giraffez

Thanks all for that.

I'm one of the owners turned amateur groomers

It ain't easy that's for sure! I only had one MS this time last year and took him to pet care day run by the schnauzer club NSW. I watched him being clipped by an expert who gave me a quick run down as he went, I took a few photos and made some mental notees and I've been clipping ever since.

I was sick of paying for bad clips, so that was my motivation. I now have 3 MS under my roof (2 under 2 yo and a new foster) and there are significant financial benefits if you clip yourself. BUT as others have said

-It takes a few hours each time

-It takes practice

-You need quality tools or you've got no chance

-You need some friendly folk to give you honest feedback

-You need to be firm and train your dog to be good on the table or it's a disaster waiting to happen

It's definitely possible, and you get out what you put in.

I bought Andis clippers and they are great, I bought a qualtiy slicker brush and I cheaped out on a comb and scissors. I can't stand the scissors or the comb and have a few more blades on my wish list...but it was a reasonable start. Be prepared to fork out atleast $600 to get reasonable versions of everything. It seems like alot, but when you consider 3 dogs at $60ish per clip, 6 times a year, they pay for themselves in no time!

Thanks for sharing that.

Have you ever accidently knicked your dog while clipping? And how do you get them to stand still for an hour?

Giraffezz,

Our pet care day is on May 17 from 10am -2pm, at Bressington Park, Homebush. There will be grooming demonstrations, talks, Rescue dogs and also dogs being clipped by the professional groomers in our club. Come along and join in the day and see hundred of gorgeous schnauzers. You can watch how the are clipped and ask as many questions as you like.

Thanks Schnauzer! Do I need to register? And is this schnauzer specific, would there be other breeds there?

Just come along on the day - everyone is welcome. It is run by the breed club and schnauzer specific. See you there. :p

Its in my diary! THanks.

Giraffezz,

Our pet care day is on May 17 from 10am -2pm, at Bressington Park, Homebush. There will be grooming demonstrations, talks, Rescue dogs and also dogs being clipped by the professional groomers in our club. Come along and join in the day and see hundred of gorgeous schnauzers. You can watch how the are clipped and ask as many questions as you like.

Thanks Schnauzer! Do I need to register? And is this schnauzer specific, would there be other breeds there?

thanks all for your input.

I think I will be taking it to a groomer for the first 12 months until I am comfortable that I won't hurt the little thing.

I don't mind on investing in the clippers but eventually I want to learn how to do it as I think this is one of the fun bits of owning a mini schnauzer.

Reading some other posts, alot of people have recommended the WAHL KM2 Two Speed. For the mini schnauzer, are they considered to have a heavy coat so need the additional speed setting? How long do they last and how frequently do I have to purchase new blades? In between the clipping, what is the equipment called that I need to brush it with - is it a Fuminator or just a grooming brush?

Puppies need to be exposed to noise and mildly stressful situations from about 4-5 weeks onward.

I always have their playpen in the kitchen/family room and bang pots, clap hands, stomp around etc. so they learn that noises etc. are OK. It is also important to get them out to see cars and hear other loud noises.

Also, every litter is different and have their own personalities but I find that as a breeder, puppies that I am attracted to at an early age are usually still the puppies that I like when they are older or adult but then breeders see the puppies every day and are usually very observant of their puppies behaviours.

They still seem to retain basic personality traits although other behaviours will change. Pushy pups still retain some pushy traits but don't necessarily turn out to be aggressive or dominant. If I am chosing a pup to run on I prefer to keep the one that is not dominant, usually the second in line but I also have to take into consideration the confirmation of the pup.

I am currently running on two sisters, one was the biggest and pushiest and the other was quieter but more determined. Now the biggest one is still pushy but the other one is much more determined and not frightened of anything - a much more resilient individual. The biggest one although pushy has a much softer temperament. All pups in the litter took turns to be dominant - first time I have had that.

Stitch - when do you let the puppies go to their new homes? At 8 weeks or 10?

So how many weeks should it be okay to take the pup? I understand that 8 weeks is the minimum - is this too soon? But if you don't take it at 8 weeks, its around that time when they need to be trained and absorb stuff isn't it?? So wouldn't u be missing the critical period?

Sorry should have explained it a bit more, I haven't got the schnauzer yet. I'm just want to be well informed to get a feel of how difficult or easy it is for a novice to do this themselves. This in turn will be one of the factors of whether I should get a mini or not.

Hi,

I was wondering whether its difficult to groom your own mini schnauzer and do many people do it themselves (assuming you are just a regular owner)? Owning a mini schnauzer comes with the ongoing cost of grooming. I'm interested in learning to groom my own mini schnauzer, not professionally grooming as I don't intend to show but just groom enough to make the pet comfortable (ie the clipping every 8 weeks) - shouldn't that be one of the joys in owning a mini schnauzer -> doing your own grooming???

