Isabel964

Yeah, I know - I'd just have floorboards and have rugs that can be replaced, cleaned, aired out.... etc. But I am currently renting. Carpet is only in the bedrooms - so its just mine that has the problem. So why do my dogs smell after 2 days? OK, well I have a westie and kelpie. The Westie never smells, she just has that nice mild dog smell - its not pongy at all. Usually she is washed fortnightly though I take them together to the hydrobath - one week she watches and just hangs out, the other week she too gets washed. The problem is the kelpie and she reeks quickly sometimes. What it is, is she loves rolling in grass. When we walk and go off leash in the football oval or in off leash parks I see her sniff and choose grassy area and roll with absolute glee in it. I'm sure she specifically chooses grass that has been peed on or something.....its awful. I notice in winter when its pouring and bucketing down with rain day after day and she only goes out for toilet breaks and comes back inside (and in parks does not roll in grass when its raining), that she smells just fine. The nicer the weather, the more she rolls around in grass and the more she smells. if you know how to rid her of this idea that she smells great after rolling in stinky areas of grass, I will glady learn about it. I tel her again and again that she gets more cuddles and snuggles from mummy when she has not been rolling in smelly grass but as clever as my kelpie girl is, she does not seem to grasp this concept

Yeah, the thunder shirt will make the dog warm, but its made of soft light amazing material. (mine is anyway). so its not like putting a wool jumper on, and its just covers basically the torso. My kelpie took to it the first time - did not need conditioning. Whether to have your dog with you or crated etc away from you is your decision. I do not think there is a right or wrong. I think it depends on the dog. I know my kelpie is a sensitive natured girl and I could never enjoy myself knowing she might be stressed, anxious or worse freaking out and I am not there. But my westie is an easy come easy go type of personality and I might be ok having her away from me. But in general, I would not take the risk and I would never leave my dogs alone on NYE - but that is my personal decision. In regards to sedatives/valium....IF i HAD to leave my kelpie alone, then I would give her something to take the edge off, and put a thunder shirt on her, and make sure there was loads of water available to her.

I go out in the evening, usually a dinner with family and friends at a nice restaurant, and make sure i am back well before midnight. Meanwhile all pets are inside. Just my advice...like If I was in your situation; If I was you I would get her a thunder shirt ASAP...not sure where at short notice though. Its helping with my dog as people in my street have been letting damn fireworks for a week already. I'd have her with you, right by your side. Don't moddycoddle her when it happens and she freaks out Just command her to settle and give her a pat. Maybe the ones tonight and tomorrow can be practise runs. Let her stay close to you...its only fair. Being alone would be more terrifying I'd think. Make sure she is tethered really strongly and securely if she freaks out and runs off you might lose her, she might get hurt or hit by a car or lost - keep her on a very thick lead or two. Maybe a long one tethered to a structure and a long leash to you too.

Thanks Pers. Great! One thing...might be a stupid question, but how do I work it well into the carpet after sprinkling liberally? Edited to correct automated spelling corrections :rolleyes:

I have my two dogs and floorboards through alot of the house. But the bedrooms have carpet - pure wool carpet...its not new. The dogs sleep in my room and though they have their own beds, they do enjoy laying on the carpet too. My dogs are often indoors and have a hydrobath once a week. But they smell like dogs, good for two days after the hydrobath and then like dogs... and my bedroom smells really dog like. The carpet is vacuumed once or twice a week. I get the carpet professionally cleaned every few months. But it still smells. i see lots of deodorising products. I hate my carpet smelling like its had air freshener poured over it....its not a smell I like. Air freshener reminds me of toilets LOL I do use an oil burner with essential oils in my ensuite bathroom which helps, but I can't have a candle burning all the time... Any suggestions?

Whats a front beach and a back beach?? I know Brighton can get full and hectic. At lowish tide, St Kilda Dog Beach can be fun for dogs and lots of room to not get crowded by dogs.I walk along the sandy bits that stretch out for ages...you can wade, walk, swim, throw a ball...and people tend to be well spread out. Its better than just having that narrow it of beach available. I must check out Ricketts Point in Beaumaris - is it 24 hour dog beach or before 7am and after 9pm sort of thing?

A Dog's Dinner http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=EVwlMVYqMu4&vq=medium#t=125

That's hysterically funny on so many levels.

They are purely magical. I admit that I thought I bet my dog is one it doesn't help....I was wrong. Its only thundered lightly though so far, so the real test will be a big thunderstorm. Even if it isn't great during a massive thunderstorm, it will help - and for any help I am grateful.

What about around his tummy? The Thunder Shirt wraps around the tummy and then it does velco around the front. But maybe you could have the velcro loose....or cut off the front two velcro straps. That said...I suspect that not having the front velcro done up might make the shirt less effective. I bought mine from 'waggle' http://waggle.com.au/. They are just lovely people so don't hesitate to give them a call to discuss that idea if you'd like to.

