poodlefan

Bladder control in a 4 month old isn't great. If you're not making it to her very quickly when she cries, she may not be able to hold on. If this persists, a vet check might be in order. It might be a urinary tract infection. However if this is the only time she has an accident, I think its more likely to be lack of bladder control. You'd better start sleeping in sprinting spikes! :wink:

As I see it, an instinctive response isn't necessarily a compelled one. The instinct to chase is very strong in some dogs but they can be selective about what they chase, for how long they chase or indeed when they do it. A dog that enjoys retrieving may choose not to under some circumstances. Dogs that work through pain will have strong drives but all will have their limits. Without a doubt a dog that enjoys what you're asking of it is going to be a lot more willing to persevere.

Awww CRAP. :D

Ring your vet and get a recommedation. I don't use them but I understand that there are some topical (spot) treatments that cover intestinal worms. One of these may be the go.

I bet that's a relief.

If you're looking for a vet used to giving anaesthesia to dogs with low levels of subcutaneous fat BB, look for someone that sees a lot of Greyhounds.

Oooh another agility whippet in the making! We'll need to start a campaign to see it introduced at Specialty Shows. Young Howard will start training next year. I give all my agility dogs Jointguard and they get regular chiropractic adjustments. My dogs aren't keen on tablets so I give the Jointguard in milk every morning. It seems palatable enough to them. I buy it online - its cheaper that way. ETA: 12 months is young to be jumping. I's suggest you keep the jump heights down (below knee height) for a few months yet.

I've had young male dogs who've routinely piddled on their front legs, chests or hind legs. Fortunately their aims improved. :rolleyes: Teething dogs can have bad breath.

There's agility at Kyeamba over at San Isidore but I don't know how many people train. They have trials coming up soon.

Let us know how you go Kiwioz!

There is a behaviourist in your area that is highly recommended by DOLers - Jane Harper? Hopefully locals can confirm that and give you contact details. If your dog is increasingly finding himself exposed to what he fears and onlead which means he cannot flee, an escalation of aggression is one possible coping strategy. It may be that he's going for the preemptive strike and warning others to keep away. For the meantime, I suggest you give your dog some distance from strange approaching dogs and don't ask him to assume a position he may believe makes him vulnerable (eg sitting) to stop any further escalation. Keep yourself between him and what he fears.

Get some decent professional help. It does sound like fear aggression that has its origins in the attack but you need a professional to assess the situation.

If you don't separate matts as they form, no amount of brushing helps - you just go over the top. I'd suggest you get an undercoat rake and remove that - it may help the coat grow better. Right now, the under and overcoats are the same length and that would not be helping. Long haired dogs don't need to be trimmed in summer if they are kept well groomed and provided with adequate shelter from the elements.

You can't cure stupidity or arrogance with knowledge. ;) Ignorance is far easier to deal with.

rish: Little smacks that don't work. :rolleyes:

His urine? Does he manage to pee on himself? He'd not be the first boy to do it on a regular basis.

Hmmm sounds like I need to be feeding larger bones more frequently.

Ah the joys of working dogs.. they'd run into the ground if you let them.

I don't feed cooked bones. I feed a raw diet with plenty of raw bones (chicken and larger ones) but my dogs STILL need periodic dental work. So much for the "dentists sell kibble cos it doesn't clean teeth" conspiracy theory. :wink: Tartar build up is on their front teeth only and my vet said that short of providing suitable prey for them to regularly tear apart, some tartar build up on canines and incisors is inevitable. As I will not buy whole carcasses and chuck them in the back yard, it looks like some dental work will be necessary. Fortunately, a clean every few years does for all but the toy poodle who needs her teeth cleaned daily by me.

I do use a ball thrower for Darcy but it is not his only, nor his primary, source of exercise. Moderation is the key I think.

My vet said that a 16 week vaccs wasn't necessary and that immunity would be in place from 72 hours after the second.

If you're going to smack anyone for her pooing inside, smack yourself. She's a bub with the runs and she'd have very little bowel control. If you want her to poo outside, get her out regularly and praise her for the right thing. Unless you actually catch her in the act of toileting inside, she won't know what you are smacking her for anyway. If you do catch her in the act, just an "uh uh" and pick her up to be whisked outside would be more effective. When you are at the vet, see if they have a puppy pre-school. I think both you and she would enjoy it and learn a lot.

Let me think.. exposing an entire male dog to the delights of mating ONCE will settle him down? I don't think so. He'll know what he's missing from that day forward. She needs to TRAIN the dog, not get it to have sex. He's guarding her just like he'd guard a bone. Sex won't change that.

I'd suggest keeping sessions short (5 minutes), only when the dogs are warmed up, and perhaps given how motivating they find it, to predominantly as a reward after training. I tend to use a ball during training as a jackpot for Darcy as he lives to chase one. Even short tosses are what he likes.

I'd be looking at your backyard before assuming she is catching fleas from other pups at puppy school. Cats are a very common source of fleas - if they visit your backyard, then its likely that's where your pup is getting them from. Eucalyptus, lavender oil and tea tree oil while natural, are still chemicals. I think its better to use one treatment that works than to add a range of chemicals that are ineffective. If you have other pets that can catch fleas, treat all of them at the same time.