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MarcusSA posted:Yeah that doesn’t mean he wants to play. Hair standing up is pretty aggressive / not happy. I’m definitely not taking it lightly and I feel pretty terrible about it. I’m mostly just kind of shocked by it because I have never seen any aggressive behavior when we’ve played with other dogs. He’s usually been very submissive, but it’s been a month or three since we’ve had a friend over to play and I know he has 11 month old raging hormones that may not have been there a few months ago. The trainer he’s been going to (just Petsmart classes, but she is very good) suggested he may be over-socialized and thinks ever dog he meets wants to play and be his friend (especially since he’s a golden retriever) and doesn’t know or pick up on the limits. The trainer thought neutering would probably help with the apparent aggression given his age, but also suggested working on him being around other dogs and staying calm and not getting to play.
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Jul 25, 2023 13:15
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a strange fowl posted:i've decided to let iris have another cycle before having her spayed. hopefully it's not just me being neurotic, i don't know why but she just doesn't feel ready for it yet, those chunky bones still have some growing left to do you could take the time to look into a less expensive alternative, because $600 for a spay is honestly a ton of cash. Even in the Bay Area in California (probably as high as it's going to get in the whole US) you can find groups like Spay the Bay doing it for around $450. https://berkeleyhumane.org/spay-the-bay/
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Jul 25, 2023 13:51
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distortion park posted:So far I've found two good leads (obviously we'd visit anywhere we picked first but some of these are several hours drive away): I'd avoid the first one, they seem to be pumping out a ton of puppies of a bunch of different breeds and don't talk at all about health testing. In general the nicer and more up to date the website is the worse the breeder is. Dog breeders all seem to have just awful, outdated websites because they're too busy doing stuff with their dogs. Second one is much better! They're doing the appropriate health testing as far as I can tell (This is what is recommended in US, I don't know what French breeders are supposed to be testing for), they're raising their puppies in a home environment so the pups won't be freaked out by the transition from a kennel to your home, they seem to want to be supportive of their puppy buyers and its great that they're actually doing stuff with their dogs. They are definitely a breeder I would want to contact and talk to more. Kaiser Schnitzel posted:Thanks. My first instinct with the hair standing up was always that he was startled/scared-he’s done that since he was a puppy whenever he was scared or surprised. The wagging tail always threw me-I know a low wagging tail doesn’t mean happy, but I’ve just never quite known how to read it. Usually the hair standing up and barking is if he sees a dog across the street or a bit of a distance away. I usually make him sit and focus on me until he calms down, which is usually quickly. If we meet a dog closer up he’s usually all ears back and tail wagging and a play bow after they sniff each other. Hackles just means the dog is in a heightened state of arousal and their sympathetic nervous system is kicking off. It's like when we get goosebumps. It can happen when they're scared, or excited, or surprised or all kinds of things. My guess, without seeing it in person, is that he sees another dog and gets super excited but then is frustrated when there's a leash and he can't get to them so you get an outburst. In general, he sounds like a teen boy who easily gets over-aroused, lacks some impulse control, and doesn't know how to handle his feelings so it gets him into trouble. Neutering will probably help, at least other dogs will be less of a dick to him, but you'll still need to tackle teaching him how to control himself. I really like Leslie McDevitt's Control Unleashed books for that and Grisha Stewart's B.A.T. protocol might help too.
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Jul 25, 2023 15:19
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Instant Jellyfish posted:I'd avoid the first one, they seem to be pumping out a ton of puppies of a bunch of different breeds and don't talk at all about health testing. In general the nicer and more up to date the website is the worse the breeder is. Dog breeders all seem to have just awful, outdated websites because they're too busy doing stuff with their dogs. Thanks, that's really helpful! I was worried that the home based stuff was a bad sign but what you said makes sense.
