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skycat

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Everything posted by skycat

  1. skycat
    You need to start by playing tug games with her. NOTE: NOT tug of war, but a carefully structured game by which the dog learns that it feels good to have something in its mouth when it is in contact with you. Sent you a pm.
  2. skycat
    If the jaw is not in line as it should be then it is not fine at all. Dogs can cope with a huge amount of discomfort without apparently being in pain: I've seen plenty of dogs carrying on seemingly as normal with cracked bones: thing is, if you just leave it, it won't heal properly, and could cause serious problems at a later date.
  3. skycat
    Get in touch with Dorwest Herbs and get some Urtica Urens 30c. It is very important that you get the 30c version, NOT the 3c version, as this dries up milk. I've used both on a couple of occasions, and they both worked almost miraculously: for those who don't believe in homeopathic remedies, if you ever try these, you'd be amazed. Here's the link to Dorwest: http://www.dorwest.com/Products/URT30C/urtica-urens-30c-thirty-100-pillules and for the sceptics among you: not saying that you are Weasle, here's another link: http://www.petmeds.co.uk/p-3243-dorwest-urtica-urens-30c.aspx This one
  4. skycat
    If the pups are crying, nuzzling continually at her teats, not settling, acting distressed, then she doesn't have milk, or enough milk. Many bitches only produce a small amount of milk straight after the birth, but continual suckling makes her produce more: pups don't need masses of milk during the first few days. How many pups did she have? Make sure she drinks a lot: add puppy milk substitute: Lactol or Whelpi to the water to encourage her to drink. Don't feed her dry food that will take fluids from her body to digest: feed plenty of raw minced beef and fatty chicken. Bit of cooked liver a
  5. skycat
    Looks like a very intelligent, balanced animal
  6. skycat
    When I fed complete I used to get Purina Proplan up to a year out of date very cheap: had to buy it in mega bulk too: so sometimes my dogs were eating stuff which was nearly 2 years out of date> never did them any harm providing it hasn't gone mouldy. Apparently the vitamin content can suffer in out of date food, but as part of a mixed diet, no problem at all.
  7. skycat
    Saw dust is not a good idea: yes, I know that a lot of people seem to use it, but it can clog up puppies' eyes and nostrils and mouths: also very dusty so not good for a dog's lungs. Shredded paper is OK as long as it isn't in long strips which can get wound round a pup's neck or legs, but very messy and once wet goes down into a nasty solid lump. Straw can be dusty and full of parasites: dust mites, harvest mites, ticks etc. Spray well with something like Indorex or Acclaim when you put it down first: not while there are dogs in there. But straw is warm, though doesn't soak up wet as well a
  8. skycat
    Bitches in or near, or after a season can be a lot less tolerant of pups.
  9. skycat
    If I have two pups of very similar ages they will be kennelled at night and when I'm out to begin with, but I wouldn't like to kennel a solitary pup very early on, and if that is the case I have it inside, crated when I'm not about. It will get fed in a kennel, so it sees that place as somewhere nice to be, and will also spend short periods of time in there when chewing a bone for example. Not had a problem then kennelling at a later date if needs be: bitches in season are kennelled so it makes sense to accustom them to kennel life at the same time as being in a house. I like my dogs to settle
  10. skycat
    Would you recommend tug games with a dog that you want to retrieve and pass something to you? :-)Training the leave command very easy when playing tug. No different to the police dogs doing arm work In protection dog circles they call it 'capping the drive'. In other words, the dog 'gives' when it is told to because you have already established that giving up the tug is simply a break in the game, not the end of its fun. When you transfer this to the field, the dog gives up its catch willingly because it knows there will be more stuff to catch and retrieve later.
  11. skycat
    Would you recommend tug games with a dog that you want to retrieve and pass something to you? :-) Yes: you put the correct rules in place and the dog doesn't tug unless you say it can. It is a relatively simple game to learn, and one which ensures dogs retrieve what they catch as they have been conditioned to feel good about being up close and in contact with you in prey drive. This might sound fanciful if you haven't heard about things like drive etc, but it really does work: providing you establish the rules of the game first: this is very important. It is not just playing tug of war: i
  12. skycat
    Don't use crap puppy wormers: use Drontal, and cut tablets down to size required, which in the case of terrier pups will be little more than a crumb at this age. Weigh pup, then cut Drontal tabs down with sharp knife.Worm every 3 weeks which is the length of time the roundworm completes its life cycle.
