Needing All The Advice I Can Get, Please
- Thread starter snorzzz
- Start date
I wish I would be able to take the Lab puppy (I've only read the first few posts of this thread). Sounds like he'd be a piece of cake to train - and fun too! 
I would if I could, but my parents say 4 is the limit. *sigh*
Are you still going to keep him? Or are you looking into rescue?
I would if I could, but my parents say 4 is the limit. *sigh*
Are you still going to keep him? Or are you looking into rescue?
Oh he is an absolute joy.
That's what makes it so hard to even think about letting him go.4 sounds like enough, really.
The guy that mows my yard, he rescues dogs, and he has 14 dogs!!:yikes: Well, imo, at that point, you can't really care for them too well. He is the person who gave me Buddy and Tubby. Poor Tub had been in a pen outside for over a year, all by herself with no one to show her love, and her being an old dog, just heartbreaking.I do not now the lady personally -actually I'm not even sure of her name right now. I just know the lady I take herding lessons from (the one from Daleville I mentioned) took classes with her two pups from this lady. And this trainer HAS to be legit if my trainer is taking her pups there.
Let me find out, and I'll PM you with a name.
Let me find out, and I'll PM you with a name.
I do not now the lady personally -actually I'm not even sure of her name right now. I just know the lady I take herding lessons from (the one from Daleville I mentioned) took classes with her two pups from this lady. And this trainer HAS to be legit if my trainer is taking her pups there.
Let me find out, and I'll PM you with a name.
Let me find out, and I'll PM you with a name.
Okay, sounds great, fantastic, thank you!!! :hail:
I just saw this and he is just adorable! I may be in the minority but I hope you decided to keep him. My dogs just have the yard to play in because I have nowhere to bring them to walk in the area. I play ball with them and they have a pool to swim in. I am sure some training is in order and you may even be able to find a teen in your area that would take him for walks. I definitely recommend getting him neutered asap. Hopefully things have worked out for all of you!
I wish I would be able to take the Lab puppy (I've only read the first few posts of this thread). Sounds like he'd be a piece of cake to train - and fun too!
I would if I could, but my parents say 4 is the limit. *sigh*
Are you still going to keep him? Or are you looking into rescue?
I would if I could, but my parents say 4 is the limit. *sigh*
Are you still going to keep him? Or are you looking into rescue?
:rofl1:Much thanks here to everyone taking an interest in my Jackster.
I still have him, I couldn't bear to part with him, and now he is about 85 lbs.!! We are having some problems, mainly he has mange. But there are other things, I really need to make a new thread for his current situation. His appetite is way down, that's the main thing. But there are other thngs.
But I love him just as much as ever, he is still a sweetheart, a giant puppy, with a heart of gold.
Oh, btw, whatever "lab" he has in him is very minor. He's mostly just a big black dog. Friends say he is mostly great dane, lol. I don't doubt it with his size. About 8 months old and 85 lbs.
We are all getting along well, all the dogs love each other, things are going well in that respect. The main thing is Jack is off in his appetite.
I still have him, I couldn't bear to part with him, and now he is about 85 lbs.!! We are having some problems, mainly he has mange.
But there are other things, I really need to make a new thread for his current situation. His appetite is way down, that's the main thing. But there are other thngs.But I love him just as much as ever, he is still a sweetheart, a giant puppy, with a heart of gold.
Oh, btw, whatever "lab" he has in him is very minor.
He's mostly just a big black dog. Friends say he is mostly great dane, lol. I don't doubt it with his size. About 8 months old and 85 lbs.We are all getting along well, all the dogs love each other, things are going well in that respect. The main thing is Jack is off in his appetite.
Hi LizzyBeth, :waves: It's the demodec kind. We were treating him with Ivermectin, but then he lost his appetite. The vet said to take him off the Ivermectin, and see if his appetite improves. Well, it's been 2 weeks, and his appetite is still very low.
I'm taking him back to the vet tomorrow, so hopefully they will figure out what's wrong with his appetite. He does eat, just not very much, and I have to beg him to eat. His poo looks normal, not runny, and he seems to feel good. But I think he should be gulping his food down, and begging for more.
A couple of things it could be:
He is always eating stuff in the backyard, especially pine needles and acorns, but also pecans, grass, sticks, and bugs. He literally walks the backyard with his nose to the ground, sniffing for anything that smells good, and then eats it.
And the other thing:
I spoil him with too many treats, mainly meat off my plate.
He likes to eat food right out of my mouth.
However, yesterday I made him some soft scrambled eggs, which he LOVES, and he wouldn't eat them. Then later I hand fed him some good roast beef, and he let it drop to the floor.
So I do think something is wrong, more than just my spoiling him.
And I have really messed up with his dry food, changing brands too much, trying to find something good for his skin and his immune system. But he's not really eating any of it. This all began with the Ivermectin. Before the Ivermectin, Jack was eatting about 6 cups of dry per day. Now he is eating about 1 cup or less per day.
