sheesh

Oh brother! My St. Bernard/Great Dane mix who is about 2 1/2 years old has now done this 3 times. We've been at dog parks and he'll go up to someone who is peacefully sitting in a chair or just standing there - and he'll pee on them :oops: . A trickle marking - but nonetheless - absolutely embarassing. The person looks shocked, as do I! What is going on? Why has he recently began doing this? NOthing has changed otherwise. And it's usually at off leash dog parks so that I am not "right there" to reprimand him. I must stop this godawful behavior - I can't imagine being peed on by a dog who isn't even mine! He is neutered. Any suggestions of how to stop this grossness? Thanks!

I'm interested! Thanks for the tip. I saw this on amazon.com and passed it up. Now I'll give it another look! Anything to really teach my dogs how to heel...

Thank you Kat, also! I hadn't read your reply when I posted my last one. I will try the desensitization. I'll try anything to prevent this from happening again! What kind of action do I do if she shows aggression - just yanking the lead? NO verbal comments whatsoever? Whenever I do say "naughty girl", she knows this statement and her ears go down and she looks very sad, as if I truly am hurting her feelings. She is very sensitive!

Thank you Pouty for all the good advice. The description really hit the nail on the head. SHe meets 90% of that description with a few exceptions. She absolutely adores my other dog while definitely being the alpha. She has had basic training and is extremely fast at learning. I also have a 1:1 trainer come to my house and practice other things like off leash training. She does fine on the 30ft lead, but if she sees another dog or squirrel, NOTHING will bring her back to me. I am always working on this, and she never progresses to stopping the run in mid-stream and returning back to me. Re: my actions after she 'attacked' the other dog - what should I do if anything of the like happens again? If I cannot scold her, how does she know that I disapprove of what she did? Plus the owner of the other dog had to see that I was mad (Or else I think HE would have thrown her down and kicked her :cry: ). Interesting to read what you wrote about cattle dogs. Her exercise drive is insatiable. I have resorted to using The Springer attachment to my bike and she and I go for at least 4-5 miles and she barely is panting when we are done. Amazing girl she is. I think her being off leash may not be a privilege of hers anymore - I am just way too scared of her doing this again and I wouldn't be able to stand it knowing she injured a dog. Thank you for your tips.

Help! I am utterly dismayed with my cattle dog mix. She is probably part border collie/blue heeler, maybe some lab. She is 1.5 years old. She gets along perfectly with my Saint/Great Dane mix. As well as other big dogs. She is a sweet, gentle dog at home. Never has had any aggression towards humans. But with small dogs, this is something new. She used to do fine at the dog parks until maybe the past 2-3 months. She has suddenly become very aggressive towards the most helpless dogs - the ones who are very tiny, puffy, or those that are extremely passive/submissive. Today at the dog park, after an hour of frolicking with the big dogs and having a dandy time, we came across a little dog. Maybe a shihtzu? Some kind of "toy" dog less than 15 lbs or so. This is the 2nd time I've seen her do this - she nearly attacked this poor little dog. Pinned it to the ground and was growling, bearing her teeth. The poor other dog was crying. When I finally grabbed hold of her, I threw her to the ground and scolded her. [b]The man told me my dog should be shot[/b]. I was so embarassed and felt so horrible for this other poor dog. I must now never let her go off leash again or else a tragedy may happen. After I scolded her, she looked as if she felt bad and knew she did something wrong, but WHY did she do this to this poor little dog who did nothing wrong? I don't blame the owner for telling me what he did. Thank god the other dog was OK. I know she goes CUCKOO for cats and maybe she thinks these little dogs are cats? Or maybe she thinks they are stuffed animals (which she loves to tear apart)? I am just very sad to see her do this. With no explanation. She occasionally goes to dog daycare and they never say she is aggressive. But this is the 2nd time at an off leash park which she has acted this aggressive and I can't let it happen again. Does anyone have any suggestions for this newly acquired BAD BEHAVIOR? THANK YOU

Thanks for the website. My only question about Canidae is the protein. Why don't they use fresh meat as primary protein, versus only meat meals? Does it matter? Also - the price of Dr F&S is about $27/30# bag and Wellness is $40/30# bag at my local store, so there is a big price difference. That is a little too pricey, unfortunately.

Hello all! I've been thinking of ordering dog food from Dr. Foster & Smith for convenience sakes. Their food seems pretty reasonably priced with good ingredients. What do you guys think of this one? I am TIRED of LUGGING around bags of food from the pet store as I have 2 muttlies so it seems I'm at the store all the time :o . So with their autoship delivery program, the bags will show up as often as I want them to (and they give you a price break). [b]Dr Foster & Smith Dry Adult Dog Food - Chicken & Brown Rice[/b]: 24% protein, 14% fat [color=darkblue]Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Whole Barley, Rice, Rice Bran, Chicken Fat (naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric acid, and rosemary), Natural Flavor, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Egg Product, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Apples, Herring Oil, Brewers Dried Yeast, Kelp, Potassium Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, Vitamin E Supplement, Garlic, Dehydrated Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Bifidobacterium thermophilum Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Bifidobacterium longum Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Sodium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate (source of chelated Zinc), Iron Proteinate (source of chelated Iron), Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Beta Carotene, Manganese Proteinate (source of chelated Manganese), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Cobalt Proteinate (source of chelated Cobalt), Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Copper Proteinate (source of chelated Copper), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Ethylene Diamine Dihydriodide (source of Iodine), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Folic Acid, Menadione Dimethylpyrimidinol Bisulfite (source of Vitamin K activity), Sodium Selenite.[/color] Thank you

