Yonjuro

I agree that there is certainly an unhealthy amount of dumb and outwardly obtuse responses in some threads.

Oh no, please don't bow out of this or conversations such as these. I am sure I am not alone in appreciating your valuable input.

Very well said Erny.

I will PM you now :)

Thanks Tibbie :) I replied above to your other question, just flicking back to responses and realised I edited the thanks to Terri and missed the question - so yeah , unfortunately I just need to be hyper alert for a while

Thanks Terri S! :) Yes, it is my area, unfortunately I don't know where the chap lives but it is only on a route that I seldom take, and won't be taking again for a while.

Thanks Malakita, It all happened so fast that I really didn't have a chance avoid the ugly scene. I just goes to show that you never can tell the mental state of some people at face value. I now will just carry some pepper spray on walks and hopefully deter and avoid any physical violence and face the penally for using a spray in the highly unlikely situation, should it arise. It is in the pocket of the treat bag also for when my wife walks our dog. Urghhh... just typing this is making me feel ill by re-living something I am trying hard to stop thinking about.

Yes, Ronin is fine and I am pretty okay thanks. It was horrible, you just don't expect this type of thing to happen when taking your dog for a relaxing Sunday afternoon walk. He came back with a mace/club like weapon and I now have a couple of small fractures in my back and I had to fight him into him submitting and giving up. It kind of freaks me out talking about this now when it is still pretty raw in my mind.

When African people say they are going to kill you I suggest you pay attention. Life is dirt cheap in Africa and that is how many problems are solved. PS: Before the do gooders start screaming racist I am African myself and have a teeny bit of experience with this. ' I did pay attention and things got very ugly. Blows were exchanged - police were notified.

An African man said to be last week when I was walking my Siberian Husky puppy, that my dog was illegal and he was going to kill me and my dog.

I don't know much about very large breeds specific nutritional requirements so please take these options as just ideas on foods that appear to have quality ingredients. Wellness make some very good foods by all reports and the ingredients look better than most. I have linked their large breed formula which is not grain free. Their "core" range looks even better but don't know if the kibble size, and high protein levels are suitable. Either way there are a few different formulas to consider. http://wellnesspetfood.com.au/product-details.aspx?pet=dog&pid=61#ingredients Canidae is also a very good food, but the above considerations also apply http://www.canidae.com.au/dog-food/canidae-grain-free-pure-sea-new-formula also http://www.pawsforlife.com.au/product/earthborn-holistic-ocean-fusion/mw72011 Others have mentioned raw feeding which could be great for your dog, but You have asked for ideas on dry. Has the vet given any suggestions on food other than what they stock or given a reason not to try raw?

Thank you for your kind comment VislaMomma, I really appreciate it :)

In my limited experience, I think it is best to make the tea first - 1 rounded teaspoon slippery elm and around 250 ml water, simmer for around 3 minutes and cool. Then add around a teaspoon for every 5kg of dog. I mix in around 1 teaspoon of honey while the tea is still hot. I give this in his bowl half an hour before feeding and my dog loves as though it is a high value treat. There should be enough of the tea to last for three days and I believe it is okay in the fridge for this time. I have found that I have never needed to go beyond 1 day (usually one dose) for my Ronin to be pooping perfectly once again. I make up a cup if I notice he has managed to gobble something down before I can get it off him quick enough and sometimes will give a serve before a meal just-in-case. A couple of nights ago I noticed Ronin was doing the most awful smelly farts :laugh: and I gave him a couple of spoons of the tea and it seemed to calm his guts and my nostrils :D I also add some probiotics to the cold mixture as a double whammy. The high quality Jarrah honey makes this a triple threat to nasties from the throat to the bum :D Anyway, it is as cheap as chips so good to keep on hand.

Yeah, see if you can leave it with them so when you bring the puppy home the scent is fresh.

Hahaha, excellent Law, pretty well same as me with buying stuff. The snuggle puppies are totally awesome. I sent one to my breeder and she allowed a little play with my boy before he came home to me. She also rubbed it all over her Ronin's mum and litter mates to get their scent on it. If you can do this I highly recommend it. Ronin still loves it after 5 months and it get played with and cuddled every day!

Well said and again well done to you for being part of the facilitation process.

Thanks for the info it is much appreciated.

An alternative to Malaseb that I believe is more gentle with less "leave on" time is Paws Mediderm. http://www.pawbyblackmores.com/products/mediderm-shampoo I honestly don't know what the cause or treatment should be, but I tried this on my puppy a while ago and thought it was very good for his flaking and itching. I only ever needed the one time and I only use Calendula tea now. Hopefully others can offer better advice.

Thanks for contributing to this discussion. It is good to hear your thoughts on this. For me personally, discussions like this are a win-win for me and my canine companion. If more people say "nah, it's rubbish, tried it, doesn't work" then I can add this to my 'toolbox' and seek alternatives. If more people have positive results then it can be added as potential preventative measure. So what I am saying is that this is not a personal crusade for me, I am just interested in doing as much research as possible to further my knowledge and ability to keep my dog healthy and happy.

I consider tick paralysis to be a pretty adverse side effect if it doesn't work. How would a drop of oil on a dog's collar deter ticks when most ticks are found attached forward of the dog's shoulders?? sigh... Sigh all you like. When you can produce some evidence that rose geranium oil provides an effective deterrent to paralysis ticks, you'll have my complete and undivided attention. People in the USA don't have their dogs' death as a side effect of using this oil as a tick preventative. The fact that something Is "natural" is no guarantee of safety or efficacy for veterinary use. Many naturally occuring substances are highly toxic and what is safe for human use is not necessarily safe for dogs. I'd not more trust RG oil for tick prevention that I'd trust garlic for hydatit tapeworm prevention, or nosodes for parvo prevention no matter how often someone suggests it on an internet forum. If I was unaware that on this internet discussion forum, one had to supply research data in order to share an idea that some may not have thought of or heard of?? No guarantees have been made, I merely sought to share something that seems to be widely used elsewhere. Isn't this what a forum is about?

Lots of them are hippy mumbo jumbo and loads of people run off and buy them - rescue remedy is a prime example. :D

Yeah I am aware of that :D just couldn't think of a better way to describe what I meant. Maybe - pharmaceutical prescribed medications would fit better? :)

Thanks for your responses Steve, It is nice to hear some rational thoughts on this. I haven't ever had a problems with ticks in my area in the 40 odd years I have had dogs, but it was something that I was interested in preventing for when we do go camping. I worry about my ability to do a good thorough search on a Siberian Husky due to the nature of his double coat. It is very hard to get a glimpse of the skin - but that is mainly due to me I guess, and will probably get easier when he grows up a bit and becomes less puppy-excited at everything going on around him. I am glad you posted the warning about Rose Geranium Oil attracting the bees as my boy is recovering from a very nasty facial swelling from a bee sting last week and I would hate to have to go through another course of Prednisolone if this happens again. I am happy to keep an open mind with natural remedies even though I had always previously thought of them to be a bit of hippy mumbo-jumbo. After nothing short of miraculous results from Slippery Elm and Calendula Tea, my mind has been opened to exploring further alternatives to chemicals. Having said that, my responsibility of the best care for my dog does not prejudice chemical compounds if needed.

I consider tick paralysis to be a pretty adverse side effect if it doesn't work. How would a drop of oil on a dog's collar deter ticks when most ticks are found attached forward of the dog's shoulders?? sigh...

I believe that you put a drop of the oil on the outside of the collar, not directly on the skin. Like all treatments it is pretty hard to get 100% results with anything, but hedging your bets in prevention seems worth it when there appears to be no adverse side effects.