tastybeets

I just signed a lease to rent a house, and will be moving my sofa soon. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to make another dog out of what I'll find under there. I'm constantly picking up full sized rabbits. Heeheehee!

My parents were the same way. Both my dogs lived outside and had a doghouse or the awning for shelter. The few times they were allowed in were for freezing, heavy storms, or fireworks, and they had to stay in the laundry room. We fed them Gravy Train or Kibbles N' Bits cuz it was cheap, and we filled the bowl to the top with food rather than measuring it out for weight control. My dogs were deathly afraid of the car because it meant only one thing... vet day. I loved my doggies growing up, but I think Jack is so much better off now and probably happier than either of my wonderful pups from my childhood. True some dog owners are annoyingly over-protective of their pets, but that can be said about kids or birds or cats or cars or computers. Unfortunately with pet/tech/scientific/etc. advancements comes the loud-mouthed obnoxious know-it-alls who are determined to make everyone around them miserable. I don't blame OP for escaping them. My mother did the same thing. Being a school principal had become ridiculously difficult because of those very same people.

I'm quickly realizing there's not a lot I can do about it, not that it's a huge deal. I AM moving into a rental house tho, so keeping down the furballs is somewhat important. Jack has the most gloriously soft glossy coat, and I'd hate to ruin it. I read one review about the FURminator thinning out coats too much. More and more I see these comments and read reviews, the less and less I want one. I wish I could just... test one out for a week or something. Hopefully the undercoat rake does the trick.

Thanks for the suggestions! I think I'll try out the undercoat rake before throwing away 30 to 70 (are you KIDDING me?) bucks on a FURminator that, from what I've read, can pull hair. Jack is only tolerant of brushing to a point. :\

I wish more people would actually offer up some information on breeds when people adopt from the shelter here in Austin. When I got Jack, they couldn't tell me ANYTHING about him. All I got was "border collies are high energy, so you'll need to walk him a lot". No temperament info, no packet with breed information, nothin'. I know it's a government facility, and they're all about pushing the animals out to make room for more, but I wish wish wish they'd give people a print out with some basic info on breeds and their typical behaviors and maybe just have someone observe the dog when they take them out for exercise, make a few notes, and include it with the adoption information. I really think your idea for info packets is awesome. When I ask the guy filling out the paperwork with me if he knew anything about the dog he said, "If we know anything, we write it on their picture hanging on the cage." :\

If a chip migrates like that (especially into an area where it might cause issues like into the leg area), is it suggested to have it removed or just... leave it and hope for the best?

Jack is an indoor dog. I know massive amounts of cleaning come with an indoor long-haired doggy, but it seems no matter how much I vacuum or lint-roll, balls of his fur drift lazy across my floors and gather in the corners like furry li'l tumbleweed. I use a slicker brush on his daily, and always seem to get a good handful of fur every day. I was looking into the FURminator, but I've seen some concerns with the sharp ends and it IS ridiculously expensive. I'm hoping for suggestions on tools to cut down shedding. Heck, I'll take suggestions for tools to help clean better cuz the vacuum and lint roller are pretty ineffective on my sofa and area rug.

What a lovely observation. I have to agree that most people I've met with dogs seem like better people. Having a dog sure has kept me away from being a hermit couch potato who playes video games non-stop. My best friend never had a pet growing up, and I always felt badly for her because she never had the experience of growing up with a family pet. She and her husband picked up a stray puppy a year ago, and I think it's really opened her up to new things (and probably helped her with preparing to have a kid). I had two dogs growing up. One the family had before I was born and the other we got when I was three. I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world. I think a lot can be learned from growing up with pets; things like responsibility and respect.

Selma is a pretty nice area. I used to work over there. The cops there are stealthy and ticket-happy so drive carefully. I'm sorry you're stuck by San Antonio tho. Great place to visit (srsly awesome vacation destination), terrible place to live (srsly dirty nasty city). I unfortunately didn't have a dog when I was there, so I have no advice for ya.

Yes yes yes. I'm beyond disgusted at the whole situation. Yep. This right here ^ I also have a HUGE problem with ultimatums which I know a lot of others voiced their opinions about as well. From experience, that's a guaranteed relationship killer.

Poor li'l muffin. The more I see these cute faces, the more I wish I could have multiple pupsters.

What an absolutely adorable doggy!

I lost it at "..leaked a few kibbles from her face when she jumped out onto the street". Then I lost it again at "..she'll only do it when it a rotten piece of wood off the ground and then she starts eating all the bark while staring directly at me". I picture her with this srs bsns look while maoing rotten log and cackled, drawing the entire office's attention. :3 Awesome post! Best lol I've had in days. AAAAND she's SUPER adorable! Shelter told me mix when I got my BC too, but it was LIIIES. Nessie DEFINITELY looks pure BC to me. I just started agility with my dogster 3 weeks ago, and it's super funfunfun. You will love it so hard.

I'll agree with postponing it for a few days to see if eating habits go back to normal. I know you said that you couldn't entice him with anything, but could you clarify? Like he wouldn't accept treats of any kind either? I had issues with Jack not wanting to eat for a few days and was concerned. I was forced to pour the food from his bowl practically right in his face or hold handfuls of the food in front of him to get him to eat. Turned out he was just tired of dry food. I now mix a spoonful of wet into his kibble and he's in love with food again.

Thank you for sharing that story! Stuff like that makes my day! Not my intention to hijack a thread, but the post reminded me of this breakthrough in doggy spine injury repair: Pet dogs paralysed by spine damage are able to walk again following pioneering treatment