imported_Cassie

Sorry I jumped too quick...I was just in one of those moods where any thing could have offended me! :lol: Sorry every one....and especially forgive me Aonir...rereading my last post I was a little harsh and snippy...perhaps one of the reason I have been unable to catch a husband... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Excuse me Aonir...the topic just got me thinking about Bella, last I heard she had a bad ear infection and I just asked in this post how the pup is doing and if the ear infection was related to allergies. I will try harder not to insult you Aonir by asking after a pups health! :evil: or perhaps I should have started a new post! Sorry if I offended any one else by asking about the pups health!

Dogs should not be used for breeding until after two years of age to allow time to see how they mature both physically and mentally. The female dog should be allowed to attain her adult size before breeding. If bred early, she will put her energy into feeding the unborn/newborn puppies instead of into finishing her growth. Genetic problems such as seizures and poor temperament may not be apparent until the bitch is 2-3 years of age. Animals with such problems should not be bred. [b]Before breeding: [/b] -You should make sure your bitch is checked for femoral head necrosis (Legg-Perthes Disease). -Eyes should receive a CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) exam. -Heart clearances from a veterinary cardiologist should be obtained. -Both the male and the female should have a negative Brucellosis test before breeding. Check with your veterinarian for certain other diseases that should be screened for before breeding. These include but are not limited to hypothyroidism, Von Willebrand's disease, copper storage disease, deafness, luxating patellas, hernias, or cryptorchidism. Certain other conditions such as allergies, chronic skin conditions, chronic ear problems, etc., should make you hesitate and think hard about breeding. These traits may be passed on to the puppies and the unsuspecting new owners. You mentioned before Bella has had prior ear problems...the Vet suspected allergies...was this negetive?

All of my friends who breed dogs breed when they have a really wonderful pair of dogs they know will produce their next BIG show winner. My friends really don't make any money off the pups they sell...my freinds always keep one pup themselves and the owner of the bitch or stud keep one...they make money off the stud fees especially when you have that dog that goes beyond being a champion and is the best of its breed in that country...this is what they are all striving for. :wink: My friend who breeds Newfoundlands has a long waiting list for her pups...even before she has any litters she interviews the people and makes sure they realize how difficult a Newfoundland can be to care for, she will not sell to people with young family's or any one expecting to start a family..too many dogs get neglected this way. My freinds all have waiting lists, they do not take deposits as it is really them who pick and chose who will be lucky enough to have one of their dogs.....they never never list in the local news paper, that right there is a dead give a way of a bad breeder...good breeders have the local breed clubs to promote them and they are listed with dogs in canada magazine and some American dog magazines...and any one breeding Newf's if they are not expecting any litter that year will refer a breeder they know will be having a litter in the coming years. My freind who breeds Newfoundland dogs perfers to keep most of her puppies! that is how I ended up with 4 of them! she actually places her Newf's which she feels are going to be great show dogs and puts them in wonderful homes with her friends at no charge...its a bonus for me as I have never paid for a dog in my life, she pays all the Vet bills, food, shampoo, treats, obedience classes (we are trying to get a CD on 2 of the Newf's she gave me)...I don't have to pay for a thing except give them my love...she has 6 Newfoundland dogs at home currently. I really hate when people randomly breed dogs just for the money...perhaps send her a picture of all the suffering little dogs which are put to sleep each year due to breeding habits such as she is doing...at the Vet clinic I work at we have a mother and 4 Chihuahua puppies looking for a home ( these poor pups and mom were confiscated by the SPCA...we take all the neglected and mistreated dogs and pups at the clinic I work at) any way these little pups almost didn't make it...they did...now they are 14 weeks and only one has found a home...I just wish your sisters friend would realize the problems she has just experienced can and will happen again...possibly a waiting list is the best idea...and interview the potential buyers....an interview will insure they are really interested...a deposit would also be a good idea...now, I don't know this for sure as I am not a breeder...but, when you have litters of pups and you are selling them to make a profit without legal documents and no recipe...isn't that some sort of tax fraud? I do beleive my freinds who breed claim the money they made from the pups....they list it as a hobby, but, they still claim them and they can also write off alot to do with their dogs??? am I wrong...

