Erny

I have one that I want to trial. Can't do it myself as I simply don't have a flea issue (*touch wood*). If you have a flea issue and would like to try one, please PM me your name and address and I'll send you one - no charge. Only conditions are is that no other flea preventative is to be used (otherwise the trial is pretty useless) and that you need to report to me your findings over the period of the life of the tag. If your in a high risk area for the paralysis tick, I don't know that I would trust them as a preventative to something that can otherwise be fatal to dogs, but for fleas I think it would be worth a shot - if it works, then natural is better. As to their success, other reports and people I've spoken to suggests it is a bit hit and miss. But I'd love for these tags to prove that for some dogs in some areas it does work. IMO avoiding the application of any chemical on our dogs when we can possibly help it has got to be a good thing.

Haven't left - just had to focus on other things (the more mundane being some internet host issues). But I've been watching and reading the posts in the meanwhile. I couldn't leave you all alone like that ...... Bringing the word Bird "mix" into the equation really is going off the tangent a little though. "Mix" describes that it is a mix of seed variety. It is a description of what food/feed it is. Now, if it said "Bird Mix Feed" then that would go back to my opening post and I'd still be asking "why"? Now, Wiki tells us the definition for "Fodder" is : "In agriculture, fodder or animal feed is any foodstuff that is used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin. "Fodder" refers particularly to food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them), rather than that which they forage for themselves (see forage). It includes hay, straw, silage, compressed and pelleted feeds, oils and mixed rations, and also sprouted grains and legumes. The worldwide animal feed industry consumed 635 million tons of feed (compound feed equivalent) in 2006, with an annual growth rate of about 2%. The use of agricultural land to grow feed rather than human food can be controversial; some types of feed, such as corn (maize), can also serve as human food, while others such as grass cannot. Some agricultural by-products which are fed to animals may be considered unsavory by human consumers." Note throughout the text there is the switch between the use of the word "feed" and "food" - I've highlighted them to make it clearer/easier. But it still begs the question raised. ETA: Actually, I think it explains it and it is what someone here has already thought. IE That "Feed" relates to the feeding of farm livestock. "Food" seems to relate to humans and the more closely aligned to family type pets such as cats and dogs. Hhhhmm. Wonder why anyone thought there needed to be a difference in terms to differentiate, though.

KL - Yes, they can get cramp. My boy suffered a bad one when he was only about 14 months old. This was at a workshop/seminar and I'd had him in his crate for a couple of hours. The cramp itself left him (he was yelping and obviously very sore) but it took 24 hours before he was completely ok due to the cramping leaving his leg muscle a bit tender afterwards. My boy has complications with his health so I won't profess to be able to tell you exactly why this might have occurred with yours (could be a one-off thing) but perhaps look into dietary factors if they re-occur. I know with humans, magnesium tabs do the trick (I have had cramps every now and again and yes, by golly they hurt - I take magnesium when they start to happen more than just once in a blue moon). ETA: For my boy's cramp, to my knowledge it is not related to any other issue such as arthritis and I do suspect it related to dietary insufficiency given that he does have digestive issues. Consequently I don't think he was/has been absorbing all the vitamins/minerals that he should have been, one symptom manifesting itself as a cramp.

KL - I believe there is a prohibition on the import of things like honey into WA, even via interstate boarders.

Thanks Kamukeli - I came back in because that is the website and website link I was going to PM Misha about. I too appreciate your post, Misha.

.... Sounds a bit like me. But do be prepared so as to not fall off your chair. Expect to pay around $50+ for a 250g jar. If you're paying a lot less, I'd be dubious about whether it has the UMF that you need. I don't bother much with any other than the Active Manuka Honey UMF20+ . Try at your supermarket, although I've only ever been able to source UMF5+ from there and it's not (IMO) worth bothering (for the purpose in mind). I buy mine from our local Health Food Store.

