Stitch

I would not be rushing in to have the anal glands removed at such a young age unless they were soooo infected as to make the dog sick. Learn how to empty them yourself, (there is a video you can watch on you tube I think to show you how, do a search on DOL forum), best time is when you are bathing the dog. BARF is very good food, maybe expensive for a large dog but definitely worth it. You can also try adding psyllium husks to the food, great fibre, available in most supermarkets.

If it is hard and unable to be removed by brushing with a toothbrush then it is time you took your dog to the vet for a dental examination :D

Dogs/puppies are fully capable of understanding what you teach them. So if you allow access to the bedroom at night but not at other times, they will learn that. Fully agree that it is quite acceptable to crate the pup beside you in the bedroom and as they get older & have more understanding, gradually move them further and further away. They are very adaptable when they are not stressed, and all you would be doing would be eliminating a current stressful laundry situation. Doesn't mean it will be stressful for them to be in the laundry when they are older, just now when they are young and more fearful of a strange, lonely place.

When you use Malaseb for a skin condition you are supposed to use it several times a week and leave it on the coat for 10 minutes before you wash it off and this treatment should go on for about a month. So one or two washes does not a cure make!!! If it is just the face whickies absorbing the food then, as others have said, you need to clip the face furs. Fidos have a range of shampoos that have strong disguising deodorants in them that last for ages, if you want to get rid of the smell at bathtime.

Agreed, but Doxepin is used for the same thing in humans however in animals it seems that Endep is the preferred method. Both have to be discontinued gradually - they are classed as non-addictive however there is definitely a withdrawal period.

Someones getting impatient!!! Try to remove your heart out of the exercise and just look at what you would be getting. Whose dogs are the healthiest?? Whose dogs are regularly shown at dogshows and what results are they getting? What is the temperaments of the parents like? Which breeder is most likely to give you support and help after you have bought the puppy?? There is no crystal ball available that I know of that can tell you what the best course of action would be. You have to do some investigations for yourself and then you can make an informed decision.

Hmmm, very interesting! Thank you for your feedback.

Do you know why? Especially as in human applications the two drugs are an alternative to one another.

Endep & Deptran (doxypin) are human anti-depressant drugs, which are also used to assist with chronic pain, pain from muscle spasms because of their ability to relax muscles, and with associated sleep deprivation problems. They are considered to be non-addictive and can be interchangeable with each other which is why I asked.

Does anyone know if these drugs are used for the same purposes in veterinary science as they are in human medicine?

The same or very similar article appeared in the Saturday Courier Mail. As much as I dislike and am repelled by 'puppy farmers' and their practices I think it is important to be aware that often the likes of PETA and Animal Lib (working behind the scenes in the RSPCA) put forward this kind of generally acceptable proposal. Unfortunately it can be the responsible purebred dog breeders who are also tarred with the same brush and end up getting their activities curtailed if legislation is successful to control 'puppy farming'. We all know that PETA etc. are no friend of purebred dog breeders!! Any changes caused by this kind of push by the RSPCA would have to be very well investigated and thought out & only target 'puppy farmers' for me to support it.

Sorry I don't have any experience with epilepsy however I would have that dog to the vet ASAP.

Puppies are working out the 'pecking order' when they play from a very young age, ie. when their eyes are open - maybe even before when they vie for the best teat at the milkbar. This is the basis for their future lives. Sure their behaviours will change, personalities develop and maybe settle down as they get older but the pecking order remains. New environments mean they have to work out the pecking order all over again. It depends on whether the others are prepared to accept your pup as being head of the pecking order, which is what he will aspire to, if you have a peaceful existence. Given the probable size difference it would be fair to assume that he will be the dominant dog. Your challenge is to ensure that you are 'pack leader' - he can be second in charge - so you need to set the rules from Day 1. If you don't like the behaviours then correct them, get some advice on methods from puppy preschool and/or a good dog trainer. Teach the pup simple walking at heal, sitting, dropping, come etc. now. Continue with obedience classes after puppy preschool so your pup develops good manners.

