Miranda

Chicken necks are fine for puppies providing someone is there to supervise them, I wouldn't leave a 12 week old puppy with anything that it could choke on and that includes chicken necks and wings frozen or unfrozen..........sorry

Using the end of a medium sized comb (one or two teeth), dig the teeth into the matt and tease it apart and then use your fingers to pull it into sections. Comb through each section individually using one hand to hold the hair so that you're not actually pulling on the dog's skin, comb out the part of the matt which is closest to the skin last. Comb out each matt completely before you move on to the next one. It will be a big job, but if you do it methodically you will get there. Pin brushes are mainly used on feathering, if you want to remove matts you must use a comb. Mars strippers are really only effective for removing excess topcoat. Always ensure that your dog is 100% matt free before you allow her to swim, matts are far more difficult to remove if they've been allowed to get wet. If you find a matt, even a small one, tackle it immediately, don't leave it until the next day and as I said never under any circumstances bath a matted dog or allow it to get wet as it will make the process of removing the matts twice as hard, I cannot emphasise this enough. After bathing using a leave in conditioner like Laser Lites Drape or Protein Treatment will help to keep the hair from matting. Buy yourself a grooming table, it is virtually impossible to efficiently groom a long coated dog on the ground, if you put the dog on a table it will save your back and be far more comfortable for you and you'll also find that the dog will be easier to handle.

Sorry this is OT, but I wouldn't leave chicken necks with an unsupervised 12 week old puppy because if he happens to choke on one you won't be there to help him. The only sort of bone that is suitable for a puppy of this age is a marrow bone or large brisket bone, something that can be chewed on but can't be broken up and swallowed.

Yes I'd recommend Joint Guard too, I think I read a post recently that said you could get it from a greyhound place for about $55, but I can't remember where I read it.

Feed them separately and it won't happen, as you've just discovered fights aren't pleasant and it sounds as if you were lucky this time and no major injuries were incurred by either of them. All dogs have the right (in a domestic situation) to eat their food and/or bones in peace without being hassled by another dog, your boy is growling as a warning because it's his food and he doesn't want the other dog to have it which is perfectly natural dog behaviour. Your pup is also growing up and may be vying for top dog status, if he is there is nothing you can do to alter this and you'll just have to let them sort it out between them, however it will be a much easier transition if you don't leave bones, chews and food around, to do so would be asking for trouble which can easily be avoided.

Separate the dogs when they are eating, have rawhide chews or bones. Even dogs that are normally the best of friends may squabble over food. Your pup is growing up and has decided that what's his is his alone and he is now prepared to defend it. Sharing isn't part of a dog's nature and a lot of dogs are possessive over food although some couldn't care less. I keep all my dogs apart when they are eating or chewing on pigs ears or bones.

How old is the dog? Dogs become sexually mature at around one year of age (earlier in some breeds) and dogs that were previously easygoing may become cocky especially around other entire males. If they're going to be macho it generally starts between one and two years of age. Some of the terrier breeds can be prone to same sex aggression.

A unilateral cryptorchid (one normal, one undescended) is fertile and will behave exactly the same as a dog with two fully descended testes. If the second one doesn't descend it is best to have the dog castrated as there is a slight chance that the retained testicle may become cancerous.

little labrador the TOT can be used in many situations, not just at feeding time, I use it before my dogs get bones, a favourite toy and I even use it at the park, all my dogs have to sit and stay off leash before I release them for a run. What it does is teach the dog that all resources come from you and that you are in control of everything be it food, toys, games, runs whatever. This reinforces your position as leader, increases the dog's respect for you and improves the dog's focus (K9 can probably explain it better). TOT isn't the be all and end all of training, but if you have a dog that has learned TOT you are off to a very good start, it is an invaluable training tool, especially when you have a dog like yours that likes to push boundaries.

Dr. Kersti Seksel and Dr. Gaille Perry are both veterinarians and have futher qualifications in animal behaviour. They run Sydney Animal Behaviour Service in Seaforth and both are highly respected in their field.

I think you're talking about the bulbus glandis which when erect appears as two lumps at the base of the dog's penis, this is perfectly normal. However I'm not sure what you mean when you say the area is 'all white looking'. Can you take a photo? Regarding the bad breath, your dog may have bad teeth or it could even be caused by his diet, have a look at his teeth and if they are covered in a brown substance and/or the gums look inflamed take him to the vet. If his teeth are white and his gums are pink and healthy it's probably caused by what you're feeding him, but it could also be something like tonsillitis.

I thought I should mention that the Triangle Of Temptation can seem very complicated when you first read about it and it actually took me a couple of weeks before I really knew what I was doing and was able to implement the program properly. My dogs have been on the program for nearly a year now and I do it every night without thinking about it. I can now leave my dogs indefinitely (although it's usually anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes) and not one of them will touch their food until I say 'okay'. I have also brought in distractions and they still don't break their stays. It has made an amazing difference to their behaviour and believe me if you persevere with it you will find it very helpful. K9 is always happy to advise you if you have any problems.

Sorry I should have been more specific. TOT (Triangle of Temptation) is pinned at the top of the Training Forum. Although it seems complicated at first, you soon get used to it and I found it invaluable, I've done a fair bit of research into dog behaviour and training (although I'm far from being an expert) and of all the things I've tried TOT had the most effect on my dog's behaviour. You will find NILIF (Nothing In Life Is Free) here K9 Force under Training Articles. I would also recommend K9 Force as a behaviourist and dog trainer, IMO he is the best around.

