kamuzz

Especially for those of us who have dogs with thick coats.

just got my coat kings this week

Tell me about it! My vet says NO chicken bones under any circumstances so we don't feed them. Feel that if I am going to trust him to treat my animals then I owe him the courtesy of taking his advice. Maybe chicken bones are suitable for small dogs, but not bigger dogs?

When I was growing up we always had outside dogs. Now I let my dogs into the kitchen area, which is tiled. We use baby gates to stop them accessing the carpeted areas of the house. This worked well for us - the dogs can still come in and be part of the family, but there isn't hair from one end of the house to the other. We have a Springer x Golden and a GSD, so we know all about hair. What make of vacuum cleaner do you own? Be careful, or the DOLers will be converting you to a Dyson

Well not really a big loss - not like you are banning him for the rest of his life. And he is probably enjoying the training sessions with you too.

Yup, mine do pretty much the same too. Have seen those automatic drinking fountains in the pet shop, but have no idea if they would work for you.

And how often had we heard that particular line. Used to work for a company that had RTFM stuck to the monitor of all the PCs in the training room. (didn't help though)

We have had the privilege of fostering a couple of Labs who were dumped or surrendered for exactly that reason. And they are such lovely dogs too. Denise from Paws always says that you should remember a Lab doesn't necessarily get his brains before 2 :D Good luck with your new puppy and don't feel bad about posting lots of questions here. The people are really helpful, even if things do get a bit heated at times. I've learnt so much reading DOL.

Coda's breeder uses Pro Plan and he came with a bag of it.

Stormy, your vet would not have suggested this lightly. Poor Beau can run free now. In South Africa I used to foster horses for the equivalent of GAP - failed racehorses. On their brochure they had a wonderful poem written from the animal's perspective about "not staying your hand in pity when the final deed is due". I can't remember the words enough to find the poem unfortunately. In the end you did the best thing for Beau AND your family. Dogs are pack animals, and he will respect that. I'm sure there will be no leg lifting in your next meeting.

Thanks for all your help, have ordered a 10 and 20 Mars King. We already have a slicker and a fine comb. Now all I need is the motivation to use them REGULARLY

My family always had dogs that were outside dogs. Now I let my dogs come in when we are home, but they go outside to sleep. (Some of you may remember my terrible tales of woe trying to crate train Coda to sleep inside). They have kennels and a trampoline bed outside, but most times they prefer to lie on the concrete. IMHO it is not a bad thing for dogs to sleep outside, provided they have suitable accommodation.

How often are dogs meant to have their nails clipped? I thought this was only a problem if the dog wasn't getting enough exercise ;)

They will all be at the bridge together, watching over your daily doings. Condolences to all on the loss of Tia.

While they are all the same brand they are different products, whey they say 20 blade or 26 blade that is how many blades/hooks are on the tool, the higher the number the closer the blades and the tighter the strip. From the mars website you've linked to it looks as though the 20/26 would be ideal. But if your dog is crossed with a Goldie then you've got an undercoat to deal with as well, do you have a picture of your dog? Thanks for that - there are more pics of Robbie on page two of Ben's thread

Hoping Brodie is enjoying plenty of nice fresh snow and rabbits to chase. Sorry for your loss

Been looking at these Mars Combs, and confusing myself What is the difference between these the same products? Mars Coat King Home Line 19 Blade - clearly says "home line" Coat-King Original 20 Blade - original turns up on the Mars page. Coat-King Double 12 Blade - double shows up on the Mars page This is breed list on the Mars page. Seem to be quite a cost difference between Vet Products Direct and other outlets. I'm wary because there are no photos shown and the product codes don't seem to match up with anything on the Mars page. Could someone please clarify if there is any difference, and what would be the best for my Springer X? (He is Springer X with Goldie, we thing.)

What is the difference between a mars comb and a mars coat king?

where?

Does he have anything that he is allowed to chew? Some people swear by saying No firmly to "naughty" chewing and then immediately giving the dog a chew toy and praising the dog for chewing that.

RIP Jemma. I hope there are plenty of rabbits for you to chase and beaches to swim at while you wait for your family to catch up with you. You surely know how much your people loved you

When we have a dog with an upset tummy, our vet often recommends feeding them a bland diet of rice and chicken for 3 or 4 days. Is this not a good idea then?

Very cryptic change to the title of this topic - has this lass found a new home already?

Wondering what other people use for training treats, especially for dogs that aren't too interested in food? And how do you carry the treats with you? Just loose in a pocket doesn't seem to work too well.

Yes, great question. I'd love to know what it best for the "feathers" on my Springer Spaniel Cross. He always winds up with knots / matts very close to the skin, especially round his ears. We wind up using the clippers to get rid of them but I'm sure there has to be a better way.