Pets Blog

ok to start out i would like to say hi this look’s like a great place to learn what to do with my pups. to start off ill tell you a lil bit about them. Bently, my boy, is a 15 week old yellow lab, the only problem that im havin with him right now is that after i take him out, he poop’s on the kitchen floor right after he comes in he has no problem going #1 outside and he let’s me know when he needs to, the other problem is when ever my girlfriend comes home all he does is barks at her and he never listens to her, goes potty in the house when they are home alone, now shes here at nite and im here all day. my other pup bandit is 6 weeks old, lab/rotty, i found him and his litter this past weekend on the side of the road and i had to bring him home, he’s just flat out not eating he’ll drink water and then go play with bentley but just wont eat, now bentley did this when we 1st brought him home for a day bandit has been here for 3 so, and when i put him in his cage he screams like he’s hurt or some thing but he is fine, any help would be much apprecated. i havent had a puppy in almost 16 years since i had gotten my 1st dog and i dont realy remember what we did with him cause i was very young, but i am willing to devote as much time as needed into getting my boys trained right as you can probobly see cause it is 10 to 5 in the am thank you again in advance.
kylewentworth
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First, congratulations on your pups! They can be such a joy and so much fun, but they’re also a TREMENDOUS amount of work and no small expense, either. Raising one puppy can be exhausting, but raising two is likely to test your patience to the max.

The first thing you need to do, if you haven’t already, is get your pups to the vet for a full exam, puppy shots, and deworming. Make sure you get them the full series of puppy vaccinations. Don’t forget any of the booster shots, and get them all on time.

Talk to the vet about Bandit’s inappetance. A 6 week old puppy who hasn’t eaten in 3 days is already in trouble. You need to get some nourishment into him NOW. Try soaking puppy food in hot water until it’s mushy. Feed it to Bandit while it’s still warm, one piece at a time, by hand. If he still won’t eat, get some puppy formula from the vet and see if he’ll drink that (warm that up for him, too). If he still won’t eat, the vet may find it necessary to tube feed him.

Crate training will make your life much easier, but you need to do it correctly in order for the pups to accept it. First, just take the door off the crate (or tie it open) and put food, water, toys, and a snuggly blanket in the crate for the pups. Make the crate a place they associate with all their favorite things – a place they want to go for goodies. Let them go into the same crate together for now if they want to. Bandit is too young to have even been properly weaned, much less locked in a crate by himself, but he may accept it better if he has Bentley to keep him company.

Sit on the floor by the crate and toss toys into the crate for Bentley to retrieve. Bandit may follow him in there. Once the pups are going into the crate on their own to eat, drink, and grab toys, you can start locking them in the crate for just a couple of minutes at a time. Keep the crate time very brief at first, but only let them out when they are quiet. Do NOT let them out while they’re screaming to get out. Try to time it so you let them out before they start screaming, if possible.

As they get used to the crate, you can leave them in for progressively longer periods of time. Remember, though, that puppies have very little bladder and bowel control and need to be taken outside VERY OFTEN to relieve themselves. The rule of thumb is for them to go outside *at least* as often as they are old in months, which means that a 6 week old should go out at least every 1 1/2 hrs, and a 15 week old every 3 3/4 hrs. Of course, they should also be taken out immediately after they eat, drink, wake up from a nap, play vigorously, or leave their crate.

Not surprisingly, if you’ve read any of my other posts to this board, I’m going to strongly recommend puppy obedience classes for Bentley, and I’m going to recommend that BOTH you AND your girlfriend attend classes with Bentley. That’ll be the quickest, easiest, and most fun way for the three of you to learn to communicate and enjoy each other’s company. By taking the class together, you and your girlfriend will be learning the same training techniques, so there will be consistency in how you handle Bentley. His barking will stop, and he’ll listen to your girlfriend as well as to you. Best of all, you’ll be learning all the stuff you’ll need to teach Bandit as he grows up, too, so he won’t learn bad habits! It’s a win-win solution all the way around!

Good luck with your boys. You’re in for one heck of a ride!

