Carolk9s

Goo is feelin groovy, great photo!

Jesse came to me in a roundabout way. A couple of years after having my elderly Sheltie put down, I knew it was time for another dog. I wanted a dog I could do AKC obedience with and I wanted a big, black, hairy dog. Yup, that was pretty much my criteria. I had done some research on Flat Coated Retrievers and set out to find one. Met a few at local shows, talked to owners, spoke to a breeder. Told the breeder I was interested in a pup, got her address and sent her a long letter. Never heard back from her. One night, my family went out to dinner, my aunt, her husband, and a friend of theirs joined us. The friend and his wife used to have two Belgian Sheepdogs. I had met their dogs years ago and remembered how friendly and beautiful the dogs were. The friend knew of a breeder who was looking for a home for a pet pup. My aunt, who showed her Shelties, also knew the woman quite well. I read what I could find on Belgians, which was not very much at all, and contacted the woman. Made arrangements to go visit her and meet the pup. I'm pretty certain my aunt and the friend spoke to the breeder about me as well. I met the breeders, met the sire and dam of the pup, then met the pup. Her dogs were very outgoing, big and silly and happy to meet me. The couple apparently felt I was a good match for this pup and about 2 weeks later, my mom and I drove up to get him. That was 12 1/2 years ago, I brought Jesse home with me and he is the dog of my heart. It is because of him that I want another Belgian. I want another male and will wait until Jesse goes to the bridge to get one. He has top dog, special boy status here and will until he dies.

I think you are doing the right thing to rehome one of the girls. I know it is very sad for you to have to do this but I agree, your son comes first. Heck, even if no children were present, I would think it best, for you own sanity! Something I have always wondered, perhaps I am crazy, often thought, what if a strong, heavy leather muzzle was securely put on each dog and they were allowed to duke it out without stopping. They would not be able to bite each other but perhaps they might settle an issue? Would anything be solved? Or would that just keep the aggression going? I've wondered about this before with other dogs who just could not seem to settle who is top dog. I had a friend whose dog continually started fights, her vet suggested a rather radical procedure that actually seemed to help. Just the tips of her dogs canine teeth were filed off, she had flat top canines! Vet told my friend that this procedure usually resulted in the dog backing down their aggressive behaviour, not sure why, and not something I personally would think to do. I have NO idea if something like this is truly a fix for anyone, just passing along info.

I have passed the additional info along and should get replies soon. Now I have another question, I think we need TDG for this! The Nutro Lite has just 14% protein, is that enough for a young dog? I would think it is too low for most dogs unless you supplement this food with protein sources such as extra chicken or fish. I also have been told that spay incontinence is not THAT uncommon is pups spayed so young. It is possible that her vulva was not completely developed, also possible a nerve was damaged during surgery. That may not be the case at all but I will relay all answers I get to you.

leahluvsherpups, Hope you are still checking in, I have posed some questions to another list I am on regarding your pup and her incontinence. Some more questions if you don't mind, just trying to get to the root of this in case it is NOT related to her spay. What food do you feed? I have been told that Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Lamb & Rice Formula may contain way too much phosphorus which can cause kidney problems, especially in youngsters. I also got a reply from the resident veterinarian on that list. Has your pup had a urinalysis run? Been checked for bladder infection? How about bladder stones? While stones are uncommon in young pups, they are not unheard of and could cause this problem as well. Hope to hear back from you!

Tammy, If you know someone with ESPN you could always beg them to tape it for you! Saturday afternoon, ABC will have some coverage of the games, looks like Big Air is the only dog event tho. I like watching ALL the games but of course the dog events are my favorites.

Hey Science Dog, Do you know if there are any 'dollar' stores in your area? Frequently you can find nylon collars there. I once bought 10 or so and donated them to the local SPCA.

