So today we met up with our friends and their dog Jackson. We went over to Jamesville Beach, which doesn't allow dogs on the beach but has a super awesome off leash area that goes down to a creek for the dogs to play in. They had so much fun. We met TONS of other dogs there and I took so many photos. Over 300, though I only think 150 of them came out ok enough to share at all. So behind the cut are some of my favourites.

WARNING: THERE BE LOTS OF PHOTOS. Of Mutts and Huskies and Rottweilers and a GSD and a Border collie and bully breeds...LOTS OF DOGS.

( You have been warned! Not dial-up friendly at all! )

I've decided to go ahead and start opening for commissions here on LJ, as a start to break into the pet portrait business.

( Examples and details )

I've decided to go ahead and start opening for commissions here on LJ, as a start to break into the pet portrait business.

( Examples and details )

Ok, something here's gotta happen with this situation. Its getting out of hand. I'm a little peeved, because its starting to affect my dogs health.

My dog, Hobo, has broken a tooth. An upper canine, to be exact. I don't know how long its been broken, but I'm sure it was there 2 weeks ago when I last stuck my fingers in her mouth to poke around. I have a good idea of how she broke it, though. If you look at this picture, you will see a cat bed on the left and a pile of wood. The cat bed was for comparison, but all the wood there came off of our backyard fence. This pile was from around February (I live in Texas, which will explain this whole lawn care ordeal a little further down).

Both of my dogs live primarily outside (as is their preference) and when they come inside, its usually to discourage Hobo from ripping our fence apart, the weather is bad, or we have people that will be going in and out of our backyard. Hobo has learned what day and time we bring her in to keep her from ripping our fence apart and she has started to refuse to come inside.

Now, the reason Hobo will rip the fence apart is because she's trying to get to the weed whackers the men who do lawn care for my neighbors use. She's been unsuccessful at getting the weed whackers and we usually end up bringing her and Ned inside or sitting out there with her while they're doing the lawn. Obviously, there isn't ALWAYS someone at my house to supervise her activities and we can't let them in every time we go out. (Ned, our other dog, lets his high prey drive kick in around my cat, and inappropriate actions begin. My kitty is completely oblivious to the fact that she shouldn't, under any circumstances, be left alone with Ned.)

When she's going after the fence, there is absolutely nothing that we can do to get her attention, except for physically pulling her away, which has its own risks. She doesn't react to being fussed at, its impossible to body block because of the length of the fence, and she's so engrossed in the "ATTACK THE WEED EATER RAAAARGH" that she doesn't notice food.

We've tried bitter apple. We home made our own version of this, using habanero peppers, to which Hobo was COMPLETELY oblivious to. We've tried using something similar to chicken wire attached to the fence so it would be impossible for her to grab the bottom of the fence boards and rip them up. She ended up ripping the wire mesh off and then moving it out of the way and proceeded to attack the fence. So far the only thing that is SORT OF working is nailing the bottoms of the boards in. It only works to an extent, though, because she still manages to get the fence ripped to shreds (it takes twice as long, though!).

What can I do? This whole situation was doing relatively okay in that we were coming up with different ways to stave her off for a bit while asking around about other solutions, but once it comes down to her health, I need a more permanent answer ASAP, before any other damage can happen.

Sorry if this is a bit lengthy. I'm a little frustrated that nothing has worked and I feel guilty for not coming up with a permanent solution before she ended up hurting herself. The only good that has come from this whole ordeal is that she gets to see her 2 favorite people on Monday: the vet and the vet tech. -_-

I am so upset right now, I can't sleep. My landlord left a nasty message for me on my door today telling me my dog barks nonstop and she's gotten multiple complaints. If I don't shut him up, she's going to make me get rid of him or evict me. In addition to that, she said she was cleaning the apartment below mine last week and she heard my dog bark nonstop. I was home all week, and he didn't bark once unless the doorbell rang. When I left the house, I brought him with me.

It isn't my dog that's barking! I've heard the dog in question bark nonstop everyday for a few weeks, but I'm not the type of person to make complaints about another person's problem. The thing that really surprised me is not only did my landlord say she's left me multiple notices about it (I've only gotten one), but when I was signing the lease agreement in this apartment, my dog wasn't here. That dog was barking then, and she even commented on it! She said she'd have to look into it because it sounded like a big dog to her and the tenant was supposed to own a small dog. I remarked at the time that it sounded like a small dog to me. Nothing more was said on the subject.

