espinay2

I use both - it just depends on the coat. I have some dogs that the slicker works best on and some I just use a pin brush and comb on. Usually the dogs that get bathed/blow dried less often (ie once every 6 weeks or so rather than every one or two weeks for shows) get the slicker used on them as their undercoat tends to be a lot harder to get through. These also tend to be older dogs and often desexed so that affects coat too.

Yes, it is illegal to use steriods in chicken in Australia and has been since about the 1950's. Many companies do still use antibiotics though. BUT that chicken being fed to the dogs is raised for human consumption. If the chicken fed to the dog causes cancer, why hasn't chicken been found to also cause cancer in humans (after all I am betting other parts of the bird are being fed to humans). Feeding chicken may be a common denominator between the dogs, but it is not necessarily THE common denominator. Remember they all drank water too - that is another common denominator. Cancers however, as poodlefan has stated can have lots of causes including genetic ones. Sometimes it is just not possible to pinpoint and exact cause and just because they all had cancer doe not necessarily mean they had the same cancer. FWIW I have fed a totally raw diet for around 12 years and a diet which contained raw chicken for a lot longer than that. My current oldest dog is 12 1/2 and fighting fit. I have at this point in time not lost a dog to cancer.

Peachie, why don't you offer to blow dry once for free so they can assess the difference for themselves. Then they can make the choice of whether they get their dog blow dried or not from then on. Personally for fluffies (actually for all dogs) I don't offer blow drying as an 'added extra' - it is factored in as part of the base grooming price.

Rappie has given some VERY good advice which I do think is worth taking heed of. I too feel that you need a better diagnosis before you seek any different types of treatment. I am all for therapies such as massage, chiro etc and use them myself when I consider it appropriate but you really need to have a clear idea if what the issue is before you use them. This could be a range of things, some of which Rappie has listed in the quote above, and each requires a very different approach to treatment. Personally I would get the x-rays done (and a good vet will be able to do them without causing pain to the dog) as they will help rule out as well as rule in what the problem is.

I frequently feed legs, or in fact whole/half chickens. Those chickens are only about 10 to 15 weeks old and comparatively speaking even the leg bones are not that hard. Weight bearing bones of animals like sheep and cattle are a lot lot harder and I agree they should generally be avoided. The bone in a chicken leg though is going to be a lot softer than a lamb neck for example. You may want to start off with wings and frames if you haven't fed them before, but any part of the chicken is fine IMO.

Taurine is one thing in the meat that is destroyed by the cooking process. Recently this has been uncovered as a possible issue for dogs and most commercial dog foods are now having to add it into the food (they found out a lot earlier of the importance of taurine for cats when cats fed on cooked/commercial foods started dying as a result of not getting it). Other essentail amino acids and enzymes are also destroyed by the cooking process. If you wish to feed a cooked diet as opposed to raw, that is your decision (personally I believe raw is a lot more appropriate and healthier but everyone has to come to their own conclusion after doing the research for themselves). There are some good articles for both approaches on this website: B-Naturals Newsletter Directory

Chicken and turkey will be lower in purines. I would stay away from beef or kangaroo (incl marrow bones). You may want to check the purine levels on lamb (I can't recall, though it will be higher than chicken I think - you can get a list of lower and higher purine foods from the net - a lot of Dally sites will have it too). Chicken carcasses or turkey necks will be better than chicken necks or wings as they will require more effort to eat and will therefore 'brush' the teeth a lot better. You could start with once or twice a week and see how it affects you dog (are you regularly checking pH? ) and then increase if all is well. Don't forget to adjust the amount etc of the rest of the diet to compensate.

No, A raw diet will not solve all your problems. I have a bitch with VERY severe HD. She was fed a raw diet from 4 months of age. She did not, however, come from HD tested stock. At 8 years of age with pain management and continuing raw diet she is still very mobile and I do beleive her diet has helped her immensely. A wide range of things contribute to HD and you can't IMO emphasise one over the other. You have to look at the genetics, you have to look at the exercise and you have to look at the diet. Certainly I believe that diet can help improve things (sometimes a lot) even in an animal that is genetically predisposed, but it is not the only factor, and it can't work miracles.

