Jed

If it were me, I wouldn't use the Biolac again. I never use anything which doesn't look100%, and that sounds off to me. I would also return it to where you bought it, and ask for a refund + maybe write to the company and tick them off. I rarely post stuff like this, because people like "modern" stuff, but this is a very good milk replacer, and if you are using Carnation anyhow..... 1/2 Carnation milk - 12 ml 1/2 cows milk - 12 ml Glucodin 1 spoonful 10 drops of Pentavite. That wont be enough for your pups, so multiply the quantities Watch them for tummy upsets from the Biolac. Thousands of pups have been successfully raised on this. I like Divetalac, but I've used this in preference when the pups didn't seem to be going on.

Talk to the breeder. If I had a dollar for every Cav misdiagnosed with LP, I'd be driving around in a Bentley. As Cavs grow, they sometimes go a bit "bum high", and they can look as if their patellas are a bit loose, so vets misdiagnose patellas, and sometimes, the leg will swing in and out a bit. Have to tell owners not to rush in, just wait for a while and see. Which is why I would talk to the breeder. I know SFA about JRT, but pups do funny things as they grow. I've forgotten how old Gilbert is, but I wouldn't rush into anything, because he is still a pup. I'd want 2 vet opinions, one from a vet very familiar with the breed, and maybe the opinion of a GOOD chiropractor as well. Other option is he may have an injury. Depends on what the symptoms are. Sometimes they limp, sometimes they skip. But sometimes they do both these things when they have injured themselves.

Thanks Jed but I can do all of this with him. But he won't allow it when it comes to ear drops. I don't have enough arms/hands to restrain him in this position. And for the fact that it obviously did hurt him when I first began the drops, I can't help feeling it is a betrayal of the very trust he puts in me to be able to have him in such a vulnerable position. I have no problems doing his nails. He lays with me on his mat for this, whilst I dremel them. I am managing the ear drops better now - as is he. He still hates it and is not exactly what I would call in 'relaxed compliance' mode, but it is improving. This I did, and I am able to wipe his ears out in this manner, even though he dislikes that too. But not the drops. He's way too smart Or maybe mine are just terrified enough to lie there?

You can regularly adopt these chookies as well - tho it appears they turn up almost naked of feathers...so i'll take the time and set up my pen and then keep an eye out for some 'retired' ex battery hens to take over the yard after the main bit of winter is over. As long as the GSD's don't realise the chooks are covered meaty frames on legs we'll all be fine! You go, girl. I've had expensive POL pullets, all very nice, laid lots, but it feels good to save someone's life, and they certainly know how to repay. Ask around produce agencies, or phone up one of the battery places, they often know. Ours came from about 40k away, $1 each!! The odd one dies but most are ok. Probably cost more now.

Staranais Understand what you are saying. I've seen similar things myself and been appalled. Lots of farmers don't recognize that animals feel pain, or are sentient beings, and legislation needs to encourage this, as education doesn't seem to work. It's difficult to overcome beliefs which have been in the population for generations. I could extrapolate on that, but I think you know what I mean. I read what Alpha Bet said about Temple Grandin and I agree. We see it in legislation where a lobby group encourages legislation which fits their particular tenet, but is not good over all for whatever class of animal it covers. Example would be the POCTA act in Victoria. Some of those regulations were drawn up by people with good intentions, but nfi. I do believe that we are getting too far from nature, and too detached from animals, so I agree with what she said.

My sympathies, Pepi, it's a very hard time, and nothing much helps, except the passing of time. His body was tired, although his spirit was strong. His spirit decided to leave the worn shell that was his body, and go over the Rainbow Bridge, where the spirts of our friends go to wait for us, until we finally join them. He didn't want to leave you, but he knew it was time. Their span on this earth is never as long as ours, and so we experience grief each time one of our friends leaves us. The weather is always mild, the grass is always just right for romping and rolling, the streams flow endlessly with crystal water, the gentle breezes stir their fur and bring exciting scents for them to follow. There are other friendly dogs to play with, and time passes quickly, until at last, their beloved masters join them. Grieving, feeling so sad, and missing him is normal - but don't grieve for him, his spirit is free and romping in the empyrean fields, and there are no regrets about the wonderful life you gave him.

