Can't Even List All the Problems...HELP PLEASE!!!

Doberluv

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#21
Awesome advice! I wish you the best with this dog. I can just imagine and relate to what CT says about walking on egg shells too much with this guy. Of course, you don't want to frighten or overwhelm him, but I like that what she said about the happy go lucky, no big deal attitude. It is a great one to use with animals when they're afraid or balking at something. I used it on horses even and it works wonders.

Keep us posted on how things go. Best of luck. He'll be fine!
 

oriondw

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#22
EliNHunter said:
Huh? Why do you say this? I think dog parks are a wonderful environment to socialize your dog. Hence their reason to be getting so popular. Yes, there may be altercations, but that's how dogs (and OWNERS) learn. Not sure where you're coming from on this one. Maybe you just had a bad experience at a dog park near you.
???

EliNHunter said:
In re-reading your post, it sounds like you take your dog to a dog park for the sole purpose of crapping. Just wanted to let you know, that's not their sole purpose. It is to socialize your dog and exercise them on the equipment if you wish.
No, :rolleyes:


Do people cant read here? This is like 3rd time people read into what I write at completely wrong angle.

Dog parks are bad. Reason being, most of the dogs that go there have been locked up for hours, have not been trained, and their owners dont care for them enough to look after them.

There are dogs there that hate puppies, that hate big dogs, that hate furry dogs, you name it. You cant controll all the dogs. While the idea is great, the implementation is terrible.

People break rules, bring dogs in heat, bring aggressive dogs, bring small agressive dogs to big side of park, etc.

The only time I ever go to dog parks is when I find people I know who go there, and I know every dog there so its a controlled environment.

In the end, 1 bite can ruin your whole socialization process and you might never be able to fix it depending on how impressionable your dog is.

It is MUCH better to socialize your pup with dogs you know and people you know.
 

Doberluv

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#23
When you socialize a young puppy, it is extremely important that they don't have even one frightening experience. They do NOT learn anything positive from that. All they learn is that going out into the world is very scary. They must have lots of experiences which are pleasant to teach them that going out is a good thing, that friendly strangers are a good thing, that any enviornment or ground surface is just fine. They learn confidence which is necessary to a dog's emotional health.

A dog park can be just loaded with dogs and dogs who are not supervised or under control. That's way too much for a puppy. It is not natural for a pup or any dog to be thrown into the midst a bunch of dogs he doesn't know and who isn't his pack or family. It is much, much better to introduce him to one or two dogs whom you know are friendly and healthy. Then when he is old enough, you can increase this socialization with a small group in a puppy class with a good trainer and where the dogs are controlled and supervised, so to avoid any bad experiences. When they have had the foundation of a gradual getting use to things, then they are more ready for more and can withstand a small negative occurance. But still, you want to prevent anything overwhelming to them.
 
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#24
Quote:
Originally Posted by EliNHunter
In re-reading your post, it sounds like you take your dog to a dog park for the sole purpose of crapping. Just wanted to let you know, that's not their sole purpose. It is to socialize your dog and exercise them on the equipment if you wish.


I do not bring him to the dog park to just crap. I tried it out a couple of times because I thought he would like to play with the other dogs. Yes I take him to the other park to crap, but that isn't the sole reason for that either. Mainly I take him to our local park because he is the happiest I ever see him. At the designated dog park "dog park" he was very stressed and distracted, many dogs were aggressive, and also some seemed to be sick, and seemed very unhappy there...he is very friendly with other dogs, (he loves to be chased, because he is so fast and likes to show off) but he just can't seem to relax in that fenced in area, where there are so many dogs, that he cannot really run around without being nervous. EliNHunter I can understand what your saying, and I hope I was able to explain my actions here. I take him to our local park where there are plenty of dogs to socialize with, in a much bigger area. Our dog park doesn't have any trees, and no grass. So he likes the other park where he can be chased by dogs, and roll in the grass, play near the stream, and play soccer with me!
 
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#25
This is sort of an extreme example, but I do find that folks tend to treat their dog differently if they suspect abuse, and that sometimes can lead to further problems. You may want to step back and consider your reactions to his stress just to be certain you're not contributing to it. I hope that doesn't sound nasty at all. But sometimes our best intentions can cause problems. Just something to think on!
I don't know if this is how you quote, but anyway In response to Creature Teacher...when I first got him, I was very kinda nervous about him thinking that I was going to abandon him...which I realized re-enforced behavior. I quickly learned that this was not the way to go, because he had already fallen in love, and would never leave my side. I also found that being tougher on him, (but not mean)...Like not treating him for default commands, rather than the one I was asking, (if i asked him to lay down, and instead he would shake)...than he would learn better. Now he can do every command I ask him, and learns remarkably fast. Also he cries at night because he sleeps in the other room...the reason for this is that I want the cats to have their safe place in my bedroom, I blocked off a section with a baby gate so the cats can still get into that area and have their food and litter, and a place to run if Dakota gets playful and wants to chase, (which they don't mind)...where he can't get into. Anyway, he sleeps in the other room.

At night sometimes he will cry, and I use to rush to him to calm him down. Ignoring him was the best thing he could learn...he is mostly good now, sometimes he will cry. Anyway through all this, I have learned that Dakota feels very safe with me, because he knows that I am "alpha dog." And that I will keep him safe. Its a big difference with my roomate and I because she still kind of "mothers" him, and he doesn't listen to her as much.

