ellz

I just want to put my hand up as the "minority". I have personally not had problems with Supercoat Puppy OR Pedigree Puppy either now, or in the past. My puppies are happy, healthy and worm-free with lovely coats and looking and acting as anybody would expect 7 week old puppies to. I am on a strict budget (and I mean I probably LIVE on less per week than many people spend on their dogs alone) and cannot afford ANY of the "designer label" foods, no matter how good or supposedly cost effective they are! I am a big believer in not paying for mink when polarfleece will do.

Buy her a good quality dry food and don't give her anything else. Dogs don't "enjoy" or need variety in their diets, they just need quality. Chopping and changing all the time encourages finicky eating. If she's hungry enough, she'll eat it. Put her food down, if it isn't eaten in max 15 minutes, remove it until time for the next meal. Dogs do not intentionally starve themselves so she will eat when she's sure that there won't BE a next meal unless she does!

Excellent! Thank you for the input everybody....collective wisdom is a valuable tool. Tis rare that I don't visit here and collect at least ONE pearl!!

Is there anybody out there in DOL land who knows where I can obtain one of these at the best price? Or alternatively, does somebody out there have one I can borrow to do a "test drive" with before I decide whether to purchase one for myself?

True, but at least xrays are the start of some form of diagnosis.

Bicarb Soda is another little treasure too!!!

Matt at Glenorchy Central....I USED to get my pet mince from Phil at Cove Hill but after the last time when he had to prise the block out of his freezer with a crowbar (I refused to take it btw) I kind of figured I could do better! I have a feeling your new baby's breeder gets her meat from Matt as well.

Apple Cider Vinegar......but if have read the entire thread, you've probably worked that out by now anyway. ;)

This is exactly the same case as the one I mentioned. I would suggest you read the information supplied by myself and Eddy before you make any decisions. This reading may well influence your future actions with Rupert.

If you do a search on this forum under Greyshaft, you will find more than you wish to read! It isn't a dog owner suing a foster carer it is a "goods purchaser" suing an unsuspecting dog breeder for a genetic defect that she knew nothing about, had no idea was in her bloodlines and therefore didn't test for. My point in this is that if you are aware of ANYTHING which might be affecting ANY dog which you sell or place in any home and do not disclose EVERYTHING (including, it appears, things you need a crystal ball to detect) to any prospective purchaser, they may take you to court and you might be up for big dollars for vets bills and compensation.

Anything which is born with hips is quite capable of suffering from HD. Size and weight can have some bearing but genetics and environment can play a huge part as well. I think I'd be having the xray done for peace of mind AND bearing in mind the outcome of the Dodge v Rockey Tribunal Hearing, definite diagnosis would be essential to forestall any future problems.

;)

hehe...about time we Down Under Down Under had something you guys don't!! ;) He also has some pretty excellent human-type stuff in his shop as well....AND....he's going to let me agist a pony at his place too so he's pretty useful to know!! Not bad looking either.....not that I look......often.... ETA: I probably shouldn't mention that his excellent pet mince is only 60c per kg either should I???

My 6 week old Yank puppies crunch ANYTHING merrily now! My butcher is a dog person (breeds Staffords) and his dog mince is an absolute joy to behold. It has literally EVERYTHING in it, including broken and crushed chicken carcasses (which he also sells for around 20cents per carcass!). The babies were started on just the meaty stuff and graduated over a couple of days to the whole thing....it's funny to watch them sorting through the meaty bits to pounce on the chicken bones first....looks like they're bobbing for apples or something! ;)

OK, we can start here. You MUST have a good-quality slicker brush (like a flat pad with a rubber base and metal "spikes" coming out of it and then they bend at about a 90degree angle). Looks like a torture instrument of sorts and used incorrectly can cause a lot of pain to the dog because you can actually inflict "burns" on their skin. Together with the slicker brush, a sturdy pinbrush is a good idea but a good quality metal comb is an essential. To do the job properly you need to get into a routine of brush, comb, brush, comb over the ENTIRE dog and not just what you can see. The more dead hair you can remove during brushing, the less you will see around the house. It is the dead hair that is mingling with the living hair and staying close to the skin which is preventing you from seeing it. If you purchased your kid from a breeder, why don't you contact them and ask for some grooming help. Otherwise, contact the Golden Retriever Club in your area and they may well have some grooming sheets that they can give you, or put you in touch with a breeder or fancier near you who might be able to assist. As for the flea problem....call an exterminator who specialises in flea removal. They can do the outside areas as well. It can be costly, but is well worth the trouble and expense!

