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Jennifer Taylor | 6 years ago
I Rescued A Young Golden Retriever In May. She Had Spent The Start Of…

I rescued a young Golden Retriever in May. She had spent the start of her life abandoned in a small cage, she was emaciated, covered in fleas and ticks and of course living in her own waste. She is a wonderful dog, everything is new and she has very much been a blank slate. She is well exercised, is very social with our other dogs and has successfully completed a basic obedience class and will be moving on to 2nd level training and beyond. Thankfully she does not hold her rough start in life against humans in the least. Her only downfall is that she eats stool from our other dogs in the yard. We keep the yard clean, however we have 5 dogs. Even cleaning the yard daily is likely to leave a pile. She will even wait for our smaller dog to go to eliminate so she can eat it as fresh as possible. I imagine that she probably ate her own feces when she was starving, I am quite sure that this is a learned behavior. Over the course of 5 years my family has fostered 80+ dogs. I know that this is a very hard habit to break, however “poop kisses” are rather disgusting so I would love some input on what has worked for others! Thank you in advance.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello My Dear Friend,
    My rescued beaglette does the same. She also has the same back story and yucky penchant for poop. Here’s what I do.. clean up waste asap (yes, honestly I am not the best at this as I recommend others to be). I also use a clicker or beeper to break her of it while she is doing it. Some non-vocal (she doesnt really want to listen to me anyway in the fever of the fervor to eat anything) cue to say “HEY! YES! I mean you need to stop that!” It takes a while but all of my other dogs have grown out of it.. It takes time and patience like everything else in life. Be with her at all times outside. Use a leash if you can to correct her at exactly the moment she goes for it, or use a whistle to get her attention,,, try to only use it for the absolute dire corrections so it doesnt get as monotonous as our voices have.

    Let me know what works for you guys.

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Pawbly | 6 years ago
I Adopted A 4 Year Old Rescue Small Lab Mix About 2 Weeks Ago. She…

I adopted a 4 year old rescue small lab mix about 2 weeks ago. She is already deeply attached to me, and is starting to show some separation anxiety. Keeping her contained and safe while I’m at work has become a challenge. My Boston Terrier is content gated in the kitchen, but my rescue Duchess simply climbs over the gate. So I put her in a crate and I have attached a pic of the result (it’s sideways). She had bloodied her mouth and scraped her muzzle. The last couple of days I’ve left her loose in the house and hoped for the best. I saw evidence of her trying to push the gate through to get into the kitchen – to be with my other dog? I don’t know. Any advice is welcome.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello!
    There are lots of things I would recommend.
    First of all exercise is my first and constant default.
    1. Start taking long walks before you leave for the day. A tired dog is always a better behaved dog. See if this helps.
    2. Ask me (I’m her vet) ☺️ About solliquin.
    3. Try DAP. Dog appeasing pheromone. There is a lot of great evidence to support its efficacy.
    4. Try a radio or tv while you’re away.
    5. Try a video monitoring device. See if watching her and intervening helps assuage her chewing.
    6. Ask about a neighbor or dog walker to get her out during the day while you are away.
    7. Ask me about a trial period of an anxiety med. I’m lots of cases they help make everyone happier. Especially as she adjusts to her new life

    Thank you for saving her. Please keep in touch

    Xox to you candy and duchess!

  2. Anonymous

    If you’re located near Dr. M, I’d look into obedience classes near you – 4Paws has a selection of classes to consider. She might be otherwise obedient, but classes will help to make her feel more secure in her position in your home, and will help her settle now that she’s past the 2 week introduction phase. More info about training classes at 4Paws here: http://www.4pawsspaonline.com/training.html Kathy Forthman’s a good trainer.

  3. Sarah

    Hi there!! Thanks for rescuing. We just rescued another GSD this week and are going through the same thing- separation anxiety. I’m using a lot of patience and I’m walking the soles of my shoes off with him? No, seriously, long walks seem to help. More so than a good romp around the yard with our other young one. So what I did yesterday that really helped, was had him romp with her for about a half hour after right before human dinner, then ate quick, then walked him (while my other two stayed home) for a good long walk- almost and hour. This helped as he was good and tired and went into his crate without opposition. Now he still chewed his way through a bed, so I’m looking into ways of addressing that. We have Kong’s with peanut butter in the freezer right now. Also we have replaced the bed with towels and are hoping since they are not foam, they’ll do less harm?And a nice nylabone and a few rope pull/chew toys have been helpful. If you find another bit of advice that you find helpful, please share? Thanks!!???

