Ruthi (borrowadog)

LOL, I don't think magnets wear out! And also I don't think that there is any reason to worry about the collar and a chip, but I will get Tiger's read next time we are near a reader, just to make sure. Ruth

In addition to human glucosamine, which is exactly the same as the doggy stuff but cheaper, I give mine cod liver oil. A big bottle costs just over £1 from Tesco or Sainsbury's and the dogs love the taste. My middling sized dogs get a teaspoonful (estimated) per day. You can't overdose on glucosamine, by the way, only your purse will feel the difference. The tablets are not terribly well absorbed, so a bit higher dose is fine. I don't know if its psychological, but I swear Tiger improved when he got his magnetic collar (leather, from Ebay) and worsened again when I took it off and forgot to put it back for a week or so. Exercise should be little and frequent to stop doggie siezing up. A coat helps keep them warm and seems to help too. Especially when they slow down due to the discomfort.

I've no experience of the feetwarmer thingys, but can highly recommend angora socks. Ruth

Yay! for Scamp RMF Puppies don't look all that cute when they are biting you at 4.30 am!!

I'll be off to buy a proper basket muzzle for madam when I get enough time away from puppies. But I do not see it as a long term solution. I think Jim might be a bit far from us in Berkshire. We have some good behaviourists around here, but the trouble is that nothing can happen until after Xmas, and I am away for most of Feb, so we are in a bit of a time box. So I was hoping for a DIY solution to be going on with!

Molly is one of those dogs that gobs off first, and then considers whether things are OK. She's like that with visitors (but bear in mind she still has her puppies) and she is like it on walks. Its all fear, and Molly is generally a rather fearful and worried dog, although already better than when she came 12 days ago. On Saturday we took her to the tennis courts and tested her recall which was perfect with just our boys. So we went up to Caesar's camp, an old iron age hill fort with a flat top and just low scrubland so we could see where the dogs went, and let her off there. She was fine, came back when called, ran around with Seamus - just perfect. Until another dog showed up, that is. She went into full gobby mode and rushed up to this poor dog who was a bit surprised to say the least. She didn't bite, but ran up to him with her mouth open so her teeth grazed his neck without doing any harm. Then she came back. She did the same open mouthed attack to Zulu, daycare doggie, when he arrived this morning, even though she knows him quite well now. Now clearly, we can't have her doing this, some owners might not be as sympathetic as the owner on Caesar's camp who turns out to foster herself. I'm walking Molly on a headcollar now because she's getting strong enough to do harm to my back (no strength at all when she arrived, but a week of proper walks has made quite a difference). If I put her behind me she's a lot calmer, but still clearly upset by other dogs. I really don't want to condemn this dog to lead walks forever, she loves running around so much! I have instigated fairly strict pack ranking stuff with her, NILIF, not allowed on the bed (huh! sleeping hubby let her on this morning while I was puppy minding at 5.00am!). But I wonder what else I can do to help her feel safer. For those who haven't seen the other posts, Molly is a six year old whippetty girlie who arrived here a couple of weeks ago with her 3 half cavalier puppies from a home that couldn't cope. She has been barky/lungy when out for a long time, and consequently was never walked. When they did take her out for any reason she was muzzled. Puppies are now almost six weeks old and doing fine.

Right, well it wasn't the stream that decided me at 5.00 this morning! It was all those steps, and we don't have an outside light and the little darlings are all black.... I am also a bit concerned about the number of worm eggs that Molly dropped, but tbh we've cleared as much as we could, and its just the sheer practicality of it all. So I am learning how quick one has to be with the treats - and testing various ones. I think I feed them too much, because they aren't all that bothered about them, LOL!

Not any more, but I used to have one. The secret is to stop rubbing in the moment the flour and fat form 'breadcrumbs', and to make sure everything is cool before you start. Ruth

Are you serious? Its winter and the little blighters get up at 5.30!!! Sighs.... I was afraid someone might say this. I'll have to fence off part of the garden because we have a stream....

Well the puppies are five weeks old now, they want to explore everywhere, but I can't run after them mopping up all the time they are awake. So currently, when I can't supervise, they are confined to the kitchen, and annoyed about it!! So, the question is, can I paper train them at this age? They come to us to be picked up, and love cuddles and playtime, but I have seen no evidence of them responding to praise. I can obviously treat them when they perform where I want, but I just wonder whether I am being impatient. No point in setting myself up for failure if its too early. They get up and out of their bed/den to pee and poo, and have been doing since they arrived at four weeks. Who has had puppies?

Are you sure that you can't fit in another person, Clare? Most leases stop you from sub-letting, but not from taking on another joint tenant (who signs the tenancy agreement and all that stuff).

Its time to put your prices up. If you are getting too much work, then you are clearly selling yourself too cheap. So quote high - but no so high you would be embarrassed. And not just for them, but for all the jobs that come along. What you want is profitability, not turnover. You want people saying you are expensive but worth it. And what you will find is that the more they pay, the more they appreciate you. Which means you'll be messed around less, they'll do their bit of the job better, and on time, and it will not only be more profitable, but more fun all round. Here endeth the business coach's lecture.... Ruth

As long as Max is comfy :wub:

I have two dogs. Between them they have 5 beds. But most of the time they sleep on the sofas - or my bed. Will that stop me buying this????? Of course not!

