# Fish oil?



## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

I have read here that some of you put fish oil on your dogs food. I have a few questions about that....
What kind do you use?
Where do you buy it?
How much do you put on?
Is it to help their skin and coat?

I went to the pet store looking for some and the girl working there looked at me like I was crazy. I was buying our dog food and she said "wellness makes a fish dog food". I said yeah, but I have heard to put actual fish oil on it.
Any information would be helpful, thanks.


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## Lego&Jacub (Jul 18, 2006)

I give Geddy a fish oil tablet (the same one I take). Just put it in with her kibble, and in her excitement... down it goes. 

Some ppl just feed a whole fish... which sounds like a great idea (may try that sometime when it's nice out).


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

I have been giving Rocky a supplement called Lipiderm. The main ingredient is fish oil. It is a gel capsule and I have to hide it in some cheese or he will not take it and even then, he will sometimes spit out the capsule. I thought maybe there was something else I could give that he would like better?
I am sure if I put it in with his food, it would be left at the bottom of the bowl. He is not a fast eater and doesn't finish it all at once (I think he thinks he is going to miss something if he stays in the kitchen and eats for too long-lol).


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## Katiesmommy (Sep 10, 2006)

Our breeder recommended fish oil for itchy irrated skin but we decided to go with the Oatmeal Shampoo bath instead -


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I use Wild Grizzly Salmon Oil.... its a liquid and I buy if off the internet....It goes by weight...for how much you use ..... All of mine have had no skin problems and there coats are real shiny....and soft..........I think it also help with what kind of food you use.....


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2006)

Maggies mom said:


> I use Wild Grizzly Salmon Oil.... its a liquid and I buy if off the internet....It goes by weight...for how much you use ..... All of mine have had no skin problems and there coats are real shiny....and soft..........I think it also help with what kind of food you use.....



Originally we were feeding Rocky Purina Puppy Chow. But, then realizing how awful that food is, he is now on Wellness, which has double the amount of Omega 6 fatty acids and nearly 16 times the amount of Omega 3 fatty acids!
So, I agree, the food will definitely help as well.
When we first got Rocky he had so much dry flaky skin that it looked like snow on him. And now since we changed his food and started giving him this supplement it is 80-90% better.


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## Thor's Mom (Feb 25, 2007)

We give Thor gel capsules - we get them at Petsmart. They're called DermCare - dietary supplement capsules with Omega 3. Thor will usually eat it out of my hand. If he's in a picky mood I put peanut butter on it, but usually he eats it as is. He had slightly dry skin (only on his tail) and these have helped enormously. What you could try is show Rocky the tablet and a treat - if he eats the tablet, he'll get the treat next.


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

If you try a search you will turn up lotsa info from the past about fish oils. I will try a brief summary here...

Fish oil is 'body and skin oil' from the fish, NOT liver oils (such as cod liver oil)... do NOT get these two confused. The liver oils are very high in Vits A and D to the point of toxicity if fed everyday in the amounts suggested for the 'body type oils'.

The ratio (balance) of Omega 3 to Omega 6 oils is quite important... especially if your dog has skin and allergy problems. Omega 6s are for skin health and shiny coats but increases inflammation responses... Omega 3s are for brain function, eye health, etc and cause a *reduction* in inflammation. It is suggested that most commercial kibble are not only low in all Omega oils (instead choosing to use just animal fats to meet the fat requirement... and animal fats do not contain large amounts of the Omegas) but are biased heavily toward the Omega 6s, since these are the 'shiny coat, healthy skin' oils and are truly essential (meaning their bodies canNOT synthesize these at all, so it MUST be found in the diet). This highly unbalanced ratio is not good for dogs with allergies and such, as it increases the body's inflammation responses. That's why some people like to supplement kibble with Omega 3 oils.

