oze50

This case thankfully will go to trial, how many horrific things are done to animals and are never recorded! I signed the petition and hope everybody else does too. Hopefully the number of people signing the petition will be brought to the magistrate/judges notice during the trial to let him/her know how society views such cruelty! I feel sick now, poor bloody horse

Sorry but I think it may just be Staffys Friends had two dogs, a Newfie and a Staffy, the Newfie got heartworm and the Staffy didn't, the vet reckoned the farts from the Staffy (legendary among guests who visited!) kept the Mozzies away from him

I use the VIP rolls whenever we travel away to shows and if I haven't defrosted their normal Barf stuff, I have no problems with it but wouldn't do it all the time. As somebody else said, like the Maccas of dog food. I don't take bones and stuff away as the dogs end up a bit constipated so the VIP keeps them going to the toilet ok but not loose. You can't beat fresh meat, veges and raw meaty bones at home, raw chicken carcasses are great too.

I have had Cavs for 20 years and really prefer to feed the barf diet to the dogs, they are healthier, have less skin problems (they had this when they were fed dry food) and are generally much better on a barf diet. Don't forget they do benefit from eggs, sardines, fresh veges and absolutely adore chicken necks. I occasionally give them some VIP chicken loaf as we travel interstate for dog shows and it is easier for them to eat that while away, just not very often. Never feed canned food, usually ends up in runny poos!

Having had heat rashes (hot spots) myself I swear by ZSC powder, I have used Curash but found the ZSC to be a bit stronger and more reliable. I have used it on hot spots on my old Setters. I first cut all hair away from the hot area then cleaned the area gently with a little Diluted Betadine, dried it by dabbing with a soft cloth and then liberally sprinkling the spot with the powder. Once the weeping had stopped the dog forgot about the hot spot and it cleared up rapidly. Good luck, interesting about the Rawleighs ointment, a friend who grew up in the country has told me that they used that for everything when she was a child and her family swore by it, must get some myself, anything that has been around that long must be good. I also agree to stopping the treats and shmackos, goodness knows what is in them besides the colouring preservatives etc!

Don't know if it is the same for dogs but I have cataracts on both eyes, while not painful my eyes do occasionally get a bit dry and sore if I read too much (shouldn't be a problem for your little man lol). When I eventually have the surgery I have been told my vision will be so good that I won't need glasses anymore! No matter what happens with the cataracts he will cope quite well if he loses his vision, just keep things in the same place and don't move stuff around, and, as others have said just 'Google' blind dogs on the net, amazing what you can find!

First of all you need a crate that isn't too big, great when you want to do other stuff and leave her on her own for a while. We had and Irish Setter puppy who had surgery on his back legs, I was amazed at how the little man coped, he was so good the whole time, not easy when his sister would go charging past him laying like a little trooper laying in his play pen, in plasters, He was in plasters for 8 or more weeks, only chewing the plaster once that I can remember. Just give her bones to chew or pigs ears, not many of course she may put on weight which is something to avoid. Good luck

dont be afraid to give your babe chicken necks, they help them with teething etc, if not chicken necks then give her a pigs ear to chew on. Puppies often chew on anything, including you lol, when their teething and need that outlet. Not to many pigs ears though, just in case she gets the runs. Raw mince from Lennards is fantastic, mixed with veges and a bit of cooked pasta is very good for her.

You can give your baby Cav some small chicken necks, not always easy to find unfortunately but better than too big. Just make sure you keep an eye on her when she first starts having them. Did you get a diet leaflet from your breeder?

Oops on the previous post!! Do you use a slicker brush to get the old hair out? They work a treat, also a friend swears by a thing called the Zoom Groom, I saw her brushing a dog and it did seem to get a lot of hair out. Just a hint, it is easier to get old hair out just after a bath and blow dry. Good luck, I have 6 Cavaliers and they just drop coat non stop, talk about tumbling tumble weeds

I have only ever experienced this problem once thank goodness, a bit scary isn't it! I keep Conoptyl on hand (got the tube from our vet), luckily I had this at the time, popped it in the eye and it went back almost straight away. Whenever any of the dogs exhibit an eye problem I use the conoptyl first and if it doesn't improve quickly it is a visit to the vet. I have managed to ward off a couple of ulcers by doing this.

I washed my setters in the bath, they climbed in on their own and were fine. Just a note to those bathing their dog with the hose, cold water does not get rid of dirt or smells and also why would you put a dog through that discomfort in winter!!!!!!! Jeez, would you shower outside?? They feel the cold just like we do, they may be big tough looking dogs but they still deserve a warm bath IMHO

I only ever use the VIP rolls when we are travelling, they are handy for that. I wouldn't contemplate it as a full time diet, I feed raw at home.

Hope I don't upset you as I don't mean to but your dog is a Carnivore, Carnivores eat meat! It would be best to get your partner to get the meat side organised. I make my own food up, 5kgs minced chicken, 1kg minced veges, 1packet Tropical Muesli (not toasted) into that I also add raw eggs, a little olive oil and that should do your little man. I then freeze that lot up into icecream containers. If he was going to be shown there would be other additives to enhance his coat but that mixture should be fine for a pet. Also, raw chicken necks, raw meaty bones, raw chicken frames and the odd can of sardines, they love em! I avoid dry food wherever possible but do give the babes Pal puppy food (dry) and they love crunching on it during the night for a snack. Making up your own mix and freezing it in lots is definately cheaper than the canned rubbish (which is only useful when a dog is constipated, cleans them out real quick!! :wink: , I do use the chicken rolls(VIP puts out a tasty one) for when we are travelling and sometimes at home when I run out of the other but they definately prefer my mixture. If I occasionally get a fussy eater I have given the dog a Periactin tablet about an hour before their meal time and it seems to stimulate them into eating. Saying that I also only give the dog maybe 15minutes to eat and then take it away, otherwise they end up even worse in the fussy department. Good luck with your babe.

