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Yorkshire Pudding posted:I’ve been giving him probiotics for like 2 months, and I recently switched over to Acana pumpkin something for puppies and juniors. Still getting quite a bit of soft stool. Buy the canned stuff in the supermarket and add it to their food instead.
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May 6, 2021 05:05
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ImplicitAssembler posted:Buy the canned stuff in the supermarket and add it to their food instead. Important: use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. It's an easy mixup and there's no surer way to the land of spicy poops than that delicious cinnamony confection.
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May 6, 2021 13:08
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has anyone had to give their dog trilostane, for cushings? the vet gave me some but i was reading a little bit about it and it seems like it's kind of irreversible once they start taking it?
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May 7, 2021 22:55
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Hey all, have a question and was curious about people's input: My wife and I have wanted a dog for years now, but we've never been in the position where it was realistic to responsibly own the kind of dog we're interested in. Now we're both WFH (I'm permanent WFH, my wife may end up going back into the office), in a good place financialy, are renting a standalone family home (with a small fenced yard and landlords who haved given the go-ahead) and have no plans to go back to an apt so we're finally looking. The issues are that we would be first time dog owners (though we both grew up in households with dogs and have friends with dogs), we're looking for a puppy, and we're interested mostly in "challenging" breeds, namely Aussies and Border Collies. So what are the chances that a reputable breeder would actually be willing to sell to us? I'd obviously stress to them how seriously we take this, how we've read up on the issues and challenges of raising a puppy of that breed, and how we plan on keeping it mentally and physically stimulated, etc. We're not ruling out shelters/rescues, but since we're treating this as a very serious decade and a half commitment the piece of mind that comes with knowing the full lineage and genetics of our dog, and the knowledge that it was socialized correctly and doesn't have any unknown traumas is fairly big for us.
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May 8, 2021 03:36
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I steered my best friend to an aussie from a good breeder as her first dog as an adult and it has turned out fantastically for her. If you know what you want and have a plan for dealing with the "fun" that comes from a challenging dog go for it! People getting starter dogs that don't actually fit what they want isn't going to be good for anyone. Also, a lot of folks get way too into talking about how their breed is just too special for just anyone to own and need to just get over themselves. Some breeders might not give you the time of day but that's sort of how connecting with a breeder goes. If you have explained why you're interested in the breed ("omg they're so cute" won't cut it), what your interests with your future dog are, and why you're contacting that specific breeder and they blow you off because you haven't had a dog before just move on to the next one. Especially with aussies and bcs there are tons of breeders out there, you'll find one that fits.
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May 8, 2021 04:07
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Be ready to spend over an hour every day at the dog park!
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May 8, 2021 05:39
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Instant Jellyfish posted:Some breeders might not give you the time of day but that's sort of how connecting with a breeder goes. If you have explained why you're interested in the breed ("omg they're so cute" won't cut it), what your interests with your future dog are, and why you're contacting that specific breeder and they blow you off because you haven't had a dog before just move on to the next one. Especially with aussies and bcs there are tons of breeders out there, you'll find one that fits. This makes sense, thanks! vs Dinosaurs posted:Be ready to spend over an hour every day at the dog park!
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May 8, 2021 06:02
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I’m on a similar schedule but break up park time into two 30-45 minute chunks, one morning one evening. This keeps puppy chilled out during the day. Side note: holy poo poo moving with a puppy is annoying.
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May 8, 2021 06:04
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trip9 posted:This makes sense, thanks! In my opinion that's nowhere near enough for a working dog. That's a barely enough for my Great Dane! (Ok, so it is now that she's older, but even a year ago, that would only just cut it). Disclaimer: I have never owned an Aussie, but I have several friends that do and it's 2 hours+ of being active minimum.
