Pretty Miss Emma

Just wanted to share because it means I can blurt everything out and maybe it will be a good story for other people. Beautiful Miss Emma is my 12YO BC. She was surrendered to the RSPCA at 9YO and the moment I saw her I knew that she belonged with me!! And ever since the moment she came home she has barely left my side. April 2010, she was diagnosed as having diabetes. Not great, but very managable. The vet asked did I want to go ahead with treatment (insulin), to which my response was "there's no other option" (yes, he had to ask even though he knew the answer!! And there are plenty of people who are not in a situation to manage canine diabetes, so they get to make hard decisions). So on the track of twice daily insulin we started. All good, she's the perfect dog. I ask her to come and sit in front of me after I've gotten her meals ready and she just gets her jab then runs outside to eat! Late October - rapid onset cataracts as a result of the diabetes. Unavoidable, but I didn't expect her to go from doing an agility trial to 100% blind within 3-4 weeks. Went to the eye specialist - fantastic candidate for cataract surgery!! Yay we all say!! So mid-November she had the surgery. Went pretty well. Could only have 1 lens put in, that's ok because she could see again even if was only clear with 1 eye. Then about a week later all the complications started - no ones fault just one of those things where it all doesn't settle down and we couldn't see a cause for what was happening. Unfortunately all the complications were in the eye with the lens. Spent the next 3 weeks pretty much with her at the vet almost every day, having a needle stuck in her eye to release pressure. They even kept her for me a few times, both so that I could have a break and so that they could monitor her more closely. I love my vets they are just wonderful!! Mid-December complication seemed to have become stable (we got another one in the other eye but that was much easier to deal with!). And since then all has been calm and stable until last week. Pressure spikes every 2nd day in her eye with a lens. No one knows why, it just is. And of course I'm going overseas next week for almost 2 months! So anyway, today she had to go back in for more surgery. We're at the point of doing the surgery she had today or her losing her eye over the next week or so. I feel like I need to take out a big loan now, but given what she's been through with her surgerys so far I felt we had to give this last option a chance. So she's awake from the op, that bit won't be a problem for her!! But now we have to wait and see if doing this op has left her with any vision or if it has taken it all away (caught between a rock and a hard place - don't do surgery eye will die, do surgery run risk that she will lose vision in the eye). I feel like we just can't win at the moment. Sometimes the world just seems a bit crappy and there's nothing that anyone could have done any differently; literally every possible option has been explored. I know that everything will work out as it is supposed to, but I want it to work out the way I want it!! And I know that she's tougher than we all are, she will just adapt and live her life the best she can because that's what dogs do, they don't sit and sook they just get on with it. Anyway just wanted to share because I don't have too many others that care so much about this sort of thing to share with. And on the highly likely chance my vet will be reading this tonight - thankyou for everything I couldn't have asked for Em to have any better care or more people to care and look after her!!!

Holidaying within the state - would do my best to take them with me. But I'm going to Africa!! No way can they come because having known someone just going through the importing/exporting of her dog to where she will be living it would mean my gils need to stay away from me for many months before being allowed back in the country!! Ok so it was never really an option to take them (even though they are the only reason making me dread going away - excited about everything except leaving them for 7 weeks!). But it is hard to find places that are truely pet friendly (my definition of this is that the pets are allowed to live as they would live at home) and that are reasonably priced. know there are places out there, just not enough of them!!! And I'm also a camper, again caravan parks hit and miss and so many of the really lovely parks to camp in are no dogs.

Yeah, I understand that, just as with human backpacks and how they are supposed to be worn properly (I've spent many a school camp telling kids how much back damage they're going to do wearing their backpacks the way they do!!!). But it seems to be so high that it bumps into her neck at times. I certainly wouldn't want it sitting further back as the unit it is because it would be too much pressure on her spine but I've played with adjusting it and it just sits really high. In all honesty she doesn't care, it's more my perception!!!!

Emma started on Stilboestrol and it was working within a few days. After being on it for about 12 months (I think she had it twice a week) it completely stopped working. She is now on Propalin which she has to have every 12 hours, works brilliantly but if you miss a dose you know about it.

Emma wears a Ruffwear life jacket - good fit for her, foam isn't too thick but keeps her quite high in the water, good movement. See pic (she's wearing a Small). Love it!! She is sooo confident in the water now when she wears it (I was worried she was going to sink to the bottom before!!!). Kenzie has an EziDog backpack (also small size but she could probably wear a medium). Quite good, carries enough without being able to be overloaded. I would say it does sit quite high and is over her shoulders, it might be more comfortable if it sat a little further back but she likes wearing it. When she wears it she generally gets to carry the water. She walks very differently when she wears the backpack (not in a good or bad way just a different way).

