Tilly

I just love the tri-colour one .... so cute

My guys get the mince mix frozen (when I forget to defrost or it is really hot) and their chicken necks in a frozen 1kg bundle - they have had no issues at all. If anything it slows them down so they don't gulp the food. I do watch my boys eat and they tend to shave the meat off with their teeth and eat it when it is like a crumble ... I can't imagine it would be still frozen when it hits their stomach. I just make sure the stuff I give them isn't small enough that they can swallow.

I tend to walk my dogs on the left side but I am not strict about in front/close etc ... just as long as they don't pull. They are taught to heel nicely on the left and stay in that position when asked to "stay close".

Yep - that is them (wasn't sure of the proper name) ... I think I have about 22 for my crate

I use dog clips for my crates - as it is easier for when I am out and about and need to fold up the crate. Last time I used cable ties (which works brilliantly) but then I forgot to bring a knife or something to cut them at the end of the day...

Our rottie was trained this ... and one day he sat by his bowl for more then 5 hours because I had put his food down and forgot to give him his release word. I eventually had gone out to collect the bowl and found him sitting there with a bit puddle of drool ... I felt really bad. Only real problem with this is that the rottie don't just have the food word but the word must come from one of the "family". If a total stranger gave them the food word then he still wouldn't eat. We have taught it to one extent for our boys but we haven't been over strict about it. They will sit and wait for their food until they get a release word.

When I picked my GSD boy up from the airport ... I had brought a medium size crate secured in the back of the car (as that was the largest crate that would fit in my car) all ready and waiting for him. I had a large crate all set up and waiting for him at home. I did have my mother with me but having the crate just made it much easier .... particularly when he stunk big time He out grew the medium crate in a couple of months and progressed to a harness in the car. He is also now in an XXLarge but crate training had made life so much easier.

I know that when my brother and his wife got a dog they had to have fences at least 1.2 metres high ... that height wouldn't stop someone from leaning over the fence and getting bitten. The fence was more then adequate to keep this particular dog (and even our dogs) in the yard but not adequate to protect the public from getting bitten … or even another dog from jumping over or entering the yard. We have 8ft timber paling fences which are padlocked ... but in reality someone who wants to get in can still climb them. So, if someone climbs over my fence and gets bitten or killed in my yard by my dogs … then would the fence be considered adequate because it hasn’t stopped someone from getting injured/killed.

I was reading the article about the two cross-bred dogs Thurston and Bowen. First they attacked a Lhasa Apso who entered their yard (apparently under the fence) and then a couple of days later bite a child who was leaning over the fence attempting to hit them with something. In particular ... there was a comment by A Antoniolli that the "dogs were seized because the fencing was inadequate". Now ... there no reference to the dogs escaping their yard and I have always assumed "adequate fencing" would mean a suitable fence in which to keep your dogs in the yard. Now it seems adequate fencing might mean a fence in which to keep stupid people and their animals out of your yard. What is your view on "adequate fencing" and it there anywhere that specifies what "adequate fencing" actually means? Articles below... Readers Comments...

My dogs have only ever been attacked by "friendly dogs"...

I should be there again with my brat ...

When it was time for our rottie, I brought him home so our GSD could see him and spend some time with him. I then had the funeral home collect him from home. Our GSD moaned his loss as much as we did. I was a mess up when I came to the realisation I would need to make the decision but the morning I took him in I just knew I had made the right decision and tried to made it a happy moment for him. I fell apart again later but at the time my focus was on him and his needs. I still cry when I think about him as I miss him so much and it is near 3 years ago.

Teal - what is coming out the other end? If it is tiny then feeding extra might help. If it is a large volume then maybe he is not getting a lot from the food he is eating - I used to sprinkle a supplement on our elderly rottie’s food that was an enzyme which allowed him to get the full nutritional value from the food he did eat. I can't think of the name of it at the moment but maybe someone else might know it. Having a young dog a bit on the ribbie side is not a bad thing unless he is extremely thin. Do you have some photo's - top, side views

If it is dry food then he will definately need some water to get it through the system. If it is raw etc then he won't need as much. I would be offering a little water but he has probably got an awful tummy ache.

The butcher I used to get my dog stuff from (he retired and sold the business ) used to make up anything I wanted. I often used to get a mince mix made of so many kgs of chicken mince (minced frames), roo meat, beef etc. In winter I would get extra fat added in the way of the chicken skin. He would bundle up my chicken necks in what ever size bundles I would ask for. Mind you I was getting something like 30 or 40kg of chicken necks, about 20kg of chicken frames, 30kg of mince, another 30kg of bones etc at a time. Most was under $1 a kg ... exept the mince but he would do a deal on that as well. Once you find a good butcher it makes life so much easier ... I am still looking for my next one.

I have spoken to DOCS a number of times and written to them ... but so far they have done nothing. I have done everything I can possible do other then physically remove her myself - and to be honest I would take her in a heartbeat. I think a big part of the problem is that Jane's mother is scared if she pushes Jane too much (stops her from doing as she wants), Jane will leave and take Sarah with her. And then they won't know where Sarah is or what is happening to her. While she is living with my brother & GF - they at least make sure Sarah is being fed, her nappy is changed, she is clean and she is getting her medication. But while someone is caring for Sarah - DOCS won't remove the child.

Just found out the puppy is a 7 week old staffy pup ... and he is a biter. Jane has been leaving Sarah on the floor with the puppy unsupervised. I am now tossing up if I will leave our older dog there for the weekend ... he isn't overly tolerant with annoying puppies and he is extremely protective of Sarah. He will not allow anyone (other then my brother, GF and Jane) near her. I am worried there is going to be an problem and our boy will hurt to puppy. I can't really take both of our dogs to my mothers for the weekend as there is only 1 dog pen. Last time I took them to my mothers place for the day the older boy was constantly attacking our youngest (he is jealous of any attention give to the younger boy) - and I was looking forward to spending some quality time with the younger boy and working on some of his training.

