Chaddy's Mummy

Hi Guys, Myself and hubby are looking at getting a new doggie (to add to our border collie cross terrier). We've decided that we would love to have a Great Dane (we live on a farm), and I have been researching about them that they cannot be excercised much in the first 12 months of life and that you need to use a rubber mit to increase their blood supply to their skin. Is there anything else? Like how often should you feed such a large dog (ie. brekky lunch and dinner) or the same as our current dog (2 small meals and plenty of fresh chicken)??? Also, what is the best type of dry nibbles for a medium sized dog? Eukanaba? If you know of any Great Dane breeders in the Melbourne area, please hook me up with an email addy!! Thanks so much, Very Excited About My New Doggie!

Hi, my BC has what i consider "normal" coloured faeces, however, he has a couple of bowel movements a day. Are they like humans and this may be considered a tad abnormal? Each stool is firm. :D

Can you please suggest some dry nibbles that does not contain wheat? I also heard that feeding them a raw egg a week can help their coat? Thanks.

I guess that rules out spaghetti! Although, in the health food shops, you can buy vegetable pasta. What about brown rice for rissotto?

I am so sorry to hear about your loss. She looks gorgeous.

I have a 2yr old border collie with repeated skin problems. His skin goes red and rash-like only in patches. I have been to 3 vets, all of which have given him different creams and tablets. It doesnt seem to come in certain weathers, just randomly. It seems to bother him and he licks it, so i am always using his elizabethan collar. The vet I am taking Chad too is one that I am happy with, he seems to love animals, not just be a vet for the money. Except, after Chad's annual injections, I asked about the skin condition, and all he could suggest is to variate Chad's diet until I pin point the cause. I already cant feed him kangaroo meat, as he vomits it back up. It cannot be his shampoo either, as that does not seem to cause any side effects. I feed Chad a range of fresh chicken, marrow bones, beneful nibbles (im buying eukanaba next), my dog and natures gift canned food. He is a very picky eater. He absolutely loves spaghetti and rissotto! I am happy to continue cooking him rissotto, I just need a suggestion of what ingredients / vitamins to include. Thanks. PS. Chad wont eat carrots. ;)

This is really interesting, when I adopted my border collie he was really scared of the leash when we tried to walk him. He eventually got used to it, with us coaxing him and playing with him when he had the leash on. Now when he sees it, its a task to stop him from jumping and barking and getting way too excited. Oh yeh, he feels ripped off is he gets a ball without a squeek!

Sorry, I should have been more specific. Yes, HUMAN females are his target! He has been desexed since we got him from the adoption home, so I cant relate his behaviour to high amounts of testosterone or anything..... His 'up close inquisitiveness' is rather embarrasing for me as his owner!

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to reply! I am taking on board the wonderful advice, and will keep you updated in my progress. Just one last question, could this reasoning of anxiety also be behind Chad sniffing the crotch of any female near him? Ive only seen him do it once or twice to a male. I know im making him sound like a bit of a womaniser, but he is really very sweet and innocent.... (just a little naughty) Thanks.

Thanks Erny! What you say is really interesting, turns out poor little Chad is very complicated!! I think I might go with your idea of removing certain people from the house, and the home alone toy sounds good. I think Ill do this over the next couple of weeks (with no good clothes on the washing line of course), and see how I go. I like the idea of getting a behaviourist in, but ill try the other two suggestions first (work up hubby for the price tag of the behaviourist!)

Sorry Erny, I didnt answer all your questions. He has tennis balls, tug ropes, squeaky balls (he LOVES squeaky balls), tunnels, teddy bears (one is his sex toy it seems), bones, etc. He loves throwing the ball up in the air and catching it himself. He likes to play by himself. He particularly targets my 'lingerie' (LOL), however, now that I wind UP the washing line he can only reach pants and shirts and things. He seems to have a crush on my dressing gown, he always (without fail) rips it off and sleeps in it. It doesnt get put on the line anymore.

Thanks, thats a good idea (Might be a good idea to set up a video camera and tape it for laughs). I know, Im cruel.

