Ramsey

*Just read back and realised its actually a long post sorry! * I dont post online too much about Michigan now but for his 'Fugee fans, and I know he has a couple, I thought Id give you a little update on his progress and what weve been up to this last year! Best of all our good news, As some of you know and have seen Mich is now 99% better with nearly all dogs and has learnt the value of doggy friends to play with He can still lack a bit of etiquette quite often, hes been known to get a little boisterous with those doggy friends that let him and shout at those that hes not allowed to play with but when it counts he is listening and understanding that other dogs may not want to play or be his friend and he knows now that he cant investigate them all. Unfortunately Mich lost his 'brother' Harry in November so socialisation with other dogs is something we have tried to keep up with regularly. He has several local 'friends' one of his favourite being a young male British Bulldog that he plays wonderfully with and lets him win all the time even though Mich could easily outrun him. Also my other halfs mum has been lovely in allowing Mich to visit with me often and he has become friends, but not best buddies, with her oldie Yorkie Barney. We have been practising his recall and I have to admit we are still working on it but he has surpassed my wildest hopes from 2 years ago 100 times over, now he can go to the local park offlead and I know that he is much more aware of his surroundings and my tone of voice and so far *touch wood* weve had no problems, he does have his off days but dont they all. One of his other main issues from the past that we have continued to work on at a slower pace is his fear of water. For some time now he has been happy to walk in the rain without a coat And even paddle in puddles and still water nearly up to his tummy! There was another set back when he slipped and sploshed into a small lake on a day out at a park but luckily he had his harness with the handle on and I plunged my arm in, grabbed him and lifted him straight out so it was only a quick dunk but he did feel very sorry for himself We still havent got as far as learning to swim or going deeper but slowly slowly he is beginning to learn that water isnt as scary as he thinks. These were taken only the week before last and to me they are really special We found this huuuge puddle (while walking offlead ) and Mich decided to go for a paddle. I threw a couple of small stones in and he went to investigate. Within no time at all the silly lad was running after them, digging with his paw in the water to reach them and barking demanding that they come back out this instant We must have been at this puddle for a good hour that day and i even called my OH at work with a tear in my eye so he could hear him playing (we did try to leave after half an hour but he was enjoying himself too much and I wasnt wading in to get him!) we have been back a couple of times since and he has a whale of a time there Another little issue Mich had was his fear of buckets and hoses (obviously water related) and... plugs Mich has learnt several new tricks and one we have just started to learn is 'touch' where he touches an item with his nose. Using a plug and short wire cut off an old appliance we have encorporated the plug into the 'touch' training and although he often does it with a wrinkled face he is learning fast and trusts us (just not the plug ) I hope to encorporate this and some of his other tricks and games into his fear training and hopefully ease the anxiety he relates to them but its not something were pushing right now. Mich isnt impressed with the new ferret additions to the family at all and stays well clear of them, hes not overly keen on the rabbits but is happy to walk around them when they are out of their cage and hoping around the house, supervised at all times of course (mich is fine its the rabbits that are naughty! ) Some of you may have seen the post about my relitively new OH too, and with my OH comes his nearly 4yr old son. Mich absolutely adores them both (and so do i ) and he has Chris well into his training Although Chris loves animals hes never owned any of his own apart from when he was very young and has been plunged in at the very deep end here with all my fury family. He is passing with flying colours so far So, enough of the serious stuff, Mich STILL continues to surpass all my hopes and dreams nearly 2 and a half years on, hes the most intelligent, responsive, loving dog and hes an absolute pleasure to share life with. I so wish I could share more of him with you all but I will try to update a little more often so I dont end up with posts this long. Also just want to say thankyou to all the fugees for all the info and advice ive taken on board this last year, I do read a hell of a lot more than I post and for that i appologise

Would you put me down for a ping please Would depend on day and times etc but Ive really missed meet ups during the winter.

Allllll the time

In all honesty i think thats the most sensible way to go! If I fed my 1 dog on just burns for instance hed cost approx £30 a month, split yours 3 ways and Id rather know what he was eating and im sure hed prefer the variety. Im even starting to make my own hamster/mouse food because of the ingredients in the shop ones. Just my 2p worth on Wagg, my experiences with Harry and Mich were that they scratched a lot but also they were starving hungry again way before their proper dinner times. Wed feed the same amont as we do with Dr Johns (one day for harry twice for mich) yet they were noticably desperate at least 2 hours before their next meals were due.

