Poodle wrangler

I say try nicestmann77 also. Very helpful and good prices. He'll let you know the cheapest way to post etc. He normally tests the blades and sends a bit of fur with the sharpened blade so you know it's been checked. I had a similar problem with one of my blades after dropping it- am going to send it off to him.

I use a slicker brush on my sister's short-haired dog and find it gets out lots of hair. I've seen decent ones in BiLo/ Coles for about $10 but you MUST get a GENTLE one- you should be able to brush your arm without it hurting you. Follow-up with a comb. I also reckon a force dry at the groomers will blast off lots of fur. You could always get a 100% poodle (Beware, < 100% poodle will shed AND need clipping )

Clyde is that an alcohol based one?? It's just Malaseb shampoo mixed with 30 parts water to one part Malaseb. It's for yeast infections but fab as just a regular cleaner as it dries out the ear, plus no alcohol so no stinging I use Malaseb, too. Great stuff and super-economical. Squirt several drops into ear, maddage well, wipe out with cotton wool.

Bones. I'd separate the dogs for an hour or so to allow them to enjoy chewing in peace. I separate my dogs for feeding as the little one will steal the big guy's food and was overweight as a result.

I was also thinking of possible kidney problems and/or diabetes (can go together, too)

Has your vet tried any other medications for the epilepsy? A cheaper one may also be effective (something to ask the vet about)?

I'd ask my vet for advice b4 giving anything designed for humans to the dogs- many things are fine, but others not. Behaviourist would be my no.1 choice. Would it be fair to say, the longer you leave it, the more ingrained any problems might become? (sorry don't know full story). My dog was attacked at a young age requiring minor surgery at the vet's, but was 100% fine behaviour-wise. Is best to have a behaviourist to assess whether or not this is all related to the attack or not?

I find once the mud is dry, it brushes out easily enough without anything added. I reckon a good brush and comb is a better investment than a dry shampoo. The human ones are certainly not much good.

Don't try to fatten up a young dog quickly as the sudden growth will put strain on bones/ joints/ ligaments. Is best to fatten up slowly for healthy development. Boxers are meant to be lean. Often people in the street will say your dog is skinny when in fact they're perfect weight! Too many people think overweight= normal weight :rolleyes:. Avoid very fatty treats/ offcuts as they can cause pancreatitis- potentially fatal for your dog. eta: my 26kg poodle loves chicken carcasses- they often have a lot of meat left on- and they love crunching the whole thing up.

I've never seen an ingredients list on dog shampoo/ conditioner products. Perhaps the regulations are different as they're for "pet use"?

He's very handsome :rolleyes: . It's much better for him to put on weight nice and gradually. Quick weight gain is a stress on his young body- bones/ ligaments and digestive system. Looks like he'll be a big boy and is best to keep him lean for the sake of his joints. Beware very fatty treats and foods- can contribute to pancreatitis. I'm guessing an underfed dog is more prone to this kind of thing, too.

HAlf tablets sound fine to me. I divide doses for heartworm/intestinal worms and Advantix.

Tired dogs are good dogs I also reckon a walk would help. Even a short walk around the block settles my dogs far out of proportion to the exercise involved- is all the different sights, smells etc. Is good for me, too, and once I'm out there it's easier to keep going!

HAve it repaired when you desex at around 5-6 months of age. Sometimes people push it back in to check it's still OK. Hernias can be a problem if they get stuck on the outside and "strangulated"- where the blood supply gets cut off. Is a vet emergency in that case. HAve the vet recheck it with the next vaccinations.

Ideally, pup should have very little extra space to wee in the crate. Crate should be big enough only so that pup can stand and turn around, otherwise they'll toilet in the opposite end of crate defeating the whole purpose. You might need to put in a big box inside for a young puppy. Some crates have a partition for this reason, too. Also suggest newpaper for crate, no proper bedding until pup is older. You could also try an old blanket as pup gets better with toileting- easy to wash. Toilet training needs vigilance and persistence! Be patient with pup- most failures are due to us as owners..

Our dogs sometimes need us to be strong for them and make tough decisions. Is harder for us than them. Best wishes.

Bad behaviour = bad behaviour. Should be nipped in the bud, otherwise you're telling your dog it's OK. Is he growling at you (or other dog) when he has the chew? Growling at humans is a huge no-no at our house. Are you spending less time with him? Less exercise? Ideally spend some 1:1 time with both dogs. Tired dogs are good dogs, too . I'd start TOT to reaffirm you're the leader- good for both dogs- http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=64101 Ask at the obedience club?

what becks said. I use slickers on both my poodles and my sister's short-haired dog. Never let your dog "tell" you when to stop- they quickly learn that bad behaviour gives positive results :D. I use any old shampoo on my dogs. Knots are 100% worse unless you brush them out B4 the bath. A comb might also help- It's usual to use the slicker first, then comb through. Ask for a "greyhound comb" Another idea ... take him to a groomer as a once off, then regularly brush to maintain a healthy coat?

Short answer: YES. What about other treats? e.g. tiny pieces of cooked chicken etc.? Not sure about the SWF- many of them seem prone to allergies, though. Could be anything, including resistant fleas.

Protech Duramune C3 works for 3 years+ Sorry can't find the original link, this is an edited cut and paste ... Titre testing is the "gold standard". Only problem if the dogs results are poor, you still have the cost of vaccination on top of the titre testing, making it a much more expensive option.

Another thought is..... ears? Once you've smelled yeasty, mildly infected ears you don't forget the smell. Just a thought ... Best wishes whatever you decide. You don't hear a lot about dental disease causing other health problems, but research suggests it's very important for humans- for prevention of heart disease through to better pregnancy outcomes :rolleyes: . Antibiotics may still help the gum disease- you'd have to ask the vet- if you don't want to go for the general anaesthetic option.

Have you considered an antibark collar in addition to the other training and behaviour mods you're doing? Just for outside? I know they're not suitable to be left on for more than 8 hours at a time, so not sure if it would be suitable? Maybe someone more experienced can advise if it would help? I found the ultrasonic type useless, so either a spray or ecollar type?

Nup, not MaltXShih. My MIL has one. It has an underbite (quite common in this cross) and other health problems. The coat needs to be clipped regularly. I think your dog is cuter and hopefully less coat maintenance, too.

My larger 26kg poodle (vs. 7kg poodle) sounds similar to your GSP. If I feed him more Supercoat it all comes out the other end. He also gets raw bones e.g. brisket, chicken wings etc. and more of these- up to about 40% of diet has settled things down. I found Purina One (supermarket food) to be much better for a dry food in that low-mid price range. About $28 for 7kg. I can feed the smaller one Supercoat with no issues at all . Be aware NOT to feed really high fat foods like fatty offcuts- that sort of stuff can contribute to pancreatitis. I agree to ditch the pasta/ rice. Dog is getting plenty of carbs from the dry food.

Best way to keep dog fresh is to make sure the dog is thoroughly dried after a bath. Not all groomers thoroughly dry the dogs which makes them smelly sooner- imagine it's worse with a nice, thick samoyed coat!