Friday, July 31, 2009

Anyone do bell training to house train their puppy?

Any tips? My shih tzu puppy doesn't seem to be "getting it".
Answers:
No mine come get me.

They are too silly. If Imon the phone and say "Ill talk to you later" they all jump and run for the back door. I told my daughter last night "Okay im gonna go... " was as far as I got and they were at the door.
Colin Tennant %26 Associates
The Canine %26 Feline Behaviour Centre
i did that when my gsd was a pup, but, she was too smart for it. she got to the point, when i wasnt in a room and a door was shut so she couldnt get to me, she would ring the bell (i bought a kids doorbell type bell for her to push with her nose)...she knew when i heard the sound i would come to her...
I have not tried it.
I just trained my puppy to go potty outside. She is 13 weeks old. She is a Lab. It took me 3 1/2 weeks to train her. I started out when she was 6 1/2 weeks old.
She will now go to the door and sit there until I come. If I don't she will start to cry.
I am home all day so that helped a lot!!
If you want me to tell you how I did so let me know
Good Luck!!
Never heard of bell training a dog to go outside to go the bathroom. I've had a few dogs in my days, some puppies pick this up faster than others. Alls I ever did with any puppy to train him to go outside was I pretty much treated the puppy like a newborn child because all they do is eat, sleep, poop and pee. So as soon as the puppy stood up from sleeping I'd take him right outside. After eating same thing, after playing, same thing. Lots of attention to that. Maybe after a few days I'd have the puppy follow me when I was going to put him outside. Then you do that enough times so he'll catch on. Sometimes if the dog has gone in the house you really have to get the smell out of the area where he's gone because that's what might be encouraging him to go in the house still. Be patient with him/her, they'll get it eventually, I know sooner would be nice...but You have to be diligent and consistent just like with training a dog to do anything. Good Luck MLJ
I did bell training and I couldn't believe how great it worked. I put Christmas bells on the door and every time I opened the door to let my dog out she heard the bells and it didn't take long at all for her to make the connection between the bells and going outside. I told my mom about the bells (she was having problems house braking her dog) and the bells worked for her too. Good luck!
I just got a new puppy also. She seems to be starting to get it. We've found that if you keep the back door open it will help. Also, praise is the key! Make sure every time your dog goes to the bathroom, you give him a whole lot of praise. Don't get mad when they don't go, but simply say, " ok, let's go inside" Make sure your voice is less enthusiastic when you say this. Also give him a treat when he does go. Dogs notice the difference when food is involved. When he goes in the house don't yell, just put on a stern voice, and say No No! Dogs recognize what your voice sounds like. Then take them outside were they're supposed to go. Don't give up! different breeds take different amounts of time. Just remember "praise instead of punishment"
I did this for a few clients and it works great. Evidently you have the basics down so justt keep it up and one day it will be like the "light bulb" comes on.

Don't give up on it. Dogs are like humans they all learn at different rates so jus be persistent.

Good luck and when this is accomplished you will be glad that you stuck with it.

Anyone besides me with a White German Shepherd's head resting on your shoulder right now?

Her name is Ginger and she just came to cuddle and accidentally sat on my bag of pretzels. You should have seen the guilty look on her face. I told her it okay. So she laid down next to me and right now has her head resting on my shoulder and is breathing deap doggie breaths into my ear and it kinda tickles.

Just had to share that. She's so cute and it's worth the 5 points to tell you about her. ;-)
Answers:
I have a white Maltese named Max (Maddie) to his friends laying in my lap waiting to go to bed. He is white but much smaller than your big Shepherd !!!

It makes my heart feel good to read all the other answers and your question about how everyone has settled for the night and loving their dogs. This is what life is all about.....
Thank You and Everyone!!!
Not a Shepard, how about a Dobie. his name's Trucker and he's the best. Not just a good dog, but a Great dog. Know what I mean? Thanks for the 2 points and the chance to tell you about him
How cute. I have a shep/lab mix laying on one side of me and another mix (no idea what) on the other side. We are quite cozy.
A Shepherd named Valentine and she's laying on my right foot waiting for me to go to bed. Black with white frosted tips. Does this count?
She wants to be your buddy for the evening.

I am just resting in my nest high in the branches of an oak tree, gnawing on some acorns and answering questions on Answers.
Oh! You lucky woman!!! I rent and can't have pets. The afghan I raised from puppyhood has been gone for 20 years, and I still miss him!
GSDs are such great dogs. I do not have one now, but I do have a Belgian Malinois sitting on the couch next to me, a Bernese Mountain Dog and 2 French Bulldogs sleeping on the floor, and 2 French Bulldogs on my lap. It is a little crowded, but it is moments like that when I really love owning dogs.
i dont but i just love corgis and mine does that all the time =)
Nope, but i have my beautiful female siberian husky sleeping next to me.
Some people just built a house down the road and they have a white german shepherd. My dogs bark at it and it barks back. Seems like a nice boy. I really want to walk down and meet him, but I'm afraid he might be protective of his yard.
Maybe sometime soon...

Anyone been through this experience??

went to the vet this morning for my dogs second check up. looks like the stone that was in her kidneys is now in her bladder. she is on antibiotics. anyone been through this??
Answers:
Sorry, I haven't. I hope she's ok. Keep us updated on her progress. :-)
Not with an animal, but I've had kidney stones. When it eventually starts trying to work its way out, she will probably be in some pain (depending on the size of the stone). Usually if it's a small stone it will pass, but there may be discomfort and possibly some blood in the urine. If the stone is too large to pass then she will not be able to urinate and she'll be in a LOT of pain. In that case she will probably require surgery.

Poor pup! Hopefully she'll be okay. Just stay in touch with your vet, and if she's not urinating, don't wait. Get her to the vet!
no i havent but i hope for the best for her

Anyone a vet?

i have an 8 week old chocolate lab and i know that when you switch dry food some times their poop isnt real solid...but my poor puppy has dihrea i feel so bad what can i do...?
Answers:
Stop being cheap. It is his RIGHT by law to receive proper medical attention. Denying him that is abuse, and you can be cited by an Animal Control Officer - and for good reason. Too many people get pets, then whine about having to take them to the vet. If you can't afford to properly take care of them, you shouldn't have them. Now go do the right thing.
8 Weeks? If you switched food already, just stick to it for 2 weeks and the diarrhea will go away, be sure to give plenty of water during this time.
Has the puppy had its first checkup with a Vet? Take him in and have him checked, standard shots, and blood tests need to be done at 8 weeks or so.
No, but i'd be cool to be one. Except having to see animals that can sometimes go crazy. thanx for the two points!
What food did you switch to? Food should be switched gradually but if you just went from bad to poorer or bad to bad then its just a normal reaction.
Call a real vet.
There's none here and diarrhea is serious in a pup.
I am not a vet, but I have done extensive research on dog nutrition. Firstly did u switch food gradually,i.e. first day give 25% new food 75% old food do this for 3 days then 50%/50% for the next few days, then 75% new 25% old for 3 more days untill finally you can give it 100% of teh new stuff...
if the dog still continues to have diarrhea for over 2 days in a row it could have a food sensitivity to what u are feeding it...some common food alergens are wheat, corn, chicken, beef etc. If you have rules all thsi out already it could mean a more serious condition eg. intestinal parasites or worse in this case you will actually have to visit your vet
No but I wish I was just call the vet sometimes they can help you without bringing your dog in. Best of luck.
You're supposed to mix wet with dry and transition her.
He needs shots anyway this week, so when you take him in ask. You should never switch the dogs food overnight, There are directions on the bag for how to do it properly. Diarreah can kill a dog so young, so the sooner you get to the vet the better,
He needs to be seen by a vet in your area. There are many things that can cause diarrhea in a puppy and the vet is the only one that can run the proper tests that need to be done. They'll most likely check for parasites like coccidia and do a complete physical. Diarrhea in a puppy is nothing to mess around with. They can get dehydrated really quickly and it can become a life or death mater. Get to the vet ASAP. Good Luck
if you didn't switch slowly over 10 days it can cause diahrrea. This puppy can become severely dehydrated so needs to be watched closely %26 taken to the vet if it persists more than a day. It will need IV fluids if it does.

he needs to go to the vet anyway for a check up. Could also be interanl parasites causing it.

If he starts vomiting he could have the beginning of parvo %26 that is a crisis.

give him a tablespoon of plain yogurt every day %26 put him on a bland diet of boiled rinsed chicken %26 boiled rice, mostly rice %26 mashed sweet potatoes for 4 - 5 days, then very gradually start to add his kibble.
First off, you do not switch foods all at one time. This has to be a gradual change when switching foods. Also, you should take this pup to the vet for a stool sample check. Have the stool checked for coccidia (which will come out more when a dog is stressed) and giardia. The pup might need to be treated for one or both of these. Also, have him checked for worms. More than just roundworms. Hookworms can cause loose stool's and poor condition in a puppy.

Anybody know how to house train older dogs?

i had my dogs for about 5 years they were house triained at one point but hen we moved and it seems like everytime i go home there is pee or poop in the floor can anybody please help me..
Answers:
Can he go out or is he locked in?

If he is locked in, get a doggy door installed. He might just not be able to hold it that long anymore.

Moving can cause anxiety because of new environment, new neighbouring animals, separation. In that case, can you organise somebody to drop in every 2 hours or so. Just talk to him, go into the garden with him. Give him a hug, play a bit. Doesn't need to be more than 5 minutes.

If this is successful, slowly stretch it out to 3 hours . then 4 ...
You basically train them just like you would a new puppy, but it's much easier because the dog has full bladder control (and an adult is more focused and can learn faster than a young puppy).

So, first thing you need to do is a thorough cleaning with a good enzyme cleaner so the dog can't smell where they've gone before. Then, while you're re-training, you need to keep the dogs in the room with you so you can watch them. When they give the signals that they need to go, take the dog out, you need to go out with him, tell him "go pee" and give lots of praise the second he does. Then you come right back in - this way the dog can differentiate between play time outside and potty time. Be very consistent and he'll learn real quickly.