Well if pup is used to being on it's own then it will probably be fine. For starters I'd be making sure thhat even though you're at home now don't let him be completely reliant on you. Let him learn to be on his own and enjoy his own company. So let him spend time on his own in the yard/crate/where ever so that he knows he can be on his own. If you do this to start with when he's worn out he'll just fall asleep (so after lots of play time or a walk, etc). Also things to keep him busy!!! My girls like the interactive food toys (buster cube, kong, bobalot, tugajug) and these keep them busy for a bit (not very long, but long enough to be a distraction to the fact that they've been left alone). What you will find is that when you aren't there he will probably just sleep. Dogs spend a lot of their time sleeping!! So if you can give him some exercise before you leave, and maybe leave him with his breakfast, then he will probably just go to sleep after a little bit. I do have 2 dogs but they are not there as company for each other (although they do provide compant for each other. But 1 is 12YO the other is 15MO, so their play needs are quite different and they don't really play together). I got Emma because she is perfect!!! Well, really she's a rescue and there was no way I was leaving a 9YO beautiful girl in a shelter. I got Kenzie because I wanted a dog that I could work with (Em is starting to get a bit old for some of this). Emma spent almost 3 weeks being at the vet all day every day just recently and I was worried how Kenzie would cope as she was used to being part of a pair. She coped with being a single dog fine. She got a longer walk in the morning, breakfast as I walked out the door. I came home during the day to check on her a couple of times (I was worried she'd be fretting and driving the neighbours crazy!!), she was fast asleep and hadn't even heard the car pull in the driveway!!! At night she got a long walk to tire her out again. So they do cope fine. I just know how much work Kenzie is giving me as a 15MO and I thought about getting another one a few months ago (not at all practical with where I live anyway), and there is just no way I could manage it and do both of them justice. But again, people have done it and made it work!! This is just how it would be for me. Hopefully someone who has done this might add to the thread to give you what their actual experience was!!

2 border collies. House is similar to a terrace, but with a yard a bit larger than what a terrace would have. (It's a set of units designed to look like terraces so I guess we are 1/2 the size of a normal house block). Kenzie gets a walk around the block every morning before I go to work. Emma might just get a quick wander in the park. Every evening Emma gets a walk around the block (or similar - she's 12 and with her recent blindness, and now non-blindness but loss of fitness due to all this that's all she's up to and she's more than happy with that plus a romp in the off-leash park across the road!). In the evenings Kenzie gets one/combination of... 40-90min walk, off-leash run at the wetlands, agility training (class), obedience training (no class), trick training (no class), games (either in the house or in the yard) - all depends on the weather and what time I get home from work. At the moment because I'm on holidays we aren't doing the morning walk but usually there is at least one "outing" per day for the girls of varying types. Me being at home wears my girls out a bit because they have to do everything with me!!! So no matter what I'm doing they are following and checking up. I find it's more about brain work and how their time with their humans is used rather than actual space required. That being said, while I would love a 3rd dog while I am in this house I won't be able to get one as I would need to factor more time in to my day to be able to exercise/entertain them (I really enjoy and can see the benefits of taking my dogs out on walks seperately, so if I had a third dog I would want to be able to do this also - maybe not all the time but at least a few days a week). If I had a larger yard so that we could have more active games I think that would be a bit easier for 3 dogs.

My somewhat random thoughts on this... Two puppies = twice as much trouble to be gotten in to!! Getting a pup when you have an older dog gives them someone to learn from. Is the 2nd dog/pup for you or the other puppy? If it's for the puppy then don't get it, if it's for you then just work out the timing that would work for you. I still think I would love to have another pup (my young girl is 15 months), but then I look at the work I have with her and know that I don't have the time to give to 2 young dogs so I need to wait until she's a bit more grown up and then I can do justice to them both.

