imported_Cassie

I have always had more than one dog at a time for the past 30 years...I have always had one senior who is perfect behavior wise ...my new dogs tend to learn from my older dogs. It's amazing what dogs will pick up from others...as Aroura mentioned nasty habits can be copied... If you could find a play group for Coal...I do realize you live way out in no man's land...but, there must be freinds near by you could meet daily and get the dogs out for a good run....my Rottie has alot of energy...and even my youngest Newf's cannot wear her out...and in the summer my Newf's are not exercised alot during the day due to the heat...I have freinds who I meet; one has a Lab the other has a Shepherd....they play well with my Rottie...we meet 4 times a week and let our dogs play...its great for us too because we go for a long hike and have a great time. Good luck to you, and now would be a good time to get Coal used to chewing bones...I give my dogs femur bones...practice your Leave it and Drop it with the bone so Coal will not start guarding the bone...always give the bone back after you have asked Coal to drop it, it just shows Coal that you have control and can take any thing from him whenever you want and the dog realizes he will get it back ...I am sorry I confused you with my version of this excercise...I use "off" as it is one syllable and sounds more like a short bark than "drop it" I use use 2 words for things my dogs like to do....like "take it" what dog doesnt want to take that treat out of your hand...I have always liked my commands to be one word...."no" "down" "sit" "off" etc....its much more understandable for the dog... Also if you are going to feed raw bones etc...make sure you supervise Coal while chewing...I give my dogs their bones while I am watching TV....they all lay on the floor and get busy chewing....its my relax time and their time to settle and relax as well. I want to add that not all dogs are good chewers...some dogs tend to get overely excited when they get a really yummy bone and can actually rip of particles of the bone which can cause damage to a dogs insides...raw hides can be dangerous as well for over enthusiastic chewers....always supervise and if Coal begins to get too excited...that is the time to take it away...never leave a fresh bone out for more than 2 days...throw it out after the 2 days...they dry out pretty quick. it is good that you can start Coal out early with raw bones, at a young age they soon learn how to properly chew and that they don't have to eat it all up now..because there are plenty more to come...the more you give bones to your dog it begins to be normal for the dog and not a treat they feel they have to eat right away. Avoid narrow bones like ribs, which even small dogs can get between their back teeth, or any bone that has small pieces that could break off and cause a choking or blockage, don't buy "sterilized" bones which can be extremely brittle, if you want to find a product that is "all natural" besides a fresh bone from you butcher...avoid smoked, flavored, and colored bones...this includes bones that are an unnatural bright white, if a chew bone shows fractures, fissures, or splinters, discard immediately, buy bones which are too large for your dog to fit between his back teeth, buy fresh raw bones from your butcher...ideally, buy bones which have lots of tissue still clinging to them...tearing the tissue off the bones provides great exercise and entertainment for your dog. I just want to add one last little peices of advice....if Coal runs after you and bites you...please tell family members its probably not a good idea to start yelling at coal....disipline should be one word...no response then corrective action (physical - squirt of lemon juice in the mouth) or by you giving either a short yelp or turn around quickly and give a command to sit...then give Coal a proper greeting once he sits....if Coal just keeps biting and jumping cross your arms stand stock still and look away from him...he will soon learn that in order to get attention its best if he behaves...the reason I brought this up is due to the fact that when Coal sees you....he sees fun....he runs toward you....the people behind him are yelling over and over...to Coal it adds to the excitment as it can sound like barking and joining in the chase....I found this advise to be very helpful when socializing my Rottie...the animal behaviorist I worked for told me many people make the mistake of repeating a command over and over...it should only be said once...if the dog does not respond, then correct it...she said this is also true of a dog which barks constantly...many owners have yelled at their dogs over and over...the dog is probably thinking...great, my owner has joined me at barking at that cat out there. :lol: Good luck with Coal, and remember he is still just a puppy....6 months is still quite young..give Coal lots of attention and don't banish him from the household....puppies and dogs need to be with the family group...its rough at first as puppies are never easy to deal with....you need to go through the rough times before you get to the good times...and, having a dog secluded from the family group can make the dog that much more excitable when he does get to join you and good behavior will not be at the top of the list of what the dog is thinking...also, when training...I can tell you enjoy having a dog which will do alot of training exercises...keep the training sessions short and sweet and fun... Have fun

How did you make out at the show???? while I was at work today at the grooming facility I asked my boss about this...she said alot of breeders will put a mousse (foam) on the dogs coat to add volume...she will get the name of the product and I will post it for you...we were so busy today we did not have time....alot of the Newfoundland dog breeders will use a foam to add volume before a show with a dog which has blown its coat...its' especially great as with show dogs they have to have a great looking coat...but, the coat also has to lay flat and straight... Let us know how you made out and I will also post the name of the product used by local breeders....I have find with my bitch she loses her coat after her heat cycle.

