Ons

may well have been settling in nerves and glad everything sounds like it is going okay. I was giving my male golden retreiver a bowl of milk every day and he was a very very poor eater. Stopped giving him the milk and his appetite improved dramatically, although never a guts, some dogs just like food more than other dogs.

Dear Pauline I'm sitting here with tears because I had to make this very difficult decision for my beloved maltese now 2 months ago. She too had heart failure with a very enlarged heart and also a mast cell tumour on her nose. Choosing what time for her to go to Rainbow Bridge was so so difficult and I had to put her to sleep because I believe in quality not quantity of life. She may have survived a little bit longer but on much heavier medication and she reacted badly to medication. My aunt once said to me she always regrets keeping her cattle dog a week longer than she did because the dog was in pain and did not enjoy the last week and I always kept that in mind. Daisy also was stressed and was panting and not eating, in her own way she was telling me it was time for her to go. I felt so awful particularly as I had ordered a new puppy to bond with my other dog prior to Daisy going to make it easier for him a bit and the new puppy was arriving only 5 days after I had to put Daisy to sleep and I didn't want people thinking that I only put Daisy to sleep because of the new puppy, that was furtherest from the truth, in fact Daisy was such an awesome puppy bringer up I wanted her around. Back on topic - So with memories of happy times and the joy that Cooper has brought to your life he will let you know when he has had enough of life, and it may be you may have to help him make that decision but I think as an animal lover you will know lots of hugs to you and Cooper Joanne

I just ordered some Eagle Pack Puppy food for large breeds for Tilly, it is only $7.00 postage from Pet Deli which impresses me. Just got the smaller pack to start with to see how she likes it but as she is so food obsessed shouldn't be a problem. To save the postage next time might just get it delivered to my mum's in Sydney just before I go visit her. And Amba is sending some samples for Onslow which is very kind of her - he is such a fussy eater wanted to try before buy. I'm hoping he will like it, it sounds such great stuff and all my american doggy friends raved about it as well :-)

the futon reminds me of when we were visiting friends. Their dogs slept in the "dog room" every night where it was stored no problems. My two dogs slept in the "dog room" by themselves, the futon was fine we put the five dogs to sleep in the "dog room" and next morning the futon was from one end of the room to the other ;) worse my golden retriever puppy has done is tear up carpet in rented premises, need to get that fixed damm fast moving week after next

funny but I was using Frontline on my dog and he still had fleas. So I bought Advantix and no more fleas so I'm happy with the product. I guess it's like humans though, some products work for some, some for others so maybe Frontline is the way to go for your guys.

my maltese must have been related to the poodle. She first of all took tablets with cheese in them but then learnt to eat aroudn the cheese, same with chicken, mince etc. The vet even had a hard time trying to give her tablets once although she assured me she had never failed before she failed with Daisy. I got Dom pate - tastes in my opinion horrible - but Daisy loved it and a good splotch of that on the tablet no problem! But the funniest thing was that they didn't have Dom one time, so I got a far more expensive brand, and Daisy wouldn't touch that with a bar of soap! Philly cheese used to work sometimes and a friend swears by vegimite.

I kept Matilda-Rose for the first four weeks locked in the bathroom which she hated. First up I left her for awhile in my backyard and then longer periods. This is the third day that she has been outside whilst I've been at work. She seems happy when I come home i.e. not the whining for ages after she used to do but is pretty tired. She is left with my older retreiver who now gets along well with her. MR is 12 weeks old. She is allowed inside when I am at home but often both of them spend ages outside playing. Both are golden retreivers, don't know whether being bigger dogs that makes a difference.

Thank you for that information does it say anything about how long after the pup has had her second vacination that she can then go out in the big wide world? I thought it was two weeks?????

I asked my vet about Proheart 12 just a couple of weeks ago when Onslow was due. She said it was safe for golden retrievers but not for collies, borders, shetland sheepdogs becuase they are sensitive to one of the ingredients. However on another Forum I am on one of the golden retreivers died a horrible death from Proheart 6 (in the States). I let Ons. have the injection but I think that I will keep Matilda-Rose on the monthly tablets and then next year put Ons. on them.

Onslow is great training at home but totally distracted when we are out because he is not used to training with other dogs, there is no dog training in Moree. I think it is important that Loki is trained therefore with other dogs. How old is Loki? Is he going through the horrible teenage stage, not listening to mum? I would suggest that you do change dog training clubs as well. I would have thought if the teacher didn't think that you were in charge of the dog, isn't that her role to help you so that you do become the boss? One thing I have found useful with Onslow is if we go out anywhere such as a friends place, I keep him on the lead when we arrive, I make him sit and wait and I don't let him off the lead to run around until I am ready. Just that small amount of discipline really makes him think that I'm in charge and he is normally very well behaved after I do that.

my pups have been fine except I have made sure that I can come home at lunchtime. but as Matilda-Rose is getting a tiny bit older have been coming home a bit past lunch later and later, just in case i get tied up one day and she won't panic. I was locking her in the bathroom but she is getting a bit big for that now. I have begun to let her and my older dog mingle in the afternoons so that she can gradually go to being with him all day outside. I leave her with biscuits but I think she may eat them as soon as I leave anyway tomorrow I have to leave home at 7 am so I have got Rachel who minds pets whilst you are away coming in at lunchtime to feed and play with her. I think if you can come home at lunchtime, it just makes it a long day for pups otherwise especially if they dont' have a companion.

how old is too old to go to puppy school??????

