Papillon Kisses

Call your vet. :)

:thumbsup:

Oh swain that's horrible. Have you seen pet quality of life scales before? It might help you make a decision. As much as people say that you'll know when it's time, I don't think that's always the case and having it spelled out in front of you can help. There are a few scales around, here's two: https://journeyspet.com/pet-quality-of-life-scale-calculator/ http://www.aplb.org/resources/quality-of-life_scale.php (The first is probably more user friendly) With the compounding, you can also consider ringing up a few chemists. I really liked my old compounding chemist but found that another compounding chemist could make up the script for a LOT less. Thinking of you. x

I saw your post earlier but didn't reply as I'm not sure how far you're willing to travel? Paws Up Training in Engadine come recommended by my vet behaviourist and local vet. http://www.pawsupdogtraining.com I'm not familiar with individual dog tech trainers but am wary of franchise dog trainers in general.

I'm staggered that the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council seemingly are not enforcing their own dangerous dog order. They are leaving themselves wide open to litigation. If a council is notified that a dangerous dog owner is not complying with the terms of an order, then council shares responsibility for later attacks IMO. They knew of the risk and did nothing. If my dog were attacked by this Great Dane, council would have their heads on the chopping block too. As for the dog owner, I am holding back on my description of her... I'd be preaching to the chorus anyway.

Ah I getcha. Yeah, it's hard to see them not themselves (the best version of themselves that is) especially when it's because you're giving them something. Meanwhile......... I got Malcolm to operate his treat toy this morning instead of trembling next to it!!!

Mal's on Prozac (fluoxetine) Snook, not clomicalm... you might be getting mixed up with Scottiesmum. :) He was starting to get back some zest for life on the full dose, but it was apparently taking too long for it to just be a temporary side effect. We may increase his dose by half or add in something else, depending on how he responds. Anyway, I'm so happy to hear that Justice's stitches are out and that the cone is off!! What a relief for you too. Now just to get that shoulder healed up. It's awesome that your vet has been so accommodating too; not having that extra stress would have made a big difference to his recovery.

How's everyone going? We had a VB follow up on Thursday and decided to reduce Malcolm's Prozac dose back down to half. Since lowering it we've seen more play and social interaction return which is pleasing. He even did some proper zoomies yesterday! We just need to keep seeing consistent improvement. Unfortunately we stressed him out too much yesterday when we took him to my parents' house for lunch. He was ok until he was frightened by the sound of a hose hitting a plastic sheet and lost it. From that moment he was very distressed and kept barking at every little noise. Taking him to a quiet room didn't have help much so I took him home early. Thankfully we live nearby! It seems like stress has a hangover effect too; he was thrown off by any little trigger last night and again this morning, barking at everything and nothing. I feel so guilty, though on the plus side he did not stare at nor show aggression towards my mum.

Our vet behaviourist doesn't want us to lock him, so being "escape proof" doesn't actually matter, he can just waltz out through the open door. :laugh: I can see a door being useful in an emergency evacuation situation or maybe if we do nose work trials, but the latter is getting WAY beyond myself. Portability is important though for trips to Grandma and Grandpa's. :) So much to think about, and I'm possibly overthinking it, lol.

I seem to recall that Scottie is on anxiety meds. Did the prescription or dose change recently? Has he been under any additional stress of late? Or has a previous stressor resolved itself only to have this issue pop up? Reason I ask: Malcolm has Generalised Anxiety Disorder and we see this all the time. We desensitise / counter-condition him to one trigger (usually noise related) only to have another appear soon after. This is not verbatim, but our vet behaviourist said that this whack-a-mole like situation can come about when you do behavioural modification (training) without treating the underlying anxiety disorder. She also warned that although rare, some dogs can have increased noise sensitivity on some medications, in which case you discontinue it and try something else, and that other medications if not judiciously used can cause rebound anxiety in the longterm. Definitely mention the noise sensitivity to your GP vet or even better your vet behaviourist if you have one.

Greenies are harder to eat than dentastix so you may have more luck with them. I can't comment on a setter mouth, but Malcolm was verrrry wiggly and uncooperative when I first started brushing his teeth. I kept sessions super short at first before building up, and always gave (and continue to give) him his greenie afterwards. I think originally it was just a swipe on each side! He gets excited about teeth brushing now and tolerates it because good stuff happens afterwards. I do think you'll probably find it easier with a finger brush or some gauze wrapped around your finger.

