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I'm thinking of purchasing some breed of Setter(haven't decided between Irish, English, of Gordan) but I wanted to make sure my living situation would be appropriate for such a dog. I know they're high-energy and having a yard they can run in is best, but unfortunately my only option for the next year or so is an apartment. I would plan on taking the dog for runs/walks twice a day and because I live downtown there will always be plenty of people and other pets to help the dog's socialization. Would two half-hour or so walks/runs per day be enough exercise for a puppy? An adult? Even if it is will the dog still be psychologically healthy in an apartment if left alone for short 2-3 hour periods?
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Jun 14, 2008 22:11
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Jive One posted:Would two half-hour or so walks/runs per day be enough exercise for a puppy? An adult? For a puppy; probably. For an adult; probably not. Personally, I think when you're considering sporty breeds such as setters/pointers, the weekly exercise routine is as important as the daily routine. If you can devote a full day a week to taking the dog out into the country and letting him/her work off steam over steep/rough terrain, then an hour's good exercise on the other days might be enough to tide him/her over. If not, you could quickly find yourself with a hyper/noisy/destructive (but beautiful!) animal living in your apartment. I know a couple of people with happy setters, and they basically fall into the following category of person. Day off work? Great, let's take the dog into the hills for a hike! Holiday coming up? Great, let's head off to the Highlands/Lake District with the dog! Lovely sunny summer's evening? Awesome, let's take a trip out to the lake for some water retrieving! My cousin works his Irish Red and White setters as gundogs, and even after a weekend's grouse shooting they are still pretty fired up and energetic. They are the sort of dogs which run laps around you on walks, and are still full of beans by the end. Setters are sporty, woodsy dogs and I would argue that they require sporty, woodsy people as owners. An exception to this is elderly setters - they seem to hit a certain age and suddenly chill out a little (although they still enjoy pottering around in woods/fields, just at a slightly less manic pace). You could think of rehoming an elder rescue dog if you didn't feel you could provide a young setter with the weekly exercise it requires. I have a question for you, if you don't mind - what exactly is it about setters which appeals to you? 
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Jun 14, 2008 22:40
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notsoape posted:Setters are sporty, woodsy dogs and I would argue that they require sporty, woodsy people as owners. An exception to this is elderly setters - they seem to hit a certain age and suddenly chill out a little (although they still enjoy pottering around in woods/fields, just at a slightly less manic pace). You could think of rehoming an elder rescue dog if you didn't feel you could provide a young setter with the weekly exercise it requires. I love hiking and being outdoors but the problem is that I likely wont have the time to do the things you mentioned. As far as appeal it's mainly appearance, long-hair, and the awesome temperment common to most gun/sporting dogs. From the sounds of it however it looks like I'll have to get a breed with lesser exercise requirements, probably a Golden Retriever unless there are other options that I should consider.
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Jun 14, 2008 23:07
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I think my top tip for an apartment-appropriate, medium energy gundog would have to be the Clumber Spaniel. They are a very heavy set, feathered spaniel who kind of resemble a miniature, white and brown/lemon golden retriever. You can see pictures of some excellent specimens of the breed here: http://www.clussexx.com/ They are a pretty chilled breed, especially when compared to setters and retrievers. I know retrievers have been bred as family pets for many generations now, and I'm sure many live happily in apartments/with the exercise regime you describe, but I think they can be hit and miss. A lot of breeders would prefer to place their puppies in more high energy environments (see this page: http://www.kendaamber.co.uk/Kendaamber%20Considerations.htm ). Clumber spaniels, on the other hand, toe a nice line between gundog which is always up for a rootle through woods and fields, and chilled out house dog who is not always thinking 'OH BOY CAN WE GO FOR A WALK CAN WE PLEASE CAN WE' . One thing to bear in mind with Clumbers is that they can suffer from a number of hereditory complaints including eye, skin and hip disorders. The good news is that if you find a great breeder, they will screen their breeding animals so that they only breed from dogs who are clear or very low risk for these disorders . Clumber spaniels are a rare breed when compared to Golden retrievers, for example, so you probably would not be able to source a puppy immediately. However, from what you describe of your lifestyle, they sound like they would make a good match.
