HELP! NEED HELP TO DETERMINE DOG'S AGE

[Aja]

2 minutes ago, sheena said:

Just asking as I might have missed it somewhere, but why are you only considering a small breed dog.  There are some lovely medium breed dogs that would be good with children

We have a very small backyard  which would not be suitable for a medium sized dog. ..

[persephone]

A dog can be happy in an apartment . it is what happens OUTSIDE a backyard which determines  a lot of a  dog's happiness /contentment  Dogs NEED at least one , preferably two longish walks a day EVERY DAY ..with leash . They also need some free running and games, and LOTS of sniffing. They need training to occupy their brains...tricks, commands and good manners. they need house manners and yard manners . 
All this takes extra time ...Dogs just don't automatically 'use' all a yard to occupy themselves. They will need interactive toys, maybe a sandpit, maybe some other play equipment .... it's a bit like having another toddler!! 
Often a medium dog is better with kids  than a small dog .....and there is less risk of injury to the dog if a child accidentally falls or rolls on it etc . 

[Papillon Kisses]

2 hours ago, Aja said:If we finally find a dog, do you have any tips how to keep their teeth clean? 

My dog has a history of severe perio so I’ve tried everything, been advised by a veterinary dentist and so on.

 

The gold standard of at-home care is at toothbrushing using dog toothpaste. It’s not as hard as you’d think, you’ve just got to work at your dog’s pace. A rewards-based dog trainer with an interest in cooperative care can help you if needed or check out the Facebook group Positive Dog Husbandry. It’s really worth persevering with it as it’ll save you a lot of money (and preserve your dog’s health) in the long run.

 

 

An alternative can be getting a pair of cheap stockings or gauze, wrapping that around your finger with the dog toothpaste on it, and “brushing” your dog’s teeth that way. Again building up in a similar way to the video.

VOHC has a list of products that have been shown to be beneficial too, and your vet can give you advice on what’s appropriate for your dog. http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products_dogs.html

 

Absolutely nothing beats toothbrushing though and having regular dentals under anaesthesia at whatever schedule your vet recommends for your dog (all dogs are different - some may only need two in their lives, others every six months or yearly). When I added in daily tooth brushing I was able to majorly extend the time between surgeries. Even so, as perio is a sneaky bugger he’ll have sparkling teeth that when xrayed are found to be rotten underneath and needing removal. 

[DogsAndTheMob]

The current shortage of small dogs may not continue. In fact, I worry that a lot of dogs will need to be rehomed in the next year or so, because people who’ve bought dogs during lockdown can’t manage them when they return to work, and because other people are struggling to care for themselves and their families under the stress of longer working hours and/or less pay.

Edited August 22, 2020 by DogsAndTheMob

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

If the man's name is "Alan" - run a mile, he's in country NSW and is a byb, dishonest and unscrupulous.  Has family and friends, looking him up on Facebook won't help - they are all involved and as bad as each other.  

 

You'd be far better off going to a rescue or registered breeder but i would be looking for a bigger dog - they should be more robust and there's less chance of an accident with the children dropping them etc.  Toy/smaller dogs often require more dentals than larger dogs.  Many toy dogs aren't cut out for handling children's play, injuries happen far too easily.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2020 by Her Majesty Dogmad