Chris the Rebel Wolf

Okay, if I were in your shoes, I would buy the large dog Sentinel which has dosage from 23-45kgs, and give both your dogs that. A 22kg dog should have no ill effects from the higher dosage, it has a very good safety margin. Sentinel is an all wormer in that is does all intestionals, and heartworm. It also acts as flea control in that it sterilizes any adult fleas to prevent them breeding, and getting into your environment. But it does not kill the adult flea and you need to use something - collar, tablet, spray, wash - and use it any time you see any adult fleas. Understanding how it works and its limitations is the key to deciding if it is the product for you Advocate's main disadvantage is that it does not cover any of the tapeworm species, so you then need to either use Drontic (vet line) or give a full allwormer, and it is rarely the cost effective way to go. I find that Interceptor, which is heartworm and intestionals, combined with a separate flea treatment works best. Comfortis is the best flea treatment by a huge margin, better than the spot ons, but it is pricey. Novatris - the guys that make Sentinel - do NOT recommend that you split the tablets because as said earlier, there is no gaurentee the dosage will be enough. After all the research they put into their product and then you going and paying the money for it, it's best to do it by the book and ensure it works

Those are fantastic, both in photography skill and subject

I think this legislation is a step in the right direction. It's not a perfect step, and there is room for improvement, but it's a step.

Capstar is done in two sizes, as stated - blue up to 11kgs, and green 11-57kg. As long as you have the green pack and your dog is within that range one is fine, they work within half an hour and kill all fleas on the time, but provide no lasting protection - they are a knockdown of adult fleas and do not prevent newly hatched fleas from jumping back on.

I agree - after 1 coutns of animal cruelty there is no way this man should have been allowed to own animals. Let alone ones with needs as complex and as potentially dangerous as he did. Ohio has something to answer for in their lack of enforcements/restrictions on these, but this is yet another example of the exotic pet trade in general. While I do know of people who have exotics and keep them very well - and to some extend I agree that people with exotics are more likely to be responsible - but there are always exceptions. I don't believe that the largest of wild animals 0- - bears, big cats - should be kept outside of experienced zoos. I feel very sorry for these animals. From the sounds of it they were poorly kept to begin with, and now to face being shot. I understand why it was necessary of course, but still very sad. This clown could have re homed them with zoos or something of the kind.

Just to give more feedback from a pet store perspective (mid north coast of NSW) we seem to sell mostly Holistic Select but after these current supply issues Advance seems to have picked up (maybe being Aussie...we can tell customers no supply issues!) Hills and Euk and RC are next. I'm personally not a fan of Hills and Euk. We've had amazing feedback from Holistic for skin issues with maybe 3-4 negative responses, but I myself am switching to BH (shhh don't tell my boss lol) but i'm currently finishing off big bags of Pro Plan and Holistic Select. That's really interesting Cleo, that your primary food is Holistic Select! I checked out stock levels today - four kinds, one bag each in the small, two bags each for the large. One customer did mention she had it reccomended to her too by a friend, her fussy dog really likes the fish one ;)

Yup I know the one you mean, I found it in a second-hand book shop but I never reread it because it has a sad ending :p It's printed as both 'My Wolf, My Friend' and 'Sasha, My Friend' and written by Barbara Corcoran. She was indeed a wolf, though the girl's father passed her off as a husky to some suspicious neighbours You should be able to find a copy secondhand pretty inexpensively; but if not just drop me a message and I'll post you my copy. Usually I am a book hoarder because I read over and over but yeah, waaaay too sad for me. Oh thank you for letting me know! And I don't remember the sad ending? I will try to find a copy, thanks again Ooops! Sorry, I didn't meant for that to be a minor spoiler... err... is has it's positive points?

Have you tried Jetpets? I got a really good quote from them recently, far far better than any of the quotes from Virgin freight or AAE.

being that it is in a Hospital, and that experienced Zoo staff are responsible , I would have no doubts ! I can tell you that it'll be kept to the same high standards we keep them in the zoo. The nursing staff, sponsors all love it and spend time just 'having a look' while we're there feeding and servicing the exhibit. It'll be a great distraction for the 600+ kids who'll go through outpatients daily. This group is a non breeding group, it is also a very stable family group so outbreaks of violence or aggression will be very infrequent and when it does occur it is short live, lasting only a few seconds. There is interest from other hospitals around the world. The aquarium at RCH is also awesome! We are in a unique position due to the zoo's proximity to the hospital means it's a short walk across the park. Really fantastic to hear. And it's great that the zoo is so close, so if there are any veterinary hastles, you guys are right there You have both my thumbs up!

Kiltix and Preventix collars are the most inexpensive way to go - also ensure pets such as rats, mice, possums and wandering cats are kept form the environment to minimalize bringing in eggs. Collars last well as long as they don't get wet, the more they get wet the faster they wear out. Dividing spot ons is not recommended, if you're going to spend the money on spots on, ensure that it works and give the correct dose.

*wince* That is one exceptionally lucky silky. I cannot imagine why, if she was known previously to have the ability to figure out the window button, she was not restrained. So, so lucky.