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Jun 14, 2008 23:35
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Jive One posted:I love hiking and being outdoors but the problem is that I likely wont have the time to do the things you mentioned. As far as appeal it's mainly appearance, long-hair, and the awesome temperment common to most gun/sporting dogs. From the sounds of it however it looks like I'll have to get a breed with lesser exercise requirements, probably a Golden Retriever unless there are other options that I should consider. Goldens are not low or even medium energy dogs either, unfortunately. You might want to consider getting a sighthound instead of a gundog. Sighthounds are far more lazy in general, and there are plenty with longer coats (Borzoi, Silken Windhounds, Salukis, Afghans) since it sounds like that's a priority. They are still athletes, but they require a different type of exercise that's more convenient for many people.
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Jun 14, 2008 23:43
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As far as gun dogs go, I have a year and a half old male Brittany (actually considered the smallest of the pointers, not a spaniel) in a 900 square foot house with a teeny tiny yard. He has a great personality, very cuddly and willing to please. He's content to lay around the house after either an hour and a half on a long lead (30 foot, it is long enough for the green areas by our house in the "city") chasing squirrels and the like (my partner's way to exercise him), or a 30 to 60 minute power walk with a backpack (my way to exercise him). Of course, he gets him zoomies out in play session in the house. He's quiet and quite low key. He's a little large for a Brittany at about 22 inches at the shoulder and 42 pounds. Brittanys were made popular because they are a small gun dog that can (not always but some can) be happy in a small, city home. They do tend to have a bit of separation anxiety as they get very attached to their people. I call Rebel my little shadow as he follows me around the house all day. I will say that he was a failed gun dog as he lacks the drive his breeders look for. He comes from working lines as the breeders are heavily involved with field trials and the like. He freaked out when they started actual gun work; his drive to get that bird did not overcome his fear of that noise. He does know his basic field and obedience commands. He was matched to us at 14 months old because of his lack of working drive and extreme gun-shyness. They were waiting to find the right home that could keep up with his needs. Housebreaking was a breeze as he had always lived outside in the super kennels and runs the breeder has. His crate is his little room, and he just chills in their with his toys often. As I say, he's a gun dog reject, but the perfect companion. If you can find a low drive, gun dog reject like him, you will not only skip the horrible puppy phase, but you may get a more low energy specimen. Also, by picking an adult dog, you will get a better idea of the personality. littlefrog fucked around with this message at 05:45 on Jun 15, 2008 |
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Jun 15, 2008 05:41
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Thanks again for the help everyone. It's easy to read about a breed but hearing from actual owners is even better. I haven't really looked into Spaniels but the Clumber and Brittney look interesting. I also will probably look into the French, Russian, and Welsh Springers but the first two may not be available in the States. Fortunately I have a few months to decide.MoCookies posted:Goldens are not low or even medium energy dogs either, unfortunately. This is also a possibility but I recall reading that many hound breeds are a bit slow in the intelligence area or at the least are stubborn when it comes to training and obedience. Then again this is a pretty gross generalization and I know that two posters here have Afghan Hounds that compete in various competitions. I haven't looked at hounds very closely but at first glance the Silken Windhound seems like an awesome dog however tracking down a reputable breeder may be difficult.
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Jun 15, 2008 19:01
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Jive One posted:This is also a possibility but I recall reading that many hound breeds are a bit slow in the intelligence area or at the least are stubborn when it comes to training and obedience. Quick, hide this thread from the DVangels before I have to hear more smug poo poo about Afghan Hounds and how their poo poo smells like roses and they will one day cure cancer!
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Jun 15, 2008 20:47
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My vet recently recommended a certain bed for my dog Wrigley. He has hip dysplasia and the bed is supposed to help support his joints and keep him more comfortable. Unfortunately he wants nothing to do with the bed! He prefers to sleep on the carpet or under some of our furniture. I've tried rewarding him for sitting in the bed but he's basically turned his nose up at it. Every once in a while he'll walk up to it and sniff it, but that's it. EDIT because I forgot to actualy ask a question! Any ideas on how to get him to sleep in the bed?
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Jun 15, 2008 21:58
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Daisy the Pug started eating grass today. She's nearly 7, and despite the fact that I've seen her try to eat weird things like ant traps, I have never ever seen her eat grass. Growing up, my mom always told me that dogs eat grass to make themselves throw up. But that didn't seem to be what she was doing. She seemed to find the grass tasty and appealing. She tried it 3 times, and I stopped her each time. Fortunately, she seemd to lose interest and just stopped trying. 2 hours later, and she hasn't vomited. It wasn't garden variety grass, it was much taller than the regular grass and looked kind of like green onions (but it was grass). I do pull out all of the toadstools and mushrooms regularly. Is this normal? Should I be worried? Is she trying to tell me she wants to go vegetarian?
