sheena

What a shame...I really thought that pet shop owner was starting to become a little educated. I last looked at the thread, throwing my two bobs worth in, around 2 pm & then went to training. Got home last night at 9 & it was gone.

Sorry, please tell me to "get off" if you think there might be something "wrong" with me...but I find that this cross a little hard to take. I have a Border Collie & I cant for the life of me imagine her being joined to a Chihauhua & I certainly can't imagine a male BC mating with a tiny little Ch. I certainly don't find the idea "cute"

What happened to the thread on Pet Shop Puppies. It was becoming "very interesting" & I thought it was probably getting a message out to some people, who probably mean well, but are a little ignorant of the real facts or havn't really given much thought to what happens with puppy farms & BYB's.

Mine sit on the shelf too...going to need a bigger shelf, though, soon. I lend them out to friends & other club members, but wouldn't part with any, because I like to watch them occassionally & always something new each time I do.

Rileys Mum...see my reply above re. Clean Run digital rentals.

It's just converted when your credit card is charged. My credit union visa does not make any extra charges etc & at the moment it is almost $ for $. I have been buying from Clean Run for a long time now & am more than happy with them & if you have any questions then email them & they will get back in touch. I also get their Clean Run Magazine subscription, but I get it digitally & it works out at hardly anything at all. You can also rent a lot of their DVD's too at a fraction of the price. You access them via the internet & if you decide you want to buy the hard copy, then they take some off the price.

If you clearly want him to stay away from the couch when you are not in the room, you can get a "static mat" (I think that's what it is called). You place it on the couch, garden, bench etc, wherever you don't want puppy to go. When he jumps on it he gets a very small static shock, which he doesn't forget, & of course associates the unpleasantness with the couch etc. You can also get static strips which are good for keeping cats off benches etc.

Put one in a crate

It might have been because the lounge is leather & he thought .....you beauty....a giant pigs ear

I didn't start with my girl until she was two & a half years old. I never bothered until I went to a Dancing with Dogs seminar & they showed me what amazing things you could teach your dog using a clicker. I was hooked & we play free shaping games inside at night (part of her routine before going to bed). I might decide that I want her to put her paws on a certain toy on the floor...it's a bit like playing hot & cold. When she does the smallest movement towards the correct object I click & throw the treat (not at the object)...she comes forward to get the treat & immediately remembers what it was she did to get it & goes back to that, then tries something new, and so on...until she scores ...Then it's a big "yes" & a big party. I just love that moment when the light bulb suddenly goes off

For marking every tiny little step, I find the clicker far more effective than just saying "yes". My dog goes nuts when she knows I have the clicker out. You have to first teach that the clicker has value. Best way to do this is to throw treats & as your dog is about to take the treat, click (the treat is the reward)....dog soon catches on that the click means treat is coming. Free shaping is great fun...& that is basicly what the first poster said....dog moves a paw, you click & treat etc. I also use "yes" but mainly for big steps, like going through the right poles on the start to the weave poles, or doing a lovely 2o2o on contacts. That's just what works for me & my dog.

SV???? Malamutes can be prone to ZRD too so may be worth ruling out. Glad you plan to do a scraping as it really is the best way to see what is going on - it should at least tell you if and what bacteria is present. I will ask for that test as well In the meantime he has attacked his tail and it is red raw and he is in obvious discomfort Not sure what I could put on it tonight to soothe it? Get some calandula tea & sponge it on...you might be surprised

After reading about it I sent away for the Double Silver. No good dropping hints in my house....If I want something, I go get it

Most of the ticks that were getting on her and attaching (biting) before getting their nasty little tummies full of Proban & falling off, were what we here on the farm, call bean ticks, but I am sure some are also paralysis ticks, as we have them all here except cattle ticks. They start off tiny & if left they grow quite big like a bean (hence the name) & are generally easy to pull off. I was looking for something to actually "repel" ie stop the little buggers getting on her in the first place. The vet had recommended Proban + Advantix + daily Permoxin + antihistamines (twice daily). I have taken her off all of those except the Proban. The whole idea was to get away from more chemicals, on top of the Proban. We did get one very small paralysis tick off her a few days ago, but it was dead & very much imbedded. I am a big sceptic, but seeing all the other chemical methods have let me down, I had nothing to lose & so-far am very happy with the results, but only time will tell

Well, it's almost a week since I started applying the esssential oils to her collar & I am most impressed. Maybe we are getting one small tick off her each day at the most. I thought at first that maybe the ticks had simply "moved on", but the small calves are covered in them (only they are much, much larger)...poor things, maybe I should put collars on them all too . The new born calves get a lot of ticks because they spend a lot of their day, just sleeping in the grass & the ticks simply just crawl on. I still have Bindi on Proban 48 hourly, but no longer the Advantix or the Permoxin, & she hasn't needed an antihistamine now for a few days. I will keep her on Proban for the duration of our tick season.

