perfect partners

That's fantastic Newfsie. What a sweet boy - he couldn't have gone to a better home. What do he and the girls think of each other? Are you coming down to the fun day in October so we can meet him?

Hi bertandsally. I think I spoke to you - I had the Newfie.

Danois - Ester C is calcium ascorbate. Azreal - your puppy is gorgeous! Definitely makes me want another one! Not a lot of vets have specialised knowledge about nutrition. There are a lot of Newfoundland breeders in the US that have been feeding raw food to their dogs and pups for generations and they give detailed information on their web sites. Some of them are - Bearscamp, Denali Farm, Moonribbon, Springhaven, Pipeline. If you google Newfoundlands raw feeding, you will find more of them.

Congratulations on your Newfie puppy. I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with her. My third Newfie is now two and a half. They are great dogs! For the first 12 months I fed her Nutrience kibble for medium breed puppies as her breeder said not to use the one for giant breed puppies. It's very important that they stay lean during their growing period. I also added some sardines/mackerel/tuna, raw chicken, egg, etc. I was feeding my other dogs totally raw but was a bit worried about mucking up the ratios with a giant breed puppy. She is now fed all raw food and if I had another pup would bring it up on raw food as I found Kymythy Schultz's book 'Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats'. She is a nutritionist and Newfoundland breeder and has been feeding them a raw diet for years, pupppies included. I think I got it from 'Dogwise'. The B.A.R.F. books are good too. I add kelp powder, and calcium ascorbate powder (gentler on the stomach than ascorbic acid), salmon oil capsules (Swisse, which also contain vitamin E), cod liver oil and alfalfa powder. I puree vegetables and fruit and mix the additives into it and then add raw mince. That is her tea. For breakfast she has some sort of meaty bone. Are you able to post a photo - would love to see your pup. Only problem is, puppy pics make me want an other one!

I'd recommend Underdog. I haven't done their obedience classes but have done several workshops with them and they are very good trainers and very friendly and helpful as well. If you are going to an obedience club I'd strongly recommend you go and have a look at the class you would be in first. See what equipment they use, whether they use food, etc. It would also be worth considering a couple of private lessons if you haven't done any dog training before as it would be easier to get started with a pup in a less distracting environment than a class with other excitable puppies. Hope you have fun with your pup. IT WOULD WANT TO BE good in trainers, friendly and helpful at those prices! That's as bad as ADT was and imo a rip off. You can get just as much help by good trainers at normal obedience clubs such as ESODC , Croydon obedience dog club or Knox obedience dog club. Trouble is people think because it costs more then it must be better and this is just not so. Su888.......go and have a look at several clubs,including underdog if you like.... talk to the instructors, watch the classes and then decide on whats best for you and your dog. I agree with you - just because something costs more doesn't mean it is better but in some cases you do actually get what you pay for, i.e. value for money. I don't know much about ADT - maybe it was a rip off, but I consider Underdog worth the money. I have done some training with another private company and probably wouldn't recommend them and I've also been to obedience clubs with not so great results. If you're lucky enough to get good trainers then that is a good option but it's the 'luck of the draw' at clubs and some of the trainers are not so knowledgeable or experienced. When it all boils down, if you get the results you were looking for then it's worth the money IMO. I also agree with checking out clubs and Underdog throughly before making a decision.

I'd recommend Underdog. I haven't done their obedience classes but have done several workshops with them and they are very good trainers and very friendly and helpful as well. If you are going to an obedience club I'd strongly recommend you go and have a look at the class you would be in first. See what equipment they use, whether they use food, etc. It would also be worth considering a couple of private lessons if you haven't done any dog training before as it would be easier to get started with a pup in a less distracting environment than a class with other excitable puppies. Hope you have fun with your pup.

They have big chicken frames too - I think the back part is still attached. There's one at Berwick, which would be closer. Yep they are whoppers! When I first pulled one out I said to my OH, Geez someones been on the gear! Great for giant breed dogs!

They have big chicken frames too - I think the back part is still attached. There's one at Berwick, which would be closer.

It might be better to introduce each new thing one at a time over a couple of weeks to let their system adjust to the new diet. And give some things on separate days - e.g. I give an egg on different days to fish. Also be careful giving too much liver at a time as it can give them the runs. Skin/coat problems can be part of the detoxification which occurs with some dogs when you change them to a raw diet, as can other things like mucousy stools, bad breath, dirty ears. I buy turkey wing pieces, drumsticks and mince when they are on special in Woolworths - which is quite often. I asked on here a while ago where to buy turkey necks and got some relatively close places. Haven't had a chance to get there yet so need to look it up again. I wouldn't give lamb necks cut into small pieces either but I get whole ones at Woolworths or Coles. You could ask your supermarket if they have any whole ones. Supermarkets also have packs of lamb offcuts - they are a bit fatty but apparently dogs need more fat than us.

Check prices as I've found the supermarkets are more expensive for meaty bones - eg chicken necks are over $3/Kg and only $2/Kg at the chicken shop.

