Poodle wrangler

As a kid, our miniature poodle was a strictly outside dog, slept in laundry . I've read people post elsewhere on DOL how it would be "cruel" to do this with a people-orientated breed like this ;). He didn't care- we spent a lot of time outside with him, playing and just hanging out. I have photos of him attending both kid bushwalks and tea parties- very versatile dog ;).

As others have said- it's a natural thing for your dog to want to do. Even my miniature poodle (not reknowned for their prey drive) has killed a bird that was too slow in the backyard. Has chased chickens, too, though not given the opportunity to kill them.

I'm not a training expert, but they often advise that you go back to basics when your dog isn't responding. Go back to using food as bribery until your dog is consistently responding well, then make the food an intermittent reward, then phase out (if you don't like to use it). Going back and reteaching the right behaviours isn't something that would do any harm.

Yeah, I can understand that! Our trainer told off an owner for repeatedly 'kneeing' her dog in the chest in front of the whole class ;) I noticed it too, more because I was checking out the owner's nice-looking GSD, and my impression was that she was just blocking the dog so he didn't jump. Trainer made it sound as if she was being abusive ;) and didn't suggest anything specific to otherwise stop the behaviour. I just take what I can from classes- they're all volunteers, so there's no point getting upset about it at our club.

Just have a chat with the groomer..... If you're to be a regular client, I'd say they'd be happy to see a well-brushed dog. They may be happy to show you, but may need to know in advance . Good groomers are often very busy! Sadly, some people allow their dogs to become a matted mess before taking them to the groomer.

Glad he's OK. Try lifting a 25kg standard poodle into the back of a hatchback or 4WD. The breeder said not to jump in/out while his bones are growing . I see people laughing at me. Have poodle, must have thick skin. Meanwhile the 8kg poodle leaps in ... ;)

It's very high in salt, isn't it? Some people add a little kelp (is that in it?) as a supplement.

My dog recently started to limp and I was very glad that another DOLer suggested vet asap. You'll be kicking yourself if you could have done something earlier to address the problem.

I'd encourage you to follow your vet's advice to the letter if you want her to recover well. 8 weeks will seem like a long time, but it's only a short time in her overall life. Most important thing is for her leg to heal properly! My breeder had one of her dogs seriously injure his leg and felt sorry for her active dog. Vet said, "Well, do you want it to heal or not?". A small dish of water only during the day, then drinks once you're home? Something highly absorbent in the crate e.g. puppy pads?

Cortisone regularly gets a bagging because it gives a 'quick fix' to many problems and is overprescribed. Side effects? Yes. In your case, it's a question of balance: Will this drug improve my dog's quality of life? If, yes then I wouldn't hesitate to use it, especially given his poor prognosis. The side effects can be serious, but don't dismiss the drug entirely. Cortisone (or similar) is widely used for humans with cancer also as it's a very effective drug. Does nothing to cure the cancer, but can help with quality of life. Talk it over with your vet. So sorry to hear about your dog

Depending on the dose of cortisone, you might need to decrease the dose b4 stopping it entirely. It's only a stop-gap measure for sure . Need to treat the cause. I read on another allergy thread that you need to experiment with antihistamines- some work better than others, depending on the individual dog e.g. a 10 day trial of different ones.

I'd be cautious, too! General anaesthetic for cleaning only 2 teeth? That does not sound right . Was the vet doing anything else? I've had a set of pliers in my dog's mouth and he didn't need an anaesthetic for it (piece of bone caught across top of his mouth). You can buy a dental descaler e.g http://www.oztion.com.au/buy/auction.aspx?...estguy77&s=. The person selling these is on DOL: Nicestmann77. I bought my clippers and clipper blades from him and excellent service. Is she able to tolerate raw bones? I find they're excellent for keeping the dog's teeth in good condition, though possibly it's necessary to clean for a good result at her age.

You'd have a hard time at my class- the instructor said we were all as bad as Celebrity Dog School (TV show where no-idea, c-list celebrities tried to get their dogs to do some basic obedience and agility). I take my standard poodle and she obviously doesn't like his breed, either. Doesn't say anything, but you can tell with the body language. The more disobedient and hyper the dog, the more she likes them. One trainer who seemed interested in Charlie when I registered said, "I must be the only one who likes poodles at this club!". Ah, the thick skins we need to have ;) Some days, when you're not doing as well as you'd like, it can get to you a bit ... :D . eta: You're getting him desexed, so why all the bother?

