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My vet quoted me $3000 for a food allergy test, that killed my interest right there. I’ll just do process of elimination
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Nov 7, 2022 23:00
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Last I heard the science behind home consumer food allergy testing is pretty mixed and personally I’d either just go through with a strict elimination diet or save up to see a vet allergist. A lot of (non-science) folks I know found the results really helpful for their dogs though so 
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Nov 8, 2022 18:13
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Yeah she’s still a puppy so the vet isn’t too keen on doing a lot of allergy testing just yet but she just wanted to let us know it was a possibility.
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Nov 8, 2022 18:19
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Has anyone tried tests to determine your dog’s age? Our dog is a rescue so we have no idea how old she really is. Wasn’t sure whether it’s worth the cost.
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Nov 8, 2022 19:34
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Vegetable posted:Has anyone tried tests to determine your dog’s age? Our dog is a rescue so we have no idea how old she really is. Wasn’t sure whether it’s worth the cost. My results should be back this week and I’ll let you know. It’s very new science so I imagine it will get more accurate the more people do it. Embark’s current research shows their test is accurate for 70% of dogs within 5 months and 92% of dogs within 10 months. That’s a big range if you adopted a puppy/young dog but for an adult dog of unknown age I decided it was reasonable enough to give it a try while I still could. I’m also a big nerd and wanted to support the science. You can read embark’s research here: https://res.cloudinary.com/embark/image/upload/shop.embarkvet.com/Age%20PDP/Embark-Age-Test-Explainer.pdf
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Nov 8, 2022 20:48
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You should just be able to count the rings
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Nov 8, 2022 20:49
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When I was an undergrad studying salamanders we did just that  You can lop a toe off of them and they just grow it back though, people would get mad if you started doing that with dogs.
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Nov 8, 2022 21:06
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Just count the rings on their turds, it's the same thing.
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Nov 8, 2022 21:14
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MarcusSA posted:Has anyone done a DNA test for food allergies? We think maybe she might have some but if a quick dna test would pick it up that would be a lot easier. I did for one of my dogs and it was a waste of time. The food elimination process works though albeit it takes a bit of effort. That said within a relatively short time we knew that the proteins from chicken and salmon were the problem. Interestingly since Eliminating those from the diet all is good while the DNA test said chicken and salmon were both ok.
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Nov 9, 2022 09:38
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Andoman posted:I did for one of my dogs and it was a waste of time. The food elimination process works though albeit it takes a bit of effort. That said within a relatively short time we knew that the proteins from chicken and salmon were the problem. Interestingly since Eliminating those from the diet all is good while the DNA test said chicken and salmon were both ok. Ok fair enough. Yeah I guess chicken is a really common one and I had no idea tbh. I might just nix chicken all together at this point anyway.
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Nov 9, 2022 15:52
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I cannot let Monty off leash because he is a menace. He needs the exercise but he cannot have it. I've made lots of progress in other areas but on this there can be no compromise. He runs too far off and gets lost, he's good with commands except that he doesn't any obey commands unless he wants to, he knows not to jump up on people inside but outside is totally different so he can't be off leash around people, and (kinda important this last bit) he tries to hump every dog he encounters. edit: I'm starting a new job soon and I might have to give him up. He's not going to be getting enough exercise with just long walks on leash. Monty is quite an rear end in a top hat when he doesn't get enough activity. Sanctum fucked around with this message at 14:38 on Nov 10, 2022 |
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Nov 10, 2022 06:48
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Monty still thinks outside = punishment. I've been trying to get Monty to go outside when he needs to do his business (instead of forcing him to go outside.) I was hoping to get Monty to understand outside is not a punishment. He keeps refusing to go out, I try again an hour later, and so on until I give up and walk him. This was a mistake - Monty has been stealth peeing inside again. I found new spots when I vacuumed today. My roommate is not happy and I think I'll have to get rid of Monty. This can't go on, there's way too many behavior problems and slow progress is not enough anymore. In lieu of physically dragging him outside, I've been vigilant about giving him a last walk after 9 pm regardless of weather so there's really no excuse for the stealth peeing. He's going outside as frequently either way. Maybe it's better if I give him up now because waiting is only going to make it harder for both of us. He has dog training class tomorrow but I don't know if I'll be taking him. There's really no point anymore.  I spent so much time and money fixing up the fences so I could get a dog and he wont even go outside.
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Nov 12, 2022 05:38
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Does he refuse even with high value treats?
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Nov 12, 2022 05:53
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oh i hadn't checked the thread for a while and just saw the news about major  that's very sad ij, he sounded like an awesome dog (with quirks) and you were devoted to him. thank you for giving him such a great life, against difficult circumstances. he was lucky to have you, and i bet he knew it.