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Jul 25, 2023 16:45
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Does anyone have advice for dog mourning? The dog I've had since I was a little kid left us a few days ago. I've dealt with dog death before, I was an emergency vet assistant, i've had my hands inside dog, but this time it really hits hard. I keep crying unintentionally and excusing myself to the bathroom. This poo poo hits harder than when human relatives passed. I miss my good boy so much. MY WIFE fosters service puppies and he would always be there, somehow, being a tiny aged miniature poodle leading and helping training goofy lab and golden retriever puppies. He also learned to love cats in his later years and was a fierce defender of kittens. He made it all the way to 22 years. He was with me from elementary school to snuggling up with my own infant daughters. That's more than anyone can ask from a dog. But I just really want him back. I miss him sleeping on my chest. I miss him barking at the pigeons. I just want my best buddy back. e: and it's really hard to talk about irl because like, coworkers will be all "be a man, it was was just a dog" and fuuuuuuuck that Edgar Allen Ho fucked around with this message at 23:37 on Jul 25, 2023 |
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Jul 25, 2023 23:17
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Nothing makes it easier but time. It's the awful price we pay for the privilege of getting these wonderful creatures in our lives. I lost my old man in November and I don't cry every day anymore, sometimes I get through a whole week, but then something will remind me of him and I fall apart again. There's no shame in crying about a good, good dog. 22 years is an amazing long life and he sounds like a truly fantastic friend. Eventually, all those memories will bring you joy but it's ok to be lost and crushed and fragile for as long as you need. If you feel like you need in person support a lot of vets and pet funeral homes have pet loss support groups full of folks going through the same thing who understand how you feel.
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Jul 26, 2023 00:15
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It's been two months since I said goodbye to my dog Darla and I still break down in tears multiple times a day. Right now in fact. They spend their whole lives earning your love and they deserve every bit of respect and remembrance you can give them. 22 years is amazing, you were incredibly blessed.
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Jul 26, 2023 00:40
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^^^ what they said. all you can do is embrace the sorrow as part of the love. no dog hangs around for 22 years (!!) unless they really love their life and receive the best of care. that level of connection will always leave a hole that in the early days feels like it will never heal, but over time the pain fades, and the love remains, and then slowly you can begin to enjoy the memories, and they will bring you less pain and more joy as time goes on. the love that little dog gave you will never leave you, it will be with you forever, it's changed you as a person and that will never go away. it's impossible to do anything that will make the pain less painful, and you wouldn't really want to, because the pain of losing them is always in proportion to how important they were and still are to you. don't feel ashamed of it, and don't run away from it, just let yourself feel it and know it for what it is.
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Jul 26, 2023 01:23
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I'm very sorry for your loss. Anyone who says "it's only a dog" can get hosed. How would they feel if their kid or their best friend passed away? When Ahboo passed a few years ago, I was completely unable to keep focused at work. I ended up finding a therapist to talk things through with, and that helped a ton. I started the Pet Memorial thread here in Pet Island to sort out my feelings and share some of the nice memories about Ahboo, and over the years it seems to have helped others, too. You might check it out if you think it could be beneficial to share your experience with others.
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Jul 26, 2023 04:55
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Does anyone here have any experience with anti-anxiety meds for their dogs? Pavlov is getting the shakes way more often than I'd like these days. I think the fireworks (we're still getting random explosions maybe 1 night in 5) have just generally unsettled him, but now stuff like construction noise is setting him off. I've tried Trazadone with him before, but it didn't seem to do much, and is expensive besides. Curious what suggestions y'all might have.
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Jul 26, 2023 23:26
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I tried some gummies that were CBD adjacent (hemp oil, I think) for Brisket and they didn't do anything as far as I could tell.
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Jul 26, 2023 23:33
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Paranoid dog owner stuff, but should I not be concerned about strapping a lithium ion battery around my rambunctious dog's neck? I guess there aren't any tracking collars that don't use one.