Thanks to DOLers, when I posted about my kelpie shaking and panting and stressing and smothering me at the slightest sound of thunder these days (she is 10), I ordered a thunder shirt. It came and I have used it twice this week and instead of leaning on me with as much of shaking body touching me as possible, she settled on her bed about 1 metre away from me and just lay there, no shaking no panting.....just brilliant. And the shirt are so nice, kind of a wrap shirt, very nice material, easy to put on and get off - a brilliant product. Thanks guys for your advice

Depends also on their ages.

I'm so very sorry, such a sudden and tragic loss. You gave him a great life and so much love. I'm so sorry. I send you hugs. I know not much helps ight now, but my thoughts are with you. RIP Beautiful Bracken.

I raised her during thunder with a jolly voice, calm, no reassuring etc and she was fine for about 9 years. Last year started to get funny about it. She is under the coffee table and when a new clap of thunder occurs she ties to jump on my lap or lay on my feet against my legs. Poor girl.

If your dog flys under the coffee table and lays there shaking in fear because of thunder.....do you just leave her? I want to comfort her but I don't want to make it worse. She is an 11yr old kelpie and it seems to get worse as she gets older.

I think the video demo might flawed because she calls the dog over, so it's not a dog approaching her dog, it's a dog responding to be called. Also she throws the treats and I don't think she walks away with her dog. So we can't see if a dog that wants to approach her dog (not her) and is thrown treats will actually choose to keep seeking out the treats even when the target dog and her try to make an escape. Nice idea though, and maybe it would work. I don't let my dogs approach dogs on leash without checking with the owner. If all dogs are off leash then I assume they are friendly and in the control of their owner and approachable. If the owner calls their dog away, then I call mine back to me.

I find this whole thing so upsetting, I'm nearly in tears and I don't even have a pit bull or a cross or a bull dog or a shepperd......I did have my beautiful Zeus, an Amstaff cross for 14 wonderful years. I heard the radio advertisements advising owners of pitbulls and pitbull crosses that if their dog was not registered by 29th Sept (I'm in Melb) their dog would be siezed and put down. Reading through this thread, the insanity is overwhelming. How can intelligent people who run our society and make our laws be doing something that is so beyond stupid? Aside from the abject stupidity of what they are doing now, as others have pointed out, when will it stop? Breeds will continue to be added to the list. Does anyone know if some other stupid people in another country have tried this on, and people fought it successfully? We could take their lead. What can I do to help?

Thanks Snook. Sorry for starting a new thread guys...ignore this one.

Maybe it's not new so sorry if it's already posted, but I had heard on the radio today an announcement a few times stating that owners of pit bull or pit bull cross dogs not registered with a council by 29th Sept "will be seized and PTS". I just think it sounded really harsh. Pitbulls and pit bull crosses are not evil dogs, they are lovely wonderful intelligent dogs. I think all dogs should be treated equally. And i wonder how they determine if a dog is a pit bull cross too! I mean I know that all responsible dog owners should have their dogs registered like we all do, but it happens and just because the dog is not registered and is deemed by the council as a pit bull or pit bull cross....I don't think the dog should lose it's life - it's not the dog's fault it was not registered!

I wish people did not react in ways that will not solve the problem. I guess people who do not understand dogs or any topic, will be at risk of thinking the solution might be something that is actually not going to solve the problem. People should listen to vets, to experienced dog trainers...people who know. Edited because I keep missing the spacebar on my iPad !

Earlier in July I posted about my 10yr old kelpie who was limping. She has inflamed muscles around her right wrist. At the time I was so concerned because the vet said complete rest for my kelpie who is used to 1-2 walks for an hour each, lots of park visits, beach visits etc. Well it got worse for a couple of weeks. I could not continue to walk my westie because both dogs became so distressed without each other it was ridiculous. They are actually used to being separated, for example when my Westie is left at the groomers, or for vet visits, but they have never been walked without being together before. For people with two dogs attached at the hip, I would encourage you to do something different with one and not the other at least once a week, including a walk with just one. It can just be a 10 min walk around the block. When one gets sick or needs rest, this separation will hold you in good stead! Anyway, she is so much better now. No limping. The muscle is still a little inflamed and we are starting walks, 5 mins, 10mins...no running, she is on a short leash. We did 15 mins this morning. Anyway I just wanted to tell the people that advised me I just needed to give it more time when I was so concerned, that you were so right. Hopefully this helps others who go though lame dog concerns. Ps. I was shocked to realize that dogs do not have 4 knees! The back legs have knees while the front legs have wrists. I can't believe in all my 40+ years with dogs in my life that I never realized that.

I think it's a great idea to take your dog to meet potential siblings. Like people, some dogs just don't get on, regardless of territory. I'd get a female if I was you. Good on you for rescuing

OMG just saw Toby in your sig....what a stunning boy! Is he a red cloud kelpie? My two dogs go in the back of my hatch back. What tragedy for your friend with the dog that died, and all else that has happened in his life recently. Poor guy, I hope he has great friends to help him through it all.

I hope that for you guys who quit, that everything goes ok and you get quality time with your dogs, and you get great work when you are ready for it

It's hard sometimes, but it's early days yet. Hopefully your BC will adjust and this will become a distant memory. When the pup is old enough to go to a leash free area maybe that would be a good place for them - neutral territory in a way?