Cavandra

Mobile has advantages like working alone, working whatever days or hours you feel like, having days off whenever you need, there is a large customer base of people who hate salons for various reasons, people that no longer drive (elderly) Draw backs are Having to wash dogs in a hydrobath, battling the elements, having people stop to chat as they walk past, or just being nosey, and a nightmare in school holidays having kids swarm you. You will always have the reputation of being a "cowboy" as all pro groomers hate Vet nurses & mobiles work as a rule. You also have phone calls all the time at home, I had 4 on BOXING DAY, and often have them ringing late at night & weekends, being Mobile you have no boundaries , if you were in premises they would be ringing there not your home. You can only do so many dogs, probably half the amount as a salon & can not make the the same money. I trained at a Grooming school & am salon taught & have been Mobile for almost 10 years........It has been fabulous to have every weekend I need off for dog shows & whelping bitches etc, but I loathe the heat, and doing the salon quality job that I do is made extra difficult if you have gusts of winds whip through when you would like to be styling the face or something!!!! The dogs can have lots of distractions, like traffic, people gawking to see what you are doing, people walking dogs past lots of things to distract the dog bla bla bla........If someone offered me a job in a salon now I would likely take it, as I am pretty much over it , yet I adore my job. Mobiles have the reputation of being "cowboys" as the majority of them are. They have been trained briefly by someone who didnt have a clue themselves in the first place, many franchises do dreadful work for this reason. It really takes alot of years & alot of experience to become excellent at what you do, yet many of the "hacks" think they do a great job after being in the job 5 minutes LOL..........I dont think there is any point going out on the road with a mobile unit to learn to groom, as they are not going to be doing the amount of dogs you need to see to be able to learn properly, also time is money, they cant linger around on one dog to explain each step etc, in a salon there are high volumes of dogs coming through the doors & usually multiple groomers working , starting from the ground level is the only way to become good at what you do, so that you can understand the importance of a good wash, a good fluff dry, the reasons dogs are done like they are, some washed first, some clipped first etc etc etc. I find the ones that start at ground level but think they know it all already never last. In fact I think someone quoted on this forum before that the average lifespan of a groomer is only 3 years, and I reckon it is because people dont know what they are doing in the first place, as the trade is not regulated.

I have never seen any dogs coat turn to "crap" because they were groomed as babies, and I have never seen any dog clipped as babies that have kept their "puppy coat"......the only "crappy" coats I see is on desexed dogs, and that is on breeds that arent meant to be clipped (like Cavaliers for example), so it hasnt got anything to do with being clipped as a youngster. I know alot of groomers, and I have to say I have never heard this ever mentioned before & dont know anyone who tells their customers this. As someone mentioned the majority of grooming clients are designer mutts anyway so what is a "normal" coat on them LOL If this was actually the case I would expect that most clipped breeds wouldnt be seen in a show ring before 12 months of age. I can only imagine the poor dogs matted to the skin if they hadnt been clipped before 12 months, that would make their first clip, potentially a major ordeal surely......... An interesting concept, but one I wouldnt want to take on board here, my babies all go out with having had a positive experience, and look gorgeous in their puppy cuts, I dread to think of a baby being clipped with 10 blades They would have to be matted badly for me to take a 7 to a Malt or coated mixed breed etc.........

Raw meat would have to be "off" to make a dog sick. Dogs are meant to eat raw food, they are designed to eat it, bacteria is normal for a dog to process, unlike humans who have an entirely different digestive system. Unless something has changed ,Australian Chickens are not allowed to be given hormones ( I know someone has mentioned this on the thread, but I dont think it is possible), I know other Countries where hormones were used or are being used it can cause fertility problems in their bitches etc.......... I cant see why Duck meat is different to chooks.......

In the cases I have known it is due to it being their last litter & usually going to be rehomed & desexed anyway, so it saves another GA........Some say their milk can dry up because of doing this, but I have never seen it myself.

