Horsefeathers!

A sleepover at the vet, huh? You make it sound like a fun thing. :P Seriously, I'm sure he's resting comfortably and will be glad to get back home. Still keeping him in my thoughts for whatever his future holds.

Loki, my husband letting Pauly lick peanut butter from his beloved grill is about as likely to happen as a Lawrence Welk spot in the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame. He doesn't even let ME touch his grill (or kitchen, for that matter). :oops: It has to do with the grill actually moving. If my husband parks it anywhere in the house and leaves it, Pauly pays it no attention. The moment that grill moves, Pauly goes nuts. Makes you wonder what goes through that dog's head. [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0XAAAACYeCbw7l5zUo6ZUSodcJtv7RaJ7B*1ZKPgMc3!ZrUctbI4NtNSok*mq9i*kZ5OpMPWw202gAGBhXtX43r85P0VNxb2UDxjnrpZ29v6Fc2pH0Vu*3nRK9I9ZAAMQ7xxkDWy6I4g/crazyguy.gif?dc=4675403379470483734[/img] Corrie, a raw diet? So he's bitching at us for cooking the meat? :P I wondered if it might have something to do with the smell, but since he doesn't even seem interested in it unless it's moving, I just don't know what his problem is. When he goes after it, he generally seems to go directly for the tires. :-?

Some of you remember that Pauly was having some "issues." He was a bit fearful and reacted aggressively to that fear. We've done a lotta lotta lotta work on "desensitizing" him to any triggers we can think of. Like when my ankle was broken, I worked a lot by poking, pushing, and "whacking" Pauly with the crutches as a game so that when it undoubtedly was going to happen that I accidentally whacked him with one (being so graceful on those crutches and all), Pauly wouldn't react by trying to eat me up. I'm glad I had the foresight to do that because I did indeed nail him with crutches several times and he didn't even seem to notice. Pauly is a different dog than he was even a year ago. I can lunge at him, raise my hands up over him in a "threatening" gesture, wave "threatening" objects at him and all sorts of other things that used to trigger bouts of fearful aggression. We've made these things "fun" so he isn't afraid, anymore, therefore he no longer lashes out. I'm surprised my neighbors haven't called animal control on me because it must look horrible, some of the things I do to Pauly. I mean, we've worked him out pretty good in an effort to desensitize him. The latest thing has been whacking him with a belt. He LOVES it. It's like "hey, that makes my butt feel all tingly... do it again!" We constantly work at making him feel that NO object is a threat to him and showing him he has nothing to fear. It's really working because I swear I could club him over the head with a baseball bat and, if it didn't knock him out, he'd come up laughing as long as I was smiling and "playing." Disclaimer: we have no intention of clubbing Pauly over the head with a baseball bat. One thing still bugs the crap out of him, though. Our grill. It's just a little gas powered grill, but he HATES it. Reckon he was run down by grills much in a past life? :-? We can push a bicycle past him, nothing. Any other object and he doesn't care. As soon as my husband gets this grill from our storage room and rolls it through the house to outside, Pauly goes into a frenzy and attacks it. I believe he means it. :o I reckon we'll work on desensitizing Pauly to a freakin' grill (what, pick it up and whack him with it? *snort*), but that sounds funny just in itself. A grill? He doesn't chase anything else on wheels that I've seen. :-? [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0YQANA14fezPb0rpcrDDOrOufmPnJXnT4oHPtaDGVr95tU1EBq6BaxgSDxmY1Z6p1K*HNETQmJkqNGy2ci6BmzZxA69AV3QU02*O68wmkvHNdw42r5bPWzePU64ckneXWvenQtTnKquXXnKuXQdsBUw/Pauly%20grill.jpg?dc=4675518976476838644[/img]

Good luck to Lucky! :)

