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Finn went to the dog park for the first time today. I kept him on the leash at first because he hasn't had a ton of socialization with other dogs. After sniffing around and interacting with new dog friends for about 30 mins I let him off the leash  I am happy to say that he was a very good dog. He was extremely friendly to both dogs and people which was a gigantic relief. He's been kind of standoffish with strangers, but he was a total gentleman today. I'm super proud of my guy  Here he is playing with a little bulldog.  His best moment was when a black lab came up and challenged him and got pretty fierce. Finn held his own, growled and chased the other dog off, but never bit or anything. Whenever that dog came around us again, he'd run to get in between my wife and I and the dog. He wanted to make sure we were okay 
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Aug 16, 2015 18:21
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My roommate thinks his 60lb lab only needs to go outside twice a day for a 5 min walk, and when she starts getting stinky just sprays some dog perfume on her because "it's bad to give dogs baths all the time, just like cats" it's been over 3 months since her last bath. I know he's had the dog for like 6 years but wish he would get rid of it
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Aug 16, 2015 19:35
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:How is he off leash with other dogs? Some dogs develop barrier aggression so they get worked up when they see another dog on leash/behind a fence but are okay off leash. My one dog is a hellbeast if he sees another dog while he's on leash or on the other side of a fence but off leash he doesn't really care and only gets snippy if another dog wanders into his personal space and doesn't leave. He hasn't had much interaction off-leash with other dogs, since we don't let him off the leash yet. We're moving in a few weeks to a place that has a really great park that's mostly gated so we're going to work on that, I guess we'll see! The only off-leash interaction I can remember was when we left him at a friend's for a weekend. He was pretty chill, ignored both dogs until the puppy got too annoying, and he just growled at it (the puppy gave 0 shits and kept romping around). I've thought about the possibility of him just not caring about other dogs. I'm fine with that, but I just want to avoid him getting more and more aggressive to the point I have to avoid other dogs. He's ok with other dogs like, half the time, specially if it's a short interaction (smell each other butts, keep walking). If he pees and the other dog is around then he'll get snippy. Danith posted:My roommate thinks his 60lb lab only needs to go outside twice a day for a 5 min walk, and when she starts getting stinky just sprays some dog perfume on her because "it's bad to give dogs baths all the time, just like cats" it's been over 3 months since her last bath. I know he's had the dog for like 6 years but wish he would get rid of it That's infurating, poor guy. The dog perfume thing should be enough for the dog to be stressed I'd bet. I also don't get why people use those things, if the dog is clean then the dog smell is part of their charm. Not so much if he rolled in poop but that's a cue for a bath. edit: also, this is the first dog I've had that was rescued from a shelter and man, is it uplifting. In just a month he has changed so much and I feel all fuzzy thinking that we did that difference, and that he's a happy dog thanks to us. My past dogs were a Boxer and a Golden Retriever I had since puppies and well, those two feel like their happy switch was just stuck on ON independent of the humans living with them. Adopt! Hugoon Chavez fucked around with this message at 11:12 on Aug 17, 2015 |
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Aug 17, 2015 11:09
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Getting some midday pics from the puppy daycare place. Today's Bailey's first day so I'm hoping things are going well.
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Aug 17, 2015 20:23
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Danith posted:My roommate thinks his 60lb lab only needs to go outside twice a day for a 5 min walk, and when she starts getting stinky just sprays some dog perfume on her because "it's bad to give dogs baths all the time, just like cats" it's been over 3 months since her last bath. I know he's had the dog for like 6 years but wish he would get rid of it It's not uncommon to bathe dogs 1-4 times a year. However, the caveat for me is that the dog can't smell like poo poo in between. Dogs who smell bad are often on gross food or just not well taken care of... which sounds like this one. It kind of sounds like a crappy situation, but I've heard of so much worse. Frustrating to live with, I'm sure.