Mine go to friends' places, and we have our own offlead, so I don't walk them in public. There are way too many dodgy dogs and owners out there. If the dog is really aggressive, you have a serious problem. Most of them are just a bit aggro, and if you stand up tall, be an alpha, and growl or shout at them, while keeping your dog out of the way, you will probably be ok. After a few discouraging encounters, I took to carrying a walking stick - one with a knob, not a handle. Had a couple of meetings with aggressive dogs, and found that laying into them with the knob end of the stick - hard - before they became too intense and prey driven changed their minds. Once they get into "the zone" they wont notice but before that, if you are fast enough and hard enough, they change their minds. However, if you are going to do this, ensure that you can actually use the stick. I am pretty handy with a whip, and found using the stick worked about the same. You need to be fast, hit, swing, hit again, not just hit once, and do it while the dog is considering. I hit them on the shoulder, except for the one who kept coming, I whacked him across the muzzle and head. Did it hurt him? Probably, he yelped and ran, and I gave him a few on the ribs as he turned. I'd rather he was hurt than my dog was killed, and that's how it looked.

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Sorry, missed this. I had some meat chickens which grew into ostriches, and grew old and died, after a few years. They never laid at all, and I was told that they were (a) sterilized and (b) that they weren't bred to reproduce. Not sure whether either of these stories were true, never bothered to find out. None of them were abnormal. I was told they would grow so big they couldn't stand up etc, but nothing like that happened, but after a couple of years, they popped off. I think perhaps the body was too big for the heart? Best layers in my experience were burned out battery girls. They were good for 3 eggs over 2 days, which is pretty good, they live forever, and they lay for a very long time. The very best thing about them is that they so love to be"free" - they sit on the ground like stunned fowls looking at everything, and once they are over the shock of it, they lay their little hearts out. Food Nazis come in the BARF variety and the dry variety apparently

No hormones in chicken. Illegal for about 20 years. And inspectors used to check it, but they are not used now. Are u 100% sure? If they dont use hormones why are the chicken breasts you see in store so huge compared to what they used to be?? and Why are the organic ones more of a regular size? Because they are bred to be like that. I raised some meat chickens from day old, and they were the size of ostriches - just on "regular" food. Don't know about organic ones. Hormones are banned though, Australia wide. None of the commercial foods contain hormones, and I don't believe anyone would be silly enough to be feeding chickens hormones, because there are still checks, and would be fines.

Quick fix - maybe Get him somewhere small, with his head in the corner - get astride him, with your knees over his shoulders, grip his shoulders as if you were riding. Put one hand under his chin, pull his head back, hold his flews if you need to. Then insert drops. Change hands to do the other side. You'll find you are short one hand - stapling his ears together on top of his head will help!! Sounds easy, will look like riding the mechanical bull at the pub after 20 rums :D Take a video? Permanent fix. As the worlds most hopeless trainer, and laziest dog owner, I teach the dogs to lie on their backs, and each side, totally relaxed. I stroke and rub them when they are doing this. Particularly around the head. Reasonably firm touch, once they find out they wont be harmed, and they gain their confidence about being vunerable, they love it. Circles around the brow and forehead, gently pull the ear leathers. He'll protest when you begin, because he will feel vunerable, and at 22 months, he can fight. I'd do it on the floor, you sit down, and maybe begin with his head on your lap, and him lying on his brisket. When you have him on his side or back, if he struggles, restrain him, and make soothing noises till he is still. Next pup you get, teach it as a pup. I teach all the pups I breed to do this, so new owners don't have problems with ear or eye drops. It also helps with toenail clipping too. And if they are injured, they will be reasonably relaxed at the vets. When I buy a new dog, I have to teach it, so we go through the stuggles, legs in the air, trying to escape, and I do wish everyone would teach their pups this. Mine just lie there while I squirt anything/everything into their ears and eyes, or stick my fingers in their mouths. They've learned it doesn't hurt, although they don't like it much, but they get belly scratches and head rubs too, so they have a trade off. And after a while, they enjoy it. Doing their ears is a 2 second job. They lie there like flour sacks. Honest My friends can't believe it, but it is only training, after all. If you teach this before he needs anything else in his ears, next time will be a walk in the park. I wish people who wrote books on bringing up pups included this, because it makes life so much easier. And if you breed, having the bitches relaxed on their backs and sides makes so much difference when they are whelping, or after they whelp. I can usually feel the number of pups in utero, because the bitches are relaxed, and when there is no tension, it's easy.

