courtnek

why do you object to "temperament test"? I feel that all shelter/rescue dogs need to be tested for temperament...how else could you adopt them out to the mostly CLUELESS people wanting dogs? WE know our dogs...we take the time to learn about them, their characteristics, their faults, and work with it. I have been rescueing a long time. Most people DONT..the dog is cute, they take it...so when it bites the kid, that makes the rescue center, Humane Society, ASPCA, liable.. please explain your objection...

[quote]I hate that term. I wish they'd just say Put to Sleep or Euthanized. I'm not sure what it is that bothers me, it just does[quote] "euthanasia" is a politically correct way of saying "put to death". they cant say "put to sleep"...I remember when I was a child "put to sleep" was common...it upsets some children and makes them not want to sleep. They dont understand the distinction. The shows put all the warnings up about graphic nature, but people still let their kids watch... "Humanely euthanized" is the now term. ther are INhumane ways to euthanize, and thats how that came about. People have thrown cats into rivers to drown...that;s "euthanasia" too, because put to death is put to death. I call it animal abuse, but y'know, I'm NOT politically correct... I dont object to humane euthanasia...like Animla Cops, they have laws they have to follow...I disagree with their Pit policy, but they are covering their butts..and they have to. They cant afford to be sued and they are doing the best they can for the most amounts of animals possible. The ASPCA in Michigan didnt make that decision about the Pit's, it was made for them in the courts. I DO object to "imbedded collar" - did you not notice the dog was GROWING???? They DONT stay puppies forever??? I have NO sympathy for people like that!!! I think they should take them at size 14 and make them squeeze into size 8 pants, and wear them for MONTHS....Do YOU like the way that feels????? :evilbat: :evilbat: :evilbat: [/quote]

If the batteries are removable, take them out at night and let her have the toy without the noise. If not, put it up and say "bedtime" (and put up with her begging) until she learns she cant have it at night.

:beerchug: forgiven.... we all get pretty heated about certain subjects...and although I dislike and distrust PETA, in this instance they may have done what they were originally founded for....the care and ethical treatment of animals. :D

The more I think about it, the more I remember, and the more I realize I was angry and not thinking clearly (a bad trait on my part) the more I realize this kid may be slightly Down's Syndrome...He didnt have the physical signs, the slanted eyes and lisping talk, but my best friends brother is a no-sign Down's Syndrom child. He has a job in the real world, but they are very gentle souls. I can see how he might have thought I was abusing her because of her fear. My friend said her brother is the same way...he wants no fear, no pain, no one, even animals should be hurt.... It's part of the way they think. I told her this story, and the first thing she said is "He may be slightly Down's Katy - the signs arent always apparent..." So I will go meet him, with my friends teaching on what to look for. There are signs, if you know what they are...I didnt. And if he is a Down's Syndrome child, Laurel will be good for him. She is as gentle as silk, once past her fear.... She is gentle and loving as well...maybe they can get over their fears together...

I feel better already. I emailed my letter (with many typo corrections) to Petco's webpage. I completely forgot that I have a Petco card, with all of the information on it for them to contact me. I signed my name and address, and they looked me up and called me at work today. Apparently one of the other employees saw the incident and went to get the manager, but I had left by the time he came out.... Now for the sad part. It turns out the kid (named Gary) is partially deaf, and has no idea how loud he talks. so he wasnt meaning to yell. They told me he is really good with the animals that they have there, the birds and turtles, feeds the fish, holds the bunnies....and altho they didnt say it, I got the impression he is slightly mentally deficient as well. So now how bad did *I* feel for that letter? Pretty bad....they said they were very sorry, and asked if I could please accept their apologies, etc.... Then they asked me if I could bring Laurel back in and introduce her gently to Gary, so that he would understand that not all scared dogs are abused. What could I say? Now I feel sorrier for the kid then Laurel....So I'm going in Saturday to meet Gary with Laurel. They are going to give me free dog food and bones, which I didnt ask for, and would have gone anyway, but I guess they feel that's what they can do to make amends. I know they're leaving alot out of this story about Gary...and now I am curious to find out more. :o :o

