DogPaddle

She's an attention and crisis junky, she creates situations that get her what she want, let it go, you can't do anything about it, except maybe the do not adopt warning.

Well I'm glad you are ok and that she is home, poor dear is probably rattled and best of at home. You all take care.

Your wee dog is more brave than mine, especially the 70lb goof. He has to be convinced to go out to pee if it is raining or if the patio stones are still damp. :roll:

If you need the bark collar go ahead, don't worry. Just remember that it is a training tool like any other and follow the instructions. There are suggestions on how long and how often to let the dog wear them in the box ususally. My friends mom had one for her dog and they progressed from bark collar to alternating between bark collar and collar with a box designed to look/weigh like the shockbox, to switching between bark collar and fake bark collar and regular collar and so forth. The dog rarely barks now, no matter what it is or isn't wearing on its neck. They did have a problem with it going off as she zipped downstairs though.

Girardia is passed through beaver poop, among other things, so any lake can have it. It is just far more likely to be picked up in still water as DO suggested. When we canoe we take our water from moving streams or from the middle of the lake - improves our odds. I've been hit by it once. Everyone has different tolerences for it - I found it inconvenient mostly. My boys drink straight out of the lake, right at the shore or not far off the shore for our entire trip, no problems yet.

[quote] Nature attempts to express the most positive traits[/quote] I am simplifying here so any geneticists don't freak out, its just to make things simple: There are dominant, recessive and incompletely dominant/recessive traits. Dominant traits are those that, when genes get mixed, are going to be expressed in the offspring. Recessive genes are different. You have to have the same recessive trait from both parents for it to be passed on to offspring. When both parents posses the recessive trait there is an excellent chance that the offspring will have, usually 75% but it varies. Incomplete traits are ones that allow something like averaging. For a very simple example - Mom has red hair, dad had blonde hair, offspring has strawberry blonde hair. This [url=http://www.koshkacats.com/genetics/]page[/url] has some decent explanation of genetics, see the charts, they make it easier. "Nature" is not a concious participant in the process, trying to get the best results. Bad genes are bad genes and by the rules of genetics they get passed on - it's like math.

Sadly with neighbours like that you may have to make some changes. I would be worried about the dogs being alone outside, even in a run. Dogs will come up to the fence and a chainlink doesn't stop much from going through it. I'd keep an eye on them when they're in your yard and x-pen them in the house when you're out (unless they are fine loose in your house.)

I have tried a pinch/prong collar on the inside of my wrist - I pulled hard and also snapped it like a dog might lunging. It was uncomfortable. The snap was the worst but it left no marks (on the unfurry inside of my wrist) nor did it do any damage. I strongly feel that almost any dog on a prong/pinch requires no correction on the part of the handler - the collar does all the work and any poping or jerking is unnec. As for the haltis - my dogs will do nearly anything to not wear a halti and if it is on Kavik will drag his face along the ground even if its cement to try to get it off, Zaphod will barrel roll and dig at it with his paws until he causes injury to his face. Some dogs are ok with them but some dogs aren't. As for the prong - my boys come running when they hear me pick them up. It might be best not to use them on sensitive, submissive or dogs that have other issues. I also might be hesitant to use them on a dog with very little fur but they do have rubber tips to cover them if you want to soften them up a bit.

Usually if I make a fuss over the pill like its a treat they'll take it. If its a really bitter pill I put it in something to hide the taste. If I tried to force it on them they'd just resist so tricking them is easier. Kavik used to go bananas for his vit C tab.

If you do agility with a good trainer it is a wonderful confidence builder - the dog develops some real skills and is acknowledged for them. You have to take it slow though. Positive-only obedience training is great too. Same reasons, the dog learns a skill and is acknowledged for it plus it reaffirms pack order which is reassuring to a dog and helps with confidence issues so long as everything is kept positive.

:oops: Sorry for the off topic as well.

If it re-occurs after it has cleared up you might want to look into the possibility of food allergies or hotspots due to other causes. Oh and what is that thing - lick granulomous or something, anyone help me out here?

