Divine Angel

I know a Maltese X Shih Tzu (oops, almost wrote it phonectically there) that gets clipped regularly. The owners usually get him clipped very close to the skin, leaving the head and tail fluffy.

What a beautiful sentiment, thank you for sharing it with us!

So sorry to hear about Josey, Rozzie. May she play with the angels where she is happy and healthy. May the angels come and comfort you and heal your heart, its the worst pain in the world, especially when you don't get to say goodbye. Know that Josey is still with you in spirit, she'll never leave your side. With love and loads of angel hugz, Renee

I feed my 10 week old Maremma pup a cup of kibble for breakfast, plus 3/4 C at dinner along with vegies and either some freah kangaroo mince, chicken necks or wings, or a beef offcut (fat left on). As she grows, she will not be fed as much, its only while she is growing and being hyperactive and playful. She also got a lolly I accidently dropped on the floor yesterday! edit: when I say a cup, I don't mean a metric cup, its' an old Harry Potter cup that I use, 250mL size. I mean a cup of that or 3/4 C of that...

It's OK to grieve for as long as you need to. Forget people who tell you "she was just a dog." I'm sending you 444 angels to heal your heart and to comfort you. Holly is running around now, playing in the grass and doing all the things she wasn't able to in the physical world. Cry all you like, she's happy and she's healthy and she's still with you in spirit

Oh Elise! My heart truly weeps for you, your family, and Tulip's family. Tulip is still visiting her family, still looking out for them, still nurturing them. Even though she is gone from the physical plane, she's still with you in spirit. You've probably even felt her presence, its' not your imagination, sweetie. Nothing I or others can say will help heal your hearts, so I will send your family some angels to be with you. Losing a companion is never easy, espeically when it is so sudden and unexpected. Chin up, you have some beautiful little puppies to share with the world!

Yeah, after reading all these tick stories, I got paranoid as well!!! DON'T WORRY- check your dog/s every day, you'll be fine!

Hi, I live close-ish to you (Nowra) and I called my local vet yesterday as I was a bit confused about all the info I read on here. My pup will be a large dog and the vet recommended Frontline because otherwise, Proban would be 4 tablets every 2 days. Daily checks are a MUST (obviously). You should also invest in a tick collar and be aware that some of these may cause a reaction on the dog's skin. Hope this helps

The pain never goes away, does it? I'm sure Ray and Ringer are still with you in spirit. May any new puppies coming into your life be as rewarding a companion as Ray and Ringer were.

I'm so sorry to hear that. I got to say goodbye to Patchie when she passed away, she had 'only' been ill for a couple of days. I'm sure Leo is still visiting you in spirit, so take the opportunity to say goodbye to him then. Tell him you loved him, he'll understand. I'll send you an angel to help heal your heart.

Thanks, I might try that...

Hi Gilly Bob, here's the answers to your question. Sort of, anyway. http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/k2/stn/new...pic1379665.shtm

I'm sure she'll still be there for her young ones, in spirit.

Gilly Bob, I have pasted that question onto a forum where hopefully, someone will answer it for you. I hope you didn't mind me pasting it, it was easier than re-wording it all.

I just called my vet to see if I lived in an increased risk tick area. This is the information he's given me. -Increased numbers of tick incidences this year due to the weather (high humidity and such: in my area anyway) -if a tick is found, remove it immediately with tweezers. He was saying that a tick doesn't have a head as such and I shouldn't concern myself if it stays on (I thought that was a bit weird, considering it goes against everything I've ever heard about ticks) -Using a spray like Frontline or whatever isn't really necessary to kill the tick -He recommended using Proban tablets for smaller dogs, as 1 tablet is taken for every 10kgs of weight. My dog when fully grown, will be about 40kgs or so. For me, he recommended Frontline drops every 2 weeks. -I live in Nowra, on the NSW south coast. He said the risk was lessened cos I was in the suburbs, but since Nowra is close to the beach areas, other animals can easily bring them into my yard. -And of course, daily checks for ticks. -He also said that dogs become affected bwtween 3-7 days of the tick attaching. My personal advice- talk to your vet, talk to other vets in the area. Do a daily check, twice a day if you feel the need. And above all- DON'T PANIC!! I have worked myself up into such a worry over it.

bumping for all interested parties (me included)

I just want to make clear that I bought Jasmine, knowing full well what I was in for and what she would be like as an adult. I knew their temperament and I knew their problems. I didn't just buy her cos she was cute. I met the breeder and Jas' parents 6 months before Jas was born. This wasn't a spur of the moment decision. And really, there are no problems. I knew rough play is unacceptable but didn't know how to deal with it. I'm grateful that I have a forum where I can ask questions because other people have gone through the same thing and they can help me.

