Clyde

I even doubt that that obese Rotti is 80kgs.

What do you mean?

Dogs often misbehave when their owners are present. Making a groom more dangerous with sharp scissors, jumpy dog etc. People often want to stay if they know their dog is going to be difficult but the majority of the time, as soon as the owner leaves the dog settles down and is angelic - making it less stressful overall for dog and groomer. I am insured but not too sure how it all works, but I would guess the insurance thing is a furfy as clients are insured on my property to drop/collect dogs so I cant see what difference it would make. The insurance line has been used at every salon Ive worked at. My salon now is based at home in a huge barn style shed/garage, it's not flashy, but does the job. It is completely open for people to see and I do allow people to stay depending on the circumstances. If it's just a wriggly little dog and nervous owner then I prefer not, but if it is a genuinely stressed dog and calm, switched owner then I find it helps the dog. I used to be more lenient about people staying but got fed up with the dogs focus being on the owner rather than standing straight focused on me. It's especially difficult when scissoring a dogs face and the dog keeps turning to look at its owner making kissy 'good boy' noises over my shoulder :laugh: Cazstaff stayed when I groomed Buddy. I knew Caz was a 'dog person' and would be sensible and Buddy was an elderly, calm dog. I think groomers should allow people to have a look out back, but can also see that it might set all the dogs off barking if they see a strange face. I think groomers should take it case by case rather than a blanket ban. There is a local groomer here who works from home. Always meets people at the door and wont allow anyone to come in. I have a lot of their clients now due to this.

Staffyluv, I use Champion Tails silver highlight shampoo from Horse supply places. I have used it on my Tzu who is an itchy dog and it doesnt make her flare up etc.

I would tell them to run a mile.

The one I use you dont have to, even in high season.

I would take both dogs, no question.

Sheena, your aggressive approach to issues doesn't do the brand any favours.

Aren't you a sales rep for them anymore?

Just heard back and DCH would love it They're very grateful and will be in touch. I am sure, somewhere out there, one of their volunteers is cursing me :laugh:

And, that poll is well over a year old.

I think you mean, the majority of the people who actually voted fed this to their dogs. Not the majority of members feed this to their dogs. :) 44 people voting for BH out of over 33,000 members is not the majority of the forum IMO.

I think he's got DCH's name written all over him :laugh: One of their volunteers could wear him while cooking snags at Bunnings Will PM someone from there.

The Highlands is only about 1.5 hours from Sydney. Way past anywhere half way.

Beautifully said and so true.

Wow, that's nice of him!! I know this vet will charge me, but in the scheme of 'what could be' it will be worth it. You have a terrific vet

I have a friends dog here boarding. She is morbidly obese and very old, being a candidate for heat stress. As soon as I woke up yesterday I was on the phone to their vet asking if I could board her with them in their air con til the heat passes. She is still there, just off soon to collect her. I really dont think she would have survived yesterday here.

Did you clip both or one? You should only clip one as it unbalances them then.

I am sorry for your loss.

Oh my GOD :cry: :cry: :cry: Please tell me that's not the same dear old boy I groomed for you once?? Bloody Hell Caz, he was just the nicest boy, you know if you or your parents didnt adopt him I was going to jump in line. OMFG. He looks so lovely in that photo compared to when I saw him. You obviously did such a lovely job getting him in to such good condition. My heart is aching for you, he was truly such a special dog. He just had an aura about him that made you want to love him. I am so so sorry and as equally disgusted that some idiot bloody moron would be stupid enough to leave a dog on a table. Thinking of you *hugs*

It's not good, but at least they didnt try to make something up to cover themselves.