Tempest
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Yes, please, take him to a vet as soon as you can (there are intestinal parasites that suppress a dog’s appetite). In the meantime, go to a pet store and get him a puppy booster (high calorie supplement). Are you feeding them only dry chow, by any chance? Some puppies will reject hard or crunchy food, especially when very young. Try beef cat food, it has more protein than dog food and a stronger smell and flavor which dogs adore. And, make sure you are feeding him four times a day. As to the house breaking, it takes time and not all puppies learn the same way. The best way is to put in a huge effort for a week or two. Watch them all the time, you will learn to predict when he’s going to go by his behavior and just be faster than them. Pick them up, rush them outside, and while they ‘go’ repeat the same phrase over and over (I tell mine “go do peepee”). Once they do go outside, make a big deal out of it praising them a lot. Only scold them if you catch them right smack in the middle of the act and if you do, pick them up (even if you have to clean up a trail of urine -or worse- after) and rush them outside while you say “NO, NO, bad dog, go do peepee”. They will learn real soon (although at six weeks, a large breed puppy just does not have the sphincters mature enough for him to control,yet).
As to the crates, any particular reason why you want to crate them? I mean, if you are home during the day and your girlfriend is home during the night, what’s the need for a crate? Like Tempest said, 6 weeks is very young for a puppy to be by himself (especially a large breed, they mature much more slowly than small breeds -both physically and emotionally) and, personally (and I know that most people do not agree with me), I think that crates are cruel and completely unnecessary when raising well-adjusted dogs. I also don’t agree that having two pups is harder than having only one (but then, I am a trainer and have seven dogs so I’m not what you would call a normal dog owner). As a matter of fact, I think it’s easier… and not only for the obvious reasons (they keep each other company, they play with each other, etc) but also because I firmly believe that the best way to live with a dog is to reproduce, as best you can, their natural social structure. And, having siblings is part of that as it’s the natural way for a puppy to grow (only toy breeds which were created by man, have single puppies). It provides them a place in an instinctually known social structure which, in turn, makes them feel secure. And security and structure are the foundations of a well adjusted dog (translate into a great pet). Even more so than love as we know it.
Good luck!
Bibi

This last December, my children and I were at a local park, known as Christmas Village. While walking thru the dispays, I noticed a dog that looked like it wasn’t doing so well. This dog’s a pit-bull / Shar pai mix. To start with I am not fond of Pit-Bulls, if for no other reason then because of their temperment and reputation. I felt bad for this dog and something told me that I needed to help him. His ears had been butchered, likely cut off with scissors … apparent by the horrible condition that they were in. A woman was on the phone that had also noticed him and was calling animal control. I know what they would do, so I took the strap of my camera bag and lead him to our car. I contacted a local sanctuary for animals and they footed the cost for the medical treatment that he needed. Since then, we have named him George and he has been a part of our family. I began to notice a bit of aggression in his personality not long ago and since that time, he has bitten one boy … that for that matter, was teasing him and hit him with a rope. A few nights ago my daughter got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and George came unglued and started barking … I am guessing or hoping rather that perhaps he was just as surprised by her being awake as she was by his barking. Today while my son was walking him, he bit someone else, though I honestly believe that his intentions were not to hurt her. I can’t have an animal like this anymore, my children are afraid of him to a small extent … though they are always happy when they come home from school to see him. He has me worried, because I know that the chances of someone being bit and hurt severely are good if for no other reason than the possibility that he may have been a fighting dog. At this point I am considering having him put to sleep and I have checked with animal sanctuaries and they can’t take him because he is animal aggressive. Anyone that has any ideas, I am willing to listen … however if by this weekend I am unable to find him a new home or an reasonable alternative, I will have to put him to sleep. Please help me with your thoughts and suggestions.

Paul
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Oh boy, Paul, that’s a toughie. It was so kind of you to rescue George in Dec. It’s clear you have a compassionate heart and all the best intentions.

Of course you can not allow George to continue his current behavior. It sounds as though he is becoming increasingly protective of your family the longer he lives with you. That, in itself, is an admirable canine quality, but only if it can be safely controlled. The only non-lethal possible solution I can see is structured training to teach George his behavioral limits. Right now, he is taking on the alpha “protector” role in your household. If you want to give him another chance, you need to get him into training classes where you can teach him that YOU are the alpha protector and that he has to defer to your judgement and commands.

