Erny

Health Food Store. Mine came in a packet and cost around $8. I used a couple of tablespoons (approx) of it, put it in the toe part of a stocking, left that in a cup (as you would a tea bag) and poured boiling water over it. Left it there until the water had cooled to either tepid or stone cold. Used a flannel saturated in it to rub through his coat or sometimes put it in a spray bottle and sprayed it over him, then rubbing it through with my hands so it got to his skin (I used the latter method in his worst time so that it was more saturating).

Calendula tea wash Natural, soothing and anti-bacterial (so helps to stop secondary skin infection). Can bath him in it or soak a flannel and wet him up in the affected areas that way, or put it in a spray bottle and wet him up that way. It's really cheap but I've found it to be really effective . Kirislin - you could try this too. My boy had hives (hundreds) that broke and scabbed but threatened infection. Within 24 hours of applying Calendula tea wash once, most of the hives had shrunk by at least half and the scabs had dried out. He also developed red pustulous (sp?) rash on the inside of his back legs and the Calendula eased that as well. Noticeable difference inside 24 hours but I did keep it up on the worst areas at least once a day for a few days until it was all under control. I wouldn't use a shampoo - as I understand it, anything that froths has a degree of chemical in it. At least, I think I remember hearing that somewhere.

My avatar girl was diagnosed with a very enlarged heart and congenital heart failure. I even had those same Vets run an ECG and they informed me the results reflected their findings in the xrays and which is why I turned to Mr. Russell Mitten at Werribee. Turned out the previous Vet did the xrays wrong and that my girl's heart was perfectly fine. Hope your second opinion findings prove the same.

Thank you, guys. I've been hesitant to report in his thread on how he is doing because by experience it can be so changeable and I've not wanted to jinx things. Things aren't perfect, but they are certainly much better and I am not spending the time stressing about his health as I used to feel I needed to do.

I'm a little puzzled still - sorry. You say you "found out" your boy is a little under weight. Do you mean someone has advised you, or do you mean you decided yourselves? There is nothing wrong with "just" being able to see his ribs. To me, this would not equate to being "very skinny". Problem here is that being over the internet, we have interpretation difficulties. A picture paints a thousand words and if you could take 2 or 3 and post them here, that would be helpful. Take a couple from side on and one from above (whilst he is standing). You could teach him to chew by giving him a raw meaty bone - one that he has to gnaw on. You forgot to mention what brand of dry food you feed. Eating his own poop isn't often a big problem (to the dog). It can be a behaviour that has been brought about by boredom; exploration/opportunity; and/or dietary deficiency. I agree with Persephone - stop cooking his meals .... you're cooking all the excellent nutrients right out of the meat. Also, is there a reason why you are trimming the meat of all fat? What is the "issue" you talk of and is the reason you suggest you cannot increase food quantity?

"The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia O'Connell. It's a good/easy read - which in itself makes it a good book for the novice and/or young person. I like that the book encourages people to see it from the dog's point of view, the dog being a dog (as opposed to being a baby human, which many people treat them as). Also, Cesar Milan's "Be a Pack Leader" (or something like that). Whether you like some of CM's actual methods or not, I found this book good from the point of view that it talks about being assertive, being calm, being consistent ..... and gives the reader an idea of how they can do that fairly naturally.

I live in South Victoria and do not feel I need to use heart-worm preventative. If I lived in an area where this was an issue then yes, I would (albeit reluctantly) administer heart-worm preventative using the daily heart-worm medication.

Before the answers begin to pile in, you'll need to give a bit more detail. Such as : What weight is he now? How much underweight does your Vet suggest he is? What brand dry food do you feed? What "issues" is it (just a brief explanation should do) that prevents you from feeding more food quantity? As an aside (in the meantime to waiting for your answers to the above), when you change a dog's diet you need to do this more gradually.

