Recent content by merlina

Whoa! This forum like most others only works because we all feel able to speak honestly. And inevitably its on the side of dogs- who can't speak for themselves. Only the moderator has the power to silence individual members. Quite rightly so.

I'd wait till she's bit more mature. ;)

Oh well- just fingers crossed then your puppy gets over this. Such a worry!

Hi- we've adopted older dogs in the past- they can be a puzzle as well as a joy. I REALLY wouldn't starve him even for twenty four hours. That's an old-fashioned belief and should only be done in special circumstances on a vet's advice. :( You need peristalsis to be moving slowly and properly-...

Really sorry- and hope things have improved. At this age one thing I'd do is contact the puppy's breeder and ask if any other dogs in the home are ill. Good luck with yours.

Not a great way to buy a puppy- always best to deal with reputable people who care about dogs first and foremost. BUT this is now. If the person has your money and you have the puppy and want to keep it, you're under no obligation to engage with her. Certainly find out how to proceed legally re...

I'm really pleased you are thinking through what's best for your puppy. Many people on this forum will have had experience with 'trainers'. Very mixed. Unless they have some really impressive academic qualifications- e.g. our local one is a member of staff at the university vet's hospital...

Whatever your definition of your puppy is please get the biggest crate you can fit in. Obviously I speak as someone opposed to 'crating'. (I think the clue is in the name: until recently only inanimate objects were 'crated up'- how did this ever become acceptable for living things?)

:)

Sky, indigo, delphi (short for delphinium) ;)- oh and lucky you!

Ah well, me and Mark Twain then: the more I learn of people the more I like my dog.

There's a reason crates are illegal in some of the countries we think of as the most civilized and humane. I've seen dogs- particularly sensitive working dogs- become very disturbed by so called 'crate training'. I think if your very young dog is showing symptoms of distress you really should...

So sorry. Nothing prepares you for the pain of losing a much-loved dog, so of course you will be anxious. It's part of grief. We all have fears for our dogs so do talk about it- and therapy can help. But dogs seem to bring out the nurturing impulse even in people who don't think they have it and...

We had a puppy so savage I would watch tv lying along the top back of a Chesterfield sofa - the only safe place. Having failed to get a mouthful of me he would 'distress' the sofa's wooden feet. I ignored him. After a few months he (a working cocker) became all sweetness and light- and the sofa...

For the puppies why not contact a Dog Rescue organisation? Dogs Trust or the one near you if it has a good reputation. You won't be paid but there's a huge reward in knowing they will go to excellent homes. PLEASE don't think of selling them- especially for Christmas! They will be impulse buys...