Peng1zrule

ah, adolescense. your miles reminds me alot of my gypsy. gypsy would eat any pencil, pen, or crayon she could reach...because I used them. I'm probably giving you REALLY bad advice right now, but magazines seem a harmless vice for him...I let mine shred paper, and just store the mags I want to keep in under-the-bed boxes with tight fitting lids. I even pick up all those fat magazines that keep me bored to tears for them...redbook, seventeen, jane. The dogs love them...I think he's just found a new way to have fun!! :roll:

I agree with cournek--this is NOT an impossible problem. it is very treatable and will not be cured overnight, but with patience and consistancy, everything will work out. I know this is not going to go over well with you, but from my point, the only way to completley curtail the growling from inside the kennnel is to cut out the kennel--make her an inside dog until this is over. train her a little yourself (it will work wonders!) and do some dominance issues with the food bowl. With my apbt pup, she would growl when I came near her food, and once snapped at me over a bone. I would carry her bowl and the measuring cup of kibbles over to her at meal time, place the bowl down, and pour the food into the bowl. I would put my hand over the food and spread my fingers, and not move them until she would eat from between them. I also taught her how to gently retrieve food from my hand by putting hotdog peices into my loose fist and letting her smell and lick between my fingers, then opening my fist by centimeters until she could lick it out. any teeth on my hand at all, even in accident, would make me curl my fist tight, stand up, and turn my back until she was calm again. When she was laying down, I would run my hands over her legs, examine her teeth and gums, and playfully shake her by the muzzle--ALL my dogs allow me to do this, something I originally didn't know was a very dominant thing--to clap the hand over the muzzle.

I'm only offering some support. I don't know how to bring this up, unless you find a way to dig out an old photo album, "reminisce" about the top-quality dogs she used to have, then gently suggest that the temperments now are not up to par and that she should consider not breeding those dogs, but restructure her program. I am also a member of the "some dogs are born bad" school, I've met several who just had a few screws loose.

I'd get stainless steel bowls, or ceramic ones--ANYTHING but plastic. I beleive plastic is what causes the discoloration of the nose. the type of brush and grooming tools you need depends on the coat. the knobby thing you got is probably a zoom groom, my groomer sister says the purple or pink ones shaped like a dog work better than the one I have (the one I have looks like yours) get a flat buckle color if he's going to be on a tie out for any length of time. you probably want some vinegar for pee messes, and a stain remover for "other" messes. I have heard of people giving puppies a "comfort" item that the pup treasures his entire life--Calliope has her squeaky ice cream sandwich. you'll need FILM. you'll kick yourself the rest of your life if you don't get pictures when you get him home. (i'm speaking from experience)

I wouldn't be overly worried with the tagement ingestion...if nothing's happend to him in a half hour, i'd doubt it's going to happen at all. about punishment...roll up a newspaper and whap yourself soundly for doubting his abilities. :lol: I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to grin and bear it as for the damage he's caused--this late in the day, he has no idea what you're still upset about. He probably forgot about the damage he did the moment he stood up and tried to find something else. For now, crawl around on your hands and knees, and everything at eye level--move it. Take some duct tape and securely cover every electrical cord, taping them to the floor (or walls, if you have to.) Don't feel so bad for leaving him, I don't think this was SA at all. If if was SA, he would have done it when you left him for the 2-3 hours before--I think this was pure boredom, or maybe a bit of loneliness. I'm sorry if I sound a bit insensitive to your plight--I have six dogs and have learned the hard way that when something gets destroyed, it's my fault at the heart of the problem.

THANKS SO MUCH!! I've looked allover the net and my searches were coming up empty. just in time for my argument-persuasive paper in expository english, too.

Fang, my siberian husky, woo-woos. he doesn't bark, but he vocalizes, and woowoo is very expressive. sometimes, my apbt is so sweet my teeth hurt.....have you ever heard a pitbull "woo woo"? (it's pitiful sounding, but I just want to kiss her when I hear it!!!) and my german shepherd-beagle mix can actually howl. all my dogs can howl, but he does it *perfectly* and gypsy, my shih-tzu-who knows what else, roo roos.

from your post, it sounds like she lives outside all the time. does she? if so, to me, that's a major part of the problem. if not, i'm sorry I assumed.

