Aroura

[quote name='Taurus and Jada']I really don't giving a rats rear end to be totally honest if she didn't have any ears I would be just as happy.[/quote] lol, you love 'em still the same don't you? Montie has no fur on his ears at the moment, and considering that the ears are the Papillons trade mark it really does look pretty silly!!! But I love him to death, and although I hope the fur grows back completely I really wouldn't care if they didn't, its still the same dog underneath :)

I don't know anything about cropping as its illegal here, but what a cutie!!!! She's absolutly gorgeous. Wouldn't the breeder be able to tell you when to stop taping?

Rowie, I wouldn't do it unless she has to go into surgery for some other reason. I wouldn't put a dog under anesthetic simply to have their dew claws removed, if they were going in for another reason and you want them removed while the vet was at it, thats another thing, but simply to get it done because of the slight possibility they may catch on something is alot of extra trauma on the dogs body, probably for nothing. I'm sure Rowie is fine how she is :D

I forgot to mention, my friend has scars all up his arms from his dogs dew claws. Another pro on the side of dew claw removal. Donna often leaves me with big long scratches up my arm from her dew claws. Carol, Lily has hers removed and she is always holding toys in her arms while playing on her back. Montie also does it, he's got his claws but he's also a boy, so I guess its probably just the dogs personality! pwrpuff, the dew claw is on the inside of the leg, approximatly a quarter of the way up the leg. You can often see some sort of a mark when they have been removed, Lilys fur changes slightly in direction. Abker, they would have been on her front paws, all dogs are born with front dew claws, not all dogs have back dew claws.

Tessa chipped one of her caninines when she was young, the root was exposed but I didn't think much of it at the time (this was a few years back now). Tessa got lucky, her tooth is dead, but aside from that she is fine now, I check it regulary to see if it is rotting or in need of attention. Yesterday though, I noticed that one of Monties front teeth is broken off, I'm going to get it removed when he is desexed. Its only a little one, but still its pretty disapointing to have him needing teeth removed at one year! :o

[quote name='courtnek']Someone removed Laurel's dew claws, and I am NOT happy about it. She was a field dog, why remove the dews? [/quote] Probably because who ever removed them didn't know any better. I never knew any of this before, and had only heard the side of the story that they should be removed to eliminate the chances of them being torn later. There was a dog at training with a torn dew claw, it was very angry because it was in alot of pain. I guess there's two sides to every story. I'm wondering if the back ones serve the same sort of purpose? I know alot of dogs with hind dew claws that just seem to get in the way and catch on things.

Well I read it in a dog book like 10 years ago, and for some reason it just stuck in my mind. Poor Puddles, doesn't even have a proper name... no wonder she's so shy :-? :lol:

When Puddles and Tessa were desexed we asked the vet to remove their dew claws, when I bought Lily hers had already been removed and we were planning to get Donnas removed at desexing also. I noticed Monties front dew claws were still in tact, but one of the back ones had been removed so emailed Clare (his breeder) asking why. Well the reason for only one of the back ones being removed is actually quite funny, apparently some Papillons are born with their dew claws so small they are impossible to find, so one got missed!!! Its still tiny and even took me a few days to notice, but just for convience I'll get that one removed when he is desexed. As for the front dew claws, she actually left them on for a reason, apparently there is some evidence that dew claws actually do serve a functional purpose, here's an email that was posted in her email list [quote] I share your view that dew claws should be left on. My elder Dalmatian, Kajsa, has her inner toe on both forefeet totally distorted with arthritis. Miraculously, it doesn't seem to cause her any pain. Her favourite sport for the first seven years of her life was chasing after tennis balls in the most dramatic manner possible. I feel that the removal of her dew claws put an extra strain on those toes. But the vast majority of Dalmatian breeders seem to think that only an irresponsible breeder would leave dewclaws on. These are caring people, who would change their minds given evidence that dew claw removal is harmful. But where can one find that evidence? My mind can be made up by looking at my dog's feet, but not all dogs suffer in this way. I have to admit that my feelings about dew claws are just that--irrational feelings--unless I have solid evidence to support the view. So, Chris, if you can point me to some of the research or whatever, I'd be more than happy to direct others to the same information. I've tried web searches, etc. without luck. I just don't know where to look for the information. >>>The best evidence is right there in every dog anatomy book that shows the dewclaw. The dewclaw is attached to 5 (count 'em FIVE) tendons. Tendons are attached to muscles or muscle bundles. So that is 5 muscle bundles in the leg that will atrophy (shrink from not being used) once the dewclaw is cut. Additional evidence comes from the fact that working dogs will get grass and dirt stuck in the dewclaws, indicating that they are being used, and from photos showing the dog's foot on the ground and the dewclaw dug into the ground. The pressures on the dog's foot are the same. If there is no dewclaw there to grip the ground, the pressures will go to the elbow, the other toes, the wrist, the shoulder. I know some other caring people who also remove dewclaws. One of my best dog friends is such. We will just have to agree to disagree. Chris[/quote] So remove or not to remove, that is the question. But what is your answer?