I had a pair of Keeshonds from a puppy farm some years ago. One was very badly matted and didn't like being groomed (which was probably why she was matted). As they had not been handled much, I decided clipping her would be far less traumatic than trying to groom her out. She tried to run away when being groomed, and as they didn't have names, or any social graces, it was all a trauma, and I felt, not good for her eventual rehabilitation. She was easy enough to clip, and it solved the mat problem, but her coat took a very long time to grow back. I think it took nearly a year for them to be ready for new homes, and her coat hadn't grown through properly even then, although it was on the way. It was still short, and quite hard get brushes and combs through, even though short. I remember using a very wide tooth steel comb to "break" up the hair. I wouldn't do it unless there was no other way. But that's my only experience with clipping them

Best wishes and good vibes for healing for you both.

Just wondering if anyone one else would like to add to this before I try to sort it out? thanks

Cavvies are wonderful with children. However, they are not a big breed, and unfortunately, children are not always wonderful with them. A lot of breeders wont sell to people with children under school age. I do, but I assess the children very carefully to ensure they aren't going to be too rough, or to harm the pup. And I don't believe the OP has had to wait very long at all.

Keep a note of how often and when you have rung the council, also keep a note of when and how often the dog was out. Then write a letter yourself, to the council CEO, giving him those details. Also CC the letter to your local councillor. In both letters, quote the section of the bylaws which refer to roaming dogs. Hounding them can work too. Cattle from behind my property were coming through my property and getting on to the road, over a period of years. They broke all my fences. I would phone the council from time to time, and something would be done then, but the problem kept occuring. The people up the road were getting married, they had the garden looking gorgeous, and along came the cattle (about 8) late one Saturday, and ran all over the lawns. The bloke up the road phoned the council every 1./2 hour until someone came. He herded the cattle to the end of a street (dead end). Herdsman came out, couldn't catch the cattle, chased them back to where they lived. They were back the next day. Bloke up the road phoned every half hour until someone came out. Same story as the day before. He continued to phone them every half hour until something permanent happened. Finally, 3 herdsmen came out, ascertained where the cattle were from, went to see the owner, and made him either fence or surrender the cattle. Problem which had been going on for years was finally sorted.I don't have time to phone every 1/2 hour, but it worked!! You obey the laws, it is the council's job to ensure everyone else does too.

Of course the OP should be able to take her pup to an off lead park. People who frequent off lead parks need to be responsible, and not let their dogs rush or attack other dogs. If the owners can't control them, they shouldn't be at an off lead park. LoPan The OP is wrong, but probably justified in her comments about breed bans. And the fact is, the other person WAS wrong. How can you blame the owner of the attacked dog? Lay the responsibility where it belongs -- on the attacking dog. Which, by the way, had done the same thing before. What the hell was it doing off leash? It's the responsibility of other park users to report non-sociable dogs, and the responsibility of the council to take care of the problem. There are way too many unsocialised, badly trained, badly behaved dogs with useless owners, and those are the ones which are contributing to further breed bans. No matter what the breed. I was bitten by a dacshund once (not mine), and the Corgi which lived next door was the most savage dog I've ever seen. I'm wary of dobermanns and GSD, but I don't think any of those dogs should be banned. Stupid owners should be slapped with fines though.

