Aroura

[quote name='candybug2002']:cry: That is a sad story. I wish I could have a border collie, but our yard is on a hill and we cant have a fence, and not enough room. Before you get a dog you should always think long and hard about it. Just because they saw Babe they shouldnt have gotten a dog that required so much time.[/quote] Yes, same goes for people who want wolves or Dingos, just because a dog looks good is no reason to get it. Any type of dog really, I think there should be ad campaignes etc teaching people how to choose the right dog and what responsible dog ownership is all about. It would cost so little to make a couple of advertisments and to educate people yet it would save so many dogs lives and in the long run it would save alot of money by reducing the number of dogs that have to be put to sleep.

Just found this site; [url]http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/dept_brands.asp?dept_id=1&prodtypepid=93[/url] worth having a look at, I found it very interesting, especially how Hills has meat as its prime ingredient for the Adult food but not in puppy food. Wonder why that is? I think Hills Science Diet Adult turns out to be best value for money though, I must say Bil Jac does look rather healthy, alot of meat as prime ingredients. Still, it is rather expensive, can't get it here in Australia anyway. Well, check out the site and let me know what you all think :)

Sounds to me like your dog was docked. Docking is done at only a few days old, before the pup is old enough to feel it. The only other possibility is that you have a Stumpy tail. If I were you I would never go to this breeder again and don't reccomend anyone else does either. You could report them to the AKC or something to stop them misleading other people. I don't think you can show Cattle dogs with docked tails either, but I'm not sure

This story actually reminds me of something that happend to me years and years ago, I would have been about 8 at the time. One day I was trying to catch our dwarf rabbit, La Belle, and I grabbed her and only managed to get her leg which made her squeel so I let go. The next day she was gone. For years and years I blamed myself, feeling so guilty that I had caused her to run away. For about 9 years I felt this terrible guilt at the loss of our pet and had spent many many nights crying over it, until one day mum accidently let it slip what really happend. She'd been hiding it from us kids because she didn't know that I blamed myself so just said that she'd run away. What really happend apparently was our buff, tough wannabe macho neighbour thought it was a joke to sick his Bull Terrier onto our rabbit infront of mum. In this case it certainly was a case of the owner needed to be put down, not the dog. I loved that rabbit, as did the rest of the family, and all it took was one stupid owner and thier loving, loyal, innocent dog to ruin this.

Good luck Beagle!!! At least then you can find some GOOD in homework and get even better marks!!!! :D :D :D

[quote name='beagle88']Hey the other day I went to PetsMart to look at the diffrent kinds of dog food and the indgriedets and I really want to try a bag of Bil Jac because I have heard soo many good things about it. And so I flipped over the bag and the first one was chicken by products. I was kinda suprised. Is that the only kind they put out besides puppy and reduced fat? I use Pro Plan now and they just seem to poop so much, other than that I am 100% satisfied. But Pro Plans #1 indgriedent is beef.. so woudn't that be better than by proudcts? Or does it not really matter only that it is not corn.[/quote] Meat is always better than corn or grains as a prime ingredient, and rice is better than corn. As a rule, chicken or lamb is better for dogs with allergies etc, but beef has more iron in it, as well as fat. I'd stay with the Pro Plan if I were you.

I think I must be very lucky, I have only ever heard Lily bark like 3 or 4 times, and that has been while she was playing! She's 7 months old now and I'm not even sure she knows what the point of barking is! Tessa and Puddles will bark when people walk by and Lily will just run around the yard in circles wondering what all the commotion is about!!!! She makes up for it though, she spends 24/7 whining, whining to come in, whining to go out, whining for food, whining because she's restless, whining because she's tired, or simply whining for the sake of whining!!! Any ideas how to stop this? I think she just likes the sound of her own whine! :lol:

[quote name='beagle88']Oh! That is a sad story! :cry: I am glad for you that you get to keep your dogs inside! I have had plenty of those "long serious" talks with my mom but she is set in her ways! :-?[/quote] Yes, parents can be like that. Have you tried making them a little rug, teaching your dogs to stay on it, bringing it inside and negotiating with your mum that if they stay put, and you vacum the floor every couple of days, that they can come in for just 5 minutes at a time to keep you company while you do your homework? If you can do that, slowly you can negotiate longer times etc. I know your dogs feel loved anyway, they must be some of the luckyest dogs around to have you as an owner :P

Labs are Labs, there are no seperate breeds, they are all the same. In some countrys though, breeders may aim for a slightly different standard, so the breed differs between countrys. I've noticed this alot while researching Boxers, although nothing is said about it, looking through the websites from different countrys I noticed that the Champion Boxers differed slightly in size, shape and stockyness etc. If you are after an 'American' Lab, simply buy one from a reputable breeder in america, and I'm sure you'll get what your after :D

