Turkey Trip

Near a fish shop. Not the supermarket, you need to find a shop near you which specialises in fish and retails frozen fish packs. If not that then perhaps try your local markets.

I've just GOT to reply so I can play with the new Smileys. I found raw, frozen sardines for $4.50/kg and pop one whole frozen fish on the top of the doggy dinners once or twice a week. They love to down their dinners then hop on their beds to crunch these tasty treats and it makes a great supplement to the diet. That price is fairly economical for a dog treat and comparatively cheap against the expensive dog kibbles. Bye now. :D No really, gotta go.. :D Has been fun.

Vaccinating against KC is a waste of money. It does not prevent infection because it never covers all strains of the virus. Fortunately, most infections are disgusting to look at (cough, gag, puke etc) but fairly mild and just like a common cold in humans. Benadryl as has been suggested is good for relief of symptoms, give them opportunity to rest and a warm, draught free bed at night. We have also found the old-fashioned Bonningtons Irish Moss cough medicine extremely good. This too will pass and at least your dogs will be resistant to future infection for some time to come. (Often several years or permanently in older dogs.) Seems to be much more effective than vaccination.

That aside, I'm sure the dogs loved it. :D

Another fan of Coprice "Family" variety (with kelp/garlic etc) here. Small pellets though, so when feeding to bigger dogs I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the dish, allow the bottom layer of biccies to soak it up then mix all up so its both moist 'n crunchy in texture and the bigger dogs then have no trouble eating it. Had one fussy little boarder "who only eats what we eat" according to his frustrated owners.. Came with his own supply of treats which was all he would eat for the first day or so. Worked out he was a spoilt and lazy eater and only liked small pelleted food, partially moistened. Withheld the treats. Fed Coprice Family mixed with small diced doggy sausage (Tuckertime etc) and dinner vanished every night thereafter. Treats were only given if dinner eaten the night before. When they came to collect their little darling, owners could not get over the fact that he now ate "dog food" ...and was looking very good on it. Rushed to write down the magic formula and were off to buy some Coprice & doggy snagger. Somehow, once he gets home I think he will get them right back under his little iron paw tho'... :wink:

I understand there are at least two which various breeders/exhibitors/dog performance enthusiasts have found very good. I think one is also a Vet and based in South Perth or precincts? Sorry, don't know the name but you could ask around (try the agility training nights at CAWA) or perhaps someone else reading this can help. The other I can personally recommend as I and several others have used him and seen his skill benefit multiple dogs. He used to live in Forrestfield but we haven't had to visit for several years and I believe he has re-located, however the contact name I have is Kevin Kelly and the mobile phone number 0418 949889. He certainly helped one of our older dogs enjoy life again although he appeared to barely touch her during the treatment and she only had the one visit! I was sceptical about a "dog chiropractor" until I saw the almost immediate transformation with my own eyes. Don't know much else about the person apart from I think he treats Greyhounds, so perhaps you could contact someone at the Greyhound Association. Very reasonably priced too. :D Good luck. TT

I have a friend who nearly lost their dog to pancreatitis and received the standard veterinary advice to feed only the very expensive tinned food, which of course was almost impossible for a pensioner. The dog has been thriving on Supercoat Lite & Mature ever since, much better for the budget and with no further pancreatic episodes. They also lightly cook (microwave or steam) fresh veges such as carrot, potato, broccoli, cauliflower etc and dice, adding a little to the dogs food each day. Plain as they are, the dog seems to enjoy its meals. To be honest I don't normally use this brand myself but it seems to work well in this situation. TT

Couldn't have said it better. Poor little pet dog, doesn't deserve such an uncaring and irresponsible owner. It sounds like this person should not own a dog and the dog should be de-sexed and found a good pet home before being put in the position of producing more unwanted mutts' and adding to the huge problem of homeless mutts already sitting in pounds and rescue centres. Its not a breeding dog, its a pet and pets do not need to come in season. Get it speyed and assure it freedom from unwanted pregnancy and associated risks plus the high incidence of mammary tumours in unspeyed bitches. Where did the dog come from? Pet Shop? TT

Occasional little teenage boy dogs are just "gross", (by human standards). :wink: Some outgrow it because they feel sure of their status and others will retain the inclination throughout their lives. By marking the food bowls he is staking a claim, establishing himself, investing in or buying some "property". If he becomes a nuisance with scent marking, de-sexing may help before it has become an entrenched behaviour . Otherwise just remove bowl as suggested. His marking is merely another variation of normal doggy behaviour.

