StaceyB

Pretty much everywhere Jules; neck, tummy, legs, and back when she can reach it.

Hi Guys, I think Gypsy may be allergic to something in our graden, she is always scratching. I know she doesn't have fleas because I treat her monthly with Revolution and I have been checking pretty thuroughly since she started scratching. Does anyone know of anyway to find out exactly what it might be or is there a shampoo I could use to help her? Or should i just bite the bullet and take her to the vet? She has only started scratching a lot since we moved into the new place - and unfortunatly it's a rental so we can't go ripping out the plants if they are causing a problem. Cheers Stacey

awwww, look at all the floppy puppy ears!

Hey Stacey - is that Better Pets & Gardens in Bibra Lake? Thats the one. I used to get them for Gypsy, but she kept swollowing chuncks of the bones and making herself sick. I get really big bones from the butcher in Success now for $3 per bone.

I would definatly be interested in coming along!

I know a couple of place South of the River, but send me north and I'm useless! ETA - Better Pets & Gardens sell 2kg bags of Roo Tails for $5

Oh, some vets can be horrible. One vet didn't want to give Gypsy her seccond vaccination because she was 10 weeks old (she'd had her first at 6 weeks), I argued with her and after about 15 mins she comes out with "well we've just gotten a new one that we can give pups from 10 weeks on and lasts until they are 15 months" - why didn't you bloody well say that in the first place! I only take her there because it's a University Vets and I work at the Uni and can salary package vet fees. Our other vets are brilliant though, all the staff are really helpful and the nurses fuss over Gyps and she has a great time. The vets also take the time to explain proceedures in laymens terms and draw diagrams of what is going on so that we understand it all.

Good Point! I think I'll try that tomorrow and see how we go!

Hi Poodlefan, There are no other dogs in the house, we have cats but they all get fed at the same time so they don't bother each other. She has shown signs of food agression, which was why I started to hover around her food - I was hand feeding her and a just generally being close by and touching her while she ate so she is used to me being around while she is eating and doesn't show any signs of anxiety. I suppose that if she isn't underwight I shouldn't worry about too much, but she is the first dog I have owned and I am probably a little neurotic about things! :rolleyes:

I had Gypsy done 2 weeks ago, the vets recommended not to exercise her (or bath her - eeeuuuwwww) for 10 days; Gypsy decided that 4 days was enough quiet time and was jumping and racing around the back yard again with no adverse effects. Just keep an eye on Holly after the op, she should be fine - pups generally heal fast for this type of op.

My pup Gypsy is not interested in anything I give her to eat, it's almost as if she see's eating as a chore. I have tried a heap of different dry foods and all sorts of wet food. She has always been disinterested in her food, but it seems to be getting worse as she gets older. I am currently feeding her Advance Puppy buscuits (for larger breeds) and human grade beef mince, mixed veggies, rice and an egg mixed in. I have tried so many different buscuits I can't remember them all, and I have tried pet mince from the supermarket and from Lenards, I've even tried tinned food!! I have tried putting gravy and different flavour stocks on her food to make it more appealing, but unless I actually stand there and don't let her leave she will only have one or two mouth fulls and then leave it - and she doesn't go back during the day to finish it later either. I have tried putting the food down and then taking it away but that doesn't seem to make a difference to her. Her adult weight will be approx 30-35kg (currently 17kg @ 6 months old) and even though she is not underweight now I am worried that she doesn't eat enough. Does anyone have any other tips or suggestions for me to try?

Oh No! Oh, poor little baby! Are they able to fix it?! That would absolute hell for her! I'm so sorry to hear that!

12 weeks is a bit young. Gypsy is just starting to teeth and she is 6 months. Her behaviour hasn't changed much at all and the only sign I got was a stuffed pig shoved in my face covered with blood from where she cut her gum when the tooth came out!

Have you looked on eBay? Otherwise do you have Better Pets & Gardens in QLD? They stock them here in WA, but not sure about other states.

I use a SPORN Training Harness for my dog - http://www.sporn.com/product_info.php?products_id=28 . It is great, so easy to walk her now. She is an APBT X Bull Arab and at 6 months is very strong, with the sporn hatler everytime she pulls the harness tightens around her front legs and hits pressure points and she stops straight away. These halters are a lot safer for dogs that the Halti Head Harness and they are also quet comfortable for the dog to wear.

I've started giving her turkey necks in the mornings for breakfast. And I make my own dog food for her dinner, I use: 1 kg pet mince from leonards (raw) 1 cup rice approx 250g mixed veggies 1 x pureed apple 1 x egg which lasts up about a week.

Gypsy was digging holes along the fence line is the really sandy areas. The neighbour has cought her a few times and told her off and we have been putting pickly branches ove the spots so she wont re-dig the holes. But not really a good option for the Kids play areas.

Gypsy will only eat the cruddy Lucky Dog dry food from the supermarket! I have tried Supercoat, Advance, Royal Cannin & Nutero Choice and she just wont eat them (I didn't like giving her supercoat coz it made her poop a lot!). She eat any buscuits in the morning, just leaves them all day no matter what it is and at night when I mixed the dry food into the raw meat she just picked around the dry. She only ate is under protest, and some days refused to eat it at all. I know that Lucky Dog is not good fer her, but I've been buying coz I figure its better than letting her starve herself. Does anyone have any ideas how make the good quality dry food more appealing?

You could go somewhere like Clarke Rubber and have some foam cut to size and then just cover it with a blanket.

Hi Staffyluv, I know a few of us (myself included) have said that we would do it for our own dogs, but we have mostly added conditions, e.g the quality of life awfterwards, expected outcome of surgery. I know that if the dog in the OP was Gypsy, I wouldn't do it. But my girl is not like that. If the expectation was not good, I would PTS before it got too bad.

I've been having that problem with my little monster! I've stopped giving her wet food for a bit, and hand feeding her dry food or putting her bowl between my feet and sitting with my hand on the inside of the bowl, she's growled at me a few times but it starting to get better.

I wouldn't pay it for the dog in question, the outcome and quality of life are too uncertain. Someone mentioned that the agression could be due to the pain and I agree with that, but the surgery is not gauranteed to work so, while it might help, it won't solve the bigger problem. I would PTS. If it was Gypsy, who has a beautiful nature, is young and healthy and the outcome had a high expectancy of success it would be a different matter. I would be faced with a very tough decision and I honestly cannot say what I would do. I think that if you're dog is sick you owe it to them to do everything in your power to make it better, but $11000 is a lot of money and I certainly don't have a spare $10K lying around! ETA - Diva is right, it's not just about the $$ figure, there are a lot of contributing factors. But you can't get blood from a stone, and if the money's not there what other options do you have?!

Hi Pandora, We have a bit of trouble with Gypsy getting really excited with people, she's getting better now though. Whenever we come home (or someone comes over) Gypsy is made to sit before anyone gives her any attention, she is learning to do this straight away now without being told and gets it about 40% of the time (she is only 5 months old so i'm happy with that) and as long as we keep it up I'm sure she will get to 100%. Whenever she gets a bit too much when we are playing I make her sit aswell, and when she is calm she gets a reward and the game starts again. Anything with kelpie in the mix is more than likely going to be very high evergy. Does she get lots of walks, and how is she to walk? Where in WA are you?

Excellent! Well done Chloebear!

I am coming to the meet on Sunday Amypie, I'll keep an eye out for you tonight. RiverStar, I'm planning on on having a look at the Southern River Agility Club on Monday next week. You're in Spearwood aren't you? PM me if you need a ride, I'm in Spearwood too. ETA - Gypsy is 5 months old now