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Dog Age - Official Man's Best Friend Thread

Y2Kev

TLG Fan Caretaker Est. 2009
I gave my Boston his flea and tick stuff today and he's acting super weird. Constantly dragging his butt, flipping around in circles, sitting funny, being quiet and timid, ears are down...I've given it to him plenty of times before...

I'm worried. :(
 

DonMigs85

Member
I gave my Boston his flea and tick stuff today and he's acting super weird. Constantly dragging his butt, flipping around in circles, sitting funny, being quiet and timid, ears are down...I've given it to him plenty of times before...

I'm worried. :(
Is that a tablet or Frontline spray or pipette?
 

Y2Kev

TLG Fan Caretaker Est. 2009
Is that a tablet or Frontline spray or pipette?

It's K9 Advantix. Like a liquid you put on his coat.

Today he woke up fine and walked down to poo fine and then after pooing immediately back to the timid behavior. I think his ass burns. Time to go to the vet.
 
Funny, my Boston did that too months ago but only for about 3 or 4 hours, fell asleep,woke up and was normal. But I didn't associate it to his ticket stuff.

We use the gel stiff you put on his coat under his collar.
 
So randomly come home from a cookout tonight, and my dog (~20lbs boston terrier) came out lame from his crate. We crate him when we leave the house and he's always fine in there, but randomly today he came out limping with his front paw... Looks mostly normal, but he totally won't walk on it. He's not yelping or anything, and seems fine when he's not stepping on it.

Been like this for about 3 hours, so I thought maybe he fell asleep or slept on it wrong, but now not sure. Will take him to the vet tomorrow if it continues, but it's a weird one.
 
Aaah, well I think I got to the bottom of my dog's foot injury.

So this morning, we get up (he sleeps in our bed) and he was still a little limpy but it really wasn't bad at all... He was moving and much more active than the night before. So I started thinking maybe it was a sprain or something else that was getting better.

Get back from work tonight and... lo and behold, he's pretty limpy again. My wife said he was limping similar to the night before, and he was. So... trying to think of things, I bought a new crate and a new dog bed, thinkign who knows, maybe his existing crate was too small, causing him to sleep wrong on a sprain.

Tonight, he's laying in his new crate licking his hurt foot, and I go down and study it close with a flashlight, and he's got a very large, very red bump, raw bump in between two of his toes, that he's going at. This would seem to be the issue.

Grabbed a pic of it just to share because, who knows, maybe your dog develops a mysterious limp one day and you need to check it out. This isn't a gross pic but it's not a pleasant one.
Photo of a very red growth in between dogs toes. Googling thinks it might be an 'interdigital cyst/furuncle,' but it could also be an infection caused by a "Foxtail' grass/weed, and there are plenty of methods for treatment people suggest.

So gonna bring him to the vet tomorrow to check it out.
 

DonMigs85

Member
Yeah my dog once got that sore between the toes too. Basically just put some disinfectant like Betadine and drain the pus if it pops.
 
Took him to the vet for a look at that and also for some routine shots, and yep, it was the cyst that I looked up yesterday.

They gave an antiobiotic just to be safe, and like you said, some antihistimine cream to prevent it from itching... Plus maybe washing it in Epsom salts & warm water once a day.

He's not completely zonked out from the busy day at the vets. Glad it's just this... He had a knee surgery 3 years ago for luxating patella that was pretty tough & expensive.

--

Update a month later:
Pooch was fine within a couple days.
 

Krejlooc

Banned
That feeling when your dog is sitting quietly by your side as you work, and you reach down and pet him, and his ears go back, his tail starts helicopter wagging, and he can hear him breathing heavier because his heart has started racing... all because you and him shared a moment.

great feeling.
 
should i pay someone to housetrain my dogs?

They shit and pee everywhere. We just got them from my mother in law.

They are 5 year old shih-tzus

are they a lost cause?
 

Teggy

Member
should i pay someone to housetrain my dogs?

They shit and pee everywhere. We just got them from my mother in law.

They are 5 year old shih-tzus

are they a lost cause?

Did they do that at your mil's? My dog needed some adjustment when we first got her at 6 because she was just used to a different environment.

If they have always peed in the house then that's another story.
 
Did they do that at your mil's? My dog needed some adjustment when we first got her at 6 because she was just used to a different environment.

If they have always peed in the house then that's another story.

yes they've done it their whole lives. they have never been housebroken.
 

DonMigs85

Member
yes they've done it their whole lives. they have never been housebroken.

Gonna be a bit hard. You could still try the newspaper trick I guess. When you see a dog motioning to pee or poop, place it over a newspaper in the spot you want them to do their business in.
 
thanks dog-gaf. I'm going to try. I know it's an uphill battle but I love these dogs and itll be so much easier for me and the wife if theyre housebroken.
 
