Poodle wrangler

I have no idea why he's behaving that way. YOu have to be careful when attributing human reasoning and behaviour to dogs. IMO it's not worth the risk of paralysis tick to stop using it. I live in a high tick area and the dogs love the beach which is surrounded by scrub. I don't use the spot-on fortnightly year round, but do in the warmer months. Also check dogs regularly. Most ticks are found forward of the collar. An alternative is a tick collar. Be wary of anything "natural"- doesn't necessarily mean it's gentler or less toxic. If something kills ticks, then it's got to have some potential side effects. If it doesn't, then I'd wonder how effective it was.

Ditto the above . It's the long, matted/ badly knotted coats that are the problem as they become more like armour than fur. It's the build up of dust, dirt and knots in the coat with lack of brushing that causes problems. Fur's like those wool ads: keeps you warm in winter, cool in summer. I have indoor-outdoor dogs and would suggest she trims away the fur under paws and between the "toes"- much cleaner and avoid grass seeds etc. going unseen. Make sure she has a decent brush and comb and gets right down to the skin- otherwise there will be lots of knots close to the skin, giving that armour-like effect. When the coat changes from pup to adult (around 12 months) this is peak time for matting even with regular brushing. You have to brush and comb daily then.

Are you up-to-date with worming? Pups need worming every 2 weeks. Best is Drontal as it covers all the intestinal worms- every 2 weeks- amount depending on pup's weight. What does pup look like? Can you see/ feel the backbones and hip bones very easily? It can be hard to gauge correct weight for pups unless you have some experience and many people say their pup/ dog is underweight when in fact they're a healthy weight. There are so many fat dogs around that you can lose perspective.

Good on you for doing the sensible thing and muzzling your dog as a backup measure when out on leash. I asked ages ago about muzzles and the wire or leather cage type ones were suggested as being more comfortable for the dog.

Good point- something we all have to remember . There are dogs with poor temperaments in every breed (or cross), but good breeders breed for temperament, as well as health, looks etc..

I haven't had any problems using Advantix. jbbb's idea sounds good to me- they should be able to tell you when the medication is at peak concentration in the dog's system. Seems strange that it doesn't happen each time it's applied, though Is it more likely to be coincidence? Tick collars are another option. Cheaper, too. Frontline Plus? Dogs dying from paralysis tick is worse than a potential adverse reaction IMO :D . All medications are poisons, really, if you want to look at it that way...

I had both mini and standard poodles desexed at 6 months. Was a good age for the mini, but with larger breeds they suggest leaving it a little later (e.g. about 9 months). eta: Many local councils require your dog to be council registered by 6 months, so you will have to register them entire if you desex later than 6 months- about $100 difference in rego. costs!

Get Drontal Allwormer from the vet or online. Won't hurt to worm him again if you've had him several weeks. Get the correct number of tablets for his weight. Get husband desexed and we can put him in the rescue subforum

Did you see anything odd in her mouth? No digging up of putrid old bones? No eating duck/ roo/ possum/ other poo in the backyard My dog went to the vet for something else entirely and he found part of an old stick across the roof of his mouth- he gave no sign whatsoever it was there, but had it stayed long enough, I'm sure it would have smelled.

"Start as you mean to go on" .... apply that to everything to do with your new pup e.g. if you don't want an adult dog sleeping on the bed, don't let your puppy. Puppies are wonderful and cute, but remember they need leadership as well as love . One of the most important things is consistency- dog don't understand if one time it's OK to bite and mouth, but not OK another time. Being consistent will make her more secure in her new home. Doesn't mean being harsh- just give them something good to do, instead so they earn your praise.

Any ideas jojo44?

Has the vet taken swabs of the ears and found what's growing there? Malaseb, diluted 1:30 or 1:50 (1:50 just as effective, with less irritation) is a good basic/ maintenance ear cleaner. It's an antibacterial-antifungal shampoo. http://www.balgownievet.com.au/1_gen_derm_ear_clean.htm This is more than basic, though and if you're not sure what's going on DON'T put anything in there unless vet suggests it. For something like this, prescription ear drops are probably required, depending on what bacteria/ yeasts etc the vet find are growing there.

Can you add another short walk? Simple to do, lots of sights, smells etc. for dog. I find a short walk tires my dogs totally out of proportion to the exercise involved. Raw, meaty bones- keep dog entertained for a while. You need to contain her at times in the yard. A secure dog run will be useful when your toddler wants to spend more time out there without having allergic reactions to the dog. At the top of the training subforum is Triangle of Temptation which is great to do and takes only 5 minutes extra once you get it in your head what to do.