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Christine | 6 years ago
I Have 2 Pit Mixes That Itch And Chew Their Paws Like Crazy. Penny Was…

I have 2 Pit mixes that itch and chew their paws like crazy. Penny was on Apoquel and can no longer take it because she developed a non cancerous growth on her leg. Sampson was also on it but the only difference it made was his paws weren’t red but still chewed just as much. I was reading and found that his may have something to do with yeast since he has that musty, Frito Corn Chips smell. Penny does not smell. My current Vet put him on a prescription diet (Royal Canin moderate calorie potato and white fish). He has been on it awhile now with no other foods or treats. I also switched Penny more recently. It has not helped them at all. I read that carbohydrates feed yeast but I can not find any foods that don’t have some type of starch. I also clean their paws often with a mix of iodine, apple cider vinegar and water. Nothing helps and I feel horrible for how uncomfortable they must be. I am currently giving them Zyrtec also. I was thinking of having them tested at a veterinarian dermatologist but wanted that as a last resort. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I just want to give my pups some relief!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It sounds like it might be time to see a veterinary dermatologist. I would also ask about cytopoint and a medicated shampoo. Also make sure your pets are on a flea preventative ansibquire about a culture for yeast. Lots still to do and ask about.

  2. Christine Post author

    I have what may be a ridiculous question but I’m going to ask any way… I just order leather collars for my dogs. I did a lot of research to make sure there were no toxic chemicals used during the process. However, I couldn’t find info on the hardware (buckle). It is made of brass. I just want to make sure that this won’t be toxic on my dogs skin?

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
6-month Old Golden Retriever/Labrador Mix Bites Me Most Of The Time. She’s Usually Nice When…

6-month old Golden Retriever/Labrador mix bites me most of the time. She’s usually nice when it’s playtime or feeding time (if she’s overstimulated accidents may or may not happen). But in downtimes she just comes at me. I could be sitting quietly not bothering her and she could be lying down 1 second and the next she’s suddenly biting my arm. It doesn’t often happen to other family members. Is it because she wasn’t taught bite inhibition properly because family members don’t want to leave the room or do it nicely? Is it because they react aggressively when she bites them (i.e. they used to pinch her and step on her paw. now it’s mostly just pinning her down to the floor)?

I’m honestly tired. They think they’re doing it right, but I don’t think it’s working. But since she’s not biting them as much they think of it as working.

I’m literally the only one playing and exercising her and I think that factors in a lot. They just leave her and aside from feeding her in the morning, they really don’t do anything else.

I got a response from another site a few months back and they said I had a people problem, not a puppy problem. Is there anything I can do though? Is it something that’s wrong with me?? I don’t know anymore please help :(((((((((((

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  1. Natisha Mullis-Brooks

    You do have a “people problem”, but that “people problem” has now caused a dog problem. It sounds like the pup is bored and wanting to play, but hasn’t been taught the social niceties of the “human world”. Retrievers are very mouthy in general because that’s what they’re bred for; picking up and carrying things. But there are actually several things you can do to help.

    First things first: If she comes at you and bites down on your arm, yell out, “Ow!”, in a loud and high pitched voice. As hard as it might be to do, try not to pull your arm back as this may trigger the tugging instinct. Even at six months old, she can be taught bite inhibition. It’s not too late!! Yelling out in a high pitched, loud voice may startle her into letting go. After all, her goal is not to hurt you, but to play and get some attention. Think of puppies when they play. When one yells in pain, the other usually lets go. That’s our goal here. If she does let go, offer her a toy that the two of you can interact with: a rope for tug, a squeaker for catching, a ball for chasing. Make sure, when you are with her, you have a toy that she likes with you at all times. Because once she lets go, you want to say, “Good girl!” and give her the toy immediately and then a bit of affection for doing the right thing. Most retrievers have high drives and love a game of fetch.

    If the yelling doesn’t work, you can yell “Aaaanntt” and push your arm firmly into her mouth. This losens her grib by widening her jaws and most dogs don’t like how it feels. As soon as she releases you, say “Good girl” and offer the toy and your time.

