Dog_Horse_Girl

Better quality dry foods include Eagle Pack Holistic, Dick van Patten's Natural Balance Organic Formula, Nutrience (good for some dogs/pups), and Nutro. I use Nutrience & Dick van Patten's for my foster Jackie. My own dogs are fed raw, whole foods. Jackie definitely has more poos than my own dogs...what goes in, must come out if it's not digestible! ETA - the dry foods I give Jackie are of good quality, but b/c of her age I have a balancing act...she's approx 7.5 mths old and will be either medium or large when adult. Finding the right foods can be a challenge and while what I'm giving her is OK, I know Eagle Pack would be a better choice. I would give her a raw diet, but I know that many adopters will only feed kibble so that's my reason for giving her processed. HTH.

I would never give any of my own dogs or fosters the annual h/w injection. Why risk it when there are proven safe alternatives? I use Interceptor Spectrum for mine and Guardian (six-weekly chewable tablet) for Jackie (my foster). No side effects or other complications. Relatively inexpensive and easy to buy. Dogs tolerate their monthly dose with no problems. Molly eats her tablet like it's a treat...the others have theirs wrapped in peanut butter.

Feeding dry food will usually mean a dog is more thirsty than one fed on either processed wet food (canned) or natural diet (raw, BARF, whatever). It's OK to take a water bowl up during the night (that is, so the dog can't drink during sleeping hours) but I would be cautious about withholding water otherwise. Is there any reason you can't feed the dog as soon as you get home? This would alleviate the pup's need to drink so late in the evening and reduce the chances of his needing to go out in the wee hours (pun intended!). I feed my foster on dry (kibble) but I add warm water to the bowl. She still drinks excessively in comparison with my own dogs that are fed raw, whole foods.

As an aside, Kersti Seksel doesn't have a dog herself...which I find odd for a canine behaviourist. For anxiety, IMO you can't go past a DAP diffuser and spray and other "natural" remedies such as rescue remedy or valerian.

IMO you get what you pay for...and if your family is not happy to spend the "extra" on a better quality dog food, I'm sure they're paying "extra" for vet bills due to the problems the cheaper foods create. For a small dog, feeding a super premium kibble is very cheap including the "upfront" costs in buying the bag. I'd be steering them towards the higher end products such as Eagle Pack Holistic, Nutro (if you can find it, it's still not easy to buy in certain states), Nutrience or Dick van Patten's Natural Balance Organic Formula. All are good to excellent and all are worth much more than whatever is available in the supermarket or chain store.

Jodie, I hope the gas disappears and the good days outweigh the nasty ones. Sending more hugs yours and Ollie's way!

Perhaps you could try a better quality dry food, or increase the amount of raw foods in the diet. :rolleyes: Pups do tend to "go" more often than grown dogs, but not by this age...the food isn't "right" for this particular pup's needs if he's going that often. JMO. :p

I have experience with Canine Dementia with my old boy Aussie (staffy x ACD). He was a bit over 12 yrs when the symptoms began...and we had a few upheavals around that time (long distance move x 2, added a new dog, changes to household routine etc). He declined slowly for the most part. The changes were gradual and we didn't really put it all together until after the first year. We didn't go for either medication or a diet change. We opted to see how each day progressed. It wasn't the CD that got him in the end, but multiple organ failure. We had to help him to the Bridge and it was a very painful moment when we were told there was nothing else that could be done for Aussie. There is no "easy" way to lose a loved one but we felt that this was a sudden and unavoidable outcome. I still miss him nearly five years after his passing. If Rosie is still happy and enjoying life, and if she's getting around OK, and if you still "see" Rosie in there at least some of the time, and if she's not in physical pain or emotional anguish, then it's not time yet. But you WILL know. Or your trusted vet will help you to see it if needed. I'm so sorry, but take it one day at a time, use all the available management tools, and just keep looking out for Rosie. :rolleyes:

