imported_Cassie

It is amazing how nature gives the wild animals instinct to survive and survival of the fittest to keep animals strong...its very interesting...Dogpaddle and Courtnek your knowledge is fasinating... Nature does a pretty good job of keeping animals healthy...humans have a way of messing up the natural order of such things and making a mess...then trying to blame heridatary diseases on nature! :o

All of my Newfoundland's have had blue/black spot on their tongues which got bigger as they got older...and my Shep/huskey mix also had a large spot of blue/black on his tongue which got larger as he aged...if you look at alot of different dogs (which I work with many different dogs daily) I notice alot of dogs have blue/black spots on their tongues.

[b]Guest wrote:[/b][quote] of course it does happen in the wild. animals are still animals, no matter how much people are trying to project human values and morals on them. as soon as a mature male and a mature female meet each other at the right time, nature doesn't care if they are mother and son, daughter and father or brother and sister. [/quote] Guest, where are you getting your information??? I know for a fact that wild animals on the most part do not interbreed...especially mother to son etc...in the wild the young males once mature find new territory and will fight for new mates...they do not stay in the same territory as their mother. For some factual information IF an inbreeding does occur (lets take the white tail deer for example) then you can have pie-bald or white offspring...most times these off colored young fawns will not make it as the mother does not give them special attention...and most times are left to die. A white or pie-bald deer is a defect for a deer and is not practical for hiding from predators...so there is a reason for wild animals not inbreeding...it would cause all sorts of genetic defects and odd coloring which would have them stand out in the wild...when what they need to do is blend in...even wild horses...there is only one stallion per herd...the young stallions have to leave the herd and fight for control of a new herd. If nauture made the same mistakes as we do with our purebred dogs and the inbreeding we do then you would see alot of genetic diseases in our wild animals..deer that couldnt run..coyotes that couldn't chase due to some thing like HD...with purebred dogs the stud book is closed on a population, in order to promote specific traits, this inadvertently and dangerously starts a process of inbreeding. If wild animals started to inbreed then you would see wolves & coyotes etc with hip dysplasia, patella problems...and a list of other genetic disorders that we as man have brought on to our purebred dogs..lets take for example the dog-show winner, this dog becomes the favored breeding dog, and the tiny population that qualifies for inclusion in the breeds's stud book is now funneled through these few "best" individuals. To breed heavily to champions is to substantially reduce the effective population size. It channels the available genes through a few individuals. If every owner of a female only bred his dog to this year's champion, then the next generation of dogs would all have the same father. Then the generation after that would all be brother-sister crosses. Thus, the breeding to champions increases the inbreeding coefficient very rapidly. On the surface some popular breds may appear to have a large population, but their genealogies - their pedigrees - indicate that most of them share close ancestors and there fore also genetic alleles...so as you can see inbreeding takes place in the "purebred" world quite often...this is why we have so many genetic diseases...like HD...this disease of the hip is not a typical disease that happens...I would say it is man made...reputable breeders on the surface may seem like they are doing a great thing for the dogs...but, they are not...they are actually doing our dogs a great disservice. So is you want to see dogs which are inbreed...sister to brother, father to daughter etc...go to a dog show -conformation class....

Good for you...I really respect people who have such BIG hearts as to take in an older dog...we have one Peke thats comes in for grooming which is 19 years old....so you may still have a long time with you new bundle of joy! :lol: Very wise of you to wait til her health is back....most vets would not do a spay until a sickely dog is feeling better. You will know when its time for the spay...and the Vets will do a complete blood count before hand just to make sure every thing is alright...most Vets will not put a dog under after 5 years of age with out a CBC...if the owners insist a surgery be done without the blood work they usually have them sign a form which states that the Vet clinic is not responsible... if any thing goes wrong during the surgery due to undetected (undelying problems) which a blood test would have shown. I would not recommend a dog be spayed while in heat as the uterus is very swollen and it makes the surgery very difficult....you are making all the right decisions. Congrat's on your new "older" child...I hope you keep her. :wink:

I am so glad you are seeking professional help.... :wink: I'm sure with positive training and building roxy's confidence you will be well rewarded...

