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Prism Mirror Lens posted:There doesn't seem to be a riding/horse thread anywhere (unless I'm being thick), but there must be some horsey types in PI somewhere: I'm starting riding lessons in a few weeks, any top goon tips for beginners? Even just how to piss off the horse as little as possible while bouncing around helplessly on its back There have been horse threads off and on, but I don't think there's a current one. Riding breeches should be quite snug, but not uncomfortably so. Basically think of them as leggings, but heavier. You should be able to bend normally, crouch and straighten your legs without busting a seam, etc. Did you buy a pair with reinforcements on the insides of the knees (where your knees touch each other)? These are especially helpful for beginners to prevent friction burns, and they're often made of a grippy material like suede that can help you stay in the saddle. I still have scars on the insides of my knees from wearing brand-new jeans on a 3-hour trail ride like a dumbass. Are you taking lessons for English? If so, I would recommend buying a pair of half-chaps. You can get some decent suede ones for about thirty bucks. They go on over the lower half of your leg and provide protection and grip. They're not quite as useful for Western riding. I'm assuming you also bought some riding boots/shoes with a slight heel. These don't have to be fancy, but the heel is essential for safety. Flat shoes can slip forward in the stirrup. My biggest tip for not pissing the horse off is to try and relax, especially your hands and arms. Remember that the reins in your hands connect to a device that is in your horse's mouth, and even the gentlest bit is uncomfortable when the rider is cranking on it. That's how bits work, they exert pressure on the mouth. "Quiet hands," my instructor always reminded us. Even if you feel out of control, you're better off not death-gripping the reins. If you feel like you're going to come out of the saddle, it's better to reach behind you and grip the cantle of the saddle with one hand than to try and hold yourself on with the reins. Hopefully you have a good teacher who will allow you to advance at your own pace. Don't be afraid to tell them you're not confident enough to take on higher speed or a jump or something like that. You need to build up the muscles in your legs and your rapport with the animal before you start taking on the hard stuff, or you won't feel secure (and it won't be safe). Good luck! I haven't ridden in a while myself, and I miss it often.
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Apr 23, 2013 11:31
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Stregone posted:The photos are in case the other dog starts poo poo, so you have proof the other person was being irresponsible and not you.
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Apr 23, 2013 15:58
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I'm staying with my mother temporarily and she has two cats that are pretty well behaved, but they have a problem. She claims that they eat too fast, which leads to them puking just about daily. I'm getting really tired of accidentally stepping in cat puke, she refuses to take them to the vet because they're just "eating too quickly" so that isn't an option because I'm moving into my own place next month. Is there a way I can adjust how they are being fed to keep them from eating too quickly or is this a different issue?
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Apr 23, 2013 17:47
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FordPRefectLL posted:I'm staying with my mother temporarily and she has two cats that are pretty well behaved, but they have a problem. She claims that they eat too fast, which leads to them puking just about daily. I'm getting really tired of accidentally stepping in cat puke, she refuses to take them to the vet because they're just "eating too quickly" so that isn't an option because I'm moving into my own place next month. Is there a way I can adjust how they are being fed to keep them from eating too quickly or is this a different issue? If eating too fast is actually the problem and not something medical, feeding on a timer can help. My pig cat now knows he will get fed every twelve hours when the timer clicks over and the food dish pops open, so he doesn't gorge himself like it's going to be his last meal. Feeding separately may help too, if they're feeling like they have to compete for their food or scarf it all down to prevent the other cat from getting at it. Basically, food security is the key to eliminating "binge and accidentally purge" behaviors.
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Apr 23, 2013 17:55
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FordPRefectLL posted:I'm staying with my mother temporarily and she has two cats that are pretty well behaved, but they have a problem. She claims that they eat too fast, which leads to them puking just about daily. I'm getting really tired of accidentally stepping in cat puke, she refuses to take them to the vet because they're just "eating too quickly" so that isn't an option because I'm moving into my own place next month. Is there a way I can adjust how they are being fed to keep them from eating too quickly or is this a different issue? For kibble, you can use a treat-dispensing ball that they have to knock around to get the kibble to fall out, or you can feed them out of a muffin tin. A few kibbles in each hole will slow them down a bit. Some people will also spread the kibble all over the kitchen floor so they have to work a little harder than if it were in a bowl. Obviously some of these methods involve a mess, but it's a better mess than stepping in cat vomit.
