The dog musing/vent thread

[PerformanceDog]

Ugh, I just feel like I am seeing a lot of super fat dogs lately.. it annoys me so much. I also have been getting a little irritated by the number of people that say they need to switch foods because their dog is overweight (even when they are feeding a high quality kibble, but now want to go to a lower quality to lose weight), when more times than not I feel like they are just feeding too much or giving too many treats and not accounting that for dinner time. Or free feeding.. which I also dislike, especially for multi-dog houses.

But other times I feel like I am maybe too particular about dog things. So I understand, but I just get upset when people have a morbidly obese dog, know the dog is way over weight and the health concerns, but likes them that fat so refuse to change anything.

end rant.

 

[stardogs]

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WHEN SHE GETS SPAYED and has to be restricted for 2 weeks!! The plan is to have that done this month. I could cry just thinking of it.

I'm thinking of having Aeri spayed in February. She digs in her crate and spins at gates/doors. I'm seriously planning to get a script for Ace...

 

[Beanie]

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WHEN SHE GETS SPAYED and has to be restricted for 2 weeks!! The plan is to have that done this month. I could cry just thinking of it.

The first two days are awesome.

Then.

Whomp.

Georgie WAS a little more subdued than normal because of the cone. Cone-woe. But.
Yeah... you just do your best. It sucks.

 

[Southpaw]

I'm thinking of having Aeri spayed in February. She digs in her crate and spins at gates/doors. I'm seriously planning to get a script for Ace...

Haha I hear ya!
I seriously think this might be easier to deal with in 6 month old puppies vs. these crazy young adults!

ETA oh man I should totally get a cone for her afterwards just for the sedating effect it usually seems to have hahaha. Good call.

 

[Dogdragoness]

I'm thinking of having Aeri spayed in February. She digs in her crate and spins at gates/doors. I'm seriously planning to get a script for Ace...

Lol you mean a SCRIPT ... as is prescription for ACE ... the sedative. LOL when I read this the first time I thought "who is 'ace' and why does she need a 'script' for him?"

But yeah ... Ace got me through Izze's spay.

 

[stardogs]

If it's 'just' a highly active dog needing to be on rest, treat dispensing toys and a crate are a pretty awesome combo. If it's a dog that has behaviors that can rip out stitches and seem to be less operant, I'm for sedation as management.

 

[Melle]

YAY! I have no other advice other than YOU GO and if you decide that's right for you, I hope it works out. It sounds like a great job!

Your end goal is to be a professional handler and trainer? You don't necessarily need your own dog to learn. I would audit a few clinics and get in touch with some confo people to see if they will let you try. Kennel clubs often have classes as well. Much easier to start with trained dogs than a puppy imo.

Ditto what meepitsmeagan said.

Getting in touch with a pro handler that will let you assist them at shows is a huge help. You might be doing more bathing/pottying/holding dogs at ringside at first, but eventually you will probably be asked to get in the ring. I was only able to assist a pro at a few shows but I learned so much in the process. Then I got an already finished dog (Pentti) to help me along before trying to start with a younger, still finished dog (Bubbles), and finally a puppy (Jari).

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

I've always considered a career as a handler in the back of my mind, but it's swirling around with a curiosity of grooming, and on top of that I'm fascinated by dog behavior and I've been spending a ton of money on as many books as I can. So far I'm trying to figure out how to make connections - maybe stop in a local grooming salon and from there or through breed clubs or something get in touch with handlers and such.

 

[DogLover191]

My ex relied on his choke chain way too much. It irritated me to know end because Lexi began to rely on the choke correction and without the collar wouldn't listen. That's why I am hugely for positive dog training in the form of reinforcing good behaviours. This alpha dog stuff is b.s. and some methods are downright archaic.

 

[Beanie]

If it's 'just' a highly active dog needing to be on rest, treat dispensing toys and a crate are a pretty awesome combo. If it's a dog that has behaviors that can rip out stitches and seem to be less operant, I'm for sedation as management.

Georgie ripped out her stitches... then the staple they put back in instead of more stitches.

The vet tech insisted to me that was "impossible."

SHE AIN'T GOT NO MORE STITCHES.
LOOKS POSSIBLE TO ME.

When I tried to explain that she's a working dog, she smirked and nodded and went "oh yes, I have one of those too."
Oh honey. If you think it's impossible, I don't think you do.

Luckily the vet was awesome about the whole thing. But I really wanted to punch the tech in the face.

 

[CharlieDog]

Georgie ripped out her stitches... then the staple they put back in instead of more stitches.

The vet tech insisted to me that was "impossible."

SHE AIN'T GOT NO MORE STITCHES.
LOOKS POSSIBLE TO ME.

When I tried to explain that she's a working dog, she smirked and nodded and went "oh yes, I have one of those too."
Oh honey. If you think it's impossible, I don't think you do.

Luckily the vet was awesome about the whole thing. But I really wanted to punch the tech in the face.

Oh yes. Been there. Indy ripped her out AROUND a cone, and the tech said there was "no way she could have done that with a cone on and supervision" I also asked for a sedative from this vet. They wouldn't give me one. I told them she was a high pain tolerance, high drive working dog. Got a similar response from the tech that "they saw plenty of high drive dogs" and implied the fault was mine.

Well, yeah, I turned my back, she's in the kitchen with me, and I turn around and theres a pool of blood and a gaping wound.

