courtnek

"fit in the palm of your hand" sounds like a Pappilion...Did it have big butterfly ears? (out of proportion to the head size?)

More info is right. Is it a purebred? You can probably trace it back with a little work... a mix? Not likely.....

I;m not sure what it was you read, since I didnt get a link, but neutering does change their personalities, I have found for the better, Alex ran away the first night he was here, THREE TIMES!! He found a hole in the fence that Freebee never found, and escaped. There was a dog in heat down the street, and that's what he was after. I have found that after neutering (even with Freebee) they are calmer, less dominant and adjust better to having me in charge. And in the long run, this makes them easier to train. After I got Alex neutered, he lost interest in the dog down the street and doesnt try to escape. He has become a very loving gentle dog, even after being neglected by his previous owners. If your not going to breed them, then neuter them is my slogan.

Why not wait til you get the dog and see if his/her personality suggests something? or the appearance? just a thought... :)

Like Poofy said, BC's have been known, untrained and unsupervised, to "herd" sheep to death. They frighten them and the sheep run into fences and stuff, have heart failure. The dont normally eat them however. A malamute could easily kill a sheep - so could a large shepherd. But they wouldnt kill one a day, not a full grown one. Feral dogs that kill eat until the entire kill has been consumed, so if it's one dog a sheep kill would last much more than one day. Since wolves hunt in packs, there is always more than one mouth to feed, so I could believe a sheep a day.

Crested, youre right on the money. ALL animals have some form of dander, and it's the dander that people are allergic to, not the fur. So whether it sheds or not is irrelevant to allergies. The only possible link is that in a long haired dog, the dander tends to stick to the hair. But if not in the hair, it's on the floor, the walls, the ventilation system. Like you said, doesnt really matter. :D

good job! and on a final note - they're having issues with the Itarod because there is not really enough snow to run it. Maybe they should have the race on the East Coast of the US? they have 3 feet of snow there.... LOL :D

She's a doll yellow! CONGRATULATIONS!!! :multi:

p.s. If she is proven to be a diabetic, and you need any help let me know. I've been doing this for 38 years for me and 3 years for my son. He's less cooperaive than a dog would be...lol I'll help you in any way I can :D

Thank you WD - the drinking/peeing is one of the first signs of diabetes (I'm a diabetic, so is my son) and the lethargy is not good for a normally active dog. I have to ask you some hard questions: If she is proven to be a diabetic, could you bring yourself to give her injections every day? Would you be willing to test her blood sugar three to four times a day? Could you handle mood swings (yes, diabetic dogs have mood swings - they get cranky, just like people, when the blood sugar is too high) You need to get the vet to check her out and then decide what you want to, and are willing to do, to treat her if this is an issue. My best to you! It hasnt been easy dealing with my son, but dogs are more forgiving. :wink:

I completely agree with all of your comments EXCEPT one: I'd take the underwear, too.... :evilbat:

One of my closest friends had one, and she was just thrilled with him!! she had small children too and for his size, he was as gentle as a summer breeze. And these were toddlers - they make great pets if you're thinking of adopting one :D

ARamsey.... I am sorry about your pup. I hope he pulls through ok. Parvo is nasty and highly contagious, like Ali said. Becasue the people running this pet shop/kennel apparently knew there was an illness issue, and ignored it, there is one thing you could try, for the sake of the community. Find out from the lady that bought the yellow lab if she will co-operate with this, and then take your story to the bigget newspaper near where you live. If they print the story, it will both warn the people in the area about this shopowner, and also, possibly the SPCA or the health authorities may get involved. Before you think "this lady is mean...." think about what would happen if parvo gets spread through the animal population in your area. This shopowner should not be handling animals...he is not caring for them properly and he is selling infected dogs!!! Besides the suffering McKay is going through, your vet bill could end up exceeding the 1300.00's that the owner "promised". That's just a way to get you to not sue.Shows "good faith"...The paper will not charge you anything to run the story, which a lawyer will to sue. I would definitely report this shop to the local animal control agencies as well. Good luck! and I hope McKay has a full recovery!!

Actually, I was responding to someone who said that "how could they get eggs in the wild?" The DO get eggs in the wild.... and fowl, and any other form of food they can get... Wolves have survived the worst things that can happen... and they do it by adapting... which means stealing eggs, digging up tubers, eating garbage... They are not the NASTY predator most people think they are - the eke out a living from what they can get...

The teeth are the best judge of age....she may be lethargic for other reasons... Her diet may not be right, her blood sugar may be wrong. If you can do it, have a bloodwork done up on her. Have the vet check her for diabetes. This often causes lethargy, if the blood sugar is too high. If she is proven to be diabetic, you cant breed her.... I'm sorry... :(

THANKS!! I prefer chain runners to regular chains because the chain is"off the ground" - less entanglment. But supervision is the key. If something bad happens, someone is there to make it right. That's all I was trying to say. We are their carekeepers...no matter what. I have seen terrible things done to dogs, and so sometimes I come across as a little ballistic....I guess my love for them is above and beyond my love for some people...those who dont care for them and chain them up up outside with no shelter, no love, no attention. And you're right. None of these things should be used as "BABYSITTERS"... that's my whole issue. Thanks for talking to me about this. I have a son. So "proper care" is part of my nature... (he's a teenager, he wont appreciate me for a few more years....) LOL :D