Dear Petco East Dundee... I adopted a dog from a Resuce Society, who has fear issues. I have been working with her to overcome them. One of her training sessions is to take her into Petco and let her mingle with people and pets. I have been doing this for 4 months..exposure in a normal pet store environment. She is very fearful, but afer a ltttile while in the store she opens up and gets friendly with pets, and then owners. She is Field Trialed, raised in a pack, and takes to animals sooner than humans. I have ben bringing her to this store for 4 months. This last time I brought her in, she was just gettting acclimated when one of your employees came up behind her and yelled "COOL DOG! WHAT IS SHE!!" She went into complete fear mode...tail down, ears back..she was scared to death....When he saw that, he accusedme of mistreating her.. Since I have owned her she hasever been abused, and never willl be... I got her with the fear, which I am trying to alleviate. I DONT appreciate your staff trying to tell me I have injured this dog, or are mistreating it. Tell me, what does your staffknow about dogs AT ALL???? Since the answer is probably NOTHING I woiuld appreciate them shutting their yaps about sonething they dont understand, and know nothing about. I will find another dog-friendly shop to take Laurel to, since yours is not in her best interets..

Thanks. And I usually dont..really, I dont care what people think about me, but I was angry and sad that he accused me of doing something bad to her. I would never hurt an animal, you all know that. I rescued her because no one else would have. I am PROUD of that. I am PROUD of her, because with all of my stupid mistakes (never had a timid dog before) she is coming along really nicely. I was upset, and angry, that he scared her so badly in the first place (ruining my training session) and then accusing me of hurting her... and seeing her so scared and timid, I just, well, in all honesty, wanted to SMACK him upside the head and say "shut the #$%^ up, you're scaring my dog!!!" I didnt, I left, but I;m still thinking I should have......I was just so surprised... :o

As you know. Laurel is very timid, although much better than she used to be. As a part of her training, I take her to Petco to socialize her around people and other dogs. She is generally very standoffish, tale between legs, and scared, but once she warms up a little she's very good with other dogs, and some people who dont approach her too heartily. Understand she is 100% better than she was, but still has some learning to do... I took her in tonight, to ger some bones and stuff, and she started out as usual very scared and timid. She was starting to wam up, when one of the employes came up behind her and practically yelled "COOL DOG WHAT IS IT?" That scared the heebeegeebees outt her...she went tailetween legs, ears down, terrified...he then accused me of mistreating"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER, WHY IS SHE SO SCARED???" I tried to explain, he wouldnt listen...and now, everyone in the store is staring at me like I'm a cruel, heartless bitch...I was so upset I just left. Poor Laurel was scared to death, with this guy yelling at me and frightening her...I cried the whole way home, then got mad and called the store and pretty much yelled my freaking head off... The language was not pretty, which I now feel bad for.... I am so upset I am just shaking, with anger and sadness...those trips were helping her, now I dont know if I can go back.... :drinking: :drinking: :drinking: :drinking:

[quote name='Lokipups']Shedding started? It's never stopped :o ! Between my own two who blew out their puppy coats over the dead of winter, to the Sibes I have as fosters, I could've clothed a third world nation with the fur from my floors :P ![/quote] when I had my malamute mix, I would take him in every spring to have his undercoat thinned out, he hated the summer heat. I showed up there one day, and they had filled almost an entire 30 gallon garbage bag with hair, and asked me if I wanted it....At the confused look on my face (thinking "what in the world would I do with it?) she said "some people take it in to be made into sweaters and hats and stuff....."

[quote]This doens't have anything to do with the topic, but are there black golden retrievers like there are yellow flatties? [/quote] no, there are no black Goldens....they are all "gold", which means anything from yellow-almost-white to the deep golden mine was.... A drunk acussed my Foxhound of being a Pitbull.....and she stands almost 3 feet at the shoulder.... *shrug*

OHH..OHHH..IT'S A **LAB**CAN I PET IT? MY KIDS WANT TO PET IT!!!** NO, YOUR KIDS CANT PET IT..SHE DOESNT **LIKE** KIDS... enough said..... :o

I agree with SRC..this guy is looking for fighting dogs, illegal in most states...TURN HIM IN!!!! **I***would, in a heartbeat.... :evilbat: :evilbat: :evilbat: :evilbat:

[quote]At least the dogs you mention are, as far as I know, bred for a purpose other than revenue.[/quote] they lose money on these dogs.....If the person cannot afford the dog, it is given to them for free...they can do this because of vast donations and charity work. they breed responsibly, because of the people who need the dogs. They are not in it for revenue, they are in it to help people who dont want to be completely dependant if they dont have to. It's easier for them to be dependant on a dog than people. Dogs dont resent being used for work.