Sure sounds like it could have been a seizure. I wouldn't panic too much just yet. Seizures are weird things. They can sometimes be isolated incidents, happening once and then never again. There are so many things that can cause them, too. It wouldn't hurt to give the vet a call. In the meantime, document any out of the ordinary behaviors or "episodes." Keep a calendar or diary of exactly when it happens and how long it lasts and try to think of any consistencies... time of day, close to mealtimes, empty stomach, full stomach, prior activities, just any consistencies you can think of. Some dogs are hypoglycemic and can have seizures if they don't eat frequently enough. You don't have to become super paranoid... just be aware of any unusual activity or behavior... staring into space, head bobbing, being "out of it." From what I understand, most vets won't begin meds for seizures unless it becomes a recurring thing. For a single seizure, or very isolated ones, I believe they prefer to just leave well enough alone since the meds can really take a toll on the body over a period of time. If it does happen again, about all you can do is try to keep him from hurting himself. Don't forget to try to remember when it happens or how long it lasts.

I'm wondering if perhaps you are making too big a deal of it for the dog to be comfortable. I mean, he may just be wondering WHY the car is such a big deal. If it were mine, I'd probably just try being really matter of fact about it for just a bit. Still perky and cheerful, it's still a good thing (a ride), but maybe drop the pleading, cajoling and negotiating. Just load him up and off you go without any drama or antics about it. If possible, get him on a routine. Once a day, whatever time is convenient for you on a daily basis, load him into the car and take a ride around the block or where ever. I'd work it into part of his daily routine, just one of those things that "happens" every day. He may become more comfortable with it if there isn't so much drama attached to it and if it becomes part of a routine. Just something to try. If it doesn't help, it can't hurt.

[quote name='Crystal']I saw a three legged dog and TV and got to wondering something. It is easier on them to lose a front leg or a back leg? I know its not easy to lose a leg, but I mean easier to recover and adjust to.[/quote] This is just my reasoning, not based on any scientific evidence... I would tend to think it would be more difficult for a dog to lose a front leg because that's where most of the dog's weight is. They still get around fine, but if I had to think of which is "worse," I'd just imagine it to be the front.

[quote name='JackieMaya']And Pooh Bear has hip dysplasia, and he limps when he walks and trots, but he can run and hop up on the futon and go up stairs with no problem. [/quote] Isn't it funny how that works? My two HD dogs are the same way. Tucker (the Lab that had FHO surgery) can run virtually anywhere he wants to go, in short bursts, of course (he ain't no Spring chicken), but limps horribly when he's walking and won't even put that leg down if he's just standing. Devin, the little Lhasa with HD, has virtually no hip sockets and about the worst HD imaginable. However, he can run (or "hop") and jump like you wouldn't believe, but he can barely walk. When he walks, his legs just go all over the place and he sometimes looks drunk. Weird, that, huh? It kind of does my heart good to see Peaches out romping and jumping up trees and such. She's such a go-getter and thoroughly enjoys her life. I can't imagine why anyone would think it's more "humane" to put her out of her "misery."

Sending best wishes to da Pooh dogger!

Goo, sounds like your gang's none the worse for wear. :wink: You're certainly right about this... there's never a dull moment around with so many "friends" to keep you company. :angel:

Yeah, right. Does this dog look disabled to you? We went to an outdoor function yesterday and so many people were just amazed that a three legged dog could even walk. If I had a dime for every time someone said they would just put down their dog if it lost its leg, for the sake of being humane and all... :-? Oh, Peaches was after a squirrel. If you look at that back leg, you can see that she was jumping. She actually managed to snag the squirrel from the tree. :o [img]http://groups.msn.com/isapi/fetch.dll?action=MyPhotos_GetPubPhoto&PhotoID=nLABpAK4NX*XiiyBkhFk1X6bzgvxsMrleQjZdujdEYk8*cLF5FVNNfmXLaHrg00V4mycEFc0gydpXmaoYOPd9sQ[/img]

The best thing I've ever used is some stuff in a can called Equalizer. I don't know where all you get it, but my vet carries it. It's kind of fumey at first, but it dries quickly and has gotten out some NASTY things from my dark colored carpeting without fading it. For off the shelf stuff, Oxy-Clean has worked pretty well for me in a pinch.