Here is a link to an article that may help: Gastric Problems It is written by a very knowledgeable lady I know who has a dog with IBD. You may find something in there to help work out an appropriate diet for your dog. I also recommend looking at some of the other articles in her "Newsletter Directory" (click on the small print in the far left column) in particular the one on immune system support.

The important thing, no matter what method you use, is to be PERSISTENT and CONSISITENT. Also be aware that the jumping will likely get worse before it gets better. This is referred to 'scientifically' as an 'extinction burst' but basically means the dog will try harder to make what worked before, work again. Many people give up at ths point thinking it is not working. My advice you you is DONT give up at this point because it is a good sign it IS working! Pick one method and stick to it. Do it EVERY time (don't decide you cant be bothered and he can do it just this once and make sure EVERYONE does the same thing) as that will also make the habit twice as hard to get rid of, and DONT GIVE UP when things start to get tough. Good luck!

It is just plastic. There is a metal edge on the bath doorway but not on the door itself. The fact that the pump was on the outside was actually one of the things that I liked about the bath. You have much easier access for repairs or general maintenance. With the fibreglass ones you have to turn the whole bath upside down to get at the pump and you often have to remove a lot of bits just to get in and do some of the work. That was the way it was with my old one anyway. I dont know about all models, but a lot of the ones I have seen the bottom is actually open and not fully enclosed anyway. Critters can still get in, particularly if you have it on a trolley. If you have problems with mice/rats chewing wiring where you are IMO both types of bath would be equally at risk while with the BARF shop one it is easier to clean off creepy crawlies like spiders if they ever appear as you have much easier access and can see just by looking rather than turning it over. The pumps they use on the BARF shop ones are I think a different type - they use ones designed to be on the outside and weather resistent (older ones like mine have an ongha while I think the new ones have a davey). Mine has lived outside for two years with a BBQ cover over it and has not been a problem. My father is an electrician and very particular about that sort of thing. I know he has looked the bath over quite thoroughly in the past to see how they put it together and he has not mentioned that they have not earthed it. He is here visiting this week though so I will have him look it over and confirm.

Rather than cod liver oil I would feed fish (eg salmon) oil which is available either in liquid or (more commonly) in capsule form. My dogs eat the capsules like treats. Fish oil is higher in omega 3 essential fatty acids than cod liver oil which also contains vitamins A and D. It is the omega 3 that you need as it has anti-inflammatory properties. Cod liver oil is good in small amounts occasionally, but you cant really give it in big enough amounts to get the real omega 3 benefit due to the fact that you shouldn't overdo the Vit A and D.

No problems at all with the door on my one

I used to have a bitch who would cock her leg to pee. I have an 8 month old boy squats at home and I want that to continue. Rather have him go on the ground than all over the house walls and fences! He does cock his leg when out though.

I have an 8 year old bitch who has severe HD (official score is huge). We started her at an early age on cartrophen injections and glucosamine. We keep her lean and made sure that she maintains muscle tone through exercise and swimming (though she does have more muscling in the front now than the rear - but that is natural). For quite a few years she didnt need any more than this. We took a graduated approach of not putting her on anything until she needed it so we always have a 'stronger' option to use when she really needs it instead of playing all our cards straight up. When it began to be obvious she needed something more than the cartrophen, we added a daily dose of (buffered) asprin to her treatment. She went for a couple more years just needing that. When she started to need a bit more, she was put on a daily dose of Cu-Algesic instead of the asprin. This is where she is at now and is doing very well. She has still been getting cartrophen injections every six months (though we are just now changing that to every 4 months). She still loves a daily walk around the sports oval, though it is more of a 'stroll' than a walk as such. She finds it a bit of an effort getting up and down on occasion but she is otherwise fit, healthy and happy. Naturally you will need to discuss any treatment options with your vet as not all cases are the same. Severed HD CAN be managed without an operation in some situations however, and a dog can go on to live happily and healthily in relative comfort.