WOW ...that sounds like a good one & it wouldn't stink the house out like the sardine or liver ones. You could probably use that crumbled bacon you get from delis & of course, you would use the whole egg...shells & all. Can't wait to try it. thanks

I bought a salmon head for my girl, but it is still in the freezer...not sure how to tackle it. someone told me to remove the teeth as they are very sharp & may injure the dog.

Yes.....for me too...please. I have started a thread on the Training section looking for recipes for doggie treats. I have posted one for sardine biscuits. The house smelt yummy afterwards ...if you are a dog, that is. Teflon is used for all sorts of internal body parts, & I am sure I have swallowed my share from cookware. If it were dangerous, then it wouldn't be allowed to be used...would it . Good idea to line your baking tray with baking paper.

They can be nasty little buggers. I have some of that head lice shampoo in the cupboard, but would check with the vet first before using it, also I am trying to get away from having to wash her in something, just something to spray on to repel. It is probably still too early to tell, re; the successs or failure of my home remedy using the essential oils. I made up the concentrate which I dabbed onto her collar (yes, I've had to put a collar on her ) & I made up a solution with water, vinegar & the essential oils & sprayed it onto her undercariage mainly, & some on the rest of her when I groomed her. All this I did yesterday morning. So far, today we have only got one tick off her & she smells delightful. She went for a swim tonight after training, so I will repeat the treatment tonight.

Thought I might start a thread for anyone wanting to share recipes for homebaked training treats. I wasn't sure if this is the right thread or should be under Health/Nutrition. I have a few, but I baked this one up yesterday & Bindi goes nuts for it...mind you, like a lots of home baking, it stinks the house out for a while Whisk together 4 eggs, shells & all (I did these in the blender),1 teaspoon crushed garlic or good sprinkling powdered garlic, half cup parmeson cheese & two tins of sardines,(with their liquid). I used sardines in tomato sauce. Or you could use a couple of tins of salmon or some other tinned fish. Mix these together really well, then add 2 cups of wholemeal plain flour, or buckwheat flour if your dog is intolerant to gluten. Mixture should be sticky, but firm (not runny), add more flour if needs be. Spread this into a large slice tray, or small baking tray lined with baking paper. Spread it thinly with the back of a wet spoon. Bake at 180 for about 35 minutes, then let it cool & cut into little bits. Freezes well.

I didn't even get a reply to my email with just an enquiry from the NSW supplier. Not good business

I wouldn't work either for boring old kibble. The treat has to be something really yummy & not something she would get in her normal food. What treats have you tried that give her the runs? Dried liver will give her the runs, but there are lots of other things out there if you don't want to make your own....like dried lamb puffs (made from lamb lungs) they work magic.

Maybe somehow you are inadvertingly rewarding her for the wrong behavour & she really thinks you don't want her to go walkies. Do you give her the treats when she is walking nicely...at what point in the process do you treat her. eg. don't treat her for standing still. Do I make sense :D Have you tried any clicker work with her, especially "free shaping" which is when you click & treat them for them taking the inituative & offering a behavour.

Has any body's dog been given this vaccine...or do you think it is a real problem with dogs that get lots of meaty bones. If you read this it sounds like most dogs over the age of three have the disease :D Here's the link http://www.ehow.com/about_6629578_vaccine-...io-disease.html

I have this problem a lot, usually with chook pellets, if OH is not around. You will probably be storing it in something like a garbage bin, I imagine. So open the bag in the car & then transport a bucket full at a time to your storage bin, until the bag is light enough to lift. This Black Hawk stuff sounds really tempting, I feed VAN plus raw meat & meaty bones, but I might get a smaller bag & alternate it with the VANs, just to give it a go.