imported_Cassie

[quote]When I train her for food aggression I keep her tied to a post so that if she gets mad and goes for me I can get out of the way.[/quote] :o oh boy....wow...no wonder your dog is guarding favorite items. Your dog does not trust you and finds you to be unpredictable...there are so many people who screw up dogs this way. Can you imagine if you were with a species you didn't understand and they tied you to a tree and took away you valuable items...stealing items from you?? this is called survival...your dog does not trust you with its favorite or new favorite items...you have to gain your dogs trust. Put your self in the dogs position, in the dogs eyes you cannot be trusted kendalyn has given you some wonderful advice...the NIFIL policy is a wonderful training tool. Your dog has to earn every thing it gets and it sees where its resources are coming from...preparing a meal make your dog sit before setting down the dish...believe me it works... Give your dog some thing better in exchange for the valuable resource it already has...for instance why not some raw hamburg, or cooked meat with a wonderful aroma...then if the item your dog was guarding is safe...once you have given a better food item...give the valued object back...this will show that you are not there to "steal" every thing from your dog. Then later you can move on to teaching your dog "leave it"...play fetch with your dog ending the game with the dog giving the fetch toy back to you. Positive training teaches a dog to trust you...success builds confidence removes confusion. I adopted a Rottie which was very dominant and wouldn't let me take any thing from her when I first adopted her. Lucky for her I did not try any harsh training methods...I taught her to "trust" me instead of fearing me and thinking I am going to steal objects from her. I taught her that I am a share items....I also adopted a half starved Dobie which was on the run...he was not good at "sharing" his objects at first either...with positive training he has no reason to feel I am to be feared...this goes for my other 4 dogs as well...I own 6 dogs. kendalyn is correct in suggesting you should seek the advice of a behaviorist before this esculates further. Go to some one who practices "positive" training only with no "negetives"....you need to learn to gain your dogs trust in you. A behaviorist can also teach you about your body language and how your dog is interpreting it...you could be coming across as being threatening etc. I didn't mean to be harsh...but, this is a situation which can be easily rectified with proper positive training...some people have this weird idea they have to "dominant" their dog...and when the dog does not submit in every regard then it must have assumed "alpha" basis. Trainers are now learning that you do not have to "dominant" a dog to make it a good dog...just show the dog the proper behaviors which will bring the dog pleasure...all species will repeat an action which will bring rewards...think about when you were a child...which teacher did you learn the most from...the one who came in which would spank the child who did wrong and was scary...or the teacher who was fun to be around and praised for doing right and redirected the wrong action to a proper action.

You are correct, most wormers do not affect migrating larvae or encysted larve...this is why most manufactureres of wormers advise repeating treatments 2-4 weeks after the 1st treatment. By that time most larvae that were migrating during the 1st treatment have come back to the intesting where they can be killed with the 2nd treatment. [quote]Ingestion of eggs: After a dog eats the eggs, they hatch and the larvae enter the wall of the small intestine. The larvae migrate through the circulatory system and either go to the respiratory system or other organs or tissues in the body. If they enter body tissues, they can encyst (become walled off and inactive). They can remain encysted in tissues for months or years. This is the migration most commonly seen in older dogs. In very young puppies, larvae move from the circulation to the respiratory system, are coughed up and swallowed and reenter the stomach. There the larvae mature into adults. The adult worms lay eggs which pass out of the animal in the feces. The eggs need to remain in the environment 10-14 days before they become infective [/quote] The above is the migration of the roundworm...other worms have different life cycles...the whipworm can also be picked up in contaminated soil and stool...but, they usually cannot be detected until they have been in the dogs system for about 3 months. I like using Drontal plus for my dogs...this kills a large percentage of the most common worms your dog can get. I would probably give it a little while then treat the dog with wormers...I don't feel comfortable worming my dogs too often...I usually worm them only about twice a year. And if I wormed my dogs every time they ate another dogs poop...well, lets just say I'd be worming one of my dogs (beau) every week :roll: I think the biggest concern for roundworms is they can easily be picked up by we humans if we are not really careful...the eggs are microscopic and can cling to the dogs rear end...alot of children have caught round worms from dogs due to not washing their hands properly after handling them. Working in a kennel I wash my hands after every dog I handle. One more concern is with puppies the migration of the larvae will travel to the lungs causing a pup to cough...this can some times cause pneumonia in pups.

