Gerda the Schnauzer

I've rung the BARF people here, and its $16.50 a box, 12 patties, or $14.50/box if you get 4 boxes. So I think that will be a reasonable price if I combine it with raw bones/wings too. Thanks for all the help.

Ok, panic over, I found the ingredient listing on here THANKYOU so much for doing that! I'll try Royal Canin, seems to have small amounts only of carbs, and its easily available from the place we get our cat food. Phew. Thanks, sorry for the rambles. Gerda is in being desexed so I'm a bit on edge!

oooh, I just found the huge thread dealing with this, sorry i missed it. But what a pain! I can only get Ziwipeak in 1 kg bags near here, urgh, too expensive. Natural Balance looks good in term sof meat, but all the potato and other things are just strange. I'd love to do BARF, but I'm not sure I can afford it, or know enough about it to manage making it (or time). Gerda gets 2 raw chicken wings a day, and a bone or two a week, the kibble was just to add in some veggies. It took so long to choose Orijen, grr.

Hiya, Thanks for replying, that's the same company that just shut their store northside.. its just too far away for me (with two children in the car!). Also they don't always have it in stock, and are a bit unreliable about ordering it.. and I am running low. Is Eukanuba really not great?? Gerda does have sensitive skin, and I don't want to upset it by adding carbs into her diet, but running out of alternatives.

Hi there, My supplier of Orijen food has closed down, in North Brisbane, and I can't find anywhere else here that stocks it - any help? The online places are only for southern states. But also, are there any other no-carb foods I could try, that are made in Australia? (bit worried about the troubles with Orijen cat food). Thanks

She sneezed again, so I just took her in to the vet. Not something I wanted to risk. Lucky too - she was showing early signs (in her lungs, and her eyes not dialating). So she's in there now and has had the syrum. Just spoke to the vet who said she is doing great so far. So glad I took her when I did!

Thankyou puggy puggy, I'll do it tonigt when hubby is home to help (she doesn't like it being touched, of course).

We are just ouside Brisbane. Heaps of rain, hot weather... livestock in the area (but not near me really). The vets are always treating for ticks, there we 3 in the one hour Iwas there last time. I think this is the worst time of year for it. But I am so surprised that she must have had this last one from our garden, as we can't walk her at the moment. We only have a normal suburban size yard, no grasses, high fences... where did it come from??!@!?

She has stopped sneezing now I think... that's good right? The crater looks very sore though....

Hi there, Gerda (6months, schnauzer) had a paralysis tick last Friday, but was fine (they found it at the vets when she went in for desexing). Today she was sneezing a lot, so I sent hubby out to check for something up her nose... he said nothing. I checked again ust now and found a semi-engorged paralysis tick on her muzzle. I've removed the whole thing, its wriggling in the bag here... but there was a crater in her skin. She is showing no signs of the tick - except the sneezing and sort of expelling air fast - is this just because of where it was?? I rang the vet, the recpetionist just said they couldn't advise whether to bring her in or not, but that she was showing no signs which is good. She is treated with Advantix, last dose on Friday. Any ideas? Where we live I need to get used to this, but I mostly need to know when to worry and when not to. We treat her, and check her every night (this one must have only gotten on to her ths morning some time). She is calm and crated at the moment, next to me. Thanks for any help, GTS

Hi there, Gerda is doing very well, no signs of any problems so far, so I guess she is out of the woods (the tick infested woods!). But I still won't walk her for the time they said. More time for training in the garden! I've brought the operation forward to the 29th, hopefully that will do the trick. Thanks for the advice on 'season' signs Belgian Blue - how awful for the poor dog, and for you to watch. Maybe you could care for her a bit behind his back?

Thanks Gretel, Tilly, Yes, we were warned that advantix wasn't a cure-all, but I'll take any help I can living here! We check her, but obviously not well enough at all, I always concentrated more on her head and neck... and she hadn't shown any signs at all, even the vet commented on that. Oh well, live and learn - just so long as she lives.

