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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Almost 5 Year Old Chihuahua/dachshund Mix Bit My 8 Month Old Daughter In The…

My almost 5 year old Chihuahua/dachshund mix bit my 8 month old daughter in the face a few days ago. He is currently “quarantined” at home for 10 days. He is a normally good dog. He has always been very protective, hyper and a bit jumpy of new people. He has growled at people before but never attacked. My 8 month old daughter and the dog have never had a problem, but this day they were sitting next to each other and she was petting him, and then she grabbed his tail and he turned around and bit her in the face. I can no longer feel comfortable with the dog in the house around her. I do not want to put the dog to sleep as I feel this was a pretty isolated incident but she is too young to learn from her mistake so I feel it is very necessary to find him a new place to live. I am weary of trying to find him a new home in the chance he bites again, and I do not want to have that guilt over my head. Also, he is showing no signs of rabies but he has become more anxiety ridden since the attack/barking at all noises/people outside (with being quarantined though, I believe he is feeling depressed and scared). *Side note – I have a 9 year old son as well, who has been with the dog since a puppy (and my son was 4) and they have never really had any issues. The dog would get upset sometimes but he has never bitten my son. *Another side note – we recently moved (About 3 weeks ago) into a new home, and he has shown more anxiety/jumpiness since the move. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I do care about my dog a lot and want him to have a good life as he is not that old yet.

15 Responses

Comments

  1. Anonymous

    ANY sudden behavior changes should be met with a vet visit first to rule out any medical problems.  please, take your dog to the vet and get him checked out.   i’d also talk to a veterinary behaviorist about this situation.

  2. PK Dennis

    DO NOT TAKE HIM TO A SHELTER!  Doing so will condemn him to death.  Even shelters that say they are no-kill often turn over dogs that have bitten to other organizations that then put the dog down.  This allows the first place to keep their “no kill” label, but does not save the dog. These are highly strung dogs.  You have made a lot of changes in his life, adding stress upon stress.  I am not surprised that he defended himself in this way.  The rule in my house is that NO CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF THREE gets to touch a dog, sit beside a dog, be allowed in a room alone with a dog.  And – I do not approve any home with a child under the age of 7 to adopt one of my fosters since I feel 7 is the minimum age of reason in a human child (in other words at that age they can understand to LEAVE THE DOG ALONE).

    Any dog that feels endangered will bite.  
    Keep in mind that you will be causing trauma to your older child by giving this dog away.  The BEST solution would be to find a trainer that would come to your home to work with you, your family, and the dog.  But if you can’t consider that, the next best thing would be to find a Chihuahua rescue.  You can find a dedicated Chihuahua Rescue by googling or looking through the AKC website for Chihuahua rescue.  You will find there are Chihuahua organizations nationwide that, for the love of the breed, will accept your surrender of this dog and will help him find the perfect forever home. 
    And be sure you don’t compound your mistakes by bringing another dog into your home before your youngest child is seven years old or older — or you will be doing this all over again with another innocent dog.  It wasn’t the breed that bit, it was the compilation of mistakes that created the situation and led to the bite.
  3. Kasia R

    If you have to remove that sweet dog from your home, call a reputable rescue in your area and try to find a good home for him. Perhaps his tail was pulled harshly and it was just a warning to your child, but I understand she is too small to know better. You can take him to a behaviorist and see what that say but please don’t put a family member in a shelter. Can you imagine what he would feel like after only know your family all these years. Best of luck to you!

  4. Brittany Irons

    Thank you for your honest advice.

  5. Brittany Irons

    This is one of the hardest situations I have ever had to deal with. He is definitely a family member, and this is why it is very conflicting for me. I have family members telling me to just send him to the humane society but I know what would happen and I cannot do that without feeling extremely guilty. If it was just me I would do anything to help the dog, but my husband does not agree. I am in a very difficult situation and heartbroken. I thank everyone for their honest advice and will take this all to heart and continue to soul search in which road I should take. I do not believe he needs to die in any way shape or form.

