halfthewords

Double post

It might be due to his construction. If he's more angled in the rear than the front, he'll load his rear end. Loading his front end might develop into soundness issues if he's not built to take it. The first place I'd be headed with an unevenly muscled dog would be a good canine chiropractor - it could be sign of injury or unsoundness. PME - shifting the weight of the dog pack off the dog's shoulders would see all the weight borne by the spine alone. A good backpack will be designed to load the shoulders. The challenge for designers of these packs is to do that without restricting the dog's movement. I understand the concern PF, but he is completely fit and has never had soundness issues. He does flyball, agility, and other high intensity sports. He is built long and low with more muscle from his flanks back, but he is not lacking muscle in the front end. By 'conditioning' in my original post, I meant making him carry very light loads, no more than 500 grams on each side. I don't like the look of overly muscular dogs, nor do I think there is anything to gain from weight loading. I just think it's good to exercise different parts of the body. :D

What about a Cairn or Norfolk terrier? Gutsy little guys, very easygoing with other dogs & perfect with other animals if socialised/raised with them (they do have high prey drive but mine doesn't show a lick of it ), probably need a quick brush once a day, medium energy level, will do agility/obedience/swimming/what have you, and they have almost no health issues (apart from being prone to obesity if fed too much). They're not much bigger than the size of a toy poodle height wise but a bit chunky! They do have the 'terrier tenacity,' but that's part of the fun. Here are some pics of my staffy/norfolk boy.

Thanks for the detailed review! I think I'll go with the ruffwear when I have a bit more money saved.

Thanks PF, I've been browsing review sites and it seems Ruffwear is the way to go! He is really muscled in his hind end (which is why he sinks ) so I'm just trying to give him a more even muscle tone. He is a super muscular dog anyway so I don't see the harm in him carrying the water bottles and car keys.

Hey guys! Carl is up to a point in his training where I'd like to condition his muscles more with some weight bearing. Also, he drops like a stone in the water. So what brands does everyone use for doggy life jackets and saddlebags?

My beautiful Mischa turned 8 a few days ago...and her age is starting to show in little ways. She is whiter in the face and along her flanks/legs, and she takes a bit longer to get going sometimes. She's still very switched on, alert and happy. Her quality of life is excellent so I expect it to be like that, but the small things are just a reminder of the bigger picture. Fortunately, she is a breed which is famous for living to ripe old ages so I'm hoping to get another 6 or 7 years out of her yet! She still has as much go as she did when she was a baby. I do worry for how Carl will cope when she goes though--assuming he outlives her. He relies on her a lot - she is the yin to his yang, and he draws a lot of his confidence from her. She's overflowing with the stuff. ;) Memories will always exist in photos, which I take a ton of anyway. :D

Two toy breeds here, one medium and one small-medium. Our backyard is fairly big for a suburban one, but we have a pool (which it utilized for dog swimming ). All are walked every day at least once, I train Carl and Mischa a few times a week and they are inside most of the time anyway. :D

I occasionally leave mine in the car during late afternoon or evening to do shopping but only if it's cool.

If you check tide times and go when it's low, Clontarf is excellent. It has a poo bin and a bin but no water apart from the ocean obviously. On weekdays it's virtually empty but on weekends it can get very busy unless you go in the evening. There is an offleash dog beach across from John Fisher Park at Curl Curl that is almost never crowded. The water is part of the lagoon system so they advise people don't swim but mine swim in there regularly and no ear infections or anything.

Baby Min Pins! :rolleyes:

Idiots on the part of the mother AND the owner. Children should never be allowed to pet a dog they don't know, the dog shouldn't have been tied in a public place (especially if it was indeed for 4 hours : ). One of mine would shred a kid if he was touched in public...that is why he is NOT left where such a thing could happen! I even avoid the sidewalk and parks for that reason. The irresponsibility of some parents...

Rawhide chews? Pig ears? One of mine is a bit sensitive to raw food so that's what she gets and her teeth are fine.