Thanks Cassie, I've actually seen the site you're talking about some time in the past, I'd forgotten about it! I'll have to have another look at it when I don't have 101 assignments due within the next week... I don't know how big Australian Salmon get, or where they are in the food chain, I'll have to check that one out. For now its cheap and has no added salt, so its ok for basics, I guess I just want to feed Montie lots of expensive stuff, like $20kg fish! :lol: The meat balls are human grade mince mixed with eggs, Australian Salmon, Kelp, Wheat shoot powder, oil, Apple Cider Vinager etc and mixed with a product called vets all natural when I give them to him. Vets all natural is a mix that you soak for 20 hours before feeding and its supposed to mimic a preys digestive tract. The breeder gave me some, you can't get it here so once that runs out I'll just be mixing veggies in with his meat balls.

Ohhh, great topic! :D I'll start with the dogs, I wont name all the pets we've ever had, just the ones still around, otherwise I'll literally have to name hundreds!!! :o Ok, Tessa first. Claire and I named her, we wanted something human sounding, Kelly was the other option but Tessa stuck :wink: [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/Tessa/dogus.jpg[/img] Nicknames are - Tessa la besta, Beaky (long nose, in comparison to Lily!), Miss Incontinence (yup, she's incontinent!), Tess Tess, Black Dog. Puddles - well Poodle is French for Puddle, it was raining when we got her and she left puddles around the place, so now she's stuck with the name!!! [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/other_dogs/98Puddles.jpg[/img] Nicknames - Puds, Puddlin, Poodles, Sargent Scrawny Tail,vgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggnx mccccccccccccccccccc888888888888888877777;b..... ok, thats not a nick name, that was just Montie making himself at home on the key board!!!! :lol: She's also called Piddles, Poochie etc Lily, well I named Lily before I even knew about her!!! I think it was fate, I was at home one day and said "I'm going to get a Boxer and call it Lily", opend the newspapers and there was Boxers for sale! As it turned out thats also her pedigree name and the name the breeder called her, so she never had to change names! [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/Lily/LilyBeanBag.jpg[/img] Nicknames - Schmoofty eye, Boobaloo, Gorgeous, Honey Buns, Darling, Ma baybe, Flobber lips, Giraffe, Lily Pie, Cauliflower farts, bub... the list goes on, every time I get in one of those moods the craziests words for her come out of my mouth :oops: :lol: Belladonna, we couldn't decide on Bella or Donna, so she got Belladonna, otherwise known as deadly nightshade, well she's as black as night so the name suits her. [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/other_dogs/DonnaOnLily.jpg[/img] Nicknames - usually Donna, some times Bella,-+++++++++++++++++++0-=============================58858588 (sorry, Montie again!), Flop dog, Niusance, Garbage guts, Irion gut etc Last, but certainly not least - MONTIE!!!!! Well he got his name when I was trying to say that I should buy Frankie a diamontie collar (before I got him), anyway, it some how came out as "I should buy Montie a collar" and I thought it was cute so it stuck!!! [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/other_dogs/Joytoy%20Frankincense.JPG[/img] He's already picked up a few nick names such as - Montie moo, Montie Zoomer, Montie Carlo, Montie Beno, Montie Bell, Montgomory, Montosaurus (9 miles long... he's got his own little song for that one :wink: ), Montsta, Fluffy Bum, Bubby boo, Snookums... and plenty more where they came from!!! The cats (sorry, no pics) Rex - well I guess he was the king, so we called him Rex :wink: Meeko - well I just kind of liked that name for a Siamese!!! :D

[quote name='courtnek']I KNOW!! Name it "Courtney" - after me!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:[/quote] No, I have a better idea, name it Jeanne, after ME!!! :lol:

Well I'm thinking I might order it in then!!! About fish, is it ok to mix a tin in with his evening meat balls? I havn't tried him on straight fish, but my sisters dog usually wont eat her fish meals. I mixed in some Australian Salmon with his meat balls and he gobbles them down. He's the only one who gets fed twice daily, the others are all big enough to be fed once daily. Do you know much about the whole raw fish thing? Theres so much contraversy over it I'm just staying away for now, but do you know which ones are safe?