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Aug 17, 2015 21:11
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My dogs get baths when they get particularly filthy (so sometimes weekly if we go have fun in the dirt and mud on weekends) but then can go all winter without baths and be fine. Some dogs are just smelly regardless, but there's a chance it could have a yeast infection or teeth in need of a cleaning or is just gross and greasy for being on crap food.
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Aug 18, 2015 00:49
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Little fella has been with us for a month. He knows how to sit, lay down and of course his name. We're working on follow, stay and come & stand next to me (what word do you guys use for this?). He hasn't peed inside in a week now and looks like he won't if I take him out every 5-6 hours. Great progress, especially for a rescue dog and our First dog loves the little fella as much as we do Here they are: 
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Aug 18, 2015 21:24
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I'm at wit's end with my dog's bad behavior when I'm gone. I wouldn't even call it separation "anxiety" because she doesn't seem stressed but maybe I'm wrong. She doesn't react when I go through my routine in the morning at all. My husband watches her carefully and can confirm that she stays relaxed. So I can't follow the common internet advice of desensitizing her by just going through my routine and not leaving the house. She barks when I leave for about 5-15 minutes. Not too bad except even that is not acceptable in an apartment at 7 am. I bought one of those ultrasonic bark deterrents since I'm not sure what else to do and she does hate high pitched noises. I'm going to try it out tomorrow but I'm afraid she might panic and injure herself in her crate if she really hates the noise. But anyway, I put her in a crate because she is destructive when I'm gone. I leave a kong, interactive puzzle toys, rawhides, etc, but she seems to favor chewing the carpet and shoes to any of those, so that's why she got locked up. She is fine with the crate when I'm there. She goes in there willingly to just relax. Well . . . she has learned to escape the crate. Neither I, nor my engineer husband, can figure out how. The crate is definitely put together right and seems secure but multiple times we have come home to our dog running around freely. The dog is smarter than us. I do give her exercise, usually a 20 minute run and 20 minute walk before work, playing at the dog park for ~an hour most nights, and a 40 minute walk at midnight. I truly do not think lack of exercise is the problem because she can be 100% passed out before I put her in the crate and still bark and escape the crate when I leave. I just don't know.  Next time I think I'll go to a breeder instead of getting a shelter dog. I don't think I'm cut out for it. If I had her as a puppy, maybe I could have prevented some of these bad habits.Any thoughts are welcome.
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Aug 19, 2015 06:35
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^ You should really seek help from a professional dog trainer. You just can't keep her crated all day for the rest of her life.
Dyna Soar fucked around with this message at 08:51 on Aug 19, 2015 |
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Aug 19, 2015 08:09
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Mathematics posted:I'm at wit's end with my dog's bad behavior when I'm gone. How old is she and how long have you had her? Know her story, pre-shelter? I know it's hard but with some work and help you'll get over it and will be happy with her for sure, be strong! I'd go with Dyna's sugestion and find a good trainer, it'll set you back some but it'll be the best you can do.
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Aug 19, 2015 09:40
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Sounds a bit like my Mona for the first few months after we adopted her. Initially she was pretty OK with crating, but as she got attached to us she started having pretty big issues being crated while we were at work. She's part King Charles Caviler which are kind of notorious for separation issues. It got to the point where she would destroy anything in or around her crate if we were gone for any period. Eventually we decided that letting her be outside the crate would let her be social with the other dog (a non-crate trained pooch) and choose which toys she wanted instead of whatever we happened to toss in there with her. We also tried to set her up for success, so anything that looks tempting gets put in a drawer or out of her reach, all the doors in the house get closed except the bedroom, and we bought baby gates so she basically can only go from the bedroom down the hallway to the dining room and living room. It took us a few TV remotes, toilet paper rolls, and end table knicknacks to realize that tempting items means basically anything she can pick up with her mouth, and we still do a "puppy patrol" before we go out of the house for long periods. It's not as big of an issue for 1-2 hour periods, but if we will be gone a few hours it gets put away. We also have gotten better about garbage can access and what goes into the bedroom and bathroom waste paper baskets. Things like shoes you can make sure she doesn't have access to, though I'm not sure what you can do about carpet, maybe find a soft toy for her made of similar material? She hasn't had a major incident in a long time. We can't leave her with a kong or anything good based to provide an immediate long term distraction because the other dog is resource guarding. They both get a regular treat when we leave, preferably something chewy so it lasts a bit longer, and this has helped her associate us putting the kitchen gate up with treat time instead of us leaving. We try to be out the door before she is done chewing. Sometimes a dog just isn't a crate-the-whole-workday kind of dog or will never be totally Ok with being alone for an extremely long period. You can build up their ability to endure these issues, but don't expect changes overnight. Here is a picture of when I learned the hard way not to leave a bed in her crate or to leave clothes on top. 
