imported_Cassie

Speaking about fur! I have 4 Newfoundland dogs with way too much coat also. What I do when they are blowing their coat is I brush them out first then I go over them with a rake..this will take out the undercoat that is just not quite ready to blow out yet...then I take a comb and go over them again. Once weekly I bath them (since they are shown every weekend this time of the year) and I brush them in the tub while the shampoo is in their coat (I have a special bath brush) then after wards I blow them out with a high velocity dryer and when the coat is pretty near dry I start brushing again...it is alot of hard work and not every one has access to a high velocity dryer...so you may want to take Zaphod to a professional groomer just to get that undercoat out.

You also mention you have to clean up accidents about 4 - 5 times daily...does this mean you are at home with your little fur baby? If so what I would do for awhile is to take the pup out for a pee & bowel movement about 15 minutes after each meal and wait until she does her business...praise her...then I would take her out every hour then wean off to 2 hours and so on...a little pup has to go frequently as they are developing...when the get the "urge" you'll usually see them do a few circles or sniff around...or some times whine a little...during the times your pup is in the house with you....tie the leash around your waist and watch for these signs, immediately take your pup out...don't punish your pup for accidents which happen... a pup and dog has a very short memory and once the dead is done it is out of the pups mind and when you punish the pup after the fact it will think...gee, I came over to my owner and I am being punished...this is a bad thing...so on. The other suggestions you have received are good...I myself have never crated my dogs...it was a good suggestion by Mary's mama to leave the crate door open and keep your pup in the kitchen...also be sure you clean up all mistakes throughly...and make sure your crate is not too big. Here is a great web site to read. [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1548&articleid=157[/url]

Your pup is still very young...little pups love to get into every thing...this is how they learn about the world around them....pups do not have hands so they experiment with every thing via mouth. Like human babies you will go through this stage where you will have to be very observant (which you sound as though you are watching what your pup is getting into... :lol: ) and provide lots of toys for your pup to play with to keep that active mind busy...a really good play toy is one of those kong balls with the holes in it...stuff with assorted treats and if your pup likes peanut butter then stuff that or cream cheese to close the holes...this will give that mind some thing to focus on. I would try not to scold the pup, instead if the pup has a bad substance in his mouth then offer some thing better...you can start training "off" and "take it" which is a wonderful training tool and will help in the future if your dog picks up some thing really bad and is too far away to remove from his mouth. I would always pratice positive training with your new pup...and always give your pup a chance for success.... [b]success builds confidence..removes confusion...[/b] Always train a young puppy completely without scary or hurtful techniques..use postive training , the goal is to help the pup do the right thing and then reward him for it, rather than punishing him for doing the wrong thing...some people have found clicker training to be very rewarding (I myself have never used this method) [b]Good Luck![/b] :wink:

[size=18][b]Congrats!!!!!![/[/b]size] She is beautiful..... I think I'll have a cigar on your behalf to cheer in the new additon to your house hold! :wink:

With black nails you can be pretty safe by just clipping where the nail actually curves down ward. What I do with with black nails.. I just hold the paw so I can see the underside of the nail and you can see the quick of the nail clearly on large breeds...smaller breeds its a little harder... so for small breeds I just tip the ends off. If you do happen to cut past the quick, keep a bottle of kwik stop handy it stops the bleeding very quickly....and it happens even to the best of people.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has been investigating reports of dogs having adverse, and even fatal reactions from eating large amounts of grapes and/or raisins. The dogs first showed gastrointestinal signs including vomiting, loss of appetite and diarrhea. These signs occurred within several hours of ingesting the grapes or raisins, and continued for up to 3 weeks. The dogs became seriously ill because of damage to the kidneys. Even with aggressive treatment, some dogs died or were euthanized because of a lack of response to the therapy. Some dogs survived. In a recent letter to the editor of the Journal of the American Veterinary Association*, experts recommended that any dog who has eaten a large quantity of grapes or raisins should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. If the ingestion was recent, medications should be given to get the dog to vomit. Gastrointestinal lavage (giving large amounts of fluids, either orally or by stomach tube, to flush the digestive tract) should be performed, and activated charcoal administered. The dogs should also be treated with fluids and their serum chemistry values monitored for several days. The cause of the acute kidney failure is unknown, and staff at the Animal Poison Control Center are continuing to investigate this problem

Isnt walking a dog wonderful, not only for the exercise but for keeping those nails worn down! my Rottie is 4 years old now and I have clipped her nails twice since I got her at 1 year of age...her dew claws she keeps down as she grabs rocks (or shall I say boulders) and pulls them around the beach with her front paws.

[size=6][b]Great tip![/b][/size]At the grooming shop I work at we can't give any treats to any dogs just in case of allergies...but, what works for us is blowing in the dogs nose..any thing to distract them.

