Red Fox

ACV added to food or water is a good, cheap way to help replace electrolytes. Stock made from boiling a lump of chicken in water is good, watered down goats milk works well too

What RSG said. If the dog is sheltered, securely contained (crate or enclosure), has water and is not left in hot weather then I see no problem. No different to leaving them in a car really. Not many owners seem to do that though. Too many dogs on open trays, sliding around, tethers too long, leaning over the side, left out in carpark. I've seen a few tethered by check chains too! Short trips where the dog is not going to be left alone, some matting for the dog to sit on, plus a harness and short tether is acceptable IMO too (providing the weather is not too hot or wet). As Persephone already said working dogs are a different matter being that they are not being exposed to traffic and the public

Make a big sand pit in a corner and just smooth it over/top it up regularly :D

I also thought that, but they didn't have the ridge..... Hopefully the dogs and the owner will be at the gym tomorrow afternoon so I can find out for sure ridgebacks don't always have ridges. they can be purebreds but cant be shown if they don't have a ridge. thats what i read anyway. Yep, that is true The boy doesn't look like a pure Ridgeback to me though. I'm with the others - Ridgie x Mastiff

The bigger dog on the right looks like a Ridgie, though I can't see a ridge? Perhaps they were crosses? *eta pic

Mine isn't keen, but then he is like that with anything new or different so perhaps would have got used to it in time. Never had the opportunity to though as the Polar mat was stolen less than a week after it arrived by my 11 year old son who slept on it in all summer

Love me two times (Like the Doors song)

Thanks for those ideas, yes don't want to be getting in a tiff over it but I was just taken by surprise as I didnt mean any of it in the way he took it and then he actually goes and starts bagging out others as he assumed ide been doing over his cross, even though he admitted that it was without realising it was. So why not just reply with that If you really want to suppy them with breed information why not just google "Bandog" and send them the links :p

:p Sorry this cracked me up. I've heard it before too - fancy wanting to train a hound Yep, fancy wanting to train a more challenging dog, fancy having to think outside the square, fancy having to try motivating your dog to work... The Evil Beagle is an excellent example of one of those "impossible to train" hounds. ;)

Yep, cubby houses are expensive! Might be cheaper if you can buy one flat packed and assemble yourself? Or even search eBay/trading post/Advertiser for a 2nd hand one :D

Thats a cubby house :D eta, this may help http://www.yellowpages.com.au/search/listi...amp;x=0&y=0 failing that click on the link for landscape supplies and try a few of them If it's an actual run you're after most fencing/veranda/building type companies can make you one.

Cairo1, if it dies turn out to be a DS then perhaps try contacting some Ridgeback breeders. You may be able to find someone who has had experience with the surgery and can offer you some practical advice on where to start and what to expect.

I've not had any personal experience with it but I do believe that the "excrutiatingly painful" part relates more to the sinus becoming infected rather than the actual surgery itself. How difficult and/or painful the surgery is will depend on how deep the sinus is. They can be deep and reach into the spinal cord or much more shallow, I dont think the vet can tell how deep it is until they opperate though? Some info from Rhodesian Ridgebacks (Sue Fox); Dermoid sinus is a potentially fatal condition that is present at birth in some pups. A DS is a hollow tube of skin that begins on the surface of the dogs skin and grows down to the dogs spinal chord. However there is a great deal of variability and some sinuses do not extend to the surface of the dogs skin. A DS may become blocked with hair and skin debris, which leads to fluid collection in the sinus, infection of the spinal chord and painful death. DS is most common along the spinal column on a puppy's neck, back and tail, although it is also found in other locations such as the skull. A DS can be felt on a puppy by palpatating and shaving the suspected area. Puppies diagnosed with the condition are usually euthanised. Some DS can be surgically removed, but those that directly affect the spinal chord are almost impossible to remove. The opperation is somewhat exploratory, because it is not possible to determine what type of DS the pup has until surgery. Even after surgery the DS can sometimes grow back. In addition caring for the surgical site can be difficult. The condition is hereditary in Ridgies though and I've never heard of it in GSDs. I have heard of Ridgeback breeders who have successfully opperated on pups with DS too. Hope that helps ETA, this link may be useful for you http://home.planet.nl/~hterbrug/fdesi_02.htm

Just curious - When hunting rabbits for food is calicivirus something that you need to worry about?

