Erny

Up date : Did ears again tonight. Wasn't going to fall for the "I'm just rubbing your ears" thing. But he was easier tonight. Still a struggle, but I held at a different angle (still used the towel - it's a lot softer on his neck yet very strong). No trembling - more just sheer objection than anything else. No yelping/whining. Got the job done a lot faster and with less stress on either of us. Don't really know why it went considerably better and suddenly by contrast to this morning. Maybe he has a secret DOL account and has been reading. Afterwards we had a game of "Find Flea". He loves that game. It always ends with "Tug Flea". ETA: "Flea" is the name of one of his stuffed toys.

And a great idea for approach too, Lillium. I will try doing that throughout the day. Unfortunately I'm under time restraint in that I do need to administer morning and night, which doesn't afford much time for introduction/desensitisation/conditioning. It is sort of what I went back to doing earlier today, although at that point minus the dropper. But I'll pick up the dropper and do much the same without applying it as much as I can and see how we go. He's a great dog in that he is honest. He's a dag. And he's not without his cheekiness. I wonder at the fact that in all the throwing of his body around in an attempt to get away from me that he not once showed any sign of malice towards me. I love dogs. <sigh>

Hi Lillium - covered that one too. Yes, he gets nervous beforehand (no, 'tense with anticipation' is more the word - he only trembles once the struggle has begun - before that, he'll trot off with a cheeky grin so to speak, and a wagging tail to match, if he can, but he's not difficult to catch) - at any bottle I shake, at the sound of anything on the bench (table; kitchen bench; laundry bench; coffee table; outdoors table; even from the floor) being fiddled with. I have tried the 'get it ready behind closed doors' but I have to be able to rest the stuff on something whilst I get him in a 'hold'. As soon as I reach for anything, that will set him off into struggle. There are contextual cues of course (ie he's not living his life being nervous/afraid of everything) but there are things I need to do to get things 'ready'. Even having cotton balls in my hand are a cue to him that I'm going to poke or probe or wipe him somewhere or other. I keep the meds on a part of the kitchen bench top where I also keep his food treat jar. Did this purposefully (from the outset - even before the ear drops) so he wouldn't think me reaching there always meant something he didn't like. Poor dog. He's not even 2yo yet, but he's endured so much attention to places that shouldn't have to receive so much attention.

I would need to go to the Vet for the swab, Stormie. And I've been there before. I was going to go to the Vet but I'd double booked myself. Got these drops in the meantime and they seem to be working. His outer ear canal is a nice 'cool' colour (best it has been in a while) and the part of the deeper ear canal that I can see is far less red. He seems to be flapping his ears less (apart from just after administration of the drops). A "thorough" clean out would involve sedation/GA. I'm battling other things as well and the procedure wouldn't be great for him. A swab is going to tell me if it is just wax, mites or infection, isn't it? These drops cover each.

Suspected infection - probably yeast. Under naturopath direction. The ear drops are called "Ear Clear". "Ear solution to rid the ear of wax, yeast infections and ear mites." Product of "Natural Animal Solutions". Ingredients : Aloe; Witch Hazel; Aluminium Acetate 2%; Boric Acid; Lavender Essential Oil. When Mandela was younger he had a bit of an ear issue for which the Vet prescribed some other (can't remember the name) somewhat stringent ear drops. But he reacted to that - it was too stingy and irritated his ear even more, making it and his ear flaps really hot, violently red and so sore that he would go into fits of yelping if I so much as dared to touch an ear flap. These current drops seem to be helping - the redness is going away. He still yelps a bit when the drops are going in but not as much as he did when I first administered the drops - it would have been really sore then. In part I think some of the yelps are 'learnt' because he occasionally yelps before I've even put the drops down there. But as I said, the yelp is less now - more just a couple of yelp/whines.