First I would like to commend you on your obedience training...it sounds as if Coal is a pretty smart dog! (from reading prior posts) :wink: If I remember correctly you do not have access to an obedience class with an instructer...do you? OK, ALL puppies bite...all puppies mouth...its a normal part of growing up...pups learn about bite inhibation...I wouldn't be too worried about your puppy taking over as leader of your house hold. :lol: first what I would do is follow some simple rules...first when your puppy bites you...either yelp out really loud so it sounds as if you have been shot to death...and walk away from coal and ignore him...ignore him for quite awhile...after he starts realizing that the bites are not going to give him attention or initiate play time...then he may start to learn that biting will not give him the attention he is seeking...remember to a dog even bad attention is still...attention...with my dogs I have taught them before they get attention or treats they have to sit down first and behave themselves...then is free lovin time! I have the rule "nothing is free" in my household...when you own 5 dogs and 3 of them are adolescents and wild you have to have some ground rules. I think the worst I have gone through was when I adopted my Rottweiler she was a biter!...I have also had many dogs in the past which have gone through phases such as this...its called adolescence...horrible time when your dog is testing you to see what they can get away with and to find out what will give them play time...bite run away...master will chase me, or my owner will start yelling...what fun this is...little mischief makers! Here are some more training procedures: when you have Coal on lead...have ready "real lemon juice" in a squirt bottle when Coal goes to bite your hand have the bottle ready and squeeze it into his mouth...this is one method we learned in one of our obedience classes...it worked for all the young dogs...especially Labs which are so mouthy! we actually had a border collie/lab mix in our last class...he was wild...the obedience trainer had them walk with the pup around the arena and the pup would jump and mouth etc....the trainer told them to put their foot on the lead so the dog could not move far...cross their arms and look away until the pup settled down...once settled the owner would look at the pup and say "good dog" give treat and proceed to walk again...when it started again...they did the same thing over and over...it takes lots of time...have plenty of patience...don't confuse Coal, confusion can create a monster...always have training practices which you know coal excels in and have plenty of praise, be consistent with your training "success builds confidence; removes confusion" ...praise good behavior. Every one in the house hold should be practising the "nothing is free" sit before eating, sit before getting attention...etc etc... One more thing I would like to add, Coal should have plenty of bones to chew on...at this stage they really like to chew...alot...it keeps a busy mind active and those jaws directed at some thing other than your hands....show Coal what is appropriate to chew and bite and what is not appropriate...you can teach Coal...."OFF" and "TAKE IT" this ....have a tasty tidbit and make sure Coal sees it, put it under your foot or have it in the palm of your hand...and cover it with your foot or close your hand into a fist...take your foot away so Coal can see it, say "OFF" when Coal goes to lunge at the treat put your foot over and cover it again...keep showing the treat and say "OFF" once Coal finally looks away from the treat, then pick it up in your hand and hold it out in the palm of your hand and say "TAKE IT"...once Coal gets the idea that "OFF" means - do not put mouth on this item, until I tell you its OK....and it may never be OK for you to put this item in your mouth! Make sure Coal is getting plenty of excercise, has plenty of things to excercise his mind and his mouth...dogs also require lots and lots of attention....get Coal used to your hands as being a "good thing" for rubbing belly's and behind ears and massaging sore muscles...touch and pat coal as often as possible.....give Coal lots of belly rubs...I have found belly rubs to be a pretty good way to calm a really excited dog....put on a movie sit with Coal and make of him.....once he turns around and bites you off he goes to her crate or quiet area....give him about 5 minutes in a time out then go get him ask him to sit give him a treat...and then praise him for being so good at that particular moment....he will catch on that biting will not give her desired attention...but, by sitting or laying down it will...when I do obedience work with my dogs...after their long down I release them with a great big enthusiatic good dogs!!! and then we play...for the Newf's they just like to be petted etc...my Rottie we get into a good game of fetch...with her always bringing back the object and when I say "OFF" she drops it at my feet waiting excitedly for me to throw it again for her to chase....training and fun go hand in hand. Good luck... Just remember, you have a dog...dogs like doing fun things...if an action stops the attention or the fun stuff...they will soon learn not to do the undesired behaviors... Good luck! and it takes time....adolescence seems to take forever.... :wink: keep this in mind "A successful owner controls valuable resources, and shares them with her dogs generously....appropriate behaviors earn rewards, inappropriate behaviors do not "

I just wanted to add that alot of people who show their dogs use people shampoo...I have seen them use pantene, alberto, Joico etc...it does not seem to bother there dogs at all...I have a freind who shows her 3 Collies (rough) and she uses Alberto shampoo and they have lovely coats...but, my biggest problem is the rinsing...I just don't find it rinses as quickly as a good quality dog shampoo...my Newf's have alot of coat and when you have to groom 4 of them in one day its just not worth it to me.... At the Grooming shop the reason we do not use human shampoo is the time we save rinsing...and we make up profiles for each of the dogs in for a groom the profile is like a little report card and tells what clip was given by which blade and how good their dog was etc etc...on it we list the shampoo and conditioner....Customer's would not be impressed if they saw human shampoo's on their profiles...

