Erny

Hey Daccydog ..... I've been away and didn't catch this thread until now. I'm so pleased to hear the Calendula Tea helped with your girl's symptoms. Of course we always need to address the cause (even if that can only mean avoiding the things we know our dogs are allergic to) but easing the symptoms can avert worse conditions. I need to give the credit for the Calendula Tea wash knowledge back to Dr. Bruce Syme though - he was the one who suggested it to me when my boy was covered with itchy hives and I felt I needed to give my boy some respite from them whilst we were endeavouring to work through the issues that were causing them. It worked so well for my boy that I couldn't believe it wasn't something already well and commonly known of. I'm glad that passing this information on has helped so many others, without needing to resort to anti-biotics/cortisone etc. I hope that Miss Jilly doesn't have another allergy attack, but a stock of the Calendula in your pantry/medicine cabinet is something very worthwhile having.

Hey !!! Congratulations to all those who took out an MDBA Award and of course to all those who were nominated for an Award in the first place. Glad to hear you all had a great time at the dinner and well done, Julie - I know from what you have told me and also from some small experience in organising events just how much work (and stress) is involved in pulling these things together so that they can run well and so that people can enjoy them. Excellent work.

I can only reiterate what Kelpie-i and Cosmolo have said. Steve Lindsay has a fascinating mind and I felt that we'd just really started to get 'in' to the revelations he was delivering only to find the conference time was unfortunately at an end. I thoroughly enjoyed the underlying concept he was teaching - ie ..... to understand the dog at that deeper level and not skim the surface of the dog, not to just look at the outside of the dog, and to think as the dog is likely to be thinking and viewing the world, and feeling. I think the delivery of his words "to remember to think as US being in the DOG'S world" is something I will find myself reiterating to others (as a bit of a change to and better than the words eg. "think dog"). I have a few other Steve Lindsay'isms that I thought were great and which I wrote down for future use . I loved the balance of thought that he created and thought he did a wonderful job at explaining things that are so intangible and hence very difficult at anyone's standard to teach/explain and/or raise for thought. I felt the weekend was well delivered by NDTF and carried a very professional front - in that, I think they deserve congratulations ;). I think especially (but not only) for a first conference, the attendance and organisation throughout the days of the Conference was excellent and whilst I know they announced that this is not likely to be an annual event, I would love to see more. Ummmmm, if NDTF is reading .... Ivan Balabanov would be cool to see and hear ;) . It was great to have the Trade Stall people there and I was given the pleasure of looking out/after them ..... I made a few good acquaintances from that - they were all a fantastic bunch of people. I hope that many made use of the availability of the dog related items being there - was great to 'see before you buy' in this world of 'on-line everything'. I am sure that when I open up my Steven Lindsay Handbooks again, I will hear his voice as though he were speaking them vocally. Although I might miss the "ah, yes .... hmmm, that's good" that he would murmer when reading his slides and obviously determining how he would iterate and explain them to us. I might very well imagine the wicked twinkle in his eyes when he made a joke - his laughter is quite contageous, I found, and somewhat endearing. Hhhhmmm ...... yes, I think "endearing" is the word. I especially agree with Kelpie-i in that he very much did seem as 'Doc' does in those 'Back to the Future' movies. But hey ..... Sydney people - your restaurant meals are so expensive!! :p (but very more-ish just the same ) ETA: Oh, yes!!! I almost forgot to mention and thank JigSaw for the lift from the airport to our accomodation on the Friday afternoon. It was great to know that someone was there to pick us up ...... and that my GPS (which I keep referring to as a GSP .... once a dog person always a dog person :p) works in Sydney (mostly) as well . ETA: Oops! Forgetting things . I thought the demonstration by Steve Austin with "King" was good and hopefully portrays and demonstrates to people who perhaps haven't taken the opportunity to learn about that type of work/sport that teaching a dog to bite a sleeve does not maketh a dangerous dog. The demonstration where the 'decoy' (apologies - can't remember his name) allowed the sleeve to come away and then approached and gave "King" a hearty pat/rub/cuddle. King enjoyed the attention, but his main thrill was for the sleeve, not for the person. Having the little Spaniels there was great as well. <Sigh> .... ya gotta luv pups, and to see how much they are capable of when they've only been in our world (or perhaps I should say, we've only been in their world) for a space of 9 weeks or so, for me will never cease to be awe-inspiring.

