admin answers:

Take both your dogs

turn them over to the shelter, and ask for themr to be euthanized immediatly

then hand over a few grand as a donation.

Since your dogs will end up destroyed, and you will end up sued anyways.. May as well save someone the trouble of being hurt, and put the money to better use, eh?

admin answers:

As mentioned above, the Connecticut State Police K-9 Training center in Meriden is world class. However, I honestly don’t know if they have any personal trainers on hand. They are primarily known for bomb and drug dogs, although they are also very good at training German Shepards as attack dogs. I have never heard of the Heeler as a protective dog, but I really wouldn’t know too much about them. In my personal experience, I have found Boxer’s to be loyal, protective dogs and relatively calm around visitors and friends. Just be careful, I dont think you really want an “attack” dog, especially in CT where the laws are so strict. If your dog was to attack someone, you are liable and can face criminal prosicution. Even if it occurs on your property, you can be liable for damages, and not only would your dog be put to sleep, but you would be left with some hefty bills. I’m not trying to criticize, but I live in CT, and I have seen it happen too often…

admin answers:

Temperament testing, including the “phony hand test”, is extremely important. While it’s heartbreaking to see a dog get euthanized outright because he fails the food aggression test, it’s even more heartbreaking to have the dog spend months in a shelter or rescue and then after all that time (and money and effort and emotional attachment and stress on the dog, etc), get euthanized because he bit the real hand of a child in his new home. It’s triple heartbreaking to see an amazing, sweet, loving, safe family dog be put to sleep because the dog with food aggression problems got saved instead.

As you know, there are so so so so many animals out there in need of homes. Yes, it is absolutely possible to work through issues like food aggression, no question. But the problem is that a significant number of dog owners do not have the time or desire or sometimes even skill, to take on this kind of training challenge. An awful lot of people want an easy going dog who will be a member of their family without a ton of training and rehabilitation. Shouldn’t they be able to go to the shelter for that? If you keep ever single dog with every kind of problem, sometimes dangerous problems, what does that say about the quality of shelter dogs? It actually *encourages* people to go buy that cute puppy mill puppy in the pet store instead of getting a shelter dog, because they don’t want “someone else’s damaged goods”.

You seem to be under the misconception that they regularly do the phony hand test before the dog has even had its first meal — this is rarely the case. You are also under the misconception that hungry dogs attack people’s hands and well-fed dogs do not. Food and object guarding is much more complex than that, and one of the things that this and other temperament tests really show is what the dog’s basic reaction will be if he is pushed. Food aggression is exacerbated if a dog is starving, but there are plenty of starving dogs who will still meekly let you take their food away.

I’m active in rescue, and I gotta tell you — not everyone is willing to deal with these kind of issues. We work very hard to screen dogs and screen adoptive owners, and no matter how good a job you do, you still have dogs returned because people were simply not equipped to deal with a given dog’s issues… And this is with dogs who *pass* all the temperament tests like phony hand test! If we could take every dog, I can’t imagine how many dogs would be sitting around waiting for those rare experienced owners who feel like taking on problem dogs. (Okay, so I’m one of them, but we can only take so many at a time, you know?)

And before you start turning to no-kill shelters, where dogs can live in their little runs for years in hope that maybe someone will take on them and their re-training issues, stop to think, and I mean really think, about the quality of life of an animal that may spend its entire life in a little kennel waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Even if they were exceptionally lucky enough to land in a well-staffed facility with caring staff, I would never ever wish that kind of limbo on one of my own dogs. There ARE worse things than death.

admin answers:

Diamond all the way. It had a recall a few years ago but really has a better track record than most. Diamond was better than Bil-Jac and a dozen more expensive foods. The other is lower quality with a pricier name IMHO (and according to my dogs coats)

Diamond’s West coast name – Kirkland has been called a ‘best value food’ by consumer reports. The recall they had was not their fault – unlike the chicken soup one. They were sold poisoned product.

I personally feed BARF (Biologically Appropriate raw foods) Its more work, but actually cost about the same and is better for them

admin answers:

There have been many debates over hamsters eating dog food, it has meat in which can cause you hamster to become a canabal if he has a roomate on the other hand it can be very nutrisouse for them!

I would say that dog food would be ok for a very very rare treat, and fed in small portions, feeding it to them all the time is not good, and the hamsters are likely to get wet tail from this change of diet.

If you are thinlking of feeding your hamster dog food, make it a treat and not a full time meal.

admin answers:

Hee hee hee.. I have a good trick.

My doggie loves human food and I thought of a way to get him to stop eating it and eat his food instead.

