YvonneM

I have a vet visit planned for Banjo in the next week or two because I need to pick up some more worming meds and I think it's good for him to go along to the vet clinic just for a visit and know its nothing to get too worked up about, but I have noticed that he appears to have two sets of upper canines. I suspect that he has retained his puppy canines although I am sure that all his other puppy teeth have fallen out now - he's 7 months this week. Has anyone else had their puppies retain baby teeth, particularly canines? They don't seem to be loose at all. I had planned to have him desexed after Christmas when I will be home from work for a couple of weeks but wondered if these teeth will need to be extracted - sooner rather than later? I'm a bit worried about this

I know someone kind of like this. Friend has a Cav which mostly lives in the backyard - loved a lot - but not really an integral part of the family. Thought it might be nice to get a playmate for him so he wouldn't be "lonely" all day while they were at work/school. An 8 weeks old Cocker is purchased from local pet shop and promptly deposited into backyard as Cav's playmate. Cocker pts at 6 months because showing signs of aggression. We are now 6 months later and whilst out shopping stop into pet shop, see cute 8 week old puppy, promptly play with said puppy, fall in love with said puppy, purchase said puppy and take him home as playmate for Cav. I fear that puppy has a death sentence too! These are not the only dogs that these people have had .... I think I recall another 2-3 over the years which have been given away or sold because "they didn't work out" I just don't understand. Puppies are not something that are purchased like going out for bread and milk .... living, breathing creatures that one must commit to for the next 10-15 years ..... sometimes longer!

That IS beautiful .... and yes, I needed tissues!

Yes - I was advised to give turkey necks too - but it isn't really the eating of the actual neck, it's that last bit that fits into his mouth that's the problem - I don't think it would matter if it was a turkey neck or chicken neck!

Adoring all the photos! Oh dear - I can imagine your panic Steph - glad your fellow is ok though - sounds like he kept the vet staff entertained! I had a major panics attack last night - I have resisted giving Banjo chicken necks because my last doggy, Winston, nearly choked to death on one - the whole panicked dog, frothing, running around in circles thing. Anyway I have been allowing Banjo to have a chicken neck UNDER SUPERVISION and he's had 3 now - but last night he too had a choking episode - he munched it up good, but that last bit that fits in his mouth obviously wasn't munched up enough and it got stuck - poor baby couldnt get it down or back up. Hubby had to stick his fingers down his throat and give it a push to make it go down (which is what the vet told us to do last time it happened). He seemed fine afterwards but chucked it all up at 4am this morning. No more chicken necks for my boy

My 6 month old Maltese has the run of the house and yard 24/7 (well almost - he is in his crate at night) . We have a doggy door out into the yard and he helps himself in and out - but mostly spends his time indoors. Tthis has made toilet training much easier because he knows to go outside and doesn't t need to wait for someone to let him out. We're still working on night times though - I think he wakes up, is still sleepy, wanders to the carpet which feels like grass and pees there - which is why he is still crated at night time.

I find this really strange. I'd prefer to think that the staff are out tending to the dogs rather than sitting indoors by the phone. Staff cant drop what they're doing to answer a phone, the animals in their charge are their first priority. I come across this mentality every so often in my grooming business. I had one woman ring, not leave a message then ring back an hour later when I answered. She had a go at me for not answering the first time and I explained that I had a dog in the bath, I'm not going to let the poor dog stand there wet while I chat on the phone! Had she left a message I could have returned her call when the dog in my care was dry and comfortable. Anyway, told her I was booked 'til next year. :laugh: Of course I thought they were out tending to the dogs in their care, however, this is why I phoned several times over the course of a couple of hours. I thought that at some point over that period of time I might have got someone to answer the phone. I wouldn't "have a go" at them for not answering the phone. It was just that I was going out to look at kennels that day and if I couldn't speak to someone I figured there was no point in just rocking up and expecting someone to be able to give me their time if they have other things to do. Having said that - their website says that they are available 8.30am to 12 noon on Saturdays so I thought that they would have someone answering the phones. Meadowmist, on the other hand, have dedicated staff to take phone enquiries and talk to potential clients - perhaps one of the reasons why their are pricier than other kennels around, but I like that when I phone I can speak to someone and I am happy to pay for that.

Can recommend triple crown for sure! Dogs have amazing long yard to spend their days in, and indoor secure kennels at night. They also are only a small kennel, so you know your dog gets the attention it deserves!! Funnily enough, before I went out to look at Acacia Lodge and Meadowmist last weekend I tried to phone Triple Crown at least a half dozen times. I couldnt get anyone to answer the phone! There was the ability to leave a message, but I declined to do so, I would prefer to speak to someone. As a result, I didn't bother to go look, even though they are only a short distance from Acacia Lodge.

