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Little bugger couldn't open her eyes yesterday. Emergency trip to the vets ended in diagnosis of glaucoma  Slightly annoyed that my request to look into this was batted aside by my vet weeks ago when she lost her sight on one side, but then I'm no vet. 
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Oct 24, 2017 14:08
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Hello dog thread. My wife and I just got our second dog. He is a good, strong boy with lots of energy. I need recommendations on a good leash. Something with the upper and lower handles and without the standard bolt snap that most have. Our first dog shook one off a few times and just yesterday the new dog shook his off as well. He immediately bolted to go exploring but fortunately came back for belly rubs once I sat down and called him. If there's some technique I can use to make these safer that's fine too but I don't trust these kinds of leashes. Thanks in advance.
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Oct 26, 2017 17:06
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I got a pair of Ruffwear leashes with a locking carabiner connections, which are wholly unnecessary for my dogs but I like it. I have a 5 ft leash for my larger dog who has better leash manners and a 3 ft leash for my smaller dog who I got in August and has the leash manners of a drunken bumblebee. It's been working really well for keeping them untangled and mostly under control. I also tried one of those 2 dog connectors for a bit but I found I could get the same functionally by running the longer leash through the handle of the smaller leash and still having the option of pulling in the smaller dog if she's being a little poo poo.
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Oct 26, 2017 18:46
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Most of the stuff made by Ruffwear is excellent. I too have the lead with the carabiner end, but even the standard leads have a very reliable thingybob on the end.
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Oct 27, 2017 12:07
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THE RAGGY posted:Most of the stuff made by Ruffwear is excellent. I too have the lead with the carabiner end, but even the standard leads have a very reliable thingybob on the end. ooh i like that thingybob
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Oct 27, 2017 12:44
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GoodBee posted:I got a pair of Ruffwear leashes with a locking carabiner connections, which are wholly unnecessary for my dogs but I like it. Hm, there's a lot to like about these. I thought about the double dog leash but new dog is significantly stronger than current dog. It's pretty clear that the foster people never too this dog on walks. He has zero leash manners. THE RAGGY posted:Most of the stuff made by Ruffwear is excellent. I too have the lead with the carabiner end, but even the standard leads have a very reliable thingybob on the end. Yeah, that's similar to what we have for current dog's leash. It's weird how so few seem to have clasps that are extra secure. You'd think dog people would be all over that.
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Oct 27, 2017 14:09
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Do you guys have any recommendations for good chew toys? I'd like to get Apollo another toy, and I'm thinking something he'll want to just chew on - but I understand that antlers are not good for teeth, and he's already got a kong. What's good?
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Oct 27, 2017 23:10
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StrixNebulosa posted:Do you guys have any recommendations for good chew toys? I'd like to get Apollo another toy, and I'm thinking something he'll want to just chew on - but I understand that antlers are not good for teeth, and he's already got a kong. how big? what breed? (sorry keeping track of individual poster names and dogs isnt my skill)
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Oct 28, 2017 17:23
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sneakyfrog posted:how big? what breed? 40 lb Husky/German Shepherd mix  Apollo is the pupper on the right, the other two aren't mine e: Also no worries! I'll happily take any excuse to post pictures of him 
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Oct 28, 2017 17:26
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What’s a good treat for a puppy that they can have when they go in the crate that they can chew on for a while? Our pup loves the crate and no issues there but it would be nice to give her something to gnaw that would last a bit. Thinking something like a pig’s ear or bully stick (ew). Any other recs?
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Oct 28, 2017 17:30
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priznat posted:What’s a good treat for a puppy that they can have when they go in the crate that they can chew on for a while? I think they make kongs for puppies, and putting peanut butter in 'em is the single best way to occupy my pupper for ages.
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Oct 28, 2017 17:32
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well hell 2 questions one stone. If you are going like short term treat-wise (ie disposable) all my doggos like pig ears. longish term the spiky ring or nylabones which some people worry about but honestly for me hasnt caused any issues as long as you get rid of em before when they start gnawing pieces off.