I have had one of the BARFShop hydrobaths for over 2 years and I love it. It lives outside (with a BBQ cover over it) and it has absolutely NO sign of wear or stress or of the moulding breaking down. It is pretty much as good as the day I bought it. And that is with regular use washing some rather large and heavy Pyrenean Mountain Dogs. The thing to remember is that not all 'plastics' are the same. This is an industrial polymer and is incredibly strong and durable. The sides are quite thick and to my mind are much more stable than the fibreglass (certainly my old fibreglass one was never this good). I also liked the fact that I got more for my money. I have the twin tub deluxe with trolley - I couln't have afforded all the extras it has if I gor a fibreglass one. I am short and I can reach easily into the bath even with the trolley which is fantastic. And it easily fits even my largest dogs. Can you tell I like this bath a lot? As for dryers, with double coated breed I think you will find that the more power you have the better. The stronger it blows, the easier your job. Not sure though that you need that for an Affie? If you need less force to dry the Affie I would be looking for a dryer that has variable speed. I have an Ezycoat 2 speed which I love. It is a real workhorse.

While I personally beleive that all raw is best (and saw improvements when I switched to totally raw), for years I fed both kibble and raw together and know a number of breeders who still do. Personally I think feeding kibble and raw is at least a step in the right direction over just feeding kibble. Here is an article on mixing fresh food with kibble that may be interesting and useful for some: http://b-naturals.com/Jan2005.php

That depends on your dog and what you feel comfortable with. I feed pretty much any part of the animal that is available to me(be it chicken, cow, sheep, pig, duck, goat, rabbit etc etc). That said, I don't feed things such as beef leg bones which are often sold as 'dog bones'. Being weight bearing bones (ie they take the weight of the whole animal) they are very hard bones. They are also generally devoid of meat. Their hardness means they can potentially do damage to teeth and there isn't much nutrition to be got off them. When cut, they are IMO twice as dangerous as they present sharp, hard artifical edges for the dog to chew on rather than encouraging them to chew on the ends. I prefer to feed bones that the dogs can for the most part eat in their entirety and which have a fair share of meat on them. That is why they are referred to as raw MEATY bones

A suggestion for 'diet on a budget': The basics: *Chicken frames (cheaper if you buy in 'bulk' by the box - ave $6-$8/box) *Canned home brand cat food sardines (usually just the sardines with no additives which is good) (about 69c can ave) *lamb or beef liver or kidney etc (look for markdown packets at woolies etc) (a few dollars - one 'bag' will last one dog a number of meals though as you only feed a small amount at a time - repack it into small lots to freeze) *roo mince (or beef/pet mince of some kind but not chicken - this is probably the most expensive bit - ave $3/4 or so a KG more or less depending where and what you buy) *anything else you happen to see at a good price or more expensive things you want to buy for the odd 'variety' meal like brisket bones, lamb necks, oxtail, pig trotters or hocks etc) *Add to this a couple of eggs if you have them and a few of your leftovers (eg a spoon or two of your leftover veggies or rice/a spoonful or lick of your yoghurt container etc. a weekly diet may look something like this: Monday: chicken frame Tuesday: chicken fram and a small piece of liver (or kidney etc) Wednesday: sardines and some egg and leftovers Wednesday: chicken frame Thursday: Chicken frame and small piece of liver (or kidney etc) Friday: Roo or beef mince (you can throw in an egg and/or a few leftovers too) Saturday: chicken frame Sunday: roo or beef mince (or brisket bone or lamb offcuts or whatever you got cheap) Depending on the size of your dog, whether you have enough freezer space to buy bulk and where you buy from, you can feed a dog healthily for around $10 a week (and sometimes less) JMHO

Love the Delete. Is not that new though - has been around at least for a few years. Maybe just not widely available? - I have always bought it at dog shows or through dog show suppliers. (P.S. Love the bubblegum smelling one too )

You can get special concrete 'paints' or paint/pour on surfaces to help make them less slippery. Alternately use what they use on agility equipment - mix sand in the paint and then paint the surface. Makes the surface rough and gives much better grip, though it will be a bit harder to clean.