I don't own a small business of my own, but, I do work at a dog grooming and boarding facility...both are small business owned and operated out of the person's houses. These are just a few things I have heard them mention. In Canada first you have to find out if your neighborhood is zoned for small business...at least here where I live you have to take it to city counsil and document a letter for their review...they then request you send a letter to all your neighbors and get their permission...of course some times most areas are zoned for hair stylist, crafts, pottery etc. but, when it comes to keeping animals at least where I live you have to get permission first. I would strongly advise you take a few animal care courses and first aid for dogs...you will also have to have the premises inspected to insure they are correct for keeping pets...they usually will inspect your establishment every once in awhile...at least in my area they do. I would talk with other boarding facilities in your area to find out what they had to go through...are you planning on having day care or over night stays as well? I just want to advise you also...when you open a boarding facility in your own home...get a seperate phone line for your business...you wouldn't beleive the strange hours people will call...we have had a few calls at 3:00am to cancel a booking! :o (we checked the time of the call...we didn't actually take the call :lol: ) your time is never your own any more...the dogs have to be attended to morning and evening 7 days a week if you have a boarding facility..a doggy day care would not be like that. I am currently taking care of the boarding facility while my boss is away...all I do is worry about the dogs...

Here is a page full of different topics you can review...all kinds of disorders on this page. :wink: [url]http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=2&cat=1569[/url]

Thank you for your information TDG, that is very useful. :wink: I have tried asking the Vets I work with at the clinic...they don't have a clue about any thing holistic....the closest they come to holistic is prescribing Glucosamine/Chron. (cosequin) for joint problems etc. and they will sell omega 3 fatty acids to customers whose dogs suffer from arthritis and skin problems etc. I try not to bring up my views about food and herbs at the clinic I work at...they still practice by "old school" standards... :lol: They would probably faint if they knew I was feeding a raw diet and occasionely I feed Solid Gold Hund-n-Flocken and Millennia by solid gold... :o Once again thank you, I will try working out the weight of my dog with the equation you have given me.

Is it almost like he is throwing one of his legs out wards...some what??? If he starts favoring that leg every once in awhile I would hazard to guess that is could perhaps be a partially torn cruciate ligament...its really hard to detect at times as the dog seems to walk normal then they walk funny by kicking out the leg and then if they have excercised they may favor that leg...perhaps even holding it up. I would go to the Vet just to have it checked...they can do a test called the "drawer test" by palpulating the leg and perhaps take x-rays....a partial tear can be very difficult to pick up on. I am going through this right now with one of my Newfoundlands... :roll: so now, every time I hear of a dog limping this is my first guess! :lol: he only has a partial tear, one of my bitches years ago had a fully torn cruciate.

I just have a few questions...I have been giving Yucca root to my Rottweiler for about 6 months now. My Rottie has HD and of course arthritis and inflammation. Since using the Yucca root there are no more "bad" mornings or whining...plus I am happy that is is not just masking the pain. My question is, I am currently giving her human supplement of Yucca root each capsole contains 450 mg...I have heard that too much of this herb can actually have the reverse effect and can be bad for dogs over long term use...I open a capsole and just give her a pinch in her food daily...is this too much to give her? should I perhaps buy the Sun Gold Yucca sold by Solid Gold? the Solid Gold Yucca is quite expensive compared to the human Yucca which only costs me $5.00 for a bottle which should last me for a year. She is doing so well on it, but, I am a little concerned if I am doing the right thing.

julie45, I am sorry to hear what happened to you...but, those are the chances you take when working directly hands on with dogs and cats. Many animals when they are in the environment of a boarding facility, Vet clinic, or grooming shop can show abnormally high fear aggression...some times it is hard to spot, that is why it is in my opinion a necessity to take courses on dog and cat behavior and to understand the warning signs...I had one dog come in that just sort of slunk behind me and kept its head down...I was VERY careful with that dog. We also leave the leashes on dogs which we feel may be fear biters...a fear biter is much worse in a strange environment and worse still when in a cage and backed into a corner. We had one gentleman bring his Rottweiler in for vaccins, he knelt in front of the dog while the Vet gave the shot...the dog seemed calm enough...but, that little jab sent the dog into a frenzy and it bit its owners face off...the poor guy came running out of the appointment room holding his face together...we kept his dog until he was able to pick it up the next day (he was rushed to the hospital) the dog was great with us and was very excited to see its owner...but, this was the case of a dog which was great until you did some thing it didn't want you to do...then watch out! this never made the news...another girl was attacked by her own APBT and her arm was ripped apart...the worst thing was the dog would not stop attacking....it got into that "mode" the girl was lucky she was able to get into her bathroom and lock herself in...she still doesnt know how she got away...and this was a very loved family pet...this happened due to re-directed aggression. I think the reason why most people are more wary of breeds such as the APBT, Rottweilers most terriers are the simple fact that most times when they attack it is going to be worse and I have noticed with some of these breeds once they have gone into that "mode" its harder to get them out of it...and another thing about "some" breeds is what they were orginally bred for in the first place...for instance a Golden Retreiver has had a few of its motor patterns deleted to make it a good hunting dog...you certainly would not want the Retreiver going beyond grab-bite to kill bite when fetching the game bird...but, you can have the Retreiver which display a "hard mouth" which happens, these dogs would have been culled at one time, now, they usually will not use them for breeding...its a motor pattern a hunter does not want his dog to display...Terrier's, APBT's etc have not had any of their motor patterns deleted..so a grab-bite will most often go to kill bite....most terriers where bred to kill rats and other rodents, and the APBT as a pit fighter with other dogs...they certainly wanted these dogs to have the drive and all the motor patterns to make this disgusting sport some thing to bet on (sick humans) so of course the breeders wanted them to have spunk and the drive to complete the series of hard wired motor patterns. This is another reason I feel people should research the breed of dog and what they were orginally bred for before considering it to be a part of the family.

