cavNrott

I wouldn't use them. There are far better trainers available that won't cost you as much. Maybe someone on here can recommend a trainer in WA that will hopefully be close to where you are or can recommend someone in your area.

I think the cost it would depend on the number of animals that need to be taken care of. I wouldn't be prepared to pay $150 per day for my two reasonably well behaved elderly Cavalier Spaniels.

I must take pick it up further with my dogs: I seem to be dropping things a lot lately and it will come in very handy if they'll pick up for me. This one would be handy for both of us Shadrack since we're both a bit physically compromised. I agree that lying still isn't the action of 'down'. The dogs will hold the position they are in if I ask them to, no matter what the position. They will 'settle' if they're a bit antsy for some reason. Waiting for food is the same with all things edible. Anything edible? (this is a matter of opinion) on the ground is not to be touched unless I give them the ok. This is non negotiable. Ummm...jumping: if I'm on or in my bed, both dogs are on the bed with me no need to teach that one, they must have been born knowing it :) What we're doing with our dogs, be they called tricks or commands doesn't matter as long as we're interacting with them. One of my dogs is deaf and training her is a challenge. It's really great if she 'gets it'. When I say 'my' dogs I actually mean one of them with some of these ^ things. I try to teach the little deaf girl with hand signals but it's slow going. She's so excitable that she's difficult to teach.

To explain what I mean by the difference between obedience commands and tricks I note the follwing were all mentioned as tricks. Lying still is an obedience command . If they are told to lie down (though I use a different word) or given any other command they know to hold that position until I give the release word. Another obedience command: waiting for food. Their food bowls are placed in front of them and they don't move towards them until I give them permission to eat. Offering a paw is a trick I teach. My dogs do a very impressive high five as well as a gentle shake hands. This can an icebreaker with people who are uncertain around dogs and the local kids love a dog who'll give them a high five ;) They will pick up an item if they know the word for that item. If they don't connect word with the item I don't ask them to pick it up. This can be a very useful command for those of us who have limited movement. I must investigate it further. Jumping...nope., no jumping for two reasons. One is because jumping isn't great for their joints and secondly I don't want them jumping up on people. Their are other tricks I won't teach such as the bang, bang, play dead. Begging is another trick I won't teach. I don't teach them to spin either. These are tricks I don't care to see dogs performing. It really is doing what you and your dogs have fun doing together. If your dogs enjoy learning tricks and you enjoy teaching them then it's all good. Good to hear you'll have the use of a four wheel walking frame. It should give you more confidence to walk around until you have more strength and better balance. I hope your health improves and you're feeling better very soon.

As long as your little dogs don't knock you off your feet they will be so happy you're home and with them again. It is of zero importance that your dogs learn to play dead or do tricks. What is important is that they are well behaved and don't run around you like idiots and knock you over. I don't consider tricks to be of any importance even in the best of circumstances. IMO obedience training and being well behaved is important. Tricks are not. I understand your position very well. I need further spinal surgery but I'm not prepared to go ahead with it because I have no one to care for my dogs. I manage to a degree with strong pain relief medication. My dogs are gentle and they're careful they don't trip me up. Your housemate is clearly very helpful to you and I feel sure she is prepared to let the dogs outside to toilet. She would more than likely be prepared to walk them for you until you are back on your feet. I gather she cared for the dogs when you were in hospital. While you are not able to walk around safely it may be worth getting a four wheel walking frame to aid you until you're steady on your feet.

At the bolded bit ^^

Very sorry for your loss Perse. Rest In Peace. Collie goat

I'm sure I replied to this thread early on. I must have missed hitting the post button. Jed, we remember, we will not forget.

Thanks for the info Simply Grand. It always helps to be educated by the brains trust on DOL :) Looking forward to seeing more pics of the little cuties. efs

Neither did I.

As there's another thread currently active on pet insurance and Pet Plan in particular, it's probably worth emailing Troy to ask him if he will merge this thread with the other other one.

The insurance renewal for my two dogs fell due last September. I received the new policy documents for the coming year and the premiums had increased 98% in total. I have no choice but to continue with this insurance company if I want to keep my dogs insured because the younger of my two my dogs had just turned 9 years old when the policy was due for renewal. At 9yo and 10yo my dogs are now too old to be taken on by any other insurance company. They have been insured by this company for 6 years. I shudder to think what the premium hike will be in the coming September when the policy is again due for renewal.

The experienced breeders can probably tell us if a hare lip can be surgically corrected.

Sunday Pets really need to fix and upgrade their website so people can browse through and research their various foods. It is too slow waiting for the pages to load. I gave up in frustration. Their Customer Service is good. I asked a question yesterday and recieved a reply a couple of hours later.

That would explain it. I though it might have been an oversight in the analysis of the food.

I just looked at their website and the Raw Chow Freeze dried beef has a fat content of 45%. That is a huge fat content so it pays to read the food analysis of their various foods. The website was so slow to load so I wasn't able to research their other varieties. Other than the huge fat content it looks to be a good dog food. The ingredient list is impressive. I've emailed the company to ask if they have a low fat variety that is suitable for a dog who has Pancreatitis attacks if fed anything with high fat content. Though I wouldn't feed my other dog who has no problems any food with a 45% fat content.

Wishing the lovely Penny a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY

They're fixed outdoor security cameras. No one was filming. I seriously am so impressed with this cat. I've watched the footage so many times. What a badass. The dog's intent was horrible - that was serious and if no one was there to intervene it could have been a really, really bad attack. Aha! thank you for that melzawelza. I didn't think of the fixed security camera. They say the mother also got bitten by the the dog when she tried to put it in its yard. Hopefully the video might persuade irresponsible dog owners to keep their dogs confined. What a hero that cat is.

I too was wondering why the Mum ran off. We now have an explanation for this. Still I wonder why the person taking the video didn't run to help the child but instead, kept on filming. What an incredible cat.

I'm so sorry for your loss Crits Rest In Peace, Wolf.

Yep, have done. Just thought I would get some opinions of recommended breeders, as Dogzonline is where my friend Deb got her puppy from that has had a multitude of problems Oh Wow! No, she didn't get the puppy from Dogzonline but from a breeder who is listed as an independent breeder on the puppy pages of Dogzonline. If your friend's dog has problems she should take it up with the breeder.

I would have the house sitter sleep in the spare bedroom. The dogs would sleep on my bed...or that's what I would hope they'd do. I guess there's the chance after a couple of nights of me not being present that they might want to sleep on the house sitters bed in the spare bedroom :) I think it would be difficult for the house sitter to have the dogs sleep on her bed if she doesn't believe dogs should sleep on beds. We would need to discuss this issue at first contact with house sitter.

Goodness, his left hip is in very poor shape. He'll feel much happier once he recovers from the THR surgery. The R hip looks brillant after his previous surgery. How awful that this boy is only 2 1/2yo and his hips are in such bad shape. So sorry you are both going through this. Let us know when he's booked in for his next surgery.

Fantastic, simple, practical advice :) Yes Desex before homing the puppies without question. No reason to desex before finding the pups homes & most vets wouldn't do it then anyway. The bitches milk needs to have dried up for about 2 weeks before they desex, unless its an emergency situation. Your dog won't be coming into season again this quickly after the birth. So 2 weeks after last puppy has left home is about the right time. I take it the OP means desexing the pups before they leave home, not desexing the dam.

When she was due was my question to. Evidently she's due Thursday next week it's so too late for Alizin. Hopefully this 11 month old puppy won't need a C section.