But for at night and when you're not home, you'll only be shooting yourself in the foot if you don't crate them until they are reliably house trained. They can't be allowed run of the house until they've proven they deserve it.
I suggest from starting all over. Start putting them in a crate when you are not home. there are two reasons I say this first is for the house training they most of the time won't go in a "den" second God forbid there is ever a fire, firemen and police are more likely to remove a dog in a crate where they can control the dog, they might even as nice as they might be biter out of fear. If an office feels it's the animal or his liffe may not rescue your dog. my dogs even though house trained stay in crates. you can even get the stickers to put in the window lettign safety people where they can find your animal.

Feed the Dog only once a day and put out as you would normally.
If they have been housetrained before it shouldn't take long.
Also if they are small dogs do not carry to the door they need to be walked so they know where to go.
Good Luck
You might be leaving your dogs in the house to long! New moves mean new stresses! Also before you do any training check with your vet to make sure they don't have any bladder infections or need any medication. There might have been other dogs in the house before you moved in and they might have used that area for a potty room. Use cleaners that contain enzymes. (natures miracle, simple solution or petzymes just to name a few) Do Not Use Bleach or anything that contains ammonia. This is a natural attractant for dogs. Also they might feel neglected. Talk to your local Positive reinforcement Petsmart!!!

Anybody know how to get rid of fleas?

I have a shih tzu and she has a flea problem but alot of the products I am unable to use on her because of her sensitive skin does anyone have any suggestions?
Answers:
Capstar (one shot oral pill, kills all fleas on the dog in 24 hours, unfortunately it's only good for 24 hours)
Frontline (topical treatment at back of neck; don't bathe her for a couple days before or after this as the skin oils are necessary to spread the insecticide)
Clean thoroughly - vacuum vacuum vacuum, wash her bedding and dry it in the dryer (heat kills the eggs)
Flea bomb the house; pull out all the sofa cushions etc when you do so (you may need to do it again 2-3 weeks later to get eggs that hatch)
Go to your garden dept and get an insecticide that you sprinkle or spray on the lawn.
Feed her a quality food like Canidae or Wellness.
Some people recommend daily garlic and brewer's yeast tablets; it's supposed to make the dog taste bad to the fleas.
If you go to the vet you should ask them about that and they'll give you something to get rid of that fleas. It worked for me.
Frontline is good, much less toxic and less irritating than shampoos, dips, powders and such. Also Capstar, it's an oral tablet that kills the fleas on the dog in about an hour, but it only lasts 24 hours. Using Frontline and Capstar together works great.
Yes, Frontline Plus works wonders but it is expensive. You can try using Dawn dishsoap. It works too but you need to bathe your dog once a week. I use a people hair conditioner after the shampoo.
Well my vet said to use pamolive(dish washing liquid). It kills the fleas , its cheap, not suppose to cause dry skin. It works. I hear tell garlic in their food works too.
What does your vet recommend? Have you tried Frontline or Advantage? Otherwise I'd go with a pill form, like Capstar.

http://www.discountpetmedicines.com/flea...

You can use "natural products"http://www.motherearthnews.com/livestock...

Work on the house and yard, not just the dog. Also treat any other cats or dogs at the house.

There are very mild flea shampoos from the vet. I prefer Frontline over using shampoos or dips. And powders and flea collars just don't work.

Find out why she has sensitive skin. Are you sure it's fleas ??? Fleas are easy to get rid of these days, ask your vet or groomer for help.
I need to tell you that this works for cats but I do not know about dogs. If you try it, please consult someone who would know if it is not good for dogs. I rescued some feral newborn kittens and they were infested. They were too young for commercial flea treatment and I found out through a Holistic/Alternative Medicine site that garlic will get rid of fleas. I put a little garlic powder in their formula and then kept it up when they started eating food. The good thing is the fleas disappeared and never came back. The bad news is they had garlic breath which was really funny coming from such tiny little things. It did work though. There is a group on Yahoo called "Holistic Pet" I would recommend you join and ask about giving garlic to dogs. They will help you out. Good luck.
Fleas are in the environment, so you may think it is just the dog, but it isn't... You need to treat the environment... You can do this a few different ways... there are products on the market that are pesticides (ie: sprays, bombs etc.) but there are other products that are herbal... Using an herbal product will take longer because they do not kill fleas they are repellents... Fleas live in all the cracks and crannies in your home.
As for your dog ~ use either Frontline or Advantage ~ even with sensitive skin it is the best out there. You can also use a product called Program - - it is a pill so it does go into the bloodstream, but it works... And might be the best for your situation.
We have a similar type of dog, very small, also cats. We have been using Program, available through your vet, just one tab per month, also in liquid form for cats.

We have found that the liquid form for cats works good on our little dog. None of our animals have had fleas for years.

http://www.medi-vet.com/program.html...
I have found that nothing works as well as the DAWN dish washing liguid,but be sure to rinse pet well,and you should treat your lawn with a yard or kennel spray that can be purchased at any feed store,but remove your pet until it drys on lawn.

Anybody have any really good names for a Pug??

I am getting a full-blooded Pug in a few weeks. She is Black with a White line across her chest. She is the smallest of the litter. The day they were born, she only wieghed a little over 3 ounces, at 3 weeks old, she weighs barley over 9 ounces. She came from a litter of 8. They are all healthy and growing great, but she is still the smallest, and looks like she is going to stay small. Anyone have any really good ideas for a name for her? I want something unique, different, not something you hear all the time.
Again, she is Black, with a White line across her chest, at 3 weeks old she weighs barely over 9 ounces. Thanks!
Answers:
Percy
Zeb- because of the stripe(zebra)
Envy-because she sounds cute and all the other dogs are envious
blaze or pugsley
Minnie
Pip
Pigglet
Milo
Miss Piggy
my aunt has a pug and her name is bambi! shes sooo cute but what about:tiny,abel,goblin(lol)
sparky, short for sparkpug. : )
cricket
p.s. i am sooo jealous i want a black pug so bad! :)
Doug
Zero
Pip
the names Denver %26 Koda came to mind when reading the question. they have nothing to do with the fact thats the dog is black with a white stripe and weighs 9 ounces.
Babe
Fizz
Oreo
Ebony
Dakota
Sophie
Coco
Akira
Megi
Orealia - Oreo made feminine
My cousin has three female black pugs who are absolutely adorable!! She named the girls: Olive, Marley, and Lola
~Frankie~
Good for either gender!! Just like 'Men In Black!'
I usually like to use non-human names for all my critters.
Most of the trainers suggest using a two syllable name. Good luck %26 have fun with your new puppy!
Pugsly
ZAP ! as in lightening bolt.
when I was little my grandparents had a pug named Pudgy, she was so adorable..

Anybody have and idea what will be the mix a doberman and greatdane German shepherd mix?


Answers:
One large mixed up pup. How in the world did you get that mix? I don't want to know. I have heard of some weird crosses but this one is way out there.


There is nothing wrong with a mutt. I have had mutts all my life and never had any problems with them. People who say mutts have nothing but problems and are nothing but problems should check their facts before saying so.
Pure Mutts and BIG ones at that!
IT'S CALLED A MUTT.
A great looking cross breed.
It will be unknown, mutt with a bunch of big dogs with unknown backgrounds, temperament, health etc. Sounds like big trouble to me...
we all agree its a big mutt. it will either have short hair or long hair with most likely floppy ears. it should have a good peronality 2 but you have to see for yourself
A great German man. LOL!!!
You'd only be breeding into issues that afflict all 3 breeds.
If one of the pups starts showing signs of hip dyslpasia at age 2 are you willing to take it back? How about age 6?
Why would you intentionally breed mixed breeds anyway?

Anybody feed their dog"raw" food?

I have been putting thought into starting my G.S.D. on a raw food diet. I have lots of questions though. About what would it cost to feed him? (he is a year old and 90 lbs.. and very active) Are there some brands that are better than others? Is there anything about it that can be harmful to my dog? Any ingredients I should look for.. or avoid?
Answers:
"Create a Nutritious Raw Dog Food Diet
Formulate and prepare a home-made canine diet that includes raw meaty bones.

By Mary Straus

Countless dog owners have witnessed the benefits of feeding their dogs a nutritious home-prepared raw dog food diet, such as cleaner teeth, brighter eyes, thicker and glossier coats, more lean muscle and less body fat, and better energy level – hyper dogs often become calmer, while couch potatoes may become more energetic.

In last month’s article, “Have Dinner In,” we discussed those benefits at length and introduced the fact that there are many different styles of homemade dog food diets. In this article, we’ll explain how to create a raw dog food diet that includes bones –perhaps the most commonly used “evolutionary” diet for dogs. In a later installment, we’ll…"

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/...

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/...

This will help.
more info, what do you mean by "raw"?
The breeder who sold my mom her dog feeds all her dogs raw chicken, bones and all, right out of the package. She swears it's the best thing for them. I never heard of it before that, but that's what she does.
Hello
We lasted one day on the BARF diet. While it makes sense, having my aussies take the raw chicken out of their bowls, on to the rug and hearing them crunch raw bones gave me the willies! I did find %26 have them on a FABULOUS holistic food.

tina www.havedog.com > nutrition page
I feed mine raw beef bones, but everyting eles cooked.
Oprah had a show the other week about training and feeding your dog and they professional said the best food for your dog is raw meats and vegetables. You should be okay with meats that are high in protein. Carrots, potatoes and cooked rice are also very good for dogs. My dog loves carrots, broccoli, lettuce, cucumbers, green beans, bananas, strawberries, apples and cheese. They are healthy alternatives to processed treats and dog foods.
yes. there is harm.1 he is still to young.and raw meat will make him wormie. and if he gets the taste of blood he will always want blood and become dangerous and hard to handle.
I have been feeding raw for only a few months, and the benefits are really showing through. I researched it a lot, and was inspired by the raw diet my breeder was feeding when we got our Rhodesian Ridgeback.
I alternate between raw chicken necks with Nupro supliment, juiced veggies and sometimes plain natural yogurt or cottage cheese (my own mix) and Nature's Variety Raw Diet Frozen. I usually feed 4 days my mix and 3 days Nature's Variety. I find this works for me, though it is a little more pricey than kibble. My dogs are very healthy and strong and happy. My ten year old looks better than ever and my 5 month old is doing wonderful.
I have the book "Raw Meaty Bones", and I recommend it as a great resource to have on hand. I also look at the following websites for inspiration as well.
The main things to remember are:
NO COOKED BONES!
Pay attention to your suppliments.
Raw beef has an enzyme that helps keep teeth clean.
Hormone and Antibiotic free meat is best.
Organ meat is a must (ie. heart, liver, etc.)
and Always clean the bowl after your dog eats.
Marrow bone once a week to keep teeth clean and bones healthy.
You should ask this question on http://www.dogster.com I do not feed my dog and entirely raw diet, but there are many people on there who swear by it. Plus their dogs are thriving. I think that one of the great things about this diet is that you have the freedom to make it as cheap or expensive as you want. You are not confined to commercial pre packaged food. Your dog can eat what you think is healthy and what he likes. There are two kinds of RAW diets that I have heard of.

