Rascalmyshadow

Edited to fix my bad post cause I didn't read the op properly. I think too many dogs is when there isn't enough time for each individual. When the expense becomes too much. The dogs don't happily coincide together. There isn't enough room in the car for all of them. Juggling them all is a chore instead of a pleasure. I think size and breed make a big difference. I grew up with large dogs and having two in the house was often a nuisance but I can have three or four small dogs without a problem, mainly because they don't cause anywhere near the amount of destruction. Also small dogs are cheaper for everything and they take up a lot less space.

Sandgrubber I agree with you, however if the coat is clipped too short on many breeds it offers no protection and the dog will get hotter. On coats like cockers and schnauzers clipping right back isn't really a problem because the coat is dense enough to still offer protection but double coats, poodles, malts etc should have at least a centimetre or so, so the sun isn't penetrating to the skin. Bit like standing in the sun naked or with light clothing on. I would still rather see a dog clipped back than continually matted even if it looks awful.

Sounds like a typical vet if you don't ask the questions they don't tell you anything. I was lucky I was working in the vet clinic at the time so I would give them the third degree on everything, they had to tell me or put up with my complaints every day. The reaction your seeing although not common is also not rare either.

Great article! As a groomer I hate having to clip off double coated breeds but I have groomed a few where there was no choice. One of my favourite dogs is a pom with the most magnificent coat I have ever seen, his owner tried to convince me for a few years to clip him off so he would look like Boo (supposedly the cutest dog in the world) and I continually refused. I agreed to do it for the first time last year as he is now an old man. He now looks horrific unless he's kept shaved (I did warn her) but she thinks he's so much cuter, I don't!

I'm glad to hear Mac's behaviour has improved, when we started using the Propalin the vets warned be about these side affects, did your vet warn you?

It's so hard, I lost my Bella a week ago yesterday and I still go to pick up her bowl at dinner time and bring her bed into our room at bedtime. I guess only time heals.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Kibah looks like such a gorgeous girl. Planting a fruit tree sounds like a beautiful idea. I'm sure she's in a happy place now free of all pain.

My old poodle girl was put on Propalin a few years ago when Stilboestrol didn't work, she became quite agitated and aggressive, the vets took her off it straight away and she went back to normal. We ended up using Incurin instead with excellent results.

I don't particularly like the term very much, I do however refer to my lot as my 4 legged kids or sometimes my babies but my dogs are treated like dogs not like little people.

I am sorry you are at this stage it is so hard to make the decision no matter how old or young they are. I made the choice when my girl started to not recognise people, was having falls due to eyesight, was slipping on the floor just trying to eat, started to wake up in a pool of urine and basically was unable to enjoy the things she loved. We could have gone on for possibly another year or so with more medication but I didn't think it was fair to put her through it for my sake. I have watched a few friends and family hang on to their dogs until they were walking skeletons and it hurt so much to see, not fair to such a devoted companion.

Thankyou all for so much support, I just wanted to add one last post in remembrance of Bella. Here is a pic I took yesterday of her with my wonderful husband, she was a daddy's girl but relied heavily on me to be her eyes, ears and protector. RIP old girl. I'm sure your in a better place with your best mate Josh, able to do all the things you once loved. VizslaMomma just wanted to say that is a beautiful poem.

Bella was peacefully given her wings at 12'o clock today, we took her out this morning and enjoyed a meat pie and choccy donut together, after we went to our local beach which she has loved since a puppy. I took a little video of her digging and rolling in the sand, it was nice to see her so relaxed it felt like old times. The house feels quite strange without her especially at dinner time, she has a special step in the kitchen to raise her bowl up and tonight it sat empty. I'm not sure how il sleep tonight the last 13 years she has slept by my side.