Omega 3s and Omega 6s (also 9s) are present in almost all fat sources... the difference is in the concentration levels and the molecular forms found. Fish oils are the preferred source for Omega 3s because its in a form that needs no further conversions by the body before use. Plant sources (flax seed, etc) must be 'modified' by the body first. Fish oils have extremely high concentration of Omega 3s and will favorably shift the total ratio toward the Omega 3s (you should note that fish oil does supply Omega 6s as well, just in lesser amounts).

However its all a tricky proposition because you don't really know the ratio of the oils in the kibble to begin with nor the total amounts of each oil. Do you need to supplement??? If so, how much???
Can you over-do the supplementation of oils? Well... YES!

To decide if you need to supplement and how much... I will suggest careful observation of your dog's condition over many weeks as you add it to the diet and settle on an appropriate amount based upon your dog's observed condition. If you change kibbles re-assess the oil situation.

Selecting a '*wild Alaskan'* salmon oil is important as it has been shown that all 'farm raised' salmon have high concentrations of heavy metals (think "toxic")... its okay if you eat farm-raised salmon every once in awhile but not everyday... and since you will be giving your dog a DAILY dosing... hmmmmm, a 'no brainer' I'd think. The state of Alaska has a law preventing farming of salmon and so all salmon oil from Alaskan sources are guaranteed "wild".


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## kalkid (Feb 22, 2007)

I used the Wild Grizzly Salmon Oil when Daisy was on Nutro L&R but since I switched to the Wellness food I've stopped using it and she seems to be doing great. The few dollars more I pay for the Wellness over the Nutro is made up for by not having to buy the Salmon oil. I suppose if your dog is still having a problem than it would be worth still trying.


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

We use Wild \grizzly Salmon Oil in the pump, and it says 3 pumps/day for a dog that is 50-75lbs. If you use the capsules, 1 capsule/20lbs of dog, use a maximum of 1 capsule/10lbs of dog if your dog has allergies, very poor coat, etc, but then lower the dosage once the dog is back to normal again.


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

Just wondering, how well does it help?

Should a dog without any skin problems take it too?

Oh and is the Wild Grizzly Salmon Oil made just for dogs are they for humans? 

And can pups that are 8-10 weeks take these oil?

Sorry about my immense amount of questions heh...


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

When you use the capsules, it's best to puncture the capsule with a pin and squeeze the oil onto the food. According to my homeopathic vet, the gel capsule itslef is harder for the dog to digest. They get more benefit from the oil if it's taken out of the capsule.

Just food for thought...

-Stephanie


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

Ack... This thread seems neglected!!! What about my previous QUESTIONSSSSSSS.....  Heh


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## gracie's mom (Aug 6, 2006)

I use IceLand Pure. They have a website. You can google it. It comes directly from Iceland which has the coldest waters and the Salmon oil is pure. A third party lab in northern california does the testing on it for mercury. There are no traceable amounts which is something you need to watch for. It is a liquid. They also sell Salmon Flakes which I sprinkle on their food at night like seasoning. Their skin is wonderful. Helps with their coats and they have NEVER had a hot spot. It's not cheap but you get what you pay for.


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

The IceLand Pure oil is made for humans yeah?


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## gracie's mom (Aug 6, 2006)

IvanD said:


> The IceLand Pure oil is made for humans yeah?


No. It is for dogs only. A human might be able to consume it but I don't know who would want to. It is nothing but pure Salmon Oil.


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

gracie's mom said:


> No. It is for dogs only. A human might be able to consume it but I don't know who would want to. It is nothing but pure Salmon Oil.


OH right. I always thought these Fish oil products were for humans but we just give it to our dogs. Do pet stores usually sell these fish oil(s) ?


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## gracie's mom (Aug 6, 2006)

IvanD said:


> OH right. I always thought these Fish oil products were for humans but we just give it to our dogs. Do pet stores usually sell these fish oil(s) ?


IceLand Pure is only sold through their website or at a speciality pet store. Not at PetSmart or any large chain. I saw the difference in my dogs within 7 days.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

My dogs get this... not sure how I missed this thread!