I had to put my beloved Daisy to sleep last Monday because her heart was only getting worse and the vet said the only option was yet stronger medication but she wouldn't get any better and I didn't want her to suffer. People have said but you didn't tell me but I couldn't because I would just burst into tears when I thought about her. Work has been pretty busy since so that helps a little. Also so my other dog wouldn't be so lost after Daisy passed away I ordered another golden retriever puppy thinking that she and Onsy would bond then when daisy passed it wouldn't be so hard for him. I really thought Daisy would have more time on this earth but it wasn't to be and Matilda-Rose arrived home on Saturday. That in a way is a distraction because I had forgotten how exhausting little pups are but in no way makes me forget my darling little Daisy. I guess time does heal a bit and hope it heals for you. But don't beat yourself up for still missing your beloved dog.

I have been frontlining my golden and maltese every second week and it still is not killing the fleas but is lessening them. I fleabombed some rooms in the house, this helped a bit what should I use outside though? after I get through the frontline I have might give Advantax a go.

Ihave a big hole in the carpet where Onslow ripped it - in a rented house - eeekk but worse last night he was chewing on something and I thought it was a stick and it was a permanent marker and he chewed it in the bedroom on the carpet - double yikes - any ideas how to remove it!

thank you everyone all so very very much for their very kinds words and advice. It has been helpful. sending :D to all who have had to go through it. I think that when the bad moments begin to far outweigh the good moments that is time but not to leave it too late. You should have seen Miss Daisy when I came home from work today though - like a spring chicken so the decision does not need to be made Friday like I thought. She is such a character, very bossy and very dominant, hates being told what to do but beautiful and loving although she used to be so hyperactive. I had to get Poppy a cavalier to help me cope with her! Poppy sadly went to Rainbow Bridge in December 2004 and both of us missed her so much, the house felt so huge and empty. Onslow shortly joined us and he and Daisy bonded so well. To lessen the trauma for him and I suppose me when Daisy does have to go I'm getting a new pup now rather than after. Daisy is an awesome bringer up of pups, both Onslow and Poppy were so well behaved - I would tell them off a bit and she would then really get stuck into them!!!! So hopefully she will be well enough to assist with the upbringing of the new pup. Of course she will be able to have her quiet times if it all gets too much for her and she and the pup will never be left alone together.

how do you make the decision as to when it is time to put your beloved dog to sleep, when quality of life outweighs quantity of life My 9 year old maltese, Daisy, has always been very very hyperactive until last year she slowed down a bit. that coincided with a new addition to the family, a golden retriever who probably exhausted her but she had fun. anyway up until Christmas she and Onslow had heaps of fun playing games etc., the vet had noticed last October that she had a heart murmer but said not to worry about it at that stage and also had a bit of a bump on her nose. Well in January the bit of the bump increased considerably so off to the vets who sent us to a specialist vet in Tamworth. Daisy was diagnosed with an enlarged heart and the bump came back as mast cell grade 2 malignant tumour. Chemo was discussed but as she reacts so badly to ordinary medication I thought it was not an option. Now she is on Fortekor for the heart, prednisole to slow the growth and last Thursday her tongue went blue, not getting enough oxygen and hte vet said going into heart failure with fluid everywhere so she is on a diuretic. She is very very thirsty, coughs sometimes after drinking, pants and pants and pants and at times takes no interest in life at all. She has totally stopped playing with Onslow although he tries to. Last night she was lying on her side in the bathroom just panting and breathing funnily. She is not eating that well either. But other times she takes an interest in what Onslow is doing which is mostly barking, very excited to see me come home and when friends came around she was delighted to see them. I thought this Friday as it was after my birthday I would make a decision as she would have been on the diuretics for a week and to see whether they were working or not. But her brightness at stages makes me wonder is it too soon. I don't want her to suffer any at all but then again I don't want to lose my beautiful baby too soon. Tonight for the wish for my birthday cutting the cake I wished for a peaceful end for Daisy rather than the normal lottery win etc. Can anyone help as to how they have had to make this most gut wretching decision? and sorry for the long post hugs Joanne Moree

At least Turbo had a wonderful life with you towards his end and that everything was done possibly for the poor big boy Rest in peace Turbo and sending hugs to you