You don't HAVE to learn all the theory on dogs and dog training - you only need to know enough to be able to raise and keep a well balanced dog. It isn't about all the formal retrieves etc even though you have a gundog, it is about providing sufficient mental stimulation. Keep your dog thinking. Teach him to puzzle things out and for him to learn that he can. I do many odds and sodds of things to keep my boy thinking - it keeps me from getting bored from the same ol' same ol' as well. For example, the other night when it was too dark for me to see in the back yard (spot lot globe keeps blowing ), I showed him how to go find (search) for some of his toys. He knows each of his toys by name, so I didn't need to start with that. Once he's got the searching component down pat (ie when I can hide them in tricky places and he'll keep searching to find it) then I'll start hiding two of his toys, asking him to bring one in particular. Actually, he almost already does that, come to think of it, as I can tell him to go inside and get "xxx". He quits a bit too easy, though, and if he can't find the one I've asked for quickly enough he'll try picking another one instead, for size. But mostly, he will select the one I'm after. Teach your guy to search - there's the both of you (ie you and your boyfriend) .... that's a fun game. But yes - the more you teach your dog the more your dog learns to learn and it means they start to pick up on things faster and faster, so it is a bit about being inventive and changing things around some so that you can provide that mental challenge.

The flea bite is what leaves the irritation so yes, even after fleas are evacuated, your dog may scratch. Now that the cause is gone, there's every chance the itching will recede, however there is the possibility of secondary skin infection. If you give him a "nurse's wash" with Calendula Tea, this will in all liklihood help with soothing the irritated skin and solving the possibility of secondary skin infection. If it is doing its job, you should see an improvement in his skin (and scatching) inside 24 hours (going by my own experience and also from what others have reported). I'm told that if a dog is allergic to pollens, it is possible he/she might react to the Calendula Tea (which is dried marigold flowers). However I have not had anything other than success with the Calendula Tea wash and others who have taken this tip up (DOL members) have also reported success. I've not had anyone come back to me to suggest it made it worse.

Cause he drives "The fastest Milkcart in the west"that's Erny ...... Erny dons her yellow raincoat and hops astride her tricycle.

Yeah - but guess which peoples I have learnt heaps from along the way . You'd be a big shining star in that department, DBS along with a number of others who are predominant with helping in the 'health' department. Poodlefan was the one who lead me to Pemphigus to read up on ..... links that I found in reading up on that lead me to those other things. Don't know if you'll be thanking me Bridie .... sometimes having access to reading up on these things feels like a curse - it can get really confusing and sometimes I feel like burying my head in the sand and trying to talk myself into symptoms not being some of the things I read up on. But at least if/when other additional symptoms come to pass, little 'bells' start ringing and it gives you a base to return to.

I prefer brass but you can get some silver ones that are good quality. Thing is, it is hard if not impossible to tell the difference, so you'd want to purchase from people that you trust know what they are talking about and who know their products well. Pro-K9 sells some of the leather leads that are also available via K9 Force. We'll also be getting a stock of some other leads in soon - these are fantastic leads, look/feel like leather but aren't (and therefore don't need the care that leather might) - good quality all round.

