Tassie

Your boy sounds lovely. I agree with the others … just keep doing what you're doing .. but be alert particularly to the reactions he might get from other dogs who don't know him. I say this because some dogs .. and my Border Collie boy is one of them .. have great difficulty "reading" some other breeds .. Rotties and other mastiff types among them . They misread the normal posture of those breeds as threatening and tend to stiffen up and stare … which can then upset the Rottie (who is totally the innocent party). My BC boy competes in obedience and agility, is a Rally O champion, but that is just who is he .. and it's up to me to try not to put him in situations where he feels uncomfortable .. and may upset the other dog. So don't get too upset with other people's comments (just feel sorry for them that they haven't met enough of the beautiful and talented Rorries that are out there)… but do be conscious that if someone like me asks you please to keep your dog away, or turns away when they see you and your lad coming … that is not based on their worries about your dog, but their concerns to not have their own dog being stressed or maybe stressing your dog. I have withdrawn my BC from stays in obedience competitions if I think that he's not going to be comfortable with other dogs that might be in the line .. even if he's on a pass .. his inability to read other dogs well is my problem, not one I should put on the other dogs. And here's a fun fact for you to use in educating the people who think that all Rottweilers are "dangerous" … Rotties are one of only a couple of non "herding type - Group 5 Working Dog" breeds that are allowed to compete in ANKC Herding Trials.

Welcome to you and your Golden Retriever lad. (My second favourite breed ) Good for you for thinking about his weight. It is most important to keep Goldens on the lean side from about this age on, so you lessen the chances of arthritis later in life. Great advice from others already .. I would definitely be cutting down on the dry food. For my Border Collies, the food bag recommendations have been anything up to double what they need. And yes .. adding veggies ( . raw is probably better, and not too many carrots) is good.) As well as the rib test … feeling without having to press .. they should feel like the back of your hand does .. covered, but not requiring pressure ..there's also the the tuck up/tuck in. From the top, you should be able to see a definite tuck in at the waist .. the end of the ribs … and from the side with the pup standing, there should be a tuck up from the deepest part of the chest, to the hips. And yes .. a good breeder will always appreciate you asking them questions .. they want their pups to have the best lives possible, and should be keen to educate their puppy people. And …… we'd love to see photos.

Good to read this update @sheena. I've been thinking of your daughter's lad too. Definitely a good sign that his count is still going up. It's a shame about the Atopica though. Could she not have a heart to heart with the vet about possible cheaper sources? Very disappointing if the vet would give her a script. How long does the lad have to be on the meds?

I have no words of wisdom on what you might be able to do …. but I just want to commend you on the responsibility you have taken for this poor little pup, and the loving care you have given and are giving. I can only wish that the message about the importance of buying only from reputable and ethical breeders who really care about the health and well being and future lives of the puppies they cause to be born, even if that means having to wait for the right puppy, could be reaching far more people.

Just make sure that when you're training Archie, it's play and excitement .. work is play, play is work …. it's the fun interactions that help pups learn and create great bonds. For me, I'd be getting Archie used to an x pen, and a crate (again, through making them valuable places to be)… just so that if the need arises and you start to see Ray getting annoyed, you can be ready to separate them when you can't actively supervise the interactions.

I think you're wise to be getting onto this early. And you've put your finger on the problem. Your lab pup has more value for his friend Ray than he does for you .. except when it's food related. So your job is to use the value he has for food, and use that to build value for learning stuff and doing stuff with you .. so that you become more valuable to him than his dog buddy. So you'll need to spend lots of time . in short sessions .. working and playing crazy games and teaching tricks to your pup .. with lots of food rewards … and without Ray in the picture. (By the way .. there are two different breeds Staffordshire Bull Terrier ( the short ones, sometimes also called English) and the American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff) … the tall ones.). There's a great free dog training series open at the moment, which will give you lots of ideas of training to do and games to play with Archie to help him buid value for you, and help him in his learning. It's on Facebook, and if you search for Recallers Masterclass you should get the link. I would also be intervening to prevent Archie becoming a pest to his buddy. HE has his puppy licence at the moment, but they can run out. Some separation .. maybe with an ex pen for Archie, would be good, so that Ray knows he doesn't have to do the disciplining.

