Rhi

Thanks for the advice Garloch, As a consequence of him leaving his 'parcels' on the footpath I have been clearing it away daily. The weather here hasn't been as miserable as it had been... which is helping, as ShellyBeggs said I wouldn't want to go all the way down the back when it's cold! I'm begining to think he had been lazy. I'm still looking to by a pee post but haven't been able to find one in store yet. When it comes to his diet, the quality of his food isn't the issue. He is regular and the amount is relative to the amount he eats. Thankyou for your concern regarding his diet but he is on Hills and has been for months. The issue i've been having isn't what his stools are like but where he leaves them. Cheers Rhi

I'm no expect but our vet reccomended Hills, but they also sell it... My lab was growing to fast for his bones and was developing irrigular joint growth. We put him on Hills Large puppy two times a day and gave him a 4 week course of Cartrophen injections. The injections worked really well for him (but doesn't always work well for every dog). He is a much happier dog now, because of his change in diet he has a shiner coat and his stools are regular. We were reccomended to keep him on Large puppy until he is 18months, (he is 12 months now) to ensure his bones develop and fuse properly. The large puppy for has a higher level of calcium which is essential for a growing dogs needs, if you were to give him Royal Canin you might wish to supplement his diet with extra calcium.There are a bucket load of posts in this section on glucosamine, which is worth looking into. Cheers RHI

He does poo where he plays, he even steps in it himself ! I'll give moving it rather than discarding it a go. Cheers

His poops are 'regular'. We pick them up every other day to see if that would make a difference. Someone meantioned to me about the weather... it has been shitty (no pun) weather lately, I wonder if he is just being lazy. ie not wanting to get wet. I thought there might be a citronella based product that I could put on my lawn to deter him. The Pee Post looks like it might be worth a go. Cheers everyone

Sable the supa poopa is an outdoor dog, and is pooing increasingly closer to the house. He used to go down the back of the yard to do his business but now has begun to get closser and closer and closer. Now he poos just off the back step (on the grass) and has also started to poo on the pavement close to the house too. My OH and I pick up his poop every other day but that doesn't seem to make any difference, we can't walk in our backyard with out hitting a 'land mine'. Do you think this a behavioural problem or lazyness? Any products on the market I can put on my lawn to deter him? He is regular, I don't ever see him doing his business (he must do it while I not home, so I can't catch him)

Sable developed a limp the day we brought him home from the shelter. Due to poor diet his growth plates in his hind knees weren't fusing correctly. Because we found it early enough alot of correction could be done... ie better diet, Cartrophen injections, low impact exercises. He is a lot happier now and uses his knee more freely but he still has a chance that too much damage had already occured and he will develop Arthristis. He still only sometimes sits like a normal dog, about 50% of the time he sits on the outside of his thigh, I don't know if this is out of habit or pain.

Sorry I can't offer a solution but I'd like to add my suggestion of what he could be scared of. Sable cowers at anything that expels air at a high pressure (ie bike pump, silent whistle). Seeing as dogs hearing is so much more sensitive then ours, maybe your heater is making a high pitched whistled as the gas comes out. I know this doesn't really help but good luck

Lucky I'm not busy at work... I'll start looking into that now.

Yeah 5 or 6 littler ones is a better idea... it won't be one big mess of grains it will be 6 smaller deposits of grains. His kennel is off the ground. I think I'll hold off for a while, rain is forcasted for all next week, I should know by the end of next week whether he has gained any 'smarts' or not!!! Thanks for your help.

Just imagining myself shoving a huge big bag of barley in the microwave. Hind sight is a wonderful thing. Fungal infection won't be fun... just thought I could find something to keep him warm (spoil him) that was natural enough that it didn't matter if he destroyed it. I guess yourself and Miranda are right, he does have his think winter coat on already. ETA: Just so people don't think I neglect him, I'd take the heat pack off him first thing in the morning but he is up HOURS before I am!

I'm talking about the packs everyones grandma owns, it's a wheat or barley bag and the whole thing goes in the microwave for about 2 minutes and keeps it's heat for a fare while.

Akitaowner: Plastic flap is a very clever idea. I guess I had last nights situation in mind more specifically. He has plenty of shelter but persists on standing in the rain and getting soaked. He went to bed wet, which wet his bedding. I think a heat pack will help prevent the cold setting in. FTPO: They do look good, my only concern is the chemicals inside. I hate to think he'd chew it and get sick.