Over the weekend just gone I went and inspected two kennels - Acacia Lodge at Londonderry and Meadowmist at Marsden Park. In case you are not familiar with the area, they are about a 10-15 minute drive apart, and about a 15-20 minute drive west out of Blacktown. I have boarded our previous dog at Meadowmist for over 10 years but I think sometimes you get complacent with familiarity and wanted to reaffirm some things. We went to Acacia Lodge first. I thought the lady who ran the kennels was lovely and obviously cares a great deal for the animals in her charge. She was happy to take us through the kennels. The kennels are air conditioned with 2 split system air conditioner systems and on the day we went they were quite cool inside - it was hot outside. I thought the individual kennels were quite small, particularly for a larger dog. The dogs are locked inside at night and spend some of the day outside in separate grassed runs which were a decent size. Dogs are not socialised with any other dogs - but she says that she goes out to play with them in their grassed runs during the day. THe lady who runs the kennels does not employ any other staff - she does it all herself. If I recall correctly the only takes 20-25 dogs at any one time, but has facilities for well over that. Charges were $27 per day. After that we went to Meadowmist. I was particularly interested in special care which is around the $45 per day mark + play time of $5 per day. Play time consists of one hour with a carer in the fenced grassed run area where the carer plays with the dog. If allowed by the owner, play time may be with another similar sized/temperament dog. Special Care consists of an indoor section of a quite long run which is concrete. The indoor section has small doggy sized furniture - couch, bed, sofa chair and rugs, the next section in front of that has an awning with another outdoor couch or trampoline bed and a blanket. There is a wire door on this section which is closed at night and then next section in front of that is cyclone fenced concrete run with screening between each kennel so that the dog in the next kennel cannot be seen. The runs are quite long - I'm not good on measurements, but I'd say 10 metres or so. Each of the special care kennels have a cooler for summer. They were happy for me to provide my own food if I wished. Dog gets a wash/blowdry on the day that he goes home. We choose to book our 6 months old Maltese into Meadowmist. There are lots of staff and everyone was quite obliging and helpful. There was another couple in the reception area inspecting the kennels when we were there and they said that they would like to bring their own food and they usually warmed the food in the microwave. They said that would not be a problem. Also, while we were there someone who was kennelling their dog had phoned to check on his progress - a staff member from reception came out to the kennels to ask the carer who was taking us around about that dog and got the information to take back to the owner. At least you know that that if you phoned to enquire about your beloved pet that you are not going to be just told he's okay without someone checking. I'm not saying that is what other kennels would do - it was just something that I observed in this instance. This is probably way more info than you were after but some of it might be helpful for you - PM me if you would like to know anymore.

And another on because I couldn't get it to attach to my previous post :confused:

Banjo at 5.5 months.

Sleeping puppies are so cute! Love the one of Nixon crashed out on the car seat!

Loving all the adorable puppy photographs ..... I don't get a chance to post too often, but read almost daily. Everyone's puppies are growing up so nicely! Just a little update if anyone is interested - Banjo just ticked over 6 months last week .... he has grown up so fast - he has lost all of his puppy looks and looks just like a big boy now, well as much of a big boy as a little Maltese can!! He has also lost all his baby teeth (which I have kept in a little clip lock bag - with dates - in his treasure box!!). Thanks to some great suggestions from DOLers here, he now has full run of the entire house all day while we are at work with no accidents in over a month, although at night he still sleeps in his soft sided crate in our bedroom with it closed - he wakes about 5am and a couple of times we have just opened up the crate to let him out but he doesn't seem to "get" that he has to go outside to wee and chooses a nice place on the carpet, little bugger! So we are back to taking him out first thing in the morning, then I go back to bed and he has run of the house. He also doesn't fit into little spaces he used to get into trouble in .... like the 2" space between the fridge and wall for example!! We start obedience classes/training tomorrow night .... puppy preschool was little more than a "free for all" and he really didn't like the other dogs much and is still a bit nervous on walks when dogs bark from behind fences etc, so hoping being around LOTS of other dogs of all ages/sizes in a nice environment will make him feel better about it all. Must remember to post a couple of photos .... goodness knows, I have zillions!

Looks great - where did you get that done ...... (i'm thinking ahead to christmas )

Did you go right back out to him as soon as he made a fuss? I'd try leaving him outside for short periods extending slowly to longer periods and see how he goes. My puppy is now 6 months (maltese - so little dog) and he has access to indoors and outdoors via a doggy door 24/7 - initially I set up an area with a doggy play pen around the outdoor section and and limited his access to just the family room and kitchen indoors - hard surfaces to easy to clean in the case of accidents. He has slept in our bedroom in his crate from day one and I don't intend to change that arrangement - if you like it that way and it works for you and your pup - why change?