I have assisted in the retraining of a Malamute and a GSD that were both outdoor only dogs. The Malmute was 4 when he was brought in. The GSD was 9. The GSD took to it like you would not believe - he very quickly adopted a chair and slept on his own little divan thing at the foot of the bed, certainly he had to be monitored when not crated but it only took 6 months to reliably and completely housetrain him. The malamute was, like your dogs, nervous inside to start, and they took it very slow, transitioning her to indoors. Interestingly after about a week and a half, although she was still nervous inside she would sit right at the patio door (open) to be closer to her people. After two weeks she would pace and whine by the open door, working herself up to go in, because that is where she wanted to be. She was a bit harder to house train but is doing fine now. It might be different with really good outdoor facilities, lots of stimulation and other canine company (presumably this is the case with your dogs) but a lone dog outside in any situation is a sad and lonely dog. Just because they are unfamiliar with the indoors doesn't mean that they don't want a pack and Sibes are, as was stated, very pack oriented. Even if you had an "outside only dog" what sort of retard do you have to be to leave it tied, by its neck, outside in the sort of weather that takes roofs off houses?!

Maybe she's just bright. After all, other dogs have to work hard for their living, she has wormed her way nicely into your heart so she doesn't HAVE to do that sort of thing. :D

Sounds like she just isn't interested in this jogging thing. :lol: How is the weather there in this season?

Happy Birthday!

Well in the sue happy environment, you could sue as he is a twat and obviously in the wrong and therefor harrassing you, not to mention the mental trauma to you and the dogs from the incident. As soon as he drops the charges - drop the suit, although that might be underhanded and overburden an already drowning court system so hell - go through with it. Idiot deserves to suffer, he risked you, your dogs and his dog but not using a leash.

Just a little trick that has worked for me with our revolving door of animals: Just before a new critter comes into the home, I start ignoring all the resident pets and they get no treats. When the new guy comes in I pretty much ignore him/her (not completely of course but no extra attention, they're busy settling in and checking things out anyway.) However, I give the tenured residents extra love and attention everytime they are in the same room as the new guy, they closer they are the more love they get. They also get special meals for at least a week. This seems to work some because Zaphod is touchy with critters outside the home but once they are inside the home, even if he hasn't met them, they are his buddy, he is the same way with people - sort of an anti-watch dog.

Well if she likes NOTHING there isn't much you can do. If she likes anything in paticular put that in the small end and make sure it sortof oozes or crumbles out the tiny hole in the end - temptation. You could also stopper the small end and fill it with water and beef broth and freeze it. It will freeze into one solid chunk and might keep her at it longer.

No problem. You can't be blamed for routing for your doggy. :D

You know, even though we don't have an ingore button, we could just pretend. :D

Holy crap! Did you tell the vet what happened? You'll be lucky if they don't send the humane society out to investigate. First off your daughter needs to know she could be charged for such an action. Second she needs to know this is your house and your dog and she will respect that. Third your dog needs to see a behaviourist unless you are very very good with dog training and behaviours. (These sorts of behaviours become habits/patterns very quickly.) However, the sort of behaviours your dog is expressing cannot be properly addressed while he is living in a stressful situation. You are not wrong for taking your commitment to this pet seriously. Boarding might be a short-term option for the dog but I shudder to think of what lesson this will teach your daughter. Politely telling your daughter that you don't think this living situation is right for anyone involved and then helping her look for a great new place might work. I don't think you could trust her alone with the dog even if she said she'd change but that's just me. Letting your daughter stay but insisting on therapy for her as a condition might work. She seems to not be able to control her anger and acts out of petty irritation with no concern for the effects on her target or your relationship or your feelings. Sending your dog to a trusted friend to stay while your daughter is in therapy might work, boarding could too but not for a long period of time.

The snout looks too pointy for pit though doesn't it?

Those could really help with your situation . . . if they work. Good luck.

I have left my dogs for 10 hours before and they seemed fine but it does bother me. I think that a retired racing greyhound may work nicely for you but you may want to hire a proffesional walker or hire a trusted neighbour to let the dog out for a quick pee in the middle of your work day. Smaller dogs can use doggy litter boxes - they make them and special litter but I don't know if they make a doggy litter box big enough for a larger breed and an adult might not take to using it anyway.