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Melinda, I think you should go straightaway apply for a 4th dog permit ???? The group is called Rescue a Cocker...

Nekhbet, what resources would you suggest for those who don't have a club offering that near them? Sounds like a great idea!

That's great news! Just out of curiosity, how much does your vet charge for this? I've just had Will's done (still waiting or the results) because of his muscle myosotis; I paid $83 for the costly + $252 for the testing which I thought was a bit steep.

Following this thread with interest, and hope your boy gets some relief soon. He's gorgeous! When I had similar issues with my old boy, I ended up confining him to the one room with non-slip mats scattered around so there was always one close to him when he was trying to get up. HW, is there someone you'd recommend for Bowen therapy in Sydney?

Well done Rilla and Mum! Rally O seems the way to go... From what I've seen it's much friendlier and "user friendly" than pure obedience. I've got a confession to make (sorry to high jack your thread); we went to our first obedience trial on Saturday and it was a bit of a disaster. Turned up at 8.30 for vetting, and they started to trial the highest level (Udx I think) and worked their way back. So we were only called in the ring at 3.00 or so, after waiting all this time on a fairly warm day that had turned very windy. By then I was a bit over it, and so was Penny who wouldn't focus and just wanted to go sniff out duck poo. Of course I stuffed up, used her name to get her attention when I shouldn't have, told her to sit once, etc... The works! Incidentally everyone else failed their ccd. Kinda put me off obedience for good! Do you train Rilla in Rally O at your club or did you just go to the trial to suss it out? There's no Rally O training where we are...

You need to determine if his allergies are food related or not; there's no point chopping and changing his diet. With your vet's guidance you could do an elimination diet (one new protein + one new carbohydrate) for 4 to 6 weeks. No treats, no flavored tablets etc.... Chances are it is probably not food related; seeing a dermatologist would be a good idea if his scratching is quite severe. Otherwise, a few people on here recommend Calendula tea as a topical (or full body rinse) treatment to soothe the itchy spots. I haven't had any results on it sadly. Other topical ointments (as recommended by my dermatologist) are alpha Keri lotion (quite inexpensive from the chemist, and my dog flips over to have her belly ointed so it must feel good!) and Paw calming gel http://www.naturalpetstore.com.au/d/25523/19/grooming/paw-pure-animal-wellbeing-triderm-calming-gel---75ml/ She also advised us to use the Paw shampoo and conditioner (and to not rinse off the conditioner)

Now I feel like driving to Marrickville just to check it out!

???? Santo why don't you step out of this thread quietly before you make a fool of yourself even more.... You have clearly no idea...

I commend you for trying to do the right thing by your little dog and getting professional help. Hopefully she'll make great progress and you'll get to a point where things are manageable. I completely understand where you're coming from regarding breeders... 6 years ago I got a cocker pup from a registered breeder, apparently highly regarded in the show world, a judge etc... This poor dog showed signs of not being normal from day one. We worked with a veterinary Behaviourist, tried various medications, did a brain MRI and ended up giving him his wings aged 2 and a half. I'm sure your little girl will come around but I sympathize with your disappointment. I'm happy for you to PM me if you'd like...

+1 It could get very stressful soon and put a strain on all parties involved (including the dogs)

Definitely yes! Stand and turn around easily... K9 pro should be able to help you with this, I got my crate from them :-)

Great posts (as always) Corvus and Wundahoo, and well done to you AndreWang for being such a caring owner... I agree that separation distress is very under diagnosed and owners only start worrying when it has reached a very severe level which causes them an issue (destruction, barking etc) Corvus and Wundahoo, how would you recommend AndreWang addresses the issue? Would you refer to a Behaviourist vet? My situation is similar in some ways to Andre's. When left inside the house, Will (terrier mix) and Penny (Cocker) are fine. Will sleeps in his bed and Penny is either on the couch or on a chair in the bedroom (lying on my clothes - could that be a sign of separation distress too?). When I came home yesterday I managed to make myself lunch and eat it before Penny (who was sleeping upstairs) realized I was back :-) However when left outside, once they've gone though their kongs / treat balls etc they do not seem to settle for a sleep but spend their time watching into the house though the glass doors, waiting for me to come home. I've hardly ever sprung them asleep when they're outside. They are much more hyper in their greetings too, giving me the impression that their stress level is higher when being left outside. Sorry for high jacking your thread Andre, I'd be very interested in hearing recommendations...

