cowanbree

I have a 18mth old sheltie who has always had sensitive skin. I am having issues bathing him as he quite literally pulls his hair out after a bath. I have tried aloveen last time so this time I tried aloveen and then white vinegar in the rinse water. I spent ages rinsing him and then made sure every hair on his body was dry but just an hour after his bath he has started scratching. What can I bath him with that doesn’t affect his skin?

Previously Reeve was in a 6 metre by 3 metre pen beside the other aussie Quest and as I said was fencing running all day. I moved him over to the sheltie kennels, cut his pen size in half and had older shelties either side of him so he wasn't as stimulated. I was actually told to lock him up completely but thought this was a better option. I still allowed him to play for a couple of hours a day but in bigger areas where there wasn't as much twisting and turning. It has taken about 6 weeks to correct and one leg is still turning out slightly. I am hoping it will 100% correct with time

In most cases it is a growth spurt although 10 ½ mths is late for that. I have just been through it with my 5mth old puppy. I cut back on his weight, added chicken wings to one meal a day and added a complete egg 2-3 times a week. I also had to address the exercise. This lad was in the run next to a very active aussie and was running the fence with her all day while I was at work. His front is now 95% better and still improving. So I would look at your dogs weight, diet and how much exercising he is getting

You have to do it by how they look/feel as no recommended amount is going to be suitable for every dog. I have multiple dogs of one breed and they vary completely with what they need to be kept at an ideal weight, the 13yr old only gets less than ¼ of what the active 18mth old does who needs less than her 4yr old mother does and so on.

The fact that the puppy has been sick wouldn't put me off as long as it had a clear bill of health from the vet before it come home but if I wasn't allowed to pick the puppy up from it's house that would put me off. Fair enough that they have been cautious about giving out their address to all and sundry but now that you have obviously passed all their checks and are getting a puppy there would have to be a very good reason why you shouldn't visit and moving isn't enough. I would ask to come and visit

The only issue is that is usually reoccurs. I have had it twice, 1 only had the one incident but the other have 3 in 18mths. My friend has also had it in her dog and he had 3-4 incidences of it. Once you know what it is it isn't quite as scary but there is still the issue of keeping the dog safe long term

Thansk everyone for your help. Given it was going to cost about $100mth Mobic is a much cheaper source

There definitely is a human equivalent as it has been discussed before, I just can't remember the name and the search function isn't picking it up. I have used metacam in my dogs in the past but they are only 10kgs so not quite the same expense.

My friend has a 40kg dog that is going to be on Metacam long term which would cost her her a fortune. I was wondering if anyone knows what the human equivalent is and roughly how much it would cost her to use it. Obviously she would have to get a script off her vet but if the savings is considerable it would be worth it. Also I was wondering in anyone has used Metacam long term and if they experienced any side effects

I have considered desexing my babies prior to sale but for the meantime have decided against it. Other than the concerns regarding anesthetic I am also concerned about the effects on their growth. My only experience is owning a pedigree kitten that was desexed at 10 weeks and he is certainly rangier and lacking in substance compared with his entire siblings. At this stage I will stick to a desexing contract at a later date but will watch developments with interest

I prefer my bitch puppies to be done at around 6mths prior to their first season but like to wait a little longer for the males, around 9-12mths is ideal.

Thanks Hesa but as far as I am aware you can't get it in NZ, I tried last time

I was wondering if anyone has ever used Turbo coat to promote coat growth. I have 6 weeks to get more coat on a bitch that is currently dropping. She is needs 1 more point to title and she isn't going to do it in her current coat.

I have one bad allergy boy who ranges from looking ok to looking like a cruelty case. His immune system is absolutely shot from years of pred and antibiotics for all the skin infections. Last year I consulted a homeopath and he is the best he has been for ages. Still has an outbreak when he is dropping coat but the rest of the time he is almost normal. I also have another lad who has always been an itchy puppy. It is normally not too bad but every time I bath him he literally rips his coat out scratching for the next mth. I have tried him with all sorts of shampoos including the sunlight soap (which did terrible things to his coat) and haven’t had any success yet but am going to try white vinegar next time. He is a show boy so he has to be bathed but the bald spots in his coat aren’t great and obviously it is quite uncomfortable for him.

They can still do everything, just the volume is reduced

I would actually argue that is some cases debarking is more humane than a lot of training methods. Prior to doing my first debark it was action stations every time a dog dared to bark. Those poor dogs spent ½ their lives in time out or being squirted with water or told off etc. One simple operation and they could be normal dogs again. Not my first port of call but until you have had a dog like Bree that barks when she is happy, playing, alerting to leaves falling off the tree, etc etc etc I don’t think you will ever understand. All I can really say is I wished I had done it years ago and so did my neighbours.

All puppies have what I call their crazy times. I kept 2 litter mates from my last litter and they have a race track in the yard they spend hours running round. They do egg each other on but I consider it normal for them to run and play. I am sure the Golden is a normal puppy just perhaps a bit big to be romping inside, it is up to the owners to direct play. I have no issue with mine playing outside but firmly put a stop to play when the race track was extended to inside and included over my couch. They do also spend many an hour snoozing on that couch but play is important in a developing puppy.

I don’t think separation anxiety would be an issue. Shelties are a very sensible breed and quite accepting of most things. Mine know when I pick up the biscuit barrel I am going to work so there is a mad rush to their kennel where they get a biscuit. I have a dog door for my oldies into the house and they are quite happy waiting on their dog bed for me to get home. Never had any issues that way

I too used the water pistol. I found it quite easy to train them not to bark excessively when I only had small numbers but found as my numbers have grown I have had more problems with it. My own shelties do enjoy a good play outside but I would imagine a single sheltie would spend much of their time outside peering in the door, they do like to be with their people and it isn't much fun playing by yourself. That said I am sure they would get used to it. The one comment I have had from first time sheltie owners is that they are their owners wee shadows, they follow you from room to room and are constantly with you. Some people love it but some people don't.

Temperament wise I have shelties that range from too shy to the extroverts that think everyone loves them. They are definitely a lot easier to show but they are not the type of sheltie I prefer to live with and breed and they are not very restful pets. I love the shelties gentle nature, how devoted to their families they are and perhaps selfishly that they prefer my company over anyone one else's esp strangers. To try and breed away from that is like trying to breed aloofness out of a Afghan. It is in our breed standard and I personally hate some of the terrier type temperaments I am seeing in the ring of late. A sheltie should stand his ground and show no signs of being timid, that is a nice temperament. I am not pointing this post at anyone in particular, just my thought on the breed after 25 years of owning and breeding it.

Temperament can be an issue as can people’s expectation of the breed. A sheltie is meant to be reserved with strangers, they are not mini Labradors and one that does bounce all over strangers actually has an incorrect temperament. That said reserved with strangers does not mean timid. A well socialized sheltie with a good temperament will stand their ground when approached or at the most perhaps take a couple of steps back.

I would suggest he needs to get his dogs ears looked at by a vet. In 25years of owning shelties I have had a total of 2 ear infections - both in the same dog. It is not a breed issue

Some shelties are more prone to barking than others but a water pistol and consistant training should eliminate most of it. I would say however that shelties are not suitable outside or kennel dogs. They want to be with their family and that is one of the sure fire ways of creating a barking problem.

No

By stripped I presume you mean brushing out the dead coat after a coat drop? If so female shelties have a coat drop twice year and males yearly. If they are desexed they don’t seem to have the seasonal changes as much but do drop more coat in between.