OSoSwift

Hmm I have Stafford - 12 1/2 Whippet - 2 Whippet - 10mths Dry food - $13/wk Sardines/cottage cheese/yoghurt/barf patties/chicken mince/tinned food(Stafford) - around $15/wk ?? Beef and lamb bones - nothing, home grown Chicken carcasses occassionally. I am not 100% sure as I buy dry food cheaper when I can and have a little stock pile going, other bits and bobbs when I am shopping, but no set amounts each week. All I know is it is MUCH cheaper to feed 2 Whippets and A Stafford compared to 2 Dobes and a Stafford! Around 7 cups of food per day compared to 16! And the food is nothing compared to the amount of Medication the Stafford goes through! I try no to think about that as it is quite expensive!

A thorough check over is definately in order, dogs are very stoic and he may have a painful problem. I would also get him seen by a chiro if possible and a vet. It is not normal for a dog to suddenly change for no reason. Good luck

Happy birthday Poodlefan and Kendall Hope you have a great day, even though you are stuck at work. Whippity hugs and kisses to you

I posted a thread last years as I was going to buy six. The general consensus was they didn't work, but if I had the spare cash I would buy them anyway as even one snake sent on it's was is one less to deal with

Hmmm interesting looking Whippet When he is fully grown they will probably ask you if you have a saddle for him or something! It probably deosn't help he doesn't have much coat at the moment (although much more than a Whippet!) Make up a flyer and smile sweetly and distribute it when asked. Having said that no matter what the breed you will get some sort of comment, mine is look at that skinny dog - even though Rommi was a little porky at that stage. Or look at the baby greyhound.

I have seen 2 cats and a Jack Russell affected by secondery poisoning. They were hunters that were lightning on mice though. I have used mouse bait in the ceiling and had a couple of "drunk" mice I have caught and disposed of, but no other dramas. I know have the worlds best mouser, who when in the garage overnight (and had access into the ceiling via a manhole) was killing up to 6 mice a night. We no longer use bait due to her as no mouse ever gets away. Do have to keep the worming up to date in that situation though.

I wouldn't travel a dog who is not used to it in a dog box. I wouldn't transport a dog in the cabin with someone they didn't know either. I would also not be comfortable with an unknown person removing a dog from it's crate/seatbelt for toileting incase they got away (I know the dog would need a toilet break). I would only be comfortable flying them or sending them with someone I know. I know that doesn't help you much and these people are trying to help out, but the idea of my dog potentially loose in the middle of knowhere with an unkown person trying to catch them is the stuff of nightmares to me. Goodluck

I don't think our lovely sunshines helps much at all! Both dogs that I have seen responded very well to treatment which in one case halted the symptoms and the other they actually improved to a point. Don't see too many Purebred Sheps down here now, I know of two but 15 years ago there was a lot of them. Shame really. Two in particular I took a real shine too. Sorry to hear about your girl. So very hard when they are taken too soon.

GSD X Lab, No Malamute in there.

I tried it but it made Rommi have the WORST stinky gas and she never has gas, so I didn't keep using it. Have heard others that have liked it though.

I have seen two shepherd X's with pannus, but no purebreds as yet.

My aged Stafford is on monthly (as my cat was!) has been so for over a year and will be until he dies. You know if you miss the month mark! He is also on Pred and Tramal(as required)

I sent in the claim form and a copy of the invoice. It was a bit of a curly situation, but had no problems. I did ring before to explain the situation to make sure I did it correctly and being my first claim. I will send in another one shortly. I had exclusions on Rommi's first cover. With the renewal they asked for a 12month history to review it, I did, it was reviewed and lifted on the new policy within 2 days. Had no problems with dogs details or recieving certificates either? If I have had a queiry I have phoned and had it answered straight away.

I haven't tried training in drive but for Rommi Ball on a rope Bunnies treatbag Lewis Soccer ball asking him to watch treats

I have petplan and have just recieved a cheque back. I did get a letter saying they had recieved it and were experiencing some delays. Cheque turned up a week later. No problems so far.