Let me tell you that thoughts of hog-tying or swaddling have (jokingly) crossed my mind!! :D

SilverHaze - hope your girl is ok and that you manage ok with her. This afternoon I sat on his mat with him - gave him a piece of roo jerky to chew on and whilst he was chewing I used cotton wool balls with the ear stuff on it, just to wipe out the remants of gunk that I could see and reach. I do a bit, and give some roo jerky. Do a bit more and give some roo jerky. He didn't like it and wiping his ears is nothing new, but he tolerated it. He always has, for the 'wiping out' bit though. I'll try lulling him into this routine and see if I can piecemeal get drops down his ears that way. This is the same way that I got him to accept his nails being dremmeled and I admit that he is really good with that (almost looks forward to it). Difference with that was that I was able to introduce that procedure to him gradually whereas I have to get the ear drops into him more urgently than that. What I hate the most is the trauma the whole procedure is causing Mandela. He struggles. I struggle. And the whole thing ends up looking and being a violent procedure. The more I struggle, the more panicked he becomes. I don't want that for him. I'll be booking an appointment with the chiropractor for a fortnight's time. For me, that is. :D .

No, although that'd be something I'd try if I did. He'd throw himself off the table and his weight/height (not to mention strength) would put me at even more of a disadvantage than being at floor height. His wither height to my leg (I'm 5' 7.5" tall) is about 7.5" (thereabouts) down from my hip bone, standing on the floor.

Tried the "straddle" (with him backed into a corner). Ended up looking like we were playing a game of 'twister'.

I have done similar, although not with my arm through a collar. No problems with being able to hold (although it took all my strength) but he will struggle so much that he almost climbs the cupboards (read : wall) with his back legs to get out of the corner. I try to place my legs in such a position as to block this, but balance comes into it and sometimes he manages to squeeze through any gap that might be available. If nothing else, it is nice to be able to share the struggles we go through in our attempts to help our dogs . I really should video tape the procedure - I am sure it would get a few laughs. In fact this morning's effort saw me laughing (though I should not) because of the ridiculousness/awkwardness of it all and because of the physical positions I end up twisting myself into and for the fact that in amongst the struggle his wet nose hit my glasses and I had to try to see through blurry dog snot. Hey! Sympathy is good I do need an extra person, but have to do without. I'll manage, just trying to think of better ways to make the exercise less traumatic for Mandela. .... thanks .

Perse - sorry, I missed your post. What you've suggested is a do-able. I'll try it, dubious though I am. He's become very suspiscious of anything I'm doing when it involves me touching his ear flaps at the moment. But perhaps even the warming of the liquid will make it less uncomfortable for him and if I can sneak it in this way at least once, he might figure it wasn't too bad. He probably won't let me do it again with him laying down, but perhaps he'll struggle less? The dropper that is included with the drops is glass (I don't poke that down his ear) - I presume I can purchase rubber droppers from the chemist? ETA: I have only one hesitation - I don't like being sneaky about things I do to my dog. Something to do with trust. But I'll try a version of what you've suggested, perhaps similar to how I trained him to accept having his nails dremmeled.

If I thought that as the GSD's only escape route, I would've switched the collar over to the Dane before now. That would've stopped the Dane from digging and providing the escape route for the GSD. The beauty of electric fences is that you can set them up to wind in, through and around obstacles such as trees. Or are you saying that it is scrub? That would prove more difficult.

You say you've used an electronic confinement system but that it didn't work. I do prefer the use of an electric fence (as in for horses) as it provides visual cue to the dogs (both inside and to those who are outside the property), but I'm interested to know what didn't work with the confinement system you have. I'm imagining dogs digging at the fence line ignoring the stimulation from the confinement line ????

What would happen if you smeared the front of the fridge or a cupboard door with something he likes.. I've heard good reports of that method of distraction. I'm willing to give it a try PF, but I gotta tell you I'd confidently hedge my bet that it won't work. Part of his health issue is that he's not that into food. I could try putting up some peanut butter on the fridge (I guess a little bit of that won't hurt his already funny tummy?) and see if that would be enough for him to stay there and ignore me while I put drops in his ears. He yelps a bit when the drops go down (less now than before) so I strongly think peanut butter or any food won't be enough to keep him distracted.