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Jun 15, 2008 22:01
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Jive One posted:Thanks again for the help everyone. It's easy to read about a breed but hearing from actual owners is even better. I haven't really looked into Spaniels but the Clumber and Brittney look interesting. I also will probably look into the French, Russian, and Welsh Springers but the first two may not be available in the States. Fortunately I have a few months to decide. You are right about hounds not being easy to train--they are stubborn, and can have short attention spans. However, they most certainly can and are successfuly trained. As long as you are positive, use treats liberally, and are creative in how you train them so that they often think that doing a behavior initially is their idea, you should not run into any giant obstacles. For example, instead of pushing down on a sighthound's butt for "sit," you take a treat and facing your dog, you slowly bring the treat in between their eyes. Once the dog has to back up to still see the treat, they will often sit down (esp if a wall is behind them). They pick up on this method very quickly, unlike the push the but down method, which often leaves them resentful, as hounds really like to have their dignity intact. As for possible breeds for you, be careful of the exercise required by the majority of the sporting dogs (ok, not Clumbers). You are currently looking at Clumbers vs Brittany Spaniels. Clumbers are sweet, sturdy, steady, and slow. They drool copiously, would not make great jogging/hiking partners, and will need a good amount of coat care. They are also more stubborn than the other spaniels when it comes to training, so while not a hyper breed, still have some major possible cons. Brittany Spaniels, while cute, are extremely active, very agile, and want to go go go all day long. They would be easier to train than a Clumber, but need tons of daily exercise to not get neurotic. Most of the sporting group, for that matter, will need lots of exercise. A sighthound actually sounds great for you since you do not want the high energy inside the house. A Silken Windhound, which you mentioned, is a pretty good choice. While still a controversial newer breed, they are holding their own with lots of responsible breeders keeping up with a standard and shows. Shelties were used in the creation of this breed, so they tend to be more loyal than are other sighthounds, and some (meaning only some) can be trusted off lead to not run off. If you do not mind more coat care (simply because they are bigger than Silkens), then a Borzoi or an Afghan may be right. Borzois are sweet, gentle, and are smarter than they look, as evidenced by the sneaky wolf like pack hunting behavior they do while coursing. We love our Afs because they have great little devilish streaks and they amuse us with their cute conniving ways daily. Salukis are also a good choice, very regal and gentle, but tend to be the spookiest of the sighthounds if not extensively socialized, and some can be very aloof even with their owners. Greys can also be a good choice, but realize that retired racers are going to need time to come of their shells, but can be great, fun, sweet dogs. So, don't necessarily knock the hounds out of your "possibles" list. As for scent hounds, they are almost universally sweet dogs. We do not have them, but I know that they have more of a doggie odor than do the sighthounds, tend to bay (not all will), and unlike sighthounds, which follow their eyes if they see a furry critter dart, scenthounds follow their noses and so like the sighthounds are notoriously untrustworthy offleash. SelmaDVangel fucked around with this message at 22:07 on Jun 15, 2008 |
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Jun 15, 2008 22:03
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SelmaDVangel posted:A Silken Windhound, which you mentioned, is a pretty good choice. While still a controversial newer breed, they are holding their own with lots of responsible breeders keeping up with a standard and shows. Was there a massive demand for these dogs during the founding of the breed? The foundation kennel appears to have popped out THIRTY-NINE litters between 2000 and 2005. Yikes. do what now: I wouldn't be too concerned about the grass eating, since it is a normal doggy behaviour, but I would keep a close eye on her to make sure there are no other behavioural changes/she doesn't vomit a bunch/all her motions are regular and normal. If you are still worried, it might be worth contacting a vet to put your mind at ease. If anything else about her behaviour/toilet habits seems abnormal, or she looks uncomfortable at all, then obviously you should get a professional's advice asap . I have read that grass eating doesn't always correlate with vomiting, and so it's exact functions aren't fully understood. It might be better to just let her go ahead and eat the grass in future, if that's what her body is telling her to do.
