MissAloof

Not a fly repellant specifically for dogs, but I've read recently that basil deters them. I've been invaded by blowies, especially when I cook and they're sending me insane as I've been living near the coast for decades. I'm going to plant basil around, and I've got some carnivorous plants. I'd ideally like to send the buggers elsewhere, and if it works then apart from me, my dog won't be bothered by them when she sunbathes on the deck etc. I'm going to try planting some basil around the yard too, especially near the trench where I bury dog's droppings. I figure it's worth a try. Of course, it won't deter them when we're out but at home is better than nothing.

I do have the crate that she came in but she hates it. Cries and yaps if I put her in it, when we moved she even wet herself in it. Poor little critter. I initially had her sleeping around the corner from my bed on a soft rug, with newspaper everywhere around. At my brother's and initially here, she also stands up next to me in the morning to wake me up, so I'd grab her and stagger outside (I'm not a morning person). So she's not been restricted much since I got her. It wasn't an ideal situation but at the time, the best I could do.

Buju's a genius too, or I've been super lucky. At my brother's when I got her at 3 and half months, there was already a doggy door and an adult dog. I decided she'd have to sleep in my room to prevent wandering and messing up the house through the night. I religiously took her out first thing in the morning and last at night. I'd stand there and repeat like a mantra - toilet, toilet. At first (this sounds silly) I'd also spread her legs and push her bottom down - and hold her tail up. When she wee'd I praised her profusely. We did have a few accidents, especially when the little kids got up in the morning. The doggy door was initially too big for her but I put her out one day and it started raining, she figured out that doggy door and didn't look back! She'd also copy what the older dog did, I think that helped. I also watched her for things like getting too sniffy, and then bolt outside with her. If she did a wee inside, I'd say no, grab her and bolt outside and repeat the mantra. As well as trying to do it regularly through waking hours. Only the first few days did she wee a bit through the night inside. We moved at 4.5 months and a doggy door was installed the next week. Took her seconds to work it out. Had a few accidents before then, including 1 poo right up near the front door - the wees were always near the back door in the morning if she woke before I did. Now she's right as rain (6 months next week). She usually starts sleeping on her own bed, but when I go to bed she takes herself outside and does whatever for quite a while before she comes back to settle for the night. The only accident I had recently was the other night when a load of crackers went off somewhere close, spooked the hell out of her and a big puddle near the front window where she was looking out. Then they did it yesterday morning too and she's spooked but no accidents. I did have to accompany her outside last night though. I have now switched the no word for accidents to a really hurt tone of voice, she seems to know she's disappointed me when I do. So my suggestions are: regular outside trips (I didn't use a leash, just followed and watched her), definitely first and last thing. I also find sometimes if she doesn't go quickly that a little bit of exercise - like chasies or throw a ball gets her insides moving and she'll do it quicker. I don't have to do that much now though. She also does prefer to use the big door too and will sometimes wait for me to open it, if I don't she'll bolt around to her own door. I leave her outside to do whatever and apparently she goes.

I'm just learning by watching and experience, and have read they often do it with excitement + should grow out of it. My dog's female and used to "puddle" a lot when we were staying at my brother's, who has young kids and is dog sitting. Since we moved about 6 weeks ago she rarely does a puddle inside anymore (but did a big one the other night near the front door, after some fireworks went off somewhere nearby). I have noticed the excitement thing though, last week a little dog, maybe JRT, was wandering along our street. My dog saw it and they greeted each other, mine left a small puddle on the step with her excitement. Then the other day we visited brother, my dog saw the other and again, a little puddle underneath her. She's still young to me, 6 months next week. As I've always had outside dogs since I was little I just figure this is a learning process, and maybe like humans - some toilet train quickly, some don't.

I missed this thread yesterday, I'm hoping your solution works as long as needed. My dog had a collar the other week - chewed one of her desexing stitches out the 2nd night - but we dubbed it her Easter Bonnet (remember those bonnets little girls used to wear to school at Easter for competitions, decades ago?) She hated it, bumped into things etc and was so dejected while it was on. Little devil finally managed to get through the doggy door though, most of the time. The rest of the time I had zillions of blow flies invading the house. ugh. Since the bonnet and stitches came out last Saturday she's perked right up. Oh, and she did seem happier when I took her on gentle little walks after a couple of days, like it reassured her she wasn't a naughty girl and that I still liked her, or something like that Must add, laughing at the earlier post about the dogs killing the collar.

I had Buju done nearly 2 weeks ago, so even though it's very early days she's so far fine. Little breed, was just on 5 months. I didn't have a problem with getting her done at all, not at all bothered about what may or may not be so-called natural etc. fwiw, I'm female and if things like tube tying were available decades ago for women without children, then I would have considered that for myself. Sorry if that's too much info, but I reckon there's no point taking chances when there's no need to with such topics as babies etc, whether for humans, dogs, cats, whatever. I don't know if this is accurate or not, but a lot of stuff on the net states that blokes have the biggest problem with desexing their dogs, especially if their dogs are big breed, seem to take it personally or something. Down here in ACT I notice a lot of strays are big "blokey" macho dogs, always undesexed. Back to Buju, she was quite sleepy after, then started chewing her stitches and I had a collar put on. She seemed really dejected after that and it caused problems with her doggy door, but perked up when I took her for little walks and gave some treats, on Sat. we had the stitches out, collar off and she's been on cloud nine ever since.

This might be off-topic too, if there's already a thread about this please advise. Reading all the posts I'm thinking about my little scruff-ball. She got desexed yesterday and I wasn't able to get her clipped before so she's quite messy. I just didn't realise as a first timer that apparently half of the ACT would be getting their dogs spruced up right now. Now she's been zapped I'll have to wait a while longer too, and she's ponging a bit due to her habit of sticking her nose into her groin (vet receptionist told me they do it because they can, and vet said she doesn't have anything wrong to be causing it, she just does it). My question is: Buju is young, 5 months, and until about 2 weeks ago was really good when I combed and brushed her. Now she's a devil (out of that little fear stage at the same time, she's bold now). No problem bathing, but so's she doesn't seem like a foot mat when I do get her clipped what's the best I should be doing regularly? Taking her to the vets was embarassing enough. And is there any way I can get her rather calm before we go to a groomer? She's a Lhasa Maltese cross, and as the weather warms up her hair is growing quicker. She's noticing the heat too, which is why I tried the other week to get her done. For you groomers, what is an ideal client? (dog, not the human, lol) Thanks