[quote]she has never hurt anyone,but the border collie has. if i tell him to bite you, he will. are u gonna ban border collies?[/quote] Now this statement really bugs me! IF I TELL HIM TO BITE YOU, HE WILL...have you told your border collie to attack people??? that is a bad dog owner... First off, ANY dog can bite in the right circumstance...but, I think if I had my choice of dogs to be bitten by it would not be an APBT or a Rottweiler or AM Staff. I also do know that there are breeds of dogs which tend to be much more dominant and bull headed than others...for instance alot of terriers. So although they are wonderful dogs in the right hands and with well educated people owning them...I don't like seeing some of these breeds with ignorant owners.

It's kinda weird how long our pet horses live compared to our feline and canine companions. A friend of mine just bought a horse which is 23 years old....and a few other horses at the barn are in their late 20's and a couple in their 30's. the horse which I co-lease is 17 (still in her prime). :wink:

Rosebud, your dogs are very lucky. Some hobby breeders tend to do the same as you do...they have only 1-2 dogs at a time and show them steady and then when they have their championship titles...which they all get sooner or later...then they either get their obedience titles or specialize the dog. For alot of "reputable breeders" the kennel life I explained earlier is the norm...I think its sad, but, it is very normal....I have many many friends who breed dogs from Shepherds to Collies to Great Pyrnees....and this is their life. Not all show dogs have it as good as your dogs do...

I don't know about life at Laurel's kennel...but, I can tell you exactly what my dogs life at the kennel was like! :lol: Life in the kennel is routine...get fed in the morning usually by the same person...they may give the demanding dogs a little pat...it is impossible to give each dog indivdual attention...the ones which get the attention are the ones who go get it them selves...the kennel attendant walks in to pooper scoop and feed....the dominant dogs are the ones who force their way over to the person and demand to be made of...usually by jumping or standing in front of the person...the person is in a hurry, but, will give the dog a pat and go about their job or duty...the shy or submissive dogs are usually back in a corner ignored by all and too shy to demand any attention....then on the weekends its "show time" some of the dogs are taken out and bathed and brushed and blown dry...this is serious business...so there is no cuddling or talking to the dog....they are then put in a crate and loaded into the van to go to the show...at the show they are put into another crate, taken out brushed and tidied up and then its off to run around an ring...the dog stands still waiting for its treat (bait) and strangers come over and feel it all over and look at its teeth etc. then back from the ring, back into the crate, back in the van...then back to the kennel where the same life takes over from there. Every thing is the same...they see nothing like fridges, stoves....lakes, ocean...teenagers... :lol: nobody really talks to them or gives them one on one attention...they are well looked after as far as health care, and food...and Vet care and they are very well looked after hygenically also...but, there is no one to cuddle with or to sit down and talk with them...even as puppies, I have seen some pups which are only 3 months old which are fearful of most people besides the kennel hand and owner of the kennel... Then they come to live in a home...they are already past puberty and perhaps the fear stage has set in...they have been on their own with only the other dogs for company for most of their lives....and any thing strange and unfamiliar can be scary. This is the life of alot of kennel dogs owned by reputable breeders...the only time a dog lives indoors is when it retires or when a bitch is whelping a litter...the rest of the dogs never get inside a house. so, to me....its no surprise that my dogs were fearful of every thing that moves...during their critical period of socialization they were with other dogs in the same environment daily...they were not subjected to new things. For the first few months of taking in my kennel dogs I couldn't even move any of my furniture as it would have them scared to death!!! a potted plant moved from the coffee table to an inn table would have them high tailing it back to the safety of my bed room. I just act normal and I never went back in to get them and force them to face up to what caused their fear...it will take time...and remember to take gooeydogs advise about pulling your dog up on a short lead and bringing Laurel closer into your personal space during a frightful experience...I tend to think about all those snappy little dogs people carry around which if you get to close the little dogs go balistic....