There is substantial risk involved in adopting any dog with an unknown history, but that risk runs very high in dogs bred for aggression AND who have been obviously abused. George *might* be reclaimable with proper training, but the fact that the sanctuaries won’t take him should convince you that rehoming him is not a responsible option. George poses a real threat to other dogs and people, and you simply can’t pass that threat along to someone else.

This is a horribly difficult situation, and I know none of the options are ideal. You have a possible solution in training and a certain solution in euthanasia. And you have a dog who may cause serious injury to someone at any time.

Weigh your options and do what you can live with, Paul. Either way, you’ve already given George what have most likely been the happiest months of his life.

Take care,

Tempest
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You did not mention if he was an intact or a neutered male. If he’s intact, you should have him fixed pronto, hormones being the regulators of aggressive behavior.
Obedience training is definitely the way to go, especially in a situation like this one where you have an animal who, obviously, was not only abused but most likely bred and even used for aggression (the ears are a dead give-away). In the meantime, never play rough with him (no tug of war or anything like that), no yelling (it excites them) and don’t allow the kids to give him commands (he will resent it, he knows they are some kind of puppies -he will learn to love and protect them but he’s not sure of his place, yet). Feed him after you and your children have dinner and let him see that you and them are eating first -pecking order is everything to dogs and the alphas and betas always eat first. You need to teach him that you are the boss. Touch his body all over with your hands until he loves the feel of them. Make him lay down on the floor and then stand on all fours above his body (you are putting him in a submissive position). Once you get him to do this, softly bite the side of his neck (under his jaws) and hold his skin between your teeth for a few seconds (alphas do this to younger dogs -it tells them you love them and would not hurt them but you still have the power to do it if you wanted to). Do these exercises without the children in the room. He can change. I promise you. I have a 95 lb bull-mastiff/pitbull mix (he was taken from his owners by animal control officers because they kept him chained to a radiator 24/7 to make him fierce) who was a maniac when I first got him (he didn’t only bounce of the walls, chew everything in sight and do ‘everything’ in the house, you couldn’t even touch him because he would chew on your hands and arms) and he is now the sweetest dog ever…. don’t misunderstand me, he still needs supervision because he’s ferocious with strangers (both people and dogs), and extremely territorial (excellent watch dog! -I don’t even lock my doors when I leave the house because I know for a fact nobody would ever make it inside alive) but with us, Mikey is the most obedient, loving dog ever. My granddaughter is beginning to learn how to walk and she holds on to him for support while he kisses her head (he’s not allowed to kiss her face or her hands so he decided her head is just as good).
Don’t give up on him. There is still hope. Most likely the problem is that you don’t know how to convey the fact that you are the boss but you and him can learn together.
Good luck!
Bibi

My puppy is about 9 -11 months old he is used to being inside but the place we moved to dont allow inside dogs i got him a doghouse and he wont sleep in it he sleeps on the ground next to it how do i teach him to sleep in his doghouse.
Chad Rainbolt
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I can’t imagine why they won’t let him sleep inside. Did he sleep with you at the last place you lived? Most dogs (IMO) if raised to sleep in the house without being kennel trained, will feel enclosure with a dog house. It may just take some time for him. I don’t know what kind of climate you live in, but maybe he’ll go in there when it’s cold or raining. Good Luck
Beachbaby
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Put his favorite toys and treats in the dog house for him. Also, take an old shirt or other piece of clothing that you’ve worn recently (and NOT washed), and put that into the dog house for him to sleep on. He’s disoriented because he’s been separated from you. Putting something with your scent on it in his own little house may make it more comforting for him.

I do hope you’re spending LOTS of quality time with him now that he’s been forced to move out of your house. It’s very hard on a dog to be separated from his “pack” (you), and it’s especially hard for a puppy.