Congrats on a new puppy!!! Exciting!!! Question 1 - is your puppy always going to sleep in the bathroom? I only ask as I'm a bit of a believer of set them up where they are going to be. I had my pup sleep in a crate in my room, because I knew as an adult she would be sleeping in my room. Now depending on the weather she either sleeps in my room or outside (her choice). But great on the ignoring thing, if you go to her while whinging you'll just get more whinging. And good that when you hear her to take her out to the toilet then pop her back to bed. These things worked well for me too! They do stop crying eventually!! Question 2 - Take pup outside to go to the toilet after every meal, after every sleep and I would be tempted to say at least every 30 min to start with when they are awake (but see how you go each hour might be ok). Put toileting on command, it makes your life sooooooo much easier!!! I tell my girls to "go wees" just before bed time and it's all sorted in 30 sec!! Another good thing about teaching your dog to do this as it can be a big help for the vet. My old girl is diabetic, often when we visit the vet we need to test a urine sample, very convenient to just be able to take her outside, tell her "go wees" and come back within 1 min with a fresh sample. Others have mentioned the way to train this. I carried my pup out at first, then she figured out to run to the door. They're clever they work that bit out! Question 3 - Sounds good, is similar to what I did. If possible it's good if someone is around to be able to take them out during the day so far as toilet training goes. But you can only do what you can do. Question 4 - I had 5 weeks off work when I got my pup. The first week or 2 I think I spent almost every moment with her other than when I had to go to the shops, took my other dog for walks/training, etc. So she got used to me being gone for 1-2 hours at a time. I always tried to make sure she was tired before I went out just so that she would sleep instead of look for someone to play with (makes it a bit easier on the neighbours!!). I then extended the time I was gone very gradually. So I think it's good that your wife can be there for settle in time. All this said, my pup also did get to spend quite a bit of time in her pen and also on her own in the backyard while I was home, just so that she got used to the fact that she wasn't going to be entertained by me every waking second and that she would be ok on her own. Just make sure during this time you give her something to keep herself busy or she will find something to keep herself busy!!! (I learnt this the hard way a couple of times!!) Question 5 - There was a thread on here not long ago about free-feeding vs set meal times. Either can work for you depending on your preferences and your dog. I don't let my dogs free feed. I find that having set meal times means that they are more willing to work for me (as I will use food treats when training); but also as I said previously I have a diabetic dog so I need to know exactly how much she has eaten and when. So I'm a believer of the put food down for 15min and if they haven't eaten it take it away until their next meal time. However, my pup didn't get food from a bowl for the first 4 weeks I had her (other than any wet food). I used all of her dry food ration to train her in basics. So she was getting dry food when she worked and her set meal times were for wet food only. By doing this she was doing look, go to your mat, sit, drop, stand, shake (both paws), high 5 (both paws), wave (both paws), roll over and spin by the age of 12 weeks because she had so much practice. As luvdogs said read Ian Dunbars books. They are fantastic. Don't get overwhelmed by them (I had several guilty moments until I made myself realise that not everyone can do everything!!!)!! But there is great information in them particularly regarding socialisation and bite inhibition (I think probably 2 of the most important things for all puppy/dog owners). Enjoy your puppy, it sounds like things are going great guns for starts!!!

I would call the police. I have a feeling that they would be obliged to turn up to a situation like that and they would be allowed to break the window to get the dog out. And/or call the council/RSPCA.

I spent a week over Christmas a couple of years ago in Germany staying at a family friend's place. He had a rescue dog - I think from Slovakia. And then we also had a Beagle come stay with us. It was lovely for me as I was missing Miss Emma well and truely by that point and we were able to take the 2 dogs with us everywhere - up the mountain in the cable car, to the cafe at the top of the mountain, to the shops in Innsbruck, to the pub. They had to be on-lead basically at all times and in the region of Germany (and parts of Austria) we went with them there was also a strong culture of "picking up after your dog". There were a couple of places in the village where the dogs could run off lead also. I can only wish that we had the same level of dog-friendliness here!!! And all the dogs were well behaved, and we saw plenty!! Along with many of my dreams, I'd love to have a dog-friendly cafe here in Melbourne - I guess main issue is how do you deal with the people that haven't socialised their dogs but want to utilise such a facility. My feeling in Germany was that because people can have their dogs with them everywhere they are so well socialised from day dot that they are not fazed by much. Also poor dog behaviour seemed to be frowned up (mostly by other dog owners), so maybe those dogs just don't come to the public places so often and people are sensible enough to do that - don't know if that common sense would always prevail here!!

To me they look great!! Of course they look to be carrying their weight similar to my girls (although I have longhaired so take that into account!) - so of course I think they look great because I think my girsl weight is pretty perfect for them!

