fiveplusone

I had the same problem, but I think I was packing it too tight. Now I pack it more lightly and he seems to do better with it.

excellent!

My puppy drops it over and over again too because he likes to chase it when it bounces all over the place!

Either. I bought a couple from Ikea once....... variety of shapes is important I have star shapes, moon shapes, puzzle shapes, etc. When filling one, I usually do the other few and freeze, then I have always got one available. If not, I just smear stuff in there and off she goes... lick, lick, lick. Another thing I use to do was keep all her stuffed toys that she had 'un-stuffed'. I would then put some kibble inside one, roll it up and then re-stuff the largest unstuffed toy with all the other unstuffed toys...... GET IT. I know what I'm trying to say. !!! Then she would happily un-stuff them all over again. (these are hollow stuffed toys,,, I've thrown all the stuffing out)...aarrhhhgg.. I don't know if I'm expaining myself properly.. Thats a brilliant idea...I'm going to Ikea soon so wil get some. Does she chew the trays though? (they are the silcone type, rubbery ones right?) I never thought of doing that with the 'unstuffed' toys.....I just keep doing 'surgery' on them to repair them and then give them back but one in particular (a purple rabbit) is legless at the back and has no paws on the end of front legs so it won't be long before I can use it unstuffed with kibble!...good idea, thanks!

definately kongs here (we've up graded recently to the "extreme" black one!), filled with yummy things then frozen. Hugo also loves whole fresh carrots and happily chews on them for a while (and thankfully cleans up all the mess he makes too) Sand pit is a good idea, we have a patch in garden that is a pile of sand that he is allowed to dig in.....bury a few treats in it to get them started. and soft toys (safe ones made for dogs)...he loves chewing them and throwing them around. We also have a pile of dirt, sticks, branches, leaves etc in the garden left over from a recent garden reno and he loves rummaging around in it finding the right stick to chew on.

Not the same states etc but Jetpets was cheapest for me (Geelong to Adelaide), around $200 I think with crate hire (that included driving to Geelong to pick pup up and taking up to Melbourne airport) so airport to airport would have been cheaper.

My first GSP would come to where ever I was and do a little "I want to go wee" dance, very cute and the more busting he was the the quicker he jigged around! New GSP pup just waits patiently at the door and I only know he is there because he isn't with me (he's a very clingy dog so usually right by my side). The bell thing on the door is a good idea though......we actually have a wind chime thingy on the hall stand next to the door (wasn't put there intentially, was placed there one day for some reason and its just never been moved) but quite often as he walks past it to go to the door it will make noise (old floor boards so everything moves!) and if I am close buy I hear it and know thats he's there....maybe something like that could work?

We got our GSP pup a soft crate 3 or 4 days after we got him and it was the best thing we ever did! (I had no idea about crates and certainly didn't use them when we had puppies before many many years ago). From the first night we used it he has slept soundly all night long and know that he his safe and snug and can't roam the house! We have just recently bought him a new bigger crate as he is now 6 months and the old crate was getting very small, however the first couple of nights he was in the new crate he was a bit unsettled. I've since solved the problem by putting bigger bedding in it to bulk it up a bit and make it smaller, so I guess he's telling me he actually likes it being a bit on the smaller side, probably makes him feel more secure, so if you can get a crate with divider that would be good. We were happy to buy the smaller soft crate when he was a pup as it was pretty cheap ($50) so we were happy to concede that he would eventually grow out of it and have to buy a new bigger one (which only cost us $70 anyway), where as if we were paying alot of money up front then I can see that buying a big one and putting dividers in is more cost effective.

I got our six month old GSP a new soft crate last week. Its significantly bigger than his old one. Since being in it he whinges a bit first thing on going to bed (he goes to bed when we do). He does manage to sleep ok all night but this morning I heard him (he's just outside our room) either having a chew (or something, I'm only going on sound) on the crate or on his bedding so we got up to stop him and let him out, something he has never done in the old crate (which he has slept in since getting him at 8 weeks old). I'm wondering if he is feeling a little insecure in his new bigger crate? He seemed very happy in the old one but it was getting very small for him (he can hardly stand up in the old one and cannot stretch out at all). The new crate has a more open feel (the old one had covers that could go over the netting type windows) and I did put a blanket over it last night to see if that was the problem but it made no difference? Any ideas? I can understand if he just needs to get used to it but I don't want him destroying his bedding in the process! Does anybody else have a dog that sleeps in a crate thats smaller than it 'should' be? Maybe he just prefers being curled up in his old one?

is there only one type of Heartworm injection or are there different brands/types???

its the same with my GSP, he is a couch potatoe....as long as we are with him, he couldn't care less about a walk. It's like he has no idea he is a breed that needs lots of exercise!

Oops, sorry. Now I knew that, but typed dalmation anyway! double oops, me too, I knew that as well, but didn't pick it up!!! *hangs head in shame*

Hawthorn Vet Hospital. About 5kms south of CBD.

My black and white GSP is NOT a dalmation!

Had to share this recent photo, this is his "hiding" place when he has stolen something. If he is under the table we know he has something he shouldn't!

same in our house.....6 month old GSP. we know when he has something he shouldn't as he goes under the dining table with it. Other times he comes and stands quietly behind me with the stolen item and then patiently waits until I turn around and see him then he races off to hide under the dining table....talk about cheeky. He does however drop it once we get hold of him. His favorites are dish cloths and scourers (he can now reach the kitchen sink), and my daughters phone sock...he rummages around in her handbag until he finds it!

Hi Rileys mum! So nice to see another GPS pup mum in SA! My GSP boy is almost 6 months old and he too loves chewing bark chips.....and dry leaves, and grass, and sticks, and rocks, and branches...........you get the idea! He has plenty of toys, bones, pigs ears, kongs filled with yummy stuff but he still likes to have a bit of vegetation! So far none of it has hurt him and I don't think he actually eats it, just chews it! PS come over the GSP thread and post some photos, there are a couple of us with pups atm :-)

Alecrain do you know where he originally came from? Just asking because my GSP boy is from Victoria and is 5 months old and looks a lot like your boy. He has a black face too but has more white on his body. Just wondering if they are from the same place? My boy is great too and the perfect dog!

Whats the GB/UA like coming out the other end???? My 5 months old GSP has been on Bonnie puppy and doing fine but I just can't get over the amount of Poo that comes out of him! I'm seriously considering changing over to something else to see if that helps but like the OP want to keep it relatively kind on the wallet!

totally agree. Problem solved for now anyway, as a friend just asked me to have her two dogs so I asked if she would return the favour (assuming they get along)! Still interested if anyone has used them though for future needs.

anyone??

Has anyone used 'Hounds at Home' in Adelaide for their dogs? Would be very interested in any experiences. We may be going away for a week in April and our puppy will only be 5 months old so would much rather leave him in a family home setting rather than a kennel. Unfortunately we don't have any family or friends that could have him while we are away so thought this would be the next best option.

I usually put pup (13 weeks old) to bed in his crate when I go to bed (anywhere between 11pm-1am) but before then he is asleep on the floor (or on our lap if having cuddles) where ever we are. He usually wakes for a wee at about 6am but I pop him back in his crate straight after again and he'll have another couple of hours sleep. I leave the a/c or fan on if its hot.