Interesting...what does this "warranty" cover? You would have to be very careful as it could be open to abuse by certain types. But yes, certainly would take the shine off Pet Shop Puppies. I'm not sure about that. Add a warranty (even if it's just for 12 months) and the public response will be "Wow, I get a warranty and I can put it on my credit card and take it home today - awesome!". And what of the "faulty" pups who were returned under warranty?

I have seen the Savic crates on eBay too. I think the eBay seller ?Puppy Power? may be able to get them.

Get in touch with Steve from K9 Pro and ask about his Training in Drive DLP :D

;) Why? Foxtails have free postage at the moment from memory - bargain! Because you can't get stuff sent from the US and only buy one item, you NEED to buy one of the talking birds, the zap ball, the cheap wubbas ($8.95!), the stuffing free fox.... Clearly you subscribe to the Poodefan Theory of Economics. I can highly recommend the Skineez Raccoons too by the way :D ;) Yep, we had to add a Skineez squirrel to our cool coat order

Why? Foxtails have free postage at the moment from memory - bargain!

KraMar Supa Naturals Chicken Breast Strips. Here you go: http://www.oztion.com.au/Community/topic.a...&tid=304262 Eta. ABC news link from 09.12.08: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/09/2441919.htm and DOL threads: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=153721 http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=152445

Are you sure you weren't adopted PF mgeyer, good on you for taking in the dog.

At 16 weeks I wouldn't really be too worried about walking her, she's only a baby. Do some focus work with her, marker (clicker) training, play games, build her confidence, allow her to drag a leash around the back yard then start teaching her loose leash walking under low distraction (your yard and those 3 houses each way are more than fine for that). Take her out and expose her to new things - school, kids, dogs, weird looking people in hats. Sit in front of a shop or on a street corner or in the park, click and treat her (or just praise and pat her) for focussing on you/ignoring scary things (you can drive to where-ever you wish to go, you don't have to drag her there on a leash). Keep up your obedience training and practice NILIF too - and (while some people may not agree with me) I think crate training helps build confidence and security too. Walking will happen in time but seriously, at 16 weeks just enjoy her ;)

Roo is a great meat, high in protein and very lean. As far as what you're feeding; Veggies should be raw and pureed (you can do this in a food processor or juicer) If you want to add oil, olive wont do any harm but Omega Oil or Flaxseed are better options. Canned sardines or mackeral are good too. Lamb is a good meat if you want something a little fattier now and then You can feed chicken drumsticks whole. Necks, frames and wings are good too Feeding meat only (no bone) can throw out the balance - epecially for a growing large breed puppy. A chunk of meat now and then wont hurt but feeding it on the bone is a much better option. They need the bones for calcium. Don't worry about weights/amounts etc. Pick a starting point (as you have with your 1200g per day) and if you find your dog is getting tubby feed less or if he looks too ribby feed more food or fattier meats My dog is just under 40kgs, eats around 800g-1200g per day and the main component of his diet is roo

Hmmm now that's an idea. Roo mince is too sloppy for that but beef may work. My last meatball making expedition wasn't too successful, but plain mince would be a go-er. My only issue with raw meat is it's just a bit messy and gets stuck to my hands. lol you should know I've done the raw meat before though anyway - roo soaked in sardine oil as our extra special TID treat ..eewwwww bedazzledx2; Thanks for the tip on the containers, I will keep an eye out for them I do use chopped chicken necks occasionally. My only prob with them is that they are very high value and if used too often he decides he will not work for anything less. So they are saved for high distractions and jackpot rewards only. And yep, 99% of the time there is some form of training for dinner, even if it's just giving me eye contact whilst waiting for his release to eat - not much free food in this house!

They're fantastic - my dogs go bananas for them The tuna fudge is soft and would be ideal in this situation I haven't tried the tuna. The bag I got was mixed flavours and dopey dog screwed his nose up I would prefer something nutritionally balanced though if I'm going to substitute meals on a regular basis ;)