Sagittarian

About to buy a dryer that needs to manage all coat types and be quieter than our Liberty Ultraforce. Interested in hearing about other brands. Thanks! Sags

Nutro is owned (looking at parent companies) by Mars, which also owns Advance and Royal Canin. Royal Canin though, is manufactured in France as a virtual stand alone company. Now that Nutro is made in Australia, its formulas have altered from their previous form, some more than others. Sags

The better quality foods - no matter what price bracket they fall into - are better quality because of the ingredients, not the name. I spend a lot of time reading ingredients on both human food (for my family) and pet food. I wouldn't choose to regularly provide my kids with foods high in sugars, salts, fillers and low grade ingredients. Nor would I do this to Evie (dog). Learning how to translate what is on the package can make life a lot easier if you are concerned with long term nutritional benefits. Not all canned foods, for example, are created equally, and that is what can influence price as much as "branding". Compare Ziwipeak ingredients (no fillers, no grains or cereals, only human grade meat/fish) to many other brands. If I add any canned food it is Ziwi - for those reasons, and if I couldn't get Ziwipeak, then Nature's Gift would be a fair option. Sags

Thanks for the advice Erny - will keep that in mind for the future. Not a friend, unfortunately, someone we met today who knows everything and everybody and also thinks her dog is aggressive (one of the sweetest I have yet met ) - just one of those folk I guess. Sags

Thank you! The person who asked the question was intending to begin obedience classes tomorrow, two weeks after symptoms disappeared. We strongly recommended she contact the club in question prior to going, and for her to check with her vet. Her response was that it doesn't matter, so I really hope she does follow through with the questions. Thanks again. Phillipa

Had someone ask today and I can't remember! For example, if a dog had finished a course of antibiotics two weeks ago, would it be safe to mix with other dogs? Thanks

We get regular deliveries from Nutrience (distribution by Pet Pacific) and we are what I'd call a "smaller" outlet, being one independent store. Any retailer that stocks Pet Pacific products (think Jebo tanks, Red Dingo, Wanpy treats, catit and dogit range) can order Nutrience, so it might pay to start phoning around and apply some pressure. I would also suggest contact Pet Pacific (they are in Sydney) with your frustrations as I imagine they would love to have you back as a customer. Feel free to pm me if you need a contact name or details. Sags

I'm sure you don't mean for that to sound as cynical as it does. Many vets carry prescription diets in addition to unrelated premium "retail" brands. What more and more vets are finding out is that some of the top of the range "retail" lines just happen to address many of their clients dogs problems, as well as being less pricey and generally much more palatable. Not every vet wants to run with the pack. Thank goodness! Sags

It would be interesting to get more information on this. The only changes I'm aware of (and there may be people out there who can provide better info) are regarding stopping the irradiation of imported cat food. The flow on of that is that dog food that is irradiated must bear the information that the food is unsuitable for cats to eat. It stands to reason that if a company (not saying any one in particular) has previously irradiated their food without having to inform their customers, that they may prefer to make any changes to obtain irradiation free status, rather than slap a sticker on and deal with the aftermath. Personally, I'm a bit over the lack of openess with some companies. Back to the question: I'd like to see Artemis and RC or Nutrience. And I would certainly buy from my own vet if they were the best option (as opposed to a pet selling outlet). Sags

Do you have any Gripe Water or anyone with a baby that you can phone to borrow some? While the degas tabs will help, Gripe Water really does get them burping, farting and all sorts of other lovely things - AS LONG AS IT'S NOT TORSION. If the stomach twists you have little else to do than find a vet. However, there is a lot that you can do in the meantime. I'd stop the water overnight, but it may be worth phoning your vet for their opinion on that. Keep Hamlet cool and relaxed. Try to get him to sleep. If he begins to pace, his stomach sounds hollow when tapped (like a scone), or he just wants to stand and rock - then find medical help. There is a technique of using a garden hose (unless you have a softer tube) gently put down the throat into the stomach to release a build of gas that can work, however you need someone to talk you through it. It will only work though if the tummy is in the right place and that gas is present. More than likely, he has a gut full of food, some water, and is over excited. Rest and time should fix it - we had a Saint eat 10kg of dry food in one afternoon when she broke into another room then opened a full bag. Was as wide as she was long and groaned for three days but no other harm done. You are NOT a bad Mummy! Sags

The majority of GSD breeders we deal with that use premium foods, tend to keep them on the recommendation of 14-18mths on puppy food. This allows final upward growth to be supported by the correct calcium ratio, along with the additional mineral and vitamin profile for puppies. By having the correct nutrition at this age, their rapid growth will be propped up properly. If they are getting a little overweight, better to slightly reduce the portions than to drastically play with their diet. Chicken carcasses, roo tails with lots of meat to pull off (if roo doesn't upset them) and perhaps adding a vege slop mix will keep them busy with their food (thus helping them feel full) without adding a ton of calories. As with any bones, supervision is essential, particularly when trying new types out. They look gorgeous. ;) Sags edition to add: if they are not getting fat, but are simply growing tall, that is just their genes I'm afraid. Even the leanest dog will end up at its predisposed height.

