ravensmyst00

Best to err on the side of caution with that especially after the scare we had earlier in March.

There is a solution. You can have your dog sterilised either by tubal ligation for the girls or a vasectomy for the boys. This helps to retain the hormones that some breeds may need for growth and development and when they reach the appropriate age they can be fully desexed. Keep in mind that the girls will still have seasons but cant fall pregnant. There is a breeder I know in South Australia that does it with her litters and as far as I know hasnt had any issues with it happening at a young age and I am currently furthering my research on it as I plan to do the same with those dogs out of my litter not going to show homes.

I have a Bullmastiff litter confirmed due 1 May.

Basically what is happening is your dog is marking their territory as the other dogs have tried to "lay claim" to what was his. Every place he goes to the toilet in your house make sure you clean it up with White Vinegar or my all purpose cleaner (see recipe below) . This breaks down the enzymes and gets rid of the smell. If you use a cleaner such as Pinesol or anything like that it actually smells like dog urine to your dog and they will continue to go back to that area. ALL PURPOSE CLEANER In a 1 litre spray bottle add the following 1/4 cup eucalyptus oil (make sure its the real thing) 1 cup white vinegar 20-30 cold pressed Lemon Essential oil (this is expensive but it adds a freshness and helps dispurse the urine smell). mix this together in the spray bottle, shake well and allow to set overnight. The next day top the bottle up with water and shake well to mix. Whenever your dogs wees (works with poo as well) soak up the excess moisture (or pick up the solids) spary with cleaner - let set for a minute and soak up with towel or paper towel till touch dry. I havent had a dog yet go back to the same spot if I cleaned up their accident with this mix. Its also makes a great shower cleaner as well.

I've owned 2 wonderful chows over the years and if I had time to look after their coats I would have another one in a flash. Completely OT but Just out of curiosity can I ask why he has been shaved? Unless you can find a home that is familiar with the breed, has no contact with children of any age and restricts contact with dogs the best option would be to have him PTS. I am not a fan of this option but knowing the breed as I do this is the best, safest and most humane option.

I agree with Jed - contact Goldchow as you will need to find a home that knows and understands the breed. They are not a breed to go to just anyone. Having owned chow's before and having had to try and rehome one before they are not the easiest breed to find a suitable home for. I wish you the best of luck.

Have they done anything to improve the grip on the floor in the building. There were people and dogs falling all over the place last year.

I'll have to try and get on here this weekend and add some info.

I still laugh when my bullmastiff gets referred to as a "Giant Pug".

anyone???

I need to find a chiropractor and acupuncturist in the Melbourne area (or outskirts - basically if they are closer to KCC Park the better). Can anyone recommend anyone?

This is a problem with crossbreeds - you never know what you will end up with. Your first cross was calm and gentle - this one is basically nuts. Get her to obedience ASAP. Also if Daisy is putting her hackles up (the fur on the back of her neck and back) that is sometimes the first signs of aggression and should be quickly squashed.

Some Bullmastiff Kennels... Nightquest Oldworld Xanguard Avantguard Bulwaren Bulavista Bullsrkool Bullmaster Olbailee There are lots more check the DOL breeders list.

Dogs that eat their own poo is usually a sign that they are deficient in essential vitamins and minerals that they may not be getting from their meal the first time they eat it. For whatever the reason their digestive system cant break down these nutrients fully the first time round so they go and eat their poo. The first question anyone should ask when this is happening is - what are you currently feeding your dog? While you may be feeding the top of the range dry dog food it wont always give your dog the nutrients it needs. Feeding raw does the exact same thing. I used to have the problem of my dogs eating their poo as well as dirt, rocks etc. This was curbed by adding a supplement which contained dolomite to their diet. Dolomite is a natural form of Calcium and magnesium which does not build up in the system as other calcium suppliments do what isnt used by the body is excreted. The suppliment I used also provided kelp, garlic, and rosehips. After being on the suppliment for 2 weeks I had no further incidence of poo eating and a brighter healthier dog.

FTPO - personally I wouldnt risk it. Stick with modern vaccines. After watching a child go through a severe case of the measles because his mother didnt believe in modern medicine and went the homeopathic route I personally will not risk it. Don't get me wrong I have used homeopathic remedies myself and I have used some on my dogs as well (I tend to go more towards naturopathic remedies though) but when it comes to immunising against a preventable diseases I wont take the chance. Titre testing - I'm still a bit wary as you dont know when your dog's immunity falls below safe levels and when your dog is at risk. If you dont show your dog and you have no plans of putting the dog in a boarding kennel in the future then a C3 may be enough for your dog. Odette - I respect what you are saying as I have dealt with my fair share of "quacks" over the years - including one that had my mother convinced she had throat cancer which was never diagnosed by a qualified doctor. However that hasnt scared me away from natural remedies. They arent necessarily designed to cure as is claimed by some but they can ease symptoms, quicken recovery time and aid in healing.

