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Girlies being girlies....at least your mastiff was polite enough to lie down and make it easy for her!

Sardines in oil for my two once a week...They love em and its a pretty cheap essential treat. My older girl also gets a whole egg from our chooks once a week...shell and all!

Gus, our 15 week old pup poos quite alot too at the moment. Maybe 5 or 6 times but all formed and ok. We adopted him from the RSPCA a week ago and have left him on the Science Diet dry as we didn't want to add to his stress levels by changing it. My 15 month old dog only poos once or twice a day and is on Advance Active alternating with chicken frames. Given some time, I will be swapping him over to Advance and will see how he goes poo wise after that. I am keen to start him on frames/ wings but am frightened he won't chew them as he does seem to inhale his food!

Oh dear....naughty Tully And in the new car She looks so pleased with herself too! Tlc...has one of your doggies passed something suss??? I imagine a crystal would be very painful to pass depending on the size and edges. I know cats can get them and it can cause complete blockages as a friends cat did that recently! Poor Bear...I hope he finds a nice home soon!

Jess, bad luck about Darcy...I hope she is feeling better soon! Well my week of holidays is nearly over but its been great to settle Gus in to the house! He really is the easiest puppy ever! We have been going down the shops to get him used to things and he is coping better and better everyday! Some one he had never met before came over today...he said a very polite hello and promptly went to sleep next to them! Got a feeling, when he's older, I'm gunna have to put a sign on him saying "No, I'm not in a coma, I'm just really relaxed!!!"

OMG pug puppies are very very cute! Lily123...yu are right about getting a new camera but I will have to wait for the weekend. Its a shame as there was a priceless photo just waiting to be taken of Jane and Gus both passed out on the couch bum to bum today! Its great to see them both able to relax with each other now and Gus is gaining in confidence and not quite so frightened anymore. He's a sweet little man who loves his dinner...it almost kills him to have to sit and wait for it!

Edited to add..... Still no update to your signature??? Umm...after taking those piccies, Jane ate the camera We had a second crappier one so I went to get it and dropped it! It has decided not to work anymore either!

I heard that yawning, slow blinking and lip licking are calming signals when a dog is unsure of the situation. Apparently you can do these thing back to your dog to help calm it. It was in a u-tube when I was looking at the Slow Dane Challenge thread.

Hang in there, Tenties! Maybe he'll leave if you break his bong! Hide his matches? Sell the couch??

Jager is beautiful! Looks like a toy puppy. I hope you are having fun discovering his personality! Young Gus has now been with us 3 days and him and Jane are starting to relax with each other. Jane gets abit dissappointed when he dosen't want to play tug for the 100th time and looks at me as if to say "why is my toy broken?" Gus is probably the more sensible one of the two. With having the two dogs, I am being very tough on Gus and not letting him get away with anything as he is going to be a big tall boy. NILIF is a given but I have to say, its really tiring being so strict especially when he runs over for a cuddle and I have to get him to sit before a pat. All I want to really do is cuddle and love him all day especially when he comes over and sits automatically now and looks up at me with those sweet brown eyes!!! Ugh...being a mum to him is tough!!!

Now I'm really upset I didn't go! You all look like you had a great time. The photos are excellent! Gee...Cooper and his brother look very similar although I must say that Cooper is the most handsome of the two (biased...maybe!). The pic of Lacey and her ball is great. Amazing how she can still smile with a ball in her mouth!

Yep, Jan is great to have a chat to on the phone! Good sense of humour (but you already know that!) and a dog person to boot! Thanks for the offer for Gus to meet Darcy...that would be great! I really need to socialise him as much as possible but without stressing him TOO much as the little guy has been through alot in his short life. At the moment he would be pretty over-whelmed but he is coping very well I think. Its great to watch his personality develop as we get to know him. Soooo different from Jane as a pup! He is abit timid, follows direction well and settles for his naps well too. When he jumps up on us (we DO discourage it.) he's so light! Jane was always fearless and confident, never slept, always thought about the command before maybe obeying it and if she jumps on you, its like being hit with a tank! Let me know when its convenient Jess. Maybe meet at the showgrounds...sans Jane(poor love!). Great pics AGAIN Tlc! Wish we had gone... you've made me all jealous. Off to check the Photos thread now!

Thanks for the advise everyone! We are definitley doing NILIF with him but I may have been alittle hasty with my judgement as he was great today...much more relaxed than yesterday and no problems with Jane. Being his first day with us, he was probably mighty scared and unsure. Not really making excuses, its just that after seeing him today, it has become obvious that he was more stressed yesterday. Thats part of the problem I think...we don't really know him yet and he dosen't know us. He is learning really fast and we are very consistent with the rules even though it just about kills me not to let him jump up on the couch next to me. And he does have to live with Jane. My sweet beautiful girl is pretty full-on, much more puppy-like than the puppy!

Poor Seb...hope he's feeling better today! Tlc...have I got a great idea or what! Ready...ok...lets swap cars!!! Now we can meet half way or I can come to you. I will very generously fill the tank too! Poor you JJ. You must be just about exhausted by now. Glad to hear all the puppies are healthy and well after their exciting trips. Are you keeping Vitasz?

:D That sounds wonderful, Tlc BUT i'm a girl....need to know what colour it is!!! Pleeeze!!!!