I agree completely!!! HIT THEM IN THE HIP POCKET!! take away some of their ill-earned gains and then see what happens....I could go for jail time too.... Rott, I posted this story elsewhere, but here in Chicago there was a guy who owned a Rott and a Pitt - in Chicaog there is a law against owning any kind of "dangerous dog" without a special license. He left the Rott and the Pit OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME! In Chicago weather. It was 9 degrees last weekend!! The dogs managed to somehow get in the house, and one of them bit the little girl. Both of them were confiscated, and he was charged with NOT HAVING THE LICENSE!!! Grrrrr..... I'm sure they'll both be put down now, and no one bothered to charge him with endangering the safety of the animals, (9 degrees is TOO damn cold for a short haired dog) or not socializing them to get along with people, or leaving them outside all the time....it just makes me sick...I think the proabale $100.00 or whatever fine he'll get is not enough!!! AAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!! :evil:

The answer is in your Title - she's overly submissive. If you have somewhere where you could pay "special" attention to her it will help. Get a throw toy, or a tug toy, just for her. Then let her "win" a few rounds with the toy. let her take it away from you. Do this for about 10-15 minutes a day, then put the toy up till the next session. DONT leave it where she can "claim" it. This will increase her confidence, but be careful. If she starts getting "bossy" she wont need anymore confidence building. Once she gets a little more confident she;ll be less submissive. Right now she feels like the "Omega" in your pack - absolute bottom of the pile. This behaviour is typical of the Omega. :D

Give her hugs from me and my "kids" well, maybe not the cat..... :o Hope she feels better soon! :)

They have a natural "internal sense" of people in general. They can somehow tell when people like them, when they are safe, and when that person should be avoided or taken on. Maybe it is an aura....No one really knows how they see.... I had a friend who's GSD threatened everyone that got too near to Jerry. He was in the backyard the first time I went to jerry's house, and being a dog lover I wandered right up to the fence to see him better. His name was "Vice"....He came up to the fence - kinda wary, and sniffed me. Jerry turned around and yelled "DONT touch him!!" but by that time Vice was wagging his tail and getting petted.... we became instant friends...Jerry couldnt believe it, so I told him he was just hanging around with all the wrong people..... LOL they just seem to know

I tried mine on: Pedigree Science Diet Iams Eukanuba I couldnt find one that both dogs could eat, and when I got Alex he had been neglected for so long his hair was falling out!! (He was also almost 10 lbs underweight, nice previous owners....) And both of their coats were dry and coarse, which shouldnt be. I ended up with Purina Lamb and Rice. It suits them both perfectly. Alex put on weight and his coat is now glossy, with a small undertone of fat beneath the skin (necessary as a cold and heat protector in labs, since they have no real "fur" against the weather). And you can see Freebee's gloss in the avatar. They both get leftovers now and then, and an occasional egg, but neither of them handle milk well. They love to have a raw egg mixed in with their dry! It's like a special treat! I did a thesis on wolves during college. They are known as tyranical predators, but in reality, during the winter when the prey dries up they are scavengers. They hunt extensively during the summer, building up a large fat deposit to carry them over during the winter. In winter, they hunt when they can and also do a lot of scavaging. They eat fowl, eggs, even tubers that they dig up! They will also raid other animals kills in some places. Even garbage isnt beneath them when they can get it. So in answer to "why no chicken but yes eggs?" it's possibly because the chicken we eat has been injected with 'growth hormones" and stuff even WE shouldnt be eating....so have a lot of the eggs being produced, but the mother hen's body screens out a lot of the crap first. By no means all of it! and natural (brown) eggs are the best choice anyway. Beef is injected with the same crap however. In the wild the animals arent subjected to that. But yes, red meat is their natural diet for the most part, but they do eat fowl, sheep, (which gave them their bad name) and other types of meat. Hope that helps! :D

Welcome Kara! I belong to two Lab mixes (the ones in the Avatar) Goldenboy is Alex Jetblack is Freebee. I also have a 14 to 15 year old cantankerous short haird cat called Pushycat. My dogs currently do obedience (tho not well! :o ) and a little bit of personal therapy for a child across the street with emotional problems. They're the only thing she responds to well. Welcome aboard! I believe you'll like it here! :D

Alicat, I apologize if I upset you. Let me clarify. You're kind of "chaining" is fine; you are being very responsible about it. I didnt mena that a dog should never be chained, just that it shouldnt be left outside (chained, fenced, or kenneled) forever, and never attended to or played with. I had Jarvis on a chain runner at my old townhouse because I didnt have a fenced yard. For a few hours, with supervision like you're doing is fine. My beef is with people who chain them out, leave them there and go away. Or chain them out all day and never go out and play with them. I wouldnt leave my dogs out all alone in the fenced yard either. It's just not safe. Having the dog tied while someone is supervising is ok in my opinion. Truce? :D

Alex is like that with squirrels. He'll sit under the tree and stare at them for hours on end - occasionally jumping up to see if he can get them - (the tree is 20 feet tall...not a chance in you-know-where). It's actually funny unless you want him to come in - when he's like that you have to go out and get him.... Poor Kavik!! He has found the perfect game and doesnt understand why you wont play with him endlessly 24 hours a day!! LOL :D

I am watching show on MSNBC... about "fighting dogs..." most of them are dogs bred and trained to fight.... Pit Bulls. mostly.. They show these dogs, kept outside and in pens, no contact with real, loving, people, and they wonder "why are these dogs so vicious?" Why do they attack? Why do they fight with each other? THEY DONT KNOW ANYTHING ELSE!!! God, it makes me sooooo mad!!!!! I want the owners CHARGED AND JAILED for their treatment!!! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK??? The Pit Bull next door gets along fine with my dogs.. My labbie had issues with him, but now they do fine together.... I dont believe that APBT's are "bad"dogs, just bred for something we dont all agree with. grrrr.....