I give my little Cattle dog mix as well as my GIGANTIC St. Bernard mix the Missing Link every day. It not only has good phytochemicals, but it also has good bacteria which produces good stools. Neither have any problems with allergies and their coats look lustrous (despite not having a bath for a long time!) Give it a try!

I feed my 2 dogs Premium Edge: Chicken, chicken meal, rice flour, oatmeal, corn gluten meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), beet pulp, whole grain brown rice, egg product, flaxseed, natural chicken flavor, fishmeal, brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganese oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite (source of vitamin K activity), riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Sorry if this post is a repeat - was just told by a friend that a similar post on this no-no food list was already posted.

Hey all - please check out this link [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1939&articleid=1030[/url] What do you think of some of their "dangerous foods"? For example - dairy - I feed my dogs kefir and lowfat yogurt occasionally. I know of course that some dogs can tolerate things that others can't, but this list might make owners scared to give their dogs anything but dry dog food. I also give garlic on occasion (not alot) - is that wrong? I also thought that an occasional raw egg now and then was fine (shell & all, once cleaned) - again, is that wrong? Thanks

I was just going to start a post addressing this issue and there it was! My vet says my saint mix (1 1/2 yo) has entropion of right eye. I called the rescue organization from which I got him from (I just adopted him 3 weeks ago) and she said yes, he had mild entropion, but she discouraged surgery at this stage because it was not bothering him and it would be cosmetic only (at this mild stage). If it got to be where he was bothered and there was discharge and other symptoms, then the surgery is needed. I can see now, where his little lashes are on the inside and understand how irritating that could be. But i'm just going to wait till I notice symptoms of him being bothered, till getting the surgery. On the downside, she says the recovery process is a pain in the (#@* because he will need to wear an E-collar for 10 days or so as well as lots of eye medicines and ice packs to deal with the significant swelling. And if he pulls the stitches out - he'll have to have it redone. Ouch! Dealing with a 120lb dog with an e-collar is not something I look forward to, so I think I will just wait for a bit, maybe till winter. Does anyone have any stories of their dogs post-surgery and the recovery process? Thank you

I have a herding dog mix and she used to eat her poop all the time. I tried the ForBid and it worked, but too expensive. Then i tried Dr. Foster &Smith "Distaste" and it did work well. THen I stopped using anything and she was fine. Until I got a second dog and she took a rather fond likeness to HIS poop! After hearing the mention of meat tenderizer - I will try adding that to HIS food and hopefully that will take care of it. Plus that is the cheapest so far. Of course - the best remedy is to collect it as soon as possible!

JEEEEEZ! This is a hysterical post. I feel sooooooooooooooo much better knowing that my doggies are not misfits - rather they are the norm! No matter how good they have it - they will find trouble! Riley's Destruction (Cattledog mix): - TV remote - pillowcases - 6 prs of shoes - 3 garden hoses (I know, you would think I'd get the picture) - 1 bootleg audio tape - irreplaceable and very valuable :evil: - 4 or 5 rugs - I've lost track - 2 doggie beds - 1 crate pad - 2 doggie dishes - Numerous wrapped christmas presents - dunno what they were since they ended up in her stomach :o - napkins, newspaper, any kind of paper - 1 jug of motor oil - 1 cooler/thermos - Outdoor patio set - cushions Rusty (have only had him for 2 weeks - Saint/foxhound mix) - Living room Wood Blinds ruined (with plenty of nose snot on the window!) - kitchen cabinets gnawed on - Crate pad - Today: 1/2 pan of brownies and 1lb of raw chicken thawing in the sink - More to come???

Ahhhhh, another Saint mix? :iloveyou: I just adopted one and prior to getting him, I was very concerned about the SHEDDING and DROOLING as K clearly pointed out. But -- I think I got the best of both breeds - he has very short hair and needs an occasional brushing, and the drooling...slobbering is only at mealtime. I keep the towel near his bowl at all times for a good rub-down after he eats/drinks. So don't have despair - if he's a mix - then he may not get all of the not-so-heartwarming traits of a pure Saint. Re: the third dog issue - can't answer that - I just got my second. I couldn't imagine a 3rd, but hey - all the more love to go around! Definitely a trial period would be nice since you won't know if the other 2 doggies get along with him until he's really at your home.