A prey model--Tom Lonsdale is there spokesman, it is modeled after what a wolf would eat in the wild-- which is considerably more meat/organs/bones.

A barf model--Dr Billinghurst is the main spokespman, and it incorporates roughly 15% vegetables and the rest is meat.

I feed my dogs Canidae, and supplement cottage cheese in the mornings, a meat like tuna or lamb at lunch, and kibble for dinner. They are doing great. Both of those guys have books and websites, but Ill include a few other good recources.
Good Luck

Anybody else sickend by designer dogs?

Anybody alse want to murder all deisgner dog breeders? I'm getting so incredibly sick of see's all these dumb pointless mixes that are indeed NOT hypoallergenic or proven to have good temperments. And then again,who are all the dumb idiots that buy these dogs? Anybody else want to share their anger?
Answers:
Don't even get me started!!! I went to a pet store just to kill time one day (and apperently torture myself) and decided to play with a Pekingese/Bichon Frise "designer puppy". I would never ever buy from a pet shop, but my curiosity got the best of me so I asked how much -NO INTENTION TO BUY-...they wanted just short of $1000 for the dog and even had a financing option! A less than intelligent aquaintance of mine bought a "Cava-poo" (cavalier king charles spaniel/poodle) for $800+ and it had a bum leg...the pet shop then gave her 1/2 off, of course she hasn't shelled out the $2000 it would cost to actually fix the leg...just waiting to see if "it becomes a problem"- some animal lover! Anyway, people are stupid, any cross breed is a mutt, plain and simple. My mutt was found on the side of the road, so all I paid for her is food and vet costs, my purebred was from a pound and was $50- I got $40 back after showing proof of rabies vaccination. No matter what type of dog you want, I guarantee (unless you are trying to show AKC) a shelter or rescue organization has what you need.
what ever happened to the good old fashion mutt? remember when they were in the classifieds or an ad hanging in the grocery store that said something like this "free puppies mother a med sized dog" but i think the best one i saw was in the plain dealer this week the ad read "english bulldog (3/4) pug (1/4) $875 great look a like dog". whats that!!! im sorry but before i spend $1000 dollars on a mutt ill go to the pound. im sorry but it felt really good to write that.
I'm not sickened by the dogs, but I am by the ''breeders'' who intentionally mix breeds, and then charge an arm %26 leg for the offspring.

Don't get me wrong, I adore mixed breed dogs, but if I wanted one, I'd go to the local shelter/rescue %26 save a life (and money!).
what exactly are designer dogs? :S
I disagree when they are sold at ridiculous prices, when there are so many dogs in rescue places that need a home and these dogs that are basically mutts are being sold for a huge profit cos they got a cute name!
However all dogs come from crosses originally and after alot of breeding they start showing certain characteristics that are individual to the breed so some of these dogs may have exceptionally good temperaments through the nature of the breed.
And besides some of em are cute!! labradoodles and puggles particularly! however so are most mutts!
you're beating a dead horse here. people intent on buying a whateverpoo are going to do it, regardless of how many posts there are about the ignorance of breeding x-breeds.
I think you need to worry about something else. You may not approve, but you are not the puppy police!
I hear ya! Get a mutt. You will be just as (or even more) happy. A dog can only be what you make of it. Love it and teach it and you and the dog couldn't be more happy. You will probably have a few dollars to spare in the end.
I'm not sickened by mixing breeds if it is for the right reasons (i am sickened by the title "designer breeds"). All dogs, regardless of their purebred/non-purebred status, are derived from crossing different breeds. The problem we have today is that the breeders of "designer breeds" are money-hungry. They don't think of improving on a breed before putting a pug and a pekingese together--this is an accident that ends up making them money, and becomes a headache for the new puppy owners who have to deal with the numerous eye problems. I know that some of the breeds are pointless, because they are accidents. But the fact of the matter is, people buy them. Why should it matter how much they spend on a dog, or what title they are giving them? They are still being bred and still being bought.
It is a mixed breed dog until the lines are established to make them purebred, but essentially, it will always be a mix-breed (guess what? Your dog is mix breed too!). All dogs were mixed, and still are to get a better standard. Unfortunately, there are some people that are more concerned with what the dog looks like instead of concerning themselves with the health of the dog. I'm not angry at the people that buy them. That's just one less mutt in a shelter--although with some of the crosses that are being sold, I'd rather get a dog from a shelter. And anyone that is interested in buying one of these so-called designer breeds should really research both breeds before even considering the dog. But even still, because a standard genetic line has not been formulated with most, you never know what you are going to get. At least the dog is lucky enough to have someone that is willing to give them a home.
while i am mad at people who breed these puppy's i have a hard time not feeling bad, because if i could find another dog like the cross bred lab greyhound that was my best buddy for 10 years i would probably take every puppy that was bred. dog's are not accessory i know, but man was he a good dog, the best of both breeds.

Anybody *know* what "WORKING TERRIER" means?

Anybody have ANY experience w/em?
What breed/breeds?
On what quarry?


YES!!! *I* DO!!
Why ask?

Cuz I'm sick to death of the thousands of"what should I name my wittle doggie-woggie %26 where can I get a PROM DRESS %26 a night-gown for it?" type of question posted here.
Interested to see if there are *any* grown-up DOG-PEOPLE here.
Answers:
Had a working Russell of the farmdog "vermin combat type" - cleaned us outta groundhogs. Lousy type but the correct russel gameness. She spent 12 hr a day team hunting rats %26 mice with my whippet (Russell flushed them to the whippet who gave chase). both were fierce hunters not little woggies.
My sister in law had a russell of oiutstanding type and if that usless dog ever saw a rat she would probably still be running..

PS gots a few whippet field champs in my house now ... for some reason the squirrells go AROUND my yard
LOL yes I know what Working Terrier means. I used to Open Field course my dogs on jack rabbits. Borzoi and Whippets.

Haven't been to any Terrier Go To Ground or other Trials, did get to see some JRTs run their version of a Lure Course.

I am amazed at the laziness of most people who won't Google to find their own answer or pick up the phone and call their vet...esp. in some of the emergency situations some people are writing about.

I currently compete with 2 young Whippet females. (can't say b*tch on here)

We do: Obedience, Lure Coursing, Straight Racing, Conformations shows, and may try Fly Ball or Agility when they are over 14mo. They may get to work some jacks later when they are older as well.
All purebred dogs were developed with a specific purpose in mind. Terriers were bred to hunt and kill vermin. A working terrier is more than a pet. A working dog of any breed actually performs the job that he was bred for.

Sad to say that few dogs (relative to all dogs) are working dogs nowadays. The reason for this is that many breeders breed for conformation (thereby ignoring the breed purpose), and some modern technologies have replaced the working dog (ex: snowmobiles replacing sled dogs). Today, most people hunt with their dogs for sport, not because they're trying to feed themselves.
The good news is that all breeds were bred for a specific job for hundreds of years, and it's only fairly recent that folks started leaning toward dogs as mere pets. For the most part, the instincts are still there, and folks who need to have a working dog can easily find them.

Any websites that explain differences in the pitbull bloodlines bred today? (i.e. Razor's Edge, Gotty etc.)

My husband and I have an opportunity to invest in an up and coming kennel. I am doing research and would like to learn more about the different bloodlines that are used in todays breeding, their differences, sililarities etc. Being the proud owner of 2 Cane Corsos, our very pampered pets, who we thoroughly researched before we chose the breeder, I can say that health and temperment were, and still are, our priorities when choosing any animal. I would like to apply the same atttitude when helping to choose a pitbull puppy. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Answers:
if you ask me alot of the certain lines look about the same but it seems the blue color or color, all the dogs I see breed for looks are huge with huge heads, but are those pits really worth 1000 dollars? These kennels seem ok and have really nice looking animals but once again they cost too much

http://www.maximumpitbulls.com/puppies.h...
http://www.bluebulldozer.com/index.html...
http://www.rocksolidpits.com/
http://www.bamablueskennels.com/main.htm...
yes there is a great difference in bloodlines, Gotti bloodline is not any good, reason?, it's bred for color and size, not temperament, ability or health, I've owned Pitbulls for the last 46 years and these new fad bloodlines (if that's what they really are) are crap, these are the type of dogs that ruining the Pitbulls reputation as "The Nanny Dog", old style breeders such as Colby (the oldest and purest bloodline anywhere for any breed) culled the inferior dogs and man-biters, remember the pitbull has been bred to fight for the last 200 years, and dog that bites humans would not be tolerated, they had to be handled in the Pit in the heat of battle and never bite the handlers, if they did the dog was putdown as soon as the match was over, this weeded out inferior dogs and those of unsound temperment, these fad breeders of today are just looking to make some money, selling anything that's born with no regard to what this animal will turn out to be, there are nearly 20,000 unwanted Pitbulls being putdown monthly in America...WHY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM?, want a good pure bred Pit as a house animal and you need papers.go see Louis Colby in Newburyport Mass. or Bert Sorrells in Ponce De Leon Fla., these are the best in the world...and yes there dogs are GAME BRED and usually grow to be animal aggressive, but they are true Pitbulls, pure bloodlines for generations, and people FRIENDLY.especially with CHILDREN, and if you dont need papers...go to a shelter before another good dog gets the needle...Rich

Any websites that are trustworthy and sell Heartguard for dogs?


