Dog Owner Chat V. 5

[Imzadi83]

Dog Food Recall

Sunshine Mills has recalled some of their dog foods...https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/sunshine-mills/

[Imzadi83]

Here's an interesting article about dogs and face masks....https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/why-arent-dog-bothered-more-by-masks?mc_cid=54a8b62b1a&mc_eid=aee9bec582

[Orcaccino]

Hɪ ᴀʟʟ, ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴘᴏsᴛɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀᴇ.

Mʏ ᴍᴏᴍ ʙʀᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴀ ᴍɪɴɪ Aᴜsᴛʀᴀʟɪᴀɴ Sʜᴇᴘʜᴇʀᴅ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴅᴀʏs ᴀɢᴏ. I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴ Aᴜssɪᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴅᴏɢ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇ. Sʜᴇ ɪs ᴛᴇɴ ᴡᴇᴇᴋs ᴏʟᴅ; ʜᴇʀ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ɪs Pᴇᴀᴄʜᴇs. <3

Aɴʏᴏɴᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ/ғᴏʀᴍᴇʀ Aᴜssɪᴇ ᴏᴡɴᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀɴ sᴇɴᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴀᴅᴠɪᴄᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡʙɪᴇ? Mᴜᴄʜ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇᴅ!

[Blue_Aussie]

Hi all, first time posting here.

My mom brought home a mini Australian Shepherd two days ago. I have always wanted an Aussie and this dog was a complete surprise. She is ten weeks old; her name is Peaches. <3

Anyone here a current/former Aussie owner and can send over some advice for a newbie? Much appreciated!

Hi! I am a current Aussie owner, my blue Merle’s name is Mazie. She is already a year and a half. I have a few tips for you!

1) give your Aussie a job! Either herding your chickens (if you have chickens) or doing agility! I do agility with Mazie and can give you pointers if you want! Or teach her to run by your bike! (Once she’s older of course)

2) as for any breed, socialize early! My mom has a daycare in our house so Mazie is great with all people but it’s important to have your dog meet about 4 new people a week at least. C:

3) every minute spent with your puppy is a learning experience for them, make sure they are learning what you want them to. Don’t let her jump on you, instead, reward her for sitting when you greet her!


I’d love to help with ANY questions you may have! Feel free to shoot me a pm with questions or just to chat about dogs in general! C:

[Orcaccino]

Hi all, first time posting here.

My mom brought home a mini Australian Shepherd two days ago. I have always wanted an Aussie and this dog was a complete surprise. She is ten weeks old; her name is Peaches. <3

Anyone here a current/former Aussie owner and can send over some advice for a newbie? Much appreciated!

Hi! I am a current Aussie owner, my blue Merle’s name is Mazie. She is already a year and a half. I have a few tips for you!

1) give your Aussie a job! Either herding your chickens (if you have chickens) or doing agility! I do agility with Mazie and can give you pointers if you want! Or teach her to run by your bike! (Once she’s older of course)

2) as for any breed, socialize early! My mom has a daycare in our house so Mazie is great with all people but it’s important to have your dog meet about 4 new people a week at least. C:

3) every minute spent with your puppy is a learning experience for them, make sure they are learning what you want them to. Don’t let her jump on you, instead, reward her for sitting when you greet her!


I’d love to help with ANY questions you may have! Feel free to shoot me a pm with questions or just to chat about dogs in general! C:

Tʜᴀɴᴋs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇsᴘᴏɴsᴇ!

1) Wᴇ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴄʜɪᴄᴋᴇɴs ᴏʀ ᴀɴʏ ғᴀʀᴍ ᴀɴɪᴍᴀʟs sᴏ I ᴡᴀs ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀɢɪʟɪᴛʏ. Wᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴅᴏɢ ᴘᴀʀᴋ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀs sᴏᴍᴇ ᴇᴏ̨ᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ᴜsᴇ. Aᴅᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ғᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ-ɪɴ ʏᴀʀᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴘʟᴇɴᴛʏ ᴏғ sᴘᴀᴄᴇ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʀᴜɴ, sᴏ I ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜɪʟᴅ ᴏʀ ʙᴜʏ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ᴇᴏ̨ᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀᴛ ʜᴏᴍᴇ.