[quote]I eventualy want to work for he SPCA and make saving animals my life career[/quote] A friend of mine is an SPCA officer full time...it can be a rewarding job, and at other times it can be a big time heart breaking job. The SPCA officers see the worst neglect cases :( I could tell you stories of some of the pick ups she has brought to us)...and the frustration when there is legally nothing you can do to step in to confiscate an animal...the biggest heart break she has is the fact that she is unable to close down a local puppy mill...the place is awful and they mass produce pups...but, they keep things "just" within a proper housing for animals...they are just border line legal...and there is nothing she can do...although she raids the place occasionally and will take the bitches and dogs which are finished breeding....she cannot legally take the younger bitches, dogs or pups....its very very sad.

We groom dogs from the local animal rescue legue for free...and I also donate "good" food :lol: :wink: I also donate my time helping out with the local SPCA (prevention to cruelity to animals) I have fostered many many puppies & dogs which have been abdonded, neglected, abused, shot etc.... My Rottie was confisacted by the SPCA and given to me, and my dobie x I found half starved...so I rescued him as well :wink: I also dedicate alot of my time to Newfoundland dog rescue as well. The vet clinic I work at also does alot of work for the SPCA...free medical procedures and we keep the animals until we find them homes.

[quote]Cassie - Glad to see SOMEONE here isn't laughing!! Now you need to edge on the others to get some pack shots!!![/quote] 4 of my dogs are Newf's...you could set them up...walk away, then come back 2 hours later and they wouldn't have the energy to move :lol: my Rottie is also very good for the long sit...and Beau, although I just rescued him in Dec/03...and have done no obedience training...he just hangs out with the rest of my kids...they are pretty simple to set up...its just my photography that sucks. :lol: :wink: [quote] Those puppies are to DIE for by the way! Oh my!! Do you have any updated pics of them??? Are they fluffy yet? [/quote] I do have some updated pic's of the pups...they are little fluff balls now. They will be 9 weeks old this wednesday...time for some to go to new homes :( the breeder is keeping 3 of them...there are 7 in total. [quote]So the bottom pack pic you wnat me to draw then?[/quote] if it's clear enough...I just took some group photos on the beach last weekend...I'll get them processed this week and see how they turned out...I don't own a digital camera....I'm so behind the times.

I was talking with a lady the other day regarding her standard poodle. This poodle has suffered from ear infections for a big chunk of its life. The owner had spent ALOT of money in treatments, ear flushes, etc. the ear infection remained and the poor poodle was really suffering. Any way, one day her vet said that she had "heard" about a home remedy, and although she could not recommend it as she didn't know if it really worked or not she told the owner what it was. She said you take sugar and pack the ear...leave in for about 5 minutes and then rinse out with diluted iodine....the sugar supposedly soaks up the bacteria. The owner tried it and it worked. :o I just thought I would share this with every one...perhaps if some one is experiencing a dog with horrible ear infections and have tried every thing else without success...this might be a good last resort.