I don't like using punishments such as water spray etc when a dog is crated. The crate is the dog's 'safe haven'. When crated try ignoring (no speak, no touch, no eye contact). If the crying/whining keeps up cover over with a blanket or crate cover. Wait until there is no vocalising - give it about 15 seconds or more longer (you don't want to do it too quickly after your dog stops vocalising but you do want to grab an opportunity to show your dog he/she can 'win' by being quiet. As soon as the vocalising starts up again, close the cover over. Use this as a "response cost" type punishment. You can have the cover on the crate already, with just one or two sides open, then pull it over when the whining re-commences. When your dog has been quiet for a good time let him/her out of the crate if it is suitable to do so. Randomise this, but sometimes give a chew item to keep him/her occupied in the crate (also helps to keep the crate a nice place to be). There are a couple of possible things going on here : Your dog is 10 months old and is testing boundaries. Perhaps from previous experience your dog has already learnt that if he/she vocalises it will gain him/her attention. Or perhaps your dog already knows the boundaries from his/her upbringing and perceives it his duty to be around you when you are home/in sight. Your dog has not had much in the way of crate training and doesn't understand the confinement. As for #1 above, this could be the same reason he/she is vocalising when denied access to you. Have you ever done the 'ignore' treatment and kept it up until your dog is quiet? You can treat that similar to what I've described for the crate. If necessary, close the blinds to block your dog's view of you when he/she is vocalising, opening them only when he/she has been quiet for a while. When you open the blinds, don't make a big deal of it - even try opening them when your dog is not paying attention to the window. As for #2 above, if that is the case, then you need to do more work on the crate-training side of thing before expecting your dog to happily accept it. If your dog is vocalising only due to denied access, then it is less likely this is going to be an issue when you are not home (unless it develops to the far more complex and serious nature of "separation anxiety"). However, it would do well to fix the problem even if you don't mind it as much as you would mind your dog barking and annoying the neighbourhood, as it is indicative of a degree of anxiety.

Don't know if it is this at all, but look up "nasodigital hyperkeratosis". Follow links through to things such as Pyoderma, Phemphigus complex and Furunculosous. It may not be any of these - they relate back to auto-immune issues and/or atopic allergies etc. But it might be some things worth knowing of and storing in the back of your mind. I am looking at all these things as being possible for my boy's condition, but his is more complex. Don't wish to over burden you with info - none of it might relate, but if you want to read up, these will at least keep you occupied. Check diet as well - diet I think has much to do with these things (although not always) and symptoms generally stem from the inner body. Hopefully it is as simple as giving the inner health tabs. In the meantime, watch that your boy's nose doesn't become sunburnt - he is more susceptible if his nose is crusty.

Thanks ZA. Gosh these drugs are scarey. This spray was suggested to me in an informal over-the-phone discussion by another Vet/acquaitence that I know. It is for the "interdigital cysts" (which from what I read are not 'true' cysts) he has. I've been using Aloe Vera Gel on them at least once if not twice or three times a day (depending on how they are looking). It's been slow, but for the most part this seems to have been helping although it is also very possible and quite likely that any reduction in size is merely due to what these cysts do even without treatment. The aloe vera gel has help to sooth them though. In one foot in particular, the cysts are quite stubborn - although slightly improved over the last couple of weeks in that they aren't anywhere near as angry as they first appeared. I've been working really hard to stay away from antibiotics and cortisone related drugs due to everything else that's going on and my work has been focusing on supporting his system naturally in the endeavour to allow his system to find its own way to proper function. I'd hate to upset that by use of this type of spray on his feet. Not only that it can be systemic (if I've understood the information you linked to, properly) but also for the fact that he might lick the substance and thereby ingest it. Appreciate the information ZA. My full-time occupation is looking after and treating my dog. I train dogs and help with behavour modification as a side line. At least, at the moment, that's what it feels like. But hey .... it's amazing what determination can do .

In total it cost me $58 for the 5 litre bottle and the shipping. I'm in Melbourne. The postage makes it pricey but hopefully the effects of it and how long the bottle lasts for with general use will make that worthwhile.

