Carolk9s

You could simply boil a small amount of boneless skinless chicken and dice it up for treats. You could make a very small amount or make a large amount and freeze the excess. Boil it, dice it, spread it on a cookie sheet and freeze it. Once frozen, toss it into a freezer zip bag. If you dice it small enough...tiny even, you could give one or two while frozen though probably best to thaw first. Tiny frozen treats would not take much time to thaw. You can do beef this way too, boil or bake it like a roast. In fact, every time you have roast or chicken or hamburger, you could set aside a small amount from your dinner and dice it and freeze it. You can also take boiled chicken, slice it very thin or dice it very small and put it in the oven on about 175-200 degrees for several hours or overnight. This will dehydrate the meat, the drier is it, the longer it will last without spoiling. My dogs also think raw baby carrots are an excellent treat, maybe dice those up small. I also give them freeze dried liver but not too much at once as it might be too rich for their digestion. I use Bil Jac liver treats a lot but I don't have the ingredient list in front of me. Store bought treats are excellent for their convenience and portability but don't overlook making your own at home either. You know EXACTLY what is in them by doing this. Oh I've also diced hot dogs very small and dried them in the oven, this can take some time and be a bit messy though, they have a LOT of fluid/fat in them. Of course diced hot dogs can also be tossed into the freezer.

[quote name='Saffire'] My hubby think's I'm crazy but oh well, maybe I am but that's fine with me :lol:[/quote] Welcome to the asylum :P

Hey I'm all for this reprogramming thing! I want in! I want to reprogram Jesse so that he will run the vacuum and dust the furniture. I want to reprogram Brittany so she will wash the dishes and mop the floors. I want to reprogram Candy so she will mow the lawn and pull all the weeds. Where can I get this video? I'll pay good money for this!

Saffire, Kiki is such a sweet looking girl! I want to add my admiration to you for adopting this older gal and looking out for her. I agree that her health needed to be improved before having her spayed. She be able to bounce back from the surgery much better.

Very sad story. There is an elderly female Great Dane listed under Special Needs Animals. What a lovely old gal. [img]http://www.washhumane.org/adoptpix/fdsweetpea.jpg[/img]

"A dog that has been raised properly will be easier to handle and control than a dog that has not been socialized or taught how to behave." Well DUH! Why didn't I ever think of that? Go figure. My Belgian did not ever even see sheep until he was over 10 years old. Just never had the money or opportunity to take him around them. It was a beautiful thing seeing him 'click on'. Oh he was not perfect, if I had continued there was much refinement needed but the instinct was right there. Because that is what his breed does. He was not afraid of them, he did not try to eat them. He did not ignore them. He HERDED them. For generations and generations that is what his breed has done. What exactly was the pit bull bred for Hollywood?

Will someone PLEASE send this ill-mannered child to his/her room! All of Hollywoods rants bring to mind the saying, 'There are none so blind as those who would not see' It's NEVER too late to open your mind Hollywood, give it a try. Many if not all terriers are known for their 'feistiness'. Candy has some terrier in her, perhaps pit bull though she seems to delicate in build for that. She also does not have the jaw structure of a pit bull, more along the line of a Jack Russell or Parsons as they are also known. I KNOW if another dog snaps in her face she is going to fly right back at them. She will not take the crap from other dogs that Jesse or Brittany will though both will defend themselves. She will willingly take on a dog 4 times her size. Even my trained and socialized Jesse aka the Gentleman Belgian has been jumped by another dog and responded in his own defense. Seems like Hollywood thinks his dogs would simply turn the other cheek or be easy to call off if a fight should break out. boys will be boys and dogs will be dogs. They are NOT little people in fur coats, they do not think the way we think, they do not react the way we react, they do not reason the way we reason.

"I had hoped to leave them in the yard together--is this dangerous? Should I just let them "work it out" since the fights do not seem to be serious? (I hate that idea)" I do believe there is danger here, I personally would NOT leave them in the yard together without close supervision. Their issues may escalate as both seem willing to go at each other, there seems to be a dominance dispute brewing. Far to easy for one or both to get seriously hurt or even killed. How have you made it clear to Calliope that you will not tolerate her behaviour? It is critical that ALL dogs recognize YOUR authority and know that you will not put up with harassment towards another.

