aussielover

I wouldn't feed a smoked or dehydrated bone to my dog, but she is a labrador who doesn't really chew. The danger isn't in choking but in the bones splintering and causing a blockage or perforation in the gut. I think it really depends on the dog, but I prefer raw bones for my dog anyway. I don't see the point in "cooking" the bone- its not like dogs need it and I don't see the benefit exept maybe storage and price (I have no idea- are they cheaper than raw bones?)

I talk on the concept for email training comparing with the hands on is my thinking doesnt matter if is the Steve, Jimmy or Mary to me is not the point of who offer this is the concept of email training compare hands on, yes? Where the Steve come in the discussion is about his offering of email training is what the post is about on the topic we talk on I give opninion and what I say if somebody needs a trainer with option to do email training with Steve or hands on with another good trainer my advice for them would be take the good trainer hands on for best results before email training becuase is not about if Steve is good enough to give right advice, is about if the handler is good enough to tell the right story and show the right video for the Steve to know the full situation on the dog is what worry me on the email only training compared with training assessing the dog for real. Joe We are tallking about a loose leash walking program for goodness sake!!! The k9pro website clearly says any behavoiural issue needs to be assessed in person. Many, many people have been happy with the results they have seen doing a DLP, and many people have previously seen other trainers in person who couldn't (or wouldn't) help them. In some cases I actually think the email is better than hiring a private trainer because often you only get one lesson, you are not required to follow up- and if you have a problem you often have to pay a $$$ phone call fee or pay for another visit. At least with email and the way k9 pro packages are designed you actually HAVE to keep the trainer informed of your progress (often with video evidence). And there is no extra charge whether you send 1 or 1000 emails.

I think K9pro provide an excellent, affordable service. I'd definitely recommend their services I saw Steve for a behavioural issue but LLW was also somehting we addressed. The LLW program I recieved was excellent and I quickly saw results. When we walked in for the first consult I could barely hold back my dog and I only had some sheets and a notebook in my hand A few months later at the K9pro workshop I walked my dog down the same path- although this time I had her crate and my backpack as well! My dog walked nicely beside me, despite there being several other dogs in the same area. So it definitely works!!!

Straw is very warm and insulating and can make quite nice bedding (although my dog would probbaly be allergic). I don't have a kennel as my dog sleeps indoors and only has a trampoline bed outside (under a sheltered area).

My lab had sloppy poos on advance. I would recommend trying another brand. Bones such as lamb flaps are good for hardening up the poo as well, although I wouldn't overdo it with a large/giant breed pup. I really like Royal Canin, my dog is currently on the allergy diet and doing really well.

Is he vaccinated for parvo? Tell the vets you insist upon knowing what tests they have done (you are the one paying after all). There are a number of things that could be wrong, I suggest you discuss these matters with your vets or if you are not happy with them, seek a second opinion from another veterinary practice if possible. I hope Rascal feels better soon

HUGE congrats to Krustie and Kuda :thumbsup: Anyone here willing to sell a copy of Susan Garrett's 12 poles in 12 days weave training DVD?

Yes, unfortunately there is no one brand or type of dog food that will suit every dog. Some of the "premium" brands do a good prescription diet range, which is an advantage for a pet with a specific health problem. As Staranais said, the food companies are very good at hiding what they actually put into foods. Pedigree, advance and nutro are all owned by the same company which is something I just recently found out (its the same company that makes Mars Bars!!!)

Re the chopped dry fruits- make sure that you don't add sultanas or buy a mix that contains sultanas as they can be toxic and cause kidney failure. (Not that the puppy needs dried fruits... ;) )

It is just me, or does this in particular sound completely random? It sounds like some kind of gourmet meal... like a schnitzel or something :p

Very unusual, and not something I would personally use for a large breed puppy. Aside form the fact it doesn't appear to be nutritionally balanced; Does the breeder actually expect people to have the time and inclination to do all this??? It sounds like more effort than making a meal for myself! with a large breed pup like a labrador, I would feed a good quality premium kibble as it is just too much of a risk to play around with a homemade meal (especially one as weird as that!) when they are developing. You can supplement with things like raw egg, yoghurt, sardines and raw meaty bones if you wish. I found lamb flaps and lamb shanks to be excellent with a lab puppy. Some people also like chicken wings for a young puppy.

After reading your post my first thought was Greyhound or Whippet Aussie shepherds vary hugely in energy levels, but I'm yet to meet one who would be happy with a 30 min walk alone. If you intended on doing some training as well, maybe agility or something, a lower energy aussie may suit. I've actually met more low energy BCs than low energy aussies. A rough collie may be more suitable as they seem to be more laid back. Pointers are nice dogs, medium/large size and are probably the most laid-back of the gundogs. There are often a number of breeds that may be suitable for a person; it comes down to personal preference and then finding a good breeder, as they can match you with a suitable pup (within reason).

She is just gorgeous

Love it very funny :rofl: :rofl: LOL We have one that does tai chi exercises in our park but he actually likes dogs and doesnt mind them coming over o check him out

I'm sure he'll say it was a bull breed dressed up as a Lab ;) The Sydney Morning Herald's sensible article on the uselessness of banning breeds, pointed out that it was a pet labrador responsible for the attack where a French woman had her face torn off. She was the recipient of the world's first partial facial transplant. She said she'd taken some drugs to forget her problems & passed out. She woke up to find her labrador beside her and a good part of her face bitten off. Ughh! How awful! I'd hardly call it aggression though. Honestly I think dogs would eat their owners if they dies or passed out for long enough to get the dog hungry . Perhaps the dog was trying to rouse the owner???

