tdierikx

Ummm... I'd have it looked at and thoroughly cleaned out... It may not need stitches, but at the very least you will need antibiotics to stop any chance of an infection - and the sooner you start them the better. I had a dog with a similar wound once - it was in an area that wouldn't hold stitches (they would have torn when she moved her head) - it took quite a while to heal, and was not much fun to clean out a few times a day... T.

The local pet food place has sales of plastic tubs with screw on lids every now and then - I have two 10kg ones because it's easier to carry and stash them out of the way... I need a couple more for the puppy dry (I buy 20kg bags of kibble) T.

I have a photo of a friend's tiny kitten nomming on my Rotti's (docked) tail and telling her who was boss... it's a classic photo... must scan and share one day... *grin* T.

Geez Rach... I feel for you... and am crying here myself... I know how much a part of you Gypz was (and still will be forever) - it feels like your heart has totally been ripped out, stomped on by an elephant, and handed back to you, doesn't it? It is just so not fair that they have to leave us after such a short time... *sob* I lost my heart dog Woosie in 2004, and still lose it completely when I think of her - and when I read threads like this one... I think I understand your pain and sense of nothing being quite right with the world right now. The pain won't go away, but it will become easier to handle with time, please know that, OK? Heartfelt hugs to you and the boys... T.

I'm so sorry for your loss GayleK... 4 is too young... *sigh* It may help to know that Benson has some exceptional company for his wait at the Bridge for you and his "dad" - so many wonderful dogs that have touched their humans hearts in a way only a dog can... Run free and healthy Benson... (I think I have something in my eye - gotta go and do something about that... *choke*) T.

I think that you will find that a well bred pedigreed pup will cost you a heck of a lot less over the course of it's life than a petshop or BYB pup... ... and having reared a few litters of pups through the years, I can firmly attest that if you are doing all the right things for the pups you are bringing into the world, you certainly aren't going to be making a living from it! I currently have a litter of rescue foster pups here - 9 of them! They look to be Rotti/GSD/Mastiff cross types, and are around 4.5 weeks old. They were dumped at the pound last Sunday without their mother. So far they are eating more than my 3 large breed adult dogs put together - more than once per day! They are eating more each day, and are growing fast. They will be wormed tomorrow, then at 6 weeks will need more worming, and vaccinations. They will also need desexing before they are rehomed to carefully selected new families. And rescue crossbreed pups certainly don't sell for the same prices a pedigreed pure pup does... But the puppy breath kisses more than make up for all of the above and the constant rounds of washing bedding, etc... wouldn't you all agree? (only a true dog lover can understand these things... *grin*) T.

I'd have to admit that I have and will kick at a dog that is attacking my dogs or me - regardless of it's size... ... obviously the strength of the kick is adjusted for size though... In your case, the attacking dog actually bit you and has left a mark - report it to council as not being contained, and that it is highly aggressive. Take photos of your wound for proof... T.

My Lab/Dingo girl has a reddish nose all the time - but it does get lighter in winter. Never had an issue with it... she can still sniff out any type of food... *grin* T.

Mud puddles are the bestest!! Just ask any Labrador.... lol! T.

My dad did something similar for my aunt with photos I took at my cousin's wedding. He picked around 300 of the 900-odd photos and made a beautiful slideshow set to lovely music and put it on a DVD so my aunt can play it whenever she wants - much cooler than a photo album I reckon. I've told dad to have plenty of copies made of the DVD, because my aunt has been playing it so often she's bound to wear it out... *grin* I'm thinking of getting one of those really cool coffee table books made from some of the best wedding photos for my aunt for Christmas - which will also be my cousin's 1st wedding anniversary... maybe I should make them one too... errr! T.

The latest one GSD/Lab? T.

Another vote for Rotti/GSP... something about the poses screams GSP to me... Absolutely stunning combination whatever it is... gorgeous! T.

Can you buy a cheap harness from Pet Barn or the like? Then you can secure the pup on a blanket on the back seat... ... or you could try to borrow a travel crate from someone... T.

I'm NOT a vet nurse (or a vet), and I still have plenty of people asking me for advice on all manner of doggy stuff... *grin* Fair enough - I foster a lot for rescue, so have built up a reasonable range of experience in many doggy matters - but I'm very quick to refer to professionals if the issue is not purely a common sense one. I don't charge anything to talk to anyone about dogs... it's my fave topic actually... haha! T.