That sounds great Ptolomy I will definately give that a try as I know he is not steady on his stands and was wondering how I would manage to get that. I really don't think he has a concept of keeping his feet still - I don't think he really thinks about them so it will be good to get him thinking about his feet a bit more. Good thing about that it I can do it inside after kids are in bed with zilch distraction in the beginning. Hope your dogs are going well pats for Lara and Blaze - and your others that I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet

Well being a Whippet we don't do much, but usually he lays down on the grass and I attack him with a zoom groom, roll him over do the other side. When we are doing his nails he is upside down on my lap with his feet in the air. He is great to do those things to him, just keeping feet still is a problem!

Okay we will start with 2 to 3 seconds! Might take him to years to get to a minute - but he we have lots of fun He does have a release word, but I haven't used it in that capacity, more to say we have finished a training session so you can now go and run around. If I don't he would work forever. I also Clicker train, so I guess I could ask him for a sit and use the click coupled with my word, that would then mean the end of the exercise. When he is stacked he tries so hard to stay still and sometimes he succeeds, but geez it is a struggle for him, I keep telling him he has restless leg syndrome. Next training we will go for say 3 seconds and see how we go.

Lewis my little bouncy boy is going very very well with his training. I have had him since the start of November and he is nearly 10 months old. He had had no obedience training prior He has fantastic attention while heeling. We have been working mainly on attention and hind end awareness as well as sits, stands, downs during heeling. We do recalls - basically I wait until his attention is elsewhere and recall him. I do this thorughout the day as we wander around. I have never done stays with him. While being shown, my breeder found it hard to get him to keep his feet still for longer than a few seconds whilst in the stack. My question is when/how should I start to teach him stays. We tried a "wait" today and I aimed for 5 seconds. He did it the first time, but only made it to three the second time. I got him to do it again and he lasted five but was starting to twitch. Should I leave it a bit longer, he is quite mentally immature I believe - either that or life is just one big party. Or should I continue to try for my 5 seconds until he is stable with that, then work up. Basically I had him in a sit, asked him to wait(but did not move at all)counted to 5 and C/T. when he moved I got him back into position without saying anything asked him to wait counted to 5 C/T and finished it there. I have trained a couple of dogs before but never one with so many antz in his pantz. I just love his attitude to training, it is a delight to train him, he tries so hard to please. I want to get it absolute right with him

Go the houndbag, I have one and it is fantastic

As a general rule I put my dog behind my legs, stand as poodle proud suggested and roar! I have stopped a couple of dog attacks on my DObes using such a method. One was from a dog that looked like a Bully X Shep that ran about 800 meteres or so down the beach with all hackles up and teeth hanging out. No bloody way it was going to get to my dog! Having said that I am not particularly nervous of other dogs, large,small aggressive or other wise. If they got within striking distance they would be kicked.

Ah okay thanks Stormie. Our vet will do only as the label is rego'd for due to accountability. They are also not going the trienniel route as the norm though, due to the fact they don't think people will take their dogs in yearly for check ups and the Kennel cough vacc's. They also said of the dogs on their books, they think around 1 to 2% would have adverse reactions to vaccinations. Interesting since I have had three with very mild to not so mild reactions. Also one cat that ended up very unwell with a high temperature and I never vaccinated him again. Anyway I think at this stage I will go with trienniel and see what panns out of the next few years. All the discussion is a step in the right direction even if it takes us a while to get there.

Happy Birthday Rex I also have seen him in the ring, when he won The Nationals. He was as impressive then as he is now. Have a great day Rex and from the sounds of it your mum is looking after you as she should be! Love the bunny photo Got me thinking about my Dobe girl now

Ok, Sorry Stormie, but I am making sure I understand! so the 105.9 is ten to the power of 5.9 and the 107 is ten to the power of 7 Therefore it is 1,000,000 and 10,000,000? Been a while since I did this at school! Anyway if that is the case it is a lot more? I contacted my vet hospital today and they use the Virbac vaccines and they said there was not much difference between the virbac yearly vaccine and the nobivac trienniel? They are happy to do a 3 yearly one, but will not do a yearly one and sign off for 3 years until the companies say that that is what they are rego'd for.

I guess that means that there is not much more in the three yearly?? Or am I way off the mark? Scientific people please?