Poodle wrangler

Try and keep the wound open so the gunk can drain out. A soak in warm, salty water wouldn't hurt so help promote this. Normally a scab tries to form on the surface which only hides the problem festering underneath. My dog had an abscess on the face, had antibiotics, but then needed to have it opened up (minor surgical procedure).

Sounds OK as it's thin and clear. I'd take her to the vet if any signs of redness or inflammation. Might need antibiotics, then.

Is it an option for her to sleep outside now the weather's warmer? She will have the other dog for company. It's not realistic for you to expect her to learn from the other dog- you must train her. As pf said, each accident you allow inside is teaching her it's OK to wee there When you let her outside to toilet, do you go out too and praise her immediately when she goes? Go back to basics, like you would for a younger pup. Your pup isn't toilet trained. "Name It".. e.g. go outside with pup.... walking around can help get things moving... As she starts to wee, say your word (e.g. "wee- wee", "toilet") in a really happy voice. Give a treat immediately after. Bring her back inside again with you. Your dog will soon learn what "wee- wee" means, that you're happy about it and she gets to come back inside with you. Sometimes you can inadvertently "punish" a dog with toileting--e.g. they like being inside, you let them out to go to the toilet (they may or may not, do you check?) then leave them outside. The "punishment" is being left outside, instead of being in with everyone else. Good luck Persist and be consistent and results will some soon...

Any allergenic plants around the garden? I'd do some investigating there, first. You could experiment with confining him to a deck area etc. if you're out during the day? (provided there's enough shade?). Fish oil tablets might be of use. You could also experiment with his diet- add more raw foods, for example?

Sounds like kids don't like the dogs, yet :D. My Mum used to babysit a preschooler for over a year and she was scared of our mini poodle (outside only dog). She'd talk to him through the window, but never wanted to go near him. She'd never been closer than the window, looking out, so no bad experiences even. I'd train the dogs, but be prepared that the kids may never like them . They might be cat people (madness!!!). Kids are kids and have to fit in with the adults, however. They should do some basic training with the dogs and get some reward for doing so e.g. we'll go out/ play computer game/ watch favourite TV show after you've spent 5 minutes training with the dog. Only 5 minutes, though. Try to make it positive and fun for them and dogs.

Don't overfeed your pup. Goldies are a large breed and all large breeds can have hip problems. Keeping him lean with nice, regular growth is best for growing bones. I don't measure dog food. Use the packet as a guide only. Start there. It's OK to see the last rib. Lots of fur, so you should be able to feel the ribs easily with the flat of your hand (no poking). Poke enough and you'll find ribs on an obese dog, too :D. Goldies typically love their food and will eat much more than is good for them. If pup's leaving food, he's not hungry. If you're feeding mince in addition to the recommended amount of dry, you're feeding too much. Naturally dry food is less tasty than mince, so pup leaves the dry.

A cheaper thing both my dogs like are those bone-shaped whitish chew toys (like Nylabones). Sorry can't remember the name, but come in a large size and only about $8 in Woolies, Big W, KMart etc.. Don't last more than 2 months, though. They also like the cheapie, coloured rope toys both for chewing and wrestling over (about $5). Any chew toys left out in the sun deteriorate quicker. It's better that you rotate them, anyway, and all toys should be kept by YOU as leader, anyway. I tried a cheap treat ball- my older dog became so annoyed by it, that he chewed off the door that the treats come out of in frustration! Many cheaper toys are rubbish. Not worth buying. Know your prices, too, as you'll find the same thing can cost double (or more) depending where you buy

