Staffyluv

Ziggy is a total garbage guts and tends to ingest lots of things like bits of thread off his rope toys, fruit that he steals from the fruit bowl, small rocks, cardboard and whatever else that is chewable... So far so good, no real issues but his tummy does get a bit noisy from time to time.. Edited because I obviously can't type correctly on the iPhone or iPad ETA - to the OP, I don't usually worry about a noisy tummy unless it is accompanied by other symptoms - like trying to hide, looking like they are sick or uncomfortable with it, if the tummy is really tight (like full of gas), or pup has not been to the toilet as usual... If it is just noisy and he is laying there or asleep, then I don't worry about it.

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My son tried the 'dog' rocks for his Wei, didn't work. If you put too much vinegar in the water the dogs won't drink it, I pu aout 20ml into 1 litre of water. That is about all I used, I used a medicine cup (30ml) in their water bowl that is a 2L ceramic dish (it is only filled to just below the top, so the ratios would be similar to what you used. The dogs wouldn't go near it... Our foster girl is gone now and it doesn't happen with our boy.

Just wanted to share a few new pics of the boy.. We don't have a foster baby at the moment so it is just him by himself. His new collar, thanks Ruthless IMG_0239 by Jodie Moore Photos, on Flickr Oh no I didn't IMG_0320 by Jodie Moore Photos, on Flickr Sleeping on the big bed IMG_0247 by Jodie Moore Photos, on Flickr Hanging with the big boys IMG_0287 by Jodie Moore Photos, on Flickr C&C welcomed...

After reading this thread, if I had your sisters name and address I would report her to the RSPCA for neglecting to treat an animal.. I will be honest, I simply do not believe your sister when she said that the vet said wait a month. A vet might suggest to wait a day or two at most but then they say to bring an animal in for a check up... When we purchase animals we have a duty of care to feed, water, house and treat them.. Even if it is only the basics.. I realise you have tried to intervene and help the dog but it is now time for some action before this poor animal gets any worse.. As a dog lover yourself (and you seem to adore your girl and want to do the best for her, I don't know how you can watch what is happening to your sisters dog - I know I couldn't sit by and watch a once healthy dog get sicker and sicker and not do something about it... This poor dog cold have anything from giardiasis to some type of cancer or pancreatitis... Hopefully it is something easily treated and the dog can be well again.. But the animal needs to be seen and treated by a responsible vet, in another town if necessary... This is such a very sad story for the dog involved....

Ziggy is a one dog demolition crew... He was doing the same thing. He is now given things that he allowed to chew up, like big boxes etc. He also has a kong stuffed every couple of days and that keeps him busy for a while. Bones make for good chew things and take ages to get through. He also has a really big ball from petstock that he can only just get his mouth around but it is good because he can't rip it to pieces and it keeps him busy trying. The other thing we did was teach him to come and to bring it... If we say bring it, he returns what he has in his mouth to us for a treat... This is how I get my shoes back... Because like yours, he loves a game of chase... I simply won't chase him for things that he is not supposed to have, it turns it into a game and it's not a game when he has something he is not supposed to have.

Interesting advice, considering the majority of kibble is filler ;) I did say they don't need filler.. Not that the OP shouldn't use it... I use kibble as I foster and simply can't afford to feed barf to all the dogs (as I run 2 businesses, it is easier for me to buy the patties made up)..

I commend you on wanting to feed your dogs raw foods, it is very good for them... Dogs don't need filler... They need a good balance of nutrients... I feed a mix of barf and royal canin (it was Nutro but we changed) and raw bones... He gets a cup of kibble in the morning with a few chicken necks or some tinned sardines in oil. A bone or turkey neck every second day Barf patty and some more kibble of a night. He is a one year old staffy cross (whos is more amstaff size than staffy sized) who does heaps of exercise and is sitting at a very good weight for him at the moment. Not all diets are suitable for all dogs and you soon realise if your dog is doing well on what you are giving them. Good luck with it.

