Miranda

I don't think the EP Holistic range has corn in it Hesapandabear, I don't have a bag handy to check, but I'm pretty sure that corn isn't one of the ingredients :D

As you're competing with your dogs and you want them happy and training well I think that rehoming the new dog is probably your best option. Anything that upsets the status quo and affects their performance is best avoided IMO, but as I said before I'm not an expert in this field

I wouldn't feed pork as it can be too rich for some dogs, I prefer beef personally. I use lamb's liver, but I always make sure that it's well cooked and I only feed a little a couple of times a week with the main meal. Too much offal can cause loose bowel motions so it's best to feed it in small amounts mixed in with something else.

Sorry but I can't help you with the EP/Nutro question as I don't live in Sydney :D Feed a natural yoghurt like Jalna, don't feed the dessert yoghurts as they contain a lot of sugar. Yes you can blend the vegetables, but I wouldn't feed corn as it's actually a cereal, also cucumber is mainly water and low in nutritional value so I wouldn't bother with that either. Try some leafy green vegetables with the carrot and maybe a little broccoli. Try feeding your dog some beef brisket bones, they're also excellent for their teeth. I base my dog's evening meal on Eagle Pack dry food and human grade beef mince to which I add occasionally canned sardines/salmon/mackerel, raw egg and a little cooked liver (not all at once of course). They also get anything left over from our meals although we never leave much. I feed twice daily and they get chicken wings/frames/necks/lamb flap for their morning meal, but as your dog can't tolerate chicken, maybe give her a couple of brisket bones instead. I hope this helps

I'm not a dog trainer or behaviourist, but I feel that it may have something to do with acquiring a third dog, especially if it's an adult. If I can avoid it I never bring an adult into my yard on a permanent basis, puppies yes, but bringing in strange adult dogs always upsets the status quo and tends to change behaviours and create problems. Of course I'm only commenting on my experiences, I know that other people bring in strange dogs on a regular basis, but I've always found that it causes hassles and as I have five dogs I prefer to keep everything running smoothly ETA if the new dog is a male this may also have something to do with it.

Yes females mark, this girl sounds like quite a dominant character and dominant bitches tend to mark even more. She's marking because your yard is a strange environment, she won't do it at home because it's her territory and the other dogs form part of her pack. Some bitches will even lift their legs, this certainly isn't behaviour exclusive to males. It is also normal for your dog to cover her marks. If I bring a new dog into my yard my dogs will go out afterwards and urinate wherever the strange dog has been and if I take any of my dogs into a strange yard where there are dogs they will also urinate everywhere. If the bitch is entire there's also a chance that she's approaching sexual maturity and this can exacerbate these types of behaviour. I don't know what you can do to stop it, all my dogs are entire and they all do it so I guess I really don't notice it, to me it's just routine normal behaviour.

From what you have said this puppy sounds fine, as the breeder has obviously taken the time to train and socialise it I can't see that the fact that it's 16 weeks should present any problem. If you are intending to show the puppy sounds ideal, if he's been run on to 16 weeks at least you have a better idea of show potential.

Just be aware that not all vets are experts in dog nutrition and in fact a lot of vets know only the basics and will simply encourage you to buy whatever brand they sell themselves. It pays to do your own research and find out which foods produce the best results in your particular dog. Actually the local vet would be the last place I'd go to obtain advice on what to feed my dogs, I'm not saying that all vets lack expertise in this area, but in my experience a lot of them certainly do.

Hi Miranda How is it different if i can ask? When speaking to the breeder she said he has been trained to be in a crate also socialised.. that i could tell . He was also used to being handled as she groomed him, was picking him up and he was not at all bothered by it. She did say he is not fully toilet trained but i can do that .... and she crates him at night like her other dogs as part of the training Maybe I misconstrued your original post, but I took it as a general inquiry as to whether it's better to get a pet puppy from a breeder at 10/12 weeks or 16 weeks, I wasn't aware that you were talking about a potential show dog. Obviously if the breeder is intending the puppy to be shown he will have been well socialised and handled and will have received some training. Normally it is better to get a puppy at 8 weeks as they adjust better and the new owner is usually in a better position to give the puppy plenty of socialisation and one on one attention. Not all breeders are able to give each puppy in a litter (in my breed it's quite normal to have 12) individual attention and adequate socialisation up to 16 weeks of age which is why most pets go to their new homes at 8 weeks. Once the pet puppies have gone the breeder is then in a position to put much more time into the potential show prospects. A puppy left in a kennel situation until 16 weeks of age may not receive adequate socialisation and may not adjust as easily as an 8 week old puppy when it finally goes to its new home. This isn't always the case, but as a general rule it is far better to buy a pet puppy at 8 weeks of age.