Interesting that they say 'natural' anti-oxidants. I might actually contact them because id be interested to know what that actually means. I did try michigan on Natures diet a long time ago now and he didnt seem to do too well on it but it was when he was still recovering from kennel stress. Just FYI... Safneo, Im quite impressed with your food find.. just a quick search on some of the things i wasnt sure about brought up this - Chondroitin Sulphate - Chondroitin is an ingredient found commonly in dietary supplements used as an alternative medicine to treat osteoarthritis (OA, also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease), and also approved and regulated as a symptomatic slow-acting drug for this disease (SYSADOA) in Europe and some other countries[6]. It is commonly sold together with glucosamine. Chondroitin and glucosamine are also used in veterinary medicine MSM - MSM is a pure and beneficial form of the mineral sulphur. MSM is a "Sulfonyl" - Methyl-sulfonyl-methane. It is not related to the common sulphurs, sulphates, sulphites or sulphur drugs which are known to cause irritation to membranes. Carnitine - also known as L-carnitine or levocarnitine, is a quaternary ammonium compound biosynthesized from the amino acids lysine and methionine.[1] It helps in the consumption and disposal of fat in the body because it is responsible for the transport of fatty acids from the cytosol into the mitochondria. It is often sold as a nutritional supplement. Infact the only real thing i can see thats a bit of a 'no no' is sugar beet, which actually means 'added sugar' to you and me. But who doesnt sneak a lil treat or 2 containing sugar to their pets. Hardly comparable to the benefits of cuttign out cancer causing chemicals.

Thanks for the info Safneo! I will definitly look into that one because ive not seen it before but luckily have a good supplier that can get most things.. Dont know any info about the chemicals listed yet but no mention of the main bad ones.... LABRADOR LIFE Nutritional analysis: Crude Protein 20% Oil 7.5% Fibre 3% Ash 5% Vitamin A 20,000 iu/kg Vitamin D3 1,400 iu/kg Vitamin E 120 iu/kg Vitamin C 75mg/kg Copper 15 mg/kg (as Cupric Sulphate) Ingredients: Fresh Salmon (min 26%),Brown Rice (min 35%),Corn,Herring,Barley,Chicken Oil,Oats,Potato,Brewer ’s Yeast,Sugar Beet,Whole Linseed,Salmon Oil,Minerals, Vitamins,Yucca Extract,Chicory Extract,Chondroitin Sulphate,Glucosamine Sulphate,MSM,L-Carnitine

Dr Johns Silver ingredients actually states that it 'contains anntioxidents BHA BHT' FYI: If a dog food simply says, “EEC permitted antioxidants†in their ingredients without specifically mentioning that they are tocopherols you should assume that they are using BHT or BHA and stay away from that food, after all. if they used natural alternatives why would they not advertise the fact?

Following on from the Wagg topic, this is something I have been seriously looking into recently. Obviously we want our dogs to be healthy but ideally at an affordable cost. I personally have had Michigan on Dr Johns Silver medal for 2 years and this is what he was mostly fed at the kennels for a year and a half before that. Having a sensitive tummy its worked well for him and being quite a hyper dog I was pleased to see that the Protein was listed at 18% (Low protein diets are thought to help in some cases of hyperactivity, aggression and prevention of certain kidney stones) However id read that I should be looking for a food with a meat source (chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, venison, duck etc) and rice as the two top ingredients and to reject ANY food that has the word 'derivatives' anywhere in its ingredient list. (The word 'derivatives' means the rubbish that the human food processing industry has to reject, i.e. scales, beaks, feet, gristle, fins etc.) Dr Johns does list in their ingredients 'meat and animal derivatives' so I wanted to know more.... I then went on to read about BHT and BHA preservatives and additives. BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) is used as a preservative to stop fat going rancid. It has been implicated as a cause of bladder and thyroid cancer and damage to the liver BHA (butylated hydroxyanixole) is also used as a preservative to prevent fat rancidity and has been implicated as a cause of stomach cancer. These are still “permitted†additives in both the US and Europe, although the more responsible US pet food manufacturers have stopped using them. If a dog food simply says, “EEC permitted antioxidants†in their ingredients without specifically mentioning that they are tocopherols you should assume that they are using BHT or BHA and stay away from that food. I went to look at my Dr Johns Silver ingredinets and it states in the ingredinets 'contains anntioxidents BHA BHT' Obviously by this point Im extremely concerned. Having had all dogs of my own previous dogs die of some form of cancer, known others dogs who have got/had cancer and have worked as a vet nurse in rescue and seen countless other dogs with cancer surely whether these additives are the 'cause or contributer' we should be banning the use of them in our pets food?! Since then ive looked at cheap and mid range alternatives because I really dont have a lot of money to go around and have been shocked at just how many dog foods list EEC additives or BHT & BHA additives within their ingredients. Ive come to the conclusion that only natural dog food such as Burns is actually safe to feed my dog! However, here comes my guilt - My Dr Johns is currently £7.99 per 15kg bag. Burns has an average price of £35per bag, FIVE times what I normally pay!!! I never have a lot of money and any I do have goes to my animals but how could I possibly put a price on my dogs health! Im not sure what makes me feel more sick, knowing my dog has been fed cancer causing chemicals twice/three times a day for at least 3 and a half years or having to pay 5 times the price just so that I know his food is 'safe' !! Also worth noting, I then checked my Hamster food, rabbit food and fish food and guess what... EEC Additives and preservatives in all except the rabbit food because i buy the more expensive burgess excel so they dont select feed.

Oh Kazz Im so sorry! Lots of hugs and reiki coming to you tonight, just cant find the words for you

I think its a good idea and i should think the council are also considering the benefits of having a registered list of pet owners as a database for the animal warden to know who has what animals and probably build a better rapport with local pet owners.

