Madeleine

We had toilet training nightmares as we used the emergency mat thing while one of ours was little....huge mistake - she will now pee on the bathroom mat occasionally. I had to take them outside and COMPLETELY ignore them (I still ignore them until they've gone), it originally took half an hour sometimes but it had to be done. One is also a shy piddler as well - so I have to pretend I'm not looking at her especially.

Thanks guys - good suggestions!

Ok for all of you groomers out there..... We have 2 pugs....and this is our first serious summer with 'adult' coats - so we are slightly new at ths. Of course pugs shed heaps - it's well known, and I certainly don't expect a fur free house, clothes, washing machine, couch or car ever again.....(I even find some dog hair at work....) I'm just wondering if there's anything else we can do to 'help' this situation...... Firstly I wash them and condition them - for the shinyness and the ease of removing the 'never ending excess' of fur. Then once they're dry....do the brushing..... We have 2 grooming utensils - apologies don't know names but one has a metal loop which seems to work quite well to get rid of most of the hair (but I'm forever on the hunt for something better), especially if we backcombe, but it doesn't collect it, so the other is a rubbery thing with spikes to pick up all the loose fur once we're finished with number one. Does anyone have any other suggestions?? And how often would you recommend brushing and washing at this time of year? Thanks

I'd be thinking along the lines of bullying, discrimination etc. If your husband is on the committee and didn't know about it??? That is very strange. What a bunch of idiots. Such a shame the housing market is so crazy at the moment. They can't change the by-laws and expect you to abide by it when you had your dog prior. Also - they would require evidence that dogs hurt/injure old people, and in the wording that ALL dogs carry diseases etc that could be potentially harmful. BTW we rent with our pugs and although it is difficult to find a decent place - there are pet lover property owners out there that will agree to pets - especially if you can prove how well you've taken care of them etc etc.

I think a skin scrape to rule out mange would definitely be appropriate. It is so treatable but can get so terrible in some dogs - definitely worth the check while it's not awful.

Our pug was 8 weeks and she screamed and screamed despite being distracted with treats and having the area iced prior to it... - it was awful - but necessary.

We use Royal Canine - I would have bought Eagle Pack but it was hard to find a stockist, you had to order it in advance - as we were running out fast I decided to try RC from Eukaneuba(sorry for the spelling) and my dogs love it. I don't have to do anything with it to get them to eat it as I did with the Euk...adn well now I'm hesitant to switch. We buy 1 huge bag at a time (12 or 15kg) and we feed our dogs 2.5 cups a day so it lasts us awhile!! I don't buy more than one bag due to that reason. I also give them chicken wings, sardines and natural yoghurt and I just buy them from the supermarket.... I do have some trouble getting appropriate toys. The place we go to has heaps of stuffed toys and we have a long waitlist for 'surgery' in this house in order to fix bits and pieces that are ripped out...and I'm scared they'll eat the stuffing while we're out and get a bowel obstruction! I do buy their dried/smoked bits and pieces sometimes for the dogs as a treat - they love it and some of them are on ground level so they can pick their own. Obviously we can take them in to the store which is great as when we're wanting to fit a winter coat or harness etc when we buy them it makes it a whole heap easier so I definitely recommend that when you open your store!

it's worked - is sitting quietly at my feet now, didn't come to me for reassurance and is not being a sook!

Our 8 month old pug is just experiencing her first storm since she's been with us..... She is currently running around the house barking her head off.... My plan: ignore her, and when she's finally still, reward her - is that the right thing to do?? She's generally a bit of a sook.

Some people with a lab in our puppy class wore vix for a few days on their arms and legs - whatever the pup was biting at. I'm no behaviourist but it might help your kids until the order is definitely established. From what I know labs are great dogs with training, but can be a real handful without it! It might be a really good lesson for your kids how to show dominance over a dog and how to train etc.

We also have a dyson that we don't know how we coped without....and a leather couch - but the colours must match the dog otherwise you see the fur!!

Our class was excellent....even though there was a 14 week old standard poodle desperately trying to play with our then shy 10 week old pug. We had a 'time out' pen as ours was in a paddock next to the vets (which was excellent), so if ANYONE had seen any misbehaving they could pick up the perpetrator and pen him for no more than two minutes....it worked, people would pick up other owner's dogs and pen them. I don't really believe in the small vs large breed thing...my dogs will always be small, and there will always be large dogs at the lake or at the beach that they need to get on with and know how to stand their ground etc. so I have no problem with that. The instructor did speak down to us on occasion...but she was only a young thing and she was doing the best job she knew how....she's becoming a wonderful vet nurse at the practice. There was a great mix of 10 minutes at the beginning and end for a free for all, and while we were being educated, the dogs were allowed to play.....I thought it worked really well...and they gave handouts etc with useful info on them. We also did a training part - just sit, stay, come and drop but they went around and individually sorted you out if you were having problems, that also gave the opportunity if you were having other probs to have a quick chat about those too. It was also free!

Thanks Erny and PugHugger....off to buy a crate or two this weekend

Please help me..... I have 2 adorable pugs..13 months and 8 months old... Before we got our second one, our first used to sleep on the floor of our bedroom, and had a 'just in case' mat in the ensuite that she would use in emergencies only. This was fine...I slept my 8 hours, so did my husband and things were working well. Then came number 2....(had been with her breeder till 5 months)...she came to us with demodex so was itchy and wasn't toilet trained - so that's when the sleeping became an issue....They've since been moved onto the tiles so Zara would learn where to go - ie was in an area with enough room for bed, bowl and toilet...which was fine - that worked ok, except they ate the walls and started crying at 5.45 am when the sun was getting up....So there went that one.... Next have tried having them sleep loose in the house - for the first couple of weeks it was great, I could sleep till about 6 which was better than 5.45 so I was kind of happy....now Zara is missing the 'just in case' toilet/mat mark, and pees about a metre away from it - on the carpet....consistently....it must be at around 4am that she goes so I don't catch her before to take her out...and currently they're waking me at 4.30 (I am a light sleeper - they don't wake my husband but as soon as there's movement outside our door I'm awake). I am crazy tired right now....and it's absolutely doing my head in. I've also tried letting them into our room at 4.30 after they've been outside but by that time they're full of beans and I'm awake awake so there's not much point, and they won't settle. SO - I'm thinking that a crate is my only other option. I won't allow them to sleep outside - we have noisy neighbours who they bark at - they're noisy till about 11 some nights and they start their motorbikes by 5am as well. I don't want a complaint against them barking....and there are heaps of cats around so that'll get them going too....and as I am a constant worrier, I'm concerned that if they do manage to corner one about their bulgy little eyes....and there goes my sleep for the entire night.... Anywho - my questions: 1. 1 crate for both dogs or 2 separate crates? (they've been sleeping together though since we got them....but am worried as it is warming up so they might not want to snuggle - should we get one big enough for them both to sprawl out in?) 2. Do we literally go back to training like we would a baby puppy?? ie making the crate a nice place to be, rewards for being in there etc etc and ignoring whining etc. 3. what typ/brands of crates are best? 4. Are we really mean doing it to them now?? And does anyone have any other suggestions?? (apart from me taking some sleeping tablets so I don't hear them? or ear plugs) Thanks in advance from a cranky tired woman.....

She has come good - at about 11 last night she perked right up and was playing with Koto again, and thismorning she was absolutely fine....weird.