I was told about the cider vinegar in the water but the dogs wouldn't touch it heir water with it added. There are also some sort of rocks you can get from the pet shop that help as well but I can't remember what they are called (I started a thread about this about a month ago)... I ended up just putting up with it because it was my sweet foster girl causing it. My desexed boy is fine and doesn't cause the burning off... So now it is just him and I again, the grass is coming back already...

Ha, love it... He is such a handsome boy...

I love the second choice of fabrics and leather... Really pretty.. I love my bag, I don't think it has been put away since I bought it... It holds the new camera and the 50mm lens with room to spare for wallet, keys and phone... Definitely one of my better investments...

Yeah we used to mix it up to... Sometimes as a treat I would add a teaspoon of manuka honey to.

Same Ziggy will eat anything.. He steals all the tomatoes off the vines and all the strawberries off the plants In the pot. He even eats the spinach, parsley and sage herbs that I have growing in pots... He loves all fruit and veg that we have offered him...

I have ceramic bowls. 2 food bowls, one for wet and one for dry (or if we have foster dogs, they just get one each) 1 large one for water. It seems to keep the water cooler in summer.

That's great Staffyluv! And the icing on the cake is she contacted me today to ask me if there was anywhere in Queanbeyan that would be suitable.. Even better that is where we live. I really can't wait to get him into this. Even our trainer said he needs this to learn to deal with distraction... Totally excited.

I used to give flax oil and cottage cheese to Ollie. Not that much though. He would get a cople of tablespoons of cottage cheese to a teaspoon of flax oil... I also used tinned tuna and sardines and put flax oil on them. A teaspoon at a time... I think from memory that he used to have about 4 teaspoons a day...

Yet another month has flown by old man... 7 months today since you had to leave me. I don't think I will ever get over losing you, I still fall apart at how much I miss you and your silly old dog antics... Miss you buddy

I have lived here for over 15 years and I own the place outright... I won't be moving. In saying that, the back neighbours have lived there for about 10 years or so... In all that time, they came around and asked us to stop the dog barking, we explained it wasn't Ollie as he is inside when we are not home... We suggested it was probably the dogs next door to us.. A disagreement ensued between my husband and the other guy when the other guy suggested our 'insert expletive' dog is a menace and disturbs his peace... OH told him to take a flying leap (not necessarily those words).. They left and about a week later we found the chunk of steak in the backyard with what looked like green stuff (we assumed ratsak).. We told the police at the time and nothing further has happened in all those years... I took the big fence down on my side as the kids are older and jump in my yard to get toys when they get hit over the fence... I thought I was doing the right thing by the kids as I really don't want to see them get hurt... It was an old mini orb fence and rusty on the edges... I don't think for a minute that Ziggy is in any danger whatsoever.. If I did, I would act accordingly. I think the kids were probably playing with him through the fence and my son saw the end of it... These kids don't come across as horrors.. They are just little kids... I think it is unfortunate that they were poking the stump through the fence and Ziggy got it,mthey are now down a stump for their games... Ziggy is not a danger to them coming in the yard (my concern was them hurting themselves on the big tin fence as they are little kids)... I don't want to approach the parents as there was that one issue years ago... It is easier to let it be... Ziggy ends up with extra toys (if i dont get them before he chews them up and give them back to the kids) and I don't have to have a disagreement with my neighbours... I believe kids should be taught how to approach the owners of dogs and ask if they can interact with the dog before touching it... However, not everyone views dogs like I do and I realise there will always be inappropriate people who let their kids run up to unknown dogs... Lucky for me Ziggy is pretty bombproof when it comes to kids...

We used to joke all the time that Ollie dog would help them by carrying the remote if anyone ever broke into our place.. Ziggy isn't much better, he lets anyone in if they have food or a tennis ball... I hope your friend has insurance... It is a terrible feeling knowing someone has been in your home uninvited and worse that they stole from you. I despise thieves.. I have never understood why some people think it is OK to take something that isn't theirs.