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Apr 23, 2013 18:42
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My parents have a cat like that, and they've tried the bowl with the little ridges in it that slows them down. Thing is, he just pulls ALL of the food out of the dish onto the floor in a pile, and then gorges from there.
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Apr 23, 2013 19:06
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We got one of these bowls for our cats. It slows down their eating and is functionally identical to using a normal bowl for me. It's still as easy as dumping a scoop of kibble in the top when it's time to eat.
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Apr 23, 2013 20:22
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You could also put their dry food in treat dispenser toys like this, which really makes the cat work for its food and only dispenses a few pieces of kibble at a time.
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Apr 23, 2013 23:41
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I bought my dog an expensive meaty dog bone so I could finally play with my dog (the fact he wanted to play fetch with a plastic bottle alarmed me so I bought a bone instead and got rid of that). When I was playing with my dog, he didn't seem to like the fact that the bone was actually meant for playing/fetching too, he seemed to enjoy gnawing at it only without my interference. So when I turned my back to get my dog water, he took the bone and dashed for it and was gone for a few minutes in my backyard. He eventually came back, without the bone. He obviously buried it somewhere. This all happened just 15 minutes after I took the bone out of the plastic wrapping and box. My question is, is there anyway I can retrieve it? Will my dog eventually bring it back after he finishes eating all the meat on the external layer of the dog bone? I'm a broke college student (I live with my roommates) and losing the bone to my greedy rear end dog is a huge bummer. Starpluck fucked around with this message at 02:51 on Apr 24, 2013 |
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Apr 24, 2013 02:48
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Starpluck posted:I bought my dog an expensive meaty dog bone so I could finally play with my dog (the fact he wanted to play fetch with a plastic bottle alarmed me so I bought a bone instead and got rid of that). When I was playing with my dog, he didn't seem to like the fact that the bone was actually meant for playing/fetching too, he seemed to enjoy gnawing at it only without my interference. So when I turned my back to get my dog water, he took the bone and dashed for it and was gone for a few minutes in my backyard. He eventually came back, without the bone. He obviously buried it somewhere. This all happened just 15 minutes after I took the bone out of the plastic wrapping and box. Why didn't you buy him a tennis ball to play fetch with? Why would you think a dog would want to play fetch with food?
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Apr 24, 2013 02:59
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Are there any professional dog groomers here? If so, do you recommend going to a grooming school or is on the job training a real way to get into the industry?
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Apr 24, 2013 03:00
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dustbin posted:Are there any professional dog groomers here? If so, do you recommend going to a grooming school or is on the job training a real way to get into the industry? There is, in fact, an entire grooming thread!
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Apr 24, 2013 03:01
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Starpluck posted:I bought my dog an expensive meaty dog bone so I could finally play with my dog (the fact he wanted to play fetch with a plastic bottle alarmed me so I bought a bone instead and got rid of that). When I was playing with my dog, he didn't seem to like the fact that the bone was actually meant for playing/fetching too, he seemed to enjoy gnawing at it only without my interference. So when I turned my back to get my dog water, he took the bone and dashed for it and was gone for a few minutes in my backyard. He eventually came back, without the bone. He obviously buried it somewhere. This all happened just 15 minutes after I took the bone out of the plastic wrapping and box. This is really confusing. Why are you buying your dog meaty bones to play fetch with instead of a dog toy? The dog has the right idea, bones are for chewing, and toys are for playing. They actually make dog toys with plastic bottles in them, or so you can insert plastic bottles inside. Apparently plastic water bottles are a thing for some dogs.  There is nothing wrong with playing fetch with a plastic water bottle as long as you make sure he isn't chewing it and you take it away when you're done so he can't eat it.
