I was just wondering what kind of food everybody feeds their dogs, and how they like it. What kind of results do you get with it?
I also have a question about supplements. I just got a package of supplements from a company called wellness(you probably havent heard of it in the uk, i dont know). It was ranked the best dog food in the US. The package containes omega 3 and 6, and a lot of other natural ingredients like yucca, flax seed, salmon meal, etc. My dog sometimes has dry skin, and he always chews on his tail. He also has very sensitive skin. I cant use a choke collar when training (never leave it on him) because it gives him a rash almost to the point of bleeding. We are in advanced class so i dont correct him alot, but when i do he gets red. Will supplements help with this, or will it be something that cant be cured? Will supplements help his immune system? I take him everywhere, and he meets alot of people and dogs. Any advice would be great! Thanks
Megan and Riley

Have you thought about using a 3/4 check collar instead of a choke-much kinder and may solve your problem.Or how about a leather check collar?
Archer

What is a check collar? We have been using the prong collar. I love it! I started using it when he first began advanced. I found that i need a very slight correction for him to respond. I do not want to cause a debate with the type of collar i use. I have read many articles and they all agree that it is the best collar for training. My dog has a regular leather collar, but i have never heard of any leather training collars. I guess i will have to look it up, and see if it would be ok. He is still sensitive on other areas of his body though. I have to be carefull when grooming him not to pull his hair too much. Once i accidently cought a matt, and he got really red and had a scab the next day :( He cannot have any 30 or below blades. That is why i hope the supplements will help that. Thanks.

Quite frankly I don't believe in food supplements of any kind. If you are feeding a good dog food then it will be a balanced diet in it’s self and any additions will only go towards unbalancing it. If your dog has a skin problem then that is a veterinary matter or a skin care matter, possibly something which a veterinary shampoo could help.

Regards, John

I have had Riley to the vets and he says that it is not allergies or anything else. I just asked my vet about the supplements and she said that if it works on his skin then great, but if it doesnt then there is no harm done. She said it wouldnt unbalance his food or hurt him. It will only help him. I was just wondering if any other people have tried some type of supplement before, and how it has worked.

On this site you will see some hand made leather half checks, both flat and round, when you click on collars http://www.accoladeleathercraft.com/
Also I think you will find on the UK many training people will not even use a normal check chain, let alone a prong collar. The prong collars that I ahve seen in Europe are basically half checks with spikes.

I feed our Rottie food supplements and she has a great thick coat even in Florida. I complained to the vet about shedding and he laughed at me and said he has never seen such a healthy coat on a Florida dog. So in my opinion certain food supplements work. She has never had a hot spot except for one time when she got bit on the leg by something and kept licking it.
bonnielass

Those supplements with the Omega's 3 and 6 oils are extremely good for your dog. I have a friend, Evelyn Sera who breeds Std Poodles here in Canada who had her foundation bitch develop an immune/allergy problem. She eventually switched all her dogs onto Dr. Ian Billinghurst's BARF (Bones and Raw Food) regime. Dr. Billinghurst is from Australia and has written two excellent books on this topic. The first one is called "Give A Dog a Bone" and the second one I don't recall the name as I haven't read it. This bitch's feet would break out and as she chewed them, "What a mess!". Once all the grains were taken out of her diet it cleared up totally. If you can get ahold of these books give them a read. They are an eye opener.

I have three cats who are being fed on the BARF system. I had one that my vet wanted me to get some pounds off of her. I tried every commerical low calorie or weight reducing diet I could find to no avail. She put on weight even when I restricted the amount. I spoke to Ev about switching them over. I felt I had nothing to lose as Ev had 3 years experience with the Barf diet by then. You should see my fatty and the other two as well. They look absolutely fabulous. Shiny coats, slim and full of energy. I have the Omega 3 and 6 oil that they get at their supper meal.

Now with the collar. Have you ever thought of using a buckle collar instead of chain choker. We do a lot of training her with buckle collars. My one breed was a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. I could not use a choker on her for obedience. An obedience judge suggested I switch. So with this collar I did more positive training with treats for rewards and no yanking on her neck. Now I would also incorporate a clicker which is a little plastic box with a metal flapper inside. As you train the different exercises you treat for doing it right and reinforce with the clicker.

Hope this helps.
Margaret :) Canada