Lots to think about! Thank you all for your replies. :) It looks like the k9 pro crates would be the best option if we were to go with a (brand new) wire crate. They're well priced too compared to others seen online. I couldn't see their canvas crates, perhaps they're no longer sold. A forum search brought up lots of fans of noz2noz (?) soft crates though. It's funny you should mention the cat carriers blinkblink. I've previously thought about getting Malcolm one of those cat igloo-type bed — most cats are around his size or bigger! :laugh: There's a massive price saving vs. similar dog crates too. And those pods4pets look very lush Snook with the addition of a pillow (he likes his bumpers) and blanket. :)

Our vet bet behaviourist wants us to get Malcolm (Chi x) a crate to retreat to when anxious etc. We've already encouraged this behaviour with his beds but the idea is to have something more enclosed. She mentioned that dogs tend to have a preference as to what type of crate they prefer and that sometimes you have to try a few out. I've been looking at the options available and articles about crate selection, but thought I'd consult the DOL knowledge bank. Is there any way to predict what sort of crate a dog would like? Best places to hire a crate to try before you buy? What are your favourites (brands etc) out of the different types? Pros and cons of different types/brands? Malcolm happily curls up in his wooden outside kennel (with bedding) though it took being stuck outside in a thunderstorm to convince him it was a good idea. He loves bedding in general and burrowing under blankets and into pillow cases. Sometimes he can be found with just a blanket over his head. I'm not sure if this means he'd prefer one type over another or if it'd just be a matter of making it all plush on the inside. :) Other than purely being something he takes to, I think I'd like the crate to be portable so we could take into my parents house when we visit. It being a quiet and dark place would probably be preferred as loud noises and light reflections are two of his main triggers. Thanks!!

Naww, Happy Birthday gorgeous!! xx

Love the setup Thistle!

Thinking of you both. x

Yep, our vet has other clients who swear by MaxiGuard. We use it as part of our regime, though I can't personally vouch for it as it hasn't been used in isolation.

This is what the AVA says: http://www.ava.com.au/dangerous-dogs They do not agree with BSL as it lacks an evidence base and for the reasons noted above (complacency etc).

I find the lint rollers with sticky disposal tape better for de-furring clothes than the material clothes brushes, but mostly I just avoid wearing any dark clothes! (our dog is fawn & white) :laugh: I cover furniture/seats with towels, blankets or sheets, and we vacuum weekly using a top of the range vacuum cleaner. I also practice actively avoiding looking at dropped fur, lol. Our dog is part of the family and he's allowed on the furniture, so while we do our best if people are so against having a little fur on their clothes when they visit they can just deal with it frankly. I'm not sure how to specifically groom a husky, so hopefully some husky people with drop in. Either way, regular grooming will really help with cutting down on the amount of dropped fur.

Hi Funnychat, Selecting these products is a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle! - Advocate covers heartworm, intestinal worms and fleas - Advantix covers fleas for 4 weeks and ticks for 2 weeks - Interceptor covers heartworm and intestinal worms - There are other products which cover various combinations too. The pet shop rightly pointed out that with Advocate + Advantix you're doubling up on flea treatment. However, if you went with Advocate + Interceptor you'd then double up on heartworm and intestinal worm coverage! I give my dog Interceptor Spectrum (heartworm + intestinal worms) and Advantix (fleas + ticks). I'm happy with Advantix as I'm not too concerned about my dog's exposure to ticks, his short coat is easy to check, and I can just apply it sooner if we're going somewhere riskier. However, Nexgard might be a better option instead of Advantix if you live in or take your dog to tick prone areas. Nexgard covers both fleas and ticks for a month, so it works out cheaper.

When ours came in the mail (months ago?) my husband and I each considered keeping it just because there was a dog on the cover. Because dogs. We threw it in the recycling about two seconds later.

Haha, true about the dickheads, microchips and gonads. :laugh: Dog ownership culture seems a lot different in NZ from what you've been saying here and in other threads. I think it was you who mentioned that a lot of New Zealanders seem to keep their dogs on chains in their yard? I wonder if/how that may influence the number or severity of dog biting incidents.

An amnesty on registration, chipping and desexing sounds good on paper, but I'd be worried about them using the information against me and my dog if I had a breed or type of dog that could be determined to be "menacing" on no other basis than appearance. "Menacing" seems to mean whatever anyone wants it to mean in this instance. I'd like to see a public awareness campaign about responsible dog ownership, how to read dog body language, and how to interact safely with dogs. Something like this: http://stopthe77.com (lots of good videos on that site). The nanny dog myth needs to die, too.

I can't help you on the lung worm front, but as an dog-owning organic veggie gardener I can help you with the snails. :) As mentioned above, a hidden beer trap may be your best bet, but do hide it away from prying puppy paws – you don't want him drinking beer! Remember to check the trap regularly to get rid of snails and slugs which have died in merriment. Here's one example: http://www.bunnings.com.au/on-guard-snail-trap-2-pack_p3010313: Another option is an iron-based snail and slug killer called Multiguard. The manufacturer says it's is safer for pets and wildlife so long as you follow the packet instructions (see the PDF below) which is basically just about making sure the dog doesn't consume large quantities. My dog isn't at all interested in it and he's a guts, but he's also not a Labrador puppy! :D http://www.multicrop.com.au/home-garden-products/multiguard-snail-and-slug-killer.php Info sheet, must read if using: http://www.multicrop.com.au/pdfs/Multiguard---information-sheet.pdf Another solution is to do things to encourage birds and lizards into your garden that will eat the snails and slugs, but that's a more longterm approach. :)