Interesting discussion - like Frodo's Mum, my dog almost choked to death on a chicken neck - the most frightening experience I've ever had! As such I have been too afraid to give my Maltese pup (now 6 months) bones of any kind yet ..... I guess I am being overly paranoid after a single experience and most dogs have no problems .... it would probably make me feel better to give a larger bone for my pup to chew on .... what do you recommend??

I have boarded at Meadowmist at Marsden Park for many years - in their special care section. I have always been happy with their service. The owners of the kennels live on the premises and are happy to take you for a walk around and show you the kennels. They only have (i think) 4 special care kennels so they book up quickly. The staff have always seem to be very caring of the doggies under their care - and each staff member has dogs assigned to them. There is an additional charge for "play time" of a couple of dollars a day, and I think from memory the daily cost is about $40 - $45 + play time. Play time means that a staff member actually goes out and plays in a grassed fenced section with your dog for about a half hour at a time. If you are happy for your dog to socialise, they will put your dog out in a grassed fenced section with another dog of similar size/temperament to play together. My boy, who we sadly lost in February last, always got excited when we drove in the driveway at Meadowmist and only once was "out of sorts" when he came home after a weekend there .... and I put that down to the fact that dear hubby forgot to ask for play time!!! A bath is always given on the day of doggies going home. They also have a pick up and delivery service if required. Having said all that .... I do think that their special care kennels need a "freshen up". My baby Maltese will be staying there in October when we go away for 3 days for his first time .... he will be 7 months by then.

Ooops, sorry - double post

I was tempted to sign up for a 12 month subscription to PawBag when I first saw it but restrained myself and decided to trial a single month first. So glad I did becaue I won't be buying again. It asked me to put in the breed and age of my pet (maltese, and just a baby at 5 months). There were very few items in the package and two of the soft toys he destroyed in a day or so and had to be thrown away! Other items in the package I have seen in retail stores. I too love the idea of surprise parcels in the mail, but only if they are good value for money ..... and last longer than 5 minutes!

I was tempted to sign up for a 12 month subscription to PawBag when I first saw it but restrained myself and decided to trial a single month first. So glad I did becaue I won't be buying again. It asked me to put in the breed and age of my pet (maltese, and just a baby at 5 months). There were very few items in the package and two of the soft toys he destroyed in a day or so and had to be thrown away! Other items in the package I have seen in retail stores. I too love the idea of surprise parcels in the mail, but only if they are good value for money ..... and last longer than 5 minutes!

Good for you for stopping and helping! It's scary to think of the "what if's" - what if they were travelling faster, what if there was a car in the lane next to them that couldn't stop, what if someone rear ended them .... My boy is always transported in a travel crate or a tether in the back seat ... but then he's just a little 6 month old Maltese - but the potential is there!

Hi MelB - I had the exact same problem as you a couple of months ago when we bought our baby home. There is lots of fabulous advice here on how to contain pup and I found a lot of it very helpful. What I did was confine pup to my kitchen/family room area by blocking off doorways as best I could so that he only had access to those areas with hard floors. I also have a doggy door in our family room fixed glass so he had access outside at his leisure whether we were home or not - I have a doggy pen that I put around the outside section of the doggy door so that he did not have access to the entire yard while we weren't home though. Hubby and I work full time so he was home for roughly 7-8 hours each day on his own - never had any problems except once having to rescue him from where he crawled between the space between the cabinets and the fridge (Maltese, so fitted into tiny spaces!!)

I brought my 5 month old Maltese pup to work last Friday for the afternoon "just for the heck of it". I work in a pretty flexible office and there were not many of us in on Friday, so I used it as an opportunity to introduce him to lots of new people - and the girls that were in the office loved it! He just ran around until he wore himself out and then snoozed.

Isn't puppy breath the cutest thing! It made be realise how short "babyhood" is for our puppies. Although now that Banjo has lost a couple of his baby teeth in the last few days, there is a faint puppy breath there again .... or perhaps I am just imagining it - LOL! I don't want my baby to "grow up" too much!

Ok, here's an update - didn't really go as I had hoped! Banjo is a relatively calm pup but his brother is the "wild child" as quoted by his puppy parents! He was over the top excited to see Banjo which just left Banjo a quivering frightened mess! He curled himself in a ball as small as he could go and refused to look at anyone - he even tried to climb into my handbag! Brother puppy was bounding and excited and just wanted to play - I can see why Banjo would have found this overwhelming. It took a good hour before Banjo would even sit on the couch and tolerate brother puppy sniffing/licking him. Having said all that - about 15 mins before we had to leave, Banjo decided it wasn't all bad. came out of his shell and wanted to play - it was lovely to see them both playing together and I am so glad that I took my ipad and was able to record some of it. We hope to be able to get together again in the next couple of weeks - and hopefully we haven't traumatised the poor little mite!! Banjo travelled beautifully in the car - in a travel crate - for about 3 hours all up that day.