Inky

I'll be there.

I take Tooz to Belconnen Animal Hospital. Purely for convenience, 'cause I don't drive and they're a five minute walk from my house. I like them well enough tho. They're always nice, always competent, and the key thing is that they always indulge me even when I talk their ears off and play 20 questions with them every time I take him in. As for price, I couldn't say. They're the only vet I've been to in Australia, and making a comparison between vet prices in Smalltown, USA and the capital of Australia is like comparing apples and oranges.

katetk, that's a good idea. He adores cheese, so maybe if I mix it in he'll eat it. Can't sprinkle it on the top tho. He'd just eat it and leave the rest. His lunch is part veggie mash/part pure mince. When he was still eating the mince he would eat just that and leave the veggies (which are also mixed with mince and offal, of course), even tho they were all in there together. Another thing I might try is mixing the sardine oil in with it, instead of giving it to him with the sardines. aatainc, it's not the going down that worries me, it's the coming back up. I've seen him wolf down chunks, then bring 'em back up a few minutes later 'cause apparently they don't feel very nice sitting in his stomach like that. As for frames, can I cut them? I already get chicken frames for soup, so getting those is no problem, but I think a whole chicken frame might be too much for him (he's a really little guy). I worry about giving him cut ones tho, 'cause of the sharp edges. Also, I have a very tiny freezer, and the frames take up too much space if I store them whole. I've already had to change the way I shop for people food to accomodate Tooz's BARF. I'm not sure how much more my freezer can take. Will try feeding him in the garden, but if he leaves it for more than a few minutes, the magpies and mynahs will eat well. They already hang around for his bones and the food the landlady leaves out for them. The frames will just be a bonus. Oh, and I generally leave the food out as long as I can without it going off in the heat. He's not dawdling, he's ignoring it altogether. Maybe it's time to take him back to two meals a day... Maybe that will help. And maybe now that he's six months old I should be starting to cut him back towards adult amounts instead of puppy amounts. It's just that I have no clue how and when to do that. I've never fed a dog raw food before. It's always been dry food, and they've always regulated themselves on that. Anyway, tomorrow's shopping day and all the bloody shops are finally open after the christmas break (the frame and mince place finally opened back up yesterday ), so maybe I can get something he'll eat.

I don't keep changing what he eats, as this is the first time I've done it, since I didn't have the time or money yesterday to buy and make a batch of BARF for him, and the markets were closed anyway. Tomorrow I'll be able to. Yesterday I couldn't. And I'm not accomodating him, actually. As I said, I've been firm with him. This has been going on for a few weeks now, and some days he hasn't eaten at all, then went most of the next day without eating too. I think what he's doing is going out in the garden and chewing bark and plants when he doesn't eat inside. No, I can't really give him bones. He does get recreational bones, but I can't trust him with chicken wings, necks and carcasses, 'cause he's a wolfer. He just will not chew them. I've tried holding on to them while he chews, and after about a week, I thought he had it. But then when I let him eat on his own, he went right back to wolfing. I don't know if it's a throwback to the litter when he was bullied by his bigger sister, or if he's just a greedy guts by nature, but he'll swallow huge chunks of them when he eats. He hasn't choked on any yet, but he does bring them back up sometimes. He also drags stuff like that off under the furniture, which is a big nono. Don't know why he feels he has to do that. I've never, ever taken food away once he's parked his little bum on the floor and I've put it down, unless he didn't eat it. No way to keep him in the kitchen while he eats either, unless I can talk the landlady into having a wall built in, and I just don't think that'll happen.