Is there a course on this out there?

Thanks

having a seizure and having something like congestive heart failure are two separate things. I dont understand how you can have a dog on this medication and not even ask what is wrong with your animal?

The fact that I didn't mention why he is on vetmedin does not mean I blindly give my dog medication!

The vetmedin is for his heart. My dog has had a heart murmur for a number of years now and the medication is to keep his heart from failing. The seizure has just start this year, previously he didn't have it. All of a sudden one day, his breathing became very very heavy and he seemed to have lost all his energy and wou;dn't eat. Thats when the vet gave him frudix which seem to have made it a lot better. Since that episode of heaving breathing, he has started to seize (not often but still it worries me). He is around 13 years old

No sight of fleas.... however, after weeks of not bathing, he started to itch. After the bath, he has stopped scratching. I suspected the bath gave my dog stress but not bathing him makes him uncomfortable. he was all happy and energetic after the bath as I give him a reward everytime after the bath...but as soon as i turned around, he started to seize

My dog (chihuahua) has been experiencing seizures lately. I've already taken him to the vet and the vets put him on frudix and vetmedin. I've noticed that everytime after my dog has a bath, he relapses in seizure mode. I don't know what to do. I know some owners on this forum has dogs that has seizures - is it normal to go into one after a bath?

My dog hates bath time since he was little. Thats why i haven't been bathing him often but its been several weeks and he is beginning to scratch often. What should i do?

I guess it would depend on the brand as to what colour they are? The bag the tabs is in should have a label, which will tell you the used-by date.

-WithEverythingIAm

95% of the tablets are pure white. There was like 3 or 4 that had a slight yellow coating. The bag is just a generic clear bag... the vet uses it to dispense the tablets in NOT the original packaging

Is the manafacturers details on the pack? If so maybe contact them.

Jessie (now at the "Bridge") was on Frudix (Furosemide). I'd say that it was made here in Australia as it's a fairly common diuretic. Your local chemist might be able to help since I'm sure that it would be the same as that prescribed to humans

no i had it dispensed... so its in a plastic bag.

I just noticed in my new batch of Frudik tablets that selected tablets have a slight yellow coat on it. Initially I asked the vet to replaced but she indicated this was normal. Is this correct?

why am i so jealous!!! My dog is very spoil. its so picky it won't fall for any of the above!

Its such a struggle to get it to take medication. :shakehead:

what are your dogs health issues? if you don't mind me asking =)

heart murmur. Recent episode of seizing and energy levels are down - breathing heavily.

Using Vetmedin and Frudix

I put them inside a little mince balls and they just gobble them down.

i tried that. Initially it worked, then it figured something was suspicious and started to sniff all his food. From then it stopped working.

My little dog needs to be given medication 3 times a day and its so painful getting him to swallow. Could anyone offer any tips? I've tried putting it inside tasty food, positive re-enforcement, hiding it inside a chunk of meat but he just refuse to eat it.

The only way we could get it down is by forcing it in the back of his tongue but it often takes a few go's and but then its melted away that its become bitter so my poor dog hates it even more.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Reading this forum seems to indicate frudix and vetmedin are common medication but very costly. I understand that the vet needs to make a living but charging $18 is unreasonable.

Maybe asking the vet if the medication was avaliable on prescription.

I get 2 of my dogs meds this way and it is a lot cheaper.

The medication is fludix and vetmedin.

If its available on prescription, what does that mean, I can get it from the chemist?

If another vet has the medication for cheaper, can I ask the other vet to dispense?

All I get is a resealable plastic bag with a printed label. Surely that doesn't cost more than $1?

Hi,

My dog needs to take life long prescribed medication from the vet. The medication is very expensive and I found out today the that vet charges me $18 everytime medication is dispensed. I don't understand what this cost is but they said it was dispensing fee. I still don't understand why I need to pay $18 for someone to take medicine out from a bottle and put it in a plastic bag.

Is this common in vets that they charge dispensing fee?

Do I have any other way of buying medication for my dog?

Thanks

I had my boy desexed at the one on Burwood rd and had no problems with them. Price was one of the cheapest around.

I had my rescue cat done at the vet on Lyons Rd and there were issues there with the cat pulling the stitches out and the staff were great.

So I would use either of them.

Thanks all for your replies.

Is the Lyons Rd one the one in drummoyne?

Whats the difference between a C5 and a C3 injection?

My dog doesn't live in a kennel, do I still need C5?

no one at all has a pet in the Concord area?

Hi All,

I'm looking for a new vet. Was wondering whether anyone could recommend me one around Concord area (Sydney, NSW)..... could be 10-15 kms away.

I'm looking for a GOOD vet that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

Thanks