As a bit of background - My brother is sharing a rental property with his on and off again girlfried. He was looking at coming home again but there is with issues getting out of the rental property and he can't leave unless she takes his name off the rental agreement (it is his bond money etc). Anyway the GF had a 16 year old daughter (we will call her Jane) who now has a young baby (about 7 months). While initially the baby (we will call her Sarah) was a novelty for Jane this quickly wore off. Jane took Sarah to visit with Sarah's dad (we will call him Jack) and basically dropper her off and didn't see her again for over a week. Sarah was seriously ill with a chest infection and was receiving no medication while in the care of Jack. Basically Jack was either high or drunk and would either take Sarah in the car with him or just leave her at home ... even if there wasn't anyone there. One of Jack's family members called my brother/GF and said if something isn't done they will hand Sarah over to child welfare. They race off (to NSW town) and picked her up, she was even sicker then before, has a cigerette burn on her arm and seriously dehydrated. They took on the care of Sarah and got her medical treatment and she started to improve. (From day one I have had concerns for the welfare of Sarah and have reported both Jane and Jack to Docs and Centrelink on numerous occassions and nothing has been done - there has been a number of incidents and these have all been reported.) Anyway Jane eventually came back and for the first 3 days she looked after Sarah and then the novelty wore off again and she couldn't be bothered taking Sarah to her medical appointments etc. The Jane heads back NSW town to "collect her stuff" and was to be back in a week. After 2 days she rings her mother and said she wasn't coming back. About a week or so ago she turned up again and is now living with my brother and GF (again). Basically my brother looks after Sarah and I help out on weekends or weeknights when I can. This weekend I am going to my mothers place to look after her 2 cats while she is away. I was going to take our youngest dog and leave the older dog with my brother. I was dropping him off in the morning and picking him up again on Sunday night after obedience class. No problems so far as the older dog is really missing my brother and it would be good for him to spend some quality time with him again. A little while ago I get a text message from my brother ... Jane has got a puppy!!!! WTF!!!! She can't look after her baby but then gets a dog. I totally went off my head and then I find out it was Jane's father that brought her the puppy without any consultation with Jane's mother (brother's GF). WTF was going through this guy's head. He knows she had all but abandoned her baby and that she is living in a rental place that doesn't allow dogs. I am so mad that I just want to slap them all around the head and ask if they are completely stupid or what!!!! I haven't even asked what type of dog it is. My brother now wants me take a crate over so he can put her puppy in it while our older boy is visiting ... my older boy is relatively friendly but he is a big boy and doesn't tolerate annoying dogs (which is why our youngest has so many scars). I am just so angry at the moment and just want to go over and pick Sarah up and remove her completely from the stupid family she was unfortunately born into. She is the sweetest little thing and has such a placid, loving nature ...

My 12 month old has started marking ... but he is entire. He lifted his leg for the first time (that I noticed) at about 9 months and then he just kept doing it. It wasn't a problem until the day I took him to the vet and he walked into the consult room and lifted his leg on the desk ... and then on the door as we were leaving - he had never peed inside since he was toilet trained so I was extremely embarrased. I make a point of not allowing either dog to mark when we are on a walk but I will give them a change to do so when we visit the off-leash are. I have caught him once or twice marking the veranda and verbally corrected him - thankfully he seems to be doing it much less.

A cheap covered litter tray is those plastic storage boxes (with lid) that you can get ... just cut two holes at the appropriate size in the sides (make sure the edges are rubbed slightly with sandpaper to smooth)

I tried teaching my older boy when he was a puppy .... I got him to put a toy in ... but then he would find another 2 or 3 to take out and play with Good luck

Yes it is ... but you should give them bones to chew on as this is what cleans their teeth. I give a mince and vege mix (with ground chicken bones) but also add about the same again in bones such as chicken necks or chicken frames.

My boy fell in the fish pond a couple of times as a puppy. Our fish pond is smelly was in the process of being removed. The first time was late in the afternoon and I have been playing with the pup and was going to take him up the back stairs to introduce him to stairs. One moment he was following me and the next he was trying to walk on water. His tried to puppy paddle but he was head first in the water and sinking fast. I grabbed him out quickly and wrapped him in a towel ... but he was shivering big time. He was rushed inside and given a nice warm bath. A coulple of days later we were in the yard again and my mum was looking after the pup. She went to take him up the back stairs and clipped his leash on ... I said she didn't need it that he would follow her ... she took it off and almost immediately he was head first in the fsh pond again. Again he was rescued, wrapped in a towel and given a nice warm bath. My older boy used to rip out my azaleas and eat the root off ... he never got sick ... but is wasn't good for the plants. I have fenced off all my garden beds as I know I would never have any plants otherwise. What sort of puppy are you getting? I am sure your puppy will find something to chew on ... good luck

I have used tick collars ... and still found ticks on the dog - even under the tick collar. I was replacing the collars every month and I was just not confident that they were working sufficiently. I have used both preventic and killtic. I now use Phermoxin (sp?) and spray the dogs before they go to a tick area or if they have been in a tick area (daily if necessary). We also hydrobath with Fido's but this only gives 3 days of protection.

I shouldn't have looked ... my boy would like one of the fluffy tugs (Key Lime - Lime Green & Yellow with Tan/Grey Fur or the Kool Rush - Blue, Lime Green & Gray Fur). Let me know when you are going to place an order.