I have never had a vet tell me not to express the anal glands - but then I have not had a discussion about it either. It is something that I tend to leave until I find that a dog emits that special smell - then I will express them when I wash that dog. I have certainly had vets express the anal glands when they examine the dog though. In my experience some dogs never have a problem or that smell and others will have issues. Some give you a signal by trying to lick or chew their hineys and you know then that you have to do it for them. I would rather have it expressed during bath time & shampooed away than end up with that smell on me 'down the track'!!

Unfortunately I have found that easy things like dried bones and raw hide chews are not suitable for my dogs. The leg bones splinter and the raw hide chews are highly processed - to get them white they have to be bleached, :D then they add artificial flavours to make them acceptable to dogs. I say unfortunately as it only leaves messy things like real marrow bones or turkey necks etc. that are unsuitable for consumption on my carpet. All bone chewing here has to be done in their wire crates - they don't mind though!!

Can you post after you have been to see the dermo vet? I would be interested to see what the results were!

Conflicting advice - we were advised the exact opposite and had good results with it! Best to take the dog to the dermo.vet and get an accurate diagnosis & treatment!

Mike Shipston at West Chermside Specialist Vets is very good. I realise that you believe that diet is the cause of the problem but have you also tried washing your dog with Malaseb (according to instructions)?? Dry flakey skin can have other causes and Malaseb is good for so many things including that!

If you don't like what is happening then it is up to you to say so! I take every pup I run on to puppy preschool and I now have no hesitation in removing my pup from any situation I am not happy with. After all you have to deal with the aftermath ie. the damage rough play or a fight may do to your dog, the psychological damage being dominated may cause your dog, the changes in behaviour it may cause your dog etc. etc. And after you have removed your dog, tell the instructor why you removed it and let them advise you on how the situation could be handled in the future. Some instructors do not have a clue and others just need a bit of a 'prod' to get them thinking that they need to do something! They won't know you are uncomfortable if you don't say or do something!!

I am currently trying Angels Eyes on my old girl who has not only had staining around the eyes but also staining around the mouth and a very bad breath for quite a while now. I have tried everything plus she had a dental recently with extractions and the specialist dental vet said there was nothing that could be done to improve her breath and that it was the type of bacteria she had which was causing the problem. I can honestly say that after finishing one small container of Angels Eyes the improvement is SOOO great that I am happy to have her breath on me now - and that is saying something!!! The staining around the eyes has gone and the mouth staining has vastly improved. Yes, it is an expensive product BUT IT WORKED and lets face it, one vet consultation is expensive too and usually costs the best part of $100!!! I am hopeful that after a few months on Angels Eyes (the full treatment totalling approx. $100) that I can stop using it and hopefully the mouth bacteria that was causing the problem will be changed and that it won't smell so bad anymore. Fingers crossed!!

We have had Dobes for many years now, and there are definitely different types being bred. We prefer substantial Dobes, our current boy is 47kgs and very well muscled. Would definitely recommend that you visit dogshows and breeders to see the type of dog they breed before you commit. There are some health problems in the breed so that should also be something you should be aware of and investigate. IMO working Dobes are more of a handful but also more rewarding - you really do need to commit to do obedience training on a regular basis.

One of mine had a dental with two extractions recently but not a lump-ectomy at the same time. She was a bit down/sleepy that evening after the anaesthetic and also had to eat softish foods for a little while but was pretty much back to her old self fairly quickly. It depends on which anaesthetic the vet uses too. I took my girl to the specialist dental vet and he used a more expensive anaesthetic which gave a better result.

Went to Big Dog at Lawnton today and was very pleased with the selection of raw food and also the price of turkey necks. Turkey necks were huge (and frozen) so I have to work out a way of cutting them in half. Also got some kangaroo tail so I will see how they go. ;)

So, on reflection, what would you consider you did differently that worked to change this pup from a puller to being better behaved??

Sounds like the perfect situation for a bark collar or better still a remote trainer. There is nothing worse than a dog that just barks for the heck of it and these kind of collars can get the message across very quickly and humanely. Much better than waiting until your neighbours patience wears thin!!