pboae

Vinegar is good for itchy scalps and shampoo allergies. I use it when my eczema gets really bad. It stinks but it's worth it.

For insurance purposes pedigree just means pure breed, i.e. both parents were the same breed, regardless of whether you have their pedigrees. The additional costs is because most pure breeds have health problems associated with that breed. Oddly though some insurers count lurchers as pure breeds, but if you list your dog as a cross, your insurance is invalid and the insurance company would refuse to pay out if they found out.

That's really good to hear, I hope he knows we are all thinking about him.

Animal Friends are underwritten by E&L who have a terrible reputation for not paying out claims. Which is why most vets won't claim from them directly.

Weeks? A month? I am having baby gift traumas

RMQ: how long does an average sized baby wear newborn sized nappies for?

The beach is Stella Plage, I believe it is packed in high season though. We've stayed round that area a few times, because it's an easy drive from the eurotunnel. The rampart walk around Montreuil sur Mer (which is no longer sur mer!) is lovely. There is another walk through the woods around the base of the ramparts, but I've not been down there. My niece and nephew were with me this time so we didn't really go out in the evenings, but last time we stayed in Verchoq and the bar there was very dog friendly, if you will be round there I can find out what the bar was called. Generally we find it to be incredibly dog friendly and could always find a cafe or bar that welcomed Sully. There's also some beautiful walks in the woods at Hesdin. Have you sorted a vet out yet? Last time we used one in St. Omer called Dr Dandrifosse but I wasn't keen, I felt he handled Sully roughly and was incredibly expensive (nearly E100), this time we went to Dr Richard-Goube in Etaples and he was lovely, (and E64 which was much more reasonable, considering Sully's size). With the added advantage of the Etaples market on a Friday (if you are coming home on a Saturday) and the Stella Plage beach 10 mins away.

'ello BC, I am suffocating here tonight, I can't imagine what he's been eating, but it can't have tasted good. We had a great hol, I just posted a few pics. Teg, there's a niche in the market here, we should go into business!

We just got back from a week in France, so I thought I'd share some pics of my travelling pooch. We stayed in a gite an hour or so from Calais, and I only remembered to take the camera when we went to Stella Plage. When we were there they were redistributing the sand so there were false sandbanks dividing the beach up, so he even got to go off lead for a bit inside one of the sandbank squares. Full steam ahead... just strolling it's thirsty work and one of him in the garden of the Gite Unfortunately we had problems with the Gite this time round, (the enclosed garden only had half a gate!) but we still had a great holiday. Sully's passport is filling up fast.

I need a small size anti bark/spray collar so I can fasten it round Sully's tail and have it blast a jet of air freshner every time he farts.

ooh how excited am I now?? But 2 in a carrier was a bit optimistic

Welcome Back BC

I am knackered, the guy who was coming to clean the sofa at 3 finally arrived at 6, and will be here for hours yet. I've spent all day cleaning, cos there was a stranger coming, therefore any areas he might see must be immaculate and free of dog fur. why do I do that? Sully is sulking cos he has been banned from the sofa all day and we are now holed up in the dining room, which is cold and has no comfy sofa. I really really want to go and have a bath (and maybe a nap) but I would feel too bad leaving Sully in the dining room on his own, even though he isn't speaking to me. Wish I'd just left the stupid sofa dirty now. I can't even remember why I ever thought this was a good idea.

Although I am very pleased to see the docking ban, I am a little concerned about some of the language/terms used. Could this same legislation be used to prevent neutering?

you could PM ~Canis-Equus~ she can make muzzles.

It's been an up and down night here Sis has been on the phone in a complete state cos 15yr old niece was brought home by the police blind drunk. on the other side SiL has finally had a baby boy, only 7lb after all that, but they are both well, though SiL must be exhausted. I'm so glad it didn't go to a C-section, 'cos I know she really really didn't want that.

Ty Still nuffink happening Maybe this is a big baby thing then. OH and his bro were both around the 10lb mark, although SiL doesn't like to be reminded of that. It's good to know that this isn't a very bad sign though. OH was out with Sully before and got chatting to some neighbours, apparently the other family in the village who had a Saint have rehomed him because they've had a baby. I am but also . He was left outside in all weathers and was always escaping from the garden. I just hope he's gone to a better home. He is a lovely dog I'm going to take Sully on a specially good walk today to celebrate him being here and not with the muppet who owned the other Saint.

That's plan B! I was going to contact Barjo and see if they can make a crate, but if the crate is going to pretty much the same size as the whole of the back of the van, there doesn't seem much point doing it. I am also wondering now whether it is possible to use a harness and fasten it to a load tether point somewhere. Gym mats are a great idea, I'll definitely check that out.

My Mum's rescue dog is a collie x dal, she is absolutely neurotic. I've never known a dog with so many obsessions and neuroses, she also herds and bounces. She is very clever, but so scatty, it makes her very hard to train because she can't keep her attention on anything. I cannot imagine what people would be hoping to gain from that particular cross. It certainly doesn't make for a healthy stable household pet.

She sounds like a real fighter. Hope she is back home soon.

ty We are all on tenterhooks waiting for news.

BiL has been sent home for the night. Hospital have made two attempts at inducing SiL and there's still no sign of the baby, so they've given up for tonight. If it doesn't make an appearance tomorrow she'll have to have a C-section.

thanks elricc, he'd smash through a wooden panel unless it was seriously heavy duty (he's broken through fence panels by banging against them till they give). Though that might not be a bad thing, if it gives then it would absorb some of the impact. I couldn't do that with the length though, as it would block the rear windows and he would be in the dark. ziltha, that's what I was guessing. So 130x90 floor space is probably about right as a minimum.

Keeping everything crossed for Sam

I'm probably going to buy a little van soon, 'cos Sully is finding the jump from the car a bit much. The one I've got my eye on has a floor space of 110cm x 170cm approx. I can't decide whether I need to partition it off to reduce the space, so that if we were in an accident he wouldn't get hurt by being thrown too far. He is 110 cm nose to bum, so he'd need at least 130cm in one direction so that he could stand comfortable, and because he isn't very agile I think he would need at least 90cm in the other direction so that he could turn around. It hardly seems worth putting bars in to shave 40cm and 20cm off either length, but I don't know if I've got the proportions right. The other thing I was thinking (and I know this might sound a bit nuts) is that I could just tie something squishy to the inside walls, like an airbed or old mattress or duvet, which would reduce the space a bit and give him some protection, but tht might make it too hot for him, which would be a big problem. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Or can you tell me roughly how big your cages are in proportion to your dog?