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BatterseaBrindl

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Everything posted by BatterseaBrindl

  1. Thanks for all the input. I'll take and consider any and all advice....keep it coming! I would not have extra room in my fridge to keep enough raw food for three dogs for a week! If I'm going to 'go raw' it has to be frozen. And seeing as how this place is 2 minutes from my house, and I know the family quite well, it only makes sense to buy from them. We had no problems with quality when we used it for our two 'special needs' dogs a few years ago. They do offer a free trial period. I cannot remember how much we fed those dogs...any idea on how much we should start them off with? They cut the frozen 40 pound block into whatever sise portions you need. Should we start them, slowly, mixing it with kibble ...this would certainly make ME feel better, rather than just changing food abruptly. At any rate...I don't have any extra funds for a new freezer until I am back at my full time job in another month...and I have just opened a new bag of kibble. But...I will stop in to the farm that makes this feed and chat with them about it. I just wanted to be 'informed' before I went there!
  2. Sorry for yet another thread on raw... Many years ago we fed a prepared frozen raw diet to two of our dogs..... A Springer Spaniel had terrible skin, and raw was the only thing that helped him. A Dobe did not digest kibble well, so we started him on the same diet and it was fantastic. The advantage is that it was considerably cheaper, and the feed is made locally, right here in our village. Many people have been feeding this food for several years and swear by it. On the other hand, back then we did not have a freezer dedicated to the raw and it was hard to make sure that was kept away from all our human food. We also had to have a 'dog-food thawing station'. NO way this stuff can be fed when it is frozen! And of course, it was a bit smelly and messy. So...once those two 'special needs' dogs went to the bridge, we just started feeding kibble...it just seems easier. Flash forward 15 years... None of our Greys have any issues on kibble...they have pretty good weight and for the most part their poos are firm. But, I am thinking of trying this same raw food again. I know many people who have used it for years. I would get a small freezer just for the dog food. I know that everyone here says to just go to the butcher and get the chicken/beef/tripe and do it myself. But...That is NOT going to happen. So..here is a link to the raw feed that I can get locally.... http://rawdogfeed.com/ I'd appreciate some opinions!
  3. edited...I'll start a new thread!
  4. I just toss a salmon oil capsule right in with their kibbles. Mmmmm! We get them from Costco.
  5. I also use an equine product called Recovery EQ. It is on your Smartpak list. The same company makes a similar canine product, but of course it is more expensive....it is chicken flavoured. Both my Vet and the company said the equine product is perfectly fine for dogs.....1/4 tsp per 20 pounds. edited to say that I also feed the Recovery EG to one of my horses with fantastic results. He has small bone spurs in his hocks. He was on Cosequin for over 2 years, but the Recovery is much more effective, for only a slightly higher price. And the higher price is worth it for the wonderful results I am seeing in my horse.
  6. I have lived in a rural part of Eastern Ontario Ontario for 19 years. We have 80 acres of feidls and woods and walk there daily. I never saw any ticks at all until this past fall, but by November there wasn't a day that the dogs and/or myself did not have one on us. I pretty much gave up on walking in the fields/woods and now pretty much stick to the side roads. Luckily the dogs fenced-in yard is small and we don't have a problem there.
  7. From the album: Nixon....Starz Sammie..33168 65B

