Dog problems - help please!

[BrideXIII]

Boo is going to be 4 at Christmas and Max is 15 months. Is she still young enough if I make it a gradual change do you think?

of course, 4 is hardly 'old'.

[kirsty b]

She certainly doesn't act it! Its like having two puppies in the house.

She's currently trying to scroung a cookie, but as it has chocolate in it, she's going to be unlucky.

[shirlthegirl43]

I guess Ludo would be too old to put on a BARF diet then - he was 9 on September 2nd. He loves a bit of raw meat when there are scraps about though and has always had the occasional bone.

[BrideXIII]

I guess Ludo would be too old to put on a BARF diet then - he was 9 on September 2nd. He loves a bit of raw meat when there are scraps about though and has always had the occasional bone.

If he is not prone to stomach upsets when you give him raw meat or a bone, I don't see a problem, why not try introducing it a little more at a time and see? try the odd chicken wing and a bit of heart meat for his evening meal, and see how he goes.

( and people trying this, don't panic if their poops are smaller, less sludgy and a lot less smelly after feeding BARF or RAW, they are meant to be, and is another of the bonus')

[Polly Fouracre]

You will also save on vet. dental work! There teeth will stay lovely and clean.

[shirlthegirl43]

If he is not prone to stomach upsets when you give him raw meat or a bone, I don't see a problem, why not try introducing it a little more at a time and see? try the odd chicken wing and a bit of heart meat for his evening meal, and see how he goes.

( and people trying this, don't panic if their poops are smaller, less sludgy and a lot less smelly after feeding BARF or RAW, they are meant to be, and is another of the bonus')

Cheers, willdo. Still concerned about giving chicken wings whole after so many years of being told to keep dogs away from chook bones!

[BrideXIII]

Cheers, willdo. Still concerned about giving chicken wings whole after so many years of being told to keep dogs away from chook bones!

I know what you mean, it took me several days to pluck up the courage, but after reading SO many people saying it's ok, and my butcher telling me he gives them to his dog too, I did it.
if chicken bones worry you too much, get some lamb rib bones, they are longer, and take more time to chew, and use a teatowel to hold the end till he gets the hang of chewing properly.
you will notice how much they love it, my rockets ears go up however quietly i open the fridge door now, cos he thinks its bone time.
he has thighs and drumsticks, thighs have hardly ANY bone, and the drums are so easy to hold.
the sheer look of pleasure on his face makes up for the trepidation

just imagine, like that tv programme, we all dissappeared tomorrow? do you think your dog could use a knife to debone a chicken? could he wear a pair of oven gloves, and turn on a cooker?
just ask yourself what be his natural prey, and how would he eat it?

[shirlthegirl43]

LOL, not sure I want him to realise that our new chooks are his natural prey

[BrideXIII]

LOL, not sure I want him to realise that our new chooks are his natural prey

LOL, I doubt it, he is not likely to revert to looking for his own that might fight back, when he can still get it handed to him tummy ready.

[shirlthegirl43]

LOL, I doubt it, he is not likely to revert to looking for his own that might fight back, when he can still get it handed to him tummy ready.

LOL, unlikely as it would seem, I vividly recall my mum getting well cross with our mini dachshund of that time (Rudi) killing the hens. She caught him just after the event and picked up the deceased chook and belted the dog with it. He used to catch live chook, throw it in the air, it came down dead as a doornail!

[Johnny Appleseed]

Dogs.Blah,Blah,Blah,Blah.Can't see the fascination!

I'm the same with football and fishing Cloud. Why anyone would ever be interested in either of these two pastimes leaves me stone cold.

[Glutton4...]

Now I'm like that with football - I think they should turn all the football pitches into Allotments to cut the waiting list, and put all the money wasted on the Primadonnas' wages to better use!

[Cloud]

But then a lot of people could say the same about gardening!!!!!!

[Johnny Appleseed]

Now I'm like that with football - I think they should turn all the football pitches into Allotments to cut the waiting list, and put all the money wasted on the Primadonnas' wages to better use!

Great idea Glutton4. Football is a game that was never meant to leave the school playground. It was only ever meant to be played by children under 10 - that's why it's still played in shorts. Same with golf. Big stick. Little white ball and grown men dressed up like Rupert Bear. How many allotments could you get per golf course?

Dig up the football pitches and golf courses. Turn them into allotments. Grow for Britain I say.

[petal]

Great idea Glutton4. Football is a game that was never meant to leave the school playground. It was only ever meant to be played by children under 10 - that's why it's still played in shorts. Same with golf. Big stick. Little white ball and grown men dressed up like Rupert Bear. How many allotments could you get per golf course?

Dig up the football pitches and golf courses. Turn them into allotments. Grow for Britain I say.

Oh, I dunno, surely any exercise is a good thing, balanced with healthy eating. Personally I think football dull but if it burns calories is a good thing. Problem is men(and some women) only extend their interest as far as a pint of lager and loutish screaming at the tv! Coverting wasteland is the answer to the allotment shortage.
As for dogs, i had no idea they got tummy troubles from anything but an infection. Our labrador eats anything. Dog food, cat food, rabbit food, human food , poo-! the trick is to try to moderate her guzzlings. I heard from somewhere that a dog ought to fast one day a week as that would be what a wolf does for a good stretch of time.