First, When you sit down with your food, sneak some of his food near you, don’t let him see you take it from his bowl or anything.
(You may want to use the hand you’re not eating with, have you read what’s in kibble?)

Second, while you’re eating and he’s begging you for your food, pretend it is his dog food that you are enjoying and give him some of his own dog food. He will look confused a little but will eventually walk away.

It sounds too simple but I did it with my dog and it worked!
He will still sometimes try to get some human food but I always hand him dog food. Either he got the point, or he thinks I’m eating dog food. Either way it worked.

Yay!

admin answers:

There are two types of vaccines for kennel cough. The inject able vaccine takes a while to have an effect, so it is not the best choice if you are in need of rapid protection. The intranasal (inhaled through the nose) vaccine has a quicker effect and is best for more immediate pet contact situations.

Kennel cough causes bouts of high pitched, honk-like coughing that keeps both you and your pet awake at night for up to 2 weeks. Onset of this bacterial disease occurs abruptly after contact with infected dogs.

“During an infection, dogs generally keep up their normal activity level and don’t feel too sick,” There is no cure for kennel cough except time. Thus, prevention is the best way to contend with this disease. “However, kennel cough is self-limiting and will generally clear up in a couple of weeks even without any medication.”

Owners should be aware of possible secondary infections, which may lead to pneumonia. If pneumonia sets in, antibiotics may be necessary to help clear the infection. At this stage, getting phlegm out of the dog‘s system is key for recovery. Intense coughing can be painful for your pet, so limit activity; the more your dog moves around, the more he will cough.

If you have other dogs in the house, they will probably get kennel cough too, but you can take some precautionary measures. Separate everyone, and wash your hands after contact with each dog. Use bleach to clean areas where your sick dog has been.

“If your pet is coughing for more than 2 or 3 days without signs of improvement, bring your pet to your veterinarian,” “Your canine’s cough may not be kennel cough.” IF you see any secondary signs, such as depression, lack of appetite, fever, blood in phlegm, or difficulty breathing, bring your pet into your local veterinarian for assessment and
treatment.

Most importantly, if your dog does have kennel cough, do not take him into a situation where he will put other dogs at risk of infection. This is very contagious!

Most people do not vaccinate their dogs against Kennel Cough unless they are going to be around other dogs, or in a kennel or are a show dog. My parents have a kennel and require all dogs to have their vaccine.

admin answers:

Take her to the vet. Puppies become dehydrated quickly and lose electrolytes. She might have Parvo. I believe that throwing up clear liquid and becoming lethargic are signs that your dog could have parvo, which is a very serious deadly disease that can kill your dog in a matter of hours. Rather be safe than sorry.

admin answers:

My sister feeds her dogs mostly homemade.

Here is one very simple recipe:

1 lb. Beef chuck or bottom round, cut into chunks
1/4lb Liver, cut in to chunks
1 cup Cooked brown rice, plain oatmeal or barley
1 cup Frozen mixed vegetables, cooked.
3/4 tsp. Bone meal, Kal brand (available online or at health food stores)
3/4tsp Salmon oil ( or 2 500mg capsules, health food store)

For serving raw, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and serve.

For cooked, heat a large fry pan with a little fat or oil.
Add meat and liver and saute over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
Add the rice and vegs and saute 2-3 min more.
Mix in bone meal and salmon oil.
Serve.

This is enough for two 40 lb dogs for one day.

admin answers:

Best to get this kind of info from your Vet. He or She will know what nutrients your dog needs for it’s age size and overall health. There are also “natural” pet foods on the market you can try.

admin answers:

Never, never give chicken bones to dogs, or any other pet, because they split lengthwise with sharp points, that can get stuck and/or cut anywhere in the digestive system. Such injury can be fatal.
If she’s constipated, it may be because of one of the bones causing a blockage. If she develops any other symptoms, starts throwing up, or poop blood, get her to the vet immediately.

admin answers:

I let my dog eat grass, its there way of making themselves throw up or feel a bit better… She might have eaten something thats not settled in her tummy and she fells a bit ill.
Grass wont kill her niether will dirt but if she starts eating stones or other objects you will need to take her to the vets to get them removed.

admin answers:

That depends on what size an “average sized dog” is to you. And the age and activity level of the dog.

The base equation for calorie intake is:
desired weight/2.2 * 30 add 70 = calories per day

(So my dog at about 10 pounds should eat about 206 calories.)

And then adjust food intake as necessary to keep the dog at a healthy weight.
.

admin answers:

Maybe she just likes it. Staffords are notorious for eating all sorts of things so I wouldn’t worry too much. Ours even eats olives and steals the rabbits’ food.