  6. Brittany Irons

    This is one of the hardest situations I have ever had to deal with. He is definitely a family member, and this is why it is very conflicting for me. I have family members telling me to just send him to the humane society but I know what would happen and I cannot do that without feeling extremely guilty. If it was just me I would do anything to help the dog, but my husband does not agree. I am in a very difficult situation and heartbroken. I thank everyone for their honest advice and will take this all to heart and continue to soul search in which road I should take. I do not believe he needs to die in any way shape or form.

  7. Anonymous

    i can’t imagine how difficult this is, but please, do the medical checks to make sure there isn’t something else going on. it’ll make it easier for a rescue to place him, as well.

  8. PK Dennis

    The Humane Society should not even be on your radar! It is a sure death sentence for this poor boy. They take in so many dogs each year that they can only save the ones that are most adoptable! And a dog that has bitten is usually considered unadoptable by the HS. Your family members may mean well, but they don’t understand that by giving this boy a home you made a life long commitment to doing what is best for him – not just your human children. The only way to be sure he is not put to death is to keep the dog yourself (and work with a trainer to resolve the issues) or to surrender him to a Chihuahua Rescue. The Chi people understand the personality of this breed and will work to ensure he gets a home that understands how to work with his stress – helping him to be the best dog he can be. It comes down to how much time, energy and effort you want to expend to keep your family (dog and all) together. If you can’t make the time and spend the money for training then you have to find the Chihuahua rescue. Another option may be a ‘small dog’ rescue. There are some that specialize in small, feisty, dogs that have fear aggression issues.

  9. Brittany Irons

    Thank you, I will be looking into the Chihuahua rescue to see if they can assist me, I truly appreciate your help and honesty!

  10. julie brader

    Totally and absolutely agree with P K here. The brutal truth is you allowed this to happen by letting an 8 month old baby pull your dog around, and how many times has she done it before? Look at it from the dogs point of view, if someone was constantly poking you and pulling your hair what would you do?
    You would retaliate. Which is just what your dog has done.
    This is honestly not your dogs fault. You shut him away now and you are compounding the problem, I’m not surprised hes stressed and barking….dogs pick up on our emotions very well indeed.
    Please don’t rehome this dog. Rather be sensible and keep your baby out of his way for both their sakes. Again I agree with PK I would not let a dog go to a home with a child under the age of 7 years when they are old enough to treat a dog with respect.

  11. ashlyn hag

    I had a problem like that, sometimes the Humane society won’t take a dog that has bitten before, also you would be killing that dog, also I believe I made the wrong choice by putting my dog down he was still a puppy (9 months old) but he had bitten and had drew blood, and I just didn’t feel safe around him, and like I said we put him down which was the hardest decision of my life, so I don’t want you to make a decision like me, be good and caring person and do not let that dog go, like you aid you had recently just moved and some dogs aren’t good with stress, and when you moved you cause your dog stress, don’t make the same ,mistake that I did and keep that dog, other wise whreveer you take him he will probably just die anyways, because not most dogs find good forever homes and live happily ever after your dog could likely get beaten or killed by others, so NO MATTER WHAT KEEP THE DOG.

  12. PK Dennis

    Hey Brittany,

    I just came across an article in The Whole Dog Journal about getting your dog ready to deal with a baby – this article mentions a company Family Paws Parent Education in Cary, NC which has a program, “Dogs and Toddlers” which is available to families through a worldwide network of more than 200 licensed presenters.  Jennifer Shryock developed this program in response to a huge number of families that wanted to surrender a dog after an incident (bite) had already occurred with a child in the home.  This program takes an in-depth look at helping the family dog successfully live with kids (and since he has been living with the 2 boys successfully I don’t think you have a big leap to hurdle!).

    I can’t encourage you enough to give a trainer a try – they can help you design a training plan to keep everyone safe, while minimizing the dog’s anxiety.

    One of the techniques recommended in the article is to teach your dog to be calm and happy in a room that is gated away from where the baby has access.  This works best if it is a room where the dog can see your family.  For example gate the kitchen so the dog can be in there with you while you cook and he can peek out and see the living room or family room.  Since it is dangerous for babies to be in the kitchen anyway (hot food or knives falling, reaching for pot handles…!) it makes sense to let the dog be in there, but not the baby.  The older boy can let himself through the baby gate to interact with the dog but the younger children are kept safely away in an area where they can be overseen but not touching the dog.