Answers:
Heartguard must be obtained by prescription from your vet, so any legitimate website will want your vet's prescription sent to them.
1800petmeds.com they will call your vet to get the rx
Drs. Foster and SMith
1800PetMeds.com i buy for a whole yrs and only pay 100 $ instead of 150$ yr at the vet.
you need the vet to fax the script in to them, but i do the www.drsfostersmith.com

never let me down previously.

Any vets or vet techs?

I have an appointment with a vet for my dog (tomorrow morning). He hasn't eaten in 2 days, although he will still drink water. He has NO diarrhea or vomiting. I have tried all sorts of palatable treats - roast beef, chicken, baby food - he has no interest. He is very young - 1 year old, and has had vaccinations. Please give me some general ideas of some of the conditions that could cause this. Thanks
Answers:
I'm a vet tech student, and it is really hard to say what the problem could be. Is he tired, not playing, any change in diet? Is he eating grass when he goes outside? Probably first they will take blood, and check all his blood cell levels, that can tell you if there is an infection. Then maybe a belly X-ray just to see if he ate anything he shouldn't have. Plus this might tell them if he has bloat. They might want to try him on a laxative to see if its a pooping problem.
Good luck and if possible, let me know how he does?
It sounds a lot like parvo in the beginning. Often its not noticed until the outragous diarhea starts.
Any chance of Lyme's disease? Generally if a dog will not eat it is due to nausea. Just keep your appointment, the question is pretty vague and really will requires a full exam. I have noticed it with dogs which have Lyme's although they are vaccinated, they still can get the disease.

Good luck!
There are many different things that can cause these symptoms. You are doing the best and only right thing by taking him to the Vet.
I am a Vet Tech and sometimes we see this behavior when dogs eat things there not supposed to. Sometimes it could just be a little fever.
Important is, that you tell your Vet all the details and anything that seemed abnormal to you in the last few days! Even if you think it might be irrelevant.
I hope your dog feels better soon!
You might want to see if you can get him in today. If he has all his vaccinations I doubt it is parvo.
The first reason is that your dog is not feeling well. Instead of trying to force your dog to eat, pull the dish away and let your dog skip the meal. Don鈥檛 try to coax your dog with special treats, gravy, or anything else. Contact your vet if you suspect a medical issue.

The second possible cause of a dog not eating food is how you have trained your dog. Picky eaters are trained, not born. If you enjoy pampering your dog, then this isn鈥檛 a problem. Keep the meals balanced and healthy and your dog will be fine. However, if you feel it is an issue, you do have options. For example, you can provide your dog with premium dog food. This is always better than offering your dog human food.

The third reason for a dog not eating food is that your dog has found another source of food. Dogs will eat garbage, cat stools, compost bin scraps, and more. Perhaps your dog has started eating the cat鈥檚 food or he鈥檚 been getting food from your counter. Also, some neighbors might start feeding your dog. The best advice to resolve this issue is to know what your dog is doing and where they are going.

See the vet..

Any veterinarians or knowledgeable dog people?

My husband snacks on raw almonds and goldfish crackers. He also tosses them to the dog on a regular basis. Callie, the dog, about 44 pounds, is about 1 and a half years old, all muscle and hasn't had a problem with this snack so far? Some times it includes peanuts too. She is not eating bowls and bowls of them but maybe 15 to 20 pieces combined most nights. She usually does not eat a whole lot- maybe 2 cups of dry Nutro a day. Is this okay for her to snack on? Thanks
Answers:
I would recommend that you stop tossing your dog nuts as a treat. Nuts are high in phosphorous which can cause bladder stones, so that's something you will want to be very careful with.

I don't see why the Goldfish crackers would harm your dog. However, if your dog has sensitive skin or is allergic to grains (they often cause itchiness in dogs), I would recommend against those as well.
i have heard that almonds are bad for dogs, but not sure why. gold fish crackers should be ok.
not every night they can have it so often for a treat so give it dog food more often and lay off the human food even one a week is okay but at that age it should be once a month or more
well i have 2 dogs and i know that you shouldn't throw the goldfish or nuts to them because it can make hem very sick our dog died because of it but he was no allergic to it so i would recommend to stop
No, this isn't okay. If your husband keeps this up your dog will start getting over weight and will start to cause begging.
If your husband keeps doing this than your dog will not be getting used to its food and will start wanting even more human food.

I would recommend that your dog will only eat it's food and water. You can give your dog fruits and veggies to chow down on but not too much. You shouldn't give your dog anything else but that and treats.

Any tutorials on making home-made dog toys?

this may sound corny but i wanna make some dog toys for the doggies in the pound because they are all cooped up in the little pins so i wanted to give them some stuff to do like on the pedigree commercial! can any one give me a tutorial or website? thanx!
Answers:
thats nice of you :-)

well you could take some fabric and stuff it with stuffing from the fabric store, sew it up and theres a toy. just stuff it really good so its pretty firm and use good fabric so their teeth wont rip through it as fast.
Your desire to help is really appreciated but donating store-bought toys would be much better. Nylabones, Kongs, rubber balls, tennis balls and other durable toys are what we need and use most.

Any trouble with dogs ruining furniture/items and how to correct?


Answers:
I work at an humane society. We recommend you treat a new puppy or dog the same way as a 2 year old human child.If they are not in you sight, they are not safe and neither is your stuff. Crate training is the best way to go. If you are not with the pet, the pet needs to be in the crate. As long as the crate is in the home with temp. control don't offer any food or water in the crate. Toys, pillows, and raw hides are great in the crate with the pet so he or she does not get Bord. Good luck. Look up more info on crate training a pup! It works great!
Crate train them, put your junk away, when you catch them with the stuff you leave lying around, take it from them, tell them NO, and give them something appropriate to chew and play with. Get them more exercise so they are tired..
My two best guesses with out more info, are either boredom, or seperation anxiety. Boredom can be fixed by providing toys/stimulation while you are gone, putting in a kennel will also prevent this, but is probably even more boring. If it is seperation anxiety, you will need to train your dog not to fear you leaving/being gone. It could take quite awhile to break him. You need to leave for short periods, and when you leave, just do it, don't tell him "goodbye", or do anything to indicate that you are leaving. Give him praise when he does not do anything naughty. I would suggest reading a good book, or talking to a trainer for more details.
You can get a spray bottle in a pet store and spray things that he/she chews. It has this smell that dogs don't like and it's not harmful to the dog.
Puppies are prone to chewing on stuff when they are teething. It's very important that you have lots of chewable dog toys and that the dog knows what's a toy and what isn't. It can become a life long habit problem if puppies learn to chew on the wrong items.
Also, some dogs may destroy items out of boredom/fustration if you leave them alone for a very long time or don't give them attention. If you have to leave them alone for a long time make sure to have a crate for them and make sure they are comfortable being in it, otherwise it would be like torture to them. A good way to get dogs comfortable with crates it to leave it open and accessible to them at all times. Maybe even leave a dog treat in there and they'll learn that it's more like their own private space or house rather than a cage or cell.
One way to relieve the dogs boredom is to get a very hard rubber chew toy from the pet shop that has a cavity, stuff the cavity with something tasty and freeze it, give your dog the toy as you leave and they will be occupied for hours trying to get to the contents.
Crate your dog when you can supervise them.
My old dog once tore out the bottom lining of my matress/box spring one night (I didnt keep him in a crate). I bought some spray stuff, I forgot what it was called specifically, but Ive seen many different variations. It worked wonders, I started using it in different place of the house he was prone to "having accidents" and it did keep him away. If you can find comething like this I highly recomnd it.

Any tips to stop puppies digging up my new lawn..?

My 2 new Cairn Terrier pups are making a mess of my newly established lawn. I can't leave them alone in the yard for a minute as they will dig like crazy every chance they get %26 they don't just dig holes, they dig long trenches. It's taken me 8 weeks to get the lawn looking decent %26 they are trashing it. Please help before I go completely mental at them.
Answers:
The only way to really prevent this is by staying out there with them. Let them do there business outside then bring them in the house to play. If you take them to a park or other public place where theres open land they will learn that play time is when we are in the house or at the park. Then if your out there with them you can correct this behavior. Eventually as they get older they will learn not to do it. You can let them go outside on their own. Puppies shouldn be left outside alone for other reasons then digging. There are many bad things that they can do or get into that can be very harmful to them.
12 gauge shotgun works good
get them off your lawn
Maybe you should give the pups up for adoption. Either that or train them to be inside dogs.
You got to catch them in the act and scold them.

If you scold them after they have done it, they won't know why your doing it.
If you do it before, thats just mean.

