Loving my Oldies

On of my dogs, Tamar - Maltese Shih Tzu cross from a pound - has always been very timid from the day I collected her 12 and a half years ago. I estimated her to be about six months old, so in January she will be 13. I still call her my puppy. Over the years, she didn’t change much, always timid even with me. I had to be very careful not to walk up to her quickly --- she still sinks to the ground. Visitors couldn’t pat her nor could people I met out walking the dogs. She was skittish and would hide behind my legs or get as far away as the lead would allow. Just my stepping on a stick and breaking it while walking would have her jumping and skitting away. A few years ago, she started being incontinent in bed at night; never during the day, only in bed at night and then only every other night if that. She was prescribed Propalin and it was magic. Because she is tiny, the dosage was a tiny little drop administered by syringe. I commented several times to the vets what an amazing medication it was for such a tiny dose to have such an immediate and successful result. However, Tamar’s timidity was getting worse and I was putting it down to her getting older, but it was really upsetting me. I hated to see her frightened and worried. A few months ago, I had to take Jeune and Bunter to the vet and, of course, took Tamar along for the ride. As it was only a couple of weeks since Danny had died, the vet and I had a fairly wide ranging conversation during which I happened to mention that Tamar was getting worse and how unhappy I was for her. The vet said, “Propalin will do that.” To put it mildly, I was stunned. The vet scrolled back through the notes on Tamar and there it was ---- how Propalin could make dogs fearful and skittish (my words as I can’t remember exactly what the notes said). I was really really upset and, honestly, I was nearly in tears to think I had been unwittingly giving Tamar medication that increased her fears. I have absolutely no recollection of being told about these side affects and I don’t believe I was because I would never willing give a dog of mine a medication that would exacerbate an existing condition. Anyway we have switched to Incurin which I give to her about every three days. The point of the story is that Tamar is a different dog. She is happy, playful, other people who see her regularly have commented. When we stop to talk to people and they pat Jeune and Bunter, she pushes through to be patted, her groomer has commented, etc etc. She regularly goes trotting off downstairs and will wander happily around the back yard for ages, just sniffing, weeing and generally doing what dogs should do. She makes me laugh many times a day with her playful and puppylike antics. I came inside from sitting on the back step with her to tell this story because to see the changes in her mades me so happy. I am partly comforted by the fact that she was on Propalin for only about two years, but even so, to see her now and to see the change in her in just a couple of months is both heartbreaking and joyous. And here is the dirty girl after one of her forays into the garden --- she loves rubbing her face in the dirt

Oh - little sweetheart Dogs are so forgiving. I have one littlie who screams blue murder at the sight of nail clippers. And after I have managed to cut one (on momentous occasions, two), she is as sweet and licky (please don’t hurt me) and comfortable.

:love:

Oh Grizabella!! Pure magic. I’m almost in tears those photographs are so beautiful and extraordinarily captivating.

No “silly questions”, Paul777 :) :) As you say, bad habits aren’t easy to rectify. There are a couple of brilliant Rotti owners on this forum: Starkeyre, griff, Allerzeit. Have you found this thread yet? http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/176478-rottweiler/

Thank goodness for sensible replies Puppies sleep lots and play lots.

Darling girl.

Such a beautiful and heartfelt poem, Stellnme. They live on in our hearts forever. beautiful girl. :heart:

Beautiful, 'Straya. What happened to all the water?

OMG, K. That all sounds terribly excruciatingly painful and scary. Good thing you have IM. I hope the visit is a happy one and you start getting relief from all the pain very very soon. Much love and best wishes.

Lovely. I loved the non-surf beach at Bribie .... many years ago now.

Oh my !! Heart stopping, PossumCorner.

It is only a “no no” where people aren’t looking to fool the public or be cruel to dogs. That’s probably a bit of an overstatement, because some people who aren’t very exposed to what goes on the breeding (both pure and BYB) simply are just not aware and they don’t know that they aren’t aware. Education is never finished.

Fabulous photogtraphs, Canetoad. And as for the difference in Jonah. Well, take a bow. All down to you :thumbsup:

:rofl:

Lots of changes going on. And as they are happening quickly, no time to get accustomed. :( Hope this tick is the one and only.

Nope, not for me. I’d be prostrate with envy :cry:

I have a little dog who will stop walking if a leaf, or stick, or some other matter attaches to her - the worst are Tibouchina leaves as they are like velcro underneath. If one of the dogs stops or limps, I check between all paw pads to see if there is a prickle or suchlike. Maybe your Standard just like to have her mate with her and thinks it isn’t right not to have her along :laugh: . Dogs have lots of idiosyncrasies which we can only guess at and scratch our heads.

Ads for in home pet sitting pop up all over website and FB too. I am sure it is having an impact. And what Gruf says, too. Apart from the fact that I couldn’t afford both a holiday and dog boarding :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: , I wouldn’t place my dogs in boarding no matter how excellent. They’d be traumatised and so would I :o ETA: The grooming salon down the road from me is always busy too. I had my dogs groomed the other days and when I picked them up she asked me about pre-Christmas grooming and managed to slot me in on Friday 23 - last day.

Gosh, RuralPug’s post brings back a memory of a post by a DOLer a long time ago. Hopefully, there are DOLers with a better memory than mine who might recall it too, because I can’t remember who posted. From memory, I think he came around the corner of the house to where the dog was and the dog didn’t know who it was. Again, if I remember correctly, the sun was behind him (the person) and so he would have been just a black shape to the dog. ETA: what does the person who is the focus of Lucy’s barking do when she displays this behaviour?

OMG!!!

Happy Gotcha Day, Seriously Super Scottie :thumbsup: He really is gorgeous May there be many many more.

Thank goodness that has been resolved. I just hope that whatever magistrate or judge has carry of this that they throw the book at the stupid idiots. Now ..... Back to Enzi :laugh: :laugh:

LOL - Jesse and the little dog. “Hey short stop! Wanna play?"

Amazing!!! Good doggies, too.