Without seeing your dogs it is hard for me to tell you precisely what you need to do, so all I can really do is give you the tips that I've given you in my previous post. I don't scold my dogs for barking at something that is perceived as a territorial trespass, but I do reprimand for not stopping when I ask them to. Of course, I first have to teach them what I mean by my request, and that generally comes in the form of guiding and showing. For instance, with my current boy - he was not used to being allowed out the front section of my yard, so his proximity to the 'outer' world when I did let him out there was closer and therefore he was more sensitive to territorial alert. He would bark, I would tell him "thank you, it's ok, enough". Through other things that he'd picked up on as a puppy, he did already understand that "it's ok" meant "there's nothing to worry about". If he would continue to bark beyond the word "enough" then I would repeat that word, but with greater assertion. If he continued beyond that I would send him around the back or inside (the latter is good especially if you're outside). With my previous (avatar) girl (now RIP, bless her cotton socks), if she barked beyond the "enough" word, I'd command "drop". Putting a dog in drop makes it harder for them to bark and also takes away their freedom, so it can work. I didn't do that with my boy as from the younger age that he was, his "drop skill" wasn't in place sufficiently and as I doubted he would drop under the distraction, I didn't bother to try it. You could however loop a lead onto your dog/s and command it that way if you wanted to try this. There isn't just "one way" to work this. The main thing is that your words (commands) are the same each time and that each time you show that you are the one who is in control and that you WILL control. There is also e-collar training you could do, and once trained to the e-collar you could use this tool to assist in having your dogs observe your command to cease barking. But you'd need to learn how to train with the e-collar and I would strongly urge you to take on lessons from an experienced e-collar trainer for this. I use low-level stimulation. When you're not around I'd suggest that you put your dogs to an area where they are not so incited by others in the proximity of your property, at least for the time being of your training. You could try this, or things like what I've suggested. It is about CONSISTENCY - something that people often fail at. You also need to address your own leadership - not how YOU see it, but how you might suspect your dogs perceive it. No point expecting them to take your lead if you don't exemplify leadership to them in general terms. If you're stuck with all of this and are at a loss at to what you need to chose to do with and for your dogs (they are all different) then it might pay you to engage a professional to come out to help you. The trainer/behaviourist would be able to assess your dogs and observe their behaviour and know what mix of territorial barking/fear barking was involved, and work through things to find a method or two that will have some effect for your dogs. This is the person who will be able to lay it down in step by step fashion. Many "step by step" instructions depends on your dogs responses to what you are doing.

:D LM, I think you thought and behaved remarkably well under the distressing circumstances. To think to text "EMERGENCY" to the Vet. To be even able to administer a valium during seizure. Thanks to you, your thinking and your preparedness (even if it didn't feel as though you were prepared ...... you obviously were able to put your hands on the valium - that you had it with you was great) saved Molly's life. Well done. I trust you managed a moment to have a stiff drink after that. I would be keeping her on her seizure meds from now on as well, I think, if she were mine. Hoping that it is all smooth sailing (ie travelling) from now on and that Molly enjoys her tripping about with you.

Try teaching your dogs what is trespass and what is not. That does mean that you need to be around to supervise though - if you're not, try blocking them to the rear yard for those times when you are away. The barking at the door when someone knocks? I presume that is accompanied by high excitement and scrabbling to see who can get to the front door first? Teach them a conditioned response that is not compatible with going to the door. From day one with my boy, I never allowed him to greet people at the door. Initially I just popped him into his crate or pen. As he grew bigger, I simply ushered him into the hallway (in your case could be another room, or it could be their respective crates if they are crate trained) which for me is in the opposite direction from where the street access front door is. I tend to find now that whilst he gets excited and barks a bit (he's getting reasonably good at "Thank you; it's ok; enough") he is almost automatically heading to the hallway - I barely need to usher him that way now. I close the door to the hallway and greet my visitors. I can determine from there whether I then need additional control (eg. lead/collar) if the visitor is coming in beyond the front door way and tend to that whilst my visitor waits. My boy is understanding that I deal with visitors, not him. My leadership attributes that I have shown since day dot has also helped a lot. Basically, it's about creating structure and routine and being completely consistent about it. ETA: If your dogs weren't barkers before you moved, chances are you won't need to use anti-bark collars if you put in a bit of time teaching your dogs what their boundaries actually are, what's ok to be around those boundaries and what (or who) aren't. If the dogs are habitual barkers, I like to look into other things that could be contributing causes so these can be worked on (ie removed). The anti-bark collar can then do its job by working on the symptom (ie barking). I do not like Citronella Collars. My preference is towards the static anti-barking collars - the ones where you can set the dial to a stim-level that suits the dog, rather than the ones which have standard levels and ramp up and down.

Thanks for remembering and thinking to ask, Huski. Overall, he's improved. Basically and in the words of our Vet on a recent check-up visit, we have pretty well done as much as we can for his system to be able to function as well as it might. Haven't seen a skin rash for a while and hardly ever pops a hive (and when he does it is only one or two). In the last couple of months he has had a day or two of being off his food, but then he returns to it with vigour. Stools are mostly well formed, although there are some that are sloppy. Vet is thinking nerves is having an affect in that respect. He's put on weight but is still what I would consider lean and I don't like to see him drop any weight at all. He stands a bit squarer on his hind legs and they do seem stronger by a 'bit'. His frame is a bit narrow but he is a bit of a late bloomer, so we do expect to see much of whatever bulking out in the next 6 months or so. His coat is excellent - occasionally it goes off the boil (often only to my eyes) and sometimes throws a bit of scurf. This is often linked to when he has sloppy stools but as I said, that's not all that much by comparison to beforehand. I will be doing a "diet challenge" sometime later - to see if he throws hives (eg. to chicken) but I think I might wait another 6 months to give his body and system as much time as possible to strengthen as much as it will. I don't apply/administer any drugs nor do I bath him. I use calendula tea to help his skin but really haven't had to use that for the last couple of months. I'll be going back to see the Vet/s again next March/April unless there's any reason that develops for him to return sooner. And, he is still an idiot pup :D . Cheers! Erny

