poodlefan

What happens if you ring the usual number - what does the message say? Their website give their out of hours number as the same as the day time one.

Why not ask for a sample bag before committing to an order.

Shelly has plenty of energy - stored as fat. If hunger is an issue then, as previously advised, you need to bulk out the meal with veggies.

I would not be jumping or putting a back pack on an overweight dog. You're adding more stress to already overloaded joints. If Shelley is getting plenty of exercise the only other option is to cut her food back. Cut it back hard. You've been talking about getting weight off her for some time now .. time to get serious.

I agree. She's lost her waist. Halve her food. Seriously.

The skin on a decent white poodle is black. Dont forget too that the coat is dense and curly. There's only one layer, not a top layer and undercoat. You certainly don't tend to clip the white dogs as closely as the black ones.

They are definitely smart enough but can be hard headed. You'd need to be consistent and put very clear boundaries on them IMO.

Not only look for. I swear I saw my old cat at times for a few weeks after he passed.

Congratulations!!

Said so much better than how I said it! Not really. The other issue is that discplining a dog for growling can extinguish the warning.. the dog doesn't warn it just attacks.

I did not see the incident and have no axe to grind but would make one point. Attacking dogs don't always growl - that's giving a warning before aggressing. Some just go straight to the aggression.

I agree. Sunnyflower if clipping out the dog every summer is the plan, I'd not go a GR or Flat Coat. Get a dog with shorter hair. Now, I know it's contentious, and its not something that I personally would do have done (yet), but I have met several goldies who are regularly clipped and it hasn't done them any harm. I have been envious when told the huge difference it has made to the hair around the house. I decided on a GR wholly for the temperament and if the shedding is a deciding factor then I don't have a problem with them being clipped. I can immediately think of two reasons not to do it - and they relate to removing the outer coat that protects the dog You leave them open to sunburn and to a non-weather proof coat that holds water. Personally I think it removes one of their most beautiful features also. Most dogs benefit more from weight loss than coat clipping if over heating is an issue. Body mass retains heat. Dogs manage their heat issues differently to us in any event. If you don't want to deal with a coated breed and the shedding and maintenance required the answer is simple - don't buy one.

They're a sighthound yeah? So not really reliable off lead? With training, pretty reliable. I'd rate one as having a better chance of recall than some other breeds. The big issues with any sighthound are their speed and their prey drive. They can cover 50m before you can yell their name. Not a dog to let off lead near roads but what dog is? I walk my Whippet offlead several times a week - just not near roads.

Front or back right? If it's front right,the odds of it being OCD in Jack Russell would have to be very very low. It's not a condition many small dogs seem to get.

I agree. Sunnyflower if clipping out the dog every summer is the plan, I'd not go a GR or Flat Coat. Get a dog with shorter hair.

I don't see a whole lot of difficulty being responsible for a child's saftey to avoid a leashed dog, if the dog was off leash roaming, that's a different story. But if the kid has been allowed to run at the dog as they do sometimes and the dog has snapped, I don't see that as irresponsible dog ownership where everyone deserves some personal space respected when walking down the street. My point was that you're talking about who's in the wrong when there's no information on it. People have been bitten by dogs passing them on the footpath.

They ain't spaniels!! I don't think their temperament is much like a CKCS either ;) Actually I dont think any of the spaniels is much like a CKCS - most are very 'busy' dogs and grooming wise all are far more work than a Cavalier.

Dog owner's fault.. child's adult supervisors fault - who knows? The horse has bolted folks.. you're just nailing the stable door shut. I don't care how the incident happened. The idea that a five year old gets facial injuries from a dog in a public place doesn't do responsible dog ownership any favours. The fact that it appears the dog's owner can't be found just adds to that.

If you were prepared to look at professional grooming every two months, I think a Miniature Poodle would tick all the boxes. A bit more exercise and some games would be ideal though but they thrive on the company of their family. Outside the box, but would you consider a Whippet? They are a taller dog but not heavily built and make wonderful family dogs. They like a good run off lead a few times a week but most of their time would be spent on your couch! Shedding and grooming is minimal.

Sunnyflower I think a new pupppy is a good idea but I strongly recommend you wait until after Oscar is given his wings. Managing any puppy with a dog with significant pain issues will not be easy - for either of them. A larger pup could be very stressful for Oscar and you can't really penalise a puppy for wanting to interact with the only other dog in the home. If I were looking for "CKCS temperament" in a larger breed (biddible, merry), then I think a Golden Retriever would be a good bet. Can I suggest you have a good hard look at the Flat Coated Retriever too - very happy, friendly dogs as a rule and a bit lighter in build than the Goldens. There are two litters adverstised here at the moment. Personally I think you would benefit from some Whippet therapy though - just the most wonderful dogs.

Are you prepared to have the dog professionally groomed? Any non-shedding dog will require regular clipping. How much exercise and training are you prepared to give the dog? Personally I'd suggest you shy away from the tiny toy breeds and go for something a little bigger that will be more robust. That doesn't mean big - a dog like a Miniature Poodle is only 6-8kg fully grown but won't be as fragile as a smaller toy like a Chi. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels would also be on my "look at" list although they would shed more than you'd consider ideal.

Are you looking at a stand or a barrel dryer? What do other Havanese folk use?

If they trial, they will be. Furthermore, even non-trialling members will be members of VCA affiliated clubs. The Canine Controls make plenty of money off agility. Triallers pay a levy PER RUN and for every title they apply for - and there are plenty.

:rofl:

My Sunday numbers arrived today. At least I got the postage I paid for!