Am I reading this correctly? Can you put her outside at home on her own and is she O.K. with that? If so, as the weather warms up, it could be a partial solution, e.g. when you want to take a shower! Also, do you have or can you install a dog door straight into the yard? If so, how about a large crate inside, keeping her from inside destruction, but allowing her access to outside at will? Would that work?
Haha– you are an optimist! I was, too. 
If I left her outside alone, she would howl and scratch and chew like a wild dog. I went in one time to answer the phone, and she pounded on the screen door and quickly ripped her way through. So I closed the glass door and she chewed on the deck. So I babygated her off the deck in the yard and watched her start chewing the steps and the deck posts. The doggy door doesn't work for her, because it goes to the deck (not the yard), and she hasn't yet learned how to be alone. If she wouldn't howl, I could rig up a covered X-pen on nice days. But the neighbors work at home and would complain about the howling, if it went on and on... and so far, it does.
I meant she's okay being confined in the yard or on the deck with someone with her. She doesn't scratch at the fence gates like she does at doors, even though she knows they're a way out.
Actually, staying outside alone is something my guy won't do either. He is a fence climber, so although I could "fix" that with invisible fence backing up the physical fence, I won't because he is content and not destructive inside. My girls Lady and Tamu used to stay outside all day long in nice weather. They preferred it. But neither of my boys has been a fan of the great outdoors, unless we are going for a walk or a hike. Perry does like to sit outside if we are out there, but only when the weather suits him.
What I wondered about Ava is whether she would settle down if she had the freedom to go out and come back in at will, that is, if there was a crate preventing her from going further into the house but she had the dog door available, whether she would just run outside when she got anxious. But I really think your solution might be a companion dog…..
Hmmm… worth a try. I could put the wire crate up to the doggy door, so she could come and go, but how would I stop her from pushing the crate back so she could escape inside? She can maneuver the crate when she's motivated, even though it's large and strong.
You're probably right about the companion dog. I really would prefer not to have a second dog right now, but the aloneness does seem to be a contributing factor.
My Spencer was like your boys-- he wasn't really an outdoor kind of guy. His favorite thing was to lie in the door on the front porch (with the front door open) and keep an eye on everything from the comfort of inside... while being outside. But that was in sunny Southern California, where the weather was nice with no bugs and my front yard was fenced in. It's a different story in TN. But Ava's not so keen on the outdoors, either. She always wants to come right back in, and like Perry, if people aren't out there with her, she'll just stay inside, thanks.
Kaia really hasn't had a growth spurt. She's been growing slow and steady, up to 14.8 lbs earlier this week. She and Loki are too cute. He's quite the protective and watchful big brother and they often cuddle together, he even cleans her face after she drinks some water! They still squabble like 2 crazed toddlers, but for the most part it's play, play, play, sleep, cuddle, play. We took her over to Tampa (18 B's that day!), and they just adored her. Even an older tri girl who isn't fond of puppies liked Kaia. She can be a total brat though…and she's going through that whole "testy teenager" stage, pushing the boundaries and trying to see how much she can get away with.
Ah, yes, I know that bratty teenager stage well! My problem is that Ava has been in it since she was 12 weeks old– and she's almost twice that now.
Kaia sounds like a real sweetheart, with a wonderful temperament. I'd love to see new pics of her and how she's grown. Will you be spaying her soon?
She is definitely a sweetheart, but lives up to the tri naughtiness. I'm hoping to have a chance to transfer my photos over to my laptop (it's extremely hard to be on a comp with 2 young B's who are convinced they need to battle right beside or on top of you!), once I do I'll post some updated pics of them. She's twice the size she was, but still so little. May 2nd will be when she turns 6 mths and I'm looking into getting her spayed and having her hernias repaired. I'd like to wait until June/July to give her enough time to grow, but I don't want her going through her first heat…so we'll see.
When were you thinking of taking Ava in to be spayed? I'm really hoping she'll come around eventually. How is the crate training going?
LOL– I def know how hard it is to be on a computer... the phone... or do anything with a young B vying for your attention!