What a shame, one of my female Newf's was dumped at a show a couple of weekends ago due to blowing most of her coat....my male took best in show though... I have never used a hair volumizing conditioner... will be interested in the advice and suggestions you receive. I usually give a really good bath with a good shampoo & conditioner...my favorite is A-1 systems...and try not to blow too much of the coat out with the h/v dryer. I also scissor the Newf's before going to a show...usually you can tidy a raggidy coat up, but, you certainly cannot get that required fur back in the pants if they have lost it...Golden's have their feet and skirt scissored and their tail...could you possibly even it out? As for human shampoo's we do not use human shampoo at the grooming clinic I work for nor do my dogs get any human shampoo...the main reason is its too much work trying to rinse human shampoo out of a big hairy dog...if you dont get all the shampoo rinsed out then you get dry flaky skin and your dog can get hot spots. I do have a recipe which I use at times for the first shampoo on dogs which are dirty...this recipe works great and rinses out well....I have been using it for years.... 1/3 cup Glycerin 1 cup Palmolive dish soap 1 cup White Vinegar 1 quart of water mix in a liter bottle or an old large shampoo bottle. be sure to shake it up to mix in the glycerin.

All of my male dogs do this after they have smelled another dogs urine or if they have just finished licking a female...in her privates...yuk! their mouths almost seem to chatter...I beleive it has some thing to do with the scent...I have never noticed if any of my females do this... To ease your mind you should have a physical exam done on your dog and bring this up with your Vet. Good luck.

I agree with asking your teacher and fellow students in your kick boxing class who owns the kitten, if no one knows then I would certainly take the kitten home and put an alert on the radio telling that you have found a kitten and give a description. Just because the kitten does not have a collar does not mean it does not have a home...I see very few cats or kittens which wear collars...especially if they go out doors...I used to get break a way collars for my cats (I have never been successful at keeping my cats indoor only... :oops: ) I was going threw about 3 collars a week per cat...it just got too expensive...and there is no way I would put any thing but a break away collar on an outdoor cat...if they are breaking them off...just what are they getting hung up on...scary. I would have the little kitten examined by a Vet before bringing it into your home...just in case...although most cat diseases cannot be spread to your dog...there are some which can....better safe than sorry...have the vet look at the kittens tail also. If you consider keeping the kitten your self...just give your Golden time to adjust to the new room mate...To introduce your kitten to your dog, just keep things real low key...I would definately keep your Golden on a lead when introducing to your kitten...and it will probably be the kitten who freaks out..if its old enough to have an affectionate side then it will also have a great big fearful side...it may consider your Golden a horrible beast and hide...give the kitten its own space....I had to put up baby gates to keep my Rottie away from my cats...it took her 2 years to become desensitized to them....and as the saying goes curiosity killed the cat....my cats started laying in front of the baby gate staring at my Rottie...the excitement slowly wore off. Good luck.... :wink: I have rescued many cats and they have always made wonderful pets.

I would definately enroll for obedience classes...I still enjoy taking my dogs to obedience...one of my Newfoundlands is 8 years old and has her CD & CDX which are obedience titles...although she has these obedience titles I still keep going to keep her socialized in a class room athmosphere...its good for myself and my dogs. All of my Newf's I have gotten when they were over the age of 1 year old...the life they lead was kennel, dog show, nothing else! some of them were fearful of every thing...men especially as they were mainly brought up around women. Even carrying a bag of potatoes would scare them, any thing new which they had never been subjected to before was scary to them, more than 3 people in a room would have them in a panic! this does not apply to all my Newf's I have owned....only a few...I also adopted a Rottweiler at 1 year which was unsocialized...she was not frightened she was offensive...I really recommend either the assistance of a animal behaviorist or attending obedience...I have been successful with all of my dogs...I never gave up on them and they have turned out wonderful...I also never coddled them when they were fearful...I firmly beleive a confident owner can have a big impact on a fearful dog...and also I have always owned more than 3 dogs at a time...my vetern dogs were very good for my younger fearful dogs...if they are not afraid why should the fearful one be afraid....that is why it is also good if your dog gets along well with other dogs is to find a few confident dog freinds to hang around with and go for walks with...this is really a great training tool...I have slowly worked my fearful dogs slowly by desensitizing them to all kinds of situations...walking up town in a busy area full of people etc.. Your pup is still young...adolescence etc can be a hard time to go through...it's very important you do things right at this point to have a good adult dog...attend obedience, talk to an animal behaviorist, and this is mainly a socialization issue...fearful dogs are not confident...you have to build up their confidence...by training in obedience you will give your dog confidence..."success builds confidence, removes confusion" Good luck and give us progress reports.

