Alibear

Belle - Not that I am an expert by any stretch of the imagination and it is hard to tell from your pic, but he looks like my boy did when he was younger.

How old is he?

You know what guys....I really don't think that FeralSam meant anything by it and was only trying to help someone out who has a problem.

Noone needs to worry, its all good! Dogmad is going to pass K9's details on and hopefully they get their problem sorted out ASAP.

Hmmmm.... Don't want to be a big party pooper guys, but maybe you should get permission from K9 Force before sending the training sheet around? ;)

If it is the sheet I am thinking of, most people would pay to have training with Steve and get these notes :rolleyes:

I could be completely wrong, but thought I should say something - just in case!

Cheese and Cabanossi!

There is a product called "Dog Rocks" that are supposed to stop the burn, I haven't used them... but have heard good things about them.

As do a lot of people online here, I add a small slurp of apple cider vinegar to the dogs water... it stops the algae and also seems to stop the burn on the lawn.

Couldn't agree with you more on both the dog rocks and apple cider vinegar!!!!!

;)

ETA

I was told afew months ago to add it to food, which I have been doing, so is this wrong?

I do this, add it to the food not in the water and that coupled with the rocks seems to be helping! Not perfect but much better then it was!!!!!

GillBear - she is adorable and your right - her coat does look beautiful!!!!

Well done for getting her to eat something! Sounds like you are doing really great job with her!

Vegies in some mince (chicken or beef) :D

Have you soaked some biscuits / kibble in some warm water?

Add some cheese to the food, my boy loves cheese and will eat anything that is covered in it.

Shhh..dont tell Alibear that. Im going to get her some for christmas!!

Oh Gee thanks Wags

Maybe you could also buy Bear a humping bag to go with them

Would Bear rip up a mattress as well - those flat ones you get from Petbarn. You could also put his current bed just to the side of the door and if he uses it, buy him a second one for night time.

The simple answer to chewing the mattress is - YES! We have been through a couple, so I just stopped buying them. I bought him one of those shell pools the other day and put it outside to keep him cool during the summer. By the time I got home from work he had managed to chew off all the edges and the rope that holds both sides together!

We have 2 of the hession beds. His current bed is only about 1.5mtrs from the door anyway, just not in line with it, so I am going to put the other one right at the door, which could be tricky, but if he lays on it, it will be worth it.

Thanks

Oh Griff Sorry - I was only kidding around! I think Wags would look much better in them anyway - what do you think? 

:p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p

wags doesnt want to wear them as wags doesnt have calluses on her elbows!

and, seems its your dog, its only fair......

But I don't wanna

Oh Griff Sorry - I was only kidding around! I think Wags would look much better in them anyway - what do you think?

Oh My God!

I just laughed sooooo hard, everyone in the office thinks I have totally lost the plot! (MInd you that isn't anything new )

You were right Wags - he looks great! Such a handsome boy!

I'm gonna get me some of them on the weekend!

Ah that was a great laugh for a Friday afternoon. Thanks

Yes you should!

And I want Bear to put a modelling show on, on Sat night!

Yeah, you see, that is not going to happen!

I would never embarrass my boy like that! He would never forgive me!

Maybe Griff could come along and model them for us!

see! Griff thinks they're a good idea!!

I searched on google. You must of been searching the wrong thing

Ohhh well then Wags - if Griff says it is a good idea, I better run out and get me some then

Riley doesnt need them , Bear does!

ohhhh come on......Let Riles be the Guinea Pigs for Bear

 

Elbow calluses are common in dogs and large breeds seem to be more susceptible to this problem. They are thought to be the result of pressure when the dog lies on a hard surface. Mild calluses are usually not harmful. If the callus is large or becomes infected, veterinary treatment is usually necessary. The best prevention is providing soft bedding or padding for the dog's resting place, provided the dog is not inclined to chew and swallow bedding material. Choose material that can be replaced or washed frequently for sanitary purposes.

Hey where did you find this info? I have been looking all morning! Google is letting me down!

Notice it says provided the dog is not inclined to chew and swallow bedding material.