I'm sorry, but I feel like playing devils' advocate here (and d*** silly I look, too, since I"m only 19) but how old are you? Your life will change TONS between now and twelve years from now, and your 'rents probably don't want to be left with the dog. Are you SURE this is not a passing fancy? Research dogs for two months. Research breeds, breeding, care, toxic products, plants, and places for the dog. Research the advantages of harness versus collar, six foot leash versus four foot leash. What to do in a fight, how to break up a fight. How to be diplomatic and responsible for your dog. How to train, how to control. The advantages and disadvantages of different sizes of dog--from the toy size to the gargantuan size. Read everything you can get your hands on. different diets, pros and cons. different kinds of kibbles. different groomers, whether you need a groomer, etc. you may end up with a mixed breed, and that's GREAT, but if, after sixty days of non-stop dog info, you still haven't lost your passion for this little pup, I'd say go for it. As for convincing the 'rents to let you have one--as you learn, share. share until they're physically sick of all that dog knowledge. And then, discuss. if this is a happening thing, every member of the family must be alright with the dog chosen. And if the dog is going to be outside all the time--morning, noon, and night--wait until you have your own place to get your own dog. a dog tied out in the yard is only canis familiaris, not man's best friend.

a 'KENNEL' is what you call your breeding program. in some cities, owning a certain number of dogs means you have to have a KENNEL license. calling yourself a KENNEL does not mean you are operating ten dog runs in a sterilized cement building. NEWS FLASH--if the people competing in crufts have actually been charged with animal abuse, THEY WEREN'T COMPETING IN CRUFTS. If the dog was so poorly treated it was taken away, then the dog was not winning enough shows to get to crufts. Sure, animal control may have been called on them, but all you need to do to make an investigation happen is pick up your phone and dial. The reason that people feel that dogs need to be shown to be bred is to prove they are breeding to type. If a dog has a level top line, and it's the only dog of that breed you've ever owned, and the top line looks alright to you, but a judge decrees that nope, not level enough, but all other aspects good, then you know how to choose the mate for your dog. NO, not any idiot looking at a dog can tell if the dog fits the breed type. And the judges actually do some schooling to get to where they are. IF you breed right, there's not any profit. show costs, tack costs, grooming costs, stud fees, vet fees, (tons of vet fees) hip/eye/ear/testing fees, competition fees, by the time you're done breeding, all your so-called "profits" have been eaten up by paying your bills. and actually, MANY kennels do NOT breed many breeds at one time. THAT WOULD MAKE THEM A PUPPY MILL. sometimes a breeder is educated, talented, and patient enough to breed more than one breed at a time. But as for raising four or five breeds, breeding every heat, and earning enough to stay home from work--in your dreams, maybe. No real breeder does that. Being an idiot with two dogs that have "papers" doesnt make you a breeder anymore than owning a bic ball point and some lined notebook paper make you an author. And as for "backyard breeders" --while leaving the dogs alone in the yard is a common feature, BYB means an uneducated owner breeding dogs together in thier own home with no show qualifications or even working the dogs to see if they are capable of doing the job the breed is intended to do.

It's a tough call to make on the net. Anyway, be sure you can leave the house, just not the room. Maybe it was a fluke? Try leaving the yard in a vehicle for extended periods of time several times. if nothing is destroyed and no fits are pitched in your absence I would say it's a dominant thing...she is using certain behaviors to control you. Some SA dogs will whine but not destroy things so long as there is someone with them.

can someone else hold his head? not by putting one hand on either side of the neck, but by wrapping thier arm around the neck so that the head is on one side of the elbow while the neck rests on the curve of the elbow. When the head is gripped this way, the dog should not be able to back out of the grip. The other hand should either support the body. Then you hold open the eyelid and administer the medicine. I don't know if holding the dog this way is dangerous, to either you or the dog, but I get ahold of mine this way for several things and they never seem to be affected by it. If not, go back to the vet and see if the medicine can be administered in a different dose in pill form.

I noticed you censored the name of your brother's dogs...there's no need to. it's spelled SHIH TZU. and pronounced she-zoo. not...well, you know.

I would never nueter a puppy at seven weeks of age!! I'm sure she's doing it to prevent him from being bred, but still!! and he may still lift his leg...my SPAYED FEMALES lift thier legs. And I have heard that a male dog who never sees another male lift his leg may go years, or his whole life, not lifting his leg, even if he is intact.

send it...i think you have every right to!

i'm glad you found her!! hope everything goes okay!

all i can think of is dog goggles (doggles) they were only 20-25 dollars, now I see them for thirty dollars all the time....

the only thing that really irks me about petstar is how a kid comes in with a REALLYREALLYREALLY lame trick, and he or she wins...it's the kid winning, not the animal...

whoa, I'm just a country bumpkin...but bloodwork? for de-sexing? why? is this just another part of the vet-check up? are they testing for heartworms or whatnot? 'cause blood tests are only nine bucks a peice here...of course they take and charge you for seperate samples, but if the dog's having surgery, my vet doesn't even charge you for the bloodwork at all. when my first pup got parvo, one vet that I liked said it would be $200 just to diagnose, and could easily run up to $600 for treatment--IF he survived. hmmmmmmmmmm. I called the vet that had worked on my kitties when I was a little girl and had spayed my first dog...he charged me thirty five dollars and my pup came through fine...some vets rake it in hand over fist, and I think it's cause they know people will pay the prices they ask.

