Yoladybug

Thanks so much guys. I will forward this information on to her. You've been very helpful, as usual!

My sister has a brittany spaniel that she got from a breeder. He's about 4 years old. The breeder supposedly did health testing and everything (I really know nothing about this, but my sister says that her dog's parents did not have any hip problems). He started limping about a week ago, so the vet took x-rays and said it looked like hip dysplasia. He's so young! I always thought that kind of thing showed up later in life, but again, I really don't know much about this, so I could be wrong. Is there anything to do to stop the progression of the problem? The vet only suggested some sort of glucose supplement. Also, should she inform the breeder? I feel like maybe they should know that one of their dogs has such a serious problem. Thanks in advance for any suggestions...hopefully there is something they can do to make things better for him. I feel so bad that he's in pain :(

[quote name='ObedienceGrrl'] John Kerry has a GSD.[/quote] I had no idea! You made my day :D Also...Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy, Amy Grant, and Franklin D. Roosevelt had German Shepherds.

Does anyone have pet insurance? I thought about getting it when I first got Abby, and honestly I just put it off for no reason. For those who have it, what companies do you use? And, if you don't mind me asking, how much do you pay? I'm kind of an idiot about insurance and how it all works, so any advice is appreciated!

[url]http://www.local6.com/news/4480144/detail.html[/url] Class Dissection Of Live Dog Outrages Parents, Students Student: 'It Just Makes Me Sick...' POSTED: 8:12 am EDT May 12, 2005 UPDATED: 7:57 am EDT May 13, 2005 A biology class lesson in Gunnison, Utah involving the dissection of a live dog has outraged some parents and students, according to a report. "I thought that it would be just really a good experience if they could see the digestive system in the living animal," Biology teacher Doug Bierregaard said. Biology teacher Doug Bjerregaard, who is a substitute teacher at Gunnison Valley High School, wanted his students to see how the digestive system of a dog worked. Bjerregaard made arrangements for his students to be a part of a dissection of a dog that was still alive. The dog was still alive, but the teacher said it was sedated before the dissection began. With the students watching, the sedated dog's digestive system was removed. "It just makes me sick and I don't think this should go on anywhere and nobody's learning from it," student Sierra Sears said. The teacher said the lesson would allow students to see the organs actually working. "I thought that it would be just really a good experience if they could see the digestive system in the living animal," Bierregaard said. The school's principal, Kirk Anderson, said notifications went to parents explaining the dog was going to be euthanized and that the experiment would be done with the dog's organs still functioning. The teacher is standing by his decision and calls it the ultimate educational experience. Principal Anderson said he supports the lesson and it will be allowed to continue because the students are learning. The dog used in the experiment was going to be euthanized despite the class project.

Hooray! :P

He'll be in my thoughts and prayers. I hope it makes his life so much more enjoyable!

Thanks everyone (Abby thanks you too)! Of course mom got her lots of good stuff. She got a new HUGE dog bed, a new collar, a big bone, and a very loud, annoying squeaky toy, courtesy of my boyfriend. He's so thoughtful :lol:

Abby turned 2 today!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday baby!

I'm so sorry :(

This may be a dumb question, but what makes it "no pull?" Does it make them uncomfortable if they're pulling, cause pain (although I doubt this many people on this board would use it if it caused pain), or what? Abby pulls me down the road, and although we've made some progress, I still have a hard time walking her. This is something I'd consider getting, I'm just wondering what makes it work. Thanks!

ugg...I shudder just reading that story. I couldn't deal with a bird in my house!!!!!!!!!

Uggg...that would have been my nightmare. I HATE birds. In fact, I'm kinda scared of them. When you were talking about reaching in and grabbing it, I couldn't believe it! Unfortunately, Abby is also scared of birds. I guess dogs and owners do end up resembling each other :lol: Anyway, good work handling that situation. I would have lost it!

Whoops...I didn't know that. Thanks :D

Did you intend to post a link or something?

We all stand up for those that we love...so yeah, I think your reaction was valid and understandable. Hopefully you won't have to see him again!

Reading that makes me ill...I can't bring myself to watch the video clip.

Sounds like a good life to me :D

That poor poor dog!! :lol:

I'm sure Abby would have done the same thing. She hates wheels too...esp. skateboards. If we're outside and someone goes by on a skateboard, the poor thing crouches down and sprints back toward the house, as low to the ground as she can get.

Thanks again to everyone. I live near my college campus, so there is a lot going on for her to be excited about when we walk. I think this weekend I'll drive over to my parent's neighborhood and try these things out...it's a lot quieter there. Hopefully we'll be able to improve this!

Thanks so much for the suggestions. Rotten_two, what is targeted walking? Maybe with the turn around method I need to be quicker and more abrupt about it and start off walking faster so she's trying to catch up with me. I'll try that again. I think she just pulls because she's so excited. Abby is probably the happiest dog I've ever seen, and even though she's almost 2, she still has that excited puppy curiosity (even though we take the same route every time we walk...go figure). It's usually such a cute trait about her, but on walks it's a pain! Anyway, I'll try doing a better job with the turn around method...it seems to have worked for lots of other pulling dogs. Thanks again!

Because many of you are so smart when it comes to training, I'm asking for yet another piece of advice. I hardly take Abby on walks anymore because it's such a painful experience. She pulls me down the road, and it's miserable. Someone told me to keep treats in my hand or pocket to keep her nearby...that didn't work. I read a suggestion about turning and walking the other way everytime she starts to pull on the leash...this hasn't worked because she immediately pulls, so we end up turning around in one spot and not walking anywhere. The only time the pulling stops is towards the end of a long walk when she's tired out. I don't really know what to try. I don't really know how I feel about those head collars, they just look so much like muzzles. Maybe it will come to that, but I was hoping there was more of a behavioral answer to my problem. Thanks in advance!

Dog farts usually are pretty horrible. My boyfriend's dog is very cuddly...she lets you lay your head on her. So one night, she was up on the couch and I had my head laying on the lower half of her body. Suddenly I smell something horrible, and she turns around, looks at me with that classic pit bull smile, then jumps off the couch and runs away, leaving me with the awful smell. She actually has a habit of doing this...I guess she thinks it's funny.

[quote name='Jessashelony'][quote name='Dog Lover']I don't even know if I want to read the replies. I just get so fed up with hearing the same thing over and over and over from these ignorant people. A week ago I was trying to convince someone pit bulls WERE NOT evil, but she wouldn't budge an inch. She said she will NEVER EVER be around one or let her children or friends around them. It's sad really... :( It's just all so frustrating...[/quote] I'm with you DL... I just can't take much more right now.[/quote] I'm sorry...I didn't mean to upset anyone. I just know there are some very knowledgeable people on this board who may have been able to offer some valuable insight to those uneducated fools.