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## gracie's mom (Aug 6, 2006)

AquaClaraCanines said:


> My dogs get this... not sure how I missed this thread!


You use IceLand Pure?


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

Through their website eh...

*Scrambles onto their website hoping that they ship overseas*


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## gracie's mom (Aug 6, 2006)

IvanD said:


> Through their website eh...
> 
> *Scrambles onto their website hoping that they ship overseas*


They ship all over the world. You shouldn't have a problem. I've started buying it in the gallon size!!!


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

They do? I only found the page where it says Ships on Ground only....


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## gracie's mom (Aug 6, 2006)

IvanD said:


> They do? I only found the page where it says Ships on Ground only....


go to the page where it says who carries it in your area. There may be a store that has it close to you.


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

gracie's mom said:


> go to the page where it says who carries it in your area. There may be a store that has it close to you.


They're all in America...   

Living in Hong Kong is starting to suck.


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## gracie's mom (Aug 6, 2006)

IvanD said:


> They're all in America...
> 
> Living in Hong Kong is starting to suck.


If you can't find it over there, the website says you can buy it directly from them. They give the phone number. I met the owner at the trade show. Everyone just calls him "G". Send him an email and tell him you want some over in Hong Kong. He will find a way to get it to you.


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

That's if I can convince my parents to buy them....


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## gracie's mom (Aug 6, 2006)

IvanD said:


> That's if I can convince my parents to buy them....


Are you from Hong Kong or are your parents stationed over there with the military?


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

The MILITARY... Uhhhhh, no. We're all normal citizens. Hahah.

I'm from Hong Kong. Born in Hong Kong, raised in Hong Kong and am a Chinese person. 

But it really sucks over here. Breeders here suck, pet stores here suck. Everything here sucks. Pollution is bad. Uck. I'm def. going over to the states for college...


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

You're soooo young and yet your English abilities are perfect... there must be a story there somewhere. I took Spanish in high school and, trust me, you wouldn't want to rely on me for anything more than ordering a beer in Mexico...

Any human source for salmon oil will do just fine for your dog... but do please read my really, really long posting earlier in this thread.


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

Timberwolf Organics Wild Salmon Oil....Pharmaceutical Grade.

It's human grade...has been processed to eliminate any contaminants. It's a liquid and we measure per weight.



> Our pure Wild Salmon Oil comes from wild salmon caught in the cold deep waters of the North Atlantic off the coasts of Iceland and Greenland. It is pharmaceutical grade and is a clear red/orange color with a pleasant smell.
> 
> *Today, all quality fish oils sold for human consumption go through the molecular distillation process to assure purity by removing environmental toxins, including HEAVY METALS, PCBs, KETONES etc. Holistic-orientated physicians only recommend fish oil which has been purified by this process. The fish oil remains all natural with the same health benefits, but without the environmental pollutants.*
> 
> ...


Here's the link:

Pet Omega Oils


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

IvanD said:


> The MILITARY... Uhhhhh, no. We're all normal citizens. Hahah.
> 
> I'm from Hong Kong. Born in Hong Kong, raised in Hong Kong and am a Chinese person.
> 
> But it really sucks over here. Breeders here suck, pet stores here suck. Everything here sucks. Pollution is bad. Uck. I'm def. going over to the states for college...


Well IvanD's written English is better than my reading and writing in Chinese...Do you go to a school that teaches in English?

Now, now...the food is better in Hong Kong, although I don't think my body/GI tract could handle the "dai pai dong"


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

monomer said:


> You're soooo young and yet your English abilities are perfect... there must be a story there somewhere. I took Spanish in high school and, trust me, you wouldn't want to rely on me for anything more than ordering a beer in Mexico...
> 
> Any human source for salmon oil will do just fine for your dog... but do please read my really, really long posting earlier in this thread.


Will do. 

