Vehs

Quick summer rinse off after river swimming = backyard with hose Nice good scrub (like today) = hydrobath Little, stinky, dusty cat = dilute shampoo rinse

aatainc mentioned the milk meal billinghurst recommends: cup of milk, 2 egg yolks, teaspoon canola oil, teaspoon honey and pinch of salt

divine angel: any fruit - overripe even and blend/mash it down. Apples, bananas, peaches. Has the enema helped any ?

Well yes, if my dog was constipated I would feed him Pal for a day and let nature take its course --- then I would have to hose the lawn down because you cannot pick up the result in a bag. If my dog did show excessive straining I would lessen the amount of bones he was getting and increase fruit. I'd be worried about your vet recommending Pal... if vets recommend any commercial food it's usually the ones they stock

Dalilove - yup that's an APM trailer - nope not me

When I'm washing or brushing my dog I constantly talk to him, not speedy but calmly saying how handsome he is and when he started having hydrobaths with a dryer he was getting a little food treat every few minutes so he would enjoy it. I definately think he enjoyed it more when we had people come to our house to wash him because it was something different -- now it's just me chucking him into a tub at work

Dieter tolerates it He knows if he's been swimming in the river he has to come home and have a quick bath (to get sand and smell out) - I think he is also too exhausted to complain so he stands there for a quick hose down on the lawn. He also just stands there when having a hydrobath - but he can get bored if in there for too long. first bath:

You could try checking out Vinnies/Salvos for old towels and don't forget to ask rellies and friends. Asking motels is a really good idea! I'd just give a few a call -- both big chains and the smaller ones. I've started using a moisture magnet/like the car drying things that I won't attempt to spell (chamois??) they work really well too. edit: do you have a color that ties in with your business scheme? I think most motels would use white.....

I've heard of this 'method' as well - basically I think it would very hard to get a pup to stay sitting for that long. Try and set your dog up for success with this approach and do a long down stay after a good play in the backyard also do it when you aren't running around the house doing other things, ie do it when you're watching TV or at the computer so the dog doesn't want to follow you around and you are doing 'boring' things I haven't personally used this method, but I do something similar in that my dog has a 'spot' and when I say 'spot' he has to go there and stay there, if he moves from it I direct him back to it -- he can lay, sit, whatever on that spot as long as he's there - it keeps him out of the way, but he is still able to see what is going on. (his spot is a few cushions on the floor) Are you using any treats with training? This would help you to stop feeling like your 'rousing on your dog' because he will look forward to learning things - I find I really connect and bond with my dog when I grab the clicker and a handful of treats and go over old tricks or teach new ones. edit to add: Hopefully some other people will have more helpful ideas for you, I haven't heard much on this forum about your long stay method, so I'm not sure if it is a good thing or not....

Sorry Steve -- I honestly thought your comment was meant in jest, like when I asked how my friends Setter coped with burrs, twigs in her feathering etc and he replied 'Bonnie is a setter she doesn't get dirty' (but I know she does because I washed her earlier this week ) I think many of us here respect your opinion on many issues, I know I pay particular attention when it comes to diet, sorry if I offended you.

lol I think Steves comment should be taken tongue in cheek -- she breeds maremmas and may be a little bias -?

Well good thing you asked and had it check out :rolleyes: fingers crossed, but he'll be fine

Thanks myska - I wouldn't have said an erection as is 'lipstick' wasn't out and didn't want to confuse Yappy, but I can see how it is a similar thing in dogs.

D came inside one morning and I was rubbing his belly while he was standing and felt something hard... on either side of his penis were two harden lumps, more forward than his testicles would have been if he had any. 5min later they had disappeared, the next morning they were back... however after 2min they were shrinking and I thought perhaps it was related to him just waking up, never actually investigated after his naps. I figured it was gland related and my friend said it was normal and would happen when he got excited and he's usually wound up when he comes inside first thing. It is apparently involved with the tying during mating. D has the smallest little 'sack' if it is even still there he's pretty hairy in that area, but these lumps are definately not in that area and more on the penis itself. As mentioned they only swell when he's excitied so if this is the case with Teddy, i wouldn't worry too much. however if they are still there when he's tired and not actually on the shaft I would take him to the vet. (so... now i've moved on from dog poo to dog weiners - great! )

We give dogs at work a 'racing stripe' - mostly little dogs actually, I'm usually surprised that SWF with hardly any bottom hair are always covered in poo when huskies, mals and samoyed with big fluffy bums are always clean. I suppose if we wanted to talk diet (and runny poo) little dogs are generally not fed as many bones as big dogs and thus suffer the runny poos (god, can I PLEASE stop talking about dog poo for 5mins! ) If you are thinking of sissoring it off, point the sissors to the ground and cut down the bum -- for godsake don't cut up towards the tail, I heard of a groomer who did that with a samoyed and the samoyed sat down and ... well yeah right through his leg! Didn't think you could get sissors that sharp. D hates getting his tail brushed, getting better lately, I brush him every 2 days so I think that helps. I just grab him (the 40kg lump) around the middle, and brush his the underside of his tail, brush his body .. praise praise... then do the tail again. So I don't focus on his tail, just do it when he's enjoying the other brushes.

D-mentias, that is EXACTLY what I do, but if he NEEDS a bath and it is cold then a bucket of warm water is then brought out. I think D has caught on that if he gets sandy he needs a rinse and mostly just stand there -- then again he could be all tuckered out from how he got sandy in the first place

Anne - it is in Sabrina's sig -- perhaps you have the signiture function turned off?

Okay well as stated I feed D raw bones, one everyday, and he developed a little bit of discolouring (I guess it is yellow/brown) along the gum line of his canines (you know the big fang teeth). His 'molars' are perfectly white all over and gum line it's just these two upper fangs. That is why I'm going to start brushing his teeth.... are all the people who feed raw NOT having this problem? guess he can't eat bones properly!

I make a paste with a tiny bit of water and have brushed D's teeth in the past - he loves the taste and feel of it. I just use a cheapo airline tooth brush. It is the main ingrediant in most dog toothpastes (and human too) Just recently bought some dog toothpaste, smells horrible so I'm sure D will love it - when he's tired enough I'll give it a go D of course gets bones, but I'm so anal about my teeth that it has passed over to my pets teeth as well....

;) Yup, I got the name from a cat website when I was looking up teeth scaling for my little Nub. http://www.oxyfreshww.com/pet/default.asp

ooh I know of that water thing I will just go look it up... edit: it's called oxy fresh For those who think their dog's teeth are doing well on bones could you lift up their lip and see if there is any discolouring on the big fang tooth ( ;) ) near the gum line?

...... rubber gloves first! ;)

cute test I don't know why they recommend I feed him cooked red meat bones.... ;) He's 11.2 yrs old (4.8yrs younger than the average) Almost 2 years in real life.... I was sure he'd be in the teenage years... little peanut.

Thanks for that poodle fan I will have a squiz Unfortunately anyone who keeps their dogs in good nick (like yourself) does all the work at home, all we seem to get is poor, neglected, matted dogs - had one in the other day almost as bad and Jack's JiKan, no injuries however. It is such a treat to get a nicely looked after dog in, we can spend the time it would take to 'clean them up/getting through the matts' to making this dog look perfect. We never get 'fancy' clips in, well not when I'm working there, but I am still such a beginner, so maybe that's the reason . My fave clip is the Westie - no legs and feet! I follow books too - and show the owner the pics in there so we are both clear on what they want.

not on my beautiful boy! Although when he was in the salon with me the other day I said if anyone slips and shaves a little bit off him I will never forgive them!