JMack

Has anyone had their bc on prozac? My 4 1/2 year old has been on it about a month (for reasons I won't go into). Overall, she is doing very well, but has had some digestive problems--loose stool & flatulence. The vet suggested pepcid 1/2 hr before the prozac, which I've given her the last 2 days, but she now has diarhhea. Could it be the pepcid? Because of the cold, I've been home from work & monitored D. more than usual, so it's less likely that she just got into something.

I just thought of the perfect new dog name: Chesley

PS & I meant to say That is one beautiful dog.

Pie

I have some booties for Durga, which have thus far been unsuccessful (she takes them off). I spray her paws with Pam & really rub it in between the pads, which helps a lot.

But the Obamas _are_ looking for a shelter dog, 'doodle or a Portuguese Water Dog. There aren't any guarantees, of course, but if you have a child with an allergy, some breeds seem to affect them less. (I say this as someone who does not believe in breeding companion dogs, at all.) Just to say one thing about calling any dog 'garbage' (jader, this is really to make a general point--not to belabor anything with you after your more than gracious apology)-- I wonder if we should all be more careful (myself included) in the kind of language we use about animals. We live in a society that is more dog-as-thing than not, that throws animals away when they no longer suit or please.

What a beauty. I love his different-colored eyes.

Glen Highland Farm is near you, yes? Lots of BCs there who are less than a year. Here they are: http://glenhighlandfarm.com/ghfdogs.htm

Shay, I thought you'd decided to rescue. There are some wonderful rescues--including puppies-- in your area. Are you sure you don't want to give a home to a dog who might otherwise be put down? The shelters and rescues are crowded, overcrowded, euthanizing dogs on a daily basis. With the economy and the housing crisis, it's just going to get worse. Please consider a rescue. I'm sure there are groups who would work with you to find a suitable puppy.

Flyer, More adorable puppies needing homes: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaype...petid=12733949s

Gaiam (gaiam.com) makes rugs (they're really more like mats) from recycled soda pop bottles. They are indoor/ outdoor lightweight & come in beautiful colors. I have one on my kitchen floor & can roll it up and shake it off the back porch or hose it down if need be.

oooh, look at this one: http://bcrescue.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4082

Winnipeg? http://bcrescue.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3149

Your dog's behavior when faced with a threat--to lunge when on the cable & run when off it--makes perfect sense to me. A fearful dog will warn off the threat when she has no choice & (better) run from it when she can. I agree with the previous poster--I would not put her on the cable at all if possible. And I would do everything you can to make her feel safe, to NOT push her past her threshold. There are excellent protocols for desensitizing dogs to threats. My own BC is reactive. She started out (as a 15-month old rescue who'd been on a chain) as an extremely fearful dog who ran and hid from everyone, especially men. With a little confidence, she "progressed" to occasional aggression, with dogs and humans, but is also much friendlier and happier. An invaluable resource for me throughout this now 3-year process has been a yahoo group, shy-k9s. On that group are trainers who specialize in reactive dog issues (as well as many owners who share their own experiences). There are also many files, articles, resources. Here is their webpage (with instructions about subscribing): http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/shy-k9s/ I strongly recommend you post your query there as well. I think you'll get some excellent advice. (I with I'd known about it when I first got my shy dog. It would've saved me from many mistakes & some bad advice, e.g., many vets--and some trainers--will tell you not to comfort/reassure a frightened dog. Please just ignore this advice if you get it.) Good luck with it.

I taught Taj to ring some bells on the back door when he wants to go out. Trinity does it now, but I never taught her. How? I would love to teach that to Durga.

I think the trick with Kongs is layering them with the smelliest morsel at the far end, usually something fishy (tuna or a spoonful of canned cat food.) Buy a small bag of a different kibble (perhaps higher grade than you usually use and with different ingredients, esp the meat used). Green beans, rice, a dog treat (Lean treats are good). I buy something called Nature Log at the pet store which is pressed meat in a sausage shape. It's lean and a big hit. I agree about yoghurt & freezing it. It's never made a mess. I wonder if you might also try a special chew toy (the chicken flavored inedible Nylabone is a big hit here) which you only give your dog at dinnertime and then put away.

If you're a BC owner living in the UK, I would appreciate hearing from you. I will likely move--for about a year-- with my 5 year old BC to Devon in summer 2010. She's a rescue dog with some issues. I'll need to find a regular dog walker and sitter for when I'm out of town (really prefer not to kennel her as she is a soft dog & sometimes reactive). Will this be easy to do? Also, she is on flouxetine (generic prozac). Do vets in the UK routinely prescribe this for reactive dogs? It's been a great help. Finally, if anyone has transported their dog(s) from the US to England, any tips? We will likely fly Cleveland to Heathrow & rent a car there.

I'm thinking of investing in insurance and would appreciate hearing from those of you who have it or have had it in the past. Which company? Does your vet file with the company? or do you pay and ask for reimbursement?

So sorry about your floor-- in the meantime, I'd rub a little tinted paste wax onto the scratches. Johnson paste wax with a cherry tint in it. I work at home a couple of days a week & I'm beginning to realize that I need a better routine on those days. D, my 4yrold bc drives me crazy, when I know she mostly naps when I'm at my office. When I'm home she rarely settles down, is at me constantly--paw, face on the keyboard (once she erased an entire page of text). So I'm realizing that she needs formal down time, away from me during the days I'm home.

Thanks--bad word choice "shave." Your thoughts are helpful. I'll probably opt for a pretty conservative trim (& perhaps a belly shave) this summer & see how she does.

That's a great article. I don't usually read National Geographic, but I saw that BC face on the cover while I was in an airport bookstore and bought it. What a fascinating article! My BC learns words very fast, sometimes just a couple of repetitions if she's really motivated (rabbit). Especially names (of people, other dogs). I can count about 60 words I know she knows. I suspect there are more.

Patrick, You've gotten some great advice here (& there's plenty of bad advice about shy dogs around). A book that helped me a lot with my shy dog (who started out very much like yours & still has some fear issues) is SCAREDY DOG. It's a little hard to find, but if you want to email me & send me your snail mail address, I'd be happy to pass on my copy to you. One thing the book recommended was to give the dog an entire week of quiet time when you first get it. I didn't b/c I didn't get the book until I'd had D for a couple of months, but I did it then. It's a way for the dog to experience what it's like to be really relaxed. No contact with strangers at all during that week. Another thing that helped a lot with my dog was enlisting friends to help. I started with one friend who would come over, sit and ignore D completely. No eye contact, no approach, no calling her by name--all of which make a shy dog more scared. Then she would toss treats in D's direction, still ignoring her. Eventually D. approached my friend, then in time let her pet her. The trick is to set up situations where the dog can initiate the contact. And can retreat is he needs to. Some of your friends probably won't be any good at this--not all of mine were. It wasn't easy with D, my dog. It took a while & was very frustrating & worrying at times. But now she loves it when people come over (though not the postman!) and is one of the friendliest dogs in the park. And she's pretty happy.

Do any of you shave/ have shaved your BCs for the summer? I'm thinking about it with my medium-coat girl, specifically having a groomer trim/shave her coat to about 3/4 of an inch. I think she'd be a lot more comfortable (though not nearly so cute (!). (And I have to say I wouldn't mind a few months of a little less hair in the house.) The other option is to have her underside shaved.

I think I've found the answer. Rachel, this website might interest you, too: http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=1163

I have another flea question. I'd like to find a natural product to use in my house. I & dog are about to be away for a couple of months and my housesitter has no pets. I suspect there might be some flea eggs in the house. Besides using a pesticide, is there anything I could put down on the rugs etc. for fleas?