Thanks heh, oh and don't think I told anyone yet but IceLand Pure has offically denied a request for overseas shipping. Well, not really. They won't ship because I probably won't pay for the shipping, which is pretty true. They estimated the shipping cost to be 80-90 USD... :yuck: Ouch...


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I give Brooks one 1000mg capsule of (human) Natures Bounty Omega-3 fish oil most days. Is this what others consider safe for a dog?


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

tintallie said:


> Well IvanD's written English is better than my reading and writing in Chinese...Do you go to a school that teaches in English?
> 
> Now, now...the food is better in Hong Kong, although I don't think my body/GI tract could handle the "dai pai dong"


You lived in Hong Kong...?

Yea I do, English school -- aka International School in HK


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

IvanD said:


> You lived in Hong Kong...?
> 
> Yea I do, English school -- aka International School in HK


More like multiple (8 times) vacations of 4-6 weeks in Hong Kong. My parents had a firm belief that I am to be immersed in my culture. So they enrolled me in Chinese school on Saturday mornings for 7 years, we spoke Cantonese at home, watched HK series and movies, etc. My spoken Cantonese is much better than my reading and writing (the Chinese schools here are awful, and I learned more from reading magazines and comic books), so when I went on vacations, I could pass for a local. I had little old ladies asking me for directions in the MTR stations.


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

lgnutah said:


> I give Brooks one 1000mg capsule of (human) Natures Bounty Omega-3 fish oil most days. Is this what others consider safe for a dog?


1 capsule for every 20 lbs of dog. So Wiggles would get 3 capsules at 65lbs. When we use the Wild Grizzly oil, he gets 3 pumps (as indicated on label for 50-75lbs.)


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

*Where to order Grizzly Salmon Oil*

This is the company website, but they have a list of internet stores. salmon_oil

I looked through the list and the companies that ship internationally by US Postal Service (DON'T RECEIVE PACKAGES BY UPS!) are:

Dog Toys, Dog Training Toys, Dog Treats, Dog Training Treats, and Dog Agility Training Supplies
Leerburg Dog Training - Liquid Salmon Oil- Dog Supplements - Dog Nutrition
Only Natural Pet Store - Dogs Cats Holistic Supplies Products Food Treats Vitamins Medicine Supplements


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

tintallie said:


> More like multiple (8 times) vacations of 4-6 weeks in Hong Kong. My parents had a firm belief that I am to be immersed in my culture. So they enrolled me in Chinese school on Saturday mornings for 7 years, we spoke Cantonese at home, watched HK series and movies, etc. My spoken Cantonese is much better than my reading and writing (the Chinese schools here are awful, and I learned more from reading magazines and comic books), so when I went on vacations, I could pass for a local. I had little old ladies asking me for directions in the MTR stations.


AWESOME. Wait your culture? So you're chinese but raised in Canda?


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

tintallie said:


> This is the company website, but they have a list of internet stores. salmon_oil
> 
> I looked through the list and the companies that ship internationally by US Postal Service (DON'T RECEIVE PACKAGES BY UPS!) are:
> 
> ...


 
Thankyou SO MUCH for that!!!!


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

Well, I'm half Chinese and was born and raised in Hawaii... my mom came from China (Peking) but never spoke Chinese after arriving in the U.S.... so I don't know a single Chinese word, but I can order a beer in Mexico 

Don't they sell Salmon oil for human consumption there locally?


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

Not sure. Stuff like Cod Liver Oil yeah. But I don't know, I'm still looking around. Yesterday I went to a pretty big pet store, they didnt even have anything to do with fish oil there...

Sigh.


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

And plus, if there are some for human consumption, I'm guessing they would be "Made in China"... and I'm not feeding something that's made in China to my beloved Micah...


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

IvanD said:


> AWESOME. Wait your culture? So you're chinese but raised in Canda?