Ava was very petite, too. I was actually getting worried about her-- then she just grew, almost overnight! She's 16 lbs now and 15.5" tall. No more baby!
My thinking is just like yours on the spaying. I want to wait as long as I can, but I don't want Ava going through a first heat. The vet said she could have an early heat any time now, so I'm thinking about having her spayed in the next few weeks. That's what everybody is recommending, though I would rather wait. Ava has a hernia, too, so we're repairing that as well. She also still has a lump from her rabies shot, so we may have to look into doing something about that, too.
Ava's progressing on her crate-- lots of dissatisfaction and B outrage, but less wild panic. It's slow, because I couldn't bear a setback. Housetraining is better, too, but she HATES to pee on the grass. In the middle of my landscaping, on top of a plant-- particularly temperamental plants that I'm especially fond of-- is her preferred place of elimination. It's better than on my carpet, but not by much. How's Kaia's housetraining? She was much easier, I bet, with Loki to help her along. And how's the nipping/biting? Ava's cutting molars, and those jaws are like a shark seeking prey.
She's bigger than Kaia now…I think Kaia will stay pretty petite, but only time will tell. She has an umbilical and inguinal hernia. The inguinal has not popped out for over a month, I'm not sure if it's closed, we'll find out when she goes in for her spay. She had a large lump after her rabies shot too, it took awhile to go away. She's been doing well on housebreaking, isn't fond of going in the grass if it gets too high though I can't really blame her! Last Saturday wasn't much fun though. Prior to going to the dog park I took her out, she wouldn't pee, then peed in the car. She went right before we left the park, peed in the car a 2nd time, came home and then peed on the bed right after her shower. And she had been doing so well! She hasn't had any other issues like that since then, otherwise I was going to take her to the vet to get her checked out because that was way out of the ordinary. Her housetraining was interesting, she wouldn't ever pee on the floor, only on the bed and blankets. Loki didn't help too much, that dog can hold it when he wants.
Kaia has had all her adult teeth in for a couple weeks now. Poor girl lost about 7-8 teeth in about 5 days and we were calling her Toothless for a while! So glad those shark teeth are gone, as is Loki. She'll nibble, particularly when she's excited to see me or my husband when we get home from work. She's been more stubborn on the whole "mom and dad are NOT chew toys" but she's getting better. On a side note, Loki ripped the TV cable out of the wall while in his crate after I left for work last week, he had been doing so well too 
I know what you mean about not fun days! Ava peed in the car and on the comforter a few times, but she usually preferred the carpet… and now the landscaping. She will climb right in the middle of a plant and squat. I don't get it. And what's up with Loki and the cable?! They do the strangest things!
Ava will be six months next Monday, and I'm thinking about having her spayed next week. Breeder, vet, everybody recommends it, so as much as I dread it and would like to wait a few months, I think I'm going to go ahead and avoid the first heat. What did you decide about Miss Kaia?
Plants are a good sign!! Better than in the house..lol.
Is she continuing to make progress??
Sounds like the last thing little miss Ava needs is more hormones, lmao…I know what u mean about wanting to wait, at 8 or 9 months old I couldn't take the hormones any longer- the intensity was getting more and more concentrated and it was hard to combat.
Eh, Loki and the cable are my fault. He still gets slightly upset when I leave for work and he's crated. That Friday I forgot something and had to come back in. He was pretty calm until he saw me and I left again, then he started to freak a bit. I usually leave a toy or something in there for him to destroy, but my husband wanted to try going without it and Loki got creative in taking out his frustration. Somehow he managed to get hold of the TV cable and ripped it out of the wall. Still trying to figure out how he got it in the first place.
I'm still going back and forth on Kaia's spay. I think I'm leaning towards holding off for another 3-4 weeks at least. She's still under 16 pounds so I'm hoping she'll get a little bigger before we take her in. I definitely want to do so before her first heat so I can't put it off forever.
Yes, Ava is continuing to improve, Chealsie– though her improvement is best measured in nanobits. She's almost through teething, so perhaps we will not be treated like lepers, anymore. Funny how people stop visiting when they go home bleeding, with their clothes ripped. And we haven't been invited anywhere in quite some time!