I got Emma about 5 days before her 9th birthday. Big decision to make knowing that she was already an old dog. So she's been with me for 3 years, just had her 12th birthday a month ago. Around that time had heaps of health problems revolving around surgery she had just had, and everytime I had to take her back to the vet (which was daily!) I was convinced she was going to die - had I been logical I wouldn't have thought that, but I was being emotional not logical!! She's now doing pretty well and I'm sure will have a couple more years left, but everytime I think of her being old it just makes me sad so I just keep her trying to do the things she loves and I don't care what she does because she's perfect and she's allowed to do anything at her age!! If she weren't diabetic she'd also be allowed to eat anything she wanted, but I guess she still needs to have some boundaries!! Maybe that's what keeps her young! I just like to give her a hug, take her for her walk, tell she's beautiful and I love her every day!! She needs to have these things while she can!

These are my quick thoughts. 3 months - such a tiny baby still and you've turned her world upside down!! Is there really any reason that she can't sleep in a crate inside and then make a transition to outside later when she's more established in her new home? I'm a bit of a believer of start them where you want them (so if you want them inside then let them there from the start, I've never wanted my dog outside so I'm not sure if you'd start them there that young but you're asking her to change what she she knows and loves there's going to be some trauma with that!). My young girl is now more than happy to sleep outside but she was always trained to sleep inside. If she won't go back to her pen once you've been up but she does just go back to sleep inside in the morning is there anything wrong with this? My older dog used to like sleeping outside in summer, and I'd wake up with the light but then go back to bed and this was her special time to come inside and sleep with me - like a treat. But again I don't have a problem with the dogs sleeping inside. But maybe more importanly in training terms. If I were going to train my dog to sleep outside I would probably start by making sure they were happy and calm being outside on their own while I was inside and doing things (so getting them used to having alone time while the rest of the family does other things - they naturally want to be with their group). And the other thing I would do would be making sure that my pup was thoroughly exhausted so that all they want to do is sleep, which may mean a bit of focus and effort from the family to ensure that she is totally worn out, but if she's like most other pups I've met once they're worn out they just sleep where they are! In terms of ignoring the barking/whining. If you don't ignore you just reinforce that as a behaviour that will get attention. Maybe have a chat/letterbox drop your neighbours and tell them what you are doing and that they may hear some noise (better to go and see them face to face and maybe even take pup with you so they can be awestruck by her cuteness!!!) and give them updates about how she is going. But if you don't ignore it you run the risk of making the behaviour occur more frequently. In terms of working with your partner to do all these things. Can I suggest sit down together, make a plan, lay out some rules. That way at least everyone is being consistent and the pup is not getting mixed messages (when I cry he comes to talk to me but she doesn't????). But remeber she's just a tiny baby and something that you see as a small change she may see as her whole world turning upside down. Good luck, planning and persistence will get you there!

Congratulations!!! Progress is being made!! Isn't it so exciting when they just start taking themselves off to their crate and hang out there waiting for you to see how clever they are. Kenzie has her crate in the lounge room where I can see her all the time and she often runs in from the backyard straight to her crate and then sits there looking at me as if to say "see how good and clever I am"!!! Loved the photos!! Have to say I have done the crawl into the crate a couple of times (to get out something that is an "outside only" thing), but certainly haven't spent time in there with her!! Usually it's one of the cats I find in there curled up with her!

Yeah I do understand. Her diabetes is stable at the moment. My main concern is that I'm going away for 7 weeks so would like just a teensy bit more cover on her incase she finds that a bit stressful and looses more weight. It's so hard with diabetics!!! Having the egg every so often doesn't seem to be throwing her BSL out, and I might try to supplement with a tiny bit of mince (I've got 3 weeks before I go so even if she only puts on a tiny bit I'd be happy!). But like you say, I really don't want her diabetes to be unstable as that is much harder and more expensive to deal with!

I WISH someone had been able to catch my young girl the first time she disappeared (being babysat by a friend and managed to get through 2 doors to get out of the house!!!). My friends followed her for as long as they could (as in to areas where the car could get - she's fast!) and once I got there we had a 4 hour search to find her hiding in bushes about 20m from where the car last saw her!! But it was the worst 4 hours of all our lives so far! We all kept saying why hasn't someone caught her and called us by now. Close to my area there is a dog that is often out. I haven't caught it yet but the people I know who have, have been too nice and keep sending it back to the owner (who does not keep it in good condition and is quite abusive to anyone who tries to get it off the street). If it comes across my path loose on the street he will be coming with me, and if he has no microchip I will either rehome him myself or take him to a shelter a long way away. If you don't care to look after your animals then don't have one! And be appreciative that someone else is not only looking after your animals welfare but also your hip-pocket by not getting the council to pick it up so you have to pay all the associated fines for a dog on the loose.

