Poodle wrangler

I clip the fur on the penis really short with clippers. Don't have clippers? Maybe some sharp scissors (otherwise scissors will 'chew' and pull the fur, not cut it) and great care . No tufts here, but I'd defer to pf as she has more experience with grooming and dogs in general

:D You weren't worng about the expensive taste! Glad to hear you're happier with his weight. the fat cat

What a beautiful dog . I went to a dog show about a year ago to see standard poodles, and ended up sitting near and chatting with a dane breeder/ showie. Had never seen much of the breed, but one of her dogs liked me and a got some lovely dane cuddles . Very gentle.

One of the spot-on products put on monthly should kill the fleas. I got a freebie of Frontline from the vet and it didn't work, however. Used Advantix after that with no problems. Tried Capstar but it's only a short-term solution and fleas came back. pricelesspets.com.au have good prices. Sorry, no experience with Advantage, but plenty of others use it. One of these longer-acting products is certainly the way to go . Treat all dogs in the house, wash bedding etc. Vacuum any carpets daily for while also, then put some insecticide in the bag so nothing breeds in there. I'm not keen on the washes as they've got to be harsh to kill fleas and will worsen any skin problems.

Other male never had this. OK, I'm official :D I hereby pronounce internet diagnosis of : Male pup with willy-goo (aka cheesy doodle). In the absence of other symptoms, will just get it looked at when they desex him. While they're down there ... pf, "shaved pets" . I was banned from naming the new poodle "Shawn/ Shaun/ Sean". I'm so unappreciated :D Rappie, does that mean the vet hospitals are full of perverse people, just like human hospitals? Where's the TV drama?

Thanks for the replies to my gross topic :D . I thought I should get it checked as he's booked to be desexed in a few weeks. Better not to have him under anaesthetic with an infection, I guess. He's recently started occasional humping behaviour with our other dog, so this makes the smegma theory seem plausible (?; thanks pf). There aren't any of the other signs like blood, licking, "unwell" symptoms and the "lipstick" seems to come out normally. At least he doesn't cock his leg, so should be easier to catch in the container. :D Things we do for our dogs.

Vet's not available today, but I've got an appt for tomorrow. Dog's seems happy and healthy, apart from this problem. The dogs were wrestling and when Charlie (5 month standard poodle pup) rolled over his penis looked as though it had a bit of pus on it :D . Yep, pus confirmed at opening of penis and fur there a little 'crunchy' ? I've noticed areas on the lawn yellowing where he's pee'ed, also. I watched him last time he peed- comes in spurts sometimes. I see this in the older dog when he's marking territory, but Charlie's 5 months old and doesn't lift his leg. He has free access to water and is fed kibble and a chicken/ meat mince, chicken necks/ wings/ frames. About 50:50 fresh: kibble. When I clipped around his penis a couple of weeks ago, there was a bit of whitish-yellow discharge, but I thought not much of it as the fur there was longer and I thought it was moist old urine. In retrospect, pus may have been there then. I'm not after an-over-the-net diagnosis, but any idea what it could be? Will I need to get a urine sample b4 seeing the vet tomorrow morning?

My dog had no problems at all and he was microchipped at the same time :D

Sorry, am not sure. I got the 'C5' just in case kennelling was required at some stage in the next year- usually the minimum requirement.

I'm not sure what it could be? How long has it been going on? When my dog had kennel cough, it sounded like a cross between a cough and attempt to vomit. I think you need to see the vet, to be sure he's OK.

If changing you pup's food, do it gradually over about 4 days, mixing the new in with the old. Pup should be on 3-4 small meals/ day. To avoid creating a fussy eater, feed much the same thing each day, rather than offering pup a "smorgasboard" :p . I'm not sure where you got your pup, but friends of mine were sold a mixbreed and given some bad information from their "breeder" e.g. tablescraps were the best food for their dog (not true), no info about worming their dog fortnightly, heartworm, tick/ flea prevention etc. Please ask here if you don't have much info. ETA: I give my dogs any meat mince raw, not cooked. Bones MUST be raw or will splinter and cause problems.

Many DOLers prefer not to give the yearly heartworm injection due to possible side effects. Something to discuss with your vet if you're considering it. It's easy to give a monthly heartworm tablet which includes cover for most of the intestinal worms, too e.g. Interceptor Spectrum (just what I use, not trying to spruik it).

People often find the food they have is unsuitable. Local rescue would probably be very grateful for any donations. One of our local petstores has a bin for this reason to give to local rescue- nice idea :p . Also, Bilby, you might be able to get a refund? When I looked at one of the more expensive brands, they said it's guaranteed and you can get a refund if your dog doesn't like it (company reimburses the pet store).

My mini poodle lost a nail on a front paw (? tore it out somehow?) and it has not grown back normally since. It's misshapen and falls off before getting to normal length. Doesn't seem to cause distress, so I've not had it looked at. Sorry, not sure how long it took to grow back the first time, but was a least a couple of weeks to show through.

