Erny

You don't find the dogs tend to lick it off Perse?

funny you should bring this up Kelpie-i. I have wondered that from time to time when I've been out and returned with 15kgs of raw chicken.

Use a couple of tablespoons of the tea when making it up. You may find you don't even need the antihistamine let alone the Vet appointment, if you are able to give your dog 24 hours to see how the Calendula worked. Do a couple of applications before bed-time tonight and then again in the morning (by which time you should see improvement in any case, assuming you are now keeping him/her away from the Wandering Jew.

That won't hurt him either - it is good to drink. So long as his skin is wetted with it. Mandela isn't too bad about licking at himself. He'll do it if something is a very intense irritation to him, but otherwise not. When he had painful inter digital cysts I would soak his feet in the Calendula Tea and if he went to lick I would ask him not to. He was pretty good at leaving it and forgetting about it. Sometimes I would wipe around his chin and muzzle with the Calendula (or whatever else I might have been using on his body at the time, for example Paw Paw Ointment) and that would keep him distracted from his feet. This would give the Calendula time to dry and also helped in Mandela leaving his feet alone for a while. Sometimes I would use the treatment and then take him for an on-lead walk, or play a quick game of ball etc. That helped in distracting as well.

Good luck STICK. If the mozzies are so bad and especially if your dog spends a good deal of time outside, perhaps setting up a good size soft crate type kennel, but one made from mosquito net, might help. Have you seen those mosquito net type curtains that they are currently advertising for hanging in your doorways - they hold closed with the use of magnets? Perhaps something like that might assist as the entrance. My boy cops mozzie bites when we visit my folks' place. I usually dress him in a tee-shirt (knotted up to fit) on these warmer, more humid days and that helps to protect him. I actually want some long sleeved PJ's made up for him in a material that is cool, light and breaths well. His coat is too short and fine to protect him against the mozzie bites.

I agree enforce the rules you already have in place. You will have no arguments with anybody over that. Why aren't they, though?

A reaction just the same, by the sounds of it ... I get the Calendula Tea from my favourite local Health Food Store. I tend to find that if it is mosquito bites, they are gone within 24 hours on their own (without intervention). I use the Calendula on mozzie bites on my boy sometimes though, if I'm not sure. Could be that the injection (cortisone, I presume?) and tablets are masking the problem rather than addressing the cause. Refer above. If mozzie bites, IME they are gone by the next day.

In my books, it doesn't. I know that there are the good and the bad in each and I'm always grateful when I come across someone who will exhibit courtesy and responsibility with their dogs, whether their dogs are big or small.

Had one the other day as I was walking down the street with my boy on-lead. Aggro SWF (off-lead) coming up to us. Asked owner (who was walking away from us, lead draped over her neck) to call her dog; come and get her dog (by now only a couple of feet away from us) but she sneered at me and refused, and kept on walking away. I told her she was an irresponsible dog owner. She told me to "get stuffed". But I reaaaaaaaaalllllly hurt her feelings when I called her a "stupid old woman" (she wouldn't be much older than me) . Have another one down the road. The side fence actually runs along a section of narrow footpath and the SWF aggresses like crazy whenever we go past. Owner does nothing (even when out, he'll stop and let his dog be aggro whilst it is straining to the end of its lead at you. Must think it is quite cute when it aggresses to o/dogs .... but at least he has it on lead). But I now use that to assist with my boy's training.

Hives ..... in my boy's case toxins building up in the body more than what the usual organs (eg liver) can manage, and so find their way out through the skin. My boy's issue seems to be related to digestion. You do need to find out what is causing the hives, otherwise they are likely to continue or re-occur. I bathed my dog by wetting him up with Calendula Tea. The problem with things such as hives is the potential for secondary skin infection - that's what you really want to avoid. My boy was covered (estimated 500-800 hives at one time) in hives and they were on the verge of becoming infected. With antihistamines on stand-by, I treated him with the Calendula Tea about 3 times in the first 24 hours (he was really bad) and the hives reduced by half in size inside that time. The tea quickly stopped the itch and just as quickly, the infection and with a few more bathes with the tea over the next few days, the hives disappeared. I didn't need to use the antihistamines. My boy endured further bouts of hives whilst I worked through to try to find out the issue. I do believe that in his case, low thyroid (ie hypothyroid) was in part a culprit in his system not functioning to optimum. He is now medicated for the thyroid problem and the hive outbreak has been vastly improved (*touch wood*) and save for a small, localised outbreak (of about half dozen small hives which disappeared on their own inside 2-3 days) he's not had an outbreak for coming up to one year (*touch wood* *touch wood* *touch wood* ). Your dog's hives may not be related to the same thing, but this gives you an example of the need to address the cause. BUT Calendula Tea was a vital part in me being able to stop secondary skin infection and avoiding the necessity for medicating with stronger drugs such as cortisone and antibiotics. You should see some results with the use of the Calendula Tea inside 24 hours so IMO it is worth a try - not only because of it having a reasonably good reputation at being successful, not only because it might mean you can avoid needing to give your dog prescription drugs, but also because a packet will set you back about $10.00. One of the things that my Vet (same one who recommended the Calendula Tea) recommended was that I DO NOT BATH my dog with shampoos. We are often driven to shampoo them out of desperation to try to make their skin better, but what happens is that we send our dogs' skin PH levels into a pendulum swing and this causes erratic results not unlike a roller coaster ride.