Thank you. I just went down to watch him for the day, the breeder is the one who takes my dogs in the ring...actually, they still legally belong to her...but, she tells me they are my dogs and once they are finished she will sign them over to me. I was proud of him...this fall I will be putting his obedience titles on him....I will do this myself, the breeder does all the confirmation classes I will be doing all the obedience...and to be truthful I still don't understand the points etc in the confirmation classes.... :oops:

I am looking for a new computer....I didn't realize some companies gave free pets with each computer purchase...the best deal I can find is a free printer with each computer purchase! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I just thought I would share this with every one...I just attended a Dog show (one of my Newfoundland's took best in show) they have lots of display tables set up...one lady was representing holistic health and natural care for out dogs....any way she gave me some web sites to view and I thought I would share this one...I havent tried the recipe, one of my friends is using it with her boxer's so I will let you know how she is doing with it...there is other info on this web page also. enjoy! :wink: [url]http://itsfortheanimals.com/BLUE.HTM[/url]

I know a way we can breed the dog aggression out of the APBT...leave it to breeders who show for conformation! I see all kinds of Staffordshire Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers in the show ring...they are not APBT's but they have common back grounds...they are not dog aggressive in the show ring...or even when they are jam packed in front of the ring with their noses in other dogs butts. I have Newfoundland Dogs which are supposed to be water rescue dogs....and they are supposed to be fantasik swimmers and hard to get out of the water....I have FOUR Newfoundland dogs which I can't even get to wade in the water....instinct...I think not! I also had a Standard Poodle...now Poodle's are supposed to be retriever's of waterfowl...could I get her into the water or even retrieve...no! I owned a Doberman Pinscher which loved the water, and the same is true for my Rottweiler I own today! she will swim, retrieve and put her head right under the water and go to the bottom to pick up rocks...I have her going for the splash..like my Newf's are supposed to do...my Newf's stand on the shore and watch my Rottie in the water playing and swimming...and its not like they do not have ample opportunity to swim because I have hundreds of lakes in my area and I live on the ocean....and not one of them has had a bad experience....even my freind who has 9 Newfoundlands does not own one that will swim... So, lets get breeders who show for conformation to fix this problem with our dog aggressive APBT's. :lol:

