Cuchulain

Thanks Ams, no, he just growled and then gave a little bark. He doesn't often do either so I looked up from the PC to see what was going on. Mickey, the Siamese, was approaching to see what Max had and if it might possibly be better than what he'd been given. Cats! I got up and removed Mickey, in fact, I put him up on the cupboard right at his food dish - but obviously Lamb in Gravy wasn't what he had in mind when he asked for dinner. When Max had finished Mickey again returned to investigate Max's dish - Max was lying down in his bed. Max got up to see what Mickey was doing but there was no problem - Mickey got the last kibble and took it into the kitchen to eat it while Max stood and watched. While I have to admit that having a dog for the first time is wonderful I am stressing big time over some things. I speak cat quite fluently but I'm still learning dog!

For the first time tonight Max has growled at the Siamese who showed an interest in his food. Should I be worried about this? What, if anything, should I be doing about it? I can approach him and even take his food without any reaction at all. That said, he did get a treat tonight as somebody gave him Pedigree Puppy Food in a sachet - stinks to hell and it's not something I will be buying him but it seemed churlish not to give it to him because I don't like it! I added the sachet to his meal. Oh, and he did decline lunch for no obvious reason today too - would it be connected? As in, he didn't have lunch and is now extra hungry? Sorry to be thick, but if it's something I need to deal with I'd rather catch it early on. TIA

Tohko's lovely! Yes, Tashnchief, it's a big shame because they can be such nice dogs. <ducking off to google Dogues>

Well they're very popular here in South Africa but it's done them, as a breed, no good at all. It seems everybody and his wife is now a Boerboel breeder and the breed here is well-known for major HD and ED problems as well as aggression. They are being bred, in the main, as guard dogs and it seems the more vicious and uncontrollable the parents are, the higher the asking price for pups. Most so-called breeders over here are not carrying out ANY screenings for known problems in the breed. Most Boerboels in South Africa, I would venture to say come from BYBs. In a recent magazine article (All About Dogs, July/August 2009 - The Ridgeback Edition) one of the questions put to the Ridgeback breeders was "Would you like to see the Ridgeback become as popular as the Boerboel?" Without exception the breeders answered "NO!" and their reasons were all along the lines of "the more popular the dog, the more BYBs you get!" I used to work for a popular local vet and many of the problem dogs (read aggressive, unmanageable and prone to bite) were big dogs, with Boerboels, GSDs and Rotties heading the list. I don't know if it is a particularly South African thing that it is considered "KEWL" or "MACHO" for a bloke to have an aggressive dog but it sure seems to be the case. Ours are mostly tan, I can't remember ever seeing a brindled Boerboel. Also ours seem less like a mastiff than the one in your pic - but that might just be that I seldom see a proper one!

Still holding thumbs and sending good vibes to you all.

Sending all the good vibes I can muster. Thinking of you all and holding thumbs for a good outcome for Grover.

I'm using a Buster Food Cube with great success. It keeps Max entertained for around 15 minutes at a time - then he walks away from it, but returns over and over. He complains loudly when it's empty

K9: lol well aren't they missing out! If you give them outr contact details, we will be happy to provide them a copy they can copy & hand out, free! Thanks very much K9. I will give them your contact details but I don't know if they'll contact you. They don't seem to be that interested to be honest. I was a bit disappointed. I thought I'd made this wonderful discovery and share it with them. Oh well, their loss.. I will also give the link to Marcia from the Kennel Club where we go for obedience classes. I'm sure she'll be interested! Thanks for all the help advice you give on the forums, I'm browsing the older posts and picking up lots of things which will make my life easier in the future.

:cry: :cry: Is that something an Aussie should be admitting on a public forum? :D

I haven't received his registration papers as yet, but on reading the letter which came with him, I do co-own him with Cheryl and should anything happen that leaves me in a position where I am unable to care for Max he is to be returned to her. So I'll have to ask before changing his diet... Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm most grateful. I'll contact Cheryl as soon as I get back from obedience classes this morning.