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Apr 24, 2013 03:02
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drat. I just assumed that buying an externally meaty dog bone would just incentivize the dog to play, or, make it more enjoyable for him since the thing he'll be putting in his mouth has flavor at least but I understand why he doesn't want to play with food. Why did he hide it? Was he trying to hoard it? And assuming he eats the meat completely off of the bone is there any chance he'll bring it back out of hiding?
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Apr 24, 2013 03:08
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Invalid Octopus posted:There is, in fact, an entire grooming thread! Thank you! 
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Apr 24, 2013 03:41
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Greycious posted:This is really confusing. Why are you buying your dog meaty bones to play fetch with instead of a dog toy? My puppy loving LOVES 2L pop bottles. He'll roll them around and play with them for half an hour at a time when he's hyper.
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Apr 24, 2013 05:18
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One of my Chihuahuas LOVES empty paper towel roll tubes. He'll bring it to me to play fetch and tug with him, and then shreds it into little pieces, then brings me the pieces to play tug with him... Eventually I clean up the mess and toss them, but there is always a new one for him to enjoy within a few days :P He never eats it, just rips it up and has a blast.
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Apr 24, 2013 14:38
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Starpluck posted:drat. I just assumed that buying an externally meaty dog bone would just incentivize the dog to play, or, make it more enjoyable for him since the thing he'll be putting in his mouth has flavor at least but I understand why he doesn't want to play with food. My guess is that he'll not likely bring it back with the intention of playing with it. You may find it discarded later when it's been stripped/hollowed out. He hid it because he felt that it was valuable and probably didn't feel like he could enjoy it while you were out there trying to play with him with it.
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Apr 24, 2013 14:43
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RazorBunny posted:horses Thanks dude! Yeah, my jodhpurs have knee reinforcements, and I can move about in them easier than some jeans I've worn, so I reckon they're okay. Just hope the bum doesn't rip open the first time I get on the horse or something  I'll look out for some half-chaps.I've had one 'for fun' lesson with a friend who's a more advanced rider last year, and the instructor had me hold onto the horse's mane or pommel rather than the reins when I felt unstable. Not sure how well I did - it did feel like the horse was just figuring out what I was aiming for and then taking pity on me ("Oh, you want me to weave between the cones? Fine..."), but hey ho, it was nice to work with an animal and I tried my best!
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Apr 25, 2013 11:27
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My 3 year old dog, who has been housebroken for almost as long, has started pooing exclusively on the living room floor. I would like to stop this. Some info: This seems a behavioral, rather than physical issue, in that she most often does it close to, or immediately after having been taken outside. I don't think it's a case of infection or illness causing her to have issue holding it in. It's more or less the same spot every time, and she always does it when nobody is watching. The only real change lately is that I have been doing 15-20 hour shifts at work the last week, which is about when this started. It should be noted however, that my live-in-girlfriend has been keeping her normal schedule, meaning the dogs are never alone more than 7-8 hours, and even this weekend, when I've been around, she is still going in the living room. Last night, I let her out for about fifteen minutes, she did nothing, and then immediately after, as I was brushing my teeth, she went in the living room. So, my current plan is basically just re-housebreaking her. She is not going to be left unattended outside of her crate, and she is going to get super praise when she poos outside (Literally has not happened in days now). I picked up some Nature's Miracle (Haven't needed it in years) this morning and liberally sprayed and wiped the living room floor. A) What could have triggered this, and has it most likely been continuing simply because I didn't have Nature's Miracle on hand for cleanup? B) Is there anything more I can be doing? Also, admission of guilt: I totally dragged her over to the pile yesterday and yelled at her. I know, it doesn't help, and I have avoided it so far, but I lost my cool last night.
