Chequeredblackdog

I personally feed a combination of raw and Holistic select. So I don't go through an awful lot of kibble. HS is my choice for kibble as far as access is concerned. It is available locally for me, I don't like buying food etc off the internet. (Plus I live in rural nsw, so postage can be HORRENDOUS!) HS has less fillers than Science Diet, Eukanuba, Advance etc. no corn only rice, and the added bonus that my dogs love it! My dogs don't have any special needs (eg. allergies etc) but HS does have the option of a purely fish based product (no chicken/beef etc) if that is a factor. I have tried most of the brands available to me. I work in a pet supplies, so can afford to experiment. Some I've not been overly impressed with. SD in particular, though my Kelpie boy did well on it (He does well on almost anything!) Nutro is also pretty good, I use that if I can't get HS, or in combo with it for my fatty-boom-ba old boy. HS doesn't seem to make a 'light' version. Which is one of the only complaints I have with it. Also remember that different dogs do better on different products ;)

Wow..... SOO.CUTE! *backs away slowly before brain explodes from cuteness overload

wow! Gorgeous shots! They lool like they all had an absolute blast. I loved the ones of Raz the Saluki

Foam is Reggie's favourite! It's like chickens with styrofoam! Addictive. I should of taken a photo of Reggie when he killed a mattress...... mind you it was still on the bed!! :0 Luckily it was old and in the spare room waiting for disposal...... Rocky's most epic destruction (eons ago now!) Was my dad's prized CACTUS COLLECTION! I mean what the? who EATS cactuses?

I'm not a lot of help, as I don't do much pavement work (rural area) but here's my bit. I've heard that dogs do a lot of 'pavement time' can have problems with wrist/elbow injuries, but that would involve a hell of a lot of pavement time. Another point is seems to crop up is the heat in summer. Pavement/bitumen can get VERY hot, so watch out for that. IMHO if the dogs are happy doing it and your not overdoing it, I don't see much of a problem. ETA: didn't read that you go early in the morning so heated up surfaces probably aren't applicable....

OMG! They are sooo cute..... trying to a pick favourite. Very hamdsome little guys (and girl). Are you planning on keeping any of them? With the bi-blacks do you get lots of comments in reference to 'miniature Border Collies'?

So sad! I thought poisoning too when I first heard it. I live close-ish (in orange) and have seen Amira quite a few times. Poor Rhinos, I hope the others will be ok.

Lol. My dad does exercises for his back every morning and one of the cats gets VERY excited. She gets to go for a ride.... I'm sure the dogs would help too, but they're banished outside!

Thankfully I've never experienced it, so no help there.I hope Sally make a full recovery! Fingers crossed.

I put bit of beef puff, meat strips/chunks etc in my dog's. Also if they will eat it, you can put in fruit and vege, cooked rice (for my old fat boy). Depending on size of kong/dog Whole chicken/turkey necks or wings can work too.

I work in a pet supply shop (that allows/welcomes animals in). I don't know the policy for that, wasn't mentioned in any of my training. I will have to enquire! But from my experience I haven't seen a person be made to pay for something their animal has touched. We try on harnesses, collars etc on dogs and I've seen some of the other staff allowing animals to sniff things. Peed on is a bit different....... :laugh: Though you have to catch the dog in the act! I know people have denied it or just continued on their merry way without even telling us so we can clean up etc

Well.... Rocky practically swallows his whole, Sadie thoroughly crunches hers (which takes 5-10 min, she's a "lady" lol), Tess stashes hers for later! Usually in a clothes basket or a bed .......and Reggie, well he plays with his first. One must fully court one's food before eating. That alone lasts a good half an hour :laugh: (he's a special boy)

lol! So true! It works with mattresses too!

Poor little pup. Its sad that dog parks usually aren't much fun. The people at my dog park are (mostly) pretty slack. Most don't even bring a lead, stand/sit around and chat, and usually the dogs have little to no recall. My guys are quite polite and very friendly and have very good recall, I always get comments like "wow they're so smart!" "wish my dog would come back like that" etc. Its sad. Luckily most of the other dogs are friendly and mean no harm (and my Kelpie who is the one who is more likely to rub somedog up the wrong way, can outrun pretty much everything except the friendly whippet! :laugh: ), the owners don't seem to know/care much about responsible dog-ownership. One that springs to mind with this story is the young couple who had a 3 year old entire male boxer and a 3(? max) month old female boxer. The couple never has leads (or collars) with them and if they are there, it's guaranteed you wil see the dogs WELL before you see the people they would have to be AT LEAST 100-200 metres ahead, ad this is in a almost fenced huge dog park next to a road, oh and with a large, often strong flowing creek meandering through it! It's sad, but I'm just waiting to hear the the poor little boxer pup has drowned/been run over/ attacked.... Sorry for the long winded reply

My four all wait (not so patiently) in the kitchen while I fix dinner. When dinner 'arrives': Rocky inhales Reggie chews (unless its completely raw, then he's like a vacuum) Tess eats fairly normal, considering she has a shih tzu like mouth and sadie..... well she HAS to have a belly rub first. Or she WILL NOT EAT. Went away on holiday once and forgot to tell the houseminder to give her a belly rub so she'll eat. Sadie didnt eat for 3days.... silly dog!

