imported_Cassie

Shenanigans99, you have a Newf, how wonderful. You'll have to tell us more about him. I own 4 Newffoundland dogs, as for my baby boy Gil, he is 3 years old and has great structure for the "show" world...just not the proper structure for the swimming world. He is what every one is looking for in the show ring, lots of coat, longer square body and big pumpkin head. He got his Canadian Championship title before he was a year old and his American title only took a couple of shows..he is a beautiful dog, just not a proper body for swimming. Its wild when you see different kennels of Newf's and what they think is the perfect Newf...you can almost tell which kennel the dog is from just by its look. When I got my first Newf, it was quite square, shorter legs, and longer snout and not a whole lot of coat. My current Newf's have longer legs, longer bodies, and pumpkin head with shorter stops...one of my Newf's has a head bigger and rounder than most Saint's I have seen at the shows. I do love my Newf's to peices and they have been wonderful with my dog aggressive Rottie. They put up with alot from her and I credit them for making her into the peaceful and dog friendly dog she is today. They have also been good to my newest rescue Beau (a Dobie). Beau is a male and has bonded quite wonderfully with my 2 intact male Newf's.

Oh K, poor little snoop...its funny how our poor dogs can make the same mistake over and over and over again :wink: I must say that your husband sounds like a saint. I don't know too many men that would jump into freezing cold waters even to save even their own wife :lol: . Did you train your husband or did he come pre-trained :lol: The water wasn't too cold yesterday, we have been getting some lovely weather here in Canada. I did have to run in with all my clothes on...I didn't think it would too nice running in with just my undies on...can you imagine being caught by another person out walking. A 40 some thing year old women, with a little more meat on her bones than normal...and a little cellulite here and there dragging a big black Newf out of the water...this surely would have put even the best womanizer off women for life :lol: [quote]people are supposed to be able to float naturaly as well, with inflated lungs you should float...however, my kid and some friends I know all SINK LIKE ROCKS when they get int he water[/quote] Court, I don't think it has any thing to do with inflated lungs. Our Newf's used to be quite buoyant, my Newf's of yesteryear used to stay in the water for hours, they would float without using much leg action where as my other dogs where pumping away to keep up with them One Newf I owned (which passed away to bone cancer 1 1/2 years ago) used to do circles in the lake , he was very difficult to get out of the water...it was no effort at all for him to swim. I used to teach swimming leason many many years ago :lol: and one class I had was an adult class learning to swim. For one class I had them use floatation devices and to learn to tread water in the deep end of the pool. One man who had alot of body fat on him forgot his floatation device and proceeded to float in the deep end without using his arms and legs to keep him afloat :o and his upper body from chest up was above water :o I always thought excess body fat and body type were main factors in the water, excess body fat making you a floater and lean muscle making you a sinker...of course this is just from what I have seen over the years, not scientific proof :wink: [quote]I must be lucky (or unlucky)...all of mine love the water and I can't ever get them out. They are worse than a 5 year old at the pool.[/quote] newfiemom, you are very lucky, I miss my water dogs :( I live in the atlantic provinces of Canada and have access to lots of lakes and the ocean...this is where I spend most of my time. There is no greater joy than to swim with your dogs or to watch them out swimming (getting great exercise :wink: ) I was also interested in water rescue sponsored by our local Newfie club...its not to be :( I do have one funny experience with one of my Newf's and water (this is years ago). This boy loved the water, they were opening the local aquatic center and wanted to use my Newf to lead the parade around the pool (mayor of the city etc.,) any way, half way around the pool my water loving Newf could not resist temtation and got away from the parade leader (wasn't very hard, dealer was a strong minded boy) and he proceeded to dive into the pool and caused quite a commotion. I had to come down to get him out...it kinda destroyed the day, I was embarressed at the time, but, laugh about it now. By the way, they say bad luck comes in 3's :-? last night when I took Gil back down to the lake...my Rottie found a porcupine, I spent 2 hours last night pulling quills out of her nose, lips, gums, tongue, upper mouth, front legs... :evil: not the way I planned on spending my evening. I just plopped her down in front of the TV and proceeded to pull them out with my plyers. I will say that she was extremely good for the whole ordeal...she even kept her mouth open for me so I could get the quills out of her tongue and inside her mouth. She is such a good girl...and to think she was very aggressive when I first adopted her...she has come along way :angel:

This just proved the theory of the power and strength we can achieve in emergency situations. I had all 6 of my dogs down to the lake today. My Newf's & Dobe like to wade while my Rottie loves to run in and swim for hours. There is a little wharf which goes out to the deep water, my Rottie loves to run down the wharf and jump in after sticks etc. and she will run and jump in just for the heck of it also :lol: Any way, my Newf's are always the type to wade in the shallow water, I have yet to see them swim :-? today my male Gil decided to he wanted to get out to where my Rottie had just jumped off the wharf...so he ambled out past his usual depth of chest deep and proceeded to wade out further...as soon as he passed the drop off (and it is a sharp drop off) he panicked and went under...I had to run in and save my Newfoundland dog from drowning. I feel so bad for him, he is still shaken up over the whole ordeal. I can't even describe how horrible it was to see him go under and then to see his paws coming up over the surface, then to see his big head come up and then go under again...he sunk like a rock. I really can't believe I had the strength to grab him and pull him in to shore. It's funny, I never had any thing like this ever happen with any of my other dogs except my Newf :-? my Rottie took to water like a fish and she had never been in water until I adopted her at 1 year. Well, there goes the idea that all Newf's are great water dogs. I think they are breeding them with WAY too much coat and poor structure. Years ago when I first got Newf's (about 25 years ago) you couldn't keep them out of the water and they used to float. I had one male years ago which would just swim for hours at the lake...he used little leg motion to keep afloat. ? Well, I have calmed down...of course I didn't let Gil know this upset me. I don't want him having panic attacks...I am just treating him normally as if nothing happened. I think I will take him back down to the lake this evening and let him play... just so he won't have any fears of the area. Poor little Gil...I wonder if I should submit this to the Newfoundland dog club I belong to...big letters in the newsletter...Newf Rescue, by owner.

