So....who can tell me all about Primula then?!

[phillyknickers]

OK, this primula thing.........you use it as praise for going outside I assume  Can you tell me why you don't use the clicker and normal treats or is it just down to personal preference? By the way (speaking as a 'wierdo non-cheese eater') how do you give it to them?  Finger?..ahem  ...spoon?

Whilst we're on the subject of munchies.......at what age can they have pig's ears?  Harry is 9 weeks and had been allowed to have one by the breeder - apparently loved it  but is he too young?

Thanks for any (basic) help you can give me .......again!

[Ben's mum]

at our agility club there is a lady who has a poodle (one of the enormous ones!) she carries tubes of primula and when here dog has jumped a clear round she puts the primula tube into her dogs mouth to let her suck it out.....   she gets through gallons of the stuff.....yuk

sorry not much help really more of a factoid!

Bens mum

[Cob-Web]

A whole pigs ear might be a bit rich - Harry will probably love it; but you might not like the results 

Can't comment on the Primula - I just used loads of praise and reward, and lots of ignoring the not so good.

We didn't start clicker training until this year; I wish I had been able to go to a class when Molo was a pup though - I think it would have made basic training a lot easier 

[PennyB]

I would have thought that primula has its uses but in large quantities will be high in fat and salt

I've just been using their dry food for treats for teaching them clicker training in the house, but they get small lumps of cheese squashed into those frolic hoop/ring things when I do agility with them

I find that if they're in situations where they may be more easily distracted then I do high value treats --- cheese, chicken, ham etc.

[dood]

Poppy has had a couple of pig's ears and loved them but she had one a couple of weks ago and had diarrheah and vomiting afterwards for a couple of days so she won't be having them again. Also another thread recently from Hamfam whose dog was quite poorly which they put down to whole pig's ears -think the strips are supposed to be much better.
Never heard of Primula being used in this way before!

[Rhona W]

Only gave mine pigs' ears once. Reuben then had me up at 3 a.m. with chronic diarrhea.  Never again. 

I think CraftySam uses Primula cheese for toilet training. And I think you just squirt a little bit straight into their mouth. 

[Joules]

I use Primula for recall.  Coco has been rubbish at it in the past so I needed a really high value treat just for this.  She loves cheese but it is a bit messy to carry around in your pocket esp in the summer so Primula in a tube is the answer.    I just squeeze a little out and she licks it off the tube.  Just be sure if you put it in the fridge you don't use it in your sandwiches!   

Re the pigs ear - I think 9 weeks is a bit young to have a whole one but maybe a strip - you can buy bags of pigs ear strips.  They are quite fatty so too much would not be good.  Make sure Harry is chewing it properly though and never leave him with one unattended 

[CraftySam]

I have used primula cheese for toilet training with all mine.  It was suggested to me by a dog trainer as she thought it would solve the problem of me bending right down to a small pup (I use crutches and a wheelchair) so it came from there.

I kept it for purely toilet training then it became something special for going outside, together with loads and loads of praise. I squeeze a little bit out so its a blob on the end of the tube and they lick it off.

None of mine, including an incredibly greedy Lab, have managed to suck the contents out!

Used like this a tube lasts ages and they then don't over do salt, fat etc.

Barney adores it, and once he was toilet trained I switched to use it for interactions with my neice, who he's not keen on after she hurt him.

All mine have pigs ears without a problem. I would say 9 weeks is too young for a pigs ear too.

[scooby's mum]

Think I'm gonna have to invest in a tube of Primula, what a great idea.  Both mine adore cheese, although I only let Misty have a tiny bit at the mo cause she's so small 

As for the pig's ears, I've tried giving them to Scooby but all he does is bury them in the garden and then dig them up months later - he doesn't eat them though 

[miche]

Fantastic idea, never thought of using this!!

Mikey and Herbie are in for a treat

[Nicola]

I nicked the primula idea from Sam ages ago and it's fab, we only use it for recall because it's so high value for Alfie, he absolutely loves it and it's so easy to carry around - no more pocketfuls of squished treats or groping around in plastic bags just a quick squirt and a lick and hey presto! Plus one little 89p tube lasts for weeks as opposed to hundreds of bags of nature's menu treats at 89p a pop 

[AnnieM]

Hmmmm.... yes Primula cheese, 3 cocker spaniels and a 2 1/2 year old toddler makes for a very messy morning and one incredibly sticky dog.   
Craftysam came over with Barney and brought the Primula cheese tube for the kids to give to Barney, Jade and Amber, Toby, the little by I look after covered Jade in it and I can confirm it sets like superglue when dry, even though I thought I had got most of it out. 

Have you tried the Pizzles instead of Pigs ears, mine love them, but my OH refuses to let them have one when he is in the room,  anyone would think it was his pizzle and not a bulls. 

[Joules]

Yes, Coco loves pizzles and they last longer than pigs ears.  They are also less fatty.  She likes to trot around with it in her mouth like a fat cigar!  She looks like Winston Churchill!    Tripe sticks are also very popular but they whiff a bit so I make her have those outside 

[CraftySam]

Hmmmm.... yes Primula cheese, 3 cocker spaniels and a 2 1/2 year old toddler makes for a very messy morning and one incredibly sticky dog.   
Craftysam came over with Barney and brought the Primula cheese tube for the kids to give to Barney, Jade and Amber, Toby, the little by I look after covered Jade in it and I can confirm it sets like superglue when dry, even though I thought I had got most of it out. 

   Heck, you'll make me hand over the tube at the door next time!! 

Have you tried the Pizzles instead of Pigs ears, mine love them, but my OH refuses to let them have one when he is in the room,  anyone would think it was his pizzle and not a bulls. 

 

[phillyknickers]

Pizzles.....right......I'll look for those!  I'll also invest in a tube of Primula (yuk!  Can't stand the stuff personally, but it's all in the name of puppy training!!)