Working at a pet store, in this area I can tell you Euk is the best premium seller. Advance is getting very popular up here as well, Royal Canin has been very steady since we started getting it 2-3 years back, and Proplan has more recently come up in popularity. Science Diet is pushed heavily by vets, but I find there are few customers who stay on it long because of the price and better specials with other premiums. Nutro is very much a small niche and I believe it will be deleted from our range in the next year if the demand remains the same. Though it is an Australian brand and well liked because of it, the premium market is simply a hard nut to crack and not enough people know anything about it. There are differing trends up here to other areas though. In five years not a single customer has ever asked if we get Black Hawk Holistic for example. We have just started to get Eagle Pack, but usually the only customers who buy it are those who have moved up from down south. Holistic Select is another new one in our range and like Nutro, quite slow so far. LOADS of Supercoat sells, tons and tons and tons of it - I'm amazed at how people buy it in bulk, actually - it's a very popular choice, along with Bonnie, for those who can't afford premiums.

It would not surprise me Alan to see a lab from a registered breeder being sold at $1200. I suppose cost of living could blamed as well for the price rise - I for one was shocked at how much a simple vaccination has risen over the past few years, and can only imagine we are seeing increased vet bills in the same vein. I understand your point here. I work in a pet store [who do not sell pups] and I get to see a wide spectrum of pet owners and breeders - from the responsible registered breeder to the not-so-dedicated types who are (unknowingly or not) supporting poor quality backyard breeders or puppy farms. Or backyarding themselves. I can see some people really baulking at spending $1200 on a Labrodor when, in he words of one recent customer who spoke to me; 'You can buy one out the paper for $400'. I always try to explain it's not so much about the initial cost as it is the peace of mind, the genetic conditions and the care involved, but, as we all know - some people will listen to you, and others already have the ideas cemented in their skull. You can only hope that some small thing you've said sticks with them and they rethink... but anyway we are deviating now. I understand why a registered breeder is charging more than a backyarder, but I am fairly educated in the matter. Not everyone you pass in the streets is.

Yup I know the one you mean, I found it in a second-hand book shop but I never reread it because it has a sad ending :p It's printed as both 'My Wolf, My Friend' and 'Sasha, My Friend' and written by Barbara Corcoran. She was indeed a wolf, though the girl's father passed her off as a husky to some suspicious neighbours You should be able to find a copy secondhand pretty inexpensively; but if not just drop me a message and I'll post you my copy. Usually I am a book hoarder because I read over and over but yeah, waaaay too sad for me.

Can anyone enlighten me on this :confused: That one raised by eyebrow too CC... I wondered if it was a weird wording for small ratters and the type but terriers aren't mentioned in this article. A load of rubbish. Some friends of mine own a very lovely mareema, very much a family dog. And one of the nicest ever dogs I've met at work is an Anatolian. Waltzed right up to me as friendly and outgoing as the friendliest of labs or staffys, stood avidly being patted for ten minutes. Plan to follow her owner's footsteps when I get my own Anatolian pup, spending lots of time in training and socialization from day one, and therein of course lies the key. A brief mention of Australia being 'responsible dog owners' which I think is far too broad a term, but this guy as completely missed the point of responsibility.

I must say Sandy... ALL of the lab pups and dogs who have visited us at work this year, have either been yellow or chocolate. I'm trying to recall the last time I saw a black lab in the flesh... huh. It has been a while.

I am in support of this, though tentatively. I too find it encouraging that the focus seems to be moving toward responsible dog ownership as opposed to a Pitbull blanket ban, though of course they were mentioned. I have no problems with the owners of attacking dogs being punished - they are legally liable for their animals and the punishment should reflect that. Hopefully this will mean owners and councils alike will step up and ensure safety is being taken seriously.

Strongly agree with this. I had a Jack Russell x Chihuahua who was very fussy as a pup. Three weeks of tough love, putting his food down and taking it away 15 minutes later if uneaten, no fuss made, and he ate whatever brand of food he was given Try some different brands of treats to find a favourite. I have had a lot of luck with getting different dogs to accept Jerhigh chicken treats.

What a fantastic idea! Really really nice to see. The Meerkat's enclosure look fantastic, lots of enrichments

I typically feed Advance, but I shift with different premiums which re on special each month - I also use Pro Plan, Royal Canin and sometimes Iams. Advance is my favourite and it agrees best with Zeke, he is easier to clean up after on Advance large breed!

Wooow I like that last one! Go that waterproof camera!

Some cleaning products will actually add to the problem, because the dog's pee has an enzyme that acts as a 'signal marker' and if it isn't broken down properly, the marker remains to encourage them back to the area. The white vinegar may help with this

Sujo glad there has been a result for you, hopefully these dogs will not accidentally escape from indoors... ought to be declared dangerous.

Love the tuffies, mine lasted so well until I hit the leopard ring with the rideon... I do more damage to Zeke's toys than he does :p

And quite rightly sick of it, we ought to be able to walk our dogs - or ourselves - and not get attacked. Plus, loose dogs are a danger on the roads as well. Never ending, especially owners who allow repeat break outs and know about the situation. Sorry to here you're still having trouble Dee, I thought that dalmatian would have been either declared dangerous or kept properly contained after all these incidents