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May 8, 2021 09:02
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trip9 posted:This makes sense, thanks! I would take my Dutch Shepard for a ~4 mile walk in the morning plus a ~4 mile walk at night, as well as a mid day short 15 minute pee break and half hour bedtime pee break and honestly that was probably the minimum for her. She was also riding in the car with me for 10 hours a day watching everything. I would be prepared to extend how much you walk an aussie
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May 8, 2021 09:28
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trip9 posted:The plan is a 20 min walk in the morn, 20 min at lunch, and then an hour+ of walk/dog park/outdoor training in the evening during the week, plus hikes and socialization with our friends with dogs on the weekend. Hopefully that should be more than enough when mixed with teaching tricks and other random bits of mental stimulation we can give them to keep them happy. My corgi gets an hour at the dog park in the morning and a half hour walk in the evening and that's just about right for her.
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May 8, 2021 09:33
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On leash walks barely count as exercise to a fit dog. If you’re desperately hoping walking them for 5 hours a day will calm then down you’re doing it wrong. Also dog parks are hard to recommend in general so be real careful with those. Give your dog a job with some sort of training at least once a day, find safe ways to exercise off leash or on a long line a few times a week, and teach your dog to settle indoors.
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May 8, 2021 13:54
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Why do you say dog parks are hard to recommend? Potential risk for injury?
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May 8, 2021 13:55
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vs Dinosaurs posted:Why do you say dog parks are hard to recommend? Potential risk for injury? The vast majority of dog owners don't know anything about dog body language so there's a big risk of fights, especially in the smaller, "thunderdome" style dog parks. There's also a disease risk with all the various parasites they can be sharing. Unfettered access to a bunch of other dogs with minimal knowledgeable supervision for puppies can reinforce or create poor inter-dog skills. Many adult dogs just don't want to play with a bunch of strange dogs as they hit social maturity and find it stressful, having play dates with known friends is much more their thing. Many herding breeds can be control freak fun police and don't do well with large groups of dogs in general. Here's a bunch of articles! I know some people love dog parks but they aren't a risk I would take with my dogs unless it was a big one with paths or swimming or something. I would never want to just toss my dogs in a little box with a bunch of other dogs to exercise them for me (although of all my dogs Scout would probably enjoy it). https://apdt.com/resource-center/dog-parks-good-bad-ugly/ https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/blog/dog-parks-are-dangerous/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/06/smarter-living/the-dog-park-is-bad-actually.html
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May 8, 2021 14:23
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I've read such a wide range of what kind of exercise those dogs need. I'm trying to be realistic and set a minimum schedule that we can achieve even on "bad days". I've also read multiple places that that mental exercise and training to settle is important for Aussies and BCs. Is the consensus really that 2 hours of physical and 1 hour of mental exercise is that bad of a baseline?
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May 8, 2021 16:52
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My dumb dog won't play fetch yet and it's frustrating. You would love this you walnut brain
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May 8, 2021 17:21
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My friend gets away with an Aussie only because they have a high energy husky to keep him busy and playing all day long to supplement walks and training. If you're thinking seriously of having a solo dog, maybe something slower and lazier is a better fit? 
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May 8, 2021 18:23
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trip9 posted:I've read such a wide range of what kind of exercise those dogs need. I'm trying to be realistic and set a minimum schedule that we can achieve even on "bad days". I've also read multiple places that that mental exercise and training to settle is important for Aussies and BCs. Is the consensus really that 2 hours of physical and 1 hour of mental exercise is that bad of a baseline? People hear border collie and lose their mind telling you that they are super special dogs and you have to be a super special person to own one. Lots of folks think if you aren't running ultramarathons, competing in herding trials every weekend and training agility for 6 hours a day that they'll just explode your life like a nuclear weapon. Of course, you aren't going to want to look for the crackhead agility lines or intense herding trial lines if that's not what you are planning to do, but a normal human being can own a border collie. That amount of exercise is plenty and may even be too much for a young puppy. A good breeder will steer you towards a puppy that's going to meet your needs, even if that puppy isn't one of theirs. Be honest with them about what you can reasonably handle and they can either give you a puppy that will thrive with that or tell you that their lines aren't going to work. It seems like you're doing a good job planning! If your heart is set on an aussie or bc even after your reseach, go for it. You're the one who has to live with the dog, not the people who go OMG A BC NEEDS 1000 HOURS OF EXERCISE A DAY OR WILL EAT THROUGH YOUR WALL. Might as well get a dog you want.
