Her Majesty Dogmad

RIP Wolfie, glad he had a loving home with you for his whole life.

I remember beautiful Kirra, so very sorry to hear this. Thanks to your sister for giving her a lovely home, I just wish it could have been longer.

So sorry Gail, dogs are far more knowing than we realise. Mohini would have loved you very much because you saved him and gave him more love and care than he'd ever known. You were his true owner and he will watch over you. Don't feel you failed him, you did your best, he will understand. Thinking of you.

I have a dog with a problem leg - it's recent. I went to the vet twice in a month and just got given more anti inflammatories, dog was still limping. Tried a canine chiro and he said the sciatic nerve was trapped - bingo, dog was walking around again but a month later, it's just gone again. He hasn't been walked much but I have a new foster dog and they rumble constantly I think and that's what's set it off but I'm also beginning to wonder if this is going to be a permanent issue now. We have another chiro app next week. Such a worry aren't they?

I bathed my medium sized rescue girl in the shower but with her weight it was quite risky getting in and out safely as there is a high step up. I also paid the vet to bath her once. Subsequently I went to a local dog bath place and was really impressed. Everything supplied, spotlessly clean. My only problem was my girl was around 20 kilos and I had to lift her in to the bath and then up onto a table to dry her. I hadn't expected to have to lift her as I have a bad back but I managed and she enjoyed the whole experience. I was then considering a mobile dogwash so I wouldn't have to lift her again but sadly she died a few weeks later unexpectedly. I think it's easier for me to stick with the littlies now.

This is perfectly normal dog behaviour. For this reason, Doggie Rescue (who I volunteer for), will not rehome ANY dog to a home with freerange chooks or birds of any kind. I stupidly trusted my Italian Greyhound to be with my free ranging budgie, they'd had 6 months together with no hint of a problem but one day the bird must have landed on the floor and he took his chance. He is an extremely gentle dog and wouldn't hurt a person or a cat either but birds are a different story. He probably frightened my budgie to death but it is never something I would do again, I loved my little bird very much (people find this very hard to understand) - I'd had him for 3 years before my dog and wanted to find a gentle dog that wouldn't hurt him and he lost his life because I was ignorant. I will never forgive myself. I will never have a bird with dogs again unless they were in separate situations, safely apart.

I really, really sympathise with you. I've just lost my foxy x boy after 3 years to a brain tumour but throughout the 3 years I had him, he suffered dreadfully with his skin. I spent $1000s too, inc natural therapies - tried everything, all to no avail. It was contact grass allergy and always worse if the grass was wet. His little legs were often red and sore, very distressing. Other dogs I've had with skin issues have been sorted out with diet/med combination. Wishing you some success in relieving the symptoms at last.

I h ope you are not mixing the pups together. Parvo is deadly for most pups and most dogs. Every second counts so I wouldn't waste any more time posting, get down to the vet.

I had two young dogs and got complaints from a neighbour that they were barking when I was at work. The problem was they were playing with each other and 1 set the other off. Luckily they were foster dogs but so bonded to each other that when I thought I'd have to separate them to rehome them quicker, it was very distressing to me. A few days after the complaint I found the perfect home for them where noise when playing was not an issue. You can rent some collars through a website advertised on DOL, I think they blow air or something when the dog barks. Might be worth a try. I hope you can find a solution to this, good luck.

Here are my housetraining tips - you just need love and kindness, that's all it takes - puppies will take a little longer than an older dog probably: HOUSETRAINING TIPS Ok - first thing to do is decide on the command (I call it “do wees”) you will repeat over and over. You have to really focus on the dog for about 2-3 days to be successful. You have a pocketful of special treats on hand all the time for the first 2-3 days. Walk the dog several times a day and every time the dog wees, you get very excited and keep saying “Good boy/girl, do wees, do wees” – give the dog treats every time. First thing in the morning, last thing at night and every time you see the dog eat or drink (both precursors to weeing) whisk the dog into the garden and repeat the command “do wees”. Get very excited and present treats every time dog goes. The dog’s aim in life is to please you. If the dog should have an accident inside the house – say NOTHING at all. The dog soon gets the idea that when he/she goes outside you are really, really pleased and he/she gets rewarded.

It is for this reason that at Doggie Rescue, we do not recommend having dogs with kids under 5 because children under 5 are difficult to explain the whys and wherefores to when it comes to treating animals properly. I don't have any answers except the dog is not at fault.

Hey Mokey - have you used my mobile groomer? Maybe you need one that specialises a bit?

My two old girls fart as they walk along just like my grandma did when I was growing up .... they both eat healthy food but just can't hold it in any more

I use Advocate each month as it covers fleas, heartworm, intestinal worms, lice, earmites but not TICKS. If I'm going into a tick area then I use Preventix tick collars. On the 1st day of each quarter, I give my dogs a tapeworm tablet. I buy my products on the website www.pricelesspets.com.au - saves me heaps as I have a few dogs. I will not use a Heartworm injection either.

Maybe it's because you are bringing strangers onto his territory or as the breeder suggests, it's these particular kids that have done something. Some dogs just don't like kids particularly because they are noisy and unpredictable. He might feel overwhelmed with 3 at once. My dogs don't necessarily enjoy people coming on to the property but in the park they are pretty sociable. And if your boy meant to really hurt, he could have done. Don't let kids jump into your yard would be my suggestion. What would you want him to do if a burglar came in - you are giving him mixed messages in my opinion.

You could add a supplement to the diet but I would rather ensure a dog was healthy and the probs were def arthritis before I presumed. I take chondroitin/glucosamine myself and it's safe for animals. Check out the vet product websites and you can normally obtain these products a little cheaper.

No visibility - for barking and safety of my dogs.

I have two that will wee inside if the grass is wet!!!

Fine, we cooked our dog's meat every night for 11 years (inc offal - stinky!!!). Just no cooked bones.

My IG, Luigi, had this problem a couple of years ago, truly gross - I'll never forget when the vet pulled the sheath back . The treatment was topical - I had to rub cream in to the affected area twice a day and I'd expected to be popping pills into him ..... The things we do .... :D :D

The smell may be coming from her stomach, best to look at diet if teeth aren't the problem.

So sorry to hear you've lost your treasured friend. She was so lucky to have found you and you her. I'm glad she had a peaceful end in your arms, a lovely way to go but so sad for you, loss is so hard to take.

So sorry to hear of your loss. I have just lost 2 of my dogs in a fortnight and although 3 weeks have gone by, the grief just keeps welling up and coming out, sometimes when I least expect it. I really understand how you feel and I know it is hard because many people (friends, colleagues etc.) cannot empathise. One of my friends suggested I see a Dr last night but I think with grief, you need to work through it and there's no given amount of time that this will take. Everyone is different. I think it is good to get some support, DOL is great for that but you might like to seek out some more. I've just done a google search and found some sources: http://www.chancesspot.org/ http://www.petalert.com.au/memorial/resource.php I will look at your other thread regarding the puppy issues. Go easy on yourself.

Sorry to hear about Blinky, she would have had such happy days at Mudgee though.

You need much smaller treats that they can't see, perhaps hidden in your pocket. If my dogs knew I had a biscuit in my hand they would be far more interested in that than weeing. Persistence is the key and small treats, you've only been going a couple of days - change treats and keep going. It is only required for 2-3 days until the dog has it and then no treats are required. As I say some breeds take longer .... By the way, I've got a couple that will still go inside if it's raining and they are perfectly trained - 1 is a chi x and the other a malt/westie boy.