Oh what a good update @Rebanne. Fingers and paws crossed she's all good from now on.

Couldn't agree more. @sandgrubber. Tasmania is officially hydatids free .. and people worked and continue to work hard to get it that way. I have no problems complying with biosecurity requirements that dogs be wormed for hydatids when they come into Tasmania, and making sure their hydatid worming is up to date when we go onto sheep properties for tracking trials. (I also make sure they are protected against heartworm and paralysis ticks when we go travelling.)

I use exactly the same finishes in both obedience and Rally … my boy competes in UD and is a Rally O Ch .. so we've never had trouble with the tight 'flip' finishes. (UD has about 8 finishes.) I use a perch box to teach my dogs to use their back ends to get themselves round .. for both the left and left abouts in obedience and Rally, and particularly for the stationary pivots in Rally. They are agility dogs as well, so the back end awareness and skilful turning is vital..

And you can put instructions in the dog's reward bag/tracklayer's reward bag ……….. I've had an instruction/request to please make the toy visible and available to the dog before moving. But I know what you mean … one of my dogs got a startle when the tracklayer, who'd been asleep under the tarp in the nice warm winter sun, woke up with a start just as she got near him!. She was quite wary when on her next track, the tracklayer she found was also in a swag. Most tracking judges are lovely and will be quite happy to sort something out. Oh and in training, my dogs hardly ever found a person .. just their reward .. My current boy let out a huge bark when he found his first swag rolled person .. "Hey do you guys know there's a body over here!" The production of his frozen chicken wing settled him down!

Sounds like good progress. Just for information .. Susan Garrett is opening Recallers again soon .. which means that there are free training videos leading up to the opening. Yes it's advertising .. but usually the free videos have lots of useful ideas in them. https://recallers.com/join-masterclass/

The recall exercise in formal obedience ultimately involves leaving the dog in a sit, cueing it to wait, and walking off in a straight line in front of the dog to a set distance, turning to face the dog, stopping when told, and then when told, calling the dog, who should then come to sit directly in front of the handler. Above the very basic level, the dog will then be cued to return from directly in front of the handler to the heel position .. i.e. the handler's left hand side. This is called the 'Finish' ..and is used not just in the recall, but later on in formal retrieve exercises and others where the dog has been away from the handler and returned to sit in front. The Finish is the part of the exercise which is described in your class notes .. or at least one version of the Finish. The ANKC Obedience rules allow the handler to use either the exercise you will be learning .. where the dog moves from a sit directly in front of the handler to the heel position at the handler's left, by going round the back of the handler. The other option which has been allowed for many years, is what is sometimes called the 'flip' or 'continental' finish, where the dog flips around by moving his butt, from facing the handler to sitting at heel facing the same direction of the handler. i.e. the dog does not go behind the handler .. is always in front or to the left. Personally this is the finish I use, but there are some older, maybe more "traditional" instructors who prefer to only use and teach the finish to the right. Actually to be fair, my dogs learn both .. both because they're required in Rally O, but also to try to stop them anticipating the finish .. by moving to heel before I give them the cue. So yes .. you're correct .. you will have turned to face the dog. The dog will then be moving to make a tight semi circle behind your back and coming up on your left hand side to sit at heel .. taking the step back with your right leg helps to get the dog moving .. once the dog gets the idea, you won't need to do that. Your other job is to make sure that you pass the lead from your right hand to your left behind your back, so that it won't be tightening as the dog moves behind you, This video shows an off lead version of the exercise done in an American Kennel Club competition ..their rules are similar to ours, but I don't hink they have the option of the left/flip/continental finish. Recall with right finish

Oh thanks, @ish. Now you say that, I do remember hearing about that. So to know for sure, it's a matter of having the pedigree registration papers then?