Same here. I just can't trust that anyone but me or my Mum will look after them the way I expect. I wish I had that luxury I have no family here but I guess even if I did I wouldnt trust them to care for my animals as they aren't animal people at all. This is the first time I have boarded these dogs and only the second time Ive boarded at all. I left the Pug with a woman who does in home care and she was great but I wouldnt leave my SBT with her (plus she wont take them). I cant board her on her own as she is a nervous girl in new situations so the Pug will board with her to help her anxiety. Ive been here for over two yrs and havent managed to get away for a weekend yet. I really need a break. My neighbours will come and do the poultry and feed the MAremmas. But I wont leave the Pug and Stafford loose when I am not here. It really is my only option to get a break. In June I am going away for two weeks but have trusted friends travelling here to stay. I used them a year ago when I went away for 5 days and they were awesome. It's hard for them though as they have 6 dogs and need to find someone to stay at there place to mind their dogs in order to come here, so they arent available for the odd weekend etc. Luckily though they see the longer breaks here as a holiday for them so it works well. Back in 2005 Ollie had just been dxd with MCT and was due to start chemo in the January of 06. We had tickets to go to Hervey Bay for Xmas with the whole family. We advertised in October and November in the Canberra Times for someone to dog/house sit. We got some complete loonies but I also interviewed a lot of really nice people. We ended up with a 3rd year law student. She was amazing and actually looked after him a few more times on weekends for us, so we could go away. If you advertise with plenty of notice and have the luxury of time to go through the applicants, you could end up with someone as great as she was. If I was to advertise again - I would probably just do it through the Uni. Most of the more 'normal' people I spoke to were from there. I tried for 12 months to find someone suitable in this area. I registered on every conceivable housesitting/pet sitting website with no one suitable. We had only one person in this whole area who did it as a business, used her twice but then she moved. After the second time she wouldnt have come back anyway as the Pug went missing for 5days and the poor girl was a traumatized that it happened on her watch. I have to be extra careful and extra picky due to the Maremmas. I have about 60 animals (poultry included) here so the person has a lot of reponsibilty. Most of the house sitting people wanted to bring their own dogs or even their kids. One woman got quite pushy about bringing her toddler even when I kept explaining that I wouldnt trust my dogs. It's not easy staying here, the dogs all need constant supervision and separating etc so it really needs to be someone mature and responsible and someone who doesnt take risks with the dogs. The Maremma also dont accept just anyone. It is more daunting finding someone knowing if they do one thing wrong that they could be bitten so it's not a decision I can make lightly. In the end I just found it easier to accept my friends offer of help instead, I left them an A4 six page debriefing :laugh:. The Maremmas will only allow one neighbour in to check on everything as they know him well, so he is the one who is checking on them next week. They've just been away for a week and Ive checked on their dogs so it works well. We times our breaks to suit each other. eta: I also found it hard to find people that dont own their own home. There is no Uni here and most kids/younger adults shoot off to Sydney to leave home leaving behind mature aged home owners IYKWIM. Plus when people have come out to have a look and give me a quote it has been $100+ a day which is just not an option on top of paying for a holiday and loss of wages while away. Although in saying that if someone had been perfect I woudl have paid it.

My Rotti used to do this when we had a pool. He also used to grab my daughters floaties when she was a toddler and pull her out of the pool from the steps. In the end we just ended up locking him away when we swam as he woudlnt allow my daughter to swim without getting anxious.

Same here. I just can't trust that anyone but me or my Mum will look after them the way I expect. I wish I had that luxury I have no family here but I guess even if I did I wouldnt trust them to care for my animals as they aren't animal people at all. This is the first time I have boarded these dogs and only the second time Ive boarded at all. I left the Pug with a woman who does in home care and she was great but I wouldnt leave my SBT with her (plus she wont take them). I cant board her on her own as she is a nervous girl in new situations so the Pug will board with her to help her anxiety. Ive been here for over two yrs and havent managed to get away for a weekend yet. I really need a break. My neighbours will come and do the poultry and feed the MAremmas. But I wont leave the Pug and Stafford loose when I am not here. It really is my only option to get a break. In June I am going away for two weeks but have trusted friends travelling here to stay. I used them a year ago when I went away for 5 days and they were awesome. It's hard for them though as they have 6 dogs and need to find someone to stay at there place to mind their dogs in order to come here, so they arent available for the odd weekend etc. Luckily though they see the longer breaks here as a holiday for them so it works well.

LOL. When I picked my dog up with blood all down her chest from a bite to the throat it was a pretty sure sign I wouldnt be going back! The injury went on to have complications, because of this she had to have surgery and ultimately sped up her laryngeal paralysis (bitten in the throat at kennels and had been debarked by previous owner, the surgeries after attack in kennel led to too much scar tissue build up in her throat) and she died. She was my heart dog So yeh, trusting my dogs with kennels has been an real issue for me. Just trusting them with anyone has been an issue! So stepping back in to using kennels next week is huge for me so I am very nervous They are having a trial run on Tuesday and then if that goes well they are staying a few more days the following week.