Pretty Miss Emma

What time do you go to Kepala? We couldn't come tomorrow for a myriad of reasons, but maybe in the future. Although we do train on Sunday mornings. But I'd love for Kenzie munchkin to make some new friends!! Can't be a bad thing for me either!

I have found Nutro (puppy and adult) great, just make the change gradual over a week or 2.

I'm glad I popped in on this thread. My poor Em has just had to go on cortisone (she's diabetic so there's a myriad of problems that it can cause), and I thought she was sleeping more and drinking a bit more, but I can tell her BSL's are still good. So you given me good explanation for some things I thought I was seeing!! Thanks!!

With my young one I use thicker rolls than toilet rolls (she's 17mo), but also put some dry food in and then plug the ends with a little bit of scrunched up newspaper (that way it has smell, makes noise and when it gets destroyed there is a treat!). Try making the Kong more complex (ie start stuffing more food into it, and then plugging it in tightly). Buster cube or treat ball - they never get sick of them! Plus many of the other things you've said and that have been mentioned. I think the one thing I was also really careful about was not giving her these things all the time, she only got one or two each day so that each time she saw them they hadn't lost their "fun" value.

I'm in Glenroy and we travel to Essendon to go to the vet. I use Moonee Valley Animal Hospital on Keilor Rd (opposite the Shell and Red Rooster) - I love Dean and Jenn and all my animals do too. I've also had good dealings with the Essendon Vet Clinic on Buckley St (where Jean's Puppy Pre-School runs out of). A friend uses Strathmore vet which I think is on Napier St. There are also some near by that I would steer clear of, but PM me if you'd like to know which. I don't know about the one in Glenroy shops, have walked past but never seen anyone there and don't know anyone that uses them. As for parks - we are severly lacking good off leash park space!! The parks I've used in the eastern part of Glenroy I don't really go to now because I found there was too much broken glass etc, so we stick to the western side of Pascoe Vale Rd. There are the wetlands (northern part near the Fwy is on-leash). Along Moonee Ponds Creek it is apparently off-leash and it is nice and open and green - there is a bike path running through (so one of my girls can't go off-lead there!!), sometimes there are other dogs, have had a few issues with dogs that have been let out of yards to take themselves for a walk unsuppervised (but this isn't often and usually it is just barking - still unwelcomed though), can do a really nice long walk along there. Gervase Ave park is off-leash - large area, we walk through there every day with no fuss, does have a sort of busy road beside it and no fence. Otherwise there aren't a lot more parks unless you head to Oak Park and Strathmore or up to Broadmeadows Park. I can't remember the name of the park that is in Strathmore but it is just near the trestle railway bridge and there are often dogs there. There is also a circuit around the Broadmeadows wetlands that is fantastic but it can't really be used until they finish the freeway works! If you're prepared to go for a little drive head to the Maribyrnong, Moonee Ponds - the river circuit there is about 4km or so, there are at least 2 off leash parks along the way, the off leash park near Poyntons usually has other dogs playing there and is often busy on weeksends (outside of cricket/soccer match times). Have fun exploring let me know if you need to know of any other animal resources close by (I've been trying to discover all of them!!!).

I generally take Kenzie (17mo BC) out for at least an hour each night and in that time we will cover anywhere between 4-6km if it is a totally leashed walk. If she's allowed off leash then she would easily do an extra 1-2km. If I'm time poor we have a 4km route that we do in 45min and that includes "sniff time". But I'm also about to tackle training her on the bike seeing as though a friend took her riding while I was overseas and managed to get about 8km out of her in much less time than it would have taken me to walk!!

Everyone loves a freebie!! (poo bags would be a really practical one that could be a good advertiser!) Breed club representatives. (this would have been great when I was looking for a pup) Training clubs representatives. Dog sport demos. Activities your dog can participate in (often there are the demos but it would be great if there were the simple first training steps available to do with your dog, obviously under guidance, so people can get hooked! Even if it were a limited number of spaces and you signed up on/before the day or something like that.) Fun competitions for dogs. Health checks. Specialist health providers (eg massage, natropathy, osteo, eyes, ears, etc). Kennels/dog daycare/walkers etc. Law enforcement reps/parks reps. Stalls with good quality collars, leashes, harnesses, coats, treats, toys - I can never walk away from one of these events without buying my girls a souvenier!!

I don't have a pup, but I do have a puppy friendly 17mo BC who loves to play! But also I have a friend with a 13wo BC who I think would love puppy play. We're northwest, but PM me if interested!!

I'm lucky I have pretty good friends. They all expect that my dogs will come with me, so will let me know if they don't want the dogs to come. But I also expect that where ever we go the dogs will be expected to stay outside, if they're allowed in then they got lucky!! But my girls have been used to this since forever, so they know not to bother whining about it. While I would love for them to be with me every second of the day, I did prioritise training them to be outside at home on their own while I was inside just so that they knew this would be ok and not fuss when they had to do this. I've also found that even people who are a bit unsure about having the dogs over often let them in the house in the end because they are so well behaved outside (and when they come in I get them to do thier party tricks!!). I'm lucky my whole family is dog friendly - I think they put more effort into finding the dogs presents than they do mine!!!

We have a few dogs that bark at us from behind fences (some that are alongside the path), there are a couple who I think are a major concern as they look like they are about to break through the fence - everytime we go past they are able to puch their heads through the palings. So now that I know where they are I just cross the road. But still have to deal with my young one who is quite reactive back at them - so lots of distraction training (treats under her nose the whole time we walk past!!! But she is MUCH less reactive than she used to be!). If I see a dog out on the street I cross the road, if it crosses then we just trun around and find any other way to go. Only once have I not been able to do this and it was a SWF that came running out of it's house - no person, no tether - and pretty much tried to have a go at my beautiful old BC Em (who just tried to get away), in the end I had to give the dog a much bigger kick than I wanted to and quickly walk Em away (she's not really up to running any more). If it were a bigger dog I have no idea what I would have done.