Hi Zoom, yes, I am concerned he might have a blockage. I will ask the vet to do xrays, and probably blood work, or whatever they think might be needed. My worst fear is he might need surgery, or have a tumor. I've been begging my hubby for 2 weeks about this, and he keeps saying "Jack is just spoiled". So yesterday, when Jack wouldn't eat the scrambled eggs, I had my hubby come look at the plate of eggs with Jack curled up in a ball next to the plate.
And then, last night, hubby came home with Blue Buffalo Wilderness dog food, and gave all 3 dogs 1/4 cup apiece in their bowls. The other dogs gulped it down and loved it, but Jack wouldn't touch it.
Well I'll be.
I heated some leftover chicken in the microwave, sat down to eat it, and here comes Jack! He was actually begging and eye-balling that chicken, so I gave him some. And then gave him some more, and more. He ended up eating about 2 pieces of chicken. (and chicken was the one thing I was trying to keep out of his diet, lol.)
So I'm not sure what this means, but I am considering cancelling his vet appointment. But I'm very happy he ate so much.
I heated some leftover chicken in the microwave, sat down to eat it, and here comes Jack!
He was actually begging and eye-balling that chicken, so I gave him some. And then gave him some more, and more. He ended up eating about 2 pieces of chicken. (and chicken was the one thing I was trying to keep out of his diet, lol.)So I'm not sure what this means, but I am considering cancelling his vet appointment. But I'm very happy he ate so much.
Aha! I think we have discovered the culprit, and your question was key, Lizzy. Besides the Ivermectin, Jack has been on Hydroxyzine, 100 mg per day, for almost 2 months now. Saturday, 3 days ago, I told my hubby I wanted Jack OFF the Hydroxyzine, and that I didn't want him taking anything until he starts to eat normally. Hubby argued about it, but I stood my ground.
And then I forgot about it, because it didn't seem to help taking him off of it. And then my mind focused on something being terribly wrong, like a tumor or a blockage.
Well now I am thinking that it has literally taken 3 days for that Hydroxyzine to get out of his system! And that the Hydroxyzine is probably the real culprit as to why Jack has no appetite!
So I think I will cancel the vet appointment for tomorrow, and see how Jack does tomorrow. If things don't improve, I can reschedule for Thursday. Hopefully, it has been the Hydroxyzine all along, and maybe now my Jack will get back to normal.
And then I forgot about it, because it didn't seem to help taking him off of it. And then my mind focused on something being terribly wrong, like a tumor or a blockage.
Well now I am thinking that it has literally taken 3 days for that Hydroxyzine to get out of his system! And that the Hydroxyzine is probably the real culprit as to why Jack has no appetite!
So I think I will cancel the vet appointment for tomorrow, and see how Jack does tomorrow. If things don't improve, I can reschedule for Thursday. Hopefully, it has been the Hydroxyzine all along, and maybe now my Jack will get back to normal.
I would still go to the vet appointment tomorrow. It's still very likely that it could be a reaction to the Ivermectin, and the vet will need to figure out what else to give you to treat the mange.
Some acorns are poisonous to dogs. I highly suggest researching to find out which ones they are and if they're the same ones in your backyard. Google searches should do the trick.
I'm glad to hear that he did eat tonight, and I would just let this go if he was not eating. But.
The only person who can determine if you're "spoiling" a dog is yourself. Spoiling means that you are causing the dog to be an inconvenience; for example, if you say, "My yorkie HAS to come with me everywhere I go, in my purse, even though it's annoying to me and gets me kicked out of stores," and proceed to carry the yorkie around anyway, you're spoiling him. If you are ok with feeding your dog *healthy* foods off of your plate and straight out of your mouth, and it's not inconveniencing you or the dog, then by all means go ahead. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
That said, you can teach a dog to be a picky eater. If you offer him food, and he doesn't eat it, so you offer him something better (and he's healthy), you are teaching him that NOT eating will get the GOOD stuff. Just like kids - I have a neice who won't eat anything "healthy," she will basically only eat mac and cheese. Why is that? Because whenever she decides she doesn't like something, her mother makes her mac and cheese so that she has something to eat. She's learned to be a picky eater.
If your dog doesn't eat his kibble, then he doesn't eat. If he does eat his kibble, THEN you can consider giving him tastier stuff.
Some acorns are poisonous to dogs. I highly suggest researching to find out which ones they are and if they're the same ones in your backyard. Google searches should do the trick.
I spoil him with too many treats, mainly meat off my plate.
He likes to eat food right out of my mouth.
However, yesterday I made him some soft scrambled eggs, which he LOVES, and he wouldn't eat them. Then later I hand fed him some good roast beef, and he let it drop to the floor.
So I do think something is wrong, more than just my spoiling him.
He likes to eat food right out of my mouth.
However, yesterday I made him some soft scrambled eggs, which he LOVES, and he wouldn't eat them. Then later I hand fed him some good roast beef, and he let it drop to the floor.
So I do think something is wrong, more than just my spoiling him.