As you have said the tiles are porous and the smell is retained. You need to nutrilize the smell. Tabasco only works if the dog is licking or chewing on the item - the same with bitter apple. Lavender only smells nice and citronella doesnt work on all dogs. White vinegar works wonders for nutrilizing urine smells. Not sure how it will go on your tiles so patch test it where it cant be seen. This is my recipe for cleaning up urine. 1 litre spray bottle 1 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup eucalyptus oil 30 drops lemon essential oil (make sure you get the real stuff) shake well and let sit over night. Top up with water and spray area liberally and wipe up. I use it on the kitchen floor and on carpet when ever my boy had an accident and he never went back to the same spot again. Its also a great shower cleaner. Edited as brain was going faster than my fingers.

Its unfortunate there are those out there that feel natural therapies are "BS". People tend to forget that modern medicine's humble beginnings started as Natural Therapies with medicine men/women, the humble midwife, and yes the not so favourably looked upon witch. Collidal Silver as with all medical treatments do carry risks. People do turn blue or grey due to excess use of this product. As all have said here - use in moderation. If you looked back to the middle ages you would find that the "silverware" used by the rich warded off many pandemic diseases of the time. It has also been noted that these people also had a characteristic blue tinge to their fingers due to the build of silver in their system which is where the term "blue bloods" originates. Collidal silver has been shown to be an effective anti-microbial - How It Works: Silver inhibits the growth of bacteria by deactivating the bacteria’s oxygen metabolism enzymes. In turn, this destroys the bacteria’s cell membranes, stopping the replication of the bacteria’s DNA. Source- Acupoll Precision Research, April 2003 Beiersdorf, Inc. Ricey - if you are looking for a glowing report from the USFDA on Collidal silver - you wont. Collidal Silver is not lucratively profitable to the food and drug administration as the hundreds of thousands of chemical cocktails many of us are willing to take because our doctors prescribe them with out any care as to potential side effects they may cause over the years. If you are willing to do full research on collidal silver instead of looking for all the "evils" of natural therapies you will find that the research results from many groups are available - you just need to not be so closed minded. As for being insulting - Ricey, your comments are not only insulting but are also extremely childish. As you can see above in bold I have listed research and since you most likely will require further medical research...Ive listed a few for you below and these can be found at Hi Ho Silver Away! (Mild Silver Protein and its effectiveness against internal and topical infections) by James South MA. REFERENCES 1) H. Bechhold, Colloids in Biology and Medicine, N.Y.: D. van Nostrand, 1919, pp. 364-76. 2) N.R. Thompson, Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry, Vol. 5, ch.28, Elmsford, N.Y.: Pergamon Press, 1973. 3) B. Duhamel (1912) "Electric Metal Colloids and Their Therapeutical Applications" Lancet, Jan. 13. 4) A. Searle, The Use of Colloids in Health and Disease, London: Constable & Co., 1920, pp67-111. 5) A. Legge Roe (1915) "Collosol Argentum and its Opthalmis Uses" Br. Med. J., Jan.16, 104. 6) G. van Amber Brown (1916) "Colloidal Silver in Sepsis" Am. J. Obstetrics, Jan-June, 136-141. 7) W. Hill & D. Pillsbury, Argyria - The Pharmacology of Silver, Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1939. 8) S. Begley (1994) "The End of Antibiotics" Newsweek, Mar. 28, 46-51. 9) J. Fisher, The Plague Makers, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, 1994. 10) D. Long & S. Spencer Jones, Bioterrorism: Secrets for Surviving the Coming Terrorist Germ Warfare Attacks on U.S. Cities, Barstow, CA: Life & Health Research Group, 1998. 11) N. Grier (1983) "Silver and Its Compounds" in Disinfection, Sterilization and Preservation, S. Block, ed., Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 380-428. 12) I. Romans (1954) "Silver Compounds" & "Oligodynamic Metals" in Antiseptics, Disinfectants, Fungicides and Chemical and Physical Sterilization, G. Reddish, ed., Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 380-428. 13) J. Powell (1978) "Our Mightiest Germ Fighter" Sci. Digest, Mar., 57-60. 14) H. Carr et al (1973) "Silver Sulfadiazine: In Vitro Antibacterial Activity" Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 4, 585-87. 15) T.-W. Chang & L. Weinstein (1975) "Prevention of Herpes Keratoconjunctivitis in Rabbits by Silver Sulfadiazine" 8, 677-78. 16) T.-W. Chang & L. Weinstein (1975) "Inactivation of treponema Pallidum by Silver Sulfadiazine" 7, 538-39. 17) M. Wysor (1975) "Orally-Administered Silver Sulfadiazine: Chemotherapy and Toxicology in CF-1 Mice...." Chemother 21, 302-10. 18) T. Wlodkowski & H. Rosenkranz (1973) "Antifungal Activity of Silver Sulfadiazine" Lancet, Sep. 29, 739-40. 19) T. Berger et al (1976) "Electrically Generated Silver Ions: Quantitative Effects on Bacterial and Mammalian Cells" Antimicrob Agents Chemother 9, 357-58. 20) T. Berger et al (1976) "Antifungal Properties of Electrically Generated Silver Ions" Antimicrob Agents Chemother 10, 856-60. 21) R. Thurman & C. Gerba (1989) "The Molecular Mechanisms of Copper and Silver Ion Disinfection of Bacteria and Viruses" CRC Crit Rev Envir Control 18, 295-315. 22) W. Newton & M. Jones (1949) "Effectiveness of Silver Ions Against Cysts of Endamoeba Histolytica" 41, 1027-34. 23) N. Simonetti et al (1992) "Electrochemical Ag+ for Preservative Use" Appl Environ Microbiol 58, 3834-36. 24) S. Hussain et al (1992) "Cystein Protects Na, K-ATPase and isolated Human Lymphocytes from Silver Toxicity" Biochem Biophys Res Comm 189, 1444-49. 25) H. Freundlich, Colloid & Capillary Chemistry, N.Y.: E.P. Dutton, 1922, p.385. 26) C.E. MacLeod (1912) "Electric Metallic Colloids and Their Therapeutical Applications" Lancet, Feb. 3. 27) A. Clark (1923) "The Properties of Certain 'Colloidal' Preparations of Metals" Br Med J, Feb. 17, 273-77. 28) T. Sanderson-Wells (1916) "A Case of Puerperal Septicemia... Treated with... Collosol Argentum" Lancet, Feb. 16, p.258. 29) B. Fowler & G. Nordberg (1986) 'Silver'' in Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, L. Friberg, G. Nordberg & V. Vouk, eds. Amsterdam: Elsevier Sci. Pub., Vol. 2, 521-31. 30) J. Dawson et al (1984) "The Effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine...." Arch Toxicol 55, 11-15. 31) L. Borgstrom et al (1986) "Pharmacokinetics of N-acetylcysteine in Man" Eur J Clin Pharmacol 31, 217-22. 32) A. Lorber et al (1973) "Clinical Application for Heavy Metal-Complexing Potential of N-acetylcysteine" J Clin Pharmacol 13, 332-36.