I'm not sure of this, but I think you might have been fortunate to get it through? My understanding is that it is illegal to send bloods via ordinary post and that to send it internationally you are supposed to make a declaration confirming it to be blood serum - this so that it does not get caught up with customs. What method of post did you use? I'd be a bit concerned that there'd be times when it was held up, and what would become of the blood serum in the meantime and whether it would be 'testable' when it got there, or possibly give false negatives?? (Don't know much if anything about that side of things.)

Will PM you Misha. Rushing out to an appointment but will be back later.

Sounds to me they are simply verifying your address to make sure it is bona fide - and perhaps to make sure that the one letter isn't coming at them at multiples from the one source. ???

Misha, my understanding is that Schutzhund does now (those that are still able to run) permit others to train in the other quadrants that make up a partial sum of the total. But then, to only be allowed to run part of it, is not "Schutzhund". It's like saying "you can do agility sport so long as you don't do anything that involves running on things or jumping".

Hhhhmmm .... see, I'd say "bird feed" and "chicken feed". Yet I agree, I'd say "chook food". Not sure what I'd say for Pigs ..... and now that I'm thinking about it too hard, I'm not sure what my reflex description would be. Have to think about that one when I'm not thinking about it so much, if you know what I mean. LOL ....

But that's getting a bit too specific. That relates to the type/style of "FEED" they get. Speaking generically, you purchase bird "feed" for them.

For those interested, just received an email from AWSC advising "The Building Better Dogs" seminar segment is on Hound TV this week: Wednesday 31st March at 7pm on channel 31 for people in Melbourne. It may be included on C31 website in future. Check after the show goes to air. http://www.c31.org.au/show/our_shows/?show...amp;show_id=169

Yeah - sometimes it is nice to ponder on things that don't really matter in the scheme of things. Can prove to be a bit of light relief.

I agree with this - and I see that might be a problem for some as no-one would like to be 'rejected' from any sport because their dog's not up to it. Perhaps rather than face and admit that they have been or might be 'rejected' it is easier to say "the sport is dangerous and should be banned" ???

Yeah - I know it's just a silly unimportant thing. Seems to me that if it is grain it is "feed". If it is meat it is "food". Don't know why, though. Oh well, doesn't matter. There are bigger things to ponder on.

This possibly should be in OT, but it sort of relates to dogs, so wasn't sure. Made myself a note for tomorrow - went to write "Order horse feed" but by error (habit, probably) I wrote "Order dog food". I edited the note, but in the process wondered how come it is horse "feed" and dog "food" ?? Just one of those sillies that flits through the mind every now and again. But now that it has, I want to know how come?

But what is it that tells you she loves Eddie the most? I'm playing a bit of devil's advocate here because I don't know you or your dogs to actually see. But I do have a view (and note that I am generalising only and that there are exceptions to the 'rule' - perhaps you are one of them too). And that view is that if the dog perceives itself to be higher in hierarchy (I'm not necessarily talking extremes, potentially just degrees) that dog might also perceive itself as having the role of protector. To protect, they need to be around and have access to 'their' pack. Is the greeting relief by the dog that you're back (because s/he wasn't able to do the job s/he feels is his/hers to do)? This post is not directed to you specifically or solely MrsD. It is for anyone who reads to consider and toy with, as an idea. I just don't want you to think that I'm backing you in to a corner. I'm just exploring with your minds, to see if anyone can recognise in their own dogs whether they've been seeing things the reverse way around from what their dog's potentially seeing.

.... I think that's why I was put on this earth, Star. It's not a purpose I'm ashamed of, by any stretch (although it does stretch the purse strings as many many others, including yourself, who also go the extra mile for their animals would know). Thanks for the compliment. It is one of the highest, in my books .

Wow, Tilly ..... a bit strange that your neighbours aren't enduring the same. It's not possible, is it, that something has died, maybe under your house (for example) or something, which would possibly be attracting the flies to your home? Was it here, or somewhere else, that I read that flies don't travel very far from where they morph from maggots? Your poor pups. I hope the situation improves for you soon. We don't have a fly issue here now that we have had bouts of colder weather.

