Poodle wrangler

Not all DOL threads have nasties in them . There's lots to learn here and support, too. I got a crate for our second dog, but found he toilet trained quickly without it and is not a "chewer". We have a child-dog friendly house with tiles in living areas and no precious furniture, so accidents were not going to be catastrophic. I found I just didn't want to use it. It's certainly not cruel and is not meant to be used as a cage to lock your dog into for many hours. My 3 year old has spent more time in the crate (playing "house") . Don't call DOCs, I'm not caging the kids . Do some reading about crate training, think about the situation at your place, then decide. The crate becomes the dog's den and dogs naturally don't want to soil their den, so it facilitates toilet training. You can always sell a crate or donate to a local rescue if you don't find it's for you. Crates can be bought for < $100 for staffy size. Mine's for sale, but too big for staffy . I use another crate (from airline travel) for pup in the car until he gets used to it. Newspaper + hose it out if any accidents or car sickness, too easy .

You need to get rid of the smell in the garage. Dog's smell is far better than ours, of course, and he can still smell the "spot". Will he poo on the paper outside? Praise/ treat like mad if he "performs" outdoors on or off paper. Use a word you feel comfortable with e.g. "toilet", "poo" etc. Our pup got to know what "wee wee" meant and would look at me- just as he started to go- waiting for a "Good dog!" . He had his human trained. Hopefully, the earlier feeding will make poo'ing on command unnecessary.

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I successfully trained a cat to not meow and carry on at 6am every morning. We were babysitting cat and dog and am not a "morning person". Ignoring worked brilliantly- there's no way I was going to get out of bed and bring the cat into a room with an allergic OH. Owners wanted to know how I'd cured her . Is much easier when you're not emotionally attached, too. The toilet break overnight is all business, no play- a warm, "Good dog" when they wee/poo only. Ignore any attempts for play, pats or cuddles. Perhaps put the crate somewhere suitable near your bedroom on the way to the overnight toileting area? You might as well get the benefit of all those sleepless nights, rather than have overnight weeing in bathroom.

I've not had 2 dogs before. I've had our pup with our 6 year old dog since he came to live with us at 9-10 weeks of age. I've noticed that pup has bonded with our other dog, but with us also. Is this breed dependent to some extent? The pup is a standard poodle, dog a miniature poodle, and poodles are normally people-orientated dogs. My thinking, initially, was that keeping them together would help pup settle in here. The standard is now about double the size of the mini. Mini makes up for this by being agile in play and play doesn't seem dangerous to either dog. They only spend short times separated e.g. I take the mini for >1km walks (no good for pup). I've gated the back deck stairs, but the mini can squeeze under, so they can spend a bit of time apart if the mini wants to. Neither dog seems bothered by this separation. Have I set up potential problems for the dogs?

Great . Your dog is getting a negative- you're moving away from him by standing up- and "ah ah" is a clear verbal signal. Just be consistent and he'll be trained not to do it.

As others say, no quick fix. It's a self-rewarding behaviour- lots of fun . I'd get one of those large indoor clotheslines and finish off clothes in the dryer (cheaper overall, though not ideal, I know). You still have to do the washing while you work on the problem. Sorry, am no training expert. Fencing the line is not a silly idea at all. Friends electric fenced their garden due to 2 evil Goldies. Once they'd been zapped a few times, they learned to stay out. Owner also zapped himself when watering (OUCH!!). They turned off the electricity to be more child-friendly.

Don't worry, it's never too late for walkies . I'm guessing you were told not to walk him because it's a good idea to have the 2nd lot of vaccinations on board beforehand. I have a larger breed pup and was told not to walk him for more than 5-10 minutes. They worry about the growing bones in the larger breeds. Doesn't apply to beagles, though. There's no need for > 1km walks for a pup. You can get him used to a lead in the backyard first. If you'd like him to walk nicely, look into obedience clubs in your local area. It's a skill you'll have to teach . Because beagles like to use their noses, I wouldn't take him off leash, in case he decides not to come back. I'm sure he'll enjoy all the different sights and smells. I'd keep walks short to start, especially if he's pulling on the lead (bad habit to develop). A game beforehand might help him settle before the walk. Have fun . Addit: About the food: Instructions on the pack are a guide only- my standard poodle became a little underweight with feeding per instructions. For a healthy weight, you should be able to feel the ribs easily (like corrugated iron) but not see them when dog is standing normally. You should also see a "waist" i.e. some narrowing before the dog's rear end- look side on. Overweight dogs don't live as long and are more likely to have other health problems, hence people's concern.