Hi all, I've been away for a bit. 7 weeks travelling around Africa. I tell you, if I didn't have the dogs I'd still be there. But anyway, it was very funny seeing my girls again. Beautiful Miss Emma was her usual casual self - oh, hi mum, you're home (lots of tail wagging and kisses), well now that we've said hi I'll just go sleep at the front door again. Young Kenzie has never been away from me for such a long time, she was very funny. The night I got home (my parents brought me home from the airport) - mum, you're here (tail wag, quick kiss), oh grandma and grandpa it's sooooooo exciting to see you (after teh first 30 seconds they got the next 30 minutes of attention!!!). Next day when she woke up - oh, mum, you're here (lots of tail wags and kisses)!!!! Then after a nap - - oh, mum, you're here (lots of tail wags and kisses)!!!! For the next 2 days everytime I came home from being out or when we woke up in the morning (or after my jetlag naps!) - oh, mum, you're here (lots of tail wags and kisses)!!!! It was like every day it was a suprise that I was still there!! Just wanted to share and see if anyone else has had funny welcome homes after being away from their pups for a while. I found it really amusing!!!

I thought I felt this way with my young one. I sort of felt neither here nor there (although there was no way I would have given her up or been without her), especially when I campared her to my old girl. Then one day she ran away from a friends house when I was working! That's when I knew that I really did love her heaps and I just hadn't realised that we had connected - just differently to my other dog! After spending 4 hours in tears searching for her, then finding her and having her so happy to see me I worked out that it's just different with each critter, a bit like with all the human friends we have! So maybe you do have a connection, just not the connection you were expecting.

On the advice of people here I started giving my diabetic dog boiled eggs a couple of times a week and she was able to put on a little more weight without throwing her BSL's out.

Kenzie had a minor anal gland problem. She was a little stinky but it was more the licking and some butt scooting that alerted me. 1st consult a little pricey - consult, expressing, anitbiotics - but much better that they do it than me!! Had a follow up with the vet nurse which included expressing the glands and was $18 - money well spent in my opinion!!!!

She's gorgeous!! Lucky girl on starting her new happy life!!!

Is it old goop? Or are the eyes still producing some? If you're worried about eyes, see a specialist even if it is for peace of mind - that breed is prone to eye issues. But to get rid of goop that is caked on I have found using a wet cotton ball, hold on area for 30 sec, wipe away and just keep repeating a couple of times a day and it should go away in the not too distant future.

I've always been told white rice. Also if you boil the chicken up and then use the same water to cook the rice it makes it a bit more appealing for the dog. Oh and use chicken breast as it is more bland and less fatty.

Sounds good to me. I pay that for each of my BC's to get a wash, brush and tidy (not often, but a couple of times a year. Rest of the time I just try to keep them looking "good" myself!!). So taking into account a clip I think it's more than reasonable. I think my Mum pays about that for her schnauzer x's who get a schnauzer clip. Some people just aren't in touch with what happens in the real world!!

Happy Birthday Emma!! I hope my Emma gets to make the same milestone as you!!!

I bought Kenzie's on ebay and it has been good for her thus far. She also learnt how to unzip the soft crate!!

I say go with what suits the animal!!! There's no right or wrong, they're all just names! And as a teacher, I see plenty of kids with names that many would question as to why a human is called that!! My menagerie over time has beenn.... Cats: Swifty, Oscar, Max, Arnold, Phoebe, Oliver, Poppet Bearded dragons: Seth and Tahlula Blue tongue lizards: Phat, Red, Whistler Turtle: Trevor (what else would you call a turtle!!) ;) Rats: Lulu,Tippy and Burt Rabbits: Barni, Peanut and Sooty Foster brushtail possums: Amelia and Slurpy And the beautiful dogs: Emma (came with her name) and Kenzie (shortened version of MacKenzie). A good mix of "human" and non!!! But they all suited their name and most of them the name popped in my head when I'd spent a bit of time with them!! :D

I have a feeling legally they have to go to the pound at some point, however when I've been in a similar situation it's been recommended to me to hang on to them for a week and try to find owner (ie. register details at all local vets, council, feed stores, put up flyers everywhere, etc) before taking them in. But if you aren't going to do all tose things then she will be better with a shelter/pound as that is likely where her owners will be looking for her. Usually at shelters you can ask to be updated as to whether or not the dog is collected if you are interested in adopting them should they not be claimed.

I would be starting in obedience and then making a decision - look at where your dogs strengths lie in these types of classes. Plus they provide good foundation work for both sports. Personally I look at Flyball and think it seems to be the most boring thing in the world (apart from the 12 seconds your dog is running), but that's just me and tI think I will have to try it eventually because my girl would like it. Agility however, I love!!!! Offers variety, lots of different skills, course is always different, and I think great to watch. We have been training agility and Kenzie LURVES it!!! But she is a bit tunnel, A-frame, dog-walk crazy. Maybe look for a club where you can give both a try in a semi-social environment and then make a decision on which (or both!!) to stick with and train seriously.

Thanks for the good vibes!! This mornings check up was good and hopefully it will stay that way. I've become very zen, and what will be will be. There is now no other avenue to try, so at least I can seek comfort in that. But everything will be good!!!

Well, she's home now and sleeping off the end of her anaesthetic - lots of snoring at my front door!!! It seems all has gone well so far , hopefully it keeps going that way. I'm happy because she can see enough to find her way around the house mostly, even though her eye is stitched 1/2 shut. I hope it keeps going that way. Apparently it will take a little while to work out what the actual outcome is. Back to the vet tomorrow morning for a check up!