Poodle wrangler

The shaking is good for helping dislodge the waxy debris at the bottom of the ear canal. Don't let him do until you've given the fluid a little massage near the base of his ears, though. I'm guessing vet showed you how to do the ears. Sometimes the gunk can look a dark reddish brown with an infection present. Keep up the cleaning .

Is he in your avatar? Good-looking dog. The dry foods suggested by others are designed to be fed exclusively. They provide a lot of calories (and nutrients) for "something to fill him up". I only have one large dog, but far less muscle than a rotti , so can't recommend for your breed. Does he need to maintain, gain or lose weight? If you're happy with his weight and condition, I'd leave his diet alone. IMHO, dry food that stays fresh in a bag for many months must be less nutritious than fresh foods and/ or BARF. ETA: What's your price range? Brands like Nutro, Eagle Pack, Royal Canin, Eukanuba are >$90 per 15kg bag. Ziwipeak is even more.

I got some excellent ideas about dog food on a budget here: http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?...c=95984&hl= Many superpremium dry foods are imported which must contribute to higher prices. Nutro, Royal Canin, Nutrience, Eagle Pack, Eukanuba, Hills Science etc. are in the $80-110 per 15 kg bag price range. They'll usually refund if your dog doesn't like it. My dogs are doing well with raw foods (chicken necks/ wings/ backs, pet mince, raw meaty bones) and kibble mix about 50:50. I think fresh foods have much more benefit to dogs. Fresh, human grade chicken wings are only about $2.50/ kilo in supermarkets. For dry food, I've started pup on Coprice Puppy (Australian made) but it's first ingredient is rice, which means I give fresh meats in addition. So far, so good. They have an adult version, also. Supercoat didn't agree with pup, but was good for my older dog. Purina have a promotion where you can try a 1.5kg (puppy) or 3kg (adult) bag of their dry food and they'll reimburse you if you do the "30 day challenge" (answer questions by email). A 3kg bag is about $13 in major supermarkets. Haven't tried it, yet. They also sell a 7kg size bag in adult, but only 1.5kg for puppy. When you find a food or mix of foods that agrees with your dog, stick to it. Might take a bit of trial and error, though. Good luck .

If you want to pull out ear hair later on, for maintenace, a little ear powder makes it easier to grab .

This is meant only in a constructive way: You might be creating a fussy eater by offering different, more interesting food when the dog refuses the first offer . Many advise to feed your dog the same foods day in, day out, to avoid this problem. It's only natural they'll prefer tastier foods. Dogs aren't stupid and will not starve themselves . It's OK for a growing pup to be quite lean. Is he otherwise healthy? My standard poodle pup has tried being a fussy eater i.e. just leaves kibble and follows me every time I go to the fridge looking hungry and pathetic. He know where the fresh food is- chicken wings, pet mince etc.. He's lean, but not underweight. When it becomes clear no more fresh food is forthcoming, he WILL eventually eat the kibble. I now feed the fresh foods only once a day so he knows not to expect it at other times and this has helped. If you're concerned, you could weigh your dog weekly to make sure he continues to gain weight. A good way to stay objective. Best wishes .

How did you go?

I did the opposite with my standard poodle pup- he got underweight when I fed by the packet instructions. Lucky the breeder babysat him for a couple of days early on and set me straight- he's a bigger dog and needs more food. You did the right thing to cut back the food. It's not cruel to keep pup lean, but it is to keep him fat, now you've seen a problem's developing. Labs can get hip problems and many advise keeping pups lean, not growing too fast, to avoid these problems. You can cut it down further if he doesn't slim down quite quickly without causing any harm whatsoever. He'll adapt very quickly with none of the psychological issues humans have with food. Raw bones with a little meat left on can keep him busy without giving too many calories. Ditto mashed cooked veges mixed into food can help him feel fuller. Sounds like he's getting enough exercise, already, and most advise not to overexercise pups. They say you should be able to feel the ribs with the flat of your hand- like corrugated iron. When you look at the dog side-on, you should see a "waist" (narrowing) before the dog's rear end. No hip bones or backbones should be visible, though it's OK to see ribs when they're stretched out on their side, for example. Good luck .

I'm not sure. Did they simply forget this was the first vacc.? Can you double check with the vet. The Protech Duramune c3 is supposed to last for at least 3 years, but after the 2nd vacc. From Gazette APVMA (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) 6, 7 June 2005 page 12:

Not a stupid question at all. Not everyone agrees on the vaccination schedule. Here's lots of useful info: http://www.dolforums.com.au/lofiversion/index.php/t630.html

Hi. I found these useful hints in another thread about a VERY overweight dog. I'm not sure your dog is, but you it's still useful (the thread was full of lots of other crap, so have edited). Feeding can be an emotional issue for some people: food=love. Remember dogs are dogs, not people, and they don't have the psychological issues around food many people have. They'll quickly adjust to less food without resentment. There are also "senior" and "weight management" formulas in supermarket kibbles if your budget doesn't stretch to the superpremium brands. Espinay: Cordelia: sas: Best wishes. It's great that you're helping your dogs lose weight- they'll live longer and happier .

Apparently a cheap can of dog food (amount suitable for your size of pup) will do the trick. IF that's the problem. Pups need worming fortnightly (sorry if telling you stuff u already know).

I noticed that about the puppy foods, too. I can get a freebie bag of 1.5-3kg dog food from Purina One, but the puppy food only comes in 1.5kg bags. Totally inconvenient size for a large dog. When I looked at the nutrition panel- yeah, minimal difference, so might try the adult version. Pup is 5 months and also gets pet mince, chicken necks/ wings/ frames, some bones and Livamol mixed into food. Lovely boy, Tangwen. bloss, was going to suggest you get a refund as most superpremium brands do that even if your dog just doesn't like the food. Why can you never find receipts when you need them? . ETA: I had my pup largely on Supercoat with the kind of stools you describe. Stools improved greatly when reduced kibble to only about 50% diet- the rest pet mince, chicken wings/ backs/ necks, meaty bones etc. Firmer, smaller poos. Visited parents and took dogs and less fresh, more kibble --> bigger fluffy poos.