Might be tough to catch them in the act but I've done it to my pets.
keep a little cage in the yard were it is ok for them to dig so the wont wreck the whole yard
I have heard pepper... but I think that is if they are digging in just one area.. but, that would be a lot of pepper for a whole yard. Go to your local pet store, im sure they will have something!
one of two things: camp out on your front lawn with a rifle or
get a chain, rope or a cage for the pups.
Keep a few clear plastic bottles (preferably the 2litre Coke bottle) full of water near the areas where the puppies dig up the lawn. Don't ask me why, but it worked with my puppy.
Don't let them out in the yard, only take them for walks and keep them in the house for other times. U may also want to try getting a water bottle with a strong stream %26 when u catch them digging, yell annnnnt! %26 spray them simultaneously. But you have to spray them at the moment they r digging, not after b/c they won't knwo what they r being sprayed 4. Spray them right in their face where it scares them. This method works with my dog..we learned this from obedience training %26 have done it with him since he was a puppy..now he's 1 %26 big, but still scared of the damn water bottle..lol :o) Good luck!
We got a baby pool and filled it with dirt and every time our dog dug we scolded her and then took her to the pool and praised her for just getting in. Ive heard you can bury treats and toys in the dirt and that will def make them dig there. She stopped digging our yard and digs in the pool now. with terriers it is prob digging due to boredem like our so make sure there are a lot of toys and ours loved water too so we got her another babypool and filled it with water. just be careful the combo pools makes for one dirty puppy!
Hi,
The best way would be to give your dogs a patch of their own that they can trash to their hearts content. The rest, the part you want to keep nice, corden it off with a little fence or plants or low bushes or something, and put loads of pepper right before the edge of those bushes or low fences. Your dogs will have a good sneeze and will think twice of going over to spoil your patch.
Good luck.
Kristel

Any tips on training a huskie how to sit?

he is 12 weeks old
Answers:
press down on his but and make him sit and keep saying sit until he sits down and then when he does give him a treat and praise him. do it like 3-4 times a day and he will pick up in a few days.
Husky's are more like people than dogs, they have an incredible mind and they are very difficult to train on the basis if they don't want to learn it.you will find it almost impossible to teach them. What you need to do is make them want to learn, spend lots of time with him or her and ensure that you have lots of treats on hand.
Buy him a chair
Always use the same tone of voice, and one word only. Say it once, don't repeat it. And never use a questioning tone of voice.
So say 'sit'.
Not 'si-i-i-it, sit, sit down'.

When you see your pup about to sit naturally, say 'sit' then reward him.
Also, you can hold a biscuit just over his nose and move it back over his head; most dogs sit (although some jump up!). Say 'sit' just as his butt touches the floor then reward him.
Say the command, then push his bum to the ground gently, if he does it give him a treat. Soon he will get the hang of this and be able to do it himself without the extra push. (Dogs only tend to sit more if there is something in it for them eg . food).
It sounds like he may be a little immature to be learning but huskies are really smart. Just remember it might take a while for him to get the hang of things. I would try pressing down on his butt and saying sit. After you give a dog any command you should repeat his name. Make sure you say the command clearly and repeat only that one word command. Phrases do not help and most likely you'll just confuse/frustrate him. After he does it give him a treat and lots of praise and attention. Good Luck!!!
with treats ( you can use a portion of his dinner so you don't end up with a podgy puppy)
make him sit by gently tapping his back end down while saying sit, when he sits give him a treat and praise him, repeat this often and you will find they pick up on it very quickly, eventually replace the treats with just praise, so when he sits say in a excited voice good boy etc, eventually the puppy will do this just to get the praise.

lots of patience and never shout at him if he doesn't do it, it just means he doesn't get his treat/praise.

good luck, they are alot of fun at that age.
huskies need a specific training,more so than other dogs,I think.
you can get some info on the web.
he is definitely not to young, i taught my lab to sit at 8 weeks old. it isnt hard to teach a lab but a husky, they have a mind of there own. you were given correct advise already, hold the treat in one hand say "sit" and push the butt to the floor. repeat this 4 or 5 times in a row giving a treat every time. now about 20 min. later do it again. your puppy will be sitting by the end of the day!
Hey I have a seven month old Siberian Husky called Dakota I got him when he was 10 weeks and he would not do a thing he was told! to get him to sit I got a small treat, stood in front of him after showing him the treat, then told him to sit while i patted him just above the tail. he was very good at learning this (a week or two) and he now sits, jumps up to my shoulders when i point to my shoulder and say UP. He also just started giving us his paw after weeks of asking. the one thing he will not do is recall



GOOD LUCK!!
buy some very small doggy treats

get one in your hand let him sniff it but dont let him eat it then lift the treat slowly up towards his head then slowly down the sholders heshould sit and when his bum first hits the ground say "sit" and give him the treat.

i hope this works for you it work on my german shepherd pup and he is now about 15 weeks old.
jst tell your dog to sat and show him how to do it. and give him a treats wen his been good. push his bum down then give a treats than let do it by his self

Any tips on raising a dachshund puppy??


Answers:
Be ready for a period of trial and error. Dachshunds are known for being very very stubborn dogs. Once they do learn something though, they are wonderful companions. When training one you have to have a LOT of patience and persistance. Because they're so stubborn, it will end up being a lot of repetative teaching. Have fun with it though and I wish you the best of luck!
Make sure you have a sense of humor because they can be a pain.

The Basics
SIT, COME, DOWN, STAY, HEEL.

SIT
Holding a treat in your left hand just above the pup's nose, gently rest your right hand on pup's rump.
Slowly move the treat in an upward motion while applying gentle pressure to the rump. ( you dont want to push hard because if you do the dog will sit every time someone touches him and this is not good for competitive obedience)
as soon as pup sits say in a very happy excited tone "GOOD SIT" and give the treat.
Repeat excersize 7x. then take a play break and move on to something elce.
very young pups should not train for more than a half hour each day
every time you put food bowl down or give a treat give the sit command, and wait for the sit. then once pup sits give treat or food down.
DO NOT move on to something new until pup has the new command down pat.

COME
walk away from pup about 10 feet to start. say pup's name and "COME" in a happy voice. once pup comes praise it lavishly have a bit of a play and give it a treat.
Gradually increase the distance you walk away. and eventually once pup knows command only treat every 3rd come. tappering off until he comes every time with out treat using only praise.
this will take a few days to learn if you practice every day.

DOWN
Start with pup in sit. move hand with the treat between the pup's front paws on the ground.
Say "DOWN" in firm but not loud voice.
pup might try and get treat without going down, dont let him have it until he downs.
praise in happy voice "GOOD DOWN"
repeat 7x

STAY
Start pup in down possition. say "STAY" in firm voice. walk to end of leash, backwards. if the pup moves say once only "AP" in a not pleased tone. go back do not say anything. put pup in down again repeat "STAY" walk backwards to end of leash.
pup does NOT get praise or treat untill he stays for 30 seconds, then a minute, then 5 minutes. move times up each week.
after he can do a 5 minute down/stay every time. move on to a sit/stay doing exactly what you did for down/stay.
Once on leash sit and down/stays are reliable for 5 minutes each. drop the leash and walk away from your pup, your back to the pup. about 10 feet away. wait 5 min. recall your dog. with dog sitting in front of you once he reaches you. treat and praise.

HEEL
Please do NOT train with a choke collar. i recomend martin gayles.
with dog on a short leash exactly beside you on your left side say "HEEL" if the dog starts to pull give a correction snap with leash on collar. and recomand "HEEL" the second your dog complies peaise with "GOOD HEEL" in happy voice. and continue to walk , correct, and praise for 30 minutes.

Always end training sessions on a positive note. Never get angry with your pup for not responding to a command. Praise lavishly every time pup responds to a command.
NEVER hit your dog. NO reason is an acceptable reason for physicaly abusing your pup.

Group obedience classes will help with socialization and a good instructor will be able to help with training your dog.

Here is a link to how to crate/house train your if you care to read it:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
if u bog like pedigree than feed him that or milk with bread any ways i have 13 dog if u need any advice from me just send an e-mail
dashhounds can be verey hipper...so watch if you have areas the dog can jump on or off ,of...dashhound are verey sneeky so dont leave the door open to far


all i have to say is good luck to you and your new puppy :D
duchshunds are the most stubborn little fuckers ive ever seen i have one and it is a pain in my ***
They are pretty good dogs, if they are the only dog in the house, and they bark when someone comes in your yard or to the door. My grandma had one, and I had one. My only advice is that it should be an only dog.

Any tips for training your dog to walk on a short leash?

my dog use to be able to walk on a leash but ever since i've been bringing him to the park and letting him walk around freely, he seems to be trying to drag me now when he's on the leash and he chokes a lot. i want to be able to walk him on a short leash so he would be able to walk through busy areas. any tips?
Answers:
Start by walking with treats, If your dog knows you have treats and he will get them for staying near you he will walk with you. Gradually give less and less treats.
Also don't let him pull u
stop, plant your feet. when your ready walk again even if it is just two steps
your dogwill learn fast that it cant get anywhere unless it does so nicely.
I suggest using a Halti.
Stops dogs pulling on the lead - kindly
Calms boisterous behaviour
Simplifies training and solves problems
Allows freedom to pant and yawn
On-off action to close biter's jaws
For more information go to http://pets1st.ca/articles/00079usingaha... They really do work great.
take your dog on more walks after it plays at the park...when the dog is already tired, it will be more submissive and get back into the groove of walking properly

Any Tips about Young Female German Shepherd?

We've just taken in a stray, young female shepherd. Never had a dog before; we have 2 adult female cats.

*What should I expect?
*What supplies do I need to buy for her?

Any advice??
Answers:
German Shepherds are very smart, loving dogs. That said, they need care while training, because they can be aggressive and are territorial.

One thing my grandma always told her adoptive families, keep a bag of treats near the door, when a visitor comes in, have them give the dog a treat. This will teach the dogs that visitors who are let in are a good thing.

Be diligent with training, nip any naughty behaviors in the bud. When in doubt, find a trainer with GSD experience, its well worth it.

Good for you for taking in a dog in need of a home!

Now the basics, a food and water dish, good leash and collar, I recommend kong toys as GSDs can be very hard on toys! GSDs also love tennis balls (well, what dog doesnt) and frisbees. Buy a good brush! GSDs are shedders! But a sackof training treats and a box of dry dog biscuits, you want the training treats to be different than the snack.

Make an appt for the vet if you havent already, if she is a stray she needs to be vaccinated and checked over.
Get her spayed! Take her to the vet, get her checked out thoroughly.

Water and food dishes
leash and collar
toys
crate
QUALITY dogfood
fruit and veggies

Don't housetrain her using those pee pads, those dogs are never thoroughly housetrained.. They tend to make alot of mistakes and it's twice the work trying to get them to go outside.