Sorry guys. I know this has probably been discussed many times before, but I'm having trouble searching for it. If I search for "pedigree" I get a zillion pages of threads, and most of 'em aren't about the food, and if I search for "pedigree food" I just get one thread. Anyway, some of you may remember I've been having trouble with Toohey eating his BARF. I still haven't solved that problem, and in fact, it's gotten worse. At first, he just wouldn't eat his veggie mash. He ate the first batch with carrots and broccoli without any problems. The next batch had spinach in it, and that was ok for a while, but towards the end of that is when he started getting fussy and stopped eating it. After that, I changed back to carrots and broccoli, and he ate it with no problems the first couple of days, but then started fighting me again. Now he won't even eat the pure chicken pet mince I've been giving him for his dinner, which until recently he's been quite happy to eat. That started around the same time I got the mince from a new place (as the usual place was closed over Christmas and hasn't been open 'til today), so I dunno if he's got a problem with pet mince in general, or just pet mince from that place. I've been firm with him about it. If he doesn't eat it within 10 minutes or so, I pick it up and put it in the fridge and he gets it at the next meal. Eventually it gets eaten, but he's really not eating much and he's losing weight (he could stand to lose a few grams, but it's not something I want to see continue long-term). ANYWAY... On to the Pedigree... Yesterday, I had to buy him some food. He was completely out except for one meal that I fought with him all day over. Due to time and budget issues, and the fact that the markets were closed until today, I wound up getting the Pedigree stuff that comes in a plastic tube. I was hoping that would be close enough to his BARF that he wouldn't raise an eyebrow at it. Gave it to him this morning for breakfast. WELL. He scarfed it right down. Frankly, I'm insulted. Not only does he seem to prefer it to MY cooking, but the little s--t even took a chunk of it outside and paraded it around the garden like he was proud of it. So anyway. How bad is this stuff really? I don't wanna switch from BARF, but it's been such a trial getting him to eat it lately that I'm not sure if it's worth it. But then I look at the Pedigree stuff, and it just doesn't look appetizing at all. Well, not that the BARF does either, but the Pedigree just doesn't look right at all. It looks like Spam for dogs.

Hmm, I think I'd rather have a laid back dog than one who's quick to learn but can't always be bothered remembering and runs me ragged. I don't mind spending a little extra time training a slow learner if I know (s)he's got it for good. Toohey's quickquickquick with the training, but god, is he ever STUBBORN. Most things he gets on the second or third click (he even jumped on command consistently after I clicked it just once!), so I KNOW he has a longer memory than a gnat. However, if it's something he wants to do but isn't supposed to, his memory conveniently becomes very selective. So I sit here and ask myself, "If I prefer a laid back dog, how did I wind up with Terrible Tooz, the Mini Fox Terrorist?" :rolleyes:

Hmm, is it fair to put into a contract that the new owners MUST desex by 6 months? I mean, my boy won't be getting desexed at 6 months. Vet said we should wait 'til 8 months or so, as his testicles haven't descended yet. He said it could be done before if we were dead set on it, but he'd rather wait. Frankly, I agree. Rather get those bits on the outside where they're easier to get at than have the vet have to dig around for them (apologies if that sounds crude). I understand the need to desex, of course, but why does there have to be such a rush? If I had a contract for Tooz saying he had to be desexed at 6 months, I gotta say I'd be thinking about breaking it, given his current testicular status. Sure I'll get him desexed, but when HE'S ready, not when some piece of paper says it should be done. 'Scuse me while I got get my asbestos undies on... :thumbsup:

Hmm, My boy's dogage is 2.1. That explains his very toddler-like behavior. I think I'm a bit insulted by the results tho...

Ahh, thanks. Will try that. Glad to know I can't hurt his ears with the cotton. That's what I was afraid of.