    Ways to keep the dog happy in this space is to interact with him there, and when you are not interacting give him toys and chews to work on.  A Kong stuffed full of goodness and then frozen will keep him content for hours.  A trainer can help you with this!

    I am just so worried for this sweet little guy!  My best wish for him is that he stay in the home he has known his whole life, with the people he loves.  But if that is out of the question I wish I could come scoop him up!

  13. Brittany Irons

    Thank you again for this information! I am full-heartedly trying to convince my husband that we can help our dog and keep him at the same time. He has had no prior aggressive behavior towards anyone in the family or anyone I bring into the home (the only aggression he has ever showed is to strangers when he is outside in the fenced yard – but I just think this is because he is very protective of his territory)…. I really do appreciate your opinions, help AND suggestions (rather than just being told I am at fault for everything).

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Have An 8 1/2 Month Old, 6 Pound, Miniature Dachshund. About 8 Days Ago…

I have an 8 1/2 month old, 6 pound, miniature dachshund. About 8 days ago, I noticed her nipples were slightly bigger than normal. I was planning on taking her to the vet to see if she was ready to be fixed (my vet recommended waiting until she was 8 months old to give all her baby teeth time to fall out) but the night before I was to take her, I noticed her vulva was swollen and protruding. I wiped her and a brownish color appeared. I was still not 100% she was in heat due to the color.

The next morning I checked her again – her vulva was even more swollen and the discharge had now changed to bright red blood. It has now been 3 days since I first noticed the swelling and discharge/blood.

I did a lot of research online but have gotten conflicting information about almost everything that has to do with a dog in heat, including how many stages there are in the heat cycle, what happens in each cycle, what color the discharge/blood changes and when, when she would be most fertile, etc. I read that one way to know for sure she was in heat was to scratch the top of her butt right before her tail and if she moves her tail to the side she is definitely in heat. THEN I read that means she is already in the 2nd stage of the heat cycle. I’ve also read conflicting timelines of cycle from 2 weeks to 4.

I’m so lost and confused and hesitant to go to the vet. I don’t know if it is safe to take her because of the possibility of the presence of male dogs. I don’t want to be the idiot first time pet parent who will just get told ‘all dogs are different. there’s no way to know anything’.

1 Response

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  1. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    Ashley,

    I would recommend calling your vet to see if they will spay a dog in heat.  It is riskier to spay a dog in heat because of the excess blood in the uterus during this period of time and the fact the tissues can be more fragile.

    In answer to your question, dogs cycles last about 6 months.  This time period can vary from dog to dog and in different breeds.  However of the 4 phases, the 1st 3 phases are the ones that are going to concern you the most.  The 1st stage last 7-9 days, during this period the vulva is swollen and the discharge tends to be bloody.  During this phase the female will not allow the male to mount her.  After this phase, starting around day 8-10 and lasting for about 2 weeks is actually standing heat.  At this point she will allow the male to mount her and she can become pregnant.  The 3rd phase can last up to 60 days.  During this time the female will slowly begin to return to normal or if bred the puppies will grow.  All dogs go through a false pregnancy during this phase.

    I’m trying to not get to involved in the phases so that you understand but aren’t overwhelmed by the information.

    I hope this answers your questions and you get your baby spayed before you have any unwanted puppies.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
The Skin On Her Muzzle Under The Fur Seems Pinker Than Normal, Too. Also, Her…

The skin on her muzzle under the fur seems pinker than normal, too. Also, her nose seems to itch (she rubs her nose area vigorously against my fingers, not just normal face rubbing) and gets a little dark crust around the edges. I noticed her nose running with a little clear discharge while I was petting her, but I read that it’s common for a cat’s nose to run when it purrs, so I didn’t think that was part of this. Her ears itch, as well. They don’t have an odor and I don’t see anything in them. Sometimes the fur on her chin will be discolored with a reddish/orangish tint and I noticed an area of dried liquid with a light tinge of brown around the border where she’d been sleeping this morning. Is this an allergy? I have more pictures I can post that show the crustiness on her nose and her upper lip from below.

2 Responses

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  1. Kelly Furgason

    Hello,
    I’m not sure if it’s the angle of the photo or not, but your kitty looks like it’s upper mouth  and general face area is  swollen and  really distorted and does not look typical.