My understanding is that these dogs need low-fat diets. Molasses is largely sugar, so should be OK? If you cool any liquid with fat in it in the fridge for a couple of hours- it's much easier to skim off the top (still a bit tedious, though ).

You can look up BARF. Trial the raw suggestions made my Miranda to start with? Low- residue= low fibre, so most raw meat-based foods would qualify (meaty bones, carcasses etc.). Do any GSP people have any ideas? Perhaps post a link in the GSP breed subforum in case anyone has had similar problems (doesn't sound breed specific, though ). If worse comes to worse and you feel you need to rehome this dog, they may be able to make suggestions. Rescues will require the dog to be desexed before assisting with rehoming. Fingers crossed you will see some improvement with an affordable change in diet. Are you up to date with worming (Drontal allwormer covers all the intestinal worms)?

Top tips already. Other things to consider: * How much exercise do you want to do with the dog? * How much grooming is OK for you? * How robust are the children- e.g. will a puppy bowling them over frighten them badly (while he's being trained NOT to do it)? * A puppy is much like adding a new toddler to the household for the first couple of months. Many of the working breeds are bred to work all day, every day. How you find time to exercise them sufficiently with 4 kids, I don't know? e.g. cattle dogs, border collies, kelpies and others. Bored dogs that aren't getting their needs met will destroy and bark. Some breeds are probably more tolerant of children antics than others, but much of this is individual temperament and socialisation beginning with the breeder. I might get flamed for this, but I prefer a dog without very large, powerful jaws with young children in the house. Many breeds are like this and wonderful with kids, of course. All dogs need to be supervised with children as smaller dogs can have snappy temperaments that wouldn't be tolerated in a larger dog and can do damage, also. Please, please, please don't buy from a pet shop or someone who's just bred their own dog (unregistered breeder or backyard breeder BYB). They don't health test and a dog with problems is very distressing for both the dog and your family. I'm not sure if the MDBA have their breeder list up yet? If so, that'd be a good place to start once you've narrowed the breed.

My sister has a Ridgeback Cross pound dog who has issues, though not these destructive ones. I know a number of pound dogs of this cross and it doesn't seem to be a good one- All I know have dog and/or human aggression issues . I'd be investing in a dog run on concrete. If you add up the total cost of destruction (not to mention time spent cleaning up etc.) then they're really not that expensive. More stimulation and exercise? With the washing- the behaviour is too rewarding- far too much fun for the dog. Really must separate the dog from anything that's entertaining to chew/ destroy and give him "good" things to do e.g. exercise, walks, training, chew toy.

Pop her on the scales at the local vet. I popped in once to see how our pup was gaining weight and wasn't even seeing the vet. No problems. Though I asked nicely and we take both dogs there. If that's awkward, you can hold her, get on the scales at home, then deduct your own weight off the total. Won't be as accurate, but good enough to assess which weight range she's in. eta: What breed is she, again? and how old?

I'm sure one of the "current affair" shows did a story about this preservative being widely used by butchers on meat for human consumption, too- despite it being illegal. They bought meat at various butchers, then had it tested. It makes the meat appear more red, therefore fresher-looking. I thought pet mince wasn't very balanced for dogs as their main food, anyway? Guess it's hard to tell as you don't know what's in it

Earwax can sometimes be that reddish- brownish colour. No smell, no itchiness/ scratching etc. sounds good. That's my guess for internet diagnosis Advocate treats and prevents earmites, among other things http://www.bayeranimal.com.au/default.aspx...0&ItemId=73 Doesn't cover ticks if you're in a tick area, though.

They're funny, aren't they? This is my first standard poodle (other is a mini) and I think he's unusually mellow. Is your dog getting enough attention and stimulation at other times? All poodles need this and some more than others, perhaps? All I do is make it clear to both dogs that they aren't allowed to get up on benches or tables. They know what "uggh, uggh" or "down" (deep, authoritative voice) means. I trust them as much as children - if I can't see them and it's quiet, there's trouble! If I can't supervise them (in a general sort of way, not 100%) I put them outside.

If you're lucky enough to get 9 hours sleep, I'd plan to get up twice for the pup to toilet. Better to cut back than allow pup to toilet in the crate. No fussing, chat or play at toilet time- all business!

Bleeding obvious, but does he have any teeth/ mouth/ throat/ jaw problems that makes the raw food difficult to eat for him? Doesn't like raw? MAdness

Vet suspects a mild grass allergy in my mini poodle- eyes get some clear gunk in them and is seasonal. Vet checked out the tear ducts- all seems to be in order. I just wipe his eyes with a clean tissue once or twice a day.

It's stocked in our local produce stores- Australian made (I think)- only $25 for 22kg!