Oh, my goodness. I don't know where to start. First, I'm not clear on why he will need to stop going to visit the dog walker...he'll need walks his entire life...Second, I beleive he has bonded with the dog walker and the pug (and pug's owners) instead of you, because of the amount of attention he gets over there. I am also unclear on as to why the dog walker is the one spending all this time bonding with your dog, instead of you. Yes, you have to leave him eight hours a day...yes, that is a long time to leave him...but why are you two not walking and training him, instead of just playing with a few toys with him? It sounds like he would enjoy a "sibling" (in the form of another dog.) If you want to keep him from becoming so in love with the trainer, start cutting back the time she sees him now. do it gradually...when he turns a year old, your apparent cut off date, and you stop letting him go over there cold turkey, he is likely to get depressed. Ditto for the dog-friend. I also think he probably does love both of you, but you two are not fun/entertaining enough for him. However, this dog walker has him run errands with her, curries him to his much-beloved play date, probably trains him and gives him snacks, and spends much of her day talking to him. Of course he has formed a bond with her. Try taking him out when you come home from work, or on the weekends, take him out. And train him--for some reason, training forms a strong bond between dog and owner...the dogs that I have trained extensively are much closer to my heart than the ones I have just trained to an acceptable level.

in my experience, to back up courtnek, you've got one of two hound types: friendlyfriendly or not so much. He may just be unsocialized, especially with the impression of maybe biting people. If he is not socialized, do it NOW. Unsocialized, unnuetered males are the biggest biters. How does he let people know he may bite? It may turn out he's just more interested in working, instead of being a family member.

teaching buddy and calliope down was like teaching springs. they'd go down, then BOING, they were right back up again. Here's how I handled it: 1st, the method. get the dog in a sit, let it sniff/nibble the treat. lead the nose until it's touching the ground, then treat. when the dog associates down with touching the nose to the ground, pull the treat back, slowly but steadily, so that the dog must lay down to get it. praise only when chest and both elbows are on the floor. I don't know if it's your method, but it sure is mine! 2nd, keep the clock in view. One of the ones with the tick-tock hands, not the smooth quartz movement. Get the dog in a down, and position a hand above the shoulder blades. keep an eye on the clock. when the dog goes down, don't hand over the treat. say "no!" and gently press the shoulder blades when they try to "boing" up again. start with one second intervals. (yes, you'll go through alot of treats this way) when the dog stays down for one second, go to three seconds, five seconds, seven seconds, ten seconds...you get the idea. increasing the down time by seconds is almost unnoticeable to the dog but I swear it worked for both of my springs, er, dogs.

I have a "protection" doggie too...Sandy will always bark at first, and keep an ear cocked toward me for the calm down command. I usually, if it's a first time visitor, put her in the bedroom, rather than tell her he's an alright person because sandy divides people into two categories, then there's no going back: good and Not good. However, if I tell her the calm down command but do not greet or touch the visitor, she keep an eye on him, even, sometimes, preventing him from moving around the room. the key to her behaviour, though, is eye contact. she makes eye contact, I either nod or shake my head, and she reacts...I'm so proud of my babygirl!

the only thing I'll say on the "did it attack him or save him?" debate: the tiger had him by the back of the neck. The kill zone. He punctured the skin. but he did not give the kill bite. the kill bite is as second nature as sharpening claws--watch your cat--heck, watch your DOG--play with a toy...the kill bite instinct DOES NOT GO AWAY. Even if they do not eat what they kill, no predator forgets or hesitates on the kill bite. the tiger did not deliver the kill bite, even with blood in his mouth...I think he "saved" him, not attacked him.

I'm so mad I feel sick!! those PETA idiots sent roy a letter (in the HOSPITAL) accusing him of beating and mistreating the tigers and telling him they hope he "finally realizes" he is being cruel to the animals he "claims to love" He's in the hospital and they are trying to convince the mirage to permanantly fire the act, build a sanctuary, take away the tigers, and stick them in the sanctuary...argh!! they are even planning a rally in front of the mirage on saturday...i'm emailing them a letter...this is deplorable!