Good luck,

Tempest

Help! I have a three-year-old female Shiba Inu. She is a wonderful dog, but she is very bossy! My two older dogs of eleven years have been bit, chased, and made crazy by her. I recently acquired two golden retriever/ Yellow lab pups. They are six months old male and female. My female pup, Chloe and Arcadia, my Shiba Inu, are constantly bickering. The only time this happens is when I show affection towards any of my other dogs especially Chloe. Recently both dogs got into such a fight my husband was bit on the hand and shoulder by my Shiba Inu, while trying to subdue her. I myself was bit on the hand last week by her when she tried to bite Chloe. Arcadia is very gentle to all of us and does play fine with all of the dogs outside. It’s as soon as one of the dogs wants me to pet them the trouble starts. This does not happen to any of the other family members, only me. Can someone give me some advice? I do not wish to give her away. It has been difficult trying to maintain peace between her and the other dogs for the past three years. She has settled down somewhat as she has gotten older which is why I took the other two puppies, but it seems the two females are really having a hard time getting along. I also have eight cats and at times she will chase a couple of them, but it never gets serious. I give all of them plenty affection and spend quality time with all of them. I am the animal lover in the house and they all do revolve around me, so I can understand that at times she gets jealous. I just don’t know what to do anymore. HELP!
Thanks,
Kain
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Arcadia sounds like a very alpha (dominant) personality, and alpha personalities often have strong and ongoing conflicts with other pack members, esp. those of their own gender. Two alpha females are often more likely to seriously injure each other in violent fights than are two alpha males. That’s why it’s never a good idea to have two alpha females (or two alpha males) in the same household.

If Chloe also has an alpha personality, it will only express itself more strongly in her behavior and in her conflicts with Arcadia as she matures. If that’s the case, you may never have peace in your household, and you may, indeed, have seriously bloody battles in which any member of your household – two or four legged – may get injured in the crossfire.

Taking both Arcadia and Chloe (separately) through obedience classes would certainly help you establish yourself as alpha in your household, which is something it sounds like you desperately need to do. However, even obedience classes won’t change the way the dogs interact with each other when you’re not in the room. They will continue to fight and put your family at risk. It’s in the alpha nature, and it’s not something you’re going to be able to change.

I have a very old alpha female. In her younger days, she was a very pushy, very dominant dog with the other family canines, esp. the females. Fortunately, neither of our other females were at all alpha, so they instantly backed down when Moonie laid down the law. Moonie did a lot of snapping and growling, but there was never a single fight because none of the other dogs ever challenged her authority. If they had, I could have intervened and stopped any conflict that arose in my presence. However, I know I never could have left Moonie alone with another alpha female without them trying to kill each other.

Now, Moonie is an extremely old lady who can not even rise to her feet without assistance. Her eyesight and hearing are both poor. Even in her frail state, Moonie remains the undisputed alpha dog in our household.

We do now have a young adult female with a very alpha personality. We adopted Tasha as a young puppy, and Moonie let her know immediately who was boss. Surprisingly, Tasha defers to Moonie and will flop down on her back across Moonie’s paws when the Queen Dog barks at her. But I don’t believe things would be nearly so peaceful between them if Moonie were still mobile. If Moonie were able to push Tasha around the way she did the others when she was younger, I think this house would be a bloody battlefield. Our current peaceful state is due to Moonie’s inability to challenge Tasha’s alpha behavior toward everyone else.

I wish I could be more encouraging about your situation, but I believe your only hope of reasonable coexistence is if Chloe decides to acquiesce to Arcadia’s domination, and it doesn’t sound like that’s going to happen. You may have to do what another internet acquaintance of mine has had to do in her household – split the house in two and give each dog their half, never being allowed in the same space together. That’s a tough way to manage a family.

Good luck,

Tempest

I HAVE FIVE MICE AND I THINK ONE OF THEM IS PREGNANT WHAT DO I DO? THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HAVING MICE SO I NEED HELP AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT SO PLEASE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS FOR ME…

WHAT DO I FEED HER?

DO I SEPARATE HER FROM THE OTHER MICE?

HOW LONG IS THE GESTATION PERIOD?

