RubyBlue

I see very very few used as intended. With the way Joe public uses chains I think 'choke' is an appropriate name.

My aunt always used to joke that if someone broke into her house they'd leave a donation. What can they see from the dog flap - I'd be tempted to set up something really freaky looking right in their line of sight if they stick their head through the door again. Probably a bit pricy but you can also get a spray that is triggered by a door opening or closing and llumineses (sp?) Under uv light. I believe it stains the skin for several days.

is it possible it was a neighbour and specifically directed towards the dogs? either with good or bad intentions?

I bet ...if dogs can think like this , that she would want you to be happy :) I would so hope that she would want us to be happy, just have that terrible guilty feeling. Another puppy will never be the same as the one you lost. She will forever hold a special place in your heart. You needn't feel guilty for wanting another dog. I got a puppy - same breed, colour and gender a few months after the one I lost - I do not view him as a replacement but another dog I will get to share my life with. I certainly don't think that having him lessens or devalues the relationship I had with the dog I lost.

Not like humans. Their gastrointestinal tract, from teeth to anus, is VERY different from a humans. Their teeth can not grind food the way a humans can so they can not process them that way - their teeth are designed for ripping, tearing and crunching in a vicelike fashion. There is no side to side jaw movement, only up and down. Human saliva contains amylase which helps break down starchy foods. A dogs saliva does not. It contains lysozyme which aids in killing bacteria. Unlike humans, dogs can not digest cellulose so this has to be broken down artificially for them first. Their stomach acids are much stronger than humans - designed for processing large chunks of meat. The pH of a dogs gastrointestinal tract is higher (more acidic). Again to aid in dealing with bacteria and to break down large chunks of meat and bone etc. The dogs stomach has comparatively a much larger volume than a humans when compared to the rest of the gastrointestinal system. Most of a dogs digestion takes place in the stomach, as opposed to a humans which takes place in the intestines (a dogs stomach is a 'processing depot' wheras a humans is just a 'transit lounge') Dogs intestines are much shorter than humans (comparatively only about 5% of the length of human intestines). Humans longer intestines are better suited to the processing of grains and vegetable matter wheras the dogs intestines are designed to quickly pass the meat slurry created by the stomach through the system. This fast rate helps reduce issues with any remaining bacteria which dogs - as carrion eaters as well - are more likely than humans to encounter. The internal surface of a dogs intestines is also much smoother than a humans, to aid in the quick transit of food. Humans need to have longer intestines and a slower rate of digestion to adequately remove nutrients from grains and vegetable matter. The shorter intestines and faster transit time for dogs means much less is absorbed through them and as mentioned, they can not digest cellulose so it (and anything it surrounds) will not be digested. Thank you. You explained it very well. This misconception that dogs are omnivores really irks me.

I wonder what would happen if you whacked an 'in training' harness on them or similar :laugh: I track with my labs in a hi-vis harness and have had comments about search and rescue training - generally find that as soon as I try to explain competition tracking their eyes glaze over. I find that in the hi-vis harness that people give me more distance and tend to call their dogs away more. I was also standing in the crowd with the dogs in Mt Gambier watching OH march in the ANZAC day parade and overheard someone say about the 'drug' dogs - which I thought rather odd given that neither the dogs or I were wearing anything that looked remotely professional (for want of a better word).

my lab puppy just pushed his compost pen around the kitchen - rather like a hamster in a wheel :laugh:

Did you report her for being in a no dog area? I would have! I dont like people who play stupid games. Our last dog was reported for being aggressive after he was rushed by another dog and my dad told the lady to control her dog (actually I believe that she was initially no where to be seen so dad put her dog on Jacksons lead - apparently when she realised she cracked it at him). The council came around to our place after getting several 'anonymous complaints' and after meeting the Jackson immediately dismissed it. Then after hearing my dads side, the ranger staked out the park and eventually they caught her for not having effective control over her dog.

Does she play with the frisbee on her own? That is - if you disengage from the game will she lose interest in the toy.

Me too. Can't count the number we lost before using engraved tags.

Yep

this is a cute little thing

Stabyhoun

bump. Im interested in seeing some set ups too

I got to name Dyson. I wanted something to match his call name so his reg name is Cyclonic - his grandfather happens to be called El Nino so it kinda fits with the storm theme. And to some extent his personality.... Another lady who has a pup from the same breeder called hers Fromelles Honour and his call name is named after her uncles who had something to do with the battle at Fromelle - Im kinda figuring he fought and maybe died there but Im only guessing at that.

