The Spotted Devil

No. It’s simply an expensive source of protein. My dogs all get Digesticare probiotics daily to support gut health.

It’s an NSAID but is effective at a different stage of the inflammatory cycle which takes the pressure off the kidneys.

Correct. It’s been used in the US for about 5 years but is only a recent addition to Australia.

Rice will still put on weight. I adjust my dogs’ diet daily depending on how they are looking. Rather than changing diets I just feed less or more. You can cut his meal in half and add some mashed pumpkin to fill him up. You can increase satiety by using food toys or using it for training. It’s often the foraging that contributes to satiety more.

This is pretty much my nearly 15 year old Dally’s treatment. Zig has some osteoarthritis and nerve issues so receives a monthly Synovan injection plus Gabapentin thrice daily and Galliprant daily. He also has acupuncture/massage fortnightly and probiotics, omega-3 oils and 4-cyte each day. Hydrotherapy is awesome but I can’t access it at the moment. Gabapentin is very safe and difficult to overdose. Galliprant is better for osteoarthritis and puts much less strain on the kidneys than other NSAIDs. I do annual bloods for my seniors if only for my own peace of mind and medication selection.

Essentially schutzhund training in Victoria will require you to house your dog as a Dangerous Dog - muzzled, confined, signs etc. I am aware of a few trainers - can’t recall names - who have gone “underground” and are as shady as hell. So be very careful and aware of the legislative implications.

If you can repeat the test and post a video I’m happy to have a look. Please tag me. It’s not always obvious unless you have perfectly healthy dogs to compare with

They don't always show they are sore. Did your vet look at the reflexes on her back paws? Synovan is the next development of Carprofen.

What you are describing may be the beginning of some degeneration of the spine and nerve impingement. My Dalmatian is 13 and is now on Synovan monthly (for the spine), 300mg Gabapentin 4 times a day as required for nerve pain and acupuncture from a qualified human/dog Chiro. Huge improvement after a very acute onset.

Exactly @jemappelle! It’s much better for the dog than ending up with impacted anal glands - painful and can lead to abscess which is really awful.

Psyllium husk is the key but you can also add edible bone (eg chicken frames) or even minced frames if you’d prefer. Both will firm the faeces. However one thing I’ve discovered that across 4 dogs - 3 related - that the nature of the discharge varies incredibly which can also alter whether they are discharged easily or not. I check my dogs regularly and gently express them only if needed. Disposable gloves, tissues and lots of treats afterwards and the response I get to “check your bum?” is waaaay too enthusiastic

You can’t save the world. You can only do your little bit. Applies to a lot in life.

It's invaluable in my opinion. I start about Day 61 (I prog test) and take my girl's temp around 4 times a day. You quickly see a pattern of rise and fall and then you see a drop that is below the diurnal pattern. It's really, really informative when things don't go to plan, for example, my last whelping was a c-section (2 pups trying to get out at once) and the temp drop gave my specialist repro vet great information about what was happening.

I breed every few years. Working Springers not show... Everyone wants one but they aren’t for everyone. I couldn’t live with anything else but I am an experienced committed trainer There is WAY more to them than smaller and less coat I work full time in a demanding role I haven’t taken a proper holiday in 5 years Last litter cost me $6K before I had a litter on the ground My Ginny could have died and broken my heart - unexpected c-section and then black mastitis. Both “bad luck” according to my specialist reproductive vet I do dog sports, so a litter means my girl is out for quite some time I support my puppy buyers forever I ALWAYS am available for advice Did I mention how EXPENSIVE it is? I’ve bred 2 litters from Em, had her spayed and just spent > $15K after she was diagnosed with tiny mammary tumors. My pups go to family homes. But not just any family home. Just because people WANT one of my pups doesn’t mean they get one. The last thing I want is pups I’ve bred bouncing between homes/rescue like this breed does in the UK.

I have working Spaniels who are off the Richter scale when they spot a bird, duck or rabbit. And yet I can whistle stop them at 150 m away and recall them from a lot further!!

I love that you’ve identified what you want. Four on the floor. Now you need to reinforce the daylights out of it every single day. When you are walking is NOT the time to be training this - your dog is waaay too over aroused. In that state he simply cannot think and process information. So take a step back and reinforce it in other environments around the house. Use food, pats, play, permissions, leash on, leash off etc. Add excitement as he gets the game. You also want a few failures so he can see he is a CHOICE and there is a consequence - ie THE FUN STOPS. Try not to lure or bribe. Reinforcement is not the same.

What do you want your dog to DO? Stopping a behaviour is much more difficult than training an incompatible one. I love my dogs when they are high as a kite. I just channel that energy into something productive. Train the dog in front of you. There aren’t any shortcuts, sorry to say. Finally, positive is NOT permissive. And once is always. Reflect objectively and allow your dog to be your best trainer And enjoy the journey

I use Orivet simply because they do all the tests I need. The other Australian lab doesn’t do one test ESS should have.

My litters grow up playing and sleeping in open crates, traveling in a crate to go outside and in the car etc. Noise and activity is normal for them and they fly no problems at all. Just another adventure.

Personally every potential puppy buyer MUST meet me and my dogs. Interstate or not. And then, if we are all in agreement then I will organise flights but the owner pays. Lots of trust because I build relationships before I even think of selling a pup.

I’m not apologising but you did mention $650. I’m not responding to the market, but the basic costs of raising a litter. I could sell my pups 10 x over at more than the asking price (no exaggeration) but I choose not to. They are perfect for me but not for everyone. I compete in dog sports and health test where many do not and I am there for the life of the pup. I dremelled the nails of one of my 3 yo “pups” yesterday. Last weekend I introduced a baby to puppy agility skills and did his nails too. The heritage of the breed and welfare of my pups is everything. Vet said both incidences were completely bad luck. Extremely unusual as my girl is a super fit, beautifully put together Working Springer. First 2 litters (different bitch) were 4 surviving - again just bad luck - so not exactly potential for a gold mine. I work (in a demanding job) so I can afford to breed. A good repro vet, eye specialist, general vet and cancer specialist are expensive but priceless.

Back to the original question, last litter of 7....before I had a pup on the ground, I would have easily spent $2K on health testing, travel to meet several potential stud dogs, update puppy & whelping supplies etc and $2K stud fee, $2K on a caesarean (surprise to vet and myself - 2 pups trying to get out at the same time). 10 days later we had another bit of bad luck with Ginny coming down with gangrenous mastitis (day after a thorough vet check) which can be deadly - easily another $2K with multiple vet visits, extended multiple ABs and twice daily cleaning and bandaging. Not to mention time off work caring for her and the pups 24/7 - slept next to the whelping box for 4 weeks. Add in food, vaccinations, microchips, puppy packs and that’s another $2K. I kept one pup so that doesn’t leave much wriggle room in terms of expenses. That goes in no way to covering the time and effort I put into my dogs, puppies and puppy buyers. For life. I make no apologies for charging $2K/pup and will increase it next litter.

The day after Zig’s surgery (actually drugged up the same night he was happily staggering around trying to do the same) he was back flirting with the girls and very much his normal, happy self. Before the surgery he shook his head at the vet and cried. Not a concern since. Anti-inflammatories and ABs of course. The only occasional help he needs is to negotiate doors with his cone head and to rub his face because he can’t.