Dog_Horse_Girl

Great news Jodie!

Gail, she looks *GREAT*.

Exactly what Nekhbet said. Give the dog things to do or he will find his own entertainment. Dog-proof your house or whichever parts he has access to, or limit his movement by gating him or crating him. Any dog that's not used to a crate will fuss when first introduced to one but this is fixable. IMO crating a dog is a great solution - peace of mind for you (and your things!) and safety for your dog. My three dogs are always separated when I'm not home. I'm bringing my first foster home tomorrow night and she will be crated from the start. I expect some settling-in issues with ALL the dogs and I've puppy-proofed (but well enough? I'll find out!). She's about six mths old, so I reckon she will be a bit of work, but worth every second!

Gail, never feel stupid for wanting to do the right thing and feed a good diet. :D So glad to hear things are improving.

Is the chicken neck small enough to fit down in one gulp without getting stuck and causing the dog to choke? If it slides down without any problem, then it's probably safe to allow your pup to have them as is, but I think if you can give them frozen in a group ALA Noisymina's idea, that works too. I know many greyhounds that can swallow a *turkey neck* without chewing... BTW - many dogs find chicken necks go down so easily that they don't bother to chew them. IMO if you want a dog to chew a chicken neck, it's either got to be a very small dog (chihuahua size!) or a very frozen chicken neck or two!

Our vet in Melbourne charged $65.00 per dog for a C5, it was the same the previous year (2004) in Cairns...I think it was around $55 the previous year (2003) in Canberra. I'm not sure that size of the dog comes into the equation but my dogs are 3.5 kgs (was vaccinated by the rescue group in October just before I adopted her), 17 kgs, and 25 kgs. The two bigger dogs cost the same for the C5 vacc. I happily pay it b/c I figure it's much less stressful than a dog picking up something preventible by vaccine.

Jodie, again the Ollie dog spirit rises to the challenge! Well done, Ollie. Such good news.

The "better" quality yoghurts are usually called-for in these situations b/c their probiotics can be more effective. Acidopholus and bifidus are the ones to look for but most cheaper yoghurts don't have enough to make a huge difference. Jalna is an excellent choice and I've used it with great success with tummy upsets and also when a dog is taking anti-biotics. I've had success too with Inner Health Plus which is for humans, comes in powder or capsule form and works really well to restore digestive balance. And yep, avoid the fruit-flavoured yoghurts except as a treat for the dog...their culture counts are far too low to make any difference. Gail, I've got no idea about the dosage for slippery elm powder - haven't used it.

I forgot to mention: no onions (not likely that anyone would feed onions but sometimes they are in things we eat for ourselves and give leftovers to the dog) and only a small amount of tomatoes or capsicums (they are related) - I can't remember which chemical is in them that dogs are a little sensitive to, but it's something the two plants share?

Oh, she's a doll! As to vegies, I'd stick with simple: carrots, green beans, peas, zucchini, pumpkin, maybe a little tomato now and then, maybe a little sweet potato...nothing too flash or pricey. As to meat and bones, definitely steer clear of anything already minced. It's just too iffy b/c most minced products contain a heap of fat. Opt for lean meaty bones such as chicken pieces (no skin), if your mum has a nice butcher he could probably prepare some lean chops (lamb and beef would both be OK as long as they're really lean), and very lean muscle meat minced to order. I would ask for a nice piece of blade steak or rump (yes, rump!) and ask for it to be minced then and there. This can be fed either raw or cooked but IMO raw is better. I would probably avoid processed but that's my opinion based on my experiences with processed foods. I'd reckon even opting for something excellent like Eagle Pack could be dicey...it's an excellent food but has a reasonably high fat content, as all processed foods do contain high fat levels.

I don't think that Vet Products Direct is the same as the Pet Food Direct shop I went into. The place I went into had a lot of PP labeled toys and other products that PP has. They also sold Evo and CF. Vets Prod Direct online doesn't seem to sell Evo and Calif Natural which they would if they were one and the same. Thanks Bloss, that's what I had thought. I remember seeing PP and Pet Food Direct linked on the PP website...but that's changed, probably b/c Bates no longer want online customers to see the link between the two. I wonder why that is? And yep, VPD hasn't sold any of the truly high-end processed foods and I haven't seen any attempt by it to do so. So I'd say it's still safe to assume that the PP mob still own the PFD mob and then that means purchasing Innova or California Natural is out of the question...given the exclusive deal PP managed to "swindle" from the Innova folks.

How often do you take her out for a wee? IMO when a dog is learning about toileting, they should be given the opportunity to get it right about once an hour. That is, take them out ONLY to toilet every hour. Ensure you have a definite command or word, don't muck about, and praise and treat once she 'goes'. If she doesn't go, then simply take her back indoors but supervise or confine her appropriately. What I mean by that is either have her attached to you (her lead on your belt for example) or crated. In this way she can't possibly make a mistake b/c you are right there with her or she's in a small space and will let you know she needs to go out. I have found it very helpful to keep a dog that's in training on the lead for toilet stops. This helps them to focus on the job at hand rather than the birds overhead, shadows, or other dogs...whatever might distract her. For indoor cleanups, use a proper urine absorber available at good pet suppliers. Follow this with a good vacuum, and some odour neutraliser, preferably one that is designed purely for pet odours. Some dogs get toilet training really quickly, but the rest are more of a challenge! I've had both types and the longest time it took me to house train a very stubborn dog was about five months. I did all the right things, but she would toilet in her crate b/c she likely had never lived without her own mess (very sad that her previous owners never cleaned up her bedding but that's the most plausible reason we could find). Most dogs 'get it' within a couple of weeks of consistent training, diligent supervision, and appropriate confinement. A border collie is highly intelligent and usually wants to please you, so if you're doing all the right things and giving her all the right opportunities, she should be right in no time.