Where can I get the Chlorophyll liquid from? Unfortunately I have two baby girls who will come into their first season in a matter of months but am unsure just when. I will definately use that when they have sorted their seasons out though. Thanks for the information, fingers crossed.

Because this is not appropriate for the show ring - it is the chemical alteration of a dog being exhibited, which is not allowed by the canine associations. The dog could only be shown once the implant had worn off. I do find it frustrating about the attitudes to the chemical castration of the males, I am positive there are many desexed bitches in the show ring, there is a bitch being shown in my own breed who has to have been desexed, I have her half brother and although he has a huge coat hers is even bigger, the biggest coat I have seen in our particular breed, male or female!!! I will not be using my boy in my breeding program, there are plenty with his lines behind them so no need to use him, he is just a lovely boy to show and I don't want to stop doing that yet. If only there was a pill to stop his idiotic behaviour, other than drugging him to the eyeballs with tranquilisers (won't try that again!). He is pathetic for the whole season, I have tried so many different ways to keep him calm and happy but he is totally focussed on the girls and you cannot divert his interest. Can't send him somewhere for a 'holiday' or the girls either so I am stuck. I did try the tranquilisers once, that was a disaster in the sense that he blew his coat from the stress of it all. So I am stuck, I might try a visit to a reproductive specialist, if they can give drugs to get the boys excited, maybe something will stop his obsession with the ladies lol. If anybody wants to know if their girls are coming in they just give my dopey boy a sniff and he can tell straight away I don't want to start any contraversy but do feel that it should be allowable to do the chemical castration, if it is obvious the dog has the required equipment then I don't see the problem in exhibiting a dog chemically altered to make life easier for owners with girls coming into season. Especially since the dog can come back perfectly able to reproduce when the drug wears off.

Just a bit worried about the shrinkage factor in his 'boys' he isn't that well endowed to begin with

Hi All, I am unable to castrate my boy as he is still in the show ring, I don't want to do the Chemical Castration either, does anybody know of some medication that would take away his 'pain in the bum' obsession with the girls!!!! Whenever any of the girs is in season he is pathetic for the whole time of the season, the other boys only get over the top on those few 'danger days'. He isn't a puppy anymore 5 years old in fact I've got two girls due in soon. Can't wait till he retires, sooooo sick of the piddling!

All these things shall pass my child

When the time comes ( you will know the right time instinctively) I take the dogs myself and hold them close to my heart while the vet does the deed and I rarely can tell the moment when their life ends, it has always been a very peaceful passing so dont worry about doing the kind thing, you will be very glad you did it for your beloved pet. I took my dogs home wrapped in a rug, the children came and saw the dog in the car and they just looked asleep, then my OH would take them out the back and bury them. Later the kids made a little cross etc for the grave. We have 9 buried out there! Pity the poor people who one day buy our house, they will think we sacrificed all these poor animals and buried them in their favourite blankey! :D (Oh they all died over a period of 30 years, not at the same time lol) Thanks Persephone you said that so well..... I think the time is coming, but I am so dreading it, the kids are going to be so sad You are right re the 'close down' statement, she's been ok but you can tell she's just not interested in things as much as she used to be. Ugh I need to think, thanks all for your words.

After grooming dogs for nearly 40 years I have learned a few things, you cannot get a dog properly clean washing in water that is too cool. I can pre set my temp and do all the dogs at 38c in winter and 37c in summer. I do not use full strength shampoo on the body ( only the feathering). Why anybody would use their fingernails to wash a dog is a mystery to me ( do we scratch our own scalps clean? no we massage with the balls of the fingers) It doesn't matter if you wash the hair in a different direction, that is absolute rubbish lol. Really the most important thing to me is thorough and continual rinsing until all trace of shampoo etc has gone. My dogs presentations have always been highly commended by Specialty judges and never have skin problems (never even seen the pimple things referred to earlier :D ) Also washing every week is not a problem if done correctly.

Hi, hope you are enjoying your babe. I have 4 Cavs, two are still in the ring and 2 are retired and desexed. I trim all my dogs feet underneath, otherwise they slip and slide on the floor, also their feet stay a lot cleaner. If you are showing them then they should be untrimmed but you don't see many of them around, I would say that every successful exhibitor does the odd sly tidyup With the two pets I clip the body short but leave some hair on the chest and underbody, shorter hair on the backs of their legs and tidy up the tail, and their feet. I clip under the ears and chin down to the breast bone (like the setters are). They really look great and not at all like the poor little victims who get clipped all over!! oze50

Hi Ben, we have given our dogs garlic for 30 years, it actually helps prevent worms in dogs. A friend who worked as a keeper at the zoo and also had GSDs used to give all his dogs a clove of garlic a couple of times a week and they were very healthy dogs, as have mine been all these years. Onion is definately a no no. Raw veges minced and of course raw meaty bones and meat etc. No need to cook anything. Mine also love the odd piece of fruit, apples , pears etc, no citrus though. Hope this helps Oze50