HOW CAN I BE SURE SHE IS PREGNANT?
KatieE
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Call the vet and ask them. I honestly thought you had mice in your house! I was going to recommend ORKIN! Sorry
Beachbaby
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she needs no special food to my knowledge. Separate the male cauce hell eat the babys and sometime mom will to dont touch the babies once your sent is on them its over for the babies they should be here in a month or so and mom will get fat and form nipples and mom will start making a nest for the new little ones once again mice eat there young sometimes even if you dont touch them so dont be disappointed if some are killed good luck.
dan garcia

Hello everyone, I am new to this website, and am hoping for some advice on my new 3 month old puppy. I am at ends with his constand biting and barking!He is a smart dog, in that he has learned two tricks in two days and is getting the hang of going to the bathroom outside. However, at night time he is a devil! He bites and barks constantly!!! When I reprimand him by scolding, making a loud noise, or even just saying “no,” he barks even more and starts to growl. It;s like I have absolutely no control over him. I kno it is normal puppy behavior, but I feel that it is never going to end. Should I keep him in a crate at night? He has been roaming the house because he seems to do well. Whenever I lock him in our kitchen he barks and scratches the door. My neighboors hate me… HELP!!
Renee

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I have known peopl that put them by thier bed at night with an alarm clok that ticks or we have used a teddy bear that has a heart beat that was given to us for a baby now grown. they can chew and play withit and won’t hurt it. sometimes just a low playing radio will work. as long as he is getting your attension he is going to be happy and continue to find ways to keep getting it just like a baby. they don’t want to feel alone. good luck
debra_hayes
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i know you probably think krates will make it worse but if you get one and teach him everynight he has to stay in there no matter how much he whines or barks cause everytime you yell at him it shows him attention just bear it and listen to it for a couple nights..i even went as far as putting a sheet over my dogs cage so it was dark make sure you give him some chew toys and take him out as soon as you get up so he doesnt feel like hes being punished.
Doxie
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Please don’t feel like you are alone!! My Pit/Chow mix starting doing that when he was little, and now he is 8 months and still doing it. I haven’t found a successful solution yet, but have contacted an animal behaviorist to help….am still awaiting word from her but if you would like to e-mail me..we can work through it together.
Tina Gardner
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My puppy does that too! If you get him a kong, you can put some food in and make it hard to get out, he won’t even have time to bark!
Cappy
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i have the same prob with mine i find raw hide bones keep my terror busy for hours as far as biting and barking i sympathize. i can yell at my dog and hell look at me and growl its pretty disturbing but let him know whos boss now while hes still young hope all goes well.
dan garcia
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You did not say whether you work and leave him alone during the day or what kind of dog he is. The reason why this is important is that puppies need distraction and exercise, if he is by himself during the day, the most likely reason for his barking and restlessness is that he is full of energy and not tired at all because he spent the entire day sleeping waiting for you. And the kind of dog is important because whereas a chihuahua is fully grown by the time he is 8 months old, a great dane, for example, will not fully mature until he’s 2 years old.
As to the toys, be very careful what you give him when he’s unsupervised, dogs have choked to death on raw hides, aside from the fact that it is not really very digestible. You would be better off giving him a starch or rice bone.
If he is tired and has a full belly, he will go to sleep at night (a nice long walk with play time in the late afternoon, dinner in the evening and another walk after that should do the trick). The radio is a good idea if you cannot stand his sleeping in your room, dogs are very social animals who always live in packs so your leaving him alone at night is not what his nature is asking for. A heating pad set low or a warm hot water bottle covered with a soft material for him to cuddle next to should also help. Do not scream at him, it makes things worse. Distract him and when he shuts up, praise him a lot. If all else fails, get another dog, it’s so much easier to raise two puppies than just one.
Good luck!
Bibi

I have a 3 month old great dane and I want to teach her not to pee in my house. I always get her out after she eats but she has not learnt to pee outside yet. Please can someone help me?
perla
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You just need to take her outside more often until her body matures to the point where she can hold and control her eliminations. Right now, she should go outside *at least* once every three hours, including immediately after she eats, drinks, wakes up from a nap, and plays vigorously. Also, if you leave the house and return later, be sure to take her out the instant you get home.