And with any dog, socialize with people, children, other dogs, and all sorts of situations and places.
Take some obedience classes with the dog. builds a good bond and helps you to have a form of communication..
Lots of walks and good exercise.
First, do you really want a dog? If not, then be honest and take her to a shelter (preferrably no-kill).

If you truly want a dog then you've got the potential for a really nice one here. Shepherds are smart, loyal and fun. They're great dogs.

She'll top out between 40 and 70 pounds but that depends a lot on her build now - your vet can help you guess.

Take her to the vet and ask all the questions you want.

Make sure she gets spayed.

She'll need a good sized food dish and a bucket for water.
She'll need a strong leash and a collar that fits her - check this as she grows so it doesn't choke her.
Brush/comb
Flea treatment
Cedar/chip bed
Heartworm preventative
regular vet checks, vaccinations and deworming
about an hour of vigorous exercise each day.
OBEDIENCE TRAINING - a well-trained dog is a joy to have around.
Bless you for taking in a stray. I would put a leash on her and walk her around the neighborhood, so she understands her surroundings... and that you are with her. Then introduce her to your home. AND the cats--slowly. She needs lots of reassurance from you that you will love her and not abandoned her. You can try getting a baby gate so you can gate off part of the house so you can keep an eye on her for a while.

Make sure you take her out a lot, even for short periods so she has the opportunity to do her business... and give her a treat right after she does, and praise her a lot.

You will of course need:

-a collar AND leash
-a baby gate
-a large crate for her to sleep in and to stay in when you are not home. (remember that dogs are cave dwellers and live in packs. and you are the head of the pack.)
-Choose a food you are going to feed her.
-Take her to your vet as soon as you can for a check up. (Take a stool sample so he can check for worms, etc.)
- Get a few chew toys - like rawhide, and treats as well.
squeaky toy, and a stuffed toy. Let her know she has plenty of things of her own, maybe she will leave your stuff alone.

I love German shepherds, and they make wonderful pets if they are treated with a lot tender loving care.

GOOD LUCK

here is a web site i use a lot because they are reasonable on crates, and most things.
The Canine %26 Feline Behaviour Centre
I have a 5 month old male German and he's great. But all puppies are a lot of work so be prepared to stay busy. They will chew just about anything so put your shoes, remote controls, etc. AWAY!! Enroll in a puppy training class if you can. This breed loves to be useful and they are really intelligent. One big tip I can give you is that dogs don't know the diffenence from good attention and bad attention. They think when you're chasing them around after that remote control that you are playing and they'll keep it up because they just want your attention and they don't realize that they are in trouble. But dogs are great, and are fantastic companions. But please be patient, give lots of good attention, and get in a puppy class as soon as you can.
My breeder reccommends Royal Canin as a food and that's all we feed our dog. He loves it! Also, stock up on tennis balls, rawhide bones, chew toys. Stuff that they can have as opposed to your things. Remember to start good habits now and nmost importantly be consistent so your new dog doesn't get confused.
Good luck!

Any suggestions to keep my dog from eating poo out of litter box?

I've already got a cover for the box! I have the box in my bathroom! The dog's been scolded for eating the poo more than anything else! She just loves poo sooo much I guess she thinks it's worth getting in trouble for! I would let her just do it! But it makes a mess and I'm not sure if eating the litter will harm her! SERIOUS ANSWERS ONLY! Can I put anything in there that won't harm my cat!??
Help she's got poo breath bad!
Answers:
Here's a suggestion. Turn the covered litter box entrance towards the wall and leave a space just for the cat to get in. The dog won't have access anymore and will stop it.

That's what I did and it worked. Good luck.
Put threlittter box where the dog cant reach it - on a table etc - easiest solution
Check with your vet. Mine did the same thing and we found out it was a Iron deficiency. A vitamin a day and he stopped
She won't be harmed. When I had a cat, my dog would do that too, and I was told it was becauase cats don't digest their food all the way and so apparently it tastes like food to dogs. Gross, but true.

If you're worried about the litter, though, maybe get something natural instead of the Fresh Step type.
I am on several dog forums and the only thing most of them can think of is to put the litter box high enough the dog can't reach it. Like on the washer or dryer or even a shelf. Several of them have tried putting hot sauce on the poo and that doesn't stop the tootsie roll eaters either.
I agree with T.M.

Unless there's a health condition preventing your cat from being able to jump onto a table, then place the litter box above ground level, to prevent the dog from having access.
Put the litter box behind a baby gate that the cat can go over or through but the dog can't.
If your dog is large, try putting the litter box inside a lower cupboard with a cat door, or under a bigger box with cat-sized access. Sort of a box within a box.
If your dog is small, try a baby gate across the bathroom door; cat will be able to jump it but the dog won't. Two baby gates one above the other might work for a large dog but you might have trouble getting to the bathroom yourself if you were in a hurry! ;)
I put our littler box in the giant bath tub we never use. I asked the vet and putting the litter box out of reach of the dogs is the only solution.
The best solution..spray water at his nose when he even goes by the box with a water bottle. He'll hate the sensation of the water and he'll stay away. The only annoying thing for you.you have to stand vigilant by the box until he stops. ******PLEASE******* Do NOT use a mouse trap in the box like captianjacks suggests! This will only backfire and hurt your cat or dog.
Tell Kevvy to get up off the couch and clean the litter box before your pooch goes bobbing for sausages in the kitty box. Then you'll kill two stones with one bird...keep the poo breath away from your pooch and find out if Kevvy will be a good boy for you when he is a milque toast husband getting ***** whipped in the 'burbs.
I would keep the box as clean as possible, like sift the poop out as often as possible. I had a dog that just liked the taste. If you raise it off the floor make sure your cat will get up there and use it.
Well, one thing that worked for me was spraying it with a product called "Bitter Apple". That stopped my pup from snacking in the litter box.

My older dog was more persistant so I had to go to a more drastic approach. For this, you do need to monitor the litter box since you need to 'catch' your dog in the act. When she has her head in the litter box, toss an aluminum can that is filled with pebbles or pennies right behind her. The sound usually is enough to startle them, they don't know who threw it and if they begin to stick their head in, you simply shake the can and it will make them jump away.

If that doesn't work, another thing I've done is to put a mouse trap in the box. Cover it with a paper towel. You must watch this one for when you leave you need to remove the mouse trap. The trap snaps, scares the dog and gets them out. I don't suggest this one unless the other 2 don't work and DO keep a close eye on this one to make sure the kitties don't try to use the box while you're trying to 'catch the dog in the act'.
my dog did the same thing. my cat box is in our laundry room so i bought a gate and left enough room under it so the cat could get through and it stoped my dog from going in there.
I don't know the size of your dog, if she's small this won't work but if she's 20 pounds or over it should. Some dogs love kitty rocca. What I have done where the litter box is I have a hook lock on it latch it so it's big enough for the cat to come in and not the dog. It works like a charm.
Good luck;^)
About the only thing that worked for us was putting up a gate like parents use to keep a baby from leaving the room. Collies and German Sheperds seem to really love cat poop.

Any suggestions on what to feed my female shih tzu to make her coat come back to what it used to be?

my shih tzu gave birth 3 weeks ago. her coat has been falling out pretty rapidly and has been tangeling fairly easy. the vet keeps telling me it will come back to the luxurious coat i have worked so hard on, and she gave me a list of things to feed her to help her coat, but i just wanted to hear from someone who has gon through this personally what did you do? how long did it take for her coat to come all the way back?
Answers:
This is really normal due to the hormone changes. Giving birth and nursing a litter is rough on their coat. Your vet is correct. It can take up to 2 years. Raw eggs are not good for dogs, it robs their system of Biotin.
Give your dog an egg every week or so. Even if its with the shell, its all really healthy, and should make the coat shiny and really healthy in approximatly a month or two, not too exact on the time frame though. Don't cook the egg, just give it too her, and keep her in an area where its eay to clean. Or you can crack the egg into her bowl, either just the contents, or you could crush the shell a little, if she doesn't eat the shell, its fine, the egg itself also has nutrients that will definalty help. Also, continue brushing, if you did, if not, start, it won't be as tangly. Also, you could ask at a local pet store for shampoos that have that added ingrediant for shine and healthy coat.
tyr eggs every couple days its very good for there coat
It will take quite some time for her coat to return to normal after giving birth. Flax seed is very healthy for dogs and I have noticed it makes my dog's coat very shiny, I don't know if this will speed up the process but it might be worth a try. You can buy milled flax seed at the grocerty store and just sprinkle a teaspoon or so onto her food. My dog loves it (it has a very nutty flavor) and its good for humans too!
In most cases, a dog's fur and skin health can be directly related to its diet, especially during pregnancy, after giving birth, and during nursing. If your dog is not eating a good quality diet high in nutrition and/or is not getting enough food, then skin and fur problems develop.
The fur problem your shih tzu is having could also be related to the immense amount of stress she encounters during this period. Once again, a good quality, nutrient dense diet may relieve most or all of the problem.

What your vet told you, that her fur will eventually come back to what is was, is true for the most part. And though I don't know what things she listed for you to give your dog, you may want to try some of the following suggestions I have listed.

But first, what brand of dog food are you feeding her? Is it a holistic formula dog food or is it one of the many inferior quality, "top-selling" brands that many people feed their pets?

Holistic formulas contain a "named" meat, or even several "named" meats, as the first or first few ingredients. Seems to reason, since dogs are carnivores and require meat-based proteins as their primary source of nutrition. Breeds like shih tzu's require slightly higher protein levels than many other breeds in order to maintain good health, especially with their skin and coat.

Holistic foods also contain whole grains such as rice, barley, oats, flax, etc. Granted, the best food for dogs should contain NO grains whatsoever. But if it does then these whole grains are completely acceptable provided the food is not grain-heavy.

Along with other healthy additions to the ingredient list, like chicken fat (instead of "poultry" or "animal" fat), vegetables and fruits, herring or herring oil, as well as natural preservatives like tocopherols (vitamin E), the food will provide the needed nutrients (particularly Omega 3 and 6) for good health.