I never thought to ask! It is what she feeds and when she said to feed Eukanuba for 18 months I thought nothing of it. My cats get RC and love it in preference to either Hills or Iams so I wouldn't have an issue feeding it. Do you think I should change? I am quite happy to phone Cheryl and ask if I may change him over as he obviously is not 100% about the Eukanuba.

Thanks, Schmoo's boss. He loves yoghurt - I'll get him his own tub of Bulgarian live culture and skip the milk. Raw would be nice but I haven't the time and to be brutally honest I'm lazy. I did investigate it as an option for the cats but finding suppliers is a mission, especially a supplier where I can buy meat without worrying about the hygiene or if they're selling me stuff that's going to make my animals sick. Perhaps, if I move to a bigger center and stop working all the hours God sends it may become an option.

Max has been eating reasonably well until a couple of days ago. He is on 120gm of Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy/Junior 3 times a day. I am using a couple of sample packs of RC Large Breed Puppy in his food cube which I think is what has caused the problem He prefers the RC to the Eukanuba but the breeder requested I keep him on the Eukanuba for 18 months. He has started refusing the Eukanuba. In desperation after he'd missed 2 meals I put a little milk in with the kibble - the dregs of a box! I was making coffee at the time and there wasn't enough milk left to warrant putting it back in the fridge. If there's even as little as a tablespoon of milk present with the Eukanuba he will scoff the entire meal without problems. I have been told not to wet the kibble. Is adding a little milk to his food going to cause problems for him?

Max (Rhodesian Ridgeback, aged 13 weeks) has been with me for 4 weeks. We've been to puppy school (who've never heard of TOT!) and the Port Elizabeth Kennel Club puppy obedience classes (where I've yet to ask about TOT). I read this thread this morning and decided that this was what we needed and started at lunch time. Max is still on 3 meals a day. This is the first time he's been tied and he accepted it without any problems. The food dish was placed about 1.5m from him. He was watching it relentlessly until I came to his side. He promptly looked directly into my eyes and then sat, not removing his gaze from mine. Is it normal for a dog to be so quick on the uptake? He has been taught to sit and we are working down, but I just wondered if this was normal?

Thanks, Ams, I've the NILIF thread but not the TOT one - I'll go and find it right now. I want to know how to deal with the issues before they arise, that way I'm not going to caught by surprise.

Thanks guys Since we are not having a good day so far - he's pushing the envelope with everything this morning, I'll put this one off for a while. I'm really looking forward to it, but I don't think the cats are going to be too happy about it. Dyzney - thanks, I know he shouldn't be jumping yet I've been told off several times by strangers because I lift him in and out of my panel van and won't let him jump. Apparently they think I'm turning him into a wuss LOL After the 4th lecture from a total stranger I gave up trying to explain and now just let them waffle on while I pick him up or lift him down. Ams, yes I'm strong physically but I honestly think I'm probably going to be in the market for a bigger bed in the near future :D WRT revoking the bed privileges for undesired behaviour in other areas - how does the dog make the connection e.g. I was a bad boy and chased the cats this morning now I'm not allowed on the bed?

I'm a first-time dog-owner so if this is a stupid question please feel free to tell me. Is it possible to teach a pup (Rhodesian Ridgeback) that he is welcome to share my bed only when I invite him up? So far he sleeps in his bed next to mine and we have had no problems. He has shown an interest in climbing up onto the bed but because the 2 cats who were here first share it with me at night I have been reluctant to allow him up. Also, it is only a three-quarter bed so with me and 2 cats there isn't really much space for a Ridgie! If this is possible please could you tell me how to go about it? Sometimes I feel I'd really like to cuddle with him but the floor is tiled and very cold and I don't fit into his bed! Max was 13 weeks old on Friday and has been with me for 4 weeks now. He seems to be a quick learner but I'm afraid if I let him up on the bed I'm going to end up sleeping on the floor. Thanks for any suggestions.