Swelling at the site of where the injection was done is normal. Not all dogs and cats experience this...but, a good percentage does. Listen to your vet and the swelling should go down on its own...its caused by the body's over-reaction to the vaccine or the substances used in the vaccine. My Dobie had the same swelling when he received his shots...it went away in time.

At the boarding kennel I work at the interior floors were painted with a sealant type paint about 15 years ago. The floors have no chips, scratches or any signs of wearing. The sealant is used quite often in boarding kennels...you certainly would not want just cement flooring...it can hold stains, and can hold odors...with a sealant paint it is resisant to stains (of course :wink: ) and does not hold odors. When you have a busy kennel with 50 dogs in it and alot of dogs in for boarding will make mistakes...you don't want the kennel to look messy and have stained floors. I will find out from the owner of the kennel exactly what the name of the sealant is they used. It's very popular in kennels and lasts for a long, long time. We did not seal the outdoor runs, but, they are hosed down daily with a high pressure spray hose.

We groom ALOT of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels...they seem to be a sweet dog...probably due to the fact they have not been over bred...yet. All of our cleints got their Cavalier's from a breeder in Fredericton, NB Canada...this breeder seems to have a good kennel. If I talk to one of our clients and they would like to speak with your mother I will certainly pass it along. You may also want to e-mail a breeder directly and ask them questions about their breed. If you go onto the website dogs in Canada...they have a list of breeders for all breeds....I think they have included e-mail addresses as well...I think.

[quote]How do you do the pumpkin seeds? How benificial is the ground flax seed? I was actually going to buy some, but asked around about ground flax seed vs flax seed oil and everybody seemed to agree the oil was better. [/quote] Aroura, what I did was I purchased a coffee bean grinder...they are not that expensive. I buy whole organic flax seeds (which have been stored in the fridge at the grocery store) and I grind small amounts at a time. I do this with my pumpkin seeds as well...I buy only organic. Flax seeds have fibre in them and they also have your omega fatty acids. I never buy preground flax seeds...and when I grind them I store them in tupper ware in my freezer. :wink: The best thing is I share the pumpkin seeds and flax seeds with my dogs. I sprinkle flax seeds on top of my yogert, cereal etc. I also give my dogs plain organic bio live yogurt with field berries mixed in as well (and flax seeds :wink: ) field berries have alot of fiber in them. Just be careful of where you get them...I like to get organic or pick them myself in areas I know have not been treated with pesticides. Strawberries are good, but, are usually packed full of pesticides. I used to get flax oil for my dogs...but, its so expensive and it doesnt have the complete benefits such as the ground seeds have. I can usually get a container of flax seeds for under a dollar and it will last me for a month...and I have 6 dogs.

Sounds to me as if the pup has demodectic mange which is a hereditary disease caused by a poor immune system, or it can affect an older dog with a depressed immune system. The mites are transferred directly from the mother to the puppies within the first week of life. Transmission of the mites is by direct contact only. That is, the mother and puppy must be physically touching, as the parasite cannot survive off of the animal. This is important because it means the kennel or bedding area does not become contaminated, and therefore the environment does not need not be treated. Most puppies are immune to the mite's effects and display no clinical signs or lesions. A few are not immune and it is these that develop into full-blown cases of mange. The most popular treatments of Demodectic mange are usually accomplished with lotions, dips, and shampoos. Fortunately, 90% of demodectic mange cases are localized, in which only a few small areas are involved and can often be treated topically. A treatment that has been successful for years has been a 1% rotenone ointment (Goodwinol ointment), or more recently, a 5% benzoyl peroxide gel applied daily. Bathing periodically with a benzoyl peroxide shampoo and feeding a high quality diet and a multivitamin with a fatty acid may also help some dogs. Most of these localized lesions will heal on their own and do not require overly aggressive treatment. Its also a good idea to build up the pup's immunity, some people have had success with astragalus (a herb you can buy at a health store) or echinacea (this herb should only be used for about 3 weeks then give a break), you can also add vitamin C to the pups food as well. I would discuss this with the Vet who is treating the pup for proper dosages. If a dog develops generalized demodicosis more aggressive treatment is usually required. Studies show that between 30% and 50% of dogs that develop the generalized form will recover on their own without treatment, but treatment is still always recommended for the generalized form. The treatment of choice continues to be Amitraz dips applied every two weeks. Amitraz is an organophosphate, and is generally available under the product name Mitaban. Most dogs with generalized demodicosis require between 4 and 14 dips. After the first three or four dips, a skin scraping should be performed to determine if the mites have been eliminated. Dips should continue until there have been no mites found on the skin scrapings taken after 2 successive treatments. Some dogs may not respond to this treatment, and the frequency of the dips may have to be increased or additional treatments may need to be instituted. Recently, two new products have been used to help treat demodicosis. These products are not FDA approved for the treatment of demodectic mange, but are being widely used by veterinary dermatologists and general practitioners with some good results. Ivermectin is a broad-spectrum deworming agent that is available in a 1% solution for cattle. Ivermectin is the active ingredient in Heartgard, however, the concentration in Heartgard is not high enough to be effective against Demodex. The liquid ivermectin is given daily and continued for thirty days after the mites have been eliminated. It should only be used under close veterinary supervision. Another drug, Milbemycin oxime (Interceptor), has also been given daily and been shown to be effective on up to 50% of the dogs that did not respond to Mitaban dips. Demodectic mange is not an inherited condition, but the suppressed immune system that allows the puppy to be susceptible to the mites can be. Remember that all puppies receive the mites from their mother, but only a few have ineffective immune systems and develop the mange. This sensitivity can be passed genetically through generations. Individuals that have a history of demodectic mange, and their parents and siblings, should not be bred. These mites are species specific, meaning we all have our own breed of mites. As for Sarcoptic mange, this is highly contagious to ALL dogs...its usually self limiting on we humans we have our own type of scabes. I have handled dogs with Sarcoptic mange and have gotten only a red rash on my hands. I don't think the pup has Sarcoptic, it sounds like demodectic mange to me. Just a last little bit of advice, instead of using home remedies stick with the dips provided by the vet...they do not work instantley and will require a few more treatments. Also advise this friend of your mothers to try to build the pups immunity.

