Posts made by elbrant

@Mildred-Mayhem I don't think climate is the cause (as I am in the Southern U.S.). Nor do I think that it is related to foods. So, I'm wondering if the undercoat is directly related to age. Is there a big age difference among your B's?

My (6 yo spayed female) developed an undercoat around the same age. A good brush (outside) helps. Diet, in my experience, has little to do with the intensity of the shed.

@drjuliana you should see an avatar circle in the upper right hand corner... yours is purple with a white D. Next to it is a little cartoon quote bubble. Click on that. A drop down menu will pop up that allows you to access any open chats.

Do you mind sharing your general location? UK, USA, or ____? Area, region, or state?
Do you want/need any kind of a rehoming fee?
What about possible transportation?
And/or things you are looking or hoping for for Bosco's new home and humans?

The more information, the easier it will be for people to determine if it's realistic for them to inquire about Bosco. Else wise, you may find yourself weeding through inquiries all over the globe. (Most of us our softies and would jump at another B.) A pic would be great, as well.

I was a little pre-occupied earlier today, and Doodle displayed her displeasure at my constant delays... how? She got up on the sofa and did this little prancing-dancing thing. Like she was saying, "haha, look at me misbehaving". LOL oh yeah.... if that is her "breaking bad", I'm in trouble, she's got my heart!

@senjisilly LOL ( couldn't help it )

Consider trying a "bedtime potty" and a "just woke up potty" routine. And possibly transition to picking up the water bowl after a certain hour (close to bedtime) to help curb her need to go out. -- just an idea, it's been a long time since I've had to potty train a pup.

@abonnard said in Could use some of your Basenji Love:

Do you use a crate ?

No, I do not do crates. If some random "bad guy" breaks into my home, I don't want my dog(s) to be locked in a crate. I want them to sneak up on the creep and ask 'em what they are looking for!

Others are die hard crate users... I'm just not one of them.

@abonnard said in Could use some of your Basenji Love:

signs of destruction

Seems like they become a Velociraptor in their adolescence. Don't react. That's what they are looking for. It's like a game... what's he gonna do when I ___ (fill in the blank) ___ ? If you don't freak out, the game becomes boring and they stop. Or, at least, my girl did. Of course, doodle removed all of the corners from every pillow in the house first. Either she got bored of the game ... or she ran out of pillows.

Zola has awesome markings! So cool.

Puppies always seem to have so much energy, but I am impressed that you are trying to find out how others have dealt with that.
My recommendation is to offer her stimulating toys. Maybe a puzzle toy, or a "Kong". Fill the Kong with part of her daily kibble and seal it with a bit of peanut butter before you go to bed at night. Freeze it, then give it to her after one of her walks. She'll enjoy the peanut butter and then have to decide the best way to get the kibble out. It doesn't just teach her to entertain herself... it allows her to learn that you don't have to interact with her 100% of the day.

The other thing I would do is work on her basic life skills during your walks (sit, stay, come, etc.) so that the walks are more than just potty breaks. Stimulating her mind will contribute to puppy naps. At this age, keep the skill sets short so that boredom doesn't set in. When you get to the corner, say "stop" (I use "wait") as a cue that you are going to stop walking and she should too. She will probably do this instinctively and then look up at you. Praise her, then give her a new word to learn (like "come") when you proceed across the street. Always use those words. You are teaching her "English" (or whatever language you prefer to speak). Even when she is a 5 yo, use those words. Gradually extend her endurance during the stop from seconds to minutes as she gets older. There are lots of things to learn on walks. Use them as a lesson. You are learning how to communicate with each other so you can keep her safe in our world.

Welcome to group! I am looking forward to hearing about your many puppy adventures.

It's been my experience that a prompt, firm, "no" at the moment of indiscretion is the best solution. Yelling is not necessary. Neither is acting like the sky is falling, jumping up, or lurching towards the dog. If you are right there (as in sitting next to the dog) when it happens, you can put your hand over the spot and reinforce your command with eye contact.

It's a simple, effective, method.

@Saving said in Bordatella and Canine Influenza Vaccines:

divisive

I guess I'm a dreamer.... but I believe that adults can have discussions and opinions without resorting to name calling and rude remarks. Your input is valuable.