Eating grass is pretty normal...but, to be going through a period of being obsessive about it and licking air is not normal behavior. I would definately make and appointment with the Vet and have a complete physical and possible blood work done...although it may be nothing its better to be safe than sorry... IMO any abnormal behavior could signify a problem...I have always taken my dogs in when they are not acting themselves....

[size=6][color=red]LOVE IT![/color][/size]

Every one has had a bad experience in their life with a dog..and some times people are correct when they refer to some of the problems they have had with a certain breed...some behaviors are hard wired into some breeds ...how many people have I heard complaining about their border collies with the eye stalk and chase and the energy they have... :lol: a border collie when they show the "eye" can be a diasater for a family but a wonderful dog for herding sheep, or when some one purchases an APBT that is dog aggressive, or a hunting dog which is always trying to retreive objects etc - these are all typical hard wired motor patterns which all the training and socialization in the world is not going to change..you just have to find constructive channels for this motor pattern for the particular breed...some dogs are not as motivated by their natural motor patterns as others so we can't glump them all into the same natural behavior patterns that can some times cause us as humans such distress... I have had Newfoundland dogs in the past which I could not keep out of the water and would go for the splash...once a girl was playing and splashing around and my male went out and "saved" her! :lol: my Newf's that I currently own will not go in the water. For the most part...that is why we have purebred dogs so we can have some idea of what we are getting our selves into....all the socialization in the world is not going to stop a hard wired motor pattern from starting. I think some people have had problems in the past with a breed and like to share it with others to save them greif...there are some bad dogs and good owners...the only problem was the owner did not know what motor pattern they were purchasing....I know a lady who has a retreiver which will retreive ducks...his motor pattern is very very hard wired...he actually jumped out of her car window after a duck in a very dangerous river with bad undertows and currents...they had to send a rescue boat out to save it...she has owned many dogs and is a wonderful owner...but, she can't train this out of her dog...she will just have to get used to is and start duck hunting!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: or put the dog in some agility to get rid of that excess energy. I would not feel bad about the man coming over to you to give you some advice...he is probably lonely and this was his way of having a conversation.

[quote]Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever!!!!!!!! They are a rare breed, so it's good to educate people about them[/quote] They are rare????? :o :o Perhaps in your area they are rare...but, in my area of Canada they are a dime a dozen!!! We groom at least 10 a week...they are pretty common in my area.

The eyes! that is a really terrific candid shot! WOW! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Does Wellness offer soft food? my dogs would not eat a bowl of dry food not mixed if their lives depended on it (I feed raw food now...but I used to feed kibble) I have always put water in with the kibble put a couple of tablespoons of soft food in and mixed in a gravy...the smell is wonderful and my dogs used to just gobble it down..but, put down a bowl of just plain dry..they would leave it for days and turn up their noses! even when I mixed in just water that also improved the temptation of the food.

It would be nice if you could get some one to come in and "pet sit" your new addition. It would be difficult for an older dog with problems such as you mentioned to go to a day care facility..and I'm not sure if any of them offer services for the evening...at least not in my area they don't. I work at a boarding facility (plus a Vet clinic & grooming facility) alot of younger dogs do very well at the boarding facility...but, some older dogs get pretty stressed...I would just be worried as you mentioned your dog has a heart murmer (a supplement you can add to stenthen the heart is Co-Q10)..the only bonus would be is that your neighbors would not have to listen to the howling. With a newly adopted dog such as yours I would also try to leave a peice of clothing down for him as a bed...clothing that you have worn recently which still has your scent on it...this may ease your dogs lonliness while you are gone...put this in his crate and it may give him a little more security...I have even heard of people taping their own voices in a conversation and letting it play for their dog while they are gone...I don't know how well this will work...but, its worth a try. :wink: The only time I had to deal with seperation aniexity was at one time I was down to one dog (I'd had to have 2 put down due to old age) she was never left on her own before and developed arual lick dermentitis caused from the stress of being alone (she didn't bark or howl, just self mutilated herself) I got 3 more dogs - problem solved! :lol:

