Staff'n'Toller

Don't be afraid to change if you are unhappy...before I was a Vet Nurse it took a while for me to find a good Vet. The clinic I ended up at is about 20 mins away, and I used to pass about 4-5 others on the way!!! I would try a few others if I were you, you're certainly not obligated to use that one just because you have used them in the past, or because they are the closest. Cheers, Mel.

PM'd you Shmoo

Pssst....Shmoo I assume you have a business name and ABN, if so you might be able to source dried liver for wholesale prices. I found a supplier here in Melb. and the liver worked out to be $1 per 100gm instead of $4.50 per 100gm in the supermarket. I had to buy a 5kg box, but it was worth it. Mel.

Just FYI I ordered some dog collars and leads (flat ones) from Clean Run Agility in the States a while back, and they got opened in customs.. I have done a harness order recently with another company, and expect that customs are opening it, as we speak. Even though the plastic may not show up under x-ray, to my knowledge anything that is declared 'dog collars' coming from overseas - gets opened up and inspected. Cheers, Mel.

Which State are you in Tollerblaize?? Just wondered, Mel.

Urban legend has it that certain types would either sharpen the ends, or make their own to use on their dogs. Which of course is cruel and barbaric, because there is no need to mess with the collar, it works just fine in it's original state. Banning them does nothing except forcing ppl to go blackmarket, or make their own. Mel.

I'm in Vic, stock them at my Vet clinic, and they are fairly common in clinics in metro Melbourne. Also I've seen them at large pet suppliers. Mel.

Here's a link for you noisymina... Greenies Greenies are a relatively new treat to come into Australia, they are like dentabones only more effective, they have chlorophyl in them- that's why they are green, and this is also a natural breath freshener. They are lower in fat than say a pigs ear. They are high in protein, so you should only feed the size that is relative to the weight range of your dog. My dogs really like them. PS Yellow incisors are ok- a little bit of staining on dogs teeth is normal in some areas. Tartar is not, however. Kind Regards, Mel.

Great to know they are ok I read about the syrup of ipecac- but didn't know whether you would have any. Mel.

Relax Anne I wasn't having a go at you. It may have been a fantastic antiseptic but there are better antiseptics out there now. I don't need to research, I know it is tissue damaging, and have seen many other Vets cringe at the thought of using it. Mel.

I'd never use peroxide- it's tissue damaging- like swallowing bleach I'd imagine. I used to work for a crazy Vet who would use it to clean out cat bite abcesses...it just fizzes up and burns. Looks like Jenti has gone anyhow. Mel.

Jenti did ya call the Vet?

Anyone got any good ideas for making dogs vomit..?? I tried the salty water when my dog ate a whole box of party pies once- didn't work she wouldn't vomit. I know there's something else you can use....can't remember though. Mel.

Are they the snack size or the normal size bars? I would be inclined to make them vomit it up- if it hasn't been too long ago that they ate it. Mel.

Pal as in from the supermarket..???

If antibiotics worked last time then it is most likely an infection. It looks like it might be a hot spot which weather wise and breed wise would make sense. It definitely could be a range of other things, but it looks infected to me, and if it is a hot spot they spread REALLY fast. You should take her back to the Vet. We also have a lot of foxes and sarcoptic mange in the outer east- so either way you should take her back to get it looked at. Mel.

I use the moisture magnets too. They are so much better than ordinary towels- they soak up much more water in a quicker space of time, and you can use them over and over- just wring them out!! Also if they get a bit grubby it's possible to give them a hose and wring out in between jobs. You'd be much better off buying 5-10 of these moisture magnets, if you have a busy day, I used to work in a boarding kennel & all dogs were bathed on the way out, takes 2 towels to dry off a med-large dog. Also you can buy the same material directly from some companies in a large amount, and cut them down to size. Mel.