Born and raised in Canada to Chinese parents from Hong Kong. A banana as some have called me but that describes my husband more....yellow on the outside, white on the inside :doh:


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

IvanD said:


> And plus, if there are some for human consumption, I'm guessing they would be "Made in China"... and I'm not feeding something that's made in China to my beloved Micah...


China is known for making things that are "questionable" for consumption. Sometimes there are things that are pirated including reishi mushroom (ling tze) and they contain none of the actual ingredients!

Time to start those lessons Monomer!


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA. That was funny  thanks for the laugh.

Wow, fellow chinese people  Whats up? HAHAHA.

Well I feel kinda weird, because most of you guys are quite...... well not my age, I keep picturing you guys are like me, but then when you guys mention your husbands and wifes, I just go....

Oh... That's right, most of them are twice my age... 

Feels weird to be the younger ones on here... Yet we have the same interest


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

tintallie said:


> China is known for making things that are "questionable" for consumption. Sometimes there are things that are pirated including reishi mushroom (ling tze) and they contain none of the actual ingredients!
> 
> Time to start those lessons Monomer!


I couldn't agree more.

And if anyone of you will be going to China soon. Don't ever buy any bedding, cover sheets, stuffed animals, pillows.

*ANYTHING* that is stuffed could be a hazard.

There was one case back awhile ago, when some kids died because of these stuffed animals, and when the police opened the toys up and pulled out the stuffing. They were radioactive waste... (or some kind of waste).

But just do NOT buy anything that is stuffed in China.

*Note: I'm talking about buying in China, not everything that is made in China is dangerous. I'm not saying they're all safe either...*


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

tintallie said:


> ...Time to start those lessons Monomer!


Are you familiar with the phrase... "you can't teach an old dog, new tricks"? Well, it's definitely true for this old dog...


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

IvanD said:


> ...most of them are twice my age...


In my case, you might want to try almost four times your age... that's really old.

And probably most of what we buy here is Made in China... either one China or the other. China has basically become the manufacturer for the rest of the world... 'they' say 80% of the products sold in Wal-Mart is from China.


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

IvanD said:


> Well I feel kinda weird, because most of you guys are quite...... well not my age...


:lol: Nice save..... That's just funny....


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

IvanD said:


> HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA. That was funny  thanks for the laugh.
> 
> Wow, fellow chinese people  Whats up? HAHAHA.
> 
> ...


Monomer...if you're 60...shouldn't you be retired?  I've reached the magical age of 29 (actually, don't have to lie about my age yet!) and I plan on retiring from teaching at 55...I don't want to be teaching more than 30 years! :| I've seen what it does to a person.

We've had people retire recently and within the first 3-5 years something MAJOR happens. One of my colleagues just suffered a stroke. eek.

It's still possible to teach an old dog new tricks...my mom's friend is in her mid 50s and spoke very little Cantonese and a bit of Toishan. My mom made a point of speaking only to her in Cantonese and now her friend can converse much better.


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

tintallie said:


> Monomer...if you're 60...shouldn't you be retired?  I've reached the magical age of 29 (actually, don't have to lie about my age yet!) and I plan on retiring from teaching at 55...I don't want to be teaching more than 30 years! :| I've seen what it does to a person.
> 
> We've had people retire recently and within the first 3-5 years something MAJOR happens. One of my colleagues just suffered a stroke. eek.
> 
> It's still possible to teach an old dog new tricks...my mom's friend is in her mid 50s and spoke very little Cantonese and a bit of Toishan. My mom made a point of speaking only to her in Cantonese and now her friend can converse much better.


I second that. It just takes more work 

Like trying to teach my mom how to use the TV recording function. Takes years to teach so but she got it in the end


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

YESSS!!! My mom has agreed to get some salmon oil off the net 

I'm going to go for Grizzly Salmon Oil as they do have shops online that ship overseas!

Thanks for all your great input before.

Just want to know somemore about the Grizzly oil, how GOOD are they?


