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Dogomania

pzoo9

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Everything posted by pzoo9

  1. Thank you to everyone for your honest and heartfelt responses to what has turned out to be a very controversial subject. We took our dog to the surgeon to take a look at his leg. She manipulated the limb and took some x-rays and offered to send the x-rays to a surgical specialist to see if she had missed anything. As far as she could tell, there was nothing glaringly wrong with the knee. She also gave me a website which may be helpful to someone else... [url]www.tufts.edu\vet\clinical[/url] and there is a link to a fax survey to send to a behaviorist. It costs around $280 but they are the best in the country according to our doctor. The doctor was also very supportive of whatever we decided to do with the dog next, but she did make some points that stuck and didn't really hit home until a few days later: 1. A dog should not bite because of pain (in his situation. Please do not think I am generalizing to "if your dog is hit by a car and in pain", etc.) If he bit because his knee hurt, then the next time he could do it because he bit his tongue or stubbed his toe or got bit by a bug. 2. Once he has done it, there is nothing we can do that can prevent it happening again 100%. 3. Once biting begins, in most cases it gets worse if it is not dealt with properly. (Again, for my case. I am sure there are other cases where this is too general.) As I completed the 9 page survey, I realized that this was not peeing on the carpet, barking, obsessive tail chasing or destroying furniture. I realized that I needed 100% for our child and our dog. This dog was our first son. He slept in our room. Cuddled up with my husband or I in the middle of the night when we couldn't sleep. We brought him home a 25 lb supposedly full grown dog and watched him grow to 50 lb and another 6 inches taller. He went from nearly bald to a beautiful red and gold coat. All the Humane Society could tell us about him was that the owners who brought him in were tourists and dropped off nine cats that were fine and he was so emaciated they didn't think he would last the night. We did not want to send him back there. We made an effort to rehome him, but options for large dogs with a history of biting, a bad knee and possibly another $700-$1300 operation on the opposite knee in the future, a future of arthritis as he got older, and currently on $60 a month of medication are very limited. We did not know of anyone and placing him with a stranger who may or may not tie him to a tree should he bite again or just be too active was not an option. Last weekend we took him to the beach for the last time and let him run until he couldn't anymore. We took him back to the doctor, cradled him in our arms and said goodbye. He went knowing we loved him. We cried for hours. We continue to grieve over our loss. I can't begin to tell you how painful this was for us. I am sure there are chatters who would disagree with our decision. That is OK. I would have been one of them until I had our son. But I do believe that I made the right choice for our pet. We will always remember our dog as our beloved family dog and not as the animal that maimed or killed our son or someone else's. I think that is a part of responsible pet ownership as well.
  2. I was really disappointed with all the "Get rid of the dog" responses and reacted a little too harshly. The dog is not dead and if it comes to that we will rehome him. We have invested too much time, energy and love in the dog to end his life. He is only 5 years old, if that. It is just hard imagining finding someone who would want a mature, active male dog with bad knees that would love him as much as we do. Tall order. Anyway, first things first. I am having the doctor check the dog when she gets back in town to make sure there is nothing physically wrong with him. His knee surgery was very extensive and the dr thought he might need a second, but it is too early to tell. So pain is a factor here. As for consulting a behaviorist, the practice I take my dog tos practice with 6 Drs. and maybe they can make a reference. I did contact a dog trainer/dog rescuer who has an infant and knows Tristan(the dog) very well and discussed the issue with her and she agreed getting Tristan checked out is the first order of business. The dog has been allowed to sniff the baby, but there is definitely n mutual floor time together until he is checked out. We are planning on more outside time for him to de-stress. He did not growl a warning, which is part of the problem. No behaviorist can say for certain, no matter how good and experienced they are, that this will never happen again. So until the next day after Tristan is checked out, I will let you know what happens. In case anyone cares, my child is sitting here eating the packaging of my "AKC SAfely with Dogs" video. Cruel irony. Also whoever said "How hard is it to keep the baby and the dog apart?" apparently has never had a toddler or a live dog. Not helpful at all just :evil: Trolls keep out.
