daisygirl

We have Sharpei and like all breeds some are more active than other specific individuals. Our two sleep nearly 23 hours a day, even when they were younger. A quick 20 mins walk or a trip to the beach every couple of days is all thats needed and very wash and wear ie hardly any grooming. We are quite often down your way if you would like to meet up near the beach one day and have a talk about them. Quite a few Sharpei seem to end up at rescue as well, even though there is nothing wrong with them except they have grown out of their cute puppy wrinkles.

Our hydrobath doesnt have a heater so my husband (ex plumber) rigged up a hot water tap that we can click a short length of garden hose onto. The other end has one of these trigger sprayers. Even if using the hydrobath you sometimes need to wash off with clean water ie if using Malaseb. When we go camping we have a shower atttachment that plugs into the cigarette lighter. They can be purchased from most camping shops for approx $20 and have a small pump attached that has enough pressure to have a normal shower. Can you wash your dog a couple of meters away from where you park your car?? We have a 20 litre plastic jerry can when camping and that is plenty of water along with the camp shower. A normal bucket placed on a chair or ladder will not have enough pressure.

I have used both and they are both good.

Rectinol is human haemaroid ointment - have many mnay other uses! Neocort/Neotopic H is an ointment available from Vets on prescription it is local anaesthetic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. We always have some Neocort/ Neotopic H on hand as find many uses. One of my girls had a super extreme itch when we got home from holidays and we couldnt get to the vet for 2 days because of public holidays. It was nearly cleared up just with the use of the creme and a Malaseb bath. Also found out when camping recently that if a green ant bites you then the dogs Neotopic is the best remedy I have found so far to take away the sting!! I was desperate and didnt have anything else handy!!

We just got home from 2.5 weeks in Japan and saw quite a few. Was seriously considering if that would be our next dog as very cute and we are used to aloof breeds having Sharpei. The best Shiba we saw was in a tiny restaurant in Hakuba where the dog was tied to a very very long lead which I guess is in case she bolted out the door when someone came inside. Health inspectors would have had a coronary seeing it wander in and out of the kitchen and some of the patrons were a bit concerned but she came and sat with us (probably because we had food). She would let my husband pat her but hardly anyone else in the restaurant was allowed and she would shy away. We were naughty and fed her tit bits under the table (ie carrot and mushrooms) and she had the most gentle mouth I have ever seen on a dog. With such a beautiful face you couldnt refuse her anything. I told the chef we wanted to pack her up and take her home with us and he just laughed!!

I was at Chermside today and yesterday but parked in a different spot and didnt go past PP. I do have to drive past tomorrow but will have the dogs so not sure if we will be able to stop or not as parking is a nightmare there at the moment. Will see if OH can sit in the car with the air con running while I run in. I hate walking past that shop at the best of times because I feel so sorry for all the puppies and kittens. I want to know what happens in this dreadful heat at night when they turn the air con off??

I am so sorry to hear about your terrible time too. I have just got back from the vet with my 2 x 12 year olds and we dont know how much time is left so each day is a blessing. I would also be interested in knowing the name of the service that people have had problems with because I know the day is not too far away. I did have the name of one service but if that is the one in question I might need to look around for someone else.

When my Sharpei gets a fever I give 1/2 a Disprin Direct if I dont have any Metacalm or it doesnt work. Vet said Ok but dont give with other medication within 24hrs ie Metacalm. Yesterday she had a fever and Metacalm didnt work when I gave it to her at 9am so at midnight in desperation I gave her one whole Disprin and she slept the rest of the night . Can you ask your vet about giving you some Metacalm as that would probably be enough if they are just a bit sore??

I am nearly half way through my first eight week course, even though we have dabbled in the past, and it is all done on-lead. Why not do a course and see if both yourself and your dog naturally likes it. I would be wary that when doing agility the dog gets a lot more excited than normal obedience and therefore may get slightly more aggressive when all hyped up. Some dogs when doing their agility course bark a lot which may also get her hyped up. Why not try the eight week course, even if you feel safer using a muzzle and see how it goes