Knowing dog psychology helps, they all speak the same language LOL I find them very predictable, and can read what they will do before they know they will do it , it is all intuition, and being able to read them. If the owners are scatter brains, their pups will be too LOL If you have difficulty, you have to decide what you will do about it, as you can not end when the pup tells you it is over, you have to end so that the pup thinks it is your idea, and you are in control etc.... I rarely put clippers on their face until I know I can trust that I am going to be able to get the job done on my terms, I wont put us in the position of not being able to finish the task, and the pup winning, always put yourself in the position of not being able to fail!..........If they win you have instantly made it doubly hard the next time you have to do the dog.....I am good with scissors so it is no drama to me to scissor the entire face, sometimes poodle babies may start with teddy bear heads if I think there is a chance I wont win, teh poodle face can wait for another day, as it is more important to win & finish on your terms in a very positive experience. I do hate getting pups that have been groomed elsewhere initially, as they are 99% of the time ruined, and it takes me a lot longer to get the dog doing what I expect it too. I do prefer to get them as babies no doubt about it..... I start with the clippers turned off & rub it over the body , up & down the legs, face etc, telling it how good it is in a positive tone, then when it plays up it hears my serious tone of Baaaahhhh.........which always gets them to stop what they are doing, any growl sound is what you need to be able to do , and firm hands yet not rough or pinning the dog down or anything to make it fight you.......It is hard to describe how to handle dogs as it is something that comes natural to you I find.

Ginger is the remedy for motion sickness, but if Travel Calm didnt work then ginger snaps wont either, as isnt it the one that contains Ginger? There is another NZ product called Sea Legs which some show peopel love to use. Valium is out, as it is illegal to drug your show dogs LOL Some say junket tablets work......found in supermarket in the cake/desert mix section. Have you de sensitised him? like put him in there for no reason, just sit with him, you can feed him in there each day, sleep him in there (if it is cool enough), so he gets to like the car, then drive him down the drive way & back one day, then to the end of the Street the next day etc etc etc........

I totally agree with this .........I know many people especially on BARF diets that supplement with everything under the sun, when it is really unneccessary in most cases. I like to supplement with things as I think the dog needs it ie pregnancy, illness, lack of coat or whatever else I think could do with something to help the situation.....

I use ESTER C which is a superior form in a much larger dosage than plain Vit C.........Ester C can prevent arthritis, Symptoms of Dysplasia etc. I get all my Vitamins etc online at Vitamin King or Natural City.

I was buying the Seawall brand of large cans of Mackeral for years, suddenly about 2 months ago they dissappeared from the shelf in BiLo, never seen them again! They were dirt cheap, and chokka block full of fish, I am now on the homebrand Sardines which a 69c a small tin..........Not as economical even at this price. Canned Salmon can have nasty bacteria for a dog (cant remember what it is) so I rarely feed that & Tuna same as Salmon hasnt got the oiliness of mackeral & Sardines.

I had this happen recently too, caught it in a wire crate. The whole nail came out. Just remove it, and smother it in Betadine, some say to seal it with liquid bandaids or similar, but I find they heal with air getting to it, just keep dunk it in antiseptic wash & use Betadine or an antiseptic powder or what ever you have on had, and stop her licking it off til it dries at least. I wouldnt bandage it as it will keep bugs in there, try to keep it dry. She will likely limp for a few days.

YES. If dogs have an allergy it is to the whites!, yolks are fine.raw is better though as they contain all nutrients, if cooked to a dog it means nothing more than filler.

There is no such thing as a "new " vaccine, it s the same as always that was given every year, but they didnt want pet owners to "sue".......so called it something else & says it does something new. It doesnt.........In MOST circumstances vacccines last the life of the dog after 12 months of age. Either believe that or do Titer tests. There is Parvo here & everywhere it seems but is only affecting dogs that are not vaccinated correctly.

Yes you can use Valerian on dogs. You can make cool Chamomile tea instead of water. You can give Bach flower Rescue Remedy.

Also add Apple Cider Vinegar to all the water bowls

There are many natural remedies that can help, but many are toxic to pregnant bitches/humans. Neem oil, Lavendar, Pennyroyal, oral garlic can cause miscarriage in pregnant bitches......... I have a concoction I use but it is in a base of oil, so the coat is greasy where applied, under arms, behind ears, base of tail. To make 100 mls, all good quality essential oils........ 15ml wheatgerm oil 20mls olive oil 50ml grapeseed oil 4 drops of cedarwood oil 10 drops Pennyroyal 5 drops Lemongrass 4 drops Lavendar 4 drops Rosemary 4 drops of Tea Tree You can add a teaspoon of this to a final rinse when bathing, and also to the rinse water when doing bedding, I then dab it in the areas I mentioned above. Neem oil can be made into a spray bottle, but once again , not around pregnant girls.