  3. Two points to clarify. I am sorry they were not clear. # 1 My dog is not nippy, as I mentioned he was approved for use as a therapy dog by a certified trainer for Therapy Dogs International. This isn't a case of "Duh, I have a nice dog, so I take it to nursing homes and schools." He was selected, trained and tested. It does not mean he will never bite, but he is not pre-disposed to it. #2 By warning bite I meant no blood. It was a "punch" like a snake. The skin was slightly red, but no blood. It did not bruise. The consesus seems to be get rid of the dog. He will probably need put down. Thanks for your help though.
  4. Friday evening, our 11 month old was crawling on the floor near our family dog (a 45lb retriever mix) when the dog turned around and gave him a warning bite. I was no more than 5 feet away from the baby when this happended. Our baby did not even touch the dog when he struck and traditionally the dog has moved whenever he has gotten too close or he didn't want to play. The dog was not surprised as I watched him and called his name to make sure he saw the baby coming. Plus the baby makes a lot of noise when he was on the move. This is a pet that has been through several obedience classes and passed with flying colors, certified to be an AKC Therapy Dog and has always been very tolerant of children other animals,etc. He had knee surgery about 16 weeks ago and has been in recovery without any problems and has been eager to play with the baby. I called the veterinarian to bring the dog in and have him checked out and the doctor's response was "if he isn't limping or showing signs of pain, she didn't see the point." Needless to say, I am going to try to get him in to see another doctor. All that being said, and knowing I have to keep a closer eye on our child around the dog and there may be an underlying pain problem, I can't forgive the dog. I feel like the bond of trust is gone. He has been getting the silent treatment from me for the last day or two. I need help mending our relationship. I can't even look at him right now.
  5. Ok, I haven't read the posts lately. It looks like there is some discussion on this topic under APBT. Nevermind.
  6. Quick question for anyone who knows Am Staffs. Is there a difference? I am under the impression that an Am Staff is an actual AKC breed and a pit bull is a mix of any number of breeds including Am Staff, bull terrier, bulldog, boxer etc. Just curious as I have seen the Am Staffs in dog shows and the dogs adopted out from the shelter or sold as puppies around here and they are very different.
  7. Hello everyone. I haven't posted anything in a long time. When I worked in the veteranarian's office, our doctor's recommended putting Accent seasoning on the dog's food. There are other products for that out there, but that is an easy home remedy. Things don't come out tasting and smelling so much like what went in I guess. It might save time racing the dog to the poop with Tabasco.
  8. I take both of my dogs to the beach pretty much every day. One dog's favorite game is tracking down chicken bones (people use wings as bait.) and eating them. Once she has it, I can't get her to drop it or stop. If I see it first I can physically get her to leave it, but once it is in her mouth, there is no getting it out. She has chewed my fingers in one of my attempts to get the object. ouch! She is just trying to chew really fast and swallow. So I am worried if I go in there she is going to swallow something wrong and definitely send us to surgery, instead of just maybe. I am practicing putting her in a down and putting treats around her and making her only accept treats from me. I am currently putting things out and walking by "no" items and then treating her when she gets it right. I just don't know how to get the point across with the chicken bones...
  9. Dog paddle - I had the vet physically check his hips. She said it is possible there is some hip dysplasia, but the hip flexibility was good and she didn't hear or feel any tell tale popping so x-rays weren't necessary unless I felt like he needed them. I also have an check up for next week so I will have her check him out again and watch his limp. It is better, but not perfect. I took the advice as far as being the alpha. Since Tristan's last "beating" I have done the "no" and "flip" then ended the play session when the trouble maker is doing her grab and bash move. As of today, their play as been safer. I will keep an eye on it. I probably need to establish more dominance with her anyway. She is a pushy little thing. I just needed another vote of confidence that it is ok to intervene. I don't want to cause an escalation that results in having to keep them physically separated at all times. Thanks a lot guys. I feel much better.