With the going outside thing...when I use to tell him that we were going to the park he would jump up so happy and run outside...recentley My roomate went home to New York for a visit, and I would take him to the park just me. (we all usually go together because we all love the park). While she was gone, Dakota decided that it was not fun to go with just me, and wouldn't come when I told him...so now he is just being a little brat...which was cute at first, but it getting a little old. Your advice about the hot dog and all that sounds good, because I want him to go outside to use the bathroom willingly and not just because were going to the park. Thank You Creature Teacher...I have heard a lot about you from the other posters and I get the idea you have given a lot of good advice (seeing that you are a trainer) and that you and your opinion is thought very highly of. And to all of the others, your advice/opinions are equally as important, with or without proffessional training, because we have all had our experiences. Thank you all for investing time in my little guy. I know that him and I will have very many happy years ahead...because even with the quirks, he is the sweetest most loyal dog I have ever known. And I guess being a new dog owner, where he is actually my responsibility gives me that feeling. I'll keep you all posted on how the training goes.
 
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#26
Thanks for the kind words. I think you're doing a great job already. Your thinking seems to be very sound in the way you interact with Dakota. The fabulous bond you have is your reward! :) For a new owner, you're doing such a wonderful job. So many people just don't bother. Take care of Dakota and give him huggles from all of us!
 
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#27
An update for you all...as for the going outside thing...I tried some cheese. I brought him into the kitchen with me, because he can sense when I am trying to "trick" him to go outside. I gave him a piece there, (in the kitchen) which he LOVED!! He was putty in my paws...I took him by the collar...and he followed me right out the door, even though he had already nudged his little face into my hand eating all the cheese I had...before we even got out. Very Cute. I have tried treats with him before, but nothing this yummy, they are usually just meaty dog treats. I have always kinda worried, because the second night I had him we had to make a emergency vet visit cause he would not stop throwing up...so he has a sort of sensative stomach...I have integrated more into his diet so that his tummy will stop being so weak...meat and stuff. Cheese is ok on a dogs tummy right??

Also I know that this is totally off topic...but I have read about feeding raw meat. I have never wanted any of my animals to eat raw because of all the bad stuff that can happen to us...I don't know how it affects them ...I know to freeze and everything beforehand...but I have heard that this is something that is Important for them to have...is this true...and should I be giving him it...and how much.
 
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#28
Cheese is an amazing thing. It can be kind of tough on the tum until they get used to it. But I know any number of dogs who would step over their own mothers for cheese, so use your new knowledge wisely, my son! :)

Check out the "Recipes" forum for lots of raw food threads. Talk to Mordy to learn more about diet. And there's an excellent book called Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats that has a TON of info about feeding raw. I'm not a doggy nutritionist, but I've been feeding raw meat for years and I do notice a definite change not only in dogs' health, but in their behavior as well. Chronically high-strung dogs tend to really cool down. This makes sense to me; if I ate something that was nutritionally deficient every day for years, I might go a little nuts, too. Here's a copy of an e-mail I exchanged with another user. Just my experience:
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Hey hon!

The deal with veggies is that dogs can't produce cellulase, which is the enzyme that breaks down plant matter in the digestive system. If you feed them veggies, you have to mush them up in a food processor to break up the plant's cell walls or the animals will get no nutrition whatsoever from them. Go easy on the veggies, though. They aren't a large part of a natural diet. 2-3 servings a week of veggies is plenty. Don't cook anything, including the vegetables. Cooking just leaches out all the good stuff. Sweet potatoes are great for cleaning teeth and keeping breath nice, and most dogs tend to enjoy them. I grind up whole carrots with the green tops, too. You can also give parsley, alfalfa sprouts, zucchini, broccoli, and peas. There are some veggies that can make dogs very sick, though, so be careful.

Grains are very bad for a dog's digestive system. As a person who loves bread, I have trouble imagining life without grains. But because of the way their bodies work, grain slows down the whole digestive process and causes a food traffic jam in their intestines. (Case in point: my dogs, who never get grains, don't fart! And they don't have that doggy smell either.)

As for the meat, don't forget about pork and buffalo in addition to poultry and some fish. And don't just feed muscle, either. Feed organs and connective tissue when you can find them. Give liver, hearts, tripe, and any really yucky thing you can find that's "clean" like eyes and other organ tissue. Variety is the key to keeping your dogs healthy, so try to give something different as often as you can. Don't worry about mushing up meat or bones. They're perfect just the way they are. As for cleaning teeth, from what I understand only non-load-bearing structural bones (like ribs, tail vertebrae, wings, etc.) have the density to clean teeth to any real effect. But they have different mineral contents than bones like femurs, so some of each is good.

For supplements, again variety is important. I give organic bone meal, vitamin C & E, torula yeast powder, kelp, vegetable oil, eggs (whole with shell), and the occasional bit of cheese as needed. (Dairy is bad for them, but most dogs would step over their own mothers for cheese.) I give yogurt once or twice a month, too.

I give my cats bits of game hen or little chunks of pork, bones and all. They love it. They eat it just as fast as the dogs do. I don't give them any vegetables at all, but they get a lot of the same supplements plus lecitin.

Everyone also fasts one day a week, with only water and veggie mush.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions!
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#30
Yes I can tell you are reasonably passsionate, as am I...He has a weak tummy and I want him to get use to eating more stuff thats good for him without being afraid of him puking all over the house like he did before. I have been feeding him more and different things, whether its a hot dog and stuff...but I was hesitant because I use to make eggs in the morning for my breakfast, and wanting to spoil him, I would cook him one too (I was unaware of the whole raw thing), and I would tell that he felt sick the rest of the day (you know tired and mopey) so I stopped, but your advice sounds good, because I want to get him the proper nutrition he needs. Thanks again and I will check out that link.
 

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