Working Dog Lover

Dr Richard Eaton Wells operated on my ACD who had a fractured lateral fabella, which is a small bone behind her knee, when she was quite young. He did a great job and she went on to gain a Masters title in agility. Later in life, when she was about 10, he repaired her ruptured cruciate ligament and she recovered brilliantly. I personally would have no hesitation in having him operate on any of my dogs. I've had no experience with the other surgeon you mentioned so can't comment there. Audrey

Dr Richard Eaton-Wells West Chermside Specialist Centre Appleby Rd Everton Hills(I think it's Everton Hills) He has operated on my dog in the past with excellent results.

I don't show my dogs, but they live inside with me and sit on the couch for a cuddle etc etc. They get bathed at the boarding kennels if they're in there, and they go in there maybe once a year if that. I don't bath them at all. They have stunning shiny healthy luxurious coats, they don't smell, and when you pat them, your hands don't get dirty. They're fed a mixture of raw meaty bones and premium kibble, and get plenty of exercise. Maybe I'm just fortunate, but I've always done that with my dogs, for the past 15 years, and I've never had a skin allergy, any irritations etc etc. In my (probaby not so) humble opinion, the main issues involved in skin disorders (apart from individual medical conditions eg allergies) are diet, washing and parasite control. Get them right, and you're half way there. Oh, I have an Australian Cattle Dog and a Working Kelpie. Very low maintenance coats. Audrey

Hi Just trying to get a hold of anybody who knows anybody in the sledding club in QLD - I think it's Northern Exposure. I've emailed the contact on their website, and their secretary but no reply. It is school holidays so they may be away, but the email to the club addy was a few weeks ago. Just would like to know if they'd share details of how they got their permits to sled in the Glasshouse Mountains forestry areas - I'm looking at organising a doggy event in that area next year, and don't want to necessarily reinvent the wheel. There won't be any competition with them at all, but chatting to them may just save us some time. As an aside, if any other sledding clubs use any areas in S E Qld, I'd love to hear from you - I believe there's an area near Stanthorpe that is state forest and could be used for dog events. Thanks Audrey

I work in a vet surgery, and we're always more than happy for people who are experienced in different breeds to give us more information on their particular breed. To my way of thinking, the definition of clueless is a vet who doesn't take into account a breeder's experience. Aren't we all on the same side, working towards better health for the dogs? Having said that, I will say I've heard some really really tall tales from breeders Audrey

I still go there, have done puppy preschool, obedience and flyball... instructors are competent and do continue their own learning about dog training, methods are positive (food/clicker) and I find there's generally a good feel to the club. I like it a lot. Audrey

I remember seeing a dog come into the vet surgery I was working at some years ago, with a pair of pink fluorescent underpants hanging out of its backside. It's amazing what passes through a dog's intestines! Audrey

Thanks Vickie. Audrey

Sorry, jbbb, the girl is fast! They're bagged, sealed and addressed... you might need to sweet talk her Thanks for the vote, myxzka - btw, love your sig! Might have to borrow it. Audrey

Would love to meet up, but I'm in Queensland. PM me your address and I'll post it tomorrow. Don't worry about payment, my hubby has a business from home and he's got lots of the 500g satchels, so I'll put it in that. Trade ya for a vote for my son's piccy in the computer comp? (see my sig) Audrey

I have three sample packs of Vets All Natural Complete Mix, Adult Dog 2-8 years old, Senior Dog 8 years plus. They're reasonable sized samples. Two are unopened, one has been opened and I tried a little of it with my dogs. It's been ziplocked ever since. I don't plan on continuing using it, so if anyone would like it, please pm me with your address and I'll put it in the mail to you. There's nothing wrong with it, I just don't plan on it being part of our feeding program. No payment required. Cheers Audrey

I'd like to get back into agility training with my dog but at the moment, the local clubs don't have a suitable class at a time that fits in with my family committments. Are there any private trainers on the northside who could get us started until such time as I could get to a club? Thanks Audrey

Sidoney, all of Guinness's breeders dogs have prick ears, so he's got prick eared genes :-) Audrey

I have trained at Pine Rivers recently and have been very happy with them. We've done puppy preschool and are now in regular obedience classes, the instructors are very competent. Audrey

Guinness at 5 months is exactly the same as Xia was at that age, so I'm still hopeful It's starting to lift now, but is only up properly when the wind blows it up, hehe. Audrey

http://dognewsoftheworld.blogspot.com/2007...obal-sport.html I especially loved the comment from the lady - "When I tell my friends I dance with my dog, they think I have a screw loose!". LOL. I think she's in good company. Audrey

I've tried styptic powder, but I've had a lot more success with condy's crystals, I think you can get them from the chemist. I dampen the end of a cotton bud and dip it in the crystals, then hold it to the cut end of the nail. Works a treat, but don't let your dog back in for a while if you have white carpet, LOL. It's very purple. Audrey

One of the viruses involved in kennel cough is a parainfluenza virus. There's a news report from part of the US about canine flu, but as yet I've not been able to check out whether it's PI or some other virus. Will keep googling. Interesting though, given the issues with horses at the moment.. http://dognewsoftheworld.blogspot.com/2007...01_archive.html Audrey

Thanks for the heads up, hadn't really read too much about it and didn't know much about Bruce Syme, didn't know it was meant to go with bones. Not sure if I'll continue with it after the sample is gone, for the past 15 years my dogs have lived long and well on a diet of a bit of premium dry food for breakfast and a big raw meaty bone in the evening, so may end up just continuing with that. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, eh? Audrey

I won the raffle at dog club on Monday night, and it was a good sized sample of Dr Bruce's Vets All Natural - it's got grains, kelp, garlic etc and you soak it in water, then add it to red meat to make a balanced barf diet. Smells great! Has anybody used this for any length of time, how have you found it? It may claim to be balanced, but if that's all a dog gets, they'd have pretty poxy teeth after a while. I can't imagine my dogs not getting a big raw bone as part of their daily tucker. Audrey

Was looking at the price of prepackaged treats like schmackos today, and they work out to over $10 per kilo. My hubby wasn't impressed last time I bought some chook on special for my dogs, but when you work it out, it's just as cheap. I picked up some chicken thigh for $7 something a kilo, a little bit of liver, a bit of cheese and some cocktail frankfurts and plan on making my own treats. It's cheaper, but a little more work, and my dog likes that a whole lot better than the prepackaged ones. Anybody tried drying chicken the way you do liver? I cooked it up last time and it was sticky and greasy, going to try dehydrating it this time. Audrey

I love Morgan Spector too. If you're looking for a training/behaviour/dog psychology book that's very pro clicker training, have a read of Jean Donaldson's book "Culture Clash". One of my all time favourite reads. Audrey

I love roo tail, lots of meat and very lean. Also had some yummy looking turkey wings of late, they're huge with loads of meat on them. Audrey

That is one bizarre vet, IMHO. Won't desex, yet culls on the basis of colour. I used to know an old man who believed that all dogs should be left entire as it was unnatural to desex them, and it was also unnatural to confine them because they were meant to run free. I'm not sure he'd thought out the consequences!!! I used to breed and show fancy mice, and my non breeding boys were always desexed, that way they could live with a friend. If in doubt, cut 'em out, I reckon Audrey

From a European veterinarian: Try Ginger capsules 250 mg, 1 or 2 capsules per dog half an hour before travelling. Will last around 4 to 6 hours. Can't see there being any adverse effects to ginger, and it may help. Audrey