Ci

I do think you need to vaccinate but not overvaccinate.Never every year. I have always vaccinated my dogs every three or four years. And when they get elderly more often as they are at more risk then. All my cats have/were only ever done when they had to be like if kennelled if I went away for example - maybe twice in their whole lives and all of them have lived to a rip old age and were/are as healthy as can be.

I am bring this back up as I am taking my two to get their shots tomorrow and am worried about it. They have not had shots for three years. They had all their puppy ones and then their first year ones and nothing since. No adverse reactions to any of these shots. So the vet reckons they will be fine. I plan to keep an eye on them. But how often to adverse reactions happen - the vet told me he has seen maybe two/three in the last several years.

How sad for you I am so sorry to hear this. He sounded like such a beautiful dog. R.I.P Kumo

Poor thing little...............hope he gets better soon and they find out what the problem so it doesn't happen again to the poor guy! And Nufern for your other problem works wonders!!!!

Maybe turn up with him??? By the time you get there, you might not have long to wait and then they can see for themselves that he is sick.

Hope the little guy is OK. It does sound like a vet check is the best idea. Hopefully he is just alittle off colour and nothing too serious is going on!

Good luck!!!!! Hope he improves overnight and is back to his old self in the morming.

Take him to the vet!!!!! Don't muck around with it! Diarrohea in puppies can be very dangerous as it can dehydrate them very quickly. I would say more than likely something in the water has made him sick and at that age he needs the proper medical attention as you do not want him to get any worse. The shots won't help him if he has caught something in his stomach!

Oh what happened to my post???? Yes I understand it changes - new dog comes along, alpha dog gets old etc etc Thats why I wrote unless you challenge them.

Just a thought - do delta deny the Domanince and Heirarchy in dogs because of the type of dogs they could to become theraph dogs? I mean the dogs have to be pretty stable and be able to cope so it stands to reason that they would not easily react to something.

But the thing is a totally domanint dog is not "aggressive" as such. They are actually quite cool and calm and collected as they have nothing to prove to anyone. Unless you challenge them and then they will let you know that you are pushing it and if you keep going then they will become aggressive. As someone else posted - it is Beta dog, trying to get to Alpha that are aggressive. And of course fear aggressive dogs.

Hi K-9, sorry I was actually to reponsing to what Aatanic posted not you, I should have used quotes. But I will say that while I was going through my training - I sawa quite a few dog trainers who did totally unnecessary things to dogs and did more damage than good. Like for example being heavy hands on timid dogs and making them very fearful. And yanking the crap out of some dogs to the point where the dogs choke and in front of owners! There are alot of BAD trainers out there and I will never understand why they are even in the industry!

I don't think "postivie" trainers have dropped the word domanince at all! They believe that if you use postive methods of training in the beginning or from the word go that you will get a much better result from the dog as you are motivating them to react rather than terrifying or hurting them into doing it. All postive trainers that I have worked with have all used and been aware of having to use negative punishment to fix problems in a said dog if postive has not worked or the dog's threshold has been risen so high that it is the only thing that the dog understands because of damage done before they even saw the dog. They will not use "unnecessary" methods on a dog if it is going to do more damage than good. A trainer is a trainer that works with whatever will work on the dog and in the dog's best interests and has the ability to change and adjust and think outside the square.

I do agree about the last bit if you have no problems with your dog. The only time that this would come into play is with a dominant dog that thinks they are in charge and are having behavioural issuses. i.e. - reacting aggressively if you try and get them off your bed or take their food bowl away. The average housedog who fits nicely in their family - wouldn't care who walks through the door first. (But I do feed my animals in a certain order to keep the peace amongst their pack - in terms of the cat always gets feed first.) It is hard when you are being taught so many things by so many people. I guess you have to use your common sense. there is a very well known behaviouralist here in Melbourne that did some lectures in my course and I tell you - I though he had no idea. His answer to everything was drugs! And he was a rip off. Our trainers make more sense and solved more dog problems that it sounded lke he did. Maybe ask why they think there is no structure in dog pack today and see what they answer is???