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Jun 15, 2008 23:30
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Most of my contact with Silkens has been at coursing, but the people I have met that own and breed them do so very responsibly. Sandra Moore has them, and I heard that Les Pekarski just had a litter of Silkens. Both very reputable breeders, Sandra of Borzoi and the occasional Grey, and Les of Whippets and Greys. I have not met the people who founded the breed, but as for the large number of litters, people may coown dogs with them and have put the foundation kennel's name on the litter even though they may have been bred in another household entirely. Whatever the case, as long as the breeder health tests, shows, and/or courses, I would say it is ok to get a Silken. It may be quite a number of years before they are seen at an AKC show, however.
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Jun 15, 2008 23:46
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SelmaDVangel posted:Brittany Spaniels, while cute, are extremely active, very agile, and want to go go go all day long. They would be easier to train than a Clumber, but need tons of daily exercise to not get neurotic. Most of the sporting group, for that matter, will need lots of exercise. That's exactly why I recommended finding a low drive adult and having the dog matched to you. Our Rebel is more mellow than most Brittanys, but we still keep a pretty strict daily exercise regimen. Unless it's raining (he will not go out in the rain, even to potty), we're out the door by 9 am at the latest for our walk. A backpack has really helped wear him out and give him a purpose. We're both outdoorsy people, so it's a good match. I'm not recommending any Brittany, I'm recommending finding the right one for you, if that is your choice. It's really a matter of being honest about your life style and how much time/energy you can devote to the dog. I teach college part time and mainly work from home, which means I have a lot of time in the day to exercise and occupy our Brittany. I'm not trying to push Brittanys, but don't cross them off your list automatically. Take a careful look at what the breeds you are looking at have been bred to do as far as function, as that will tell you a lot. Gun dogs were bred to work with people (not other dogs), so they're very willing to please. Some scent hounds are bred to work off of each other as well in packs, which is why some of them could care less what you want. As far as scent hounds and intelligence, I grew up with beagles and bassets. The key with training scent hounds is food. I have never seen such food motivated dogs. To reiterate what Selma said, they do have a VERY doggie smell and can be VERY vocal and loud. As we had a beagle when I was born, I grew up very used to these things and it never bothered me and still doesn't. However, to the uninitiated ears and nose, it can be a big deal.Selma's advice about sighthounds is great, and you should definitely look in to them. I've always thought the sighthouds are gorgeous and have very unique personalities. Every one I have met has been such a character in an endearing way.
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Jun 15, 2008 23:47
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Any tips on curbing dog aggression? My new Rott/Shepherd, snagged from a rescue, behaves very well overall but I can't stop him from barking and lunging at other dogs. Tips?
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Jun 16, 2008 20:58
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I have the worst luck with feeding my puppies. Indy's started eating without issues, finally. I guess it was just a phase. But now Ringo has the opposite problem. He doesn't eat so much as he inhales. He swallows about as much air as he does food, then wanders around burping and farting. He's vomited at least twice. I've managed to stop the vomiting and most of the other bad stuff by crating Indy for meals and feeding Ringo by hand to control how much he gets at a time. They're going to the vet for 6-in-1s this week anyway, so I'll consult her, but is there anything I can do in the meantime to slow down his eating a bit? He's getting plenty; he's actually chubby. But he's pretty greedy.
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Jun 16, 2008 22:39
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little green jewel posted:I have the worst luck with feeding my puppies. Indy's started eating without issues, finally. I guess it was just a phase. But now Ringo has the opposite problem. He doesn't eat so much as he inhales. He swallows about as much air as he does food, then wanders around burping and farting. He's vomited at least twice. If its kibble, you can try putting large stones in the bowl, so he has to eat around them. It works for cats and horses at least.
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Jun 16, 2008 22:42
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little green jewel posted:I've managed to stop the vomiting and most of the other bad stuff by crating Indy for meals and feeding Ringo by hand to control how much he gets at a time. They're going to the vet for 6-in-1s this week anyway, so I'll consult her, but is there anything I can do in the meantime to slow down his eating a bit? He's getting plenty; he's actually chubby. But he's pretty greedy. Give this a try or stick a tennis ball in his food. Separating them in crates is a good start. Make sure to remove any leftover food, or take-up, afterwards to avoid them raiding each others leftovers. If there's hope for additional raiding, they're still going to hurry through meals.