Thanks for starting the thread!!! This is information I was also interested in!! So from reading responses I have a question. "No verbal praise" - does this mean that you cann't use a bridge word during an obedience trial? Is it only the commands that are given by the judge? (I have scanned over the rules etc but I didn't see reference to this, also having not had real experience in trials I found the way some things were written a bit confusing. However planning on sitting through many trials before actually doing one so I'm sure it will make more sense after that!) And at CCD level can you give verbal and hand signals? Is there a point where you cannot give one or the other?

Emma has been through a bit of a stressful time over the past 2 months and has lost a bit of weight as a result. She's not chronically underweight, but I'd like her to gain up to a kilo (she's just over 16kg now and I'd like her to be about 17kg). Problem is she's diabetic so I don't want to play around too much with her food and then have her diabetes become unstable. I read somewhere that boiled eggs are good to help with this (protein to help build up more muscle but not too much carb/sugar to throw her BSL out of whack). So I'm trying that but if anyone can recommend anything else would love to hear about it!!! And thoughts about how often she can get boiled eggs???

When I was renting I never had a problem getting places with my animals. The key is to be honest, and it really does depend on the landlord and I also developed a really good relationsip with my property managers so often they would recommend me to landlords because they knew I looked after the properties so w IIell. So my suggestions would be similar to what most others have said (pet resume, etc ). But I would also think about whether you really want to get a new dog before you move or do you want to settle yourselves and current fur family in before a new arrival? In which case I would be speaking with the property managers and letting them know that this is something you are considering so it can be taken into account. Now that I am a property owner I would certainly consider pet owners before people with young children (less damage! Plus I can empathise), but that's where it really does come down to individual preferences of the landlord.

I don't know what others think, but I sort of rather my dog be a teeny bit skinny than overweight. Particularly if they are happy and healthy. Yesterday at the beach I saw a BC who I thought must have been about 8YO (just had that roundish I'm getting older look). She was only 2!! My young girl is 15 months and is soooo much skinnier than this dog was and is very much within her healthy weight range! Her owners were a bit horrified when they saw my girls and I said that I was happy with their weight, maybe they could lose 1/2 kg. They are now going home to put their dog on a big diet!!! I think too often people follow the feeding guides on the food too strictly, they are a guideline and you ned to work out what ration keeps your dog at it's correct weight. It's like with people we all process our food a bit differently and store our reserves differently. I use the test of being able to feel ribs and spinal processes (without having to poke so hard my dogs moves away!! And without them being too obvious). I need to start using the same philosophies for myself I think!!

I was recommended by my breeder to keep Kenzie (BC) on puppy dry food until 12 months (or close to then depending on when the bag ran out). I had to change her to adult a bit earlier as the puppy seemed to be too rich for her tummy. But from a young age I always also gave her chicken necks and raw meat (roo, beef, chicken, lamb), and as she got older she started getting bigger yummier bones!

I agree this sounds like a dog that hasn't been trained/effectively trained. I think if she wants to keep him then she needs to commit to his training (particularly as it sounds that you don't want to put up with his behaviour - nor would I!!), or she needs to lookat rehoming him with someone who will train him or put up with his behaviour. I sort of think of it as what sort of life would it be for me if every time I did something I got yelled at (and I didn't really know why I was being yelled at, I was just doing what I always do).

The brands I have either found difficult to find or really expensive in "real" stores are... Ruffwear (particularly dog PFD's), Ezydog, Outward Hound. So I will always look at online stores for these brands. Other brands I would be happy to buy online are Kong, Aussie Dog, Starmark, Blackdog. I guess mainly because I see their products in stores so I know what they are before I purchase them. I won't buy collars, harnesses, halters etc over the web but will buy leashes. Agree with others I like to see/try on the products before I purchase. And, there is a lot of competition. I move from store to store based on price. So have good prices/specials would be important to me and having good postage charges (I find this is what often saves me money overall).

I think it depends on the range of products you want. Some that I have used (and often compare them just before I order due to specials)... VetStop Shop http://www.vetstop.com.au/shop/categories.aspx Pet Wares Plus http://petsplus.com.au/pet-supplies.asp The Vet Shed http://www.thevetshed.com.au/index.php Vet-n-Pet Direct http://www.vetnpetdirect.com.au/ and I often use Clean Run for toys and leashes etc when they are listed in the free shipping section (I often check the free shipping section to see what's there every 2 weeks as the US prices are much cheaper, it's the shipping that costs). But I use each of these places for different things and usually check between them before I buy.