ESCS

Is it possible he may have been de-barked?

We have a tibbie who has allergies to a number of things including grass, some plants, oatmeal and flaxseed. I have found QV Wash as a shampoo very good. It was recommended by our vet who had consulted a dermatologist. We did use Aloveen but it made him worse as it contains oatmeal. Curash powder helps as well and provides some relief. Skin allergies is tough to fix. It's been mostly trial and error and managing the problem. However, with a diet that suits him and building up his immune system, he has been much better.

Jane Harper has been a great help with one of my tibbies who has anxiety issues ( presented as DA not separation anxiety) . The vet with GAP (when we were considering adopting a greyhound) once told me that there's often a genetic component to anxiety as well as poor socialisation. She said that it may not be something that will go away but with professional help, we can learn to manage it and provide a better quality of life for both dog and owner. She cautioned me about having unrealistic expectations for our tibbie ( such as being able to take her to cafes, fetes and places with lots of strange dogs). Once I got my head around this, it reduced my own anxiety which in turn benefited my tibbie. Jane really helped us improve our understanding of what was happening for my dog, change my own behaviour/response and put together a management plan. She is such a calm, positive and sensible person that it rubs off on those she works with!! While it's not perfect and we still have bad days ( 7 years on), we have in place a routine that works quite well. Patience, management and routines are now my best friends ( pity it doesn't come naturally to me!). I have to say that I would not take a dog with these issues again much as we love him. It's a huge commitment and responsibility for a very long time as he just needs a lot of management with little room for error or it will be a set back for quite some time. I believe Dr Cameron Day is a vet behaviourist in Brisbane. I have not used him but a friend told me he was good. Might be worth checking out.

I have heard of Northshore but have not used it or know of anyone who have. One of my tibbies is very reactive to other dogs and it is also from anxiety. I use Samford because they are the only ones I trust to safely manage this issue. My friend's dog has same issue (rottie) and Samford was the only kennel that she used. My tibbie loves it at Samford and sometimes will not want to leave! All the best with house hunting.

We send our tibbies to Samford Pet Resort. They are a caring and professional team who have always been happy to accomodate our tibbie's special needs (skin allergies). One tibbie is dog reactive but they manage him well. He feels safe there and is happy to be there. The tibbies always come home healthy, clean and in good spirits. They should take care of any health needs although there may an additional charge (I'm not sure so worth checking). All the best in finding the right kennel for your labs.

I agree with Mita that Dr Jenny White at The Glen Clinic is excellent and very reasonably priced. Our 7 year old tibbie is the one Mita mentioned that required heart surgery. She has had this condition since birth and we have used a number of vets over the years. Jenny was the only one that detected the heart murmur as it was a tricky one to hear. Both tibbies also had dentals with her and she did a great job at a reasonable price. I highly recommend her and we travel to see her.

It's been a terrible year for us with vet bills. Our tibbie just had a heart procedure. The total cost from diagnosis is $8400. It's made me gulp and sigh many times but she is cured so definitely worth it. The vet was wonderful and the whole team very professional. I am really hoping both tibbies need nothing more than vaccinations for the rest of the year!

Tahitian lime tree is a handy tree to have around and no one here (tibbies, possums, flying fox and turkeys) touch the fruit or tree. You could have a mohito party! I also cut up the ones we don't use and put them in the garden beds as it helps keep cats off.

I agree with Mita that the independent mind of the tibetan spaniel can be a challenge for some. They're smart too so they'll dig their heels in when you're in a rush and don't have time to outsmart them! As they're watchdogs, barking can be an issue if you live in a busy area and with that independent spirit, ours don't stop when we tell them it's all ok. They decide if and when it's ok to stop and usually it's when the 'threat' has moved on! On the flip side, their cheerful, independent nature makes them easy to live with and they are not demanding in terms of exercise or entertainment.

One of our tibbies get easily irritated by young children and I can't trust him not to snarl at them so he goes into the laundry behind a baby gate with a chew treat. He's not overly impressed but the laundry is off the kitchen/diner so he can see and hear us and everyone (including him) can relax. I love baby gates as most kids can't figure out how to open ours! If there are tradesmen around and doors/gates are likely to be left open, both tibbies are crated in my bedroom with a treat, TV and air conditioning on and they like this set up.

I have one of each! Our tibbie boy has always been aloof and Mr Independent. He'll ask for attention every now and again but is otherwise content to strike off on his own. He will work with me in obedience class and will look to me for direction but at home, he's his own man! No need to worry about separation anxiety with this one! Our female tibbie is incredibly affectionate and is my shadow. I get my fill of cuddles from this one. I have to admit, it's much easier to bond with her as she's just so much more affectionate.

I noticed Tibetan spaniels are on your maybe list so I thought I'd share our experience with this sweet little breed. We have 2 tibbies. They are lovely family dogs who are great with kids. Our children were 4 and 6 when we found our first tibbie. They are devoted to the children. I think tibbies are pretty dogs although as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Ours don't drool at all. There is some shedding from one and very little from the other (she is the daughter of Mita's lovely Swedish girl and has a dense coat that doesn't seem to drop much hair). Grooming is easy with a couple of good brushes a week. They have a bath every 6 weeks or so. Their coat doesn't seem to retain much dirt. Ours get wet and muddy sometimes from walks but once dry, their coat is clean again with a couple of shakes! I wouldn't let mine off the leash in an unfenced area as they aren't a breed known to come back to you just because you want them to! They are quite an independent breed. Something to keep in mind if you are looking for a dog that can be reliable off leash. Exercise wise, ours are happy with a 20 minute walk a few times a week. The rest of the time, they are happy to entertain themselves in the garden if they can be bothered to go outside! Like many other breeds, they are happiest just hanging out with their family at home. Tibbies aren't known to have a high prey drive although the odd one can be a bit of a hunter (one of mine is and the other one would not harm anything). I haven't got cats but I have heard they live quite peacefully with cats. As for agility, they probably wouldn't be the first breed to come to mind but I've seen pictures of tibbies doing a great job on an agility course. One DOL member has a great little tibbie that does lure coursing, I think, and is a champ at it! All the best with finding the right match for your family. I really like the other breeds mentioned as well especially cavaliers. Our neighbour has one and he has a fantastic temperament and cute as a button!

Oh my goodness, my 10 year old daughter wasn't yanking my chain when she came home from school asking for knitting needles and wool. She told me her class will be knitting coats for penguins but could not or would not provide anymore information! I thought she meant the penguins that live in the snow and when I asked her why penguins who live in very cold climates would need a coat, she just said " I don't know, they just do. What colour jacket do you think would look good on a penguin?". Now I know it's for fairy penguins! It's a very touching story. Amazing knitter!

Our white fluffy tibbie is also prone to similar skin issues. The red sores/pimples doesn't seem to progress to hot spots possibly because we manage to catch it early these days. The skin around the sores does get flaky though. I have tried quite a few things including neocort but I have found that betadine and curash works the best. It tends to be on his stomach which is kept clipped making it easier to apply the betadine. Sometimes, I've got it on his coat if he moves suddenly but I find the stain mostly disappears after a few days. I'd love to try calendula but he's allergic to some plants so have not been game to try. Summer is always worse with the hot, humid Qld weather and the nasty weeds are harder to keep under control.

I would love a greyhound too.