Buster's Mum

I was using Frontline with no problems but decided to try Adantix. Over summer I commpared the two products and found that with Advantix, after 2 weeks the dogs woud start scratching and if I left it for 4 weeks 1 dog woud start tearing fur out he was that bad. With Frontline I coud go almost the whole 4 weeks before the scratching started. I have never seen fleas or flea dirt on them.

I am a shiftworker so am never home at the same time every day so daily tablets are out for this reason. My first dog got the yearly needle because I thought it was a good idea. I had not joined DOL at the time, was new to dog ownership and went by the recommendation of the vet (not the one I go to now). Buster got a lump the size of a 50c piece where the needle went in that went rock hard. It gradually got smaller until it eventually went away but it made me wonder if the yearly needle was the wrong choice so I started doing some research. My vet assures me that the level of chemicals in the monthly tablet is very small and as far as I am concerned much safer than risking my dogs getting heartworm. She will not give the yearly injection as she feels the risks are not worth it.

When I first got Billy who is a Maltese x he was a bag of bones. He would gulp his food and gulp bones like they were the last thing he was ever going to eat. As he put on weight and realised he was going to be fed regular meals he calmed down a lot and is now my slowest eater. I gave him puppy milk and puppy food (the stuff in the sachets), diced or minced lamb or beef and fed small meals but often, about 4 times per day. Billy is now twice the weight he was when I first got him. He is one of those dogs that will probably never be overweight because he does everything at a million miles an hour so if he starts to lose weight I just give him a bit extra at dinner.

Thanks Rusky. Overall he is really pretty good and has progressed quite quickly at training. There are a couple of dogs that he just does not like so will growl if he gets close to them. I try and place myself away from those dogs so we only get near them doing certain exercises. I'll speak to the trainer when we go to training next.

Tassie thankyou, that is a great article ;) I have been told a few different things and was getting quite confused and frustrated. Everyone, which is understandable because they don't know if my dog is going to go the next step and bite. Will do I think now I have decided on the 'removal' approach I will stick to that. One of the problems is probably the fact that I have been inconsistent with him in what method I use because everyone tells you something different. I will also talk to the trainer.

Thanks for all the replies. I was ignoring him and letting him growl for fear that if I stopped him then he would start biting instead but at dog training they don't like dogs growling so I have to do something. Last night at training when he started growling at a big Rotty I removed him from the situation and concentrated on getting his attention on me rather than the Rotty. By the end of class he was in a drop stay for 3 minutes right beside the Rotty and didn't even flinch. Thanks for the advice and I will definitely have a look at that book

My boy is around 2 yrs old and I got him from a pound last August. He has been going to training and doing very well but one problem I still have is he growls when he is not comfortable with what is happening around him. I have been telling him 'No' in a very stern manner and he knows he is in trouble but he still does it. Today after our walk in the park I picked him up to put him in the car and he growled at me. I am sick and tired of people saying 'you have to stop him doing that', because it's easier said than done.

Has anyone tried the Eagle Pack canned food? It looks pretty good.

Nutrience make a canned food that isn't too bad. I don't use it at home but I'm taking the boys on holidays next week and will take a couple of cans as an emergency back up.

Thanks Mrsdog. I tried to get out of going away this weekend but oh was not impressed so I have to go.

Yes I was, I have never seen so many dogs in one place And yes we had a great time. I signed both dogs up but as I can only train one at a time I'm not sure what I'll do yet. The one that started yesterday will definitely be continuing at Sutherland. What happens if you miss a week? Next week we are in Class 1 week 1 but I will be away so will there still be a Class 1 week 1 the following week? Mrsdog I recognise the dog in your banner, you were the one we had to ask for directions on what instructor to go to so thanks for your help :D

Thanks Norskgra.

*vump* So does anyone know if Sutherland starts back tomorrow? Their web site say training is on every week with the exception of... and school holidays from mid Dec to first Sunday in Feb so I'm not sure if this means it is on or not.

Thanks Myszka. I was at your place for the K9 Force info night so I'll know if we get in your class. :rolleyes:

First of all can anyone who goes to Sutherland tell me if they start back this weekend. Secondly, what are the times and location for Peakhurst? I have two dogs that I would like to take to training but obviously can't take both at once. Therefore I can take one to Peakhurst on Saturday and one to Sutherland on Sunday.

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts. Yes Mjosa, Muffet was 17. My friend who owned him lives on his own and he has been lost for the last few days. Muffet absolutely adored his owner and he did have a good life with him, I guess you just always wish that they could live forever.

Muffet was the best mate of a dear friend of mine and he was given his wings on Monday night. Muffet was 11 years old and sitting in the local pound when my friend saw him and knew he could not leave him there. For the last 6 years they have been best friends and gone everywhere together but his favourite place was at the bottom of his owners bed where he would sleep every night. Muffet was the most beautiful Maltese X Shih Tzu who was obviously treated right by his original owners because he was a well behaved and socialized little dog. In the years that I knew him I saw him meet many new dogs but never once heard him bark at any of them or be aggressive in any way. Muffet was the reason I got my dogs from pounds, I thought that if I got a dog half as nice as he was then I'd be very lucky. On Monday night my friend's partner went to feed him and Muffet couldn't stand up. She rushed him straight to the vet and called his owner who raced home from work. The vet advised Muffet was now paralysed from the waist down and considering his other health problem it was kinder to give him his wings. So whilst laying on his owners lap being kissed and cuddled, Muffet went to sleep for the last time. We haven't stopped crying since. RIP little man

What does everyone spray their pets with to make them smell nice after they have been washed? Whenever my boys come back from the groomers they always smell so nice, I will have to ask next time if they sell whatever it is they use. Shampoos and conditioners just don't have the same nice smell so I'm curious what everyone uses.

One of my dogs was scratching so bad he was pulling fur out. My vet put him on an elimination diet and within 3-4 weeks he was not scratching at all until I re-introduced beef. It was obvious pretty quickly that this was the cause so no more beef for this boy and no more scratching.

When I took my dog to the vet for KC they asked me to park around the back and they came out to the car to treat him. They were very nice about it and explained that they didn't want to risk other dogs getting infected. I would be changing vets.

I use a holistic treatment and it is gone within 36 hours.

I use a product called Ban Itch. It's an anaesthetic spray and has a bitter taste so they won't chew the area that's sprayed. I got it from my local pet warehouse.

Eagle Pack - You can order it online if no one around you sells it.

Thanks Jen I appreciate your help. I have just started using RR on Buster who is terrified during storms so will try this mix.

How many drops of the mix do you give or do you give the whole 10 drops? Sorry to sound dumb but 10 drops seems like a lot. Thanks Jen