when it comes to puppies. It can kill them in hours. However, I've work in vet clinics where they've held puppy classes and I wouldn't say that there was any less of a risk at a vet clinic either. The only way to eliminate parvo is to drench everything in bleach, and even then, you're not guaranteed to get it all. I've known people that have had no choice but to rip up concrete flooring pads to get rid of parvo once it strikes, so even a mopped vet clinic floor isn't 100% safe. I have taken all of my puppies to Northern Suburbs and have never had a health scare with any of them - not so much as a sniffle. You must provide proof of vaccinations before joining. Vaccinations aren't total proof against parvo, but they are a good start. It's up to you, though.

Pity you don't live further north. Northern Suburbs Training & Obedience Dog Club has a great puppy school - I'd recommend it to anyone. They meet at Carine Open Space on Sunday mornings (9.00am, I think), and it only costs $45 for the whole year. Once your puppy is 16 weeks old, you can move on to the obedience classes.

hehe one of my furkids has learnt how to open the front loader, take out the socks (only my OH's thick black work socks) and leave them in the corridor. He never plays with them, hides them or brings them to us. It's more of a "you know I can get to your clothes at any time," kind of a statement. We have NEVER heard or seen him do it. We just walk into the corridor and there they are. On washing days, this can happen several times a day! (Luckily, he can't open the door during the wash cycle or it would be much, much worse!)

A dog in the classic, front down, bum up, tail wagging position is in what's called a play bow. You're dog is asking you to PLAY. He's not being dominant - well, not any more than demanding in his puppy way that you enjoy some time playing with him. ETA: That "yapping" bark is a also a classic invitation to play noise. You can tell the difference between a, "hey mum, let's play! notice me!" bark, and a "stop what you're doing or I'll rip your head off" bark! Don't growl at him when he's asking to play. He won't understand, because as far as he's concerned, he's giving you all the right signals that he's being friendly and wanting some fun. It's up to you to learn to speak a little "dog speak!" Certainly, there is a time for play and for being patient and waiting for mum to finish pegging out the washing. But just recognise that he's probably excited that you're outside with him. Lots of dogs get excited when it's "hang out the washing time." Just think - to a dog, you're not pegging out washing - you're playing keepy-off with some lovely waving wet toys. It's always play time with my 3 dogs when I hang out the washing. I jsut make sure there's a ball or something I can kick or throw in between pegging up clothes so keep them occupied while I finish the chore. Then I have a few minutes of play-time with the dogs. Your baby sounds like a lovely, happy, fun-loving boy. Enjoy him!

Our Lab was diagnosed with Atopic Dermatitis about a year ago. When he was first diagnosed, he was put on anti-biotics, but only because he had numerous sores on his skin and there was an infection risk. He was also prescribed Prednisone - which did clear up the skin issues. Also made him starving hungry all the time. (Although, he is a Lab, so who knows?) Thankfully, he is now med-free - in fact, I attribute this to his strict diet. One of the things the vet (Stephen Metcalf) did tell us was that there have been several studies into retriever type breeds and chicken. I'm sorry I don't have any of these studies to hand. However, apparently, it is very common for retriever type breeds (goldies, labs, flat-coats) to be intolerant of chicken. Our dog is intolerant of any "mass-farmed" meat - eg beef, chicken, lamb, pork... I personally believe that he is reacting to the anti-biotics that these farmed animals are routinely given. He can tolerate turkey, however. We feed him roo, vegies, fish and fish oil, kelp, oats (he tolerates these, some dogs don't)...and now that his Atopy seems to have settled down, he can actually tolerate a small (very small) amount of kibble. The only brand he can eat without getting an immediate stomach upset and itchy skin is Advance Turkey & Rice (Adult - green bag). I'm still shocked that he can eat this, because it does contain some chicken by-product. However, I have also heard of several other intolerant dogs who manage to eat this food with no ill effects. He gets 1 cup per day, at night. Any more, and it's poo time. Spectacular poo time. He really does well on the roo (tails for breakfast and mince for dinner); however, because it is so low in fat, he lost a lot of weight, and we couldn't get his weight up over about 26-27kgs. I dunno if you've ever seen a Lab at 26kgs, but they look like a concentration camp lab. Thanks to the introduction of the kibble, he's now at 29kgs - and although still very slim for a lab, is much, much healthier. His coat is shiny and his skin is clear. He is "almost" starting to grow a double coat (normal for labs, but not normal for our boy!) I'm not saying that this will work for every dog of course, but I know how it feels to have a dog suffering from allergies and not knowing if there is any hope that they will ever be comfortable again. So I just wanted to give you some hope, and say that you will find a diet that suits your baby - just a matter of trying different foods and seeing how they respond. Be prepared to give each new diet time to work...and also bear in mind that in the first few days - you might see huge results, that suddenly disappear...or, you might think that it's not working because the dog gets diarrhoea. Both are normal reactions to a diet change...but in the end, YOU are the best judge of your dog's health. Hope i've helped, and sorry for rambling on!

