Dog Sense

Thanks, I initially posted in the rescue section and was redirected here! E-mailed BFR yesterday and they are networking for me.

Maybe ... she's been spayed too though. I'm a former breeder, dog trainer and all over puppy development, singleton pups need siblings, especially as they're keeping the pup and there are small children in the household. The risk of disease from other healthy newborns is relatively low, esp when this pup's already getting his colostrum. I've fostered orphan pups this way before, if the bitch is accepting it makes the best of a bad situation for all puppies concerned. I'm not here to debate however and am still looking for puppies. D.

Prefer to go this avenue and networking to protect privacy. Yes unfortunately 3 weekers are approaching weaning, so too old. Thanks. D.

Hi all, A Beagle I know in Ipswich had a disastrous whelping today with only a single pup surviving. To help the pup develop normally and to keep the bitch's milk supply up, we're presently looking for small-breed orphan pups that need fostering. If you have pups that need fostering, please contact me on [email protected] Thanks, Donna.

G'day, not a regular poster here but someone pointed me towards your question. Have had a Cushings dog, it took three yrs of stuffing around to get diagonised and then vets were saying things like "text book case, should have been picked up ages ago". If I had not pushed for a diagnosis, she would never have been diagnosed and we would have continued to treat symptoms, uselessly to her detriment. I agree with those who've suggested specific thyroid function testing using Jean Dodds protocol, TSH alone is useless as only tells you what pituitary gland is saying to thyroid. T4 alone is useless as gives incomplete picture. I also concur that Cushings / Addisons cannot be diagnosed with routine bloods - need low dose dexamethasone suppression test OR ACTH stim test. Sometimes both are required, especially in the case of Addisons. Thes tests are frequently only performed by specialist vets' surgeries or university vet hospitals so if your vet is not prepared or unable to do them, you need to ask to be referred. Lack of appetite and emaciation usually is indicative of Addisons, excessive appetite and thirst with or without weight loss/gain is generally indicative of Cushings. Further testing may be required in either case to differentiate between pituitary or adrenal Cushings (or Addisons) as treatment is different. Hypothyroid dogs can get fat because their metabolic system is broken. Cushings dogs don't generally get fat unless they have free access to food constantly - i.e., indulgent owners. Addisons dogs get skinny because they're not producing any / very little cortisol and they're just not hungry so they don't eat. Cushings dogs do get distended abdomens (which can look like a fat tummy) but not until after the liver is affected - would be nice to have it diagnosed before a dog gets liver enlargement! They also can get calcium deposits in their skin which starts off looking like dandruff and over time develops into crusty sores (calcinosis cutis), the hair loss and calcium deposits form a t-section, across the shoulders and down the length of the back (this is a Cushings trademark). The skin where hair is missing can turn a darker colour and elsewhere such as on underbelly and legs, skin is tissue thin, it tears like an elderly person's. The skin is not greasy as it can be with a thyroid condition unless the dog has a fungal/yeast skin infection which is a common complication, as are fungal/yeast infections of the ears, which will not resolve, despite treatment for that symptom, until underlying condition is treated and begins to improve. These infections smell bad, and differently to the greasy skin of a hypothyroid dog. Big clue - Cushings dogs are not itchy because they are producing so much of their own cortisol it has same effect as cortisone treatment given to suppress itching from flea bites. They may have a heavy flea and/or worm burden because their immune system is suppressed and if so, regular treatments will be ineffective again until the underlying condition is treated and starts to resolve. Other complications are connective tissue (ligament, tendon) breakdown, calcification of soft tissue (i.e., the feet), the front feet turn out like a ballerina's, the pasterns fall (i.e., walking on ankles rather than on feet) whic can also occur in hypothyroidism. By the time your dog is showing all these symptoms, it's a long way back, so if your dog is a Cushings case, the sooner you start treatment the better, both cost-wise and for your dog's health. I'm generalising now but treatment for Addisons is steroids, treatment for Cushings is Trilostane (chemotherapy drug) which is reasonably user-friendly or Lysodren (cytotoxic chemotherapy drug) which has serious side-effects if not monitored very carefully. Occasionally in the case of pituitary Cushings, surgery is recommended but (again generally) surgery to either pituitary or adrenal glands is expensive and highly risky. If your dog has either Addisons or Cushings he will need specialist veterinary care, it's not a GP vet condition until stabilised. You may have to be a pain in your vet's backside to get this resolved. You know your dog best, so if you feel he's not himself, don't get fobbed off, keep at it. Best wishes, Donna.

Firstly I don't ever, ever punish mouthing at all. There are so many things you can do and yes with the yelping thing you DO have to do it over and over and over again as your pup is learning how hard is too hard to mouth and this is going to go and become worse (as in she's going to do it more) when she teethes. This link explains it best: http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/archives/bite.txt The other thing to remember with mouthing is that she has no hands - mothers go insane stopping their toddlers sticking their fingers in places they shouldn't, puppy owners go insane stopping their pups biting things they shouldn't - it's what they do to find out about their world! They *are* tactile, just with their mouths rather than their hands - they can be incredibly gentle with their mouths and you need to teach them how to be. Punishing them doesn't teach them much except that you can be scary. Also someone's already posted somewhere the link to Before You Get Your Puppy, but in case you can't find it, look at www.dogstardaily.com and do invest by buying the second book, After You Get Your Puppy which is available through Jenny Ireland Pet Products. Every single question you've asked and some you haven't yet thought of, are answered there. If your pup is eating carpet, you haven't made her world small enough. When she's unsupervised, she needs a smaller, safer place where she can't destroy things she shouldn't! She doesn't know the difference yet, she's a baby - she's finding out about her world - is this good to eat? When she has access to the house, you have to be vigilant. She also needs lots and lots of Kongs.

Your pup's completely normal and she is *playing* - that's how she learns (that's how children learn too, through play). Thank goodness she's doing all this with her needle sharp puppy teeth, it helps her learn to use her adult teeth appropriately. She is beginning to learn bite inhibition and bite softening. Being a GSD she's also very stimulated by movement so will bite anything that moves, so when she bites your feet, stand still, then throw a toy or something to distract her from you. I much prefer to work with what the dog offers and turn it to my advantage rather than any form of punishment which generally tends to make pups distrustful of us. I think this article explains it best: http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/archives/bite.txt Good luck.

Also try www.apdt.com.au And for a singleton puppy - what about getting in contact with reputable breeders whom you know, who have same-age litters, so your pup gets quasi-litter mates? Even if they're marginally younger, would still be good experience if you are vigilant.

Panic. :D If a pup isn't toilet trained by 12 weeks then you're setting yourself up to own an "indiscriminate toileter", i.e., a pup that goes wherever it likes, the smaller the breed, the worse your chances are of improvement (because smaller breeds mentally mature much earlier than larger breeds, so you've got more development crammed into the 12 weeks). Get serious right now. You *can* train this puppy to hold it and to toilet outside on the grass, but you have to stop making excuses and you have very limited time in which to do it. For an average pup, it can happen in less than two weeks but I know people who do it in six days. Tips: Feed your puppy at regular times - at nearly 12 weeks should be no more than 3 times/day (except training treats but these are deducted from meals). Don’t leave food out – if it isn’t eaten within twenty minutes, remove it. Don't leave water with your puppy overnight unless it's intensely hot. Take your puppy outside before meals. Take your puppy outside immediately after a meal. Take your puppy outside after he wakes up - that includes getting up during the night to go outside. Take your puppy outside if he walks in circles or sniffs the floor a lot. Make a habit of taking your puppy outside each hour, on the hour in addition to the above. There will be accidents occasionally, just quietly clean them up and make no fuss. Close doors to rooms which are carpeted or where puppy isn’t allowed unsupervised. Spend lots of time outdoors so the puppy just doesn't have the opportunity to go inside. If you have to leave your puppy home alone indoors for extended amounts of time, then: create an area that will be your puppy’s “home” whilst you’re away. For small breeds, a child’s playpen is ideal, otherwise a laundry or bathroom with easy-to-clean floor will do. This area should contain in one corner, the puppy’s bed (or crate), water bowl and food bowl (do not leave a meal out unless you will be absent when it’s due). It’s natural for puppies to toilet away from their sleeping/eating area, so add a litter tray with dirt or a layer of turf* in the opposite corner to the bed and feeding items. You can cover the floor with newspaper for *your* convenience, but you now want him to think of grass as a toilet! *try to obtain a slice of turf from your yard that either your pup or another dog has wet on already – this will attract your pup there. This turf can be replaced in your yard and new turf cut as the pup gets the idea. This is another reason why it's hard for smaller breeds - the world is very large and they are very small. So the opposite side of the room could be, in their estimation, a LONG way from their bed and food bowls. Whereas a larger breed might look for a place even further away. Make sure the pen is welcoming for the puppy by providing strong, interesting toys which are rotated daily (i.e., this is not a sin-bin). You can include toys that dispense tidbits of food, such as from the Kong range or treat balls, or large bones that teething puppies can gnaw on (also can now be a meal replacement bone!). Leave a radio or TV on so the puppy isn’t alone in silence. When you take your puppy outside, RUN outside with him, give him a sense of urgency but take him on leash to the appropriate place, preferrably somewhere he's wee'd before. If he's on leash he can't get distracted, bolt off and play. Stand still and be as boring as paint drying. Don't let him engage you in play. When you see the sniffing start to happen, don't speak or you'll disturb his concentration - as soon as he starts to go say your magic word "go wee" or whatever doesn't make you feel like an idiot in public. The relief of being empty should be reward enough but you can give a treat after if you like. Then stay outside (obviously not at 3am), leash-off and play with your pup for a few minutes after the event. Gets him into habit of wee'ing first, then playtime rather than playtime and wee as soon as he gets back indoors. As it looks like he's already tending towards being indiscriminate, I wouldn't give him a chance to do anything indoors ever again, I would make his world very small and close of all access to any room except the one he's in with you when you're home so that you can always read his signals. If you see him about to wee indoors, pick him up and RUN and plop him on the grass - yes, even midstream. Remember the older he gets, the bigger his bladder capacity is (there is a rundown on that on the web somewhere, i.e., at X weeks Y holding time, etc.) so you will eventually be able to expect him to hold all night. Remember before you embark on this new regime, you now need to scrub your house anywhere he has had an accident, with an enzymatic detergent such as BioZet laundry detergent - this breaks down the part of the deposit that attracts the puppy back there. Don't use anything containing ammonia as that will just attract your puppy to that area (remember urine = ammonia). It is just not normal for dogs to mess in their water bowls. Just my $2 worth.