People look at me like I'm speaking nonsense when I insist for classes that leads be of good quality and point out to them that it's not just about what the actual lead is made of, it is about what it is made UP of, this of course including the snap hook (as well as how the same is secured to the lead - stitching/rivets etc). Regardless of my explanations, there are a number who I can tell do not think the unlikely is likely (ie snap hook snapping) because themselves, their friends, and anyone else they know have never had this happen to them. The difference being of course that as a trainer I am in touch with many more dogs than they might be, so I have the witness account stories to tell. Many still don't believe me. Which is why I'm using your unfortunate experience, Robbi, to make this a BIG point now. When you purchase your leads you need to take into account the snap hook quality. Most of the silver snap hooks on leads that you purchase (especially from general pet stores/retail outlets) are high tensile metal and it isn't that difficult for an internal hair line crack to occur, just because of the knocks that it takes in general use. People generally don't and can't see these flaws and are not aware of them until it actually gives, and that usually occurs at the time when it is under pressure - which is usually when you need your lead on your dog the most. I witnessed a snap hook snapping and the lead flung back at the owner's eye, narrowly missing it but injuring the handler's face just under with the sharp edge of the by then broken metal. Not to mention the fact that he lost the restraint he needed on his dog at that very moment. All is well that ends well, but this event had the very real potential for a far more disastrous outcome than it proved to be. So please do consider it to be a worthwhile investment to purchase a really good quality lead with good quality attachments. Robbi - I'm glad that things didn't end up worse for you and your dogs than it did. My father used to say to me that to make an error (of judgement or of whatever) is nothing to be ashamed of. To not learn from that error and continue to make the same error ..... well, that's different. I would say you've learnt from this experience of the capabilities of your lead and your dogs and the fact that the environment cannot be guaranteed. So don't be ashamed or embarrassed. None of us are infallible. We have all made and continue to make errors. Hopefully though, they are different ones from which we learn, and not the same over.

Got mine and used it today . Mind you, it was good on two counts - First, it inspired me to do a bit of cleaning around the place and Second, yes the place does smell great and the scent does linger for quite some time. Happy so far.

Thank you - I'll arrange to get some from our GP Vet. Cheers for that

Agree - and potentially some Vets.

I raised this thread up to save running a new one. Could anyone tell me what spray brand/name would a "gentamicin/betamethasone spray" be? Is it Vet prescribed only, or is it over the counter stuff?

MM - I don't have all the answers for everyone (LOL .... I don't even necessarily have all the answers for my self and my own dog's situation) - without studying into your situation, I couldn't make suggestions specific to your dog's ailment - sorry as I am that you are experiencing this. My genuine question to Sas is exactly that - a genuine question regarding schools of thoughts I have been entertaining regarding a dog's dysfunctional immune system. I guess for you, gamey meats such as Roo Mince; Rabbit; along with whatever available additives there are which provide the balanced nutrients required and that don't have wheat, yeast or gluten included might be a way to go. ??? And of course you'd need to make up for the fact that chewing bones to clean teeth is not an option, by cleaning his teeth for him. My sister uses the Colloidal Silver on a doggy 'finger' tooth brush and has had excellent results from that. I'm not an expert into nutrition and the ailments which affect absorption of nutrients, or even the immune system. But I do have a young boy (dog) with his own set of ailments and I am working very hard (and learning tonnes along the way) to try to set it to rights with the hope that he will be able to live the rest of his life at least for the most part, carefree of ailment which causes the symptoms I'm working on at the moment.

Skin allergies are because of an over-active immune system so you don't want to 'boost' the immune system. Although what you probably want to do is go more natural and remove presavtives and fillers from the dogs diet, therefore going natural would be a good idea. I'm in two minds on this Sas. I get the "over-active immune" line of thought with the conventional methods being designed to dumb it down a bit (ie suppress the immune system). But I also think along the lines of "the immune system not functioning as it should" (whether that be over-active OR under-active) and therefore think that if the immune system can be nourished (ie supported) by natural means (eg. Aloe Vera Juice) could it not result in the immune system finding its proper functioning level?

