karen15

with horses with conjunctivitis you use salt water and wipe inside corner to outside corner, one wipe per cotton ball. Eyes are not something to mess around with and I always lean to vet. I've had a dog with an eye ulcer and prompt treatment is paramount to limit any damage.

I find my dogs like to sleep apart. The pup was crated as a baby. When big enough, he graduated to his own bed. Both were at the bottom of my bed, but the cocker was mean to him and he was a fidget, so his bed got moved to next to the top of my bed where I could keep an eye on him. He does sneak on my bed occasionally and sleeps on my pillows or on a vacant bit of doona... So on my very limited experience, I wouldn't crate together, I'd give them a choice and see what they decided. Saw a post on a westie page with the dogs all wanting to squish into one bed, so never say never......

personally I don't deal with people who don't want my business and to me, that's people who don't respond to my queries / enquiries. I'll send an enquiry and if I get no response, that's it, they're off the possibility list. I randomly contacted a cocker breeder from DOL pages about assistance in grooming a cocker I was rehoming from work. From what I can ascertain she's backyard bred. This breeder very generously gave me an afternoon of her time. If I was ever buying a cocker, she'd be my first contact.

The story is a very good example of why you teach a drop it command and a leave it command. Dogs should always be able to release. It's when they haven't been taught and then people basically attack them to try and get them off, that causes them not to let go IMO I made it a point with my staffy to teach him to let go of things in highly emotive situations eg mid rough and tumble game of tug where he would be latched onto his tuggie rope playing aeroplanes. I'd give him a safe landing and tell him to drop it. Combine that with a leave it and whatever has been dropped is left alone. if you have a dog that can do damage when it bites IMO you have a responsibility to train it to release on command. Agree with the lab comments, that was my first thought when I saw the picture.

mine go ballistic when people come to the door. They're super excited at the prospect of visitors to wrap around their paws. I've got a gate on the hallway to keep them behind while I answer the door. Keeps them in and visitors momentarily unmolested. Had a trady working in the lounge one day while they were sequestered to the hall. He was impressed they waited quietly and didn't carry on. That's because if they're silly they know I won't let them out. They have to sit and wait quietly otherwise gate stays closed.... even normal dogs need distractions for highly emotive situations. Consistency, here waiting quietly, teaches them what is expected. Don't feel bad. You're teaching your dog how to feel comfortable in herself, and that's a fantastic thing to do!

a Wertheim with power head. I now have mostly vinyl with rugs and love love love my Deebot robovac no more vacuuming for me

silly me RP. The Ekka is on in a couple of weeks and would be the perfect place to check out dogs! Boss is not real good with breeds. He mentioned "those ones that round up sheep" probably wouldn't be good for them So I think labs and goldens are more because he's heard of them than anything else.

I put our meds in mince balls. If the ball is small enough, down the hatch it goes. Too big and they can eat around it. with horses you have to alternate wormers as worms can become resistant. I've heard of areas with fleas resistant to certain brands of flea treatment. Using newer treatments can work if the active ingredient is different. So, I try to not over treat for fleas and worms and change active ingredients every so often, like I do with the horse.

my boss is talking about getting a dog. I believe they're first time dog owners, with one 7yo boy. He is after small to medium short hair (not keen on grooming long hair dogs, which is fair enough). He mentioned golden retriever, Labrador and pug. He's only just started considering and wants to find a registered breeder for whatever he decides on. He understands you need to wait with breeders and that can be a year or more. After some suggestions of small to medium short haired dogs that would be good for first time dog people. Pugs and labs would work, but there may be others he could check out. Situated in Brisbane, sounds like it will be allowed inside with air-conditioning (I mentioned pugs can struggle in the heat and his reply was no worries, we have air con )

I vary my flea + tick treatment. Monthly in paralysis tick season but less frequently in off season. For some reason the westie had fleas on his tail recently, so nexguard then, but it's been two months and no reoccurance of fleas. Come warmer and wetter months frequency will increase as paralysis tick risk is just too high.

He'll never potter calmly inside if he isn't allowed inside. He needs to practise his inside manners and can only do that inside. You need to teach him the rules. I know pups can be exhausting and full on. The cocker and I used to hang out for nap time as the westie was full on from the moment he woke up. Nowhere near the size of a BC, so I can appreciate it's challenging. when the westie would get overexcited with visitors, I'd put him on his lead (when they arrived) and use that control to teach him what was expected. You can do that with your pup when you bring him in now. The lead will keep him under control and help to teach him your expectations. I'd set up a nice area that is his, with no toddler mess eg toys, and when he comes inside, that's where he goes with a nice bone or mind toy. Set him up to succeed, so get rid of beans before coming in with a full on game or a training session. leaving him to his own devices in the yard because he can't behave will just lead to a grown dog that can't behave. You need to train him and show him what you want him to do. You won't let your toddler grow up without rules or leave it in its room for doing something you don't want it to. You shouldn't do that to your dog either. Getting another dog and doing the same will just double the trouble IMO As I said above, I have the two dogs and deliberately got an older dog as a companion. My expectation of that older dog is not that she is a mother and teacher of the pup. That has always been my job. She's made things easier in some ways, as having basic manners she could do commands like toilet. However if I didn't train the pup having her would have made no difference to his behaviour eg she's lovely with visitors, sits calmly etc, but the westie had to be taught to control his exuberance.