Aroura, I feel really bad for what you are going through...I can emphasize with you as I have gone through this....but, probably a little worse with my Rottweiler. I was able to over come her behavior issues and her aggression towards children and other dogs...it took ALOT of positive training and relaxation techniques on my part. My Athena was so bad that when she saw a child or teenager or a fearful type person she would lunge at the end of her lead and be frothing at the mouth...she was the worst case of an aggressive dog I had ever experienced...not only did she have a dominant personality (children can be very challenging to a dominant dog...they are more likely to have assertive body language, staring the dog in the eye etc.) When I rescued my Rottie she had been left tied in a yard with no shelter and was out there to be teased by children and attacked by neighborhood dogs with no way to escape...her owner was in jail at the time and left her abdonded...the SPCA picked her up and sought me out to take her in as they knew she could never be placed in a "normal" home. It took me about 2 years to bring her around to be the wonderful sweet dog she is today...but, it wasn't easy even for some one such as myself who has been training and trialing dogs for over 20 years. I can now have my neices and nephews over to the house...I couldn't do this at first as she would become a demon dog...I am very fortunate I live in the country and have a great spot for my dogs where I can control who comes into my yard... If you feel as though Lily is a threat to society....and you feel as though you have done all you can with positive training techniques...then by all means have her pts...you certainly don't want to add to the statistics. I attended dog aggresssion seminars, I had the help of my good friend who is an animal behaviorist...and even in her 30 years of dog training had she seen such a bad case of aggresion...she really didn't think we would be able to over come it...but, over come it I did :wink: it makes me very proud to see her now and how wonderfully she behaves with other dogs and children...even when out on a hike I have her so desensitized that children can even go by on bikes without her going into attack mode. It's not a challenge many people are up for...and its a long and rocky road with ups and downs....more downs than ups...you really have to dedicate alot of time to the dog...and be able to set up situations where you dog is able to be successful so you can reward them...I used a basket muzzle ALOT with my Rottie :lol: this was so I could safey have my neices and nephews desensitize her...I also used the basket muzzle to set up situations to introduce her to new dogs...its wonderful now how she now associates new dogs and children as fun instead of a threat or prey. I know this sounds odd, but, I really think my Newfoundland dogs had alot to do with my Rottie's big turn around in behavior. My Newf's are so easy going and laid back they taught my Athena how to be mellow...she wasn't around other high strung dogs when I was desensitizing her to children...the Newf's were with us on all of our walks...I really think they have a calming effect on her. I also had them with us when I was introducing Athena to other dogs & children...Athena still has some issues and will try to dominant any new dog she meets...but, at least now she has learned that she can display this in much more sutle ways....she has also learned how to let other dogs and children approach her...before she would be on tippy toe, head forward and ears forward...always in a very dominant stance or in attack mode...now, she will approach children etc. in a very submissive manner. That is another thing I got my neices and nephews and every one to do...my Athena's biggest weakness is belly rubs...with the basket muzzle on her I allowed my neices and nephews to rub her chest and belly while I held her....after quite some time she now thinks all humans are belly rubbers :lol: :wink: Just because I was able to over come this horrible behavior problems doesnt mean its going to work for every one. I had alot of time to dedicate to Athena...and I was able to set up situations to desensitize her...I went against alot of advice my behaviorist friend and vet friends gave me and went with my gut instinct on how to handle different situations with Athena...every situation I used my own way of handling it...I can't even explain the techniques I used as they were natural and not written in any books I ever read :wink: and I can't stress enough that I used ONLY positive training...there were no demotion techniques used...things like that can make an aggressive dog much much worse. In which ever decision you choose to make we all support you in your choice. Its a horrible stressful life when you own a dog which you know can possibly seriously harm or kill a child. It seems you have followed every angle there is and have sought all the proper assistance. I feel very bad for you and the big decision you have to make. You can't keep a basket muzzle on 24/7 and the more stressed out you are about this situation the worse it will be for all involved....I really have to watch out how I handle situations...if I tense up in the least on the lead or in my body language while out walking...this puts Athena on automatic guard...and even to this day if I am uncomfortable with a situation she will react to it...she is very much in tune with my body language etc. this is where the relaxation techniques came in handy for me :wink: I could take her for a walk today and have her act wonderfully walking past little children screaming and yelling and bike riders...but, the moment I give a slight clue I may be anxious...Athena will tense up a little bit. I know it sounds as though I am saying one moment she is wonderful and the next she can be bad... :lol: but, the point I am trying to make is that she is still very much in tune with how I am handling situations. Every event in Athena's life has to be upbeat and happy...never nervous or anxious. Good luck to you...and you have my support in any desision you make

I have a picture of all of my dogs sitting together...each "pack" of dogs I have I take a few group shots :wink: I will e-mail it to ellieangel to post the pictures...I still can't seem to get the hang of it :oops: Here is a picture of 4 of my dogs together...Gil was back at the breeders recooperating from cruciate ligament surgery...and the other pictures show why Tori was unavailable :lol: she was nursing her litter. Its the last picture. [url]http://forum.dogomania.com/viewtopic.php?t=12069[/url] That would be really neat to have a picture drawn of them :wink: with a talent such as artistic talents you have many career options open to you. I will certainly send my other pack photos off the ellieangel...for now, all I have posted on this forum is the one photo with only 4 of my dogs. Thanks Hazelnutmeg...I can't wait to see my dogs drawn by an upcoming famous artist...I can say..."I knew her way back before she was a rich and famous" :wink:

Here is another stupid thing people say..."as soon as I walked in the door I knew he did some thing wrong...he had "that" guilty look"...we hear this alot at the grooming shop...I am waiting for the day that all dog owners will realize that the dog looks guilty when the owner comes home as it is anticipating the owners anger for some thing once again who knows what, but, the dog comes not to trust the owner...the owner becomes so unpredictable to the dog that the dog starts displaying submissive behavior when the owner returns which in turn is interpreted by the owner as being guilty. The day a dog thinks that ripping apart a cushion, eating a house plant or getting into the garbage is wrong...or would even remember what it had done or associate it with the impeding unpredicatable behavior of the owner is the day we will have little 4 legged humans...they are not humans, they do not understand our language...they depend on our tone of voice and body language. They have done research on seperation aniexty which shows that some dogs with seperation aniexty actually start displaying the stress just before the owner is due to come home...the dog is stressed out by the fact that it does not know what kind of mood the owner is going to be in. This just drives me nuts....

