Black GSD

I sent you a private message.

[quote name='KathiAnne']I have never heard of anyone having all puppies sold before breeding?? [/quote] I sure have. The breeder I got my pup from had $500 deposits for 12 puppies from one of her bitches BEFORE the bitch was even bred. (But it IS true that that doesn't happen all that often.)

[quote name='TDG']salt isn't necessarily a bad ingredient, it just depends on the amount.[/quote] RIGHT. Everyone NEEDS salt. People, dogs, cats, horses, ect... But too much is NOT good and can cause problems. It does seem to me that salt IS awefull high up on the ingredient list though.

The thing that "jumped right out at me" with the regular adult formulas is the "ONION SALT"(In the "common ingredient" section). WTF??? Onion is NOT good for dogs. And it pretty high up on the list. And supposedly it can build up in their system over time. I wouldn't feed that stuff to my dogs. The light/senior and puppy doesn't appear to have Onion salt in it. But Rather Iodized Salt. You're right. The Evolve does sound better.

Both canned Tuna and Chicken have a fair amount of salt in them. And what ever happened to not eating much Tuna due to the Mercury content? There is NO way I would EVER food a dog just Tuna, Chicken, and Rice. Like TDG asid, this is a VERY unbalanced diet. How healthy do you think YOU would be if that was all you ate? (I agree about the Purina too. NOT good.)

As far as "cattle dogs" needing docked tails so they don't get dirty and infected. WASH THEIR TAILS! Talk about the epitome of LAZYNESS! (I know that this was taken from a website and was "supposed" to be a reason for docking in the past. I just HAD to say what I did.) And as far as "cattle dogs" needing docked tails so they don't get stepped on by cattle :roll: , PLEASE. They SHOULD be standing up and/or moving! A cow CANNOT step on a dogs tail if it is standing up. And if this is the case, WHY do Cardigan Welsh Corgis have LONG tails? They are cattle dogs. To me, saying a dog needs a docked tail so that it doesn't get stepped on is like saying that they shouldn't have teeth so they don't get kicked out by a cow. :roll: And Catahoula Leopard Dogs are some of the roughest, toughest cow dogs there is and they have LONG tails. If this was the case, then WHY are Australian Cattle Dogs required to have LONG(Natural) tails? (In the showring.) All my "ranting" aside, I am NOT opposed to tail docking. IMO, to each their own. If you don't like it, don't do it and DON'T get a dog that has a docked tail. Same with Cropping. And I TOTALLY agree with whoever said that about Cockers and NASTY ears. Poodles are another breed that are prone to bad ears.

[quote name='Nancy B'] Also....three cups of food a day is a LOT of food! . [/quote] Depends on the DOG. (And the food.) My 1yo GSD pup eats 4 heaping cups of "premuim" kibble a day (Not including the other stuff I add to it.). And he is still thin. BUT, he is more active than most dogs. Think of a Border Collie on CRACK and that will give you some idea of how active he is. He is a dog that does NOT sleep or even relax AT ALL during the day. (If my adult female GSD ate 4 cups a day, or even 3, she would explode!) In the case of the "fluffy :wink: " Golden, I would also agree that a change of food is a good idea. As well as less of it. And MORE exercise. (And a vet check.)

All of these stories really make me glad I'm not grooming anymore. :D I was the one that got all of the ones that were BTD. (Bad To Do.) (Luckily we charged more for the biters.) And also luckily, the ones that were so bad that they had been kicked out of other shops had owners that were so happy to find someone that could and would do their dog, they were good tippers too. I did one nasty, crazy, biting, Schnauzer that had been kicked out of every other shop in town. (And there were SEVERAL.) But after coming to me a few times, she was a whole different girl. (For ME.) What used to REALLY dirve me nuts were the ones that came in SO matted that it came off in one solid chunk. And these were usually the nicest dogs. The ones that you could tell were in pain from the matts beind SO heavy and tight, yet all they wanted to do was kiss you.

Cassie, I didn't say that you were "completely wrong". I simply gave MY opinion on the method you posted. (And mentioned what COULD happen if that method was used.) The origional poster, IMO, should have as much info as possible. Then it is their choice how to proced with the individual dog.

