Ons

just get a cheap one at first because they outgrow them so quickly then I've used Lupine collars for mine for when they are older, they look nice and last - vets sell them or google them coz there are various places that have them. good luck, goldens are wonderful!

I reakon in the middle of the desert a golden retriever would find water to paddle in - - most are obsessed with it. I just provide buckets and bowls of water so there is lots around and never runs out.

does he generally do what you ask him to do? I was told that "down" was a very hard thing for a dominant dog to do but a very good thing to teach them. That's why I'm teaching Onslow, he may be a golden retreiver but he had me fooled for a long time until Steve from K9 sorted us out or I should say me I would guess that you probably would do TOT which worked miricles with Onsy, if not maybe that's worth trying because it may get him more interested in food - he has to work for it - and may get him listening to you more. Just my random thoughts, I am certainly far far far from being an expert. By the way Daegon is certainly a very very handsome dog.

that was interesting about Working Setters teaching dogs in front of other dogs. Couldn't get Onslow to understand concept of drop until I put my other dog in front of him, she knows how to drop and did so on command (graduate of puppy school :-) ) , Onsy then did it straight away. Will Daegon not drop if make him sit, then particularly tasty treat next to his chest then lower it to the ground. Worked for Onsy but if Daegon won't take treats mightn't work. good luck anyway! My friend suggested having the treat right at the chest area then lowering and it really does work.

if you are giving him milk still stop. I gave Onslow, as recommended by his breeder, milk every morning and continued on probably well past what his breeder would recommend. A golden retriever you would think would be a guts, nope he wouldn't eat anything, leave his breakfast all day, but would drink the milk. Stopped giving him milk totally, he started eating. I'm wondering if he was lactose intolerant - all the equivalent in doggy world - and that's why he wouldnt eat. He is a gutz now.

I was told by Onslow's breeder to start as I meant to continue so he spent his days outside whilst I was at work (I came home at lunchtime) from day one. He is able to come in when I'm home if he wants to, but he loves being outside. Often he chooses to stay out all night when it's hot, otherwise he sleeps on my bed. However he is not allowed to sleep inside at my mum's place and he just automatically goes outside at nighttime without any complaints when we are visiting. Likewise in the morning, when he sees me getting ready for work, both just automatically go out the backdoor without any fuss. May have something to do with the fact that they get a biscuit each too Tilly spent the first few weeks in the bathroom whilst I was at work and then when she was a bit bigger she too went outside during the day. She is inside more though than Onsy coz she likes to be with me constantly

I disagree that prong collars aren't training collars. I have been using them on my two for about two months but one day just used them in their normal flat collars. Neither dog pulled, and my boy was a huge puller who I could never walk on just a flat collar. So he has been trained now to walk nicely on the lead thanks to the prong collar. I will continue to use the prong collar with him but every now and again use the flat collar.

thankyou for posting this, RIP my darling little Daisy

changing my itchy golden retreiver puppy to holistic eaglepack food stopped her itches alot, she still itches a tiny bit but hardly ever really. paw paw ointment is great, I put that on my other golden's skin once when I thought I had to take him to the vets but didnt want him anywhere near the only vet that was on duty that day and it healed the sore remarkably. So I keep that on hand. I would give the change of diet a go but because of the epilepsy I would check with the vet first about anything you give, just to be on the safe side :-)

I also will defend the prong collars. Both my two know that if they walk properly it does not hurt them at all. Indeed even a little tug doesn't hurt them and makes them walk properly. Surely, surely surely an enjoyable walk for all of us, without me thinking I'm going to be pulled over any second and with them being under control in a second if a car comes is far far far better than our previous walks without them. And I have tried the prong collar on my arm and no a little tug doesn't hurt. If you use them properly they do not hurt your dogs, just a gentle reminder for them to behave. Apparently you can get plastic thingamigigs for the prongs in America but they aren't that effective.

have a look at the packets at the vets for the fleas, they should be able to help you , if not ask the vets. The parents can be doen with frontline, advantax or similar. tips for spraying the yard anyone? coz that should probably be done. I would probably also do your dogs as well if they haven't been done for three weeks.

and I owuld also be concerned about getting some flea treatment as well for your sister's dogs just for the sake of your own dogs coz they are buggers to get rid of even if your dogs are flea treated, if they are around, they will find them good for you though trying to help.