  10. Thank you everyone for all the tips. I am familiar with Barbicide and wasn't sure if that was ok for brushes. The sales lady at the warehouse I use wasn't very helpful. That is a definite investment then. Also, the bleach and water is definitely a good idea. I am doing my practice work at home, and I don't want my other pets getting infected by anything. I am a fastidious sweeper and I have a cleaner from my vet, but it is expensive. I thought about an autoclave, but I thought they were expensive. When I get an actual shop and I am doing more than one dog a day and have more equipment, that is a definite possibility. I have a definite fear of mange and as a new groomer, I don't think I can be too careful. Thank you for your tips. -SHannon
  11. My dogs play too rough! I am worried my little female Aussie (35lbs) may cripple my male retriever(50lbs). She likes to grab his back feet and trip him up or pull him down or ram him at full speed in the hips. I know she is just trying to "herd" him. But he has ended a play session with a limp including today on several occaisions. When we adopted him (first) his hind quarters were extremely underdeveloped, which may be his weak spot she is exploiting. I have been told repeatedly by different dog trainers that they are just playing and let them sort it out...I am not buying it. I don't want to end up with a $2000 medical bill for hip surgery for them to sort it out. I think part of it has to do with who is top dog. I think she is, but my husband says no. He places his paws on her shoulders during their wrestle matches and even flips her. But she goes out first, etc. Do I need to enforce an order?
  12. That would make me insane. What a doofus. In addition, 4 weeks is way too early to be separating the puppies and the mother. I have heard at least 6 weeks. If the puppies actually survive to adult hood, they can also develop a myriad of socialization problems. Not only is is adding to the population but she is potentially adding dogs with irreparable behavioral problems to boot. I vote to spay the neighbor. The world has enough idiots.
  13. For a groomer, what is the standard for cleaning brushes between dogs? I am studying dog grooming and some [u]dog owners [/u]have told me that grooming shops can spread skin conditions. The information I have found on different skin conditions and how they are spread is conflicting. The only cleaning method I have found is white vinegar solution or an anti-bacterial soap and water solution? Is that all I need? Any hints from OSHA?
  14. Interesting. I have seen on the televised dog shows people spraying and brushing their dogs, particularly the Pekes and other long haired breeds. I always thought it was hairspray. (It probably is sometimes.) I can tell you have long researched this topic and you theories "hold water." :) It is worth a try. It isn't like my girl is ever going to sport a real sheltie coat anyway. But who knows, maybe my technique could help. I will try it later this week and let you know how it turns out.
  15. Prarie Gurl, You are looking for answers with your dog's aggressiveness and that is a great thing you are doing. Keeping working with her. Too many people think that dog aggressiveness is acceptable and even think it is "cool" that their dog is "protective/afraid." I have seen my instructor work with some scary dog aggressive dogs, and by the end of the session the dog is sniffing calmly with other pets. I think it is always a work in progress, but it is possible to fix. Keep up the good work. Be in charge. :wink:
  16. I live in the South and we traditionally have mild weather. We have missed out on the brutal winter up north. I think she is just having a seasonal shed. I have also started her on Lipiderm a vitamin E product. So that should help. I will just make sure the skin doesn't come through. As for brushing, I brush then bathe. In theory, the mats swell up and leave a mess to work with when it is time to blowdry. I think it is a personal preference. But with a sheltie coat, wouldn't you need to brush it or comb it weekly/every two weeks to keep it in good condition? They certainly can't get a bath that often. It would soften the coat. My girl lives inside, but she has to come into contact with the elements sometimes. We have dirt, leaves, sticks and other dog slobber here. Maybe show dogs naturally repel those problems. :D
  17. You mentioned in your list that your dog is aggressive when he is on leash. Do you jerk him back when he goes to sniff other dogs? That might be sending him the message that there is something wrong with other dogs. Plus you mentioned you are fearful he might attack another dog. That is compounding the problem. If you are afraid, he may become afraid too. You need to exude the message to him that you are in charge, and he does not need to "protect you or himself." Going to more obedience classes and you being around other dogs with him might help so can psych yourself out. I am also sure your instructor taught you to keep your dog at your side when he gets upset, so he knows you are there and in charge.
