aliwake

Hard to believe it's been a year already I still think of him when I see Nixon's blue knottie teddy. He sure sounded like a wonderful boy x

Nix is mad for possum possum poo which is everywhere in our yard, and will often try to eat poo from other dogs at the park (ewww) if I don't get there fast enough. He doesn't eat his own poo often any more, but it does still happen sometimes.

My lab boy lies like a frog ALL the time. He also looked very unco at various ages as a pup (still does sometimes). Unless he's limping or showing pain I wouldn't panic. Just do what you're doing and keep his weight under control and minimise any big jumps etc until he's finished growing. I don't know a lot about HD, but I was under the impression that the milder cases can be managed without surgery. Just be careful with him, and see a vet if there are any genuine signs of pain or discomfort.

I think it's more uncertainty than aggression at this stage, but I will certainly keep it in mind. I think he would respond well to friendly overtures, but the dogs we've met so far have been more timid or aloof than wanting to play. He's fine with border collies Jules - we have one across the road that he's seen from a young age, so I think he's pretty comfortable with them. It's a pity you've had dramas with labs though! I just wish he'd met some more spitz breeds when he was younger, but we haven't come across any til recently.

i think the only emergency vet is at logan now http://www.animalemergencyservice.com.au/ ETA a quick google just showed emergency vets at albany creek, stafford heights and wollangabba too.

Thanks raineth - I was wondering about the tail. Very very good to know! It seemed like conflicting signals to me but I know I'm not particularly knowledgeable. Could the tail wagging be trying to match the upright tail of the other dog too? That's really nice of you to offer a play date Yonjuro! He's actually fine around huskies, so they'd probably have a ball together :)

that sounds like a really good strategy simply grand - though I usually avoid taking treats to the park as it makes me VERY popular. There aren't as many dogs around during winter though, so I might be able to pull it off. Thanks for all the positive responses everyone - I appreciate it! Hopefully he'll pick up some 'russian' asap! :)

I second this. As a samoyed owner I can assure you this happens a fair bit. The erect ears, tail, heavy ruff and upright stance can confuse the hell out of other dogs. That's good to hear from someone who would know! it was what I suspected, that's he's very confused by the different body language/characteristics. As an innately social dog I think(hope) he will improve with more exposure to these breeds.

I agree increased exposure might help. We see the finnish lapphund most often, but she seems a little timid, so I don't think she's the best one to practice on. If anyone has a bulletproof, friendly fluffy in western Brisbane that would be willing to try a playdate, please let me know! Maybe I'll talk to the lady we did his obedience training with, and find out if any of her clients might have a dog with the right sort of temperament to take his crap while he's learning to adjust...

So, my 16month old lab, Nixon, is generally extremely good natured, and enjoys playing with other dogs of all shapes and sizes. We regularly go to an off lead park which he LOVES - it is quite small with a friendly group of regulars (dogs and humans). Recently there have been a couple of occasions where he has met a new dog and 'taken against it' even before it enters the park. When they come in - he will bark loudly and constantly in their face. His tail is wagging, but the bark is extremely full on - I know I'm not ok with it and I'm pretty sure the other dogs aren't. On both recent occasions the dogs have been larger fluffy dogs - 1 was a finnish lapphund, and the other was a samoyed. I guess I have 2 questions - firstly, why??!! What is his likely motivation? My only guess so far is that he didn't really meet any dogs that fluffy when he was younger, so now he's a bit freaked out and can't read their body language properly? Secondly, what should I be doing to either help him get over it, or to correct the behaviour. Currently, when he starts I will grab his collar and separate him, and force him into a sit for a minute until he calms down. On some occasions this will be enough and he'll settle down to a bearable level, and even go on the sniff the dog, then usually ignore them. But, the next time we see this dog we're back to square one. He is desexed.

Giardia is a parasite - water is one way you can get it I think. When my boy had it he had vomiting and diarrhoea, but he was quite a small pup, so in an older dog it could be responsible for the runs alone. but there's plenty of other parasites out there that could be causing problems. A comprehensive faecal screen might be worth considering.

What a gorgeous girl! Love the 4th one for some reason :)

That sux At least you were notified though - did they tell you before or after they took the new amount out of your account? I still haven't received my renewal - it's been a week since I called them now.

Hi alpha bet - I'd be interested to know what you feel are risk factors for KC? Feel free to message me if you're prefer.

My drama for the week. Nixon has been getting steroid treatment for bronchitis (lingering cough for over 4 weeks), then he needed his vaccination this week because we're going overseas tonight, and he will be in a kennel for part of the time. Then, yesterday morning he did a massive vomit! He threw up again this morning, and I found and old spew pile in the backyard from yesterday I think. Not sure if it's the vaccine or the steroids, but my poor baby isn't feel well, and we won't be here to look after him. I started tapering the steroids this morning because I suspect they are the cause. I just got off the phone to the kennel to make sure they got the vaccination cert I emailed them yesterday, and the guy was so lovely! Said he was shocked that the vet vaccinated him while he was unwell, and they (the kennel)would have been a bit flexible with the requirements given the circumstances! I'm so impressed! They also take titre testing results too. Even though we've happily used them several times before, my confidence in them just increased hugely. They clearly care about their wards a lot. We have a friend looking after Nix for the first 2 weeks we're away, and she will do a great job too - I just hope he starts to feel better asap to make it easier on both of them.

Oh Crits, I read what you wrote the other day and forgot to come back and reply. I'm so sorry you've lost Finnigan! I can imagine all too clearly how heartbreaking that would be. I hope you're doing ok. Big hug x Would love to see a recent pic of your beautiful boy, if you'd like to share?

I read this a little while ago, and have been paying close attention ever since - I actually think there's something in it! He prefers North, but I did see a south facing one the other day :)

When I spoke to them on the phone on Friday, they assured me they were sending out 'another' copy of the renewal documents for me straight away, and I still haven't received them. As far as I know most mail should only take 2 days... Will be interesting to see if/when it actually comes.

Great news! We go through a lot of carrots here too :)

That insurer is Petplan. They have the best cover of all the insurers. However, their prices just went up quite a lot, and will probably be very expensive for you with 3 dogs!

I give my chocolate lab livamol to keep his coat nice, and he doesn't have any fading at all. I think it's more of a preventative though, so I doubt it will bring back a coat that's already bleached.

I just used half a capsule when my boy was small, and a full capsule now he's grown. I don't believe they can be harmful if given too much, so should be fine.

I don't really know much about yakult. If it's likely to have lactose I'd give it a miss while he's already a bit off. Just grab some capsules (inner health plus has a much higher dose than most other brand - 25billion good bacteria I think?) Just take that into account when you're comparing prices. Maybe start with half a capsule a day and go from there. My boy had a lot of tummy upsets when he was a pup (coccidia then giardia within a few weeks), and even once he was recovered it was hard to get a solid poo out of him until I started giving yoghurt and extra probiotics. It worked within about 2 days to firm everything up. Hopefully your boy doesn't have anything that needs treatment and will improve asap for you!

Keep up the yoghurt too - it should help. Add an extra probiotic capsule if you have any.

I did :) I liked yours too!