What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

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JudyN
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by JudyN »

Sounds like me buying toys to try to keep the children entertained, Shalista :lol:

Actually, I'm seriously considering setting up a dog toy library. I've a fair few activity toys that only see the light of day now when I lend them to friends whose dogs are on crate rest/restricted exercise. I could advertise at the vet's, they could recommend me to clients, the clients could pay £1 per week per toy (plus a deposit). Then when I get the toy back I can repay the deposit (a few new toothmarks are fine, otherwise I can withhold some/all of the deposit), disinfect it, and lend it out again.

Profits can go towards buying new stock & replacing chewed toys, and anything over that can be donated to animal charities.

I can ask the vet about how best to disinfect them bearing in mind some dogs could have infectious diseases or have poor immune systems.

Thoughts? What should I call it? 'Broadstone Dog Toy Library'? Or, just in case I expand, 'Broadstone Pet Toy Library'? I have at least one activity toy my cat turned his nose up at.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Shalista
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by Shalista »

sigh, i used to be one of those raw moms that thought raw was best and that nothing could ever beat the healthy food i was feeding my pup.

tots feeding him day old french fries to handle his barking because he doesn't like hsi milk bones any more >.<
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Erica
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by Erica »

Met five of the breeder's six picards today, along with the breeder herseld, and I couldn't ask for a better person or breed. The breeder was super open about issues in the breed without me even having to ask, was GLAD that I saw her 1yr old spooking at a pillar and explained that such environmental awareness is very common in the breed, talked about health and behavior things with the breed in general and her dogs in specific. Some dog friends of mine said "ask her what she dislikes about the breed and her dogs and if she isn't willing to verbally tear them apart, run away!" I didn't have to ask!

Of course it wasn't "this breed is a total trainwreck" -- it was an honest discussion of the good and the bad. I was super pleased with that, and also with the structure and temperament of the dogs. They'd all had their eyes dilated for testing but they were still happy to come up and greet me and receive pets and scritches, which is more than I can say for many of our clients' dogs thirty seconds after meeting a stranger. They weren't labby about it though and would casually move away to take a sniff, then wander over in case I wanted to pet them again, but they held themselves together. She said this is not standard for the breed but something she selects and breeds for; they're often more standoffish with strangers but not aggressive. That's fine with me.

Overall I'm about ready to say "put me on the list for next year's litter," lol! It's amazing to find a super responsible breeder of a rare breed, let alone one in my own state! We were talking about what gender of dog I wanted, and I said I'd want a male so it wasn't a pain to separate intact Delta from a ***** I didn't want him to breed with while she was in heat. However, if I had someone responsible to care for a female pup during her first couple heats, I wouldn't mind either gender, and she said she'd board a female pup with her as she can keep her males separated from the girls in season.

Overall a wonderful experience. Very excited about the future and Delta's possible new sibling next fall/winter!
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
MPbandmom
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by MPbandmom »

Very exciting Erica, Best wishes for the future Delta sibling. :D

A top notch breeder of Samoyeds who is a member of the Samoyed Club of which I am a member will be breeding a female next year who has a very mellow, go with the flow, nothing bothers her type of personality. If I were going to get a puppy, this breeding would be my first choice. Unfortunately, I won't likely be in the market for a Samoyed until year after next, and then most likely I will be going for an adult rather than a puppy.

In the meantime, Sky and Sirius and I are enjoying our walks.

Sky met up with her best bud Samoyed this past weekend and we walked around DC visiting some sites that I hadn't been to before. We walked 4 miles in DC and then Sky insisted on joining Sirius for an evening walk of 1.8 miles around the neighborhood. I was very impressed as she seemed none the worse off for the longer distance. She also had no trouble hopping back into the car and onto the car seat for the trip home from DC. She did wipe out twice during the DC walk. The first time, there was a brick missing from the cobblestone sidewalk and she stepped into the hole and fell down. The second time, she stepped into what appeared to be a drainage channel at the base of a statue.

We have been giving her some anti-inflammatory medicine prescribed by her vet because she has been limping on a front leg constantly to varying degrees with it being really bad in the late evening.

Sirius continues to seem to blossom and get more spunky. She has such an engaging personality. She is quiet though. Sky will talk and tell us what she wants. Sirius will just come over to you and stare at you. :lol:
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
JudyN
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by JudyN »

Yesterday I was walking with a friend and her two dogs when we saw a beautiful pale husky running up to the gate by where we'd parked, with no owner in sight. While my friend went up to the dog to make friends, read her id tag and phone the number on it, I held Grumpy Jim's lead, walking him forward as long as he didn't react. Having made contact with the owner, who had been looking for her for about an hour, she put her spare lead on the husky and we walked to meet the owner, her now with Grumpy Jim and me with the husky.

