dog geek

heh - cute!! I remember seeing vid of Sharky before, and beiing amazed at the sweetness evident in it's actions...

Well, on the understanding that I have had several business interactions with them previously that were models of 'best practice'... The Barf Shop deserve credit for being so downright fabulous!

Well, I would, but I wasn't sure that it would be fair to identify them... I mean, they might not appreciate me publicising the fact that they had made a mistake.

Erny, Ester C has been studied in Norway and proven to alleviate pain in joints. It supports the body's production of synovial fluid, thus cushioning the damaged joints. I use it for myself, and can report objectively that it takes about a week to kick in, and that the relief is profound. I also use the D-Glucosamine Hydrocholride/sulphide compounds, and while they take longer to become effective, they do have a discernable anit-inflammatory effect as well as allowing the body to produce cartilege and tendon. Good luck!

How sad... that merely being polite and understanding when mistakes are made is apparently the exception to the usual experience... Having purchased various items from this company, I thought the staff provided exceptionally efficient service. They were very pleasant to deal with over the phone, took great pains to assess my needs and make sure I would be happy with my purchases - good, I thought, they seem reliable; and certainly pride themselves on quality of service. So I recently invested a couple of thousands dollars in a dog-related item from them, and when it arrived it was not as ordered. Naturally, I contacted them to inform them of the mistake - from previous contact with them I knew they would not deliberately provide less than their best, and I was confident that they would be happy to work with me to rectify the problem. Having only previously had wonderful experiences with them, I am flabbergasted that being merely being polite about a mistake in my order was appreciated to the extent that I received an extremely generous freebie in recognition! I do realise that the mistake in my order was a fairly significant one - however once I had drawn it to their attention, as I anticipated the staff were mortified and immediately made strenuous efforts to find a solution that satisfied me. What leaves me saddened is that just being 'normally' polite about it was so gratefully received by the poor people I had contact with. Honestly - if the norm is for people to be abusive and over-the-top when mistakes happen, then I really hope reading this lets us all remember to chill out a little next time (and yes, I include myself in this lol!) something is not as expected. So, next time I feel myself getting wound up at someone, I must remember how relieved a little politeness made my 'service providers' feel. If cutting someone a little slack brought such a heartfelt reaction of appreciation, then there really is not enough graciousness in the world; and I must do my best to broadcast politeness as I bumble through my life...

MM, I would highlight what Poodlefan has said: dog secured, cat loose in room. Has worked for me with every dog I have introduced to my cats, including the latest Whippet who had an 'instant attack' mode when he saw cats. BUT: first I would ask, have you tried this: secure dog (on leash, maybe) in room without cat, and concentrate on training the right response to a 'focus on me for a reward/praise' word. Once you have lickle dog looking at you when you say your word, expecting praise and rewards, then introduce cat into the room - I would have the cat in the room FIRST, then walk the dog in on a lead. Don't forget to use your 'focus on me' word as you are entering the room. If her response to the cat overwhelms her focus, then I suggest a firm 'NO' and a retreat out the door with no treat. I try to establish the room as 'belonging' to the cat, and I have learnt to reward the wanted behaviour with lots of praise - maybe the dog needs to feel secure in the knowledge that seeing the cat changes very little in her situation, except to gain her rewards if she focusses on you. The latest dog - a real cat-chaser - and his new Heater Buddy:

Thanks, Persephone - I only hope they prove as indestructible, hygenic, and comfortable as I hope they are... Here are the three types we have: the Bed For Giant Destructo-Dogs; the Bed For Medium Destructo-Dogs; and the Oval Bed For Medium Destructo-Dogs:

Awl right, At - that is your bed Jasper is modelling! Teebs, I thought you worked until verry early this morning... what are you doing up?

Aaaaaaaand here is Bluey, modelling the Dog Bed For Giant Destructo-Dogs: So..... feedback, anyone?

WE HAVE PIX!! Presenting: The Dog Bed for Destructo-Dogs, modelled by Jasper Jones:

Well, at this stage - prototype stage, that is - it is costing me $30 to make each bed, just in materials/ I am hoping that these are completely indestructible, not to mention totally impervious to all disinfectants; and at least more comfortable than a concrete paltform for dogs in pounds etc. So Teebs - there is an Atlas-sized Destructo-Dog Bed here in Canberra waiting for you; and one giant-breed sized bed almost ready to go. If anyone wants to cover the costs of making a couple more prototypes, then give me feedback on how indestructible they actually are - not to mention i the dogs find them comfortable enough to sleep on - then I will do a few more before deciding if they are a 'goer' and bumping up the price a bit Cheers Nic

Cool! I can do them in medium (Whippet-ish) and large (more than one dog/giant breed) and there should be a couple ready to go on the weekend... any volunteers for transport to Sydney?? Oh, and sorry, the boy-childs' social demands meant no pix this after noon... maybe tomottow!

Where are you, Teebs?? I am just starting to produce 'unkillable' dog beds, for dogs that destroy their bedding... if you would like to test-drive one for me, I am in Canberra. They are made from tyres and rubber floor matting - give me a couple of hours and I'll put a pic up.

I remember seeing a discussion of this somewhere in these forums, but my searches aren't turning it up. Does anyone have the facts on whether it is possible to insure dogs for breeding and showing? And was there a comparison between different providers, or am I inventing that bit?

