att: Australian flattie-owners - meal advice plse

[Michael Corby]

If you are a BARF person, please do not read on.
Until recently we have been feeding Magnum a couple of dog biscuits (Supercoat) in the mornings, and in the evenings a bowl full of dinner made up of half a tin of Pedigree dogfood mixed into 3 cups of Supercoat dog bisuits (together with any human food leftovers).  He has been doing a great deal of poo, much of it very soft.
When the vet gave Magnujm his check over and vaccinations, she said he did not need a morning meal, and that the excessive poo indicated he was not getting good absorption of his food and that he had an unhappy gut.  She said not to use tinned dogfood at all, but to give dogs dogbiscuits and foodscraps only.
Our question is what brand of dogbiscuits to use.  The vet told us that Eukanuba is one of the best (but she sells it ...) because of its high protein content and low quantity of grainfiller, and she also named a couple of other brands.  Supercoat was not in the top 2 or 3.
 
I am seeking independent advice/suggestions/recommendations from owners/vets/breeders familiar with dog biscuits for sale in Australia.
Thank you,
Mike.

[num...@aol.com]

Hello Michael.
Our diet is very different. I'm not saying do anything different if he's fine, but take a look at this article and the foods reviewed. Again, their opinion. We fed Nutro Chicken and Rice for the last 3 years. I changed food from Chicken Soup to Nutro when we got Stella (Gypsy's littermate) because the breeder had Stella on Nutro. It was a mistake. Gypsy vomited mucous 2-3 times a month. Nothing to be too concerned about, but 4 months ago I changed back to Chicken Soup and Gypsy hasn't vomited yet. As far as the other end everything is well-formed and not what I would consider excessive. I think the nutrition facts are what's important here. Examine everything that goes into his mouth :)
My $0.02
Regards,
Bruce....Gypsy and Stella

BTW, check out the montage from the link under this pic
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37794702@N00/2681014421/

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[Michael Corby]

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for the advice, I'll check out the food brands you mentioned.  Just looked at your flickr - what BEAUTIFUL girls.  Where in Australia do you live?  Magnum could make lovely puppies with them :-)

Cheers,

Mike

[num...@aol.com]

Not in Australia, Mike....Venice, Florida. We bought Gypsy as a pet and received Stella (her littermate) a little more than 2 years later. Stella spent 2 years in the show ring and hated it. She won, but really did not care for it.

We have been posting on various flatcoat sites for about 4 1/2 years. At this point in their lives my girls are in tiptop shape. An added benefit from the dry dog food is that their teeth stay in good shape with little or no tartar. Actually their teeth are as clean as a whistle.

Thanks and good luck with Magnum. Maybe we can see Magnum on Flickr.

Regards,

Bruce

[Michael Corby]

Hi Bruce,

I'd love to post photos of Magnum, but we find it very hard to get a good photo of him.  The detail of his coat doesn't show up in photos, and the flash bounces of his eyes making them look bright yellow - yuck.  I do have some photos of him having fun at the beach, and he is all wet and sandy as a result of retrieving from the waves, certainly nothing as smart as your professional photo with the white background.

 

If I may be so bold, Magnum looks very like your beautiful girls.  We learned at the show ring (spectators, not entrants) that the strains of flatties seem to vary from the the lean and finer-bodied Swedish strain that were being shown, to the more solid, domed-headed British strain.  Magnum is the latter, and it appear that Gypsy and Stella are too.  Needless to say, I prefer the British strain :-)

 

I'm learning how to use Flickr and will try and post 2 photos to the list.  Fingers crossed.

 

Cheers,

Mike.

Perth, Australia

[num...@aol.com]

Hello Mike.

Even though the girls are littermates they're structurally very different. Gypsy has a more feminine head with a top not and is slightly longer and taller than Stella. She is almost setter-like. Stella is "bulky" in comparison with better angles and slightly straighter top line and more muscular. They both weigh about 28-29Kg. Stella had been in the ring and did OK, but hated it.

 

As far as photography and Flickr you will meet people from all over the world!!! We met some of our friends from England last summer when we drove 16,000 miles on holiday from Venice, FL to Anchorage and back. We spent 2 days at the Flatcoat National and met a lot of Flickerites. We then continued across North America and stopped every 400-500 miles. I had set up play dates with breeders and other owners for the girls all across North America. It was great!!

 

There's no trick to digital photography. I use to teach photography and my pix are often blurry, off color, or simply rejected and deleted :)

I use a "Rule of thirds"...1/2 background, 1/3 subject, 1/3 foreground. Also I'll use a "pan" when they are running. Move the camera with the subject. Sometimes it will capture the subject and blur the background...sometimes it blurs everything. Close-ups are cool and should show good detail.