Here is an article from the Houston times regarding Canine Vaccines. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> From April 22, 2002 Houston Chronicle: Pets don't need shots every year Experts say annual vaccines waste money, can be risky By LEIGH HOPPER Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle Medical Writer Debra Grierson leaves the veterinarian's office clutching Maddie and Beignet, her Yorkshire terriers, and a credit card receipt for nearly $400. That's the cost for the tiny dogs' annual exams, including heartworm checks, dental checks and a barrage of shots. "They're just like our children," said the Houston homemaker. "We would do anything, whatever they needed." What many pet owners don't know, researchers say, is that most yearly vaccines for dogs and cats are a waste of money -- and potentially deadly. Shots for the most important pet diseases last three to seven years, or longer, and annual shots put pets at greater risk of vaccine-related problems. The Texas Department of Health is holding public hearings to consider changing the yearly rabies shot requirement to once every three years. Thirty-three other states already have adopted a triennial rabies schedule. Texas A&M University's and most other veterinary schools now teach that most shots should be given every three years. "Veterinarians are charging customers $36 million a year for vaccinations that are not necessary," said Bob Rogers, a vet in Spring who adopted a reduced vaccine schedule. "Not only are these vaccines unnecessary, they're causing harm to pets." Just as humans don't need a measles shot every year, neither do dogs or cats need annual injections for illnesses such as parvo, distemper or kennel cough. Even rabies shots are effective for at least three years. The news has been slow to reach consumers, partly because few veterinarians outside academic settings are embracing the concept. Vaccine makers haven't done the studies needed to change vaccine labels. Vets, who charge $30 to $60 for yearly shots, are loath to defy vaccine label instructions and lose an important source of revenue. In addition, they worry their patients won't fare as well without yearly exams. "I know some vets feel threatened because they think, `People won't come back to my office if I don't have the vaccine as a carrot,' " said Alice Wolf, a professor of small-animal medicine at Texas A&M and an advocate of reduced vaccinations. "A yearly exam is very important." The movement to extend vaccine intervals is gaining ground because of growing evidence that vaccines themselves can trigger a fatal cancer in cats and a deadly blood disorder in dogs. Rogers conducts public seminars on the subject with evangelical zeal but thus far has been unsuccessful in persuading the Texas Veterinary Medical Association to adopt a formal policy. "I'm asking the Texas attorney general's office if this is theft by deception," said Rogers, whose Critter Fixer practice won an ethics award from the Better Business Bureau in 2000. "They just keep coming out with more vaccines that are unnecessary and don't work. Professors give seminars, and nobody comes and nobody changes." When rabies shots became common for pets in the 1950s, no one questioned the value of annual vaccination. Distemper, which kills 50 percent of victims, could be warded off with a shot. Parvovirus, which kills swiftly and gruesomely by causing a toxic proliferation of bacteria in the digestive system, was vanquished with a vaccine. Over the years, more and more shots were added to the schedule, preventing costly and potentially deadly disease in furry family members. Then animal doctors began noticing something ominous: rare instances of cancer in normal, healthy cats and an unusual immune reaction in dogs. The shots apparently caused feline fibrosarcoma, a grotesque tumor at the site of the shot, which is fatal if not discovered early and cut out completely. Dogs developed a vaccine-related disease in which the dog's body rejects its own blood. "That really caused people to ask the question, `If we can cause that kind of harm with a vaccine ... are we vaccinating too much?' " said Ronald Schultz, a veterinary immunologist at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. "As you get more and more (vaccines), the possibility that a vaccine is going to cause an adverse event increases quite a bit." Less frequent vaccines could reduce that risk, Schultz reasoned. Having observed that humans got lifetime immunity from most of their childhood vaccines, Schultz applied the same logic to dogs. He vaccinated them for rabies, parvo, kennel cough and distemper and then exposed them to the disease-causing organisms after three, five and seven years. The animals remained healthy, validating his hunch. He continued his experiment by measuring antibody levels in the dogs' blood nine and 15 years after vaccination. He found the levels sufficient to prevent disease. Fredric Scott, professor emeritus at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, obtained similar results comparing 15 vaccinated cats with 17 nonvaccinated cats. He found the cats' immunity lasted 7.5 years after vaccination. In 1998, the American Association of Feline Practitioners published guidelines based on Scott's work, recommending vaccines every three years. "The feeling of the AAFP is, cats that receive the vaccines every three years are as protected from those infections as they would be if they were vaccinated every year," said James Richards, director of the Feline Health Center at Cornell. "I'm one of many people who believe the evidence is really compelling." Texas A&M's Wolf said the three-year recommendation "is probably just as arbitrary as anything else," and nothing more than a "happy medium" between vaccine makers' recommendations and the findings by Schultz and Scott aimed at reducing vaccine-related problems. But many vets are uncomfortable making a drastic change in practice without data from large-scale studies to back them up. There is no animal equivalent of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which monitors outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease in people, thus keeping tabs on a vaccine's effectiveness. Federal authorities require vaccine makers to show only that a vaccine is effective for a reasonable amount of time, usually one year. Richards notes that studies to get a feline vaccine licensed in the first place are typically quite small, involving 25 to 30 cats at most. There is no federal requirement to show a vaccine's maximum duration of effectiveness. Arne Zislin, a veterinarian with Fort Dodge Animal Health, the largest animal vaccine maker in the world, said such studies would be expensive and possibly inhumane, requiring hundreds of animals, some of them kept in isolation for up to five years. "I don't think anyone with consideration for animals would really want to go through that process," said Zislin, another vet who believes current data are insufficient to support an extended schedule. Diane Wilkie, veterinarian at Rice Village Animal Hospital, said she tells pet owners that vaccines appear to last longer than a year, but her office hasn't officially changed its protocol yet. She said 20 percent to 30 percent of her cat patients are on the extended schedule. "It's kind of a hard situation. The manufacturers still recommend a year, but they're the manufacturers," Wilkie said. "It's hard to change a whole professional mentality -- although I do think it will change." In Houston, yearly pet examinations typically cost $50 to $135, with shots making up one-third to half of the expense. A dental check, heartworm test, fecal check and overall physical are usually included in the price. Without the shots, vets could expect to lose a chunk of that fee. But an increasing number of vets are emphasizing other services, such as surgery. Wolf said savings on vaccines might prompt pet owners to get their pets' teeth cleaned instead. An in-house test to check antibody levels is in development. "I definitely think there's a profit issue in there; don't get me wrong," Wilkie said. "(But) people are willing to spend money on their pets for diseases. Although vaccines are part of the profit, they aren't that big a part. We just did a $700 knee surgery." Vaccination findings Veterinary research challenges the notion that pets need to be vaccinated every 12 months. Some of the findings: Dog vaccines/Minimum duration of immunity

Panting can also be a sign of stress or pain...when my dog was suffering from HD the pain caused her to pant excessively....what is your dog on Rimadyl for? I have found a natural anti inflammatory called Yucca which has worked wonders for my dogs arthritis from the HD...and it does not ruin her liver like the Rimadyl does.

