VJB

My dog went through a "stage" doing this and I found the best method was to not react, but to stand still. As soon as I reacted, she found it more of a game and would become more excited. If I stand still, she drops the lead, and we continue our walk. Probably different for individual dogs though.

RIP Bella, it's so painful to say goodbye.

Our 1 year old will start to wind down at about 7.30 most nights. She sleeps all night until OH gets up at 6am and she goes and gets some breaky. Then she's back for a snuggle for another 2 hours before the rest of the family are all up and getting ready. During the day, she tends to stay awake most morning hours, except for a quick nap in the sun after mid-morning walk. Afternoons are less active for her, and after a half hour afternoon play, she is sleeping till OH comes home around 5pm.

Heidi doesn't move till we move or the kids get up.....and on weekends it is well after 8am. Depends on the dog though and the routine of the household I guess.

You can buy them at petbarn in bags of 10 or 20, they work out to be around $2 each. The other place is on ebay, where you can purchase them for much cheaper at $1 each. The sellers shop is called dog food 2 u. Sheeps ears are apparently much smaller and also very low in fat. They might be worth a go for a smaller dog.

My dog cannot eat pigs ears or anything that has a high fat content. It just doesn't work and causes problems with her bowels. I've since found that venison ears are a fantastic substitute, and they are great. That being said though, how often would it be reasonable to give her one.....2-3 times a week? Does anyone else know of any other low fat chews that are available. I recently saw a post about a cow hoof, but from memory someone suggested that they can be bad for teeth.

how cute!

You could try providing a sandpit and teach her to dig in there. Put some dried liver treats in there for her seek and search for. Also put her poo in the hole and she will be less likely to dig there again..... works with some dogs, and not with others.

I'm not a big believer in colour variances having different personalities. From any research I've done, the GWP are different from the GSP, but someone else will have more knowledge than me on this one. Price range. $800 - $1000. They are a very eager to please, enthusiastic breed, so training should not be too difficult if you are clear on what message you are trying to send to your dog, and how easy it is depends on what your dog works best with and how good the communication is between you and the dog. Consistency is the key though, as with most dogs. Some can be stubborn at times, Heidi tests the boundaries just for the fun of it I'm sure. If things are kept interesting enough, I find focus not an issue.

I have a "placid GSP" 70% of the day, as long as she has had a good walk and gets to be part of what I do around the house. She needs the mental stimulation and so come 2pm in the afternoon, she is looking for another energetic game which takes about 20 minutes. Aside from that, cheeky is a good word to use in referring to this breed. Heidi is often doing things she isn't suppose to do (stealing bits and pieces from around the house)..... but its our fault!...... we use to chase after her to get them back, so it fast became the best game for her. I have never seen aggression in her, but have come across one dog that snapped at Heidi..., probably because she pestered a little too much and didn't know the boundaries. Same as any breed of dog that wants to warn another dog off. I do not find her hyperactive, over the top or anything excessive. I have my good days and not so good, and get overwhelmed when I have a run of not so good days, but they are more to do with my frustrations and inability to get clear messages across to her at times. I would have found dealing with her quite difficult if I had babies and toddlers due to the fact that I could only s-t-r-e-t-c-h myself so far, and possibly not be able to commit to the "preferred" requirement to have a contented dog. I believe they settle with age, but certainly ongoing training plays a big part in what you end up with. That being said, we had a beautiful GSP when I was young, I remember being petrified when she was a little pup, but she turned out to be the most loving soft natured dog ever. Heidi is a total sook, loves a good sleep and snuggle in the sunshine, (or on my lap) and I hear this about most GSP's.

My dog will get little bits of banana on occasion. She loves it. I freeze them for her.

I was getting all excited about the hooves till I read that. The venison ears are great though, and my dog can eat them without getting upset bowels. Will be ordering bulk from one of the websites mentioned.

What a gorgeous gorgeous girl Jenna was... stunning pic. RIP.

OMG, you poor thing. What a horrible thing to witness. Hope you are ok.... I was going to say you need a stiff drink.... but you are pregnant, so just take some deep breaths. I would also suggest you get checked out as well as the dogs. Better to be on the safe side.

My heart aches. What a sad sad thing to happen. RIP Portia.

Sorry for your loss. I agree re the pic's, she was beautiful for sure. RIP.

. Not a good look in my books.

Sorry your dogs are sick. I've heard of a product called Medi-honey that is suppose to be great. Maybe someone else will be able to add more info on this.

I've tried raw bones, and have experienced feeling a bit tense at times. I've not given one for ages, as she tends to throw them up. She does not gulp them either. The best we ever had was the roo tail, and I always sat with her and supervised. Good chance to actually sit down and have a coffee.

So terribly sad Carey. ;) Definitely gone too soon.

At least he's not howling or crying.... that is a sad sound , and it's tough to deal with, so you are lucky he's not pulling your heart strings in that way. How about getting a sand pit, and hide some dried treats in there, so that he has a place to dig before he even gets the idea to start on the garden. Or you could scatter his lunch around the yard, so that he can amuse himself sniffing around for it. I also remember putting kibble in a empty plastic 2 litre juice bottle, and they will find it most entertaining dragging that around.

I would not have known that either. I regularly gave my dog chicken stock iceblocks last summer.. and she loved them. I even think there is something available on the market where you can make your dogs ice blocks, large ones too. Will have to rethink that one. Glad the dog is doing well, and suffered no ill effects.

I have mine in a large steel garbage bin with lid, from bunnings. We had a rat come in before and eat through the bag, so this has put a stop to that greedy bugger!