My Newfoundland dogs (all 4 of them) are very food motivated....my Rottie is also...but not as pushy as my Newf's...I have a waist pouch which I carry treats when we are out for walks...I let my dogs loose out in the country in secluded areas. all my dogs are very good on recalls...when I whistle for them they come running and all 4 Newf's sit down in front of me and start punching my pouch with their noses...some times so hard they almost knock me over. I find it so funny and cute...my Rottie just sits back away from all the Newf's and watches and then comes in for her treat after ward... I also think its gross...yet funny the way my Rottie licks all the drool from all the Newf's flews...she is obsessed with it....helps me out because she prevents slimy walls in my home. I also love the way they each take turns sleeping with me every night...my Rottie always sleeps with me and then my 2 intact males take turns and my intact female and spayed female...the ones which are not in bed with me curl up together on the futon mattresses I have on the floor.

I hope Freebee likes him...

I would also try to boost your pup's immune system you can give Vit. C, echiinacea and the herb astragulus are wonderful for building the immune system. Just feed per body weight. You can get supplements at a heath food store. The Astragulus is especially wonderful for immune building. If the Yogurt is not working then you can give Lactobaillus supplements which will help increase the benefical bacteria in the gut. When I rescued my Rottweiler she had the same problem diarrhea all the time...I would fast her put her on a bland diet then back to her normal kibble...since I switched her to the BARF diet she has had no more problems. Good Luck! :wink:

Good Luck! :wink: To teach "off" - have a treat in your hand which your dog really loves and hold it out on your palm (have your dog sit in front of you) when your dog goes to grab it close your fist over the treat and say "off" keep doing this until your dog finally gives up (it could take awhile if your dog is really persistant) once your dog has looked away from the treat open your palm and then say "take it" .... keeping reinforcing this exercise, it could save you alot of money down the road....my friend had spent about $900.00 Canadian for each surgery....his dog still tries to pick up rocks...but now he will drop them when my friend sees him, and then he immediately gives him a treat. So, its not a cure all...but, it will help.

Try coaxing a Newfoundland dog into the bath tub and then having them lay down while in the tub while your trying to lather (my male weighs about 150 lbs)....and these dogs are bathed weekly for shows! :lol: Just because you have a water dog, this does not ensure the dog is going to have a love for water. My current Newfoundland dogs hate the water, and they have never had a bad experience in the water....I think they are just too proper to get that big coat of theirs wet! :lol: The Newf's will sit on the shore and watch my Rottweiler swim and play. They would not go near a small puddle if they can possibly avoid it. I have had Newfoundlands in the past which loved the water and once in.... it was hard to coax them out....so I don't know which I perfer....my previous Newf's the breeder used to use them for water rescue seminars.

Oh you said plant soil...an idea is to cut out cardboard and place it around the base of your plants...

Try 4 Newfoundland dogs which hate the water! and a Rottweiler that loves it. Working in a grooming shop when it comes to bath time most dogs are not a real big fan...most put up with it and a few really fight it...this includes Lab's, Golden Retrievers etc. None of these dogs have ever had a bad experience, its just some thing they don't like. I try to make it as enjoyable as possible by giving a nice massage when I have the soap all lathered up, I talk to them the whole time. I always ensure when I rinse them it is not a hose which makes any noise (we use soundless shower handles) and when I bring the water up I try not to spray it at them instead I bring it up in front of the dogs face running so he/she can see what it is, then I lower it and gently bring it up from their chest...always slowly...every thing is done slowly and I don't let myself tense up I just relax myself so my body language will reflect the right kind of mood onto the dog...this works for me.

Yes, we sell Hills and Medi-cal dog & cat foods at the clinic I work at...I myself perfer to feed a raw diet. The above foods would certainly have adequate Iron which is highly digestable for your dog. I did speak with a freind of mine last night, his Lab had a horrible problem with consuming rocks...3 surgeries later my friend started looking at the reasons this was happening. He realized the times it happened when his dog ate a rock was when he was exicited...meeting people, dogs etc. My friend took a short leash an kept it on his Lab at any highly excitable times and he was able to keep his dog from consuming any thing. He then taught his dog "off" and "take it" when he had a rock in his mouth this training came in very handy....when he told his dog "off" his dog would drop the object and be given an extremely tasty treat which he would say "take it" (my freind had boiled liver and beef which is easy to carry around and most dogs find very tasty) I also have trained this to my dogs just in case they ever pick up some thing which may be harmful. You also mentioned your dog is eating plants, what I did for my dogs since they love to eat plants as well...I grow wheat grass for them...they love it.

If your dogs gums ever change color that would require an immediate Vet visit..White or pale gums may idicate anemia or systemic shock....if your dog has an iron deficiency then I would find out the reason...it could indicate a very serious problem... I would also ask what are you feeding your dog....most kibbles have suffient amounts of iron in them. The vet clinic I work at we see Pica quite often....mainly in Lab's...we have performed surgery on most of these dogs as the rocks they have picked would never make it through the digestive track...the pre-op blood tests have always come out normal for these dogs. It has always been regarded as a compulsive behavior which seems to be more so in some breeds such as Lab's and dalmations...but we have seen it in many different breeds and mixed breeds. I would certainly have a CBC done for your dog...and if it is an iron deficiency...find out why. Good luck to you, and I hope all comes out well...