Cant quite understand why neither owner took their dog to the vet rather than leave them over night RIP dogglets I hope they find out the cause and take suitable action to prevent any more deaths!

Actually just spokent to the police to ask what they do cover and have been told that they wont pick stray dogs up and do not have the facilities or officers to detain and transport stray dogs. I asked who I would call if there was an aggressive dog on my doorstep and I was told that they would send officrs in the case of an aggressive dog dispite not having the facilities (I assume they would have to call out someone that does?) and they have been known to pick up dogs that were 'yapping around someones ankles and were terrified of dogs' Back to the council me thinks

Thanks for that kirisox Ive looked into that a bit more and although there doesnt seem to be much information on it, it does seem that the council should have appointed someone (not just a department for enquiries) I will be writing a letter to the Environmental Health Department requesting an explination as well as my area councellors to ask them to raise the issue at the next meeting. Hopefully I can requet an update on how they plan to provide this service because at the moment they are saying that people are to take a stray dog to the kennels themselves or call the police (who quite honestly dont want to know)

I was wondering if anyone knew the legalities behind the council having to provide a dog warden service? I was under the impression that councils were legally obliged to provide a dog warden and that we were paying our taxes for them to provide this service. Ive read online that in this area we are expected to take any found dogs to a police station or the boarding kennels that the council use ourselves Ive spoken to our local council but only to the customer service department for now and they have confirmed this is the case as 'the previous warden retired recently' (quite some time ago actually!) Id like to write to them and find out from higher up why this isnt being provided but want to know where the public stands before I do. Anyone any info?

Individual crates in the boot here. I have several sizes for transporting rescues, and my back seats come out so I can interchange depending on what Im taking. Generally I keep 2x 36" crates in the boot side by side which fit tightly and Mich always travels happily in one of those. I do also carry a couple of harness' and seatbelt clips to attach them to just incase but I just feel its so much safer for both the dogs and the public in the event of a crash and safer for the pets in the fact that its a deterrant from theft etc... not that I generally leave dogs in the car unattended but you never know! I do think about what would happen with a rear end collision and would like crates with rear doors for another access point (mine have front and side doors - useless when wedged in side by side) but I now have a van with a tow bar which id hope would help and given the odds my vote is still for crates all things considered. I knew someone that had a mastiff type loose in the back seat when he had a collission and the dog crushed the passenger seat and hit the windscreen smashing it to smithereens. Luckily the dog was ok in the long term but it doesnt bare thinking about what'd happen if he was carrying a front passenger, the dog had run across the road, been thrown clean out the front window..... *shudder* Big dog = Bigger Car/van to me, its common sense.

My appologies, I just remembered I hadnt sent my cheque! Have just sent payment by paypal for 8 photos + paypal fees, sorry its late

OMG thats funny.. poor Nemo hope the vet/nurses were ok

Thinking of you and Aswan today. Stay strong

Definite yes here. The OH is currently a no which suprises me a bit but I cant get a reason out of him other than 'its a bit wierd' Im working on it though

I cant even imagine what happened to her to end up with such an awful injury! Our thoughts will be with her while shes receiving treatment. So glad shes found you and hope she knows youre all there to help her

Another vote for AXA Direct here Their cover is almost identical to the old M&S policy (that weve just left too) and a darn sight cheaper than the price hike we were offered with M&S

I dont think its too bad, better than some proposals/opinions ive heard. Havent re read it again properly but read the NDWA when I was an animal welfare officer and thought it was very good.. unfortunately I was told by my 'collagues' (who arent members) to put it in the bin when I suggested they read it Lets just say they thought going to court and seizing 'pit bulls' made their day more interesting

If I remember rightly they arent allowed to take a rescue dog though as most rescues have paperwork to sign to say that the dog is legally their property but they are allowing the adopter to look after them.

Thats fair enough and I agree id like there to be one rule for all straight off, but in a realistic way these things tend to be started off as trials in areas where there seems to be a higher percentage of the problem reported. By high crime I was meaning areas where there are a higher rate of reports about problem dogs/owners. On a personal level im just so sick of the uncertainty looming over cross breeds now and sick of feeling like a criminal everytime I walk out my own front door id just would like to see some fair and positive moves so responsible owners know where they stand and are protected from the media and ignorance that surround the issue of bull breeds

Just read Beverly Cuddys view and I think her idea for a a system where you prove your dog is a good citizen is a good idea too but it doesnt seem logical to say that if your dog passes you dont pay the tax and if it doesnt (which presumably means its proved to be dangerous) you pay the tax?! Perhaps it is time for extreme measures especially in high crime areas where all dogs need to be registered and assessed but more importantly I think, for ALL breeding to be licenced in the light of the number of dogs pts every year and the trend of breeding for strength and aggression in certain areas. But as the councils have pointed out.. someone has to pay for it all somehow and im sure lots of non dog owners/lovers feel that they shouldnt have to bare the cost to sort this mess out.