Hey Newfiemom...havent heard from you in a long time. I just find the whole dog journal has really opened my eyes as far as holistic approaches and I would never let my subscription go either. :wink: next month its all about allergies...it seems every one I know has a dog which is suffering from terrible allergies...it will be very interesting to read next months article. Just to let you know Newfiemom...my little Newf pups are just shy of 9 weeks...they are doing really well...smart little things just like their momma. :wink:

Junk mail...yuk. I do have an awful problem with junk mail...I find with every thing I order they must sell my name to about 2000 companies :-? I recently signed up to the Dr. Andrew Weil wellness group...I hope they don't sell my name as well... I paid $29.00 year canadian for my whole dog journal subscription. I didn't realize they had bad business practices. TDG, I know you must know alot about Dr. Andrew weil as well...he is a great holistic doctor. I just joined a research group of his where we get to sample and keep all kinds of new products...my first one is an odometer you attack to your belt while walking and tells you have many miles you travel and how many calories you burn. I thought it was a pretty good thing to join...I love free products.

I am just curious...its not that I am trying to solicite the magazine...I just think its great and a must have for dog owners. I have never learned so much from dog a dog magazine before and I find it refreshing that they have an unbiased view on every thing as they do not rely on advertising. So, I guess I'm just being kinda noisy as to who gets this magazine???

One more thing :lol: when I got my first dobie about 20 years ago I was told by numerous people that their brains out grow their skulls and they ended up either turning on their owner or going mental.... :roll: Oh, one more...a vet at the clinic I work at took some pups and mom home with her (momma was an SPCA pick up-previously abused) the pups were born at the vet clinic and the vet thought it would be nice for the mom and pups to be in a nice home....she brought them back the next day and was quite upset....we asked her why...she stated that the mother had growled at her 3 children :roll: come on, get real....a mother with new born pups, taken to a strange home and then having numerous people including children coming to see her and maul the pups....I was really shocked this came from a Vet...even my Tori, who whelped in a secure place would only allow "certain" people around her pups....she would growl at the breeders husband and the breeders sister...I mean, a person who knows dogs should know a mother dog can be overly protectvie...I'll tell ya, it brought this vet down a few pegs in my eyes.

At the boarding kennel...lady drops off her dog for boarding...while I am putting it away I come back out to confirm day she will be picking up. The owner asks if we give the dogs water while they are in boarding, because her dog needs water... :o :roll: I was really caught off guard with this question...of course I assured her that all dogs in boarding have a bucket of fresh water changed daily...I mean what did she think... that she was going to leave her dog with us for 2 weeks and we werent going to give it water??? perhaps we cunning little kennel people are devising new ways of cutting our work load down...a dog without water isnt going to pee...so no hosing the kennel daily...this one really still stumps me. Once on a walk a gentleman came up to admire my dogs...he asked if I had a big barn for all of them...I said, no, they all sleep in bed with me...the man was outraged and stated that a Newfoundland dog should not be in the house at all and that it was cruel for a big coated dog to be indoors....I retorted to the man that no, its cruel to keep a dog out side...they are group animals and require socialization and being with thier family...and another thing I said is that in the spring I blow all of the undercoat out of my Newf's...so actually they stay just as cool as my Rottie and Dobie. I wasn't looking for a fight so I just walked away...he is probably the type who owns the dog which is chained out 24/7 365 days of the year...people like that really tick me off. Other than these situations I can't think of many more...I usually hang around doggy people who have much more experience than me and we walk in remote areas.

