courtnek

Isaid I had two questions - this is the second one. My golden-lab is acting very strange tonight. He wouldnt come in earler, no matter what I did. I had to take a leash out to the yard and drag him in. The house had some smoke in it from the oven, and he has shown a dislike for that before. But I aired out the house with fans in the window, and there is no more smoke... he still wouldnt come in. Then I noticed that there were cops on the street behind my house. You could see them from the yard. Yea, I know I need to clean the oven (a job I HATE) but why would having cops around make him not want to come in? Once they left, he came in willingly....I'm REALLY confused... thanks.

I guess I'll do two posts....the first is very painful. My old dog, Jarvis, was a bordie collie/malmute mix. (yes, I give them odd names) He was 13 years old when he died. He was 100 lbs. Prior to his death, he had problems with arthritis in his legs. I called the vet, and she told me to give him buffered aspirin for the pain. I did so. two weels later he died. in his sleep. The vet said it was a natural death, of old age. Is 13 old for a big dog? Anyway, Some people I talked to said the aspirin may have caused his liver to fail.....has anyone heard of that? I never had, and I was going on a trusted vets instructions....... Did I kill my poor dog? It's been quite a few years, but it haunts me.... I have two dogs now, and when they get old I dont want this to happen to them...

I have a couple of questions to ask....do I need two posts or can I ask them both in one?

2, 3 days maybe. You would notice that the dog cant "go" more serious symptoms are lack of appetite, listlessness, sometimes pain in the lower intestinal area. If you see the dog turning constantly and trying to go, and nothing comes out, then I would have it checked by a vet. Mine ate a pair of pantyhose - I got this information from the emergency vet line. He did pass them normally, but it was a traumatic few days of watching every time he went

this may sound silly, but I have dog (and cat) hair everywhere as well. I dont know if this will work on fleece, because it's delicate, but I have used a dog brush that's been run a few times through the dryer (causes the bristles to have a static charge) to remove the hair from good clothes. But on fleece, I think I would try it first on a small part on the inside , just to see what happens. If it works, when you're done brushing, gently wipe it down with a dryer sheet (the kind that doesnt have the dust on it that comes off) to get rid of the static charge. Good luck!!

I;m afraid I have to agree with everyone else. Most professional breeders (the good ones at least) kepp their animals in a house-like kennel, not in their own houses, for just this reason. When you introduced the female, that started the male territory-marking. And unless he is neutered, he will continue to mark. Do you have any training in breeding? It's not as simple as letting them mate and you get puppies....there are health issues, birth issues.... what if one of the puppies is breach? Does anyone there know how to handle a breach-birth? What will you do if the mother decides to not nurse? How will you handle a stillborn that wont come out? There are many issues and potential problems involved in breeding. It requires training and experience..... And as was said before - you cant breed her until at least 3 years old - and he will mark every minute of those three years. You might want to put some serious consideration into this decison....