    The brown/reddish color you describe reminds me of exactly how dried flea dirt (blood) looks. So make sure that you examine her carefully with a flea comb to see if that is an issue for her.

    If she was an outside “feral” cat, be sure to get her tested for Felv/Fiv as well as a vet checkup to rule out upper respiratory infections, a rabies vaccine and distemper vaccine and spay would be good too–if you haven’t already done that. I’d take a trip to the vet to have her mouth/face examined.
    Good luck!
    ~kelly

  2. Beth Burchard

    Thank you, Kelly! It’s the angle of the picture. I had a normal looking one to post, but this one shows her mouth better. She does have fleas. I gave her an Rx oral med from the vet a month ago and it didn’t work. So I gave her a combo of Capstar and Program last night and have a spray to spray what I can’t wash to get any remaining eggs & larva. Maybe she has a flea allergy and this will be what she needs.

    I’ve done TNR with 8 feral cats over the past year. She was about 5 months old when I took her, but has been very much untamed and fearful of the sight of me until about 3 months ago when I discovered the power of fish. In that time she has begun sleeping and spending much of her days in the house (I put in a cat door and she still insists on using the big “litter box” outside instead of the one I got her. Just this week she started climbing up on me when I’m lying down and using me for her bed. =) I can pet her just about any way I want to without getting injured now, but I can’t pick her up or do anything that seems threatening to her without her running and hiding (i.e. walking fast, carrying the mail, any attempt to use anything on her except my hand). So catching her to take to the vet has had me in a quandary. The humane trap is too traumatic for her AND me. I stopped by the vet’s office today and they said they could give me a sedative to give her so she would be sleeping and I could bring her in. She had a rabies shot when she was spayed, but she’ll need another one in November. And she hasn’t been tested for FeLV/Fiv.

    That’s TMI, I know. I tend to get wordy, but thank you so much for your response! I will definitely take your advice now that I know there’s a way to get her to the vet without trauma, and hopefully we’ll get this taken care of quickly.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Adopted My Cat Loki More Than 2 Years Ago When He Was A Little…

I adopted my cat Loki more than 2 years ago when he was a little over 1 1/2 years old. He is going to turn 4 on October 9 (in just over one week from now). He is neutered, and vet records show he was neutered as a tiny kitten. His only medical issue is a viral infection in his sinuses which requires daily Lysine doses in his food and he does very well. He is not de-clawed. He has always been very good about using the litter box for the 2+ years I have had him.

Just last week he peed in a laundry basket of clean clothes on my bedroom floor. While cleaning that up I noticed he had earlier peed on a pile of dirty clothes about 6ft from that basket. I’m embarrassed to say I left my laundry get out of control and my room was a disaster area, so I thought it was possible he peed on the items as a call to action for me to clean up my mess. Since then I have been sleeping on the couch so he doesn’t claw at the door while I’m keeping him out of my bedroom for a while. I though it was an isolated incident and we were over it. Now it’s 2:30am and I smell urine on my couch right next to where Loki and I were sleeping. It’s not wet and does not smell like ammonia- just a minimal amount of urine. He has never, EVER marked anything or demlnstrated anything similar to marking behavior before.

I live alone in a 600 square foot apartment with one immediate neighbor who makes almost no noise. I do not have any other pets. The only major change that has happen recently I went from working 60-hour workweeks (November through July) to a 4pm-1am(ish) 4day/week schedule (July-August) and started a 9-5 in the second week of October, where I leave at 8:30 and return by 6:00.

The litter box is kept clean and he does use it daily. No sign of straining and the pee clumps are the same size as usual. He is eating and drinking normally and shows no sign of irritation, pain, discomfort, disinterest or fatigue.

What could the problem be? How can I get him to stop? It is so sudden and I am worried about him!

4 Responses

Comments

  1. julie brader

    Hello Erin…..you need to take him to the Vet. Urinating suddenly like this could be sign there something wrong…kidneys, crystals a bladder infection…all sorts of things. Take a urine sample with you if you possibly can, it will help the Vet pinpoint the problem. 

    Hope he recovers soon! 