I certainly know how you feel. With ten dogs in the yard, I have to work hard, too, at keeping them relatively quiet. It's the primary reason I'd like to have lots of acreage... so they can bark all they want. I try to respect my neighbors' right to a bit of peace and quiet (though they certainly don't mind blasting us at all hours with loud music and fights... beside the point, I reckon). I suppose I can understand how barking dogs could be a nuisance to others. At least the cop was nice. If nothing else, you can look at it as a good thing (I know, I know). Rather than having a storm brewing behind your back, and being totally unaware that "someone" was having a problem until it escalated to a big show-down and ultimatums, at least it was brought forward while you have a chance to "fix" everything. I suppose that beats having someone show up at your door and issue a summons, or try to take your dogs, or even worse, someone being annoyed enough to throw some kind of poison bait over your fence. That's the kind of thing I worry about. My neighbors aren't the kind of citizens who want a lot police presence in the neighborhood... they'd more than likely try to just harm my dogs outright. I hope you're able to get everything resolved. I know you're upset, but maybe it's not as bad as it seems.

Cool photo of how she's getting along with the others. [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0aQAQA84gIc4hJNSjCczJkIMMJN*a0c*OUeOxYbpu5X4uGViIfsnEnQzqXdAmWNG*1AE1myGhCSHotu1sRLLbOZB4CuZDxmwLAe63xUSe*Q0ZoqfGEyUlwZK2pKUBDO0lGQsTGyD1rvYHrPx1jaWXzZd9iHZp8jv4/Perry%20%26%20Peaches.JPG?dc=4675514660479833393[/img]

Hey, Goo, great to see you around! :) Peaches is doing great. She's had NONE of the issues here (dog aggression) she had at my friend's house. I think my friend basically created a monster by cooing and coddling Peaches when she first started acting "jealous" of her other dog. Anyway, she's doing great. Never so much as a lip curl, a glare, or a grumble from her toward the other dogs. Even if they approach (or try to run her from :roll: ) her food dish, jump on "her" bed with her, anything, she never protests. Her leash manners have also drastically improved. I use a martingale style collar with her and she's doing really well. I'm so thankful she didn't ultimately end up re-breaking my ankle. She had me worried for a while. :o She's still technically a foster and up for adoption, but it looks like she may be here a while. I haven't heard anything from the rescue group I'm fostering her for in several months, so I wonder if she's just been forgotten. Oh well, she's welcome to stay here as long as she needs to. Thanks for asking about her! How's your gang? :angel:

[quote name='jweissg'] It is great to see a professional. The fact of the matter is, however, that even these professionals are questionable at times. [/quote] Well, yeah... I've run up on some questionable "trainers" in my time, one of which was a wack job that felt the need to "train" my Lab using a prong. I won't argue technique since I'm aware that this jerk was obviously misusing it, but I got much better results with him using a plain flat collar (not to mention having to pull my dog from that class because I nearly assaulted the "trainer"). The "wack job" description was because this person yanked him to the ground with it to "put him in his place" and he wasn't even aggressive... just a leash lunger. That's my concern... not the technique this person may need to use with their dog (popping vs. yanking... will the average novice dog owner know the difference, especially by words on a screen rather than by actual demonstration?), but rather their perception of it. Trust no one implicitly, trainer, behaviorist, or otherwise, but I still think a prong collar in the hands of a novice without any supervision at all is a recipe for disaster. I couldn't disagree more about having to bully puppies to "mold" them. I know all about that naturalist mother dog rearing stuff, but since I'm not a mother dog, I like to think I have the advantage of reason rather than just brute strength on my side. I've never had to rough up a puppy to get it to learn, or to correct an undesired behavior, and I'm heavily involved in rescue, primarily special needs (whether physical or behavioral problems) dogs. Two of the resident dogs in my house were formerly aggressive and they've been successfully "re-trained" without the use of brute strength. I don't disagree that there need to be corrections. I suppose I just disagree with how they're administered (brute strength vs. reason). Again, I'm talking a puppy here, not some lumbering monster that's dragging its owner down the street in pursuit of anything moving. I suppose it could be said that dogs don't have a sense of reason, but that makes it all that much easier for ME (the one with reason) to "control" them. I have a pretty commanding presence, too, but it's more in my demeanor and only when appropriate rather than just bullying my dogs into submission. If my shoulder were being yanked out of its socket by a dog, and nothing else worked, I can't say I wouldn't try a prong. For behavioral problems and an attempt to assert my dominance? Well, never say never, but I've not had to resort to it thus far and I've fostered/adopted some pretty challenging dogs. I'm no trainer, either, and it's not my intention to argue prong technique, efficacy, or whether it's appropriate. I just don't think any novice should be using one without at least the benefit of a professional (or someone more experienced, skilled, or whichever works) showing how it should be done, if it has to be done at all.