Well, I wasn't going to go the salmonella sandwich or e coli burger route!! And then there is the bain marie -- You can catch worms and ringworm from the dog, but you have to make a special effort to get them. Part of it? You mean there's more? Plates are always clean when my lot finish, but I never let them lick the plates in cafes, you never know what nasty germs they might pick up

That sounds like a good cat TSD!! Loved the bit about eating everything!! I sometimes wonder if we aren't sent animals, and in return for their keep, they teach us important lessons. Forgot to say - Chi doesn't play with the big dogs, but she loves the pups and juveniles. Once they go out in the garden, she's right there, wrestling with them, and showing them how to play and fight, and having a wonderful time. They knock her over, and she gets on top of them and play growls and fights - 8 week old boxers are as big as she is. The cav babes are gentler, and a bit worried about her to begin with, but they soon get in the spirit of things. And she never got a "real" name on the basis of never naming anything which is going to die, and she was Chi, because I think her parents had some acquaintance with a chihuahua (and maybe a JRT),but when I looked around, she was living, and she was "Chi Chi" forever, no other name would do. I've been very good about passing on the rescues - although the puppy farm Keeshonds were with me for a long time, and almost stayed forever, but I found them a lovely home together with an obedience instructor, which is probably what they needed, but Chi was - well, Chi.

You mean the hairs and the cockies in the sangers? There are very few zoonotic diseases you can catch from dogs at cafes (none!!) , and I don't believe there has ever been an incident with a dog in a cafe. Where I live (Q) dogs aren't allowed. Half the parks in my neighbourhood are banned to on leash dogs too, and it seems every year, another one is added to the list. We have off leash parks, but you can't cut from street A to B through a park if the dog is with you. Shame. I took my dog to Vic with me, and did some touring, she was welcome everywhere. She thought she was cafe society at the end of it!! As with most dogs who visit cafes, she was well behaved, despite not having been to one before, and every other dog was too. Shame. Dogs are being cut out of our daily lives more and more. There was a thread on dogz some time ago, and I noticed that the majority were not in favour of dogs in cafes, which surprised me, coming from dog owners.

My suggestion, having been through this with my daughter, is to let her do the research. My daughter did that, we visited some dog shows to see the dogs, and talk to exhibitors. She wanted a "girly" dog, and although I plugged Cocker Spaniels, she got her Cavalier. Remember too, that when the dog is middle aged,your daughter will be 18. Mine toddled off to uni, and I got the dog. This is not a problem, but worth consideration. Also consider that she might like to show the dog, or do obedience or flyball or even earthdog or some sort of competition with it, and that will influence your choice too.

If the dog is in the current owner's name, you can pay a stud fee, and pay their membership fee with the local CC, and then you should be able to use the dog. As long as the owner is willing. If the breeder is the legal owner, pay their membership, if everyone is willing. That's how it works in this state Of course, if the dog has never been used at stud, he might not be willing or able. A friend of mine took one of her own dogs back because he needed a home. Owners had never transferred the paperwork. She had a good look at him, when "hmmm" and used him over a bitch who happened to come in. Litter of lovely pups!!

A puppy farm is an agricultural establishment, where dogs are kept as agricultural animals and bred as agricultural animals, for profit.

Most of it, actually. I didn't actually say "your limited life experiences blinded you" - I said I thought you needed to see places with more than 2 dogs before you criticised. Now, what are the laws you would like to see enacted?

