BooBooBear

Goldengirl - Humphrey has had two so far and I've noticed it when the fur is 'wet' in a small patch. The first time I thought it was water until I went to touch it and he cried . Once you pull the fur aside you will see it as horribly red raw, open, weeping and just downright awful things. He has had one on his rump above the tail and this one just below his neck toward his back. They literally appear within hours and spread so so fast. Yesterday he wouldn't let me near it so I just squirtd the Curash on and tried to get as near the wound as possible - it must have worked because by late afternoon it was dry and he let me pull the fur apart to get closer, redid another application last night and this morning. He seems a happy camper now

Lynda - its a dermatitis type sore - open, red, itchy, usually round in shape and weeping - horrible nasty painful things! Can be caused by anything like a mozzie bite, flea bite, excess fur, humidity and a bunch of other things that once the skin is open bacteria gets in and it spreads like wildfire, within hours. THE CURASH WORKED A TREAT - Thank you so much everyone. It literally dried up in hours, I'm thrilled

Thanks Wuffles - it might be too far gone, it is weeping ;) The good thing is he can't reach where it is, so he can't make it any worse by scratching or licking. Will see how I go, otherwise it will be a vet visit, poor baby!

Thanks so much everyone - will give it a shot!

Hi everyone My little Humphrey (6 month old Golden Retriever) has a Hot Spot, this is his 2nd one I read in an earlier thread about Curash being used. Can anyone tell me exactly what I need to do with this? Do I wash the Hot Spot first or just put the Curash on? Any other process I need to know? I've got cortisone cream from the last Hot Spot he had and I used that last night as that's all I had when I discovered it. Just wondered what else I can do to help my little boy Thank you!

What a horrible story, those poor little puppies Hope they find the offending dog very soon.

Sorry Persephone I didn't realise that was a rule

Hey Poodlefan I should have given her your number for DeShonko - they sound like they would be perfect for breeding and spitting out before Mother's Day ;)

and you know what the funniest thing is - I was there with my beautiful handsome Humphrey (all 4 months of Golden Retriever jumping joy) and she never asked me a question about him or his breeding :D We have a staffy x lab at home too and she's perfect but she's a crossbreed and I would never say otherwise and I love her just as much! She cost $30.00 we call her the 30 buck pup :D and she's 14 now ;) I think we got a bargain :D

Yesterday I was at the park and a lady was there with her Labrador x Poodle and she proceeded to tell me all about him and where he came from etc. He is 2 and has been 'bred' from twice (he's a cross already) and his puppies are $2000.00 each :D She said oh the breeder is amazing and she only has about 4-5 litters a year. She said her dog was a prize winning 'labradoodle' (using that word reluctantly) because of his chocolate colouring and goodness knows what else!!! Hmmmm could you imagine paying $2000.00 for a 1/4 cross whatever? ;) :D Sigh.....I didn't say anything as I didn't want to begin an argument etc as she obviously believes that her 'breed' is superior and very expensive.

Well so far so good. Today Humphrey seems like a different puppy. Late yesterday afternoon I discovered a nasty Hot Spot - went straight to the vet and had to have it shaved and some cream - it's clearing up and drying out but it was painful. I'm wondering if there was something bothering him before the Hot Spot really took hold in a matter of hours? We have been doing the ignore bad behaviour/reward positive behaviour and it's worked a treat - is it possible to change overnight????? He seems like a new puppy Will keep you posted on how we are going.

Thanks so much everyone - yes I agree he has me very well trained!!! my fault! OK since I posted we have returned to basics and I completely ignored him until he stopped (which seemed to be forever but it was probably 20 - 30 minutes). Since then I have been rewarding him with praise and little treats every time he is quiet - so far so good. Oh it's so hard but I know I have to be super stringent in my approach. Yes I am guilty of caving in and going to him after I can't take it any more - but this morning I didn't, I just let him bark. I hope I'm on the right track! If it doesn't improve I will engage a behaviourist for their help. fbaudry - thank you for the link I will go check it out and will also do more mental stimulation with him. I really appreciate everyone's help and I do love my little Humphrey so very much

I was probably a little extreme in my explanation yesterday because I was at my wits end by that stage! He doesn't bark every minute of every day. He really only barks when he wants something eg. to come inside or when he's hungry but its constant when he starts and he just won't stop. He also starts barking and scratching at the doors as soon as he hears movement in the house in the morning eg. when someone goes to the toilet early or coughs or gets up to make a coffee, any sort of noise and he starts and won't stop. It's usually very early eg. 5.00am or earlier so I bring him inside so he doesn't wake the neighbours. He sleeps in the garage (his choice really) and he's very happy in there and we don't hear him during the night at all - he takes himself to the toilet outside and comes straight back in and goes to sleep. The problem is times during the day. I've tried totally ignoring him, no eye contact, no voice nothing until I can't stand it anymore and then I have tried putting him in the laundry but he continues to bark and jump/scratch at the door and it doesn't stop. If he's really bad during the day, I'll take him out for a quick walk around the block or up and down the street or kick the ball in the backyard etc to make him a bit tired until later in the day/early evening when I usually take him for his big walk/play/run. When he's tired he sleeps and sleeps like a baby for several hours but when he's awake he seems to want constant attention although there are times when he occupies himself playing with toys, playing in the garden, chewing on bones etc. He pretty much barked from the day he came home, the crate training was horrendous so in the end we didn't continue with it because he really was quite distressed in there and literally hated it. As soon as we put him in the garage to sleep that settled him down and he stopped that night time barking immediately so he's been in there ever since at night time. He doesn't bark indoors its only when he is outside and wants to come in and he is an inside/outside dog but we have been renovating for the past few weeks so it's safer for him to be outside when there is construction and tradesmen around etc. Also I don't want him inside ALL the time, I want to be able to pop him outside for periods of time eg. when vacuuming, visitors come or things like that. He is also most happy when he is filthy dirty and wet so sometimes I won't let him in because he is wet and muddy (we have had a lot of rain in the past few weeks). We have been to puppy school and he has learnt sit, down, stand etc but he won't sit still he's a wriggler - even brand new he wouldn't sit on my lap he always wanted to be busy. He doesn't sit on a mat or anything because he seems to prefer to be on the timber floors (cooler). He has a bed (a very gorgeous one I might add) but he doesn't sleep in it - he always sleeps on the floor. I think I may need to get a behavourist out.

Humphrey is 4 months old (golden retriever) and the barking is OUT OF CONTROL, I'm at my wits end. I play with him, I walk him, play in the park, talk to him, cuddle him, throw the ball, he plays with his 14 year old staffy x 'sister', we have other puppy play dates, he's well fed, well watered, has toys, chew toys, bones to chew, a pool, he gets lots of visitors etc etc. He is both an inside and an outside dog depending on where I am at the time and of course he is always with Kimba (our other dog who he adores!). The barking is beyond belief. He barks from the second he wakes up - I do everything and he's still barking. ;) I have tried ignoring him, putting him in the laundry and nothing seems to work it just doesn't stop. He isn't scared of anything so it's not that, he's happy as can be in general but is just barking for constant attention and I don't know what to do. What am I doing wrong?? I feel like such a bad mother ;) :D :p

I'm in Brisbane too and the flies this past week in particular have been disgusting!! I'm not sure if it's all the wet humid weather or what but there really is a plague I'm sure of it.