I would like to hold off another few weeks on spaying Ava, but she is starting to be really moody and defiant (I know-- what's new, right?). Then this morning, she started marking in the house. Well, that's a new one! She has peed everywhere and had accidents galore, but she's never intentionally marked an entire room. And she's licking herself like crazy. So she's going in Monday for bloodwork. Her vet has been on vacation this week, so I hope it's not too late. I'm guessing Kaia isn't acting strangely, TMartin? (And as for the TV cable, they will ALWAYS find a way!)
How has little miss Ava been lately?? Any updates to share?
She's a teenager. She ignores me, she sasses me, she slaps me in the face and pushes me away. She knows everything, wants her space and has a constant "Wut? You talking to me?" expression on her pretty little surly face. She's needy, she's moody, she wants constant attention, she wants to be left alone. She doesn't want to listen, obey or be told "no." She doesn't want to play nicely or behave in the car. She does want to jump, steal, counter surf and chew on things she hasn't chewed on in months.
And now we have hormones. And food allergies. And UTIs. And anal gland issues. She marks. She leaks. She leaves trails of pee like bread crumbs throughout the house. I can't wait for her first birthday!
How's Oakley doing? Has he recovered fully from his surgery and intestinal problems?
She's a teenager. She ignores me, she sasses me, she slaps me in the face and pushes me away. She knows everything, wants her space and has a constant "Wut? You talking to me?" expression on her pretty little surly face. She's needy, she's moody, she wants constant attention, she wants to be left alone. She doesn't want to listen, obey or be told "no." She doesn't want to play nicely or behave in the car. She does want to jump, steal, counter surf and chew on things she hasn't chewed on in months.
And now we have hormones. And food allergies. And UTIs. And anal gland issues. She marks. She leaks. She leaves trails of pee like bread crumbs throughout the house. I can't wait for her first birthday!
How's Oakley doing? Has he recovered fully from his surgery and intestinal problems?
sounds like she's in season?
Pamela, she sounds like Oakley as a pup! Minus the marking- that he didn't do. We have had a very long two months since surgery. Oakley has some post op issues; mainly irregular stool and diarrhea constantly (never a hard stool)..after many trials of Flagyl for different strengths and durations it just wasn't working..nor was he gaining any of the weight he lost ( got down to 19lbs)..we have finally landed on the ID diet (ugh)…and he is gaining weight (currently 21.4lbs) and has good solid stools..he can't handle the fromms since but I'm hopeful eventually we can get back to it. His coat has been awful on the ID diet, he's been blessed with a shiny sleek coat all his life and lately he's itchy and has dandruff, he's constantly nibbling himself. It is driving me crazy, yet anytime I try to reintroduce any amount of fromms he gets soft again. We have also had a run in with a centipede and he had a bad reaction to it on top of eating the bite raw ( it's where his scrotum would be). It's been two weeks of Benadryl and antibiotics and a bad run in with trying prednisone. Many sleepless nights, calls to the ER and practically bi-weekly vet visits. My nerves are shot, my wallets empty. I have also been struggling with food aggression around other animals or other people when food is present (bbq's)..but at the current moment we are stable. I'm praying I am at the end of the tunnel; I need a big break. Throughout all this oakleys been such a good boy, we have a great routine working for the both of us and he really is so great. I never would have thought we would get to the place we are at barring the medical craziness...30-33 months had been my favorite so far...and it looks (crossing fingers) that it will continue to get better. He enjoys our walks, loves snuggling and gets our routine now; and because of that its become enjoyable not daunting or challenging.
The pup/teenager stage isn't all it's cracked up to be. Especially when you get a spunky one like Oakley and Ava; then again some
of it was a lack of knowledge on raising him on my part.. Either way though- glad its over
Elliot (9 months at the end of the month) is going though a "I hate your cooking" phase and has gotten so picky that he has me in tears. He likes a food for a couple days and then he's over it. Orijen, Fromm, Wellness.. and a million more. A trip to the vet (just to be sure) confirmed that he is completely healthy but needs to gain a couple pounds and the pickyness is behavioral. He's killing my patience and wallet. He also is chewing up things that he never touched before or hasn't touched in months. (like you mentioned with Ava) Today it was a wheel barrel.. WHAT!? He also had not peed in his kennel in well over a 2 months but today he though he'd revisit that lovely behavior and shred his blanket for good measure. He seems to have forgotten that he DOES know his name but now he thinks when I call him it's only a suggestion.