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Apr 27, 2013 17:38
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How effective is Nature's Miracle? I'm having some difficulties getting my new puppy to go poo outside. He always does it in the same 4 places around the house, and my family is being extremely non-supportive in preventative measures like picking up some baby gates and actually using the ones we have, or closing the doors behind them, as well as not attempting to help with the house training process at all, and its driving me mad.
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Apr 27, 2013 21:19
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It works great, but if it can't really help lazy family members. Slugworth: Definitely get Nature's Miracle too. Take the extra training precautions as well of course. You might have success taking him for brisk walks at night instead of just letting him out.
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Apr 27, 2013 22:34
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I just rescued four feral kittens (about 10 weeks old) from outdoor living. They will be staying with me for a week until they can go to foster homes. Is there anything I can do to make them less completely terrified, apart from ignoring them?
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Apr 28, 2013 09:38
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Quincyh posted:I just rescued four feral kittens (about 10 weeks old) from outdoor living. They will be staying with me for a week until they can go to foster homes. Is there anything I can do to make them less completely terrified, apart from ignoring them? It would be good if you could just sit quietly with them in a closed room. It'll help them get used to people being around without forcing them to have interaction with you unless they choose. You can just camp out with them for a few hours a day with a laptop and do your thing.
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Apr 28, 2013 17:52
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Quincyh posted:I just rescued four feral kittens (about 10 weeks old) from outdoor living. They will be staying with me for a week until they can go to foster homes. Is there anything I can do to make them less completely terrified, apart from ignoring them? You can try and become the Harbinger of Tasty Treats to get them used to humans. Go with Serella's advice of just sitting quietly with them, but bring along a treat that they only have access to when you're around. Put it a foot away from you and if they go for it, start inching it towards you until they will approach you willingly. Also, feather sticks and laser pointers are great ways to play with cats that aren't ready for hands-on interaction. It will wear out some of their kitten energy, and hopefully they will connect that "humans=fun!" and lose their fear. That's really nice of you to rescue some kittens in need, especially when I assume all they show in return is abject fear at your approach. Ungrateful little sods. 
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Apr 28, 2013 18:04
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four lean hounds posted:You can try and become the Harbinger of Tasty Treats to get them used to humans. Go with Serella's advice of just sitting quietly with them, but bring along a treat that they only have access to when you're around. Put it a foot away from you and if they go for it, start inching it towards you until they will approach you willingly. Thanks for the advice! I'll pick up a feather stick and some treats today when I take them to the vet. Hopefully I can get them a little happier with people for their fosters. The abject fear does suck, but they're very cute. I wish they would come out so I could get pictures for their adoption page!
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Apr 29, 2013 00:54
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Has anyone tried Bark Box? It's where you subscribe to have a box of random dog treats and toys sent to you every month. I think it's a cool idea and I know they make similar ones for people. I have two dogs in the same weight range that I try to find new toys and treats for. Maybe next paycheck I will give the 6 month subscription a try.
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Apr 29, 2013 03:29
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Not completely sure how to ask this without coming off like an rear end in a top hat/not sure if this is the right thread, but here it goes... We have a ferret that is over 7 years old. It was my wife's before we met. Anyways, it has some disease that I'm unsure of (something with adrenal gland iirc) and she gets prednisone (sp?) daily. She also has a tumor that has grown and caused discomfort (which is why I think she gets the prednisone). Anyways, we know she's not long for this world. My wife is prepared as much as she can for the inevitable, but what do we do when the ferret passes away? We set some money aside to cremate her and called some places but if it happens at night, what should I do with the corpse in the meantime before we can take it over to the cremation place? The only animals I've ever had die on me before were fish, which are a bit easier to dispose of. Should I put the body in a garbage bag or something after? I'm *really* not trying to come off as insensitive here, but just curious what my actions should be because I know my wife is going to be freaking out and in some serious grief. nwin fucked around with this message at 17:19 on Apr 30, 2013 |
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Apr 30, 2013 17:17
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It sounds like the animal is in pain. Have you considered having a vet euthanize it? They'll help you deal with the remains too.