2) Yᴇsᴛᴇʀᴅᴀʏ ᴡᴇ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴇᴛ sᴛᴏʀᴇs ᴀɴᴅ sʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ! Sʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇs ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ. I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ 10-ʏᴇᴀʀ-ᴏʟᴅ ғᴇᴍᴀʟᴇ Pᴀᴘɪʟʟᴏɴ ᴀᴛ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴏ̨ᴜɪᴛᴇ ᴡᴇʟʟ. I ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ Pᴇᴀᴄʜᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴋ sᴏᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғʀᴇᴏ̨ᴜᴇɴᴛ ᴛʀɪᴘs ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀᴇ sᴏ sʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ᴇxᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɴᴇᴡ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏɢs.

3) Pᴇᴀᴄʜᴇs ɪs ᴀ ғᴀsᴛ ʟᴇᴀʀɴᴇʀ! Wᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ʜᴀᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ᴅᴀʏs ᴀɴᴅ sʜᴇ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ʀᴇsᴘᴏɴᴅs ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʀ ɴᴀᴍᴇ, "ᴄᴏᴍᴇ" ᴏʀ "ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ", "ɴᴏ" ᴀɴᴅ "sɪᴛ". Sʜᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇs ᴛᴏ ᴘʟᴀʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪs ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ ᴍᴇʟʟᴏᴡ ᴀɴᴅ I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀɴʏ ɪssᴜᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴊᴜᴍᴘɪɴɢ ʏᴇᴛ.

I ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀsᴋ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴀɢɪʟɪᴛʏ. I ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴍʏ Pᴀᴘɪʟʟᴏɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ɪᴛ ʙᴜᴛ I ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏᴏ ʙᴜsʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴅᴏ sᴏ. Nᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ I ᴀᴍ ᴀɴ ᴀᴅᴜʟᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ sᴄʜᴏᴏʟ I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ sᴘᴇɴᴅ ᴡᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ/ʙᴏɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍʏ ᴀɴɪᴍᴀʟs.

[Imzadi83]

Hi all, first time posting here.

My mom brought home a mini Australian Shepherd two days ago. I have always wanted an Aussie and this dog was a complete surprise. She is ten weeks old; her name is Peaches. <3

Anyone here a current/former Aussie owner and can send over some advice for a newbie? Much appreciated!

Hi! I am a current Aussie owner, my blue Merle’s name is Mazie. She is already a year and a half. I have a few tips for you!

1) give your Aussie a job! Either herding your chickens (if you have chickens) or doing agility! I do agility with Mazie and can give you pointers if you want! Or teach her to run by your bike! (Once she’s older of course)

2) as for any breed, socialize early! My mom has a daycare in our house so Mazie is great with all people but it’s important to have your dog meet about 4 new people a week at least. C:

3) every minute spent with your puppy is a learning experience for them, make sure they are learning what you want them to. Don’t let her jump on you, instead, reward her for sitting when you greet her!


I’d love to help with ANY questions you may have! Feel free to shoot me a pm with questions or just to chat about dogs in general! C:

Thanks for the response!

1) We do not have chickens or any farm animals so I was looking into agility. We have a dog park down the road that has some equipment available for public use. Additionally we have a fenced-in yard with plenty of space for her to run, so I would like to build or buy my own equipment to have at home.

2) Yesterday we took her to two different pet stores and she did great! She loves attention. I have a 10-year-old female Papillon at home and they have been getting along quite well. I would like to take Peaches to the park soon and make more frequent trips to the store so she can be exposed to new people and dogs.

3) Peaches is a fast learner! We have only had her three days and she already responds to her name, "come" or "come here", "no" and "sit". She likes to play, but is generally mellow and I have not had any issues with jumping yet.

