tdierikx

OMG... cuteness overload! T.

Percy has work ethic... go Percy! T.

It depends on the pup, and the experience of the surgeon... *grin* Had so many foster pups who literally were bouncing off the walls post surgery... none had any complications. Pups heal so fast! T.

Different ages for different bitches... most were of the same breed too. Had one bitch who cycled every THREE months - you could set your clock by it too! Was so glad to have her spayed... T.

They are getting a little older now... focus will get better... *grin* T.

Looking good! Come on Pudding... you can get better sweetie! T.

Hang in there Pudding... we're all sending our best get well vibes sweetie! Don't beat yourself up about it kirty... these things can happen to any of us... no matter how careful we may be. Dogs are just super good at getting themelves into things they shouldn't... *sigh* Hugs to you! T.

We so need photos of this little one... *grin* T.

Fingers crossed they all come through... Hugs from me and mine to you and yours... T.

The wet weather wouldn't have anything to do with it, could it? One of my dogs won't get her feet wet... bloody princess Dane cross at that! Try having that sized poop inside... errr! T.

Wow! They've grown heaps! Good work Jolie! T.

I've seen rescue pups thinning on the top of their heads... we used to put it down to diet, and changed them up to more premium or raw feeds... tended to clear up pretty quickly. Could also be worm burden... breeder needs to worm the pups every 2 weeks... T.

My very young foster pups were almost free feeding... they'd get the chicken mince (human grade) 4 times a day, and a constantly topped up bowl of kibble on hand for if they felt peckish in between. They never turned their nose up at the chicken, and they'd graze on the kibble during the day also. The really young pup got around 25g of chicken mince per feed, and then she had the option of kibble... that was it... *grin*... they won't starve themselves to death. She double her weight in a week, and had caught up to her littermates in 2.5 weeks - then she went back with them until mum kicked them all off the boob. They were all only comfort feeding from her by that point anyways. T.

Brilliant photos of dogs having a blast... love them all! T.

If you want a smaller sized kibble, try the Royal Canin range of puppy foods... I had a Dane cross rescue pup (sister to my horse puppy) at 3.5 weeks was 900g - she wasn't gaining weight with mum and littermates, so the vet advised separating her from them and making sure she got enough food. Brought her and another smaller pup from the same litter home and fed them raw chicken mince and Royal Canin Junior kibble. Didn't soak the kibble, and they ate it just fine. T.

I'm pretty sure that in all states of Australia it is illegal to rehome/sell pups under 8 weeks of age. I'm betting that the "breeder" has decided that feeding and raising a large litter of pups is too much work... between 4 and 8 weeks is pretty messy, and a lot of hard work... personally I find it the most rewarding stage. Take it from me - who has a large breed dog I didn't do all the right things with while she was still of a manageable size - you want to get things like lead training and general obedience happening while they are still small enough to handle! I was laid up with some intense back issues during my pup's early stages, and now it's all so much harder to do things with her that she might resist... errr! As for taking outside in your yard - unless you believe there may have been any parvo tracked there in the past couple of years, it should be fine. Just don't take her off your property until she's had some vaccinations... except to the vet - and carry her in there. T.

Same thing happened to a friend of ours... only when he got to town the morning schoolkids all had to see the dead hanging dog as we waited for the school bus. Never been a fan of dogs on utes since seeing that... T.

Important to note that you do NOT want to grow this puppy fast... large breeds need to be grown slowly to avoid issues with joints, etc. Get yourself a large breed (Dane or Mastiff type) specialised premium kibble - Royal Canin and the like will have large breed selections specifically designed to grow the dog at the correct rate. Make sure pup has fresh water available at all times - only give milk (puppy milk, not regular cow's milk) at meal times. She will drink the water if she's thirsty enough, and you really do want her weaned off milk sooner rather than later. Depending on how well her teeth have come through, you can warm the milk and soak the kibble in it a bit to soften it - don't make it too mushy, she has to learn to chew... *grin* A puppy playpen or cage type crate is a good investment too. I used to put a plastic bucket bed in mine with warm bedding and a teddy bear the same size as the pup to simulate a litter mate to snuggle up to... worked 99% of the time. You can also cover the crate to simulate a den type environment for added comforting. Don't decide to put pup to bed before you go to bed - they will scream the house down if they know everyone else is up and about. Best place for the night crate is in your bedroom and facing so she can see you sleeping on the bed. I found that night time snuggles on the couch was great - I'd be watching TV with a pup or two sleeping next to me (or spooning with me). They feel comforted and are getting their sleep, and learning to be settled with humans. Get a routine happening and stick to it... pup will settle faster that way. In a week or two I'd be offering her a chicken wing to chew on frequently (one daily or every second day) - great for helping those puppy teeth come through, and for keeping them clean. Socialisation is paramount also... have friends come over (without their own dogs) and have them interact calmly and gently with the new addition - cuddle time and gentle play with strangers is good for really young pups. No other dogs, or taking her out anywhere until she has had at least her 2nd vaccination... very young pups can get sick and die from nasty diseases very quickly. Take her to your vet for an introduction and general checkup - she'll need worming at the very least, and your vet will discuss a vaccination schedule for her. Make the vet visit as pleasant an experience as you can - remember that she's going to be a pretty big girl when she grows up, and you want her to love going to the vet, OK? Plenty of acceptable chew toys will be needed in the next few weeks... start buying them now... lol! Hope the above helps... T.

We all need a challenge pup, don't we Sheridan? *grin* T.

Good boy Roo!!! T.

Photobucket is an online gallery site for photos... good for using to share photos on forums... T.

I started with a point and shoot model... took some nice pics under the right conditions - dogs running with friends at the park and all that stuff. Moved up to the 450D and the kit lenses, and had pretty good success with that too... I LOVE my 60D and 100-400mm lens though... still going strong and giving me mostly what I want from it... lol! You are gong to love your new setup, as I'm of the opinion you really can't take a bad photo with the 70D... *grin* Start saving for your next lens... 'cos methinks you're gonna get addicted to photography PDQ! T.

Even the impressively experienced dog owner can have some hiccups with raising a pup... check this thread... http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/263169-raising-two-puppies-at-once/ I don't think that people are accusing you of being a bad or abusive puppy owner - maybe their wording could have been a bit better presented, yes? The general rule of advice threads like this is to take from all posts only that which is useful to you, and to ignore anything that may be perceived as personally negative. Seeking help from the breeder and from training experts is a good start... and a couple of those have made sensible replies here. T.

I'm a mean dog mummy... I just open their mouths and jam the pills down the back of the throat... luckily I don't have a dog that requires daily medication - or then I reckon I'd have to be a little more creative with the dispensing method, yes? T.

You and Jolie are doing an awesome job... look at those little fatties! T.