What you are doing sounds fine and if you aren't having a problem, then there isn't one . chicken mince/frames have a high ratio of bone to meat. If you are feeding them on their own, then yes, they will form harder, often dry crumbly poos. Feeding a higher percentage of meat with the bone and/or some organs along with the chicken frames/mince will alleviate this (you are pretty much doing this by feeding the patties). Often if I am feeding frames I will give the dogs a lamb kidney, a few chicken livers or a chunk of lamb/beef liver or heart along with it. Or I just feed meatier pieces (chicken quarters, lamb necks, lamb flaps etc etc)

My Dally girl - now a spritely 12 years old who rules the roost and the couch - is fed a raw diet pretty much the same as the Pyreneans (except the little porker gets less!). She has always been fed beef and organ meats, though in lesser quantities to things like chicken and lamb (just because that is the way I feed though). She has never had an issue and in fact has been a happy healthy girl for all of her 12 years (and hopefully a few more). Because of the uric acid issue, some Dals do require a lower purine diet. I would talk to your breeder though about the incidence of the condition in their lines and what they recommend you feed. It can be more prevalent in some than in others. It can also affect males more than females. Just remember that if you do want to feed a more specific diet, that it is the type of protein that is important (ie purines), not protein itself. Just aim for foods lower in purines. IMO though the diet for the average Dally does not need to be severely restricted in this repect unless there is a known issue or a strong history of the issue in the lines. Personally I would still feed some organ meats and the occasional beef etc. I also personally believe the quality of the protein has a lot to do with maintaining healthy kidneys and urinary system (the reason I feed raw).

You can still feed too much calcium in some cases even with raw. The reason it is stressed that you need to feed raw MEATY bones. In most cases it will not matter, but in some cases it can be better to reduce the percentage of calcium even from natural sources. Different proponents of raw have a different take on how to go about this - ie Billinghurst suggests increasing the percentage of vegetables (see 'Grow your pups with Bones' for example) while others recommend increasing the amount of meat in proportion to bone (see Tom Lonsdale's work for example - the articles listed above and others on the same website also give good reading in this respect) We could debate that 'till the cows come home I think . Personally I have no such faith in commercial companies which make products based on 'substitutes' for nutrients occurring in a natural canine (and feline) diet using decisions which are for the large part based on economics. I do agree with you on not adding calcium supplements, however. JMHO

'scientific' evidence that is. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence passed down for many many generations. It is only in the past 50 years or so that it has been derailed by the need to have everything 'scientifically proven'. Lack of evidence though shouldn't stop us from looking at the evidence we have. Should I not have posted the articles for people to have a look at? There are many myths about protein which I think need to be addressed. To my mind the articles presented a good starting point for people wanting to look further for themselves into the protein issue. I also think they raise some interesting issues. For example, exactly when did protein become the 'bad guy'? I am not sure what is implied by this . I presented a couple of interesting articles which got shot down in flames for not being 'scientific' or 'independent' enough. I merely provided extra information to clear up a few points. If that is riding my high horse and being a fool then so be it. But also.... There is a lot of what Billinghurst writes that I don't agree with. There is some that I do. In my opinion he presents some good practical advice that is worth looking at. And also some very shoddy 'science' which has been blown out of the water on more than one occasion (even more flimsy that that provided by cigarette companies). I would be interested in seeing these. Most vet school nutrition research is funded heavily by pet food companies, but if you do have some funded by another independent source I would be very interested to see them as to date I have not come across any truly independent studies. Thanks!