@Saving said in Bordatella and Canine Influenza Vaccines:

Another friend's dog has a swollen leg at the vaccination site of his booster which is not resolving

I"m sorry to hear about your friend's loss and understand the concern about the other friend's swollen leg. I had a similar experience, one of my dog's (not doodle) had a grossly swollen leg following a vet visit. The Vet told me it was cancer and I opted to let her go. Month's later I read online that it could have been the result of an allergic reaction. Please advise your friend to research possible answers before she makes a decision.

@Saving said in Bordatella and Canine Influenza Vaccines:

The other question which has puzzled me regarding vaccines is dosage

I agree, wholeheartedly. That's why I space doodle's heart worm meds out further than once a month. A pill for a 40# dog shouldn't be "ok" for a 20# dog. It doesn't make sense to me either.

@Saving said in Bordatella and Canine Influenza Vaccines:

dry food ... suffering from malnutrition

omgosh! That is so scary!! I doubt the big manufacturers would ever allow a real study to see the light of day, but I would love to see one done. Just the thought makes me want to keep feeding my girl human grade foods.

@Saving Have you read this? Can you share any of the insights you found?

@Saving said in Anal Gland Health Diet Adjustment (ideas?):

scavenging on walks has increased though and that's quite annoying.

LOL, omgosh! The amount of food tossed on the ground is astounding! And doodle will grab it up before I have any idea it's there! I wish I had a picture of the day she pulled a (whole) bagel out of a bush!

I typically get everything doodle needs in one Vet visit, however, there are 2 things to note:

• Not every vaccine needs an annual booster. The Rabies vaccine (for instance) has a 3 year booster available, and
• Some of the members have mentioned testing "titers" to measure how much of vaccine remains in the blood. They use the results to decide if another booster is necessary.

Perhaps someone who understands "titers" could offer their knowledge and experience...

As far as getting these two particular shots:

• Bordatello is always a "yes, we want it". Doodle is up and around other dogs all the time when we go on walks and stop by the dog park.
• Canine Indluenze seems relatively new to the market. I don't usually get that, but I'm willing to be swayed with a reasonable sales pitch.

@Saving
Doodle isn't on a strictly kibble diet. She generally gets some of whatever I am eating. Some days she gets a full portion, other days she gets a bite of this and a bite of that. The kibble came into play a few years back following one of our hurricanes. We were without power for 8 days (yikes!). I couldn't cook for her and she wasn't accustomed to kibble, so feeding her was problematic. After that, a bag/bowl of kibble became a standard offering. That said, kibble isn't her first choice. Can't blame her there.... the sausage on top of my pizza is sooo much better!

Doodle's weight has been an issue since our first visit to the Vet, who announced that she was a bit thin and should gain a couple pounds. It would have been better if he had told me to watch her weight and not let her gain too much. But, either way, we are where we are. Cutting back on sharing yummy stuff, a faster paced (and a somewhat longer primary) walk, and pumpkin (once a week or so). The pumpkin was well received and swiftly assisted in curbing her 'issue'. (Thank you @Éilis!)

Doodle's weight loss will continue to be an ongoing process. I think the best solution there could be the addition of a playmate for her to chase and play with. Perhaps we can arrange for that later this year...

I can't listen to that, it would wake my girl up and well... I'm not into a "sing along" just now.

I will say that many canines howl and yodel and bay (at the moon, whenever a fire truck passes, etc.). I'm not certain that any one breed is distinctive enough to have a sound all their own, but many a proud owner would probably assert so.

Are you wanting to get involved in a Guardian program (i.e.; become a foster home)? Or are you wanting to adopt an adult dog, or get on a waiting list for the next litter? Also, since this could be related to geography, is there a specific country or region that you are inquiring about?

Guardian? Like a foster dog program, where you would care and (possibly) rehabilitate a dog? Or, do you mean something where you would be teaching a dog to help someone who is physically impaired?

@Éilis Thank you!!
I had completely forgotten about pumpkin puree, and I used to recommend it all the time! (smacking hand on forehead)

• No to the poop eating. Anything she finds on the ground, in bushes, etc. She grabs it up before I know it's even there.
• No worms either.... thankfully.
• And, it didn't start until I started transitioning her to kibble. Spoiled little girl usually eats the same thing(s) I do.

I think the Pumpkin might be just what she needs! Thanks for the reminder!