If the dog is not yet desexed, this needs to be done, as hormone fluctuations will set it off due to being a more stressful time. Stress triggers it in many cases. Adult dogs suffering with it can not be bred from anyway. All dogs have mites, and they are transferred to the babies in the first day or so from the mother, it is then stress, or compromised immune systems that will trigger the symptoms.But mostly there are not any symptoms in a healthy dog. Your other dogs will not contract this type of mites from this dog. To boost the immune system removing all preservatives & colours from the diet. A BARF diet would be the best idea IMO. You can put apple cider vinegar in all water bowls all the time (a splash), and feed Kelp every other day (if not daily)......Kelp stimulates the immune system..Honey is a natural antibiotic & overall tonic. I would never vaccinate this dog either, I would always do a Titer test & only do vaccinations as they are required. Perhaps trying a Homeopath like Jackie Fitzgerald (google her website, she does long distance/phone consults) may be a better approach since general treatments are not making headway. All dogs are different & what works for one may not for another. This is one of her treatments for mange I just found in a book. Feed whole minced garlic & make a lotion of garlic too. Mince 30 -40 cloves of garlic & place in a gallon container, pour boiling spring water over the garlic & keep the container covered to prevent evaporation. Once it is cooled you apply this to the dog on a daily basis until cleared up.

I am very sorry to hear of your poor puppy :cool: To answer your question about 3 puppy shots giving coverage, the answer is "NO"..........If the puppy has been incorrectly vaccinated, no amount of injections will work. The old ways (which has been proven to be wrong) is to give the first shot at 6 weeks. A puppy MUST be weaned from its mother (ie antibodies in the milk) for a minimum of 2 weeks before the first shot is given. In reality this would make most pups 8-10 weeks before the first shot is given, if given too early as most Australian vets do the pup will not have immunity. I know of an 11 month old Rottie who has just died of Parvo also, the owner presumed it was covered by the 3 shots it had as a baby, but no it isnt as the first one was at 6 weeks :D Read Dr Jean Dodds studies on puppy vaccinations to understand what needs to be done, as you will find most Australian Vets are in the dark ages when it comes to Vaccines!

Why not rehome the dog , there are plenty of people who would be prepared to monitor anal glands, it is not a problem that warrants putting a dog down! I would also change Vets if I was you.

It sounds like they are just flushing them under GA. I know alot of Toys have the glands removed altogether, and that can be ok for some & disasterous for others, so it is not somethign to take lightly I spose. Why dont you just express them yourself each week or so to keep on top of it??? I do all mine when they get bathed, being on a raw diet & all the bones they eat none have an issue, and I dont get much out of any of them even @ 2 month checks...My old girl who is 13, I get more out of, probably cause she eats a mushy diet (having no teeth) and hardly excercises

It is hard to know what to do. As it stands the pup has been done too early (especially if not weaned for 2 weeks before the shot was given), and most likley has zero immunity from that Vaccination. In theory if you do a Titer test it should tell you what the pup needs. If by some chance the first shot did work, you cant then inject it again too early as it will counteract the first one......... I would be extra careful right now, as this very thing has happened to someone I know, they have just lost their 11 month old Rottie, thinking the pup was vaccinated at 6 , 12 & 16 weeks was up to date, but as the experts say it is simply not correct, the dog had no immunity from the puppy shots as they were given too young :rolleyes:

Can you work out why it is happening? Diet? not active enough? overweight? Do you express them everytime he is bathed?

