DogPaddle

Thanks all for your experiences. I think I'll polysporin it, bandage it and then protect the bandages by wrapping loosly with a tensor. We tried a sock and duct tape out in the park but it didn't stay on.

MajiesMom - It bled when it happened. I think it was broken glass or something. It is not bleeding now, if he really gets going it will weep a bit. Sometimes he walks on it normally, sometimes he walks gingerly, after we've cleaned it or if he's been rough on it he will sometimes walk a bit then hop/walk a bit. The initial injury was probably 1/2 cm (1/5 of an inch) to 3/4 cm (1/3 of an inch) deep or so straight in but now it has healed in some so it is more shallow but a bit wider. If it had been my toe and I was in town I would have gone for stitches, however as we were a day and a half portage/paddle into the park I would have disinfected and taped it and let it heal on its own because by the time you get back to civilization its already started to heal - although likely to heal a bit wide and some ugly. ESSlover - That glue is sometimes a good idea. We met some folks out there with dogs who offered us some crazyglue but said it wouldn't work unless we could keep his foot dry - :lol: . (Actually we took their campsite because we were leaving early because of Kavik's foot, but they were very nice about - good for me they were dogpeople.) Kat - Yes I'm sure it was someone elses garbage that cut his foot. :evil: I'll see if I can post pics of Kavik's foot wrap soon - its a new dog fashion trend we can start. :lol:

I didn't vote either because I have two dogs. Zaphod is a mutt from a shelter. Kavik is a purebread Border Collie. I believe he would fall under the Outcross option - I believe it was a North American line that focused on agility on one side and a working line descended from a recent UK import on the other side.

I didn't vote either because I have two dogs. Zaphod is a mutt from a shelter. Kavik is a purebread Border Collie. I believe he would fall under the Outcross option - I believe it was a North American line that focused on agility on one side and a working line descended from a recent UK import on the other side.

Has anyone ever had a dog get a toepad split or sliced up? Kavik did on our trip and he is favouring it and we are keeping it clean. I'm wondering if there is any paticular concern about foot injuries. I'm inclined just to keep him a little less active and let it heal normally.

As soon as I got the boys out to the lake/woods they ate a lot less, I figured they were just too busy. We are home now and this has not changed. They are pretty wiped out - it was a physically demanding trip. Anyone have any experience with this.

Kavik and Zaphod can tell firm and confident people from wishy washy sorts and they take FULL advantage. I think they can tell dog people from non-dog people but they have different methods. Zaphod doesn't pay as much attention to them after his initial affectionate assault. Kavik is obsessed with non-dog people; he puts on his puppy face and cajoles and snuggles and leans and arooos etc - I think he is trying to win them over. :D

There are wipes you can get that are supposed to decrease (temporarily) the dander on the cat or dog. They work ok. Nature's Miracle makes them.

I'm back. Kendalyn - I offer the dogs a bit less kibble but supplement with whatever I'm eating. Funny thing is they eat very little no matter how much I offer - too busy I guess. :D Trip was great. Wonderful weather, we swam everyday, the trees had just started turning when we arrived, we slept outside (no tent) on the last night, photos when I recover. Good news - Zaphod is perfect in the canoe and excellent around the site. Bad news - Zaphod is spaz on the portages and is afraid of people portaging canoes and appears aggressive towards other dogs and children on trail! Also we shorted our trip by half a day because Kavik sliced his toepad up. He appears to be ok right now - more info later.

MajiesMom - Right, pictures of the trip I can do. :lol: Kendalyn - Usually I rent a kevlar canoe as they weigh only 45-55 lbs. I would love to own a carbon-kevlar - they are stronger and weigh less but they are really expensive. This year to save money we are borrowing a friends fibreglass canoe. I agree the wood canoes are beautiful, my friend had a cederstrip - unbelievably pretty, glides nice too put a true pig to portage. We aren't taking Farina, we are taking mostly gorp, same bagles, cheese (waxed) apples, protein bars and our dinners, thank dog for tuna pouches. Oooh and I made my own jerkey. :D Cathole isn't actually a thunderbox/open-air-lat/biffy - you have to dig your own cathole sometimes. I think we are doubling the canoe, I usually solo it for portages but the woman I am going with is not keen on that. When I took Kavik, my brother soloed the canoe and the light clothing/bedding pack and I took the rest and Kavik. I always leash on portages - some people are afraid of dogs and I don't want to freak them out. They pull some but I'm hoping to waist leash them and use their forward momentum. :lol: Also I don't want to bring their prong collars. I have packs for both of them so they can carry their own food, maybe that will slow them down some. All of our portages are listed in metres not rods. We picked this route because there are just a few short portages but more challanging paddling - more rough water - its a series of islands and channels in Georgian Bay which is off of Lake Huron. Our longest portage is around 500m this trip - I think that is about 100 rods. On an average trip we try to keep the longest portage to 1500m so 300 rods, however, I want to do the Bonfeild-Dickson portage in Algonquin sometime - 5250 m or 1043 rods I think. :D I am so not doubling that one, one trip. :D Anyway I'm off today, talk to you all later.

