MirageMerle

I hope the poster whose coworker just got a deaf BC sees this, and thanks so much for the info. I don't have a deaf dog (just selective hearing LOL) but that information is good for general training too. - Brooke -

Your camera is amazing...AMAZING!! And that picture is also amazing...what a beauty! Would you mind if I was terribly rude as to ask you to PM me with the website you bought it on and the approximate price? I've been trying to get my husband to buy me a camera forever! - Brooke -

I would LOVE to put her in a crate, but alas drive a Subaru Impreza (not the wagon) which makes that impossible. I got the car before I got the dog, but I know the next one is going to be a wagon with room for her in back. I've been wanting to get her a doggie seat belt though. I know it would be best in an accident, but I'm worried she'd freak out because she couldn't put her head out the window. But I suppose her safety is more important, so she'll have to learn to deal with it! She LOVES to ride in the car if it's a short trip with the windows down. We couldn't have the windows down yesterday because of the snow. - Brooke -

BTW I hope I don't get in trouble since what I'm about to say isn't remotely dog related, but I really like your living room! Are your couches ultrasuede?? LOL Sorry...never going to do that again, I promise... - Brooke -

LOL You were posting as I was trying to think of how the heck I was going to describe the trashcans! LOL!! Sorry for the redundant info! - Brooke -

LOL!!! Those are great pics...if it wasn't upside down, he'd be astronaut dog! Dogmonaut!! LOLOL!! We have two different kinds of trash cans in our house, one that works with her, one that doesn't. The one in our bathroom, which she has never figured out and got bored with trying, is one of those with the step thing that raises the lid. We got one that has a sort of wire stepper rather than a solid one, because she can't do the wire one with her paws very well. The one in our kitchen is a totally different story. It's one of those plastic ones with the button near the lid that opens it and the whole lid is one separate piece from the rest of the can, the cheapie plastic ones. She gets into that one on a daily basis. She figured out how to push that button and open the lid, so we started turning it around in the cubby it's in so she doesn't have access to the front of the can. Then, she figured out that she could nudge the back of the lid and it would spring open. Sooooo long story short, my advice is that you get the kind with the foot-step button to open the lid. - Brooke -

Ditto! See about no-kills or PB rescues too! Geez, people blow my mind. My animals are like my babies, and I guess I just can't imagine how people can be unconcerned like that... - Brooke -

You mean like feed her gingersnap cookies? I know ginger is good for tummies, so I'm surprised I never thought of that!! Like just a couple, like treats? Thanks for the Dramamine suggestion too. If nobody posts about a dosage, I'll ask her vet next time we see him. - Brooke -

We were headed up to Denver yesterday for Easter, about 2 hours away, with Mir in the backseat. We got about halfway there and the weather was really bad so we turned around (we've been having a lot of snow and ice storms). About 3/4 of the way home, when she had been in the car for maybe 90 minutes, Mirage yakked up all of her food from the day before (since she hadn't eaten yet today). She often gets carsick on trips where we drive straight through for an hour or so, but never if she's in the car when I run errands. I'm sure that the answer will be no, but is there ANY way to treat her carsickness? We love bringing her to my parents (in Denver) because they have a much larger yard and two dogs for her to play with and she has a GREAT time, so we'd like to see if there's a way we can make her not puke! TIA!! - Brooke -

Neither did I, but I'm the kind of person who never makes any kind of long-term or major investment without knowing as much as I can about it, especially if a living thing is involved. Mirage is my first dog that's just mine, and my parents HAD dogs but knew nothing about them. So I wasn't super savvy either. In truth, it was my ex-DH who wanted to get a BC and then, once we got her, did nothing with her. No training, no affection, nothing. He was one of those people who gets a dog just to have one, even though he actually knew about the breed and I had never heard of it before. I was the one who was enthusiastic about having her and training her and did a TON of research before we got her (BYB), and I was the one who actually wanted her in the divorce. He didn't even care. And this was when I was a dog novice, and I still am in a lot of ways since she's my first on my own and my first raised from puppyhood. I'm sorry, but I still think your co-worker was irresponsible. Why do you get a dog you know NOTHING about because you always wanted a puppy in "those" colors?? It's like this friend of ours who couldn't even properly care for a rat (to the point where he gave it to us because he couldn't handle it) and then turn around and want to get sugar gliders...why do people do that?? BTW, kcdawg, I'm right there with you. The worst is when I tell people, "No, she's a purebred BC" and they look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong and she's an Aussie. Perfect strangers have done this to me! And I'll have to explain that while the merle coloring is rare, it happens. And they STILL don't believe me. IT'S MY DOG!! LOL - Brooke -

What would be the motive of that? Like, who wakes up one day and says "Hey, I think I'll taint some pet food today and cause a nationwide scare!" WTH...? Not saying I don't believe it though, because there are some sick people out there... ETA: Might have helped if I had paid closer attention to the article. The pet food wasn't tainted on purpose, according to this theory. Whoever just may have added stuff that they didn't know was tainted. Sorry for sounding like a big moron! - Brooke -

I've felt like that before too, I think we all have. It's impossible to never make a mistake, so don't beat yourself up too much. I'm sure your kiddos still love you, and they've probably forgotten all about it! - Brooke -

Maybe it's just me, but I would never get ANY breed of dog knowing nothing about them. Ever. Dogs are not like children -- you can actually pick the dog that fits with your personality and lifestyle rather than just ending up with whatever nature decides you should get. My DH wanted an English Bulldog and I immediately started doing research. Through the research, we determined it wasn't the dog for us. He wanted it because it "looked cool" and I was like...uhhhh, no, honey! You never pick a dog just because it "looks cool". Heck, we did the same thing when we decided to get rodents. We did research before we picked what we got (5 rats and a guinea pig). I'm glad that she's still going to love her BC, but still...I can't help but think it's a bit irresponsible... - Brooke -

Mirage lives in an apartment, and she's happy here. I'm a SAHW and my husband has a pretty much 9-5 job, so we have plenty of time to spend with her. She has a cat, 5 rats, and a guinea pig to stimulate her too! LOL ETA: I would also go with a rescue. We got Mirage from a breeder, but I normally prefer rescue. - Brooke -

I figured since it said "Small Dog" maybe they had more breeds than just 'huahuas. Maybe I was wrong, then! LOL Thanks for the input! - Brooke -