I took her to my regular vet who knows my dogs, they gave me ace for her, had to redo ALL her stitches because they sewed her shut like she was a ****ing quilt, and then stapled around the stitches. I wish I'd ponied up the six hundred to have her spayed there instead of the other clinic, but my vet is great and has dealt with Ozzy who can remove staples around a cone, so he wasn't surprised. He was actually pissed off with the way they sewed her shut. :/

I ended up using a cone, a sweater and a male dogs belly band to keep her from getting at them towards the end of the 14 days. She was driving ALL of us nuts. I even spent the money for two LONG bully sticks, and three of the braided ones for her, and that's what saved my sanity towards the end.

 

[meepitsmeagan]

Protip for insomnia: not that I had it tonight... Lol.

Watch several hours of leerburg dog training DVDs. The exhaustion. Information orgasms people!

 

[Beanie]

Oh yes. Been there. Indy ripped her out AROUND a cone, and the tech said there was "no way she could have done that with a cone on and supervision" I also asked for a sedative from this vet. They wouldn't give me one. I told them she was a high pain tolerance, high drive working dog. Got a similar response from the tech that "they saw plenty of high drive dogs" and implied the fault was mine.

YEP that is the exact conversation. The vet then came in and was immediately like "OMG these dogs, it can be SO HARD with them." So at least that was helpful to have the vet obviously having my back and understanding what was going on.

I took Georgie there instead of my other vet because I didn't trust the other one to do the surgery... and now I don't want to go back to this one because of that rude tech. If I get Pepper spayed, I have no idea where I'll go... I still feel like the vets are good at this place, and they are the ones doing the surgery, after all... but it was just a lot of not okay. Maybe because Georgie's not my dog, so originally my mom was trying to talk to them and my mom doesn't know a lot - so this tech was really upsetting my mom by being nasty, my mom thinking she is somehow hurting or failing Georgie even though the whole time we were following the VET'S instructions. This tech apparently thinks SHE is the vet. Our final follow-up visit, she tried to hurry us out of the room before the vet even came in to see Georgie. Erm, no. Not happening. The vet came in like thirty seconds after she was trying to shoo us out so it wasn't like she was expecting NOT to see Georgie, she was already on her way and this tech was just trying to get us out before it happened. Probably because she knew I was going to complain about her attitude to the vet again.

Ugh it makes me mad all over again. >=<

 

[Dogdragoness]

YEP that is the exact conversation. The vet then came in and was immediately like "OMG these dogs, it can be SO HARD with them." So at least that was helpful to have the vet obviously having my back and understanding what was going on.

I took Georgie there instead of my other vet because I didn't trust the other one to do the surgery... and now I don't want to go back to this one because of that rude tech. If I get Pepper spayed, I have no idea where I'll go... I still feel like the vets are good at this place, and they are the ones doing the surgery, after all... but it was just a lot of not okay. Maybe because Georgie's not my dog, so originally my mom was trying to talk to them and my mom doesn't know a lot - so this tech was really upsetting my mom by being nasty, my mom thinking she is somehow hurting or failing Georgie even though the whole time we were following the VET'S instructions. This tech apparently thinks SHE is the vet. Our final follow-up visit, she tried to hurry us out of the room before the vet even came in to see Georgie. Erm, no. Not happening. The vet came in like thirty seconds after she was trying to shoo us out so it wasn't like she was expecting NOT to see Georgie, she was already on her way and this tech was just trying to get us out before it happened. Probably because she knew I was going to complain about her attitude to the vet again.

Ugh it makes me mad all over again. >=<

OH I hate techs like that and I will not hesitate to rip a rude tech a new one. I ALWAYS follow the vet's instructions. No just ... no ... I livee with my dogs every single day THEY DON'T. I went through the same thing when Izze was spayed, she was a teenage heeler ... there was no keeping her quiet without some "help", and when she went through two cones (back then they only had the plastic ones) the bitch tech tried to put the blame on me, well, I told her how the cookie crumbled, that was for sure.

needless to say I got my prescription for ACE.

 

[teacuptiger]

Jeez, all these spay horror stories make me glad that Buddy was easy and Roxie was already done before I adopted her. :yikes:

--

Lovely weather for a walk today... under 20 layers and using my EL police lead so I could be hands-free and hold my hood to my head, lol. THAT WIND! Roxie has gone mad and loved it.

 

[Finkie_Mom]

Had 3 Buhund babies fall asleep on me. OMG. And I didn't even feel very tempted to take one home. I'm learning some impulse control

 

[Samsonyte!]

At what point when house breaking a puppy do you trust them enough to give them some freedom? I've had Wilson tethered to me for probably the last week and a half and have been rewarding for pottying outside and taking him out consistently. He's six months old so he should be able to hold it for a while?

 

[*blackrose]

Very pleased with how Abrams is handling the fireworks! This past 4th of July was his only other exposure to them and he spent the evening woofing at every blast. Tonight he woofed and patrolled for the first 5 minutes, and then he was just like, "Meh, it's all good, they aren't bombing us." He was even just out in the yard with bombs and cracks going off every few seconds and he didn't even blink. Good boy.

On that note, Sherman could care less, too, although Histamine is getting spooked by them, poor kitty.

 

[kaykay21]

Puppy with a UTI and possible bladder stones and Laika going in to heat... This week sucks

 

[Grab]

Lol you mean a SCRIPT ... as is prescription for ACE ... the sedative. LOL when I read this the first time I thought "who is 'ace' and why does she need a 'script' for him?"

But yeah ... Ace got me through Izze's spay.

Well..technically, Ace is short for Acepromazine. So the ACE isn't all caps, since that would imply it was short for three different words

Aesop is immune to Ace. And Valium doesn't affect him much either. It's disheartening.

 

[pinkspore]

Had 3 Buhund babies fall asleep on me. OMG. And I didn't even feel very tempted to take one home. I'm learning some impulse control

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