Stressmagnet

I only have ever had one but here goes... I've walked my pups for up to an hour. Round in round in circles. On leash - which I think you said you were having issues with, so I'm not sure how helpful that is. I do feel your pain, I hate hated those early days with me screeching 'quick quick' at my pup and every time they stopped to play, dragging them up and down until the desired result - which I then rewarded with a massive glob of peanut butter. As for the hysterics, I think you just have to ignore and keep focussing on the pup you've got out. I don't think there's any quick answer other than patience, perseverance and a sense of humour. One thought: can you 'borrow' a housetrained older dog that can show them what's expected?

Naw - the wound is healed beautifully. For all the angst he caused me - I could cheerfully kill him :D

I don't see staffy either. More likely cattle x kelpie or gsd. I reckon as long as you give her brain AND exercise work - she'll be a great pup. Ps. Staffies and pitties give the BEST CUDDLES EVER so if she does have some of that in her - hooray!!! Don't get the prejudice against these breeds put you off - it's bullshit. ETA: one of the best dogs we ever had was a gsd x staffy. All the brains and the cuddles.

Aw thanks AnimalLover!! He's currently stinking up the lounge room but still managing to stage sneaky cuddle attacks and looking at me with his best 'noble head tilt'. I reckon it's his glands due to the crappy food he was eating. Honestly, when he came back, I was embarrassed for him. The first time ANY dog I've owned was fat. And I had to endure the 'fat Labrador' lecture from the vet with my best good girl expression because I could tell the vet didn't believe my boy wasn't always a tubster. So in a weird way, taking him back to the vet when he's now looking fit -- EVEN STINKY -- will be a vindication. I can say 'See? You thought he was lovely before, look how good he looks when he's been eating properly. Just move that gas mask for a better look'.

Lol! And I proudly contributed. Ernie gets pumpkin skin at least 1x a week - more likely 3x. So ima shut up now :D

Ok. He's not scratching or licking any more than usual. I am perplexed. Thanks for the heads up and ideas. I'll post back after I've seen the vet. It's probably a yeast thing, but he used to smell so lovely ..*sob*

Well he came back a tubby boy. After 3 weeks back on his normal grain free kibble and raw, he's back to looking HAWT. So his diet definitely changed-- I suspect they are the type of 'cheap kibble and leftover gravy from the dinner' folks. I AM thinking its a yeasty thing - given change of diet AND antibiotics. But I guess I thought 2 weeks of yoghurt would have it sorted if it was. He's sparky and happy, he's just stinky!

His ears and mouth were checked 2 weeks ago and I was told they looked great. I've an appointment Friday - can't get there before then.

Hey all Some of you may know my lab boy cut himself on a stick near his penis about a month ago. A deep cut but didn't get stitched after the vet decided it was healing beautifully. At the same time he was healing, he went up stay with a friend as I was having a shoulder operation. Ever since he's come back, he stinks. He never used to smell bad at all, now the smell is so bad it makes my eyes water! I can only describe it as a funky sour smell. I've bathed him and his bedding - it's back. I thought it might be a yeast infection from the antibiotics, so I've been added Greek yoghurt to his meals - but it's not helping. Obviously, I'm going to take him back to the vet - but I'd love some ideas in the meantime. ETA: I first thought he'd been peed on by my mates undesexed males; and his bedding definitely showed that. However the bath should have fixed it. I'll also point out that his own bedding remains dry so I don't think he's incontinent.

Whew.

And the 'woof! Woof!'. Um No.

I pay $80

I use Interceptor. At Ernies last checkup, the vet asked if I hearworm treat and when I said yes - told me that I didn't need the heartworm vax then. He said Interceptor was excellent for heartworm.

I have always read it as being short-hand for Stressie's f#*@ing ex husband Um. Yeah. So as not to offend. Or something. I just like the poetic shorthand. :D

Apparently if you look closely at the high wire performance, the dog is wearing a collar with his name on it. Why she just didn't bring him out, I dunno - but it doesn't seem to me as if there was an intent to deceive.

Big fan of the Canidae grain free here. Ernie has been fed nothing else and no skin issues or nasties. ETA: he does get chicken necks and whatever the girls can slip him from their dinners when I'm not looking. So far, he hates cauliflower. :D

Really good video, I'm sharing it.

Yup. No bitey games ever. Ernie has the softest mouth - we also taught him 'gentle' by not letting him have a treat if he lunged and snatched. Good command to teach any gun dog.

Actually the fex loves Spam. And that tinned corned beef stuff So does Ernie...

I'm so cheap. I buy 12 tins of the cheapest home brand sardines for Ernie. He gets them if I'm out of chicken necks.

I'm sorry. We're here.

Yes. From 6 months when I got him. He has two - a cheap eBay one that sits in the lounge room. He goes in this one if he's being rude to guests or at dinner time. He'll go in it if his own accord if we haven't eaten yet and he wants us to - he seems to think going in his crate means he gets HIS dinner more quickly. He'll also go in there when things are a bit loud or funnily enough, if we've left him in the lounge room on his own. He goes in there and lies down until we return. There's also another in my room for bedtime. He starts heading for that at what he decides is bedtime - never mind us. See above - we still use it. at the end of the lounge room sofa (#1) Beside my bed (#2) No way. He seems to use it for comfort, to get an extra treat for being such a goofball as to think dinner is coming, to avoid commotion (and he's a Labrador so go figure), and as his den.

The whole time I'm watching this I'm wondering how this is such a lovely back yard when mine looks like the last days of the Battle of the Somme. No pity, none.

Of course I'm going to say Labrador BUT ... Unless you are sure the breeder has listened to you and given you a pup with the temperament you want - I second getting an older dog whose temperament is already apparent. Ernie is lovely and laid back and I think he will mature into a lovely calm dog but I developed a good friendship with my chosen breeder, missed out on a litter and waited 18 months for my boy. And he's still a pup. He's a loon and does zoomies and digs if he's bored and drops disgusting things in your lap and sneaks in wet slobbery kisses every chance he can and destroys all his toys and chucks a tantie if he thinks we are ignoring him.

I want a study on how to turn a Labrador into a selective attack dog. I want Ernie to scare the crap out of the fex when he comes to get the girls instead of rolling over for a belly rub.