Aroura, I have never fed an all kibble diet...actually when I was young we and others never fed our dogs "dog kibble"...that was for rich folks :wink: our dogs always got healthy table scraps and were much healthier than most of our dogs today.... With my dogs I will feed them home prepared meals in addition to their kibble, variety is the spice of life :wink: ...steamed meats, sardines, wild salmon, steamed/puried veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, romaine lettuce...etc. etc.) I also add ground flax seeds & pumpkin seeds to their meals, oats, oat tops, I also grow my dogs their own grass...not the the illegal stuff:lol: :wink: I grow them some wheat grass and barley grass and leave it out for them to nibble on...my dogs will also eat grass in my yard, since I don't use pesticides or any other products on my grass I have deemed this safe :wink: I would never let them eat grass I think may have been treated. Canines have been eating grass since time began..its normal and is wonderful for the purpose of digestive cleansing. You can also buy a commercial formula like Granular Greens or Green alternatives to help add fiber and greens to your dogs diet. Make sure all the products you use are organic...although I have begun to question the truth behind this labelling lately :( There are also a few kibbles with added fiber you can feed your dog until he is back on track. If you do decide to squeeze your dogs butt...dont' go squeezing them to death...just use a light squeeze...you don't want to cause more problems than you already have. Try to solve the problem through diet.

One last thing I will mention about under ground fencing and why I hate it :wink: Since this has become popular we have had quite a few dogs come in for grooming which have horrible scars and open sores on their necks from being shocked. Some owners never take the collars off their dogs :o We work under a vet clinic and the vet really loves underground fencing...but, then again she doesnt have really determined escape artists...many clients bring their dogs to our grooming shop or the vet clinic with the collars on their dogs and walk right through the underground fencing even though there are signs indicating that it is there. We had one Golden come in for a groom as the owner called us and said the dog was smelling horrible...the dog came in, we took off the collar...and boy, what a mess...the smell was rancid skin... :o We called the owner to advise them we were taking the dog upstairs to be treated...the poor thing had electrical burns around the neck I just can't say how much I hate underground fencing. Your dogs are left vulnerable when outside; any thing including other dogs and children can come into your yard to tease or fight with your dog. [quote]The electronic containment systems fail to provide any physical barrier to protect unwary passers by from the dog. The list of documented cases of electronic fence related aggression grows longer by the day [/quote] quote from WDJ You also should never leave a dog out in the yard unsurpervised with the collar on....and I'm not even going to go on about the documents of dogs seriously wounded by electrcal burns from being left out in thunder storms with the collars on... A good fence provides a barrier which keeps your dog safe from out side animals, keeps children and people from coming onto your property and possibly teasing your dog...this of course is just my opinion...I have seen too many negetives on the underground fencing to feel its a "good" thing.

[quote]The reason why anal glands are there is to lubricate and assist the passage of faeces.[/quote] Kat, Dogs use their anal gland secretion primarily for territorial marking or as a form of communication. In dogs and cats, every time a stool is passed, it should put enough pressure on the anal glands that some of the secretion is deposited on the surface of the stool. Other dogs and cats are then able to tell who has been in the neighborhood, just by sniffing the stools they find. Additionally, dogs and cats recognize each other by smelling each other in the general area of the anus, since each animal's anal glands produce a unique scent. I have never heard of anal gland secretion referred to as a lubrication to assist with a bowel movement :o that really is news to me. I have watched my dogs, each time they have a bowel movement...AFTER they are finished they then leave the anal gland secretion on top of the poop...that in no way is assisting or lubricating the passage of the feces. [quote]hi HF no offense taken but yes all dogs of all sizes have anal glands therefore although it may not be obvious externally, the internal glands will still fill up and should still be squeezed now and again. Its just like accumulating ear wax. A little is functional but a lot presents problems, which is why anal squeezing should be done as routine with grooming/bathing.[/quote] Sorry kat, I really have to disagree with this. A normal dog with no predisposed problems will and should empty thier anal glands with a bowel movement. I have seen too many problems caused by people with the same views as your own...they create an anal gland problem which probably could have been solved with a change in diet. It is normal for a dog to leave their anal gland secretion on top of their poop as a form of communication...its a natural process. "If it isnt broke, don't fix it"...words of wisdom from a mechanic friend of mine...this also applies to anal glands :lol: :wink: The dogs I have seen which have problems with their glands are the ones which people are constantly squeezing etc. I have never squeezed any of my dogs glands...and over the years I have owned about 40 dogs...none of my friends have ever squeezed thier dogs glands and most of them are breeders who have owned hundreds of dogs. We stopped doing glands at the grooming shop I work at about 15 years ago when we realized what problems the squeezing was creating for these dogs. We are proud to say that only about 5% of our clients have an anal gland problem...and of this percentage it is usually the genetic build of the dog (cocker spaniels, springers) and they have been able to work through thier problem with a different diet. The other groomers are doing glands with every dog which comes in for a groom and the owners find the dog NEED to be done once its started...very sad. If some one ever touched my dogs glands without asking my permission first I would take a fit :evil:

drjeffrock, sorry just saw your post. There are of course dogs which are predisposed to anal gland problems due to genetic build of the dog. I think you are doing the right thing by squeezing from the inside and not the outside :wink: You can probably get a good enzyme product from your local vets which should eliminate the odor of anal glands. We used a product at the vet clinic which we used quite often (many dogs will blow their glands when scared...we had a few scared dogs at the vet clinic :lol: ) I just can't think of the name of the product just now. My only problem with the anal gland issue are groomers or vets who are too quick to start squeezing and proding instead of trying to help the dog from the inside first. I have seen too many groomers in our area create anal gland problems in dogs due to over squeezing, etc. Have you tried contacting a holistic vet to help you with this problem??? I find some times they can recommend deitary changes and supplements which will help out with anal gland problems.