Here is an article for your review...you may want to consult with your Vet regarding some behavior modification med's such as I have posted below. [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1275&articleid=1318[/url] Have you though about perhaps getting another pet to keep your new addition company??? perhaps a kitten or another small dog???? this may be out of the question but I just thought I would mention it..it could help ease the lonliness for your little pal....the pet sitter would also be a good idea. Where your dog is older and has been placed in a new home the seperation aniexity can be worse...it is quite common with dogs who have been placed in new homes or have gone from home to home.

[b]Call your Vet ASAP!!![/b] You pup could possibly be taking an allergic reaction to the vaccine...and at your pups age it could be dangerous. [quote]Anaphylaxis is a rare, life-threatening, immediate allergic reaction to something ingested or injected. If untreated, it results in shock, respiratory and cardiac failure, and death. What types of agents can cause anaphylaxis? Stinging insects, antibiotics, vaccines, certain hormones and medications, and foods can cause anaphylaxis in susceptible animals. What are the symptoms of anaphylaxis? The most common symptoms are the sudden onset of diarrhea, vomiting, shock, seizures, coma, and death. The animal's gums will be very pale, and the limbs will feel cold. The heart rate is generally very fast, but the pulse is weak. There is no facial swelling. How is anaphylaxis treated? Anaphylaxis is an extreme emergency. If you think your dog is having an anaphylactic reaction, seek emergency veterinary assistance immediately. Epinephrine should be given as soon as possible - we are talking within a few minutes. IV fluids, oxygen, and other medications are given as needed. Can anaphylaxis be prevented? In general, there is no way to predict which animals may have an anaphylactic reaction to which substances. If a dog has already had a reaction, such as anaphylaxis, angioedema, or hives, to a substance, the substance should be avoided. If your dog has ever had a reaction to a vaccine or medication, be sure your veterinarian knows and the information is placed in your pet's medical record. If your dog has ever had a reaction to a vaccine, subsequent vaccinations should be given by your veterinarian. In some cases, certain vaccines may be excluded from your dog's vaccination regimen, or a different type of vaccine will be used. If you vaccinate your own pets, you should have epinephrine available and know how to use it in case a reaction occurs. If your dog has an anaphylactic reaction after a vaccination, inject the proper dose of epinephrine and seek emergency veterinary assistance immediately. Many vaccines contain antibiotics as preservatives. If your dog is allergic to an antibiotic, be sure to check all vaccines for the presence of that antibiotic before use. For animals that are allergic to insect bites, such as bees, ask your veterinarian about getting a prescription for an 'epi-pen' and be sure to take the 'epi-pen' with you on any trips or hikes. An 'epi-pen' is a special syringe and needle filled with a single dose of epinephrine. If your pet has an anaphylactic reaction, inject the epinephrine using the 'epi-pen' and seek emergency veterinary assistance immediately.[/quote]

