Patters

Up to 6 months old get 3 meals a day, then twice a day. I have a very active multi-dog group of 2kg--4kg. Low blood sugars can be an issue in very small dogs. My big girls also get fed twice a day because their breeds are susceptible to bloat.

I am extremely happy with how the tick collars work with my dogs and have been using them for about 8 years. I have not found a live tick on any of them , as long as they are wearing thei collars. Unfortunately, the collars are not effectve if left on the cupboard ($440 in vet fees later)

Years ago, exactly the same thing happened to one of my ball-mad Papillons. By the time we reached the vet, not 10 minutes away, she was fine and nothing wrong could be found. She hasn't shown any pain and hasn't ever had it happen again.

Good luck, China and Sandra! Snakebite is a constaint worry for me, also.

I, also, will be watching with 'baited breath'( ) for the results. The Paps I have now don't have a problem, but I brush 2x a week and scale (if needed) monthly. The Irish Setter, however, always has plaque on one back tooth, that has to be scaled. The Gordon's are always clean.

Congrats on getting the pavers cheap.

Pavers have been my choice, twice! The plusses are that you can lay them on your own, without having to pay for expensive labour, they're easy to clean and you can hose them down weekly.

I have tried the other options (concrete is best but I can't do that big an area on my own) have all had major 'fails' in very wet and very dry times.

I, also, top my run areas with the 'Temporary Carports' that you can buy from SuperCheap Auto. The covers have a 12-month guarantee (I get about 18 months out of them) and can be bought separately from the frames which I usually get 4 years out of.

I don't think your baby's ear is broken! Ears are all over the place for weeks, sometimes months. My last litter, one had both ears up at 5 weeks, one at 8 weeks, the third had me re-re-re-checking the pedigree for Phalenes as both his were still firmly down at 10 weeks! Then they started to flop around a bit when he ran for the next couple of weeks, to be fully up and huge at 13 weeks.

The next time ears want to switch around is teething, but I haven't experienced this.

A US contributor to another list, came home one day to her 3-year-old Phalene having both ears erect. 2 days later, they were down again. EARS!!

My Papillon ears are all over the place at that age. But, so far , all have come good by 12 weeks of age. And, so far , I have not suffered the 'common' teething ear-gymnastics.

What a little cutie! I hope he does so well for you in the ring that everyone takes notice!!!

(spelling)

So sorry to read this. RIP Brock and hugs to you

I'm another who has been using Yoplait Plus for years. I wean my babies onto it with their breakfast kibble & chicken.

Yay

Lots and lots of good luck, Cavalblaze.

"We only have a small backyard and we want to give her a good walk"

A puppy doesn't require a "good walk". It can be very damaging to young joints and ligaments. Puppies don't always let you know when they are tired or sore, when there are interesting places to go, smells, etc. I think the protocol of 100m/month of age (I am prepared to be corrected on this) works for most breeds, from Toy to Giant size.

Cloning would mean that the offspring would be an exact DNA copy to the donor. AI provides only 1 half of the DNA in the offspring, the other half provided by the dam (or egg). That's my understanding of it, anyway.

I know I am in the wrong State, but if you would like to fly him up to me at Taree, I will care for him until your life is manageable again.

Double

From my experience, temperature goes up and down between 37.4 & 37.8 during the last week. It then drops suddenly to approx. 36.6 (and labour starts within 6-24 hours) and gradually rises again. I take temps 3x a day from 5 days due.

Good luck to you and the expectant mum.

My thoughts are with you and your family.

I had this happen 5 years ago,. There was no warning , no history, no indicators at all and I was sitting 2' away. My 6 year old bitch mortally injured a 6 month old pup with one bite. And then she just calmly walked away.

Consider getting some professional help, particularly for the children who witnessed this and tried to help.

I add the ACV directly on my dogs' morning kibble. The Papillon babies have had it added to their food right from their first meals. The babies get 5ml daily, the adults 10ml and the Setters get 20ml. I find that it also reduces the 'burn' patches on the lawn, as well. One of my girls was away, being shown, for about 4 months with a change of diet. When she came home, she was very stained around the eyes, feet and chest and it took 2 months for the staining to totally disappear with the Apple Cider Vinegar and a wheat and corn-free kibble.

US Pap breeders swear by adding a teaspoon of Dried Buttermilk Powder daily, but I can't find the powder only the fresh buttermilk and it would not be as concentrated. I tried the fresh for about 4 months with no discernable results.

I have my Paps in a crate bottom in the whelping box for the first 2 weeks. If you don't need a heat pad, I would peg a towel over 3/4 of the top to help keep the warmth in. You will find the pups will squirm to where they are most comfortable.

I haven't had the issues Sway has with the Rubber backed Vet Bed. It has been perfect for my last couple of litters. It is too hot for some of the adults and they prefer different bedding.

My whelping box is a little larger (purchased 20 years ago for Collie litters). I have it 50/50 newspaper / Vet Bed. Its amazing how soon they will start to crawl off to the side to toilet after starting on solids at 3 weeks old.

Fantastic news, Paptacular! I hope the next 5 weeks speed by with an easy and successful whelping for Portia.

Adding my 2c worth on car sickness. My first dog to ever suffer any form of car-sickness was from the 4th litter from the bitch, 2nd with the same sire. She was the only one to ever get sick. She travelled over 2,000 kms in the car by the age of 12 weeks (I was on holidays) with no sign of sickness. The day after her 12-week vaccination she started getting sick. 6 x on the way to dog shows, 3 x on the way to the beach 2 km from home. I tried everything I, my vet, other breeders, could think of and nothing helped. She liked the car, would jump in whenever a door was left open and wait in her "spot" for the car to go(go figure), loved the beach and was always in the company of other dogs who didn't get sick. I stopped showing her and tried to minimise her car travel. 6 years on, one day she wasn't sick and hasn't been sick ever since. She is now 11!!

Edited..for spelling...of course!

Congratulations on the safe arrival of your puppies How many boys & girls?

Good luck to them! I hope they have a long and happy life together. That's where my son and daughter-in-law also tied the knot in April.