Flat Black

I'm so sorry to hear about your girl's problems. She has a sweet little face and I'm sure she's lovely. I hope she recovers quickly from this surgery and that her future prospects aren't too bleak. We were all beginners in the dog business at one stage or another and have acted without all the information available, so don't be hard on yourself. Kiss for Ruby.

So sorry to hear about little Flissie, Von. You looked after her with such devotion - she couldn't have had a better chance than the one you gave her. ;)

Absolutely there's something about boy dogs!!! Maybe it's their goofy nature or the way they wait at the gate all day for you, whilst the girl runs around doing doggy stuff. One day I crept in to find both boys asleep, pressed against the gate, waiting for mummy, whilst the girl was in the garden playing. Boy dogs certainly do have a special sort of mind control over us. I don't think we ever get over the loss of ones so dear to us. Give your two beautiful labs a big cuddle - they will understand.

Thanks Rappie. That sounds familiar to me, and makes more sense now. Thanks for the advice about taking water in slowly when dehydrated.

This happened to me and I got such a fright - so did Heathcliff!!!! He went over to a post, lifted his leg to wee, and all this green water shot out of his bum. He got such a fright, as he thought he was about to wee! I was so embarrassed that other people were watching. When I got home I searched the internet to see if this was really bad, and I found all these horror stories of dogs swimming at the beach and then dying from the saltwater getting into their brain. So I'm really confused as to whether swimming at the beach is bad for them or not. I keep doing it anyway because they love it so much.

Whilst my dogs swim all the time (including 4.30 this afternoon, in winter!! Just HAD to chase that pelican ) I have never seen this happen to them. But I saw it in my Flat Coat's mother once. The breeder said that it was because she went to sleep with a wet tail and it would fix itself in a few days. Thanks for posting, because now I'm off to make sure that Heathcliff's tail is dry!

We have Papillon cross here and he still has his puppy canines, upper and lower, as well has his fully grown adult teeth. At what stage should we worry that they have not fallen out? He is 10 months old. What should we be giving him to chew to help these teeth fall out? Thanks

How terribly sad you must feel at the moment - and every day. Your baby will be waiting for you.