Hi guys! So my sister just got an 8 week old german shepherd, but guess who has to take care of it and train it all day since she's at work? I'm way in over my head, and I've been reading and researching a lot but I just feel the need to ask some questions and see if I can get direct feedback from more experienced people.

So this puppy is pretty damn chill, but he only cries he left alone. That is normal correct? I started crate training the guy and I think he is ok with his space, certainly doesn't hate it. However, he doesn't like sleeping in there really, he prefers napping on the floor, and most of time time next to someone (me). Is that normal? Does it go away as long as I keep trying to show the pup that the crate is nice by giving it treats and praising him in there? I fed him yesterday in the crate and I tried closing it completely while I ate my dinner. He ate his meal without a problem but after he started crying to be let out. I'm guessing I jumped the gun and need to take it slower before closing him in it right? Or do I wait out his tantrum?

also, soft biting is ok right? I read somewhere that as long as it doesnt hurt you it is ok for the pup to bite you lightly as its trying to interact, but if it hurts then sternly say no and ignore the pup for a little so he gets he bit too hard. Is this true?

Sorry for the long post, thanks a lot. I just want to train this guy super well but I feel overwhelmed.
 
It's normal for a puppy to mouth (soft biting), but you still may not like it, and it still might not be 'okay,' but it's just normal. Dogs can only explore their world in so many ways, and so their mouths are often the most tactile way for a dog to explore their world... "Oh, what is this? It's hard, hurts my teeth, smells like a rock, tastes like a rock. Oh, It's a rock. Okay. Oh... what is this??" ad nauseam.

So, in time you'll have to curb that behavior. As puppies, few dogs know what a strong bite and a weak bite is... And those damn puppy teeth are brutal. So, it can be up to you to set expectations of what a harmful, hurtful mouth is and what is okay, to a degree. Most people would probably prefer that their dogs not mouth them after a while, but it takes some time to set that expectation of what is okay to chew (a toy, rocks, dirt, balls, sticks, bones, etc) and what is not okay to chew.

--

For the house breaking shitzus... It'll be hard but it's possible. My sister's pug is really not well house broken. It knows to go outside, but she often doesn't. It's very frustrating when we dog sit her, but my sister doesn't have the patience or the will to do it adequately... She's seemingly happier picking up small poop inside than standing outside with the dog when it should go to the bathroom. Makes me mad because for the first day or two, she will poop in the house repeatedly, and then towards the end of her stay, she's stopped doing it.

--

Also, update on my Boston terrier, he was very sick last Friday, took him to the vet, and he has lyme disease. he's been on antiobiotics for about 5 days now and has responded very well to them, but he's still worn down by Lyme. He's getting better for sure though. It's odd that he has it, and what' doubly odd is that he got a lyme vaccine/booster at the beginning of September, and I don't think he's had any ticks in a few months (we use advantedge or whatever the tick gel is on their coat)... So... I dunno, I'm not an anti-vaxxer or anything, but the timing was very odd on that.
 
Man we really aren't consistent in our house with training this puppy. He relieves himself more in the house now than when we got him. Has that happened to anymore before?
 
Some new snow day pics of my asshole dog Sif. I love her even if she gives me that look sometimes that tells me to put her in the oven.

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10849012_10204253199624200_2512054283725933822_o.jpg
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10842263_10204253199784204_3620086283051220739_o.jpg
10339487_10204253199704202_8353128844683657644_o.jpg


Omg I think I remember this doge
 

Ultima_5

Member
I'm not sure how active this thread is, but i might be getting a dog. my dad's friends parents are getting rid of their dog who's about a year old and one of mine (and my families) favorite breeds. it's a bout a year old so it's past most of the puppy stages, but i work full time and idk if it's fair to the dog.... i know it'll be fine but live alone. i have a huge apartment and would walk it daily. hard life decisions man.
 
I'm not sure how active this thread is, but i might be getting a dog. my dad's friends parents are getting rid of their dog who's about a year old and one of mine (and my families) favorite breeds. it's a bout a year old so it's past most of the puppy stages, but i work full time and idk if it's fair to the dog.... i know it'll be fine but live alone. i have a huge apartment and would walk it daily. hard life decisions man.

You can make it work if you're willing to put in the effort, I also work full-time.
What's the breed? That would help determine how much attention you need to give the dog, like taking it to daycare or leaving it at home with a few toys.
Do you work close to home? I drive home from the office everyday to take our dogs out to poop during my lunch break, then eat my actual lunch back at my cubicle.
Walking it daily is a no-brainer, you would need to walk it multiple times a day anyways. Having a large living space in itself isn't really a viable solution, as a way to occupy your dog's time while you're away. That just gives them free-range to do destructive things if they get bored. Most of the time, when left to their own devices, dogs are just going to sleep anyways, so the amount of space they have to sleep isn't as important as you would think. Dogs need the mental stimulation of being outside and smelling and seeing things.
If you can't do anything during the day, then I would suggest getting used to waking up at least an hour earlier than you already do. Use that time to tire out your dog as best as you can: go on a long run, do some hills, ride a bike with the dog alongside, go for a brisk walk while the dog wears a weighted backpack. That would guarantee your dog would sleep all day and not care too much about being left alone.
 