  2. Erin Beese

    **I meant to say 9-5 started in September, not October (since we’re. It there hey obviously!)

  3. Robin Laybolt

    There could be a number of reason why he is peeing outside the box. 1st thing could be the change of hours you are working now,  cats do not like change, 2nd reason could be the size of the litter box it may be to small for him now, you could get a bigger litter box, 3rd reason could be the kind of litter you are using, the best ltter is small pieces and clumping, also you should always make sure the litter is clean and once a week you should wash the litter box   with soap and water. Where ever he is peeing outside the litter box you have to make sure that you clean the spot really well or he will just keep coming back to the same spot. And last you should buy a second litter box for him and put it closer to where he is going. If he is eating and drinking the same and hasn’t change at all then i don’t think he is sick but if you try these things and he is still peeing outside the box and if he stops eating and drinking then please take him to the vet, or if you feel that none of these things will help you then you should take him to the vet. Sorry but i just thought of something,  even if a male is neutered they will sometimes spray but its not a big amount like pee would be, its a small circle and has no smell, and cats are like children in some ways, i think your cat is upset about your new hours and is just acting up. I hope this will help you and your cat. Good luck and take care.

  4. Kelly Furgason

    Hello,
    So when a cat urinates outside the box, it is a sign of irritation, pain, discomfort, illness, stress,,,tons of other things as well.
    I would take him for a urinalysis. You cannot tell by how much pee or how little pee a cat is making if there is an infection. One of the main reasons cats pee outside the box without ever having done so before is a UTI. (urinary tract infection) . So it’s best to get him checked.
    Also, the stress from you having a different schedule could also cause this for him. But my bet would be on something going on with his body, so get him examined and tested.
    A few other things could be: diabetes, thyroid issues that can also cause peeing issues.
    Good luck!!!
    ~kelly

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Elliott, The Senior Adjusted Very Quickly To Getting A New Home A Year Ago…

Elliott, the senior adjusted very quickly to getting a new home a year ago. Seems possessive of his cage, at least with the dog. Pinapple, the baby seems very people friendly and hand tamed. He is sharing a cage with another green cheek of the same age at the pet store

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  1. Kelly Furgason

    Hi Ashley,
    I just love green cheeks!! I used to have several and they are just wonderful. Nandays tend to be a  little bit larger as well as more “possessive” and more boisterous birds than the green cheeks. But you can certainly try them together. I would NOT recommend just sticking them together in a cage and hoping for the best. First, you’d want to keep them isolated for at least 2 weeks until or until you can take your new bird to a vet for a general exam/check up and to rule out any disease.

    Next, once your vet clears him as healthy I would be sure to closely montior them when they are near each other. You will want to be sure they each have their OWN cage to be in. Putting them in the same area, but not directly near each other is a good first step., then moving the cages closer if you’d like. Until they are next to each other. I’d never put the cages so close that they can grab one another through the bars, so be sure there is still a good gap.

    Once you’ve had them near one another and they seem interested but not screaming or trying to attack, then you could try introducing them together on neutral territory,,,like a playgym. Always ALWAYS stay near so you can step in and remove one if they start to hurt each other.

    I always keep birds in their own space when I’m not around –unless you have an aviary type situation with lots of room for them..they really need their own areas unless they are a very bonded pair. So until that happens make sure you have two cages.

    In general I’ve found birds either love each other or hate each other. Usually no in betweens. You def are taking a risk with bringing a new friend home, either it will work ,or it will fail. But there is no way of telling how they will react based on how the green cheek is behaving in the store with a bird it already knows.

    Good luck!!!!
    ~kelly

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
The Flea Treatment Was Pet Armor. My Kitty Is 4 Months Old. He Went From…

The flea treatment was pet armor. My kitty is 4 months old. He went from acting erratic and flighty before I washed it off to calm and napping after it was washed off.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Girlfriend And This Vet Work Together At A Referral Hospital. He Says That…

My girlfriend and this vet work together at a referral hospital. He says that they are starting to see a lot of pets come in with blockages or other issues and many of them are fed Blue Buffalo. Additionally, surely you’ve heard about the trouble BB has apparently gotten into about its ingredients? However, this is mostly a battle between Purina and BB and it is not clear whether there are other issues here as well. Basically what I am asking is–should we change? and if so I am not sure what to change to or whether to take ingredients seriously anymore because apparently companies are being dishonest about them. We are also being told to switch to Purina ProPlan instead. Our dog has always been somewhat sensitive to his food.