There are so many causes for a dog to lick or chew itself (self mutalate itsel)f...one of my Newfoundland dogs chewed her leg apart due to stress after I lost 2 of my dogs. A dog chewing itself can be caused from allergies, self-trauma, anxiety, boredom, stress (e.g., new member in household); licking & chewing can develop into an obsessive behavior...it can release endorphins in the brain to give the dog a sense of well being. Self chewing can also be an allergic reaction following exposure to antibiotics applied to the skin; metals such as nickel; materials such as rubber, wool, and plastic; and chemicals such as dyes and carpet deodorizers; or inflammation caused by irritating substances such as poison ivy. Allergic reaction to something the dog inhales such as pollen, house dust mites, and mold...fatty acid supplements are also good to add to a dogs diet which is suffering from allergies and also biotin.. I have also had dogs which have been suffering from arthritis chew at the area which is in pain. There are so many reasons for your dog to be chewing itself the only way to solve the problem is to make an appointment with your Vet.

I agree with BK blue....with just diarrhea or loose stools I would just take the dog off food for 24 hours then give bland foods such as boiled lean hamburg and white rice...with probiotics... But, when a dog seems to be stressed when trying to have a bowel movement, lethargic etc. its time to go to the vet...the dog could have a partial blockage or many other problems we cannot diagnose just by talking.

What I would try is to ease the superficial itch is to boil oatmeal until soupy..put it in a nylon sock and apply to the itchy area...this will help ease the itch...its not a cure, but, it will help. Or instead of this you can apply a poultice of wash the area frequently with a preparation of of black or green tea, it supplies tannic acid, which helps to dry up the moist places...you can also smear on vitamin E oil or fresh aloe vera gel. As for the allergies...I would stop vaccinating Rosi, this can stress the immunity much more so for a dog which suffers from allergies. Then I would fast Rosi for a day with just liquids (boiled chicken frame, and veggies give the liquid and yogurt-make sure the yogurt is organic- Rosie doesnt need any additives to further stress the immune system) if at all possible I would lean towards a natural diet with no additives...a raw or slightly steamed diet would be perfect. Make sure all veggies and meats are organic. Its also wise to include nutritional yeast and granular lecithin, cod liver oil (only if a natural diet-do not give wtih kibble as kibble), cold pressed unsaturated vegetable oil and vitamin E or wheat germ capsules....its also a good idea to add 5-20 milligrams daily of chelated zinc. In additon, vitamin C is very helpful give 500-2,000 milligrams a day depending on your dogs size. Fresh organic raw garlic smashed and put into Rosi's food will help as well...don't over due the garlic.

One more thing I meant to mention...especially when I am dealing with not only moisture in the air in the summer (I live on the ocean) but also wet dogs on rainly humid days...not only do I put on my dehumidifier, but, I also put a few fans on full blast throughout my home...this helps a great deal.

I have used Freedom Environmental Multi-Purpose Powder its not a masking agent or perfume coverup, this product actually filters out foul odours and allows pleasant scents through. Ideal for use on carpets or most other surfaces that would be impractical for a liquid. Simply shake on and vacuum off. Kills pet odours and leaves a pleasant scent. Non-Caking. I have ordered this from pet supply house (through the grooming business)...you could always ask you vet clinic or local groomer if they could look through one of their order magazines for a powder such as the one I use and have them order it in for you. We have done this for our clients. I got rid of my carpets in my home (had to after I picked up a box of home made red wine and tripped with the whole box full of 12 bottles on my light grey carpet...red wine is a bugger to get out :lol: I put down hard wood floors and find the hard wood and ceramic tile does not hold doggy odors like carpet does. For my 6 dogs...I own 4 Newfoundland dogs which if not well groomed can be the worst smelling dog you could ever encounter :lol: I bathe them in my home made shampoo which is a wonderful disinfectant for the doggy odors...and leaves their coats shiny and clean. 1/3 cup glycerin 1 cup palmolive dish soap 1 cup white vinegar 1 quart of water. I use an old gallon jug shampoo bottle to mix in....if you mix up a batch be sure to shake it before use each time you use it. I love this shampoo...its cheap and works great...and belive me, owning 4 show dogs I have used the so called "best" and most expensive dog shampoo's out there...and by far this is the best I have ever used...I have even used it on customers dogs which have been sprayed by a skunk, I just add baking powder. Good luck.