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May 8, 2021 21:34
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Just get a corgi. Everyone should get a corgi.
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May 8, 2021 22:12
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Goodpancakes posted:My dumb dog won't play fetch yet and it's frustrating. You would love this you walnut brain 
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May 8, 2021 23:11
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Instant Jellyfish posted:...Advice... I appreciate it, I don't want to discount people's comments/advice, but I have noticed people have strong opinions about these breeds of dogs.
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May 9, 2021 00:01
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Bloodhounds are challenging dogs too. Don't discount them!
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May 9, 2021 00:09
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I feel like my red heeler mix is broken because he needs only half a hour of gentle exercise.
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May 9, 2021 00:37
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I heard you all like to tear apart breeder sites, so I was curious about this one. Is it necessarily a red flag if the breeder primarily breeds for companionship? That actually sounds great for us, but for some reason I feel like it might be frowned upon because it's not really "adding to the bloodline" so to speak? https://www.antiqueaussies.com/
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May 9, 2021 00:54
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The question is adding what to the bloodline. I.e. German shepard show dogs are loving freaks. I think that implies they won't need a flock to maintain.
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May 9, 2021 01:02
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I'm all for ethically breeding for companionship, but I'm not gonna lie I have this image in my head of breeders being real elitist.
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May 9, 2021 01:07
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Facebook Aunt posted:Just get a corgi. Everyone should get a corgi.
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May 9, 2021 01:12
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There are definitely elitist dog breeders that breed to "better the breed" aka win dog shows, and there are breeders that breed to preserve rare breeds, and there are breeders that breed to create competitive sport dogs, and then there are breeders that produce pets. I used to feel real snooty towards pet breeders but if someone isn't producing well-bred, health-tested puppies where are people going to get them? Being a pet is a valid purpose for a dog! Personally, I'd like pet breeders to at least get a CGC title or have some sort of temperament evaluation done but I understand why many don't. Those aussies look fine as far as health testing goes, no huge red flags although they could do more if they wanted to. They've done the required testing at least. You can look up their testing on OFA if you want to double check. There's also a place called good dog that has a categorization system and interviews the breeders it lists so you know they have done at least the minimum health testing required for the breed. If I were to contact them I would want to know what their early puppy socialization is like, what their lines are like to live with, and see if you can talk to any owners of past litters.
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May 9, 2021 03:53
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Instant Jellyfish posted:Those aussies look fine as far as health testing goes, no huge red flags although they could do more if they wanted to. They've done the required testing at least. You can look up their testing on OFA if you want to double check. There's also a place called good dog that has a categorization system and interviews the breeders it lists so you know they have done at least the minimum health testing required for the breed. If I were to contact them I would want to know what their early puppy socialization is like, what their lines are like to live with, and see if you can talk to any owners of past litters. Awesome, thank you.
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May 9, 2021 04:12
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Hiking with my dog this morning. Coming down the trail and a guy and his two dogs are hiking up. There's two rocks that form a perfect triangle where I can box my dog in to let them pass. As he walks by, he eases up on the leash so his two dogs can come up to mine. Who is still boxed in. Mine tucks tail and pins his ears back so I immediately say "he doesn't like that". Guy is oblivious to my dog's body language and mine ends up nipping at his. Thankfully no bite or any kind of situation. But the guy gives us a dirty look like my dog's the bad guy. Despite another couple with a dog right behind this guy passing without any kind of reaction because they just kept moving.
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May 9, 2021 06:21
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Dango Bango posted:Hiking with my dog this morning. Coming down the trail and a guy and his two dogs are hiking up. There's two rocks that form a perfect triangle where I can box my dog in to let them pass. As he walks by, he eases up on the leash so his two dogs can come up to mine. Who is still boxed in. Mine tucks tail and pins his ears back so I immediately say "he doesn't like that". Guy is oblivious to my dog's body language and mine ends up nipping at his. People are idiots. A few weeks back. also on a trail, I see a guy and dog and I don't like the body language of the dog, so I shorten up my leash and get Hana on the other side. Sure, enough, the dog start lunging at Hana and the guy does *nothing* to stop it. I mean it's at it's end of it's leash, but it's still closer than I like. He continues to slowly walk past with his dog freaking out and I tell him that he should control his dog. He snaps back, sounding very wounded "It's a rescue and you're not helping!!" Same week. Walking in the neighbourhood. Guy busy on his phone with terrier something on leash. They're across the street. Dog sees Hana and bolts for her, ripping the leash out his hand. I get myself between the dog and Hana, guy is still looking dumbfounded. Only when I start kicking at his dog. who is still trying to get around me to get to Hana, does he come over and grabs it, mumbling a rather pathetic "sorry".