Toilet would be great if I could move the toilet bowl. Either or both of us would somehow end up hurt from that. My 'general' toilet is really really tiny (not even room enough for me to move and I think I would find it even more awkward in there) and the other toilet is in my ensuite and there's too much room in there. No-one here to help at all. And a bit of a bug bear for anyone to be travelling over twice a day every day just for that. But thanks for trying the ideas. Don't want to seem negative. I knew it would be a hard one, but figured I might as well ask in case I've just not thought of something. It's ok. I'm going to go grab some lunch and build up my strength ready for another battle tonight. It isn't the end of the world - it's not as if this is a 'forever' occurrence (at least I hope that it isn't :D). I'm fairly strong and that goes to my favour. It would be nice if it could be easier and less 'violent' - for his sake and mine. I can manage though - it's just not easy in any way shape or form. I think we both hate the "ear drops" time of day for our own separate reasons. One thing he would be learning is that struggling won't get him out of it. There's got to be a plus in that somewhere, sometime.

He does buck a bit like a bull during the process, PF :D My kitchen area is only about 1.5 metres wide and a couple of metres long. The kitchen/lounge is open plan - the 'U' shape of my kitchen benches separates the kitchen away from lounge and I find this area the easiest for the same reason you've mentioned. Bathrooms have things that we'd both probably crash into. Laundry even more so. ETA: Put him in his car harness and use that to winch him up towards the ceiling - put drops in whilst dangling?

Gosh - I've been spending far more time in the health forum lately than I have in the training, and me ..... a trainer, and all :D. Today's question is whether anyone has some natty handling/restraint techniques I might be able to use for when I apply ear drops to my boy's ears. To put you in the picture : He's a 22 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback. Weight would be about 38kg (give or take, depending on whether he's been on or off his food). He's a good dog - well meaning. He takes his tablets on command without force. Up until recently, at least, he's been ok(ish) with me wiping out his ears - hasn't liked it, but been reasonably compliant to me holding him for the purpose. He is ok(ish) with me syringing stuff down his throat that he needs for his health (I have a special 'hold' position for that, but he really doesn't struggle against it, although he'd trot away if he could.) He's under care of a naturopath and with suspected ear infection I've been given some ear drops to apply. One dropper full in each ear twice a day for one week. One week's rest and then twice a day for another week. We are at day 4 of the first week (roll on Sunday) and I've done his ears again this morning. But it is a major struggle. He hates it - I knew he would. And his ears at the beginning were a bit inflamed, so it doesn't surprise me that they were already sensitive, without my further intrusion. But the drops seem to be working and his ears are looking less red, so I believe I'm on the right track. I digress a little though .... it is the struggle that I am having problems with. I'm on my own, so it is me or no-one. I use a bath towel as a collar restraint - I can use that a lot more firmly than I would something like a flat collar, which I know would press hard on his trachea (he doesn't have much in the way of skin protection there) and cause him to choke and cough. I also don't wish to set up a negative to his collars - he loves them all (even though they annoy him when they are on) and of course I don't want him to cause himself some damage in the process. Holding the towel tightly around the top of his neck behind his ears, I have him backed into a corner of the kitchen area (if he's going to build up a negative association with any room, it might as well be the kitchen where it would do him well to stay out of anyway). I then try to have his ear flap back so the ear canal is exposed. If I can hold it (with the fifth arm that grows out of my back) I will. But as soon as he knows I have the ear dropper in my hand, the massive struggle begins. I couldn't really tell you where my feet and body are, as I have to struggle with the rhythm of his struggle, but suffice to say I try to use my body (I've got no more arms left) to keep him against the kitchen cupboards to block him from pulling away from me. Somehow I manage to get a dropper full in the ear - sometimes I have to repeat it because I haven't had a chance to stop him from shaking his head before I think it has had a chance to make its way down the canal. Then I have to repeat the process for the other ear. His struggle is such that he is almost climbing the wall that is created by the cupboards. It is most unpleasant for him (he trembles) and the struggle is either no better, or it is worse, each time. I am left a bit shaky with the effort. I'm not blaming him - throughout all of this he doesn't use his mouth on me even though his struggling is violent and I know that he could. He even gives me a little tail wag in those small moments when I'm trying to catch my breath and perhaps reload the eye-dropper with my spare (sixth?) arm (holding against his resistance all the while). The poor dog, for all his symptoms, has me poking and probing in just about every orifice he has, but he always has a tail wag for me when I'm done. Even after his ears are done and he's finished flapping his ears, he has a meek 'smile' for me, although he's a bit wary that I'm going to catch him and do it again. We tend to go out and have a game of tug or something that enjoys after I've finished the 'ear' task. Long post - sorry. But I felt I needed to set the scene a little. Food treats are of no assistance in this one - he'd rather starve. And of course he's super sensitive whenever I go to touch his ear flaps at any time now, not because they are sore but because he fears the drops. So .... any hints? I'm suspecting not, but I figure I won't know unless I ask.

There is no practical and safe way to teach them road sense. Back in my younger days, when dogs free roamed, traffic wasn't too bad although it was building up. The dogs that learnt "road sense" were the ones who learnt it the hard way with narrow misses and enough 'fright' to make them watch out for cars. Those were the lucky ones, but even then their 'learning' would never be enough. Others unfortunately met their fate and could do no more learning. Today's traffic is far more dense and faster. What has been tried and failed in the way of fencing to keep them in? Perhaps we can assist you with some ideas in that respect? But tell us what you've done/tried first, so we aren't re-hashing old ground.

Yes Ellz - you're right. I mis-read that part.

Yes and I agree that he should and was right to do so. But reading the OP, his responses of "Is that so?" sounds (if I take what I imagine the tone would have been correctly) goading to me. That's not something I expect of anyone, let alone an officially appointed office of government or council.

Every dog is different. There are different ways to teach loose lead walking, but the easiest is to have someone who can actually show you - it is about how you hold/handle the lead as well, after all, it is the lead that activates the collar and how you use it effects (or affects) the message you're sending. As for the leash excitement. Pick it up. Put it down. Pick it up. Put it away. She's only become excited about it because she's learnt it to be a cue for something exciting. If you randomly pick it up (even just hook it around your neck as you move around your house doing usual household activities) and then pop it down or put it away, you'll devalue it somewhat. If my dog goes berserk at the sight of the lead (which he doesn't - he's excited, but demonstrates self-control), but as a puppy when he went a bit over the top, I just turned around and put the lead back in its place. He knows it won't get clicked on to his collar until he demonstrates self-control and sits. And he knows that until the lead is clicked on, he won't be going out on a walk. So he's figured his self-control is to his best advantage.

Unless there is an oral issue (such as tooth abscess or the like) then I think most stinky breath (that lasts) comes from the stomach. I'm not a Vet, but I think if I thought there was cause for concern I would have been inclined to give a pro-biotic additive for a few days or so to aid in digestion and see how that went (provided I was certain it wasn't an obstruction). Perhaps your Vet was right, as things might turn out, but this is yet another case of "can't see anything wrong so we'll give anti-biotics just in case" again. I'm sorry, but it is really concerning me how often and easily these things are being prescribed.

It's a Degree qualification - I think it stands for Master of Arts or something.

Dog paws need to be rough for grip. They also need to be a bit tough - soften them up and you risk your dog not having the protection he needs when he is walking out and about with you, crossing pavements; gravel and the like. Unless your dog's paws are unhealthily rough I wouldn't try to fake up nature. My dog's paws can be a bit 'catchy' but that's normal. He did however go through a stage of what I thought was developing Hyperkeratosis which can prove a bit of a problem. He has other health issues (including interdigital cysts) and to sooth them I've been applying Aloe Vera Gel. Coincidentally, the Hyperkeratosis (if that's what it was - I am only surmising as I am not a Vet) seems to have disappeared and his paw pads look healthier. I didn't think that could be cured, so perhaps I am wrong with my self-diagnosis. I am conscientious of the fact that his paw pads don't seem to be as tough as they were - which is nicer to feel but not necessarily as protective as they could be, so I need to be careful until they toughen back up to normality. So, if your dog's paw pads are normal and healthy, I wouldn't be toying with them. Perhaps instead train him to not climb on you, or make it so that he only does so on your command, and you can use a blanket or towel or something so that his paws don't scratch you?

Yes - formal qualification is MA. Practical qualifications rests in his experience of his work with companion dogs and in the evaluation and training of military working dogs as a member of the US Army Biosensor Research Team (Superdog Program).