What holistic foods don't contain, and which should be strictly avoided, are CORN, WHEAT and SOY in any form, any "unnamed" meat source (such as "meat" by-product, "meat and bone" meal), BY-PRODUCTS (even "named" by-products) of any kind, "animal" fat or digest, and ARTIFICIAL colors, flavors and especially preservatives. (Keep in mind that if any food contains a fish meal of some type, this may very well have been preserved with the harmful ingredient Ethoxyquin).
The list of ingredients to avoid goes on, so the best thing is to do alittle research. Understand what each ingredient is and learn what dog foods should and should NOT contain.

Surprisingly many dog foods, even brands like Iams, Nutro, Science Diet, and Eukanuba, contain many bad and even harmful ingredients. Brands like Purina and Pedigree are far worse.

A good, high quality food should help alleviate your "baby's" problem in a reasonable period of time. Maybe adding a food supplement would be necessary if the food alone doesn't work.
Whatever it is you try, just remember to be patient. Recovery may take several weeks or even a few months. But if you do it right your dog will recover.

The following are just some suggestions to try if others fail.

INNOVA Adult Dry dog food--A great nutrient-dense food considered to be one of the healthiest dog foods in the world. Feeding my shih tzu/yorkie this food has produced a very healthy skin and coat.

CANIDAE Canine All Life Stages Formula (avoid the chicken only or the lamb only formulas)--Another nutrient-dense food that contains several ingredients for a healthy skin and coat.

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE DOG LOVER's SOUL--A good food with healthy ingredients. The fish meal used is preserved with natural ingredients and NOT Ethoxyquin.

MERRICK Turducken formula

Feeding canned food along with dry will be of great benefit. The added moisture will help your dog digest the food easier.
Using canned foods like Wellness, Innova (EVO is best), California Natural and Canidae are a healthy addition. And for goodness sake don't feed any food that you can buy at the grocery store or at places like Walmart.

Some pet owners will feed their dogs a puppy formula during pregnancy and lactation. Doing this in short-term should cause no problems. It may also give mother's milk the added nutrients she can pass onto her pups.

You may also want to try a natural supplement that will add extra skin and coat nutrients.
California Natural Skin and Coat supplement is a good choice. So is Shed Stop (recommended by vets even if the dog isnt shedding).
These should only be used for short periods of time but they will make a difference in the condition of fur and coat.

Below I have listed some great websites that may help you.

Good luck and the best to you both!

Any suggestions on what to feed my chihuahua?

starting tomorrow or later this week i am going to try and break my chihuahua from eating and begging for human food. does anyone have any suggestions on what brand i should get? also, if i did want to feed my chihuahua human food what should i feed her? more like, what is good for her?
Answers:
We feed our chi's IAMS for toy or small dogs. I have a 10wk old and a yr old, We leave their food in the kennels because they eat through out the day. We also feed them, as a treat raw fruits and vegs. This advice comes from the CHI mag/books that is publish. We got mag/book from the local pet store. . But when we eat our meals all 4 of our pet go to their own kennels or rooms.
I feed my 4 Wellness. It's human grade food so many your dog will eat it. It's very hard to break them though once they have got the taste for exclusivly human food.

What we do with rescues who are that way is to start by mixing part canned part dry food. Over a few days decress the canned and add more dry until in the end they have dry food alone.

To start with they often lick the canned food off the dry food, but in time they usually do eat it.
pedigree small crunchy bites
Get Purina, Iams, or any other dog food. Just quit your habits of giving the dog human food, and she'll get bored of begging you if you don't reward her.
Look for a premium dog food with no soy or corn. And, a moderate percentage of protein.

http://Dog-Daze.net
What makes a dog beg is for owners to feed them from their plates. Once a beggar...pretty much a beggar. Use a premium food, i.e. Wellness or other premiums, preferably not one affected by the recall. We are now feeding Bil-Jac and having wonderful results. No more table food. It will take a bit and you may have to juice up the food with smelly canned stuff or Iams sauce for a bit.

As for feeding people food, usually chicken, beef, turkey, lamb mixed with cooked rice is good. Just remember that your dog will not get complete nutrition from this type of diet. You will need to talk to your vet about supplements.

Good luck,
Cindi G.
Pet Trainer
Human food is not good for a dog, their systems cannot take it. I think they go on system overload or something and alot of the times (especially in small dogs) if the dog has eatten human food they can have what I call a heart attack. My best friends dog is part Chihuahua and the poor thing is 22 lbs because she has been feeding him table scraps. We just now found out about a condition that she has, I guess it was a stroke, anyways, it lost back use of it's legs and she can't walk and may have to use one of those carts. I am not trying to scare you but the vet said that paralysis is common is chihuahua's, and the table scraps don't help. If the dog looks overweight I would suggest giving it some kind of diet food until it looses some of the weight. Eukanuba is a good dog food. Good luck.
I feed mine holisitic food . with all the recalls you cannot be safe with anything but holistic food . I have two chis and it is worth it cause they dont eat that much .
i feed my chi eukabnua ( the small breed kind) Also my vet recommended putting a light coat of oil olive on their food along with a little bit of garlic sprinkles. The oil is good for their coat and the garlic acts as a "flea repellent".

here are some good recipe sites that i found.. good luck
http://www.recipesource.com/misc/pet-foo...
http://www.seefido.com/html/dog_food_rec...
http://www.i-love-dogs.com/dog-food-reci...
I have a bulldog and always fed him Iam (hard dog food), but after all of the media about dog food poisoning dogs I switched. I am using Wellness. It is all human grade...check out the website...www.omhpet.com.

There is a whole list of foods that are toxic to dogs. They consist of: grapes, raisins, onions (including onion powder, onion salt) and garlic (controversial), tomatoes (green parts...leaves and stems), bones (from poultry, pork, cows, etc...), mustard, dairy, macadamia nuts, moldy/spoiled foods, Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide posioning), Potato peelings and green looking potatoes, Rhubarb leaves, Broccoli (in large amounts), Fat trimmings, mushrooms, anything raw (raw fish, raw chicken, raw eggs), yeast dough, sugar, salt, large amounts of liver, citrus oil extracts, hops, coffee, chocolate, tea (all caffeine), alcohol, grease, fried, fatty foods. I think I covered just about everything.

I feed my dog human food because I feel that it is better for him then dog food! My dog eats alot of vegetables, fruits (non citrus), and lean meats (no bones/no fat). I cook him eggs on the weekends :) My vets say that when their bellies get upset to feed them lean hamburger meat (drained) and white rice...I wanna say a cup of each mixed together (but ur dog is tiny so I'd go with smaller amounts). Just don't give them any of the things above...the healthier the better. When we feed him human food we put it in another dish next to his food dish, he never gets fed at the table or any where else in the house, so he doesn't beg from anyone. You can change his begging without stopping human food. Good luck with your dog :)
You shouldn't give a dog any human food other than fruit and vegetables and some cooked meat now and then. A well balanced natural kibble is a far better idea all around.

There are a bunch of good ones, we like the Canidae... All Life Stages.. You'll get different opinions, different breeds do better on certain brands etc.

Forget Iams, Beneful, All Purina, Eukanuba, Kibbles n Bits, Ol Roy, Pedigree, Science Diet etc.. They are all garbage foods that are preserved with cancer causing BHA/BHT or ethoxyquin, or cancer causing dyes, or use a Synthetic Vitamin K which makes the body not be able to normally use K from other sources. Horrible foods..

Good Quality dogfood, might seem like it costs more but they actually eat far less and get their nutrition easier from the quality foods.
Nature's Balance you can get it at PetCo. It is a great brand for Chihuahua's. They are prone to get colitis and it helps them. My guy never eats human food, it is bad for him. Good luck on retraining her, it can be done.

Don't buy cheap foods. Cheap dog foods are full of fillers it is not full of the good stuff they need like vitamins and nutrients and it causes your pup to go poo more.

Any suggestions on naming a yorkie boy?

His mothers name is peggie sue.
Answers:
Peggy Sue? Then name him Buddy Holly.
corky. corky the yorkie. haha. or any name beginning in dr. mr. or sir.
Harley... Sir Duke of Bo...Skatta-Boo...Drake...Chew...
name him mr jones, thats just a cool name
Since he's a "yorkie," how about calling him Brooklyn or Bronx.
Chococat.

Any suggestions on how to stop my dog from humping peoples legs and cushions?


Answers:
Might not sound nice but if you pinch his ears he will get the point. You wont have to do it much, just the first few times.

You folks might give me thumbs down but gently pinching the dogs ears works. It shows that you are dominant..it is what pro's recommend!! And also what other dogs do to prevent being "humped" on.

It is not being mean or abusive!! So dont act like I beat my animals. It is speaking in the animals own language and they respect me for it and I in turn give the animals the same respect
Get him castrated if he isn't already.
dogs are so funny. just try to find it a friend to play with. or by lots of stuffed animals for your dog.
sounds cruel but take him, (i'm assuming he's male) for the chop, should calm him down.
get them fixed
kick it in the knackers
Well, when we got our Golden Retriever fixed, he didn't calm down. Then i tried pinching his ears, and he got the point after the first few times.

Good Luck!
Can't believe some of the replies! Just take the cushions away from him with a firm "NO", don't make a big deal out of it. When he tries it with people, same thing, distract him with some toys or if he's really excited, shut him away for 10 minutes or so until he's calmed down.
Get him neutered, correct him when he humps. Don't allow it.. Instead of giggling when he does it, stern face and NO, removing him from what he is humping.

No, don't pinch his ears.. Don't smack his nose, don't smack his butt.. Why are people so abusive and nasty to their dogs. Since when does aggression do anything but make for more aggression???
Are these things your parents did to you when you did stupid things, or when you did things that were totally natural and just needed to be corrected.. They pinched your ears???
Get him neutered.

It's really the best answer. If you think it's cruel, think about how frustrating it must be for him as things are now.

