Anijosdad

Thanks everybody for the suggestions. As far as the Mio, propel, etc. and the associated sweeteners....she didn't really seem to like those anyway. I just thought at the time it was worth a try. Not to dismiss the fountain, but I highly doubt she would tolerate that. She is VERY anxious around any running water. We have been out hiking previously and if we came upon a stream, she would hardly even go near it. We even found a couple trails with bridges over streams that I had too force her over the bridge. I had a little luck with melted snow. I may have to get a rain barrel or prefferably move somewhere that has snow year round. I started with stainless bowls. Ani also didn't like her collar or tags clinking on the metal.

I'll have to google kefir. I don't know what that is. I have not tried (did not think of) yogurt. I'll also try that. Thanks for the idea.

It could be that she is getting enough "water" from the snow. She does eat quite a bit. Of course I have been letting her eat just about as much as she wants because i thought if she is eating a lot, she needs it. I guess my big concern is that she has never really LIKED water of any sort. Probably overthinking this. I'll try bottled water and a diferent bowl and see what happens.

I talked to one of the ladies at the vets office. She had a couple of ideas to try. (1) different bowl. I will try this after work. I doubt it as I have used collaspsable bowls while traveling, to varied success. (2) melt snow. Obviously not going to work in the summer, but worth a try. She would eat ice cubes previously. Maybe we will have to keep a tray of ice cubes around (3) maybe we have an issue with our water. Kind of doubt this one. We have never had sickness or other issues from our water. But it's worth trying a bottle of water just to see what happens. And I can't imagine she is sensitive to our water, when she would drink the nasty, dirty, gross puddles. Oh and I have also tried putting the coldest water I get out of the faucet. Also have tried more of a lukewarm/room temp water. Is this just another of the many, many, many, many BC personality quirks?

Quite yellow. I don't see blood or anything like that. It's a little hard to tell. She INSISTS on wading out into our 3 feet of snow to do her business. Very modest.

I must admit that I haven't seen or talked to a vet about it yet. She seems fine. Sometimes her stool is quite firm and just a couple "items". (sorry to be so crude). sometimes it is pretty soft. I have attributed that to the fact that we are changing food a lot because she is pretty finicky about eating. It has worried me a little all along but lately I don't think she has really drank anything in 2-3 days. She will stand outside and eat quite a bit of snow, so I figured she is at least getting some hydration. I'm going to call and speak to the vet.

So, my 9mo BC doesn't drink enough in my opinion. She has always been a finicky eater and water "phobic". A little background.....she WILL NOT swim, wade or even step in water. She doesn't like to be out in the rain. She will however drink out of the nastiest, grossest, dirtiest puddles (Before they were all frozen). She will also eat snow. When she was younger, I would add quite a bit of water to her food and she would eat and drink it all. I tried that recently and she "air buries" it and won't touch it. I tried bringing in a bowlful of snow. She stood back and barked at it like it was the devil coming to take us all. I have tried adding flavoring to her water. Such as beef and chicken broth, the MIO water flavoring, some different powdered drink mixes. All to no avail. It is getting to the point that I am pretty worried about de-hydration. I don't really want to feed her canned food, but if you all think there would be sufficient water content, I would feed canned/soft. I have run out of ideas to try. Any suggestions?