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Nov 12, 2022 09:12
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very proud of Pongo today. Whenever we go for our morning walk I usually go somewhere with a reasonably secluded spot for off leash fetch, I can trust him to behave and not run off because Ball is Life. This morning a buck comes traipsing through the field about 100ft behind Pongo. Even though he saw the deer and was clearly getting Ideas, a stern “no” and getting him to chase the ball in the opposite direction did the trick. When we first got him, Pongo would have been off like a rocket.
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Nov 14, 2022 00:20
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Puppy has been making GBS threads in the apartment hallways. I'm not sure how to teach her to hold it until we get outside.
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Nov 15, 2022 15:22
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Michael Transactions posted:Puppy has been making GBS threads in the apartment hallways. I'm not sure how to teach her to hold it until we get outside. pick her up, carry her.
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Nov 15, 2022 16:01
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Time is a thing too. Until then, pick her up and carry her. Our dog would pee the second we got into the hallway. Then she would occasionally pee waiting for or in the elevator. Now she will hold it until she hits dirt or grass, no matter what.
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Nov 16, 2022 00:21
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Vegetable posted:Has anyone tried tests to determine your dog’s age? Our dog is a rescue so we have no idea how old she really is. Wasn’t sure whether it’s worth the cost. Welp, I had really high hopes but I would probably suggest waiting for them to fine-tune it for a while first. My results:  Major in March 2010  Major in July 2010  Major in October 2010  Maybe it just isn't meant for cattle dog mixes who seem to be immortal until they aren't. Still glad he gets to help with the science but if he wasn't imminently going to be put to sleep I probably would have waited.
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Nov 16, 2022 19:57
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Instant Jellyfish posted:Welp, I had really high hopes but I would probably suggest waiting for them to fine-tune it for a while first. Well that’s not exactly encouraging. We just sent in our Embark age test for our old girl. We’ve only had her for three years and we rescued her from a pound so we’ll have to take what Embark says. Our best guess is 12-14
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Nov 16, 2022 20:55
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Any spaying advice? Mine gets hers tomorrow and I am nervous for her lol
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Nov 17, 2022 00:59
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If you don't think they can handle restricted activity for 2 weeks to heal ask for drugs asap. My big girl also liked the inflatable donut collar a lot more than the big plastic cone. I got her done at a low cost clinic that just does spay/neuters and the incision was super small and healed really well. Those folks were pros. Besides getting really sick from the pain meds the first day she healed just fine and never seemed particularly uncomfortable. I was anxious too, especially since she was a 2.5 year old giant breed but it really went super smoothly.
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Nov 17, 2022 01:29
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Instant Jellyfish posted:My big girl also liked the inflatable donut collar a lot more than the big plastic cone Triple yes to this. You can get one off amazon by tomorrow and it really helps. They also have a body cover that you can put on your dog (its like a compression vest) which can also make the recovery a lot easier.
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Nov 17, 2022 01:32
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Jarvis hated the cone, and didn't really like the donut. He did just fine with the body suit and after the first few days showed no sign of extra interest in the incision area at all.
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Nov 17, 2022 01:57
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somebody told me i have "the skinniest heeler in town" and it's the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me
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Nov 17, 2022 02:01
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Someone once complimented my labrador on her slimness and I had to tell him she was six weeks pregnant.
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Nov 17, 2022 02:32
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Pongo was an extremely good boy at his appointment with a dental specialist for an evaluation yesterday. Two root canals for his broken canines, and a general cleaning while they’re there and he’s knocked out. Somehow quoted less than I expected, which is nice but even so it’s a chunk of change. I’m inclined to do it instead of just pulling the teeth, especially since his main form of exercise is fetch. He’s still relatively young and that would be a big quality of life change I think. Not that he couldn’t compensate and still catch stuff but it will be much harder.
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Nov 17, 2022 15:44
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Quick question, my girlfriend and I adopted a dog a few months ago. She's 3-ish. The initial vet checkup told us that she seemed healthy, but a bit overweight for a husky, and we should get her on a diet to drop from 72lb to 62lb. We were suspicious of this, since she just seemed Big Boned, and maybe the 62lb is if she's a pure husky, which she isn't. We did a breed DNA test, which came back 55% husky, 19% malamute, 12% german shepherd, 8% chow. How do we figure out what her ideal weight should be? I'm guessing it's "go back to the vet" but just in case there's another/better way thought I'd ask. Anyway here's Jazz when I ask her if she wants to go outside
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Nov 19, 2022 01:41
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Ideal weight varies a lot from dog to dog, even within a given breed. You should be looking at how much fat the dog is carrying around and how mobile they are, instead of trying to derive it from a calculator or something. The really rough rule of thumb is "if you can easily feel individual ribs by putting your hand on the dog's sides, then they're probably not overweight". If your vet says she's overweight though, then the vet probably knows what they're talking about.
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Nov 19, 2022 01:49
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Yeah, poundage doesn't matter, body condition score does. You want your dog to have a tucked up belly and a waist when seen from above. You should be able to easily feel ribs without pressure but they also shouldn't be sticking out everywhere. You've really got to get your hands on them, especially when they're fluffy, to accurately decide if their weight is good or not.