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Jul 26, 2023 23:49
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Does anyone here have any experience with anti-anxiety meds for their dogs? Pavlov is getting the shakes way more often than I'd like these days. I think the fireworks (we're still getting random explosions maybe 1 night in 5) have just generally unsettled him, but now stuff like construction noise is setting him off. Meds for specific occasions like fireworks or longer-term ones for general anxiety? Ours went onto fluoxetine at the end of last year and it's definitely helped him calm down more – he also sleeps significantly better instead of twitching awake at every little thing, which is a big plus.
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Jul 26, 2023 23:49
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Raskolnikov2089 posted:Paranoid dog owner stuff, but should I not be concerned about strapping a lithium ion battery around my rambunctious dog's neck? You should probably put the battery in something first. (And then we can tell you how fragile that thing is. The battery itself is pretty shake-proof)
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Jul 26, 2023 23:50
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Does anyone here have any experience with anti-anxiety meds for their dogs? Pavlov is getting the shakes way more often than I'd like these days. I think the fireworks (we're still getting random explosions maybe 1 night in 5) have just generally unsettled him, but now stuff like construction noise is setting him off. My old dog was on zoloft most of his life but we used several other medications for specific situations. OTC you can try l-theanine based products like Composure or I think there's another brand you can grab at any pet store or even walmart (zesty paws maybe?). There's also a probiotic called purina calming care that helps some dogs. The only problem is its fairly expensive and you don't know if it's going to help or not for at least of a month of daily use. My vet behaviorist said the science isn't really there but some folks recommend CBD products, just make sure you're getting them from a reputable brand like pet releaf. If your vet is willing to work through some med trials there are a ton of human meds that you can try. Prozac is usually the first one they try but just like humans sometimes it takes a while to find a med that works. There's also a med called Sileo specifically for noise phobias in dogs but it's fairly expensive and is really just meant for situational use, not generalized anxiety use. If he's really struggling and you're having trouble finding what works for him or if he continues to get worse ask for a referral to a vet behaviorist. They're like a psychiatrist for animals and can help work through med options. By the end my dog was on zoloft, trazodone, and clonidine for stressful situations like going to the vet and I was so grateful to have my vet behaviorist around to keep him happy.
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Jul 26, 2023 23:56
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Volcano posted:Meds for specific occasions like fireworks or longer-term ones for general anxiety? Ours went onto fluoxetine at the end of last year and it's definitely helped him calm down more – he also sleeps significantly better instead of twitching awake at every little thing, which is a big plus. I think general anxiety? The problem with the fireworks is that I don't know when they're coming, except for July 4th of course, but I have a non-drug-based solution for that called "get the gently caress out of town". So I can't really dose him up in advance. But if there was some way to just help his baseline be less anxious, without having too nasty of side effects, I think that could do a lot for his quality of life. Instant Jellyfish posted:My old dog was on zoloft most of his life but we used several other medications for specific situations. Thanks for the suggestions!
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Jul 26, 2023 23:59
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thank you again for everyones kind words and advice re: new dog Torgal, here he is fresh from the groomers a few days ago
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Jul 27, 2023 01:17
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I'll second a vet behaviorist for general anxiety. Our pup used to bark at everything including his going to and coming from school who were walking down the street (couldn't see them, barely heard them) and has gotten a lot better on that front. Trazodone is for situational stuff and is more of a sedative, you'll probably get prozac first since that's the go to. Our pupper may need an unload and reload of a different med, since her current regimen improves things but she's having real bad trouble at night, which has been exacerbated by a ton of thunderstorms the last two months.
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Jul 27, 2023 11:30
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when i called to postpone iris's spaying, the vet receptionist warned me about pyometria. i'm a total hypochondriac about my baby blue, so - about how much of a risk is it? is there anything i can do to avoid it? (besides having her fixed, which i will definitely be doing after next cycle. she's just finishing up her current bleeding now.) i've never heard of anyone losing a dog to it, but the receptionist seemed to think it's pretty common, so i'm concerned.
