Help! I don't know what to do!

[Mayasmydobe]

Okay, so Maya had her ears cropped yesterday, she came home today. Everything with her ears is fine, but her behavior is different!

Like before her surgery she was hyper, but knew her limits as far as chewing on people. now, this evening I got down on the floor to play with her and the first thing she did was run up to me and jump on me putting my whole arm in her mouth! I told her no, and removed me arm from her mouth (she wasnt biting down on me) and got her chew toy for her, she didnt want it, she wanted to chew on my arm! So I got up and sat in a chair and played tug with her for a few minutes and then let her chew on her toy on her own. She did that for a while and then wanted to chew on me again. Frustrated I took her out to try and potty (she wouldnt) so I brought her in and put her in the Kennel.

Another thing is when we are outside she runs around like a chicken with her head cut off! Of course she is on the leash, but she has never run around so frantically before.

Is this something to be concerned about? My dad says that she is just stressed out becuase of the surgery and she should be better in a few days. What do you guys think?

[Zoom]

I agree, it's probably stress. She's fairly old to have a crop done and it's bound to affect her in a different way than if she were younger. Also, has she ever yet been away from you for an extended period of time in a strange place, i.e. boarding kennel or the like?

Then again, maybe she's just trying to show off, like some people do after getting a new drastic haircut. :lol-sign: I would just keep reinforcing the previous rules and stuff to let her know that nothing on your end has changed and you are still expecting her to be the good dog she was before.

How old is she again? It might also just be coinciding with a new puppy stage.

[Mayasmydobe]

She is a little over 12 weeks and no she hadnt been away from us for anything (except when she is in her Kennel at night and when we just can't keep an eye on her"

I am almost afraid to touch her for fear of hurting her ears. I just hope I can make it through untill her ears are healed and arent so sensative.

[Zoom]

12 weeks is the start of "The Brat Stage". She is going to start sorely testing her limits on stuff, developing independence, etc. She will be a brat. :) Just train through it, keep doing everything else the same. I can't comment much on her ears, since I've never had a cropped dog, but from the stories I hear on here, it's going to take more than just brushing up against her to hurt her ears. I would still touch her ears lightly so she knows that she still has to have manners for that part of her body, otherwise re-posting and cleaning is going to a pain in the rear.

[Doberluv]

She'll be fine. Don't worry. She'll probably be a little sore for a few days, then they'll itch until the scabs come off.....about 10 days. Then she'll feel fine.

[Mayasmydobe]

Thanks Doberluv :)

another question, at her age has she gained control of her bowels better becuase before it seemed as though right after she ate she would poop and pooty (wo took her out as soon as she finished eating)

Now it has been 4 hours since she has eaten, she has been outside 3 times since she ate and she hasnt pooped. we go to her potty spot, she will potty and I wait about five minutes, if she hasnt pooped we walk around the yard for about 5 minutes and then spend another 5 minutes at her potty spot waiting and she wont poop. I want her to poop so that I can stop worrying about it.

[Maxy24]

my kitten got weird after he got neutered, started attacking imaginary things, would collapse on the floor and roll around for 3 minutes. I think it was the pain meds they gave him, he seemed tired but could not sleep, they said on the phone that they were gonna give him some really good pain medicine so I bet that was what was up with my cat, might of been what was going on with your pup.

[Mayasmydobe]

We go see the vet today at about 4 so I am going to tell him whats been going on then.
(btw) she still hasnt pooped after she ate supper last night.
She has pottied a few times, but still no poop.

[Doberluv]

There's not much to do about the pooping. lol. Only her own digestion can contol that. Are her stools normal consistancy when she does go?

Another thing is when we are outside she runs around like a chicken with her head cut off! Of course she is on the leash, but she has never run around so frantically before.
Sorry, I never responded to that. It sounds like she's just flat out glad to be home? I don't know....but they go through stages anyhow, so it may have nothing to do with her cropping or time in the vet's office. I wouldn't worry about it.

[Doberluv]

Missed your last post. Maybe she's constipated? Give her a spoon of yogurt. I'm sure it will all "come out in the end." Pardon the pun. Good luck at the vet's. What are you feeding her, btw?

