poodlefan

Don't worry about it Hopenfox.. I googled to make sure too! :wink:

DeeLee wrote in another thread: Just want to bring this over here. Deelee, how much preservative is in the premium pet mince you feed? I reckon if you can get your dog on a diet with no preservatives and colourings, you may see some behavioural changes.. its a bit like feeding kids really. For a start, I'd suggest you switch to human grade mince.

Unless you are planning an agility career, I'd say 6 months would be OK. I'd not do it earlier.

Ah, no. It's all grapes.

I've fed my dogs the BARF diet for years and Lily still has tooth issues. My vet said nothing short of a lot of tearing of food will keep the tartar off her front teeth (back ones are pearly white) and I'm not putting a whole animal in the back yard for her. So it's brushing for Lil. Getting weight off a dog is the same as getting weight off ourselves. Reduce the food intake or increase the amount of exercise, or both. Let pumpkin be your dog's diet friend. Halve what you normally feed and replace the rest with pumpkin.. pulped, boiled or baked. It keeps them feeling full but they will lose weight.

Nope but it's one of the reasons I went with Andis Clyde. Did you get pink ones?

Yes, I do. I treat the dogs EVERY time they return to the whistle and I practice it regularly. It certainly beats trying to scream loud enough to recall them when they are some distance off. One little hint.. .your dog's name can be a focussing aid but I'd teach her a distinctive command eg. "come" AND a whistle recall if you want to go that way. Saying her name isn't really telling her to do anything. Give the cue once.. don't beg.

They must have bathed him without brushing him.. that will matt coat every time if it is tangled. The standard combination of implements for poodle grooming is a slicker brush and a metal comb. Some grooming aids will help ease matts but in the end you need to split them and get them out. Can you contact the owners? I'd be sending him to a professional groomer. The vet will just clip him off.

I don't have a problem with it but it's not something I'd do to my dogs. Not much point with black ones anyway.

Gundog folk and herders do it every day.

AnnieK: You're lucky then Annie, I haven't.

Yes, because YOU caused it. How do you know the DDC caused the shoulder injury? If as an owner, you had proof, you'd sue them. If you don't, you've got nothing. Shit happens and someone isn't always to blame. The concept of comparing responsiblities for child safety and dog safety doesn't stack up. You don't have an established duty of care to property and that's what dogs are under the law. Perhaps folk who use DDCs need to be more aware that operators are pretty much unregulated. They are NOT equivalent to child care centres. It's user beware.

I use a whistle to recall my dogs from distance when I walk them off lead. I use a plastic Thunderer (sports ref) whistle. $4.50 from the sports shop. It's rated as "loud". They have "very loud" ones but I think you'd need ear defenders to use it if the "loud" one is anything to go by. The pea is going in it so I'll probably upgrade to a metal one. I like it because it's louder than I can screech and it has no emotion or change of tone when I use it. I suppose that's not really formal training but it's bloody handy to have dogs that recall to it. I can blow it for mine and get FHRPs dogs too! I use it for up to several hundred yards. .. mostly when dogs are out of sight and it's dead easy to blow (the challenge is not to deafen yourself or anyone you walk with) Breed of dog: I use it for my poodles, utility gundogs, a whippet and assorted other varieties.. when some start to come you tend to get the whole bunch!

I'd opt for a flat or limited slip (martingale) collar. Check chains and haltis have their uses but if you can teach a giant breed not to pull on the lead as a baby, you may never need them.

Yes, you can wash them too often.. because detergent based shampoos strip the coat of oil and can make skin and hair dry. That may cause skin to flake but a lot of scurf issues are caused by not fulling rinsing out shampoo. If you need to bath your dogs very regularly, I'd be looking at using a very mild shampoo with a decent conditioner or a dash of coat oil. You can also get conditioning shampoo. Puppy shampoos tend to be very mild and most shampoos can be diluted. I'd try for no more than once a fortnight but no one wants to live with a smelly dog!

Aww Crap! So sorry to hear this Danois Run free Angus. :rolleyes:

Buy a crate. She can sleep in it with the door closed provided you give her toilet breaks. I use verbal corrections only. However some are delivered at high decibel levels.

Haven't seen it but it sounds like another one to add to the library! PMing you.

Go on.. you know you want to. Did it work GSD Mum? I admit yes I did it and yep, that's how she sounds Then yes, a harness isn't a bad idea.. it will keep pressure off the trachea. My Toy Poodle has the occasional ESP moment.

Which is why Bach Flower remedies should NOT be used on Australian native wildlife - Use only the bush flower essences I am a big fan of RR- and used to use it on clients(human) at the Vet's surgery where I worked. I wouldn't let anyone drive home while upset- they were given a glass or two of water with some RR in, and a chair for a few minutes .... If I ever come, I prefer cold Chardy.. :wink:

Go on.. you know you want to. Did it work GSD Mum?

Ah, but in my new caring sharing educative role, I can empower EVERYONE to do ESP impressions. Ok, put the tip of your tongue just behind your top teeth and let it relax nicely so it's wide and loose. Now inhale hard through your mouth.. (not so hard that you pass out from lack of oxygen but hard) Hey presto.. .ESP sounds!!

It was Loraine, not me but I can do a good impression elongated soft palate sounds. I found opening the mouth or stroking the throat tends to ease it.

It's good for those exeriencing stress and trauma. I've used it for job interviews and exams. . placebo effect or not, it seems to help.

Hehehe ...just read that thread Poodlefan!! Okay, no she wasn't vaccinated against KC - only C3. She sounds fine in the morning. Other than this noise that she has made occassionally everything else is good. I won't introduce her to any other dogs but if this is what it is DUke (my GSD) will probabably get too, yeh?? Possibly. I have one dog in my house pick up a nasty cough bug (not KC) and the other two were unaffected. It can be hard to predict.