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Jul 27, 2023 11:48
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Not a vet but I suspect they're telling you that because they think you're not coming back at all/not going to do the spay. e: I mean this in a pretty neutral way, they are probably just concerned for the dog's health and want to make sure you go ahead with it. Flesh Forge fucked around with this message at 14:48 on Jul 27, 2023 |
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Jul 27, 2023 14:41
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a strange fowl posted:when i called to postpone iris's spaying, the vet receptionist warned me about pyometria. i'm a total hypochondriac about my baby blue, so - about how much of a risk is it? is there anything i can do to avoid it? (besides having her fixed, which i will definitely be doing after next cycle. she's just finishing up her current bleeding now.) i've never heard of anyone losing a dog to it, but the receptionist seemed to think it's pretty common, so i'm concerned. Pyometra is primarily a hormonal issue and has a genetic component. It tends to happen to older dogs or dogs with families prone to it. It isn't a huge risk for a young dog unless there's a family history. Honestly I've heard of very few ACDs having pyos and most, it seems, remain intact without problems for years and years. There's a 10 year old bitch still out there winning dog shows, therefore must still be intact. I'm always super paranoid about it too so I keep a really close eye on my girl after her heat cycle. It mostly happens 2-8 weeks after they finish their heat so that's when I'm most wary but any time you see discharge after the heat is done you should have it checked out. Keep an eye out for excessive thirst, peeing a lot, not eating, lethargy, or vomiting. Remember that the vets aren't seeing all the many bitches that live their lives perfectly healthy with their uterus besides annual vaccines. They see the huge raging infections that need emergency spays because that's what they're there for. There are plenty of countries where spaying and neutering just isn't a regular thing and people learn the signs to look for and keep their girls safe and healthy.
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Jul 27, 2023 14:42
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thank you for the pyo advice, everyone. i know what to keep an eye out for now. back to the other ongoing saga - the tennis ball. iris has been waking me up at 5am almost every morning vomiting up nothing but bile. it's only ever once a day, early in the morning, and the rest of the time she's fine, good energy and appetite. she just passed yet another good-sized chunk of rubber out her rear end, which is definitely from the same ball, eaten like twelve days ago. i am getting worried there's more still stuck inside her, or that it's done her damage on the way through, so i'm watching her very closely and have a vet appointment booked for monday in case she gets worse. it never ends a strange fowl fucked around with this message at 08:35 on Jul 28, 2023 |
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Jul 28, 2023 08:29
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Holly's been limping a lot, so I took her to the vet. They agree there's something wrong with her hips despite prior x-rays coming back fine, and want to do some more testing, so I've booked that in for next week. Aaaand now jerk brain is catastrophising that my dog is terribly ill and/or dying. Mr Froglet is now fretting it's all because we got her desexed too early (at 6 months rather than a year), but I pointed out to him we had noticed her limping before we got her desexed (which is why she was x-rayed when she was spayed), so this could have happened anyway. Also, we would have been woefully unprepared for her to go on heat. But yeah, she's 14-15 months old, which is really young to be limping like this. I hope it's nothing serious 
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Jul 28, 2023 10:23
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All im seeing is we all love our pets a lot and we all end up paying a small fortune for them being stupid and end up getting heartbroken. 
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Jul 28, 2023 10:58
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Ragnar Gunvald posted:All im seeing is we all love our pets a lot and we all end up paying a small fortune for them being stupid and end up getting heartbroken. a strange fowl fucked around with this message at 11:17 on Jul 28, 2023 |
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Jul 28, 2023 11:12
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a strange fowl posted:i'm a mess because if something goes wrong, in the gastrointestinal area, i can't afford to pay for it. that's thousands of dollars i don't have and can't get. Jokes aside I really hope doggo is fine. It's been quite some time now since the tennis ball was ate. I would like to think if it's anything major, you would know already. My puppy has been sick every day for weeks now, everything is going in and out fine, we think she's just drinking her water far too fast as she doesn't have much self control at the moment with that stuff.
