Clyde

Shmoo, rename this thread with his symptoms. With any 'luck' someone else might have been in the same boat and will have some suggestions which may save the specialist fees. Thinking of you.

Fingers crossed he's back home with you this time tomorrow Shmoo. Could you have a friend over for dinner and DVD?

How did you manage that?? Mine thinks it's her God given right to hog the sofa every night. I agree with the other posters who say a Stafford won't do well outside. I'd call myself an experienced dog owner, previously owned by Saints and Rotties but nothing quite prepares you for a Stafford. They need a lot of attention, supervision and family interaction. Your best bet is to buy a crate to keep indoors. I understand if you don't want a dog having free reign in your home, but a corner somewhere for them to be crated in the evenings with their family is a step in the right direction. Personally, I like puppies to sleep with me for the first week or so. It's very scary and lonely for them to be removed from all they've ever known, Mum and litter mates, to shoved outside in the dark in a strange place, all alone.

Sorry, Schnauzers are definitely not my forte. Pm Settrlvr as she knows all there is to know with grooming them. I would be very careful about taking him to a groomer, you need to make absolutely sure that it is someone who knows what to do with a show coated Schnauzer. Good luck!

Is that the Malaseb shampoo or is it a special ear cleaning solution? Thanks Shampoo OMG - I just reached for another piece of chocolate and realise there isn't any left. I've just eaten an entire block of Club

Malaseb diluted with water is great for yeasty ears, I also use it as a maintenance cleaner with good success.

I've had one for years and not used it yet. Although I think my Liberty one looks shorter than Blue Fox's, IMO Blue Fox's would be better to have. Standard Poodle/Golden/Labradoodles etc are too tall to be under my frame to be used for the frames purpose. Although I find restraining the dogs cumbersome. If I have a wriggler I put them on a smaller grooming table.

I'll be eagerly checking my inbox

Melo. I haven't 'seen' you around for ages. I'm truly sorry that Tara's ill health is what has brought you back You just seem to know when it's their time, go with your gut. Take care Dru.

I will wash and dry your dog if you can train my Stafford to heel (seriously!) We can't help it if we're domestic Goddesses

Every week, which I know is madness. It's not good for their coats but I like squeaky clean dogs. I tell my clients that less is best yet don't abide by my own advice I see my dogs poo on the run and the poo bounces off their back legs. When George wee's he often hits his front leg or Esme will walk underneath him and cop it allover her head. I occasionally find a poo in the yard with a paw print. George sometimes wees in Esme's food bowl and sometimes I am too late to stop Esme walking through it and licking the edges too. Dogs really are dirty. I hate to think of all of this on my furniture, floors and even their bedding. That's why I wash them so much. I like to touch my dogs paws while I cuddle them so they are used to it. I know it's safe for me to bury my face in to their necks and invite them up on to the lounge for a cuddlefest.

Yoghurt each day helps with gas. My Bulldog suffered from terrible gas when I first got her, within one week of giving her yoghurt with her dinner, no more stinky gas!

And lots more from me too

Yes, but is also has a lower collodial suspension. Fido's gives me eczma. I've not ever really been a fan of Fido's due to the smell and it being too harsh on my own skin but the final straw was at a Pet Expo when the Fidos Rep was telling everyone that their copy of Aloveen was better as Aloveen has so much soap in it. When I disagreed about the soap content she was adamant and stuck to her guns. I let Dermcare know as it's pretty poor form for Fido's to be sprouting damaging false information to the general public. Products should do well on their own merits, not by disparaging their competitors.

Glad I didn't go then

When I was initially looking for a Stafford, none of the breeders I narrowed down to would sell me a male as I already have a male. I have since come across plenty of owners who have a male Stafford with another male dog. Do most ethical breeders insist on puppy buyers getting the opposite sex or did I just ask the 'wrong' people for my cause?

I am interested in answers for this. There seems to be some controversy about certain colours in the breed and paying more for 'rare' colours. From what I have seen the blues don't seem to look as true to type as other colours. Is this the general consensus, or just my own personal taste of what a Stafford should look like? Just bumping

I am interested in answers for this. There seems to be some controversy about certain colours in the breed and paying more for 'rare' colours. From what I have seen the blues don't seem to look as true to type as other colours. Is this the general consensus, or just my own personal taste of what a Stafford should look like?

If the dog had mange I would be using Pyohex rather than Malaseb, as per Dermcare advice. I've used every shampoo mentioned in this thread and overall have found Aloveen as the winner as a maintenance shampoo for dogs prone to mild to moderate itchies. This is based on washing my own dogs and clients dogs. I was very disappointed in the Groomers one. I actually found it quite drying and the dogs coats didn't come up as clean looking as they usually do .

We have them aspirated. I suggest you do the same thing. Lumps can be any matter of diagnoses, what George has is probably completely different to what your dog has. Although, I do recommend getting a second opinion if the diagnosis is cancer. One vet said his face lump was a Mast Cell Tumour - when it wasn't. You really need to see a vet, not online opinions. Let us know how you go, fingers crossed it's nothing sinister

Yes it is, but 2-3 times a week is Dermcare recommended on affected areas.

Nope. George gets various lumps under the skin. Each time I take him to the vet immediately for a definitive answer. Best to do it asap 'just in case'.

I don't know. I'm waiting til after 3 to call, and even then they said they would call me about 5 I need to know if they did both legs or not. Max said he would do the worst first, then if there were no complications they would do the second. I'm really missing her though. For a little dog who doesn't really do much she's certainly left a void. Whereas when Esme was sick at the vets it was like a holiday

Sorry Mods. Please delete

what i was wondering, y im holding off in doing for awhile ! But they already do. I've had no problem getting my dogs accepted in to training, or boarding. A lot of the kennels hadn't heard of it when I first enquired but most were happy to discuss this further with either their vet on board, or my vet. Training didn't even bat an eyelid.