Postings by Fox

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Fox 1178619     Barked: Tue May 14, '13 7:15am PST  If she isn't fat, I wouldn't worry too much about amount. Personally I'd just switch her food. I think Blue Buffalo is overrated. I've known a lot of dogs - including Fox - who poop like that on Blue. my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Fox 1178619     Barked: Mon Apr 29, '13 1:05pm PST  If he's actively improving, I wouldn't be too worried. I would feed 50/50 fiber/meat (or kibble, dehydrated raw, whatever boneless he's used to) today and, if he doesn't pass anything, tomorrow too. The big emergency signs I'd be looking for are: - lethargy - abdomen hurts to touch - not drinking - continued vomiting - inability to keep fluids down - blood in vomit - dark, tarry blood in stool or large amount of bright red blood in stool (it's quite likely that there will be some bright red blood if he's that constipated) - stool that looks like strawberry jam - not pooping at all my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Raw Food Diet > Vomiting after a very bony meal

Fox 1178619     Barked: Mon Apr 29, '13 7:23am PST  This is one of those situations I would call the vet and ask. Accidentally eating raw bones like that shouldn't be a big deal, but it shouldn't cause that much vomiting, straining and discomfort either. A lot of vets will panic at "raw chicken bone" and tell you to bring him in immediately. Is there a good emergency clinic in the area you could call? They tend to be less jumpy because they deal with extreme situations all day long. Mine was very helpful when Fox ate part of a discarded turkey carcass some idiot threw in our yard last Thanksgiving. For future reference, immediately feeding white bread after a dog eats bones like that will help them pass (or in the case of raw feeding, a bunch of meaty meat). At this point I don't think there's much you could feed that would help... Either the bones are working through his system, or they're already blocked up and more food may make it worse. Can he keep fluids down? Even if the bones are passing, if he keeps vomiting and straining without being able to drink, he could end up with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, or something similar. my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Behavior & Training > For the Fear of Dogs...? How do you handle people afraid of your dog?

Fox 1178619     Barked: Mon Apr 22, '13 8:38am PST  I try to observe basic courtesies like keeping my dogs on the opposite side of passing people, and keeping them behind me when we turn corners or pass through doorways. Even if someone isn't afraid of dogs, they don't necessarily want dogs on top of them - and in my case if the girls even brush against someone that person will end up with a fair coating of white fur. If someone has a legit fear of dogs and will talk to me about it, I have no problem being as accommodating as possible. I have crouched down, had my dogs face into me and hugged their chest so only their waist and rear was visible to allow scared people (and comfortable people with scared dogs) to pass in close quarters. More often I'm able to just cross the street, or the scared person just crosses the street. But if someone is going to act like an idiot, they're on their own. There is no cause at all to scream and run from a dog that frightens you, ever. Common sense 101 says to remain quiet and back slowly away from a threatening animal. Which makes me believe the majority of people who do scream and carry on are trying to cause a scene. In which case the best thing you can do is keep calm and call them out on it ("You know, she's on a 4ft leash in a down/stay and hadn't even noticed you until you started screaming at her. There's no reason you can't calmly walk past us 10 feet away.). my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Dog Health > Hair loss after switching to raw

Fox 1178619     Barked: Fri Apr 19, '13 3:20pm PST  Since you only switched 2 weeks ago, I would doubt the food change is responsible. If there she were having something like an allergic reaction, I suspect there would be a rash accompanying the hair loss. With hair loss, I'd be thinking more of environmental factors. Specifically if she's been scratching or rubbing on something, or even just scraped hard against something once. Especially if the spot appeared suddenly and just hasn't started to grow back yet. If the spot is actively growing, you could be dealing with ringworm or a similar fungal infection. Definitely get it checked out, since ringworm in particular is transferable to humans. my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Fox 1178619     Barked: Mon Apr 8, '13 1:30pm PST  I feed a bit of veg with dinner because my dogs seem to benefit from the extra fiber. Usually about 3 unleveled tablespoons over 3/4 - 1 lb of meat, but it's not terribly important. Plus it can't hurt that a lot of veggies have proven health benefits too, although I'm sure being carnivores dogs aren't getting the same amount of benefit we are out of them. The thing to be aware of is that dogs can only digest well cooked or pureed veggies. Whole, raw veggies come out the same way they went in. Neither way is wrong, but you have to stick to what's appropriate for your situation. I puree since I'm looking for smooth fiber. Poorly chewed chunks of raw broccoli aren't going to give me that. If I were looking to a fill a stomach while encouraging weight loss, I'd be giving whole, raw veg. If certain health conditions are present, veggies can be your friend or worst enemy. For example, with Vance I needed a lot of extra fiber to absorb the overproduction of bile in his GI tract. But if I had fed raw greens, I would have actually contributed to bile production and made things worse. Fox tends toward allergy/inflammation issues, so if I feed a lot of high-glycemic veggies like carrots and peas, she gets worse. my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Siberian Husky > Aggressively guarding :/