Here is some suggested reading: "The Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConell "Calming Signals" by Turid Rugaas Aroura has posted really good suggestions...the critical period is very important for a puppy and during this period up to sixteen weeks the pup learns all its social skills...after 16 weeks a dog has very poor abilities to develop or change its social skills... before making any rash decisions I would definately consult an animal behaviorist and join a obedience class with a behaviorist who practices Positive training & confidence building and will also teach [b]you[/b] how to handle these situations. Don't use a shock collar or any painful or scary training techniques...this may cause more aggression...and if you use a shock collar the shock may be associated with the object your dog is aggressive towards. I have notiticed that every once in awhile the dog is responding to how the person on the other end of the leash reacts...if you tense up when you see a situation you "feel" you dog will not act appropriately your dog will pick up on your agitated mood and act accordingly...and another thing I have noticed is how people react to your dog...they can sense fear from people or they react to the persons body language. ...they way children act and approach can also put a dog in a defensive mood....try to desensitize roxy as Dogpaddle suggested....also try to train roxy to lie down when meeting children to say hello....a dog can't do much laying down and a well-trained emergency "Down" can also save the day, even if your dog is in full stride. Many dogs will "down" even if they won't come... tell children to look off to the side when approaching roxy..in doggy language this says "I am no threat to you, I would like to be your freind" I would also make sure roxy is well exercised, a tired dog is a good dog! :wink: play plenty of games with roxy including fetch as this will provide appropriate outlets for her high energy. I would also ensure I had a basket muzzle on roxy when you are out walking...having one on can put you more at ease which can some times reflect on how your dog will react to difficult situations.... Here is a web page to read about calming signals: [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1547&articleid=1135[/url] another article which has some information which applies to your situation..not all of this article will apply to you but read it any way... :wink: [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1547&articleid=2415[/url] Also, I am just wondering what kind of set up you have for roxy...alot of terriers have high prey drives...most terriers where orginally bred to hunt rats, as in the case of the APBT they were bred for dog fighting which also requires a prey drive....the part of the prey drive they have is the grab and kill part of the predatory sequence...prey drive doesnt just mean they will go after "prey" animals...when you throw a ball or stick and your dog chases it, you are triggering his natural predatory desire to chase things that move...the reason I ask what kind of set up you have is that the frustration of restraint on a chain or behind a fence combined with constant exposure to the trigger of rapidly moving prey objects can push a dog from predatory behavior to real aggression...both behaviors, of course, are dangerous...Look for ways to minimize his visual and physical access to "prey" in his own yard - a solid fence will prevent him from seeing things moving quickly by, and will prevent many potential prey animals (including small children) from entering easily... Good luck and let us know what you decide to do...we are here to support you in what ever your decision may be :D

I meant to mention to have treats readily available when it comes time you are comfortable enought to introduce children to your dog..give the child some treats to give to your dog when being introduced.

You will definately require a good animal behaviorist for this one...was your dog aloof towards children before this incident???? has your dog been socialized with children... Here is some suggested reading: "The Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConell "Calming Signals" by Turid Rugaas I have seen dogs become offensive towards other dogs after being attacked...tending to be better around some dogs which are laid back than others which are high strung or dominant, I imagine the same would apply to children...children act differently than adults and dogs pick up on this..alot has to do with how you are reacting to certain situations also...if you are fearful of how your dog will react then the dog will pick up your fear...it has taken me 2 years to work on my Rottweiler with dog aggression (offensive)...I did the muzzle exercise as ellieangel suggested...I never let her go right up to other dogs I just kept walking her in really heavily populated dog areas to desensitize her...it will not happen over night...you have to give it time...I just act normally while I am walking my dog, I make sure I do not tense up and I don't tighten up the leash....once your dog becomes a little more desensitized then you can start making her sit and saying hello to some children..with her muzzle on. I wish you the best of luck and pick up the above books I mentioned they will help you.

[url]http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=2&cat=1633[/url] Perhaps this web page will be of help... :wink:

Oh my! :o That is terrible to put a face to your meal...och!

I have been feeding BARF for all my dogs... I buy organic frozen veggies, organic natural bio Yogurt, fresh meat from a local butcher which I know the cows have been pasture fed...this is one important thing...knowing where your meat comes from... :-? I feed local chickens which have been brought up on a local farm and have not been pumped full of hormones and antibiotics....and the eggs from them. In the summer I pick berries for the dogs and feed them with their yogurt...they get fish also...the fish I never fed raw...I only buy canned Salmon and Sardines and I try to ensure they are wild not farm raised...farm raised fish are full of antibiotics etc...I don't want to defeat the purpose of feeding the raw diet by pumping my dogs system with meat that has raised in inhumane ways and pumped fed non edible items... I feed a variety of veggies, fruits and meats...I also feed Lamb from the local butcher and the shanks as treats and femur bones from the cows... Organ meats I only feed once in awhile....same with the fish...only once a week...on Sundays I have detox day where I feed only yogurt and berrys with milk thistle mixed in... I supplement my dogs diets also....