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Jun 16, 2008 22:47
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Any opinions on the Furminator for cats?
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Jun 17, 2008 02:48
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The Furminator is really fantastic...if you can get your cat to sit still long enough to actually be thoroughly brushed by it, which mine don't. I just try to brush them whenever I can instead of having brush sessions and it always gets tons of hair off even when I'm not trying particularly hard. I would recommend getting it on sale or with some kind of coupon because while it is nice, it is pricey for a cat brush. Also I don't know why, but the dog and cat ones are the same except for the color, yet the cat one was about $8 more expensive when I got mine (from Petsmart), so look in the dog section.
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Jun 17, 2008 03:55
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New question! Just added some water to my aquarium. It's a 20 gallon, biowheel 30 gal filter that use to house some goldfish. The goldfish went to their summer home (230 gal pond) and all thats left is a 3" pleco. Anyway. So I just topped up the tank about 2". When I did it unleashed a hellspawn of tiny grey things that looks like an old man shaved his pubes over my tank. Some of them seem to be moving like worms, so therefore I assume these are worms. Are they parasitic? Should I be concerned or wait for them to settle?
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Jun 20, 2008 00:24
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My boyfriend recently aquired a Netherland Dwarf rabbit, because to put it bluntly his brother couldn't be bothered looking after him and they wanted a kitten instead. He's not alone very often and he's out of his cage and running around the house for at least 8 hours a day. Do Netherland Dwarf rabbits get lonely easily? Should we invest in a (same sex) friend for him? The bunny's really timid and shy, and although he follows you around all day and likes to nibble on trouser legs, if anyone tries to touch him or pick him up he panics like crazy and bolts. It'd be nice to pet him, but the main concern is that he needs his nails trimming and it's looking impossible to get him to sit still or even hold him whilst we trim him ourselves. Anyone got any tips on trimming the nails of an extremely high-strung rabbit? The only other way we can think of doing it is letting a vet do it, which seems a bit expensive and unpractical in the long run.
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Jun 22, 2008 00:20
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Okay, long story told somewhat shortly: Adopted two-year old dog. Dog had a severe cough, which we were told was a simple case of kennel cough by the Humane Society workers. Turns out dog had severe, near-death pneumonia that required three days of nebulization and a steady regiment of antibiotics to cure. Dog now seems, for all intents and purposes, well. It has been two months. One little problem, though. Murphy's lung capacity seems to be nil. Even with temperatures not approaching the mid-nineties - say, in the evenings when things have cooled off nicely - if I run him for more than ten or fifteen minutes, it hits him hard. Very hard. As in, very heavy panting for the next hour, not being able to walk straight or keep on his feet, staggering, confusion, near collapse. In warmer weather, it comes on even quicker. After especially severe cases, he'll usually end up coughing a little the next day. I'm really worried the pneumonia hosed his lungs up for good and proper. He's a young, otherwise fit Border Collie, his entire world revolves around running and being active and chasing things. I can't very well explain to him that he can only play frisbee for ten minutes at a time now. We were going to enter agility classes in the next couple of months. Could his lungs be shot for good? 
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Jun 22, 2008 20:32
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I live by a pond and several of our neighbors have ducks. This morning I noticed one of the ducks had a large wound sort on the lower part of his side, underneath the wing and in front of his leg. I told the owner but he just said "Well, it's not like I can pack him up and take him to the vet, so we'll just see what happens. It's sad though." I went to check on the duck later in the day and he had died. One of our other neighbors thinks a turtle killed the duck because of the placement of the wound. But I also know there are kids around the neighborhood with BB pistols. Is it possible to kill a large duck with a BB pistol, or is it more likely that a turtle killed the duck? I know there's many large turtles in the pond but I've never seen them try to bite a duck before. Also, if it is turtles, is there anything we can do to make sure the turtles don't get my parents' two ducks?
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Jun 23, 2008 02:14
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Also, does anyone still have the link to that great pet tags site where you could engrave one side with the name and the other with what essentially amounted to the animal's custom title? I know it was in a thread awhile back, but I don't have Archives, so if anyone knows what I'm talking about ...
