KismetKat

I find Sentinal works for me - all in one monthly dose - easy peasy. I have to Frontline my dog when we go up to NSW - and she HATES it!

I occasionally see a GS pup in the park - and I am not alone in being concerned about it. The owner has quite specific ideas about its raising - but when I see the pup I wonder how well thought out they are. But perhaps they are not so radical, just something I am not familiar with? I would certainly like input from people who know the breed well. The pup is about 6 months old now - and to quote Mr Cresote from Monty Python, he is "wafer thin". I am talking positively skeletal! The owner has told another doggy person from the park that he is keeping the pup that way to "stop it growing too quickly". But isn't "growing" what pups are meant to do? To add to my conern about the pups welfare is that its coat seems quite course and spikey - not soft at all. Also its back is a funny shape, with a kind of higher hump type area just before it's back legs, then a steep slope DOWN to its tail. The shape looks weird to me. I know on the one hand it is not my business, but I am concerned long term damage is being done to this pup while it is being essentially (in my opinion) starved in its puppy months. It's one thing to have a rake thin adult show dog - surely it is another in a puppy? But perhaps this is all a legitimate way of raising a pup? (albeit different from my own notions). Please advise.

wouldn't it be best to teach him to not bark at all at people who are just 'going past'?

I use Nature's Gift liver flavour.

My elderly cat is on Hill's prescription diet - he's gotten so old 'normal' food has a nasty result. Mind you, I would not bother with it if I didn't have to. An animal with special dietary needs is one thing - a young healthy animal with no medical/dietary problems - why bother? Much better to feed them fresh stuff imho.

I thought cockers were known as 'smelly' dogs? Just something that goes with the breed. And no offence meant to cockers, I think they're lovely dogs and I have never been offended by the doggy smell many of the ones I've met seem to have.

What are some ways of asserting yourself as leader Erny? I've read on these boards about NILIF. It seemed like a good idea so if my young girl asks to go in our out I make her sit first. She also has always had to do a sit/stay or a drop before she's allowed her dinner. What are other situations where you could apply NILIF? And aside from nilif, what else can be done to assert leadership?

but do you remember the farts?

thanks noisy

or smell their dogs farts!

well it took her about an hour twenty to chomp thru one of the bones - she was down to two small walnut sized bits which seemed a bit sharp so I took them off her. She musta buried the other bone as it is nowhere in sight. Is that enough for her? I must admit she doens't seem to be pining for more food but then again, she never does.

Julie - I'm in Melbourne in the Bentleigh area. I have agood butcher and normally give her diced human grade casserole steak along with cooked up mixed vegies. Of the meat I would say she would get 150-200grams a day plus perhaps a similar weight with the vegies. She also gets a handful of Optimum dry food at night. She's actually been gaining a bit of weight so I've started to watch her portions. I gave her two of the sliced backbone bits this morning (and nothing else). Looking at it I would say there is less meat on them than she normally gets. I gave them to her almost an hour ago and she's still chomping on the first one!

bugger! That's my dog club chrissy pardy day! And as I'm so involved with the club (newsletter stuff) I really should be there!

I was finally at the butcher today (but hadn't written down a list from this thread) so I asked him for a meaty bone and he said, umm, well what I think he gave me is a cow's back leg! But as it is so long he cut it into four for me. He said it was hard for butchers to get all the meat of this sort of bone. Is this a good sort of 'meaty' bone (cos its not one specifically mentioned) and is one quarter of one (remember he chopped it into 4) enough for a 12 kilo medium dog? EDIT TO AD: On closer inspection now I've bagged it - it looks like backbone to me. He's chopped it into 8 so i figure she'll need two.

well I got an extenda lead from the $2 shope today - but it was $2.50! Umm could I use the extenda lead to add in the 'now' command do you think? Like if she doesn't 'come' quickly enough then say 'now' and haul her in????

Thanks pixel - I did a little sessions like you suggested yesterday and will continue to build on it. Tho trying to figure out which treat might be 'boring' was a bit of a challenge. and Christina - I shoulda thought. She always has her ears pricked up when I call the cat. Though standing in a park calling out "here puss puss puss' in a high pitched voice... I think people might start reaching for their fridge magnets! ;)

Thanks guys - yes *slaps hand to forehead* the key IS that I don't have her attention (bit embarrassing that a tree branch can be more interesting ;) ). I will try a squeaker.

Well I heard that celery was the secret ingrdient to a good coat. My dogs coat seems self-cleaning - people are always commenting and saying I must have 'just bathed her'. Just bathed her? LOL She only gets bath when she stinks! She;s fed cooked veg (with celery) and raw meat. She shines in the sun and her white bits always look, well, white.

is an e-collar one of those 'zapper' ones? Aren't they quite pricey? we DO practice the recall quite a bit - mixing in 'treats' with 'good girl' praise so she knows a treat isn't always involved. Like I said she is a dab hand at recall MOST of the time - but sometimes... But you are right, 'come' should not be 'optional' - but how to do this without being mean???? Thus my thinking another command might be helpful.

The thing is haven these instances are rare. Vast majority of the time she will come on the recall command. But for instance, the other day she was intently sniffing a low hanging tree branch. She was totally deaf to me. I even (as suggested earlier) shook my 'treat container' out and shook it, but she didn't 'hear' that either. N'er a glance or a twitch of the ear. Then she started barking at the tree branch I suspect a strong stench of possum. I had to go up to her (and because she was so intent on the branch, easily caught) and bung her on the lead and she was forthwith unceremoniously taken home. Could her age (getting into adulthood) be part of it?

My obedience club teaches me to make the recall command 'come' a happy sounding thing. And yes this works vast majority of the time. But what I need is a mean nasty 'do it or else" command for when she isn't responding to the "come" - I figure "leave" is a good alternative. How do I start teaching my dog (she's 21 months) this command? I don't want to just try it as need dictates - what are things we can practice at home so she KNOWS it is 'do it or else' COMMAND? all advice welcome.

there is another dog with the tag "TWG" (the wonder dog)???? perhaps we could form a club?

My dog isn't a 'greedy' dog - she doesn't gobble her food or harrass me for it. Not that she fusses or takes her time either. She just, well, eats. She's also got a small head for her frame - and having seen her with her marrow bones suspect it would take her a while to 'eat' a meaty bone - that is if she doesn't go off and bury it first to let it get more 'tasty'. With the marrow bones she will give them a lick, maybe ignore them for a while (they are cut in quarters so the marrow is open to her) maybe go back, have a bit of a chomp, and then bury it for later. Hmm, that makes me think of another question. Is she likely to bury a meaty bone if it is her dinner (or in my case breakfast)??? I swapped her to main meal in the morning as she was often waking me in the night to go to the toilet (no doggy dooor). Mind you she now stays in the house for up to 6 hours with no accidents on my work days. But I HAVE taken her to the park early. The problem with night-time elimination is letting her out she is more interested in possums than doing her business. With the morning meal and my schedule, i suspect if it is going to take her more than 10 mins to eat her dinner it may have to be a weekend thing. I will get her a meaty bone for sunday and see what she does.

Me too! Tho as she has some terrier in her then maybe her interest might change? Hope to hear from you soon via email.

just back to the meaty bones - how long does it take a dog to chomp on one? (approx that is). She has her main meal in the morning, so if it's gunna take a while I think I could only schedule them in on weekends.