I'[ve read that, too. Luckily my dog's don't have overly sensitive skin and I've not had any problems using the human stuff occasionally. The Aristopet "Poodle shampoo" I have doesn't even have a list of ingredients on the label, only something like, "for use on animals only". Doesn't inspire confidence .

Sorry, I'm yet to find the perfect shampoo & conditioner :p . Our local Petstock has the best local prices and don't sell live animals . I have some human "Dermaveen" shampoo and conditioner- smells a bit coconutty- wonder if it's similar to Aloveen? Might try it. Don't like it on my hair, much. Any suggestions for good shampoo & conditioner for poodles?

:D You're kidding. Some have commercial interests here, as I'm sure you've gathered by now. Don't judge DOL by this thread. There's a lot of really helpful info. here, too. Did you want to try the foods? Companies like Nutrience and Nutro will send samples if you email them (very small packs). I've no idea what Purina One is like as a pet food, but Purina reimburse you for a 1.5-3.0kg bag if you sign up for a "30 day challenge" (answer questionnaire by email). The Purina One is in big supermarkets (Woolies, Coles etc.) not pet stores. Pup will love fresh foods like raw chicken wings, chicken necks, raw bones with meat, too. Doesn't involve any preparation and kitchen mess :p . Good luck with pup .

These seem similar, only a few dollars cheaper: http://www.freewebs.com/clipperbladesharpening/clippers.htm. Can't vouch for the clippers themselves, but I've bought different clippers, blades, had blades sharpened from Colin with zero hassles and extra helpful advice. He's on DOL, also- Nicestmann77. He's an ex-groomer, so should be able to tell you whether or not they're suitable for the jobs you want to use it for. I use higher power type, but I shear 2 poodles every month or so . People seem happy with Clipperworld, also, but I haven't bought there b4.

I saw liquid glucosamine (for humans) at the local BiLo. They advertised it was "more easily absorbed" (?). Thought a liquid might be easier for dogs. Sorry, don't know dosages. A pointer's about 25-30kg?. Average human more than double that. This website has some suggested dosages, but I've no idea whether or not it's correct: http://www.arthritis-cats-dogs.com/article-detail.php?ID=208. Other things that help are gentle exercise e.g. swimming, and keeping the dog lean (less weight for joints to carry). Good luck .

Crates are also good for containing vomit if you have to do longer drives . A bit pricey if you wouldn't otherwise use it, though.

My 5 month old standard poodle has dropped the "lunchtime" meal, himself, so I'm feeding 2 meals a day, plus the odd bone or chicken wing extra snack. People advised me to keep a large dog lean, even as a pup, so his bones grow properly- not too fast, or carrying too much weight .

I'm just starting obedience and the trainer asked we bring something small, soft and high value to dog. I WAS using the Nature's Gift dry treats with are gone in a few chews. She preferred something soft that's gone quicker and I'm new so did as I was told. I used devon pieces (one of her suggestions) last night and got soggy, gooey, cold fingers with bits of devon attached (pathetic, I know, but I don't like meat much in general). Dog happy. We don't eat a lot of meat at home, but dogs get raw mince, bones, chicken wings etc. Any suggestions for wusses like me? Dog's a standard poodle. Class goes for about an hour, so I get thru a fair few treats e.g. about 2/3 cup last night. I deduct it off dinner, but I just realised that's an awful lot. If I gave him that much cheese, he'd be sick.

This amounts to rewarding the "flipping out" behaviour. If you keep rewarding a behaviour, the dog will do it more often i.e. you might be training him to "flip out" (unintentionally). It's easier for someone else to see this kind of thing; harder with your own dog . This is where starting some basic obedience can really help- club or privately. Ask here if someone can recommend someone in your area. I'd give the walks a rest until you feel you're a bit more in control e.g. teach her to sit reliably first, at home. With treats, it helps if you use them when you're dogs a little bit hungry e.g. time your walks so they're just before a meal is due. Also, make it something your dog loves e.g. I use cheap devon roll cut into little pieces. Some dogs love squeaky toys even more than food, so you can use this instead. As long as it's something the dog LOVES. For small dogs, especially, if you use treats don't forget to reduce their next meal accordingly. Bichon's are usually intelligent dogs and she'll have you trained if you don't train her first. I've got poodles and they're the same .