Aidan - I don't think Chewbacca was suggesting EVERY case of SA is an owner created issue. Although in my experience, many are. In relation to your above post (directed to Chewbacca, hope you don't mind me adding my 2 cents), some dogs are genetically pre-disposed to SA and/or SRB's. What the owner does with that genetically pre-disposed dog can be the 'make or break' as to whether SA becomes an issue (or an issue to any grand scale of concern). So just because an owner has (eg) 3 dogs, treats all the same but only one has SA doesn't mean the SA wasn't an owner created situation. A post in this thread already describes a person who always says good-bye etc etc. to her dog, and has no issues regards to SA. Put a different dog in that situation and those same actions may well bring out SA. Take that same 'different' dog and don't do all the fussing and SA might well have a chance of being averted. The propensity is still there, but it's what we do with it that can make a difference. But I agree there are just some dogs that are that way inclined no matter the effort (even from first acquisition) that goes towards avoiding SA issues.

Their Skin Support formula is the only one developed for generalised atopy and helps to strengthen and support the skin barrier AFAIK. I had excellent results with Gypsy on it but after two attempts she stopped eating it after a period of time, since you can actually see that it contains a good amount of turmeric we surmise she just got sick of the taste! I would have suggested it earlier to you Erny but I know your preferences as far as raw and didn't want to push something on you that you weren't interested in, however I would be VERY interested in knowing whether it would have an effect on Mandela, I can send you their product profile for that product if you wish. Just PM me a postal addy. Thanks SnT. I'm not sure that I will switch, just yet. I've used a couple of well known and well respected brands of food since Mandela came to me. The pattern so far is that he seems to do ok/better on the 'new' food for approximately 6 months (give or take) then it all goes to poo (pardon the pun). Switch again, and I get the same result. I feel I need to stick with what I'm now doing otherwise I won't be able to confirm as to whether there is a real pattern going on or not. But along the way, as I hear and learn of things, I'm trying to keep them in mind for if/when what I'm doing is not achieving the results I want. As it is, even with the raw food diet, I seem to have to keep switching meats (which isn't great when it comes to setting up for elimination diets, if that's what I eventually have to do - even if I don't think this is a food allergy thing) because he'll favour one for a while, then completely goes off it. Which is why I have a whole freezer full, dedicated to his food, with barely any foods in it that he'll actually eat at the moment. If he was a dog who would carry more weight I'd stick with one meat source for longer, but he isn't and so he therefore can't afford to lose weight. It's darned frustrating. But hey ..... I wasn't handed out a double dose of "stubborn" when I stood in the 'character' queue at birth, for nothing .

I'd like to have a couple of things clarified. What do you all think when you talk of "bonding"? Do you mean the dog prefers to hang around near you more, or are you all saying the dog listens to you (or the other person) more? Is the latter what you think "bonded" is? Or the former? Also, a number of you have said that "the dog chooses". I'm inclined to agree, but that's not really answering the question, is it? I mean, isn't the question "why?". IE Why that person above the other? If people thinks "bonded more" means the dog hangs around more with one than the other, this could possibly be a manifestation in hierarchy (not saying it absolutely is, but it could be, so please think about it).

Hi Stitch - I'd be quite concerned if a 12 week old pup wasn't "in" to eating and whilst I know I could be wrong, I would think it unusual unless there was an underlying reason. I apologise for querying your judgement, as that is what I'm doing, although I don't mean it to be personal nor critical, but what is it that makes you so sure the pup is not nauseous? I have been informed that adding a little bit of Vegemite to dinner can help stimulate appetite but I'd be hesitant about adding things unless you could be very certain there isn't anything wrong, especially, as I mention above, in a 3 month old pup. And watch Vegemite for its salt content, so I wouldn't be over-doing it. Also, what is it that you are feeding puppy, and what did the breeder before you feed the pup?

Just to add to what I've already mentioned, I think the more common "label" that is now used is "Separation Related Behaviour" as this label covers SA as well as other behaviours that relate to separation but aren't SA in the more true sense.