PuddleDuck

Thanks trish. He has a fleece jacket for when we go to the snow but it comes too far back and I'm forever unzipping him! He'll just pee regardless.

Thanks! God I hope it works!!!

I have finally gotten around to ordering a thundershirt for doofus. Between him, the storm and the baby, I'm exhausted! Just a quick question, hoping someone knows-will he be able to toilet in it? I am hoping if it is night I can put it on him and go to bed or will I need to get it off him so he can go outside to pee? Thanks

Next time I'm getting a xolo. No foofy bits ;) kidding!!! Do you know of any good videos online that show how to use a stripping knife? I've never tried one but suspect it will wind up going that way Poor bear has no idea what she is in for. Michaela is already eyeing off her tail!

Bear has all those stupid fine fluffy bits around her legs. Someone told me they are cos she is desexed? They annoy me but the furminator won't get them out. Would be very interested in hearing how you go with the block Ptolomy!! Yeah I am always fiddling with fuzzy feet. They never look any good but I figure they are too far away for people to notice! Any insider tricks for thinning out her tail a bit? She HATES people grooming/touching/looking or walking in the general direction of her tail but it's just a mess...and I've just been ignoring it hoping the grooming fairies come one night :laugh: it's absolutely not matted or anything, just fuzzy

I have a no dogs on the beds rule now, but only cos of the baby. That being said they never slept here, I toss and turn too much and it ticks them off. Kodi sleeps under the bed, directly beneath me. Doof sleeps beside me until the first time I fall over him, then goes out to his bed. Growing up I had a double bed, and dad chucked a single mattress on top of the double one. The dogs could sleep on the bed only if they stayed off the single mattress and kept to the double bed mattress. It was a big concession on my parents part. Although saying that mums malt x is a total bed hog!

You've obviously only googled to find bad news about pitbulls that confirms to enhance your opinion. Plenty of incidents including Rottis, and all the other breeds you love... Why do people continually harp on about "bred to fight other dogs"!! Originally yes, i have not met one pitbull that was bred to fight and they've all been really nice, and just because a dog may have the propensity to be DA, doesn't mean it will attack people and this is well documented in any history you can find about pit fighting dogs, a HA dog will not be tolerated. Perhaps you should get out and try to meet one. I knew one (for several years, saw him daily), that was bred to fight, trained to fight and rescued after a very successful fighting career (dumped due to a broken leg). Damn nicest dog I have EVER met. Soft mouth, gentle temperament, no aggression whatsoever. I could take high value food items from him without him blinking. He was sweet and smoochy and calmly protective-never EVER bit anyone but on occasion when there was a threat he kept himself between me and the threat at all times. There was one occasion where he encountered a puppy-we panicked-he was delighted and played with that puppy through the fence Like a well bred 8 week old Labrador. He was a joy, and I miss him and think of him daily. I cant say I believe in an afterlife but god I hope there is one, if only for me to see my precious, dearest friend again. To those that say ALL pitbulls are horrible man eating beasts and should all be culled, I think of your ignorance and hate when compared to a beautiful, sweet, kindhearted little brindled man who was lucky enough to to have met someone who saw beyond the outside, and I know who's world I would rather live in. Edit cos I got all emotional and forgot how to spell

Doof is mental for tissues and socks. Kodiak doesn't collect anything, she just sits there waiting for things to be brought to her!

Poor Tess. Hope things start to improve. We had a dog that hates tablets and the only way mum could get them into her was in a ball of ice cream. It is so slippery that it just slides right down!!

Whoops just realized I have that book! I was holding it today too :laugh: didn't even think to look in there. I'm a sleep deprived idjit! :laugh:

Thanks staff I'll have a look at that! Christina i'd love clippers but they are a bit out of my price range for now. With my toller, I just don't have the time to brush out her pants daily ATM. I have lightly scissored them so far and they do look better and fluffier now! Ordered some thinning scissors too-can't wait till they come!

They are just beautiful! Thank you for taking the time to tell us about them-and the gooooorgeous pics!!!

:rofl: couldn't agree more-what a load of b/s!!

Put it in the bathtub while you pour the beans in...stops the little buggers going everywhere!! I had a bean bag bed explode in the cat run once. Came out to find a Burmese-bean cat. The static in her coat made the loose beans stick to her from nose to tail. It took me forever to clean up cos I was laughing so hard

That sounds great! Keep us posted but sounds like you are making great steps there and have a good plan in place too :)

Is it worth putting up a couple of 'camera on premises' type signs? You can get fake security cameras on eBay. Also if you can get yourself some business cards from a security company. Leave them littered around the front door. When security companies do property checks they often leave a card wedged in the door frame as proof they came. A friend told me having them scattered around can be a deterrent cos people assume you have a real security company swinging by.

The only thing I'm strict on is NO being in the kitchen if someone is cooking after doof almost tripped me when I had a pot of boiling water in my hand scared the crap out of me I stopped letting them on the bed when I got pregnant and they haven't really tried to jump on the couch since michaela was born. And if she is on the floor they can't go near her

One of the nicest and most trustworthy dogs I have ever EVER met (and I've met a lot) was a pitty that was rescued after a 'successful' career as a fighting dog. He had apparently been 'blooded' and had a badly broken front leg that the a-holes who fought never had sorted, so was a bit badly healed. He was SUCH a smoocher! Nicest, most stable, loving dog I have met in a long time. I spent about 12 months getting to know him and the most 'aggressive' thing he ever did was try and pull my trackie pants down to get to the liver treats in the pocket they only odd behaviour I saw from him was when he went and hid for half a day after taking a teeny nibble out of a garbage bag. Thank dog people can see past media frenzies and negative rumors. Because someone saw past that, this beautiful, amazing, kind hearted fella got a chance to find out the world can be a good place too. I will always and forever count him as a heart dog, and would've only thing that would stop me getting one is I take my dogs to Vic every year and fear I wouldn't be able to protect a pitty from the legislation down there.

You can have one but NOT my Kenny Kat!! Damn I was just about to say the only way for me to really get to know the breed is if you send him here for a while ;) :D

Thanks showdog! What's a slick & easy stone? I've not heard of them before. Also, where is the best place to get thinning scissors?

Thanks guys. I was just trimming kodi (toller)-I thought I'd try neatening her fancy pants. But it looks dodgy when I do her feet, or mums Maltese x, or BILs Persian cat I use surgical scissors usually. Straight edged.

What is the trick to scissoring a coat so it doesn't actually look trimmed? Whenever I try I get scissor lines and it just looks so obvious! What's the trick to making it look 'natural'??

I would probably check out a couple of local boarding kennels now too. Get an idea of which ones you would be happy with because if you find your wife gets overwhelmed when bubs is home it might be to everyone's benefit to have a few days apart from each other.

I agree with what the others have said about a behaviourist ASAP I will say as well that having a baby is a fantastic but very emotional and often stressful experience. I would take steps now to ensure that when the baby comes your dog will be looked after so there isn't as much stress on you and your wife. Our dogs went to grandmas when I was in hospital and we arranged for friends/family to help out with them too-walks, baths, etc. honestly the first month was such a fog that it threw out our normal routine completely. I found it better to have plans worked out in advance-you may not need them-so you don't have to sit around stressing over how to fit it all in. Good luck!

Sorry not trying to hijack but I've not heard about choc labs before. We have a couple in the extended family with behavioural issues. Can you give me more info on chocolate issues please (PM is fine if you prefer)?