raineth

thanks Corvus!

A friend of mine is looking for a good trainer, maybe a behaviourist in NewCastle. Any reccommendations? I have told her of k9 Pro but if there is a good local person I know they would prefer that

I was going to suggest the same as poodlefan: talk to your local member. That's a really scummy situation its verys ad they are not doing anything about it. Recently I reported a dog to my council. The dog had charged my kids growling, circling, baring its teeth. It was a SWF, so I was a bit worried that they wouldn't take it seriously... but no they were really good, they took it seriously and followed it up immediately

I just wanted to say, because I know you're feeling overwhelemed, that there is actually some really good stuff going on in regards to your dog's behaviour good sits, stays, and good house behaviour I think probably most of what's going on is due to his lack of socialisation as a puppy. I have two rescue dogs who were both undersocialised as puppies. So socialising them is a constant thing since I have got them; and it has really apid off. When I think of what they were like when I first got them to what they are like now - I can see the huge difference it has made. One thing though that is really important is to socialise quite slowly. Maybe some of your dog's bad behaviour was just because the steps you were taking were just too big for him? I look forward to hearing how the boarding went

I believe Stanley Coren himself says that really the list is about trainability. I do think those breeds are probably the most trainable.

As others have said it does vary according to breed. But one thing that is fairly consistent is for a dog not be of a fearful/anxious disposition. Fearful/anxious dogs can be really difficult. and i don't think there is any breed that states the temperament should be fearful/anxious. I think for most breeds a healthy level of confidence is an important part of having an excellent temperament

sorry for your loss farewell Monty

No, we are pretty non-ethical when it comes to food and products for the dogs. Although the spotted one that likes teddies, usually gets my daughter's older teddies rather than brand new ones - so that is re-using. Unfortunatly there is no way I could afford organic/free range meat for the dogs. But they do eat a lot of the parts of the animal that I wouldn't, and that a most people don't eat a lot of. I remember a while ago someone saying that we (people) should be eating more offal etc, because it is wasteful to only be eating certain select cuts. My dogs get liver and hearts, and pig tails etc. so atleast we are following that philosophy of eating more of the animal. I used to try really hard to buy organic and free range. I still buy free-range eggs and free range whole chooks. But that's about it. Because we already have to take so much other nutritional stuff into consideration (due to type 1 diabetes and coeliac's disease) that its just a bit too exhausting also trying to find those sorts of products in organic and free-range.

I thought it meant they were free range during the day and brought in at dusk to protect them from foxes etc. I'm sure I read that somewhere. that is the way free-range establishments work. Barn-laid eggs are from chickens who spend their life in the barn. Yeah I personally think that the risk of being eaten couldn't be too high.

Do you have proof of that? I'm pretty sure that the SPCA barn laid eggs are, in fact, barn laid (i.e., confined with the other hens inside a large shed) not battery (i.e, in individual battery cages). But if they're mislabelling battery eggs as barn eggs, that's would be a big story if a newspaper got hold of it. Well RSPCA supports Pace farm barn laid eggs. But pace farm also produce caged eggs. And I'm trying to find the link, haven't found it yet. But there are more eggs sold as free-range and barn-laid than could possibly be produced by amount of these establsihments that actually exist. The RSPCA IMO shouldn't be supporting a company that also produces cage eggs. Considering this I am very skeptical that the eggs labelled as barn are sourced soley from chickens that are actually in barns. This is all stuff I researched a few years ago when I was really trying hard to find free-range egss that are actually free range. I have since found a local producer thankfully

On a non-dog related issue: One thing I really don't like is their RSPCA endorsed eggs. They say these are "barn laid" they are really just from battery farmed hens Also when questioned they say that the reason they support "barn-laid" eggs and not free-range is because the hens are at risk of getting hurt/eaten by foxes and cats when they are free-range this disgusts me. They have obviously been bought over by cage eggs companies. They also should be supoorting the correct labelling of eggs so that consumers can by eggs labelled free-range and know for sure that they are actually free range.

well I'm not one of the ones who is responsible for good hotspot advise, But Crash is very handsome why doesn't your partner trust vets though?

I can't help you. But WOW I think those photos above are really really nice

oh Horts, I'm so sorry your dear kuges is gone what a beautiful relationship you had together :D farewell dear kuges

There is litereature out there on the specific nutritional needs of Great Dane puppies (and I think possibly other giant breed puppies). If you want to pop into the Dane thread, I'm pretty sure a couple of people there could link you to these articles

All puppies are so cute but Mr Darcy (Dane baby) is my fave

yay! more more! they are great photos I know what you mean! Although my photos are still mostly pretty dodgy; I am amazed at how many situations where my first thought is taking a photo, or the light, or the composition - It definitely has changed the way i do things

Bit off topic: KTB there is a lovely dog named Clive who is an assistance dog for autism (i.e. he helps a boy with autism) in Ireland. he has a blog that I read often. And he is a golden retriever x poodle. Some dogs just have it. My first Great dane, Mr Darcy was amazing with my son who has autism. Mr Darcy had an incredible relaxing presence for him. And when my son would have a melt down he would sit infront of him and poke him gently in the tummy with his nose and voila - the melt down would end! Mr Darcy has been gone for about a year and a half and my son has made Mr Darcy out of Lego and will talk to Lego Mr Darcy every day. Lego Mr Darcy has pride of place on the bed head

yeah you are even meant to wear gloves when you wash you dog with it. But I don't and haven't had any problems that I know of from not wearing gloves. But it is quite awful and definitely not something I'd want to try on myself! maybe ask you chemist for something for yourself

when my Digby boy is scared he cries. When its something that is really frightening he will cry in such a way that it sounds like "mumma mumma!" its a quite a spectacle coming from a giant black dog! He is really vocal when playing too. and he whines, high pitched, when he knows walkies are in his future with my dane when she lays down on her cushy alpaca bed she groans in a "this feels so good" kind of way. Its very cute.

I wished there was more!

I would say the majority of Weimaraner people pronounce it - Why-ma-rah-nah. thanks the 'whip it' cracks me up! A guy who tried to sell me shutters at my front dorr told me he has an American English Staffy! does that count?

can someone please tell me how you pronounce weimaraner - I have heard different varieties even from people who own them!

its quite Bizarre isn't it? maybe we should try and get some more banned breed rumours out there!

well I've never heard of cyptorchidism... and it sounds almost evil to me and goes very well with the words 'horrid' and 'shocking' I guess you need to put a post up that says "disturbing and hideous stationary" which is more neutral