Hi, Myself n hubby adopted him from the lost dogs home about 14 months ago. When we first adopted him, I was home on holidays for a few weeks. After I went back to work, he started pulling my clothes off the line. Someone told me its because he blames me for me not being home??? He only pulls off the washing when no one is home. He regularly gets exercise, but I dont do it at set points during the day. Is that the problem? I just take him when I get home from work/finished chores/etc. Each time I play ball with him is about 30 min sessions, and his walk is about an hour each time. He gets a ball game and walk once each per day. He is really fit and agile, we have a family farm that he runs non stop until he collapses nearly every Sunday when we go there (he chases the farm's ducks).

Thats hilarious, Sky. Not sure its that eco-friendly though! I suggest to my partner getting another dog to entertain our current one, but then we'll have 2 dogs swinging off the clothes on the line. Chad (the naughty one) pulls off everyone's clothes, but he only rips up mine. Grrr.

Hi Yeh my dog pulled the lining out of his kennel, so I let him go a couple of days n night without a blanket (mean, I know - he sleeps at the end of my bed at night). So when i eventually replaced it, its stayed there! What hot sauce is ok for a dog?

Hi there, I have a border collie that is kept in a medium sized yard. He is 2 yrs old, and gets walked every day, sometimes twice. I always have food and water for him (I know some people recommend leaving food out for 20mins). He has plenty of toys and blankets that are constantly replenished. He has one annoying habit = ripping the washing off the line!! Can anyone please suggest ways to stop this before I go insane! Someone suggested to me putting plastic shopping bags full of water on the line, so when he pulls them off, theyll wet him. I think this sounds pretty unsafe. He also likes chasing the birds, but that is something myself and the birds can deal with. I'd really rather not tie him up all day, i'd like him to be free to wander around the yard when Im not home. Thanks, Liz.

Hi All This is really interesting, my Border Collie gets both ends running if we feed him fresh Kangaroo meat. He loves fresh chicken and doesnt seem to react to it. Why is that?

It is of my understanding that the charcoal itself is of no harm to a mammal. The possible carcinogenic component of charcoal is when it occurs on grilled meat. This is because during the process of grilling red meats or chicken, chemicals are produced (called Heterocyclic Amines) that are of a non-dangerous form when the meat is not grilled. Any other possible carcinogenic factors about charcoal is when they are heated it is possible (not proven yet) that the heating reaction creates a chemical that is expelled by the charcoal into the smoke. I would expect that no one would heat up a charcoal tablet before consuming or feeding it to their dog. I am in no means ignorant to the importance of a high quality diet in a dog's life.

Hi all You can get charcoal tablets from any chemist that is safe to feed to a dog (following the instructions of course). This almost stops flatulence! I work in a chemist myself, and there is many many dogs in melbourne taking charcoal tablets!

Thanks for the replies!! Would Kelp really help? Ive never heard of that! Is it just the vitamins you buy at a chemist? I feed my dog Nature's Gift already, and some fresh meat. Where would I buy Eagle Pack nibbles? He has lots of energy, so maybe I'm just getting worried over nothing. Im going to book him in for a couple of needles he needs, just routine ones, Ill get the vet to check him over and see what he suggests. Thanks.

Hi, Thanks for the quick reply. I have already taken him to the vet, and he said you should be able to feel his last rib. You can feel the last rib on the dog, however, I think I want a second opinion, as he looks very skinny. Is that just the normal build of a Border Collie?

Hello Everyone, Im new to the forum! I just have a quick question about my two yr old male Border Collie. We adopted him from the Lost Dog's Home about 14 months ago, and he seems to have settled in fine. However, he never eats his dinner (consisting of fresh chicken or red meat, Pedigree nibbles, chub and whatever house scraps). Ive tried buying him lamb shanks, marrow bones and even rump steak!! He just isnt interested, and just eats what seems to be the basic minimum. When we got him from the Dog's Home, he needed antibiotics for a bug he had, he had kennel cough and fleas. We have treated the fleas and everything is OK with his health at the moment. He is an only dog at the moment, we are wanting to get a lab in about 6 months or so. Any suggestions? Liz.