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batgirlbc

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  1. There are so many things you can (and should do) to make any puppy comfortable when you're not home, but it definitely takes time. I had neighbours complain to the RSPCA about my puppy barking too much, and I barely left her alone for more than an hour or two. My neighhbours didn't tell me directly, so I didn't even know, and before they told the RSPCA they through a carton of rat poison into my garden :/ Training your dog will go a long way. Cesar Millan is brilliant, and his tv shows are worth watching. Here's a video on separation anxiety in puppies: There are also many things you can do at home to make your dog feel safe and comfortable. Making a "nest" for your dog or giving them a window view can work really well. We have a small table by the lounge window covered in a blanket - underneath is our dog's den, and in the day she'll sit on top and look out the window and things going on. There's loads of good ideas here - https://www.dogzone.com.au/boredom-busters-for-dogs/ Read the bit about snuffle mats and scattering dog food around the house and garden before you go out - keeps your puppy occupied and also distracted when you leave home. Probably lots of other things you can do too, and get a wifi security cam which you can talk to your dog through!
  2. You shouldn't feed too much liver. Once or twice a week, that's it. Other organ meats are fine daily, and 10% is still recommended. Most BARF foods have 10% organ meats. It's where most of the nutrients are, so if you only feed mince or chicken then your dog won't get the nutrition they need.
  3. I second raw meaty bones. My butcher gives me bones for free when I buy other meat, so it's a winner. Just keep an eye on your dog if they're not used to bones, and keep an eye out for digestive upset if this is the case. I also give my dog (also a collie) dried meat chews. I know they sound a bit gruesome but maybe consider bully sticks. I prefer to call them pizzle but there's more info here - https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/bully-sticks/ You can also try brushing your dog's teeth as well? Even once a week! Might be the brand of dog food as well.
  4. From what you've said I expect an abscess has formed. This can happen after an injection introducing bad bacteria under the skin, i.e. from bacteria on the needle. Shouldn't but can happen. If that's the case your vet will need to drain it and possibly treat with antibiotics. May also be a reaction to the anti-inflammatories but I think less likely
  5. It's weird reading that. When I watched the Chernobyl documentary what got to me the most was how people had to abandon their dogs - heart breaking really - but there's comfort in knowing these dogs have survived and thrived!
  6. The crematorium we used were wonderful, and the memories we hold in our heart we treasure to this day. That's what matters. I'm so sorry for your loss, I know how hard it is
  7. Keep in mind they're soft raw bones so I don't think would cause any problems for your dog. Mine chews big bones so consumes a lot of bits of bone - I think it's a good thing in that sense as her teeth are in top notch condition and clean. Something you don't get with wet and barf foods. I didn't know what size nerds were either. They're the little colorful things in a packet aren't they? Think I remember them from my childhood a LONG TIME AGO!!!!
  8. My best advice is to read reviews on product review, trust pilot etc. Most of the time the positive reviews are stuff like "The policy was so easy to take out", but the real truth is in the lower rated reviews for people who were unable to claim on insurance. Just wrote about my previous dog who had lymphoma as we weren't insured back then. Basically it meant we couldn't afford chemo, but in hindsight we still did the best for him and glad we didn't put him through chemo. So there's that mindset as well. (More info on this post - We have Bow Wow insurance for our collie who we're really happy with. Actually took the advice from the pet food review website - https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/pet-insurance-in-australia/#6-bow-wow-meow We've had it for about 4 years now and they've been really good. We pay monthly and don't even notice the amount coming out (about $20!??). We wanted to be covered in case our nutty collie got injured. Our friend's collie had an accident with a door and another accident with a stick in the space of the last 12 months, and it's cost them $$$$s without insurance :/
  9. My dog had lymphoma - he was 5 when diagnosed. So hopefully I can offer you my retrospective thoughts, and feel free to ask me anything. Firstly, I'm very sorry - I know what you're going through. We left our dog with a sitter for a month in their new house, and her dog and my dog dug up the garden. Both ended up with T-cell lymphoma so I believe from weed killer. They were insured so went through chemo, but we weren't insured so opted for alternative methods - keto, CBD, prednisolone. Our oncologist offered a number of options, including IV chemo and tablet chemo (much cheaper). IV chemo was quoted at around $12k. Tablet chemo wasn't much at all, but obviously an ongoing cost. Our costs with the keto/cbd/prednisolone weren't much at all (we fed him raw anyway). I know it's hard to hear this stuff but we had another 6 months with him. Apart from a couple of lapses he actually did really well, and the day before he passed he was running along the beach like a puppy. The next morning he didn't have energy. He tried to play with a ball but couldn't. An hour later he fell asleep in my arms. We had time to say our goodbyes and I thanked him for all our happy days. The other dog lived 2 more years, so chemo worked. For me, in hindsight, I have no regrets. He wasn't afraid, and wasn't in pain. All the hard stuff was my emotions. For the owners of the other dog, they went through 2 more years dealing with the hardship of knowing their dog was sick. As hard as it was with my dog, I didn't envy what they continued to go through. Acceptance is the hardest part. We now have our girl BG. She's 7 now. She's amazing. I still miss my old boy, but I have so many happy memories!
  10. Yes, but there's billions of puppy photos on the Internet so it's easy enough for scammers to get hold of them.
  11. I'm trying to think how cute puppy pictures can be used for nefarious reasons? Dodgy Facebook spam account profile pictures!? Fake driving licences or passports!? I think when advertising puppies transparency (pics + info) will help sell. Personally I'd be put off if an ad was vague. It would make me think there's something dodgy going on, and I'd likely avoid. I wouldn't rant about it though - that's kinda up to the seller?
  12. What food are you feeding? Keep in mind reactions can develop over time or ingredients and quality can vary between batches. Sometimes something triggers a reaction or the microbiome gets disrupted which is hard to rectify. If the food has stuff like cereals/cereal by-products then thats probably a sign to try something different to see if it helps. May help clear up the itchiness in a matter of a week or two. Environmental factors may also be a trigger, so assess anything which has changed recently.
  13. I think this could be useful for anyone training their pup! There's a checklist you can print out, plus a simple how to for each command. Makes training more of a fun challenge - how quickly can you train your puppy for each command! https://www.dogzone.com.au/10-basic-dog-training-commands/ Here's the checklist (it's a PDF you can download) -
  14. Just got an email about this. Amazed there hasn't been more talk about Woofbix in all this time! Pet food reviews - https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/woofbix-dog-food-review/
  15. My Mum feeds her cat a brand called Yora which is insect based - over in the UK. Ingredients are quite good in terms of animal ingredients over grains or carbs. I think it's a good idea in terms of a pet food. Protein from animals or protein from insects, when the latter is cheaper to produce and "more environmentally friendly". Makes sense. I don't get lured in by wacky marketing claims though!
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