In the mean time, try teaching him some new tricks and keeping him occupied as much as possible, with chews, kongs, games, walks etc. Make sure he knows his place in the family. By this I mean don't allow him up on chairs / beds, feed him last (his own food, don't share yours) and so on.

When he's in the act, say NO in a loud, firm voice whilst giving him a cross look, push him off, turn away and ignore him. You could also try using discs, or shaking a large bottle full of pebbles or occasionally trying to divert his attention to something else like food.

Book him in ASAP.
get him neutered !!!
You're best off getting him neutered.
But if you're thinking of breeding with him then you just need to train it in the same way you train him for everything else, just with a firm no when he does it. He'll soon get the hang of it.

:-)
get him fixed
Get him neutered, and show him that YOU are the boss and that YOU will decide what he does or what he shouldn麓t do. If you don麓t like what he is doing, bare your teeth and growl at him and in a low voice tell him not to do it. That麓s how the leader of the dog pack deals with their lot. If they don麓t listen the first time, the next time the offender will be bitten in the neck, or killed. Easy in animal rules. Its just difficult for us humans to apply these rules when we deal with animals. Talk to them in a language they understand.
you could start off by removing him from whatever he is at with a firm command NO. if this alone does not stop him after a while then add to this removing him from the room and put him somewhere on his own for a time. another way to go is to give him something he is allowed to hump, we did this with one of our dogs and he never touches anything else.
if everything else fails then you may have to get him castrated
Males and females do this. It's a dominance thing. Has your dog been neutered? That would help. Get a squirty bottle and each time the dog tries it, squirt it with water and shout "No!" or "Down".

Any suggestions for an obsessed dog and continous rapes??

My stupid dog Rackal is completely head over heels for my new dog Mazzy whose very spoiled and is a housedog while Rackal lives in the backyard with my caged rabbits. Sometimes I let Mazzy out to use the restroom and for the second time I caught Rackal basically raping her...whats a girl to do?
Answers:
Im sorry why does he have to live outside with the rabbits? Anyways a male dog that is tied up or confined to a certain place can become what is known as kennel crazed it is where they become neurotic due to lack of attention and confinement. Also he is not neutered. At maturity a male dog wants to mate. Its in their nature. Get him neutered before this becomes a problem.Hes probably just being protective of his space and is dominating her so that she knows the yard is his.
How old are Rackal and Mazzy? Are either of them fixed? If he is fixed then he may be mounting her which is typical dog behavior to assert dominance over the new dog. If either of them isn't fixed and/or she is in heat then I would be a lot more concerned. My advice would be to keep them separated so you do not end up with an unexpected litter of puppies.
Is Mazzy in heat? if she is not Rackal might be showing her how jealous he is of her spending time in the house. He is try to show that even though he cant be in the house he is still the man.
he has a learned behavior from rabbits, that is the buck's way of forcing the doe into heat. let him no that it is not approved. that is just really unfortunate that he thinks that is a good way for a self respecting dog to behave.gl
For one thing, that is a sign of dominance in dogs. He is begging for a fight.
In the dog world "humping' is VERY bad manners.

If he lives outside with no human interaction you might consider contacting a rescue group that will find him a home where he can be part of a family.

You can't kick a dog out into the backyard and expect them to have good manners, anymore than you can a child.
Get them both fixed ASAP. There is a dog overpopulation as it is and dogs are paying a very high price for that

Any recommendations for Vet in Brisbane, QLD?

I live on the southside, does anyone have a good recommendation for a vet for my dog? I've just moved up from Melbourne.
Answers:
Try the Vets in Manly. I think it's on Preston Road. I've heard good reports from other breeders and from my In laws.
The southside is a pretty big place so without knowing what suburb you are in I can't be too much help.

I would ring the RSPCA in Brisbane (07 3426 9999) and ask them to recommend a vet in your suburb.

Any reason for rapid weight gain in dogs other than pregnancy?

My female Maltepoo will be 1 year in August. She had her first heat beginning in early March. We do have a male dog who was not neutered at the time, but anytime they were together she was wearing a doggy diaper. The only time they would be unsupervised together without her diaper on is when they were outside, but that was never for more than 5 minutes at a time. The day she went into the "mating" stage of heat, we separated the dogs for 2 weeks. In the past week or so, my female dog has gone up in weight from around 7 pounds to almost 10 pounds! She has always eaten a lot, but has never gained weight like this. She now seems to play less and breathes harder. Could this be a false pregnancy or is there another medical problem that could cause weight gain? How early can the vet determine if she really is pregnant? Is there any chance she is really pregnant, and, if so, what are the complications for being so young?
Answers:
A vet can ultrasound for pregnancy as early as 24 days after breeding, and they can see puppies on x-rays 45 days after breeding. The gestation period for dogs is only about 63 days, so if she is pregnant she will be giving birth soon. 5 minutes is more than enough time for mating to occur, and male dogs know much better than humans when a female is ready to breed. Also, I've seen puppies born to a female bred by a male on the other side of a chain link fence, so a doggie diaper may not have been enough of a deterrent.

As long as your male isn't much large than she is, she should be ok giving birth this early, but I'd check with your vet to make sure there aren't any special precautions you need to take.

If she's not pregnant, there are a several things that can cause weight gain, but most are uncommon in a dog this young. I would make an appointment to see your vet as soon as possible. If she is pregnant you'll need to know so you can get things ready. If she's not, they can run labwork and look for other causes for the weight gain.

Good luck!
Besides pregnancy, could be cancer or congestive heart failure. See a vet!
water retainment organ problems, maybe diet take to vet asap could be serious
yes theres always a chance he some how got to her and shes expecting. an ultra sound can determine fairly early pregnancy but sometimes its not always accurate. wait a week or so and see how shes doing. its unlikely that she would have an complications unless the puppy is too big to birth in this case a simple c section can be done or the vet may also be able to pull it out if its stuck in the birth canal. ive seen dogs have perfectly normal puppies at 8 months. both puppies and mother were fine.
Could be a thyroid condition.
It only takes 5 minutes for a dog to get pregnant. The "mating stage of heat" is actually after a dog is finished bleeding. They can be ready to breed for up to 2 weeks after the bleeding has stopped. There is definately the possibility of a false prengancy. They are most common after a heat cycle. They don't usually cause that much of a weight gain, though. I would bet she's pregnant. Gestation is ~63 days, give or take a few days. She's young, and if she is pregnant, those puppies are taking vital nutrients from her that should be helping her to develop her own body. Pregnancy can be determined at about 45 or so days by a vet. good luck!
see a vet a dog will go to any length to breed even with the diaper on he will try!they can get fat with all sorts like worms mine was fat when he had cancer of hs liver so you see you need to see a vet to rule things out
you know it only takes 5 minutes for a dog to get pregnant, she could be. take her to the vet and they should be able to tell now.

Any RAW feeders who include lamb and sardines in the diet willing to share a typical weeks menu?

Please specify if you are feeding an adult dog or a puppy. I am intrested in both.
Answers:
I don't include lamb or sardines, but I'll share my dog's diet plan. She's a 5 month old Corgi puppy, so she eats about 8-10% of her body weight. An adult dog should eat 2-3%. 80% of the food should be meat, 10 percent should be organs, and 10 percent should be bone. Half of the 10 percent of the organs should be liver.

Monday: plain yogurt; pig鈥檚 foot; 陆 lb. beef brisket

*Tuesday: raw egg(+shell); 陆 lb. beef ribs

Wednesday: plain yogurt; 陆 lb. cornish game hen; pig鈥檚 tail

Thursday: plain yogurt; 陆 lb. cornish game hen; 1 oz. organs

*Friday: raw egg(+shell); 陆 lb. pork ribs

Saturday: plain yogurt; whole fish; cow鈥檚 foot

Sunday: plain yogurt; 陆 chicken thigh/drumstick; 5 oz. organs


*One 1000mg fish oil capsule


You can always switch around the meat that you use. Things like pig's tail and cow's feet are recreation bones, which means they don't contain much meat, but are fun for the dogs to chew on. If your dog is an excessive chewer, I don't recommend these as they can "wreck" teeth because they are so hard and dense. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are a great way to start raw feeding because their bones are hollow and easy to break.

Good luck! Feel free to e-mail me if you have any more questions.
I have a 14 month old German shepherd. Sardenes make a GREAT dog treat. I dont use them in his food, but I use them instead of storebought dogtreats. HE LOVES THEM.
I know its not the answer you are looking for, but hopefuly a litle help, since it is very hard to find a good dogtreat if you dont feed them cooked crap in a box
My sample menu is available on my web site. eastwooddanes.com
We do not feed a lot of lamb because honeslty it is a little to pricey for 6 Great Danes. I do feed sardines here and there but not a lot.
I feed a raw diet and have done for 13 years. Over those years, my diet has changed slightly. I feed 60% Rmb's in the form of minced chicken wings %26lt;their main meal>; 10% tripe, 10% offal and 20% other meats as their other meal. I balance the diet over the week, and twice a week I use tinned sardines as part of their offal. The offal I used to use was liver, heart and kidney twice per week (I know some people consider heart to be a muscle meat, but I use chicken hearts, which my dogs can't take in large amounts) but I have substituted tinned sardines (in sunflower oil) for the kidney, because I was finding it hard to get hold of kidney (for some peculiar reason). The dogs are doing great on it. When I can get kidney, they get it, but it's only occasionaly now. I use lamb at the weekend instead of chicken wings as the Rmb, because it's easier, and less messy, as we're at dogs shows nearly every weekend.

This diet was used to raise my dogs from pups, and as adults. The adults get approx 3% of their weight of food per day for their nutritional needs (depending on their age and their work and their metabolism). With pups I use the guide of:- up to 5 mths, they need (per their weight) approx 3% of their weight as their daily feed x 2 for their nutrional needs. 5 - 7mths x 1 1/2. 7 - 9mths x 1 1/4. I used to weigh my pups all the time, but with the latest pup (now one year old) I just used my eye as a guide. If you need more detail, please mail me on the addy which is in my profile.

All the best.