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Eating issues in an older BC, need some advice.
GentleLake replied to BC-Liz's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
I'm so very sorry to hear that. I had hoped she still had some more time with you. I hope you can find some comfort in memories of the special time you shared. It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life, gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are. -Unknown You're well on the way to having a heart that is pure dog. RIP, Masi, free of pain. roxanne -
@D'Elle Hope you see this in time. Not sure it'll lead directly to the post, but he posted today that he's doing something on pancreatitis tomorrow at 1:00pm Pacific time. If it's not still right at the top of his feed, scroll down a bit. It's pretty recent. I don't think you need a FB account. https://www.facebook.com/drpeterdobias
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Eating issues in an older BC, need some advice.
GentleLake replied to BC-Liz's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
@BC-Liz Hope you see this in time. Not sure it'll lead directly to the post, but he posted today that he's doing something on pancreatitis tomorrow at 4:00pm Eastern. If it's not still right at the top of his feed, scroll down a bit. It's pretty recent. https://www.facebook.com/drpeterdobias I don't think you need a FB account. -
I just want to add that despite the unhappy ending, Darcy was lucky to have had you. He could have ended up in a series of inappropriate homes before ending up being euthanized in an unfamiliar shelter. You gave him the gift of an easy transition surrounded by the people he loved and who loved him.
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Wow. I'm so very sorry to read this, Erikor. I know you tried and it sounds like there really weren't any other good options for you. You made the right - and probably in the long run, the kindest - decision you could make for Darcy under the circumstances. From what you say it sounds like this may have had a genetic component. While we know now that it's in a puppy's best interest to stay with his mother and litter longer, it used to be quite normal for puppies to be taken from their litters at 6 weeks. And in those days I had several at that age with absolutely nothing remotely similar
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@1shotwade Look online for explanations of dogs' body signals, especially the different ways they wag their tails. Tail wagging can indicate the dog's having fun, or that the dog's frightened and wary or even that it's angry. Especially with differences in posture and facial expressions - their mouths and eyes in particular but even ears and foreheads - are very expressive. Familiarizing yourself with the nuances and combinations can tell you a lot about your dog's mood and intentions. There's a good chance with your having been away for longer than normal that Gabe was excited and h
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Very Difficult Crate Problem
GentleLake replied to beachdogz's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
She's probably started to associate the absorbent material of the blankets or beds as being a good place to pee. Dogs will usually prefer an absorbent substrate to one that isn't. It's why when dogs have accidents in the house they usually choose a rug or carpet over a wood, linoleum, tile or similar floor nearby. -
Eating issues in an older BC, need some advice.
GentleLake replied to BC-Liz's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
AFAIK, veggies that aren't cooked should be pureed to break down cellulose that dogs (and people) aren't able to do. Lightly cooking also breaks down cellulose and makes it more bioavailable. I'd forgotten about the overt sales pitch on that site. I think his supplements are probably pretty good and I do use them occasionally, though almost never daily or at the full amount recommended by weight. And I only use the GreenMin very occasionally and a half portion SoulFood a couple, three times a week. I get fish oil elsewhere and occasionally give milk thistle. (Dr. Dobias recently post -
Very Difficult Crate Problem
GentleLake replied to beachdogz's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
Any time you try to reuse anything that's been peed on it retains the odor (unless you use some really effective enzymatic cleaner) and is an invitation for a dog to reuse the spot. -
Eating issues in an older BC, need some advice.
GentleLake replied to BC-Liz's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
Please forgive me for pointing it out, but these 2 sentences directly contradict each other. Neither rotisserie chicken nor cooked noodles fall under the category of dog food but do fit right into the heading of people food. I have to disagree that all human foods, especially lean meats, are fatty. It would be very easy to provide a diet of raw or lightly cooked lean meats with all visible fat removed. Cooked egg whites are fat free but high quality and easily digestible protein and can be purchased in quart cartons. I'm never in the camp of feeding much in the way of starches to dog -
Very Difficult Crate Problem
GentleLake replied to beachdogz's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
I wonder if something like a waterproof Primo pad might be a a compromise that would give you the padding you want for her without the absorbent substrate that seems t trigger her peeing on it? -
Tips on meet-and-greets?
GentleLake replied to albuquerquedan's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
You can also use a marker word. -
How obsessed with Border collies are you?
GentleLake replied to adadrian's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
I think it's an individual thing. I've transitioned 5 or 6 dogs of different ages to raw over the years, all of them successfully. The most recent is one who was having severe digestive issues in the foster home before I adopted her, with the fosterer telling me she'd get explosive diarrhea if she tried to switch her off of her prescription kibble, even slowly, or take her off metronidazole. I had her off the meds and switched entirely to raw in 3 weeks (I took it more slowly than I normally would for fear the FH was right) with absolutely no negative effects. It is sometimes easier to switch -
Eating issues in an older BC, need some advice.
GentleLake replied to BC-Liz's topic in General Border Collie Discussion
Good to know what you're dealing with and have some useful information you can use to make her more comfortable. Wishing both of you the very best. -
^^ Agreed. What I'd do is simply to redirect and reward the instant that gorgeous pup breaks mental contact with the vehicle. There's no way of knowing for sure whether this will escalate or not as he matures, but you really don't want to take the chance that it will. Much better to discourage (by redirection rather than correction) now before it becomes habitual than it will be to try to undo it later when it's a firmly established response and much more difficult to reverse. As for why he reacts to some vehicles and not others, it could be something he's noticing that you're n