Is there somebody who is able to show you how to brush him properly? If you're brushing properly with the correct type of brush, you should be able to see his skin! Keeshond, Samoyed, Newfoundland people etc will tell you what hard work it can be to brush their breeds correctly, but they MUST do it or they have felted matts at skin level and that isn't good at all. I can understand that he has a lot of undercoat, but correct brushing and using some sort of stripping tool (Coat Kings are great but VERY expensive!!) will make that easier for you in the long run. If he is picking up the fleas at home, you may need to give some thought to "bombing" your home for the little blighters. Sprinkle borax powder on the floors and couches, leave sit for a while and then vaccuum well. Make sure you let the powder drift right up to walls, doors and skirting boards or the fleas have an escape route. I don't know what you feel about chemicals but I know that many people in high flea areas have good results with products like Capstar and Proban to kill the fleas and stop their cycle and then good housekeeping to remove the evidence. I would also give consideration to a tick collar if you live in an area that is prone to tick infestations.

I'm not a Golden expert either but I do have long-coated Gundogs which I inspect on a daily basis for "nasties". Is it possible to teach him to lay down to be groomed and then "line brush" him? This basically means grooming him from top to toe working on a line of coat at a time until literally every hair on his body and every crevice and skin fold has been examined? It sounds like hard work, and it's not easy but once you get the hang of it, it really won't take a great deal of time to do. I groom my guys out whilst watching TV and my fingers have become highly senstive to any variation of hair or skin. Great for "together time" too!

It's no scientific calculation that's for sure! Over the years (I've been using it for quite a few years now) I have worked out the ratio of a good "slosh" to a "normal" household sized bucket or a couple of capfuls to the dainty indoor water bowls of the cats. It really does take trial and error according to breeds etc. The art is to have enough ACV in the water for it to be efficient without having too much that it makes the water taste TOO different and then they won't drink it.... Oh and another thing....it is best to purchase the ACV from Health Food shops or Horse feed suppliers. The stuff on the supermarket shelves often has colours and flavours and sometimes preservatives added as well. Good luck! ;)

I didn't have the same effect putting it in food so I think it's possibly a gradual build-up effect and constant dosing that are the keys. I also found that the fussy ones would refuse to eat AND it would react with some foods and fizz (chemical reaction????). Chemical reaction thing applies to all of you horse people who feed the ACV with some of the pre-packaged horse mixes so be careful!!

Word of advice....possibly best if you can avoid using the supermarket ones if you can help it. Most aren't pure ACV, they have colours, flavours (caramel of all things??) and preservatives added to them. If you can possibly do it, get it from a Health Food Shop or Agricultural Feed Supplier. It is purer (is that a word?) and in the long run...cheaper! ;)

Nope, the dogs don't mind it at all. I suppose they get used to it. It doesn't taste too bad...I drink it myself. As I said previously I use a few capfuls per bowl....a healthy "slosh" per bucket. I don't know what ratio it would be, but I vary it according to what my nose tells me and how much water the furkids are drinking.

Did you have the dilution strong enough? Sometimes, depending upon the individual animals you may need to have it fairly strong. And you're right, multiples trying to outpee each other can be pretty damaging anyway. Hosing immediately after peeing (if you can) is supposed to help dilute the effects too. But I never manage that cos I don't tend to stand there and watch the kids pee! ;)

I swear by Apple Cider Vinegar for just about everything. A few capfuls per bowl....a healthy "slosh" per bucket. Pee isn't as stinky for boys OR girls when they're drinking it! Also helps to keep kitty-litter odours at bay...helpful if you have indoor kitty-cats! Only drawback is that you have to keep the toilet door shut or there is a queue for the big ceramic drinking bowl!! ;)

Absolutely agreed! If he is always doing poo that is runny enough to stick, it might pay to check his diet. Soft poo all the time doesn't help to stimulate the anal glands and this could be adding to his problem as well (as mentioned by another poster). But back to the original topic. My American Cockers are bathed religiously every week because otherwise a) they mat and b) they really DO pong!! My Stafford bitch and my Rottweiler are rarely bathed. Dolly Stafford doesn't normally smell of anything so if I CAN smell her, it's time for a bath. Luther, the Rottweiler is essentially an outdoors dog (his choice - stoopid great lug!) so I refrain from bathing him so that the natural oils stay in his coat and keep him more weatherproof. My Yank puppies haven't been bathed yet, although I did spend quite a few hours of quality time playing with them in and out of their pen yesterday and I must confess they are beginning to get to a rather "high" state so they will be having their first bath on the weekend before they go to the vet for their needles next week. My skinkids object highly to water at ANY time so they usually smell worse than the dogs!

I guess it depends upon your skills prior to, or in addition to grooming. I first started grooming when I was unemployed, then went to TAFE to get some "real" skills...I know, I know....don't flame me....but that was how the CES felt in those days. After I'd been in an office job for a while I started breeding and exhibiting long-coated dogs and although I was offered another grooming job, I didn't feel that I was that inspired to be able to groom for a living AND have the heart to devote to my own dogs so I stayed in the office. Now that I'm a SAHM I take in the occasional dog for pocket money and so far, am enjoying it. I had forgotten how hard it can be and my back and hands aren't what they used to be. Next year I'm considering a return to education or work, but grooming jobs are thin on the ground here anyway so it will be an office if I choose the employment path.