Malamum - I just use a standard collar. But my girl is only 40# - If your baby is a big boy - then I would use a harness for more control. Let me know how your experience goes with it! It was one of the best doggie investments yet. She gets "doggone" tired within 20 minutes versus a walk where she is strolling and looking at me like "When will we pick up the pace?" :o Oh by the way - I did go rollerblading with my girl and she did wonderfully. Only once did she try to cross my path - remedy solved by using a 2-foot show lead. I think biking is much funner though!

Hey Malamum - I have used my Springer since last summer. My 40# cattle mix just loves it. Sorry K - I have never had any problems with it and she LOVES it. Why do you hate the Springer? I am curious. She pulls me initially for the first 2 minutes of the ride, but then she realizes that we she's doing - and she slows down and the chain attached to her collar becomes slack. It comes with a silly flimsy cord and plastic attachment. I went to the hardware store and exchanged the plastic thing for a carabiner-type hook, and purchased 1 foot of chain, and then another carabiner. Presto! Now attach to collar and you are ready to go. We go fast when I sense she wants to speed up, and then I slow down when I sense she is tired. She absolutely LOVES it. Now instead of "wanna take a walk?" I say "Wanna go biking?" and she FLIPS OUT! :P So I have nothing but great things to say about the Springer. When she lunges for a squirrel - I barely feel it and am in total control. My only concern for accidents is from cars who don't see us. But I put a little beacon light on her collar so she is VERY visible, even at dusk. If you have any more questions, just write. Good luck!

Can I pipe in a little comment to clear Vet Tech a little? I do agree with HF that one should be open to new ideas and possibilities and not discount any statement without fully researching. That said, the way I interpreted Vet Tech's comments were that he/she was [i]dissing the [b]book[/b][/i] that Rowie was mentioning, [i]not Rowie herself.[/i] [quote]It worris me that there are such literary pieces giving out false info. Unreal.[/quote] This is not a slam on Rowie - but the book from which he/she read it. So I did not see it as Vet Tech belittling what Rowie was saying. A little research will do us all good - even on stuff which we think we know by heart! Just my 2-cents. Bir is a cutie by the way!

Debbie - sorry to get back to you so late. Pet Safe made the ultrasonic device, which worked so-so. They also make a collar w/ transmitter which emits a loud sound whenever the dog barks - but it bothered me because it would go off whenever she'd make *ANY* noise - like dropping her bone on the hard floor, playing tug-o-war, etc. So needless to say, I returned the collar device, and stuck with the little unit which emits a tone which humans can't hear which you leave outdoors in the vicinity of the dog. Good luck with your Jacks!

Clarification - I know it's not a total enzyme supplement - I just wanted a well rounded supplement which [i]also[/i] contained enzymes & good bacteria.

Coincidentally, I just bought some Missing Link for the first time because I wanted some sort of enzyme supplement for my 2 doggies who do not currently have any problem with skin allergies or other ailments, and after reading about various productts, this one sounded the best. Also all the phytochemicals were good. So - based on what everyone has written - sounds like a great choice!

Has anyone heard of Premium Edge? I just adopted a part Saint Bernard, part foxhound (he's a CUTIE) from Rescue and he is about 145lbs .... and growing :o and the foster mom rec'd this food b/c of the added glucosamine. I checked out the ingredients and it seems pretty good. What do you guys think? Also - compared to other ultra premiums - it is pretty cheap at $25/35lbs. From [url]http://www.premiumedgepetfood.com/DogFormulas.html:[/url] Guaranteed Analysis Crude Protein 26.0% Crude Fat 15.0% Crude Fiber 3.0% Moisture 10.0% Ash 6.0% Calcium 1.0% Phosphorus 1.0% Omega-6 Fatty Acids 2.5% Omega-3 Fatty Acids 0.4% Glucosamine Hydrochloride not less than 300mg/kg* Chondroitin Sulfate not less than 100 mg/kg* *Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profile. Calorie Content 3,777 kcals/kg (353 kcals/cup calculated) Metabolizable Energy Ingredients Chicken, chicken meal, rice flour, oatmeal, whole grain brown rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), beet pulp, flaxseed, egg product, natural chicken flavor, brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, glucosamine hydrochloride, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganese oxide, chondroitin sulfate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese proteinate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, menadione dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite (source of vitamin K activity), riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

uh oh! What a smart dog! :roll: Update: So far the little ultrasonic thing is working ok (no more messages from my neighbors!) Thanks for all the tips!

To answer your questions Alicat - She sleeps on her doggie bed right on the floor next to my bed. If I leave her inside, and I remove all reachable objects - she behaves fine. But if I leave ANYTHING within reach - it is destroyed. And yes, she does have a doggie door.

So lovely that I could set up a tent out there and be perfectly satisfied! From what my neighbors said - she barked for 4-5 hours nonstop after I left for work in the morning. She started up around 3pm, anticipating my arrival. I have tried all the separation anxiety tricks in the book (for her destructiveness, not for her barking as this is a new thing) but nothing seems to work! Perhaps a dog walker is a very good idea- I have not tried that yet. She is my little problem child! But I love her dearly - so I'm willing to try anything. Thanks for your help alicat