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Oct 28, 2017 17:34
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just make sure to size em to your dog
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Oct 28, 2017 17:34
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StrixNebulosa posted:I think they make kongs for puppies, and putting peanut butter in 'em is the single best way to occupy my pupper for ages. Oo yah that is a good idea. I have a larger kong (not too big, and the pup is about 15lbs) which may work. I got one of the kong bones you put the hard treats in and she cleans that out before I’m even out the door 
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Oct 28, 2017 17:35
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sneakyfrog posted:well hell 2 questions one stone. Aha, nylabones has turned up some promising looking toys on amazon - thanks! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ASMT4/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052SPB6S/ priznat posted:Oo yah that is a good idea. I have a larger kong (not too big, and the pup is about 15lbs) which may work. I haven't tried it yet, but I've also read that you can try freezing the peanut butter in the kong, which makes it last longer!
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Oct 28, 2017 17:41
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My tiny shelter mutt has a mild heart murmur. When I took him in for a vet appointment back in February, she thought she heard one, but couldn't get it to repeat and then when I did bloodwork for him this week I also had them do a blood test which turned out positive. Also, the vet think that he may be older than we initially thought (the shelter and a vet guessed that he was around two, making him probably seven now). How much should I worry and is there anything I can do? This sounds dumb, but I never gave much thought to the fact that eventually my dog will die.
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Oct 28, 2017 17:45
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Dogwood Fleet posted:My tiny shelter mutt has a mild heart murmur. When I took him in for a vet appointment back in February, she thought she heard one, but couldn't get it to repeat and then when I did bloodwork for him this week I also had them do a blood test which turned out positive. Also, the vet think that he may be older than we initially thought (the shelter and a vet guessed that he was around two, making him probably seven now). How much should I worry and is there anything I can do? This sounds dumb, but I never gave much thought to the fact that eventually my dog will die. My mini dachshund started with a heart murmur, diagnosed around 2013 at about 10 years old. He collapsed winter of 2015 after we ignored some pretty obvious signs it was getting worse. Now he has CHF and has been on medication for it since that day. He acts years younger. Try not to worry about it. Things you should probably do: Track your dog's resting breath rate once a day around the same time (I use Boehringer Ingelheim's "Your Dog's Heart" app), monitor how often your dog is dry coughing in case there is an uptick in that activity, take your dog in every six months for a check up and to track any changes in the murmur, and the number one thing you should do is ask your vet a million questions about whatever treatment/monitoring plan they want you to follow.
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Oct 28, 2017 19:33
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StrixNebulosa posted:Do you guys have any recommendations for good chew toys? I'd like to get Apollo another toy, and I'm thinking something he'll want to just chew on - but I understand that antlers are not good for teeth, and he's already got a kong. My dog is the same size as yours and she goes bananas over this thing - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004A7X24K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Oct 29, 2017 02:05
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Dogwood Fleet posted:My tiny shelter mutt has a mild heart murmur. When I took him in for a vet appointment back in February, she thought she heard one, but couldn't get it to repeat and then when I did bloodwork for him this week I also had them do a blood test which turned out positive. Also, the vet think that he may be older than we initially thought (the shelter and a vet guessed that he was around two, making him probably seven now). How much should I worry and is there anything I can do? This sounds dumb, but I never gave much thought to the fact that eventually my dog will die. See if you can find a veterinary cardiologist near you to perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). You can search here: http://find.vetspecialists.com/ A heart murmur doesn't tell you anything about how the bad the heart disease is. A cardiologist can ultrasound your dog's heart, diagnose the type of heart disease it has, and if there is significant heart enlargement, there's a medication that can be prescribed to delay the progression of your dog's heart disease and prolong the onset of heart failure. This is assuming your dog has degenerative valve disease like the majority of old small dogs; if it ends up being something different, then whether treatment is needed and the medication used may be different. An echo costs a few hundred dollars though, so if you can't afford it, you could also ask your vet to take chest x-rays. X-rays can tell you the overall size of the heart, but can't tell you anything about the heart function. X-rays can also be difficult to interpret and I have seen a ton of x-rays where heart disease was misdiagnosed. Source: I am a veterinary cardiology resident and I do echos all day every day.
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Oct 30, 2017 02:28
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I give my dog a deer antler when I leave the house and it takes her a month or two to go through 1
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Oct 30, 2017 21:02
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Waroduce posted:I give my dog a deer antler when I leave the house and it takes her a month or two to go through 1 My concern with that is that I hear it's not great for the dog's teeth - i.e. it'll wear them down.