Thanks Mita, but I think some ppl here just like to pick on me for whatever reason (or no reason at all, as is usually the case).

Admittedly he's a real guts when it comes to any food which is gulped down really quickly - the vet said the only thing to do is divide his meal into smaller portions and give a bit at a time. At 9wks of age he gulped down a whole chicken neck in one go and still does, so I now cut them up. I haven't tried chicken wings as yet. I think this is part of the problem. Most dogs will happily work on a big bone for a good while, and by you cutting them up, this negates the dog having to do much work to eat the bone. Most dogs will gulp food if they can...but you can retrain them to go more slowly by giving them bigger bones that force them to chew and work hard. It's impossible for a dog to swallow a whole piece of brisket, for example. And swallowing a whole chicken neck is common in the medium sized dogs and larger dogs, why would they bother chewing it? Why not try some of the following: 1. Give larger portion sizes (bones). 2. Allow the dog time and seclusion to eat his meals. 3. Increase the variety of bones you offer. Not all vets agree with feeding raw bones to dogs but that's b/c they've been told that raw bones create all kinds of problems when it's usually cooked bones that do this. There is nothing wrong with your dog's motions containing pieces of bone. Nor is there anything wrong with your dog vomiting up a piece of bone. Both of these events are normal, and as your dog matures, these things will happen less frequently. My dogs' stools rarely contain bone any more and they rarely vomit bones up, but both these things happen from time to time. A dog will learn to chew his bones thoroughly as long as he's given the time and space to do so and the bones are not too small to begin with. I have a large dog (greyhound), medium sized dog (mixed breed with staffy in her) and a tiny dog (mini foxie x chihuahua). They are fed chicken frames, chicken wings, chicken necks, lamb brisket bones, lamb ribs (flap), beef brisket, lamb neck, beef ribs, roo tail pieces, and rabbit chunks when I can get them. Each dog has bones of appropriate size. The smallest dog gets lamb neck chops (or one chop to be precise) when the others get a large neck portion, and she gets chicken necks or wings but no frames, but that's b/c she only needs a small amount of food compared to the other two. She happily tucks into a portion of lamb flap (containing at least two ribs plus the flesh) and while she doesn't eat the actual bone very often, she does strip the bone bare! I hope this helps!

Mooper it's confused me too. I thought I had a handle on it but I've lost the research I did. Must have deleted history without realising...bugger. Anyway, I've been a Vet Products Direct customer for a few years, they have branched out into other areas (perhaps they have been bought out?) and I've not bought from it for a while (not since we moved from Melbourne last year). Used to be a loyal customer...but the organisation seems to be less about customer service and more about profits these days.

Oh, no Jodie. Thinking pawsitive thoughts for you and Ollie dog...this sux!

I'd suggest trying some yoghurt with probiotics and reduce or eliminate the vet's all natural for the moment. The grains might be causing a bit of fermentation? That can lead to a bum odour from the front end.

Perhaps you aren't reading clearly, Peibe? I'm definitely not an arrogant person at all...quite the opposite according to many who know me. I don't mean to confuse anyone...so I apologise to any who thought I was against the use of spray bottles when training dogs and pups - I'm NOT. :D As with any training tool, it does need to be used appropriately for greatest affect but you know that already.

Oh, really? Then I wonder how she incorrectly drew the conclusion that I disapprove of using a spray bottle in training a dog or pup? I wonder where I said that, b/c I can't find it anywhere...am I looking in the wrong place? :D Probably not, it's probably just a case of someone thinking they've read something that I haven't posted. *shrug* As an aside, some ppl here have said they use vinegar and water in the spray bottle, and I don't think that was peibe. Nor did I say that peibe used vinegar in *her* spray bottle b/c I didn't assume she uses one. I try to respond to what ppl post, not what I *think* they've posted. I think there's a difference.

Imy you know you've done a good job when the fosters go to their forever homes. As hard as it is, it's also the best feeling ever, eh?

Peibe just so you and everyone else here knows, I don't disagree with the spray bottle method. Put another way, I have no problems with it as a training tool. Just b/c I don't happen to use it on my own dogs, having never seen the need, doesn't mean I am against it. IMO it's a far kinder way to deter a dog from something than, say, belting the dog. And if I felt that one of my own dogs or a foster needed that type of training, believe me I would not hesitate in using it. I just wouldn't use vinegar and I would aim for the dog's rump rather than the front end...JMO. Perhaps you could stop trying to put words in the mouths of others?

Great news Imy! :p But they're not giving you much notice...Ella leaving in just a couple of weeks...Surely Not! ;) ;)

Bear in mind that Pet Food Direct IS Pets Paradise. So if you want to boycott a less ethical supplier, and you think PP is the only villian, it helps to know that PFD is PP under a different name. ;)

Imy try to be patient with your new foster baby. She's had so much change to absorb already that toileting is probably the thing that will take the most work to be successful. A week isn't much time and I think you (and she) are doing an awesome job already. Food treats don't have to be much to have a big impact...I love using dried liver b/c even a teeny-tiny piece is very satisfying for dogs. They want to work to get that treat and praise is secondary. Once she's doing what you ask, reverse the treat/reward over time, so that she's getting the verbal "yes, good girl" more than she gets the liver treat. ;) Give yourself a huge pat on the back already! ;)

You'll only find EVO at Pet's Paradise in this country b/c the company gave PP an exclusive deal. I'd suggest a switch to Eagle Pack Holistic if you can source it (shouldn't be impossible but look at the higher end suppliers) or if you wish to continue shopping at PetBarn, I can recommend Dick van Patten's Natural Balance organic formulas. It's a great food at a reasonable price and one I recommend if you can't feed a raw, whole foods diet.