I definitely will ask more about agility. I wanted to get my Papillon into it but I was too busy with school to ever do so. Now that I am an adult and out of school I have more time to spend working/bonding with my animals.

Since you have the space you might consider looking into Treiball. It's open to all breeds but favored by herding breeds who don't have anything else to herd, lol. https://positively.com/dog-behavior/tricks-sports/dog-sports/treibball/

[i<3 wolves678]

Updates on my issues with Mungo and Midge,,

So far we have decided to revert back to puppy pads with Midge and it seems to be working outside of one or two small accidents. We don’t want to keep her on them forever since they’re not the best for the environment, but we’re considering maybe litter box training her since she doesn’t seem to be the best at going in the garden. We still have to keep her on lead in a lot of areas we don’t fully trust her around (mainly the part of the woods housing the badger set) but recall is going well so far.

Mungo still barks at the door, but isn’t quite as problematic as he has been, we’ve found leaving slower seems to keep him calmer and we try to get ready to leave quietly as not to alert him until we can work more on training. Unfortunately over the past couple weeks we’ve been noticing a slow decline in how active he is being, and we’re worried that arthritis might be setting in since he struggles to walk around early mornings and can’t jump up onto furniture as easily. He’s also been refusing to go on a lot of walks despite adamantly demanding to go before leaving the house, and we think it’s to do with him struggling to go very far. My mum recently got him on some supplements of some kind, apparently they take a while to take affect, but other dog walkers who’ve used them before said it’s helped their dogs immensely so hopefully they kick in soon, it’s really upsetting watching him struggle.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, Midge has finally figured out sit (on hard surfaces too!!) and shake hands and I’m very proud of her. Turns out she’s a very very very slow learner but she got there eventually and that’s what counts.

[Orcaccino]

Since you have the space you might consider looking into Treiball. It's open to all breeds but favored by herding breeds who don't have anything else to herd, lol. https://positively.com/dog-behavior/tricks-sports/dog-sports/treibball/

Iɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ, I'ᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴏғ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ᴛʜɪɴɢ. I'ʟʟ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ɪᴛ ɪɴ ᴍɪɴᴅ!

[Imzadi83]

Updates on my issues with Mungo and Midge,,

So far we have decided to revert back to puppy pads with Midge and it seems to be working outside of one or two small accidents. We don’t want to keep her on them forever since they’re not the best for the environment, but we’re considering maybe litter box training her since she doesn’t seem to be the best at going in the garden. We still have to keep her on lead in a lot of areas we don’t fully trust her around (mainly the part of the woods housing the badger set) but recall is going well so far.

Mungo still barks at the door, but isn’t quite as problematic as he has been, we’ve found leaving slower seems to keep him calmer and we try to get ready to leave quietly as not to alert him until we can work more on training. Unfortunately over the past couple weeks we’ve been noticing a slow decline in how active he is being, and we’re worried that arthritis might be setting in since he struggles to walk around early mornings and can’t jump up onto furniture as easily. He’s also been refusing to go on a lot of walks despite adamantly demanding to go before leaving the house, and we think it’s to do with him struggling to go very far. My mum recently got him on some supplements of some kind, apparently they take a while to take affect, but other dog walkers who’ve used them before said it’s helped their dogs immensely so hopefully they kick in soon, it’s really upsetting watching him struggle.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, Midge has finally figured out sit (on hard surfaces too!!) and shake hands and I’m very proud of her. Turns out she’s a very very very slow learner but she got there eventually and that’s what counts.

Glad things are going better. Sorry to hear about Mungo's possible arthritis. Joint supplements are probably a good idea if he's older regardless, but I'd recommend going to see the vet just in case something else is going on with him. They can likely also offer other treatment options like pain medication or hydrotherapy. If it's something that is going to remain and keep him on the slower side you could always consider getting him a stroller. That way he could take a break when needed but still get some fresh air. He's small right? A JRT if I recall? There are also slings and backpacks that could help you carry him if you'd rather go that route.

[gamorasass]

So I took my boy to the lake for the first time and to no surprise, he loved it. Take a peak at his muscles though wow: