food for thought.

[Judy]

As a rough guide the cheaper the food is to buy the more you have to feed, the more the dogs' guts have to work to get anything nutritious out of it and the more shite you have to pick up. Find one which both suits your dog and your pocket and stick with it!

We all have tales to tell re dog food, how this one or that suits our dogs best, at the end of the day look at what comes out rather than what goes in and let that be your guide! And I probably wouldn't recommend a diet of mice and frogs but thats the Scots for you, always looking for ways to save money.

[dannygundog]

hi all, please help was just wondering why my 5 month old pup has started to eat his own poo, and how can i stop him doing it.

[Polmaise]

Back to my now over-stated point that you feed what you like, and if your dogs look and perform well on it then it'll do fine. If they don't, change it.

Thats about as good an answer as you are likely to get!
But that might not be good enough

[MDP]

Back to my now over-stated point that you feed what you like, and if your dogs look and perform well on it then it'll do fine. If they don't, change it.

Thats about as good an answer as you are likely to get!
But that might not be good enough

I have always fed mainly kibble with table scraps (meat and veg) when we have them. The dogs have always looked really good and been fit, BUT do they like to eat it, NO. Never had any dog that gladly wolfs down a bowl of pure kibble! And to be honest their poos have always been ok but not the rock hard scones that some mention on here! I have decided to move mine over to a tinned tripe diet to see how that goes, i should do raw but just haven't got the time to get the ball rolling with it, plus i like the convenience of tinned etc. Being a tight bugger i can't bring myself to do the ''packaged raw" route like natures diet. Just had a look around for the best deals and Berriewood pet supplies do breederpacks of tinned tripe so i will give it a go and see what happens. I will also continue to give veggie scraps and begin to get some bones from the butcher.

Cheers
Mike

Edited to add this is a link to the best price/deal i found
http://www.berriewoodwholesale.co.uk/de ... d-6x1200g/

[Rookie]

hi all, please help was just wondering why my 5 month old pup has started to eat his own poo, and how can i stop him doing it.

Most pups that start it will "grow out of it", but even at that age I'd be doing my best to ensure that he did grow out of it. It's not an abnormal thing for a dog to do, it's just that we find it a bit distasteful. I've got an adult dog (that came here at a year old) and I cannot stop her from doing it. It irritates the hell out of me.

My best advice would be to clean up after him. Don't leave anything that he can tuck into and make sure he gets out of the kennel regularly and learns to keep it clean.

There are various other theories, like putting pineapple in the dogs food. I don't know how much success folk have with that but prevention is better than cure and breaking the habit by ensuring that he never gets the opportunity will help.

[Mikew]

I fed Unkunba pups and dogs did very well, I joined thier proclub and once or twice , they called from the company. mike

[Mikew]

I found a Vet I liked. Very professional..I let them know I was a bird hunter these are my bird dogs. He had German Shorthairs. I try and take very good care of them. Every dog goes to the Vet at least once a year. I would ask a question or two while I had his time. Worming and flea tick prevention is important to health. A complete and balanced diet. Every dog gets shampoo bath in warm weather with a complete check., clean ears.feet, clean teeth. Eyes look good.. I remember when I raised a litter of cocker pups. Around two three weeks old I take the entire litter to the Vet for tail docking. I explain these are working cockers and the tail length I wanted. This I had from Alan Gwyenne, a field trail judge in Wales GB. The Vet, the same Vet I visited since my early twenties, said your the boss you know what you want...I was always very careful the Vet knew the number of vertebrae.....before the blade goes near any pup...I don't want any stress. A pre discussed and planned procedure. For me this all went with dog ownership. Healthy , happy, exercise, training, providing great experiences...mike

[Judy]

Vets can be a nightmare with tail docking in the UK, many of them wont do it, they seem to prefer to amputate a few years later. Those that will don't seem to know how long a working dogs tail should be and dock them too short if not told exactly where to cut.

[Mikew]

Hi Judy, yes us gundog owners and enthusiasts have to educate the Vets...these are Field bred for generations going back 50 or more years. I was really young, quite and inquisitive. An American from the countryside. I was proud of being in Upland sport and of my bird dogs...Tina a black cocker female I raised from my Kerry, was the smallest little dog, of true cocker type....mike