Miss Darcy is currently wrapped up in my new (i.e used twice!) electric throw blanket because I can't find my heat pack. Dunno whether she's sore or a bit tight in the back or just the heavy going today caused her to tip a few bars that she usually wouldn't. Anyway she's about to get a good rub down and a gentle stretch but at the moment she looks like she's in her own version of doggy heaven - spoilt much??? Nothing wrong with spoiling the doggies...looks like she earnt it anyway! How come it was more heavy going than usual Jess? Jane is asleep on the couch next to me after her big day. I have to separate her from Gus as she won't settle with him around. I think she's worried that he will be going home soon as she is really only used to being with other dogs for 1 or 2 hours at a time! As much as she is a ratbag, she is really a soft little soul when it comes to other dogs. I hope Gus dosen't give her too hard a time! Tlc...what...no new car piccies with the doggies!

Thanks Tlc...Allie is rapt in him! She is keen to train him next week at training. I'm hoping she will commit long term but hey...she is 12 so who knows. She was very disappointed this afternoon when I took him out for a very short walk but I wanted to check him out and start some sitting, heeling and coming and I thought it would be too distracting for him (and me!)if she came along for the first session. He's asleep on a doona on the trampoline bed at the moment. Bless him!

Yeah...Young Jane loves him! As you can see, we go all out on doggie toys around here...a used paper towel roll! Easy to see he's our second dog, we spent a fortune on toys when Jane was a young-un!

Hi Everyone, hope you have all had a good day! Ours was pretty full on getting to know Gus! He is a lovely guy but very emotionally needy at the moment ( day 1 of his brand new life !) so I have posted in the Puppy problems about an issue we need to address. any input would be appreciated. Here Are some piccies from today.

Thanks for all your advice everyone. Its much apprieciated. Jane my labby cross just wants to play and play with him so I have to limit their time together so they can both rest and recover. They both seem to have the same idea about playing which is good. Definitely walking them separately as Jane has too long walks a day. Gus dosen't really need a walk at all...just leash training and socialisation in different environments. At this early stage, he seems very focused on both food and verbal rewards so thats good and he will start at puppy training next week. We are lucky to have two living areas in this house so the dogs are separated in the evening as Jane is too hyper to let him settle. He has settled very well on his bed in the sitting room with us so thats good! Tonight he gets to sleep by himself so keep your fingers crossed. Hopefully we will all get some sleep!

As promised, here are some photos of Gus and his first day with us. Its been mostly good but I have posted a new topic to get some help with an issue we are having. We think he is a cute little guy! He has certainly had a very eventful first day!

Its very early days...day 1 in fact but I thought I should nip this in the bud straight away. Gus, our new 14 week old pup that we adopted from a shelter came home last night and met our 14 month old dog, Jane today. They got on very well in all aspects except when Gus was near one of the Humans in this house. If Jane comes up to us he gets very possessive and starts growling and snapping at her. Now we do understand that he is brand new to his new family and was in the shelter for 3 weeks so he is very needy of human contact but we obviously can't excuse this sort of behaviour. Our strategy is to say a strong 'UH' which he seems to respond to and to walk away from him. On one occasion, I put him in time-out for a few minutes. We are also mostly ignoring him and just having him around us as we go about our day. If he gets attention, he has to earn it by sitting. He is also being taught to wait to eat. He inhales his food so I have been giving him small amounts and he has to sit and wait until I say OK. I do this 3 or 4 times during his meal so he dosen't inhale all his dinner in a nano-second. Are we doing the right thing or are there better strategies to use to help settle this cute young boy and ease the anxiety he seems to be feeling.

Hi everyone...Lochie, now renamed Gus has come home and is recovering from his desexing at a fast rate. He came home last night and we kept the dogs separated as it was a pretty scary day for him all up. Him and my 14 month old labby cross have spent the morning getting to know each other and I have just separated them so they can both have a well needed rest. At the moment he is crying in the sitting room which is breaking my heart but I must remain strong as he does have to learn to settle by himself. Pictures ARE coming but I warn you all with your very very cute puppies, he is not very photogenic!!!! Poor lad, my girl is hyper excited to have her very own puppy but I'm sure she will settle down soon and accept the fact that he is here long term. Must be hard for her as although she has been socialising with other dogs from day1, it has always been for a limited time...an hour or 2 at most! If anyone has any thoughts or ideas on how to help them both relax with each other I would be very grateful!

Good news for us tonight...Lochie, now renamed Gus, is already home!!! My sister popped into the vets where he got desexed in the hope of meeting him, and got to bring him home! He is lovely...but pretty freaked out by his big scary day so Jane will meet him properly tomorrow. They have met through the baby gate set up between the two living rooms which has frustrated Jane no end. Gus, on the other hand has been relieved as I think he was feeling very vulnerable. My sister and my neice are in love with him and they have spent the most time with him while I have stayed with Jane. I didn't want to upset her routine too much as its all pretty new and exciting for all of us! Shannon...no problems with him licking too much though he is a snuggle bunny. Loves to sit and lean on you and snuggle his long long nose under your chin. He is in with my sister tonight while Jane, as usual, is sleeping with me. It will be interesting to see how they go tomorrow when the really meet eachother!

Photos are planned for Saturday after I get him home. I tried to get the photos off the phone today but no luck! No doubt he will be abit stressed out with being desexed and then coming to a strange place so we will try and keep it pretty low key for the sweet little guy. I'm interested to know what he weighs as he looks tall but pretty light at the moment. Seems hes at that gangly puppy stage!