[Mayasmydobe]

las time she went was about 5:30 yesterday and ys her poop was normal looking.

Will the yogurt give her diareah(sp) becuase that would be soo horrible to deal with (I will do it if it will help her though)

Also, I am feeding her what the breeder fed her (purina puppy chow) I know it is a bad choice but i didnt want to switch her when we first got her becuase she was already stressed enough leaving her family, and then we scheduled the ear cropping and I decided to switch her after she healed from surgery. anyways she gets about 2 coffee cups full two times a day (per advice from the vet)

[pupmiki595]

your dog will be fine just different behaiver and he is probly just in pain and cant help him self

[Mayasmydobe]

update... she finally pooped! It wasnt a whole lot and it seemed like she was having a bit of trouble but that might have been just me worrying about her.

Thanks you guys, for calming my nerves a bit :)

[Mayasmydobe]

okay we just got back from the vet to get the bandages removed from her front legs... she was bleeding a bit from the stitches where her dewclaws used to be so the vet bandaged her legs back up and told me to bring her in monday and he would check them again.

he said her ears are looking great.

man is it terrible outside! It's hailing and they are HUGE.... I am kinda nervous to take Maya outside in this becuase if it hits her ears it is gonna hurt her.

[Adrienne]

One thing to think about with the pooping, if she is on pain medication, any sort of narcotic, it will slow down the digestive tract and can cause constipation in people and puppies alike. I wouldn't worry about it to much unless she is really straining in which case some canned pumpkin should loosen her up a bit.

[Mayasmydobe]

She isnt on any pain meds. She is doing just fine though. Pooping is normal again.

[lookin4afurbaby]

Is she still running around like a chicken without a head? I have a dog (a beagle) and he when he gets to run around with out a leash (which isnt very often living in MA with the snow now) with go wild and change directions and stuff like that. It might just be her letting her energy out, thats whaty lucas does.

[Mayasmydobe]

no she isnt running around all crazy anymore (but that could be becuase we are having a terrible hail storm now and she just wants to go back inside)

[ACooper]

The meds the Vet had to give her during the surgery could have thrown her pooh schedule out of whack, plus she didn't eat before surgery and not for sometime after. I am glad to hear it is back on track.

Orson was a sick little pup when he was little, he was saved from a horrible BYB. (long story for another time) He was about 15 weeks before he was well and strong enough to be cropped.(over the hill for most croppings) When I went and picked him up after the crop he was tired, and a little nervous about being there and he wanted to go home. When we actually got home he went bonkers, running here - there - and everywhere! He had to make sure nothing had changed while he was gone, he needed to check out every person in the house and let them know he was BACK BABY! LOL He settled back into his old routine after a few hours :)
This whole story is just to show you that it is probably very normal behavior and she was
just thrilled you didn't leave her there forever ;)

[Mayasmydobe]

thanks AC Cooper :)

She still isnt quite back on schedule with her pooping as normally she would poop within ten minutes of eating and last night she ate at about 6-6:30 and didnt poop untill midnight (her last outing of the night). But I am just gonna give her time. Everything else is normal, we are treating her like normal, feeding her like normal. I figure it will all fall into place within the next few days.

[Spirit2010]

Oh yes, the brat stage, ug, Hershey did this same thing. I hated the brat stage, he liked to chew on arms too. :rolleyes: A little over 12 weeks is when they aren't that calm cute little puppy anymore, run, run far away! (yes, they are still cute!) hehe. Just not the calm cute anymore. The brat stage of puppyhood. Learn to love it, because she won't be there long. (the calm stage) lol, but, you have gotten great advice, sorry I am never any help. But I wish you luck! :D so does Hershey. ;) Your doing a great job, just keep constant training, and you will do great!

[Mayasmydobe]

so about how long does the brat stage last... I got frustrated today and she didnt get to spend a TON of time out of her kennel.. becuase everytime I brought her out, she would RUN AND RUN AND RUN and JUMP AND JUMP AND JUMP and BITE AND BITE AND BITE!!! no matter what I did... she had three toys on the floor to play with and I was constantly trying to get her interested in them, but NOOOO my arm was more fun!