The only person who can determine if you're "spoiling" a dog is yourself. Spoiling means that you are causing the dog to be an inconvenience; for example, if you say, "My yorkie HAS to come with me everywhere I go, in my purse, even though it's annoying to me and gets me kicked out of stores," and proceed to carry the yorkie around anyway, you're spoiling him. If you are ok with feeding your dog *healthy* foods off of your plate and straight out of your mouth, and it's not inconveniencing you or the dog, then by all means go ahead. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
That said, you can teach a dog to be a picky eater. If you offer him food, and he doesn't eat it, so you offer him something better (and he's healthy), you are teaching him that NOT eating will get the GOOD stuff. Just like kids - I have a neice who won't eat anything "healthy," she will basically only eat mac and cheese. Why is that? Because whenever she decides she doesn't like something, her mother makes her mac and cheese so that she has something to eat. She's learned to be a picky eater.
If your dog doesn't eat his kibble, then he doesn't eat. If he does eat his kibble, THEN you can consider giving him tastier stuff.
I would still go to the vet appointment tomorrow. It's still very likely that it could be a reaction to the Ivermectin, and the vet will need to figure out what else to give you to treat the mange.
Some acorns are poisonous to dogs. I highly suggest researching to find out which ones they are and if they're the same ones in your backyard. Google searches should do the trick.
I'm glad to hear that he did eat tonight, and I would just let this go if he was not eating. But.
The only person who can determine if you're "spoiling" a dog is yourself. Spoiling means that you are causing the dog to be an inconvenience; for example, if you say, "My yorkie HAS to come with me everywhere I go, in my purse, even though it's annoying to me and gets me kicked out of stores," and proceed to carry the yorkie around anyway, you're spoiling him. If you are ok with feeding your dog *healthy* foods off of your plate and straight out of your mouth, and it's not inconveniencing you or the dog, then by all means go ahead. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
That said, you can teach a dog to be a picky eater. If you offer him food, and he doesn't eat it, so you offer him something better (and he's healthy), you are teaching him that NOT eating will get the GOOD stuff. Just like kids - I have a neice who won't eat anything "healthy," she will basically only eat mac and cheese. Why is that? Because whenever she decides she doesn't like something, her mother makes her mac and cheese so that she has something to eat. She's learned to be a picky eater.
If your dog doesn't eat his kibble, then he doesn't eat. If he does eat his kibble, THEN you can consider giving him tastier stuff.
Some acorns are poisonous to dogs. I highly suggest researching to find out which ones they are and if they're the same ones in your backyard. Google searches should do the trick.
I'm glad to hear that he did eat tonight, and I would just let this go if he was not eating. But.
The only person who can determine if you're "spoiling" a dog is yourself. Spoiling means that you are causing the dog to be an inconvenience; for example, if you say, "My yorkie HAS to come with me everywhere I go, in my purse, even though it's annoying to me and gets me kicked out of stores," and proceed to carry the yorkie around anyway, you're spoiling him. If you are ok with feeding your dog *healthy* foods off of your plate and straight out of your mouth, and it's not inconveniencing you or the dog, then by all means go ahead. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
That said, you can teach a dog to be a picky eater. If you offer him food, and he doesn't eat it, so you offer him something better (and he's healthy), you are teaching him that NOT eating will get the GOOD stuff. Just like kids - I have a neice who won't eat anything "healthy," she will basically only eat mac and cheese. Why is that? Because whenever she decides she doesn't like something, her mother makes her mac and cheese so that she has something to eat. She's learned to be a picky eater.
If your dog doesn't eat his kibble, then he doesn't eat. If he does eat his kibble, THEN you can consider giving him tastier stuff.
Good advice Lizzy, thanks so much.
I have another good report. Because I gave them chicken earlier, I've just now fed them their regular supper. And Jack ate ALL of his supper, which was a cup of kibble with a little roast beef.
And this is a big thing: He cried and begged while I was preparing it. He hasn't done that for weeks!
I understand exactly what you are saying about "spoiling" and picky eaters. I have a niece, who is now an adult, but when she was a child she refused to eat anything but cheese sandwiches. So here the whole family is eating a regular supper, and she is eating a cheese sandwich.
Jack is not like that, but the other dog, Buddy, IS like that, lol. He has decided he only wants to eat food that his dad has grilled fresh. He doesn't even want leftover grilled, just fresh grilled. LOL. So it is obvious with Buddy, and I have no mercy for him. He can eat his supper or not. There is no way we are going to set up the grill, just to get Buddy to eat. HOWEVER, there have been times on the weekend, my hubby will grill just for Buddy. So hubby has created a monster, haha.
You might be right about keeping the vet appointment, because Jack also has some kind of an eye infection. He has a lot of matter that looks white, but under a magnifying glass it looks green. So that needs attention, and yes, a new approach about the mange. I'm thinking maybe injections of the Ivermectin, since Jack seems to have a sensitive stomach. But I don't want to go in there saying "he won't eat", when it is quickly looking like he very much will eat, and lack of appetite is no longer a major issue.
But he has been "itchy" since he was very little, long before the mange, so I think he has some allergie issues. And I am concerned about the acorns, I pulled one out of his mouth today, but I don't know how to stop him from grazing on them, short of cutting down the oak tree.
Thanks for your help Lizzy, I appreciate it very much. :hugs: