ShesaLikeableBiBear

The goldies I used to grrom shed pretty much year round. A good tool to use is an undercoat rake or slicker brush and yes a good hydrobath and blow dry will also help.

Weellll, it went like this, test due at 2.30pm and I wanted to be there by 2.10pm, early so lunched enroute and then OH disappeared into Spotlight at Morayfield, the mobile went at 1.45pm to say that the paddocks were too wet, hubby overseas, a group of students there and can we please re-schedule. Explained that we were only 10 mins max drive away and had driven down from Maleny (125k round trip-at least not Kuraby) and could we at least come and see the set up. No!! re-scheduled for next Sat but have a feeling it will be re-scheduled again as showers due all week. Not a good start and oldest and youngest couldnt understand why they went for a drive for nothing.

I dry my own liver in a de-hydrater. They may be expensive initially but last week I ran out and stopped at a butcher to get a little more and it was $2.50 for 150g. With the de-hydrater I bought the extra plastic trays so that it doesnt stick to the regular racks. I have also done chicken tenderloins.

WOW JD19 I am surprised as have never had a problem with either dogs or cats on Nutro. At one time we had five shelties, a standard poodle and a birman cat, all house dogs and if they had gas problems we sure would have known about it, I mean we had a two storey house and you know how hot air rises.

Its good to hear your dogs are doing well on Nutro, I have been feeding it to mine for about 6 years and they do very well on it. When my middle two were puppies I tried weaning them onto Eukanuba and Science Diet and they wouldn't touch it. I have a number of friends in NZ who also have their dogs on Nutro and are pleased with the results, as are the owners of the litter which we had here last year. This is why I tend to mouth off about Nutro as it is such a great product and the added plus is that it doesnt have any chemical preservatives, animal by-products, added colourants or corn.

Nikki Nutro's Chicken and Rice is formulated for dogs with a sensitive stomach and those prone to digestive upsets, and it has no corn. Please pm me if you want to know who in Sydney carries it.

I feed Nutro, a superior commercial dry food with no corn, animal by-products, chemical preservatives, or added colourants and have never had a problem with wind or gas, also there is a lot less stool clean up and with four here that means a heap. I understand that Nutro may soon be available in Melbourne.

You may have read sometime ago a post from Norskgra re a dog of hers which was a very fussy eater. She now has that particular dog on Nutro, a super premium dry kibble with no chemical preservatives, animal by products, added colourants or corn. It is available in Sydney but unfortunately not in the ACT atm.

You have mentioned Nutro as one you have been recommended. It has NO CORN, no chemical preservatives, no animal by products and no colourants, and is either chicken or lamb based. It is avail. in some stores in NSW, have a look at www.nutro.co.nz, then scroll bar on left will take you to suppliers in NSW. Please feel free to pm if I can help any further.

What food brands have you sourced on the net and where do you live?.

Hi there Jacqui and Sean Am so sorry that I havent picked this thread up earlier, this is a poem which was posted via an "international" shelite list, it is for shelties, but can be applied to other breeds as well. Enjoy and hope it brings you some comfort knowing that Shelby is having the time of her life with her doggie friends. Welcome. I am Laddie Braveheart, Second Year Resident of the Rainbow Bridge. This is your introduction to the Rainbow Bridge. I have been a resident here for a little over a year and am now a member of the Welcome and Orientation Committee, Shetland Sheepdg and Scottish Breed Division. I have the extreme honor of escorting you to the Scottish Ancrestral Section of the Rainbow Bridge where those of our kind wait. You have already received your Silver Harness, and it looks so good on you. Now, let us begin our journey. As you see there are fields of sheep and cows for the herding dogs, and over there are the lakes, marshes and fields for the hounds and sporting dogs to play. And here are Beau and Sam, the Goldens I lived with -- we visit often, after all we have loved and are waiting for the same Humons. {See ya later, me mates) Oh, look! The agility games are going on. This is one of the newer areas at the Bridge and they have just finished the Rally-O field--this time with the directions for each station written in Dog. All the areas at The Bridge are for all the animals here and we have a lot of fun together. I have even seen some of the cats at the swimming ponds. See that area over there? Where the sun shines bright and warm all the time, and there is a gentle mist for a few hours each day? That is where all the reptiles and amphibians are. They all have nice tree limbs and warm rocks to lounge on. But let's continue onwards. Oh, check out those hedges and trees - that is where the bunnies and the mice, rats, gerbils and ferrets are. I like to come down and watch them play they just have so much fun -the flurry of activity and squeaking for joy when one of their Humes is coming is a treasure. Now watch your step, this is the Large Animal area. Occasionally all the horses, mules, donkeys, even the cows and goats get a little carried away with the Herd Running Game and can give a smaller critter like us quite a surprise as they break the hill at full gallop. Even the pigs and chickens take part. Here, the hills get a little steeper and woods a little thicker. It is so much fun to run full speed, up and down the hills dodging the trees. Here you will see the 'exotic' animals. The tigers and lions and bears and wolves, all the animals thought of as wild but have hearts shared with humans. They, too will cross the Rainbow Bridge with their special person. But our journey carries us still further. You feel the air getting crisper? And look, your coat is fuller and your Silver Harness shines brighter. We are getting close. Now, step carefully we are crossing the Crystal Bridge. Here, the weather is always clear, the snow just the right depth and the tracks are, perfect. Since we have arrived during the afternoon, I can show you some of the activities we have. The Scottish Breeds have many interests and enjoy many different games. I know you are used to having your Humon hook your harness to the car or the lead but your Silver Harness has magic and will hitch to what ever you want. Over here are the sheep right next to the croft which has to be guarded and over there is on the far side of the isle, are the fields of joy, where you can run and play with your friends and share a ball or just laze away the sunny afternoon. And yes, there are a lot of other breeds up here all doing what they do best, even though the Humes aren't there to see you, we all gather around to watch you and enjoy your times as though they were ours. The Sammies are over there herding reindeer, and there are open streams for the Inuits and Greenlands to fish for salmon. The Shelties came up with a great idea that has now become a tradition with all the breeds. Each year during the National Breed Specialty there is a Rainbow Bridge Specialty Show. All the dogs who had show careers and those who just wanted to be a show dog go into the show ring and go around one more time. The Shelties have gotten permission to have visitors from Heaven during that time. Humes who have no dog with them are allowed to come visit and watch the show. Judges and Stewards come and take part. And the old breeders come to see how the breeds are developing and visit with their great-great grandpuppies. All the dogs participating the first time get their Silver Rosette. You see, every dog here is perfect. If you look around you see not only are there warm straw beds to rest on, but houses with soft sofas and fireplaces to just lounge on and swap stories. Many of the residents wait here for the night. That is the time all of the Scottish Breed dogs assemble. Each night a shelties team is formed and they run and play and herd the sheep and the cattle. They can be seen from earth as the Southern Lights and now we are getting members from the Northern, Eastern and Western Hemispheres, and they also run and play sometimes as far as the North Pole of earth, to give them lights too. Each March is a special run. That is when the Iditarod is run on earth and all the dogs who have raced and played and worked together, team up for a special display. Many of them are cheering on their Humes who are racing. Many of them have family members in the fields. It seems the Collies and the Borders work their hardest to make the most spectacular light display. Well, I think you are pretty well acquainted with the Rainbow Bridge both North and South, East and West. There are just a couple of other things you should know. You are able to see your Humes when you miss them most. They may have gotten a new puppy. That is good. It means they have started to heal from the lossthey felt when you left. But remember, a part of your heart remained with them to replace the part of their heart they gave to you. Now, occasionally, your Human may be particularly sad and missing you. You are able to send your love to them any time. They will feel your love. It may be as a shadow in the corner of their sight, or the soft sound of your voice, or a gentle breeze caressing their cheek. And it will bring them comfort. And there is one special night, Christmas Eve. All the animals waiting for a special person gather together and send their gift of love to that person. That night we are able to see into that person's home and if the person looks, there is a star shining particularly bright. Just for them from us. Oh, I see the sun is setting and you are looking at all the dogs gathering together. Go, and run, play, run and jump, . It is your night.

I have a feeling that witheverythingiam might be interested. PM her, as it would save postage if you shared

Hi Melo Have just been reading your post and note you mention that Sasha's blend doesnt seem to be working. I have three over 5 y.o. and give them a senior dog food which has added chrondoitin and glucosamine and I also give them a glucosamine tablet every morning. You may want to google "Missing Link", avail through vetproductsdirect. Personally I havent used it but have spoken to some who do and they "swear" by it. Good luck

Kitkat, the warehouse is in Brisbane will pm you

Kitkat Have you located any Nutro in Brissie yet?.

Oops, I had forgotten about the money back guarantee, but I guess having had mine on Nutro for some years now with no skin/coat problems that it had slipped my mind.

Pauline Am so very very sorry to hear about Cooper, as you say though he went peacefully and you did not have to make that final decision. R.I.P. Cooper

Dan Hence my post as I cant honestly see how Eagle Pack can assist in the elimination of cortisone, I have had a dog many years go on a total protein elimination diet, and even then it may not be the protein which is causing the problem. Spikey hope you get it sorted out, it takes a long time but worth it.

Please feel free to email me on [email protected] and then I can attach the information which I have been sent and forward other info.

Thanks to Pat. Smith and Bindibu for their contacts I now have 2 of mine booked for a sheep herding instinct trial on Sunday 18 June. Am taking the oldest and youngest with the hope that oldest may be a calming influence AND its only about an 45 minute drive (provided we dont get lost).

Hi Pauline I hope that he will go peacefully and that you dont have to make that decision as it is the most terrible one to have to do, but if it happens that way then I hope that these will help you. A Living Love If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember.... The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your young new friend. You may have spent weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked numerous opinions of many vets, or done long research in finding a breeder. Or, perhaps in a fleeting moment, you may have just chosen that silly looking mutt in a shelter--simply because something in its eyes reached your heart. But when you bring that chosen pet home, and watch it explore, and claim its special place in your hall or front room--and when you feel it brush against you for the first time--it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through the many years to come. The second day will occur eight or nine or ten years later. It will be a day like any other. Routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your longtime friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow deliberate steps where you once saw energy. And you will see sleep when you once saw activity. So you will begin to adjust your friend's diet--and you may add a pill or two to her food. And you may feel a growing fear deep within yourself, which bodes of a coming emptiness. And you will feel this uneasy feeling, on and off, until the third day finally arrives. And on this day--if your friend and God have not decided for you, then you will be faced with making a decision of your own--on behalf of your lifelong friend, and with the guidance of your own deepest Spirit. But whichever way your friend eventually leaves you--you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night. If you are wise, you will let the tears flow as freely and as often as they must. And if you are typical, you will find that not many in your circle of family or friends will be able to understand your grief, or comfort you. But if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through the many joy-filled years, you may find that a soul--a bit smaller in size than your own--seems to walk with you, at times, during the lonely days to come. And at moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary to happen, you may feel something brush against your leg--very very lightly. And looking down at the place where your dear, perhaps dearest, friend used to lay--you will remember those three significant days. The memory will most likely to be painful, and leave an ache in your heart--As time passes the ache will come and go as if it has a life of its own. You will both reject it and embrace it, and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an ache. But there will be, I assure you, a fourth day when--along with the memory of your pet--and piercing through the heaviness in your heart--there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and strong as our relationship with each animal we have loved, and lost. This realization takes the form of a Living Love--like the heavenly scent of a rose that remains after the petals have wilted, this Love will remain and grow--and be there for us to remember. It is a love we have earned. It is the legacy our pets leave us when they go. And it is a gift we may keep with us as long as we live. It is a Love which is ours alone. And until we ourselves leave, perhaps to join our Beloved Pets--it is a Love we will always possess. (by Martin Scot Kosins) If it should be… If it be I grow frail and weak, And pain should keep me from my sleep, Then you must do what should be done, For this last battle can’t be won. You will be sad—I understand Don’t let your grief then stay your hand. For this day, more than all the rest, Your love and friendship stand the test. We’ve had so many happy years, What is to come will hold no fears. You’d not want me to suffer…so When the time comes, please let me go. Take me where all my needs they’ll tend, But stay with me until the end. And hold me firm and speak to me Until my eyes no longer see. I know in time you too will see, It is a kindness you do to me. Although my tail its last has waved, From pain and suffering I’ve been saved. Do not grieve that it should be you Who must decide this thing to do. We’ve been so close-we two-these years, Don't let your heart hold any tears. Author Unknowno

Vin I have had shelties for 18 years and as I said earlier I have never seen a hot spot on them before, they are regularly groomed. My vet suggested that the cause of Panda's was in fact a spate of humid weather, which caused the "bacterial infection" to errupt. Concerning the feeding of dogs and whether or not a food can be seen to be clearing and managing hot spots, mine are on a superior commerical food, Nutro (no I am not a sales rep), which has no corn, no animal by-products, no chemial preservatives, no added colourants, no pork meal or chicken fat, and no chicken meal. Considering the above I cant see how another "Natural" food would clear and manage a hot spot. (Sorry to bring up the food aspect again but just stressing a point) Vin, Panda's have cleared up now, bar one spot on his back which is just two small scabs. I have used Fuciderm in the past but didnt realise good for hot spots, must remember that one and hopefully no more!!

Eaglepack do you have test results which show conclusively that Eaglepack Holistic Natural/Anchovy can assist in the ELIMINATION of CORTISONE. I am not a sales rep for any company but there are other products out there than can assist in skin disorders, one of which is Nutro.

You will find that most commercial dog food manufacturers have a formula for either highly active working dogs, or those who have trouble keeping on weight. But for a puppy you should use a puppy formula. I am not a sales representative for any company but feed mine Nutro which is a superior commercial dry food. Please feel free to pm me if you would like any further information on the product.

Vetadine, an iodine based shampoo for non-specific skin conditions which can be left on the coat. I use it a lot, and when I had my horse used it on him to get rid of the sweat marks caused by the saddle pad, that used to end up sort of "scurfy". It has a mild coat conditioner in it. I would water it down a little and spray on to the coat, can be bought online at vetproductsdirect or from a saddlery shop.