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Apr 30, 2013 17:28
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My guinea pig passed during a big snow storm so I couldn't get him to the crematorium right away and I couldn't just go out and bury him. I put him in a shoebox in the fridge so he wouldn't start rotting and I wouldn't have to look at him for the day until things cleared up. If its going to be longer than a day I'd stick it in a freezer instead. You could stick it in anything, but for your wife's sake something opaque and maybe a little bit nicer than a garbage bag might be better. The box worked well because I could take it right in to the pet funeral home and they could take care of him from there and I didn't have to look at his body during the drive or anything. Good job planning ahead! As morbid as it is I know where the all pet funeral homes in my area are and where the best price for cremation is so I don't get totally taken for a ride when I'm in mourning the next time I lose a pet. Some places wanted to charge me over $100 for a 2 lb guinea pig cremation and then were pressuring me to get a whole crazy funeral package. The place I went with was very affordable, the employees were all kind and sympathetic, and they never tried to upsell me on anything.
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Apr 30, 2013 17:29
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nwin posted:Not completely sure how to ask this without coming off like an rear end in a top hat/not sure if this is the right thread, but here it goes... Vet's offices will take care of her body (you really shouldn't just dump bodies in the trash or bury them, it's not very sanitary), but there will very likely be some kind of a fee because bio waste and all. If your wife is really going to be as torn up as you think she is, start finding out now about what services for this are offered so it can be taken care of quickly. If she's like me, she may prefer a private cremation and receiving the ashes back in a nice little box so she can either keep them or spread them where she likes. This can range in price, like Instant Jellyfish said, so it's best to do research ahead of time. You sound like a good husband to be concerned for her feelings, and I think she will definitely appreciate you looking into things ahead of time to be prepared. It's pretty devastating when it happens, so you just kind of let yourself get swept along into whatever gets the job done most quickly, which can be costly if you weren't prepared.
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Apr 30, 2013 22:08
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MaggieTheCat posted:Has anyone tried Bark Box? It's where you subscribe to have a box of random dog treats and toys sent to you every month. I think it's a cool idea and I know they make similar ones for people. I have two dogs in the same weight range that I try to find new toys and treats for. Maybe next paycheck I will give the 6 month subscription a try. I was actually going to post about this in random nonsense or something. My friend does it for his corgi puppy and it's totally worth it and seems to be really cool.  He's gotten some *really* nice dog treats from them.Link for those who are curious: https://barkbox.com/ You can also get free months with referrals.
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May 1, 2013 00:05
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MaggieTheCat posted:Has anyone tried Bark Box? It's where you subscribe to have a box of random dog treats and toys sent to you every month. I think it's a cool idea and I know they make similar ones for people. I have two dogs in the same weight range that I try to find new toys and treats for. Maybe next paycheck I will give the 6 month subscription a try. I recently got bark boxes in the mail (tried the service) and I wasn't particularly impressed. The items are of good quality, but it's not worth $20 a month per box in my opinion. Their customer service is pretty terrible too. I called 6 times over a period of 7 hours trying to get ahold of someone to cancel my subscription and they finally called me back 2 hours after the final call. Their email never got back to me at all. The customer service was more of a killer for me than the boxes themselves ultimately.
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May 1, 2013 00:15
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What is the proper course of action when you're bit by a leashed dog? I was walking my wheaten this morning, and was approached by a nice British woman and her young lab(?) mix. We live in the same building, and have passed each other before/ridden on the elevator without issue. I'm not a big fan of leash greeting, as my wheaten is excitable and prone to leash tangling, but didn't see the harm since we were familiar with the dog. The dogs smelled each other, my dog did her little "play with me dance", and the other dog started to bark. The owner began to pull her dog away when it suddenly lunged out at me and bit my lower thigh, piercing the fabric of my jeans. She then yanked the dog hard off me. I was pretty damned surprised, it was so sudden. I told her I was fine, and not to worry about it, and she hurried away apologizing. The more I think about it though, the more concerned I am. When I got back, I checked my leg to see if the bite had pierced my skin- which it didn't exactly, instead leaving an abrasion with some bruising, and fang size hole in the jeans i was wearing. I can't help but think though that the situation would've been very different if I had been wearing a thin fabric or shorts. I'd probably be sitting in the emergency room right now waiting for a shot. Is waving something like this off the right thing to do? Ultimately, it's not my dog, but I think it's problematic that her seemingly friendly dog, can aggressively launch itself at someone without warning. I wasn't standing over him, I wasn't even looking at him when he lunged, as his owner was talking to me. What if it lunged at a kid like that without warning? As mentioned before the owner lives in my building, so I'm certain we will see them again. Maybe I'm over-thinking it, and the best thing to do is to just avoid her when she's with her dog/not get on the elevator with them?