I feed my Newf all raw. Generally, for breakfast, she has a turkey wing piece or turkey drumstick or 2 turkey necks (when I can get them) or a chicken maryland, or a few chicken necks if they are really large ones or a couple of chicken drumsticks. About once a week she has a tin of mackerel or sardines. For tea she has pureed vegies and fruit - basically anything except potato, with minced chicken carcasses, or turkey mince, or sometimes lamb or pork mince, or chopped chicken thigh fillets. I also add some heart/liver/ or kidney. I also add calcium ascorbate powder, kelp powder, alfalfa powder, salmon oil capsules, cod liver oil, an egg once or twice a week. Occasionally she might have a lamb neck for tea. Occasionally she has a marrow bone (cut lenthwise). I buy most of the meat when it's on special - Turkey from Safeway, Pakenham, chicken mince from Not Just Poultry, Pakenham, frames and necks from there too or from Tasman Meats at Berwick (they have bigger frames). I used to buy bulk packs of marylands, thigh fillets, etc from Get Fresh at Narre Warren but they are re-vamping their meat section so haven't had much lately. I also sometimes feed the BARF commercial food. It is a bit expensive but you can get bulk packs which are a bit cheaper than the individual packets. I mostly follow Kymythy Schultz's recommendations as she's a Newfie breeder and a nutritionist. If you want to chat about it or borrow her book or The Barf Diet book let me know on here and I'll ring you. I'm a club member so have your phone no.

Get a copy of Leslie Nelson's 'Realy Reliable Recall' DVD. She has/trains Afghan Hounds and other sight hounds.

There are breeders of Newfoundlands (and I'm sure other large and giant breeds) that are feeding their dogs and pups on raw food - there are details on the websites of Bearscamp Newfoundlands and Moonribbon Newfoundlands. There is also a Newfoundland breeder, Kymythy Schultz who has written a book called 'Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats - The Ultimate Diet'.

Just went to link to sign petition but petition is closed and it says that due to an error with police the 'person' was let off. Unbelievable - wish he could suffer the same fate as the poor defenceless horse.

That's good - wouldn't want him to feel left out!

Love your new website - especially the photo of the dogs at the top. Where's Gilbert though??

Alpha has some good ideas but you have to use a halter and are not allowed to use food. They tell you you can't hurt a dog with a halter, like you can with a choker, which is rubbish - even the black dog web site has a warning that you need to be careful you don't damage the dog's neck. They don't tell people that at Alpha. It's probably good if you have a dominant dog or a bouncy dog that sees being released from an exercise as a reward but if you have a soft dog their methods can be detrimental. I saw quite a few shut down dogs there. I took my dog to puppy classes there and would never do that again, and trained there for over 12 months but ended up leaving because my dog was becoming less and less motivated. I now use food and have a happy enthusiastic dog that is so easy to train. Their style is very much 'factory training' - there is almost no adjustments made for differing temperaments.

I agree. His callous owners probably did him a favour!

OMG that last photo says it all! Brought tears to my eyes. You are fantastic - well done.

Bit far to fly up there to get them!!! But thanks for the idea - I'll try some IGA stores down here.

There is a chicken shop in Centro Oakleigh that sells them. I can't think of the shop's name, but it's at the opposite end to Woolworths. Thanks for that. I'm about an hour's drive away (past Pakenham) but will try them when I'm up that way again.

I think there are crates up on deck at the front of the ship that you can put dogs in but I was also told that they have to stay in the crates for the whole journey.

He works through a Kong stuffed with peanut butter and treats within half an hour maximum, and once he's done he ignores it completely. Other than that he doesn't have much, he seems to be food-motivated not toy-motivated or doesn't associate toys = fun. If we leave his Kong or balls out, they'll be in the same place when we come back. We've tried squeaky-balls, he's actually afraid of them! It's probably why he's taking things off the chairs etc - he's making toys out of these other things, but he won't pay attention to actual dog toys. I'd love to be able to play with him, he just doesn't know how. Because he's adopted, we're not sure about his past, and he came to us only knowing "sit" and nothing else. We've been training him and he knows some more commands now, but still a lot to learn. It really seems like the person who had him before us, didn't pay much attention to him at all. He's about 3 years old, has boundless energy, such a sweet boy, just needs a constructive outlet for it I think! If he's food motivated you could teach him some tricks. That would give him some mental exercise. I find that can help to tire some dogs out as well as physical exercise. Physical exercise is a bit of a 'catch 22' because the more exercise you give them, the fitter they get, and then they need more exercise to tire them and so on.

I think he's telling you what his choice is! Which would you rather eat - fresh food or highly processed, dry food? Personally, I'd love to be able to just hand out bowls of kibble to feed my human family! Can't do it to them and wouldn't do it to my animals either.

Thanks oakway. I've bought turkey wings and drumsticks in Woolworths but haven't seen necks. I guess the necks that belonged to the wings and drumsticks must have gone somewhere!!! I'll see if I can find a pet food butcher. Nope they are not - they go over the other side of cold cabinet to the pet food section with Brisket bones, chicken necks and dog rolls! Just been to Woolworths. Got turkey wings and they had other parts but no necks! Searched the whole meat and pet meat section - no luck.