Hiya, Just need to tell someone (anyone) who loves dogs... my poor Gerda went in to get desexed this morning, and they rang and said they couldn't do it because they found a paralysis tick on her leg :cool: . She had only just been knocked out (they stopped instantly) and let her recover. It had been there for a day maybe and they said it was really well hidden, which is why we didn't find it obviously. I picked her up this afternoon, and am watching her like a hawk. Luckily we give her tick protection every two weeks - BUT she just skipped over the weight range of the one she had, so I'm not convniced she was as covered as she could have been.... She got her dose on time tonight, of the bigger weight range, so hopefully that will help. She seems a little wobbly/tired, but is calming down for the night now. Anyway, now I am also worried about her going in to season. Her 6 month birthday is the 16th of Dec, and she can't be operated on for 14 days, assuming all goes ok. So I've booked her in for the 2nd of Jan... but when do they get their first season??!?! She is a standard schnauzer. Is the first sign bleeding? yikes. Thanks for listening, all emotional and 'other' people think she is 'just a dog' . GTS

Thanks. K9 - Well I'm glad you couldn't understand it either! We do have a K9 centre not too far from here... I was going to ring and see if they do group sessions. Too many training methods might get confusing. I think doing the TOT will help her with being on a tie back when visitors come, and at cafes etc. But I'd like to make sure I am doing it right! Poodlefan - She is kind of used to the place, its at our vets, where puppy school was held too, so she has been there a lot, and is quite comfortable there, but never been left alone, and not in that particular room before. I underestimated how hard it would be for her. I have all my own grooming supplies, so one day I will do it myself, but wanted to start off with a prof. year or two. I'm sure they will be willing to help/treat etc. She does go to lots of new places, but mostly on her morning walk with hubby, and there aren't that many people up at that time! I do the social thing with her normally (beaches, shops etc).

She does very well with basic commands, we just haven't advanced to doing them with big distractions, so yes the classes would help with that. Poodlefan - she in only on her own for a couple of hours each day, and sometimes again later (as we are inside in the middle of the day and doing the lunch rush). She comes out with the whole family once a week, visiting my mum's property normally. Some try to touch her but she backs right away so they give up normally. She is used to some and will even take a treat from them now. Today was great though, a friend came over with her children, I put Gerda on a lead and gave her a roo-chew. She barked at her at first (ignores the kids), but I held her, in a sit, and my friend just let her sniff her hand. Then I popped her on a tie back to eat her chew while the kids played. She was calm and happy, and the boys sat with her for a while, so all in all an improvement Her canines just popped out too, so maybe she was extra-sensitive yesterday with her teething hurting her too. Jules - yes, I wouldn't expect individual/stranger problems to be dealt with in a big class! But she asked so I told her LOL. She said they do home visits for $200... yikes. Hopefully I can sort it out myself.

Thanks a lot. No offence taken Erny, and if I had the nerve I would ring her back and ask her! But I expect she would backtrack and say nothing more without seeing Gerda... and that would tie me to them in a way. The classes start on Friday, but I think I may be better doing this without them. The 'levels' web site (someone here gave me the link) has been great for us so far, and any problems we have I feel that we could fix with more time and attention. The groomer one threw me for six.... Jules - yes, I did say I wanted to stay but she said they behave better without the owner, LOL, now sh eis asking me to stay next time! She was very good, wanting to take it slowly to make it a nice experience etc. At least she is willing to try. I might have to look around for alternative courses, everyone in our area goes to this one club, they have a total monopoly. GTS