I have posted this before, but...here goes... there is a purpose, in some cases, for mixing two purebreds for a desired reason. There is a lady here in my town, who has a dog called a Golden Lab. Yes, it is a cross between a Lab and a Golden Retriever. I had one as well for a few years..... She is confined to a wheelchair, and only has the use of one arm (polio) She is frail, but stubborn, and wanted to do things on her own in spite of the disability. She went to the Guide dogs societies, and tried a Golden as her help companion. She liked their gentle, mellow nature, but with her disability she could not groom him, nor could she afford to have him groomed as often as a golden needs it. They then tried her with purebred Labs. Since she is frail, she found it hard, although the dogs were well trained, to handle the more headstrong, stubborn nature of the Lab. She honestly felt uncomfortable with them, because they were so strong and so headstrong. She said "they pull too hard...." (meaning her chair) So the Society got her a Golden Lab. Mellow, strong, obedient and laid back. The Seeing Eye and the Hearing Ear and most of the disability societies have been trying to "breed" these dogs and train them, for people like Helen. Here is a need that should be fullfilled, even though the dog is not a purebred, it serves a definite purpose. Now the Guide dog societies breed with health and and genetics in mind...they know the candidates for these dogs cannot afford one to have hip dysplacia and need constant ear checking...these people have enough problems as it is.... I met Helen at our Jewel food store. The dog was standing up and pulling things off the shelf for her. She cant stand, and the shelves are not really equipped for someone in a wheelchair. She has a detachable basket on her chair for grocery shopping. Because it's small, she has to go three times a week to shop, and takes the dog with her. (I suggested PeaPod, a grocery delivery service that will put your food away for you, she nearly took my head off....she is very stubborn) The dog was taking things off the shelf with his teeth, and even knocking them off with his paws, and then picking them up and putting them in the basket. I walked the whole store with her, talking....this dog was the combination of the two best breeds for this type of work. So in some cases, is it so bad to mix breeds for a specific purpose? or to mix them to get something you really want for you? I rescue, from shelters and rescue societies, but that's me. If I saw a need for a specific mixed breed, I would go that route. I dont think the breeds should be called purebred, they are not, and the astronomical pricing is just greed. But sometimes, there is a real reason for doing it.

oh, yeaaaaaaa..... A friend pointed out to me at work that my blazer was covered with white dog hair (the foxhound) and after running a roll of tape over it I realized why there is sooooo much hair now....Spring has Sprung..... the floors are hardwood, I sweep them all the time anyway, but the tumbleweeds are getting larger.... :lol:

Is Cleo getting elderly? Poor pup. My golden got too old to come up the stairs, because of arthritis...I ended up sleeping on the couch so he wouldnt feel alone.... yes, I do things like that. My mom thought I was nuts, but he always slept in my room once I had my own place.... good job taking such good care of Cleo!! :angel:

[quote name='BentleysMom']Glad to know it's not just me! They act like they haven't had anything to eat in days! Not like they didn't eat usually just about an hour before we do! :D[/quote] and where do they learn that? Do you suppose as wolves they stared at the Alpha trying to look as starved as possible??? :lol: I think that's one of those things we teach them...and we all fall for it a couple of times until we realize this is NOT a good thing.... :lol: the definitely have "the look" down pat....They really do manage to look like they're starving, even though we know they arent.... :o

I'm on the fence on this one.....Great Danes are HUGE, although generally Gentle Giants. They can appear very dangerous to someone who doesnt understand that. Especially if it was growling, which any animal will do if it's cornered and feels threatened, including my cat. Three things were done wrong here, on both sides. The owner should have had the dog registered, especially since it was a stud animal and valuable. The police should not have tried chasing it down all over, they should have called animal control, who is more likely (in most cases) to know how to approach a strange dog, and equipped with capture sticks. The code officer caused his own problem by backing the dog into a corner, and then trying to approach it. Also, it was never mentioned whether the dog had tags on, or was microchipped. And yes, the owner should have called the police or animal control as soon as he found out the dog was missing. I have done that when mine have escaped, and I give them my cell phone and then go out looking myself. That way, if the find the dog, they can keep an eye on it until the owner can get there and coax it back. So there were grave mistakes on both sides. Also, the misinformation the police were given by that woman would make them more afraid of the dog. Because of the mistakes made on both side, the poor dog lost his life. I lean towards blaming the owner for this one. The code officer was at risk, with a growling, approaching huge dog. If you own an animal that valuable, I would think you'd be more cautious as to how you care for it. And had he registered it according to the town laws, they would have known who's dog it was since he had the only Danes in the area. They would have known had he simply called them when he realized it was gone. As far as the snack, they dont mention what kind of dog that was. It might have been a smaller, less threatening looking dog. The article doesnt give complete information on that.