My current old girl (Rotti/Pittie) is 12 next month - not annually vaccinated for about 5 years now - and no-one believes she is 12... she is very fit and healthy. The last dog I had that had annual vaccinations was a Rotti girl who passed at 11 years of age from complications due to arthritis - still, a good age for a pure Rotti... T.

A well bred Stafford might fit the bill - smallish dog with a happy and friendly temperament, doesn't shed lots, and would love a GR to play with... *grin* Do your research into good breeders - there are a few here on DOL - and you will find a great little dog to add to your family... T.

Mine has lapsed now as I have moved into rescue - but it was Dixiefoord - which was the name of a very dear friend of mine at the time. He was right chuffed... *grin* T.

I'd be doing a chest and abdomen xray every 6 months as a precaution anyways. I'd rather know that something was brewing before the dog starts showing symptoms of end stage internal cancer like shortness of breath, etc... Will your boy lie still for an xray? My boy that had to have regular xrays for similar reasons used to just lie there for them, so he didn't need to have an anaesthetic to get it done. Made it a whole lot cheaper when there was no anaesthetic cost for a 47kg dog... *grin* T.

Has your vet done chest and abdomen xrays? I'd be asking for those to be done as a precautionary measure after any malignant cancer removal - just to make sure that there are no secondary (or worse, primary) tumours happening inside that need to be treated... Better safe than sorry in my book - and I'd not be waiting for my dog to be displaying obvious symptoms of internal cancer - like shortness of breath, etc - if I could have known about an issue very early in the piece... T.

The only toys my Lab hasn't managed to destroy in seconds are her Cuz balls and her Chuckit rubber tennis balls - well worth investing in a few so you can rotate them... *grin* Luckily for me, Trouble can kill the obnoxious squeakers in the Cuz balls within a day or two - but she still loves to chew on them for ages. Empty toilet rolls and empty paper towel rolls are a big fave also - and they can digest them... lol! Another vote for empty soft drink bottles - just remove the lids and the plastic ring thing from the neck before giving them to the dog... T.

Don't be too worried about keeping your boy quiet after his surgery... invest in a decent crate, and he will be just fine in it - they do really adapt to change pretty well. As for the always looking for food and acting like they are starving - well.. they ARE Labs! Mine does the same thing, but we all know she gets enough food... Don't worry too much about the actual weight in kgs on your dogs - judge by their overall shape and condition. The first pic of my girl is what we should be aiming for - the nice tuck of the undercarriage and the general decent muscle coverage over the ribs without looking starved - your dogs and your vet will love you for it, and you will have less chance of joint issues later in life. My girl is a shortish Lab, and possibly has some Dingo in her background (was a BYB from Moree). My brother's pure Lab is a taller and larger boned style of dog, and he weighs in at around 35kgs lean - he has a chunkier build than my girl, but he also has the nice tucked undercarriage and basic shape of my girl in the first picture. T.

I keep my Lab girl lean because she is a nutjob for zoomies... Here's a pic of her at her perfect weight of 28kgs... She's currently around 31kgs, and looks more like this at the moment... T.

My Zeddy (Rottie/Pittie cross) will come to Mummy (me) if she needs comforting for any reason... apparently I can make anything better... *sigh* Trouble (Lab cross) couldn't care less... Pickles (Camp Dog) has limited feeling in her legs, and sometimes I think her brain doesn't turn on in the mornings - so she is pretty blase about injuries... but I keep checking her feet regularly in case she does any injuries she can't feel... T.

I love the sound of your dogs... or lack of sound... *grin* Don't let their quietness belie the fact that they would probably quite happily defend you with whatever force is necessary if there ever was a need for it... As for which sex might be the "better" guard/alert dog... it depends on how you train them... however, I have found that my females are more into that "training" than my males. P.S. Do you want my Zeddy? She puts on the most terrifying display when strangers come to the door... but she is really the biggest cuddle tart you'll ever find... *hehe* T.

If Harold and Alaska have found their perfect homes, then there is definitely going to be one for Lani eventually... she really is a sweet and playful young girl under that slightly wary exterior... oh - and remember how she reacted to me when I brought out the treats? She was quite happy for me to play with her once I'd given her treats and a gentle word... T.