Those who were on the forum so long ago will probably remember my despairing posts about Chi Chi, so 6 years on, here's an update. And for those who weren't here then - Chi Chi came to me as a tiny puppy who had been cooked in a fruit box with the lid on, left in the back of a ute with her litter mates at a suburban shopping centre. She was about 5 - 6 weeks old. The remainder of the litter either found nice new homes when they were well, or went to the Rainbow Bridge, despite my best efforts to save them all. Chi was the second worst affected, and was very ill. She weighed a couple of hundred grams, and kept going on milk, egg and glucose via eyedropper hourly. No matter how poorly she was feeling, her indominitable will to live kept her going ..... and just as I thought she was catching the bus to the bridge, she rallied, slammed the door of the bus, and shouted "more food". Early on, every morning, I'd go in, expecting her to be dead, but she was still breathing. Her lovely black sister, the worst affected, was gone one morning, and her brown brother, seemingly the least affected, was gone another morning, but Chi persisted. While the remainder gradually grew in strength and ran and played, Chi had her hands full, just surviving. Chi should have been rehomed, but ..... well .... she has problems ... and she is very bonded to me, she wouldn't settle with anyone else .... and well, I love the little sucker. She has some problems, with legs like a Queen Anne cabinet, and back legs which are only good for holding her up, although they fail at this sometimes, and she falls over. She propels herself with her front end, relying on the back to simply keep up. Seems to work for her though, although she looks a bit like a muscle man. She wears the top side of her toenails down from dragging her feet. There is some brain damage. She is unable to keep still, and is either moving, or asleep. Calling her is a bit problematical, she is so willing to come, but coming involves 360s on the way, so it's a fair wait for the deed to be accomplished!! But she gets there. Eventually. I can make a cuppa while I wait, or read a bit of a book .... She does 360s when she's excited too, so coming home usually involves not stepping on her, and her accompanying me around the garden is fraught with danger!! For both of us. I've never seen her run, she walks or trots, but I don't know whether this is a physical or mental problem. I haven't managed to house train her, although I've noticed lately that if she sleeps inside, there is no mess, so maybe she IS housetrained. She's not lead trained either, she wanted to choke herself on the lead, the constriction drove her nuts, so I carry her, or call her, and she heels off lead if we go somewhere. We go around the property sometimes, off lead, her bouncing along, and when she is tired, she gets a lift. And as soon as she hears dinner being prepared, she barks incessantly until she gets it. If someone else is in trouble, she growls at them, or rushes at them - just helping!! She's also inclined to projectile vomit if stressed, or just for no reason, except she wants to People love Chi, they all want to pick her up and cuddle her, and she loves this. I cross my fingers and will her not to chuck all over their silk shirts, or in their handbags!! Unfortunately, little kids love her too, but she hates kids with a passion. She snarls most horribly if they approach, and if they get too close, wants to attack them. I have no idea why, but she has made her wishes known, so I keep kids away from her. Maybe a bad experience as a little pup? She weighs just on 2kg, and the next smallest dog is 6kg, so there might be a problem with being stood on, or rolled over, but she has that sorted - if they stand on her, she simply bites them. They never do it again. She is as brave as a lion. She loves to eat, and often falls into the food dish in her rush to shovel as much as possible in. When she's really excited, her back legs forget to work!! She used to snarl most horribly when she was eating, but she stopped that about a year ago. She doesn't bite me if I take the food away, she just doesn't want anyone else to eat it. I lock the greedy dog in the trolley at dinner time, so he can't steal, and I often can't close the door, because Chi is wedged in it, because she's followed the food dish like an electronic homing device. Speying didn't happen - the vet took one look, said I'm not anaethetising THAT, it will pop off for sure - and fell about laughing. Poor Chi. We talked about her patellas, and the vet said the same thing - and while they aren't bothering her too much, leave them alone. And they don't bother her. The problem is her back end construction is just totally wrong, and there is no way to remedy that. She's terrified of fireworks or storms, and even the calming influence of the other dogs, who don't care, don't help - whilst it is happening, she ceaselessly trots right around the house, lap after lap, so I bring her inside - at least the distance is shorter there, and sometimes she will sit in a dog bed for a while. She hates going in the car, and projectile vomits as long as she is in it. She loves her bones, gets down and dirty with them, she inhales food, and the other dogs all love her, making room for her on the bed, or going to her to see what's wrong if she falls over. Giving her a dog treat is dangerous, she's likely to take half your hand with it. At 6, she's lived far longer than I ever expected, and it seems like yesterday that she was a tiny pup. Sometimes I wonder if she is suffering, but her appetite and her happy enthusiastic demeanor convinces me she isn't. And she has never had a sick day in her life, which amazes me. She'd fail any and every temperament test, but she and I don't care about temperament tests, and we put up with each others bad habits without complaint. I often idly wonder how she would have turned out if her brain hadn't been fried, but it's not important. And she is the best lesson in being happy despite adversity. And you know, I thought the other day that she has the perfect life for her. She does exactly as she likes, she is never in trouble (although I do swear when she is wedged in the trolley door),lots of room to run, and company, plenty of cuddles, and most importantly, lots of food - not as much as she wants, but enough. Here's to Chi, I wouldnt be without her, and may she have many more years of projectile vomiting and falling down. She's living proof that you don't have to be perfect to be happy. Finding a sucker helps though