When we got my newest pup, the oldest dog growled every time he saw the pup for about a week, and would immediately leave the room if the puppy came in. The other dog drooled non-stop for about 3 days. Like...drooled like I've never seen lol. He completed soaked a towel in only a few minutes. He was absolutely fascinated with the puppy however, and wouldn't leave her alone. Both older dogs settled down after few days. I think everyone just needed time to adjust to the new routine.

Your poor dog sounds like she's having a hard time of it! It is common for dogs to get stomach upsets with a diet change - especially a radical one (and by radical, I mean a complete and sudden change in diet). If you suddenly feed her a lot of roo, I would think it is normal for her stomach to rebel! And roo meat is a strong meat, and can certainly cause a few days of tummy troubles. However, you know your dog better than anyone. If you don't think your dog is coping with the roo, then by all means stop the diet. In the meantime, try to find something your dog can cope with. Many dogs that can't tolerate chicken can tolerate other less rich meats, such as fish. Have you tried maybe some tinned salmon or tuna? Both meats are light, and have good quantities of essential fats that your dog needs. Other meats you could try, but which might be a little harder to find, include rabbit, duck, goat...basically any meat that hasn't been mass-produced and pumped full of antibiotics. Also, some dogs that don't really tolerate chicken seem to handle turkey with fewer problems. Turkey meat is quite cheap, and easier to find than say rabbit. Let us know how you go! ETA: If you're feeding fish, you might need to consider a calcium supplement, if there is no other source of calcium in your dog's diet.

One of my dogs eats roo twice a day - tails in the morning, mince at night. The roo tails are MUCH harder than chicken or anything other poultry bone. Try cutting it with a knife and see how far you get! Even the tendons are tough - like steel cable. It doesn't seem to bother our dog - he crunches through it just fine. His teeth are fine - they haven't exploded or been chipped or fallen out or worn away...they are white and clean. And he's been eating roo every day, twice a day, for 2 years. As for the roo breath...I can't say I really noticed it. I do remember that, at first, I was personally quite sensitive to the smell (reminded me of road kill), but now either I'm used to it, or the dog has gotten better at processing it, because I don't really smell it at all. It's possibly a bit of both. The meat itself is quite strong and I'm sure it takes a dog a few days for their bodies to become better at processing the meat. But I'm also sure that I've become desensitised to the smell. Hopefully you will too!

It's the stuff that comes in the pink plastic packaging. I have found it to be of good quality and never seen any nasties in it (of course, my eyes are not microscopes, but then, I wouldn't want to look at human-grade meat under a microscope either!). Every night, to the vegies and mince (and kibble for the other two dogs) meal, I add a tablespoon of plain, natural yoghurt, one fish oil capsule (human grade, 1000mg), 1 teaspoon of powdered glucosamine, a piece of sushi nori (probably around 5cm x 5cm) and a children's vitamin pill (currently rasberry flavoured!). All my dogs weigh more than the minimum weight for the vitamin pill, so they're not getting an overdose of anything. I also add about 1/4 of water to each bowl, and the glucosamine dissolves in this. The whole dinner is then smushed up together so they can't pick out bits (not that they do). Occasionally, I'll swap the mince for fish. Mine quite like the tinned salmon, so that's what they get. I tried whitebait, but they looked at me like I was crazy, so it ended up going to the marine fish instead!

my dog has been on "pets suppliers" roo mince and tails for nearly 2 years. in the morning, he gets a tail. at night, mince and vegies. it is the only thing he can eat without the world falling out of his hairy butt. i do add vitamins to his diet every day, however, as well as kelp and he can tolerate fish oil. he can also tolerate a spoonful of plain, natural yoghurt. i don't find his feeding routine any more or less difficult than the other dogs, who get mince, vegies and kibble at night and chicken wings in the morning. i haven't seen any negative effect from the actual raw roo in the last 2 years. in fact, he's brimming with health - his coat is shiny and looks healthy (and he's Atopic, too). He hasn't required medication for the Atopy in over 18 months. Haven't even seen a sore on him. from what I can gather, the roo mince company basically packs it immediately and freezes it. they are located in osborne park in WA. PM me if you want the details because I can't remember them off the top of my head. the only thing i will say is that it is really hard to put weight on the dog if they're on roo. our dog is probably 3-5kgs under-weight - certainly not enough to be unhealthy, but he does look "ribby." he is very active, however, and can run all day, so he's certainly not malnourished. the roo meat has excellent levels of iron and other necessities, and the tails give him the calcium he needs.

mine each get a tablespoon of plain, natural yoghurt every day, including the puppy. never had any problems, not even with the one who's allergic to everything and lactose intolerant. they love their yoghurt. also, in summer when it's hot, i'll smush a banana up in some yoghurt and freeze it - then they get a nice 'icey' treat to lick and it keeps them quiet...for about 20 seconds. but those 20 seconds are pure bliss...

hahaha i was just reading the replies to this topic when, in the background, i heard my OH say to our pup, "oi, no chewing on the lounge..."

Your poor dog. I really hope your baby improves. Please be careful with aspirin though as it is an anti-coagulant and can cause bleeding.