    If neither of the above works, you may have to try a bit of nose pressure. When she bites down yell “Ow!” and then place your hand (thumb on one side and index finger on the other) over her nose so that the meaty part between your thumb and finger are applying pressure to the top of her nose. You want to place it about a quarter of the way down her nose. Then squeeze your index finger and thumb together as if you’re trying to make them touch through her nose. You’ll have to supply a decent amount of pressure for this to work, but you don’t r ally want to harm her. The top of a dog’s nose is VERY sensitive and a. Other dog will bite a pup here with some force, when the pup has gotten out of hand. You want to mimick a mother’s technique, sans the teeth. Once she releases you,give her the toy and affection. She may yell when you do this, but I promise you are only causing a bit of discomfort and no large amount of pain.

    Lastly, if all else fails you’ll have to become a bit more aggressive in your tactics. -sigh- Ehen she bites you, place your thumb behind her upper canine by the same means as applying pressure to the top of the nose, but apply no pressure. Instead, run your thumb down to her upper lip and push it into her mouth a bit. This will cause her to bite down on her own lip (we all nonhow horrible this feels!) and in most cases, she’ll let go of you almost immediately. Give you, “Good girl” and affection immediately. And bonus, she’ll get to experience her own bite strength, which promotes bite inhibition.

    I wish you two a lot of luck. If you have any questions about technique, I’d be happy to send you videos. I’m a Canine Behaviorist and have worked with dogs for over 30 years. Just email me at: tishtish1975@yahoo.com

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
Hello, A Couple Months Ago My Home Became A Multi-dog Household, With The Newest Addition…

Hello, a couple months ago my home became a multi-dog household, with the newest addition being a now 10 month old GS/lab mix, and our resident dog, a 3 year old beagle/rottie mix, both males. They are both very well behaved and have never fought. However, they were not socialized properly as puppies—or at least we did not adequately socialize our beagle mix when he was a puppy, and GS mix was already 6 months old when we got him and we don’t know if or how his previous owners socialized him.

The results of their poor socialization: resident dog does not seem to recognize playful behavior from new dog and thus becomes uncomfortable, clearly cares for new dog (acts to protect new dog if anyone is playing rough with him) but won’t play with new dog, and seems to sometimes even avoid new dog.

New dog is a little better with socialization, but his main fault is that it seems he doesn’t know how to recognize resident dog’s “corrections” to him and to back off (even if most of the time he simply wants to play with resident dog), and he also has some bullying tendencies, some intentional and others not (wants to play with whoever resident dog is playing with, sometimes bugs resident dog to move if new dog wants to lay down in that spot, etc; though never has shown any physical aggression).

Resident dog is, personally, my dog, and I love him dearly, though I love new dog too, and would love to see them bond and play together, only I don’t know the best course of action to achieve that.

I would greatly appreciate any help with ideas on how to adjust these behaviors of theirs, as well as weigh in on the idea of setting up a doggie-play-date with a friend (with a stable and model dog, of course) so that maybe visitor dog can teach them how they should behave.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Is everyone spayed or neutered? Have you seen your vet about any of this? Can you reach out to a local trainer for help? I would start with these and remember exercise and training are super important for all cases of behavioral problems. I hope this helps. Please keep us posted

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Kari White | 7 years ago
Looking For A Healthy Dry Food Brand To Feed 2 One Year Old Cats. We…

Looking for a healthy dry food brand to feed 2 one year old cats. We we’re using Rachel Ray Chicken and Brown rice then their Indoor complete – Chicken with Lentils & Salmon. 1 likes it and the other tolerates it. I also feed 1 small can of Fancy Feast Medleys per cat in the evening as a treat. Thanks

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I should preface al of this by stating that I am not a nutritionist and all feeding plans should be discussed with your vet ans they know you and your cats best. Here’s what I do for my cats. I like science diet adult dry and I often give RR as a treat. I also lean more on the canned food as a better weight loss food for overweight indoor cats as it can be diluted with water and is higher in protein. Cats can have a hard time with dry food as it is often higher Ion carbs and they often don’t get enough exercise. Let me know a little bit more about your cats or better yet ask your vet for guidance. Thanks for the question.

  2. Kari White Post author

    Hi Dr. Magnifico it is Tom and Jerry I adopted from your office last year. Prior Doc and Happy. Jerry is getting big but not overweight. Jerry loves food so I cut nohim back to the package recommended amount of 3/4 cup dry. Tom is one I had to syringe feed and is smaller than Jerry. That had the outbreak around his mouth..totally cleared up. He likes the wet food and will nibble the dry but doesn’t eat much of it. Both are active. Tom much more than Jerry.

