Staff'n'Toller

The flea collar and the rinse are pretty much useless. Which brand of drops did you put on the neck??? Do you have any cats? Any other dogs in the house?

There's hardly any breeze here in the valley, nothing to worry about.

Delete and re-install if you haven't lately as it has had a few changes and that's what they advise if you're having issues.

Nosework seems quite popular up there, Treibball and Tracking might be worth looking into as well. :)

Pingg string from http://www.sureguard.com.au/ has worked a charm for jumping on/at the fence so I imagine it would work as well at ground level. I chose it as I don't believe dogs need the voltage of cattle tape. I've had good follow up service from them with a faulty transformer too.

Will he chase a ball into the shallows? If you are happy to wait him out for a while I would just make regular visits down there. Maybe ask some friends along with or without other adult dogs that enjoy the water. Wade in yourselves, throw a frisbee around, have some fun. :)

Cute video, I think perhaps the clam shell you have right now is too small for Hank to stand in and comfortably lie in. Mine always start at the dam or river before we tackle waves at the beach. He's still quite young though so I wouldn't be concerned. If you really have trouble you could seek out an indoor dog pool and use a float vest. Whilst I guess you'd consider it flooding, in that you have to just walk or lower them into the water, sometimes they will never get in of their own accord and need to know that they can, in fact, swim and hold themselves up - once they get the picture there's generally no problems! :)

I'm interested as I buy quite a few prescription medications for my dog, including Cortavance. I had no luck in finding 'Baytril' (enrofloxacin) online through Australian websites, that was pretty expensive too. I don't know of any spray-on cortisone for humans that is the same as cortavance. Apex Laboratories make enrofloxacin at a heavily reduced price but it is not flavoured, and since Baytril is super expensive and clinics have to keep two different strengths of it on shelf at all times, they may or may not be open to also stocking the generic version. We used to order it for a large breed dog but he was on it indefinitely and the owner was happy to buy it by the bottle. That's also an issue though, if your dog only requires a few weeks of it, then prescribing laws state the registered vet can only sell you the amount that is required for the current problem. :)

There's been a few stray fireworks around here so far, going to take the dogs out to toilet then go to bed with a movie on the laptop. I'm hoping my new pup mostly sleeps through it. Toller boy has a thundershirt on but he only barks. New pup has a thundershirt but seems to sleep more soundly with it off her - trust! :laugh:

There are plenty of threads on RSPCA, but I have to wonder what your motive is given it's only your second post?

You must treat all animals in the house or you will never get the population killed off. If the cats come inside, and the dog comes inside, all of them will have fleas, but cats generally groom so well you won't see dirt or adults.

Cortavance is much safer to use over a long term basis than the traditional creams, it has a different mode of activity.

This ^ there's nothing more you need to do to them.

The Wei Club in Vic seem very into it (RATG), so try the club in NSW.

I have found with most labs you need to lower the food value too. Dry food seems to excite them sufficiently enough, meat treats seem to send them over the edge into frenzy mode and you don't get any good work out of them at that stage. :laugh:

I was at the Post Office only a year or two ago when an elderly lady was insistent she must send x amount of dollars to someone via western union. The lady behind the counter was having a hard time convincing her otherwise. The PO even had a list of scams at the counter which matched the email the elderly lady had!

Unfortunately too, I imagine they have a larger than normal proportion of bad debts due to the circumstances in which they provide veterinary services for animals who otherwise wouldn't receive any.

Because they are not for profit, they would pour their funds back into dog and cat rehoming, kitten adoption, and make up the difference in the discount fees given to HCC holders. They also run a huge pet therapy program where dogs are placed with their handlers to work in nursing homes and the major hospitals in Melbourne, so some of those co-ordination and administration positions need to be funded.

Animal Lovers in Blackburn do dog walking and may do that sort of visiting service. There is nothing particularly hip or fancy about the business or the branding but the operator has an Animal Technology qualification and decades of experience. Someone who provides that sort of service - opportunity for the pup to toilet outside during the middle of the day, and careful outings, then left back at home with some environmental enrichment may be a better option for a toy breed, particularly if they're very delicate and a breed prone to anxiety.

We were taught any eye injury is an emergency, so yes, you should take her to an after hours clinic if you can. Not eating may indicate the eye is very painful.

I don't know if there was specifically a pet range I just was thinking that maybe it might be worth a shot in trying the human stuff. Yep there is, it's called Dr Zoo Oh, thank you!!! I had no idea they had a separate site for the pet stuff, just thought they weren't making it any more. Brilliant. :D

I find the Blackdog balance harnesses to work very well. It's best to use them with a double ended lead (you can buy it as a package from them). The instructions for fitting are comprehensive and you can email them if you have trouble.

Whilst Delta doesn't practically teach negative reinforcement and positive punishment, you must demonstrate your knowledge of all four quadrants in assignments. When I went through, the teachers (who were vet behaviourists) consistently said: If you're going to use punishment, you better be 100% sure the behaviour is not fear or anxiety based, and ethically, you MUST change the behaviour within 1-2 corrections from a dog welfare perspective. Because many of the students I went through with had little hands-on experience the advice was "if you don't know what you're doing, don't meddle in positive punishment or R- if you're not sure- refer to someone higher". Obviously there are some instances where PP/R- application might be warranted, but where you are training pet dogs there are many other options to try first, and generally much better received by the people you are training. :) Delta was great for including subjects about OH&S and risk assessment, in regards to setting up your own business. If you have great mentors and can gain your experience within a busy club environment, then look at CASI. If not, I would seriously look at Steve Austin's plans to offer some subjects within the qualifications framework next year- since you're in NSW.

Beneful is a fairly cheap dog food and you will get out what you put into the dog. Try a premium/super premium food e.g. Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Black Hawk (if it suits) or switch to well researched raw diet and I bet the smell will abate. Royal Canin make a food especially for Labs with the EPA and DHA increased to counter skin and particularly ear problems in Labs. I don't work for them, I've just used it myself and know other people with Labs who find it to be good. I haven't been able to prepare raw in the past but my dogs have always been on a good quality dry and people tell me my dogs don't smell.

Honestly, if you have a hyperactive pup, you will get nothing out of a class where other dogs have off lead play. Particularly if she has to remain on-lead, it will just be seriously frustrating for her. Find another better puppy school where the focus is on training and calm exercises in a safer environment.