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Oct 30, 2017 21:04
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StrixNebulosa posted:My concern with that is that I hear it's not great for the dog's teeth - i.e. it'll wear them down. The store I got it from said to just make sure the outer shell wasn't too thick and it would give way before the dogs teeth did
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Oct 30, 2017 21:09
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StrixNebulosa posted:My concern with that is that I hear it's not great for the dog's teeth - i.e. it'll wear them down. Even tennis balls can do that. Just don't overdo it. One antler every other year isn't going to destroy all their teeth.
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Oct 30, 2017 21:19
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Away all Goats posted:Even tennis balls can do that. Just don't overdo it. One antler every other year isn't going to destroy all their teeth.
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Oct 30, 2017 21:57
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Primpin and Pimpin posted:My mini dachshund started with a heart murmur, diagnosed around 2013 at about 10 years old. He collapsed winter of 2015 after we ignored some pretty obvious signs it was getting worse. Now he has CHF and has been on medication for it since that day. He acts years younger. Try not to worry about it. Things you should probably do: Track your dog's resting breath rate once a day around the same time (I use Boehringer Ingelheim's "Your Dog's Heart" app), monitor how often your dog is dry coughing in case there is an uptick in that activity, take your dog in every six months for a check up and to track any changes in the murmur, and the number one thing you should do is ask your vet a million questions about whatever treatment/monitoring plan they want you to follow. Braki posted:See if you can find a veterinary cardiologist near you to perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). You can search here: http://find.vetspecialists.com/ For now, there really isn't a treatment plan. He's not presenting any symptoms (aside from the kind found with a stethoscope) and for now, the plan is mostly to keep an eye on him, bring him in about every six months for checkups and blood work and to get his teeth cleaned. I wish I knew the name of the blood test I had done, it was run separately from his regular blood work. I'm actually in an okay position financially, but I don't want to spend money if I don't need to (partially so I can get ready for whatever other vet bills start coming my way since god knows how old he actually is.)
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Oct 31, 2017 00:19
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So I’ve begun the brainstorming process of figuring out what it would take for me to get a puppy of my own. I grew up with a larger dog, but I’ve loved Pomeranians for as long as I can remember, and I’ve managed to find what appears to be a really great Pom breeder only a few hours away from where I live who keeps her puppies until 10-12 weeks. I work 10-6PM during the week, and so if I end up getting a puppy I’d have to leave her home all day long, at least at the beginning (after taking an initial 2-week vacation when I first bring her home, plus possibly going home during lunch for a the first few weeks/months), but eventually once she’s housebroken and fully vaccinated I would be able to bring her into work every couple days to alleviate any separation anxiety that she may be experiencing. I’ve read through the OP, this thread, and tons of guides online, but I feel that a couple of my questions, while addressed often, may not entirely apply to owning a toy breed, and so I’d like clarification and guidance on two of my largest concerns. 1) It seems pretty universally suggested here that when it comes to potty training, you should always take your dog out and ignore pee- or grass-pad training entirely. However, I’m concerned about how this might play out for a toy breed. Are their smaller bladders even capable of holding it for 8 hours a day, even once they're mature, while I’d be at work? I feel like I realistically have to train a Pom to both warn me to go outside when I’m home, but also to use pee pads or something for when I’m not home. Is there any good way to teach these two behaviors together, or am I setting myself up for failure? What would that training schedule look like? 2) For smaller toy breeds (and especially puppies) I read over and over about how often you’re supposed to feed them to prevent any health problems (specifically hypoglycemia) caused by their incredibly small and lean physiques. Some guides recommend leaving food out all during the day, while other guides warn never to free feed your dog. Would just stuffing a kong and leaving it out while I’m at work be sufficient enough? Would I have to add honey or Karo syrup to the water in her bowl? Should I invest in one of those automated dog food dispensers? If anyone has any opinions on how I could handle both these situations I’d really appreciate it.
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Nov 2, 2017 01:15
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We've got a Maltese / Shih Tzu cross and he can certainly hold it all day whilst we are at work. I work 8-5 but my girlfriend usually works 6am-2pm or 1-9pm so generally we are not leaving him at home all day, occasionally we do and it doesn't cause issues. However, I can't remember how long it took to get to that point. I'm certainly talking months not weeks though.