Is that a few pinches before the bath, or after? I've tried to put cotton balls in his ears, but the dang things keep falling out. I'm no good at this, which is bad for someone who wants to groom animals for a living. His teeth and gums look all right. They feel all right when he has them sunk into my fingers too (damn that mouthing phase ). His breeder could've been better than he was, but Toohey was wormed regularly and checked by his mum's vet before I brought him home. Then his new vet wormed him the day after I brought him home, and on Monday he'll get his 10 week worming, so that's all in order. Hmm, I just noticed that when I wrote down the stuff my vet told me about puppy care, I wrote "Worm every two weeks until" and didn't finish the sentence, so I'll have to call the vet again and find out until WHEN, exactly. Mutter. I'm working my way through all the suggestions I've been given (and thank you very much, everyone), but after sniffing his head, his back, his tummy, his feet and letting him breathe in my face, I honestly think the problem is that I'm not getting his head clean enough. But when he goes to the vet in 2 weeks, I'll definitely mention it, so he can check for anything that might cause it. His diet, btw, will be switched to BARF when he's older, so hopefully he won't be on the kibble for too long. Wanted to start right away but I'm a bit confused about how much to feed a growing puppy. Am hoping to have a bigger freezer by the time his weight stabilises, too. Give your girl a pat from me, the poor thing.

Hmm, I'll try the spinach, if I can get him to eat it ('cause I certainly wouldn't ). He has another vet appt. in two weeks, so I'll mention it to him then see what he has to say. He doesn't have any fleas, but he does scratch at his collar constantly... I have actually considered taking him to a groomer for a thorough cleaning, but keep putting it off. Kinda hoping he'll stop having accidents in his crate at night before I do that. Hmm... Minty fresh puppy...

Ahh, thanks for that FF&A. Hadn't heard of that one. Will have to try it out. Kierrasmommy, he hasn't been there yet. I got a puppy shampoo and I'm trying that first. I washed his head. I didn't get his snout very clean, 'cause he kept trying to lick my fingers, so he still smells slightly doggy, but hopefully it's helped some. Whatever the results, this HAS to be the last bath for a while. He's been scratching a lot, so I think his skin is drying out. Sardines in oil is good for that, isn't it?

Yeah? I never knew they smelled doggy. Woulda thought they'd smell... er, well, like poo. I think I can rule out impaction and fear, but infection would be another thing. If he still stinks after getting his head washed, it's off to the vet with him (I'm sure he'll be thrilled :D). Now, as to washing his head... If I gently rub his ears with a towel and park him by the heater afterwards, should he be OK? I really don't want the poor little guy getting an ear infection.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. His ears were checked by the vet on Saturday, and looking at them now, they still look pretty clean and pink. Mouth looks all right, doesn't seem to have bad breath. And I'd know, 'cause he washes my face several times a day. Has been wormed regularly. Not rolling around in anything outside. Nothing to roll in and no opportunity. Fenced in garden, and all potty breaks are taken on the leash, since I can't trust him not to chew the plants and run under the porch. :D Partner has never had pets before, so I could see him being less tolerant of doggy smell, but it's bothering ME, and I grew up on a farm. Not many animal smells bother me. I even find the smell of skunk and cow manure almost pleasant. So the puppy must really stink. :D Doesn't really smell like anything but dog. Just a really STRONG doggy smell. It's the smell I associate with doggy feet, 'cause that always seems to be the first part to stink when they're coming up on bathtime. His feet don't seem to stink any more than the rest of him tho. Having sniffed his various parts (yeah, don't laugh, I know it's a funny image), I think it might be his head after all. The Exelpet says to avoid eyes, so I think I'll run out and get something tearless and try again. Save the Exelpet for when he's older and stands still during his bath. Thanks again. :D

My eight week old mini foxy absolutely reeks. He's had two baths since he came home last Friday, but within a few hours, he's stinking the place up again. When I bathe him, I don't do his head, for two reasons: 1) I don't want to get shampoo in his eyes, and 2) I used to wash my last dog's head and he wound up with an ear infection that his vet blamed on wet ears. I can't believe all this stink is coming just from his head, but could that be it? Should I try washing his head? I don't want to bathe him so often, 'cause I know it's not good for his skin, but his Dad isn't pleased with the smell. I'm pretty tolerant of all things animal - even smells - but it's starting to bother even me. He's eating Hill's Science Diet for puppies, small bites. His shampoo is Exelpet 2 in 1 conditioning shampoo. That'll be replaced as soon as I can get over to Fyshwick and buy a proper puppy shampoo. K-mart had a lousy selection, so that's what I'm stuck with for now.