I personally HATE underground fencing...its a waste of time. Most dogs I know have either figured out that it only takes a second of pain before they can reach the outside world...or in some circumstances some dogs get very aroused by passing bike riders, children playing etc. they can become very aroused and associate the pain with the object which aroused them. There have been some horrible attacks made by dogs contained by underground fencing. Any way, I like K & TDG's ideas...either buy your self a GOOD fence and make the top come in over the top or even make a half ceiling for the dogs or get a visable electric fencing used for livestock...then the dog sees the barrier. The only problem I find with livestock electric fencing is when you have visitors who don't realize its electric fencing and they lean up against it...ouch. My sister did this one day we went to the barn to see my horse I co-lease...she leaned right up against the wire fencing before I could warn her...plus the owner of the barn had the voltage up high...she now has a horrible fear of any wire fencing...I'm thinking I may have to enroll her in a class for the hard wired fencing fear related desensitizing course...if they have one :o :lol: I work at a dog boarding kennel, we have good fencing with half ceilings...even with the best of escape artists we have never had a problem...and believe me, the dogs want to escape the boarding kennel much more than they want to escape your back yard.

Actually HF, I completely agree with you on this topic of Anal Glands. I feel people are squeezing the heck out of things which shouldn't be played with. I have NEVER in my 40 some years EVER had a dog small or large EVER have a problem with its glands. My dogs have all had sensible diets and have never ate just a kibble diet their whole life. I have always substituted with home made meals, raw bones to chew etc. For anal glands the problems should be dealt with through diet FIRST before attempting to start squeezing. If the dogs glands are impacted then take the dog to a vet and have them expressed from the inside...not squeezed from the out side. When you start squeezing from the outside you build up scar tissue...some thing like squeezing the heck out of a zit all the time :lol: At the grooming shop I work at the groomer who has been grooming for over 25 years will NOT squeeze a dogs glands.. some groomers actually squeeze every dog which comes in the door...we had a few of these dogs come into our shop for grooming after the owners had complained. If the owner mentions they would like the dogs glands squeezed my boss will give them a slight/light squeeze...but, she will not play around with them too much...it has been her experience that dogs which start having their glands squeezed will require it throughout life. She will usually help the owner out by advising them to feed a better diet, perhaps adding ground flax seed, wheat germ, oats etc. to the food and perhaps feeding some meals as a home prepared meal with puried veggies (carrots, sweet pototoes etc have lots of fiber) she has been able to help alot of small dog owners avoid the gland problem. She also will advise them to see their vet and have the glands expressed, not squeezed. There are alot of Vets who do believe the glands should be squeezed...the vet clinic I work at highly recommends this...what happens is the dog then REQUIRES the assistance and is in the vet clinic once a week having its glands done. So I would look at your dogs diet first and perhaps place your dog on a high fiber diet. The fiber makes the animal's stool more bulky. The stool will put more pressure on the anal glands and hopefully the glands will express themselves when the animal defecates. There are several commercial brands of high fiber dog food available. Animals may also be supplemented with bran or medications such as Metamucil, which will increase the bulk of the stool. This is a touchy subject for alot of people...being in the dog business for over 20 years we have learned diet plays an important role in helping the dog express its glands naturally. We have seen first hand dogs which get their glands squeezed every groom and goes through heck for the rest of its life...I certainly would not want to make my dog dependant on me to help it do some thing which should be natural. :wink:

I really hate those shock collars...they usually end up in the wrong hands and are used incorrectly. There have been cases of aggression issues which can be directly pointed to the use of shock collars and under ground fencing. If you want to start taking Remington out and doing basic obedience then that is up to your self. It would be nice for Remington to get out for walks, but, as you mentioned...unless the owners use the obedience you train, it will all be for nothing. Remington's owners sound a little bit on the lazy side :lol: and don't seem to want to put the time and effort into making their dog into a good canine citizen. Our dogs repeat actions which bring them pleasure or rewards...shocking a dog inadvertaley will cause more problems and you end up with a dog which is afraid to try new things etc. as it causes him pain....the dog learns to avoid doing the exact thing which gives it the painful shock. I have a freind who is using shock collars on his APBT and Bull mastiff, at first they were helping him achieve the results he wanted and he swore by the shock collars...then, he started experiencing problems which started to escalate to redirected aggression due to the sense of an on coming shock. Your situation reminds me of when I was a child and my neighbors had 2 intact male dogs, one a Husky/malamute mix and the other a GSD. I was about 12 years old and had completed all obedience levels with my 3 dogs and had offered to train their dogs (the owners were very lazy) I trained their dogs and they listened to me and did very well in obedience classes...but, as soon as they went home to their "old" environment they went back to their "old" ways...it was very disappointing to a young child to put in all that work. It was funny though, as I was only 12 and I was the only person who could actually take these dogs for a walk without any problems. The owners tried to take them for a walk and they ended up being hauled down the road, the dogs escaped from the leads and came running to my home looking for me :lol: It was a simple case of lazy owners, no training, and if they had had access to a shock collar they too probably would have tried to find a way to use it to their convenience. Would you be able to take Remington and keep him as your own dog? it would be a challenge as he would be a crossover dog (which means the dog will be used to harsh training methods and to try to get him used to positive)...Remington sounds as though he is associating the come command or recalls using his name as causing or oncoming pain...its no wonder Remington is not listening to his owners..if I was shocked every time some one called my name I wouldn't come either :lol: The only way you can train Remington with positive training and still allow him to live at his own home. You will have to have the owners help and you will need to train them as well and show them what you are teaching Remington, and they will have to stop using the shock collar.