Does any one have any experience with the Missing Link supplement? I want to get some for Montie if its really good, he's so cheap to feed I feel like I'm not spending enough money on him!!! Also, I want the fur on his ears to grow back as quickly as possible and have heard it promotes fur growth. Is there anything else that will make his fur grow quickly?

Plenty of yoghurt and apple cider vinager. Raw bones don't splinter like cooked bones, still, you should always watch your dog while it is eating to be on the safe side, even with kibble, a dog is more likely to choke on kibble than it is to choke on a raw bone. On your last question, I don't think you'll want to switch back to kibble after you see the benefits of BARF :wink:

Great to see more people turning to BARF! :D All of our dogs took to BARF like a fish to water, they really do enjoy it more than kibble and aside from Montie (who would rather look at me from in his crate than to eat anything) they all have very healthy appetites and finnish their meals every day. Montie loves his chicken wings also, but unfortunatly for now refuses to eat at all unless I'm squashed inside his crate with him while he eats his meals!!! :lol:

[quote]How can we be sure that Felix is healthy after we switch him to a BARF or RAW diet? [/quote] You know you're dog is healthy when you take them out and people stop you down the street in amazment on how healthy and shiney your dogs are, or when you see them next to other peoples dogs and can see how much whiter their teeth are, more toned their muscles are, how small their poos are and how their fur glistens in the sun so magnificantly next to other dogs. [quote]How do you guys know that this is a healthy diet for your dogs? [/quote] By their energy levels, visible health and by the loss of many behavior problems such as aggression and hyper activity. Also because you know exactly what is going in and out of your dogs stomach and that there are no preservatives or other toxins building up in your dogs digestive system. [quote]If we cannot find someone in our town or within driving distance that sells the meats that a BARF or RAW diet recommend then where else can we get them? [/quote] Some people who feed BARF make it sound so difficult!!! Add this, grind that etc etc etc, but in reality its as hard as you make it!!! My dogs are doing greatly on chicken, beef, lamb and pork bones with pureed veggies a few times a week with added egg, apple cider vinager, oil, kelp and some wheat shoot powder that some one gave to me which I can't stomach so give it to the dogs instead!!! They occasionally get some fruit, liver, kidney, brains etc, all stuff I can buy at the super market. Yoghurt is thrown in if we have it etc, just go with what you've got and if you find something new and healthy, throw that in too!!! One thing I am looking into for Montie is a supplement called "Missing Link" which I only really want to add because he eats so little and I feel bad not spending a lot of money on him! :lol:

Kayla is a nice name, I used to live with a gorgeous dog called Kayla. Bonnie is another nice name, I was going to get a Basenji and call it Bonnie (our last Basenji was named Connie!). Tahlia has been my favourite name for years, but I'm not going to name any of my dogs that one, I'm saving it for in case I ever have kids!!! :lol: Though it would make a sweet name for a sweet little dog :wink: Look at pedigree names as well. I named Lily before I even saw her, I just decided one day I was going to get a Boxer and name it Lily. Well much to my suprise, having already chosen the name, when I looked at her pedigree her name was "Boxalla Storm Lily" :lol: Monties name was Frankie before (pedigree name Frankensence) and it nearly stuck, but accidently said Montie one day (before I got him) and thought it was cute, so he got a name change :wink: Tilly is another cute name :D

LOL Hillside, yeah, took the legs and all!!! And he's got the most adorable little feet!!! When he plays he pounces and those cute widdle feet make me awww every time! :wink: Courtneck, its not his crate he's soiling in, its when he sneaks off the couch that he soils, he went ON MY BED last night AND this morning!!! Needless to say I've spent the whole day washing sheets!!! I caught him in the act when he was doing it this morning again and put him straight in his crate - he's been good today since that. He's a year old and can hold for a long time if he has to!!!! Its a territory thing I think, he spent half an hour marking around the back yard this morning!!! I introduced him to Lily again, he cuts sick at her!!! Well you all know about Lilys problems, well I knew she'd be ok with a little dog but as soon as he started growling and carrying on I thought she'd get aggressive, but she was good, just went and lay under the table. Anyway, I went to the toilet when they were both asleep and heard Montie cut sick out side the door, I walked out to see what it was about and little 1.5kg Montie had big tough Lily bailed up in a corner!!! She saw me and just wagged her tail but how do I convince him that Lilys not a threat?