That made me laugh out loud. :lol:

[quote name='candlefind'] Regarding the pinch collar...I know absolutely nothing about those and to be honest, it kind of intimidates me. What would that do? Would she automatically drop whatever is in her mouth when I "popped" it? What is a pop? [/quote] First of all, I'm not adamantly opposed to the use of a prong, though I am admittedly very hesitant to use one as a first resort. Ok, I'll admit that I'm one of those touchy feely kinds that doesn't like prongs, but then again, I never say never. While I haven't had to use one on any of my own dogs, I won't say it's something I'll never consider. I've just never had to before. Anyway, I'm very uncomfortable with the idea of trusting implicitly the advice regarding prongs and really any behavioral modification involving possible aggression from an internet forum (no offense meant to the people trying to help). If you are wrong in your assessment and therefore improperly handling, you can do more harm than good. This forum is a great place for dog lovers to share advice and insight, but I truly believe that if you are having problems like this with your dog and are unsure how to perceive her behavior and body language, your best bet is to have a professional assess her and then offer a plan of action based on what they see. With the issues you seem to be having, it wouldn't be hard to do the opposite of what you're trying to do which would mean making this dog potentially fearful and even more aggressive. I know she's just a puppy, but with your apparent confusion over how to read her behavior, I just think you'd do better with some "real" guidance vs. "virtual" guidance. Please don't think I'm dissing you by pointing out your uncertainty reading your doggie's behavior. We all had to start learning somewhere, but with potential aggression problems, I'd just hate to see you be misreading your dog's body language and take advice you see on the internet and apply it improperly. To be honest, I also hate to see someone put a prong on a [b]puppy[/b]. That's just me. An older dog with more set in behavior, I can stomach a little better, but I'm really uncomfortable with using this type of training on a puppy, especially a smaller breed (I know, double standard). If it absolutely MUST be done, I'd rather see it under the supervision of a professional rather by someone who's never seen one before on the advice of people that have never seen the dog, though I'd hope a professional would explore other options first. I tend to think of prongs as more of a last resort than a first. In the meantime, I do agree with the idea of taking the role of top dog in your house, meaning that you control all resources. It doesn't involve any sort of "punishment" which I'd avoid until you can have a professional assess the situation. Others have pretty much said it already, but you'll make the dog "earn" everything she gets. No luxuries such as being on the couch or the bed unless you invite her, that sort of thing. I know this goes against some of the more popular opinions, but it's just my own two cents.

Poor Laurel. I'm sure she'll be fine, though. I am positive that dogs don't view "handicaps" the way people do. They just keep doing what they have to do. Living with countless special needs dogs has taught me this. She will still be Laurel, only with some modifications.

