SALTWOOD

My Dobe pup runs with my very patient older desexed male dog. The older dog really puts up with a lot from the pup and plays with him and is generally very patient. They hang around together and also sleep together but sometimes the pup is just so annoying that the older dog puts the pup in its place either by a quick snap/bite or by standing over him. Of course then the pup screams the place down. There isn't really any damage done but occasionally I do see some marks. Anyone else had the same problem and can you tell me how long it takes for the pup to grow out of it, if ever? Personally I don't know how my older dog is so patient with the young boy - the pup really gets boisterous, running, grabbing, mouthing, chewing on him, etc.

I agree, don't panic yet - with time things may work out OK!!

That's wonderful! I am sure you will be delighted with him! Actually about 1/3rd of my puppy enquiries are for older puppies or adult dogs because some people just don't want to go through all the hassles of training a baby puppy.

Personally I can't see why anyone would be concerned about getting an older puppy. I have both bought and sold older pups and more often than not the older pup will settle in way quicker than the 8week old. After all a pup of 16 weeks has got all his brain functions happening which is more than you can say for the 8week old. An older pup can more readily understand what you are expecting of him. In my case when I sell an older pup, it will always be socialised and have attended puppy preschool so the buyer is getting the benefit of all the extra training I give them. If I had a choice of buying a 8 week old or a 12-16week old (everything being equal) I would go for the older pup. :D

Miss a couple of meals then when you do feed, feed less!!! If it is hungry it won't dig holes and bury its food. The trick is to feed it just enough - not too much!

If it was me I would be taking a deep breath and try a fresh start. Presuming you have eliminated any health issues I would leave the dog 24hours without food then introduce a bland chicken & rice diet(cooked), like you would feed an invalid. I would ensure that I only fed small meals, leaving the dog looking for more each feed. I would feed twice daily and be content with the dog just eating - not wanting to fatten it up at this stage. If this food was tolerated and totally consumed I would start introducing a little raw minced chicken frame (available from Lenards) into the cooked chicken & rice mix gradually increasing the percentage of raw and reducing the percentage of cooked - still feeding twice daily but making sure I didn't overfeed. After a while & would introduce Vets All Natural Dry Mix and then continue on gradually introducing raw chicken necks, lamb flaps, etc. I wouldn't be worried about too much variety too soon but would always ensure to underfeed rather than overfeed. The stomach has to get used to having food in it. Feeding three times daily can put weight on but if you feed too much too soon you will be back in the same situation you are currently in. You have to re-educate your dog in its eating habits. When you have your dog eating readily then, and only then, you can increase its food, add different foods, try to put weight on, etc. This might take 4-6weeks.

I don't know your dogs history so can I ask what are you currently offering him to eat????

In my experience some dogs ARE born whingers and it is in the general make up of the dog. Probably caused by stress and stress tolerance levels vary from dog to dog. As an easy fix, I have seen the problem alleviated by adding the companionship of another dog. If this is not an option then the first step would be for you, the owner, to accept that the dog will probably whinge for at least a month. Once you have accepted that then your stress levels should go down and you can start to work on the problem. Do not reward the whinging by giving it your attention in any way. Try the water bottle trick, see if it works for you. Treat the whinging with ignore, turn your back on your dog if it demands attention. Only approach it when it is quiet (not easy I know). Remember going mad on your dog, ranting and raving, etc. is attention, even if it is punishment it is still seen by some dogs as being attention and better than being ignored!

This is great - I have just come home from a dog show and behold - all these fantastic recipes!! Lost me a bit with the sardines (I am thinking of them in my pocket) but I will try making them all. I suppose with the meat balls I could keep them in the freezer and get them out a few at a time! Thanks guys

It would seem so!

I can't see my dogs selling their souls for a carrot stick - I know I wouldn't!! :cool: I was thinking of making some mini meat balls for dog training and some chew treat (don't know what) for when I reward them at home!

I need a small obsolutely natural, easy to store and keep treat or biscuit for my dogs. One that I can give easily, keep in my pocket without making the inside pocket all yucky. Does anyone have any ideas? Does Eagle Pack make one or maybe there is one that is easy to make myself other than the dried liver which currently lines my pockets?

Have you tried the health food shops?? They might sell it!

IMO soft raw meaty bones ie. lamb ribs, chicken necks are way better than Dentabones. I was given samples of those Dentabones and mine ended up with whiskers that were stuck together like glue, so imagine their insides!

Pups can get diahorrea from many things - eg.change of environment and change of food. Are you feeding the same food as the pet shop? Usual treatment for diahorrea is no food of any kind for 24hours. Make sure pup is drinking during that time. I usually give them water via a syringe into their mouths every few hours to ensure they are not getting dehydrated. When you feed again start them on a bland diet of boiled chicken & rice. Take away the piggy ear until they are over the diahorrea. If you are worried or if the pup has a temperature or looks distressed or depressed - take it to the vet. Good Luck!