My malamute mix preferred to be outside in the winter. It was too warm in the house for him. We'd let him stay out during the day, but I insisted he come in at night. Even with that 4 inch thinck coat, I thought it was too cold. My foxhound also prefers to be outside, she was raised in a kennel, but she will come in and lay at my feet voluntarily, especially if its really cold. The malamute hated summer. I would get him thinned out every year, but he still would only go out for business, then come in and lay ont he couch under the air conditioner. In the winter at night he would lay in front of the front door, because the cold air would come in under the door crack, so he was our insulation. He liked the cold, and it blocked the air from chilling out the room... :D

****Katy seethes with jealousy...**** I cant have one!!! Wahhhh!!! I'd have to have one big enough for my larger dog to get through, at 75 lbs., that would let an average sized human in as well....and no one is here during the day. plus, I;d have to take the storm door off, and winters here wont allow for that....I've always wanted one..... about the only advice I can offer is treat trainng to get your dog(s) to use it....

we did sorta get off the subject, didnt we? Sorry, chryzanna I havent seen the commerical, but the border collie (I think it was) with the orange face and colored markings is just gorgeous....

[size=7][/size][color=darkblue][/color]WOO HOOO!!!!! GO FELIX!!!! :angel:

[quote]I would also bet that those of you who object to the Iams testing would strongly object to lots of medical testing as well[/quote] I would be a hypocrite if I sadi that. I am a diabetic, and animals were used for testing in the discovery of insulin.... I do not object to kindly done medical testing on animals. I agree with you that it is necessary, but doesnt have to be cruel. What they did to those dogs at Iams was not medical, cruel, and uneccesary. As I said before, you can tell whether your dog is eating well by how he looks, behaves, sleeps, eliminates and sheds. Yes, sheds. Consistant gas, multiple trips to the yard, excessive shedding, dull, dry coat, can all be attributed to diet, and correctd by changing the food, but that takes TIME....which Iams didnt want to do. They wanted to "watch" the muscles grow, and measure how much growth was attributed to feeding Iams. This in reality could have beed done with simple un-invasive measurement of the muscle mass, from the outside. but again, it takes more time. I can guarantee you body builders dont cut themselves open to measure the increase in their pecs..... My whole point here is that these tests were unneccesary. They could have been done easily by taking a dog from a shelter, with poor coat, bad gas, excessive shedding, etc....amd fed it Iams for 3-6 months. Did it get better? Did it get worse? Did it grow, shrink, throw up, look healthier or more listless? Were the stools good? This is not medicine SD. just a simple test to insure that the food is not injurious to the dog, that it does promote and maintain good health. I am sorry, I am not a PHd, or a certified scientist, I am someone who has owned, raised and trained dogs for 30 years. Both mutts and purebreds. And I never had to cut a dog open and lock him a cage to tell if his food was good for him. All I had to do was clean the yard...that's a dead giveaway in most cases.... I know greed when I see it as well. Iams testing was greed, shortcuts, quicker results with more profit.

I dont believe I've ever owned a dog that DIDNT stare at me while I was eating, until trained not to... You can start by givin them an "another room" command (like "carpet" was mentioned) and then making them adhere to it, with a short leash attached around a chair, or a baby gate seperating the rooms. Make them obey the "lie down" command as well, incorporate it into your "Other room" command while teaching it to them. Then, when they finally realize that they have to go lay down in another room until you're done eating, treat them alot. Maybe even give them a tidbit from your dinner, until they have learned that they need to leave you alone. I dont make mine leave the room, because their being there doesnt bother me, as long as they dont stare and beg. My command is "under" which means "lay under the table and dont bug me" while I'm eating...Freebee gets it, Laurel is still learning.