You're right, Staranais - my apologies to Ms Faye and Tazmadman for mis-reading that part of the OP's opening post. I don't think Tazmadman has done anything that should warrant him/her being banned from DOL either. The only people that are being hurt by the unprofessionalism shown by Ms Faye and Tazmadman in their manner of posting is the Club in question, the name of which hasn't been disclosed here. Unprofessionalism isn't really a new thing on DOL. Ms Faye and Tazmadman are not obliged to recite the story (as they see it) of what they claim actually occured at the Club, nor are they obliged to reveal and justify what they do, how they do it and why. If it were me, I would probably want to especially if the telling of the events were incorrect. But that is personal choice and not something that would or should be considered mandatory. My main purpose for posting here is more to re-assure people reading that the account of events as given by the OP is not the usual approach to training, regardless of whether the training Club be "positive only" (so to speak) or "balanced" methodology based. As a professional trainer who runs classes I don't wish people to be suspicious that scenes such as have been described are the 'norm' for all or most Clubs and I suspect and see that there are other professional and respectable Schools and Clubs that would be likewise in thought.

My boy is approx 37 - 39 kg now. So one teaspoon doesn't represent a lot. When he had cough (he was about 4.5 months old and guessing from memory he might have been 15 kgs - he was very light for a pup, coming to me when he was 8 weeks old at only 3.5 kg) I dosed him 3 x daily for the first two days. 2 x on the third day and, as ALL symptoms had truly passed (cough only lasted for 24 hours; a bit lethargic on the second day) I gave it to him 1 x daily for the rest of the days making up a total of one week. Had no problems with it causing him sloppy poops, but admittedly it wasn't something I considered at the time.

I can answer that in so far as I have asked the same question of Steve just recently. Steve's answer was that the dogs (in her experience) don't usually mind it mixed in with their food. In my case, because my boy is not eating as he should, I will be delivering it to him via syringe. If your dog will eat it with it mixed in with its food, that would be the nicest and least traumatic (and easiest for everyone) way of delivering it to him/her.

All I've read is yourself and Ms Faye naming the OP as a liar. I've not read anywhere as to whether that was specific only to one or two points of what she has written or whether you were accusing her of all things she wrote as being a lie. You are calling the OP a "liar" in public. That would want to be true (and you've further clarified the extent of your accusation of "liar" in your previous post) as otherwise the OP may have rights against you for defamation if things aren't handled carefully. Whether you/your club did or didn't conduct itself in the manner described by the OP, the mannerism yourself and Ms Faye have conducted yourselves here being far from professional is enough to taint your perhaps preferred impression.

Well, I give my boy a good heaped teaspoon of it and class that as "one dose". Just a teaspoon - probably doesn't need to be as heaped as I give as your dog is smaller. It doesn't matter too much (so long as you're not feeding buckets of the stuff) as to how exact it is. Your dog should love it. Sometimes I just give my boy a teaspoon full of it as a special treat. He happily sits for it and licks it off the spoon.

With the 'method' for the "food refusal" component of training, where the instructor slaps the dog on the face/muzzle if it reaches for the food that is offered, how do you ensure that the dog is pairing that punishment with the fact that it reached for the food, and not pairing it with the fact that a 'stranger' approached it? Ms Faye - is this not a 'method' used at the Club in question? If it is, I'm still puzzled at the reasoning behind the creation of the 'method'. Do you agree with it? Still no response to the above by either Ms Faye or Tazmadman? By accusing the OP of being a liar, are you saying that the above description of training for food refusal did not and does not happen? Are you saying that the GSD who failed to recall, who was known to fail its recalls but still permitted off lead (apparently - feel free to correct this point as well), was not reprimanded in any way after its return? Are you saying the OP lied about that?