Erny

I agree. In fact even if it is not the heel, short bursts for training purposes is best. The thing with classes is that most people come along because it is THEY who are learning and I (generally speaking) find that the human component needs a bit more time walking/doing before s/he catches on and works out the co-ordination they need. I think class is for the humans to learn and that it is better if they really worry about teaching what they've learnt to their dogs when they are at home. Having said that, we tend to work and emphasise position training for 'heel' first and foremost, before we introduce the walking component and we do not do drill work. Even then, trying to keep owners down to only walking (eg) 3 steps and then release their dogs from the heel position is really difficult. By walking more steps gives people more time to think. I notice this also even in basic exercises such as "sit". I might ask people to "sit" their dog and the common response is for people to walk around with their dog a bit before they sit them. It is a different kettle of fish for people who know what they want with their dogs and know how to achieve it and to be using a class not so much for instruction but as a proofing environment for their dogs. But to instruct people who are jumping in and out of class with different dogs would not be easy and I would trust that those people would not be expecting the sort of dedicated instruction that they might otherwise receive if they were only working with one dog for the class duration.

No - don't put a link. It's against forum rules. Would you PM me too, MM? I'm curious .

That's great, Perse. Hey!! You guys could go on the road, busking .

Calendula Tea for the symptom, at least. Anti-bacterial and Anti-inflammatory qualities. Leave in - don't rinse off. Doesn't mess with PH levels like shampoos can and do. And it is as cheap as chips.

Or is IBS a symptom of fat malabsorption? A 'chicken or egg' question? . You could be right .... perhaps it is IBD first and then fat malabsorption. IBD was suggested earlier because he has tightly coiled intestinal tract (seen on xray) but back then didn't show evidence of undigested fat. Staranais - thanks for your response. Our Vet is back tomorrow afternoon so I'll hopefully be able to speak with him by phone and provided he agrees with my thoughts, will arrange a further cTLI.

--- Pushed the wrong button. Sorry. at self.

Looking up results of one of Mandela's earlier test results from when he was about 11mo - this is from a summary report and I can't remember if it was the TLI test result or another faecel test I had done, although I think it was the TLI - it said : I have two questions for those here who might know - would appreciate your responses as it puzzles me a bit, although chances are it is a really simple answer and something I'll find myself embarressed for not having 'got it' in the first instance. What do they mean by "striated muscle negative"? I know what striated muscle is, but what do they mean by it in terms of this test result? Are they saying that there was no undigested striated muscle (from what he would have eaten as part of his diet)? Or are they meaning something else? Where they say "Not PEI" - I presume that means "Not Pancreatic Enzyme Insufficiency". I presume that's the same as "EPI" ??

What is it that makes you think she is only being fussy? How is your dog, health wise? Is she a good weight and does her weight reflect the amount of food she eats? What are her stools like? (eg Firm; soft; colour?; volume).

Although it is not the ideal answer for the 'here and now' short term, I still think the best thing is going to be about public awareness campaigns and making it socially unacceptable/undesirable to purchase a pet via pet stores as they now do. Kind of like how they've made cigarette smokers feel like lepers. It is still a legal drug but it is socially unacceptable in many places and to many people. Keep sending out the message in all the varying ways it can be sent and make it very untrendy to purchase from a venue where the health scores of the pups and the pups' parentage is unknown or uncertain (unless of course you've done the very excellent thing by adopting a homeless dog). I don't think it is about laws and more regulation.

That is a cute length of video footage. I'm envious of those who were employed/engaged to study tickle effects.

..... I was trying to think of the right word for "getting on a boat" .

That was something I was interested to know as well, Dancinbcs. Checking up via google, it tells me the voyage is 9-11 hours so I'd imagine you'd need to allow for at least 12 or 13 hours. You'd need to make sure your dog was well toileted before going abroad aboard. Edited for an oopsy.

If you can avoid throwing things in the water to chase (where your dog will inadvertently yet inevitably open her mouth and receive sea water) this might reduce some of the ingestion of sea water. Also, using a ball other than a tennis ball which has an absorbent outer covering and hence soaks up sea water (which then ends up down your dog's throat) might also help reduce ingestion. The salt in the digestive tract draws water from the body to it, which is how dehydration can occur. That's just a couple of ways I can think of that might help in avoiding your dog copping a case of beach diarrhoea, or at least reduce the incidents and impact. I think many dogs suffer this when they've been to the beach, without any major other side affects. But to my knowledge, save for the things like what I've mentioned above and ensuring your dogs drinks plenty of fresh plain water immediately afterwards, I don't know that there is much else you can do. One thought - and I don't know if this would be recommended (check with your Vet or perhaps one of our resident DOL Vets/upcoming Vets could confirm) .... perhaps an electrolyte drink following a beach run would assist against the risk of dehydration, although it won't help stop the beach diarrhoea reaction.

.... It's an awful time we reach, when it comes to these things. This is my take on it - every 'take' is personal, IMO. It doesn't matter which different dog we have in our lifetime, I don't think we'll ever know the "am I leaving it too long or am I too soon?" answer in the absence of a crystal ball. I sometimes ask myself if I acted too hastily, in my avatar girl's case (bhcs) and if I did, I hope that she forgives me. I think that if your girl is not in pain and is wanting to be around you it doesn't matter that she doesn't want to play or go for walks any more. It's not a crime to grow old. If she's not in pain then I think you have some time. Just my opinion. You're the only one who can know and you'll know it when you know it because when it comes to it, our decision if based in humanity has to be the right one when we can know no better.