Fleas will remain dormant for as long as they need- then hatch out once there is a dog/cat to feed off. Bomb your house, as you may have lots of eggs and larvae in the carpets- this is really common, adult fleas actually make up about 5% of the total flea population, so if you are seeing a few fleas- there are many more eggs, larvae etc. moving through the cycle. Must treat your cat as well, the flea is often called the 'cat flea' because cats always carry around a population and we don't realise because they are rarely allergic, and groom out the adult fleas making them harder to find. If you have treated with Advantage, don't use the Frontline spray- too much for a little puppy to handle. Perhaps try some capstar tablets every couple of days instead, if she is uncomfortable. The great thing about flea bombing your house is that the bomb will kill any other creepy crawlies hanging around at your place- including spiders. Hope that helps a bit. Mel. :D

Have fun with the Kong recipes!! LOL Yeah it is annoying to have to walk them 2-3 times a day, and you certainly don't want to train him to demand his walks just because he barks. I think with an energetic breed like that (Tollers are akin to Border Collies) you just need to have a timetable set out so in the morning it is walk then a bone/kong/buster cube, then you're probably out during the day, when you get home maybe 10-15 mins of play and ball or frisbee chasey just in the yard. Then something like tossing his dinner (if it's dry food) out in the backyard so he has to sniff around to find it. Also you could start teaching him to shake a paw, bow, beg- inside at nightime, stuff to get his brain working and interacting with you guys more positively, then off to the crate for bedtime!! He probably needs to exercise his brain just as much as the physical stuff, just think of him as a toddler- always has to be doing something!! Have fun, he will grow up really fast. Mel. Oh I forgot to mention- get him into swimming if you have a dam/creek/dog pool near you, swimming tires them out like nothing else!!

Where abouts do you live tollerblaize? Generally when pups bark like that it is due to boredom + loneliness, just because he has toys in the yard, it doesn't mean he will occupy himself. Tollers are an extremely energetic dog, and benefit from 2 good walks a day. 'A tired dog is a quiet dog'. I notice you already have a kong, my guys get theirs for brekky, so I layer dry food and good quality can food (only for the yummy taste) and really squish it in, to make it harder to get the stuffing out. Other ingredients you could try are dried liver pieces, cream cheese (just a little), meat leftovers etc. You can even freeze chicken stock in the kong by sealing the small end with peanut butter or something and freeze the kong upside down. There are some good recipes at Kong company website Good luck, you have already gotten lots of good advice....bad time of the year with most clubs out for summer, but sounds like you need to get his brain working, even if it's just teaching him some tricks and doing basic training. Kind Regards, Mel.

Ask your practice manager to explain physiologically how the digestive system of the dog is different to the wolf. Because I would like to know myself!! LOL I've heard that said before.....great marketing strategy to sell more dry food. Buy your practice manager 'Give your dog a bone' for Christmas methinks Mel.

I agree with the others, what you're feeding sounds fine.... If you want to go BARF, I think there are heaps of good links from previous threads on this forum. I have Dr Billinghursts book 'Give your dog a bone' and I found it to be pretty good. There is a puppy version by the same author 'Grow your pup with bones'. Others may have some good book suggestions- these are the only ones I know about. Mel. Edited to say: I give my adult dogs the egg whole- they just love to break into it, eat the contents, then they eat the shell too!

So if you had already decided that at any cost you wanted the kitten to eat out of pups bowl, and that you never have (or by the sounds of it) never will take a dog to training, and you can train your dogs at home to an obedient standard.......then why did you ask for advice in the first place!!!!! Sorry but at the risk of sounding like an unintellectual, if one day your cat gets chomped by your dog, who was defending his bone/food bowl and decided on *that day* he did not want to share, consider yourself pre-warned. I'm not trying to have a go at you.......and really to be honest no-one else particularly was either.....there's a great world of positive dog training to be had out there, we were just trying to introduce you to it. I hope maybe one day you'll find it. Mel.

Everytime you give your puppy 'a little slap', you are breaking the trust he has in you. Food guarding is very natural behaviour, he does not know when his next meal is coming so it is only natural that he would want to protect it. Cats eat many times during the day, their food is always there, they don't value it as highly as dogs do. Your puppy is way too young to expect him to sit on his bed waiting for food for any longer that about 10 seconds, you are expecting way too much. Also you are sending him to bed for punishment- so you are making double meanings out of things. Raising your voice tone will do nothing to increase the respect he has for you, you need to learn how he thinks about things before you can expect to change his behaviour. You need to find a qualified positive trainer in your area, and go and learn how to communicate with him effectively. If you want some contacts, PM me. Mel.

I'm disappointed to hear that a lecturer coming under the 'delta' banner would say something like that, I haven't done any delta courses (I've done others). Anyways, I can see a definite pack structure in my group, and I have seen it dramatically changing over the past couple of years, as one of my dogs gets older, and now has an illness, I can see the youngest female now taking over. It's very interesting... Mel.