There are 6 people in their 60's who placed a call requesting evacuation from their home. Unfortunately, they made the wrong decision to stay and it is too unsafe for rescue people to reach them now. They've been advised to bunker down on the 2nd floor of their home. The storm surge is expected to reach to at least the floor of the second story of their home. My thoughts are with these people especially at this moment. They won't know that, but I am wishing them safety from harm. If there is a God, let him be with them and protect them. ETA: Correction - they didn't ring emergency seeking evacuation. They rang to let authorities know they were there. They are very worried but are doing the only thing they know they can by hunkering down. How scarey this all must be for those in the Yasi's path.

As am I, along with thousands of the other of the Aussies. Take care, as best as you are able, and have courage.

They would'nt be game to do that to me. I would have them in court that quick and end up owning everything they own. That's a very valid point that Steve has raised, I think. It's not what "we" think .... if only everyone was so passionate as to spend a section of their life on DOL and thereby become educated sufficiently to understand how it all works. It's what the public think, even in their innocently ignorant state. And not every breeder would have the time, the money nor the wherewithal to want or be able to see the insides of a Court Room .... do you think? Much of the time the only people who win in a Court Case are the lawyers.

When I was 11, I had my heart set on an English Setter. My parents were not dog people so it didn't happen. I left home, moved a lot, got into horses and didn't get my first dog until I was 37 - wish I'd done it sooner but its never too late. I waited till I owned my own home. I'd recommend that to anyone. Sounds a bit like my life - and I agree with PF. I waited till I owned my own home as well (and also until a time when I was settled into my career) and I too would recommend that to anyone as well.

Haven't read every post and am on my way out to training classes, so just a quick response from me - but my understanding is that heat stroke can continue to cause internal damage even when the dog has been cooled down and seemingly looking better. Don't mean to scare you and perhaps I am wrong, but if you haven't already I'd recommend you contact your Vet (or the emergency Vet) to check their advice.

Was she only young?

I'm wondering why the Airedale doesn't seem to be particularly popular these days? I don't see many of them around and therefore don't get a lot of opportunity to work with them to know them better than the little I do, but what little contact I have had with them they strike me as a very fun loving; loyal; and level-headed dog. From what I read they make an excellent watch dog. Apart from trimming the coat I believe maintenance isn't very high and that they have a good health history. I'm actually thinking that if I get to have my second dog, a female Airedale might be what I give serious consideration to. In his teen years my Dad had an Airedale and shared a wonderful relationship with him. Not intending to hi-jack the OP's thread but perhaps an Airedale is something he might like to consider?

I have been known to whisper "Daddy's an asshole" to them on occasions And :D at the picture you put up. Very funny.

I'd like to see answers and ideas in response to this as well.

Met a kid once in a Country Town when I was travelling with my sister from somewhere to somewhere else, many years ago. He had two lovely, wonderfully behaved dogs with him and he clearly loved his dogs - to look at them together, the bond he shared with them was almost tangible. His dogs' names where "Come" and "Here". I actually think "Dog" is a nice name - it represents (to me) all things honourable, honest and loyal.

I've been reading - hope you all have a great time at the workshop ..... I have no doubt that you will. But your news is really sad, gsdog2 and I'm really sorry for your loss. I can imagine your heart wrench and I do hope that your weekend with K9 Pro and everyone else here who is going will be something that helps to dull the pain even if just for that little while.

I always thought this was not desired anyway . IME points are removed for your horse being behind the verticle. When I purchased my current boy (as a 5 yo .... he's now 30yo and retired) he'd been "re-mouthed" .... - OT to go into detail other than to tell you that when I got on him he would not allow me to take up contact with the bit and in an attempt to avoid it he would move with his chin on his chest. It took me a good long while with soft hands, deep seat and a soft bit for him to take contact with the bit and work to the vertical, at least. I worked so hard to achieve this I'm surprised that top riders get away with riding behind the vertical. I never did.

So ..... don't respond, Sheridan. And yet you do and are bothered. What connection was your question to the humanising dogs topic? I'm interested to know, because I otherwise don't understand the point of your question. Nor why you thought throwing me a "rolled eyes" was warranted. In terms of "humanising" IMO it's not so much what we do around and with our dogs, it's what we expect, think and believe they feel.

This is where I thought different. I think the MDBA was endeavouring to provide a service for the breeders who are ethical, who otherwise are being tarred with the same brush as those who are not so ethical, something that breeders have been asking the question of how to stand apart for quite a long time. I don't think it was as simple as "just pay a fee". But this thread is not about the MDBA. Where MDBA was raised was by what I took to be a fairly scathing comment by another here. A comment that was not warranted IMO and lent itself towards being defamatory.

Maybe what you are actually seeing is the few who are prepared to stand up and have an opinion which goes against "the establishment" I may be a Kiwi but I could never be accused of being a sheep :D I would say that if anyone might be "going against the establishment" it is the one which is seeking change and/or is offering something more or something different.