And people wonder why I (and others) believe that dog parks are a BAD idea.

There is no reason not to let the pup see the older dogs. It is also a good idea to let them spend some time together. (Supervised of course and one at a time. ) I would NOT let the pup suck on the "motherly one". I would NOT correct the female OR the pup though if the pup tries to suck on her. Correcting the pup could cause the pup to be afraid of her, correcting the adult could make her resent/dislike the pup because she would see it as the pup is causing her to be corrected. I would just distract the pup if she tries it. Seeing the other dogs and having limited amounts of time to socialize with and/or play with them will NOT cause the pup to be "doggy"(like dogs better than people). Not letting them have any contact with the pup could VERY well lead the pup to either be aggressive towards them OR to be afraid of them later on. What kind of dogs are they?

[quote name='Cassie'] For example if Taurus has gotten a hold of one of your childrens toys and starts gaurding...offer a tasty treat...this rewards the dog for dropping the valued item.[/quote] I personally don't like this approach. Reason being that you are REWARDING the dog for having something he shouldn't. And if he is very smart, (which I'm SURE he is.) Chances are that he will LEARN that he gets a treat for having something he shouldn't. So when he want's a treat, he will just grab something he shouldn't have. (My mother has a Pom that does this EXACT thing. He will grab something he KNOWS he shouldn't, then look at her and wait for a treat.) :roll: We KNOW that we are rewarding the dog for giving up the item we don't want them to have, THEY seem to see it as being rewarded for HAVING the item. Also wanted to add. Even with a dog that will let you take anything and everything from them. It is STILL not good to let kids mess with them or get too close when they are eating of chewing on a toy/bone. They ARE dogs, and anything can happen at any time.

[quote name='Pokey318']I had one other thought and would love an opinion. Both the Wellness Puppy and the Solid Gold WolfCub have salmon as the second ingredient. Is it possible that she is allergic to the salmon? [/quote] My guess would be no. But then again, anything is possible. Have you ever had her on a Lamb and Rice kibble. (Sorry but I can't remember if you said.) Lamb and Rice is "usually" the first one that folks try if they have a dog that seems to have allergies that are food related.

[quote name='Pokey318']I don't think 1/2 cup three times a day is too much. [/quote] No offense, but it really doesn't matter what YOU think. That is 1 1/2 cups of food AND the rice. When my pup was her age, he was only eating a total of 2 cups of food a day. (He is a German Shepherd so is also a large breed.) (My point IS, that to HER system, it could be that she is/was getting too much.) Chances are this is not the issue, but it is still something to keep in mind. Good luck with your pup. :D

It could also be that you are feeding her too much. If they are eating more than they need, that too can give them "pudding poop".

[quote name='StarFox'][quote name='Rowie-the-Pooh'] I'm pretty sure all dogs with backs as sloped like that have HD :( .[/quote] I actually don't think rowie is 100% wrong w/ this statement. So many "breeders" in america breed for the sloped back and the looks not for the health. And I do think that is part of the reason that GSD have such a high case of HD. GDS come in only after Goldens with the highest cases of HD. :([/quote] However, the GSD has been known to have a higher than "normal" incidence of bad hips since WAY before the super exagerated angluation became "fashionable". AND hip problems are an issue in ALL bloodlines of the GSD not just the American show lines. And the American show lines ARE the only ones that look like that! And just look at what you just said. They come in AFTER Goldens. Goldens aren't angulated like GSD. If it was simply an issue that was caused by too much angulation, it would be easy to get rid of, and would only occur in those dogs. And that is NOT the case.

[quote name='Rowie-the-Pooh'] I'm pretty sure all dogs with backs as sloped like that have HD :( .[/quote] Actually that isn't true. There are plenty of American Showline dogs that have OFA Excellent or Good hips. Just like there are plenty of those dogs that have "straight backs" that have AWEFULL hips. I too personally HATE the way the American dogs look. But the reason that they look and stand that way is NOT due to hip problems.