I so agree with what everyone else has said so far. Just to touch on the point of a dog living outside, I just don't get it. If one wants a dog to protect the home AND family, that dog needs to be part o the family. Dogs left outdoors tend to bark out of boredom and frustration, annoying your neighbors. Also, if the dog does bark frequently, neighbors may start to ignore the barking as best they can. If someone decides to break in your house and your dog is barking, neighbors might just brush it off instead of checking to see why. If someone has broken in, and a family member walks in the house, the dog CANNOT come to your defense as they are outside. Dogs ARE companion animals, they are pack animals, they should be with their people whenever possible or at least in the company of other dogs that they get along with. Keeping a dog isolated from people or other dogs on a constant basis is cruel in my opinion. A bored dog quite often is a destructive dog. A bored dog is often a dog who will seek to escape their yard. A bored and frustrated dog is, again IMO, a disaster waiting to happen. German Shepherds can be nippy, many herding/working breeds share this trait. Not all GSD's are good with children. Not all dogs of ANY breed are good with children. A dog that is carefully bred for proper temperament, health, structure, etc., is going to cost more (as a rule) than one who has been bred without regard to these and other concerns. If you truly want a German Shepherd, try hard to find GSD breeders and/or owners in your area that you can talk to. Beware of any who simply say GSD's are the bestest dogs ever without being willing to discuss the drawbacks of owning one. Beware of getting a puppy from someone you have not thoroughly researched. Anyone just putting two dogs together for the purpose of having puppies to sell is someone you want to RUN away from. GSD's have some serious health concerns if not bred properly with fairly stringent health check clearances on both sides. A properly bred GSD, bred for temperament and good health, IS most likely going to cost far more than $800. A 'pet quality' pup from quality parents still has had the benefits of correct breeding. As has also been said, if your FAMILY is sure they all want a larger dog, consider either GSD breed rescue or start looking at the dogs at your local pound or humane society. I feel that almost ANY dog of sound temperament that is raised in the home and bonds with their people will have at least some protective qualities that will develop. ALL of my dogs bark ferociously should someone approach my house, two are mixed breeds and ALL are very sociable, friendly dogs. Consider too, you could save the life of a pound dog, in a decent pound, dogs have been evaluated for temperament, you might not find a young puppy but perhaps a very young adult dog whose temperament is already somewhat known. You may also be able to bring your niece to the pound to see how your potential new companion reacts to her in a structured, safe, environment.

[quote name='K']I am SOOOOOOOOO [b]NOT[/b] looking at the puppies ok?[/quote] C'mon K, looooook at the puppies, LOOOOOK at the puppies! 8) Almost sprained my awwwww muscles there!

If you can get the ESPN channels or ABC, they are showing the Great Outdoor Games starting tonight. Dog competitions include: Big Air, Retrievers, Agility, Superweave, and Disc Drive. Here is a link to the schedule: [url]http://espn.go.com/gog04/s/tv_sched.html[/url]

After seeing mr. Green puppy, I started talking out loud listing the multitude of reasons why now is NOT the time to get a puppy!

Oh my, thank you for the lovely compliment, I will tell the old dog he STILL HAS IT! 8) Here is my website, many photos of Jesse and the girls there! [url]http://members.toast.net/agilk9s/[/url]

Has she been having incontinence ever since being spayed or has it started recently? How often does it happen? Does it only happen when she is sleeping? Are you sure she is actually losing control or just not yet able to hold her urine all night? Are you restricting her water intake shortly before bedtime? Does she have a rousing playtime shortly before bedtime without ample time to go out again for the night?

Never used PPA here. When was Cody spayed? Did the vet indicate this was a tempory problem that is expected to stop soon? I've heard of older spayed bitches becoming incontinent as they age but never heard of a pup having this problem. Not saying it does not happen, just new to me.

Oh yeah, stinky collars. Between the oils from the dog and the godawful stinky things my girls find at the park to roll in, I've smelled my share! I am wondering if an overnight soak in baking soda and water would help? Or perhaps just bury the collar in dry baking soda for a day and see.

I am so sorry to hear this about Apollo. There is NOTHING you could have done to prevent this. Know that by holding him close while he slips over to the Rainbow Bridge is the greatest gift of pure love you can give him. In between now and then, spoil that baby rotten! My sincerest condolences to you.

Anyone want to see some Belgian puppies? A friend of mine has photos of her latest litter up, here's the link. [url]http://www.belgians.com/rolinridge/cclitter_files/cclitterphotogallery.htm[/url] I've already fallen in love with green boy! My Jesse was the green boy of his litter.