OK, I'm calm now..... My dad was a judge, and we had many cops as friends when I was a kid. I called one and asked him about this case. He is now retired and I promised I wouldnt give his name. He said that Hall's reaction and actions were completely inappropriate to the situation. Not knowing for sure if Smoak's was really a criminal or not, he had the right to stop the car to investigate. Upon discovering that there was a family and pets inside, what he should have done was told the driver to turn off the engine and step out of the car. At that point the other officers should have deployed to both sides of the car, to keep an eye on the rest of the occupants (and the dogs). AND, knowing that there were dogs in the car that could potentially be dangerous, THEY SHOULD HAVE CLOSED THE DOORS. He said there was absolutely no reason to drag those poor people out of the car, handcuff them kneeling, and hold shotguns to their heads. Remember, they had no sure knowledge that a crime had even been commited at this point. He has been following this story and believes, as most of us do, that this cop should be fired, and possibly jailed. Unfortunately, not for what he did to Patton, but because of his horrendous treatment to the Smoaks. It's a very simple law: it's called "Harrassment" and falls under the statute of "Undue Force". ANyway, after making Mr. Smoaks get out of the car, they could then run the license and the plates (which they usually do while they're following you before they pull you over) and work out the ID details. Like I said earlier, they could have matched the wife's drivers license with the registration on the car. If they had an insurance card, they could have matched the VIN. NONE of what Hall did was correct police behaviour. Of course, the police department will back him up and say the dog was attacking, but that is obviously not true according to the video. Which I watched. I wanted to throw up..... He was also interested in the fact that Hall has shot a few other dogs before. He said cops have a natural fear of dogs, because of their line of work, but he also stated that the safest thing to have done would have been to shut the doors. He pointed out that there was no reason not to, being as the whole family was detained and there was no "line of fire" to be concerned about. In his own personal opinion, this guy is bad news. He has an attitude, and he's carrying a gun. He speculated that the cop ran the plates before pulling them over, and may have been such an ass because he knew the car was from out of state. "Easier pickin's" He was actually quite upset about this story, because this sort of crap is what gives all cops a bad name. One bad apple, you know the drill.... Now for the intersting part - I live in the suburbs of Chicago, and this man is a retired Chicago cop. The crime here is much more intense than that in Cookeville, TN. He said under NO circumstances would he have refused to shut those doors when he saw dogs. He would have shut them instinctively, for self preservation. I have emailed the Governor, and the Mayor, and called Cookeville and gave them a rather unfriendly opinion of their police force. The lady sounded weary, like this was the thousandth call she's taken.... I have also signed the petition I hope for justice for the Smoaks and Patton. If we keep the drive going, possibly outraged public opinion will have an affect.

OH MY GOD!!!! I would have been SO pissed I might have shot the cop myself!! And I'm sorry, but I CANT see the cops side of the story. He was TOLD by the family that there was a dog in the car, and ASKED by the father if the trigger-happy idiot would close the door!!!!!! All he had to do was run the license plate and the registration, and it would PROVE he was the owner of the car!!! Even if he didnt have his wallet, his wife had hers, and they could run her license against the plates. This guy needs to be fired, sued, and never allowed to carry a gun again!!!

Sounds like they're just reaffirming the pack order. I have a large male and a mid-size female, and they spar like this all the time. They also get along well, but once in a while she gets "uppity" and tries to take over. He backs down and turns his back on her as well, as if to say "I'm ignoring you, go away". She settles down then until next time. This goes on all the time. I just ignore them both now and let them work it out. Hope that helps. Katy

Am I wrong? I let BOTH my dogs chew on rawhide - the vet said it was good because it cleans their teeth. I think it depends on the dog, and the rawhide. I have bought the "compressed" rawhide for Alex, he HAS to chew or he goes crazy....and he goes through it in ONE day. The regular white rawhide bones seem to work best. I have never had any problems, but have heard of dogs who do. My dogs are not purebreds, they are mixes, and dont seem to have issues with it. Could it be a purebred thing? Or could it really hurt them? I dont want that....

OK I should probably explain myself here - before I got into computer support I used to train dogs. That's why I keep sticking my nose in here. I see WAY too many cases of people who have to get rid of their dogs because they did something "bad", and it was actually training and not "badness" - and I hate to see that happen. I think eventually I would like to get back into training. Any comments are appreciated.

From what I have always been told, they see in shades of black, white and grey, but there could be new stuff I'm not up on yet. - wouldnt be the first time!! lol I let my dogs sit on my bed with me at night while I'm watching TV, but when I go to sleep they have to get off. In a dominant dog situation, like this one, until you get them demoted it's best to treat them like pack animals that have to follow pack rules. Once she's been demoted, you can ease up on the bed stuff, but you still have to make sure she knows who's the boss in every other respect. Cattledogs are very dominant animals - they were bred to boss sheep and cows around - and to protect them from wolves and jackals....not having any work to do frustrates them. They need control, and good workouts to be healthy and happy. Mine are lab-mixes - the kind that cattle dogs try to boss around!! lol I dont have real dominance issues with them because they are SOOOOO laid back....one is a golden retriever/yellow lab mix. He's so mellow you'd think he's dead half the time.... the other is a black lab pointer mix - she's a little more feisty. they are both rescues, and we had issues - but training and love brought them both around and I wouldnt part with either of them. Keep in touch!! Katy