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Nov 19, 2022 03:01
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Nova has a mix of English bulldog and husky ancestry so the vet was very uhhhhh when trying to guess at her ideal weight. She has a good abdominal tuck and you can see her waist very well-defined, but her rib cage is very broad and slab-like and harder to palpate. She’s 70lbs and he said maybe she could lose 5lbs but wasn’t super convinced? Maybe watch how your dog eats and see if her weight stabilizes over the year or grows as you get to know her? That seems like a safe-ish way of judging if you have a problem or not.
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Nov 19, 2022 03:11
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Has anyone had luck with using a pet behaviorist? My puppy is still having a hard time getting used to the crate. She's a rescue so I wonder if she's had some trauma about it in the past. Hoping a pet behaviorist can help so I can have some of my life back.
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Nov 20, 2022 19:53
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Michael Transactions posted:Has anyone had luck with using a pet behaviorist? My puppy is still having a hard time getting used to the crate. She's a rescue so I wonder if she's had some trauma about it in the past. Hoping a pet behaviorist can help so I can have some of my life back. My kennel offered a service that really helped us. Looked at the situation, gave us advice and drills and a plan. They just sold their services as "dog behavior correction."
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Nov 20, 2022 21:26
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Michael Transactions posted:Has anyone had luck with using a pet behaviorist? My puppy is still having a hard time getting used to the crate. She's a rescue so I wonder if she's had some trauma about it in the past. Hoping a pet behaviorist can help so I can have some of my life back. I guess it depends on what steps you’ve already tried to get her used to the crate. Crate training can be a real pain but it’s not impossible for the most part. I’ll assume you’ve tried small things like leaving her in there for 10 min or so and then taking her out so she knows it’s not a forever thing?
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Nov 20, 2022 21:34
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Michael Transactions posted:Has anyone had luck with using a pet behaviorist? My puppy is still having a hard time getting used to the crate. She's a rescue so I wonder if she's had some trauma about it in the past. Hoping a pet behaviorist can help so I can have some of my life back. It depends on what you are actually looking at. A veterinary behaviorist is a veterinarian who specializes in behavior, like a psychiatrist for pets. They can prescribe meds and work out a training treatment plan and may refer you to a trainer for additional day to day help. They are usually pretty expensive but absolutely worth it if your pet needs that level of help. I used a vet behaviorist for my first dog for about 11 years and it was the best thing I ever did for him. His anxiety was pretty severe though and he ended up really benefitting from medication. A certified applied animal behaviorist is someone with an advanced degree that focuses on animal behavior, like a psychologist for pets. They are generally less expensive than a vet behaviorist but can't usually prescribe meds and might refer you to a vet behaviorist or work with your gp vet if they think your pet would benefit from meds. They are highly educated and should be able to help you work through your problems. Some trainers who specialize in behavior problems call themselves behaviorists and there's no regulation about that phrase so they can really have any level of training and experience. They might use science based, modern training methods or they could use punishment/shock collars/cans of pennies. There's no way to tell just by what they call themselves so you have to be careful and vet them well. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/do-i-need-a-trainer-or-a-behaviorist https://www.kimmhunt.com/blog/trainer-behavior-consultant-or-behaviorist-whats-the-difference.html If you decide what you need and are having trouble finding someone or have questions about their methods feel free to post your general location and I'm happy to take a look around for what's available near you.
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Nov 20, 2022 21:36
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it's great how older puppies sometimes are sometimes shaped like adult dogs and sometimes you look over and they're sitting there made entirely out of legs for no good reason
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Nov 20, 2022 22:49
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MarcusSA posted:I guess it depends on what steps you’ve already tried to get her used to the crate. Yep. Instant Jellyfish posted:It depends on what you are actually looking at. Good to know, thanks.
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Nov 20, 2022 23:32
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ugh, my sisters elderly husky liquid poo poo all over the floor while i was out and got covered in it. I can't get her to the bathroom to clean her because I don't know how to properly wash a dog and its also up steep stairs. Any ideas for how to wipe down a dog?
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Nov 23, 2022 16:47
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samcarsten posted:ugh, my sisters elderly husky liquid poo poo all over the floor while i was out and got covered in it. I can't get her to the bathroom to clean her because I don't know how to properly wash a dog and its also up steep stairs. Any ideas for how to wipe down a dog? you just keep them in the shower until they don't smell anymore. But also Huskies HATE bath time so really you're hosed. Take it outside and hose it? (Probably too cold) E: Also be gentle with the hose, don't spray full at them, but like wide angle kinda rake them? It's complicated because you need force but also no one likes water sprayed up their butt.
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Nov 23, 2022 16:54
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HootTheOwl posted:you just keep them in the shower until they don't smell anymore. Yeah, too cold. I'll probably wet down a washcloth and rely on my sister to give her a bath when she gets home.
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Nov 23, 2022 16:55
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