I discovered something: I haven't a clue how to walk dogs other than Jasper :shock: Grumpy Jim pulled much harder than Jasper does, and when she said I could let him off his rope slip lead, I couldn't do it as whenever I moved forward to get some slack, he pulled forward too. Then when I took the husky, she planted her feet and wouldn't move so I stood there like a lemon for a while till my friend told me to give her a firm tug... which worked fine, though I needed to give her a few more firm tugs before we met up with the owner. It all made me feel as if I was riding one of those bikes with the handlebars set up so when you turn them one way, the bike goes the other... the handling just wasn't working properly :lol:

I know part of the problem is that if a stranger tried to put a lead on J and lead him away, he would turn into Hound of the Baskervilles, so I have an underlying wariness of manhandling dogs I don't know. So I can't see myself starting a dog-walking business any time soon :wink:

Mind you, it did make me realise just how responsive J is to the lead. I'm sometimes surprised when people who say that their much smaller dog is too strong for them, as I know physically J should be stronger than them, but he just doesn't have the unstoppable Sherman tank mindset that so many dogs do :D
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Lotsaquestions
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by Lotsaquestions »

Today I was brave and put faith in my counter conditioning. I bought and gave Merlin a duck neck raw chew from nature's finest. Not only is he completley relaxed, but he was SO relaxed he ate the random treat I gave him with his chew just sitting there on its own because he knew no one was going to steal it, AND when he jumped on the sofa (eww) with it he let me put a towel under him whilst he had it without so much as a head turn. When he was about 11 weeks old this was the type of thing that made him growl if I even entered the same room.

So happy! Thank you Jean Donaldson and positive refinforcement :lol:
DianeLDL
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by DianeLDL »

Lotsaquestions,

Good for you! Love to hear that things are working with Merlin! Yeah! :D :D :D

Yesterday, Sandy went for a teeth cleaning under anesthesia at the vet. He has been going every year since chihuahuas ar know to hav teeth problems. Well, when the vet called to say Sandy would need THREE teeth extracted (2 molars and one premolar) we freaked. Not only the cost, but poor Sandy.

W picked him up and he was still a bit groggy from an injection for pain as well as Post anesthesia. He’s on soft diet for two weeks until after his follow up appt. So, we felt so bad about it, that one of the softest treats we have is cooked chicken, his high value treat. So, OH and I took turns holding him on our laps and babying him. Finally at 6pm, he jumped off my lap and went to bed.

Today, he did well with a romp on a grassy area on the Air Force base. And, we gave him his meal early so he would be able to have his pain medication. It’s the equivalent of the human ibuprofen which is also an anti-inflammatory. So, his favorite treat for the sabbath this evening will need to be soaked in water to be soft enough for him.

In about 3 weeks, Sandy will be 8 years old and will mean it has been 7 years since we adopted him from the shelter. :D
Hard to believe I’ve been posting here looking for help for quite a while, and I now feel that we have also become friends. The forum is the only social media I do, but this is way better than anything else.
Where else can we brag about our dogs and their foibles and be understood? :roll:

And, JudyN, I know that Jasper will also be 8 years old this month. :D
We need to throw a virtual birthday party! :wink:

Thanks to everyone for being there to help me, and I hope I’ve been able to help others as well.

Diane
Sandy, Chihuahua mix b. 12/20/09
JudyN
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by JudyN »

DianeLDL wrote: Fri Dec 01, 2017 3:56 pmAnd, JudyN, I know that Jasper will also be 8 years old this month. :D
We need to throw a virtual birthday party! :wink:
Definitely! :D I hope Sandy's feeling better after his op.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Shalista
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by Shalista »

my downstairs neighbor said shes noticed a decrease in bax noise the past couple of days <3
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Shalista
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by Shalista »

About to turn out the lights and head to bed after my first 100% bark free day in almost 2 months :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Erica
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by Erica »

:D :D :D Great job Shalista! You've stuck with Bax and figured out what works for him in his situation, and it's helping him (and you!). That's awesome!
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Shalista
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by Shalista »

it's been weeeiiiiirrrrd... its so quiet here now. and lately he's been upping his game coming to me for things. i keep going "well he has food, water, chews, toys, was just taken out on a walk, WHAT DOES HE WANT!?!?!??!"

...... apparently the answer has been snuggles :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: FROM MY DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

idk if hes just feeling insecure cause i kept locking him away from me but he is like a champion snuggler now. not like, sit quietly in your lap kind of snuggler? more like a stand there and twist and stretch while getting scratchies.... but.... YEESH who are you and what have you done to my dog? :shock:
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
DianeLDL
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Location: Maine USA

Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by DianeLDL »

Shalista,

Yeah! Good going with Bax! This is wonderful! :D :D :D

Sandy is doing much better after having his three teeth removed. He is still on soft diet, but he hasn’t had pain med in two days. OH says Sandy is doing well when he takes him to the park, too. Next week on Thursday, he has his follow up with the vet. Then, he will get back to his regular food....just in time for his 8th birthday!

Diane
Sandy, Chihuahua mix b. 12/20/09
MPbandmom
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Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by MPbandmom »

Great news Shalista and Diane!
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
Lotsaquestions
Posts: 646
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:06 am

Re: What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

Post by Lotsaquestions »

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Last edited by Lotsaquestions on Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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