It sounds totally normal to me. In fact I would be worried if they didn't need their daily dose of zoomies!! My 1 and half year old still does ;)

Yep, had the same thing at an off leash dog beach!!!! Except it was even worse because it was a kids, as in toddlers party! While I understand its within their rights, I mean honestly, how about some common sense... This is one of the most polluted beaches in sydney, it even has a sign telling you to beware of syringes There is a reason why dogs are allowed on it (all the nice neaches in the area have banned dogs) and that it because its far from nice. As for letting your toddlers run around on the beach and then get shitty if they get knocked over by (its quite a small beach so can't really separate dogs and kids easily, besides the kids run around more aout of control than the dogs), firstly why let you kids on such a yucky beach with dogs of all sizes running around. Especially when there are nice, dog-free beaches literally 5 mins away. I'd be willing to pay for a nice dog beach or off leash area, maybe with a bit of agility or enrichment equipment.

You think breeders are hypocritical? Yet you are the one who seems to be obsessed by getting you money back. If money isn't an issue- then why are you so determined to get money back??? I think it is quite unrealisitic for you to expect the breeder to refund your dog now that you have had it for months, particularly if it is because of a behavioural problem. Within the first week or two, I can perhaps understand a refund if the pup had an existing problem etc. There are really a limited number of good homes available for a dog like you describe: a large, powerful,entire, high drive dog who has existing behavoiural problems. I mean, she doesn't exactly sound like a dream pet at the moment- not saying she couldn't be with a bit of work and effort but pet buyers generally don't want a project. Yes, you could probably sell her off to a puppy farmer, or irresponsible byber or owner who wants a tough looking dog, but you know this is not a good life for her. Surely you want better for her? You have a breeder that knows the breed, and is willing to take the dog back. That sounds like an ideal situation to me. I admit I do not understand your attitude, surely you want the best home for your dog which is not necessarily going to be the one offering the most $$$ for her. As others have said, you should contact the breeder directly and discuss this situation with her.

You can diagnose HD using OFA style views. Even Pennhip won't guarantee scoring in a pup under 16 weeks though. If the HD was severe (severly luxated and signs of osteophtye formation etc)- and lets remember that xrays don't always correspond to predicted clinical signs, then it would be possible to diagnose HD in any age dog.

Is this the first pet you've lost? I thought I would never get over the loss of our family dog, Clover. Getting Mindy was the best thing that could have happened. Firstly because she is an awesome dog and also because I now know that I will always have a dog in my life, and it is possible to move on from the loss of a dog and enjoy the friendship and companionship of another dog equally as well Now I no longer cry or feel upset when i think about Clover- instead I can remember all our great times together with happiness.

Can I ask what vet did the xrays and specifically, WHO read the xrays? I would want a specialist to read them before I would accept a diagnosis of HD. Especially given the only clinical sign was pain on manipulation- many puppies, especially squirmy lab puppies will react with a fidget, nip or yelp when their back legs are manipulated, especially if it is done in an unfamililar, stressful environment like the vets, and if the vet was not gentle (which some are not). The person who takes the xray is important because positioning can affect the reading of the xray, and in some cases make it look worse or better than really is. What did your breeder say? It sounds like they were responsible and did their best. I think if both your pups had joint problems, then yes, you are unlucky Would you consider an older lab- a rescue or assistance/guide dog/customs reject? Other large breeds similar to labs unfortunately have pretty much the same predisposition to HD (Goldies, Flatties etc). Border collies, greyounds and smaller dogs in general have less risk of HD (but other problems...) I agree with you that labs have a terrific personality- personally I would risk getting another (even though mine has health issues as well- allergies) but would go for a working line, as i prefer the look and temperament and hopefully because they are working dogs, are bred for soundness and ability, not looks. I feel for you and your family during this difficult time. It is not easy to give a puppy up, and I hope you are all coping ok

x2 x 3!!! We always kept our poodle x in a really short clip, becauase we knew we'd be unable to manage a longer coat (we were told he was a bichon, and they had a low amintenance coat that only needed to be brushed once a week... so not te case!!!)

Thanks Tassie, do you know where I can get the DVD ? (preferably from within australia so I dont have to pay crazy postage prices!!!)

Prong collars are not just for extreme circumstances I used one on my lab for one training session only (under instructor supervision) because she pulled when she got excited. I would say she was FAR from out of control or an extreme case. I feel that we really only needed that one session and she quickly picked up what we wanted her to do. I had been using the front leading harness and a material martingale to no effect before that. I actually feel they are quite gentle compared to some other correctional aids like a check chain or halter.

Thats what I thought Huski- that the TOT keeps them in drive, thanks for clarifying It is amazing the difference that rewarding calm behavoiurs can make to a dog expressing its drive. for example- I always trained my dog to be really calm and quiet using food and never accepted her jumping up to grab food, or even grab food in general, she was trained to take food slowly (well as slow as possible for a lab lol)and gently. In contrast I never inhibited her from chasing toys, tugging, jumping up to grab them (naughty i know but i found it funny tbh). Now i want to train in drive- i have a primarily food motivated dog (so i chose food drive), who is difficult for me to get into drive using food. In contrast, she sows no such inhibition with toys or tugs as i never really discouraged "bad" behaviour like jumping up, lunging at, grabbing etc these things, in fact i actually encouraged it. I actually have had to teach her to chase food by first getting her to chase a toy or tug and the immediately after getting her to do the same with food. We are getting there though