Wonderful news, Jodie. Give Ollie an extra pat and cuddle from me. :rolleyes:

Great news! Congratulations! BTW - I don't think full time work goes against dog ownership or most of us wouldn't have dogs. BUT a young pup has special needs and those needs must be met. As long as that happens, a pup will do fine if the family members are away all day. I've only raised one pup and it's hard work, which is one reason why I prefer to adopt older dogs (usually six months and up is what I like). Sure, you've still got hard work - an older dog may come with 'issues' to resolve and behaviours to change, but that's part of the bonding process too. We've had toilet training, separation anxiety, destructive behaviours, and all from our older dogs! I've also recently started foster caring and if a pre-requisite was "no full time employment" then more dogs would be PTS rather than being rescued. And how would we pay for our fosters' needs without having a full time income, let alone our own dogs' needs too? BTW - when I had my pup, I worked full time rotating shifts - we managed. His schedule, like mine, was a bit all over the place, but we managed. He was kept indoors but I didn't have a secure yard so him being indoors was a given. He was mildly destructive from boredom if his toys disappeared under the furniture (he was too scared to go in and retrieve them) but absolutely fine with enough fun stuff to do. I had never heard of a crate...or a Kong...or separation anxiety. And I was in my early twenties. And Aussie had a great life as an indoor/outdoor dog. He died in 2001 and I still miss him terribly.

Oh, Jodie...hope Ollie's on the improve. Hugs to you both.

I only use stainless steel bowls now. And they're washed after every meal. The water bowls are washed at least every second day. Can you imagine eating your own meals from dirty plates? Or drinking from a glass/mug that hasn't been washed? Why should hygiene not extend to our dogs' belongings?

I use a juicer. I only add a small amount of juice back to the pulp.

I reckon the Innova company doesn't actually READ our e-mails - they just forward them to the Bates clan. I sent several e-mails and ALL were forwarded without, apparently, being read by Innova. The company also didn't bother responding to me which was very disappointing. So even if they changed or added suppliers, the sheer arrogance the Innova folks have shown in NOT replying to my correspondence, means I probably won't support it. It's a real shame b/c EVO is an excellent food. I have many friends in the USA and Canada and all are stunned that this product range is stocked at a non-ethical retailer. They also suggested contacting Innova but I had already done so and explained the lack of response. Again they were stunned at that. ;) Good luck if you wish to begin a petition...but I suspect it too will fall on deaf ears.

The "cunning and conniving" Bates family seems to have pulled a swifty on the folks at Innova. In the USA, Innova doesn't allow non-ethical stores to stock its product...any store that sells live animals (particularly the so-called "designer dogs" and those products from BYBs and puppy mills) is basically considered unethical by Innova there. Yet here, it's the Bate's chain that has an exclusive deal with Innova...no other stockists are permitted. :cool: It's a genuine shame. I tried to alert Innova to the truth, but it seems to have ignored my correspondence. And a shame, b/c Innova and California Natural are both *great* foods. I just won't buy them unless the exclusive deal is undone. And I don't see that happening any time soon. I think the Bate's chain is a law unto itself. I don't recall ever seeing a shop of theirs carrying a logo that says it's been granted admission to any of the ethical pet retailer organisations. And that would be b/c it's anything but ethical IMO. Innova - if you're watching this site, why don't you reconsider your 'deal with the Devil' and allow ethical retailers to carry your products? Hmmm?

I use Aloveen shampoo and conditioner, and Fido's Bright White shampoo on my white dogs. I don't think human shampoos are suited to dogs b/c they're designed for the human scalp. A dog's skin is not the same consistency as a human scalp, even a baby's scalp in the case of a human baby shampoo. Why not visit your local pet supplies shop and get their advice for your dog's skin and coat type? Or visit a groomer and seek their advice. My dogs are washed in our bathtub...I have a handshower attachment. This keeps them warm in winter, and allows me to thoroughly rinse the product out of their coat. This is important, esp for young dogs and those with skin problems. HTH. :cool:

I have the mental picture...too funny! I taught Ruby to "speak" before I threw a ball for her to retrieve. Problem now is that whenever I have a ball in my hand, she won't shut up until I throw it. Completely MY fault...she's just wanting me to throw the ball and doing *exactly* what I taught her to do.

