jenz0r

thanks all, I'll contact C-crates too see what they can do. I think the Aluminium one would get a little too hot in summer unfortunately Josuki, I'm in Sydney - thanks though

Hi everyone, One of my amstaffs is able to squeeze through the front door of a locked dog crate, and left unattended at dog shows this can be a problem. I've started clipping the door shut with dog leads when she is in it, but I'd like to get a crate with thicker wire as she has bent the door!! :D Does anyone know of a supplier of THICK WIRE crates? My 36inch crates I've got from the show vans and the wire doesn't seem as thick as most. I think I'll go down a size also as the smaller sizes wont be so easy for her to bend. The best crate I've had her in was one of those single front-door crates, where the front door actually slides down and clips in. And then there's a spring-catch you push in to open it upwards again (rather than the sideways door with the two lock latches). I can't find any of these crates on the net, or ebay, hoping someone has some ideas for where to find one! Thanks Jen

thank you very much everyone

Hi All We are travelling to the VIC amstaff speciality, held at Skye KCC Park this year... a friend mentioned that there is a dog-friendly caravan park nearby but was waiting on details. Does anyone know the name/contact details for this caravan park near KCC? Thanks for any info! Jen

thanks Jigsaw, you're right I may have to ask around at local vets! cheers.

Hi all My doglets are nearly at the age where they can have their hip/elbow x-raying and scoring done, however my usual vet clinic does not undertake these kind of x-rays frequently so I would like to go with a vet that does it routinely (if there is any!) , knows how to position the dog correctly etc etc I am from Sydney originally so not familiar with many vets in the Newcastle/surrounding area... any recommendations of fantastic vets for hip & elbows would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Jen

that being said, plenty of dogs that frequent dog beaches do not have 100% but you will have to be careful and keep an eye on him at all times if u do decide to let him off lead being a papillon i dont think u would have a huge problem with him scaring other dogs/ppl at the beach but not everyone is appreciative of dogs getting into their blanket/towels/stuff, mine sometimes run over for pats and kisses to ppl sitting on the beach and i try to discourage it because not everyone is going to be so keen, even though i dont mind it happening to me when i am at the beach i dont have experience with tiny breeds like papillons but plenty of puppies of other breeds that are around the size of a grown pappilon are seen at the beach... i would just make sure you are near him in case he gets spooked by a big dog. and get him used to it slowly.. i like the idea of a lonnnnnng lead

just a little update on my boy, i took him to the vet as he still has the lumps on his hind legs and the vet put him on a course of cephalexin which im told is a strong antibiotic, and gave phenergan as well. he thinks its either the staph/folliculitis, which the antibiotics should fix up, or potentially papilloma virus, which his immune system will have to kick out eventually. so i guess i just wait and see until the antibiotics run out... he has little infected scratches under his chin from our baby puppy playing with him that the antibiotics should clear up too. he did a demodex scrape just to clear that option out... and its not demodex. would have been an easier problem to fix though i guess. i think the poor little guy just has bad temperamental blue staffy skin in the mean time is there anything i can feed him to help boost his immune system if it is papilloma? thanks again !!

thats a great innings rip little guy

at the time when he had the itchy rash, it looked like 2 completely separate skin conditions at the same tkime - the lumps, as in the pic i posted and then he had the non-raised blotchy itchy rash on his tummy and everywhere else... but that one cleared up with the spray... thanks heaps i will definitely look into it when i have the cash.. have car insurance bill to pay first unfortunately

he was on the antibiotics for a week - they didnt really seem to cure any of the spots he also had an allergic itchy rash on his tummy, armpits and inside of his ear that was brought under control by the Cortavance, and he doesnt seem to be itching as much now but the lumps on his legs still remain?? i will take him back to the vet for another look. thanks heaps!!!

thanks zayda_asher.. you really are a wealth of information! he is 5 months old... is puppy staph still a possibility? these are the lumps that he has on his back legs, there is more around the other side of his leg and on the other leg as well.... they start of with pus but then just stay pink, as in this pic. he doesnt seem to be as itchy anymore since a week's constant use of Cortavance spray that finished on Sunday but these lumps still persist... should i get him back on antibiotics? thanks again really appreciate your advice!

Hmmm, could be blocked pores... or hives perhaps... Staph infection comes up like pimples too and sometimes their hard... I think I'd get that vet checked to make sure... i have noticed lumps that fit this description on my pup's hind legs... at first they were red like pimples with pus, and then went hard and the lump is still there but not red anymore. is it something i should be worried about? i had the vet take a look but said it could be a bacterial folliculitis and put him on anti biotics, which did nothing...? also gave him a shot of cortizone to stop the itching temporarily cos he was chewing on his legs like they were kfc drumsticks! what causes the staph and how can it be avoided??? to allergic staffy skin

this is so sad take care of yourself indigirl

try training with his favourite food, when he's really hungry... maybe skip a dinner or breakfast then try? we train with pieces of sausage or cabanossi, cheese, bbq chicken...anything that smells great to a dog...