MissAloof

what about bicarb soda? It can be added to water or brushed through dry. It's super safe on humans (including babies) and gets rid of just about any smell around (in washing, fridges etc) so it might work. It's also good for itchy skin. Maybe you could test patch a small area and if all is ok then just bathe the area with a wet cloth with some bicarb added to the water. I had a quick look on the net and most uses were for getting rid of urine smells on carpets but it could be worth a try.

I know exactly how you feel, when I got mine it was cold in Canberra, really not hanging around in the yard late at night weather (or early morning, for that matter, brrrr). One thing I did that made my dog's system move a bit (not great for night, though) was throw a ball or something, get her to run a little bit. When she's done the right thing, praise her and put her back to bed, you don't have to stay up playing. Same as out walking, if she has a little gallop in that time she does more wees.

Maybe so, I just tried to read her body language and work out what suited her. She never backed off or shivered, the opposite actually, wanted cuddles which she also got and still does. I didn't have to squat her much really - taking her out and repeating the word was more of what I did a lot. She also got the message seeing the adult dog do things, I think. On the other hand, trying to get her into the crate did upset her. She really does not like it.

I tried butchers' bones down here and was disgusted, they were huge, not the best looking but worst - I thought they were off. literally. I tried a few butchers and gave up. My mum was getting chicken flesh/bone mix from a chicken shop for me, and my dog loved it. I managed to get her on raw quickly and she loves BARF too. The other day I was in Coles checking out their stuff and found a lot of little meat and bones suitable for little dogs. They had little bags of smaller bones (ie not too huge for my kid to pick up, which the others were) and they also had small packs of neck bones which have gone down a treat, just the right size, nice quantity of meat and fresh and clean looking too. I'd also earlier found smallish bones at another supermarket, so if your butchers don't please you, poke around at some different supermarkets to get what you need. It took me a while but I found the right stuff in the end.

I've got one of those. My girl was a little bit older when I got her, she'd been wormed, vaccinated, all of that. And not toilet trained. My SIL drove to pick my dog up, she was in a crate but scared stiff so softy me carried her on my lap back home and she was fine within minutes, shivering and stuff but started licking my hand quickly and settled. We got home to a bunch of human kids and an adult Shi Tzu, all were excited and happy, including puppy. I fed her puppy kibble from the beginning but she liked getting into the "big" dog's food bowl too. I had to toilet train her quickly as there was a doggy door at my brother's (where we were staying in a spare room for a little while). I religiously took her outside often, repeated "toilet" over and over. If she didn't get the message I forced her butt down, spread her back legs and held her tail up. She started doing what I wanted before long, and now knows the word toilet. She also did copy the adult dog too, so that helped. And taught herself the doggy door one day when it started raining. She kept on excitement weeing too, when the kids got up in the morning, when I came home, but she finally worked it all out and has been great since aged about 5 months in our own house, was rather good before then but still prone to excitement accidents. (She also hates the crate and goes nuts if she is put in it). I found it all a bit hard as all previous dogs had lived outside. I took her for a vet check as soon as I could and they checked everything and booked her in for desexing when they felt she was old enough. I'd advise the vet check, and would expect the vet can supply all the info needed about vaccinations, worming, feeding and all of that. You also have the net, and here, for more information. I have to tell you, my girl has the sweetest disposition ever. She's a darling. Loves everybody and all other dogs. I'd also not forget the socialisation. And it will need regular clipping, my girl has soft curly silky hair and is getting quite hot while I have trouble getting a groomer to fit with my work hours.

Definitely, just the same as you'd freeze your own food. No probs at all. I started my kid on necks and she's now progressed to wings, chomps her way through them with great gusto. Once or twice in this heat a wing I've given hasn't been totally soft and defrosted, she sniffs a bit then eating as usual.

I was wondering about the diet change too, last night I gave my puppy some raw chicken mince - flesh and bones mince, not a lot - and she loved it. Had been a bit off colour on Saturday but seemed fine until a storm hit last night, then the usual shivering and shaking. When we went to bed she kept on doing the shivering thing and started breaking wind. Soundless, but .... oooh, lethal. At one stage I wanted to chuck her out of the bedroom. I wondered if it was the raw stuff. But today she seems fine. Hasn't got the runs or anything, but gee whiz. Stink bomb! And she wanted to kiss me after one of 'em. oooooh!

thanks for replies. The thing that turned me off the RSPA was their prices, maybe I read it wrong but it seems you get 1 course with them for the price of a year with the other two places, and she's a very social puppy, loves other dogs and people. And she seems to have a lot of energy. I thought lhasas were supposed to be couch potatoes. ha ha. when we go for walks lately (except when it's too hot) she starts galloping. Hilarious except I'm not fit enough or young enough to handle it well. So I'd like her to get that extra interaction the clubs apparently have with some sort of play area. CDC does seem good, but only 7ks to Tuggers is appealing as well. (We live at Calwell).

With the new year it's time to get my dog into obedience school - the last class for last year was around the time she was desexed so we missed that. I'm thinking either Tuggeranong or the Symonston ones. Does anyone have any experience with either of them? At the moment the main difference for me is distance, Tuggeranong is much closer. Are there any pros and cons of either place? thanks

Buju's had them for ages too, and loves them. She seems to know the words too (or just wishful thinking on my part). She starts crunching at one end and continually crunches until she's mashed the whole thing up. I do keep half an eye on her just in case though. I also gave her a chicken wing a while ago and she chewed and crunched that the same way.

thanks for that laeral, good time to buy a blender now too, with the sales on, I'll look this week.

I forgot to add, when I used to take her outside (staying at my brother's) I'd repeat like a mantra - toilet, toilet. She took a while at first and used to wander around smelling the mulch etc, if she took too long I'd stop her, squash her rear end down and repeat - toilet. Now I can just say that word and if she needs to go she will. Before bed I don't even say it, she knows what we go out for. When she was did it inside I'd stop her, point to it and say - toilet OUTSIDE, take her out and repeat - toilet. Hell, I had no idea how to housetrain a puppy and as there was an adult dog in the house with a doggy door I found it hard, but she learnt. (She's a Lhasa/Maltese cross).

No offence, but I'd let the puppy "grow up" a bit. I got mine at 3.5 months, religiously took her out for toilet time but she still wet around my brother's house, mainly when she got excited. Rarely wet at night. Learnt the doggy door from an adult dog they have, then she and I moved a month later into our own house. We had a doggy door within a week. She is now 7.5 months and I let her do her own thing - she sleeps virtually anywhere she likes, and definitely does her own toileting. She still likes me to take her out before we go to bed at night, then she takes care of herself in the morning. She can run around the back yard and house as she likes. I've only had a rare wee accident when there's a severe storm or fireworks, and not even that on NY eve this last week. Funny though, she did wee in the bedroom my mother was staying in the other day, but apart from that she is marvellous. So I'd try giving her a bit more freedom, they do like it and can do the right thing.

I gave Buju one last night. She initially ignored it, then picked it up and looked at me as if I was a nut. Took it outside, played with it on the deck and left it there. I guess she's not impressed.

reading this with interest and have a couple of questions - how long do sardines keep for? I have seafood allergy and don't touch the stuff so I know nothing about it. Do they keep for a couple of days? Do I buy the ones in oil or....? Also, with the veg, I'll need to buy a blender (got rid of nearly all my belongings when I went o/s and haven't replaced everything yet) - do dogs usually like this veggie mix more than individual veg? My puppy likes spinach, pumpkin, a little bit of carrot, but not much else - fruit, zucchini, etc all get taken out of her food bowl and dumped on the floor. If she doesn't like this mix is it ok to play around with the ingredients?