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May 9, 2021 07:00
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Thanks for sharing those dog park resources. I’m a big fan of the dog park, and it has helped my puppy gain confidence with other dogs. He has had some bad experiences there, but the overwhelming majority were positive. I can absolutely see why they should be approached with caution, and I think there is wisdom is going to a specific park at a regular time so your dog can build associations with other dogs.
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May 9, 2021 07:17
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I hate the “it’s a rescue” defense/excuse. Yeah pal so are mine, and lots of other peoples’ dogs. If you know your dog’s got issues then work with them or avoid situations where they’re going to be a problem. “It’s a rescue” isn’t an excuse to just let the dog do whatever it wants, and it doesn’t absolve you of the responsibility of being a dog owner.
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May 10, 2021 15:11
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Doggo wants to eat grass sometimes. Some mornings she'll get up and want to go out right away and monch the grass until she throws up, sometimes this makes her chill out and go back to normal, sometimes she wants to go out and do it again half an hour later. Which leads me to believe that the grass isn't actually doing anything to help make her feel better. Do I enable this behavior by letting her out to eat grass when she asks for it or do I keep her inside? One day I was working all day and was forced to keep her inside and after a bunch of grumbling she did eventually return to normal and eat her breakfast and seemed fine. I just don't really know the best action here.
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May 10, 2021 15:32
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Munching grass is pretty common and seems to be more for fun or some instinct towards dietary fiber than to settle an upset stomach. Chamomile loving loves grass and will eat an entire salad on a walk if we let her; our behaviorist said that it wasn't a huge problem but to redirect her to some other fun thing if she was doing it a lot. If your dog is eating huge amounts of grass compulsively, but doesn't have any other problems that might suggest dietary problems (diarrhea, bloody stools, refusal to eat or weight loss, etc) then she might just find it a fun thing to do in the morning while you're busy. You could get a puzzle cube or snuffle mat for her to work on instead, especially if you can't supervise her while she's munching the special green food.
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May 10, 2021 15:46
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My dogs love when the back yard grass gets long in between mows. I think it just tastes good to them, they only eat the very longest, most tender shoots.
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May 10, 2021 16:18
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A lot of dogs have some acid reflux in the mornings. One of mine gets some dry, crunchy dog biscuits before bed and first thing after waking up and that seems to prevent eating a grass/having a barf every morning.
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May 10, 2021 16:30
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Quorum posted:Munching grass is pretty common and seems to be more for fun or some instinct towards dietary fiber than to settle an upset stomach. Chamomile loving loves grass and will eat an entire salad on a walk if we let her; our behaviorist said that it wasn't a huge problem but to redirect her to some other fun thing if she was doing it a lot. If your dog is eating huge amounts of grass compulsively, but doesn't have any other problems that might suggest dietary problems (diarrhea, bloody stools, refusal to eat or weight loss, etc) then she might just find it a fun thing to do in the morning while you're busy. You could get a puzzle cube or snuffle mat for her to work on instead, especially if you can't supervise her while she's munching the special green food. Maybe it's just for fun but it does coincide with mornings where she won't take breakfast, so I'm guessing she feels off somehow.
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May 10, 2021 17:16
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Agent355 posted:Maybe it's just for fun but it does coincide with mornings where she won't take breakfast, so I'm guessing she feels off somehow. If she won't eat her breakfast on those mornings ask your vet about giving her some pepcid or mylanta. It sounds like she has some reflux and gets the morning barfs.
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May 10, 2021 17:36
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Will do, thanks.
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May 10, 2021 18:48
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