Erny

How "elderly" and what size poodle? I hope he finds a home, no matter what the answer. What a shame the family can't help out .

I doubt very much that the calculus (I think that's the word) which is what the discolouration is, would be removable by any form of tooth brush - electric or otherwise. I will however look at using an electric tooth brush for the cleaning to help prevent the bacteria build up becoming calculus. Using the hand/finger method - sure it helps, but not enough to keep in front of.

Try first teaching your BC that you will throw the ball when eye contact is made with you.

Thank you, Jumabarr. I will do that during the week .

As per the above heading, I'm looking to get some proper tools to help me keep the calculos (sp?) from accumulating on my dog's teeth and to get rid of what is already there. As many of you know, my boy has digestive issues and thus, chewing bones isn't a consistent preventative. And I really would like to keep the number of professional dental cleans via anaesthetic to an absolute minimum, where I can. So, what tools would be the best and where is the best place to get them from? I've done a little bit of reading via google, and these three tools seem to be what is recommended : Claw Dental Scraper Hoe Type Dental Scaler Gracy type Dental Scaler Thoughts, advice, suggestions and recommendations all welcome and appreciated.

I expect you're right.

Butchered? On DOL? Wherever could you have gotten that idea? Lol. No - I thought you were brave enough to put your thoughts forward. It's a good way to learn - not just the person writing, but people reading.

Before training for protection was banned/restricted to the point of suffocation, there were some really good training orgs who instructed in that field. I found the dogs involved in protection training were actually VERY sound and certainly far from unstable. Dogs without the right nerve and disposition were rejected as candidates for protection training. Maybe what you're seeing Yesmaam, is the result of poxy training, rather than protection training as it should be?

Leelah17 .... Congrats on at least taking the necessary steps of keeping control of your dogs at all times. This is a necessity and a benefit not only for others, but for your dogs as well. The only thing that puzzles me is that you don't seem to think your dogs have an issue with rushing. IE That you think other people are in the wrong for having an issue about your dogs rushing, (even though you respect their issue and do something to prevent it ). If a strange person came bearing down towards and on you, would you not take some fright and doubt as to his/her intentions? Could you not perceive that as being a potential threat? And did you not realise that potential threats can lead to the other dog/s acting in defensive aggression, which is something we'd prefer for our dogs to not learn? So you see, even a dog who has never bitten before, might react with a bite if it is frightened enough by being rushed. And then, once learnt, you're suggesting it shouldn't be at the park anymore, even though it (hypothetically speaking) could've learnt that aggression through your dogs being there and rushing (which I know doesn't happen because you now take control of your dogs to prevent it). I only add these questions here - not for you to answer in this thread. It's for others to read as well. You've made it clear you don't wish to get into discussion about that and I respect that. But perhaps they are things you didn't realise. But I will repeat that for whatever your thoughts might be, congrats and good for you for respecting other people's discomfort they feel at the style of approach your dogs exhibit, by preventing it. That's good for the people, and good training for your dogs too.

I'm not a Vet, but if it were me I'd use Betadine to wipe away any ooz and keep clean. On the flip side, I'd like to not wet up the stitches.

I think the colour of the blood can tell a bit more of a story to those "in the know" here (Staffy Luv and Dogbesotted being just two of the many I know of :)). My boy has occasionally shown small spots of blood when he has vomited. However to me they appeared more as burst blood vessels that were potentially because of the effort and force of vomiting in the first place.

Sorry for the troubles and sadness you have experienced in the past, Jess, but hoping that all things go well. It certainly sounds as though things may be falling into the right place for you. One thing I would be inclined to suggest though is that you might like to think about what time you will have available to be able to train a youngster dog once you have a babe in arms to also think about and who will be demanding your attention. Please bear in mind that just because you are busy, your young pup/dog will not be able to be put on the back-burner until you are ready and able, and that it isn't easy raising a young pup/dog at the same time as raising a baby/toddler, neither of which have had enough time to learn about the world and understand commands and responsibilities.