I love your blog by the way!

2 Responses

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  1. Zachary Groff

    I really appreciate your even-minded response. What is frustrating about this is that their product has been seemingly intentionally mislabeled. While we’re all affected by advertising, but when determining his diet I tried to avoid advertisements all together and focused on ingredients. However, I can’t trust that they are even listed honestly then I am not sure what to do. I am tempted to switch foods but my method now seems unreliable.

  2. Anonymous

    i liked Blue A LOT before they were bought by their parent company.

    once the buyout happened, the recipe changed…put a serious hurt on my IBD-suffering cat with that sudden, unannounced change. they didn’t change the label for another 6-12 months, too.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Doctor, You Must Get So Frustrated And A Bit Angry When You Get Tons Of…

Doctor, you must get so frustrated and a bit angry when you get tons of questions from (ignorant, sorry but true) people who don’t spay or neuter their animals…no business owning a pet if you don’t get it fixed…….just saying, thank u.

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Diedra Cardamone | 10 years ago
Does Second Hand Smoke Affect Pets Like It Does People?

Does second hand smoke affect pets like it does people?

4 Responses

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  1. Jana

    Yes, it does.
    http://m.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/dr-coates/2014/june/risks-second-hand-smoke-dogs-and-cats-31821

    Moreover, there is such a thing as “third-hand smoke” when it comes to pets. “You know the smell that lingers in smoking areas, and on clothes and hair after a party or a night out? This is “third-hand smoke”, a cocktail of toxic residue including arsenic, cyanide and lead that gradually coats every surface. Second-hand smoke eventually dissipates from a room, but the third-hand threat remains.

    Not only does it linger, it grows with each invisible coat. And on every surface it touches, it combines with the chemicals in the carpet, the chemicals in the upholstery, the chemicals in the laminate flooring, in the silk flowers in the vase, every iPad and cell phone, and on the surface of every pet bed and toy. It even builds up on our pets.

    We can wash our hair and launder the clothes, even steam the carpet, but how often do we thoroughly bathe our pets? The residue builds up on them as well. When they groom, lick their paws, chew their toys and nuzzle their noses down into those plush beds we provided, they are in direct contact with the cocktail of every environmental chemical, cleanser and airborne toxin.”
    http://www.dogcancerblog.com/blog/smoking-second-hand-smoke-third-hand-smoke-and-dog-cancer/

  2. Sue Bona

    Yes it does, and it’s my understanding that it affects them worse.

  3. Kelly Furgason

    Yes indeed. We had a dog come into our rescue from a home where it lived for years with an owner that smoked . It was confirmed the dog had severe emphysema from the second hand smoke:-(

  4. Diedra Cardamone Post author

    Thanks everyone! No one smokes in my house (thankfully) but I was extremely curious about the answer. I now feel knowledgeable if I ever need to share with someone else.

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Pawbly | 11 years ago
Our Staff Is Continually Participating In Dog Forums To Understand Peoples Approaches To Pet Ownership…

Our staff is continually participating in dog forums to understand peoples approaches to pet ownership. Along the way we have discovered numerous nuggets of info Im looking for relatively unknown dog food brands far superior to commercial

1 Response

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  1. Brent Harte

    Hi Krista, 

    Thank you for the thoughtful response, your point is a great area of focus I had not thought of.   Dog food analysis EQUIPMENT manufactures are developing various new lines of food safety devices targeted at smaller manufacturing operations.   I was wondering why there was a large representation of this type of equipment at the the last Supply Side West trade show we attended and I think you have provided the answer.  Our motive for the original question arouse from the discovery of numerous small unknown dog food manufactures during one our normal twitter search campaigns designed to find new companies entering the dog nutrition space.  We are trying to figure out if dog owners value and plan on using these very small organizations,  if so our staff will begin studying what companies are best and why.  A quick evaluation of a companies quality control systems would be the first criteria for determining if a dog food warranted further study.  Again thank you for this valuable input.