Here is an article of interest re: the curtailment of organic food (including pet food) standards. San Francisco Chronicle, May 22, 2004. "The changes in the National Organic Program standards, made in April, expand the use of antibiotics and hormones in organic dairy cows, allow more pesticides in the organic arsenal and for the first time let organic livestock eat potentially contaminated fishmeal. . .seafood, pet food and body care products can use 'organic' on their labels without meeting any standards at all." [url]http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0522-09.htm[/url] I am cross posting this from another forum. I found this to be very depressing...I don't feel as though I can trust any foods to be uncontaminated by toxins... :-? I was so fired up about organic produce and meats...now, I'm back to square one again...is there no way to get away from these toxins besides raise your own animals and veggies?

[quote]From what I hear on the grooming forums, it isn't much better. I hear all the time that people will often show up late at night, or on Sundays and basically demand to have their dogs groomed since "you're home, anyway!" [/quote] HF, your right...I was just discussing this with my boss at the grooming shop yesterday afternoon (after I posted this :wink: ) she had her grooming shop in her home for a little while and she did get fed up...she didn't have the personality either to be more confident and turn people away on a sunday or an evening...people would stop in to have their dog groomed after hours disturbing her...she would say.."well, I really can't do this at this time...blah blah..." when you sound unsure of your self etc. then people will take advantage of that. If you have the right kind of personality and don't rely on "new" clients (have your regular's) then you can "train" your customers. My boss set up under a Vet clinic (like you did) and if some one is late...say perhaps over an hour after closing time to pick up the dog...the dog goes up stairs to the Vet clinic to be boarded...the customer then has to pay for boarding and the groom. This smartens them up pretty quick...and it has actually happened a few times. One lady left her Golden with us at 7am and was supposed to pick up at the end of the day (we usually have set appointments and times to pick up so we don't have alot of dogs in the shop, but, this was an exception) any way the lady was running late called my boss and said she was going to have her husband pick the dog up after he got off work. 2 hours after closing time...no husband came to pick up the dog. My boss finally got fed up and took the dog upstairs to the vet clinic before they closed and left it for the night. The husband went for a few beers after work, forgot about the dog...and the wife had been out of town for the day and was unable to make it back that night. If my boss had waited she would have been there all night :lol: so, you can even have problems when you are not working at home as well. HF, I think you will do fine setting up in your home. You mentioned before you have your clientel already established...and trained :wink: you also don't sound as if you would put up with any thing. If the customer is late picking up the dog...well, sorry my shop closes at 6pm...you'll have to pick up tomarrow and there will be a overnight boarding charge. marion, oh my...it must be so rough on you to have people taking advantage such as they are. You may need Courtnek and HF to set up boot camp for your clientel and teach them manners :wink: :lol: I am glad I had this experience to wake me up and realize that owning a boarding kennel is not all it seems. You don't just simply lock up at the end of the day and think the day is over...the dogs in your care still require potty times before bed...you always have a few which are hell to get back inside their kennel ( I have a few Shepherds I have to actually out smart each night to get back inside...they are sneaky and Im sure they sit and discuss ways to out smart me during the day) if I have a dog which is hard to get back inside I usually will throw down a treat to bait the dog back inside...take the rope which holds the door open...stand back so the dog can't see me and once they think I'm gone, they will slowly come in to get the treat...I then drop the door to the outside so the dog is now locked inside. Some of the dogs which are wise to my ways will either...not fall for the treat trick, or they will lay down outside...and then stretch out their front paws and reach for the treat while keeping part of their body outside...some of them amaze me :o I then have to physically go get the dog and bring it back inside...this involves walking completely around the kennel, unlocking the outside gate to the dogs individual runs, unlocking the dogs own personal out door run...catching the dog then bringing it inside....this takes longer than most would think :lol: not that I'm lazy, but, its a pain in the butt.

Well, I have been considering buying the boarding kennel I work at. My boss has decided its time to retire and move out in the country. I moved into her home for a couple of weeks while she went away on vacaton and took over all aspects of the business. I realized its not for me, while staying there (and uprooting all of my poor dogs to live at her home) I found that kennel work is NEVER done. I'd close up the kennel at 6:00 pm and go have supper...then since I was there I thought that I might get ahead on some work so I wouldn't have such a big day the following day...then I let the dogs out at 9:00pm for about an hour before bed...then I would lay in bed worrying about them...and found myself going down to check on them...I of course did not neglect my own dogs and found I was taking all of my dogs plus the owners dogs out in the evening for walks. I then woke up at 5:00am went down let all the dogs out in the boarding kennel so there would be no mistakes for the day...completely clean throughout...normal kennel work, groom a few dogs etc. etc. The worst was that I lost my social life for those few weeks...living there and working there are completely different things...working there I just closed up, knew the owner would be there in the evening and throughout the night, go home take my kids out and have my normal life...but, living there...it seemed the work was never done. Customers made unreasonable demands on me...and I can't say no :oops: I'm quite a push over, so I had people asking if they could drop off pick up dogs at their convenience...I had one guy say he was going to be a little late (we close at 6:00 pm) he finally showed up at 10:00pm that night :roll: I was talking to a friend of mine in the area who owns a boarding kennel as well (we are all a close knit bunch :wink: ) and she said that her customers were taking such advantage of her due to her living on premises that she started locking her home when she locked the kennel...she had one customer come right into her home without knocking to drop off a dog for boarding, she was having a nice romantic evening with her spouse :roll: once she started locking her home up (while she was home) she had a few people tie their dogs to the door knob of the boarding kennel! many people in my area who have the boarding kennels wish they had just opened up a dog grooming shop instead...when your open 7 days a week people really take advantage of you...especially if they know your a spine less push over like me :lol: I can certainly understand why my boss wants to retire at 55 years of age :wink: It has been an experience and has made me realize I don't mind working there...but, I don't want to buy it...too busy for me with pop in's etc. I'm glad the owner asked me to stay there for the few weeks she was gone so I didn't make the biggest mistake of my life...whew... :wink:

Thanks alot for the information on this dog food. The only good foods sold around here are Solid Gold (we can't get the beef one, millennia due to the ban on beef on the US border to Canada). I think I may suggest to my boss at the grooming shop to start bringing in and selling some of the wonderful brands you two have mentioned. I should have known better when I was looking at Nutro at the local pet store that the sales clerk was just pushing it a little too hard. The sales clerk even put down Wellness & Solid Gold and said the quality was not as good as Nutro :roll: its no wonder consumers get confused...it seems the people at some of these pet stores are so convincing and can make a person feel as though they are poisoning thier dog by not feeding their brand of food. :lol: Another thing the clerk (owner) said which put my hackles up was when I mentioned I rotate my dogs food...he stated that this was not a good idea and will harm the dogs in the long run :roll: I just listened to him and didn't say any thing back and quiety left. The shop I buy my Solid Gold and Wellness at will listen to me and actually encouraged me to rotate my food...they will listen and not shoot me down for having a different opinion (different ideas is how we learn)..the clerks there seem VERY interested in hearing new things and they will ask the source for info and will make their own decision by doing research instead of just shooting you down for a question or suggestion. These are my kind of people. :wink:

Just wondering if Natural Choice dog food is a good food. I am rotating my dogs between Wellness, Solid gold and would like to find another good quality food in my area...I was advised Nutro natural choice is a good high quality food...the only ingredient I am uncomfortable with is Poultry fat...other than that is sounds alright. chicken meal, brown rice, ground rice, lambe meal, rice bran, sunflower oil, poultry fat, salmon meal, natural flavors, oatmeal, alfalfa, beet pulp, tomato pomace, cranberry, fish oil, dried egg product, l-lysine, kelp, tauine, bacillus licheniformis, fermentation extract, bacillus subtilis, fermentation extract, l-carnitine, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate. garlic, marigold extract...plus a list of added vitamins and minerals.

[quote]My male is super sweet, very smart, listens very well, and loves to learn new tricks. My female is very, very stuborn!! She only comes, when she feels like it.[/quote] All pup's have different personalities and some are a little more fearful than others. I would really try to socialize your little girl alot more and give her alot of positive experiences...play nice games with her while some one has your little boy out...a little one on one would be good for you and her and to help her bond to you rather than cling to her brother for support. Although K & mouse state they have never had any problems raising pups together...I tend to agree with doggylover...there are lots more people who have had many problems...one pup tending to become a little backwards etc. so not all people have great experiences bringing up 2 pups together. :wink: I also like doggylovers idea of when the pups get older to join seperate obedience classes. I am currently raising 7 pups...and they all have different personalities and they all learn at a different pace. [quote]She pees in her crate all the time, and cries allot too. I am doing all the same things with her as my male. They get lots of love, play time, etc. This is the first time I have ever had a female dog, do they require different training? [/quote] First off, this may be just a different level of learning...she is still very young and pups have very small bladders and have to urinate frequentely. I would also just for my own peace of mind have a urinalysis done on the little girl just to be sure she doesnt have a bladder infection...I like to rule things like that out :wink: How big is the crate you are potty training in? if its too big the pup can learn to be dirty...urinate in one corner and sleep in the other. How often are they getting out? they should be taken out as soon as they wake up, 15-20 minutes after each meal...and about every 2 hours...pups need to go alot and until they learn to "hold" them selves you should be getting them to do their duties in the proper place. This is why people find crate training so great, it helps the pup learn that they can hold them selves and not to just let loose when they feel the urge to go. I hope your not punishing her for making mistakes in her crate. If so she will come to associate you as being unpredicatable and scary...she will not be associating the punishment with a natural body function such as peeing. When your pups do their business outdoors...praise them...make it the best thing the pups could have done...I still praise my dogs when they go outside...I adopted all of my dogs as adults and had to potty train them...and plus having 2 intact males and an intact female I have to be consistant so I don't have any indoor marking...praise and hikes works for me. Good luck and have fun with your little bundles of joy.