Sounds like the kids are scared of the dogs atm. People are even sacred of an apricot standard poodle (avatar) that looks and acts like a teddy bear, too . Perhaps they can spend some time being able to see the dogs, but separated from them so they get used to them? I'd keep dogs and kids separated until you have the behaviour under control, otherwise kid's fear will get worse and they may never get along. Then, you can start 1:1 with 1 kid + 1 dog. Time consuming!!! I'd teach each dog to sit to greet people. Can't jump with bum on floor. Easy... get someone to practice with, give them some treats, put dog on lead (no option to jump) and practice! If dog goes to jump up, the person turns their back and ignores them, arms crossed. When they sit, treat. Once the dogs have the idea, you can get the kids to do the same routine, 1:1, dog on leash as backup. For quicker results, I'd make the dogs do this with everyone, including yourself. Once your happy with their behaviour with the kids, reintroduce jumping up as a trick with you only. "On your mat" is easy to teach- I say, "mat", lead them over, "sit", then "good dog" and treat. Doesn't take long at all as they soon realise it's better to sit on their mats than be sent outside. They chose to sit there unless it's really hot and they use the tiles, then.

I haven't used the device you describe, but have used an ultrasonic collar- no good! Seems to work for surprise value for a few days, then normal barking returned. Going through body corporate, you can spin out this for a long time- think of all those truly nuisance neighbours you can't get rid of- but go through all the fine print to see where you stand. Common sense doesn't always prevail e.g. a unsubstantiated complaint can be enough to ask you to get rid of the dog . Ecollars are only meant to be used for 8 hours at a time. The prongs that sit on the dog's throat can cause pressure sores on the skin if left for longer than that. Most people who work are away from home > 8 hours, so it might not be ideal for you. Can anyone else's dog be barking? It can be hard to tell where it's coming from.

For toilet training, crate needs to be just big enough for pup to turn around and stand up in. Some crates have dividers that make them smaller for pup, but big enough for an adult. Otherwise you can put an old box in there to make it smaller. Dogs often prefer to wee on an absorbent surface (e.g. carpet) if given a choice. If he's using the training pad as a bed, he won't wee on there! Does pup lay on the training pad as the laundry floor is cold? Do you use a word for toileting? e.g. while pup is weeing you say, "toilet" in a happy voice and immediately give a treat? This was great with my pup. I'd walk him around for a short time outside, then say, "toilet" and he'd know what I expected after only a short time. The walking around seems to get things going. Perhaps this is why your pup does it on the carpet- he has a short walk + excitement of being out of the laundry = toilet time. Try letting him out from laundry, briefly, then leading him back to the puppy pad? Have a treat in your pocket. Use a light leash if you need to. Wait for as long as necessary.

I get the impression from your posts that you've made an effort with this dog, but aren't confident that you will ever be a good "match" for each other. Some dogs-owners are ill-suited. That she doesn't get on with your other dog is an additional problem. All parties are stressed. I don't think there's any shame in returning a dog to a breeder after seeing a behaviourist and making a genuine effort as you seem to have done.

Too late now . My older dog has done something similar and was fine. I'd look for changes in behaviour (e.g. quieter), unsettled (pain?), bloated-looking stomach, vomiting (may vomit it up if was fatty anyway). I'm not a vet, so wait for some qualified advice, too. Fingers crossed it will all be OK.

Am sure she'll be fine. Best wishes. I'd say the cost is pretty standard for a female and a city vet. I had the same questions about dew claws- I left the front ones intact after vet suggested they were well-attached and unlikely to cause problems.

Crate- in bedroom. They're so cheap in toy poodle size, that it's worth having it for toilet training alone, though it can also be good if you have kids/ visitors (pup needs rest). I bought one for our standard poodle, but hardly used it- he was quick to toilet train and happy to sleep outside with our mini poodle- so sold it. My mini poodle has never used his kennel. Prefers to be on the back deck, surveying his realm. Grooming- *SOFT slicker brush. Must be SOFT or EXTRA SOFT, size small. Doggyman brand is excellent, but expensive- keep away from a chewing pup. *Coarse/ medium greyhound comb (don't ask me why they're called that) Buy good quality grooming tools- they're well worth it! Have poodle, must groom. Ask the breeder to show you how to brush and comb your pup- there is a proper way to do it!