I would be getting him to obedience training quick smart. Have PM'd you a few questions may be able to send you in the right direction once I hear from you.

While it is cute and fun to have the dogs up with you on your sofa or on the bed you are only putting at a higher head level than you and they think they are top dog. First suggestion would be - no more sofa sitting or sleeping in your bed. Until you get your "pack" reorganised with you at the top I wouldnt be sitting on the floor with them either. Sounds harsh but it would be a wise first step. Second suggestion - Find K9 Force and have a chat with him. Lastly dont beat yourself up. You have done the right thing asking for help.

What are you using to clean up the messes with? Certain cleaners (ie pine o clean, ajax spray and wipe, etc) smell like urine to a dog and they tend to go back to those areas time and time again. Try cleaning the areas with plain white vinegar and see if that helps deter the problem

Arya, Not sure which ADT centre you would be referring to as they prefer to use flat leather collars for training over any other type of collar. It took me ages to get a few of the trainers to understand that my bullmastiff would only be trained on a correction collar as there was no control with a flat leather collar (not to mention they didnt have any that would fit his neck). Possumcorner, the "forced drop" is only used when all other methods of training have been tried and have failed - it does not cause any harm to the dog. All up the best people to ask about ADT are Haven and HeirRottweiler. Haven was one of the trainers that helped me train my bullmastiff. HeirRottweiler has been fantastic help on a few issues I had in the past - he's with ADT as well. I didnt totally agree with some of the training methods used but I found that they were the best for the purpose I needed. They trained me and I trained them in the ways of the confirmation ring. When I get my next dog I will most likely be going back to them again.

Dogs eat poo, dirt, rocks etc basically as a way to replenish essential vitamins and minerals that they are lacking in their diet. Best suggestion would be to get a natural suppliment such as the Greenpet suppliment which contains dolomite a natural source of calcium and magnesium as well as other essential vitamins and minerals. Adding this daily to their food can reduce their desire to find it elsewhere via poo eating.

Hills Z/D does cause weight loss due to its low protein and fat content.

Sorry Erny - not meant to take this off topic. Good luck on your submissions.

Andy101, I understand your concerns however, prong collars cause less neck and trachia(sp?) injuries than a correction chain. I have used them before responsibly and I would not hesitate to use them again if need be. The key to a training item such as the prong collar is to ensure that if a person is to use them they should be trained in the correct usage by a qualified person. A prong collar should not be used to break the spirit of a dog - they are designed to make the dog more aware of a correction meaning less direct pressure is placed on the neck and trachia. When you have a dog with a large muscular neck - no amount of tugging on a correction chain will get them to pay attention especially if the collar has a tendancy to slip down away from just behind the ears . One light check with a prong collar is all that is needed to get an instant result without causing injury or fear in the dog where prolonged checking and tugging on a correction collar could see you choking your dog.