More of what my husband calls my 'pornography' Lisa Very full of herself and loud in her opinions. Rachel This is the quiet one, but please remember everything is relative! But she is always the first to go back to bed after a meal and a play. Flash The adventurer. If someone has run to the other end of the kitchen, it'll be my boy! And Yes! they are running now and playfighting If you are interested in adopting then contact Rescue Remedies although they won't be leaving here for a month or so. However, we are expecting a lot of interest given that they are half cavalier. For anyone thinking of fostering puppies be warned, worming them is GROSS. :who-let-rip: Also you can kiss goodbye to any trimming on your shoes, and I am expecting my jeans bottoms to be in shreds before they leave! I've given them some bits of knotted fabric (so they can be easily washed) but my legs and feet are favourite.

2 hours from Cheltenham I would guess. Well worth the trip for cuddles (and a good barking at from Madam, followed by leaning cuddles). I don't really do puppies either. Certainly not what I volunteered to foster! To be fair, I wasn't asked to foster, only to take them to the vet. It was just that I couldn't take them back to where they had come from.

Sorry guv, it warnt me, honist. The camera just went off in me 'and! Be warned, there will be more soon.

Puppies Mum She is getting happier - honest! Such a good little mum, and she has had a lot to contend with in the last 24 hours. She's eating more than my boys put together, and they each weigh more than twice what she does!

They've all had their first wormer - pups get half strength for 3 days. Each weighs in at around 1.4 kilos - not sure what that translates to in adulthood! They are in the kitchen with the baby gate up (Seamus can open doors) and she woofs when the boys pass by, but settles as soon as its quiet so I think that bodes well. Theres a lot of puppy squeaking going on right now so I shall go and investigate in a minute. We've been for a walk she was fine, but we didn't see any other dogs. I've been to PAH and spent a fortune on Naturediet (can't stand the smell of the other ready-made crap), a plastic bed, puppy pads, a collar, a bone thingy (for extra calcium).... I think mum will be on 4 meals a day for a while, she is permanently hungry - and would steal the pups food if she was allowed. She's a sweet little thing, worried, but not an ounce of aggression. Her people were muzzling her because she was barky(and never walking her because it was too stressful), but I don't get it myself. She just needs to feel safe. Right, now to take the pictures. Pups are pretty well solid black, so I may have to wait for OH to come and help me get decent pix.

Tiger and Seamus think the couch is comfy! There's no room for me. Molly is doing well. she barks at the boys when they look in, but is otherwise quiet and calm. I'll take her out for a walk (on her own, just round the block) after I have had some lunch. I still need advice about how to post pictures, people Ruth

They are here! Mum is 6 and a half, pups are FOUR weeks old and fat and happy. Mum is skinny and nervy, but coping. She's been a good mum, and has drained herself totally. She is very sweet and VERY hungry. Unfortunately I can't keep them out of sight, but I have a baby gate up. She's woofing at the boys, but is calming down already. Seamus is woried! Pics to follow - pups are black! Ruth

I have two stairgates, and lots of cheapie vetbeddy stuff from Ikea, LOL!! I may have to rush out and buy one of those puppy pens. I'm just praying that Seamus doesn't take umbrage when she tells him to leave her pups alone! He's making my life extremely difficult by hating (and its mutual) a new customer dog. Poor dog is newly rescued and a bit nervous around other dogs, so he piles in shouting and swearing. Now they trade insults through the bars in the van!! She's fine with Tiger - he ran away from her the first time, and now they will happily sniff around together with heads touching. Who'd want a dominant lurcher? Oh well, if they hate one another we'll have to sort something out, but at least Mum and pups will be out and getting proper medical care (and food).

Yes, it looks as if they can be weaned, although of course they do still need milk at this stage. And we don't know how ill mum is, or if the pups are just hungry or its worse than that. No more information at the moment because despite having a two year old so you'd think they would be home, no-one is answering the phone. I am jumping to conclusions about this family, which is not a good thing to do. I didn't say before, one of the pups has already died so things are not all that good. I'm just hoping that good food and attention will be enough. And that Seamus won't eat the puppies. I need a panic emoticon, but since that's not here I am going back to that bottle of Rioja Oh and yes, pics will follow when I have them, and have mastered the technology

Yes, it looks as if they can be weaned, although of course they do still need milk at this stage. And we don't know how ill mum is, or if the pups are just hungry or its worse than that. No more information at the moment because despite having a two year old so you'd think they would be home, no-one is answering the phone. I am jumping to conclusions about this family, which is not a good thing to do. I didn't say before, one of the pups has already died so things are not all that good. I'm just hoping that good food and attention will be enough. And that Seamus won't eat the puppies. I need a panic emoticon, but since that's not here I am going back to that bottle of Rioja

Thank you Cher! You may yet live to change your phone number!!!! I am in a bit of a panic - we have a chaotic and untidy house, two resident boy dogs, and up to 3 visitors! My newest employee still hasn't got his police check through, so cannot walk any dogs where the owner isn't home (I can't give him the keys), we have all the family here for Xmas in 16 days time and as usual I am in now way prepared.... And, of course, we have no way of knowing what this dog is like - she may bite us all!!! Hubby has just pointed out that the carpet in the spare room is the only one that is even half way decent. So I guess we'd better put them in his study!