A quick web search shows Benu Pharmacy as the vendor. Is that right?
Thx
Thanks John_H for the tip on ROYAL CANIN.
They sell in lots of places. The pet stores like Qualipet have it as does the Migros online shop. Not sure if they have it in the Migros stores.
You could go into a pet store near you and Adkins which one they recommend for your breed and age of dog.
Royal Canin is very popular. You will find it in any vet office pet store.. But not usually in the COOP or Migros. They have food specially for types of dogs, young dogs, old dogs, sick dogs, big dogs etc etc..
It's not the cheapest for sure but is rather trusted.. You can usually find it on amazon a bit cheaper too.
Maybe check her teeth are ok, young dogs like to chew everything, could be something is stuck or broken?
When my dog was fussy about kibble and I was looking for tips, I read it is not the best solution to rotate the brands. You should stick to one.
In Qualipet you will find lots of brands: not only Royal Canin, but also Belcando, Josera, Happy Dog, Harmony, Hill's or Eukanuba. Read the label and check the ingriedients, maybe Lea does not like something specific? And as for an ideal portion: usually everything is written on the packaging (for example: http://www.royalcanin.com.au/product.../medium-junior )
OK folks, i think i've sorted out the problem. Strange crazy day - but the experience was worth it - hope it will help other FIRST TIME EVER pet owners.
What I was doing wrong : Overfeeding - i did not know that for Lea's age / weight the ideal portion is 300-350 gms kibble / day. I was feeeding her "on demand", ending up at nearly 200 x 4 gms of food a day. No wonder she was pooping large quantities 4-5 times a day. I bought medium sized dog (20 to 25kg) ADULT kibble . I have now bought kibble for medium sized dogs of upto 12 months . Mistook her biting for aggression to some extent. The very nice girl at MaxiZoo advised me to 'yelp' like a dog if she bites too hard, thus educating her re the limit. I did - it seems to be working.
Will update this thread over the next few days to let all know how it went.
Thanks once again to all who took time out to help me.
Three cheers for EF ers - Hip Hip....Hooorrrrayy
Our medium sized dogs used to get a mug of dried food morning and evening, they don't need more than that!
I thought dog owners had to do training and pass tests before owning dogs!?
I hope you'll go through theory books BEFORE having a baby!
I'm not going to get into a discussion over who quoted what as that is irrelevant and my time's worth more to me than that. From the way I read your posts, it wasn't clear that you took her to the vet for the antibiotics after she had started her worrying habits and that you discussed those with him - hence the EFers' urging you to contact the vet.
It's always better to be safe than sorry - rather call the vet one time too many than overlook something potentially serious. This has nothing to do with fearmongering, but with concern for others' pets. My $0.02.
Anyway - if you don't welcome comments from people (pet owners) who are trying to help after having asked for help because the help is not suited exactly to your wishes, that's your choice. But what goes around might come around and I'm sure you'd want the best for your pet.
I hope you will do better than yak at your vet if he one day repeatedly recommends something you don't agree with regarding your pet's care and doesn't just back off when you tell him you don't appreciate his advice.
I hope your pet gets what she should now that you've taken the time to read the label and consider other kibble. Please make sure everything you do for her is appropriate for her age and health situation.
Yelping like a baby doesn't work; I tried.
Pinching a dogs ear when it's naughty works I find. I simulates what the mother would do, which is bite its ear.
There are two classes that need to be taken.
The first class required is the SKN Theory class - this is for first time dog owners. This must be taken BEFORE one acquires a dog. This course is usually 2 lessons, covering many of the 'am I ready for dog ownership?' topics, as well as basic care of the dog and an introduction to dog law.
The second is the SKN Practical course, covering some basic training topics. This is done with your dog, and must be done within 12 months of acquiring the dog. The class is usually done in 4-5 lessons. This course must be done by all dog owners, first time or veteran, who acquired a dog after 1 Sept. 2008. And must be done with each and every dog one acquires. (I've taken the course three times.)
There is no test, attendance is what is required.
Some Gemeinden will request a copy of one's course certificate(s) when you register the dog with the Gemeinde. From reports on EF, though, some Gemeinde are much more lax.
Failure to do the SKN courses might result in fines.
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These are the federally mandated courses. Some cantons require additional courses.
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The SKN courses only touch the surface. I would strongly recommend that any owner - especially a first time owner - continue beyond the federally mandated courses. I find Familienhund, a course that is a little bit of everything, has been an excellent activity (and opportunity) for my mutts, and have been going for years.
Good on you for adopting a dog from a shelter. Once upon a time many of us were first time dog owners, and I am guessing you are too. I knew practically nothing about dogs so I had to start from scratch.
My advice would be to invest in a few books and read. That worked for me. There is a ton of information on the internet about caring for your dog, and this can be overwhelming. Videos are good when you need to see how something is done, such as clipping nails, for example.
Having 3 dogs all the same breed but each unique has taught me that it is a bit of trial and error at first. 7 months is still a very young dog and you need to be very patient.
The 'starter' book I recommend to all new dog owners (and also to those with years of experience!) is 'How To Behave So Your Dog Behaves' by Dr Sophia Yin. Dr Yin was a highly respected behaviorist, basing her work on solid science and practical experience. A true advocate for our dogs, and a voice very much missed.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behave-Behav...ur+dog+behaves
Dr Yin's website is thankfully still available - do spend time browsing through her articles:
Another good resource is the 'Kikopup' set of videos, by behaviorist Emily Larlham, available on youtube. The video list is here - as well as many good articles by Ms Larlham.
http://dogmantics.com/free-videos/
Ms Larlham's website is another you should read through - especially her 'Manifesto' on Progressive Training, discussing how we should live with our dogs.
And another good book, which comes with a DVD, is Jean Donaldson's "How To Train Your Dog Like A Pro'. This is a bit more cut-and-dried, so it might be an easy one for a first time dog owner to follow:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Train-Your-D...dog+like+a+pro
Dr Yin, Jean Donaldson, and Emily Larlham are all respected behaviorists, working solely with positive training techniques.
A word on training:
As you hopefully learned in your SKN classes, positive training is the way to go. The use of force, fear, pain is not only wrong, is not only damaging to your relationship with your dog - but also illegal in Switzerland.
There are so many resources out there on 'tinterwebs, we are fortunate today to have access to the best minds in canine behavioral science at our fingertips.
But a caveat - while the web and popular media are a goldmine of excellent resources, there is also much bad information, bad technique, bad practice, bad advice out there, based on outdated ideas and frankly poor understanding of canine behavior. Much of this is dangerous. Yes, bad advice comes even from people the popular media celebrates. It's difficult for a first time dog owner to sift through it all.
Key to training a dog is developing an understanding of why. Why is technique X recommended? Why should I do Y and not Z? If you understand the 'why' you will make better choices in training your dog, you will be better placed to adapt training to your dog's individual character and specific situations, and you will be well on the road to a successful and happy relationship with your dog.
Wishing you all the best.
They do; I did. "Each dog is different" is the standard reply to most questions I asked. ...
Best advise ever!!
Many many thanks, meloncollie.
Have two already - 17 and 12. Didn't any theory books as grandma was around.
in this case EF is gran. Ergo, the love.
You read my mind !
bananas are for MINIONS.