  13. skycat
    If you are buying ready minced pet food chicken then the chances are it will have a lot of water in it. Best to mince your own if possible. Also, chicken alone isn't the very best diet: try to use red meat as well: B vitamins and iron etc in that. Tiny bit of liver, cooked is more acceptable to dogs, every week. Tin of sardines once or twice a week. The more variety you use the better balanced the diet will be. Dogs fed on raw diet don't need as much in terms of quantity as dogs fed on a complete dry food: I know that doesn't make sense considering there is more water content in raw food,
  14. skycat
    You're so lucky that she didn't burst something inside after that injection with the pup being blocked At least she came through it alright in the end. Longest labour I've had was 11 hours for 10 pups: no problems, but just a slow whelping: not uncommon in Deerhound types.
  15. skycat
    There is a big difference between retrieving something you throw for them, a low value item like a ball or dummy, and a real live rabbit which the pup has chased and caught with no involvement from you. The reward for her in catching that rabbit is so great that she doesn't want to give it up, and how a pup reacts with its first rabbits often depends on how you taught the retrieve in the first place. Most people throw a ball, say fetch, and the pup runs after it and comes back wanting more. Natural retrieving, a game, fun which involves you. BUT the big thing is that most owners don't rea
  16. skycat
    I must be slipping
  17. skycat
    There is always a danger that pups might injure themselves as they tear about playing, and unless there is an open wound to attract our attention, things often go unnoticed. Getting feet caught in mesh wire and pulling hard to get free is one of the causes, ditto trapped foot in a doorway etc. If the toes are now flat it is most likely they'll stay that way, depending on whether or not the ligaments are actually torn or just stretched. Rest is the only solution for stretched ligaments, but if you've left it too long and the pup has been running about since the injury happened, they'll likely s
  18. skycat
    Or a blocked saliva gland? Vet job at any rate.
  19. skycat
    You've got at least two breeds issued with the longer lasting batteries in that pup: Saluki and Collie. Expect to be knackered! Don't expect to be the centre of your pup's world either: she is at the age when everything around her is begging to be investigated and explored. Don't nag at her, don't continually call her to you. Make sure that when you do call her she isn't doing something much more interesting than you can offer. Let her play, explore, have fun, in safe places. Only call her to you when you have her full attention: wait until she is heading towards you then call her, give her
  20. skycat
    Have you ever noticed how many show jumping horses don't like the single gate? A gate is a scary and large object for a young dog to jump as well. Quite apart from which at 10 months the dog's joints are still maturing: I'd leave gates until he is properly muscled up and his skeleton has completely finished growing. It is a matter of confidence too: try to find a smaller gate, so he gets used to jumping wooden gates, but at a lower height. And always make sure that the landing is soft: not on to concrete or tarmac: if he jars his wrists badly at this age he can damage the growth plates whic
  21. skycat
    Ominous!
  22. skycat
    I got a hole in my retina after a blow to the eye: better get it checked out. Easy to get a detached retina as well. Are you seeing loads of silvery dots or spiders webs across your vision? If so: get it looked at. Better than going blind.
  23. skycat
    Take some really tasty treats with you: crunchy bits of bacon or chopped up ham. Hand feed him a treat as near to a car as he will accept it. This will take a long time: weeks and weeks possibly. Take him to where he is not really terrified, but just a little tense. Start from there: feeding him treats every few seconds. Gradually you should be able to feed him nearer and nearer the cars, but don't be in a hurry: if you try and progress too fast you will have lost any progress made. The dog should be completely comfortable and focussed on treats at each stage before you move closer. Casso,
  24. skycat
    Was he socialised as a pup before the age of 14-16 weeks? As in, did you take him lots of different places, meet other people, dogs etc. If you didn't, chances are he's fine with things he saw and learned before that age, but once that window of socialisation has passed, most dogs will view anything new with fear and suspicion. If you did socialise him properly, then he probably just has a nervy temperament: what are his parents like?
  25. skycat
    That's never 10 weeks old: looks more like 6 or 7 weeks IMO.
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