Thank you - I'll be very interested in knowing results. A very good test would be to use it on a dog who already has fleas, to see if the Shootag will rid them. Otherwise I think we'll be wondering if it is only happenschance that the flealess/tickless dog did not pick up a flea/tick. But please do make a point of reporting back. I too hate using chemicals when other things might prove to be as or at least reasonably effective.

Flexibility didn't seem to be so much a problem - was more a strength issue. Strength has improved and with that I'm hoping that muscle development will equalise a bit more. He's stronger and more developed in the front end than he is in the back end.

LL .... I thought the same as you as I was watching the video footage. The dog might as well give up chasing the birds ..... where is the drive satisfaction?

Whoops! I could have sworn I read "in Melbourne" at the time I posted (must have been dreaming), but now see you probably looking for NSW. Sorry. Good luck - I hope the end diagnosis is a positive one for you .

Ain't that the truth. Sometimes I think about having the word "Consistency" tattooed on my forehead. That would be inconsistent with the mental image I have of you And that would be? (:D Dare I ask? ) Or do you mean you just don't picture me with tatts? Hhhhmmm?

Thanks Stella. I was sourcing them from Porky's in Cranbourne, but from the first time I got them the price rose from $2.25 to $3.25 (approx) for one length (approximately 1 foot). Also, there is a minimum purchase limit of 20kg. I might give the Ferntree Gully place a try, although it is considerably further away from me so I need to factor in the petrol and travel time element as well.

Hadn't heard of them until you mentioned it, BM. I don't know of anyone who has tried them. If they worked, and assuming the magnetic 'frequency' didn't disturb the animal wearing them, then I think I'd rather these than any chemicals, including those we shampoo our dogs with, spray the ground and surrounds with, spray/apply on them or have them imbibe. Shootag Some interesting tips through the links on that sight. Eg. Putting eucalyptus leaves around the house supposedly discourages fleas. Have no idea of the validity of these tips, but some may be interested in reading and trying them out.

Dr Russell Mitten (actually, I think the correct title is "Mr") at Melbourne University Vet Clinic (Werribee). That's if he's still there. When I needed him about 4 years ago, he was semi-retired then. Although I found that he was there more often than he wasn't. He lectures as well though, so his time is pretty 'tight'.

Ain't that the truth. Sometimes I think about having the word "Consistency" tattooed on my forehead.

I wouldn't want to wait that long - dogs need socialisation/habituation to things in our world, otherwise they often don't cope so well when we do want to take them out and we have missed that critical period of development when the impact of experiences is so huge that their brains literally change shape as they learn. Once they reach 16 weeks, this critical period of development is finished. I appreciate that if you live in towns where Parvo is more rampant than we fortunates who don't suffer it as much, that you need to be more vigilant about what you do and where you go, but just keeping your pup in the back yard isn't going to offer the guarantees you might be seeking either. Unless you fully undress and change etc. etc. every time you've been out and come back home. Even then, no guarantees. I'd have the pup out sooner than that - but I would be very choosey about where I go. At the very least, you could introduce your pup to the sounds of traffic; trains; to the sight of people and their individual modes of transport (eg. scooters; motorised scooters; skate boards; etc); airports; places where the noises are louder (eg construction sites). I would have thought that a small puppy group could be arranged where historically you are fairly confident about where they've come from and been and with relative safety, socialise at least with them. I would, however, stay clear of public areas where dogs/pups populate.

This is an excellent point and one that I often mention to my clients for their dogs who become anxious at being alone - not one that many people think about, from what I've read and heard, so well done for the 'pick up' on that, Kiesha09. Have the TV or radio on at home - when you're NOT going out. This breaks down the development of it going on as a conditioned cue to your leaving.

Try some Calendula Tea. You can purchase this from Health Food Stores - it is dried Marigold Flowers and the tea you make from it has some nice soothing and anti-bacterial qualities. You can use a spray bottle to spray her itchy area, or soak a flannel in tea and douse it on her that way. Or bathe her in it. I've had good results from this inside 24 hours and has saved us from needing to administer medications/shampoos etc. It also helped to stop the advent of secondary skin infection.

Shouldn't you be careful about excessive fat content? I mean, I know some would most likely be good and beneficial seeing as she is light on, but couldn't overloading her diet with it cause some stress to the pancreas (or whatever else it is that has to do the work to process the fat)?