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

Also, how long can an average puppy use a 32oz bottle of salmon oil for?


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

Also just wondering, which kind of Kong do you guys use?


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

Wiggles stopped getting major itchies and his coat got softer and shinier after we put him on salmon oil. For 3 pumps at 0.17oz each pump on the big bottle, that is 0.51oz so for a 32oz bottle, I can use it for at least 62 days.

We have the biscuit kong ball where we can stuff treats into it, but Wiggles gets the treats out very quickly even when the hubby jams the treats in. If we give Wiggles a raw beef marrow bone, it will last him an hour before the marrow is gone :doh:


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

tintallie said:


> Monomer...if you're 60...shouldn't you be retired?  I've reached the magical age of 29 (actually, don't have to lie about my age yet!) and I plan on retiring from teaching at 55...I don't want to be teaching more than 30 years! :| I've seen what it does to a person.
> 
> We've had people retire recently and within the first 3-5 years something MAJOR happens. One of my colleagues just suffered a stroke. eek.
> 
> It's still possible to teach an old dog new tricks...my mom's friend is in her mid 50s and spoke very little Cantonese and a bit of Toishan. My mom made a point of speaking only to her in Cantonese and now her friend can converse much better.


I'm not quite 60 yet but I can reach out and about touch it...
The only thing that's preventing me from retiring is the lack of money! :doh: If I quit teaching now we'll starve to death in probably 3-5 MONTHS!

I think retiring is not good for certain types of people... there are people who define themselves and their worth by their occupation and through their work... when they retire they slowly begin dying. Not me, I'm only working to pay the bills... I have soooo many other interests that my work is actually a hindrance to my pursuit of "fun stuff".

Brain development severely limits acquiring new language skills as one ages... trust me on this one.


Ivan... careful on how much oil you give such a tiny puppy... it is possible to over-dose. Certainly no more than one squirt per day for awhile... until he grows a bit more. If his poops become softer (than normal) then feed a little less... or if his breath becomes bad smelling (all the time) also begin feeding less oil.


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

Great thanks. Very useful stuff here 

Also it's getting off topic but anyone here use the furminator before?


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## monomer (Apr 21, 2005)

IvanD said:


> Great thanks. Very useful stuff here
> 
> Also it's getting off topic but anyone here use the furminator before?


Okay, Ivan... time to start a new thread.

By the way, there are several older furminator threads just laying around... do a search there buddy and you could just simply 'attach' on to one of them.


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## Angel Baby (Feb 25, 2007)

Ivan....forums like this will teach you w hat most others your age will never learn....that people are people..regardless of age....especially when they have a common bond....our dogs....we all can learn from eachother, regardless of age....
The best part of life for me, other t hen my goldens, is being with people of all ages....I have grandkids from 4-12, yet my business is caring for seniors, keeping t hem safe and secure at home, rather then uprooting them and warehousing them in facilities....
My daily world consists of interactions with 4year olds to 98 year olds...and its breathtaking to be able to learn from each end of the spectrum....and realize sadly too....as we age, we get younger in behavior....
My advise to all...stay active, mix with all ages, learn from everyone you meet....nothing will be wasted.


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## Angel Baby (Feb 25, 2007)

tintallie said:


> Monomer...if you're 60...shouldn't you be retired?  I've reached the magical age of 29 (actually, don't have to lie about my age yet!) and I plan on retiring from teaching at 55...I don't want to be teaching more than 30 years! :| I've seen what it does to a person.
> 
> We've had people retire recently and within the first 3-5 years something MAJOR happens. One of my colleagues just suffered a stroke. eek.
> 
> ...


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I work with someone who retired in 1975. She came to work everyday until last year. She just turned 100...

Sorry, wAy off topic.

I may be taking my two off the fish oil. They regurgitate way to much.


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## goldenmsc (Aug 1, 2007)

How much Vitamin E supplement in the Iceland Pure Salmon Oil cant find that amount?


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