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Nov 2, 2017 17:07
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Apollo just got his new nylabone chew ring and he's taken to it as if he hasn't chewed anything in a hundred years. Thanks for the rec!
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Nov 2, 2017 19:53
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Getting closer to the pick-up date now, with 2.5 weeks to go. This feels like Christmas when I was a kid. I bought a travel crate, because I got it cheap. It's bigger than I thought it would be, and initially I was thinking I could use the travel crate as a permanent crate. However, after reading about it, I want to get a second proper crate with metal wiring. I am having some issues finding a store here in Norway that has a crate with a divider. The online retailers I found while googling seem to have normal crates. If they include a divider, it's not announced in the product description. I was thinking I could just buy one of these crates, and divide it off myself somehow by throwing something into the back of the cage. Do you guys have a brand of crates you can recommend with a divider, it might be easier googling for the brand rather than pet stores. I am also trying to figure out if I should go with a 120cm crate or a 100 cm crate. 100cm should be enough for the dog to move about and turn around, but I see people say "bigger is better". The difference in size might be enough for the crate to fit next to my bed in my bedroom, or having to keep the crate outside my bedroom. Another crate problem is that I decided to fly home for Christmas with my dog, as previously mentioned. It will be too big to fit in the cabin by Christmas (I didn't realize how big it would be after just 3 months), so I am having to send it in cargo. It will suck for the dog, and I am not going to medicate it. I can't see the dog developing any permanent psychological issues from a 50 minute flight in cargo, and it does need to get used to flying, so it might be better to start out as a puppy. Anyway, I want to use the "big" crate I bought, which is the Ferplast Atlast 70 professional (101 x 68,5 x h 75,5 cm). I think it will be too big for the puppy at this point, but buying a new crate in a smaller size will run me about $100 for a used one (the Atlas 50). It would only be used for this one trip, so I would prefer to use the big one. Do you guys see any issues with this, or will it be fine?
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Nov 5, 2017 13:02
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Acidian posted:Do you guys have a brand of crates you can recommend with a divider, it might be easier googling for the brand rather than pet stores. I bought Midwest folding dog crates from Amazon. They both came with dividers. I don't know if they are available in EU though. I also never used the dividers because I adopted adult dogs. I got the 36"/ 90 cm one for my larger dog, who is slightly smaller than what Wikipedia has posted for your breed. I have friends with an Akita, which seems a comparable size, and they also use the same size. There are also instructions for creating a divider yourself for crates that do not come with one. I have also never done this though. As far as flying with a dog goes, I've never done it but I did stumble across some info when I reading about crates. Airlines seem to require more crate space than recommended for stationary crates. I do not remember seeing a maximum crate size compared to dog size, so I see no reason to get a smaller crate for flying. Your airline may have more information.
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Nov 5, 2017 14:49
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GoodBee posted:I bought Midwest folding dog crates from Amazon. They both came with dividers. I don't know if they are available in EU though. I also never used the dividers because I adopted adult dogs. The airline that I use only requires that the crate is large enough to stand up in, and for the dog to turn around in. Which should not be a problem for my dog as an adult. I can't come up with a reason why it would be a problem for the crate being too big. Edit: I am thinking that maybe if the dog is standing near the crate entrance at take-off, then maybe it might slide back and hit the back side of the crate? I think I am overthinking this, but regardless, I might buy some "vetbed" and put at the bottom of the crate, not sure if I should throw in a blanket too? Akita does seem to be about the same size, and if that works with a slightly smaller crate, then a 100cm should be fine (same size as the travel carrier then). 120cm is the "XXL" size, and I am not exactly buying a male mastiff here. Midwest seems to be only available through ebay, but the shipping is so high I think I am better off figuring a way to divide the crate myself. I will try and google some instructions, thanks! Acidian fucked around with this message at 16:36 on Nov 5, 2017 |
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Nov 5, 2017 15:45
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Isn't here a referred GPS tracker for the dog? Something small that I can put on her collar and track on my phone. It doesn't have to last more than a few hours. I intend on only leaving her outside occasionally.