If the Vet's comments closed at that, I'd be switching Vets. Maybe the Vet didn't see any grass seed, but surely the Vet wouldn't have been happy about a nostril full of gummed up mucous (which is the picture I'm getting from your description of "so full of boogers").

I don't think that's what any one here has said and yet it seems to be taking that twist by some meandering of interpretation, I think. Having respect/leadership does assist with being able to manage the dogs.

They still make Enzyplex and I have had him on this in the more recent past. It didn't help then, even though we trialled it for a good period of time. There were also some Chinese Herbal medicine things that I had him on for this as well. They didn't help either. However, in the absence of some other bright idea, my thoughts are meandering on going back over things I've done and tried before because now the difference is that I've picked up the thyroid issue and he's medicated for that. Maybe with getting one thing out of the road things might show up differently or at least more clearly for the absence of confusion coming from more than one issue. So, unless something crops up to convince me I'm wasting my money, I'm planning on getting another cTLI done. If anything is going to diagnose EPI one way or the other, quickly and more definitely, I would imagine it will be this. I intend to speak with Mandela's Vet about this once the New Year public holidays are out the way, assuming my Vet isn't on a break himself. I've had the laboratory faecal test results emailed through to me so I'll be able to send them on to him. EPI certainly seems to fit Mandela's profile (except that he isn't so skinny you'd call him emaciated .... more like 'quite lean' - but then, perhaps it is early days ???? ) and we would have had that nailed at least a year ago if it wasn't for the fact that body function blood tests and the TLI showed "nothing remarkable". But OSoSwift - I appreciate you thinking about this. It's a nice feeling to be able to share in a "bounce the ideas around" type way. ETA: And you're not talking rubbish :D .

Hi Household Dog, and welcome to the forum. Contact the MDBA (Master Dog Breeders Association), the person/s there may be able to provide you with some helpful guidance. MDBA Contact Us Page Your experience in hunting down a breeder and the difficulties you encounter I'm sure will provide valuable feedback as well.

Lol ..... I am a bit the opposite. I've always made it an upbeat "Where's your bed?!!!" for bed time. Both my previous (avatar) girl (bhcs) used to and my current boy does trot (strut, more like it) down the hallway as though very clever for the fact that they know/knew where their beds are (I'm too impatient for the dawdle, ). And then I get the "put my blanket on please" look . .... Ridgebacks, what can you do?

I wonder if there's something more in that brand that creates the potential for "bright yellow" staining. If I posted you some up from here (that I use), would you be willing to test it for me and tell me if there was any staining?

No actually - that's not necessarily the case. Regardless, I'd rather go to a Behaviourist who someone can confidently recommend (and have really good reason to recommend them) rather than just be told 'Vet/Behaviourist because your dog might need drugs as well'.

I agree with Aidan, sort of. I say "sort of" because I'm uncertain whether we share the same views for the same reasons when it comes to doorways etc. I think things like this do make a difference, but not necessarily because of the reasons we might have been first led to believe when we were taught these things. I believe it is a way of providing structure (and good manners) when people aren't really certain how to provide structure (or what 'good manners' they could be looking for). But to expect good manners through doorways, but allow the dogs to push you around in other ways .... well one thing kind of defeats the purpose of the other, which means you need to look for good manners across the board. And I think here I'm saying what Aidan has said. I've quoted the above because I'm thinking that perhaps the "who sits where" has been the catalyst for an argument at some stage or another? This is not advice over the internet as I don't know your dogs, but if I had a multiple dog household I couldn't give a fig about who wants to sit where ..... they'd all get told to sit where I tell'em to if there were any hint of disgruntlement in my house. Where I tell them to sit may well likely have some bearing on fashioning it so that the chances of fight are reduced, but it would be a show of "it's my way or the highway" type attitude as far as I'm concerned. All that aside, the "doorways" and "eating first" are the least effective (if effective at all) of things when other things/structures are not in place. NILIF is one thing. TOT (Triangle of Temptation) is another. Both are good leadership practices. But "attitude" can have almost a tangibility about it and something that dogs pick up on, so you need to be able to mean the intent behind what you do. And as Aidan has said, be consistent across the board with it. But above all, until or unless you're confident that you can prevent or at the very least stop aggression in its tracks, you need to be careful about not creating a confrontational situation.

I've had Mandela's faeces worm checked by a Vet about 2 or 3 times over a period of two years. I don't think I'd even do it quite that often if it wasn't for the fact of his health issues. But not once has the test shown positive. That's not to say it isn't ever possible, but it goes to show how many chemical tablets I would have administered at least 8 times by now (or 24 times, if I were using spot ons), and all for nothing. "EPI is "Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency" which is the inability of the pancreas to manufacture and secrete the necessary enzymes required by the body to digest food and absorb nutrients......causing the body to starve no matter how much food the dog eats. " EPI. I admit that his symptoms sound similar and I don't wonder that EPI is one of the first things Vets consider when they hear what I describe. But it still is a bit like the square peg in the round hole (even though it almost fits). But perhaps that's because it is early stage EPI ?? I don't know yet, and I'm not sure if I'd be throwing good money after bad to have another TLI blood test done (it's been about a year since we ran it). I know that (although rarely) TLI tests can throw a false positive, but I've read nothing where it might throw a false negative.

I don't know what it is about that particular weekend in March, but it seems to always clash with at least one or more really good/important things each year.

Sure thing . I've arranged to stay over (didn't figure on a lift and presumed a late night) so unless there is a change (sigh .... would've liked to have gone to the Uta Bindel seminar/workshop which is on the same weekend - typical) I'll have my own car. But if you would like a lift in (I'll probably go a bit earlier than otherwise, unless I do try to make at least part of the Uta Bindel seminar) you're more than welcome.