twodoggies2001

Thanks for your suggestions. Benson has to be fed 'carefully' because of the pancreatic attack a while back. I feed the boys raw and he gets the bony part of his meal in the morning and the meaty part in the pm. He actually gets a fuller bowl than my 3yr. old mini. In between, he gets lowfat yoghurt and cottage cheese so I can put his herbal concoction (from the holistic vet) which has worked in the past, but doesn't seem to be now. He has indeed lost a lot of muscle mass, but, having said that, he doesn't seem to be suffering if you know what I mean. On feeling his body, I think he may even have lost more weight in the 2 weeks since he was last at the vet. Because of his dementia, he does like to spend a fair bit of time outside, His choice, but I bring him inside when I feel he's been out there enough. Of course, with the sight situation he can't negotiate the doggy door.

anyone out there?

Roo meat is very lean, and good for trimming down and also where a low fat diet is needed. In raw feeding, variety is the key. There are so many cuts of meat around to choose from and I feel better fed raw, rather than cooked.

I see one problem here. You say you allow her to dig and run around in the back garden beds. She doesn't know the difference. Since she is allowed to do that in the back, she thinks she can also do this in the front. It reminds me of when some people give their pup an old shoe of slipper to play with, and then expect them to know the difference between that old one and a new pair of shoes.

Perhaps someone can shed some light on this problem for me. I have a mini schnauzer who will be 13 in October. Sadly, he has had one eye removed several months ago and he has lost most of his sight in the remaining one, but he is managing to find his way around, even though we have recently moved into the house we are living in now. He also seems to have dementia, because he can stand in one spot in the back garden for extended periods and just stare. Around 2 years ago he had an attack of pancreatitis, which I believe to have been drug induced. He has a grade 2 heart murmer but the vet said at this stage it doesn't present a problem. The problem now is that he has a terrific appetite and eats with gusto, but he is losing weight. Three weeks ago I took him to the vet for a check up and he weighed in at 8kg. A week later, even though he eats well, he weighed 7.7kg. He gets enzyplex enzymes on his food twice a day, but he looks bony now. He doesn't act ill. He is not drinking a lot, but I put that down to him being raw fed. We have a vet appointment for Thursday, but I am hoping someone out there could come up with some ideas before then.

You need to calculate her ultimate adult weight and feed 2% of that. You also need to feed her more than just meat. I feed my boys the bone part of the meal in the am, such as chicken backs, or chicken necks, or wings or baby veal ribs. Any bones that can be eaten up. In the afternoon they get the meat part of their meal. They also get roo, but I also give them a wider variety as well as organ meat once a week. They also get low fat cottage cheese, plain low fat yoghurt, egg, grated raw veggies. Perhaps you need to google raw feeding for dogs and get more information from that or join up a raw feeding group. It's surprising what information you can glean from members. Good luck.

Whoops. I didn't realise that this thread was started last year when I answered, and I do hope the original poster has sorted out the problem, and just for the record, I still stick with what I posted lol.

I have to agree with you totally. Puppies are no different to human babies when it comes to 'training'. You need to put in the time. I have two mini schnauzers and would not dream of having them sleep outside all night. This breed is a family dog and like many other breeds want to be part of the family, which I believe they are bought for. The poor baby is probably scared and anxious. Are you able to put in a doggy door, and perhaps confine him to the laundry for the time being until he is toilet trained? He will soon learn that he is able to go out at will, and not fear about being locked out for the night. Did you get him from a registered breeder? I wonder if he or she knows where the puppy sleeps at night. I know the breeder I bought my minis would be horrified and I would probably not be looked on favourably if I wanted to get another puppy from her.

Just a long shot here, but does the Bondi vet have any connection to Pets Paradise? There is a vet who has a regular spot on Melbourne radio who more often than not, recommends Pets Paradise.

I use this on my boys but in addition on my older boy, I use the Aloveen conditioner as well, and it worked well on him.

Well, this is not a bad parent. This is an idiot. The problem here is that the child in the end will pay the consequences because of an idiot parent. Luckily, most parents are not in the same league as this one.

I agree. I love my dogs, as much as anyone on this site, but, my grandchildren come before them. Admittedly, the children have been taught from a very early age, they must be kind and gentle to the dogs, and the dogs have learnt to be very welcoming to them when they visit. If they have had enough, they up and leave for another part of the house. My grandchildren have also been taught that they do NOT just approach a dog when they are out and about but ask the permission of the owners first. If denied, then just go away. Yes, there are some shockers for parents, and there are some wonderful ones too. But, as mentioned before in a previous post, I don't think people allow their kids to approach dogs the way some do, I think it is because they just don't know and don't realise what could happen. It's just plain ignorance, and I don't mean this in a bad way. They are just not educated about the facts. For instance, many kids will just go and pat a dog on the head. My schnauzers have eyebrows and I assume all they see is a shadow coming over their head. If they want to pat my boys, I advise them to let the dogs sniff their hands first as should be done with all greetings.

Isn't this a sign of dementia? I would have her checked out ASAP poor girl.