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Jun 24, 2008 17:18
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TheGreatFezini posted:I live by a pond and several of our neighbors have ducks. This morning I noticed one of the ducks had a large wound sort on the lower part of his side, underneath the wing and in front of his leg. I told the owner but he just said "Well, it's not like I can pack him up and take him to the vet, so we'll just see what happens. It's sad though." I went to check on the duck later in the day and he had died. You suspect fowl play? Sorry. I would doubt that a BB would cause a wound large enough for you to see like that.
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Jun 24, 2008 17:27
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What is a completely safe dog flea collar or drop solution that will not harm a cat? Our small dog keeps getting loving fleas no matter how often we give it flea baths, we tried the drops and it didn't really seem to help either, so we got a Hartz Ultraguard flea and tick collar, until I saw some reviews on Amazon (could be bullshit for all I know) saying they are deadly to cats. The cat and dog don't like each other, so they won't be cuddling or anything. I just want to know the cat is going to be completely safe.
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Jun 24, 2008 17:33
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I think flea collars in general are meant to be avoided. Stick with drops, like Frontline. Avoid dodgy cheap brands, as they probably won't work, and could potentially make your pets sick. Vet-recommended ones are the best to use. In addition, if your dog keeps getting fleas it could be that you have them in the house, and should look to treating your carpets etc  Not a pleasant prospect.
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Jun 24, 2008 17:57
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I've never had a flea problem thank god, but one of the very few things I've picked up from PI flea threads is to never use Hartz products. It has killed many pets and made others seriously (and expensively) ill. Seconding go to the vet to get an opinion/prescription/recommendation/whatever. Edit: And if I remember right, the dosages for dogs, even from good brands, are all deadly to cats.
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Jun 24, 2008 18:20
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Ain Paradisum posted:What is a completely safe dog flea collar or drop solution that will not harm a cat? You need to use Frontline, Advantage, Revolution or something else your vet would carry for your dog. Flea collars and poo poo you buy in the grocery store (Hartz especially) just do not work and most of it is indeed toxic to cats, and has even been known to harm dogs sometimes.
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Jun 24, 2008 18:57
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So our new kitten Charleston went to the vet yesterday, being all covered with fleas. They treated him with Advantage, I think, and gave him a good bath. We boarded him and our other cat overnight at the vet so we could treat the bedroom with a flea/tick spray, and we're getting them back today. So here's my question - is the kitten now totally flea-and-tick-free, after having been treated and bathed? Can we put him in our bedroom and not have to worry about re-contaminating everything?
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Jun 24, 2008 19:22
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CK07 posted:So our new kitten Charleston went to the vet yesterday, being all covered with fleas. They treated him with Advantage, I think, and gave him a good bath. We boarded him and our other cat overnight at the vet so we could treat the bedroom with a flea/tick spray, and we're getting them back today. So here's my question - is the kitten now totally flea-and-tick-free, after having been treated and bathed? Can we put him in our bedroom and not have to worry about re-contaminating everything? I'm guessing the vet did a Capstar + Advantage combo. The Capstar would have killed all of the fleas on the cat, and the Advantage will kill any additional fleas that bite the cat. The cat should theoretically be flea-free now, and you're safe to allow him in your bathroom. To Ain Paradisum - I wasted a lot of time and money trying different over the counter medications last summer. None of them worked, and I ended spending more money trying to be cheap than just going ahead with the vet-sold meds. The best thing is to go ahead and get Advantage or Frontline from your vet, and consider treating your yard for fleas as well since it sounds like the problem is pretty bad. You can either try a chemical or biological approach. I chose to use nematodes (the biological approach, obviously) because it was natural, only a single application, and not too expensive. The nematodes seemed to do the trick to get the yard under control quickly. I got mine at an independent granola-style pet store, but you can also find them online and at garden stores.
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Jun 24, 2008 19:43
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MoCookies posted:I'm guessing the vet did a Capstar + Advantage combo. The Capstar would have killed all of the fleas on the cat, and the Advantage will kill any additional fleas that bite the cat. The cat should theoretically be flea-free now, and you're safe to allow him in your bathroom. But what about the bedroom? Our other cat's stuff is in the bathroom, so technically we could move it, but that's a lot of disruption for 48 hours. Our trust has been breached anyway, I came home yesterday and went for what he thought would be a nice welcome-back cuddle but was in reality a trip to the torture chamber... Did you say the bathroom because he might still have some leftover fleas, or was it just a typo? Ain Paradisum, I have to reiterate what everyone else is saying about the collars. My mom used one on her cat back in the 80's, and while I'm sure things have improved since, but there's a picture of the poor miserable cat after having its entire front half shaved due to a seriously bad reaction. You don't want to do that to your babies, do you?