I have been using the Clever Collar for around 8 months now and here is my review The Clever_Collar is a limited slip collar which is also used as the dogs everyday collar which means that I can use for training without having to take it off afterwards, also made from soft material it is gentler and not as harsh as the choke chain or spike collar. Also being adjustable means I can control the level of correction the dog receives as a trainer this is an important and unique aspect for me, oh I forgot again unlike choke chains if you put it on incorrectly the dog can still breathe and it doesn't mark or cut the dogs fur. All in all the Clever_Collar offers excellant training and animal welfare outcomes It is a fantastic design and if you can get one then as far as I am concerned you should... all collars suitable for training should be like the Clever_Collar. Regards Lidermar Sounds like you're selling them :D. All the equipment in the world is no substitute for a little training, done often.

Is he handsome, or what?

Sorry, I can't help with a groomer, but can you get your breeder to show you? Also, the right type of slicker is important- SOFT or EXTRA SOFT- some are too harsh and more devices of torture than brush . I bought a cheap supermarket one and found this the hard way.

No, you're not disciplining too much. But the trick is to also catch them being good. Once they've stopped doing the wrong thing and are being good (or even doing nothing at all) praise++. Food treats are good while they're learning, too. Start training asap and keep being consistent and you'll have a dog that knows what's expected and will be a lot more fun to live with. No. You won't be there to tell them off every time they do it, so don't bother at all. Unless you do it very time, the dogs just won't get it. You have to make the pen secure and may have to dig some of that chicken wire into the ground or use some other sort of barrier.

I put pup outside with our other dog for company. He was 9 weeks old, but had his poodle fur for warmth, plus he was outside in autumn, not winter. I bought a crate, but rarely used it and sold it. I can hardly remember what we did with our now 6 year old dog. Laundry in a modified cardboard box + blanket, then outside I think. We tried the laundry with new pup, but the whining was unbelievable, so gave up on it very quickly.

Let us know how he goes ....

I'd go to the vet. I'd feel better having it checked out and knowing exactly what I should do for rest/exercise etc. It's possible that it's something else. My understanding is that dogs can put up with quite a bit of pain without letting it affect them too much. My dog can dislocate his knee without so much as a yelp. Don't know about you, but I'd be yelping!! So, Riley must be in a lot of pain. Best wishes

They're a puppy farm ;) :D. You can always ask, but ask for copies of the paperwork. I think you'll find they weren't done. I'm not sure what they'd do if you took him to the vet . If they did XRays, they're often done under a general anaesthetic and you'd probably be looking at about $200. There's always a small risk with general anaesthetic and I wouldn't have it done without good reason. I'm not sure that a "click" without any other signs of problems qualifies? Only a vet can decide, though. If he seems fine, otherwise, I'd not worry but mention it to the vet next time you're there. Also ask his trainer if they notice anything?

18kg . My lean standard poodle weighs 25kg! Perhaps she will settle in as it's only been 24 hours. There was a similar thread about a mini poodle in a similar situation but the advice isn't breed specific.http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=112988&hl= * Smaller meals, more often- easier to digest * Don't rush in to "fatten her up" too quickly- can do more harm than good. * Avoid high fat foods, especially in the early days- risk of pancreatitis (can be fatal). That takeaway chicken would need the skin off, for example. Other good advice was to avoid clipping off the whole coat as the coat can give the dog some cushioning on boniest areas (if possible).

I 'm not a vet. Could be nothing? Just make a note of it and keep an eye out for any signs of difficulty or abnormal movement. Dogs can tolerate pain well and it's not always obvious. If worried, see the vet. Health testing and hip scoring is rarely done on 'labradoodles', so risk of hip problems is unknown unless you can get hip scores for his sire and dam?? Both poodles and labs can suffer from hip dysplasia, so being a cross is no advantage .

I agree. It's always been ugly, only the skin was covering it up before. I had to have this done with bite wounds that became infected on my dog's face- looks awful but heals well.

My standard poodle recently had luxating patellas diagnosed at the vet. I noticed a limp that happened for only < 5minutes, then seemed fine again shortly afterwards. It's much more common in smaller breeds. The 'bowlegged' look you describe can make a luxating patella more likely- a curved thigh bone puts the ligament out of alignment. My dog would suddenly hold up one of the back legs off the ground (usually after running off leash), no squeal of pain, then he'd seem to test it briefly, then looked 100% OK with it. Some dogs will yelp when the 'knee' pops out. My vet did XRays, though some say that's not really necessary. If it's severe they often just go ahead with the op without XRay. The vet will be able to pop out the knee easily in the clinic. If there's some question about what else is going on, they might XRay under sedation or a general anaesthetic. I was told if you leave it and it's frequent the dog will develop arthritis prematurely in the knee. Best wishes .