Have the vet check her over - verify there is nothing really wrong - and then know this is a learned behaviour. She got so much attention from the injury, that now whenever she wants attention she will use the same means to get it. They're as bad as kids in that department. When she screams for attention, ignore her - I know that's hard! But if you dont do it, she will yelp, scream and make all the noise in the world from this point on, until you give in. DONT GIVE IN. When she has stopped yelping for attention, call her to you, tell her she's good and give her a treat. Also, give her a command when she starts to yelp - SILENCE - or STOP - something short she will learn to understand. then when she obeys, call her to you and treat her or give her lots of affection. I use CHILL with my dogs when they get loud. Over time, she will stop. You have to unlearn the previous behaviour. They remind me of kids in supermarkets that scream until mom buys them what they want. It's exactly the same scenario - manipulation with a purpose. Good Luck!! Katy

I'm not real crazy about Johnny's reply either. Dog's bite for different reasons - out of fear - to protect, themselves or their owners - maybe he WAS after the pizza! Guaranteed, if it had been an "attack", and not just his teeth making contact with the guy's arm, he would have had more than a bactine-scratch. Bulldogs are known for their tenacious grip; once they connect, they dont let go. Try to remember exactly what happened - because if this guy makes an issue of it you will need a lawyer to save your dog. Was he growling, snarling, in protect-mode? When he got away from you, did he bark, growl, or just run to the door and jump on the guy. That's VERY important. With a good lawyer, you can convince the court that he was not attacking, but rather was trying to get the pizza and accidently scratched the guy in the process. My big golden-lab snatched a pizza out of the guy's hand once. Fortunately never made contact with the guy, so this just could have been an accident. It all depends on how he was behaing when he got to the door. If he was snarling or growling, you have a problem. Otherwise, you might be able to prove it was just an accident by an over-eager dog who likes pizza. Since then, with my two, I put them in my room and close the door when the pizza guy comes, just to be sure. Or you can gate them out of the doorway with a baby gate. I'm really sorry this happened to you. If this wasnt such a law-suit society, it wouldnt be a big deal. Hope everything works out well for yu. Katy

They are pack animals, after all. Domesticated, but still pack animals. You say she always picks on the "blond" dogs - the lighter colored ones. Golden retrievers? Yellow Labs? The retriever family of dogs is almost always "laid back" - you rarely ever have dominance issues with them. It sounds like she is picking the least dominant animals in the group and showing her steel. She has announced herself as pack lead, and is proving she can hold the title. The fact that the other dogs join in shows that they have accepted her and are following her lead. The fact that she never hurts the other dogs is typical pack behavior - their means of disciplining looks very harsh, but only rarely do they ever hurt each other. Dogs can only see in black and white - so I dont think it's a color issue. It's more likely she can sense that these are non-aggresive non-dominant animals. She is definitely showing signs of pack behavior to the max! Now for the bad news - if she isnt listening to you either, she doesnt see YOU as the pack lead, which is the role you should always have, with any dog. She needs to be demoted. Quickly. She doesnt act this way in doggie-school because the trainer is the unchalleneged pack lead, and she knows it. There is training available for "demoting" dogs who have gotten too big for their britches. I can give you a few examplesL Dont let her sleep on your bed, ever. Always go through doorways before her - never let her lead you into or out of a room. Eat before she does, always - and let her see you doing it If you walk her on a leash MAKE her heel. Never let her lead you anywhere. In a true pack the leader goes first and foremost, always. And the other dogs stay behind. This the mindset you have to have while demoting her. You are the pack lead, she follows you. There is book called "Why does my dog...." by John Fisher that devotes a whole chapter to this issue. It would be worth your investment. It would be very bad for both you and her if she did hurt another dog You could be sued and she could be put to sleep. I urge you to work on this for both your sakes. Hope that helps. Katy