I had a "Great Crate" that had one of those dividers. Bought at local Pet stock XL about $145. Is it for the Goldie pup? I think XL is probably the right size (I bought mine for a standard poodle pup). Sold it as didn't use it enough- depends what flooring you have and how precious your belongings Other option is to put an old box in the crate to make it smaller

Got your answer, already, but I think coat change is around 12 months. Dogs matt much more easily at this time. Great time to get a hydrobath and force dry to get rid of coat. I'm not sure if a pet cav. can be clipped lightly, but this might also help as he goes thru coat change. Unfortunately, there's still the brushing. I comb the poodles after brushing with a slicker brush- this gets out more dead hair than brushing alone.

Be firm (but kind) with pup- water doesn't hurt! Never give them a pay off for misbehaving. They usually prefer it if you leave their head to last- don't even wet it until the end. I use laundry sink with the mini poodle. Shower recess for standard poodle.

I agree, having thought my dog didn't have fleas, either- he did. Frontline didn't work for me that time, despite using per instructions. I switched to Advantix, no problems. Did the usual cleaning of all bedding etc. Anal glands?

Our local groomer charges $45-50 for small breeds e.g. toy poodle in a basic pet clip, small crossbreeds etc. Regional area and I'd guess low rent for premises. I suspect if she charged more, she'd be seeing the same dogs, but less often due to cost. Very little local competition. I hear pet owners moan about grooming costs all the time :rolleyes:. They see pet grooming as expensive and many resent spending the money, despite having dogs they know need clipping- drives me bonkers! I think you have to take grooming into account when you buy certain breeds or take on a mix breed rescue. I'd see my breeder for help with grooming, but she does only a few dogs other than her own. Hats off to groomers. I now understand how much work it is to do properly after grooming my own dogs (mini and standard poodle).

I'd not exercise her much for a couple of days. Short, on-lead walk would be fine, but why push her? No jumping up for several days, either. The vet or vet nurse should have given you a sheet outlining post-op care? As far as food goes, what does she look like now? Can you post a pic with a side-on view? You should certainly keep her lean for the sake of her health and bone health in a large breed dog. Quantity depends on exercise and the dog themselves- always go by how she looks rather than a set amount. eta: I would expect to have a fixed charge for grooming one of my dogs, though I'd think it reasonable to charge more if when I got there my dog was found to have knots and I wanted some coat left on.

No offence intended, but if I had a dog with lameness for about 9 months, I'd be looking to some conventional medicines as well. People criticise anti inflammatories and steroid medications- they can have serious side effects- but they're widely used on humans and are also very effective. Dogs can be very stoic and I wouldn't want my dog to suffer. Just suggesting not to discount conventional treatments altogether. Apologies if you've already had this well investigated by a vet. Best wishes for your dog.

With the training, try not to set yourself up for failure e.g. calling your dog (who doesn't always come) when they're chasing a rabbit. Practice calling them when you've got them attached to a long rope- show them a food reward, "Fido, come!" (happy voice) then walk away from them (encourages them to chase). If they're not coming, reel them in and say, "Good dog" when they get to you (even though they weren't, really) and give reward. Doesn't take long for dog to work out coming to you is a good thing! Every time they ignore you and walk away, you're teaching them it's OK to do so. Never call them to tell them off e.g. for barking. Food rewards are good to teach and to re-teach when they're "not listening" . Lots of people say, "I don't want to use food", but it's more a short-term thing, then only needs to be given occasionally, if at all. I know I'd rather have a dog who comes off leash than one who ignores me and tries to run under a car.

No jumping up. Zoomie-type play would be worse than a nice walk on leash. My desexed male seemed back to normal 2 days after op, but I made sure there were less zoomies (crazy racing about with lots of changes of direction etc.). For a 6 month old large breed, they're not meant to have long walks anyway.

I'm not sure he's too young for an antibark collar- but the ones that work are also expensive, so it's worth trying everything else, first. Ecollars aren't designed to be left on for more than 8 hours at a time, so probably not suitable for the early morning barking, anyway. I tried an ultrasonic type and it didn't work for more than a few days. My dogs also bark to play when really excited, but not early in the morning. My younger one used to bang on the door early to wake his humans, but ignoring it worked over time. Is an early morning walk feasible? I'm guessing he's got energy to burn?

Sounds like things are improving- be consistent and vigilant and you'll see good results.