poodlefan

Did it work?

I'm glad no one videoed it the day I fell flat on my arse.. As always the agility onlookers were quick to respond with a supportive and caring cry of "don't touch the dog!"

They're probably also two of the most common breeds, period. Those sorts of stats don't help much unless you know absolute numbers. I can pretty much guarantee, for example, that an Italian Pointing Dog won't be on the NSW stats.. because there aren't any IN NSW.

You could substitute a home-made BARF mix for the scraps and kibble. You probably really need to talk to Giant breed BARFer and there is one on here.. I'll email her.

Puree them or put them through a juicer and feed the pulp.

Yep. For the following reasons: * They'd have to be there to get the timing of the aversive right EVERY time he does it. * Given how motivating car chasing is, I don't citronella would be a sufficient deterrant. My suggestions would be to build him a secure run or work out a good tie out chain. I hate chains but it sure beats a dog being run over.

Can't they just secure it behind fencing?

Are they shedding any blood? It could just be very rough play. I'd be stopping it when it gets too rough and giving them a time out.

What are you feeding her now? Rice and meat as a diet would be highly calcium deficient.. a really bad idea for any pup but a disaster for a large breed one.

I would suggest you go out and buy a copy of Dr Billinghurst's book Grow Your Pups with Bones. You can also search on the terms "BARF" and "raw feeding" here. Dogs don't need grains in their diets - they can't digest them.

Whatever... Have a nice life.

You asked for advice because you were contemplating limiting your pups water intake. I gave it. So now I'm a nazi. And YOU feel insulted. Please point me to the parts of my advice that call you a bad dog owner and accuse you of getting your dog on a whim... Large dogs are clingier.. that's a new one.

The only reason your pup would be "drinking too much" is if he has a health issue. I'd be visiting the vet to discuss that before restricting his access to water. Seems to me that most of the training occuring at the moment is the pup training you to get his own way. The basic rule for no accidents is that if you cannot supervise him, put him outside or in his crate. If you never leave him alone, he'll never get used to being alone. Even doing it for 5 minutes is a good thing. He should learn that being crated or left alone is no big deal and you can help him to tolerate time on his own by leaving him with boredom busting toys or treats. The fact that he's crying when you go and when you come home doesn't necessarily mean that he does it when you're gone. If you are making a big thing of coming and going, rest assured he will too. Also, put him in his crate when you are around. It could be in the corner of the lounge room and he can learn that it doesn't automatically mean he's going to be left alone. Feed him in it, give him treats in it, make a nice place for him to be. I'll give you the same advice I give every puppy owner... when problems arise, look at YOUR actions before you find something wrong with the pup . He will be the product of the training you give him. My vets rule of thumb is that every accident you allow him (that's right it's your fault if he toilets inside) will produce five more. You need to set a zero tolerance of your slip ups on this.

My guess is that processed dog food took off here later Jed. No idea when the first Australian made dog food was produced.

Correct me if I am wrong (and I know you will), but I don't believe that dry dog food, or kibble was around pre 1970s, nor was canned dog food. I am quite sure that prepared dog food was not available in Australia in 1950s and 1960s. So 30 odd years. First prepared dog food was a biscuit sold in the UK in the 1860's Jed. Canned horse meat was available by WWI but it was the USA cereal mills looking to use their by-product that really got it going. Yeech what do people think Nabisco, Quaker Oats and Purina's main business was? Quicky potted history of dog food below.

I think you'll find that domesticated dogs have been eating "dog food" for less than 150 years. I don't consider cereal by-product to be the best basis for a dog's diet any more than I think MacDonalds is the best basis for a human diet. The fact that dogs or humans may be eating more of some newer style of food these days than another more traditional diet doesn't make it good for them. A raw diet won't suit every dog... but the idea that we've fundamentally changed a dog's digestive system in 150 years to make it able to digest cellulose is pure bunk. Dogs have a carnivores teeth and digestive system just like they've always had.

I can't recommend anyone locally. I'd strongly recommend your friend drive to Sydney and see K9 Force.

I've seen this after a good ingestion of other animal poo..

I use the general one from Greenpet most of the time. You an add things like spirilina or kelp, green barley grass or brewers yeast but I find the general one works fine. I try for balance in the diet but the supplement is there as a safety net.

You may not teach her to enjoy it but you can teach her to tolerate it. Do short sessions and reward good behaviour with a game or treat. Little and often will build acceptance. Marathon sessions should be avoided. My dogs have been groomed regularly their whole lives.. and they still disappear when I pick up a slicker or comb. :wink: Ignoring the Academy Award winning "beaten dog" performances will help.

June don't feed straight veggies.. mix them in with mince to improve palatability. You're feeding them as much for fibre as anything else. Kelp is a useful additive but there are better balanced supplement around.

You can't change the blade.. which means it's hard to sharpen or replace. I'd not bother. Jed's singing the praises of some $100 clippers at the top of page 4 in this thread. They'd be a better bet. Add a 10# blade for spaniel bum fluff and away you go!

Kyra: Sooo exactly what does she think all those digestible bones that growing pups on raw diets get fed are made of. Bone is one of the BEST sources of calcium, and importantly, its correctly balanced in bone with phosphorus. Stuff up raw feeding and your growing pup will suffer.. but a correctly balanced raw diet is NOT calcium deficient. My baby pup got digestible bones (chicken necks, wings) 2 meals in 4. As an adult he still gets bones 2 meals in 3.

You could try putting a training pad outside. and gradually reducing its size. Put it in the area you want her to toilet in. Are you staying outside with her until she toilets?

Without blood tests, you'd be operating in the realm of pure guess work. It sounds quite serious though. It may not be one thing.. it could be a range of issues. I wonder what they feed her?