  18. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and love them both. I was originally a cat person, but I have two wonderful dogs who have taught me a lot. There are definitely pluses to both. As for who is cleaner, well, there are some unsanitary habits unique to both parties. They are our children after all. If you want to share your life with another living thing, you have to accept a little messiness. I don't complain and wouldn't give up any of them to take a side.
  19. Does it make you fearful you will cut your dog or frustrated when he struggles when you clip your dogs nails? If you are upset, your dog will get upset too. Having someone else do it might be less stressful for your dog.
  20. When I adopted my dog from the shelter last summer, she had very little hair. They told me she was a sheltie mix, but we thought she was an Aussie. Since that time she has grown a thick coat (not quite sheltie length etc. but very thick.) and has begun to shed. I went to line brush her today and removed a wad of fur the size of my whole dog. I have been brushing her weekly since the shedding began, every two weeks before that. I also noticed there appeared to be quite a bit of dander and her skin is dry. Is this normal shedding? Any tips on how to cope? I am not complaining, but I don't want to overbrush/brush burn her either.
  21. On the same topic of "trim," the word "Matted" also means different things to people. I got a shih-tzu today that was, very cute, very sweet and very old. The owner told me before she dropped it off that she didn't want a shaved and it had been before and she didn't like it. Total red flag. The dog was really resisting me on the table while I checked its back end. And I found out why pretty quick. Its back legs were practically knitted together with matts! It couldn't stand completely up because its hocks were practically attached to its hind end. :( I talked with my instructor and she said "Send it home! You aren't ready for that." The owner of course was completely oblivous and was like "Ill just cut it myself" in spite of my warnings. She was also bent because I didn't do its anal glands. If I could have found the anus in that mess, I may have. Better she cut her own dog than me. That groomer that completely shaved her dog last time did her dog a huge favor.
  22. Sorry, I went out of town. Thank you for your reply. I am hoping to be as good as your family groomer. Being a kind animal care professional is my goal, and I am glad to hear that people do have good relationships with their groomers and even long time relationships.
  23. I am taking classes to be certified as a groomer. I am studying hard and my instructor is a caring, patient professional whom I hope to emulate someday. I am excited about getting into this profession and would like to work towards being a show groomer/Master groomer. I have heard quite a few horror stories about bad groomers though. Badly cut quicks, the groomer thought the dog was a poodle and it was really a bichon frise, ugly cuts, cutting the dog etc. But I know there are some good groomers out there. What are some good things that you have experienced from a groomer that made them stand out from the others?
  24. pzoo9

    *my bored billy*

    Hello! I have a similar problem with mine. I got some interesting answers under "Games for Herding Breeds." The recommendations I got were standard obedience, agility and tracking too. No one mentioned Flyball, but that is great if your dog is obsessed with the tennis ball. I highly, highly recommend obedience class. There you can meet other people that may want to be more active with their dogs beyond sit, stay and heel. That can be a great source of new activities. That being said, I say try everything and see what your dog responds too. Our dogs make up their own games, we just have to watch a lot and learn the rules. Don't be afraid to make an a-- of yourself. Part of playing with your dog is acting excited about what you are doing too. My husband can get our dog to fetch for hours, just by acting goofy with him. I am not quite as talented Also, as your dog is essentially part sled dog, maybe he would be interested in some sort of pulling activity. He is really young so research it before you make him pull any weight, so be careful. You don't want to cripple him. But, there may be some training activities he can get excited about.
  25. Hobbit -- You are most likely correct on the cross breeding with the shelties. That [u]could[/u] explain why my dog looks so much like a little Aussie, but not quite. Maybe she was a breeding program reject, or just a back yard accident. Who knows? I probably never will. [url]http://www.mascaonline.org/History.htm[/url] is the mini-aussie party line. I am sure you are already familiar with it. It says someone got together with a veterinarian and came up with a plan to breed them smaller. I read between the lines and assumed they bred smaller with smaller. My mistake. I just don't buy it that it is a genuine breed.
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