I should be sitting writing out a document but am distracted/stuck for words, so ventured back in here :D. If it were me : Great if big dogs can be taught how to properly 'mingle' with small dogs. Great if small dogs can be raised to not fear big dogs. But IMO, the above is not something to be done around dogs that dog-owners don't know - and that counts for whatever size of dog one might own. I don't have my dog at parks where there is an abundance of other unknown-to-me dogs that I cannot avoid, and that counts for both little and big dogs. I don't blame anyone for taking steps to protect their dog against a dog who is unknown to them/avoid potential incident, regardless of size.

Aaaahhhh, so it's you!!!!! Just chatting to my interstate friends and they were telling me about how their roses keep getting visited. They think the roses are growing very nicely, btw and they pass on their thanks :D. Don't leave the thread, just sift through what you want and don't want. It's been a while since there was a good discussion about working line dogs and working line activities. I enjoy them.

My referral's better . No its not, poor dotesie wont even be let in the front gate on your referral alone. :D He's lying, Dotesie. Jeff's just miffed he didn't get first dibs in the referral stakes . Be nice now, Jeff .... or go to your room .

My referral's better . Good luck, Dotsie. And we'll be looking out for an update in this thread. You've done well to take notice of your dog and to take steps to do something about it.

Lol ... great minds etc. Hi Pers .

Engage the services of a good Behaviourist experienced in the field of aggression. Never muck about with aggression by trying tips and trialling different odds and ends. You live in SA ..... look up Mark Singer at Adelaide Canine Training In the meantime, have your dog in a safe enclosure when anyone is about to visit.

Thanks Jeff. And Happy New Year to you :).

What sample/percentage do you mean by "doesn't physically agree with many dogs", Alyosha? I understand that it's not for all dogs (but what is?) for a variety of reasons, but didn't think it disagreed with most dogs ??? I often recommend a bit of roo in amongst a dog's diet, where people can. VAN - do you think it is a good thing to not settle on just one meat protein source and to add some variety in? The purpose behind my question I guess comes from the problems I'm experiencing with Mandela, and my thinking that allergies can develop over time. So perhaps a bit of switching protein sources can avoid that occurring?

Regarding the mozzie bites - my boy is a target for the mozzies too, and the lumps are huge when he gets bitten. In mozzie weather, I protect him by having him wear a tee-shirt (I knot it at the top to tailor it). But what I really want are PJ's with the sleeves in, except made of cool material that will breath, but protect him from the mozzies. Just an idea you might like to tinker with, considering the all-year round weather up there in Townsville. Hope you settle in well.

While for PP, you would be looking at a dog with moderate prey drive but also civilian drive. The ratio most PP handlers look for is a ratio of 60/40 with the 60% being civilian drive. Civilian Drive? Over the years, I've seen the definition of a dog's drive becoming split from a couple into several. But I've not heard of "Civilian Drive". Is this a defence drive in response to the perception of a threat from a person? If not, would someone mind explaining that to me please? I love protection training. It is not necessarily work that I want to do (hhhmmm .... or maybe it is, but too stifling to do here in Victoria, with all our binding and suffocating laws), but I think it is a fascinating field of training that brings out raw drive and let's us see and learn those drives and triggers for those drives at a more basal level than most or any other type of training would do. On the flip and inseparable side of the coin, I also think it is the field of training where the understanding of those drives and triggers at a basal level is an absolute necessity for a dog to be properly trained in Protection work. Just my less than an expert opinion. :)

Fingers crossed. Nutriscan suggest May. That's fair enough too. I will try anything provided first it (a) makes sense for me to do so and (b) will do my dog no harm for trying. That's why I became a bit paranoid about what you'd said. But for the record, I re-visited that other thread and can see where I slightly mis-read what you wrote. I hope the positive claims regarding the Coconut Oil are true, but I don't bank on them nor hang my hat on any of them until I see it for myself. Cheers Erny And to VAN - my apologies for going OT in your thread.

Have shared your FB Page.

Here's a link to something about drops for cataracts. Scroll down - it mentions dogs as well. It is not the article I read initially - can't remember which one that was as it was a good while ago. I'm not suggesting I trust everything on the net, but thought it was interesting that there are so many google links to these drops which (from what I recall) have been found to work better for pets than for people (unless it has since changed, and assuming there is truth in any of this). Just to reiterate : I am NOT endorsing this product nor suggesting that it works. It is something that I have seen whilst surfing the net before and something that has remained of interest to me. That I haven't heard of anyone who has used it does leave me suspicious, but still curious.