[quote]You guys can pee in the bushes together. icon_lol.gif Can't wait to see pics!!!![/quote] :o

Malamum - Getting halfway around the world before I leave town tomorrow might be tricky. :lol: Sounds like you would enjoy it though. I have decided to take the boys, bought Zaphod a pack, Kavik already has one. Taking them to the vet just before we head out tomorrow. Got reflective strips for their collars. Getting very excited now. We are taking a camera and we should be able to get up to 300 digital pictures. I'll just post some when I get back. :lol:

:cry: So sorry HF, I wish there was something to say.

Required reading regarding the no toilet thing. How to Shit in the Woods: An Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art [img]http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0898156270.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg[/img] Up Shit Creek: A Collection of Horrifyingly True Wilderness Toilet Misadventures [img]http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0898159393.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg[/img] You must also learn to use these words: thunderbox, cathole and open-air-lat.

:lol: I invite everyone to come when they ask about my trips. Strangely, I've not had one person take me up on it who wasn't already a canoeist. I guess the prospect of travelling into the bush, sometimes carrying a canoe that may way up to 70lbs plus all your gear and food, paddling and travelling as much as 18k/day and having no toilet, somehow puts people off. I guess it doesn't sound like much of a vacation but I LOVE it, only way to see some of this country properly IMO.

HF - Your welcome to come, all ya need is to find a way to get up to Canada by Monday afternoon. Oh and it would be better if you knew how to canoe or if not that you better know how to swim. :lol:

Thanks. The weather is pretty good. I like the cooler nights and the days aren't too warm for portaging - we may even brave a short swim.

These are all pictures from the Bluewater site listed above. Best site for planning a trip to The Massausaga. I love it, sooo beautiful! [img]http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/9719/soloboats3.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/9719/site17y.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/9719/210.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/9719/220.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/9719/site17.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/9719/sunrise17.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/9719/beach.jpg[/img]

So we are going canoe tripping/portaging/camping. We will be gone 5 nights. We will be in tents at night, no facilities, no cooler etc and about a day and half paddle/portage from nearest road access on average. Kavik I have taken on trips before and he is ok. Zaphod I have not taken. I am going with another woman who is fairly competant and likes my dogs. Its later in the year so the dogs tipping the canoe is a bit more of a problem than if it we warmer/full summer. Here is the forcast: [url]http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cities/can/Pages/CAON0394.htm[/url] Basically 11 C (52 F) overnight and 23 C (74 F) during the day, no [i]forcasted[/i] rain. And just in case your interested here is where we are going: [url]http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/mass.html[/url] [url]http://home.golden.net/~bcaron/massasauga.html[/url] I'll try to figure out how to post a picture for you in just a sec.

Oh I should mention that I have not cured Zaphod of licking - he was weened to young and I haven't been diligent enough - probably because it doesn't bother me [i]that[/i] much. So if someone has better suggestions go with them. :lol:

Zaphod was a huge chewer, mouther, licker, eater etc. We used "drop it" this serves two purposes - 1. You correct the chewing. 2. If you ever need him to drop anything you have a working command. Whenever he has something he aught not to say "drop it" take the thing (even if you have to fish it out of the back of his throught - get those hands slimey) and then give him the good toy and if he touches it, mouths it etc praise him. I would also advocate crating while your not around to watch him - remember if you let him make a mistake it reinforces the negative behaviour and makes your job harder. As for mouthing people and in paticular mouthing them hard enough to bruise: I would give him a firm "NO" and then turn around or stand up and walk away from him and then ignore him for a bit - you know your dogs attention span best. This should teach him that if he does this thing you remove the thing he likes best - You. Works well on most dogs.

So I took the boys out for individual walks a few times and we are making much better progess with heeling even without the prong. (I usually alternate prong and flat buckle collar so they don't think they just have to heal when wearing the prong.) Zaphod is actually making faster progress than Kavik but Kavik is generally pretty good he just tends to pop off a bit still. Unfortunately while Kavik will fuss when I leave him home alone he settles fairly quickly - Zaphod on the other hand barks every 5 seconds the entire time I'm out and he is alone. So it appears Zaphod has some seperation anxiety that I was unaware of because he has NEVER been alone. Oh well we'll work on that too.

Your soooo right about the prongs needing adjutment. I have to adjust Kavik's depending on how fluffy his coat is that day - for best effect. If they are too tight they are useless, if they are too loose the correction comes at the wrong time or can become tangled.

I think she looks pretty good, actually excellent for a senior dog. I wouldn't add weight right now. If she drops weight later than deal with it then with some extra special extra yummy additions to her food.

Poor Izzy, I hope you find your pup.