What do I do?? How am I supposed to prove it isn't my dog barking? My mom has commented on the other tenant's dog barking. My husband has commented on it. I think my brother has, too. If my lack of complaining is the reason my dog is being blamed, then I'm going to start making complaints every time I hear that stupid dog bark! I even told my mom that if it comes down to it, I'd have her take Romeo for a week just to prove it isn't him. The thing is, I need Romeo here with me! The only other option I can think of is horrifying, but it may be the only way to keep my dog so they know beyond a doubt it isn't him, and that's to have him debarked. I really, really, REALLY don't want to go that route. I think it's so sad to see dogs that were debarked.

Someone please advise me!

Foster Dog Diaries

Check out my blog! It's all about my insane life with three dogs of my own, three cats (maybe four), two ferrets, one horse... and one or two foster dogs! Worth the quick read!

Pit bull mix, male neutered, 5 years old. Rescued at 2. To make a long story short, last December, my parents decided that I didn't get to live with them anymore. The only place I was able to live in was not about to take my dog, too, so he stayed with my parents. They ensured that he didn't starve to death, and that's about it. I found an apartment that would let me have him (YAY!), so on Wednesday afternoon, he came home.

He's fat, smells, completely lost whatever manners I taught him, and his nails are grotesquely long. I can deal with that. The problem is that he has developed this behavior of barking/yelping in utter distress whenever I leave. Even closing him in a room and going to another part of the apartment is the Worst Thing Ever. He won't eat Kongs or bully sticks or anything if he knows I'm leaving--and Humphrey LIVES for food, so he must be really upset. He's always been clingy, but this is ridiculous.

This isn't "true" Separation Anxiety. I don't know how long his barking crying fit lasts (I could hear him as I got into my car and drove away this morning), but eventually he calms down enough to eat whatever tasties I leave him and take a nap. He doesn't poop or pee or destroy the house. If we didn't live in an apartment, I wouldn't be so concerned. But unfortunately, we do, and I can't have my dog freaking out at 7 in the morning when I leave for work.

Does anyone have any ideas that could help us out? We haven't heard any complaints yet, but I feel like it's only a matter of time unless we nip this in the bud.

Hi D_L! We just got back from the vet--my mom claims to have seen a roundworm coming out of my pup--turned out to be a string from her tug of war--but better safe than sorry! While we were there, we did her annual, so it's time to buy heartworm prevention. My vet doesn't carry Heartgard, the only one I like/trust, so I'm doing some comparison shopping online. What are some of your favorite sites for stuff like this? Beyond 1800PetMeds, of course.

Puppy power says thanks in advance!

So now that I own a puppy, I was wondering what sort of toys I could give him to bite/chew on as a distraction so he can have some calm time. Currently he is gnawing on a smoked mini marrowbone, but I don't know if that is best for him or if I should try for something else. At the moment he is loving the crap out of the bone though. He is a 6 month old Kelpie who has been known to chew on wood (tree stump wood, not furniture) in the past to get his gnaw cravings in. I also got him a pack of tennis balls and he has a plushie stuffed kangaroo to gnaw on and a tug rope (that he plays fetch with and not the ball O.o). In the past he has also destroyed his food and water dishes by chewing on them too and I want to curb that behavior before he starts with me.

Suggestions, ideas and advice would be great. 



 

Thanks guys so much for all your kind and calming words :-) Pardon this post being littered with :-) and !!!! but well, I'M SO HAPPY my girl is fine! :-)

I brought my girl home tonight! Went to pick her up with my 3 yo Charles from the vet (he was VERY concerned previously about Ruby being at the Doggy Doctor and was worried the Doggy Doctor was stealing his dog :-(). She was bouncing into us super happy to see us!

Just looking at her I could tell she was better. No more swollen side of her face and she was not so slow and careful like before.

We brought her home and she immediately went to her food bowl, and gobbled all of it! I was supposed to give her wet food but she just dove straight into the bowl and was thrilled when finished. :-) She even gobbled her pills which were hidden in there! Sadie (who had been hunger striking out of solidarity or something?) then perked right up and ate right alongside her, then they both drank tons of water, and took a big long nap on their Kuranda bed together! :-)

About 30 minutes later, Ruby woke up and ate the rest of Sadie's food hee hee hee!

Bliss.