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

[Shalista]

Yeah realizing how awesome it is that he trusts me enough for armpit scratchies is enough I just want my little guy to feel safe and secure, belly rubs or not.

[JudyN]

I had a good illustration of the sort of dog Jasper doesn't like yesterday... Early on in our walk in the park a medium-sized, confident-looking (neutered) male dog ran up to him. I think it was a crossbreed but it had that forward cocky stance of a boxer or mastiff. Jasper let him sniff briefly, but then snarked at him (and came straight away back to me). Shortly after, four little 'snack-size' dogs ganged up on him, barking at him. One - possibly a chi x papillon - was really keen to tell him that it could so have him if it wanted to. He completely ignored them, as if they were no more than autumn leaves floating round his legs

I found a lot of blood on his blankie yesterday morning. He seems to have sliced a bit off the side of his pad. It hasn't bled noticeably since though and apart from sometimes a bit of a limp when he first gets up and the occasional lick he's not bothered by it, so we'll wash it after walks and keep an eye out for infection. He must have done it on his bedtime garden visit or we'd have found blood in the rest of the house.

[Shalista]

Poor baby, did you have a look around the garden to see what he might have nicked it on? I hope he feels better soon!

[JudyN]

It could have been anything - there's a lot of old fallen sticks under trees at the end of the garden. I did notice a plant pot that had shattered from frost (or maybe from Jasper running over it in the dark...) which I really should get rid of.

It's not bothering him now though. This morning there seemed to be a pink lump between his toes where I thought some infection might be setting in but it's less pronounced now. He'll be turning into a lump himself though, the number of treats he's getting for letting me bathe his foot every time he goes outside

[Shalista]

hahah yeah speaking of treats im almost tempted to talk to my dad about it. hes the most punitive-minded one of the family but i think hes really starting to like bax. Now any time they are both in the kitchen at the same time dad gives bax a treat. hes all "why does he jump up on me in the kitchen so much?" and im like "Hmmmm could it be that you're the only one other than me that gives him treats?" Bax is still skinny and they're small treats but still, its like... treats 3 times a day just 'because'. at least he makes Bax sit for them.

[JudyN]

There's a man who can't understand why J keeps pestering him, because, he claims, he only ever gives him one treat. Yeah, and one more, and 'Oh go on then,' and 'this is the last one', and 'don't look at me like that, I have no choice but to give you another' His staffie has developed a habit of half jumping up and raking her claws down your leg. She did this the other day and the man said 'You can just stop that, because I'm not going to reward you' as he bent down to give her a stroke

[Shalista]

ZOMG does he know my dad?

I swear it's like they dont think cause and effect applies

[JudyN]

That dog I've mentioned a few times who jumped a 5' wall to fall 60' onto concrete? She's only gone and won the PDSA Pet Survivor of the Year award

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-t ... l-38333022

[Shalista]

took bax to the vet today to get his nails trimmed. he had a crummy car ride (he was trembling and gagging a bit) but once he got there he was all snuggles and cuddles to his fav tech.

He has apparently *drum roll* GAINED some weight now.... but only like a tiny bit. she pushed for himto switch to their high grain kibble stuff again and i declined again, especially since hes gaining a bit now sooooooo. she did however recommend feeding him some pumpkin for some extra fiber. thoughts?

[Shalista]

i always feel so flattered when bax comes to me when he's not feeling well.

i fed him his dinner tonight and since i haven't bought more meat and cut it into the bigger portions ive just been giving him the old portions with every couple days he gets double dinner. well tonight he got double dinner and it apparently did not go down well. im wrapping christmas presents (ironically enough HIS christmas present) when he coems out and he's liek super nosy. unusually so. he's usually curious but this was like, all over me. and then i notice that he's trembling, like REALLY violently shaking. i go to pet him and his side is liek stone cold, as if he'd been lying in snow outside. i whisked him back to his room, plunked him in front of his heater and sat with him petting him until he returned to room temperature. oddly enough he had full access to the heater before and he didn't leave it once i sat with him. i guess he just wanted company? anyway, going shopping tomorrow, no more double dinners. i think the combo of frozen peas, frozen brocoli, and TWO frozen dinners was just to much for my poor pup =( nearly gave the poor boy hypothermia!

[Nettle]

You could let the veggies thaw out! I assumed that you had.....

Pumpkin is fine if he'll eat it, but make sure it is pure pumpkin and hasn't had anything (such as salt or sugar) added to it.

Your vet tech is probably on a 'target' to sell the processed food my vet says most practices make most of their money from vaccinations, neutering and selling pet food. He doesn't.

[Shalista]

yeah im going shopping today to buy him some more meat and package it up in bigger portions. would a jump to 4% from 3% be to much? he was losing weight pretty steadily on 3% and I'm hoping for him to just maintain so, 3.5?4?

i also have some pumpkin left over from their christmas treats and it doesn't have anything but pumpkin in the can =)

[Nettle]

The increase in amount will be fine.

[JudyN]

I thought we were going to be taking an extra dog home with us today A young bouncy vizsla introduced himself to Jasper in the woods today and did his best to try to get him to play, quite undeterred when Jasper told him to burger orf and then ignored him. No sign of an owner, and we couldn't hear anyone calling for a dog. Eventually I got him on lead and we opened the tube on his collar which should contain his details - the bit of paper was in there, but was blank I was thinking OH, my mum and Jasper would have to go home in the car, and the vizsla & I would wander the woods some more and then I'd have to get in touch with the vet or police. Jasper would probably have been OK if I took the dog home, but we'd have to keep them separate to be on the safe side.

Finally, though, we found the owner, who was extremely relieved. The dog (who was just a year old) had never run off before, but had been spooked by the wind. He was chipped, but the owner was going to fill in his id details as soon as he got home

[Nettle]

Lucky owner, lucky dog.