One theory I have read is that dogs may munch on grass to help clean their teeth. Does your pup get meaty bones to eat? Nature’s toothbrush – the meat flosses between teeth and massages the gums while the bone scrapes the plaque off before it can set to tartar. This is going to be very important soon as she starts teething.

Our stafford has eaten raw meat, edible bones and offal since she was nine weeks old and now at 11 months has glossy white teeth.

admin answers:

Yes there is such a thing,
http://www.kturby.com/litter/litter.htm

admin answers:

You have some really good answers here. If you have a properly bred, correctly brought up dog that has has the right training by someone who knows what they are doing, you will have no issues.
As far as the kid situation, you did not mention ages and such, but, as a rule, NEVER leave a child with a dog alone, ever!!!
A trained protection dog will afford you more realistic protection and better reaction time should the situation warrant it and I would trust a dog that has been trained and is genetically sound much more then one that is not!
Hope I helped!

admin answers:

Theres no other contact person that would know the brand?? Ive never heard of a site that offers that kind of feature… The only thing i would suggest is going to your local pet store and buying eagle pack holistic transition powder and get your hands on a good dog food for him. The powder is liver flavored digestive enzymes that aids in switching dogs foods immedietly.. And it works. Just dont get the dog any junk foods,. Avoid everything at wal mart and any other grocery store… And also avoid science diet…for a guide avoid buying anything with byproducts, wheat, corn, soy, dies, artifical flavors or preservatives…. Oh and no beef either.

admin answers:

Royal Canin isn’t a very good food. It’s not the worst, but it’s far from the best.

Here is a review of it: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1529&cat=all

Below the double line is my shpeel on choosing a good dog food:
=== === ===

Read the ingredients before you buy. Go with a high-quality dog food.

Here is my list of rules when I am looking at dog food ingredients:
1) When I chose a dog food, I chose one high meat content. I want to see preferably at least 2-3 out of the top 5 ingredients be meat or meat meal (first ingredient must be!). Meal is simply the meat with the moisture removed.
2) I want to see higher quality grains, such as barley, brown rice, and oatmeal, instead of seeing wheat and corn. Or an alternative starch/carbohydrate such as potatoes or sweet potatoes.
3) I don’t want to see any byproducts.
4) I don’t want to see a lot of fillers.
5) I don’t want to see preservatives that are believed to be carcinogens (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin).
6) I don’t want to see artificial colorings such as the Red, Blue, and Yellow dyes.
7) I don’t want to see added sugars (sugar, corn syrup).
8) I don’t want to see mystery meats (meats identified only as “meat” or “poultry”.)

Here is an article about byproducts:

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=ingrd

And an article on what ingredients to avoid:

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

—

There is no food that is the *best*, different individual dog may thrive on different foods. What is best for one may not be the best for the next. And just because a food is good quality, it doesn’t mean it will jive the best for your dog.

What you want to find is the HIGH-QUALITY food that *your dog* does best on.

Here are some examples of high quality foods:
* Artemis
* Blue Buffalo
* California Natural
* Canidae
* Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
* Eagle Pack Holistic Selects
* EVO
* Fromm
* Innova
* Merrick
* Nature’s Variety
* Orijen
* Solid Gold
* Taste of the Wild
* Timberwolf Organics
* Wellness
* ZiwiPeak

Or check this website for good foods: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/
(I recommend only feeding foods rated 4, 5, or 6 stars. Anything 3 stars or less, I would stay away from.)

—

Higher quality food may seem more expensive at first, but it evens out. The higher quality the food, the less fillers eaten (and therefore the less poop comes out the other end). Your dog eats more of a low-quality food to try to get the nutrition it needs, and most of the food just passes right on through. Also, higher-quality food will make your animals healthier, so you save money on vet bills in the long run.

—

Stay away from grocery stores brands. They are low-quality foods chalk full of fillers, preservatives, dyes, etc.. (Grocery store foods are those like Beneful, Old Roy, Alpo, Pedigree, etc.)

Beware “premium” foods. “Premium” does not always mean good nutritionally, and is not a nutritionally high quality food. Most of these foods have the same types of ingredients as grocery store foods, just a bit better quality of those not-so-good ingredients. (Premium foods are those like Iams, Eukanuba, Science Diet, etc..)

Another thing to be wary of: A lot of vets will recommend what they sell in their office. They get profit from the brands they keep on their shelves, that’s why they push it. Truth is, vet schools don’t focus a lot on nutrition. It’s not saying that a vet is a bad vet because he recommends those foods, a lot of vets just are told “this is good food”, so they pass the message along without proper nutrition knowledge. Also, some dog food brands (like Hills) support vet schools, so vets have heard of it from the time they start college, which makes them think it’s good as well.

