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Thanks, Bellsmum. I'll drop in to the vet's tomorrow and see what they say.

Will do. :rolleyes:

Yep, poor boy. Three times in one week is a bit more than dreaming. ;) And that's just what i've seen, there could be more times when he's outside.

Twice in one night. Second time was after I saw him go outside. :rolleyes:

My dog is modified. He has a way cool tatt. He didn't give informed consent, though and he was only six months old at the time so he just let his hair grow over it.

I hope you're right, Clyde. I'll check in with the vet and see what they say. They'll probably order $800 worth of tests like they did when I told them his tummy was upset.

Oh god, I hope that doesn't happen to Cody.

That's what I thought, Clyde. Thanks.

Cody is seven years and 8 months old. Twice now he has popped out an inch long piece of poo while on his bed. He seems oblivious to it, doesn't move to do it and doesn't fuss. This is a dog who will only poo on the garden because he doesn't like it on the places he likes to play, eat, sleep etc. The poo is solid so I imagine he'd have to relax the muscles for it to come out. Should I be concerned? It's happened twice in a matter of about three months.

I just follow him around when he tries to run away.

That's possible. The poor boy has the dodgy hips. I'll look into it further. I'd recommend you talk with your vet about it. It may be that something like a monthly Cartrophen shot can improve things. I hope you find a solution. Don't forget that it's getting colder - this is the time of year that arthritis starts to bite. A heated pad for him to sleep on may help also. He's on cartrophen. He's got his own heating vent nearby too so I don't think he's cold. i know having heat below is different. He's about to get a new bed which is an innerspring mattress so that will be heaps more comfy. As it is now, when there's no one away on holidays, he's inside on his bed until about 8am. I get up and tuck him in (well, I make sure his teddy is nearby) and leave him on his bed, he doesn't get up to show me to the door. 5am is too early for walkies (for me, too). Moops, the clam shell pool suffered the effects of the weather and cracked. He now has a patch of lawn on the ground. Interaction with others while I'm not here might be an issue. He's outside all day unless it's cold or wet. He keeps them company when they work in the garden and they'll talk to him and throw a toy while they're out there but he is a social dog, he likes to be with the people all the time. The neighbours interact with him when they're around, too.

Interesting replies, everyone. I'll be back this afternoon to read properly and think about it some more. Now it's ugly o'clock and I have to go to work. That's possible. The poor boy has the dodgy hips. I'll look into it further.

Good idea, I'll do that. Thanks, he really is the best dog.

I stuff a kong for him some times. He has heaps of toys and a backyard full of sticks (his favourite object besides his teddies). He's got sleeping down to a T. He gets a nice bone every second day too. He's fine while he's on his own (well, as far as we know - he's not a barker, the neighbours don't complain & he doesn't destroy things or dig to China), he's just extremely clingy when we are home and angsty when he thinks someone is going away. Apparantly also, when I am at work he comes down and waits at the gate for periods throughout the day.

Hopefully he can go on the pay roll too. He'd do a good job. Or maybe he wouldn't but I'm sure he wouldn't say he'd done his job when it was glaringly obvious that he hadn't (a vent for another day).

I'd love to quit work but it will only happen if they agree to pay me anyway. :D Smuggling him in would be a bad move, broken glass everywhere. He'd need ear plugs, goggles, 4 gauntlets, a leather coat & 4 steel capped boots. Hmm, he'd probably need a leather tail cover too.

Cody is anxious. He's not a big barker, he doesn't destroy things, he's not an escape artist. He's just plain sad. I leave for work at ugly o'clock every morning (before sunrise) and the others living here do their thing. Sometimes they go out, sometimes they go away and sometimes they stay home. Cody frets. He carries a toy around, (he is never, ever far from a teddy, I think they're his security blankets) whenever he thinks someone is going away he picks a teddy up and won't let it go until he knows what's happening. Whether he's in the car or behind the gate watching who ever it is drive away. When I get home in the afternoon I don't go nuts with cuddles right away, I let him in and we sit down, sometimes I don't let him in right away so he doesn't go nuts if I change the routine. Any ideas for stopping him from being sad?

Is it worth doing an autopsy on a puppy that has died this way?

Thinking of you & Ollie dog.

Inspector Rex was on tonight and Cody was facing the other way which resulted in the usual average reception we get for SBS.

yeah, you're right. Now they stand around having good boy contests, they're not quite old and grumpy enough for old man contests.

Oh, sorry I missed seeing this earlier, Mooper. I'm glad Jack's injury is not too serious, tell the boofer he's given mum & dad enough of a fright to last him the next 6 years. I have no idea about the allergy. Maybe Cody & Jack need to have an old man's meeting.

Did I forget that bit? He had a camera poked into his belly and they took biopsies because there were some red bits. It might just be ulcers. Jillybean, thanks, I'm glad I'm not the only one who laughs at their dog's misfortune. But seriously, a few days with a crowd clearing device strapped around their head really can save them a lot of trouble.

I took the cone off so Cody could have a little break. He got itchy, I told him to stop and he ignored me. His wound bled. I gave it a good soak and I think it's ok but it set back the healing by a day or three. Paula, those collars look like they'd be worth a shot. I know Cody is fed up. He was off his food for a couple of days, tonight I fed him steak and he ate it but it was all he'd eaten for at least 24 hours. No news on the results of his tummy biopsy yet, I have to call back tomorrow.

Thanks for the advice, Garloch. I'll definitely check it out but I have my doubts that anything inflated would stay that way with the force of Cody's scratching. He's one determined boy. Cody is doing much better with the collar now. He's figured out how to have a drink and has reduced the amount of crazy crashes into solid objects. I got evil stares at the vets when I took him out to the car, he crashed into the door and then the seat which caused me to laugh at him just as a family was walking into the surgery.