What about these

Very fashionable! Heres the link

Yeah thanks for that Wags! Bear would be the laughing stock of town!

How about you try them out on Riley's long legs and let me know how they go

How ever did you find them anyway?

Is this common for GSD's?

I remember my aunty's GSD who I grew up with always had them on his front elbows. They must of been quite noticeable for me to remember that as he went over the bridge when I was 4 and my memory is shocking.

Wags I don't know. I just spoke to my Father and he said our last GSD had it, so maybe?

You say Bear sleeps by the door during the day, can you not put a doggy mattress or something there? He might like the option of something soft to lie on. Maybe even a folded towel would be better than nothing.

Well that would be a lovely idea, if he didn't rip every thing up I put there for him to lay on.

He only sleeps there because it is the closest he can be to us if he isn't inside and I can't really move his bed there as it is hard enough to get out the door with him laying there, let alone a huge bed in the way also

hmmmmm........ what to do.....what to do.......

I have also in the past had dogs with the same condition , I used lanolin just too soften the skin... But you could try this..

Foot pad and elbow cream for dry cracked pads.

Why should I use Protecta Pad? Protecta Pad softens and moisturizes. It is a fast-acting, GENTLE AND NATURAL remedy which penetrates into the sublayers of the pad to get at the cause of the problem...dryness. It's unique formula will soften calloused areas and increase the pliability of the pad, while maintaining the resiliency consistent with normal healthy tissue.

***Protecta Pad **was originally designed to protect and heal the pads and elbows of hunting and working dogs exposed to harsh environments. It will also benefit city dogs who walk mainly on cement and where sidewalks are treated with chemicals for ice removal. It's just as good for dogs who develop elbow joint callouses from ** sleeping on rugs or hard surfaces. **

What does Protecta Pad contain?

Natural collagen protein to help maintain durability and flexability

Isopropyl palmitate to soften callouses

Stearyl alcohol to maintain moisture level

Lanolin to soften and protect by holding moisture in affected tissue

mmmmmmmmwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Griff, that looks great! Sounds like exactly what I need!

Now where do I get it from

Alright, I know I'm just being lazy, I'll go do a search

Thanks everyone!

Ok, so Bear has his kennel and hession bag bed and sleeps on it at night, but generally during the day he lays by the door which is a paved area. Can't really stop him from laying on hard hard as all our undercover area is like that!

What will happen if I don't put anything on it? Will the area get larger? Will it ever cause him discomfort?

Just wondering if it was normal for dogs to have callus type things on their elbows.

I have noticed that Bear has this on both front legs but one side is worse then the other. My guess would be that it is from dropping and laying down on hard surfaces, but I'm not sure.

It doesn't seem to bother him and he lets me touch it, but didn't want to take him to the vet if it is nothing (the vet already thinks I'm a spaz!), so I thought I would ask here first!

I have a pic of it somewhere, I will try to find it and post for you guys. In the mean time, anyone have any advice?

There seems to be divided opinions on the tick issue !

I just found that this little instrument was better than tweezers and pretty much gets the whole thing out in one go., and thought that it could be helpful to others. Just sharing information , and not meaning to start conflict. !! Booboo

No conflict BooBoo, just trying to work out what is the best thing to do, as I have NO IDEA!!!!!

Thanks for the info!

hmmmm......pull it out then!

Oh man, I would just stuff it up and cause more damage, I just know it!

ETA

Ok I just seen this on a website I was checking re ticks!

5. What do I do if I find a tick on my pet?

First - Is the dog showing any signs of tick paralysis?

If it is, you should contact a vet as soon as possible, and describe the state of your pet. The vet or vet hospital staff can advise you on how urgently you need to obtain veterinary treatment. If it is outside normal business hours, leave your pet to rest quietly while you contact a vet by phone to make the necessary arrangements. Do NOT give anything (food, water, or medication) by mouth, as an animal affected by tick paralysis cannot swallow properly.

Do not try to remove the tick at this stage. You can kill it with a few drops of insecticide (see below) but trying to remove the tick may worsen its effect on your animal. It is better to take the dog to a veterinarian and the tick will be dealt with during the treatment of the animal.