Well that lecturer should hang around more domestic dogs.............. I can't believe someone from a course like that would be allowed that kind of thinking??? That in itself would be one of the keys to whats going on with a dog that has aggression in some form. And what about all the stuff you are taught - you are number one - dog is lowest in your family etc etc etc. And we were taught all about heirarchy in my dog training course. I would be asking questions about this if I were you - if not him then someone else as it does seems a strange thing to teach................. I know with just my lot - there is a definite pecking order happening.

A vest is a good idea!!! I would be keeping the rope on her for a while too! Most Staffords love water and thats one of the problem - in their jump and they can't get out or get tired or keep swiming in the wrong direction!! If she doesn't start to show signs of understanding the idea of swimming in deep water then it might be best just to keep her in the kiddies pool and let her have a play, little swim and run afterwards. Unlike popular thinking - swimming doesn't come natural to all dogs and they sometimes need to be taught how to. All my dogs have been water babies and I have taught them all as bubs to swim and thankfully I have never had a problem (touch wood). Good Luck and let us know how she goes with the vest! And short swims so she doesn't get too tired to get out! ;)

I don't know if anyone has already written this but BE VERY CAREFUL with STAFFORDS AND WATER! Drowning is one of the most common causes of death for Staffies, I was warned when I got my first Staffords by the breeder, the club and my vet. It is even in the hand book you get from the Vic club. They may love swimming but they are so heavy that they can't float and they tirer easily and quickly and drown. They also will swim under water and try and catch anything that is thrown underwater. My older cousin has had three that have drown - the first one had gone for a swim in his pool (this was like 30 years ago when there were no pool fences) and drown - probably couldn't find his way out. The next two both drown in the creek. You would think my cousin would have learnt after the second one. Glad to say that his fourth Stafford is still alive and well and not allowed near water. Tex loves water so I taught him how to swim when he was a baby, I would get in the pool with him or the ocean and hold him and let him do little swims til he got it but I still don't let him anyway near water without me. At the beach he use to swim out to bloody sea and I would have to call him back. I use to freaked out. So now I have trained him to tred water close to the shore and go vertically to me walking - he can still swim but he follows me not heads out further! He dives for things as well so I make sure that I don't throw anything in deeper water. But they are just too heavy to swim for very long and they can't stay afloat. And they don't understand that you can't breath under water. Of course let your dog enjoy swimming but use your brains for their saftey, make sure that you are careful and teach them how to swim. It doesn't always come natural for dogs.

So sorry to hear It always horrible to lose them in such a way. But you did the right thing and I bet she is up there thanking you for letting her go. :p :p

I use it too and I am careful how much I use. As you may remember, my cat went strange after I lost my Blue and Puddy so he was put on RR and I now use it on Sammi when she can't cope with something (She hates the wind!! Reduces her to tears!) I don't think you can give too much as in overdose but I too worry about the alchole content. I use the liquid and I always give a little bit and if in a couple of hours, it hasn't worked I give alittle more. And I only use it when I need to. Sammi and the cat have a similar amount - Tex I could give the whole bottle too and he would show no signs of even having it! I tried once as he was giving me the S****, he was having a manic day - did nothing! Maybe he was an alcholic in a former life :p

R.I.P. Little one

SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL R.I.P. SHELLEY Now you will be free run in those green pastures in the sky My thoughts are with your family

So sorry to hear of your lose.

Another innocent victim RIP Bubby - now you will protect your family forever.....................and I hope that justice find you.

So sorry to hear that he has left you. He sounded like such a wonderful dog with the stories you use to tell. RIP Roadkill

Been feeding it for years. My Italian grandmother always feed her animals everything they and we ate so thats what our family has always done. (Except the cats have always seemed to get a mixture of both canned and BARF) Sometimes my mum will get lazy and buy canned food (very rare though) - good luck getting the dogs to eat it!!!! ;)