DogPaddle

Thanks Allicat - I'll add them to the book list too. I think I recall liking the Volhard diet. I'll have to ask my mum about the crystals and the ph. :kciuki:

Thanks Carol - I will have to try that. Kavik goes nuts when there are fireworks (even on TV.) He runs around barking and looking at everyone suspiciously as if they were the ones who did it - if he wasn't so distressed it would be comical.

Thanks for the advice Cassie, I will be sure to pick up at least Dr Pitcairns Complete Guide To Natural Health for Dogs & Cats if not other books as well. As for the Vit C - that shouldn't be too hard. Kavik used to get a Vit C tablet everyother day when he was a pup and he thought it was the best treat, he also likes pretty much any type of fruit except bananas.

Well, this is fairly labour intensive but it worked when Zaphod was being paticularly lax about where he went and it worked when my mom's dog had a bit of a backslide in her house training. 1. Feed and water the dog. 2. Play with the dog for 15 min. (This keeps dog active, moves things along and keeps them in your site so they can't make a mistake.) 3. Crate the dog in a crate of appropriate size for 5 - 10 min. (No room for dog to mess and lay down elsewhere in the crate.) 4. Take the dog out to do its business for 5-10min absolute max. 5a. If the dog goes - praise and play outside for a bit more - this is so dog doesn't learn that if it goes its nice walk is over. Then bring inside, allow to be loose in house for 20 min under your supervision, crate for 10 min. and go to step 4. again. 5b. If the dog doesn't go - calmly bring inside leave free in house for 5 min under your direct supervision if you like and crate for 15min (This is not to punish the dog but to ensure that the dog cannot make a mistake) and repeat step 4. If your dogs bladder and other capacity is larger you can expand the times when he is free in the house and in the crate. The reason for the crate is to encourage the dog to wait till outside to go, to ensure he can't make mistakes in house (or on veranda) and to make sure his bladder or other are a bit more full when you do go out. Every day expand the time the dog is free and under supervison. You can expand the time in the crate up to 15min. If the dog doesn't go in the first 5-10 min max outside always bring right in until the dog is trained. Praise and then play or walk for more time if the dog does go in the first 5-10min. Keeping the dog in view is crucial because each mistake reinforces the bad behaviour and is like un-training. My mom had to keep Abbey on a long leash attatched to her ankle for three days. Zaphod was straightend around inside of 2 weeks.

Take them out with a fetch toy or chase toy and play till your exhausted, then play some more - then do a 15 min training session. From the owners I've talked to Jack's need to wear off energy before they can focus. Also make everything a trick, Jack's love to show off a bit so things like ringing a bell by the back door to be let out really work well with some Jack's. The ones I have met are pretty praise driven but a little treat helps too. Other than that - be consistant and until their trained try to keep them in sight all the time and lots and lots of excercise and mental stimulation to keep them relaxed and happy.

My mom's shih tzu, Abbey, has ended up with crystals in her urine, the vet put her on a "special" dog food - made by Hill's or Science Diet or something (canned.) My mom was sure Abbey wouldn't eat it, the vet told her not to worry - after 4 days of not eating the vet agreed Abbey apparently would not eat it :-? . So he gave my mom a RAW diet recipe - mostly liver, rice and pumpkin. She can only be on it for 6 weeks - not enough nutrience or something. However, my mom is now sure that there is no way Abbey will go back to dog food so she has committed to doing a raw food diet with her even after the crystals clear. Yay! I have been doing some research an raw and similar diets as we are hoping to switch our boys over soon but does anyone have any advice in view of Abbey's crystals?

My boys have been going through phases but they are still only 18 months and 9 months. Kavik (the older of the two) has always been quick to pick up on things but until 14-16months his reliability was sortof poor, now he does seem to be getting much better at doing what he's suppossed to even when I'm not home - still chases the cats upstairs (out of bounds) right in front of me though. Zaphod is also pretty quick to pick up but his reliability is . . . well . . . he's working on it :oops: He finds it difficult to stay in a stay or do other tricky things like not steal a slice of pizza off my plate even while I'm watching him. I sure hope this is an age related thing.

I see others share my problem. :lol: Thanks for the welcomeS back. Mouse - Pik is hanging his hat elsewhere but we are still in touch so if you'd like I'll let him know you were asking about him.

Do you know any other dog owners in your area that can make recommendations on good vets? The breeder does seem a little cavalier to me. The breeder I got Kavik from wanted to know if we was even seeming a little punky of course she also wanted to know when he was house trained, when he was crate trained, what new games he had played this week, what food we were feeding, what obedience class we went to and how he did, what toy was his favourite, if we were taking him with us on vacation etc so maybe she was a little overprotective? I kinda like her involvement though she has been a great help.

I'm sorry I have been away so much but its not my fault. Everytime I sit down at the computer Kavik weasles between me and the desk and looks forlornly up at me and Zaphod starts tearing about the living room doing zoomies and play bows. I guess they feel if I'm sitting [i]so[/i] still for [i]so[/i] long (3min) - I must have time to take them out and play. And how can I justify typing all about them when they really want to play. Does anyone elses dogs make this assumption? (I am actually at work right now as it is the only time I can type unharrassed.)

