persephone

wHEN MY DOG NEEDED A MUZZLE , I MEASURED HIM CAREFULLY THEN BOUGHT A soft PLASTIC "BASKET" MUZZLE . it had plenty of room/depth for him to open his jaw wide and pant properly ..he could drink fine, and I could poke treats in the side holes ;) he was not outside unsupervised with it on , ever, but going outside, it was just a part of the process..muzzle on ..outside. Muzzle on/go for walk ... I had it on him straight after surgery so he didn't chew his stitches , so he was comfortable with it when it was really needed

Cruel? For dogs running thru areas of nasty grass seeds , or an area where there are millions of flies/mozzies not, not at all cruel . For thinking of leaving on a dog while it is in a backyard , not ideal . I dare say it can get hooked on things and tear ..... In days gone by , I wish I had known of these..getting grass seeds out of ears was expensive!! ( and no, we had no seed- free spots here, sadly . )

Yes! Now is the perfect time

be interesting to see the finished product

I like this shot ...young Ocka has that "far-away" gaze of an Old Master's painted cupid LOL (just needs the little wings)

Welllllll HOW WONDERFUL!!!!!

ocka spent his first night OUTSIDE (in the porch, in a cosy pen, still with Mum) last night ... *sigh* the road to becoming a real dog begins .I'm the one who didn't get to sleep until late - so the HW bottle I put in would stay warm thru the night ;) eating dry food and minced chicken frames like they're going out of fashion ... and LOVING beef rib bones etc (had his first bone @ 4 weeks ) Mum is on a diet as she looks a bit like a coffee table .......& doesn't have a lot of milk...just the way I like it they are more 'companions' now....& she can eat her bone in the pen without him trying to get it after him learning THE lesson at a couple of weeks old when I thought I'd lost him I gave her an edible bone, and she snuck it into her bed ..next thing (I was on the phone) there's yelping and screaming and growling and things falling down ... She had snapped and connected with his snout. he yelled the house down, with good reason. One of 'the ferals' rushed to see what happened, so she got rolled for her trouble, with much noise, and saliva and action! When I checked the baby, I was appalled to see a neat hole right thru the nasal bone, with blood bubbles coming out one nostril and the "blowhole" I had all sorts of visions - none of them good...torn turbinates, perforated palate.... I immediately flushed the hole with saline a couple of times - settled him down, and sent a quick message to St Francis! Something worked - there was NO swelling whatsoever..no bruising, no infection! - *whew* .being so very young proved a big advantage never a dull moment with dogs. This him @ a week old .....

@Scratch sowwy ..he was a singleton . A koolie would go well with yr crew!

dags is also an (accidental) father to this young man , Ocka...almost 6 weeks old . A singleton , a smart pup, and named for a VERY good worker from years gone by .

Anyone remember baby Dags ? Well, Here he is yesterday after his first solo "lift and fetch"...a very happy boy! He was sent from the parked 4WD to find and bring these sheep back to the 4WD from the trees in the middle background. He's a youngster, about 16 mths old ...needs to mature a lot, but did very well, considering he can be such a goofy clown of a thing The Boss was so proud, he actually got a photo of it!! ;)

I missed this earlier What a journey this is proving to be Hopefully he will feel MUCH better over the coming days . having also had a dog go thru this surgery I can empathise ..and yes, muzzled when out on walks, and when not in my sight for quite a long time afterwards as well ! The muzzle just became a part of life .... like ..walk time ..put on yr muzzle ..off we go Sending thoughts to little kane ....

What a star he was .... brave boy .

Oh, my condolences that gorgeous boy gone. Run swiftly Arkey......

He will possibly accept her ..but if she is only 8 wks or so old , pls do not leave them alone . As I said - my main concern would be her bonding with him, and taking on HIS behaviours

keep a photographic and written record of his physical and psychological condition .... talk with someone who knows the breed , be patient, and keep us posted, please? That unfortunate family of dogs ...

I would be VERY wary of introducing the new puppy to "wild boy" ...she may bond with him and adopt his ways I hope you have taken lots of photos of this boy's poor condition . It almost sounds a RSPCA issue What a load of .....BS . Pups/dogs can not develop into their healthy selves with limited food I believe in one fasting day a week for our dogs ...that does no harm , and is usually only in the warmer months - they need their dinners in Winter ( we have working sheepdogs -Koolies) Puppies/young dogs up to 12 mths NEVER get fasted - they need all the nourishment they can get. I hope you are feeding this lad a puppy food(or fresh/raw) to provide maximum nourishment . Does he have a name ?

I keep hearing rustles in the fallen leaves , glance out, and there's no "woolly mammoth" foraging amongst the green & gold ......just birds now ...

You basically have a 'wild' dog . I do not know much about Maremma. These are just some of my thoughts...I'm sure you'll get wise advice from someone. If he has had nothing to do with humans up close , patting him will be a way down the track, and the least of yr concerns . Coming from a pack, to being a singleton in a strange place - gosh ...poor dog. Feeding him is a great start > Work on eventually getting him to eat from your hand . feed him TOP QUALITY food to help him recover from his poor start . do NOT TRY to approach HIM to pat/cuddle etc . His reaction may be instinctive and painful. ..let HIM make overtures to you . I am also thinking he will never have had any vaccinations or health checks? Do you have absolutely DOG PROOF FENCES? Hopefully he will bond with your stock ...do not take this for granted. It is NOT automatic. Dogs need to be trained from puppyhood with the appropriate stock . He will be feeling absolutely abandoned/confused and scared, and will certainly not be ready to "work" . Those "breeders" are not who I'd buy a dog from

Ohh..so fortunate, you are ! Looking forward to more photos and updates on this boy

Yesterday Bruce was sent to where big old good sheep go when their lives on earth finish .When they are finished bashing bushes, teaching sheepdog pups, checking rain gauges, yelling for two good meals a day , scaring visitors with their sheer bulk , and generally being good, quiet ,solid company . He was well into his teens , and had arthritis in his legs With the colder weather he was noticeably uncomfortable , so a decision was made. Bruce came to us many years ago as a young adult from the family whose little daughter rescued him ..a scrawny Xbred dehydrated lamb . he grew...and greww- his Border Leicester blood giving him a HUGE frame and a head that could knock over small trees! being young and bored, he took to knocking over humans , eating roses, and chasing dogs ...so it was either a BBQ , or a home in the country! Upon arrival here, he needed an attitude adjustment , and once that was achieved, and he was given a goat to headbutt, he was never much of a problem, although he was always very assertive, could hear a food bag opening at 100 metres, and could smell weetbix through a brick wall!! he weighed just over 100kg we think ...and shearing was always a bit of a 'do' because of his size! He never ever learned that if he kept quiet , the pups wouldn't mob him , and he'd always run to me to be saved as he got older and unable to look after himself. My garden can now grow uninterrupted , the pear tree can bear fruit on drooping branches , and I will miss his presence so very much

Excellent update bet he feels much happier.

Yes,that would be useful:)

Yayyy for a rash free belly !! Looking great. Hoping you have quickly found his 'Achilles heel '

Hi How did you treat the burn originally ? This might be a bit of scar tissue...or it could be something completely unrelated to being burned. A vet is the only person who can tell that _ they are the ones with experience and knowledge

Oh dear, poor little darling....and poor 'Mum'.you're copping it this year. So sorry. Wheels?I wouldn't do it, if her brain is affected to the extent she is ending up under and between things, wheels won't help. You know when a dignified old dog has deserved peace and an end to confusion and pain....allowing a disease to progress? Not sure if that's a dignified way to taper off the life of a dear little scrap like Tamar.