Well, yes, tail taping would come under this. It is a defining breed characteristic, the ring in the tail, and should be there naturally. The dog should be assessed on its merits as future breeding stock - something deliberately relegated far down the list of priorities in in the pursuit of winning. All the cosmetic alterations are changing the phenotype - SOME breeders are no longer selecting for natural, genetically present traits. Peeves me no end, I am not even a breeder but am fed up with the changing phenotype aided by ridiculously elaborate titifying... blech to the over-groomed wonders swanning around the ring!

I am sorry but I don't actually know dosage rates for canines... perhaps it really is a 'dose until you give them the squirts' type of trial and error situation? I use it myself, and can promise that the effects on arthritic joint pain are genuine...

http://www.workingdogs.com/doc0039.htm I can't copy/paste the article for you because of copyright issues, but this is a well-referenced article.

Hiya newbie! we were all there once. It may be that the breeder was actually and in fact vaccinating her pups - did she stick the label from the vial on the card? Is there a note of the batch number on the card? If it was the C3 vacc, then she probs purchased it on the net and inoculated them herself - not legal, but if the pups actually got the vacc then your vet just needs to continue the scheduled vaccs. If there is no sticker and no batch then that is a concern... but do remember that it may be breaching client confidentiality for the breeder's vet to relay information to a third party. This may be why you have not been able to confirm vet checks etc... Or it may be that you need to contact the Kennel council for the state the breeder is in, find out if they are registered breeders, etc etc etc. Good luck with it, try not to get too panicky! PS... I believe that people who post here are pretty much obliged to put pix of their bubbies up :D

Sorry to hear of his pain, Cosmolo... must be eating at you, but I hope you take a few big breaths and look after yourself.. Regarding the Ester C and Glucosamine complexs - both of these supplements are clinically proven to recover joint mobility: The D-Glucosamine complex actually repairs the cartiledge, according to the research I have done. And with the anti-inflammatory effect as well... well, I would be poking the appropriate dose down his throat whether he like it or not . Here is a link to the company I get mine from: www.healthpost.co.nz I have spares, if you would like some pm me and I will send them to you. Cheers Nic

Cosmolo, I don't know if you read my thread about Ester C - Calcium Ascorbate - but I was in considerable pain from osteo when I came across reports of success in using this easily-metabolised form of Vitamin C to assist dogs with hip and knee issues. After checking some of the literature published by the reputable scientific magazines I gave it a go: I am now pain-free, and back to being able to walk the kids/dogs! It apparently works by providing the body with the necessary ingredients to create lots of synovial fluid - it does not reverse arthritic changes - thus cushioning the affected joint and returning mobility to normal. I also take D-Glucosamine Hydrochloride and D-Glucosamine Hydrosulphate, which together act as an anti-inflammatory. I recommend you try to source some Ester C - it is made by Wagner - and give it a go. It took only a week or so for the pain in my hips to recede; and within three weeks I was back to briskly walking a couple of km at a time (I could possibley have done so sooner, but was being cautious). ... I truly hope you try this out, if your pupper's in pain from joints wearing against each other then based on the research and my own experiences, I would say this treatment's veracity is confirmed. Cheers Nic

Wha...? Had me going, PF - hilarious mental image there

Okay, paint me weird - but I am convinced I can actually differentiate between my dogs' differing barks - does anyone else do this?? As in, there is the "Alert Alert, Will Robinson, some scum are walking on OUR footpath", where I look through the window, then call the dogs to the back door and thank them for coming to me instead of shouting at innocent passersby... Then, there is the "Get Out Here Quick, Mum, There Is A Bad Person!", which has so far resulted in my interrupting a lout letting down the tyres on the neighbour's car, supervising various suspiciously quiet late-night strollers out of sight down the street, and appearing like a jack-in-the-box when a stolen car was dumped a couple of houses down. And of course, there is the "Outraged And Offended By The Possums Teasing" bark... very difficult to tell the difference between these last two, you have to listen carefully for the tone of incipient hysteria in the possum-barking...

.... Me? Or Rommi n Lewis? I am not sure what dosage they were using on the dogs that were in the double blind study, I will see if I can re-trace my steps and find the article on the Norwegian study. But 6 "Wagner" brand 625mg Ester C tablets, for a 60kg adult (hooman adult) per day.

Actually... I am inspired by this thread I am making up a cd for my kids' primary school library - if the 'dog-besotted' kids can take it home, maybe their parentals will be guided away from the DDs!!

That is a great idea - maybe you could get permission from some of the breeders who advertise on the DOL breed pages to use some of their pix - the one of the two Griffon Bruxellois 'flying' through the air springs to mind, such a gorgeous photo! I think that the jack russell/pug also looks like the Griffon Bruxellois; with the rough coated giving the 'scruffer' option as well. Something which might work well is if you have a section of pix of the different 'types' of dog... squishy-faced: Affenpinscher, Griffon Bruxellois, Boston Terrier, French Bulldog, Tibetan Spaniel wooly: Lagotto, Bichon Frise, Portugese Water Dog, Kerry Blue, Bedlington Terrier flarfy: Papillon, Maltese, Chinese Crested (Powder Puff), Pomeranian, Lowchen scruffy: Aussie Terrier, Basset Fauve, Border Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Portugese Podengo Forgive me for the gorgeous dog breeds I have not included - but if you had a page for each 'type' with 'samples', you could also have the website address for further browsing. Actually, one thing I have always thought would be a winner would be screen with a cd of the breeds on a slideshow near the counter - bet you'd get lots of people watching and wanting to know more!