Staffyluv- yes i agree. I'm just happy its nothing to worry about. :) I never even registered the cost until my parents heard the price and started whinging > 'all that money to find out nothing' ..... (not that they paid or anything) Mr Reggie pants is priceless to me, so any cost (I feel) is totally worth it! Persephone- wish me luck for the 'hoon-stopping'! I think I'd have to chop off all four of his legs...and I dont think even that would slow him down for long!

Results are in. The lump is just a big haematoma! Glad it's nothing nasty, but not sure why it couldn't be diagnosed without tests? I thought a vet should be able to indentify haematoma cells Oh well! down approx $190, but at least I know he's ok!

Well Reggie went back to the vet today (moved tomorrow's appoint up) lump definitely grew over the weekend The vet aspirated it, and managed to get a fair bit of watery red fluid. She took it off to look at it (which took AGES) and the verdict is that there are some 'strange round cells' that she couldnt identify. So lump has been drained off and slides have been sent away..... should get results in a couple of days, sigh.....

I am hoping it's just the lighting/angle, though (to me) it feels more 'noticeable' for lack of a better word. As far as I know he hasn't had a knock etc. He does play very full on and LOVES his zoomies, but he is a GIANT SOOK and if something hurts, by the fur! He lets you know! ;) Will try to get him into the vet tomorrow, though they are usually very busy saturdays, and don't open sundays. If not, I have a definite booked appointment for tuesday, which I might try to move up. Fingers crossed it will go away be itself VERY quickly!

well...the lump is STILL THERE Bad Lump! and it looks bigger to me. Maybe I'm just paranoid. Apart from that Reggie seems fine.... Updated Lump photos:

Fingers crossed it does go away before tuesday. Staffyluv I know what you mean, maybe I should have insisted on an aspiration. But I have trouble with being forward with 'professionals that know best' (USUALLY they do) ... The vet originally had a quick look then said that there wasn't much point aspirating it yet I don't know if she really thought that, she did seem to think it would go away on it's own. I did ask again when she was winding up the consult. I DID think it was a bit funny about the 'introducing infection etc' bit. I've found they (the surgery) seem to be more cautious with offering procedures. More a wait-and-see attitude from a lot of them. When my BC Sadie ruptured a cruciate ligament last year, another vet(same practice) saw her. Did diagnose it, gave the option the surgery could be done, but would be expensive. And that there was NO rush to 'rush into it'. * Note- BC went to other vet in town who specialises in orthopedic stuff, she was booked in the fortnight after. ETA- my spelling is atrocious

Sorry for the lack of update. Only managed to get a vet appoint this afternoon! Vet palpated lump etc and did an ultrasound of it. As far as she can tell its a fluid 'bubble' (for lack of veterinary term :p ) or an accumulation of tissue? She said its unusual, but she can't tell exactly what it is. As he is acting fine, just to monitor it. Have booked another appoint for Tuesday, Vet said if it's still there/gotten bigger/developed in any shape or form, that they'll aspirate it then and form an action plan. I did ask if it would be better to aspirate it today, She said she didn't want to risk introducing anything (infection/bacteria wise) into it as it may be nothing/just go away by itself. If he stops eating, is lethargic etc, was told to definately bring him back in sooner.

Thanks guys. Gonna see if I can get him into the vet today. Fingers crossed it's just from being a clumsy hoon!

Reggie has a lump! It's on his ribs and seems to have sprung up very quickly.I noticed a small 'not-quite-a-bump' yesterday afternoon, but this morning it's a LUMP. It is very squishy and not very noticeable when actually touching it. It feels like a 'thickening' rather than a defined lump, maybe fluid? Thelump doesn't seem to be attatched to any underlying structures. It isn't bothering him and he has noproblems with me touching it. Should I be worried? I AM a worrywart about my special boy Just monitor it? (obviously if it gets dramatically bigger/sore it off to the vet)or should I just take him straight to the vet?

I live out of town, so we don't hear sirens much, if ever. but I used to play the clarinet and Rocky would always 'accompany' me! Never could figure out if he loved it or hated it. puff the magic dragon was his favourite. *have to try it with Reggie, he's got a pretty good howl on him!