Very interesting to read all the responses. Our first experience with a medial cruciate ligament problem occurred over 20 years ago when one small dog suddenly stopped after a full-speed play gallop and hopped around on 3 legs, holding one hind leg off the ground. The Vet advice at the time was that surgery was essential, and a (very expensive) repair job followed which entailed a piece of plastic inserted and attached somewhere... Recovery was gradual over about two or so months and the leg was always a bit stiff as the dog aged. Interestingly, a series of 5 cruciate ligament damage incidents ensued over the next few years, all related to some extent (by family) to this first one. That said, there has not been a single occurrence for the last 11 years. After the first case which entailed surgery, we thought about it a lot and weighed up the treatment vs the outcome. Thus in the latter cases, we went against current vet advice at the time and virtually confined the dog to kennels for the first 4 weeks thus lots of rest time, no running or jumping but room to move around at leisure. Then as the dog in each case started placing a little weight on the leg, we graduated to walks on lead at first, then supervised outside time (no play with other dogs allowed) and ultimately built the activity level slowly up to 'normal life'. Every single case recovered completely with full mobility and notably, without the stiffness of the first dog which had the surgery. Lesson learned. I guess it is worth x-raying the joint (what do our experts think?) to get a proper diagnosis though as if there is such damage to the joint that the bones are totally displaced, surgery to re-set the joint might be required and simple rest and gradual rehabilitation might not be the solution. BTW all these dogs would have been 12-15kg. I think Madeleine's comment about stressing and moulding the injury site during recovery is very, very pertinent. A more recent experience with this factor in relation to elbow dysplasia due to a growth plate injury has taught us a lot . A happy eventual outcome there and also, no surgery. Again it was a little experimental but after much "Googling" on research; (Hurrah for arrival of the computer age!) we took little steps, building up activity and slowly and carefully monitoring the results. I felt that after the initial rest and repair period, nature would compensate for the injury as bone is after all, a living thing and young growing joints a work in progress. With good nutrition and careful exercise an apparent full and total recovery and an absence of symptoms has occurred. The elbow xrays planned in a few months (18 mths of age) will be most interesting to compare to those of 6 months of age after the growth plate injury, radius/ulna dysplasia and foreleg lameness first occurred. Again, common sense suggests this would not work for all elbow problems. In this case it worked for elbow dysplasia caused by a growth plate injury disrupting growth of the long bones in the foreleg.

There is always a packet of Polaramine tablets in the family first aid box here. Recommended by a medical doctor years ago as ideal for allergic reactions such as those from beestings. A tried and tested remedy, useful for humans and dogs alike. Have used them on adults, children, and on small puppies from 6 weeks if stung by a wasp or bee. Have always just used one tablet only - follow the directions, I think it says one every 12 hours. They are tiny tablets. Available over the counter from the Chemist.

Get rid of those seeds and don't let your dogs eat them. We had a young adult male with an intestinal blockage caused by one of the seeds. He went through hell and nearly died as the seeds do not show up on x-ray and diagnosis was very difficult. Cost us over $800.00 around 6 years ago - even with the breeders discount from a helpful vet and it almost cost the dog his life. We've now had every single Cocus Palm removed!

Is it pelletised or powder? Whichever one, its quite soluble so just water it in thoroughly and apply mulch on top. I've had a bag of pure Blood and Bone (no additives) in the shed for ages. The dogs continually plot and plan like closet chocolate-eaters and at the first opportunity sidle in to sneak a quick snack before getting busted. ;) While I don't recommend it so far it hasn't done any harm at all even to the worse addict, a sly, scheming, grey-faced 12 year old with very apologetic eyes. (Oops, dammit! you caught me again!)

I'll third that suggestion, I love mine. Use it on border collies and a beagle without any problems at all. Yep. Fourthing it. ;) Finally got sick of taking hours to dry dogs with the 'human' style hairdryers and have had an Airmax from Clipperworld for almost two years now. Usually start baby puppies on the human hairdryer though, so they have a chance to get used to the experience. Hang onto them when you first use the Airmax as they might fly off into orbit (along with all the dust off the shelves, dog hair off the ceiling light fittings and the box of tissues off the table!! )

Some good advice there. Personally I would not implant any dog destined for future breeding. The less total chemical exposure and/or hormone manipulation they have the better IMO. You could always buy some copies of National Dog and give him some privacy. :p :D Ahem, sorry! not much help to offer. :p It seems some boys are just much bigger pains than others.