[color=red][size=6]Good for you![/size][/color] :wink:

I only give Vaccines to my Rottweiler & one of my Newf's once every 4 years (my other Newf's still belong to the breeder, she has the vacc's done annully as they travel throughout USA, Canada and Bermuda with them) ... I am going to start having my dogs titer levels done instead of vaccinating the titer levels are accepted by law for boarding, obedience etc. they are expensive though...that is the only down fall...I really don't like to over burden my dogs immune system with too many Vaccines...the Rabies Vaccine should only be done once every 3 years (it even says so on the bottle) the annual Rabies vaccines is not different than the every 3 year one. This is a completely personal opinion...I feel as though by vaccinating my dogs annually for the first 3 years their immunity levels are built up...this can be proven with a titer..at that time if a level of immunity is down...then I will revaccinate...and many provinces in Canada are only under law to vaccinate every 3 years....it just depends on where you live...

I use an herb called Yucca which is useful for relieving inflamed joints in animals with arthritis and other rheumatoid diseases...it is very important to feed supplements that contain no more than 10 percent yucca root on a long-term basis. My Rottie which has HD is doing great with the Yucca, Glucosamine & chondroitin (when using the supplement for humans I use vitamin C or magnesium to add in the uptake of the Glucosamine), I also give MSM...she no longer whines when she gets up from a nap..and I know it is not just masking the pain like anti inflammatories such as metacam or rimadyl do (they also ruin the dogs liver!) .... You can use Buffered Aspirin in addition to the glucosamine & chondroitin....Buffered Aspirin is an excellent anti-inflammatory..I perfer not to use it and use the Yucca instead. Here is an article for you to read which gives lots of info: [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1569&articleid=485[/url]

I have used a halti on occasions, they are good to use as they control the dogs head...for a nice long hike they are perfect as when dresdon is behaving she will have no pressure...they soon learn that by pulling it is not very comfortable...I have seen alot of people with hyper dogs have great success...if you are going to be around other dogs and your afraid of a potential bite then definately use the advice courtnek suggested. I live out in the country and I have miles and miles of trails behind my house which no one uses except me...my dogs walk off lead with me...I have found this gets all that excess energy out of them...a tired dog is a good dog! :wink: if Dresdon has alot of Dobie in her (boy, did mine ever like to run) a good idea is to find a fully fenced in ball feild and let your dogs run and play. I just love Dobie's...my freind breeds them...they do seem to have alot of cute little perks to their personality...most people I talked to back when I had my Dobie would always remark...oh, my Dobie does the exact same thing! for instance I used to have a car which did not have the cage barrier between me and the dogs (which I have now!) my Dobie used to sit right on my seat with me and her check was stuck to my check staring out the front window as I drove...whenever I sat down she would plunk her bottom down on my lap or sit beside me on the coach skin to skin with her head on my shoulder...standing up she would lean against my legs...I have never experienced such a close companion...she was the most loving dog almost my shadow...where I went she went (even visiting people's houses, they expected my Dobie to be with me!) :lol: :lol: In order to find a good obedience class, ask your Vet and they will give you a good referral.

I have found a major difference in my Newf's on the raw diet...I only have one of my Newf's on the raw diet as my other 3 legally belong to the breeder and she still uses them for showing etc...she buys all their food and Vet bills are paid by her also...she feeds the dogs kibble, she is not crazy about raw as most of the dog shows she organizes are sponsored by dog food companies and they are always giving her promotions lending her tents for the shows and tables etc...so the dog shows and Vets are very dependant on dog food companies...Vets also do not study much on nutrition in school...learning only what dog food companies provide (specialized foods etc) also kibble helps keep our dogs just a little sickely and lowers their immune systems with all that added grain which can cause yeast over growths which lead to food intolerances which can be misdiagnosed as food allergies etc...any way enough ranting!!! :lol: I have found with my Newf which is on a raw diet she always held a dull coat which was turning brown...thinking it was only the sun bleaching her coat I never thought much about it...any way, now that she is on the raw her coat is beautiful black and shiny - gone is the horrid brown and red! my dogs which are still on kibble have this horribe brown to their coat...it just looks so unhealthy...and they constantly have a large wax build up in their ears...my Newf on raw and my Rottie on raw used to have major wax build up on kibble...now their ears are clear and healthy...they no longer have an odor!!! yeah!

My boss at the Vet clinic has a GSD which has some sort of degenerative disease of the hind leg muscles...the dog cannot walk on its hind legs but has full use of front legs...the back legs almost seem paralized...she uses the K9 cart and has great success...as her dogs hind legs are not being used and he scoots around on his front legs and seems very happy. I will ask her more about the life style changes etc...we also have a Lab which comes to the Vet clinic which has a degenerative muscle disease as well and she uses the K9 cart also.

I also love Haltis...just like horses when you can control the animals head then the dog will not pull and try to drag you along for the ride! :lol: Thats why when you ride a horse you have a bridle on, when you want the horse to drag some thing you put a neck brace & harness on! makes sense!