Fox 1178619     Barked: Fri Mar 29, '13 7:10pm PST  Your instincts are correct - the "training" you've been reading is dramatically out dated, and dangerous for you and your dog. Along with the risk of being bitten and further shattering her confidence, you also risk shutting down her signals of discomfort. A dog who offers no signals is a dog who literally bites without warning. It's counter-intuitive... Most people feel they need to do "something" about growling. But the best thing you can do is teach your dog you respect their discomfort, and manage the situation without force. There are many books that address resource guarding - Mine! by Jean Donaldson comes highly recommended - but given that this case involves children in a huge way, I would enlist the help of a certified behaviorist, or a reputable positive trainer specializing in behavioral modification. Confidence building will be vital, which even basic positive training can help with. It gets your dog thinking, and rewards them for making good choices. Simple, but it works. Finding a job for her can help as well, on two levels: It builds more confidence as she learns to navigate new challenges with you, and it could very well lessen her drive to guard your son as an improve job. Agility, rally-o, nosework, treiball, sledding or -joring... There are limitless possibilities. Huskies are ultimately a working breed, and while many lines have been bred down for show or pet life, it's not uncommon to find one who needs to work the same way Border Collies and the like are known to need a job. Getting back to management - until you have a plan in place (I really highly recommend finding professional help) limit her access to your son. If she starts guarding him, he should get up and leave immediately without saying anything or even looking back at her. Since the bedroom door is a specific problem, crate or gate her in a safe room at night so she can't continue practicing this behavior. my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Dog Health > oh my she ate a bee

Fox 1178619     Barked: Wed Mar 20, '13 4:08pm PST  Fox LOVES eating bees. Specifically bees. Flies and moths and such are just not the same. I keep Benedryl on hand and watch for an allergic reaction, just in case. I'm certain she's been stung by this point, though, and nothing has happened. Sometimes an allergy can come with age, so I'm still careful. Otherwise I don't worry about it too much. Extra protein, as my dad would say... my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Other Barks & Woofs > The Soundtrack of Your Dog's Life

Fox 1178619     Barked: Sat Mar 16, '13 3:45pm PST  All my dogs have songs. Fox is the only one that has an actual soundtrack. We're pretty sure, as far as her personal preferences go, she's way into AC/DC, The Who (specifically "Who Are You?" which she sings to), and anything in the background of a wrestling match. She comes over for the music and stays to watch the fight. Her soundtrack includes (but is not limited too): Up Jumped the Devil - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds How Soon is Now? - The Smiths Behind Blue Eyes - The Who Ember's theme song is Devil Bunnies by Thrill Kill Kult. She doesn't seem to care much about music in general, but does get annoyed by anything particularly loud, feedback, and distortion. Vance's theme song was Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake, based on his obvious high opinion of himself and his preference for bitches that responded to his advanced by snapping in his face. He himself liked to sing to Peter Murphy (specifically Cuts You Up) and preferred listening to country music, especially smoother stuff like Zac Brown Band. Anything too bass-y, distorted or heavy/broken in rhythm pissed him off - I actually completely stopped listening to KMFDM for a long time on his account. I'm basing this off their reactions to said music... I've always wanted to teach a dog how to change radio stations or play lists and see what (if anything) they picked. my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Fox 1178619     Barked: Fri Mar 8, '13 10:41am PST  Blue Buffalo is alright, IMO it's highly overrated. Fox was on it for a little while and did just terribly. Smelly, greasy, constantly blowing coat, gaining weight, lethargic, recurrent ear infections... They have a very nice ad campaign, and I know some people are very happy with it, but overall I hear very mixed reviews. Pedigree is almost literally garbage: GROUND WHOLE CORN, MEAT AND BONE MEAL, CORN GLUTEN MEAL, ANIMAL FAT (PRESERVED WITH BHA/CITRIC ACID), SOYBEAN MEAL, GROUND WHOLE WHEAT, BREWERS RICE, DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP Of the 3 main ingredients, 2 are by-products and the other is completely indigestible. Of the following 5 secondary ingredients, 3 are by-products and the other two are common allergens. On top of that, none of the meat sources are named, which means they could be literally anything. And they are preserved with known carcinogens. Kirkland is owned by Diamond. The ratios of meat to filler are not good, but there's nothing particularly offensive included. It used to be recommended as a decent, cheap food all the time, until Diamond's extensive and poorly managed recalls... So, kinda depends on if you want to put your trust in Diamond or not. I don't recommend specific brands anymore. I do recommend learning how to read ingredient labels and joining pet food watch blogs so you can stay on top of what you're feeding your dog. Unfortunately, eating well isn't cheap. If you want a good food, be ready to pay more up front. In the long run, though, you will need to feed less of it and may end up spending much less at the vet's office (see Fox's kibble-induced ear infections). The tricky part is that there are some pretty bad foods out there that are just as expensive as the good ones. my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

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