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Jun 24, 2008 20:14
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Benzene posted:Netherland Dwarf rabbit 1. Yes, rabbits need company. However, they can't just be thrown together like kittens, rabbits can seriously damage one another during introduction fights. Also, same sex pairing doesn't work as well as getting your bun spayed or neutered, and getting an opposite-sex rabbit who is also altered. See this for more information (including the links on the upper-right). 2. Regular veterinary nail trimmings aren't necessarily impractical. Many people do it simply because they don't want to be the "bad guy" to their bunny. They should only cost $8-$12 every month or so. Other than that, some people use the burrito method, other use the hypnosis method, but both require that you become comfortable catching and restraining the rabbit in a safe manner. See this for details. 3. Most rabbits do NOT like to be picked up, that's common. Instead, try gently petting the bunny's forehead (around the ear bases) - not the sides or flanks. If he likes it he should "bow" - press his chin against the ground and stay there as long as you are petting him. 4. If he isn't already, the bunny needs to be spayed or neutered. The pants-nipping sounds like hormonal behavior. Litterbox habits, destructiveness, biting, and cage aggression are all improved by neutering. Also, intact females over the age of 3 have nearly an 80% chance of developing an ovarian or uterine cancer. 5. If you haven't already, read everything on https://www.rabbit.org, especially about diet and housing. EVERYTHING the pet stores tell you, everything you hear from anyone who "used to own rabbits as a kid", will be wrong. The current standards for rabbit husbandry are only about 5-10 years old, and they aren't based on what sells product at pet stores, which is why stores will outright lie to you. The most critical points are summarized here and here and following them will help make sure your bunny lives 8-12 years instead of just 3-5. There's also a rabbit megathread, feel free to post more specific questions (and pictures!) there.
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Jun 24, 2008 20:55
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AR posted:You suspect fowl play?  quote:Sorry. I would doubt that a BB would cause a wound large enough for you to see like that. That is what I suspected about the BB gun. Well, I guess it most likely a turtle then, or possibly a raccoon or coyote. Are turtles really dangerous to other animals? We have two ducks and I let my corgi swim in the lake sometimes. I don't know if I should be worried about them or not.
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Jun 24, 2008 22:48
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I have a quick question that has me stumped. My 8 week old puppy is paper trained and has only had a couple of small accidents when excited. That I can handle. What I want to do though is move from the papers on the floor to a paper lined litter box. I got the box, put in a pee stained paper and hoped for the best, but she just wouldn't use it. She peed next to the box. The sides aren't too big for her to get over, she actually seems to think the box is a toy. I've tried sitting there and holding her lightly, but she's having none of that. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process so she'll start using the box?
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Jun 24, 2008 23:06
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Cats piss and poo poo in litterboxes, dogs piss and poo poo outside. 
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Jun 25, 2008 00:36
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Lioness posted:Cats piss and poo poo in litterboxes, dogs piss and poo poo outside. Yep. In more detail: dogs don't have the instinct to bury their waste like cats do, so they won't naturally seek out places that are good for burying. So it's VERY hard and generally not worth it to litter train them unless you have some sort of bubble boy dog that can't go outside ever. Plus, not burying anything means that everything will be out on top of the box, stinking up your house.
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Jun 25, 2008 00:58
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I realize that. It's a small dog and I'm in a two bedroom condo. When winter arrives it won't always be possible to take her outside. I've read a lot about litter training puppies, but nothing seems to be working. You use paper, or dog litter, rather than cat litter. I just need a good idea to get her to try it out.
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Jun 25, 2008 01:26
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I've heard a lot of people say they don't want to take their small dogs outside in the winter, but I don't think there's a reason not to. If necessary you can put a sweater on them and shovel off a patch of grass for them, but it's still possible for them to go outside. They're still dogs, just smaller. You may have to fight to get the dog to realize that it has to go on snow/ice when the time comes, but with consistent and firm training, it can be done. I think it would be easier on you and the dog to go with traditional potty training. I'm not even sure if it's possible to train a dog to reliably use a litter box but maybe someone has done it. Still, it makes more sense to just suck it up and take the dog out.
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Jun 25, 2008 03:22
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