Staff'n'Toller

Royal Canin actually have a 'Pet Shop' range, and a 'Veterinary' range, and then a 'Prescription' range. The Pet Shop lines seem to have ordinary names and the Veterinary is Vet Care I think...but yes the general Vet lines are supposed to be better quality than the Pet Shop range and I have been told this by the Rep here. Mel.

Gaille Perry is AWESOME. Mel.

You two crack me up! Mel.

I can give you the name of a really great Chiro here in Melbourne but yes, you do really need xrays at the least, and probably better still an MRI to see what's going on in there. I don't know any Chiro/Physio/Massage who would be happy to work on your girl without a diagnosis. Push your Vets and if they are too casual about it go for a second opinion somewhere else. Cheers, Mel.

Sounds like Zach did well considering the heat and Staffords! Well done. Mel.

Plus the area is not safe enough to have pups off lead that may not recall. If he really got going he could run out into the carpark and out the gates.

I'm in yellow class at Berwick and asked about joining the agility group, the instructor said I should be fine since we're just about to pass up, but I think the agility group is running a 6 week basics now. Mel.

That's ok - what area are you in? Mel.

Will you be taking her to puppy school? That's really the best way to start off and if you choose a good one held by a reputable trainer then you have their advice on tap for 3-5 weeks depending on the course. You really need to re-consider training school as well - perhaps your husband could do this? Another option is private lessons, there are plenty of us out there willing to come out to homes. If your pup is a fearful one then you need to be taking her somewhere and slowly desensitising her to everything that causes a fear response in a careful and positive way so you may need help with this. Please think about it carefully as you would hate to get to into adulthood and regret the fact that you may have been able to spare 8-12 weeks to put her through puppy school and basic obedience. Let us know your general area and we can advise from there. Also training with food is not about bribery, it's about rewarding her for her good work and for her to learn that all the good things in life come from you, she can learn this. :rolleyes: Mel.

I have never used Royal Canin so can't give you a comparison but I feed the lamb Eagle Pack (natural formula) and find that it is a good compliment to RMB's or BARF patties. I feed the holistic range through winter, then switch back to natural in the summer if I need to take weight off my dogs so the natural would probably suit your Shepherd very well. Mel.

I actually got hold of a sensible harness and find the Easy Walk to fit much better due to the martingale style where the lead attaches, it also doesn't gape as much which is an issue with the sensible IMO. Mel.

We use quite a lot of them at our club and have for some time. Overall we are very happy with them Personally I find them very useful for small breed dogs, medium and large breed dogs are taken on a case-by-case basis. They are obviously not appropriate for all dogs, but they are extremely useful in others, particularly if the owners refuse a head halter but need some form of control in the short term.

Lure-bridge-reward, don't find any reason to have to physically place the pup/dog anymore.

Hi there, do a search in this forum (top right on the banner) there was a long thread quite a while ago about a staffy who had it and another member helped out with a full diet and supplements. ;) Sorry I don't remember who it was. Cheers, Mel.

Nah Helen I haven't got mine yet.

There was an article submitted and published a few months ago in 'argument' for want of a better word...it was quite good. Mel.

If they are looking for a new general Vet Practice then Dr Bob Cavey at Stud Park Vet Clinic would be the best in that area. They can ask to book in for Dr Bob in particular, or there are other good Vets there too. If they need to they can then get a referral from Stud Park to the Melbourne Vet Referral Centre Dermatology Dep't. Cheers, Mel.

PM'd you Yarrowfell. Mel.

Sounds promising, hopefully he is on the mend and just played a bit too hard.

I'm pretty sure puppies from 6wks can have frontline applied- it will tell you in your safety directions- but not sure if it works on the sticky fleas? Mel.

If it were me I would be taking him back to make sure his temp really is down, and if he is not much improved by tomorrow night/Friday ask for a referral to a specialist...wouldn't play around with spinal pain + fever. I'm not sure if these conditions are ever seen in your breed but I'd be worried about Meningitis and Immune Mediated Polyarthritis. Mel.

I really like the brushes from plushpuppy.com.au, if she is not knotty then perhaps a bristle brush is all you need. Mel.

The boot would be worth a try, waggle.com.au have them, or you should be able to order muttluks from your Vet in single boots. All the dogs I have seen who have had amputations performed are 100 times happier after the surgery. Mel.

I'd settle for one that actually shows up! Ain't that the truth !!!!! Yeah mine actually turned up today, and I rang this morning, so I'm thinking he could be good marriage material. ETA: Sorry Cazz, going off topic there.

Me too Erny, coz boy am I in trouble when the boss gets back and sees the bill for the plumber today. The old adage Cazz - do you want the job done quick, cheap or good?