As well as the pedigree papers, I had a thought that pure bred registered GSDs were required to have identifying ear tattoos as IDs. You might find this breed information from the DOL home pages useful.

Good for you for getting the videos to your vet and to your vet for forwarding them to specialists. Poor little mite. No qualifications here either, but I'd agree with @persephone - that does look like some sort of seizure activity .. so I'd definitely be thinking neurological. If she were nine, if you're not already doing it I'd be keeping some sort of record .. date, time of day, circumstances, .. and sort of detail which might help show a pattern. Fingers and paws crossed you can get the dear little thing sorted .. she looks such a sweetie.

I would think it's definitely worth asking his breeder and any other British Bulldog people you might know if they have any thoughts. If it doesn'e affect anywhere else except his feet, it would suggest a contact allergy as the original problem, but it might now be self-fulfilling habituation. My other thought (apart from another thumbs up for something like the Sensitive Skin Big Dog frozen patties - which have the advantage of having bone in there as well - and the cooked pumpkin skin, which can't hurt) would be to get a referral to a specialist veterinary dermatologist. A quick search threw up about 4 in Specialist Referral practices in Melbourne.

It'll be a matter of trial and error, depending on why she's not comfortable. Placement in the vehicle can make a difference .. some are more comfortable on the floor in the back, others do better if they can't see out. My preference is to have the dogs in crates of some sort. This would be worth a try with a small cheap soft crate from Kmart, or an airline crate .. making sure the crate is secured so it can't move around or roll. You would probably also want to try some classical conditioning, so the pup gets used to good things happening in the car … so feeding meals or favourite treats in the car .. while it's stationary in a secure yard .. maybe with all doors open. Same thing … playing with pup in stationary car. Once pup seems more comfortable with getting in and out of the car and spending a bit of happy time in the stationary car, you would start closing a door at a time .. upping the value of the treats. Then tiny trips .. just along the driveway. Maybe with someone with the pup playing or giving treats .. then pup gets permission to get out .. rinse and repeat. The progress to short trips to places the pup kikes to go .. maybe a pet store to be spoilt, or somewhere nice for a little walk .. then back home. I personally don't really buy the inner ear explanation … although I guess it may be true for some dogs. My two current dogs, and the two before them, have flown to get here at 8 or 10 weeks. Only one was ever sick, and that was in the car going to the airport, and then in the checkout line (that was the go in those days) Oddly the flight and the car trip home didn't bother him. Both my current dogs flew interstate long haul with changes of plane on the way. One had a 300km car trip to get to the airport ..and 2 flights. Both arrived happily and clean. Before it becomes too much of a habit for your pup, I would be inclined to find a really good vet behaviourist (vet with extra qualifications) and explore some possibilities.

Depends a lot on the type, and the dog's response. If they're thinking primary .. then it means maybe no outside cause .. just the dog's own immune system doing something it shouldn't be doing and attacking the dog's own red blood cells. You'll find out more by doing web searches. It's a seriously nasty disease .. survival levels are getting somewhat better, especially when transfusions are available.

It's really encouraging that he's hanging in there … but yes .. really stressful all round. Fingers and paws continue to be crossed for him.

Just FYI .. there was a very distressing and heated discussion on this several months ago. I think it was removed, so searching here won't help I think. But I do suggest you google the subject. I'll put some links if I can find them quickly. But to get you thinking … pay rates are quite low, given the high ATAR scores needed to get into vet school and the years of training; vets who are practice owners have the stress and expense of maintain their buildings, keeping more and more expensive equipment up to date; vets and their staff have to deal with not only traumatised animals but also traumatised owners every day .. some are hard because the vet has known the animal since it was tiny, and the humans probably longer than that .. and has to deliver bad news and guide owners through appropriate treatment (or not) scenarios; others are even harder because the vet is confronted by owners who are angry or apparently uncaring .. not willing to pay for appropriate treatment; ….. and so on. Even on a good day it's a tough gig … which is one of the reasons why well puppy visits are welcome if the office is not too busy, or weigh ins by regular client dogs who are then available for destressing cuddles . ETA link ABC report from January 2019

Oh that's tough, @Pollywaffle.. It's hard when they get older and things start going wrong (well, not just them either ). If the Evet was right about the carcinoma, then I don't know that I'd be getting aggressive about the possible diabetes .. unless of course those symptoms became really concerning. I think if she were mine, I would be running a complete blood panel just to see what indicators there might be. That will mean an uncomfortable blood draw, but will hopefully give you a clearer picture of what might be happening. Here's hoping you can get some good information without stressing her or you guys too much.

