Staffyluv

No the blood would only be darker if it was old blood (an older bleed before the vomit).. It can be bright red, if the bleed was new and pain or something else caused the vomit.. They can't see a stomach ulcer by looking down the dogs throat - they need to put a tube down (dogs need to go to sleep for this)... If this is just the one time, I would let it ride but if it happens again - I would be insisting on further testing. Ollie had a small stomach ulcer and it did bleed a few times - the pain when these open up, can cause vomiting and the blood looked very fresh (almost like small diced up chilli bits)... He used to drink lots of water every day and he also had carafate tablets to help with it (and they were great)...

I agree with forced toilet breaks.. I just had a 2 year old foster and also have a 9 month old staffy cross here and both were not house trained. Here is what I did: Note my boys slept in the laundry with no outside access... First thing of a morning, we all go to the back yard so they can toilet - I say wees and they would sniff around and as each one did a wee I would say 'good boy, wees.' After every hour or so, you need to do this again and again. Make sure you do it right before bed to, after they drink or eat or have a play/training session. It took about a week before they both got it and the staffy still has the odd accident. His accidents are my fault - he is inside with me all the time (however has access to outside of a day), and if we do some playing or training and I forget, he might wee in the same spot he did when he arrived (has only happened a couple of times)... The key is consistency - you have to keep taking them out and keep telling them good job, good dog.. Make a fuss and use treats to if you want to... Good luck.

Those ears look like GSD puppy ears.... He is very cute.

So very cute... Congrats.

I use the same commands... I think it is an individual thing and what works for you and your dog

I had a text message from Gussys new mum this morning and he has settled really well. She followed the same routine that I was using (I wrote it out for her) and he went to bed without any fuss, was settled all night and happy to see them in the morning. I just knew this was the right home for him... It won't be long before we bring another baby home with us, Ziggy and I are both missing the extra company

I know, it took me 2 weeks of about 3 x 10 minute sessions a day to get him to sit and not wriggle out of it the minute he sat. I just had him out again and he did everything like he did it yesterday, he just gets it and so do I (I think :laugh: )... He also seems to really like it. I stopped and had the clicker in my hand and the whole time he just sat there waiting and looking at the clicker - so I release him with OK and off he went... I wish I had found this ages ago...

No Kavik I have not seen that one yet - slowly making my way through them though. Raineth, that is the one that I used yesterday - I could not believe how quickly he picked it up. In about 5-10 minutes he was laying down while I threw treats, clicked and rewarded and he just stayed. Ziggy is a bit fearful and very submissive (I dread to think what his life was like before we got him from the pound)... I am still getting him used to the lead as he is still a bit fearful of it, so we have been doing this at home with no lead... Our next project is to stop him pulling on the lead - he only does this when a noise startles him or he gets worried when we are out (I ignore this and just keep walking for now)... When walking I just give him the whole lead and he does pull a bit but I don't want to correct him just yet - I want him to not be afraid of it first. He needs to know that it is nothing to be afraid of...

kikopup videos on You Tube I have not trained many dogs - in fact our old stafford trained me, more than I trained him (I learned so much about dogs from him)... I watched a You Tube video from a lass called kikopup and have since watched many more (link above). I have put into action the sit, drop, stay and throwing treats away but clicking and rewarding for leaving them thrown treats and was totally amazed at how quickly our new staffy cross (Ziggy) picked this up.. He got excited when I picked up the clicker this morning (I was moving it into the training bag for later) - so we did 5 minutes more and he did it the morning like he had been doing it all his life. Personally I will be using her methods to keep going with this as it seems to be working for us... Any opinions on her methods?

Thanks all, I was really upset giving him away. It just felt wrong, even though I know it is the right thing for him... Our little staffy cross has been looking for him all afternoon. We have been on an extra walk, done some extra training and played heaps out the back. I am playing tug with him on the lounge in between typing this. I am not sure I am cut out to be a foster carer, as much as I want to be. I just get to attached. I will wait the 3 weeks to make sure Gussy is safe and in his forever home and then reassess it... I just need to toughen up a bit

Stomach ulcer perhaps. My old stafford had that a few times and it was a small ulcer. He had acimax to help with the stomach acid thing. If he got bad, I also gave him some mylanta. From memory it was 1ml for every 5kg of body weight. I hope she feels better soon, they do worry us when they are not well.

Thanks trifecta, I have a list from the vet on what to look out for. I was sure there was one here on DOL but when I searched I couldn't find it. He is fine today but missing his little foster buddy, as he went to his forever home this morning... I will just have to find him a new friend to play with but I really want to start some serious training with him. His eye is still red today but we have eye cream and he goes back for a free follow up visit to check his eye...

OK here we go... I have packed his bed, toys, some food, paperwork and his soft crate (it is his safe place, so he can take it with him). Lord, I have something in my eye here - how do you all do it??? I will be back blubbering like a baby with an update on how he settles in..