[quote name='Rowie-the-Pooh']Heeeeeeeeeeeeey! :x You can't tell us you got a new dog without posting pics! That's not fair![/quote] LOL, funny you should say that, how long did we all have to wait for pics of Rowie? :lol: My friend we stayed with in Sydney on the way home got a photo of Montie on his digital, I've asked him to email it to me and hopefully I'll be able to post it soon!!! The most frustrating thing is that I actually spent like 3x the normal price on a roll of film at a petrol station on my way to getting Montie so I could get pics of him and his parents and when I got there I went to take a photo and realised my camera had run out of battery :o So no photos yet :( I wanted dad to take photos of him after his bath today, he looked so cute!!! But dad had no film!!! :lol: He's so cute and tiny and fluffy!!! One of the reasons I got him was so a could have a little dog as a bed buddy, but now I've got him he's so tiny I'm afraid I'll squash him!!! We only got home last night so he spent his first night ever in a bed, he came right in close and cuddled up to me.... I kept pushing him away and rolling away from him because I'm terrified I might squash him, but every time he just snuggled up closer!! Ha, I was eventually pushed out of bed but a 1.5kg dog!!! The things I do for him, I spent 20 minutes this morning, squished in HIS crate!!! It was so uncomfortable, but it was the only way I was going to get him to eat in there!!! I really must find a better way to get him to eat in his crate!!! Especially when it takes him so long to get through half a chicken wing!!! And he did eventually settle down around Katie, like I guessed it just took him a little time to get used to his surroundings. Now we have stayed at so many places in the past week he could adjust to anything!!! He even came in to hungry jacks with us while we ate dinner, he's so small no one minded! He knew this was home though as soon as we walked in the door with him. He keeps peeing every where though, he's an unnutered male. Anyone got any suggestions to stop him?

Yep, at last I have Montie!!! I went yesterday to meet the breeder at her sisters house, and finally after so many weeks of waiting, I met the boy I've been dreaming of every night for so long :angel: His ears were worse than i expected so I talked the breeder down $50 on him and two hours later I left with my little bundle of joy :angel: !!! Well he was very timid when I met him, but settled down a little before I left. He's grown up on a farm and is a year old now so he's pretty used to the life he's been living and I'm 100% sure after a little time he'll settle in to his new life. If I was only 1.5kg and had lived my whole life with the same two people and my mum and dad etc I'd be a little over whelmed to leave it all so suddenly also. I'm still in Wollongong and my friend who I came down with is angry with me at the mo, she's storming around the house banging things and not really talking to me all because I wont let her hold Montie. SHE HATES DOGS!!!! He's terrified of her because when ever she walks or moves something she doesn't take into account where he is or how small he is and just has the attitude that he's gotta get used to it but the poor baby is terrified!!!! How do you explain to some one who doesn't even care about dogs that the reason you wont let her hold the dog is because she's too noisy for him? And that I don't want him to "just get used to it" because he will turn out very nervous if he just leaves his sheltered life and comes into a house he's never seen before and with a group of people he's never met before and has to deal with it ALL in one go? I want to BUILD up to the noises and stuff, first all i want to do is get him used to ME!!! Every time she enters the room, she doesn't even have to say something, Montie knows and gets scared. I've even got him comfortable enough with me that he will lie on his back, but when ever he hears her he jumps up and huddles up to me. He knows I'm his owner and is already following me around etc, and even though I do want him to get used to other people I don't like seeing him shaking in fear when ever she speaks or holds him :( He's getting along fine with my sister and our friend Ben, who both love him!!!! Katie says she likes him, but she's just got no dog skills. When she picked him up yesterday the breeder even had to tell her how to hold him!!! Any ideas on what I should say to her? She seems to think I'm MAKING him scared of her, by sheltering him from her, but I'm only doing what I think is best for him at this fragile time :( I'll post more updates and stuff later, but at the moment I need to take Montie out for the toilet!!! :angel:

Poochter, you've just described a Papillon to a T again :wink: inactive pooch who is quiet indoors - Yes, they will sit by your side and dote on you all day, but are one of the most adaptable breeds around and will walk for km's if asked to, so long as it is with you :D not impossibly hard for a novice to train - They win obedience and agility trials all around the world, they are great for obedience training. medium sized, short coated - well, they are small.... but their coat isn't too long and doesn't have to be clipped ever light shedder - They don't have an under coat so aren't big shedders at all. genetically strong (long term vet bills) - Papillons are very genetically stable dogs, and if you find a good breeder it is highly unlikely anything will pop up. obedient and can be left alone in my small apartment for a few hours daily without me having to come back to a destroyed apartment - They wont rip every thing up, I doubt their little mouths are capable of chewing through anything of any significance!! Still, with any breed if they are going to be left indoors while you are away it is safest for them if they are crated. I'm not sure what your asking for when you say you don't want a dog that is a push over, but they are intellegent enough to keep you guessing. Of course I'm biased, but if they weren't such a lovely breed I wouldn't be going so far out of my way (and budget) to get one!!! You get the added bonus of owning a dog that isn't very common, is wonderful to look at, and that is easy to take any where with you due to their size. They are very loyal and easy to keep, look at a couple of web sites and I'm sure you'll fall in love also :wink: Good luck, just one last thing I have to say - stay away from designer breeds. Especially if you are looking for such a strict criteria you really want to stay away from cross breeds as you don't know what you're getting. A chipoo (we have one) is just as likely to pick up all the traits you don't want from each breed as they are to pick up the good ones. You may end up with a yappy, hyper active dog with long fur that sheds like mad! :o

LOL Hillside, lets hope he does!!!! Yes, I can't wait to have him all to myself!!! Only 5 sleeps now!!! I've been a bit of an insomniac lately though, lets just hope I get that sleep so I can be a good mummy for him!!! Papillons were origionally bred as a sort of status symbol for rich and royal people to carry around and look posh with, so I can't let him down with a messy house so I've spent all day washing, vaccuming, cleaning fish tanks, making beds etc just so he wont be disappionted on his arrival!!! Anyone think thats a little excessive? :lol: I asked some breeders for some puppy photos, and she sent some, along with his mum and dad which will be up as soon as I shrink them a little!!! (They are about a page and a half now!!!) Claire (my sister) thinks I'm crazy for buying a 1yo for $400 and that I should ask the breeder for a discount. I would never dream of doing such a thing as I know how much effort goes into breeding and also she is such a good breeder she would never discount a dog just to get rid of it, so there's no way I'll ask for him for cheaper, he's worth every cent as far as I can see. Every one agree? Anyway, I'll get those pics up asap!!! :angel:

A poodle and a schauzer did come to my mind, but then so did the grooming! :o :lol:

I just got another email after a long wait from Monties breeder!!! I can get him on Saturday the 27th, thats only 6 sleeps away!!!! :angel: I can't wait!!! I'll be counting down the seconds!!! He's a little older than I thought, but thats ok!!! He turned one year on July the 19th :D YAY!!!!! Oh and Lily met this little Jack Russle at training today, he was no bigger than a chihuahua and it was so cute watching them play!!! And it was really reassuring to me of how gently she plays with little dogs :wink: I know I've posted this pick alot, I don't know about every one else, but I can't get enough of him!!! Its mostly for anyone who hasn't seen him though... [img]http://home.austarnet.com.au/creamy_pumkin/Dogs/other_dogs/Joytoy%20Frankincense.JPG[/img] :angel: :angel: :angel: :angel:

Oh, way I just want to say - if trainability isn't all that important to you I think a Basenji would be IDEAL for you! They hardly shed, have no doggy odour, can't bark, are very clean and EXTREMELY intellegent, as well as being majorly cute and lovable!!! They are very independant and probably don't make the best lap dogs in the world, although they are small enough to be a lap dog. They need to be crated while you aren't at home as they can climb all over the furnature and the curtains if you aren't keeping an eye on them. I would seriously consider one if I were you, our first dog was a basenji cross and she was just fantastic :D