It's me again. I forgot to add that another good way to handle this would be to have him professionally trained, by a dog school that doesnt use negative punishment to train. I know some people say when they get older they cant be trained, but tha's definitely NOT TRUE. It takes alittle longer, yes, but a dog that's been trained and feels like it's under control is more relaxed. Obedience training would be a good step towards relaxing his anxiety. Also, as he is being trained, take him out regulalry and practice the training. Make him sit on command (the first time), come, heel and then praise him lavishly when he succeeds. This will make him feel useful, and has the additonal benefit of tiring him out so he rests more easily. Good luck - It's hard to raise a rescue - I have two of them. But with time and patience they can be the best of dogs. Katy

Anxiety caused by abuse is not uncommon in a dog. Have you taken him to a vet, or a dog specialist? There are certain herbal medications you can get for anxiety problems. Kinda like doggie-downers, without drugs. You will still have to continue the leave-the-room-and-return training however. That's the only thing that will eventually break the cycle, but in the meantime the herbals can help keep him calmer while you are training him. Wherever you take him, make sure you tell them his prior experiences and your suspicions of what has been done to him. Hope that helps! Katy

My son and I belong to: A Yellow Lab/Golden Mix - rescued a Black Lab Mix - gotten as a puppy A VERY LARGE (17 lbs.) Black and White shorthaired cat; rescued. AND a Pond turtle (un-named) Golden Lab is Alex Black Lab is Freebee Cat is PushyCat (and he IS pushy....) I didnt name Alex - I named Freebee and PushyCat. I never give my pets people names. But he was used to it already so I didnt change it. I try to name them according to circumstances (Freebee was advertised as a $20.00 German Shepherd mix - has NO Shepherd in her so I got her for free) or for personality. PushyCat was named for his personality. He runs the whole show - the dogs together are 10 times his size, they still back off when he enters a room. It's quite funny - he wont take anthing from the dogs. He was here first, deal with it.

A wolf is a WILD ANIMAL - although interbred with a domestic dog, the wild instincts will still be foremost. They are NOT dogs - they have all the instincts of a wild wolf. Where a dog may sniff at a suitcase in the kitchen, a wolf will freak out. Little things that a dog would take in stride, A wolf hybrid will have issues with. If you insist on havng one you need to have a large area where it can run, and a penned area where you can keep it safe. It is NOT a dog, and you have to remember that. It's natural instincts will always be to run and hunt; it could kill the neighbors dog as soon as look at you. It's not really a good idea unless you are well-versed in pack hiearchy and it's multiple levels of obedience.

This dog has an issue - goldens are not naturally nasty. Something set him/her off and made it this way. You need to take this dog to a behaviorist - this is not a natural reaction for this type of dog. He may feel deserted, scared or threatened. Dogs bite for two reasons - they are threatened and defending themselves, or they are defending. Did he feel threatened, or did he feel the need to defend? If he felt threatened, by what? If he was defending, from what? This dog needs to be handled in a special way - YOU need to be TOP DOG - he answers only to you - and if you are top dog, he has no reason to bite. Take him to see a behaviorist and work out his problems. You dont need to put him down; you just need to find out what is causing his problem and deal with it. If it is neurological, that might mean he has to be destroyed. But CHECK IT OUT FIRST.

your answer depends on the dog. Purebred dogs are more "fussy" in the food department. Dogs in the wild are not "purebred" to exact specifications. A wild dog/wolf can eat almost anything. Purebred dogs require a certain "finesse" in their food. Because they are purebred, alot of the natural resistance to allergies, disease and so forth is bred out. Allergies IS an issue in a purebred dog. A dog food rich in protein, which is a wild animals main stay, and some vegetables, which wild dogs also eat, is ok. The best way to find out is to try different foods and see which ones seem the best for your dog. A healthy dog will have clear eyes, a coat which is glossy and full, and a disposition that is both amiable and happy. That may seem silly, but a healthy dog is a happy dog, and a dog with allergy problems to his food will NOT seem happy. They will have gas problems, and even dispostion problems if their food is not agreeing with them. Corn is probably not the best thing for them. Think of people: corn passes undigested in most of us. My dogs eat a diet with lamb and rice - made by Purina - and it suits them perfectly. I personally feel that rice is better for dogs than corn.