He is sassy but also so darn sweet and loving. I took his face slapping habit and turned it into a "high 5" trick and he loves it! I couldn't have asked for a sweeter, more social, loving dog but this pickyness and crazyness is driving me up a wall!
Long story short.. I feel your pain!
sounds like she's in season?
Not yet– probably not until late Aug/early Sept. I held off having her spayed in the spring. She's doing the adolescent pee everywhere rite of passage, though-- part UTIs, part hormones, part ???
You're right, Chealsie– Ava and Oakley have had similar puppyhoods! They are equal bundles of energy and joy! I'm sorry to hear that Oakley's still having troubles. He's been through a lot for such a young boy. I know what you mean about the diet. The vet put Spencer on the k/d diet, and he didn't do well on it. Actually, he wouldn't touch the dry and didn't thrive on the wet. His coat dulled noticeably and he had flaking, too. I ended up having to cook for him the last year of his life.
And Ava isn't doing well on the Fromm's, either. I'm going to have to switch brands. She did great on the Fromm's puppy, but is having a reaction to the adult food. I was feeding a mix of the Fromm Adult and Surf & Turf, then she started having ear, paw and anal gland issues. So I took her off the Fromm Adult and kept her on the Surf & Turf (grain-free) and all the issues went away except for the anal glands. Now she's on the Fromm Salmon and still having anal gland issues. She can't tolerate any of the Fromm treats, and I had stocked up on a bunch of flavors for training. The animal shelter has benefited greatly from Ava's unexpected food allergies.
I wonder if there is some in-between for Oakley-- something not as rich as the Fromm's and not as bland as the i/d? I'm sure you've researched all the options, and I'd be interested in what you find. Tad has recommended the Costco brand food, and that's what I'm going to try, switching Ava gradually from the Fromm to the Nature's Domain Salmon. It's a lot cheaper than Fromm's, it gets good reviews and Tad's dogs are doing great on it. If only it didn't come in those big bags! Maybe fish oil caps or salmon oil would help Oakley's coat? All the pictures you've posted do show such a beautiful shiny coat!
Becky, sounds like you're having food issues, too. When I was home-cooking for Spencer, he got so he wouldn't eat anything for more than a day or two. The dog got so picky, he wouldn't even eat leftovers! So I planned my meals around Spencer and cooked for both of us. It was the healthiest I've ever eaten. And I learned to flavor veggies and things with healthy oils-- salmon oil, olive oil, etc. And adding a few noodles would perk up his appetite right away. Don't ask me why. Ava isn't all that picky, thank goodness.
And what's up with all the peeing and chewing? Elliot too? The "forgetting" obedience and disregarding commands I get, but the peeing! Though I have to say, the anal gland issue is worse. She dumps her anal glands on your lap... on the bed... on the carpet. Every day. Every time she relaxes. OMG, the smell... and it stains, too.
Though I have to say, the anal gland issue is worse. She dumps her anal glands on your lap… on the bed... on the carpet. Every day. Every time she relaxes. OMG, the smell... and it stains, too.
Oh how I loathe anal glands. So long as Loki's stools are pretty firm, he does well and only needs to be manually expressed once every 3-4 weeks. Thank goodness his is under control as his is worse when it comes to the smell and the staining. Kaia however…I don't know if we'll ever get hers fully under control. She leaks mostly when she's asleep, but will also do it when she's very relaxed. I don't know how she builds so much up; we have to manually express at least 1-2 times per week and you wouldn't believe how much there is! And she never fails to do it within 24 hours of us putting on nice, clean, fresh sheets. Changed the sheets last night and she leaked twice this morning and that was after 2 poops on the morning walk