Daedalus Esquire fucked around with this message at 10:26 on Aug 19, 2015 |
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Aug 19, 2015 10:09
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Do you really keep your dogs locked in a small crate all day? Instead of like, training them not to be destructive or have separation anxiety?
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Aug 19, 2015 10:13
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Dyna Soar posted:Do you really keep your dogs locked in a small crate all day? Instead of like, training them not to be destructive or have separation anxiety? The OP posted:Take the ethical discussions elsewhere But yeah apparently it's very popular for training puppies, the gist of it is that you first asociate the crate as a safe place, basically the puppie's place, and make it comfy and good to hang around when you're not there. Kinda like letting your teenage son "rent" the basement. vv Oh I know, it's super odd to me as well, was warning just in case! It's not ilegal here in Spain afaik but judging by people's reactions it might as well be. Hugoon Chavez fucked around with this message at 11:04 on Aug 19, 2015 |
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Aug 19, 2015 10:37
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Not looking to start poo poo, I just had no idea americans do that. I think it's illegal here.
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Aug 19, 2015 10:54
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Leaving a dog in a crate all day is illegal in most of Europe as it is associated with puppy mills. When I moved to the US from Britain and saw people doing it I was rather confused by it as well but not as confused as when I tell people it is illegal along with tail docking and other look modifying procedures. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.
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Aug 19, 2015 12:57
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E: never mind, I don't want to continue a derail
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Aug 19, 2015 15:21
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BigPaddy posted:Leaving a dog in a crate all day is illegal in most of Europe as it is associated with puppy mills. When I moved to the US from Britain and saw people doing it I was rather confused by it as well but not as confused as when I tell people it is illegal along with tail docking and other look modifying procedures. This is all covered in the OP (which people should definitely read before posting here): quote:2. Take the ethical discussions elsewhere
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Aug 19, 2015 16:43
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As far as I can see, it's only illegal in Sweden and not 'Europe'/
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Aug 19, 2015 16:56
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Well, without commenting on crating itself I think we all agree that it's not a solution for separation anxiety or bad behaviour? Those issues should be addressed by training. Crate or don't, but if you do only crate a happy dog. Dyna Soar fucked around with this message at 18:44 on Aug 19, 2015 |
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Aug 19, 2015 17:46
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BigPaddy posted:Leaving a dog in a crate all day is illegal in most of Europe as it is associated with puppy mills. When I moved to the US from Britain and saw people doing it I was rather confused by it as well but not as confused as when I tell people it is illegal along with tail docking and other look modifying procedures. Lol what since when has crating been illegal or even a niche thing in Britain literally every pet shop openly sells them
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Aug 19, 2015 22:52
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Last year, my dad took the family yorkie to the vet for a yearly checkup. The vet said our yorkie has difficulty expressing his anal glands due to weak hips. mentioned this to a vet tech friend and she's never heard of weak hips causing this problem. Vet Tech friend told me it's bad to express a dog's glands too frequently, as it can exacerbate the problem. So now my dad expresses my dog's anal glands every other week, occasionally once a week. I'm curious if this is OK or if I should get a second opinion?
