K9Fran

Paul, if you think losing the nail is inevitable, soaking in warm salty water will help - do it every evening and the nail will loosen and come away quite painlessly. HTH

Melp, I don't want to worry you, but nearly 6 years ago (to the day) I had a piece of hard board dropped on my big toe from the loft hatch (long story) to this day the nail still hasn't regrown properly

She needs to see a vet - the symptoms could be thyroid, which is fairly easy to control with tablets....

APBC Autumn Seminar I'd love to go, but I'm maxed out on Big Dave's babysitting services while I do doggy stuff

It's practised incompetance - they get it wrong enough times, you'll relieve them of the responsibility.....

1 acre is a LOT of room, and to a small puppy, that's scarey, and she won't want to advertise the fact that she's there, small and vulnerable by leaving her poo and wee in the big wide world. Owners often expect their puppies to 'know' to go outside, but actually, especially if they've been raised indoors, they only know to go away from their bed area - they look at anywhere in the house as away from the bed......... The key, I believe, is NOT to leave the door open, but to physically take the puppy outside (on lead if necessary to concentrate the puppies mind - this is NOT playtime ;)) every half an hour to start with, and every time something exciting happens - after meals, after waking, after visitors arrive, and give her every chance to do the right thing, with gentle praise and a small food reward as she is in the process of doing it (not afterwards, as this teaches the puppy that stopping is what she is being rewarded for, and not when you get back inside) HTH PS - with another young dog in the house, make sure that each dog plays at least 3 times as much with the owners as with another dog, or they get too closely bonded to dogs and end up not being bothered about what the humans want.......

Tropical storms.......

May your journey be swift and your arrival joyful dear Donna. So sorry Claire

Claire so sorry to hear your news - run free Donna sweet heart...... I've been struggling with some dog classes paperwork - had some new stock in from another tutor who was giving up, but half of what she told me was there isn't, and there's some stuff there that shouldn't be, and I didn't find out until I mixed it all in with my existing stock!!!!!!! EEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!!!! I just can't make the figures balance, and I'll be blowed if I'm paying for stock because it should be there and isn't, because this other lady hasn't sent it to me (but then I should have checked it in the first place.......) Dave has relented and let me get on with my paperwork, BUT keeps interupting with 'good ideas' for raising some funds to clear the overdraft AND tidy the house, AND move the desks into the conservatory to make a new office.......... IT'S DOING MY HEAD IN!!!!!!! Denese, feeling stressed won't help any chest pains, try and relax and concenrate on just breathing in and out slowly - out through the mouth (whistle it out if you like ;))

Big Dave says the scart socket should go from the Sky+ box to the recording device, and then another cable from the recording device to the telly. HTH

When I've used colour run remover it bleached the pattern out - I think it's only intended for whites, unless it's changed...... Salt is a fixative used in dying processes.

Oh no, that's a horrid situation to be in - sorry you're feeling down. I've just heard from Big Dave that I've been nominated to tidy the conservatory - bugger! I was planning on doing some paperwork that badly needs doing - why do they do this to us?

If it's not there - try down the back of the sofa cushions.....

Do it!! I did it to the Co Op bank (supposed to be 'ethical' - I'd racked up over £200 worth of charges....) I got the lot back, and I've heard of people getting £1000's......

Def a bargain - AND you can play noughts and crosses with the kids and the dogs - the kids can be the noughts and the dogs can be the crosses..........

JoC - hope the Dr tells you what you want to hear ;) Just got back from meeting ClazUK (lovely lady) and transporting the adorable Goldie (now possibly named Smartie, because she IS a little Smartie) I hadn't put two and two together about Claire and ClazUK and Swirly Merl - until I heard her mention it on the phone, and now I feel awful because I didn't get a chance to give her a Anyway, handover to new foster home is done, and she's met the resident doglets - all seems OK - poor scaredy boy Sam decided to hide under Mum's bed, but Beautiful Willow was accepting some nice 'I'm only a baby' mouth licks from Goldie Just had a phone call which might indicate this is already a failed foster, so hurry up and get this baby a Forever Home, or Ann won't have room for her GSD......

Morning. Cummon JoC - what are you wibbling about? We know you wibble very well......... I had to let Missy out at 3.45 for a wee, and Bonnie has the squits and has just thrown up on my feet! She seems bright enough though....

It was very nice - if you like limey flavoured things...... Take 1 lime flavoured jelly, and 150ml warm/hot water and stir until it melts. Add the rind and juice of a like (enhances the flavour ;)) and a tin of coconut cream - whisk together, pour into serving dish/dishes and refridgerate until set - it was very refreshing and got a Take care Merlin - safe journey, there will be lots of new friends waiting......

That sounds yummy - any chance of the recipe? I've just made some lime and coconut milk jelly - never done it before, but I'll let you know how it turns out......

Can you keep her on lead while Begley does his 'thing'? It must be quite disconcerting for him

Oh - just remembered some more tips - turn sideways as the dog approaches you - your dog may be worried about approaching your directly (it's rude in dog language ;)) Make sure the item is big enough - when you go to take a smaller item, the polite dog will let go immediatly because it's polite..

Can you not use the wait command, and then reward with his own ball thrown in another direction when he's off lead? Might mean having to be a little more 'aware'.......

OK - variation on the theme - throw the ball so the dog can reach it on the long lead several times - then when you throw it further, call the dog back to you - and throw another (previously invisible) ball in the other direction....

It sounds like you need a good chase recall............ Try this - Get a friend to help - stand a decent distance apart, but so you can still catch and throw the ball between you...... Throw the ball to your friend BUT - they do NOT catch it - allow the dog to retrieve it....... Repeat this several times, then, on 2 times out of 10 (use coloured buttons in your pocket - 8 of one colour, 2 of another) the partner WILL catch it - then, as you throw the ball and release the dog - use a command to indicate to the dog there is no point in going for it, as they won't get it (you need a really good catcher ;)) Obviously this needs to be practised at home and in a variety of other places before your dog will be reliable, but it can also work with livestock chasers too..... I'm not sure I've explained it very well, but hopefully you get the idea.....

Let's not forget it's reward based TRAINING we are talking about - once the behaviour is installed, we don't need the reward..... Simply *doing* the behaviour often becomes sufficient reward in itself....