persephone

This is terrific..and just what I had hoped... I'm just popping in now..will read it all properly again later. It is most interesting .

And do you think that perhaps this is because of the aforementioned "information overload"? there are SO many things to be found in books and on the interwebz..so many apparent problems and ways of failing a puppy ....

I wouldn't bother ....

But it may not be ... That's why I started this thread- to get peoples' stories and opinions hang around! I guess i am also curious, as I've never had a young pup in the subbubs ..dogs I acquired in the city were adult. yes, I have had pups ..but out in the bush.. where they have an acre of unkempt garden ..other dogs/cats/poultry..and lots to interest them when outside They are usually so tired when inside , they just sleep! I am also not a person who fusses over dogs a lot ... preferring just to have them doing their own thing around me ..I'm not a person who has a dog alongside me on the couch or bed as a rule ;)

Lots of pups settle in well, and adjust to being left home ...and families blend beautifully . BUT... On reading peoples' posts on housetraining, puppies crying when alone, puppies being clingy, puppies being destructive when alone, or not using toys... One thought has been tumbling around in my brain . Are we maybe making puppies too dependent on us humans from the minute we bring them home, and so not allowing them to learn to cope , to be confident , to stretch out, in those early weeks/months? Is it ideal to take time away from employment , and wait on the new bundle of gorgeousness hand & foot ...then suffer guilt and stress when returning to work, with a puppy who is suddenly bereft, without the skills to cope with being alone ? Is it being kind to a puppy longterm keeping it with us constantly , lavishing it with affection ..then leaving it in a pen when we go off ? Do we need to start as we mean to go on ..and ensure pup has independent playtime/outside time from day one ? Do we need to hold off on admiring and praising and adoring at all? Do we need to do MORE things together, and have more time to praise and cuddle puppies? What do you think? I am aware that there is no absolute - each situation is unique , so ... add your ideas to the mix

11 isn't all that old ..and if she already has pain/inflammation, then the supermarket/pet shop oral care stuff is not going to help.

Sounds like rocky racoon is reserved for toileting and other achievements for a while

I have toilet trained many pups..and never used food . Does he have a favourite game? favourite toy? does he like hugs & cuddles? One reason I like Nothing In Life Is Free .. is that physical/vocal praise gains in value when it is given effusively after pup/dog has shown a desired/acceptable behaviour ..and not 'just because' VERY useful for non food driven dogs .. or occasions when you have no food/toy /tug .

AFAIK they are fine as part of a varied,complete diet .. roo goat deer camel pig buffalo etc.

He's a good lookin' fella.!! That pic doesn't seem to be any sort of spider bite to my eyes ...with all that coat, I would think it would be difficult for a spider to get close enough to the skin... (IMO) The one or two spider bites I've ever seen didn't look like that,and were on legs/lips . Did you see the spider on the dog? Whatever- hope it heals up well, and he grows his lovely coat back soon

Nice Great framing.

I suggest you go see an eye specialist ..I am sure someone on here knows one ..or ask at Werribee Uni vet clinic?

Grey/ Border collie/ ?????? She is very pretty, and I just that first photo!!!

Please check with the forum owner....just in case... RULE 10 No advertising or self promotion Posting just to promote your business or web site, will get you banned. (This includes people looking for a stud dog, selling puppies etc). It is usually pretty obvious when members join just for this purpose. Under no circumstances can you advertise a similar site to Dogz Online or any other dog forum in any way.

try SMUGMUG. I am very disappointed with postage hikes on redbubble ..and am now moving photos over to smugmug . i probably won't sell anything there, either , but there is heaps more choice of product, and a diffeent price/profit scale. ..AND they are extremely helpful and prompt in replies etc

Ok.. this is a reply from my entomologist friend ..who doesn't think it is plausible .

.. It's hard, isn't it ? So glad I don't have pups inside anymore.... too much thinking involved :p also , if you use an inside pen - by allowing pup to pee inside when you are away, you are again,unconsciously, teaching her that it's an OK thing to do An outside pen is a great idea This housetraining thing is , thankfully not a very long process ;) You may be slightly befuddled at the end of it though! .

Oh..and I have asked an entomologist friend about the venom fact given you by the vet ..it sounds a bit odd . to me ...

I love surface spray Spray outdoors once or twice at the beginning of Summer & that's that for a couple of months or so ... window frames, door surround, eaves , steps, under doors ...

Easy. She has learned to use dog door/pee outside when you are home .. and that's it. She has not then transferred in her baby brain that dog door/pee can still happen when you are not there ...

yes, you are ! I think THIS might give you both some good grounding ....

drizzle some saline solution over it ..or dab it with betadine

using a dog door for one day unassisted does not make a 100 % housetrained dog by any means ;) She is still a baby .. and , like baby humans, will take one step forwards, two back, at times. The peeing when you leave may well be an association with "Oh mum & I go outside ..the door sounds like ***, I now have to pee" The sounds/sights are the same , so her system gets ready to pee ..just she is still inside! There is always the possibility of an infection as well. when she just can not 'hang on' ... It can also be an anxious/excitable moment as she sees you leave ..and she just has to pee. re: whining/barking has she done this previously and have you immediately let her out?

weell, you now have a helpful solution .......... more education ! Lots of it!! Keep her guessing ;)

'training' .. can be all sorts of things too getting dog to stand still for ear cleaning , learning tricks, doing recall... fetching the paper or picking up dropped pens .. anything!