[quote name='Horsefeathers!']Mei Mei... since you asked, LOL :lol: Expensive does not necessarily mean better quality. Just because a food is high priced is no quarantee that it's not garbage (Science Diet and Eukanuba being some of the worst offenders of duping customers with that tactic, IMO). However, by the same token, quality does not come cheap. It's just a matter of doing homework, finding out what canine nutrition is all about (it can be debated and, of course, I still have a lot to learn) and learning what's REALLY in the food you choose to feed. As far as personal choices go, I really like the OMH Wellness (what I feed mine), 3 Dog Bakery, Solid Gold and am sort of checking out Flint River Ranch (undecided, but looks promising). I used to consider Nutro as an alternative to the Wellness I'm feeding only because Nutro is so much more widely available, but was disappointed to learn of their deceptive advertising and that it also contains sodium pentobarbital (the drug used to euthanize animals). Anyway, that's my $.02 since you asked... :wink:[/quote] No, I don't free feed, I like to keep track of exactly how much my dogs are eating and don't like food sitting around all day. I know exactly what your saying about quality over quantity, before I got an income and could buy my own dog food dad fed Tessa on No Frills (really cheap) dog food. Since I have switched to Pedigree PAL she has cut back by about HALF her food intake without loosing any weight whatsoever!!! I will, however, have a further look into the price of other brands. What is your oppinion on Iams? or Supercoat? None of the brands you recomended in the above post are available in Australia. Any other oppinions?

This is an article that I read in an australian dog magazine 'Dogs Life!'. It really touched me and I thought I'd share it with you all: [b]When the Wilson family saw the movie "Babe", they decided right then and there that the Border Collie was the dog for them. With a big backyard and two kids to play with, the active dog would be kept happy. They also liked the fact that this was an intelligent breed, "one that would practically train itself". The black and white ball of fluff was instantly adored by the children who named him Prince. The kids were supposed to watch the pup carefully and take him outside for regular toilet breaks, but despite good intentions, Prince had several accidents on the new carpet. So the Wilsons decided it might be best to keep Prince outside - after all, working Border Collies live outside. The Wilsons didn't spend a lot of time outside in their garden so Prince saw his family less and less. When the kids did come outside Prince would get so excited he would seem to go wild, jumping up and nipping at hands and feet. It became less enjoyable to go out and see Prince. Last time young Jimmy Wilson was knocked over and began to cry. Soon, the kids did not want to go out in the backyard at all as they were frightend of Prince rushing at them and jumping on them. He was getting faster, bigger and stronger every day. The Wilsons realized Prince probably needed more exercise so they decided to take him for a walk to the local dog park. Prince was so excited he pulled on the lead as hard as he could, aggrevating Mr Wilsons bad back. He barked excitedly at every dog he saw and lifted his leg at every tree. At the park, Mr Wilson let Prince off to play - he had the time of his life, chasing birds, nipping at the heels of the kids playing soccer and stealing the balls of other park users. It took Mr Wilson an embarressing 2 hours to finally catch Prince and bring him home. The whole experience was one that he cared not to repeat. The Wilsons dicided their only option was to let Prince live the rest of his life in the backyard. For many dogs the story ends here, but not for Prince. In frustration and boredom he began digging more, chewing more and barking more. The Wilsons once beautiful garden turned into a minefeild. The neighbours started complaining about the insessant barking. One time, Prince even escaped over the fence and nearly caused a car accident. Mr and Mrs Wilson decided Prince would be better off left in the garage, where at least his barks would be muffled and he would be safe. Prince continued to bark out of sheer boredom and began to destroy everything he could reach in the garage. The Wilsons were now convinced their dog was not suited to suburban living and really needed to live on a farm - at least thats what they told the animal shelter when they left him there. A dog which is to wild to play with the children, destroys the backyard and has to be locked in the garage is not what anyone wants, yet the scenario is repeated thousands of times around Australia each year. More dogs die before 18 months of age due to behavioral problems than from all other causes put together. The Wilsons were not cruel people and Prince was not a 'bad' dog. The problem was simply a lack of knowladge and understanding of basic canine need and behavior. If the Wilsons had worked on acheiving a good relationship with Prince, Prince could have become a valued and loved member of his human "pack", instead of an outcast 'lone wolf' - destined for a short and lonely life. [/b] This is a sad reality that so many dogs have to face every day, and it makes me sad thinking of how easily it could have been prevented. :cry: In case you are wondering, after mum read those posts before and I had a serious chat to her, you'll be happy to hear I've managed to convince her that my dogs should be in with me, where they belong. So me and my dogs can now spend a happy life snuggled together in my room, or the study, or the loungeroom :D :D :D Not all storys have a sad ending! :P [/b]

[quote name='Mei-Mei']I feel so lonely! Am I the only person who feeds her dogs meat, bones and vegetables? I'm not talking about leftovers, I cook meals especially for them. Usually I throw in a cup or two of Eukanuba. I didn't like the BARF diet because I'm kinda funny about raw meat, so I adapted the diet and my dogs have done quite well on it. I wouldn't recommend it though, because it's darned expensive.[/quote] I used to cook for Tessa when she was younger, she grew up on home cooked meals until I couldn't find the time to cook anymore. Also there was so much controversy about raw vs cooked meat and how much meat they should actually be eating, balancing the food, getting all the nutrients and etc etc etc that I switched to commercial food for an easy way out!!! I do want to change my dogs diet so they are getting a better diet with more meat, but its extremely difficult with the budget I'm on, being 19 and currently job hunting I'm rather broke at the best of times and spend a majority of my pay on my dogs as it is. I considered cutting out the wet food from their diet completely and just feeding a premium quality dry food, thinking that may be cheaper... until I looked at the price of the better quality food!!!! No way I could afford that with the amount my two dogs eat. Well, after alot of thought I've decided I'll still feed the normal PAL dry food, as they seem to be going well on that, but rather than feeding commercial wet food, which contains meat as the prime ingredient, yet is still packed with unessissary fillers etc, rather, I will feed a variety of chicken necks, chicken wings, chicken legs, liver and fish heads, as well as dry food. All raw, as Tessa has always done well on it and I'm a strong believer of raw foods (if it suits your dog). All human grade food, fresh, nutritious and working out probably less than feeding canned food. I will also add yoghurt and cod liver oil to their diet, fresh fruit and veg and apple cider vinager to their drinking water.

[quote name='Anonymous']Aroura, Is that your dog's picture in the window?[/quote] Yep, thats my dog Tessa. She's the kelpie/blue healer/bull terrier cross that I got from the pound when she was only 5 weeks old. What I don't understand is, how could anyone dump such a beautiful dog?

[quote name='Anonymous']Today I sniffed Many dog behinds -- I celebrate By kissing your face. My human is home! I am so ecstatic I Have made a puddle. The cat is not all Bad --she fills the litter box With tootsie rolls.[/quote] Very good, I must say... i especially loved those three!!! :lol:

When Tessa was in her phsyco puppy 'want to chew everything' stage one day she chomped down onto a peice of wire and chipped her tooth. I made it my mission from then on to keep an eye on it so it didn't rot. I checked it the other day, and noticed the tooth is going a darker colour than her other teeth, its rotting slowly on the inside of the tooth. Her tooth is still mainly healthy, the rotting hasn't yet taken its toll but I was wondering, should I take her to the vet now or leave it for a while? Will the vet most likely pull it out? Its her upper canine, don't know what she would do without it, she's only 4! The reason I didn't take her when it happend is because I had absolutly no form of income at that stage and my parents didn't think it was a big enough deal for them to pay for a vet visit. Any suggestions?

Another dog could be an idea, but not nessisarilly a good one. It may just add to the problem, and would definatly add to things being destroyed around the house!!! You sound like you have a lucky dog, going to playgroup and all. Most owners would just ignore the problem if their neighbours didn't mind. I would say your best bet would be a stack of toys, the ones mentioned in the previous post are all good ones. Also try leaving tasty treats around the backyard for your dog to find while you are away. A sandpit for the dog to dig in is also a great idea and provides hours of entertainment. Consider, if you don't already have one, a fence that allows the dog to see whats going on on the outside world. The dog may bark more at people walking past, but will be less likely to bark at anything and every noise he hears. Also take the dog for a morning walk to sniff and explore the neighbourhood before spending the day in the yard. Its more a matter of mental stimulation than wearing the dog out. Give it two or three months and then try a citronella collar if it still isn't working. Make sure there is a money back guarentee before you buy it, as they only work on around 9 out of 10 dogs. Otherwise, look around for someone else who has one so you can test it out. Shock collars aren't really cruel, if your dog is smart it will learn after only a few barks that it shouldn't be barking. Once the dog learns you can take it off so if you or your house is in any real danger the dog can give a warning back without being punished for it

Oh, how terrible? I would have grabbed the dog and taken it to the pound if the owner wasnt to be seen so it didn't happen to someone elses dog, dogs like that should be muzzled in public and on a lead! By the sounds of it it was a Neapoliten Mastiff, but I doubt they would be classified anywhere as a dangerous breed. Thats terrible, I would die if anything like that happend to either of my dogs :cry:

[quote name='GSDmom']As far as I know Diamond is for all sizes of dogs. I get it at a local feed store called JRG supply. I had heard bad things about it a few years ago, but find it to be a good food for my dogs. I have found that some dogs do better on certain foods and others need a different type. Diamond does make different formulas too.[/quote] What kind of bad things have you heard about it??? I'm guessing I wont be able to buy it here, living in Aus and all. I'm thinking of switching to eukabana or Iams when Lily stops growing and eating so much!!! Anyone know which is better? At the moment my dogs are on PAL, seems to be fine, they are energetic, shiney, happy and healthy, but if theres something better out there I'll get it for them!!! Nothing but the best for my dogs. 8)

Yep, she sure does eat alot. She costs a fortune to feed!!!! She's worth every cent though, I'd rather have no money and a beautiful dog than all the money in the world with no dog. Non dog lovers don't understand why I spend all my money on a dog, but it makes all the sence in the world to me, I love her and thats all that matters :D

[quote name='GizmoRedNosePit']I feed my puppy in the morning a cup of dry food, then for the night meal I give her a can of Roast beef slices in gravy, some cooked white rice and another cup of dry dog food.....She is spoiled but she usses up all the calories! I am slowly watching her feeding so I know if she is still hungry.... :D[/quote] Yes, puppys do tend to eat alot!!! My 4 year old, 22 kg Cattle Dog Cross eats mearly 1/4 of a 1.2kg tin and I cup of dry once a day, while my 6 month old 20kg Boxer pup eats a massive 1/3 of a 1.2kg tin with 3 cups of dry food in the morning and at night has half a 700g tin of puppy food, 3 cups of dry food, 2 chicken necks and a chicken wing!!!! Neither of them are either fat or skinny, both are nice and lean with excelent muscle tone but I just cant believe how much Lily eats compared to how little Tessa eats and they are the same weight!!!

I was just curious about what everyone in here feeds their dogs? I feed my dogs a mixture of dry and wet food, just curious about everyone else and their experiences with certain diets.

[quote name='beagle88']To Aroura and Aroura's mom: Thank you very much for rewarding me! :D The shed is fine, people assume things about it. Once I move out I will have inside dogs. (but not on the bed!) I just wanted to say thank you![/quote] No probs Beagle, the shed sounds tops, every dogs dream next to being inside. People who say its too cold should spare a thought for hunting beagles who get no more than a hay stack to pile up on for a bed. Beagles are bred to be hardy, your shed sounds more than sufficient for their shelter needs, especially if they have each other to keep warm, as well as kennels and blankets etc

[quote name='nicki']Aroura...you now have the perfect opportunity to get your dogs into the house. Your mother has specified exactly what it is she expects from you. Look over her posts very carefully and list down the things she stated that she wants you to do. Stop denying, justifying and excusing yourself. This is not going to help your dogs. Review the list with your mother to make sure that it is complete and make a deal with her that if you accomplish all the things on the list then the dogs can come into the house. These dogs are yours and should be your responsibility. Your parents should not have to do anything for them. Your mother seemed receptive to working with you but you have to live up to your responsibilities. Good luck and I hope it works out for all of you.[/quote] Thanks Nikki, I'll do that. Fingers crossed and hope it works!!! As for what you said about my parents not having to do anything for them, dad only walks them because he wants to. I also walk them but I must say dad enjoys taking the dogs out every day for a romp around, and I don't blame him!!! They are all so cute and I'm sure he loves showing them off just as much as I do, not to mention all the laughs involved with walking Lily, as she stomps off into the grass and falls into every hole, runs into every pole and trips over any log possible!!!

[quote name='Anonymous'][quote name='Aroura']Ever considered a Labradoodle??? I think you'll find they are everything you are looking for, plus they do not shed and are hypo allergenic. They are extremely intellegent and absolutly LOVE the water! They are very sociable, love everyone from babys to elderly people and they do not have many health problems. Good luck[/quote] OH PULEASE - this is not a breed its a mutt, it does shed and it is not hypoallergenic - I've seen more people giving this poor mix that has a horrid coat to deal with up because they found out they were allergic to it than you can imagine. You must read that quack vet's books on 'breeds'! Depending on the temperament of the parents (the two breeds vary you know in the temperament of the dogs) and the health of the parents and their background the labradoodle may well have more problems in health and temperament than either breed normally shows when they come from a carefully bred litter. NO responsible breeder would produce these mixes (and even the guide dog program that started this mess seems to be giving up on them) and none would sell a dog to someone who plans to breed them leaving only the dregs of each breed to be likely parents.[/quote] Well, I don't know where you live, but where I live there are quite a few responisible breeders trying to develop this 'mutt' and are breeding them for intellegence, to be hyperallergenic and not to shed. Have you ever heard of selective breeding? Perhaps you should look into it, it can be done you know, as poodles already possess these traits.

A German Shepard sounds like a good choice, whatever you do just don't get a flat faced breed or a dog with white on its face as it may get cancer. Always provide plenty of shade and if possible a shallow pool for the dog to dip in if it gets too hot. My dog Tessa loves to cool off under the hose and would spend hours chasing it around every day if only I had the time to hold it for her!!!