all that glitters

My girl would be a wreck if she only had a few hours decent attention from me every day. The days I go to work all day I get up, walk her for 20-30 mins to tire her out a bit, then after work she is indoors with us the whole time and gets a LOT of attention - hence I have a dog that never whinges! I think dogs that are stuck outside most of the time naturally have more chances of developing more behavioral issues. He probably just wants to come in and feeding brekkie soon after may be a reward to him!

I still feed Shyla breakfast, dinner and supper, so 3 meals. I just feel more comfortable dividing her daily amount into 3 smaller serves, less chance of bloat maybe!

Good point persephone!! I MUCH prefer her sniffing and walking, sniffing and walking, to steam-train pulling and pulling and in a hurry -- she used to do that when we first leash trained her! It made walks SO unfun. So to have her taking her time and enjoying the outdoors, and sort of satisfying her migration needs? makes me feel good She knows to keep going if I give her a quick pop on the leash, unless shes smelling something UBER good. Haha.

Yep I have! We initially started with 10 minute walks up the street and then back, and gradually went further and further. 20 minutes walking, coupled with a good game of fetch sees her sleeping happily soon after!

Hey Okami I am surprised no one has responded to the questions yet either! One of the most popular breeds! My girl is a longcoat and she is absolutely adorable, most people I meet in public love her appearance moreso than the standard short coat GSD. I am having my girl desexed, long coats are technically a 'flaw' in the show world, as as a result not really bred 'for' as such, certain lines will carry long coat genes however, and some crop up here and there in litters where these lines exist. My girl was the only long coat out of 6. They are rarer, they can't be shown because of their long coat, but they are absolutely stunning to have as a pet or obedience/agility star!

Is this too much for a 6month old shepherd? If we walk around the block it takes 15-25 mins depending on how often she smells things and if I rush her. We go around the block nearly ever morning, is it too much for her growing hips and bones?? She never seems tired from it and I have never thought it was too much cos really that length of time isn't long at all...

Can a dog be declared dangerous if it was protecting you from an attacker who was attempting to cause great harm to you?

Mm I wouldn't be rushing out to feed mine kebab meat, unless you feed it moderately mixed with other things as the others have said. Kebab meat IS fatty and salty, hence it's tasty

Ahhh yes, that's right . I have a small bag of EP Duck you can use and perhaps replace later, if you get stuck. Thanks for your kindess! Will see what I can source today and let you know if I can't find much. Stopped at a pet shop in ferntree gully near obedience but they only had big bags of the large giant puppy. Hopefully the order comes through in a few days and not a week, then I'll be fine!

Poor bub! My girl had her full set of teeth by 5.5months old, she was an early teether I think! Never really noticed her in pain, the most she lost at a time was maybe 3. Frozen kongs were a good relief

Thanks guys! Thats very generous Erny (my hubby met you a few months ago when we got the big bag off you cos Mandela couldn't have it). We have all tomorrow off so I'll call Robbos and Petstock and make a trip, hope someone has some! Otherwise she'll be on chicken and rice til I get my bag LOL. Dandenong is only 15mins away so hope he has some

Thanks heaps guys!! I'll ring Robbos first and then Petstock!

Anyone in Melbourne know of a vet or shop that sells Eagle Pack? I may not last til my next big bag gets delivered and may need a small one in between... eep!

My GSD did this as a young pup also - she snapped at my mum when she stopped in one afternoon to give her a toilet break and pigs ear, mum was shocked! She also growled at me when she had a bone at about 11 weeks of age. Now she is 6 months old and is MUCH more settled with us around her food.. doesn't even look at us when she eats, lets us put our hands in her bowl without her scoffing down her food so fast she chokes (she used to as a pup) and is happy to chew a roo tail next to me. It seems over time as she grew with us she got used to us being no threat to her food maybe? Not sure if they outgrow resource guarding. If she has a bone and I go near her she will sometimes face it away from me and move away, but its a lot different to being growled at. I just don't bother her when she is eating a bone or roo tail now, I let her relax and let her enjoy it - but I only give it to her after she does something for me (Look at the Nothing In Life is Free thread)

Wow I didn't even think this would be an issue, as Shyla went through hers as soon as my dad made it! She has a clear plastic flap, but jumped right through from day 1. Just like humans, dogs have different fears and challenges too, how interesting! I reckon tying it up for a few days would be the go, as well as coaxing through with yummy treats

Thanks heaps for that info!!!! That gives me a much better idea! I bought 250IU caps so I might give her two a day She's 16kg so should be fine

Agreed!

My mums min pin pup has started waking up barking also! Strange..

I get skin tags! I have little ones on my body, I had one that got twisted on it's stalk on my underarm and filled up full of blood and had to be cut off at the doc's. I didn't know dogs get em too!

Great! I just need to find out how much to give her, some site said 200IU 5 times a day but that is 1000 IU which sounds way excessive!! I'll keep researching

Shyla has demodex mange on her muzzle, just a little area, and the vet was not worried at all but gave me Demadex to dilute and put on the site and over her body a bit once a week for 5 weeks, although he said it would probably cure itself but just to be extra careful to use the solution. She HATED her muzzle being dabbed, glad thats over for this week! I just looked up that Vitamin E can be good for treating Demodex @ 5 doses per day at 200 IU per dose. Anyone know if this helps? It can't hurt her can it? If not I'll give it a go if it may help! He took me out the back to see the mite in the microscope, very interesting! He got a lousy scrape cos she struggled SO BAD and thought he would find none, but we saw one.

I definately noticed a drop in our toilet training process on rainy days Shyla would do a random pee inside instead of going out on the wet grass, and it was always when it was raining and gross outside. Now that she is coming up to 6 months old she never does inside pees or poos anymore, and will take herself outside even in the rain, so as they grasp the training concept even more, the rain maybe becomes less of an issue (or it did for mine anyway)

Does the laundry lead out to the backyard - could u put a doggy door in for him?

Also wondering about the dried roo tails? I am looking for a chew treat I can leave Shyla with a few times a week. She had her first dried roo tail today and LOVED it. Or should I stick to the naturally sun dried beef tendons I have been giving her? I want to buy Bully sticks too as they are apparently good?