[quote name='Tater']Tony and Cleo don't seem to be as bothered as much by thunderstorms, Cleo simply hates getting wet :lol: Now when it comes to fireworks, that where Cleo gets panicked! Finally they have slowed down if not stopped in our area. We've done Rescue Remedy and I have also just boarded her at work, but it gets worse year by year. I'm afraid next year she will be on tranquilizers :([/quote] Tater, I can very much relate to a dog with fireworks phobia, poor things it must sound like the world is ending to them! There is an alternative to tranqulizers that MIGHT help Cleo stay a bit more relaxed. It was actually discussed in this thread: [url]http://forum.dogomania.com/viewtopic.php?t=6728[/url] I urge you to read it and consider trying the peppermint extract and Melatonin at least. Using the Comfort Zone helped here too. It is important to treat the dog BEFORE the noise starts. If you go with tranquilizers, be careful. I've read some nasty things about ACEPROMAZINE aka ACE. I actually used ACE on Jesse some years ago, it knocked him down so far he could not stand for over an hour. Using the treatments listed in the thread have seriously helped Jesse stay calm and not panic during a storm. Hope it will help Cleo too.

Ok, I am officially sick of summer and truly sick of thunderstorms. Blah blah blah blah. 8) By the middle of January of this year, I was sick of snow, and I really like snow! Now we're smack dab in the middle of summer and I'm ready for fall! We had a storm roll in during the very wee hours of the morning, Jesse woke me, he was panic stricken. I did not realize it rained so hard last night, I was out cutting grass today and suddenly ended up in standing water. Dang! Anyone have some goats I can borrow? The weeds are taking over! I won't even go into the skeeter issue. Now another storm is rolling through. Candy has been lying close to me, thank goodness she is only moderately bothered by it. Jesse slept through the first rumbles of thunder but suddenly leapt to his feet and came charging back. Luckily he settled down behind me and is only mildly panting. Once he is upset, it's too late to employ any preventative measures like the peppermint extract or Melatonin etc. Okay, enough ranting from me for now! :lol:

Nicely done Kiger! Love Kato's very own corner of the WWW!

I have used clicker with Brittany and Candy. Both girls reacted quite well to it, especially Candy. I tried it with Jesse, he hated it. Yes you slowly fade the treats and the clicker. I find it helpful though to occaisionally reinforce with the clicker and treats. I also use it when I'm teaching or reinforcing anything a little different in our agility practice.

I had a doggie door put in about 3 years ago. It has been a wonderful addition. The dogs can go in and out while I am at work. I do keep it closed off at night for the most part. So far no other critters have made their way in via the door, well at least not live critters. I too have had to contend with things that should stay outside being brought inside. Also had problems with stuff meant to stay inside ending up outside. Really taught me to put my stuff where the dogs cannot get to it.

Landi, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Was your beloved Tobi an elderly dog? It is so painful to lose a best friend, no matter how old. Please share stories of Tobi with us, if you have any photos, we'd love to see them.

I don't know if anyone can truly answer that. So much depends on so many factors. More importantly, you want to know what health testing has been done on both the dam and sire of any pup you consider. Some breeders have a different price for show quality pups versus pet quality. Some don't, if they do extensive health testing and offer guarantees on ALL pups, a pet quality pup has cost them just as much to 'produce' as a show pup. Is this pup intact or already neutered/spayed? That may affect the price. Has the breeder/owner of the pup asked you MANY questions to determine the suitability of this pup and you being a match? Do you get the impression that the breeder/owner of this pup is looking out for the pups best interest and not just thinking of the money they will get? Have YOU asked the breeder/owner about health testing in their dogs? Is the breeder willing/desiring to keep in touch with you so that if you have questions or concerns you can turn to them for support? I am not at all saying cost is NOT a factor but there are so many other things to consider before being able to say the cost is too high. Have you had dogs before?