When my Newfoundland had bone cancer my other dogs treated him differently. I think animals are much more intuned with weakness in other animals, and sickness...survival of the fittest. In my case my other dogs wanted nothing to do with my sick Newf and avoided him when ever possible...even with my sick old female Newf with CHF was treated with indifference by my other dogs...the scariest thing I had to be careful with is the fact that if my sick dogs fell, the other dogs would vicously attack them. This made it imperitive I take the sick dogs every where with me. My dogs also are very indiffernent to an aunt of mine who has cancer and is going through chemo...they usually love every one who comes to my home...but, with her they just stay away from her anc some times will put their noses up as if catching a bad scent. Dogs and other animals are pretty good at detecting other animals illness. I think PETA is a group which has gone too far with thier ideas and from the way people talk of the group (I don't know much about them...I only know as much as what I read on this forum :wink: ) they sound like a cult of mass porportions which go by their "feelings" instead of research. It is also well known that by having pets at nursing homes it helps the patiients live longer lives, and petting dogs and cats actually helps lower blood pressure...and those of us who live alone find companionship in our pets and they make us feel less lonely...or for me, they make me feel complete and much happier than when I had my human spouse pet to take care of...he was ALOT more work than my pets...actually he was from the worst of the animal kingdom :lol: Also for people who are suffereing from depression or self worthlessness find caring for a pet gives them a reason to go on living and makes them feel as though someone needs them in this cruel old world. Here is an interesting article. [quote]Researchers at Cambridge University are planning to study the ability of trained dogs to identify men with prostate cancer by smelling urine samples. "Cancer cells produce different chemicals and therefore are likely to have different odors," said David Broom, a professor of animal welfare at Cambridge Veterinary School. Dr. Barbara Sommerville, also at the Veterinary School added, "If there is a consistent change in odor, the dogs will be able to detect it, of that we are in no doubt." "At the moment, identifying prostate cancer is an inexact science. The tests are serum tests which provide a lot of false positives and some false negatives. "The current test, the prostate specific antigen test, also cannot distinguish between fast-growing tumors which require immediate treatment, and those that are slow growing. "This creates a lot of problems, especially as the next stage of diagnosis is multiple biopsies," said Dr. Sommerville. The dogs will be trained by allowing them to sniff 50 to 100 samples from men without prostate cancer, and samples from men who have been diagnosed with the disease. The dogs will be given positive reinforcement (praise and a treat) when they sniff the samples from the men with prostate cancer. After numerous repetitions, they will learn that by picking out samples with that particular smell, they will be rewarded. The ability of dogs to detect cancer, is not without precedent. There are cases in which dogs have alerted owners about changes in moles that have turned out to be cancerous. Dogs have also been trained to predict the onset of a seizure in people with epilepsy, and alert them. These dogs, evidently, are sensing a change in the person's hormones and body temperature. [/quote]

Oscar could be sufering from stress, or perhaps he got into some thing he shouldn't have...or perhaps he picked up some intestinal parasites. I would first take a stool sample to the vet to rule out parasites. All of our dogs have suffered from diarrhea at one point in their life. With my dogs I have taken them off their food for 24 hours to let their gut rest. Then I have put them on a bland diet of boiled white rice and boiled and drained lean hamburg. I add Acidophilus to their food to replace the "friendly" bacteria in their gut...Acidophilus is a powdered form of a bacteria called 'lactobacillus.'It is used when the intestines have been compromised by illness, stress, or the use of medications like antibiotics. In these situations, the normal 'friendly' bacteria which help in digestion often die and are replaced by bacteria which tend to cause problems such as increased intestinal gas and diarrhea. The lactobacillus bacteria are used to help prevent overgrowth of these undesirable bacteria, and allow the 'friendly' bacteria to recover their normal numbers. It sounds as though you are making wonderful arrangements for Oscar, a pet walker and friends dropping in during the day is a wonderful break in a long day without mom. I also grow for my dogs wheat grass and barley grass which are wonderful digestive cleansers. You could also add stuff like granular greens or green alternative to your dogs food or nettle leaf, dandelion leaf (which gently strengthens liver and gallbladder function, thus improving digestion and serving as a functional aid in the systemic eliminaton pf toxins and waste products from the body-while increasing the production of bile and digestive enzymes), ground flaxseed (do not buy pre-ground flax seed, purchase a coffee grinder and do it your self...preground flax seed will go rancid very quickly) you can add ground pumpkin seed as well. I wouldn't give all these supplements at the same time :wink: but, with my dogs I give them a variety...perhaps ground pumpkin seeds a couple of meals a week...flax seeds a couple meals a week etc. This will help your dogs whole digestive system.