Vit C is not good enough, you cant feed a dog enough of it without giving them bowel problems! Ester C is far superior in a different form that doesnt cause issues! Vitamin C / Ester-C is a highly absorbable, polyascorbate form of Vitamin C. It is a fantastic, natural joint lubricant and immune system stimulant. This benefits dogs with arthritis, hip dysplasia, allergies and immune dysfunction. Shown to be absorbed twice as fast and stay at the white blood cell level twice as long as ordinary Vitamin C products, Ester C delivers 4 times the bioavailability to dogs. It is water soluble and safe. Overdosing isn't possible because any unused Ester-C is harmlessly excreted in the urine. Made up of the four metabolites that the body manufactures out of Vitamin C, and chelated (bonded) to Calcium, no other Vitamin C supplement is more powerful or more stable. Because it is non-acidic, Ester-C will not upset the stomach or intestinal tract. We are proud to recommend Ester-C. >>> Ester-C® is a buffered form of Vitamin C that is "body ready" and 4 times more available to the tissues than ordinary Vitamin C, which is highly acidic. In Ester C®, the acid is buffered with calcium and processed to contain threonate, a metabolite which dramatically enhances absorption. Ester-C dog usage is increasingly proving beneficial. Although animals can manufacture Vitamin C in their bodies under ordinary conditions, stresses such as heavy exercise, injuries or respiratory problems increase the demand for Ester-C in dogs. An important component of collagen or connective tissue, Ester C® functions as a chondroprotective, anti-inflammatory and immunoresponsive substance. Vitamin C has non nutritional properties in higher dosages. For example, the anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties of large doses of Vitamin C are widely recognized. A growing body of anecdotal evidence is accumulating from veterinary practitioners who have begun recommending Ester C vitamin ascorbates in place of ordinary ascorbates to achieve these effects. Many veterinarians and pet owners have turned to Ester C® calcium ascorbate because it is a gentle way of administering Vitamin C to dogs and horses without gastrointestinal upset. Because they have found that Ester C® ascorbate is gentler in the stomachs of animals, it could be given at the higher doses necessary to achieve desired non nutritional actions. Dr. Geir Erik Berge, a veterinarian in Oslo, Norway, gave 100 disabled dogs 30 mg/kg of Ester C® three times daily for six months. To qualify for the study, a dog had to have one of the following chronic conditions involving the joints and connective tissue: severe joint injury, arthritis, spondylosis, hip dysplasia, older disc prolapse, muscle atrophy as a result of functional loss, or senile wear and tear in support and motion systems. After one week of treatment with Ester C®, some 75% of the ailing dogs showed dramatic improvement in their conditions. This percentage improvement remained relatively stable for the rest of the study. At the six month mark, 78% of the previously suffering dogs had experienced a significant reduction in symptoms. Berge concluded that dogs manufacture sub-optimal concentrations of Vitamin C in some tissues under the stress of certain ailments. He recommended high dosage supplementation with Ester C® ascorbate to help correct those deficits. Free and Easy for Dogs contains suggested levels of Ester C® which works synergistically with the other vitamins and supplements to provide the necessary and expected relief of many dogs. Credits (Berge, 1990). The Norwegian Veterinary Journal 102: 579,580,581 Above from site Ester C Miracle cure Vitamin King have 5 x 250 tablet (1250 tablets) on special for only $99 at the moment Vitamin King site

Sorry , but mouth ulcers arent that common in the first place, so to have them for more than 4 months is a worry.......Things in the mouth heal very quickly usually, even when no treatment is given (in a healthy person/dog). It can be a symptom of diabetes & kidney disease, that is why I suggested the tests, hopefully to rule these things out, as there isnt much point treating symptoms if there is an ongoing cause...JMO

Chronic bad skin & hair loss are symptoms, along with weight gain, weight loss, sometimes lethargy, hormone problems which cause infertility problems etc...........It is hard to diagnose, as it gets mistaken for other things alot in Australia. Vets dont think of it .........It is a blood test, but certain elements can affect the results, like being on cortisone for example! I am unsure about Zyrtec, I dont know anyone who has used it. I usulaly say Claratyne due to teh home brand equivalent being far cheaper for people....Guardian Chemists have the home brand one.......But as I said what may work for one dog doesnt seem to work for another, so trial & error I guess.........Many Vets tell people to use Telfast.

No I havent personally heard of any reactions etc..........i only know that one will work for one dog & not for another, sometimes you have to try each one out til you find the one that works for your dog. I would follow the instructions on the packet for a dog of that size he is an "adult" human...........