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
There Are Are Small (smaller Than The Size Of Pea) Bumps On My Dogs Head…

There are are small (smaller than the size of pea) bumps on my dogs head, that were not there yesterday. She’s a 5 year old beagle. They seem to be underneath the skin with no redness or any other noticeable protrusion above the skin. They don’t seem to be bothering her. She’s up to date on all vaccines and flea/tick treatment. I wiped the top of her head off with a wash cloth with dawn dish soap on it and they gown down significantly. I’m not sure what it might be and what caused it

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Based on the acute onset my guess would be allergies or hives/uticaria. But this is a guess. Your best bet for a better answer is at your vets office. Call them and ask for help. If it is allergies you might need help with a medication like a steroid or antihistamine to stop and/or reverse them. I have seen some dogs start with a few bumps to develop a whole body reaction over a few days or even hours. It’s always better to address an issue in the early stages then to have it get worse

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Sarah | 7 years ago
Hi Pawbly Friends? Our New Love-Riva- Is Fitting In So Seemlessly. It’s Fantastic. A Few…

Hi pawbly friends? Our new love-Riva- is fitting in so seemlessly. It’s fantastic. A few hiccups but nothing catastrophic. My question is, preventatives. Hers are due and our other GSD doesn’t get his until the 1st. For my own sanity, I’d like to have them on the same day. What’s the protocol for changing the schedule? Is there a way to space them out so that I can still have them protected but get them dosed on the same day?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello!
    Yay for you all!! I’m so excited to hear she is acclimating so well! Here’s my tips. First absolutely make it easy for yourself. After all easy means better compliance. Second oh do have some wiggle room. A little more on the heartworm than flea & tick. So take a few weeks here or there to get the same schedule. Do them a little late this month and the same time next. Hope this helps! Xoxo

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Sarah | 7 years ago
Good Morning Pawbly Friends. Apologies For The Long Question. I Feel Like The Worst Dog…

Good morning pawbly friends. Apologies for the long question. I feel like the worst dog mom in the world right now? We recently rescued a beautiful black gsd- Riva the Diva. We have acreage, so while we do leash train, we also collar train (we cannot afford to fence in although we do have a small fenced section). We use the collar when we do our long walks around the perimeter or when we are playing in the yard, etc. we haven’t even started training Riva on it yet… I’ve only been putting it on her in the morning (“let’s get dressed” and taking it off in the evening “time for bed”) for the last three days. Yesterday afternoon I noticed she seemed uncomfortable and when I went to check her, her neck where the bulky part of the collar is was all raw! We haven’t even turned the collar on yet. I could easily fit 2 fingers width under the collar. Obviously I took the collar off right away and cleaned off the raw area. She slept completely collarless, and is without any type of collar at the moment. I’m only putting her regular collar on for short walks. This morning she is much happier and her neck looks much better already. My concern is what happened… was the collar too tight even though I could fit my fingers? Is there an allergic reaction? My other concern is, we travel/vacation with our dogs to the mountains, woods etc. and depend on these collars. This has not ever happened with any of our other dogs.Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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  1. Anonymous

    It definitely sounds like an allergic reaction to me – there’s nickle in the contacts on e-collars, and many dogs are allergic to the metal. I would leash train her until you can figure something else out (maybe contact the collar manufacturer and see if they have an option for you?). Long line training is a good idea, too.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    I have seen hotspots develop. Just abrasion and fur with a tinge of humidity can cause it. They heal very quickly when the collar is removed. PS you are the best dog mom! Xox Riva

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Marlene Cepeda | 7 years ago
My Dog Was Diagnosed By Two Vets. One Said He Had A Mild Case Of…

My dog was diagnosed by two vets. One said he had a mild case of collapsed treacha without doing an X-ray. The other one said he had a reverse sneeze due to allergies. He is also sneezing. Put him on medicine. With a mild case of collapsed treacha what would be the symptoms?

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning…
    When you went for the second opinion, were you able to explain the first diagnosis to that vet as well? Did you ask for an X-ray? I cannot tell you what to look for, as I personally have never dealt with a collapsed trachea. I am sure one of the Pawbly experts can help you more specifically there… I’m just offering that if you are unsure of the diagnosis, I would certainly have a thorough conversation with the vet who regularly sees your pup, and explain your concerns, so that you can both come up with a plan of action you are satisfied with. Best of luck.