This is reasonably common behaviour and the best thing you can do is to ensure that all poo is picked up promptly so that the puppy doesn't get into the habit. In my experience most puppies grow out of it, my two boys used to do it, they didn't eat their own poo, but they would eat the poo of my other dogs, they're 18 months old now and have stopped doing it However I do have a 7 year old bitch who tries to eat poo every time I take her out, not all poo, obviously some are tastier than others BTW I feed a small amount of super premium kibble, my dogs are not fed exclusively raw food although meat and bones do make up the majority of their diet

This puppy sounds like a normal, strong willed, boisterous gundog puppy who needs boundaries. You need to bring in a qualified dog behaviourist who can advise you how to handle this puppy and who will help you understand how dogs 'think' and react. The whole family needs instruction as with dogs consistency is the key. BTW I am not a fan of interfering with a dog's food while it eats, IMO putting hands in bowls, taking food away etc. is much more likely to encourage resource guarding than prevent it. All my dogs eat undisturbed in their crates and I can take anything off them including bones. If you can implement TOT and NILIF you will find that both these programs will make a huge difference to how your dog behaves, I know because I have a very strong dog here who was really pushing me for a while and I found that TOT made a tremendous difference to his behaviour and he is now much easier to live with. The dog will be fine, you just need to know how to handle her and a behaviourist will teach you this and give you a routine to follow, mind you that routine will have to be followed exactly, every day, and will have to involve all members of your family.

I'm not sure either Joypod, I'm pretty sure that chickens aren't fed hormones, but I don't know about beef. I don't eat meat at all so I'm so I'm certainly no expert. I would love to feed my dogs organic meat, but unfortunately the cost would be prohibitive.

Are you sure that this correct? I was under the impression that no hormones are fed to livestock in Australia.

If the food doesn't suit the puppy then don't feed it. All dogs are different and whereas some dogs may be able to tolerate Bonnie, your dog may not. I would never feed Bonnie or Supercoat, I get heaps of mushy light coloured poo and the dogs lose condition. Dogs should produce small firm stools, large soft poos are often caused by feeding cheap dry foods that contain large amounts of cereal, cereal is cheap and that's why it's a major ingredient in cheap kibble. A dog is designed to eat meat and foods derived from animal sources, they don't process starches well which is why high carbohydrate diets produce lots of soft poo and sometimes cause diarrhoea. Soft stools are not normal and are an indication that your dog is not digesting his food efficiently, although this won't affect his growth I think that in this case your puppy will be far healthier and happier on a better quality food. Please note that diarrhoea can also be caused by factors other than diet, but cheap dry foods do cause loose stools in many dogs.

You will find that the easiest solution is to move the plants or fence them off, I have never owned a puppy who didn't think that pot plants were fair game. Most puppies grow out of this behaviour, but as a general rule having a puppy and keeping a nice garden can be difficult to say the least

What do you mean when you say 'a mix of hard and soft stools like usual', exactly how soft are the stools? Sometimes soft stools are hard for the dog to pass completely and the dog will strain to pass that last little bit (if you know what I mean) and any form of prolonged straining may sometimes produce a bit of blood especially in a puppy. If the dog is passing a lot of poo and some of it is mushy I'd look at changing your dry food, Bonnie isn't a particularly good brand and contains a lot of fillers which some dogs can't deal with therefore producing inordinately large amounts of poo, a fair proportion of which is soft. I'd suggest Nutro or Eagle Pack Holistic, these are much better quality foods and although they're more expensive you will find that you will feed less and your dog will digest them much more efficiently.

I wouldn't feed any Greenies product to a dog.

By all means feed organic if you can afford it, I have 5 dogs and my dog food bill is already astronomical so personally I don't feed organic meats to my dogs although I do buy organic vegetables for myself and my partner. Regular beef mince (not the premium or 'heart smart' variety) is quite high in fat and is fine for dogs and puppies, I've been feeding it for years.

All the meat I give my dogs is human grade, I just feel happier feeding it. I pay $4.99 per kilo for beef mince and I can buy a $15kg box of chicken wings for $30.00. If you feed meat from a pet supplier be very careful that it doesn't leak and contaminate your fridge. Ideally all pet grade meats should be kept well away from human food, preferably in a separate fridge.

Do you worm him regularly? Whipworm will cause blood and mucus because they badly irritate the intestinal lining, usually the blood will appear at the very end of the last stool. I'm sure that you do worm your dog, but it's just a suggestion.

I had an older bitch who developed pancreatitis, it was quite severe and any fatty foods caused vomiting and diarrhoea. We fed her chicken breast and the Hills ID dry and canned food. She could also tolerate one of the Tucker Time dog rolls that was low in fat. Other than the breast chicken in any form provoked an attack, so did any variety of mince. She could eat brisket bones, but I had to ensure that ALL the fat was removed. Different dogs can deal with different foods, how much fat she can handle depends on how badly her pancreas is damaged. I just read your last comment, chicken wings, carcasses, marrow bones and lamb flaps are high in fat and should be avoided, necks may be ok, but make sure you remove any residual fat. Obviously if you get a reaction to a particular food don't feed it again.