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Nov 5, 2017 18:51
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Dogwood Fleet posted:For now, there really isn't a treatment plan. He's not presenting any symptoms (aside from the kind found with a stethoscope) and for now, the plan is mostly to keep an eye on him, bring him in about every six months for checkups and blood work and to get his teeth cleaned. I wish I knew the name of the blood test I had done, it was run separately from his regular blood work. I'm actually in an okay position financially, but I don't want to spend money if I don't need to (partially so I can get ready for whatever other vet bills start coming my way since god knows how old he actually is.) Exactly, he doesn't have any clinical signs of heart disease yet, so it's is a great time to have him evaluated further. For an old dachshund, there is a >95% chance that his heart murmur is being caused by degenerative valve disease. There are 3 stages of this disease that are relevant to you: 1. Heart disease is present, but the heart is normal in size and function 2. Heart disease is present, and the heart is enlarged 3. Heart disease is present, and there are clinical signs of heart disease (i.e. congestive heart failure) Most of the time, your dog displaying clinical signs of his heart disease (i.e. developing congestive heart failure) involves an emergency room visit because he can't breathe, and lots of money and stress; once he goes into heart failure, the average survival time is about 1-1.5 years. You do not want to wait until he goes into heart failure to start heart meds. If his heart disease is severe enough that it has caused heart enlargement, there is a medication that will prolong the time until he goes into heart failure. A cardiologist will also tell you how to look for early signs that he is going into heart failure, and hopefully spare that trip to the emergency room. This is the most common heart disease in dogs, so I literally see it all day, every day. I've had a lot of clients who wished they knew a lot of this info before their dog went into heart failure. Go see a cardiologist; it will save you in the long run.
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Nov 5, 2017 19:42
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holy poo poo. man i wish you were around like 10 years ago. (or me actually posting and not lurking)
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Nov 5, 2017 19:45
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Braki posted:Exactly, he doesn't have any clinical signs of heart disease yet, so it's is a great time to have him evaluated further. For an old dachshund, there is a >95% chance that his heart murmur is being caused by degenerative valve disease. There are 3 stages of this disease that are relevant to you: I'm the one with the mutt, but point well taken. I'll start looking into finding a cardiologist in the area.
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Nov 6, 2017 00:29
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Anybody have any tips on finding "treats" that'll work on a rescue dog? I adopted a dog on Saturday who was found living inside of a couch in a trailer with 10 other dogs. He's a sweet little puppy he just doesn't get the whole interacting with people thing. I'm trying to find some way to reward him for good behavior, but he just gives me blank stares when I offer him anything. He also doesn't get the whole play thing. With other dogs he'll act okay, but I'll try to engage him and I get no reaction. This one I imagine is just a time thing though and hopefully will get better once he gets used to being around humans. He's a 7 month old beagle/dachshund mix.
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Nov 6, 2017 14:52
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Ethiser posted:Anybody have any tips on finding "treats" that'll work on a rescue dog? I adopted a dog on Saturday who was found living inside of a couch in a trailer with 10 other dogs. He's a sweet little puppy he just doesn't get the whole interacting with people thing. I'm trying to find some way to reward him for good behavior, but he just gives me blank stares when I offer him anything. Get the cheapest hot dogs you can find. Easy cheese can also work, but your mileage may vary.
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Nov 6, 2017 15:14
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Dogwood Fleet posted:Get the cheapest hot dogs you can find. Easy cheese can also work, but your mileage may vary. I'll give it a shot. Cheese and peanut butter have been turned down and I've got to work to make him eat his kibble so that's not a reward.
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Nov 6, 2017 15:19
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Ethiser posted:Anybody have any tips on finding "treats" that'll work on a rescue dog? I adopted a dog on Saturday who was found living inside of a couch in a trailer with 10 other dogs. He's a sweet little puppy he just doesn't get the whole interacting with people thing. I'm trying to find some way to reward him for good behavior, but he just gives me blank stares when I offer him anything. My rescue dog only responds to Pupperoni. Go figure.
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Nov 6, 2017 16:13
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| # ? May 18, 2024 02:54 |
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Ethiser posted:Anybody have any tips on finding "treats" that'll work on a rescue dog? I adopted a dog on Saturday who was found living inside of a couch in a trailer with 10 other dogs. He's a sweet little puppy he just doesn't get the whole interacting with people thing. I'm trying to find some way to reward him for good behavior, but he just gives me blank stares when I offer him anything. My friend's rescue dog is like this. There's a toy she plays with occasionally on her own but if you pick it up and throw she will just stare at you like the toy doesn't even exist.
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Nov 6, 2017 17:20
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