My thought, too. I got a ball from the bargain bin which is also designed to be chewed for $5. Bargain as a tennis ball lasts < 1 day around here.

oonga, I'm with you. I can't see the value in some 'super premium' foods. I can't fathom why they're imported, either (e.g Royal Canin from France). That must drive up costs considerably. Some DOLers gave me lots of great ideas in the 'Dog food on a budget' thread: http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?...c=95984&hl= for us who love their dogs, but can't/ don't want to pay those prices.

I'd love to have them bathed and clipped at the groomers, shmoo. Very relaxing for me and poodles feel so nice after a proper fluff-dry ;) . Alas, must justify the $200 clippers, scissors etc. in the garage. I think it'd cost about $100 for a mini and standard poodle . Fair enough- lots of work involved- but not viable on a monthly basis until I win lotto . Great thing about poodles is they don't get really smelly unless they roll in something (evil Oscar ).

This link says 30:1 still.... http://www.balgownievet.com.au/1_gen_derm_ear_clean.htm But I'm sure I've read elsewhere that 1:50 was found to be just as effective as 1:30 (sorry, can't find the link ).

Mine love them with kibble. Noticed a nicer coat on my sister's dog after she started a tin or 2 a week. Zero gut problems for them. Cheapie, no name brands are great.

About crates: Kids can easily open them and stick fingers in. I wasn't joking about those ends of fingers being bitten off by a Maltese:( . The guy was in hospital because they had also become infected and he needed intravenous antibiotics!

helen suggested this website http://www.vetsallnatural.com.au/index.html in another thread: http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?...97788&st=75. I can't see what the actual ingredients are, though, and it's not a real kibble, but a "natural diet" (not sure what that means?). Perhaps raw/ fresh foods would be worth a try, instead of kibble? Kibble that stays "fresh" in the bag for many months can't be great for a sensitive dog's health.

Had a look at the website, but where are the ingredients? How to you make it up? Thanks .

My dog had a small umbilical hernia repaired at the same time as desexing at 6 months. It caused him no probs and vet said she'd have left it if he wasn't getting desexed anyway. In an true umbilical hernia, part of the bowel comes thru a weakness in the muscle wall. It is not a problem unless the bowel becomes twisted and/or stuck such that the blood supply gets cut off ("strangulated hernia") --> dead bowel --> leaks into abdomen --> life threatening + emergency surgery required. If it were my dog, I'd be OK with checking the hernia daily, especially if my vet said all was OK. It must be "reducible" i.e. can be gently poked back in. If not, strangulation is possible. It would be a shame to put your dog through a general anaesthetic if not really necessary. Have another chat with your vet, if only to put your own mind at rest?

At 11 years of age, I suspect he might need his teeth done at the vet . My MIL had this same prob with her older dog unable to eat bones. By the time she'd messed about with toothbrushing, antibiotics, unused chew toys etc., the dog also had to have extractions done at the vet. In the meantime she'd wasted money on all that other stuff which only delayed the inevitable and the poor dog had to endure the pain of bad teeth for many months . The chew toys might not be interesting because he's a bit too sore to use them? Hard to say without a look at his teeth.

I feed both dogs twice a day, but that's just my preference and it seems to agree with my dogs. One is nearly 6 month standard poodle, other a 6 year old mini poodle. Pup's no longer interested in 3 meals a day. A lot of people suggest you leave food out for only 20 minutes, then the bowl goes away, including any food still left. Dog soon learns not to mess about and eat in this time. I do this as my toddler will otherwise play with food and dry food attracts magpies if left outside. An indicator of how well he's digesting his food is what the poo looks like- firm, small-medium size is normal. No cow pats, loose stuff or huge fluffy poos. If your dog seems happy and healthy with one meal a day, with healthy weight, do what works.

That she's gained, not lost, weight since she's been with you is a good sign. Still settling in, perhaps? My standard poodle follows me around whenever I go into the kitchen, hoping for some more fresh food and leaving dry in the bowl. I probably feed about 50:50 fresh (chicken wings, necks, mince etc.): kibble. He later gives up on me and goes and eats the dry food in his bowl. What's not eaten by bedtime, goes away. I actually did get him a little underweight by strictly following feeding instructions for his dry food- he was clearly still hungry and wanted more food of ANY kind. Novice large breed owner here.

Please get some professional help as this sounds serious. Your instincts are correct- the growling and snapping are clear signs that she will bite. A vet can check to see there's no physical reason why the dog would behave this way. Then a behaviourist or good professional trainer can help if there's no physical problem. Be realistic, also, this will cost money and take time and effort. You can be sued if she bites a stranger. A small dog can do significant damage to your children. If your dog does bite, it cannot be rehomed, it may be PTS by council. Many years ago, I nursed a man who had more than a few fingers partially amputated from a dog bite i.e. dog bit them off! Breed: Maltese. I don't know that they're aggressive as a breed, however. Owners play a great part in a dog's personality, also. What area are you in? Perhaps someone here can refer you to a good vet and or behaviourist or trainer? The dog will see itself as higher in the pecking order than a 2 or 4 year old. I'm not sure there's much you can do for this very young age group, but you should all be above her in the pecking order. A professional, after assessing your dog face-to-face, should be able to give you some idea if training will make it safe for the dog to stay with your children. In the meantime, please keep the dog away from any visitors and children. How would you feel if she really hurt someone? The signs are there she will. Best wishes