Hi Lisa, Thanks for that info. (RC website)I really don't wish to appear argumentative here, but there is a difference in saying the shape or size of a kibble encourages chewing, promoting better digestion etc and saying the shape of the kibble is important in the way it breaks down in the gut. (your earlier comment)We all want our dogs to chew, rather than gulp, if for no other reason than to use their teeth. The bigger, or stranger shape the kibble, the more chance of slowing down a fast eater - the same as using a slow feeder bowl or throwing the food around the garden will slow them. RC don't appear to claim that once in the stomach, the kibble shape somehow helps reduce the risk of bloat. It is more that by promoting a more methodical approach to chewing, that less air (which can quickly fill the tummy of a gulper) will make up the mix. Was that what you meant? This was the comment that concerned me, as there are many deep chested breeds that are prone to GVD, yet no specific kibble designed for them. Should those of us with bloat prone breeds be using GSD? GVD has many factors involved (and a lot that are more recently researched than the ones you've quoted). Not all factors are present in every case. It would be nice to say with confidence that being using a particular food that you are not contributing to food-based GVD. It just isn't that simple though. All I'm asking is that anyone representing a company or food really do research what is behind any claims and use the information in a way that isn't confusing. I believe you have a deep chested breed that is one of the worst for bloat, so it is great if this thread encourages you to continue to research and learn about the many factors involved. Always good to have discussion points. Sags

May I suggest you contact Judith at Artemis as she is always happy to help out with information about the food. [email protected] Phone & Fax: 03 9717 4707 www.artemispetfood.com.au Sags ;)

It's been changed in Victoria to buy 10 get one free for some months. I guess it will depend upon the store on how big their customer base is and how quickly they get through the cards the have. Sags

Neither the packaging, nor the information brochure for GSD makes comment about the shape of the kibble. It makes no claims regarding GVD so one must be careful in using this line of promotion in order to sell the food! I would suggest Lisa that you ask your rep what his/her facts are on this. As has been said, the reasons for GVD/bloat are many and varied and so far there are still no absolutes. We held discussions with Advance when their initial promos on the Large/Giant food claimed it would reduce the incidence of GVD. Can you imagine selling a bag of food to someone based on an unproveable claim such as this and then the dog getting bloat! Sags

Interesting. I've never seen this as part of RC's promotion of the food. What do you base this on? It is incredibly important that only accurate information be provided regarding bloat. I look forward to further advice on this. Sags

I mix it (or Vets All Natural Joint Formula - go between the two) in with Ziwipeak canned food. It has a lovely strong smell, particularly the Venison and Fish and that seems to do the trick without upsetting the tummy. Sags

We've found that some dogs with the ear/feet problems do much better when on a food that does not include beet pulp. Might be worth looking at past and present foods to see if there is any relationship there? Sags

Hi Mechelle, I know you didn't direct your question to me, however I do have some suggestions. First point of call is the breeder of your dog/s. If they show, they may very well have footage of shows that will give you a really good idea of stacking, gaiting etc. Or even maybe their own footage of practice sessions. When I started out, I would spend the day at shows just watching other breeds. That was my biggest learning curve - I remember a class of dobe's that were so beautifully handled that I enjoyed every minute of it. Look out for the best presented and handled dogs you can find, and spend some time watching. If you really like the way a handler works, talk to them. Most people are happy to give a newer exhibitor a few moments to help. And although I agree that all breeds are different, the fundamentals of showing are all the same. If you have a video camera, invest some time into taping yourself showing (or practicing) and watch it back. That is a huge help as you'll see little things from the camera's view that you can't see when you handle. There are many videos and dvd's of shows that have Saints in - from years ago to present. If you have trouble sourcing anything, feel free to pm me and I'm see if I can find something. Phillipa

Oh, honey, I am so sorry. I know you will put his comfort first, and grieve later, but nothing makes this easier. How wonderful an age, and how lucky he's been to have you. Hugs, Phillipa

You are welcome to send me a pm with any questions as we have stocked it since it came into the country. Sags

A number of dogs with on again off again ear issues react to beet pulp in some dry foods. Might be worth working out if that adds up to your experience. Sags

Thanks for clarifying that Gomez. It really does come down to what suits your own dog. The beauty with Artemis is that there are several options. Maximal is the only grain free variety, the rest do include a balanced grain profile. There is even now (just this week) Artemis Osopure which is single meat protein so adds another great food to the country.

Gomez - which DVP variety as the ones available here are all under the 30% protein from memory? Sags

Soup ladle.