My 7 mo old Ani has so many things I will probably miss some, but reading this has actually comforted me some that it's not just mine that has odd traits. So here goes: Digging. Especially in soft snow. Right this moment she is barking at the fire in the wood stove. One of the first times I started up the wood stove this season, she came up behind me and bit the back of my arm pretty good when I struck a match. She tries to chase flying birds. She isn't allowed off-leash yet, but I worry she would chase crows especially, until she died from exhaustion. She DOES NOT like water. Especially being wet. Especially moving water. Doesn't like going out in the rain. Will NOT step in the water in a puddle, stream, ditch, etc. We even have a somewhat hard time getting her to drink. That actually worries me a little. BUT she WILL drink out of the nastiest, muddiest, slimiest puddles, ditches. Loves eating ice cubes and snow. Also wipes her face on the rugs, bed, couch, recliners after eating. But not after drinking. Wont really go lay down and chew on chewy type toys. Must play fetch with everything. But she prefers to fetch an item and play keep away with it. Chews on her legs and feet. Not to the point of chewing the fur off or breaking skin. I don't mean just nibbling but whole leg or foot in her mouth. This seems to happen mostly when she is tired. When the furnace comes on, she jumps up and runs around the house chasing the sound of the water passing through the baseboard heaters. If she and my wife are in the house, and Ani is laying down, quite often when I come in the house, from doing some chore like bringing in wood from the woodshed, Ani will jump up and race around as if to show me she is "on the job".

All great advice. Kinda just skimmed through, but plan to study all your posts. I have the pedi-paws also. Got it out and just turned it on without really approaching Ani. Let her come to the machine. Well, when she did come, she was lip curled, teeth bared, barking. I kinda expected that. She is initially very noise wary. I may try that some more. A couple of my problems is that the closest vet and groomer are 45 miles away. Oh well, this is just another hurdle we need to clear some how. We'll figure something out. Thanks again everyone.

Agreed. That is why i stopped and didn't force the issue.

I have a "dremel" type nail grinder from a previous dog. I'll try that. I hesitate because of the noise,(she is quite noise sensitive) but it doesn't hurt (too much) to try. If she resists, I'll try something else. Any suggestions on de-sensitizing? We have sporadically been touching/handling her feet all through her puppyhood. Clippings have probably been once a month up to now.

I have clipped Ani's nails when needed for the past 7 months. One time I did get the quick and drew a little blood. She has tolerated it so far. Today however, she was curling her lips, baring her teeth and she didn't bite me but she kinda put her mouth to my hand as if to say "try that again and I WILL bite you". When she "struck" at me, I batted her nose enough so she would know that is BAD. I tried going in for another nail, and she curled, and bared teeth again so I stopped. I didn't think I should go through 18 nails and just cause a bad scenario. Should I force her to submit to clipping? Should I get a muzzle for it?

Ok. you all know alot more about BCs than me. I will take your advice to heart. I am a little baffled how to exercise her mind and body. I thought the weaving would make her think. I have been doing it once or twice every couple of days. And I have been walking her through by tempting her with treats right at her nose so she is not running. Just walking around the poles. But will stop. Not taking your advice the wrong way at all. This probably isn't the thread to go much deeper into it, so I will keep it short and do some searching how to occupy her. Thanks for the kind words.

Because let's face it, the cutest puppy is a sleeping puppy. Yes, one blue eye, one brown Anijo. (ani) ahnee. Purchased from a "backyard breeder". Contrary to what some folks here believe, she is going to be our pet. 13 weeks at this point. I have built a short "agility" course in our yard for some of her activity. Just starting on some weave poles. That is seeming a little challenge, but it keeps her working for a little while, then we go on to frisbee, or ball fetch, or throw in some basic commands. She does, SIT, (lay) DOWN, WHOA, pretty well. COMEs pretty good, sometimes she just doesn't feel like it.

In all honesty, when she is out during my work days, she might not be getting enough activity. During my lunch break, I try to eat fairly quickly and then we go out and we play fetch the frisbee for 1/2 hr(ish). In the mornings before we go, I try to play some fetch or go for a walk of some sort. Probably not long/physical enough but it take awhile to go even a mile or so. She is young and very curious, so she has to smell and check out everything. Which IMO is OK. In the evening, we play fetch, work in some SIT, DOWN, WHOA and such. I have also set up a small "agility course" and she works that. I am just starting to try to introduce a weave component. (mental stim). I know, realistically, that most of the "problem" is just that she is a puppy. One of my bigger concerns is wether we should be forcing her into the crate. I have no problem using a crate. I just don't want to cause problems into the future. I'll get some pics soon.