From the main link, click on Pups for Sale, then scroll all the way down, right below the paypal icon on the left is a link to terms of sale and prices. I have not looked around the entire site but I don't see any health checks being done. I feel she is definitely in it for the money, NOT for the love of the dogs.

Actually the price for the pups is higher than $250, some are QUITE higher. The $250 is for shipping a single pup. Even their pet pups start at $400. Quote from the prices area: ** Note - Merle puppies will be priced between $1,500 and $5,000, based on the same standards listed in our terms. Because of the controversy in relation to showing a Merle puppy I am making no statement as to the capability of a Merle winning in the show ring. She says some 'right' things but in MY opinion, far too much is wrong here.

Another (slim) possibility is Vestibular Syndrome. It does not sound as though your dog is exhibiting the full gamut of signs for this but just in case, here are a couple of links to more info: [url]http://vmthpub.vetmed.wisc.edu/sa_services/surg/neurology/vestibular_syndrome.htm[/url] [url]http://ilil.essortment.com/dogearproblems_rmib.htm[/url]

prim, Why also would you wish to post to a board where so many of us have ZERO respect for you? I work to keep a fairly open mind, you exceeded my tolerance quite easily. YOU have a problem, your problem causes many to simply tune you out, dislike you, and doubt the validity or sincerity of much that you say due to YOUR lack of respect for others. I for one, do not trust you, have absolutely NO respect for you and will quietly go back to simply ignoring your postings, no matter their content.

Oh I have to go WAAAAAY back for my first dog 'showing' experience. I took care of a neighbors Irish Setters as a teenager. I would go over each day to let them out. With the owners permisssion, I dabbled at teaching obedience stuff to her dogs. I loved working with her young female, April. One day, there was a local fun show being held. I entered April in both the breed competition and the (wacky)obedience class. I say wacky because there were several distractions in the ring that you needed to be able to negotiate. Oh April and I placed 3rd out of 3 dogs in the breed! 8) In the obedience ring, things were going pretty well as I recall, until we got to the CHICKENS IN A CRATE distraction! Ha! April REFUSED to move past the chickens, she was in sensory overload, planted her feet and tried oh so hard to get closer to the crate. Short of picking her up and carrying her, I could not budge her from these chickens. I guess thats part of her being a bird dog eh? I also tried showing my Sheltie in a fun match obedience class. My Dawna sure made me look inept! Attempting the recall exercise, Dawna casually looked at the sky, watched the leaves blow about the ground, watched the dog in the other ring, just flat out ignored me. Her butt never left the ground. I swear she smirked at me when I went back to her. Oh those poor girls, I'm sure I was clueless as a trainer back then, but it was fun and I've maintained interest in showing in some capacity all along.

Jesse has always been a very sociable fellow, has always greeted dogs and humans with the same 'how do you do, lets be friends' attitude. There has been exactly one dog in his life that he took an instant dislike to, I never could figure out why this young male Bernese irritated him. When he was younger, if another dog did not like him and perhaps growled or postured, Jesse would generally snort his disdain and simply walk away. If the other dog tried to push the issue, he would stand his ground calmly. He has never been in an actual fight. I'm sure his size had something to do with that, most dogs would leave him alone. Trouble is, he does not understand this whole 'elderly' concept. He no longer has the muscle and balance to hold his ground against a younger dog, that is why it IS my job to protect him more than ever now. He is still as sneaky as ever which is why he got away from me in the first place. I have curtailed his visits to the park when a large number of dogs can be expected, most of his trips are done very early in the morning. If more dogs are there, I put his leash on to keep him near me. I can see where I will have increase that for his protection.

Courtnek, Yes, he was well aware of the offleash status of the park. He said he took his dogs to the other side of the field so he could train them away from others. I do work to keep my dogs close to me, especially Jesse. I worry that Jesse might get knocked over by a playful younger dog. Jesse acts very much like a country gentleman, he does not run up to other dogs but walks up, waving his tail the entire way.

Thanks for the support fellow doggers! I hope to see him again so I can ask him if he cried all the way home. Oh, but that would be rude of me right? :P