Clyde

Considering pet sitting and dog walking requires no skills or experience I think any course can only be seen as a good thing! How sanguine you are :) Have a look at [**kirty**'s thread - I think it was **kirty**, I'll check]. She is an extremely experienced animal person and still had an event. In another person's hands, this could have been disastrous. I think Clyde means that anyone can do it. It's not like for example, teaching where you do actually need a degree to get the job. Us "dog people" on Dol might go looking for someone with credentials and proper training as we know what might happen, but it's not going to stop the 15 year old down the road wanting some pocket money walking dogs after school. For that person, the sheer basics is surely better than nothing. Thanks Lisa, that was exactly my point

Considering pet sitting and dog walking requires no skills or experience I think any course can only be seen as a good thing!

Put him out in the garden. He's a puppy He will love digging, eating dirt and doing what puppies should do in natural light and sunshine. He will toilet all over your deck and then you will have to break the habit. He will then eat the deck, as puppies do.

I don't put anything in ears. I check them each groom but have found if I don't use product and the clients sticks to that too then they stay clean themselves (once they break through the oily stage which usually happens once you stop using product). If they have a large ear leather and its a little dirty then I use Kleo Ear Cleaner (I don't put it in ear, I squirt on cotton ball and wipe), otherwise I carefully clean it when they are being bathed. It (Kleo) is a rebranded product of the old Leo cleaner which is great stuff and has not ever caused an issue. I don't like putting anything in ears unless it is a scripted vet product for a medical issue. I have also heard good things about the PAW product that RMS mentioned above.

I agree. As soon as clients stop using that stuff, ears clear up. I'm lucky in that my local vet and I are on the same wave length and our opinions seem to bounce off each other, most of the time - Epiotic aside. Years ago I would bend over backwards trying to help clients with minor issues that they would otherwise see a vet. I don't anymore. Now I send the dogs off to a vet, ears, skin, anal glands etc. I don't do anal glands and I generally don't pluck ears, if it comes out easily I will do it a little but I don't do the hard core plucking if it's say a Schnauzer who has never been done before. They get sent to the vet. Same with problematic nails. Anything that may cause pain, bleeding, licking etc etc I will not touch. The vet can do it and the dog can hold it against them. :) Besides, most of the time if the complaint has gotten to that stage I get the poos and figure the owner can fork out to look after their dog and get it treated. If they don't provide medical care for the dog then I don't book it in again. I'm at the stage where I only want sunshine and lollipops in my business. Have whittled it down now to awesome clients only, most of them have switched to my preferred vet and we stay in contact with each other if a dog is needing vet care which might affect their groom. If a dog needs vet treatment they are whisked off to see the vet pronto. Works well for me. Happy days :)

I wouldn't treat her after an overnight toilet trip. Just keep it quiet, don't look at her, keep it dark etc, you don't want to stimulate her or condition her to expect a treat, when you want her to go back to sleep. Good luck, she sounds adorable - some pups are more challenging than others!

Reading back what I wrote I sounded a bit snippy, sorry! But yeh, he's down a couple of men and his older dog is getting too exhausted hence bringing in the new girl. thanks Jrg, no grey vets here I don't think but I'll pass it on.

What do you mean by needled please TSD? Thanks

It's not really what I asked Persephone. He is trying to find a way around having to resort to that. He has brought the dog in as he is desperately short staffed so no, he can't do without an "employee" for any amount of time. If he can't find a way around it then he will opt to spey, but a $3500 working dog, he would rather keep entire for now. Hence wanting to look at something temporary for the bitch rather than the dog.

My neighbour has just phoned to ask some questions about his dogs. He has registered, pedigree working Kelpies. His main dog is about 5yrs old and entire, he has just brought in an 18 month old bitch. He would like to keep them both entire but is concerned about the bitch when she's in season. His sheep station is not his place of residence but he goes there each day to work and he has farm hands also with entire working dogs. He is concerned about one of them getting to his bitch. He is hoping there is something he can give the bitch to temporarily stop her seasons. If worse comes to worse and he has no choice he will desex her but the male is a valuable working dog and he'd like to keep that option open. We discussed Suprelorin for the dog (I'm not too familiar with it), he is concerned about it affecting his working ability too. He is on 1000's of acres and the dogs work hard. It also doesn't solve his issue in always needing both dogs to work and working the bitch when in season with other working dogs around. Any help from experienced people/breeders would be appreciated. Cheers.

I bet you end up with one then

Most of mine do all of the above except Fetch. I think you can train any lgd to do basic commands, it's just a matter of if they want to comply at the time of command!

When did that happen? Is he the dog in your avatar? I've always loved his smiling face.

Megan, yes you can bait outdoors. I use bait stations to ensure the baits don't ever get dragged around. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Sounds similar to Bayers Racumin. It is what I use with great (and safe) success. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

They have the same main ingredient so its strange the dog is okay with Permoxin. Usually dogs can't tolerate either if they react.

I am a groomer and don't agree with clipping certain breeds, Labs included. I explain to the owner why but if they still want to go ahead with it then I do it. Having previously operated in a high risk tick area I have clipped all manner of breeds which make me inwardly groan. Like someone else pointed out if it means they will have the dog inside then it is better for the dog. Although I don't know why ppl don't research how much their breed sheds prior to purchase. Sometimes it's just a change of circumstances too. I have Maremmas and they live through 40+ temperatures. I don't clip them but in summer they get regular goings over with a high velocity dryer to blast out all their excess coat. It helps a great deal. They dig holes under bushes and manage to keep themselves comfortable on the hottest of days. So long as your dogs have plenty of shade and fresh water available they will be fine.

Great photo!

Same. I am have not ever feed what a breeder has fed. I'll start them on it but then change it over.

I'm sorry for your loss Joypod.

I'll come back to this next week, now in fiji. Wifi terrible so can't open the links. V. Interesting though.

Not just profits but lives!! Livelihoods!!

Just jumping on a plane so have to be brief. I think you've misunderstood me, I'm not meaning to clutch at straws it was just my very simplistic opinion, I don't profess to know much at all about it. Yes, I was raised on the land, sheep and cattle. Now just a hobby farmer small acreage and breed poultry. I hate 1080 awful stuff, yes family have used it a lot and have seen working dogs also lose their lives because of it. I have livestock guardian dogs but they've really only come to the fore here in oz more recently. Mention it to the old timer farmers and they look at me blankly. I am interested in what you are saying, as I said my view is very simplistic and probably resonates with most of the general public from farming backgrounds. Intersted in the other dingo prevention options for sheep farmers as you said lgd's just the one option? Sorry for typos, in a rush, in hawaii ATM so Aloha!

"As no doubt some of you know Dingoes are somewhat of a persecuted native animal in Australia, and especially Queensland where outside of National Parks (a small % of the state) they have the same pest classification as a Cane Toad or Rabbit !! Ironic really when they are the best resource to keep pests such as rabbits, foxes and feral cats in check while also keeping native control of Kangaroos etc" I'm not sure if the answer is that simplistic. What about threat to livelihoods ( fArming) and potential threat to human life. None of the other pests are quite so dangerous (except for a cornered, antagonised roo). I hate foxes and despise looking out my windows with one trotting down the paddock but if I looked out and saw a dingo you could bet I'd be reaching for a gun. Sorry, I love dingos and absolutely they should be bred and conserved but we are too populated now to have too many of them roaming free keeping down our introduced pests. Just my take on it, I'd be interested in other opinions.