Sounds like you are doing a good job with the training. The basic rule with a young puppy is take them outside after they wake up, after they've eaten, after they've been playing .. and don't leave them unsupervised in anything except their play pen, where you'd have newspapers ..and maybe pee pads or fake grass. Pups have preferences for what they like under their feet when they toilet. You should know that 7 weeks is actually a bit too young for a puppy to go to its new home. The law in most states requires the pup not to go to the new home till 8 weeks ..and it's often later in small breeds. One of the reasons for this is that the pup is usually not vaccinated or microchipped until 6 weeks, and then a 2 week period is advised for the vaccine to achieve the maximum effect it can give puppy at that age, before the pup is allowed to go to the new home. Even then, although the pup can and should be taken out to experience the world safely, in the owner's car, or arms, or in the homes of friends with fully vaccinated pups, it's safer not to allow the puppy to put its feet on the ground in areas where diseases , particularly parvovirus, may be present. It would probably be wise for you to check the pup's vaccination and worming status .. making sure the breeder was keeping up with all those requirements. .. and you should also have the microchip papers .. so make sure the microchip is registered in your name and with a couple of valid phone numbers just in case. I really wouldn't be waking the pup to take her out in the night, but it's lovely that you have her sleeping in your bedroom, so that you will hear her stir or cry if she wakes up .. which might at that young age be once or twice a night. Just quietly take her out to where she likes to toilet - some prefer grass, then quiet praise, and bring her quietly inside, and pop her back in her kennel, with a little treat. Oh and of course take her out to toilet just before she goes to bed. Don't know what breed your pup is, but as a guide, by 9 weeks, my Border Collies were only waking to toilet once a night .. and by 10 weeks they would sleep through 8 or more hours. Hope that helps … and please tell us more about your pup .. and we like to see photos.

Oh that's not good news, @sheena. It really is a horrible thing.

So very sorry you've had to make that sad decision for your beloved Cairn. I have no experience of Cairns, or of Cushings, and I have no veterinary knowledge but your post .. but your post did ring some little bells in my mind …. something I read or heard ages ago about the links between Cushings and Addisons. Given the symptoms you described of your poor girl's last few days, there were things that from the very little I've heard and read, did sound a little more Addisonian to my very lay mind. In relation to the fatty tumour becoming hard quite suddenly (if I'm understanding that correctly) that did happen to a dog of mine years ago. She had quite a large lipoma on her thigh, and it became hard and painful quite suddenly .. diagnosed and treated by the E vet as an infection, with a recommendation to have it removed after a couple of days on antibiotics. In her case, that was an isolated thing, and it was successfully removed. Once again, my sincere condolences. I have had that experience of losing a dog within a couple of days of symptoms and diagnosis. In his case, it was immune mediated haemolytic anaemia .. it's very hard.

It's a horrible thing, Sheena … my first pure bred BC died of it .. competed happily in 2 UD trials on the Sunday, and after being a bit off on the Tuesday, went downhill rapidly and died on the Friday morning … but that was while the diagnosis was still being made, and in the days before transfusions were available … at least down here. The fact that his PCV has gone up to 26 after the 3rd transfusion is encouraging. There's quite a bit of information available on the net .. take it for what it's worth .. but you might get some ideas about how they progress from here. For my boy it was going to be massive immune suppression .. but again . that may well have changed, and has almost certainly improved in nearly 20 years. I guess my advice would be … keep asking questions .. and hope for the best. I do wish your daughter and her dog well.