Kat, [quote]Cross breeds generally live longer as they have hybrid vigour and usually outlive their breed counterparts [/quote] I completely agree, I have discussed hybrid vigour before...and never in the history of the dog have we ever been so obcessed with purebreds as we are today. I do beleive there are some "orginal" dog breeds for instance those hounds you see running around villages in Africa which are domestic dogs, but, do not belong to any one...they keep basically the same look without the help of man...I beleive for different areas of the world there are certain "types" of orginal dogs which evolved to suit their environment. But it's when man starts manupulating dogs and trying to keep a "type" true to conformation and looks and starts breeding for freakish looks that we start having big problems...I have always believed cross-breeding is the best thing for some purebreds stuck in a genetic trap...most old type working dogs where just that cross breds....it would have been impossible for people of long ago to keep their working dogs from mating with every dog in each village they passed through...especially when doing the sheep migrations. We actually have a cross bred dog which comes in for grooming which is 21 going on 22...it has been fed table scraps all of its life and no health issues that usually go along with old age.

Dogs react to our body language....big time! This is how I have made it through 20 years plus working directly with dogs with out being biten....knowing how to act when around "certain" dogs, beleive me its not due to the owners being expert dog owners or the dogs not having it in them to bite a human...ALL dogs have the potential to bite a human in the right circumstance....fear being number one. Courtnek, you will find with your submissive little girl that she will tend to be a velcro dog for the remainder of her life...at least if she is any thing like my Newf's which are from the kennel and submissive to boot. I rotate taking my dogs to work with me (can't take all 5 at once.. :lol: ) my oldest girl who is the fearful one and my youngest fearful male have been my best work companions...they stick to me like glue...the socialization has also been fantastic for them...now, they will run up and greet most customers...there are still a few which really freak them out.

I think alot has to do with care of the dog and not over vaccinating your pooch. A Newfoundland is only supposed to have a life span (average) of 9-10...my Newf's (except the one with bone cancer) lived to be around 14-15...My Newf with bone cancer only lived to be 9 years of age. My pldest female at home now is 8 years old and just as spry as a puppy...she looks great and is very healthy..I have not vaccinated her since she was 6 years old.

The Guest was me Cassie...guess I forgot to log in. :oops: :oops:

Cute!!!! :wink:

The book I sugget you purchase is called "The other end of the leash" you can also do an internet search on calming signals by Turid Rugaas. I just wanted to add as well that all my dogs I have not had the pleasure of having since they were puppies. I have been given all of my dogs during adolescence or adults. If you seek advice now, you will be able to get through these terrible teenage years with Harley...good basic obedience is essential as well. I also do admit, I did not do any demoting with any of my dogs...I let them work that out on their own...I also have no order to feeding time of who gets fed first..but, I do have all of my dogs sit before they are fed. I live by the golden rule as "nothing is free" every thing including play time and going out doors to getting treats has to be earned by sitting of laying down. [quote]Sometimes when Harley is in a deep sleep and she's next to me or anyone for that fact and you accidently brush up against her while getting up, she goes into attack mode until she fully wakes up and then she's fine.[/quote] As for this quote by yourself, Harley sounds like she is very guarding of her "personal space" a good trainer will help you with different training excercises which will allow you access to her personal space any time you want. If I can find some of my paper work from the aggression seminar I attended a few years back I will add the training excercises they taught us...we went over personal space, gentle mouth, dog aggression, sibling aggression etc.

You are doing the right thing by getting both done at one time...less stress for your pup...he only has to be put under once...and less stress on your pocket book...the anthesia is what costs the big bucks!!! good luck with the surgery. Follow your post op instructions and if they put in sutures instead of stiches make sure your little guy doesnt lick the area.