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May 8, 2013 14:19
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I am currently pet sitting an elderly pom mix for someone in my neighborhood for the weekend. They take the dog out every 12 hours to go to the bathroom(yikes). I offered to take the dog out in the midday as well so she wouldn't have to wait so long without an extra charge since she just likes to go to the bathroom immediately and go back up to the apartment. She's not a walker and has outdoor anxiety issues. Should I just follow the 12 hour regime and not take the dog out in-between? I am a little concerned because to me 12 hours is way too long to let a dog go without peeing or pooping.
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May 10, 2013 14:57
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I'd take the dog out every 4-6 hours if I were in your position.
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May 10, 2013 15:32
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I picked a stray up off the side of the road, going to take him to the SPCA tomorrow. Do they always cry this badly or am I just being a complete loving rear end in a top hat by taking him out of his comfort zone and locking him up in a room. I fed, watered and gave him some rugs to sleep on. Just feel really bad to hear the poor guy crying all alone while I'm trying to sleep.
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May 10, 2013 19:33
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Lanky Coconut Tree posted:I picked a stray up off the side of the road, going to take him to the SPCA tomorrow. Do they always cry this badly or am I just being a complete loving rear end in a top hat by taking him out of his comfort zone and locking him up in a room. I fed, watered and gave him some rugs to sleep on. Just feel really bad to hear the poor guy crying all alone while I'm trying to sleep. They cry. It's okay. Leaving him alone is probably best for now, he'd probably freak out worse if you tried to hang out with him (unless he was really friendly? How was his condition? Make sure they check for a microchip at the shelter). You're doing good work. If he annoys the poo poo out of you, stick a towel under the door or something. He's just freaked out and will eventually shut up (maybe). EDIT Dog or cat?? I only know poo poo about cats. Edit Edit: If he'd let you I'd run my hands over his body once or twice to see if he's injured or something in case that's why he's screaming. Only if he's nice though, otherwise there isn't anything you could do anyway except take him to the SPCA tomorrow which you're already doing. InEscape fucked around with this message at 02:20 on May 11, 2013 |
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May 11, 2013 02:18
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I have a question in regards to crickets, that is keeping/raising them. Back when I was in college I caught a cricket that was up on the sixth floor of our dorm room. It was late September and I decided to put it in a small plastic fish tank we got from the student association. It lived through to mid-November on bits of fruit and veggies. I found it deflated under a rock, though I'm not sure if it was my fault or just a natural death. At any rate it's chirping was great and made me think of summer in the gloomy late fall days. I don't have the room for a large animal in my current housing situation and I would love to be able to keep a cricket again. I know only the males chirp and I think the diet I had him on was fine. What I'm curious is about is just where should I get my cricket? I could wait until the summer to catch one I suppose but it's tougher in the urban environment I'm living in right now to find wild areas. Would store bought crickets intended as food serve my purpose or do those not chirp? Also what would be an ideal living situation for one? If this should be made into a thread or reposted elsewhere let me know. I don't think it's that important just yet.
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May 12, 2013 02:04
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Is slug poison pet-safe? If not how can I get rid of slugs without potentially harming my dogs? They come out at night ATM and I'm not sure where they are coming from but my yard gets overrun.
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May 12, 2013 08:59
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