Mostly Advance Adult Chicken or Puppy (Large Breed). Very good results in overall health and condition, is always eaten with enthusiasm and small clean-up suggests high digestibility. Have tried most mid/expensive brands for periods of 6 months or so and cannot justify the prices paid for the results obtained. Have at times consistently used Supercoat, which still remains the second choice as the dogs are perfectly healthy on it. Although more economical and the ingredients list appears comparable to Advance, currently don't like the bigger and more objectionable "poos" which result from feeding it. BTW I don't think Supercoat is listed on the poll - or was I going blind? :D

Yes & ask them exactly where some of their carcasses come from. I seem to remember a neighbor from years ago with a deceased horse having a knackery with a very similar name call to collect it. Also a white pony with terminal cancer ended up there. I guess zoo animals are ok with this but its not what I'd want to feed my dogs. JMO Another supplier we used caused some doubt about the reliability of their labelling when some "mutton" cuts ordered were observed to have kangaroo fur.. Now stick to raw chicken necks, at least we know what they are and where they came from.

I have a Dremel but it is still fairly noisy and the dogs do not really like it. (But patiently put up with it) It is effective, but you must just use the sandpaper drum and only touch-touch the nail, taking a bit off at a time. If you hold the rotating tool steadily against the nail or for too long, the actual nail will get very hot due to friction. Touch it and see! The poor dog cannot tell you it is happening but it must be very uncomfortable as the dremel heats up the sensitive quick. I lie the dog on its back, making it comfortable with a towel folded for pillowing the head and supporting the sides. Starting with the offside front paw, lightly touch the Dremel to each toenail several times before moving on to the next nail. Just touch, touch touch and keep changing nails so they do not get hot. Just go back down the line to remove more nail and stop when you get almost to the end of the quick or if you see the spongy crescent shape starting to appear on a black nail. The dog will tell you if you are getting too close to the quick. A very good alternative to the Dremel is to trot off the Bunnings (or any good hardware store) and buy a "Bastard File". No, I'm actually not swearing. It is a file with a very rough surface and comes in various sizes, just buy an appropriate size for your dog. I have two sizes, a medium for the adults and a smaller one for puppies or to take to shows. The dogs don't mind this at all and will MUCH prefer it to clippers. Just hold the nail up (I find supporting the nail by propping it with a spare finger also helps keep the 'victim' happy as it does not swivel on its base attachment and must feel more comfortable to the dog this way.) and file the nail from underneath and in an upwards sweep in the direction of the head. Hmm. Easier to do than describe. Just do a sweep of each nail to get your dog used to the procedure, gradually build up the time spent filing and eventually they will just go to sleep - no hassle at all. Now that the OP's dog expects to be hurt it won't like its feet being held as it anticipates the pain of a cut quick. Try going back a step and just keep gently picking the feet up and handling them gently, gradually building up the time and getting the dog's confidence back. Lots of praise and treats will help. After the dog has relaxed and become accepting of the handling, gradually introduce the file and build up the exposure slowly until the problem disappears. The file will not hurt the dog like clippers can do as it is a gentler, slower process rather than a "chop" and you can better see when to stop.

That looks very much like an auto-immune condition with a very long name which I can't remember right now. It can be diagnosed with a punch biopsy and would be worth investigating if only to rule it out. Might be best to have it checked out with a vet.

Double K Airmax ! I've got one of those too. :) Value for money. Love it!

For almost a couple of decades our dogs had free access to an avocado grove and helped themselves to the fallen avocado fruit every day and if none was available, would pull the unripe fruit off the tree and crunch it up like a bone. The seed was never eaten - maybe that's where the problem lies? Just like some people, those dogs were avocado addicts! They were always extremely healthy, had the most beautiful, lustrous coats and being showdogs we were often asked how those coats were attained... the fact was it was due to three secret coat conditioners - ad-lib avocados, fresh horse poo and occasional hoof trimmings.. Yum! The only negative effect was in trying to keep the weight off the fatties so based on that experience I really can't understand why it is said that avocados are bad for dogs.