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Jul 28, 2023 11:18
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Pickwick is getting neutered today. How long does it usually take before their hormones calm down and one might expect to see less aggression/overexcitability? 11 mo old golden retriever. I was thinking I’d wait a month or so before trying him at daycare again. Honestly he has done fine staying ant home and taking him on two 30 min walks a day has been good for me too, so I don’t think we’ll go back nearly as often. Maybe just on rainy days when we can’t walk.
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Jul 28, 2023 15:32
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You know, you can walk in the rain... Just saying.
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Jul 28, 2023 16:25
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Tell my dog that
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Jul 28, 2023 16:27
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezNECepZNQc Get a dog, they said, they'll be loyal and will be your best friend. Not mentioned - Will also make sure your shoes are safely stored.
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Jul 28, 2023 16:42
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Rains an excuse to put cute little rain coats on them
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Jul 28, 2023 16:52
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:Pickwick is getting neutered today. How long does it usually take before their hormones calm down and one might expect to see less aggression/overexcitability? 11 mo old golden retriever. I was thinking I’d wait a month or so before trying him at daycare again. I fostered my dog for a couple weeks before the shelter could have him neutered and finalize the adoption, he was estimated to be about 5 years old at the time. After his recovery from the surgery, he stopped trying to hump people's legs within a couple days, and within a couple weeks the frequency that he humps his dog bed went way down. He now only tries to do that once every couple of months, and only if something else has gotten him really wound up. It's hard to tell, because he was having to adjust to a new situation and all that, but his neutering may have also made him bark somewhat less. He was already kind of quiet before, but now he only barks if he starts getting excited from playing with other dogs, or if he hears a loud sound that he's never heard anywhere before.
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Jul 28, 2023 17:32
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Ragnar Gunvald posted:You know, you can walk in the rain... Just saying. He would love that. He doesn't like swimming but rolling in wet grass and splashing in puddles are like his favorite things. Getting dried off with a towel afterwards is possibly even better. But I'd rather not walk in the torrential downpours/thunderstorms we get pretty regularly.
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Jul 28, 2023 18:00
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:He would love that. He doesn't like swimming but rolling in wet grass and splashing in puddles are like his favorite things. Getting dried off with a towel afterwards is possibly even better. But I'd rather not walk in the torrential downpours/thunderstorms we get pretty regularly. My prima donna is the only German Shepherd in the world that HATES getting wet. I sometimes think she's part cat. She will hold her pee for 14 hours rather than going out in the rain, sometimes I literally have to walk out with her and an umbrella.
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Jul 28, 2023 18:31
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Medullah posted:My prima donna is the only German Shepherd in the world that HATES getting wet. I sometimes think she's part cat. She will hold her pee for 14 hours rather than going out in the rain, sometimes I literally have to walk out with her and an umbrella. 
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Jul 28, 2023 19:22
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My girl goes absolutely insane whenever she is wet outside of bath time - like a completely different dog or possibly a gremlin?
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Jul 28, 2023 21:38
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Snowbell was very sweet and I don't think she really cared if it was raining or not but she cooperated with me putting a raincoat on her so that there would be less of her getting wet at least.
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Jul 28, 2023 21:45
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iris is terrifyingly full of beans and obviously feeling great this morning  i think the ordeal of the tennis ball is finally over, miraculously with no repercussions. thank you for letting me wail about it.
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Jul 29, 2023 00:16
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Incredulous Dylan posted:My girl goes absolutely insane whenever she is wet outside of bath time - like a completely different dog or possibly a gremlin? I noticed this with my little butthead, too! It's surprising, when she was new to our house she seemed afraid of the rain and it was a chore to get her outside to eliminate but now when she goes for walks in the rain she's hella keyed up. I try to take her somewhere safe for her to be off leash so she can do some zoomies. Maybe I should move back to Washington State.
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Jul 29, 2023 02:11
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incredibly pitiful boi
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Jul 29, 2023 02:20
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