I don't know what you are shooting with, but I'll alternate between "AUTO' and a higher speed "Sport " mode. Also, typically the more light the better for more detail I apologize for slipping into a 35 year old lecture lol.

I shoot with an Olympus E-Volt 500 which is a digital SLR with changeable lenses. I covet an f 2.0 50mm macro lens for portraits, but it's rather expensive.

We live about 2 miles from the ocean, or as it is referred to here, the Gulf of Mexico. (about 2/3 the way down the west.coast of Florida.) I'm available for Flickr questions if needed :)

[Hanh...@aol.com]

In a message dated 29/07/2008 18:25:38 GMT Daylight Time, num...@aol.com writes:

As far as photography and Flickr you will meet people from all over the world!!! We met some of our friends from England last summer when we drove 16,000 miles on holiday from Venice, FL to Anchorage and back. We spent 2 days at the Flatcoat National and met a lot of Flickerites.

 

Yep!  That would be me - Hi Bruce lol

 

I agree Flickr is an amazing place.  I would never have plucked up the courage to go to my first National if I hadn't already "met" so many people through Flickr - many I am now proud to call my friends, who come to visit me in the UK.   I'm heading across the pond again in August for a visit - oh and may be to collect my (not so little now) puppy!

 

As for taking photographs I use a Pentax SLR but still use the 3P method - point, push and pray LOL  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't - the joy of digital is you can take hundreds of shots and just keep a handful.

 

Heather

UK

http://www.flickr.com/photos/flatout/

 

 

[num...@aol.com]

Hello Heather!!!

Yes Flickr has brought the world into focus on a smaller scale :) Hope you have a safe and enjoyable visit here. Who are you taking home with you?????
All the best,
Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: Hanh...@aol.com
To: flat...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 3:10 pm
Subject: [Flatcoats] Re: att: Australian flattie-owners - meal advice plse

[Hanh...@aol.com]

In a message dated 29/07/2008 23:44:12 GMT Daylight Time, num...@aol.com writes:

Yes Flickr has brought the world into focus on a smaller scale :) Hope you have a safe and enjoyable visit here. Who are you taking home with you?????

 

It certainly has!  Rosie will be crossing the pond, although she may have to wait a little while longer rather than return with me in September - depends on temperatures.

 

Looking forward to some cuddle time with Viggo, Lefty, Spike, Jack, and Rosie of course.

 

Heather

[Karen Booth]

Hanh...@aol.com wrote:
>
> Looking forward to some cuddle time with Viggo, Lefty, Spike, Jack,
> and Rosie of course.
>
> Heather

But Viggo does not cuddle...he's more interested in playing. Spike,
Lefty, Jack and Rosie are all far snugglier than their daddy!

Karen

[num...@aol.com]

Gypsy cuddles on her terms. She sleeps on my head a lot, but if I pet her too much, she's gone lol. Today Stella had 2 paws in my lap and Gypsy got jealous. The next thing I knew I had Stella's 2 paws in my lap...along with Gypsy. It was a bit much :)

Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: Karen Booth <wab...@evensongfcr.com>
To: flat...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 7:05 pm
Subject: [Flatcoats] Re: att: Australian flattie-owners - meal advice plse

[Oakwo...@aol.com]

ah-I LOVE your 3-P philosophy Heather-not to mention you brand of camera-and your great pictues!

 

I have used Pentax for (OMG!) 33+ years now!! Not a common 'breed' if you will - in the States...but I luv Pentax :)

 

 

 

Diane Constable
www.oakwoodfcr.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oakwoodfcr/

"SUCCESS is to laugh often and much,
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children"-Emerson

 

In a message dated 7/29/2008 3:10:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, Hanh...@aol.com writes:

 

As for taking photographs I use a Pentax SLR but still use the 3P method - point, push and pray LOL  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't - the joy of digital is you can take hundreds of shots and just keep a handful.

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[Hanh...@aol.com]

In a message dated 30/07/2008 00:07:32 GMT Daylight Time, wab...@evensongfcr.com writes:

But Viggo does not cuddle...he's more interested in playing.  Spike,
Lefty, Jack and Rosie are all far snugglier than their daddy!

 

 

Make that a play date wth Viggo and snuggle time with the rest of the gang LOL

 

Heather

[Hanh...@aol.com]

In a message dated 30/07/2008 01:10:55 GMT Daylight Time, num...@aol.com writes:

Gypsy cuddles on her terms. She sleeps on my head a lot, but if I pet her too much, she's gone lol. Today Stella had 2 paws in my lap and Gypsy got jealous. The next thing I knew I had Stella's 2 paws in my lap...along with Gypsy. It was a bit much :)

 

 

Murphy sleeps on my head given the chance.  Two flatcoats in any lap is one too many for comfort.

 

Heather