Or you have polished floorboards! When we build our next house (assuming we build rather than buy) I want polished concrete floors. In the meantime, most rental properties (and we rent through OH's employer) have carpet. The exceptions tend to be tropical locations - we had tiles throughout in Cairns and lino in Darwin.

Great news, Jodie. Good boy, Ollie...do you wanna cookie?

All land-based mammals smell. Dogs are no exception to this. If you feed a good diet (one that's right for the particular dog you have), if you house train your dog to minimise mistakes indoors, and if you keep your dog clean, then you shouldn't notice an overpowering smell at any time unless the dog is unwell. My dogs are fed a raw, whole foods diet. They are lucky if they get three baths a year. They rarely fart. So their impact inside our home is minimal from a smell point of view. But they do get dirty (muddy feet and dirty coats from rolling around outside) so you either bath your dog or shampoo your carpet.

In my experience, many shelters, rescues and breeders refuse to rehome pups if they are to be housed outdoors. This is b/c a young (baby) pup is not able to regulate its temperature as well as a grown (mature, adult) dog. It is also vulnerable to threats from bigger predators (dogs, sometimes cats, larger birds of prey, as just three examples), from illness that can be passed through soil, and from pests including fleas and ticks. If this were me, I'd be keeping such a young (baby) pup indoors. Unless you are referring to a very hardy breed, such as a malamute/husky/maremma/GSD or similar type of dog, then it's not a very good idea to house such a youngster outside, esp if nobody is home to keep a close eye on the pup. Perhaps your friend can leave their pup indoors somewhere safe, such as the kitchen? Or crated in the most-used room of the house? Their neighbour can still feed and otherwise care for the pup, the pup learns house training, and is kept warm/dry/safe indoors. :rolleyes:

I seem to remember this member starting a very similar thread a little while ago...and the conclusion they came to was that a dog wasn't the right species for their situation. I have to wonder what's changed since then?

Jodie, sending another gentle hug to Ollie dog and some healing thoughts for you both. You're a true hero to this beautiful smiling boy...and an inspiration to many others with unwell dogs. Hope he has a good night's sleep tonight.

I wouldn't use vinegar to clean up...it smells very attractive to a dog and the dog is likely to return to the spot to toilet. Try something like "nature's miracle" from any good pet supplier. And crate or otherwise confine the dog when you can't watch her closely enough to know when to take her outside.

A quick update to try to illustrate the wonder of crate training: Jackie (my foster) has been here since Friday night. My three have all got a safe place...and Jackie is no different. I set the crate up in the lounge room, where I spend the most time, and where Lilly is during the day (Lilly isn't crated). The first time I introduced Jackie to the crate, she fussed - a bit of whining, a bit of pacing (it's a HUGE crate...Dane sized, Jackie isn't that big), and then she settled down on her blankie. Once bedtime arrived, she whined again b/c she was alone and crated. But I ignored her and she settled in about 30 minutes. If she was a keeper, she'd most likely be crated in my room but as a foster, she doesn't get that privilege. She fusses a little when she goes to bed, but after the first night, she only whined for a minute or two last night. She's actually happy to have the crate, b/c she gets "time out" from my three...she can't be accidentally stepped on (it happens when there's four dogs in a small-ish space! )...my three get a break from her puppy-ness, and she can rest or sleep without being in anyone else's way. I also feed her in the crate. She gets her toys only in the crate. She gets LOTS of praise when she goes in and once she settles. ;) Oh, and she's never gone to the toilet in the crate. She had her first accident inside tonight, a very small wee in the lounge room. I managed to catch her and lead her gently outside...where she did another wee on command. She's a great dog!