Hi there, Wasn't sure which section (this or puppy) but as I am hoping K9 (or other) reps will offer some advice so I put it here. Gerda is 4.5 months old, standard schnauzer, puppy school graduate, well exercised and properly fed (I hope!). She was crated as a puppy for night sleeps, and now sleeps outside (made her and us much happier, she is on an enclosed patio, with open crate and bed). Today I took her to the groomer for the first time, for a bath and to trim her eye hairs only. She was crated (normally leave them there for 2 hours), which was fine. But when I got back the groomer said she went crazy when they got her out for her turn, pooed everywhere and they couldn't even get a lead on her! So she got her back in the crate (no idea how) and waited for me to return. Then we trimmed the eye hair and gave her a bath, no problems (just normal, bit scared of the hydro bath etc). Groomer said she had never seen anything like it.... and we knew Gerda was warey of other people, not family, and took a while to warm to them, but this is more concerning. I rang the obedience club to book her in for her further training, mentioned the groomers issues and if they would be able to help me with that, and the advice from the person was a bit of a concern... she said to either crate her again or tether her at night. I can kind of see the sense in crating again, but we won't/can't for many reasons (no problem at night anyway ). But tying her up? Can someone explain how that would help over night? Should I go to these people for her obedience? Or try to find a K9 course that will help me out?? She learns very fast, I think. Just to anticipate questions, she is walked for an hour every morning (off lead time), and a short walk in the afternoon or evening, mostly just to get out for a sniff than exercise. We are home mostly during the day, but she only comes in for short periods of time, as the kids toys provide a bit too much entertainment! We mostly play with her outside, then she comes in for the evening. She is very good now though, and the only problem WE have with her is jumping and some teething-mouthing. Nothing that I would think was unusual for a puppy. She sits and looks to us for all meals, but I haven't put her on a tie back for this yet. We get lots of visitors, and go out to the kids park, and other places on weekends. She gets used to people after a while and will be near them, and after a couple of visits she may even approach them. But she will bark at adults that she can see inside but not get to (glass door closed). Any ideas? Don't want to over-react, we like her personality, that she doesn't approach strangers etc, but I do want her to be well socialised and healthy (mentally) and hope I am not doing something drastically wrong that is stressing her. I want to take her somewhere that I can trust the advice, and with methods that will work for us and her. Thanks, GTS.

Can I ask why??

Thanks, Becks - thankyou! I can try to get enough puppy food to last until then, and my bag will still be in date, phew. She is getting itchy skin though, so wanted to cut out the wheat... oh well, might be something else anyway! Ness - I should have a good look really, I guess I just don't understand it all very well LOL. thanks

Hmmm... can't decide. I just figured that if the difference is protein amounts etc then having a bunch of chicken wings kind of negates that argument. There's no carbs to worry about, and she only ever gets the toast my children toss her (grr!) and what is in the chicken roll (VIP) that the breeder gave her too. Does anyone know the changes to other parts of her diet that would be needed to give her the adult dry food?

Thanks Nekhbet, she is only a standard, so not a giant I'll check the dates... Aug 09, so might work out?

Hiya, Gerda (standard schnauzer) is 18 weeks, and gets a raw chicken wing at nights, and chicken/beef roll in the mornings, both with dry food too. At the moment we are using Supercoat, because it is what the breeder was using and I have been hunting for Orijin for ages. I found a supplier, who said they would order the puppy food in, but they only had adult when we got there (quite a drive). We bought it anyway, we'll need it one day... I was just hoping that we could start the switch over now, as it isn't her whole diet. Is it way too early?? What age?? Thanks for any advice

Update...... wow, what great advice! The dropping of the treat has helped a lot, much more of Gerda with her head down than jumping to our hands! The Levels web site is fabulous, and the 'zen doggy' things are working so quickly, and are lots of fun to do when we are bored LOL. She learnt almost straight away how to get the treat. Just need to keep doing it now I think, until she can (hopefully) transfer that learning to a more broadly zen attitude (hehe). I was most surprised to see my 4 year old offer to hold a treat in her fist - I said no, no no... then relented, and she did it! Not one bite, and Gerda just sniffed the ground at her feet and waited for the treat to drop, just perfect. So thanks very much for all the help

Can I ask here, instead of starting a new thread, are the 'gentle leader' leads painful for the dog? The ones that fit over the face (I read somewhere they work because they hurt the dog). Only asking, not judging! thanks sorry for crashing the thread!

Thanks for the idea WalandLibby, I like the icecream lid one. My daughter is very good with training, the puppy-school wanted to keep her! She is strict with the commands but treats properly (as in, when gerda does exactly what is asked) - but she is more likely to drop the treat to the ground than me, so her hands don't get nipped LOL, smart girl. Off to find a lid..........