*kirty*

I didn't see the video?

Didn't she just explain that this test is more about matching the right dog to the right family, not passing or failing dogs.

I can't copy and paste because it's a slideshow, but I was pleasantly surprised by the last slide. :D I won't ruin it for you. :) Mostly sensible information, although also some crap. http://motherandbaby.ninemsn.com.au/baby/gallery-bestdogsforbabies/159310/best-dogs-for-babies.slideshow

Yep. :)

They don't just 'tick off yes or no on a form' with regard to the eyes. The pupils are dilated, the entire eye is examined including the back of the eye and the eyelids and the results are record. The ACES exam can only be done by an accredited eye specialist.

I work with him every day so it will be easy to give him back. :) All the cuddles minus the toilet training LOL!

How long are you walking her for? Puppies (and especially large breed puppies) should not be walked on lead for long periods as it can be detrimental to their bones and joints. Best way to wear out a small puppy is with free play (letting her romp around the yard, chase toys, etc) and training. Learning is very tiring for small pups! :) So yes, I would skip the walks and just play lots of games in the backyard and do some basic obedience training every day. 5 minutes at a time a few times a day is usually enough for babies.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. Some of the dogs are assumed to be too nervy or shy to be put up for adoption. But the breed is like that. They are nervous in strange places and they are often shy around strangers. There is not something wrong with them. Allowances should be made for these dogs. Edited because I read the full article.

Poor Feather. Hope she has gotten over her 'ordeal'. :) The poor Iggies wouldn't do well either - so many of the ones that end up in pounds are labelled as very timid and flighty, etc but once in a stable home, they are fine. They just don't do well in pounds.

I'm so sorry Rascal. We won't ever know 100% if it was meningitis but we are assuming it is because of how quickly she responded to the medication. It seems to be more common in sighthounds - not sure why?

He's back!! He has grown a bit since he was here last but he is just as cute. :) He is having a great time playing with my dogs and the kids. Such a good little puppy!

Just thought I'd post a quick update on Jolie. Within approx 24hrs of starting the cortisone, she was completely back to normal. She was on high doses for 5 days and now we are slowly weaning her off it. She hasn't shown any signs of regression since we started tapering the dose so fingers crossed she is all better now. She lost about 600g during her ordeal and looked skeletal! She has now put it all back on thankfully. :) Thanks again to everyone for their ideas and well wishes!

Wonder if mum was desexed before she was sold? Or did she go to a new home, only to create the next litter of kittens in the store window...

A lot of specialists won't do desexings so it may not even be an issue. :) Obviously one anaesthetic would be better but I wouldn't stress if you have to get it done seperately. Also, how old is she? With her history of broken bones it might be worth waiting to desex because hormones are very important for growth.

Sheltie?

T, who/what is Snooky? She is so cute!!

Entropion surgery is usually very successful and the dogs often have almost instant relief. :) He will have disolving sutures and have to wear an e-collar for a week or two, but eyelids heal very quickly so he'll be back to normal very quickly.

Fuzzy82, he isn't my puppy. He belongs to my boss (vet) and comes to work every day to hang out at the clinic. He gets LOTS of socialisation hehe and he is already crate trained. I have been doing some leash work with him but I don't get much of a chance. Basically we get five minutes here and there so I've been using that time to train him. He won't be doing dog sports unfortunately. At this point he gets rewarded every time. Usually its with treats but sometimes with a toy. Don't worry, with five nurses to dote on him and an endless stream of clients, he is always being played with. He also knows when he goes back in his crate that its time to rest. Thanks for all the ideas guys. He is so smart and he loves to learn. I've been limiting the sessions to 5 minutes but he often wants to keep going! I still end them though because I'd rather finish on a high. I love the playing dead trick! And I think crawl and spin will be easy for him to pick up too. :) Pretty Miss Emma, you will have to pop in and meet him one day! I think you'll like him. :)

Her destructive behaviour is worse (the other night she forced open the baby gate on our bedroom door and went through the rubbish bin!?) and often she just seems like she's not all there.

Have you perhaps been sent a copy of the application to register the litter?

Our gorgeous new clinic dog (Aussie Shepherd) is now 10 weeks old and is the smartest puppy in the world. :) In the last week I have taught him sit, drop, shake hands and high five. He has almost got roll over too. :) I'm looking for ideas on what I can teach him next. I'm a complete beginner at training dogs but he makes it so easy! He is very food driven and as soon as I grab the treats, he starts offering up behaviours. :) So what can we try next?

Not great unfortunately. She seems to be deteriorating further. Still waiting for the B/D (can't believe how long it takes to get in!) but the vivitonin doesn't seem to be doing much anymore.

My mother in law has a deaf dog and she used Hollie Edwards. She was very happy with her. :) Good luck to your friends! We found that training Louis (French Bulldog) was quite easy and he is a great little dog.

That is so sad. It would shake me up too. Hopefully he limped home and is now at the vet.

Good news! We are finally making progress! One of the vets at work chatted to a neuro specialist about Jolie and he agreed that it sounded like steroid responsive meningitis. We gave her the steroids this morning and within 2hrs she was a different dog. :) She is eating again, off the drip and now trying to play! I can't believe the difference already! :)