It's finally raining here in Adelaide (first time in a loooooong time). The nights are getting much colder. I'm looking to make a home made heat pack to put on the bottom of Sable's kennel, then cover it in bedding to keep him warm at night time. The finished bag size will be about 90cm x 90cm x 2cm deep, I'm going to make it out of canvas or heavy calico. My question is does any one have a recipe/ratio of grains to use. And also are any grains not recommended for dogs (ie wheat or barley)? Sable is a monster chewer/destroyer, HE WILL RIP THIS APART, when he does I can simply sweep up the grains and make him a new one. TIA Rhi

I'd like to give him a bed like that but at the moment he is going through his naughty puppy stage and everything is a target, I can't imagine the fabric lasting very long. I think that style will be a great option for him when he gets older. Back to the original post... His wooden kennel doesn't retain any doggy smell, the smells mostly come from his bedding. Easy to clean, just needs a sweep. Much better insulator from the weather than plastic. Good luck.

I got that one... I stained it and now it looks better than a pet shop one. Very easy to put together. Sable is already taller than a standard lab and fits in just right. He is a heavy chewer and has had a nibble around the door way but got board quickly and has left it alone ever since. It's really snug. This is the best photo I could find... and yes he is in there!

All wise and all knowing DOLers... What do you think is the best way to introduce two dogs to each other? To set the scene, I was on the beach when a lady with her 5mth old German Sheppard came up and ask if it was ok to introduce her pup. We were on the beach (neutral territory), my 10mth Lab x cross advanced medium pace took a few sniffs and then barked, terrifying the other pup. I felt bad. Should one of the parties have their dog in a sit and stay command while the other approaches. What do you think is the best way to introducing two on lead dogs, in a neutral setting??? ;) Cheerio Rhi

A puppy food for large breeds is essential for growing bones. My vet advised me to keep my growing lab x to be on puppy 'for large breeds' food until he is 18months old. He was having problems with plates of bones fusing in his knees due to poor diet, if his diet wasn't rectified he would have been lame as an adult Just a thought...

Maybe you could try totally distrupting her routine, just until the association between barking and walkies is broken. Ie In the morning get up do 'your' thing (coffee, shower, breakfast), after your finished your routine then let her in or go for a walk. maybe even walking her in the afternoon for a while. Hopefully that way she learns that you'll respond to her in your own time not visa versa. Like someone said earlier it may get worse before it gets better. Another option... if she can hear you coming down the stairs then she should be able to hear a 'silent whistle' (available from pet stores), during the day you could introduce it as a 'naughty' sound... when she associates the whistle with being naughty you maybe able to blow from the comfort of your own bed!

Lots of people recommended to me plastic garbage bags filled with water and hung of the corners of the hills hoist. We have the bags hanging lower than any of the washing, so when they jump up and grab the easiest item... the bag tears and the water gives them an unexpected suprise. This is a great method and has worked for so many of my friends but it hasn't worked for us because he was watching as we filled the bags and then hang them out... he's a smart dog and knows not to go near them. So our problem preveils, I'll be trying the chillies in a stocking soon... I'll just make sure he's not watching!

I'm sure this is an odd question... My boy (10mth old Lab x), isn't really interested in toys! I discussed this briefly with my vet, he said just show him how. I have every toy under the sun, I throw them to him, roll them, chase them with him, show him how noisey they can be... I have a knog and plastic bottles with treats in them. He's just not interested! Sometimes he plays with them with me but only for a few minutes and hes back to not paying any attention. His fun is to chew things... bones, sticks, chew toys... is this enough stimulus? Any suggestions on making toys more appealing?

This is an area that I am interested in reading up on too. My 10mth old Lab X has HD and is showing symptoms of soreness... so I want to do all I can for him before the Arthritis really kicks in. Below is the post I was reading today but there are plenty more posts in the 'health' section, just do a quick search. Good luck http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?showtopic=94558

Bacon and eggs for breakfast Marrow bone for lunch Chicken legs/lamb cutlets and low carb veges for dinnner! Life of a dog is goooooood! Just a suggestion (I'm diffinately no expert), when my realative was diagnosed with diabetes her diet changed from pastas to high fat meals (until she became better educated), she didn't have any problems with being 'under weight'

I'm not sure what a gentle leader, as we haven't had him since a pup. But for the past two weeks I've been training him to walk on a head harness. It works a treat, he's a much calmer walker but he still trys to pick up the lead and walk with it in his mouth. If it's a game I'm happy to let him go but if it's a dominance thing I'd like to train it out of him. Cheers

Our 9mth old boy is happy walking on his lead with us. Every now and then he puts the lead in his mouth and trys to pulls a bit harder, I ignore the behaviour and walk at the same pace or give him the heel command. Is this a game or a sign he wants to be more dominate? xx Rhi

Thankyou to all the people who has shown me the virtues of using a creat. Maybe I was a bit naive but now I am investigating into creat usage and making sure it's right for Sables situation. Thanks again to everyone.