Don’t leave your puppy unsupervised in the house unless you want to be cleaning up lots of messes. Either crate her or restrict her to a small room with an easily cleaned floor if you can’t keep a constant eye on her. When she’s awake and you’re home, keep her leashed to you so she doesn’t have the opportunity to wander off and pee in a corner.

If you keep a careful and observant eye on her while in the house, you’ll be able to pick up on her signals that she needs to go out. They might be very subtle at first – just looking uncomfortable before starting to squat may be all she does – but the more observant you are, the more quickly you’ll get to know the signs. The older she gets, the more obvious her signals will become.

Don’t make a big deal out of it when she has an accident in the house, but DO make a big deal out of it when she does her business outside. Give her LOTS of praise. Just remember that if she has an accident in the house at her age, it’s your fault for not getting her outside quickly enough, not hers. Just quietly clean it up and make a commitment to take her outside more quickly and more frequently.

Housebreaking just takes time, commitment, consistency, and patience. There is no place for punishment in the process.

Hang in there. This, too, shall pass.

Tempest

Our 10 year old beagle (chessie) pulled a muscle in her bottom – back in August of 04. She woke up very stiff and could not move at all – yelped when touched – took her to the vet and the Dr did sonogram and x-rays thinking it may have been the start of arthritus (sp?) but discovered it was a pulled muscle…she put her on Deramaxx and within a day or two Chessie was her old self! Jumping and running and begging…last Sunday after a huge run around the house and up the stairs and such – she showed the signs of the pulled muscle again. So…I called the vet and she gave her more of the Deramaxx (25 mg per day) She would wake up very stiff, not able to walk or lie back down…I would give her the med and within a few hours she would be her old self!!! So…I began to give the pill in 1/2 form (Dr.s okay) one 1/2 in am the other at bed and this seemed to make her less stiff in the mornings…however on THIS sunday, she ran around and pulled it again!!! At least I think that this is what is going on – Dr. gave us more meds yesterday and today she woke up sooooo stiff and sore and not able to move – I gave her the medication and within a little time she is acting normal – slight soreness when trying to move more than she should.
Is this normal? Any one else give their pet Deramaxx? What can I do about her morning stiffness? Would she be stiff all day if it were arthritus?
We love her sooo much and I don’t like her to be in such pain in the mornings! Someone please help us with advice…it would be much appreciated!!!
THANK YOU!!! LORI
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Has your vet seen your dog after each of these incidents to confirm that the problem is just a pulled muscle? A vet should not be prescribing strong drugs like Deramaxx without an actual physical exam and periodic bloodwork. Deramaxx, like all non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs, can have very serious effects on the liver, and its use should be monitored through periodic bloodwork to make sure the liver isn’t being adversely affected.

There are conditions far more serious than a pulled muscle that can leave a dog immobile and in pain. It’s very important that a vet confirm the diagnosis each time her condition worsens.

The problem with drugs that relieve pain, like Deramaxx, is that a dog who ought to be resting an injury so it can heal will run around instead and aggravate or compound the injury. It’s going to be up to you to enforce rest on your dog by keeping her confined to a small area and taking her out on-leash until her injury has had time to fully heal.

If, however, your dog is arthritic and doesn’t have an acute injury like a muscle strain, light exercise will keep her joints lubricated and less sore. That’s why an accurate diagnosis is so important. You need to know whether Chessie needs to rest or needs to exercise in order to improve her condition.

Please, though, insist on bloodwork if you intend to continue to use Deramaxx or any other anti-inflammatory drug, and have her blood retested *at least* once every 6 mos as long as she’s on the drug.

It might also be advisable to get a second opinion from a different vet.