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Aug 19, 2015 22:53
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Quick question here and I'm torn between things I've read; I'm crate training Boris since we got him and he's pretty good, gurgles for a minute and then goes on to sleep. But I'm not sure if I should be throwing a big puppy party when I let him out or what? Will that create seperation anxiety issues (although I'm here the whole time) like the celebrations when coming home from work or whatever would? Trying to be as proper as possible with the training from the onset to instill good habits in us, moreso than him.
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Aug 20, 2015 00:12
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Do not throw a party when releasing from crate. Keep it as low key as possible. Mine have to wait too until I have opened the door and stepped back a few steps before I release them.
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Aug 20, 2015 05:57
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Yeah, I definitely don't want to put my dog in a crate all day but I can't find a better solution. People just say "find a trainer" as if it were that easy. The trainers I can find online in my area seem to only offer boarding (which is expensive as heck. Plus I don't think that would really work to fix separation anxiety she has at home) or classes, which again, doesn't seem like it would be a solution. I called her vet asking about it. The receptionist was confused. "So you don't want to make an appointment? Try Petsmart for training." I'm feeling pretty hopeless at this point. I could just let her run free but I'm really worried she's going to damage the carpet more. Plus, that isn't really solving the issue of anxiety. I was even thinking about getting another dog since she acts extremely well when my mom brings her dog here. She doesn't seem to get anxious at all when people leave, even if they're both crated. But that plan can go horribly wrong in 99 different ways too. Thanks for the advice, in any case. I will keep calling people to try to find some training help. Until then, I guess I'll just let her run free and hope she doesn't decide to attack the carpet. Edit: By the way, she's about 2 years old. Has had at least one litter. Really mixed looking so I'm not sure what breed she is but she has some pit in there. 35 lbs. Mathematics fucked around with this message at 20:59 on Aug 20, 2015 |
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Aug 20, 2015 20:51
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I'm no expert, but a second dog is unlike to fix her anxiety. She's missing you and a dog companion will not make her miss you less. I'd say getting a second dog is a bad idea until you've worked through her issues.
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Aug 20, 2015 21:02
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Dyna Soar posted:I'm no expert, but a second dog is unlike to fix her anxiety. She's missing you and a dog companion will not make her miss you less. I'd say getting a second dog is a bad idea until you've worked through her issues. Agreed. If your dog is anxious and you introduce a new, uncontrolled element into the house, your dog may very well turn aggressive toward it. Separation anxiety is a big hurdle to get over, but it is achievable. You have to start with things like going into another room for a few seconds and then coming back with treats. Then to the other side of a door, then outside, etc. Slowly build up the time you're gone for. Pup's gotta learn that going away just means that extra special fun times happen when you come back. Thor used to freak out when we'd leave for more than 5 minutes, but now he can't wait for us to go so he can turn the entire couch into a pillow fortress and nap. Seriously. He runs upstairs into the guest bedroom (which doesn't have a door), steals all the pillows and brings them down 3 flights of stairs, and uses them + the couch pillows to build a little nest. Then he crawls under it and sleeps all day.
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Aug 20, 2015 21:22
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LeftistMuslimObama posted:Agreed. If your dog is anxious and you introduce a new, uncontrolled element into the house, your dog may very well turn aggressive toward it. Dyna Soar posted:I'm no expert, but a second dog is unlike to fix her anxiety. She's missing you and a dog companion will not make her miss you less. I'd say getting a second dog is a bad idea until you've worked through her issues. Submarine Sandpaper fucked around with this message at 22:07 on Aug 20, 2015 |
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Aug 20, 2015 22:04
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Two days in a row my puppy has tricked me with a poop outside, followed 45 minutes later by a steaming pile on the living room floor. What gives bud I been taking you out every 2 hours. I got speckles of soap and deodorant all over my carpet
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Aug 21, 2015 01:20
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Are inflatable cones more tolerable (for the dog) than the standard ones?. Hana got a scratch over her eye that she keeps opening up and she loathes wearing the cone...