Same with us. Ollie dog was usually only wary around people that I was not comfortable with. I do think that dogs are perceptive though. All the years we had him there was only one kid that used to come here that he would just watch and have nothing to do with. That kid (now a 26 year old man) has just been sentenced to 15 years in prison for trying to kill someone.

I am so happy for him but I am so sad for me and Ziggy... Ziggy is going to miss him so much. I am really hoping that in time we can have a play date and or go walking together. I am planning on having our usual Sunday morning lay in (in my bed) tomorrow so I can get my last snuggle with him before taking him down.

My little guy is off to his forever home tomorrow at 11am He is moving in with a family with older kiss, a big backyard and just around the corner from me and a big park It is very conflicting, he is my first foster baby and as much as he could easily have been a foster failure, I know the new home is the best option for him. I am gonna miss him so much and so will our staffy baby

I always take my dogs to the vet if I have the slightest doubt that they are OK I swear I own shares in our vets practice after the many, many thousands spent on our old stafford when he was diagnosed with MCT

I just had him to the vet... No scratches on his eye but a bit of conjuctivitis, so we have drops... Tummy seems fine but vet said dry food in half his usual amount only... He seems OK, I am just a worrier..

The reasonably new staffy cross has what looks like a sore eye this morning - tis a bit weepy and a little swollen (not really noticable unless you look) but still open and the white is a little red. My theory is that he has some dirt in it (from moving my backyard around).. As it is a bit inflammed, what is the best home remedy to wash it out? He also decided yesterday that my cherry tomatoes were really delish and although I put it up on the table, he stood on his back legs yesterday afternoon and ate all the tomatoes off it (I feel he had some help from the Kelpie but he seems OK). It does not look like he has eaten the plant, just the fruit but both red and green. I do recall something about green tomatoes but can't for the life of me find anything on it (on DOL). He had a normal poo this morning and has just done a bit more that is a bit runny - I guess the tomatoes don't agree with him. He is a bit of a food thief and has worked out how to get to the fruit bowl and knocked off a couple of nectarines as well (he didn't eat the seed as they were both on his mat on the deck)... He seems mostly OK, a bit flat but I think he might have a bit of a tummy ache from all that he got into yesterday. Does this warrant a vet visit or should I just wash his eye, limit his food to a some frozen chook broth and let him rest? Thank you so much - it has been so long since I dealt with a 'normal' dog (Ollie even with cancer was really easy and I just knew him)...

Awesome news Dru - so glad he is home...

I was going to suggest that to him when he calls again...

Everything crossed here for a safe return of the little guy.

He will be at home while he is at work, so I am thinking it might not be the best option - a Kelpie cross alone most days while their only human is at work... But you're also right about him seeing me and me seeing him if he lives around the corner - oh why do we get so attached to them??? The local family have contacted me back with their completed adoption forms, which I have to give to ARF.. So I think this will be his forever home - they are really lovely and there will nearly always be someone at home (he won't be on his own for long periods). Mum works part time, so does the older boy and the daughter (who was totally smitten with him) is 14... It is a great home, with nice people and a good yard - he will be loved, walked, played with and trained... I can't ask much more.

Gussy had his first meeting with a family that live just around the corner from me (we can still have play dates)... They have totally fallen in love with him, which I knew they would. He was on his very best behaviour, he came every time he was called back, sat up really straight for treats when he sat and was an absolute joy to show off... They have a really great yard and older kids to play with him. He would be an only dog, but I am confident he will be fine on his own as he will get walks every day and play time every afternoon as well. He will be allowed inside to, which was very important to me (and Gus)... We just had a call back from the family and they would like the adoption papers to complete for him, so I will drop them off later today so they can complete them. We are still waiting to hear back from the Bondi lifeguard that was so keen on Gus yesterday to make a time to meet him - he is travelling down from Sydney today or tomorrow. Then I guess if he likes Gus, he can complete an adoption form and the best home will be selected for Gus out of the two... I am so conflicted at the moment - on the one hand I am so happy that Gussy might have a forever home but on the other, he was the medicine that kept me busy and helped me so much when we lost my husband and then Ollie dog 3 weeks later.. It will be sad and joyful to see him to a forever home. I am leaning towards the local family - only because I will get to see him.. If he goes to Sydney, I will probably never see him again...

Not everyone goes into rescue so I thought I would like to share this here. I have a little foster Kelpie cross called Gus. One of the Bondi Rescue lifeguards has been searching for a dog and found Gus on the ACT Rescue and Foster website - he has been emailing me for a week or so and is coming down to meet him tomorrow. He told me what he does (but I did not put it together) and I talked for ages about Gussy and how wonderful he is and Andrew was so excited about him and kept saying I saw him on the website and I just knew I had to meet him. Well the producer called back about 5 minutes after we hung up and asked if I approved of them using the phone conversation in the show. Yay for the wonderful Gussy - he could end up famous, hanging out on Bondi Beach.. We are also off to meet a local family tomorrow morning - I want to keep all my options open for Gus, so he gets the best home for him. Just had to share...