Cheska

Member
Circe with her favorite stick



Circe with my 9 year old Apollo



Circe with my brother's German Shepard Logan. Logan plays great with her despite being 70-80 lbs heavier.



Circe with a baseball she found at the park. She didn't want to leave it but she also didn't want to carry it.



Circe with he favorite pink bowl

OMG YES! Love seeing pictures of other Huskies, #huskyfam is the best fam :D

We have two ourselves, can't imagine getting any other breed.

They have their own instagram account if you guys need your daily dose of cuteness
https://www.instagram.com/blazeandstella/

xGUBsPkl.jpg


Yz6fDsAl.jpg


<3 <3
 

Ultima_5

Member
You can make it work if you're willing to put in the effort, I also work full-time.
What's the breed? That would help determine how much attention you need to give the dog, like taking it to daycare or leaving it at home with a few toys.
Do you work close to home? I drive home from the office everyday to take our dogs out to poop during my lunch break, then eat my actual lunch back at my cubicle.
Walking it daily is a no-brainer, you would need to walk it multiple times a day anyways. Having a large living space in itself isn't really a viable solution, as a way to occupy your dog's time while you're away. That just gives them free-range to do destructive things if they get bored. Most of the time, when left to their own devices, dogs are just going to sleep anyways, so the amount of space they have to sleep isn't as important as you would think. Dogs need the mental stimulation of being outside and smelling and seeing things.
If you can't do anything during the day, then I would suggest getting used to waking up at least an hour earlier than you already do. Use that time to tire out your dog as best as you can: go on a long run, do some hills, ride a bike with the dog alongside, go for a brisk walk while the dog wears a weighted backpack. That would guarantee your dog would sleep all day and not care too much about being left alone.

it's a wheaten terrier. we had them when i was growing up in apartments and what not and it was fine. the dog was happy with a half hour walk a day.

i called the people during my lunch break and it was a busy signal so i'll give it another shot later today after work. i can easily go home to let it out during lunch. atleast initially.
 
So jealous of you guys. Beautiful Huskies. And whatever sixteen-bit's dog is, is super pretty too.

I was camping in the mountains over the weekend, and came across a couple walking their Great Dane. Omg I want one so bad. It was gigantic! And so chill.
 

Brian Fellows

Pete Carroll Owns Me
So jealous of you guys. Beautiful Huskies. And whatever sixteen-bit's dog is, is super pretty too.

I was camping in the mountains over the weekend, and came across a couple walking their Great Dane. Omg I want one so bad. It was gigantic! And so chill.

Yeah man my huskies and I walk past two Great Danes every day. One is huge and the other is huger.
 

-SG

Member
So my girlfriend and I recently picked up a chocolate lab puppy named Finn and he's now 10 weeks old:
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He's not loud in his crate (despite still not wanting to go in initially) and lets us know when he needs to go outside to do his business. The problem is that he is very bitey and we are having trouble teaching him bite inhibition. I'm sitting here in ripped clothes with bite marks all over my hands and feet... First we tried yelping or making a high pitched noise, but that didn't work at all. He licks bitter apple spray off of whatever I spray it on so that doesn't work either. We've had the most success with simply leaving the room once he bites us, but that usually still involves him tugging and ripping holes in our clothes. Anyone have any advice for me or methods I can refer to? There's gotta be something else I can do to drive the point home that it's not ok to bite me hard and bite my clothes.
 
Hi guys, I've been trying to work on leash training with my girlfriend's pit/hound mix. He's super sweet and is really easily trainable at home (sit, stay, shake, etc.) but I cannot get this guy to pay attention on the lead. He's just constantly driven to pull forward. He was choking himself pretty badly so we switched to a harness. That alleviated the choking but he's still pulling like a bastard. She got him when he was already 1.5-2 years and he was a rescue so he missed out on leash training when he was younger. He weighs about 60lbs and is a very hard puller.

Anyway, a friend suggested a prong collar. My gf wasn't really into the idea and I didn't want to pressure her on it, he is her dog after all. Two of my friends own a dog day care and some of their customers use prong collars and they let me look at one when I stopped by the other day. I tested how painful it was by putting it around my leg and arm and yanking it more than I'd ever do with the dog and it really wasn't that bad. So now I'm thinking of bringing it up with her again. Do any of you guys have experience using prong collars and did it help with pulling and were you eventually able to take your pups off of it?

Tl;dr: prong collars don't seem as bad as I originally thought they might be and would any of you guys recommend it?

Pic of pup for reference:
IMG_0341.jpg
 

NH Apache

Banned
Gentle lead worked wonders for our pit. We also have a prong collar and it works well with her. Be aware that you jerk that collar not gentle pull.
 
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