Thanks for all your help, Steve, it is truly appreciated. I'm beginning to see that maremma's aren't like 'ordinary' dogs and that what I have learned from watching endless repeats of Dr Harry has to be adjusted a little for my Jasmine. Having said that- Jasmine is still inclined to get a little hyper in play mode. Now I take full control of the situation. If I am lying on the lounge and she starts getting too rough, I immediately sit up and say NO. (she is quite good at leaning what NO means!) Usually I am sitting on the floor when she plays rough, so I say, ENOUGH! and get up and move somewhere else. People kept telling me how smart Maremmas were, I just didn't realise how freakin smart they were!!! As for her other training, "come" is getting better, "sit" works the best and "no" is usually a good one also. Next I will try with "stay", as she is inclined to bolt out the front door when opened. "Heel" doesn't seem to be a problem, she would prefer to walk next to me than in front of me anyway. Steve, you were so right about that steep learning curve!

Jasmine is 100% pure Maremma.

Thanks Steve and Jodie. I don't think she meant to hurt me or show she was leader, she simply got too carried away and I was lying down, so it wasn't easy for me to move. Also, I was very tired. I didn't mention that this happened yesterday afternoon. She got carried away and started chewing hands and feet. I was sitting down, so I told her "NO!" in my firmest voice, and said that was enough, it was too rough (who knows? maybe she does understnad human!) and walked away. She calmed down very quickly. I will not let it happen again. As soon as I see it starting, I will stop her, and move position. Thanks for the suggestion of the empty Coke can- sounds like a good idea. When she's naughty now, I clap my hands loudly and she stops immediately, so I think that coke can will work well also. ATM she has calmed down a lot. No more chewing hands and feet. She's learning very fast about what's acceptable and what's not. She's even sitting at the back door instead of scratching at it and pulling it apart, like she was doing 24 hours ago. I'm so amazed at the intelligence of her. I thought my other dog, Patchie, was smart. Got nothing on Jas!

I guess this comes under training... My 8 week old pup got a bit hyper this morning and the play was far too rough. As a result, I have scratches from her very sharp little teeth on my hands, arms and feet. What happened was, she woke up at about 5.30am to go out and wanted to play after that. I took my doona out to the lounge room where I could keep an eye on her while she played and chewed. About an hour later, the play got rough. She started jumping on my face, to which I put my arms up in defence (I didn't want her to rip my earrings out) but she chewed my hands instead. I had no choice but to push her away, which of course she thought was a great game. Soon, I was in tears because she had clamped down on my hand and my index finger on my right hand went numb. I had no defence, but to protect my ears and face, otherwise I would have given her a little smack on the nose. "NO" wasn't being heard. How do I handle this situation should it arise again? My hands and arms are protecting my face and ears, how do I get her to stop?

To all those people using Aloveen- is that only in the US or only in Australia? I'm in Australia and it sounds like a good product that I wouldn't mind trying. My dog is a Maremma so she will have a long double coat. I think I'll need a very good shampoo to get through all that fur!

I heard about using Wool Wash, but it contains eucalyptus or tea tree oil or something like that, which is toxic to dogs. So don't use it. I like herbal-based shampoos myself. They often are either unscented or have something soothing like lavender essence in it. My late dog had eczema, so she had a special herbal formula, can't remember where I bought it though, might have been the vet's. Some flea shampoos are too harsh, I try to avoid them and use a flea preventative like Frontline instead. But if I've run out altogether, then I have tried normal human stuff- Palmolive doesn't seem to affect the dog in any negative way... and those yummy scents make her smell so delicious....

I am getting a Maremma Sheepdog and have already bought a Halti. I talked to a friend who has a Doberman X and she said that if the dog has all the power in the shoulders (as a Maremma would), then a Halti is the way to go because then the dog's head controls it as opposed to you controlling the dog. As for the muzzle question, obviously the people asking you have never seen a muzzle!! Most daogs have their mouths open while walking, I would say to them "Can you not see that the dog's mouth is open?" or, if I was in a nasty mood, "Yes, dog does bite, please go away before it humps your leg as well!"

Her name was Patchie We called her Baby Pog She passed over, a year ago We still miss her every day And now a year has passed I still shed the tears Because your company has gone But your presence lingers here Even though new puppy is coming We'll never forget your face You've helped bring pup to us now Though you, we'll never replace To my Baby Pog, whom I miss each and every single day. The lessons I learnt from having you as my pet will be passed on to my puppy, and for that I say Thank You. You know you are forever in my heart, and I will never, EVER forget you. Be at peace, Patchie. you're happy and healthy now. With all the love in the world, Renee