I will be thinking of you and Max. I will pray that it is not Lymphoma.... If Max is diagnosed with Lymphosarcoma you could always seek a consultation visit with a Veterinary Oncologist to see if there are any new treatment recommendations. I have heard of a new drug they are researching (some practices may already be using it) called Tapet which is a form of Salmonella...it is being used for treatment of Metastatic Melanoma with great success & has received partial responses in dogs with Sarcoma & Melanoma. I had to have one of my Newfoundland Dogs put down before christmas due to bone cancer....it was the hardest thing I ever had to do...cancer makes you feel as though you have no control.

Iron deficiency A deficiency in iron results in the development of anemia (lower than normal number of red blood cells). In iron deficiency anemia, the size of each red blood cell and the amount of hemoglobin it contains are also reduced. Symptoms of anemia include decreased growth rate, weakness, and increased susceptibility to stress or disease. Animals with iron deficiency may also develop constipation. Puppies and kittens can be born with lower than normal stores of iron if their mothers did not receive adequate iron during pregnancy. Feeding supplemental iron to the mother while nursing can not make up for this lack of reserves since this treatment does not increase the iron content of the milk. Puppies and kittens with this condition often develop iron deficiency anemia during the nursing period. Iron toxicity

Good for you! :multi:

Whoops, meant to add to my previous post instead of rawhide bones which I will not feed to my dogs...I would give the dog raw recreational bones such as femur bones with the bone marrow in them...this will keep a dog busy for hours.

'Pica' is a term describing a condition when a dog regularly eats objects not considered a part of the normal diet. Examples include an appetite for wood, sand, metal, stones, rubber, etc. Pica is not an abnormality of the digestive system, or a nutritional problem, but a psychological abnormality. What are the symptoms? The symptoms simply include a history of eating objects not meant to be ingested. To have a diagnosis of pica, a patient generally does not eat the objects just once, but rather seems to be obsessed with consuming certain materials. What are the risks? Eating foreign objects is risky because many cannot pass through the gastrointestinal tract normally. Objects such as rocks and socks cause a complete blockage of the intestines, requiring surgery to remove them. Additionally, they may cause damage to the mouth or abnormal wear on the teeth. What is the management? [b]Contrary to common belief, a patient with an abnormal appetite is rarely lacking in vitamins, minerals, or any other nutrients in the diet. Pica is a psychological abnormality and is more a habit than a medical problem, even though it can lead to one[/b]. There is no real cure for pica, however, providing alternative edible objects such as rawhide bones and other digestible treats will help. In some difficult cases, a wire basket muzzle may be used on the dog. This muzzle allows the dog to pant, sniff, and even drink, but not eat. NEVER use a muzzle on an unattended animal. Some human medications can be used to treat this obsessive-compulsive disorder in dogs. Talk to your veterinarian

Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention... :oops: It's not a good thing for your dog to be dominant to your family members or other people for that matter. I would definately have the whole family take part in making your dog realize it is not allowed to be dominant with people. What I did with my Rottie was I always had every one in the house feed her and have her sit or lay down before getting her food...laying down is espeically good as it puts them in a really submissive position. I encouraged my dog to enjoy being patted by every family member and to lay down for belly rubs and while your doing this scratch your dogs head as well encourage the whole family to have the dog let go of its personal space with humans...others on the board will have better ideas than myself...but, this is all I did with my Rottie who wouldnt let ANYONE touch her on the head...she didnt just growl, she snapped...my dog still sleeps in my bed and always has so I have never tried the training of never letting your dog be above you...one other good suggestion is before going through door ways with all family members make your dog sit go through the door way then call your dog to you. A pushy dog is an assertive dog. If you read back through prior posts there are lots of suggestions of how to deal with a dominant dog GOOD LUCK!

First I would definately book a Vet visit to have her checked...just in case... Most dogs which are dominant will not allow people they consider lower to them selves to pat them on the head this is a very dominant stance by the person doing this and can put a dominant dog in a defensive mode. Also most dogs have their own personal space just like us humans...some dogs and people are very gaurding of their personal space unless they invite some one into "that" area...I know myself I hate it when some one comes up and hugs me...it put me in a defensive mode....unless they are male and handsome, I do not like being touched or hugged by any one..so we are all intitled to our personal space.

A book you would find very interesting is called [b]"Dogs, A startling new understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior & Evolution" written by Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger[/b]... this book explains the theory of wolves/wild dogs evolving into scavengers off man...read the book it is a very interesting therory by biologist who have studied dogs and evolution and analize Darwins therory's...