I think you may be referring to Anne Nevill, who is in South Road Moorabbin. Her clinic is East West Vet Clinic. I find her very good.

ditto. I think they are trying to tell you something.

20% fat is way too high for a mini schnauzer. I would look around 8%. High fat can lead to pancreatitis. Not sure about the protein. It too sounds high, but the main thing is that it is a good quality animal protein such as chicken, rabbit, egg or cottage cheese, NOT meat by products. 8% wow really, 20 would seem high then. I don't think I have seen any kibble with only 8% fat. Which one would you recommend? I will look into it more, thanks. I just had a thought though, if this kibble isn't his whole diet, would that make it o.k.? I would be feeding him just under half of his daily total amount in kibble. The other 50% is canine country raw and the remainder bones. What do you think? I don't feed mine kibble at all. I feed them, raw and natural. That's my choice entirely, because I am not in favour of processed foods. If you find that there will be times that somebody else needs to feed your pup, why can't you just portion out his meals and freeze them, until needed.

Join a raw feeding group on line and you will be guided through step by step. I am a member of 'raw feeding for dogs and cats' and have learnt a lot from them.

20% fat is way too high for a mini schnauzer. I would look around 8%. High fat can lead to pancreatitis. Not sure about the protein. It too sounds high, but the main thing is that it is a good quality animal protein such as chicken, rabbit, egg or cottage cheese, NOT meat by products.

Anyone seen the advert in the Sun newspaper yesterday and today for 6 week old German Shepard puppies? Both parents can be viewed. You'd think that since they seem to own and breed them, they'd know how to spell them. It doesn't seem to be a typo because it's mentioned twice the same way.

My boy Benson has a changed personality. He had one eye removed due to chronic dry eye even though he was under specialist care. Long story. We moved address a week ago now and he seems to have settled in OK and doesn't seem stressed out at all. His appetite is excellent and looks forward to his meals. He even finds his way upstairs, even though our bedroom is downstairs. The only thing is that even before the move, he would stand out in the back garden for quite a long time just staring. The other day, he stood out there in the rain, until I carried him inside. He usually hates to get wet. He has always been an independent soul but in the last few weeks he has become very clingy. He asks to be picked up and held, which is unlike him. Is he trying to tell me something?

When we had decided to get a second dog, our first being male, I asked the vet and her answer was that the best is one of each sex, the second best is two males and the worst is two females. We ended up getting another male puppy, and have not had any problems. When our old boy passed, we again got another male puppy, who is now 2.5 yrs old.

I agree. That's the main reason I take my boys. It's their time and their socialization. Firstly,. we go for a long walk around the park, off lead, because they know they have to come when called, and then if there are doggy friends in the ovals, in we go. Dogs are like kids, and go up to each other to say hello. Some come slowly and cautiously, and other bound up. Mine don't mind, and neither do I. That is not to say I am irresponsible. If I feel mine in any way are bothering another park user, they are called off immediately. If I suspect there is to be a problem between mine and other dogs, I gather them together and walk away, or ask the owner to step in. This has rarely happened. Some of us are perhaps a little touchy and should just chill out. I don't see that anyone was targeting Labs, or for that matter any particular breed. Just as Hetzer said about unprovoked snaps from, in this case a SWF. Nobody was harmed and the dog is wiser for the experience. The dogs love to go to the park and interact with their counterparts.

I totally agree with you. I have 2 mini schnauzers. and just because they are small breeds, they have to abide by my rules and regulations too. If I expect them to to behave, then I also expect other dogs, large or small to do the same. I have had on occasions, a certain dog that tries to hump my older boy, and the owner totally ignored what her dog did, until I asked her to stop her dog from doing so. Other people at the park have also had this happen. I don't like to pick my boy up every time this dog comes close. Her dog is totally uncontrolled and has crossed from the car park section across to where I am walking my boys, just to be a pest. When I see her and her 3 dogs I just go the opposite direction.

You're not serious? There is a very HA and DA lab down the street from me - people cross the street when they see it approaching (on leash). Most labs also play very physically. They can easily hurt a small dog even if they didn't mean it. I'm deadly serious! Who could be scared of a labrador?! They're known as the world's friendliest and most family orientated dog! I would never cross the street if I see a labrador on a leash. If I see a little yappy thing, then I cross the street! Well, you haven't met the lab who lives down the street from us. The owner insists on walking him off lead down the street, so he can empty his bowels, and so she doesn't need to mess up her own yard, and this lab is the meanest aggressive piece of work known in the neighborhood. I know labs are known for their friendliness, and have met many at the dog park, but this one is the big exception to the rule.

So how did you find out an entire litter was affected-did the breeder tell you?Just interested ,not flaming you The breeder told me. Well then they were being honest,and like others,a bite can change in a few days and either remain bad,or right itself. I wasn't disputing that, and I was grateful for her honesty, and I did what I felt was right for us in these circumstance at the time. As you have probably read previously, I didn't know that bites could change so quickly. I learn something new every day. My concern at the time was that it was the entire litter.