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Aug 21, 2015 07:45
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My dog won't jump up on the bed without heavy cheerleading. If he isn't on the bed when I'm on the bed he cries and cries and cries. He sits by the bed and he cries. He will not jump up on the bed on his own, or even with the encouragement I can give him without having to get up. Half the time I just pick him up and plop him on the bed to get it over with. If I put something for him to step up on so he doesn't have to make one big leap he won't do anything with it. I don't understand, Lee.
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Aug 22, 2015 04:56
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Hey, thanks for the advice in this thread, sorry for posting constantly. I took my separation anxiety prone dog on a goddamn two hour walk today after playing for 30 minutes in the dog park. I went to work for 8 hours and came back with the house 100% intact. Nothing was out of place. She still barked when I left but it seemed less frantic than usual. No idea how this will be sustainable, especially for winter, but I guess when people say "exercise your dog to get rid of behavior problems", they mean a lot. (At least in some cases.)
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Aug 23, 2015 04:40
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Yo my dog is picky as gently caress with treats. Post links to what has worked for you tia - edit this jerk 
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Aug 23, 2015 23:33
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Nostalgia4Dicks posted:Yo my dog is picky as gently caress with treats. Post links to what has worked for you tia What have you tried?
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Aug 24, 2015 00:51
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:What have you tried? Yeah, I mean here's my list: kiwi skins hot dogs :V cheese :V salmon skin raw meat of any type snap peas carrots cat treats of any type ice cubes crackers peanut butter etc
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Aug 24, 2015 07:17
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I gave my dogs some plain canned pumpkin when one of them was having poo issues a while back and they both loving love it. They seem to like it better than peanut butter in a kong (I freeze em to make them last longer too) Other favourites include whatever I am eating (I don't give in unless I am done and I have walked into the kitchen to take my plate out and put a bite in their bowls, assuming it is a dog safe food). Shithouse Dave fucked around with this message at 08:41 on Aug 24, 2015 |
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Aug 24, 2015 08:36
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some dogs just aren't particularly food motivated though. I work in a shelter so it could be a shelter stress thing, but some dogs you just can't ply with food treats.
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Aug 24, 2015 08:38
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Hot dogs and deli meat are usually pretty reliable.
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Aug 24, 2015 12:18
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Shithouse Dave posted:I gave my dogs some plain canned pumpkin when one of them was having poo issues a while back and they both loving love it. They seem to like it better than peanut butter in a kong (I freeze em to make them last longer too) Canned pumpkin is magic. Easy to digest, and my dog loves it more than anything, I think. Pretty much the perfect treat.
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Aug 24, 2015 16:55
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cloudy posted:Canned pumpkin is magic. Easy to digest, and my dog loves it more than anything, I think. Pretty much the perfect treat.  (awesome album by the way) iIve been meaning to try oven dried sweet potato jerky. Low on calories and dogs supposedly love it.
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Aug 24, 2015 17:21
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He loving loves processedcheddar cheese and of course anything I'm eating. But doesn't care for the bacon flavored treats, milk bones, little chicken reward treats. Also wasn't a fan of peanut butter but it was the gross healthy poo poo not skippy or something. He did like the pig ear I got him though and I've been meaning to get more. The only thing he actually destroyed was some bison meat flavored thing shaped like a small chicken bone. He's just so picky and I'm a bit overwhelmed with options LeftistMuslimObama posted:Thor used to freak out when we'd leave for more than 5 minutes, but now he can't wait for us to go so he can turn the entire couch into a pillow fortress and nap. Seriously. He runs upstairs into the guest bedroom (which doesn't have a door), steals all the pillows and brings them down 3 flights of stairs, and uses them + the couch pillows to build a little nest. Then he crawls under it and sleeps all day. Gonna need pics Nostalgia4Dogges fucked around with this message at 17:47 on Aug 24, 2015 |
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Aug 24, 2015 17:33
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