Good luck with your girl,

Tempest
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Okay – now I am a bit concerned about the Deramaxx…I DID ask the vet about side effects and she said that Chessie wasn’t on enough of a dosage where it would harm her over time…however, I am deeply concerned now that this is one POWERFUL drug. It sure does work on taking any pain away – so there must be more to it than I realize.
Anyone else used Deramxx? What was is prescribed for and did you notice any side effects?
THANK YOU Tempest for your reply. We are doing everything we can to keep Chessie still – she DOES have to go up and down stairs to do her business (leash of course)…but other than that she has been limited to an area where she can’t run around and such. Today (this morning) was a better day…but now I worry about what the side effects will do from all of this.
THANKS everyone that can give me some more insight!!!
Lori
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It’s not just Deramaxx. It’s all NSAIDS (Etogesic, Rimadyl, even aspirin). They can all adversely affect the liver in dogs. Different dogs respond to different drugs differently. One dog may go on a drug and have an immediate, serious reaction. Another dog may do very well on the same drug for a long time, then suddenly develop problems. A third dog may do perfectly fine on the same drug for as long as it’s necessary without ever developing any problems at all. It’s all of that variability in response and reaction that makes monitoring so important. There simply isn’t any way to predict potential side effects or lack thereof with any drug.

Just keep a close eye on Chessie and contact your vet immediately if you see any changes in her appetite, water consumption, or in the consistency, volume, or color of her urine and stool. Also, keep note of any behavioral changes – aggressiveness, excessive sleepiness, hyperactivity, etc. Any noticeable changes could possibly be drug-related and should be discussed with your vet.

Muscle pulls can take quite a while to heal, so don’t let the drugs fool you into thinking Chessie ready for action prematurely. Ask your vet how long it should take for such an injury to completely heal, and keep Chessie quiet for the full time period, regardless of how raring to go she may be. Oh, and you might want to start carrying her up and down those stairs so she doesn’t risk reinjury while she’s still healing.

All the best to you and Chessie,

Tempest

I have a friend that has a problem with his hunting beagle. She is an outside dog and has a kennel and special made dog box to keep her warm in the winter. He also puts bedding in the box to help her warm. He says that she goes to the bathroom inside the box, instead of outside on the concrete. Not only does she go in the box, but then she also goes in there and lays in it. Isn’t this unusual for animals to want to sleep or lay where they go to the bathroom? The box is not very big either. It is just big enough for her to lay down and turn around. It is made that way to help keep her warm. I have told him to try a few things but nothing works. It is weird cause if he takes all the bedding out and leaves it bare wood, she doesn’t do it, but when he puts bedding in there she does. Does anyone have any ideas of how to get her to stop this?
boxerlover
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It sounds to me like the beagle refuses to urinate where the surface causes it to splash back onto her. Who can blame her for that? The bedding in her box absorbs the urine and prevents splashing, so for her it feels like a cleaner environment.

Has your friend tried covering the concrete in the kennel with sand or sawdust to provide a non-splashing, absorbent surface? It would, unfortunately, make it more difficult to clean, but it may inspire the beagle to do her business outside of her sleeping box.

Tempest
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Urinating is not the problem.
boxerlover
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The solution may be the same regardless of whether she’s eliminating liquid or solid. Some dogs have a very strong instinct to bury their own eliminations, and this beagle sounds like one of them. She may be eliminating on the bedding in her box because it is the only material she has available to cover it – esp. if it is loose material like straw or old blankets.

The best way to move that behavior outside of her sleeping box may be to provide some loose cover – sawdust or sand – over the concrete in her kennel so she can bury her eliminations out there. It may also help if the bedding material in her box is something less “diggable” like a sheet of foam padding cut the same size as the floor of the box.

Tempest

My American Cocker Spaniel had a litter of 6 puppies about 8 weeks ago. About 3 weeks ago I noticed that 5 puppies would bark (real loud) except for one puppy. She is smaller than the rest of the litter, but was the 5th puppy born, she eats well, is real playful, she looks healthy. I thought that maybe it was that she had to learn to bark, 2 weeks passed and she still doesn’t bark or cry. The only noise she makes sounds just like when you have taken a dog to the park and it is breathing with its mouth open. Except the puppy makes this noise when it’s mouth is not open. Please help. Could this be a health problem? Or maybe she just needs to learn how to bark?
-Melissa
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If you are concerned that your puppy may have some sort of problem that precludes her being able to bark or vocalize, you should definitely have her checked out by a vet. There may be a medical issue that needs to be addressed, and this puppy should not be sold without a clean bill of health.

Tempest