I agree with every one else, group obedience is great for getting your dog to focus on you. The trainer may suggest a basket muzzle for your dresden around the other dogs...when I first adopted my Rottweiler, or rather she was forced on me! :lol: I was at wits end...she was a bully, dog aggressive (still is dog aggressive) and she was not very nice around people...she was a sad case...tied in a back yard for her first year of life...her owner was away working in another city and she was being fed by people down the road...the dog had no shelter and no way to protect herself from other dogs which roamed in her area...she was a basket case and I almost didn't keep her...I worked with a wonderful animal behaviorist who encouraged me to come to her obedience classes with the other dogs even though my Rottie was snarling and lunging at all the other dogs we just kept the basket muzzle on and the trainer taught me about redirecting her attention with real good treats (luckily she is very food motivated) I also had my sister enroll one of my Newfoundland dogs to use as a sheild from the other dogs when she got really out of control...I beleive at that time she was going through adolescence and fear onset which lead to offensive behavior...luckily she has always loved Newf's so that was not a problem...she still has her moments, and I don't expect she will love every dog she meets...but, I kept up with her descensitizing her to other dogs and I found play mates for her which were breeds other than Newfoundland dogs... :lol: [quote]I am concerned about the growling and hackling incidents you mentioned. Mainly with the one that involved your sister and Dresden running and peeing on herself. I would suggest that you have her vision checked, if her vision is poor then she would naturally be more defensive in strange or frightening situations[/quote] This is a concern as Rosebud mentioned....I have noticed also and I beleive I read some where that dogs have a different way of viewing the world...and see things differently..for example while in your car and some one comes up to the window...it looks different and the dog will act in a defensive pattern...even people my Rottie loves cannot stick their hands in my car window to pat her...I'll try to find the article...I think it was in the Whole dog journal...but, as Rosebud suggested please do have dresdon's eye sight checked and mention this to the obedience trainer when you start. So dresdon has Dobie in her...I had owned a Doberman Pinscher in the past and she was constantly sitting on my lap...she always had to be right on top of me and others all the time...she wasn't a dominant dog...she just seemed to be a cling on dog...she also had a rough start to life ( (I got her through a breed rescue)..she was snappy etc when I first got her but we worked on positive training and she turned out to be a lovely dog. I along with the other am concerned about dreson snapping and growling...either as courtnek said your dog requires demotion...or perhaps your dog needs to have its confidence built so it will not be fearful of new things....either way a obedience class with a professional will be able to see the problems and help you...I'm glad you are going to be moving to an area which will have proper training classes...and try to find a trainer who beleives in positive training...reward for the good, and redirect the bad....our dogs do not automatically know our rules...so there fore they must be shown our rules gentlely..I have always had fun with my dogs and my training is very fun...and rosebud mentioned recalls...recalls are very important. Good Luck to you and Dresdon...and remember when training...success builds confidence...remove confusion...a confused dog is a dangerous dog.