Phenyl is the cheapest and most fast acting of all the sprays that I have tried - and believe me during the season we kill a lot of toads!!!!!! :D I have also built a toad trap following the instructions on the Northern Territory Toadbusters site. I have still to find a really practical light to go over it though. Car batteries need to be recharged daily as the light runs all night. The 12v blue/purple light sold at Jayco is supposed to be the best for attracting toads but if the water gets into the connections then the whole thing won't work any more. As far as how quick Phenyl kills toads - it depends on the size of the toads. Tiny toadlets are killed almost instantly, middlesized ones take about 1 minute and big hooers take about 3 minutes. I have different techniques for the different locations of the toads. Toads in open lawn areas where they can't get to water quickly - I spray. Toads that sit around the dam I have a landing net and a big stick or a long tent peg. Toads are not only a big danger for dogs but they also kill wildlife eg. goannas, etc. eat frogs, they see a toad, eat it and die terrible deaths. No one really notices this until the wildlife that used to be in an area is no longer there! I HATE TOADS!!

The dead driedup toads don't seem to be a problem. I have had my dogs chew on these without any ill effect. The live ones that are bigger than 'mouse' size are a problem and can kill a dog. Do like we do and go on 'toad patrol' after dark with a spotlight and a big spike or a spray bottle of Phenyl. I hate toads!!!!!!!!! :D

Since converting to feeding my dogs a 'natural' diet my dogs, including the puppies, have never been happier. Part of the diet is raw minced chicken frames which are naturally high in calcium (so no supplementation needed). Add to this a vege mix, small amount of offal, fish oil, yoghurt, occasional egg, vitamin supplement and some muscle meat they are doing very well. They also all get a raw meaty bone several times a week. The best part of it is that their poos are so much smaller and dryer - not preserved forever more because they are eating commercial dogfood. They look forward to their meals, polish everything off but at the end are content and not looking for more. I feed all my dogs twice daily. If I had puppies younger than 4months old I would feed the puppies 3 times daily. I sort of feel a bit like a reformed smoker now - ready to push 'natural' to anyone who will listen! For me the proof is seeing how much happier my dogs are now!

Pax she was 7 years old which is apparently the prime age for Wobblers to surface.

I really appreciate your kind thoughts. It is nice to be able to 'talk' to others who understand!

Yes Morgan, I really went into it with the specialist - I could have gone down the road of a myelogram and caused her more pain and suffering. A myelogram is dangerous in itself but in her case it was just not a viable option. With our girl the problem was very obvious and very extensive - that was what made it so awful in that there was no early indication of it. Unfortunately in some cases, even though Wobblers is a progressive 'disease' the dog can show no signs until something triggers it. We don't know what triggered it with her and we never will but the vet said it can be as easy as just twisting the neck in an awkward way. She was always a very active girl. No, in this case I think she was correctly diagnosed and that the vet did everything that could have been done. I miss her so much!!

Thank you, I just felt so helpless - there was nothing that could have been done!

Our Dobe collapsed suddenly on the weekend, she couldn't walk and we had to rush her to the emergency vet. She was diagnosed by the specialist with Wobblers - it was very bad and the vet described it as 'the vertebrae in her neck disintegrated'. He said that it was possibly brought on by her just twisting her neck in a different way and it was just as if she had broken her neck - she couldn't walk and was in lots of pain. They tried steroids and kept her sedated but it was just too bad and she had to be put to sleep. Although she had arthritis she had shown no sign of Wobblers at all so we were just devestated. When I have heard of this awful disease before it was in the context of it being controlable and 'just one of those things'. Now that I have experienced it first hand I am hoping that it is something that Dobe breeders are really trying to eliminate in the breed. We will miss our girl very much - it is doubley hard to come to terms with as she was virtually OK one day and gone the next!

No to Frontline! Yes to Advantix!

Malaseb is an excellent problem and there would be no harm in shampooing the dog with it anyway. It does help in some instances. There are two vets at the practice I take my dogs to - one is really great and one of them is totally like the one you encountered. I took one oldie along with itching and paid to be told that the reason was fleas - I am very particular with preventing fleas at our place and haven't seen a flea in years - but could I tell him - nooooo!!!! Turned out to be an allergy after I got my favourite vet to do a scraping but the ratbag vet never seems to learn from his misdiagnosises of which there have been many. Now I just refuse to see him if I can't get in to see my favourite vet. I was sick of paying for his mistakes!!!!!!!!!!!