Benji's Mum

I suspect I ended up with a few dominance probs from my youngest bitch when I used human products on Benji.

Sticking to dog shampoo, she seems to prefer the smell. :rolleyes:

Dog-proof it.

One of mine ate a chook after being with them for a year but she also picked up a lot in confidence and energy levels around that time, so I was pleased for her that she was feeling better and separated them.

OH chases them around with the dead chicken for a while and I think they take less notice of the chookhouse as a result, but it's just not my thing and I haven't the heart to do it.

Good on you for persevering, he's a stunner.

The nosebag sounds good. I guess I've tried to prepare them before the vet, farrier or tooth fairy arrive by practicing what will be reasonably be expected of them, until they are comfortable with it so the visit isn't overly stressful.

ok, next questions, what was the vet trying to treat when he wouldn't let him twitch? Was he successful and how did he do it?

I'm a bit worried that you're letting him barge all over the place getting away with murder which is all well and good until eg something life-threatening happens and he needs stitches or stomach-drenching and he won't let the vet treat him.

Have you got a totally destruction-proof yard that he can't barge thru where you can start calling the shots (once he's pooped out the Lucerne).

If you're not already, loop some baling twine to your tie-up area and attach the lead rope to it with a quick-release knot, hopefully will reduce the destruction by breaking easily if he pulls back or whatever.

I see nose twitching as a last resort and emergency measure only and must be done in the presence of an experienced person.

Pinching a fold of skin on his neck with my hand is the next method I would probably try after normal handling, reducing his feed and increasing his salt didn't produce results.

Oooh no, would never ear or neck twitch but I've used nose twitching heaps and if you're gentle, mine didn't mind.

You can try a twitch on his top lip, or pinch a fold of skin on his neck or hold one ear.

Use google to research these methods as they make the horse produce some calming hormones, can't remember much about it, and discuss them with your farrier first.

I have seen sidelines and hobbles used and I have successfully used a jumper tucked under each side of the halter as a blindfold in emergencies.

He's a big boy!

Sounds like he's full of jumping beans like a hypo kid full of sugar.

It's not his fault, go easy on him and don't bother getting into any battles until he calms down.

Try and limit the grass when you can and NO extras. Plenty of water and a salt lick instead. Be careful.

ETA PS Your Ferrari is running a bit rich and might need a new set of brakes.

Obviously I'm joking..but you need to get the beans out of him.

Lock him in the roundyard for a week with a piece of straw for dinner, get his teeth checked and start again.

Are you feeding him anything extra that you could cut back, or perhaps lock him up out of the good spring grass occasionally.

There was some good advice on the horse forum Aphra posted, including where they said to get teeth checked.

I remember one of my horses had teeth so sharp that the person who checked them ended up with a bleeding finger.

That's ok, that's why I mentioned he was an ex-racehorse.

He had had a lot of training and knew better and took the hint straight away. He got me a beauty on the leg once and I cried buckets.

I had a striker and was advised to carry a crop and smack him across the front legs when he did it. He was an ex-racehorse.

oops 2 withers, one poll.

One went under a truck (poll), another flipped while grooming (wither) and I think the third (wither) was hurt when caught from wild at Araluen. Wait for the expert to come back.

More inclined to see a vet to xray for spinal fractures. I know of 3 cases, one wither, 2 poll(?top of head behind ears).

Not a pro trainer, but no-one else has offered a solution yet.

Say something like 'thank you' and 'good boy' when he barks and acknowledge what he has barked about, and tell him to be quiet afterwards, eg 'that's enough'.

I don't do it intentionally, but my eldest girl won't bother eating unless it's something she is really keen on.

Doesn't seem to bother her, she just turns up her nose and walks off. She's a bit on the chubby side, so it does her good.

Stinky as well. This summer I was shampooing him a lot and using a detangling product that I used on horses but I suspect my teen bitch hated the smell as she started beating him up about 6 times a day. Maybe she prefers 'eau de rotten egg'.

There was no blood drawn but it sounded like it was only a matter of time, so I separated them for a couple of weeks and stuck with the scissoring and haven't had a squabble since.

Maybe the OP's pup doesn't like the smell of the products being used?

ETA I'm pretty convinced that it's the detangler she hates because she didn't beat him up before I started using it and I previously shampooed him regularly. Hope this helps, and today's a beautiful warm day so I'm off to give Benji a Spring Shampoo (without the detangler) and Bell (who has a short coat and needs little grooming) better not beat him up for smelling nice. :D

Fair enough NicoleL, cheeky Benji is a pretty extreme case covered in egg but he accepts it all quite well now.

Lucky my mum's Collie Rough has always been a dream to groom, so I'm happy to listen to the experts.

And it wouldn't be so bad if he would stop stealing eggs from the chookhouse and slathering it all over his legs and licking it off...nothing in life is free...

I'm not a groomer but I have a mutt with a dreadful coat and I use a soft muzzle which only cost $8. He's ok with his back, head and face now but I've given up wrestling and get someone else to hold him firmly for the belly and leg scissoring.

They are very pack orientated, high defence drive, low prey drive, low food drive,low play

That sums up my chicken-friendly dogs perfectly. Very interesting.

There is aluminium in door frames, dog bed frames, saucepans, bowls..all sorts of things. Could he have chewed/licked/ ingested it from there, perhaps?

Great news for Tango.

I asked a metal expert and he guessed it's because aluminium is quite a hard metal as is stainless steel, which is most commonly used and suggested that soft metals like copper could prove extremely unsuitable.

His dog used to play with aluminium cans but had to be stopped as he would eat them.

We have kept both dogs and chooks for 8 years and haven't had probs, we have good fencing and concreting.