I have always had a multie dog house hold...and I have always had more than one bitch at a time..at one time I had 5 bitches living together! they all got along great...after they decided upon themselves who was who....my worst case was my Doberman Pinscher, Great Pyrenees and Standard poodle with my older border collie mix and I had a female and male Newfoundland at that time also...I let them work out their differences on their own. Most times when dogs are fighting (unless they are a fighting breed) they will make alot of noise etc. but normally once one of them submits things are fine. I have never jumped into the middle of a fight...this prolongs the time which it takes for the dogs to figure things out...I know they are not going to kill each other...but, if I start getting involved then it may esculate to a much more severe fight. Harley is only 7 months old...during this time frame which is called adolescence... :lol: dogs can go through a really rebellious period, they can also build fears and other weird behavior problems at this period which may or may not go away at maturity. Your young Harley is testing her grounds. Be careful how you are handling this situation, do not coddle Dixie which seems to be the one getting attacked...how you are reacting makes a big impact on how your dogs are going to react...I also find that when people are tense all the time in anticipation of a fight and then when a little snarling starts the owner get really upset...it can make the dogs tense and distrustful of each other. I also beleive in touch therapy for dogs...massage as well...get Harley used to your hands as things which bring pleasure not things which are grabbing his collar and pulling him out of a fight...as for the fight your husband pulled Harley out of and was bitten in the process...that is called re-directed aggression which is very normal...as for the waking up growling and protective..that is a great concern...I have only experienced some thing like that once with my border collie mix...we used alot of massage therapy to help her over that bad behavior. I would first take ellieangels advice and seek vet advice to ensure this is just a behavior problem or adolescence...I have seen dogs with hip problems which when disturbed in sleep have been very protective of a sore spot. Also Courtnek gave great advice...you require profession help with this situation...please see an animal behaviorist. I have had many bitches live in complete harmony with each other...I currently have 3 bitches and 2 intact male dogs living peacefully together...I really think alot has to do with how the owner acts around them...all of my dogs sleep in my room and 2 of my bitches sleep in my bed with me...all my dogs rotate with sleeping in the bed the others have to sleep on the floor...they have accepted this without question...in the morning all the dogs jump on the bed to wake me up...I love them all, and I am a calm person who does not get upset if they happen to have a squabble...some of the worst dog fights I have seen is when people get involved... [b]Good luck [/b]also I really recommend people to pick up the bood "the other end of the leash" ...I can't remember the name of the auther at this moment...but, I will get it for you later....you can also look up "calming signals" on an internet search...possibley some one else will be able to give you the auther of the novel and some good sights to look at....but, you still require professional help as well.

I just want to add, just because a dog is frightened of a man, it does not mean the dog was abused by men. I find alot of dogs which spend their lives in kennels can have low self esteems and can be cowardly towards men due to them having a dominant stance about them...men talk louder (their voices are louder) they have bolder body language etc. I have been given 9 Newfoundland dogs from a friend of mine who breeds them...they were at the dog shows every week end...they were never abused, they were well looked after...but, they had a very sheltered life. When I brought my young male Newfounland dog he was happy go lucky until he saw some thing which scared him...what may seem trivia to us; may be a big deal to your dog...I walked into the kitchen carrying a bag of dog food...he freaked! he backed into a corner, his head went down and tail between the legs and he was shaking badly...I never thought that he had been abused by a bag of dog food... :o only that he had never seen some one carrying a bag of dog food!!! my bitch when I first adopted her at 5 years of age was scared to death of men...even though she was around the breeders husband when he fed the dogs and the judges at the shows etc. this dog had never been abused by a man...she was intimidated by men...they are dominant and she was scared...kennel dogs lead very sheltered lives... as sushiwelldone advised you, boost the dogs confidence...if the dog is acting frightened don't try to over do it by walking towards the dog...in the dogs mind when you walk directly towards him it is a very assertive gesture and can bring about more fear. I have found the best solution is for the person the dog is fearful of... is for that person to ignore the dog and go about their business...don't force yourself on the dog...my Newf which was frightened of men now loves them...I tell people to just ignore her when they first come into the house and let her come to them I gave them a few treats to put in their pockets for when she did come up to them they had some thing for her ....of course I had done alot of confidence boosting excercises with my Newfoundland dog...I do not change my tone of voice or ask others to change their tone, the only time I change my tone of voice is when my dog does some thing which I do not like, then I use a bolder voice, or when my dog has done some thing I think is great, then I use a uppity voice...I just tell people to act normally as if the dog wasn't there. She is doing great now, and when a man comes to visit she is one of the first of my 5 dogs to come out bounding to greet them. My male Newf. which was frightened of his own shadow also is a much more confident dog now...he needed time to get used to all the new things which he was being subjected to...it takes time...it took him quite awhile to adapt to living in a house instead of a kennel...even a strange noise would have him running around in a panic...

I always administer drops from behind as well...and place one hand on the dogs chest or under the chin and the other hand I use my thumb to hold the eye lid open...by pulling back on the skin on the forehead.

I wouldn't worry too much about a castration....its a routine surgery...and not as intrusive as a spay...unless your dog is Cryptorchid, which you did not mention so I assume this is not the case for your little buddy.