persephone

yes... there's bone healing/growth to consider....

If she's not been in season .. she would still have 'little girl' bits - check out photos/other bitches, for comparison :) It would also be unusual , if she had somehow managed to find a stray entire male ..for him and others not to follow her home!!!

Why do a pregnancy test if she isn't in season? just check to see if there is any swelling etc ..cos if the vulva hasn't 'grown' and isn't ready ..there is no way she can be mated. When she came home ..was there any noticeable extra licking of rear end? Was there any wet patch on her neck/shoulders where a male may have slobbered...?

I think it would come out the other end in little tiny pieces LOL I certainly would not leave a food bowl down after it was empty! Oops!

Oh..glad we don't get sprayed I would hate a house/yard full of insecticide.

What about speaking with the exterminator? Let them know you have a dog ask what chemical is used..and do the drill holes & then spray .. or is it a ' fogger' , or do they manually spray surfaces . It would concern me as to my health as well!..curtains/carpets/bedspreads/benchtops etc etc ... Then check as to how long the chemical stays on surfaces ...where exactly they spray (do people really have a backyard totally sprayed with insecticide????? :(

It works - and is dirt cheap .. I scrunch 'em up in a bucket to wash them ... they can be stepped on , kicked, dropped ..(lucky our dogs rarely chew ) and are alwyas at our opshop :)

Don't laugh.... I have been buying silicone bakeware from the opshop , as they have had LOTS. like these... soft, washable, don't tip , can be scrunched up , non breakable ....

ASk what the specialist would charge ..if he will even do it himself ...then make your decision. Alternately ..put her on hormones until you are ready ...

:) that's a start . Why haven't we seen the littlies in action ??? Hmmmm ?? :D

Yes!! That's the whole idea :D I use beef shins or lamb shanks or roo tails .... at least 30 cm long, so all babies can have a go !! I score all the meat - so they can suck/chew it off the bone with no danger ..or mess . Oh, and I do not use water 'bowls' for anything baby ..fur or feathered...I much prefer a 'trough' sort of arrangement at first I always use the narrowest container I can ... just big enough for noses/beaks - I'm not teaching swimming, I'm teaching drinking ;) For tiny critters I use a cut-down drink bottle ..larger ones, the round cake tins with a hole in the centre- that sort of thing ..

:D That last shot is just gorgeous !

Well caught :) So cute, indeed!

Cazstaff - that is good news , and I hope now that the owner will re think procedures and that staff will now operate differently. It is so hard looking at those things ....and remembering/mourning . I've been there quite a few times now ,as have others - and while everyone is different , the pain is still the same .

I have seen heaps of entropion surgeries ... not really a big op .. but aftercare needs to be diligent to stop them rubbing/scratching .. you will need one of those funky looking helmet thingies , or a plain old cone for a while :) It will make such a difference, if that is the correct diagnosis :)

BIG meaty bones, with the meat scraped/scored :) Easy as .... they love the smell, instinct starts 'em sucking , which is good ...then after a day or 3 they start to learn chewing ....then I introduce mince/dry (not soaked) and water bowls . No mess .. good strong chewing learned early ...and they don't bolt their food :)

Lip ulcers can be caused by various things... wait until you have results before panicking.

..I agree .leave the dogs out more ....get them to play rough & tumble games outside .... Hoses/water cannon sprays work pretty well too ..be GENEROUS with the water ... HERE is the best video on how to do it .

and she looks so peaceful !

Agh!! We were never allowed to take GD's in training near escalators ..owners were also told to only use lifts/stairs - seems things have changed ? poor dog - hope she will heal well, and that the owner stays well away from escalators now

Fingers crossed for you & Spud .

Donatella ... I hope she heals quickly , poor little mite

Interesting response to a child's question ... Kids ask to learn .. and if they know nothing about how dogs operate , then asking and getting honest answers will help a lot!

I just hope she does not try & escape :(

learning the 'mechanics' /reading the manual on iphones/cars/pups is a Very Good Thing to help with maintenance and discussion :D Bone formation in puppies is so important ..and diet/genetics and exercise all play a part. The bones are soft and growing fast , so need balanced nutrition , and management ,to develop optimally . I suggest you look for photos of Stafford pups/dogs, and see how they are put together :) LIgaments between the foot & wrist hold all this together , and can be stretched /out of alignment .. when growth is not even ....causing a 'sag' I notice you asked this on a 'staffy' forum and received some interesting replies !! this is an extreme case ....compare it to the GSD pic above!! There are all sort of variations on a theme .. and a lot of pups have a slight degree which improved when their nutrition is correctly balanced