[quote]Oh, and I know that being dominant isn't everything, but she seems to think it is. Even though she treats me as alpha, [/quote] First, I just want to advise you...don't get so caught up in this so called "Alpha" therory...they have done more studies on wolves than on our own domestic dog...our dogs are not wolves. There are biologists who have actually studied our "domestic" dogs in the wild...in Africa domestic dogs run loose in villages...these dogs do not pack up...they live semi solitary lives. To treat our dogs as if they were wolves is wrong...it takes all the enjoyment out of dog ownership if you center your understanding around this therory. I have owned dogs for over 40 years...I have done all that "alpha" stuff...and I have learned the error of my ways. Our dogs learn from "positive training" and learn by reward systems not by punishment and domination punishment and domination will lead to a confused dangerous dog. Most problems with our dogs stem from the dogs being spoiled (no rules in the household) and the dog is let to do as it pleases...then the day comes when the owner steps out of line in the eyes of the dog...the dog will then rebel. Dogs need rules to live in a household....but, so do most animals. I could use the same training for a killer whale as I would for my household dog. Think about a child who has no rules in a household the mother & father just ignore all the outragoeus outbursts of the spoiled child....the parents have no rules...the child wants a new bike, he gets it...wants an ice cream, he gets it...then one day the parents start to set down rules for the child...well, what do you think is going to happen...the child is going to rebel and perhaps lash out at his parents. Children brought up in homes with rules and get bikes and other gifts only when they are earned learn to appreciate things and learn to work for them. What I am trying to get at, is we as humans try so hard to figure out our dogs...when they rebel we automatically think...OMG! he thinks hes Alpha... :roll: just enjoy your dog and try not to confuse your dog...there are alot of confused frightened dogs out there that live in homes where humans treat them as if they were a wolf pack...a confused dog is a dangerous dog. [quote]she will often turn our wrestling games into challenges. She will go from playful, happy wrestling to a suddenly very serious dog. Her expression changes, she begins to bite hard and ignor my commands to be gentle, and I have to stop the game immediately. I didn't used to do this until the day she bit me so roughly that it tore the skin on my hand [/quote] You are encouraging alot of your problems with your dog. I do not wrestle with any of my dogs...they can easily become too aroused. A freind of mine was seriously injured by his APBT while playing...it got out of hand and the dog became much too aroused...it can happen. some times the dog may have had enough of the wrestling match and basically is telling you enough...I would not wrestle with the dog any more. If your dog is laid back and doesnt enjoy human companionship...perhaps try to learn to live with the way she is...or try to encourage nice strolls away from the dumps with perhaps the basket muzzle on so she won't pick up any thing "unusual" :wink: I have owned dogs which were very aloof...it was just "their" own personality...we had alot of nice "shared" times together just not as personal as most of my other dogs.

Just 9 weeks ago today I whelped my bitch's first litter. Her pregnancy and delivery was easy...on day 62 of the pregnancy I started having blood work done to check her progestrene levels...when they drop you know you are going to have pups within 24 hours...this makes it soooo much easier than just waiting for the "signs" of denning, taking temperatures etc. With my bitch, the breeder started her on a puppy kibble during her pregnancy and she wormed her as well. I snuck her "real" food such as raw turkey necks, liver, steamed veggies, steamed sweet potatoes, cooked chicken (free range only) etc. I really do believe this helped her have such an easy delivery...plus she was active until the day she whelped...I have 5 other dogs which I hiked with daily with my pregnant bitch. When whelping the litter, just be there to assist...don't baby talk or try to encourage her. I have seen a few bitches get upset thinking some thing was wrong and have "held" their pups in...just have a quite area with yourself and maybe one other trusted person (trusted by mom). If a pups seems to be having a hard time even after the bitch has roughly licked the pup to stimulate it....you may have to rub it to stimulate it yourself. My breeder friend had a nightmare with her last 2 bitches during their birthing...so not all pregnancy's and birthings go smoothe...some times they can be very difficult and possibly may require a c-section. Once the pups are out make sure they suckle from mom to get all their immunities from the milk...you have to supervise constantly to ensure mom doesnt walk on or accidently sufficate one of the pups...this can happen very easily in a whelping box...some pups get over anxious and will crawl over mom and end up behind her and can sufficate. Don't let a who bunch of people in to see mom and pups...just have a couple of people in which your bitch feels comfortable with...kids can cause the bitch to become anxious and nervous..unless of course the children are quite and trusted by mom. With my girl the only people allowed to go in and take care of her were of course me, my sister and the breeder. My bitch would not allow any one else in the whelping room and would get very anxious and aggressive if a new person happened to come in...I wouldn't allow my girl to become stressed. During the first 3 weeks I took her for short bathroom breaks in the yard...my girl had to pee ALOT while nursing. At first they may not want to leave the pups...but, as the days go by mom will feel more comfortable leaving them....and then you have some bitches who do not make good moms at all and can't wait to get away from the pups...some of my breeder friends have bred a bitch once and never again due to her not being "motherly" some pups they had to bottle feed as mom wouldn't have any thing to do with them...they also had to clean the pups etc. Heres and article you may find helpful: [quote]You should have a laundry basket or a box should be available to place puppies in while the rest of the litter is born. This protects them while the bitch paces and moves around during labor. A heating pad should be placed on the bottom with a fleece pad over it. (The puppies should NEVER be placed directly on heating pads, as they may be burned.) Another 1 or 2 towels should be placed over the top of the basket to keep the heat in. The fleece and the air in the basket should feel comfortably warm to your hand. If the puppies are moving around and crying, they are too cold or too hot. If they are bobbing their heads, searching, and crying, they are hungry. They should be put with mom as soon as possible to nurse. The puppies can be placed with the bitch between births to allow them to nurse and bond, and if necessary, be put back in the basket while the next sibling arrives. NEVER USE WOOD SHAVINGS FOR PREGNANT OR NEWBORN ANIMALS. A large stack of soft, clean towels should be handy to help clean off puppies if necessary. Large litters may require 2-3 dozen towels. White or light colored towels will show the color of any discharge or placenta. Have a laundry basket handy to throw them in as they are used. Wash as soon after birth as possible with detergent and bleach to minimize staining of the towels. Other supplies to have on hand include the following: Sterile hemostats and blunt-end scissors to cut the umbilical cord, if necessary Alcohol and matches to sterilize the hemostats and scissors (dip the instrument in the alcohol, hold downward, light with a match - do not hold upward, as the alcohol (and fire) will go down your hand) Heavy sewing thread, dental floss, or suture (to tie umbilical cords if necessary) Lubricating (petroleum) jelly Several pairs of sterile surgical gloves Rubber pediatric bulb syringe Surgical antiseptic scrub/iodine Tube feeder, syringe, bottle and nipple, and puppy milk replacer (such as Esbilac) Gram or ounce scale depending on average size of newborn puppy for your breed Stethoscope Thermometer - rectal to monitor the bitch's temperature Household thermometer to monitor the air temperature in the whelping box High-quality puppy food, cottage cheese, vanilla yogurt, and/or vanilla ice cream for the bitch Fresh water for the bitch Regular number for veterinary clinic and the emergency veterinary clinic number Numbers for family/friends/sitter to watch the children during delivery and, if necessary, to go to vet clinic Whelping books Vetwrap to wrap the tail of a long-haired bitch Clock or watch to time the birth Camera, film, and extra battery Something for you to do while waiting - cards, magazines, etc. Ink pen (and an extra) and note pad - mark the arrival time, sex, weight, color, and markings (either natural markings or id mark you apply), and if placenta was expelled Make sure the phone cord reaches the whelping box or that the battery for the cordless phone is charged Cot for you to sleep on Predicting the delivery time Average gestation is about 63 days from the date of conception, which may be different than the date(s) of breeding(s). The normal due date can be about 1 week either side of the predicted 63 days. Several changes that may be noticeable in the bitch the last week before delivery include a distended, 'dropped' abdomen, enlarged and softened vulva, enlarged nipples, and full mammary glands. Taking her temperature at least twice a day the last 10 days before the delivery date is also helpful. Some bitch's temperatures will drop below 99