I think I agree that this does not sound like a registered breeder, or you would hope that it is not a registered breeder. With both my golden retrievers when they were pups both breeders stated if there are any problems to contact them immediately AND if I ever couldn't provide a home for the dogs I was to contact them immediately. I always felt that if I had a problem with either of them that I could ring them and discuss them. I think that is a sign of a good breeder that you feel comfortable enough to be able to email or talk to them. In fact with my youngest pup I emailed questions beforehand and they were always promptly answered with photos Tell your friend to try again but get in touch with several registered breeders and talk to them first on the phone and view puppies, get their hip, eye, heart scores and any other things appropriate for labradors then a vet check asap when the new pup is chosen.

supercoat causes the same problem in my youngest golden retriever but not my oldest one. So i guess it depends on the dog. They are both now on eaglepack though.

living with neighbours should not be a one way street. and living in near proximity to people means that there has to be some reasonable neighbourhood noise. You have done everything you can to assist these neighbours because of their daughter, not complained about her swearing to you, stopped feeding the birds, locking your dogs up yet they still complain. AND the most amazing thing is you ask them to do something simple and they won't do it - that is remove the cat from YOUR property so your dog doesn't bark. The council aren't concerned, your other neighbours aren't concerned. I wouldn't be concerned either because of their attitude. Enjoy your old girl and your other dogs. If they bark at the cat so be it, it shouldn't be on your property in the first place. Sounds like it should be inside anyway or one of those cat runs because of the wild birds around your place. Get some brochures about the cat runs and put them in their letterbox. You've suggested an easy solution to the problem but the neighbour won't cooperate. and you are being perfectly reasonable as well, there is no suggestion in your post that you have said to the neighbours get rid of the cat yet they seem to think that you must get rid of your dog. It seems they are not barking at anything else or annoying anyone else. I'm inclined to agree with the council about trapping the cat, I would advise the neighbours though first that if it does stray onto your place that is what you intend to do. good luck and hope all goes well joanne

where do you get it from?

I was about to start a topic on hot spots but searched first and found this! Thanks for the information about Curash - american friends with golden retrievers swear by something called gold bond powder so curash must be the equivalent - i've emailed them to find out the ingredients on gold bond powder though. My interest was I saw a pussy sore on Tilly this afternoon, thought I had better take her to the vets even though the consultation fee was going to be double - by the time I got my appointment 2 hours later it was bigger and very very red!!!! Amazing how quickly it grew! She now has a shaved tail, having just grown back her hair from desexing, cream and antibiotics which are huge. and my credit card which was finally in the black is now in the red again but that doesn't matter at all!

at least they had a very warm and loving home for the last remaining months of their lives, thank you Peibe. RIP Bertha and Stella

:D I thought it was only my pup that swims like that - it's kind of overarm instead of doggy paddle. My boy dog swims beautifully and always has! Tilly scares me that she is going to drown she takes so much effort but gets nowhere! I noticed last time i took them swimming that she stayed very close to shore, in the water though, but four legs firmly on the ground and watched Onsy swim. M aybe she will learn by watching him and enjoy it but if she wants to paddle around the shore that's fine - her human mum is a hopeless swimmer too

Just started my two on Eaglepack Holistic. For brekky Onsy gets that and some yoghurt - he loves yoghurt, Tilly gets eaglepack and puppy tin Optimum, just a little. and half an apple each For dinner they both get the Holistic with raw meat or chicken drumsticks, very very occcassionally a little My Dog or Nature's Gift tin food if I have nothing else. I'm going to start making them mince with vegies, I think they will like that ;-)

I never got my samples which was a shame, I really wanted to see the various ones. I ordered some from Pet Deli too on the weekend and as I'm about to change my boy over to Eaglepack hope they are not shutting down. It is really good food but not too over the top in price.

thanks for that tip, I will try it. Tilly could do everything at training except stand because I had taught her to sit everytime we stopped before we went to training!!!!!!

try this website as well www.naturapet.com it lists all the ingredients in the products that it manufacturers. I know that I can get Innova and California Natural in the new pet shop in town and I live in a country town (it isn't a Pets paradise - Pet Food Direct I think it is called so hope not affiliated) and there were some products that didn't have chicken in them. good luck

the holistic products have them with no chicken meal although they have them with chicken fat. Don't know if that woudl be a problem. One didn't have any chicken/chicken fat though, it was anchovy and salmon or something like that.

www.eaglepack.com lists the ingredients of each sort of Eagle pack. Have a look, may find one. good luck!