Perhaps dresden is going through adolescence...I have always found this to be an extremely hard time to go through where the dog will either show fear phobias...for instance one of my newest Newfoundlands which I took in during adolescence (15 months) saw me carry a bag of dog food...he had never seen such a thing..his rump went down his tail stuck between his legs and ran into my kitchen only to be confronted by a corner...there he stood growling in fear and barking!!! I put the bag of food down let him come to me and the bag and sniff..when he realized it was no danger he was fine! Any way! some times putting our dogs in strange situations around too many people can make them a little fearful...and some times guarding...I have seen dogs in exciting situations "forget" all basic commands. I would certainly understand my dogs acting "different" in new situations...my Rottweiler used to act weird when I had too many people over to the house she would stand in front of me and try to push me into corners with her body...I have since reassured her that lots of people over is OK and have taken it slowely and have not "forced" commands on her when she is in that highly excited mood, nor do I coddle her...if I did she would start to think that there is some thing wrong and she should act the way she does as the behavior is being reinforced by positive attention...she is getting used to being around lots of people and now instead of standing around me and protecting my personal space she now greets every one and falls down in front of them for belly rubs.. The reason Dresdon may have been growling in your tent was she was hearing strange noises and it was a completely different atmosphere, tents can be pretty scary for a dog..I think in a situation such as the camping you just went through....I would have lots of yummy treats available and reward all the good behavior and brave deeds...such as not fearing a strange night noise etc....have one dog sleep on either side of you instead of letting them "choose" where they want to sleep....dogs who have never slept in a tent also may be nervous...some dogs take to tents right away while some dogs may be timid or even frightened. I have had dogs for over 40 years now and always have had a multie dog house hold...I have never been concerned about my dogs sleeping at eye level as me...all my dogs have sleep in my bed with me as well as my cats! and with a pack of wolves its not true that the pack leader always eats first, goes through door ways first, or routinely rolls other pack members onto their backs to keep them in line...the pack leader may be able to do these things if she wants, but it really is in the pack's best interest - and hers - to be in a state of equilibrium that doesn't involve a constant show of force...there are a number of quick and easy exercises you can insert painlessly into your daily routine to remind your dog that you are in charge of the resources ...just have your dog say please for every thing...for example it is perfectly ok to feed your dog before you eat your own meal - as long as you remind your dog that you control the food bowl...have your dogs see you prepare their meal & have him sit before setting it down, say please to go outside ask your dog to wait then open the door and release him with an okay...some times the dog goes through first, some times you go through first and some times the dog doesnt get to go through at all...at my house I have a fully fenced in compound around my house...I just open my door have all the dogs sit give them each a treat then release them with a "go" and then I have a little peace and quiet while preparing my own breakfast! you can get the idea of this training...this is positive training where you are kindly controlling, not demoting while training. I would absolutely die if my dogs didn't snuggle with me at night...this is the reason I got dogs is for companionship....I have taken in alot of "problem" dogs in my life many which I have rescued...I have enjoyed each of them throughely and they all respected me...I did not "demote them" I gave them structure of what I wanted and did not want them to do...with proper training they have always been content and I have always enjoyed my dogs. I'm also wondering if you are attending obedience classes...some times a class setting with lots of distractions can be very helpful for a dog and the socialization can be very benefical..my Rottie does not like any other dogs and is very dog aggressive, but she loves ALL Newfoundland dogs..and I have found a few play mates for her other than my Newf's and we meet for play time twice weekly, you can't expect all dogs to love all dogs...and definately seek the advice of an animal behaviorist who can actually see what your dog is doing...and give you the proper advice for your dog as an individual. Good Luck! and remember adolecence is a tricky time period for any dog....and adolecence is also when fears are instilled and reinforced.

[quote]what really amazes me about all of that, is that the reason the aristocracies inbred that way (without realizing the consequences at the time) is because they didnt want to "breed" outside of the royal family!!!! They thought they were keeping their "royalty" intact - dont want to have any commoners in the family or anything.....how arrogant can you get??? they brought down their own houses, from disease, because they didnt want to mix with the "lowly"....most of whom were NOT inbred and would have saved the royal familes from disease and ruin..... [/quote] [b]Courtnek[/b], what a wonderful statment! perhaps the same thing is happening to our purebred dogs...many dog breeders treat breeds as if they were a species, and sexually isolate small populations of them in an attempt to preserve their historic, ideal phenotype....where did this idea come from that in the beginning all dogs were purebreds and everything else since then that is not pure is a mutt???? I do beleive that people who work their dogs know that "purebreds" are not such a good idea...many people who breed for herding dogs etc know that crossbreeding keeps a sound dog which is called hybrid vigor...and I have also seen with the seeing eye dogs they are starting to cross breed Labs & Bouvier's to produce a more sound dog.

[quote]I absolutely disagree, Cassie. If animals in nature "know" not to breed incestually, then wouldn't domesticated animals "know" the same thing? Wouldn't a male dog, say, refuse to mate with his daughter? Whiile some animals have social structures that would prevent this (say, males generally leave the family group when they're of a certain age), many others do not. [/quote] Sanvena, first I would like to state that our "domestic" dogs have lost most of their natural instincts...if you took a few maltese and left them in the woods...would they survive?? no they wouldn't. Domesticated dogs depend on man to survive, ..as for animals in the wild they have natural instinct which helps them to survive....inbreeding can occur...but even in your article which you posted man is usually always the culprit behind it...we modernize the animals natural habitates building cities and chopping down natural habitates and make it very difficult for them to leave the area to find their own territories...do you ever wonder if this could be the reason there are so many animals on their way to becoming extinct or many animals which are already extinct??? perhaps it is due to inbreeding and weakening the animals so they cannot survive.. and no, wild animals do not automatically "know" which animals within their species they are related to...that is why they have such strict herd or pack order... this helps them to prevent inbreeding....we humans also follow rulse to help us keep tract so as to not have inbreeding...that is why marrige is such a popular thing to do...we keep tract of "our" pedigrees by marriage & documents...I have traced my family tree back many generations due to marriage documents that are kept on record. I think courtnek said it best. [quote]There Are laws in most places that dont allow people too closely related to mate - cousins, 2nd cousins, 3rd cousins...it becomes a genetic nightmare and causes diseases. diseases like lack of the ability for blood to clot - common among the Aristocracies that bred too close to home. Hemophelia. [/quote] Man is a very greedy species...we ruin every thing that we touch...look what we are doing to our world...all our animals etc are just on the roller coaster ride having to obsorb the consequences man hands out to them...what an injustice.