One of my dogs, Carl, is very HA. He is fear-aggressive but that does not make him any less dangerous or difficult. Owning him is all about management, constant rehabilitation and measuring risks. I wouldn't have it any other way though. He was obviously abused as a pup because it's ingrained in his behaviour and he displays more fear than any dog I have ever met (have worked in rescue for 5 years, seen a LOT of dogs). He has gone from 0% to around 70% in three years. It's a hard job but depending on the dog, it can be done. If he was bigger than he is (size of a small staffy) I would have more problems with it. As it is, he's not terribly strong.

I think I might bath Carl tonight in the shower since the showerhead was recently cleaned out and the spray is much harder

Our first dog slept in the shed at night when she was a pup, then after a few months on the veranda, a while later the laundry, eventually our downstairs area and then our rooms or wherever the hell she wanted LOL. Our current 4 are inside dogs with access to outdoors whenever they want. Allowed upstairs at night, on beds, etc. Wouldn't have it any other way

Cairn or Norfolk Terrier. Bold, outgoing, happy to rough and tumble with larger dogs, make great agility competitors, easy care coat, love exercise and stimulation.

;) Hugs to you at this time, happypaws. It never gets easier. We lost our beautiful girl early last year (the anniversary is coming up...can't believe it's been that long) and she was our first dog. Coping has not been easy, especially since you notice really their absence. Our 3 other dogs were confused, and nothing made sense until we got our 5th dog, a Bichon who is the spitting image of her. What helped initially was NOT keeping any photos or videos of her laying around the house or computer. That was easier said than done as I had photos of her everywhere. I put everything in a box or folder until I was ready and that can take months. Do the same with the collar, bed, food bowls etc. Pretty much until the grieving period is over I would not be looking at memories or significant things. Of course, that can be cathartic for some people but it just made things that much more real for me and my family. When you're ready, visit the good times. That is the best way to keep them alive in your heart.

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone out there is willing to help me out with my dog... He is extremely fear aggressive, and in the 3 years I've had him, he has gotten much better, but only with me and 2 other people (one of whom flew back to the US yesterday). His training has been consistent and has taken up most of my free time outside school and work--I have had zero social life which I am fine with So if there is anyone who is game (he will probably be muzzled just to be safe) and has a relatively quiet demeanour about them, we could perhaps organise a meet? You are of course welcome to bring your own dog(s) as all mine are very social. I don't mind travelling past the CBD to the innerwest or eastern suburbs either. My work schedule is quiet at the moment and I don't start school until March. Much appreciated if anyone can help or has any ideas (if you're curious, I use clicker training and desensitization with him). ;)

Stick them in their crates/rooms with a bone or rawhide, that should occupy them for a while! One of my dogs loves games of 'find it' and the others will happily play fetch. You could take them to an offleash area if they have good recall, you feel confident handling them and it's a quiet area.

Rottweiler! I've had the privilege of meeting a few shining examples of the breed, and they are probably in my top 5.

Mischa would easily fit into an apartment situation with the right exercise. She isn't big on barking or destructive so she would be fine. Carl would also be okay; he sleeps most of the time anyway. I would expect them to be difficult if they weren't being exercised, since they are used to a large backyard, pool and full run of a 2 storey house.

I know of a few Cairn x's in rescues in NSW but you are in Vic so not sure that does much good. I have a Cairn x Staffy who has the most amazing and tolerant personality. Great little dogs

3 of mine swim regularly, 1 as part of therapy for her legs, the other one can't be kept out of water. They all swim in the ocean av 4 x a week in summer, and throughout winter/autumn at least twice. No skin issues at all, and Carl is kind of sensitive with his. Having a short coat also helps!

One of Carl's front dew claws came off around 18 months ago. I haven't had them removed because it was a freak accident and didn't seem to cause him pain. His hind ones are removed. Mischa and Cleo had all of theirs taken off, and Jag has his front ones too.