[img]http://www.arcamax.com/ezines/hc/200308/9476.jpg[/img]

ack! I missed this at first: "I have puppies, maybe somebody wants a puppy?" I was hoping to see photos as I find Berners stunning dogs. I would hope that your puppies ALL have homes or at least the majority of the litter does already. GOOD SCREENED HOMES. I'm not sure if Berners are still only moderately popular or if they have climbed the ladder. Please tell us more about your Berners, mom, pop and babies.

Pictures PLEASE!! Bernese are beauties.

Milva is very pretty! I love this photo, it actually looks more like a painting. Perhaps it should be a postcard! [img]http://www.lukrowi.pl/galeria/_img/735.jpg[/img]

If HIS HIGHNESS eats bugs and licks himself, shouldn't we all do the same to honor HIS ROYALNESS? Beautiful photo!

Now this one: *If your dog gets your neighbor's dog pregnant in Danbury, Connecticut, you are responsible and must pay for the abortion if the neighbor chooses to have it done. with certain provisions, I could go along with! I do of course think it is the responsibility of ALL dog owners to prevent random matings, any bitch in season should not be outdoors unsupervised of course, but there are times when I'd like to see this enforced.

Oh one more post then I really must wash the dishes! Like with all breeds, breeding the correct temperament is critical. Belgians are supposed to notice and react to their environment, in other words very little if anything should escape their notice. This trait has created some Belgians who do indeed have nervous and/or hyper temperaments. Their reactive mode is set overly high ALL of the time. I have met some freaky Belgians but thankfully very few. Years ago at my vets office, I mentioned that Jesse, who was just acting restless, was a bit nervous. The vet laughed and said for a Belgian, Jesse was being a rock, he'd seen some that would not have sat still for a second and would be all over the exam room. Silly me, I thought he was typical. I will brag tho and say that I've rec'd many compliments at the vets on all my dogs for them being so well behaved. It's what I expect from them! In my not so humble opinion, Jesse has a wonderful temperament. Granted he is more outgoing and friendly than the standard calls for but I'll take that over a fearful dog ANY day. He doesn't act like a Golden, nor does he act like a Kuvasv, somewhere in the middle.

Oh I forgot something. A few months ago I helped transport an older rescue Malinois named Luke down to NC. He was an absolute GENTLEMAN! I had time to take him out and walk him around before Connie met me. By the time she arrived, he was relaxing and seeking attention from me. Let me tell ya, if I did not already have an older male, Luke would have come home with me!

THE BELGIAN SHEPHERD.....WHAT JUDY SAID! 8) Judy, I've been bragging about my Jesse for a long time, welcome to the forum and I look forward to watching the puppies grow and hearing more about your dogs. My Belgian boy Jesse is the love of my life, he was my introduction to Belgians and boy has he taught me! He never fully got the hang of that 'aloof' thing, while he will mostly ignore strangers who are ignoring him, let them show the slightest interest and he's all smiles and howdy how are ya? He is truly the most biddable dog, he set the standard in my house and the girls try to keep up. He always barks ferociously from inside the house at the mail delivery person, recently I was outside with my neighbor and the dogs were loose. We were behind a large bush in her yard, I did not realize the mail truck was coming, she pulled up and got out to bring my neighbors mail. Jesse saw her and my heart about stopped. I snapped out a hard stay command as I worried how he would react. I quickly went to him and grabbed his collar only to realize he was slowly waving his tail. He really wanted to go visit but she is understandably leery of him. He WAS on his toes but gave no indication of aggression. His rule is, in the house or in the back yard, BEWARE I AM ON PATROL AND WILL ALLOW NO TRESPASSERS! Out front is another story, he wants to meet and greet.

Judy I am thrilled to have another Belgian lover here! The latest photos are adorable, that fifth one especially. At first I thought, what is coming out of that puppys nose! LOL, looked like a tiny walrus with tusks. Then I realized it was the ribbon from the other puppy. Rowie, I was in MD over the last couple of days and got to play with Rascal again. He's a little wildman! I taught him 2 things in just over an hour and brought the agility tunnel out. Let him run through a straight tunnel a few times then put a curve in it, didn't scare him at all. My sister kept saying she was going to send him home with me for a month so she'd have a well trained puppy...until I sweetly told her, after a month she would not get him back!