Me neither Stan's mum. And although my children are not angels by any means, neither of them would torment an animal. But then, they have been raised to be interested in/ care about all creatures big and small. I don't think they deliberately torment him to hurt him - I think it is more a case of he is there and they come to the fence so he gets excited and they respond by putting something through the fence and he grabs it.. I honestly don't think they mean to cause harm to him, they really are just being kids (kids who lose their toys to the boofhead next door type kids)... Staffyluv The children certainly may not be trying to hurt him but they are obviously trying to get a reaction. When they don't get the desired reaction from your guy, will they escalate their actions? I'm sure the boys over our back fence weren't intending to hurt Arnie either - they just enjoyed stirring him up. It's the psychological damage that's been inflicted that's irrepairable. If the parents aren't approachable, I would be quickly confiscating the items that land in your yard and insisting the kids come to your front door to get them back or they won't. Maybe put back the colourbond and if you're concerned about them getting cut cover raw edge with some plastic/rubber hosing. We bought cheap capping to put on ours from Pinus Sawmills. Wishing now the turds got cut on our fence. Lucky for us Ziggy isn't normally that interested in them but we are going to recover the paling fence with the bamboo reed stuff in a few weeks.. I have busted them heaps of times in the backyard and I tell them every time to come to the front door and ask for their stuff as I don't want them jumping into the backyard.. It falls on deaf ears, they continue to jump the fence... It has been going on for over 12 months... I really can't be bothered with conflict by speaking with the parents... Maybe they have mellowed over the years but judging by the way they call the kids and the dog I doubt it... So long as they cause no harm to Ziggy I don't really care anymore as I don't think they can really hurt themselves by jumping into the yard... This is the first time that there seems to have been any real interaction between Ziggy and the kids.. I can limit his time in that section of yard to when I am with him, so I might do that until we get the bamboo screen for the fence... On the upside at least he gets lots of toys to chew up, so it saves me a fortune in chew toys... :)

No padriac it is not the current situation - the meat in the backyard happened about 10 years ago now.. Nothing has happened since - which is why I said, we believe it was them but could never prove it. They didn't have kids at the time and were complaining about barking dogs - thinking it was ours (it wasn't it was another neighbours dogs, but that is another story - it turned into a disagreement between him and my husband a long time ago and we have not had anything to do with them since)... Until now when I took down the metal fence leaving the much lower and less private paling fence.. Honestly, I never see the parents... There has been no issue since like that since that once off time, many years ago.

Great news for us.. Our trainer is going to start group lessons in June, so we have signed up with her... I can't wait to start and I know Ziggy and I will be so much better for it.

Me neither Stan's mum. And although my children are not angels by any means, neither of them would torment an animal. But then, they have been raised to be interested in/ care about all creatures big and small. I don't think they deliberately torment him to hurt him - I think it is more a case of he is there and they come to the fence so he gets excited and they respond by putting something through the fence and he grabs it.. I honestly don't think they mean to cause harm to him, they really are just being kids (kids who lose their toys to the boofhead next door type kids)...

I agree. The kids need to be educated and their parents need to be told. I have spoken to the kids dozens of times about jumping in my yard to get their toys - I took down a 6 foot iron fence so they wouldn't hurt themselves and just left the normal 1200 high paling fence - not sure what is worse, worrying about them cutting themselves on the iron fence trying to get over and back or tormenting the dog through the paling fence... The parents are total toads - these are the ones from years ago that we believed put a piece of steak over the fence with what looked like green ratsak in it.. Lucky for us Ollie wouldn't eat anything raw, so he never ate it and Dan found it in the yard... We can't prove it so we just stayed away from them - mind you they didn't have any kids back then... They also have a dog so I don't want any issues with them... I guess Ziggy will just end up with more toys

Wow that would be great.. I will keep my ears and eyes open for an update