Rosebud & mydogroxy...your fur babies are very lucky to have you as owners (surragote mothers)....its so nice to converse with people who care so much about their furbabies! :wink: Rosebud, your welcome to move in with myself and all my furbabies.....I just don't know what you would think of the cold Canadian winters....brrrrr [quote]I believe that a dog really shouldn't be fed just kibble, they're tooooooo special to me to deprive them of the "good stuff" out there that the babies can also enjoy[/quote] You are so right....variety is the spice of life! I couldn't imagine myself having to eat the same meal twice dailey for the rest of my life ...that would have me break out in hives just thinking about it....I love to eat, and I love a variety of the "good stuff" :wink: ...I imagine our dogs love a little variety in their life as well.....eat, drink and be merry! :lol:

You are right Rosebud, the raw diet is not for every one..I just thought I would throw the suggestion out there.... :wink: My dogs have done very well on the raw diet and I take alot of pleasure in making up wholesome complete meals... I have access to Pasture-fed animals...I know where my meat comes from and I see the animals and their living areas....I have a local butcher who uses no pesticides or antibiotics, hormones etc... I consider myself very lucky.

:cry: How sad, and how true. I will cross post this, what a tear jerker.

And sugar comes in all kinds of sneaky forms including beet, raw, brown, cane, fructose, corn sweetener, corn syrup, date, dextrin, dextrose, glucose, lactose, maltose, manitol, plydextrose, sorbital, sorghum, sucanat, surcrose, turbinado, barley malt, molasses, honey, and maple syrup... Have you ever though about feeding a raw diet (BARF-bones and raw food)..I love feeding my dogs this way..I know exactely what is going in! and the best thing is not as much comes out! :lol: You could start out with raw hamburg and ground lamb.....I havent met many dogs which snub their nose at these tasty foods! you can put roxy's veggies in the blender and then mix them in the hamburg...my dogs love their raw food...the only thing I can't get them to eat is raw chicken :-? so instead I buy ground chicken and I mince up chicken necks to put in to the ground chicken meat! I can be sneaky! :wink:

Baby food - [color=orange]I have heard of people feeding baby food to dogs due to Congenital Megaesophagus, I'm sure not all baby foods have Onion powder added.[/color] Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system - [color=blue]as long as the bones are raw they are fine, never feed cooked bones to your dog...as for fish, I never feed raw fish to my dogs..I feed canned Salmon & Sardines...the bones are not brittle in the canned fish and this is OK to feed to your dog or cat.[/color] Fat trimmings Can cause pancreatitis - [color=orange]raw fat in the BARF diet is benefecial ...your dog needs some fat in its diet...but always think in moderation...cooked fat would probably be the no no.[/color] Human vitamin supplements containing iron - [color=red]I also agree on this one...I only give my dogs Vitamin E, B-50 vitamins...the rest they should be getting from their diet. [/color] Milk and other dairy products - [color=red]I can understand this also..although I do feed my dogs Yoghurt and cottage cheese...they do not have any problems...but, I have seen a few dogs & cats in the vet clinic I work at which are lactose intolerant and milk products really upset their digestive tracts. [/color] Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder) [color=blue]I do give my dogs garlic powder mixed in their food every once in awhile for a immune boost...I never feed onions.[/color] Raw eggs Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella. - [color=blue]Salmonella, e. coli, and other bacteria are on many surfaces that your pet comes into contact with often. Salmonella has even been found in samples of commercial pet foods and treats. Bacteria is not a problem for a pet with a strong immune system. I feed my dogs raw eggs with the shells..eggs are a perfect food...the possibility that your dog will have decreased biotin absorption is pretty slim for a dog on the BARF diet..how do the wild animals which make a big part of their diet eating eggs survive??? I myself have put raw eggs in some of my energy drinks [/color] Raw fish Can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly. - [color=red]I never feed raw fish...maniley due to the possible infection of fluke worms by raw Salmon.[/color] For the most part as Mei-Mei stated nothing should be given in excess...moderation is the best way to go....there are some foods etc on the list which I agree completely should never be given to your dog.