I just saw this...sorry to be a late responder :o By the way K, great advice. I have used coenzyme Q10 for my (now deceased) Newfoundland who was diagnosed with CHF at 10 years of age...she lived a good quality life until almost the age of 15 years. I also increased her omega 3 fatty acid in her diet...sardines are a good food to add to a dogs diet...they also contain coenzyme Q10 and omega 3 fatty acid...at that time we didn't have the herbal knowledge we do today. :wink: I have started adding ground flax seeds and hemp oil to my current dogs food. I just wanted to add to this post...I have recently been reading up in my april issue of the whole dog journal about a herb for the heart called hawthorn..hawthorn does not initiate any immediate changes in heart function, but does so very gently over time, without adding stress or interfering with other body functions. Hawthorn helps support the heart and cardiovascular system in ways that no food or drug can. Hawthorn dilates both coronary vessels and vessels of the brain, helping to increase circulation andthe transport of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. It also serves as a blood pressure regulator, and it has the ability to steady and strengthen a weak or erratic heartbeat. It is also a great antioxidant. It scavenges free radicals that rob the blood of oxygen and may lead to various forms of vascualr disease. Hawthorn is also useful in cases of renal failure. When combined with ginkgo biloba and herbs that improve urinary function, hawtorn may be useful for getting more blood and oxygen into renal arteries and smaller vessels of the kidneys. When combined with a good natural diet and other tonic herbs, hawtorn will act exactly as a herbal heart tonic should. Other tonics herbs can be used in combination with hawtorn to round out the supplemental needs of older animals. These include ginkgo or yarrow (for strengthening capillary walls and improving blood supply to the kidneys and extremities) garlic (for added antioxidant and immune system support) alfalfa and red clover (to nourish the bolld, increase appetite, and raise energy levels); dandelion leaf (to assist in the removal of excess water) and oat tops (as a nervous system tonic). The berries of hawthorn are the most commonly used part of this plant. You can pick the ripe berries and feed them as tonic treats, or when the berries become fully ripe, they can be picked, dreid on a clean sheet of paper and ground. Or, you can make a tea (with a teaspoon o fdried berries and a cup of hot water) and pou it over your dogs food. You can also buy liquid hawthorn tincture (alcohol-free). If any one would like to order the whole dog journal (which I find is a wealth of information for us dog owners) you can order from this site. [url]http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/[/url]

I have always found group obedience classes the best training for my dogs. They have the socialization, distractions, and if your doing it all wrong you have an instructer who can actually give you hands on help...they can also analize the problems your dog may be experiencing and give advice specifically for your dog. I would make sure the obedience training only uses positive training methods...there are some groups which use negetive tactics and positive tactics...I avoid these type of trainers. Our dogs learn by positive training...they also learn to trust us as their gaurdians and not to be fearful of doing some thing wrong. I have owned alot of hard to control dogs and never once have I used any negetive training tactics...my dogs have learned quicker, they trust me, and they are not frightened to do new things. You can order a tape for training dogs, but, hands on in a class environment is going to be much better for you and your dog.

Dogs who bark when they are bored may be similar to dogs seeking attention or those that are lonely. Dogs who are bored need something to do besides barking. We need to give them a more stimulating environment and usually a lot more exercise. A tired dog is less likely to be bored. Toys such as Kongs and Buster Cubes that can be filled with treats can get your dog's brain, as well as his body, working. You could start the day by getting up a little earlier and taking felix for a good hike (I do this with all of my dogs every morning...I get up an hour earlier to exercise them). You could also hire a neighbor or petsitter to break up felix's day by coming to visit and taking felix for a walk. Dogs who bark when they are alone may be showing a symptom of their separation anxiety. These dogs are in the midst of a vicious circle

One more thing I forgot to mention. I chose the same personality types for my 2 Newfoundland dogs to replace the ones which passed away. Where Cassie has always been a fearful dog she clings to strong minded, uppity (not dominant) dogs...these 2 Newf's where self assured, have no fear of any thing...quite the same as my Newf's which passed away. It would have been a disaster if I had gotten 2 more fearful backwards Newf's to replace my deceased ones...I adopted them as adults and could judge their personalites. Another quick note, my Rottie is a very self confident self assured dog...but, Cassie does not cling to her...only the other 2 self assured Newf's...and my other Newf I have is a little fearful as well...he chooses to cling to my Dobie mix which is a male as well...they are joined at the shoulder.