ETA I drive a small car too (focus) and would feel your pain if I had to crate mine. If we go away for the weekend, the boot is filled with bags etc, and the cat is the only one crated on the back seat between the 2 dogs in their harnesses...

Just my 2 cents worth... I think I'd be getting 2 crates, just because of the risk of redirected aggression (e.g. Something sets Kira off, but because she's in a tight confined space she redirects to Zeus) The rattling of the wire crates drives me nuts too... I didn't like them to start with, however I think they are the most versatile of all. You can cover them as much, or as little as required to block out stimulus but also to allow for airflow. I found the soft crate can get really hot, and so does the airline type (to a lesser extent). If you're planning on using these as confinement too for agility etc... I reckon you have to go for something sturdy either wire or airline.

Thank you Sheena! I shall have a look at BH next time I go to the pet store. I'd really like to support a good quality Australian made food (that isn't just a branch of a big multinational!)...

I try to feed mostly barf but also use kibble (mostly for training and in boredom buster toys); I like Holistic Select and Taste of the Wild. However I'd like to use something Australian made, so have been resorting to Advance or Nutro lately. I'd be interested in giving Stay Loyal a go (I must confess to never having heard of it before). Why do you think BH ingredients are better Sheena? I had a quick glance at both and they seem fairly similar, the only main difference (that I noticed) being Emu Oil in BH (and can't seem to find any info on its nutritional benefits).

+1 Aussielover... I think we're seeing the same dermatologist :-) and she's great! Christina I'm not sure what your qualifications are but in the case of food allergies most vets will agree that 4 to 6 weeks is the period needed for an allergen to be flushed out of the dogs system.

Sorry Christina but that's not how an elimination diet works... If someone wants to go down that path I'd strongly recommend they do so under veterinary guidance. When introducing a novel source of protein and carbohydrate it is usually recommended to stick to it for 4 to 6 weeks. You won't see any improvement after only 2 days; it takes much longer than that for the dogs body to get rid of the allergens.

The sensible harness is another great option. It's a front attach so doesn't go anywhere near the neck. I got mine from CleanRun when it was free shipping. Sending healing vibes to poor little Mac

Enabler is the word! What's the difference between the greenbacked and rubber backed? I take it rubber would be harder? I'm looking for something to put underneath the dogs soft beds and reduce condensation (cold tiles). Also, is it something I could cut to shape myself to fit into their beds to create extra padding?

I haven't read all the answers, but I'd suggest spending time with him (playing, training or just hanging out) in the laundry and backyard so these places have positive associations and are not just places he is relegated to when no one is around... Radio on is definitely a good idea, as is TV. The background noise can provide some sort of companionship, as well as attenuate spooky noises from outside. Maybe leave the tshirt you've slept in on his bed so he has your own smell for comfort. When given a chance, many digs like to lie where their family usually does, eg bed or couch. Good luck! I know it can be stressful. When Penny came to me at 3.5 months she had never been alone before. The initial period was very stressful for us both and I now wish I'd had time off to work on this gradually.

I think the 24 hours soaking period is required for the grains to start germinating. This process shouldn't be expedited IMO

Are you waiting for an appointment with SABS? Well worth it if that's the case. Have you looked into Karen Overall's protocol for relaxation? I think Gus might benefit from it, eventhough you may find it very frustrating to start with

My dermatologist vet recommended we use a spray that targets fleas AND their eggs. You can get some from any supermarket (baygon is one of the brands from memory. It also targets cockroaches etc); you have to ensure you spray pretty much everywhere, especially the hard-to-access areas: under beds, furniture, skirting boards etc... She also said to pay particular attention to entry points to the house (window sills, doorways etc) if stray animals tend to hang around these areas. I would make sure all your pets are on a good monthly treatment (either spot-on or tablets - I found comfortis works best for us), and maybe have them all on capstar for a few days too.

Alternatively, look up dog snood. I think a few people on here make them, and there are a couple of places you can buy them (dog shows, pet network.com, etc). Commonly used on spaniels to keep ears clean at meal time...