what do you give her for entertainment when she is left alone? There are great toys that release food slowly and keep them occupied, a nice bone is also good. with the toileting, pups take a while to get it. Take them where you want them to toilet when they wake up, straight after meals, and after playing. I'd leave her toilet "station" smelly and get a good enzyme cleaner to clean everywhere else. Dogs don't like toileting in their den, so you need to have enough room in the pen for the toilet to be away from where she eats and sleeps.

no idea what they cost, but if they're generally double your budget, then I'd look for a rehome. I rehomed a three year old dog and she's great. Yes you miss the puppy cuteness and there can be behaviours that would be different if you got them as a pup eg cocker has taken two years to play and is still not like dogs I've had from pups. But full grown dogs have their upsides - no dead shoes. If you see a rehome that doesn't fit your timing, I'd still contact them and see if they could hold the dog until you are home. I'd think the prospect of a home vs nothing should be in your favour if you have a genuine reason for the delay.

not sure I'd have three, and have never had two until now. That said, my animals are with me for life, so the numbers I have are limited! My staffy had a cat for a buddy. Cat was 3 years older and was PTS 4 weeks to the day after he was, so I was petless it takes me a long time to get over the loss, so it was 9 mths to the current two, who are three years apart. I'll probably have the same ending...... my two are a nice age gap and the cocker was a god send with things like toilet training. She'd wee and pup would follow walking, the cocker was a puller, now fixed. Westie walks great by himself. Both value my attention over anything else, even though I only got the cocker a month before the pup. Every morning I'm the filling in a dog sandwich on the bed LOL

my thoughts, totally random, are it's best to wait for your current pup to be about 2, when he is more mature, before getting another pup. The alternative is to ask the breeder if they have an older dog they are wanting to rehome. I rehomed a 3yo cocker to be a friend for my westie pup. That's worked out really well. I contacted a number of westie breeders re an older dog but that never went anywhere. I'd probably have more luck now due to having an ongoing relationship with my boys' breeder. She knows the home he has, and may know people wanting to rehome an older dog. That would be more likely to succeed than having a random stranger ask a breeder about retiring dogs they may want to rehome.

this is similar to the story I read http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/lena-dunham-under-fire-over-dog-act/news-story/89b7154934b494ed30f9e69488939ea7 really have no idea who she is, but id you know you don't have time for an animal, then don't get one! Animals have no choice in where they have to live, humans need to be realistic and responsible about their ability to meet the needs of the animal they bring home.

well she got two pups after giving up the dog. From what I've read (of her posts as reported recently in the media), the dog that was given up bit multiple people including the owner and her bf. Who knows what happened.

to my way of thinking that's one of the reasons for your first vet meet and greet. Get a check up for the pup and get the vet to give you the vaccination, worming and flea schedule.

when I've gotten pups, admittedly only two as they stay with me for life, I let them in my yard but they don't go out on the ground until fully vaccinated. I do take them to visit houses I trust, eg my parents and close friends. I also have lots of people visit, taking off shoes outside. I've not had any issues waiting until they're fully vaccinated to take them out for dog socialising. They've both gone to preschool, which I like more for the socialisation than training. They can go to preschool before they are fully vaccinated. I quite liked the one at the vets. Sets up a positive association with the vets. I always take both dogs to the vet when we go. The one not getting treated gets fussed over by our lovely vet and scores treats for their visit

I rehomed a 3year old dog and she went with the pup for a first general well being check over. As said above it's a great way to make them happy about going to the vet as nothing bad happens. If you only ever go for procedures, the vet becomes like the dentist! No one likes the dentist!

you can google low shedding or low allergy dogs and a good list will come up to check out

I'll also add if you're in Qld, all sellers of dogs now have to have an id number, even if they are just giving the dog away.

there is no legal requirement to desex or vaccinate a dog. there is a requirement in most / all states to microchip dogs. Your friend can get the vet to scan for the chip if the vendor didn't give them the number. There is an Australian chip site that will tell you what register the chip is on. I forget what it's called but I found it easily. ETA even if vendor gave your friend the chip number, it's always good to get the vet to check they can find the chip and the number agrees with what they were given. A health check with the vet is always a good idea when getting a new dog.

there is no "fast and easy" way to cope with grief. Frank has probably had his dog for around 15 years. It has been a part of his daily life and it sounds like its passing was sudden and unexpected. Frank is probably in a bit of shock with what has happened. Soon he will register his loss. A 15 year relationship is a loss, regardless of whether it be a human or animal.

the basset puppy in special mentions is hilarious