My [i]advise[/i] would be to go with the drivers lic. - it dosn't continue to cost money after you get it. If your are making tough financial choices now you don't want any surprise vet costs shortly after an outlay of cash. What I would actually [i]decide[/i] to do myself? - I don't know, puppies are so cute. Good luck either way. :D

Rosebud - Tylenol - really? My vet, when giving instructions for Tyr's hip displasia (4rth grade) said ASA [b]only[/b] - he was emphatic but didn't mention why, now I really wish I'd asked. Wonder why the differing opinions.

Shouldn't be a problem if you get a crate (and acclimate the pup to the crate before you leave him/her in it) and have someone let it out to go during the day (neighbour you trust?) I have heard the general rule for crating is 1 to 1.5 hours in the crate for every month of age not exceeding 10 hours. So a 2 month old puppy aught to be let out to go and have a quick romp every 2 to 3 hours while your at work and by 8 months dog should be ok for 8 to 10 hours. 10 hours seems like an awful lot though doesn't it? I like the sounds of Kiger's xpen better and still I know I'd be nutty at the end of 10 hours without a pee break.

Good luck with the adoption and good for you for fostering.

Sanvean - Excellent advice. Gooey mentioned the problem might have something to do with the part Akita bit and that Abby was also a BC cross. I know next to nothing about Akitas but BCs can alos be a bit chippy as well, I think it has to do with their control issues. Kavik does seem to need to be "in control" of the other animals in the house, thankfully he draws the line there and only trys to cajole and con the people in the house into doing what he wants. Some of Kavik's issues were improved by taking him to obedience class (always on leash.) This was not so much to do with the obedience itself (although anything that gives Kavik a set roll or task calms him down) but with being around other dogs in a safe environment and not being "in control."

BK - Nice sites! I have to say the [b]Border Collie[/b] site is pretty much dead on. From my personal experience BCs can be summed up as [color=red]intense[/color] - about everything - work, [i]play[/i] (just another form of work), snuggles, watching - all intense.

Kavik and Zaphod get a bath every week. Since the warm weather arrived their bath is out in the yard with a hose (warm water.) We use an oatmeal based doggy shampoo and rinse well. Neither seems to have a problem with skin or coat.

Kavik (Border Collie) used to be the same way. He would always be to busy, to distractable to eat. When I free fed he would get [i]most[/i] of the food he needed because it was out all the time. When I tried controlled feeding he had to be locked in the crate with the food until he ate it. He looks at me like I'm punishing him everytime we put out wet dog food (its ok though because Zaphod (Lab/BC?) is quite happy to help Kavik out with that - :lol: labs. I tried numerouse foods - had much better luck with Mmillenia (Solid Gold), Holistique (Solid Gold) mixed with meat from butcher and Wellness. I also have better luck changing foods once every two - four months because Kavik seems to get bored. This is not to say I am having great success - Kavik has a fairly standerd BC frame but ways around 26-28lbs (standard for breed is 30-45lbs?) On the other hand he is active and healthy so I am not too worried but I have been researching raw food diets on and off for 8 months now and I'm pretty sure that would be the best. Thinking of switching when this bag of dog food is gone or at least going with the Holistique as it is meant to be mixed with meat and small amounts of other "table foods". What does your freind feed the Borzoi?

Are there Shibas in colours other than reddish?

Tyr's favourite bed is the cold tile floor, no matter what we do to encourage him otherwise he wants to sleep on the tiles (must be the Malamute in him) I'd really like to convince him to sleep on the foamy chair or elsewhere because of his hips but he's having none of it. Zaphod likes his pile of blankets in the corner and Kavik switches back and forth between my bed and the pile of blankets with Zaphod . . . maybe I snore.

Hmmm . . . Tyr our 10 month old GSD/Malamute cross [i]still[/i] does this, but mostly when excited or playful. We have used the NO and then remove the stimulus method and it has [i]reduced[/i] this behaviour. I despair of ever breaking of this habit short of taking a bitter apple bath daily. Oh well, Tyr always has . . . required numerouse repatitions to pick things up so we just keep trying, I figure we will have him trained by the time he's 4. :D

Hope everything goes ok for you and Coal and your Grumpa.

Debbie I find I get so used to the entourage I just tune them out when I'm working around here I don't even mind stepping over/around/into them anymore - for example the dogs are usually not allowed in the kitchen (its very small and not a good place for them when people are cooking) I can be cooking dinner and Pik will come in and ask why I let the dogs in the kitchen (bad anti-training DP) and it's only then a realize they're curled up in the corner, by the dishwasher or something. They are my constant shadows and I love it.

Kavik will eat may gross tabe food mixes like liver, pureed greens, mixed fruit in yougurt or most other mixes we throw together but one day we put some of Zaphods canned puppy food down and Kavik walked around and around it looking distressed, wouldn't touch it. It was Iams :niedowiary: now why would that be do you think . . .

Wan't there some thread about ticks and having to twist as you pull the tick out so you get the mouth too? I'll have to see about that Flea and Tick spray - Around here there is a big problem with Lyme disease from ticks. Of course there is also West Nile virus from fleas, don't know if that effects dogs too but it effects people and birds. (We have lost a huge portion of our more rare birds of prey to it already :( )