When it's on, you could casually offer a few treats (when pup hungry, also) to reward getting closer. You could put food bowl in the same room if practical, then slowly move it closer to the heater. Keep it all very matter-of-fact, so pup doesn't get the idea that being a big goose gets lots of attention. My pup's not scared of many things, but you'd have thought a plastic bag at training was a burglar the other night. I casually walked him up to it and told him he was an absolute goose for barking at a plastic bag . Was fine, then.

I was told by the man in shop to feed a standard poodle medium breed although they're a large dog, too. Wrong stuff. Some brands have a lab on the packet for the medium breed kibble, too . Large breed formulations usually have less protein and less calories. Be guided by suggestions of the lab breeders out there.

Yep, first dog first. The pup will keep you busy come August. Good luck .

I like the Lupine collars, too. If your dog chews it they'll replace it . Nylon. Anything a bit wider, soft and lightweight would be worth trying instead of the leather. Persist. Perhaps keep the leather one for outings/ fancy dress once pup's used to the other one . I have a leather collar for one of the dogs, but don't use it as an everyday collar.

I've read elsewhere that crazy, hyperactive or even aggressive behaviour can be associated with food allergies (not true 'allergies', more like intolerance of some ingredient(s)). Not sure if this is true for your case, or pup just wants play, play, play. Does she do the same after her morning food? You have to start as you mean to go on.... i.e. do you want an adult dog jumping all over you and biting you? If not, train her and the sooner you start the better. You use food/ bribery to begin with, then go on from there. It doesn't take away from your dog's character, but gives you and her a way to communicate. Dogs have a great time training as you're giving them lots of attention. You can join a club or there's lots of advice on giving your dog leadership on DOL. It's SOOO nice to have a trained dog . Addit: Every day, you're training your dog whether you realise it or not. Best of luck .

Do you have a photo, so we can see his weight? How young, exactly? I don't think anyone's trying to make out it's all your fault because you've been spoiling the dog. So, you do feed him the same thing i.e. same BARF mix and kibble every day? No variation? I got the impression the mix varied if he didn't eat it, sorry. As you say there's nothing medically wrong with him, this MUST be a behavioural problem. Not eating for 4 days is fine provided your dog's drinking normally. Obviously, you feel for your dog and would prefer they did eat, but would it be acceptable if it was part of solving the problem?

Sorry, am no expert on raw bones, but marrow bones are high fat- once dog gets to the marrow- and can contribute to pancreatitis if your dog has too many marrow bones. Raw bones, especially with some meat, are great, though. Oops, is meat OK with your dog needing a low purine diet? When you say a blockage, gallstones? If so, marrow is not good as high fat.

I'm thinking diet, too. What do you feed at the moment? Don't worry, not all of us can afford to feed the $$$ dog food, but perhaps people can suggest something to suit you if we have a budget to work to . Raw bones with some meat left on are great for cleaning teeth. My mini poodle is 6 years old and had good teeth, but I noticed the difference when I gave him more bones when we got our pup- whiter and better breath. I just bought a couple of bags of brisket bones (about 8-10 in each) for $1.70 at the local produce store. Fresh foods like chicken necks/ wings/ frames can be good to add, also. My dog's breath smells better when they eat more raw food, but I don't have the freezer space or stomach for any more than about 1/2 their diet.

My sister is a dietician and I work in health also. Ideas on a healthy human diet keep changing, with a lot of research. How nutrients in food interact is not well understood e.g. it's about more than just the vitamins and minerals because when you give these as supplements they don't always have the same good effects you might have hope for- they now advise to avoid supplements (unless for a special medical condition) and eat the healthy food where the vitamins and minerals are found. If they can't work out what's best for humans, how do they know what's best for dogs . Is there any research independent of pet food companies? Doesn't it defy common sense to say that dry food that keeps "fresh" in a bag for many months is more nutritious than fresh, raw meats/ bones? If the vitamins and minerals in dry food are added as supplements, wouldn't it be better to add your own supplements to BARF? I don't know, but guess that a mix of better quality kibble and fresh food is hedging your bets for dog nutrition.

The legal requirements would be worth looking into b4 you convince yourself you'll justify the cost by renting it . There will be legal issues even if people use it for free. Remember those cases of burglars suing for tripping over something in someone's home? If it's what you really want and you can afford it, go for it! I read it that the OP's loan is <$5000. I can't imagine the pool would be so cheap. Best wishes for whatever you decide .

Not sure where your getting your figures but approximately Nutro, Eagle Pack, Royal Canin start from around $77, Eukanuba $74 for 15kg bags. Some of the super premium range goes slightly over $90 but most Adult Maintenance are between $70 - $80. Prices are actually worse in my local area as we're regional South Coast, NSW. I mention the price range as these brands are often mentioned, but are unaffordable for some people. But these are some online prices (some inc. delivery to metropolitan areas): Eukanuba: http://www.vetproductsdirect.com.au/vetpro...mp;eq=&Tp=; or http://www.petshops.com.au/catalog/product...4812aa24e1de1d4 Royal Canin: http://www.petshops.com.au/catalog/product...4812aa24e1de1d4 Eagle Pack: http://www.petdeli.com.au/ Nutro: http://www.naturalpetstore.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=IR-525 Please tell us if you know of some cheaper prices online or local to you . I'd encourage people to shop around as pet store prices can vary so widely.