I just want to add thaat possessive aggression is unrelated to the relative social rank of the dog. A submissive dog can and will successfully fend off a dominant animals challenge over the object of interest. [quote]There is absolutely nothing that would get her to leave a dead rabbit or a deer leg.[/quote] First off, how is she getting dead rabbit and deer legs???? I live in the country where people hunt alot...I rarely find dead rabbits and deer legs... :-? do you hunt and leave carcasses in your back yard?? this sounds so strange. The simple way around this is to keep a basket muzzle on your dog when you are out walking to PREVENT the dog from picking up these undesirable objects. [quote]She likes to eat bones too. She crunches them up nicely so I don't worry about that making her sick. So I get the bone away from her, after a lot of snarling and growling.[/quote] Why even give her bones when she is going to defend them?? why not give the dog kong bones filled with treats and the holes covered with cream cheese or peanut butter...this should keep her busy, and theres no need to take it away and if you have to at least she probably won't be as possessive over it ...don't give her objects she will become possessive over. [quote]Then what? If I giver her a treat, wouldn't that be rewarding her for her bad behavior?[/quote] Until you teach your dog "off" and "take it" or "leave it" this is the best option for you so you won't get your self bitten. [quote]Yet, if I take the bone away, it only reanforces her idea that I am 'evil'. When I give the bone back without a treat and without tossing it away, she just guards it harder.[/quote] Basically what you are going to be trying to do in the future is to show your dog that you control all resources and every thing she gets has to be earned...this is why the NIFIL policy works so well and its positive training ...you also have to be consistant...the behavior is not going to change over night...take baby steps and use positive training to gain back your dogs trust. [quote]And I don't have anything that she likes better than bones either. Also, she only gets to eat bones when she finds them in the grass before I have a chance to steer her clear of them. [/quote] Don't give her any bones and clean up your yard...I am really starting to question the cleaniness of your yard and surrounding area??? why are there bones in the grass??? this sounds unrealistic and a little questionable...your going to have to keep your area cleaner and bone free...I'm starting to picture you in your house eating raw animals tearing off the flesh then throwing the bones out in the yard. [quote]When we are out for walks I always make her sit before I alow her to go check out a bit of trash or a plastic bottle.[/quote] :o ok, now I think you live by a garbage dump...why do you let the dog check out trash??? :roll: [quote]If she finds something she likes and I will let her have, I get her to give it to me, I then give her a treat and give the item back. Part of the reason she doesn't trust me is because I do take things from her without returning them. I don't like doing it, and I try NOT to do it, but honesly, I don't want her eating dead rabbits, rotten meat, shoelaces, plastic, and half the other things she finds. I can't exactly give it back when I know that she will eat it and it has the potential to make her very sick. [/quote] Keep a basket muzzle on the dog when out walking and stay out of the dump...where do you live??? this is crazy...you either live in an area where people are living like cave men...or you live by a dump...don't walk your dog in dump areas, keep a leash on the dog with a halti...or if you insist on letting her loose on walks and your afraid she will pick up garbage...keep a basket muzzle on the dog. You really should find a better place to live...I am getting the creeps just thinking about it...arent you afraid with all of those old bones and carcasses laying about you may attract other pests and maggots??? yuk. :-?

This is some thing I had a blast teaching Athena & Dilon... (my other Newf's & Dobie really don't have the prey drive to be good retrievers :wink: ). What I did to make this game exciting for them was first I taught them "off" and "take it" then I play taught them a wonderful no fail recall. For me, I never used the long lead and realed them back in. I instead would throw the object and then once my dog had grabbed it I would run a little the opposite way and called her/him...I stood slightly to one side so I didn't appear to be a threatening looking hulk :lol: :wink: this worked really well with my 2 dogs... it's now a fun game for them...I don't approach them to get the bumper back...I step back a few steps and call them back in an excited happy tone...they are now much too eagar to come running back and giving me the bumper so the game can continue. My Rottie had started the come chase me game when we first started playing this game...but, I didn't join in the chase to get her...she always has to bring the toy back to me. I think the most important things I keep in mind when training for a recall...don't move toward the dog or chase after the dog...dogs will naturally move away from this kind of approach. Run away from your dog when teaching the recall...this is reversing the game your dog is playing with you...instead of your dog teaching you to come chase me and play...you are reversing this and saying to your dog...no, you come chase me and play :wink: get excited call your dog and run a short distance away...let him catch up to you while you are still facing away from him, then turn sideways, kneel down (don't bend over the dog) praise him, tell him "off" for the frisbee..play for a moment then throw it once again...I have my dogs sit before I throw the bumper for them once again...this is positive reinforcement which shows the dogs that the good behavior of sit will make a good thing happen...like throwing the frisbee again.