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I agree it's a bit rambling but relevant to people giving up on dogs, I don't know who the girl is but I found this bit interesting...that she knew in 2013 it was a bad idea. What will happen to the little dog you think she'd be able to shout herself a behaviourist and spare the bagging of the rescue who trusted her to take care of him. I expect dogs to be returned to me rather than given away. edit; oh god I just read the 'five precepts' on Zen Dog, the 'facility' she sent her dog to for training.

Firstly, I didn't know who they were talking about but she's apparently famous. And has caused a flurry after giving her dog away. ARTICLE Lena Dunham is caught-up in what she’s calling, unironically, a “micro-scandal.” An animal shelter in Brooklyn claims the 31-year-old creator of HBO’s “Girls” series lied about her dog Lamby, who she recently gave away because, she said, it has behavioral problems. (She’s previously tweeted about Lamby’s Prozac prescription). The shelter where Dunham got her dog, meanwhile, told Yahoo News this week that Lamby did not have a traumatic past. Dunham hit back, as they say, with another Instagram post Thursday night, insisting she did not lie. “I will not apologize,” she said, explaining that as the dog’s “mother” she did what was best. The whole incident is like 85 percent of the reason why people hate millennials, so-called coastal elites and the blackhole that is celebrity social media in 2017. But beyond that trifecta of horror, and overlooking the question of whether or not Dunham told the truth, the real vexation of the Lamby situation is the way Dunham talks about her relationship with the dog, continuously referring to herself as Lamby’s mom. This isn’t just a Dunham quirk either. She’s just another annoying dog-person who’s confused having a pet with raising a human child. “I did what I thought the best mother would do, which was to give him a life that provided for his specific needs,” Dunham wrote in her Instagram post this week. “He’d been with me for nearly four years and I was his mom- I was in the best position to discern what those needs were.” Nope. No. Lena Dunham is a lot of things: Creator of a truly funny and original show that changed the way women are portrayed on the small screen. She is a talented comic actor. A skilled essayist. The creator of a cool email newsletter. A provocateur even. She is not, however, a mother. The relationships adult humans have with their pets are indeed complex, loving and beautiful. I do not doubt there was a real canine to human bond here, as Dunham aptly demonstrated with many cute photos on her Instagram (and on Lamby’s personal Instagram) over the years. Alas, a dog is not a human child. Would the mother of a human child explain why she gave away her kid ― after four years ― by writing this? “Shout out to @jennikonner for listening to endless hours of Lamby pain, and especially my partner @jackantonoff for loving him even when he ruined floors and couches and our life.” Dunham owned her dog for a few years, and apparently it peed on the floor a lot and didn’t always act the way it was “supposed” to. (I mean, it’s a dog.) So, she gave it up. We can leave the shelter and Dunham and the rest of the internet to quibble about why the dog was annoying, I guess. None of this is typically how parenting works. Parents of young children clean up kid pee, vomit, poop and god knows what other horrors from our homes and our bodies. We deal. We learn that we cannot have nice things. There’s typically not another option. Also, it’s worth noting: Dunham saw this coming. “Nothing about my life these days makes me an especially good candidate for having a dog. For starters, I’m never home. I work all the time, and when I’m not working I’m asleep in a pile on my couch,” Dunham wrote in a New Yorker essay about getting Lamby in 2013. She also says that her boyfriend is allergic to dogs and not especially interested in getting one. She recounts her first nights with the dog, how it kept her awake with its barking. Still, by the end of the essay at least, she makes her peace. “He is mine, and I am old enough to have him,” she writes. It’s possible that was the biggest lie of all.

@juice @Rascalmyshadow pretty much what I was thinking it will end up being unfortunately. It does have the potential to be really good but also to be a complete waste of time and money. Not to mention, I don't think a rescuer would let go of their dog for the day while it's taken to an unknown vet on a 'pre-purchase exam'.

I think it would depend of what vet they spoke to. ;) Fact; some vets don't like rescue dogs at all and that's from experience. And there's the over servicing we hear of. But I hope the idea takes off in a good way, there's unchecked homes getting unmatched dogs, getting set up to fail ... and some groups aren't even heartworm testing. The simplest and cheapest of tests! I'd give a free consult with our vet if someone asked for one but so far nobody has felt the need because our check, vetwork and notes are thorough. Especially for the seniors. Most people just get the files transferred to their own vet. Perhaps it would be good for pound dogs too. I just can't see how it would work if the pound doesn't let them out? @Scottsmum was Scottie a poundie when you took him to the vet?

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The dreaded cone! I've had dogs freeze on the spot. And other dogs who use it as a battering ram. You can buy a 'cloud collar' which is like an inflatable ring that stops them reaching the stitches but doesn't give them that lampshade feeling. In the first few days it's recommended to keep them from bouncing around so if she's nice and quiet, that's actually half your work done. Some are so bouncy they have to be crated to stop them. It really could be any number of things from anaesthetic to pain medication to feeling delicate but she'll be ok In a few days the stitches will begin to dry and feel itchy so she may not like that feeling either but it's all good healing. Only if the stitches go hot, red and puffy and weepy then that's the time I'd worry. Right now she sounds like a very normal little lady who needs some fussing on.

Thank you @Boronia and thank you @Scottsmum I'd love for them to have some golden paste, the mix I tried was coconut oil based and still went down like a lead fart. But I will keep trying. Maybe hiding it in tiny balls and a change of oil will help.