Zheelah, In the U.S., it really isn't "desireable" to put your foot behind the dogs leg. You NEVER see an American dog stacked with someones foot behind their leg. Though a lot of other countries don't seem to mind. Personally, I think it looks VERY tacky and to me shows a lack of training. I have NEVER had any trouble getting my dogs to stack without using my foot. As far as getting the dog to pull out on the leash, in the U.S. they DO use double handlers. (Though they are not "supposed" to according to the AKC, they do anyway. :roll: ) And, IMO it is THE most annoying thing ever. But it is easy to teach a dog to pull. (Afterall, MOST puppies would rather pull on the leash than BE pulled or stay next to the handler.) I teach mine a "command" to pull. Starting from when they are puppies.

[quote name='Anonymous'][quote name='Mutts4Me']These are responsible dog owners and breeders, and blanket statements like the one you made are probably insulting to them. [/quote] Yes, I am insulted. How am I (and I don't even breed) responsible for all the stupid people who buy a dog on impulse from a petstore or byb and then dump it at the shelter a month later? How am I responsible for all the rediculous "poo/doodle dog" byb's and people who think it would be neat to have puppies? Gimme a break. The breeder I bought my dog from knows where all of her puppies are and she takes them back if there is ever a problem. She's not taking up homes for shelter dogs because someone who goes through all the trouble to get one of her dogs wasn't going to get one from the pound in the first place. Some people know what they want and like to have a choice. Go figure. Honestly, lately this board has been so anti-purebred that I don't even know why I bother coming here anymore.[/quote] Kiger, VERY well put. I agree 2000%.

Even though not on your "list" I too would go with a Brittany. IMO, they tend to have better dispositions (as a whole) than either Springers OR Cockers. If you do decide to go with a Springer, do a LOT of research, as they are known to suffer from "Rage Syndrome". Cockers also have their own "issues". And if you are VERY athletic, a Cocker might have a harder time keeping up since they are so much smaller. LIke I said, you might want to check out the Brittany if you haven't already. IMO, you would probably have a tough time finding a Welsh since they are not a popular breed.

I wonder how many unaltered dogs one is allowed to have without being MADE to get the $1000 commercial lisence though? Most folks that show have more than 3 dogs. And as with a rabies tag, the only time it REALLY matters is if the dog bites someone. Other than that, no one knows if they have a rabies shot or not. Same with a lisence. Unless a dog is picked up by animal control, no one knows if it is lisenced or not. So what is the point? And here, you get a rabies certificate AND tag from the vet. Have you seen just WHO is going to get the money that foks have to pay for these lisences? If not, let me know and I will post it.

I don't blame the AKC for opposing it. It is stupid! IMO, all that can come of this is that the good honest hobby breeders that DO show and train their dogs will be forced to quit (or move out of state.) While the puppy mills and large "commercial" breeders will not be affected at all. And what in the HECK is up with this part? [quote]* “Noncommercial breeders license,” authorizing owners to have a dog or cat that produces one litter, whether intentional or unintentional.[/quote] So it is STILL OK to have unintentional litters!?!?!? And just exactly WHO is going to enforce this? And more importantly HOW? Are they going to drive up and down every street and check all of the dogs stomachs to see if there is a spay scar or if they have testicles or not? :roll: And just what about cats? How are they going to know if they are spayed or not? (Unless they have baby kittens.) I would like to know just HOW they are going to catch people that don't have their puppies altered? (By the way, females must be spayed by [b]4 months[/b] and males by [b]6 months[/b].)

NEVER let him out of your sight, even for a second. If you can't activly watch him, either crate him or put him on a leash. As far as the ignoring commands. Tell him ONCE. If he doesn't do it, correct him immediately. If you are not able to enforce a command, don't give a command. He needs to learn that slowness or total disobedience is NOT an option. Believe me, he WILL get worse before he get better. But you had better get a handle on him before he hits the "teenage stage".

WOO, HOO!!! 24 of 25 correct!!!!!! I got # 5 wrong. :o I don't know what I was thinking.

[quote name='schippsmom']:Dog_run: I know they make breakaway collars for cats, do they make them for dogs?? When they are not being walked, it might be the way to go. Paula & Re-Run[/quote] Yes they do. And they don't always "break away" like they are supposed to. I know someone that had a break away collar on her dog, and the EXACT same thing happened. One of her other dogs got it's mouth caught in the collar and it DIDN'T break away. (Luckily she was there are was able to save the dogs.