It is a totally different scenario if the breeder has been showing the pup, I thought you were referring to a pet puppy that had been kept in a kennel situation until 16 weeks waiting to be sold.

Yes exactly, personally I view all litter trays as a last resort. If your dog has access to the outside let it poo and wee outside, makes sense to me anyway

No you may take your puppy out following the 2nd vaccination at 12 weeks of age.

No, you are better advised to get the puppy at 8 weeks of age if possible. Puppies need to be introduced to as many new people, dogs, places and experiences as possible prior to 16 weeks of age.

I cannot understand why you would want a golden retriever to use a litter tray. Dogs aren't rabbits and they're not vegetarians, dog poo doesn't really smell that nice and a golden retriever does quite a large poo which isn't going to make your house smell too good. Do you intend it to urinate inside too? I really can't imagine it. Litter trays might work for cats and toy dogs, but I certainly wouldn't want a goldie pooing inside my house.

I also have a large breed and they generally reach maximum height at around 9/10 months of age, they certainly do a lot more growing after 6 months.

I feed EP Holistic and my adults get one cup a day plus, meat, chicken wings, eggs, sardines etc. etc. The puppies get two cups a day. I just don't agree with feeding kibbles that have a high cereal content, dogs aren't designed to digest large amounts of carbohydrate and I don't like my money turning into piles of voluminous soft poo while the dog gains minimal nutritional benefit from the experience. If the cheaper foods work for you I suggest that you continue to feed them, they don't work for me which is why I prefer to feed EP ;)

I wouldn't feed Hill's Science Diet or Optimum, neither of them are top quality kibbles IMO.

I am quite a slim person, I exercise a lot and keep myself fit and I'm always being told that I must be anorexic or that I "could do with a few more kgs". IMO I'm a healthy weight, but I'm always being told "You are soooo skinny". It's the same in dogs I guess :D

princessbella you can buy Royal Canin, Advance, Pro Plan and Eukanuba at Mega Pet Warehouse on Mt. Dandenong Road. Alternatively K9 & Katz Kitchen will deliver free anywhere in the Melbourne Metro area, they also have Eagle Pack and Nutrience, check out their website. Scrubadub Dog in Ferntree Gully also have Eagle Pack. I would suggest that you stop using canned food and feed the dog some human grade mince with the dry. Terry's Meats in Bryce Avenue, Mooroolbark sell mince for $4.00 a kg and they also have chicken wings at $2.00 a kilo or $27.00 for a 15 kg box. You can also get a whole lambs fry for $1.25 (feed a little, cooked, twice weekly). A can of mackerel, salmon or sardines twice a week will also help. BTW I also live in Croydon

Are you becoming sensitive TB? Nothing like a little danger to add some spice to your life

Just get the vet to cut them back to the quick under sedation, then you can continue to trim them a little each week and the quicks will gradually shrink back. Yes you can get the dewclaws removed but it will have to be done under a GA (why would anyone flame you, it's a perfectly legitimate question? )

If you allow the nails to become very long they will interfere with the dog's ability to walk and run, he may also injure the nails which may break or be pulled off. If they come off cleanly it's not too bad but if the nail is hanging, half on and half off the dog will be in a lot of pain and you will have to have the dog sedated to have it removed. If I were you I would take the dog to the vet, have him sedated and get the nails cut back, then you can keep them trimmed. Believe me I speak from experience, overly long nails can be a real problem.

:cool: :D Damn good question. Obviously because I wasnt trained properly. I'm territorial with my toys as well and I say hello to dogs and their owners when I'm out walking. MAJOR discipline problems for me. :cool: I agree with raz and Tess 32

My dogs see me picking up poo every day and it hasn't affected them at all. Really I'm all for training correctly and having well adjusted dogs, but there is a limit Training is all about patience, firmness and consistency and using plain common sense, if we all followed every rule suggested by the myriads of dog psychologists that have sprung up over recent years dealing with our canines would become so complex and regimented that none of us would have time for the most important thing......enjoying our dogs :cool: I have five dogs, I just don't have time to implement all these things and my dogs don't appear to suffer at all. I am a big advocate for NILIF and TOT, they're sensible programs and if you follow both you won't go far wrong

Of course he doesn't, if you give a child ice cream, lollies and chocolate biscuits all day will the child want to eat its dinner? Ditch the treats completely and follow shekhina's excellent advice. Also it could be the peanuts that are upsetting him, peanuts are high fibre and almost impossible for dogs to digest and it's possible that they're irritating the lining of his bowel. A small amount occasionally as a special treat is fine, but it sounds as if you're overdoing it.