I love 'Joint Performance' for dogs. They make a horse version too And a course of cartrophen. It's a tiny injection, once a week for four weeks. And really works well with added supplements. Couldn't get anyone to eat Golden Paste, it was a mess and apparently the human tablet version is waaaay to strong, hundreds of times stronger. @Boronia I might try the granules if you can just sprinkle them on food without putting them off? edit; I just realised you need to activate the tumeric so sprinkling plain granules wouldn't work.

I was just going to say Fauve as well.

OMG! Congrats!!!!!! He is divine.

Agreed it can be hard. I've rescued a few Japanese Spitz (you mentioned them above I think) and they are absolutely wonderful dogs. I looooove them, and that's coming from a steadfast terrier person! lol. Not sure what they are like with kids but I find them to be cheerful loving souls. There's Dog Breeds 101 here on DOL where you might get a bit of info too. Sorry if you've already seen it

We usually work with the proviso that if the dog hasn't been in care (tested thoroughly) with little children then we don't place them into a home with little children. It's too risky. I'd find a rescue big enough that they have carers with young kids and then only take a proven dog. Or a breeder whose kids have been handling the pups would be a good alternative.

I like Shelley at Paws & Think dog training. She does home visits and classes

We've desexed tons of seniors no problem. It does curtail the sexual drive (it can help settle the care factor) but if he's a habitual humper then that can be ingrained behaviour rather than a mating move, although girls usually tell them to get lost if they start that sort of nonsense. Being possessive is more behavioural than anything else and in my experience the beginner's way to help a dog like that is to repeatedly put him back on the floor if he starts guarding you. So if the vet is confident, go for it. And you could always have the girl done at the same time, it will save you escalated dramas when she comes in season. In the end if they still don't get along I'd rehome the female rather than cause a complete upheaval of the male's lifelong homelife. It can be very stressful to senior dogs. I forgot to say, if you think he is crazy now, wait until she comes in season. Even a desexed dog can go silly over a female in season! It's that powerful. :D

Sorry. I was just going by the first post mentioning liquorice and I have a dispersible/chewable 'flavoured' that smells like lollies and tastes like nasty. Out of curiosity google tells me peppermint and aniseed flavouring. LOL still not exactly pet friendly. Anyway, off topic. How is she going Ricey? I can't help with the thyroid advice. I've never had one come back with anything other than normal but I'm sure some Dolers were sending samples to america?

That's what we got. I had no idea they did flavoured ones.

Fantastic! And she's looking beautiful too.

I'd check just to be safe but no, last time I used Lovan on a dog it was just a tablet in cheese. Easy. So weird that you were given a dispersible one grossss. Not sure who makes up 'flavours' of medication. As a note, Lovan made my anxious dog quite growly and strange (and had negligible effect on his anxiety) so we weaned him off.

Sorry if someone has mentioned this already. Just a note but medication can put people off with names like 'Clomicalm' but most are not sedating as you would imagine valium is. To properly sedate a dog can sometimes remove inhibitions altogether so vets go for prozac versions of doggie meds. And you'll get more effective results when combined with vet behaviourist guidance. If they don't work, wean them off and chalk it up to experience.

In case anyone is interested in showing off their photos. Closes 31st May. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Earth_2017_in_Australia "Do you have pictures of National Parks, Bushland forever sites, maybe Marine Parks stored on your computer since your last trip? This is a great opportunity to give them a second life in this Wiki Loves Earth contest. In addition to being seen by everyone, your pictures could be included in Wikipedia and contribute to the knowledge of Australia's natural beauty. Freely licensed photos collected through Wikipedia Loves Earth may also be reused elsewhere than in Wikipedia. Photos may have been taken at any time. The key criteria to be eligible for the contest are that they are to be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons in May 2017... and that they have been taken by you, of course! There is no minimum age to participate, and there is no participation fee. Besides WLE being a competition, it is first a fun activity, ideal for families. The competition also allows us to share our unique natural environment, while improving our photographic talents! The contest was initiated and first held (as pilot) by Wikimedia Ukraine in 2013, and has been growing ever since with Australia joining in for the first time this year. It was ranked as the 2nd coolest project of Wikimedia Chapters at Wikimania 2012"

5 months old is still a baby. I'd be putting a dog door in for free access especially if we're talking about a toy breed. None of mine are left outside without being able to get in or being crate trained. It's not exactly an unsafe area at all (seriously, for so close to the city it's not too bad except for this week ) but I feel they are safer. And I hear the outside dogs cry & bark during the day. As for barking, a good trainer can help with distractions. Puppy needs a treat or toy or reward of higher value than barking at the world. Forgot to add, baby gates are perfect if you are upstairs and can't supervise him. And as DD suggested a crate trained dog is quite happy and feels safe rather than caged.

She's looking beautiful!

New vet! That's definitely not normal. Even if it's just a long standing infection you'll need antibiotics for quite some time before it will heal properly.

Yep, I'm disappointed too but it's done now and to be completely honest we have probably turned a few 'want it now' off onto gumtree by being unable to match an applicant with a dog immediately. But we always refer back to PetRescue or to legit group or pound who uses FB or their website to advertise rather than PetRescue. There's a lot of dogs out there and it's just a matter of timing and searching. There's google, and for anyone googling dog information, the top search that comes up is still DOL. And this thread will be read and perhaps absorbed if we keep welcoming people no matter what their dog or knowledge level is then they will come back to DOL for the reams of information on training, health, general questions and finding a purebred etc. Given, in this case a bit more absorbing should have been done but such is life. Ive seen many more threads that have ended in rescue adoption or purchasing from a registered breeder.

Hi Stella!