    Calli, Nixon & Ruby, Bandit
  8. So very sorry for the loss of your gorgeous orange kitty. He certainly lived his life to the fullest!
  9. We had excellent results using it on our aged GSD, as well as a friend's Grey who stayed with us for a month last summer. I also loaned it to a friend who found it helped her dog, too. I did get mine directly from the Thundershirt company a couple of years ago, but now they seem to be readily available here in Ontario.
  10. I also thought of this and will test it out today.
  11. You have to do what is best for all the hounds!
  12. This is what I had in mind! Thanks! It looks very similar to the 'High Sierra' ...I posted a link to that one.
  13. What kind and where did you get it? I just found this...looks very sturdy, but I am not sure if I could hook three leashes on it. http://www.whitepineoutfitters.com/catalog_page_featured.cfm?queries_index=index8&title_bar=HIGH%20SIERRA%20WALK%2DA%2DBELT%3Csup%3Etm%3C%2Fsup%3E%20Heavy%20Duty%20with%20Carabineer&NewProduct=0&Product_CatalogID=157&ProductCode=2&RecordNo=1&sc=yes A helpful trick for people using a standard leash is to tie a knot in the handle so it fits more snugly around your wrist. Again, gripping the excess leash carefully to keep yourself well balanced, and staying alert to the hound's intent. Dogs are in safer control when walking at human's side (not walking at the end of a 6' leash being allowed to criss-cross in front of human - very dangerous). I cannot possibly tie a knot in the loop of my leather leashes to make the loops smaller. I really hate to repeat myself... but my dogs do walk very nicely, in the heel postion and their leashes are kept short. I am well balanced and always alert to what my hounds are doing! As I have already mentioned...I am not worried they will pull me over. I am just looking for recomendations on dog walking belts!!
  14. My suggestion would be to get a second leash and loop it over the shoulder before connecting it to the first leash. It is easy to remove in less than a second, it allows for control and it is cheap. I can't picture how this would work... if you are fearful of them pulling you over, you need to use the leash and give them corrections. I am NOT afraid they will pull me over...they all walk very well together with hardly any correction. I would still hold onto the leashes in my hands as I do now... I just want something to clip / hook the leash loop ends onto, so I don't have to put my arm through them.
  15. I've been thinking I'd like to try some kind of 'dog walking belt'... Something that goes around my waist and has clips or D-rings to clip leashes to. I would still hold onto the leashes like I always do, but the lkoops would be attached to a belt of some sort. I usually slide the loops of all three leashes right up onto my forearm, and then hold the leashes... Nigel & Ruby's in my right hand and Nixon's in my left. Now that the nice weather is here and my arms are bare, the loops do not stay 'up' on my arm...they have been sliding down onto my wrist and it is a bit annoying to have to keep shoving them up out of the way. I have small arms/wrists and they could easily slip right off. I am not worried that the dogs would take off and drag me...they all walk very nicely together. None are spooks and we walk in a very quiet rural area. Any ideas or suggestions???
  16. Never done it with any of the Greys, but our last Dobie loved it! It is so much more relaxed than 'formal' obedience.
  17. Yup! A dog park is not a good place for a shy, fearful dog! Classes would probably be good, as long as the the instructor understands that she is shy and fearful. Even if all you do it sit on the sidelines and let her observe what is going on it would be good for her to get out in a quiet environment.
  18. Oh dear...just seeing this now. Poor, poor Bill for you, Lori I also like to use Traumel cream for lumps, bumps and bruises.
  19. My yard is not very big...big enough that my three can do 'zoomies' up and down it for 30 seconds in the mornings. We do walk very briskly for at least an hour every day....Nixon would probably be happy with a relaxing 20 minute stroll...he has always been this way. We do have a wonderful dog park to go to. In the two years we've been going we have never encountered any nasty dogs or owners there. We used to meeet up with 3 other Greys there every Sunday morning, but one moved away, another hounds owner does not drive anymore, and we lost one to Osteo in the fall. But...like George...my three don't do much running at the park. The past three times we have been there.... and had the entire 3 acres to ourselves... not one of them got out of a slow jog. Occasionally, they do like to chase the dogs who are chasing the balls. But even then, they'll have one or two very short fast runs, then go back to sniffing and peeing. Our Ruby is very high prey and if there are any little yappers in the park I do put her muzzle on.
  20. Yes... a photo would be helpful. Is he lame? Are they sore to touch? Squishy or firm swelling? Is it both elbows?? Is there heat in the joints as well? Does he have a temperature? I don't think this needs an E Vet, but I'd be taking him in to get them checked out tomorrow.
  21. Please give out condolences to your friends. Bert was obviously well loved and a wonderful hound.
  22. Yup! As long as you are sure he does not have to go potty, just ignore him. Do not look at him or even acknowledge he is there. Having 'been there, done that' with more than one dog, I know how hard it can be. He will figure it out, but patience is the key in these situations. And yes! Tomorrow he'll sleep until at least 6:45
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