Having had several run-ins with Demodex dating back to the 1980's when all we had was toxic Amitraz dips which nearly vapourised us as well as the patient and its Demodex mites.. maybe I can share a little of what we learnt the hard way. To cut to the chase, while stress (hormonal or environmental) can play a role and certain nutrition can aid recovery, perfectly nourished, apparently healthy and unstressed pups can develop demodicosis. From my experience, I do believe there is a genetically inherited susceptibility. Unfortunately to give full reasons and all data would take an article not an email therefore this response will be a little truncated. First, as a breeder I would not breed from any parent that had shown any sign of demodex, apart from at the most, a tiny patch of facial hair missing for less than 2 weeks and resolving spontaneously and without any treatment. Unless the dog was truly outstanding, even a small and temporary patch would put it out of consideration. Next, I firmly believe it is transmissible from dog to dog. I would not allow a dog with demodex patches anywhere near any of my dogs and in particular, do not allow an infected dog to mouth or lick the face of another, as I theorise that the mites must have some way of transferring via the mucous membranes and saliva. I have had demodex patches appear on the face of a pup which was delivered by caesarian section, straight out of the uterus and onto the towel and hot water bottles - the dam reacted catastrophically to that particular anaesthetic and died on the operating table and there was NEVER any contact between dam and pup after it was removed from her uterus. All pups were hand-raised and fed with bottle/formula and had no contact with any other dog prior to 6 weeks of age. At about the age of 3 months this pup played with a visiting pup of another breed aged 7 months, the latter had very small demodex patches around its lips and eye. It was after this contact that demodex patches appeared around the eyes and muzzle of the caesarian birth pup. I keep reading that demodex mites can only be transferred between dam and nursing pups in the first days of life - NOT true! In 2008 have found the following links documenting transfer between dog-dog and dog-human. Notice the human example has lesions on her face = exactly where a friendly dog would lick. http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/dem.html (transmission to humans) http://www.marvistavet.com/html/demodectic_mange.html (transmission between dogs) Lastly, IMO the best and only treatment to use is weekly Dectomax (Doramectin) injections and the usual course is for 8weeks. You can also kick-start recovery by washing the lesions with an over-the-counter wash available at the chemist for skin conditions -sorry forget the name and would need to check. (This flushes out the hair follicles.) Supplement with Vit C and E. Feed a good quality food with minimal grain content and also, the dog will require a course of antibiotics at the start of treatment as the bacteria, yeast and mites work symbiotically together. From memory I think the drug of choice was Cephalexin. The mites can colonise all parts of the dog's body, even internally and they themselves, will act to suppress the immune system. That's certainly not all but will have to do.

In my experience two to three weeks after her season is absolutely fine, but if your vet is saying that I would be finding another vet who perhaps has more experience with cycling bitches and speys. I can't comment on a "professional" having never had the need for one. If your puppy had a good temperament to start with and from your description she has, I believe she will grow through this with your good handling and eventually be fine. Being a corgi, she will work better with you and for you rather than any stranger and it won't hurt to have her spey done and then keep her home to grow a brain for a month or so. Take the pressure off and let her mentally mature a bit, then perhaps join a beginner Obedience class - just heelwork in a friendly group setting, get her attention focus, sits, stays etc. Basic agility training in a group setting and with lots of treats also gives youngsters enjoyment and imparts confidence. Tell her she's a working dawg so 'get over it'. If you act concerned and fuss over her unwanted behaviour it will reinforce it. Encourage and praise any tendency towards positive behaviour, its just business as usual, ignore the sillies.

Your puppy could be in the second fear period (8 - 16 Months). Hormonal changes at this time can affect behaviour in both dogs and bitches and if you Google on the topic of developmental stages in puppies there will be plenty of information to read. It is usually a temporary stage and I would just treat the dog normally and in a matter-of-fact manner, don't coddle her but also don't force her to do what she fears. If anything, ignore the behaviour and carry on as normal. Still do all the usual things associated with socialisation (outings, walks etc) keep everything happy and light, matter of fact etc, but if she is being fearful just relax in the knowledge it is merely a stage she is going through and ignore her. It is especially easy if you have another friendly dog to walk her with, as eventually when she sees him having fun and interaction and she is getting none she will eventually want to join in too. Don't try and 'make' her confront her fear at this stage or she will just get worse. One thing that is beneficial is to join a recreational Obedience class. This will expose her to many dogs in a class situation and also give her something to think about as she works with you while training. Because it is a class situation there is no specific focus on her from other people or dogs as they are all busy with their own training. Puppy will be jumpy at first but after a few sessions will realise there is no pressure to "meet" all these other dogs and start to enjoy herself. Finally, I would recommend having her speyed asap after her season as this will remove the hormone factor and speed up the process. Your puppy is an adolescent and I think at the moment that you are dealing with a Hormone Princess.. :rolleyes:

My friend once had a Pembroke Welsh Corgi pup which would, at about the age of about 8 months drop down on the verge of the road every time a car approached. She did nothing else, just clapped down and watched the vehicle intently with ears pricked until it had passed, then up again to resume her walk as though nothing had happened. Once she had been out more often, she no longer bothered reacting to cars. I really should have asked her ...why? :D It is still a mystery to us.