Hills company, the makers of Science Diet, are heavily involved in vet schools. “Hill’s scientists author more than 50 research papers and textbook chapters each year and teach at leading schools of veterinary medicine” (Source of quoted section: http://www.hillsvet.com/zSkin_2/company_info/company_info_general.jsp?JSESSIONID=HMz2B3Jn3hv0rnSoxCobfbBhOec35ODG7yh5t3P0vcvhOtzRlQ9M!598359213!167846923!7005!8005&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302026072&bmUID=1196192566575 )

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“Big box” petstores like Petco and Petsmart rarely have quality foods. (I do believe that PetCo sells “Solid Gold” and “Natural Balance” brands and Petsmart sells “Blue Buffallo”, which are all higher quality foods, but most of the foods aren’t.)

Also, grocery stores and Walmart aren’t good places to buy food either.

Your best bets for getting quality dog food are:
- small, locally owned petstores
- dog boutiques
- farm supply stores

—

When switching foods, do it gradually. I do this over about a two week timespan:
25% food A, 75% food B
50% food A, 50% food B
75% food A, 25% food B
100% food A
.

admin answers:

Don’t try it again. Feed your dog what works best for him.
And don’t worry abut what people on a message board say to you. Life is too short to worry about what strangers who don’t even know your or you pet think about you. You do what is best for your dog and your life.
Enjoy your pet.

admin answers:

Hi! My mom currently has two, I was there for the older ones first two years and she just recently brought home her second. Jasper, the eldest, ended up being 160 pounds, that’s more than me! He’s a merle (black and white with a bit of grey thrown in) with normal hanging ears.
When he was about 6 months, my mom got sick, and his training fell through as a result. She’s better now, however he suffered socially. He learned the basics, sit, stay, down, come, leave it, give it, go to bed, get your baby (his fav stuffed animal) and a few other tricks. However, he’s terrible on a leash and with other dogs. My mom didn’t want me or my brothers taking him out when she couldn’t because she didn’t think we’d be able to handle him; but now at full size he’s even more of a handful and I wish I’d fought her more on it. But she was so sick I didn’t want to upset her. Jasper was raised with six cats in the house, and he loves them, even sleeps in the same bed with them. My mom adopted a cross eyed rescue who’s the ‘queen bee’ of the house. She loves to sleep in the middle of Jasper’s HUGE bed, and he knows if he makes the baby ‘peep’ (her meow is so soft it’s like a bird) he’ll get in trouble. So instead of moving her he perches on the edge of the bed or even sleeps next to it!
Jasper has IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. And if you’ve ever been around a Great Dane with diarrhea, you learn to take it seriously! He gets NO table scraps, VERY few treats (and we’re talking bland, dry cookie treats only, no moist or meaty kinds) and we feed him Nature’s Recipe Easy to Digest Chicken and Barley. We tried Blue Buffalo, but it was simply to rich for him (our other dogs, German Short Hair pointers, were eating Blue). We also made him a breakfast of white rice, boiled chicken (you can get a large, reasonably priced bag of breast strips from Costco), boiled eggs and cottage cheese. We also trained him using bits of white string cheese as suggested by the vet instead of rich training treats that upset his stomach. He had dry food always offered or the rest of the day.
She just adopted a deaf female puppy this past weekend, so she’s kind of in the same boat as you are!
I can’t stress the need for socializing and training enough! My mom’s currently trying to find a private trainer to help us with Jasper’s socialization, and my mom plans on enrolling and following trough with the new little girl, Boo’s training. Honestly from what little time I’ve spent with Boo (I moved out recently), the deaf puppy she just brought home, you can barely tell she’d deaf, she responds so well to hand and body movements it’s amazing how well she’s compensating.
As for bloat, we had a scare once several years ago with our now passed German Short Hair Pointer male a few years ago. He liked to attack the spraying rainbird lawn sprinklers and bite the water. Well we noticed his belly would swell as well, and with his excited movements and activity we were terrified he’d twist his insides. Of course it was a Sunday and our vet was closed so we leashed him, restrained him and just allowed him to pass all the water. He was okay, and he wasn’t a breed prone to bloating but we’re very careful with Jasper. He doesn’t get to play for an hour after he’s feed to help prevent himself not only from getting sick or bloating.
We also got Jasper a twin bed with a box spring to give him adequate support for sleeping and to help prevent him from getting those callouses that are so prone on large breed dogs. We also get those large mattress style beds you get at pet stores and have those around the house. They’re nice because when not in use you can pick them up and learn them against the wall.
Good luck with it! Since you’re a trainer I think you’ll do fantastic with them! They’re a very smart breed that just love to be with you!