I'm certainly no HD expert, but I will relay my own personal experiences. My Lab (Tucker) had FHO surgery about 2-3 years ago. He had dysplasia that was caused by trauma to his pelvis. At some point in his life, according to x-rays, his pelvis and one femur had been broken and healed wrong. The way they healed caused the one femoral head to basically back out of its socket and he ended up with dysplasia, if that makes any sense. We weighed our options and went with the FHO (Femoral Head Ostectomy). It was recommended that he begin using that leg almost immediately. I felt so bad because I was present during the surgery and saw just how gruesome it was, and I knew he had to be really sore, but we had to work that leg almost from the very beginning. We were not to keep him confined and still. All in all, I'd say it was a success, generally speaking. Tucker is now eight years old, not a spring chicken, and he's having some bad days. Arthritis is really setting in on him. Bear in mind that he still has some old damage to his pelvis that couldn't be fixed, so we were just taking what relief we could buy him. He did seem to get around much better for a while, so I still consider the surgery a success. If he didn't have the other damage, I'm sure it would have been even more successful. We aren't considering more surgeries for Tucker; we're going strictly with pain management. We've really weighed this one out and I would rather see Tucker's life shortened with pain meds than have him linger on in pain. He does get glucosamine/condroitin/msm supplements and they do seem to help, but we do now give pain meds when he tells us he hurts. For a while, I was adamantly opposed to the longterm use of pain killers, but I can't just watch him suffer just so I can keep him here longer. Our little Devin (Lhasa Apso) also has HD, about as severe as it can get, in both hips. He has virtually no hip sockets. He can "bunny hop" (his version of a run) anywhere he wants to go, but can barely walk without his legs going all over the place. He is much younger than Tucker (2 1/2 years old) and we aren't considering surgery at this time. We have tried different things, with varying degrees of success. He gets glucosamine/condroitin/msm supplements and they seem to help. However, far and away, the best thing we've tried for Devin so far has been Adequan injections. I've not been able to find any harmful side effects from using it longterm like you might see in pain killers (not saying they don't exist... I just haven't heard of any). As long as we keep Devin jacked up on Adequan, we don't have to give him pain meds. As long as he continues to show relief with Adequan or glucosamine supplements, we won't even be considering surgery. In a nutshell, having gone through one surgery and dealing with another dysplastic dog, I believe the way I will handle it from now on will be to try to control the pain before resorting to surgery. With Tucker, we went virtually straight for surgery. I don't regret it, but I wish I had tried glucosamine or Adequan with him first for a substantial period of time. I mean, if it had helped, he wouldn't have had to go through the surgery, right? So as long as Devin is doing well, surgery isn't in his future. Again, I'm certainly no expert, but this is just my insight from living with HD. Good luck to Pooh Bear.

I hope it works out, Kat. :( What is his opposition? I mean, is it just a control thing with him? It seems to me like you've proven yourself to be responsible and, for crying out loud, it's not like you're 15 years old (no offense to the teens here... just saying that, regarding teens, I give parents a lot more weight to make the decisions regarding a new pet coming into the house... not trying to stir debate... it's JMO). I know it's "his" house and all that (I assume), but one would hope he would reach a point where he'd realize that you are an adult and that it isn't of any benefit to either of you for him to be so controlling. Good luck with this. Maybe it's time to consider a change of residence? Some people are able to be much closer with some distance between them, if that makes any sense. :(

Since we lost Rocco to bloat, I'm terrified to the point of obsession about bloating. I'm wondering, though... how do you dose out Gas-X to a dog? I don't even know what they look like, but I'm wondering how many and how often you give them to a dog? I've tried sprinkling a bit of baking soda on food before (since baking soda kills bubbles and fizz otherwise, my logic said it would help with gas), but it doesn't seem to make much difference. Peaches (the foster Dobe) is the most gassy dog I think I've ever known, but more than the olfactory assault, I worry about the possibility of her bloating.

My version of grinding them back means to simply snip the nails off with regular nail trimmers and then grind them back further and smoother. With the nails already tipped, you don't have to spend so much time with the grinder on the nail, trying to work it back. Of course, if you have a dog that doesn't put up with the clippers to begin with, it's a moot point. My dogs don't care either way.

Poor Pooh Bear. :(

Kat, these people are beginning to sound outright psycho to me. I mean, it's bad enough they became total sh*theads to you, but now it seems on the verge of stalking. Good grief, hate text mail? Do they have THAT much free time on their hands? These people sound unstable. :-?