becks

Incurin is one of the tablets available for this (and one that is working for one of my bitches) Stilboestrol is the other one that is sometimes used.

There have been plenty of threads about just this, in this forum, try a search as many different options have been discussed. Which hormone treatment is she on now?

For most breeds it seems to me that a high bath/booster bath and electric shower is still easier to use then getting a hydrobath (will make the exception for larger breeds with heavy coats. I could bath and have dry a small breed before the heater on a hydrobath has warmed the water

What sort of dog is it? Then we can offer some more constructive advice, small and white doesn't give much away of the coat type!

Can someone explain to me what is so great about these hydrobaths when you are still having to use the water direct from your house to shower the dogs for rinsing? How are these baths better then just using your own bath/shower in your home?

If they have been bitten on the throat area, watch for swelling affecting the breathing.

I'd describe it as rancid milk smell, but then I'm not keen on puppy breath

red meat is a well known cause of itchies and skin problems in dogs. Try chicken for a month or so and see how he goes, they don't need red meat!

Using a good conditioner helps a lot. What are you using for bath him atm?

fragaria 6c is the one sold over here for teeth cleaning, it is a tiny pill.

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) owner (a while ago) 5. What is the general temperament/personality? As the standard says 'merry' happy dogs who love attention. Most also LOVE food and will eat anything and everything, so a careful eye on the diet is needed. 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? Mine would go for a daily 1/2 hour romp off lead 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? yes - but as with all dogs training will be needed. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? Not if you like your house intact. Mine was a big chewer of wood when younger - doors, skirting boards etc. She was the dog that showed us crated can be good! 9. How much grooming is required? Depends on the coat type, mine was a part working dog so didn't have over profuse feathering. A weekly brush and comb and checking ears and feet were all she needed. However (with my groomers hat on here) the show line cockers can have very heavy coats which are a lot of work for the average pet owner so most people have them clipped off completely or at least well trimmed down (and I still get them in with huge mats on the legs and ears) 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? No, most aren't.

Surely windows could have a wire mesh across them to stop animals escaping?

agnus castus (chaste tree) a herbal preparation used for PMT and other hormonal things, I believe. pulsatilla- I think it is a homeopathic remedy for colds??? Pulsatilla is used to treat hormonal issues including spay incontinence, false labour or pain and swelling in the limbs which is aggravated by heat or even anxiety at being left on their own - what is treats depends on the strength of the pills.

just watch the hair doesn't get caught up in the dremel! Ppractise handling your dogs feet and looking at the nails when they have been trimmed, you will soon get used to the look of how they should be and when they are getting long.

I have a 5 year old with spondylosis (confirmed by x-ray) it is all down her back and tail (luckily she is docked!). She has no flexibility in a sideways direction or flexion of the spine. She's still a dog of 2 speeds, full stop and full tilt. Not sure if this is related, she now is loosing the flexibility in her front 'ankles'

The skirt length will depend on the depth of body your dog has. Read the breed standard! The chest should go to at least the point of elbow (many dogs are not this deep unlike my boy) so your skirt should start just below the point of elbow and angle upwards to the loin to again show off depth of chest. If your dog is from slow maturing lines, you may still need to keep checking your lines and altering them as he fills out and chest drops.

The finished article! He has been in a rolled coat for a long time now, it is possible if the coat is a good thick, hard coat. Poor coats seem to need taking right out every so often.

Here are some photos that might help you showing how the 'skirt' is blended into the body. I take the stripping into the 'skirt' so the coat colour all blends in and retains the texture all the way down. This dog is very deep in body and his clipped underneath as the skirt is about 0.5cm - 1cm max length. back leg, you will need to play around with the shaping to find out what suits your dog. rear view showing clipped area and blending into stripped blending into front leg with stripping. side shot of the head your dog could use longer eyebrows. I've mentioned other grooming tips in the breed thread as that's where I first saw your request for help. With the legs, shampoo - you can use a white or volumising shampoo - or even both! I think use a small amount of conditioner mixed in water on the legs and beard, rinse out. Towel dry. Apply mouse (if doing show bath, I will add in some loose chalk with a soft brush at this point). Blow dry the hair upwards to give lift at the roots. When scissoring, you don't want the legs the same length all the way down, the front legs will be tighter at the elbows - long hair here will flap about as the dog moves and make him look loose at elbow. Again on the rear legs you don't want a huge amount of hair flapping about. I use the stripping knife into the furnishings to encorage some harsh coat to grow in as this will help to hold the furnishings in place. Scissoring the legs with blades pointing upwards will give a more fluffy look to the coat but it is harder to get the lines right when you are learning and a lot of show groomers find it easier to have the scissors point towards the feet. When going into the ring, flick up the coat from the roots, spray the legs and before the spray dries, gently comb the tips down, it will give a fuller look. Your stripping knife is a Mikki? The red is good for scrapping out the undercoat, the blue one is much better for rolling the coat with as it won't pull out small chunks in one go. Brush the coat up and just flutter about taking a few longer hairs out from all over the dog, never pull twice from the same area. I would also recommend you check the hair you remove is coming out at the roots and not being cut, new knives can be sharp on the coat and cut some of the hairs, plunging it into sand can take the sharpness off it. If you are still taking out chunks, look at getting an even more coarse knife until you get the hand of it. Have you stripped the top of his head? If you put up some photos of him groomed up, we can offer some more advice on how to make your boy look better.

trust them to make life difficult! Is your dog a Golden or Red boy, just asking due to his name.

I was reading about ACV the other day. Do people use the clear stuff from the supermarket or the cloudy one with the 'mother' in there? Does it make a difference?

She may want soft food for the first day after (sore throat maybe from pipe?) After that she should be OK for normal rations, she can always do the crunching on the other side of her mouth. I find mouths tend to heal really fast. Maybe add the bones after a few days.

I like to give my pet owners the chance to understand what choices they have with the coat and what will happen if the coat isn't cared for. The coats on some cockers now are getting that heavy that they are hard work to maintain, particularly those from show lines with a lot of black on them. If the stripping side is to much for an owner to keep up with, particularly if the dog is desexed, there is no shame in having the dog clipped on the back, head etc and the furnishings trimmed to a more practical length.

I am in awe of these photos on here, they are all really, really fantastic. Wish I had a 'proper' camera to have a go at such shots. There are plenty in this thread I would love on my wall.

I have a frame and it is much better then a control arm if you are having to tie up the dog at both ends. I have a chain across the top attached to the ancor points and I can use this to attach the dog to as I can raise and lower the chain lengths easily without having to swop different straps. For the belly band I have a shoulder strap from an old bag, which has clips on either end to fasten it to the chain, the fabric is soft enough to be comfortable for the dog. Very handy for the older dog who can't stand for any length of time. It should helpp with your dog but you will still need to train him to behave better!

The GSD royal canin food is great for dogs with allergies, sensitive skins and tummies. If you have any particular concerns about the food, have a chat with a food rep at the company, they are very helpful and will direct you to the best food in their range for your dogs needs.