Humans on Frusemide (Lasix) twice a day, have one dose in the morning (e.g. 6-8AM), 2nd at lunchtime (12PM-2PM) to avoid the weeing all night phenomenon . The symptoms you describe sound like heart failure. When the heart can't pump effectively, the fluid tends to build up in the lungs (white, frothy fluid she coughed up) and difficulty breathing. Medication can help manage the problem, but doesn't cure it. Sometimes a few different medications can be used together with better results, but it all depends on your Dane's health overall i.e. something to talk over with the vet. You have to decide what is reasonable to do in her case and given her age. Table salt is sodium chloride. Body salts include the others mentioned by previous posters. Potassium rates a special mention because very low potassium levels can precipitate abnormal heart rhythms (i.e. potentially fatal). Slow release potassium supplements can be taken, but I don't know about this in dogs, sorry.

Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. Dr Ian Billinghurst. It's huge topic- best to use the search function. Many dogs do really well on it. Anyone looking to get rid of food that's OK, just not suitable for your dog, try giving away to your local rescue place or even the local pound . Our local Pet Stock store has a big bin for this purpose. Not sure if this is everywhere, though.

Sounds like a good idea. I work in health and it's amazing the difference between what's been said and what people take away from that: I overhear a lot of phone calls to relatives . As been said already- it's a virus, so antibiotics only needed if there's a bacterial infection, too. It's like giving a person antibiotics for a bad cold- bad medicine. My smaller dog had kennel cough. Seemed almost like he was trying to vomit at the same time. It's a definite, frequent cough. I was away when he had it and OH took him to vet- antibiotics prescribed and given. He'd been kennelled (with a current C5) and the cough was nasty, so I was happy to give them in case he also had a bacterial infection. Codeine is a painkiller and causes constipation in humans.

Better Homes and Gardens had a staffy on the show who behaved in a similar way. Dr Harry's solution was to have the dog travel in the area behind the passenger seat, on floor. Can't remember what they used to keep him down there, but I'm sure you could easily rig something using your harness and a long leash/ rope/ length of chain from hardware shop etc.- attach to the hardware under the passenger seat. What they used was quite short, so the dog couldn't get itself tangled or get anywhere near the front of the car. Theory was the dog was overexcited by all the sights, sounds etc. when travelling in back seat. More settled when less to see. Perhaps worth a try as it'll cost next to nothing.

Ditto. A "shot" (injection?) is also faster-acting than tablets. Give in the morning and it should be all over by night-time. I don't know what would cause her to be completely incontinent of urine, though, if this was never a problem b4.

Young pups really don't need walking for exercise, but once she's had her 2nd vaccinations, I'd take her for very short walks near home. They love the different smells, sights and sounds. You can get her used to a lead in the yard, before this. A light one. Any collar you buy will be too small later on, so don't splurge early. When we brought our mini poodle home at 8 weeks, we used a cardboard box with old small blanket indoors- good insulation, cosy + easy to replace if chewed. Have a look at crates, but I'm not a big fan, myself. Depends on your set up at home and how catastrophic any accidents could be. You can put newspaper or an old blanket in a crate- something that's easy to wash or disposable in case of accidents. Buy a "nice" bed once pup's thru the chewing stage. Yes. Should you decide you want a crate, you can be sure pup won't get into trouble. It's good for pup to get used to being alone at times, actually. Make sure you're yard is puppy proof if you plan to leave her outside while you're out. Most breeders have information sheets or booklets about bringing your puppy home. Can you get one b4 bringing pup home? Best wishes

Sorry, edited the earlier post to include the link to the vet from the youtube video website (http://www.petcarenaturally.com/articles/diet-supplements.php). From that site: I had a look at the Nutro site, but couldn't see anything specific about how their "meal" is produced (?). Is dry Nutro imported from the US? ETA: Link to thread about an Australian-made super premium: http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?showtopic=97788. Just be aware there's some blatant sales pitches there, also.

Think you're right. Dogs aren't stupid. She knows something tastier will become available .