Ok, then why do people who buy tools like infin8s use them as a training tool to try and stop their dogs from pulling? I understand that you are saying you use one because your dogs slip flat collars but most people don't use them strictly for that purpose, they use them to try and control dogs that pull on the leash. I know what an infin8 is and how it works, which is why I was confused that anyone would say that they never cause "any" discomfort to the dog. I don't use it for training. Both my dogs will heel on a flat collar. But if I am walking them together it would be foolish of me to assume that I can physically control two dogs that equal my weight if the need arises. Therefore I find it necessary to use tools so that I can safely handle my dogs.

Psyllium husk is used because of its ability to absorb a LOT of moisture ..then act as a smooth gel lubricant/bulking agent. Absorbing so much fluid from a dog gut MAY cause problems..as it travels thru and swells . I don't have any studies on this ..but when I first started using it I was advised by the vet to soak it first, then feed the resulting gel .This made sense ..so now that's what I do ..for the dogs and me :) isn't this the same as with dry food?

Hi Jack and welcome to DOL. You haven't mentioned if the vet took blood for analysis. If you haven't it's probably something you should look at.

This is what I use for the same reasons. The ones that clip below the dogs jaw pull their heads around, I was concerned about this and the potential for it to hurt my rather bouncy dogs neck. I also found that the nosebands tended to ride up into his right eye when he pulled. That caused him a lot of discomfort. Because the infin8 is clipped at the back of the neck it puts downward pressure on the top of his nose rather than sideways pressure. As it doesn't ride up into his eye my dog is much more tolerant of it. I have also found that I can adjust it to suit his likely level of excitement. On a rather boring walk I loosen the noseband off a bit to give him some time getting used to minimal/no pressure and in a highly exciting environment (like at dog club) I tighten it so that I have more control. It is not as effective at reducing his strength but I have found it to be a good compromise.

Absolutely agree, a harness gives the least possible control unless it is one of the ones designed to stop them pulling. when walking out in public all dogs should have a collar they cannot slip out of, even if you have a harness or halti on as well. Many dogs will react like yours if there are two of them together. Two are a pack and resent the other dog intruding. It doesn't make them aggressive or reactive, it makes them dogs. The other dog should not have been allowed to approach but you need to ensure that you have suitable collars and leads to give you enough control. For a collar to be effective it needs to be placed high behind the ears and not be able to slip over the head. I prefer martingales so the dogs don't associate any pain with seeing another dog but they cannot escape either. Yep and combine that with 8 points of contact with the ground (compared with your two) and a center of gravity around your knee level, plus they can pull in different directions all of which can very easily off balance you. My dogs combined are roughly the same weight as me - if one sees something the other has to investigate too and they end up egging each other on to the point where physically I am unable control the situation. I use a head collar on the bigger dog to make sure that the balance is always in my favour. As others have suggested you may benefit from the help of a professional. Stopping and allowing your dogs to eyeball the other dog would have only escalated the situation.

and all the while they are earning interest off your money....

Yes they do. My puppy is losing/lost his puppy license. Before that he could get away with murder, or at least very rude behaviour. He can also be surprisingly gentle and will often lay down to play with baby puppies. My bitch seems to spend a lot of time nibbling baby puppies when playing. The only adult dogs she does this with are ones she is really familiar with.

OH just had his chin split open by my labs head. He bent down as lab jumped up....lots of blood

I'm surprised no one has mentioned whippets yet or papillions? Personally I associate terriers with a lot of barking (particularly as I sit here listening to my partners neighbours JRTs nonstop noise and know I have my own neighbours Westie to contend with when I get home) - I'm in the same situation as you (early 20s and renting) and given the instability of my housing arrangement, barking is something I'd be really conscious of. Where abouts in Vic are you? Have you checked out the local dog clubs yet? Are you thinking of doing something competitive in the future (probably best to find a club that does these things from the outset) and a breed that can do them :)

What about getting an older lab first then a second as a puppy in several years time. I don't know that my 11 month old would be a good match for young kids. He is clumsy and exuberant and regularly sends furniture flying and I can see him doing the same to small kids. One of my housemates is also smaller, more excitable and not as assertive with him and he really just walks all over her. Not in a nasty way but if he is going to try something on that he knows is not allowed (stealing socks, jumping on the couch, jumping up, etc) then it will be with her. I can imagine a lot of boundaries will be pushed with a young kid and exhausted mother. We were 8 and 10 when we got our first lab puppy. My mum found it difficult but manageable. Mainly because at that age we had already been responsible for many of our own pets and so were all able to be very clear and consistent on the house rules with the puppy.