Thank you for everyone's kind words. The day is here and I am quite anxious, Bella has been my constant companion for most of her life, as a young dog she went to work with my husband every day then that changed and she was at work with me everyday. It has been very hard to watch such a fit dog that loved car rides, ball games, romps at the beach, running next to our bikes etc. not be able to do any of those things anymore. I thought she would be with us for a few more years but her eyesight is almost gone, her hearing is terrible, the incontinance is getting bad and after having both cruciates done (both she was over 9 ) she is so full of arthritis even a short walk or car trip leaves her sore. Even grooming her has become very difficult. The last couple of years we have managed but she has needed a lot of medication to keep her comfortable, now she can't do any of the things she once enjoyed and I feel her quality of life is not good enough. I have kept busy over the weekend to keep my mind off it all but it's starting to sink in now..

After everything we've been through in the last couple of weeks, watching my neighbours dog die, having one of my own catch parvo and have to fight for his life, my best mates mums dog being hit and killed on Thursday (he was one I helped rescue), having a phone call last night one of my favourite customers ( dog not owner) died of lymphoma after surgery and chemo, now we have our old Bella booked in to be PTS on Monday. My husband and I are going to take her out for breakfast and then have some fun at the beach, her most favourite place. I am an emotional mess. I thought this year was supposed to be better than last but it's not looking that way.

A westie would fit that lifestyle nicely, my husband wants one and when I did my research I found that $1800 was the average price for a pup, if she's lucky she might find one around the $1500 but not likely under that.

Mental case, probably treated the poor dog as a pretend child. I see this more often than you would imagine, I groom numerous dogs that bite their owners to the point of needing stitches, all of the owners have similar traits and they don't realise the stresses they are puting on their dogs by treating them like babies. If that was my dog it would have had one chance then the green dream!

How about a Grifffon, if he doesn't want any major grooming there is the short coated variety. I wouldn't go for a PBGV they are very nice dogs but there coats are high maintenance unless they get clipped off. Most small breeds won't like being left alone for long periods with no company, maybe adopting two adults could be an option.

We've had a whole day of keeping 2 hourly feeds down, Astro even started barking for attention, my little man's personality is back but his bark has changed quite a bit, not as high pitched.

We allow all 5 dogs on the bed but Astro and Grayson usually go and sleep in their own beds. My Rascal likes to sleep on my pillow which makes it boof up and gives me a sore neck, I know I should move him but I don't have the heart to so I go to the Chiro and get fixed instead. Miss Claudia sleeps under the doona between my hubby and I, feels like having a newborn again. My old Bella girl stretches out along side of me which is fine unless its really hot and I can't get my feet and hands out.

Ok last update: Astro is home, he is very weak and he looks awful, he had no food for eight days, his eyes look sort of bulgy and glassy and he has a lost look about him. He's going to need round the clock care for another week, he has to stay confined and no one else can touch him for that time. Another thank you to everyone for your support, I'm happy to have him home but seeing him like this is very distressing, I just hope he gets his old personality once he's better.

He had his two puppy vaccs but no booster. I hour to go, starting to get butterflies.

Don't worry I worked in a vet clinic for 13years so I know all the risks. The day has come, I have 5 1/2 hours til I get to bring my boy home, I have never been away from any of my dogs for this amount of time. Counting down.........

I would get your dog checked by another vet just to be sure, but in my experience with poodles it is quite a common trait to barely eat until they mature and finish growing, I have had a few that were the same, tends to be the more finely built ones that are prone to under eating.

Just spoke to the vet and Astro is coming home tomorrow night. I don't think I've ever cried so many happy tears. The house feels incomplete and the other 4 dogs have been a little sedate in the last week, we need Astro home to brighten everyone up again. Time to set up his comfy hospital area, don't think il be getting much sleep over the weekend.

Thank you all so much, without the support of all the wonderful DOLers I would be struggling a lot more to cope with the situation. We had some good news this afternoon the transfusion went well and he has kept some food down today for the first time and apparently he even voluntarily came out of his cage to go to the toilet. I don't want to get my hopes up prematurely but it looks like we've hit the turning point, tomorrow it's been a week since ive seen him and I desperately just want to give him the biggest cuddle and bring him home.