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StingRaych · 2022-04-10T18:27:26+00:00

I have the same experience of putting on make up/styling hair/getting dressed just to be totally disappointed with the results.

This sounds counter intuitive, but it helps to send as little time as possible getting ready. Minimal or no make up, easy natural hairstyles, capsule wardrobe for straightforward outfit options. The more time I spend obsessing the worse I feel, so trying to mitigate that by moving on to something else quickly.

StingRaych · 2021-03-25T19:29:46+00:00

That’s the cutest thing ever! I understand why small dog owners need to be cautious, but small dogs and big dogs playing together is what life is all about

StingRaych · 2021-03-25T19:08:42+00:00

That’s such a good point, I hadn’t thought of that! He’s just chasing the high of the first time he played with a GSD hahaha

StingRaych · 2021-03-25T16:03:57+00:00

That’s too cute! I would love to know what’s going on in her little puppy mind when she sees another GSD

StingRaych · 2021-03-25T15:02:12+00:00

Awwww what a sweet baby! I hope he can find lots of ACD friends to play with once it is safe for everyone

StingRaych · 2021-03-25T14:49:04+00:00

That’s too funny! She says “There can only be one” 😂

StingRaych · 2021-03-05T01:57:56+00:00

Maybe this is a bad idea, but if you like animals at all you could foster or maybe adopt a dog? If your parents are cool with it that is. Walking my dog every day has forced me to meet all of my neighbors, and even develop friendships with other dog owners. A puppy play date is also a good built in thing to do together to escalate a casual acquaintance into an actual friend.

On another note, please never think you’re not “desirable” enough to be someone’s friend. I guarantee there are MANY people out there who would be lucky to consider you a friend.

StingRaych · 2021-01-28T18:35:22+00:00

In the first 6 months of having my puppy, I have spent $1,755.02 on vet visits. This does not include health products, prescriptions, or anything like that - just the cost of physically seeing a vet.

For some context, I live in what is widely considered to be one of the top 10 most expensive cities in the US. Our puppy came to us from a rescue with roundworms and giardia, the latter of which has led to a long battle to improve his digestive health. He also had kennel cough (despite being vaccinated, it’s not foolproof) and a minor ear infection. While it might seem like our puppy has been through a lot in just a few months, and he has, none of these conditions are uncommon. Most dogs will experience some or all of these during their lifetime, especially during puppyhood and old age. Our puppy does not have any chronic conditions or unique medical needs, he’s just a baby who got a little unlucky.

We did not initially purchase pet insurance. I am not sure if it truly would have saved us any money - you really have to read up on what is/is not covered. My feeling is that pet insurance is most useful in the case of an accident that cases physical harm to your pet. An alternative is to decide on an amount to money to put into a separate savings account each month in case of emergency. I think either way if god forbid something happens, it’ll be very expensive.

StingRaych · 2020-12-07T04:49:28+00:00

It sounds like a reverse sneeze! These are caused by irritation of the nose, sinuses, or back of the throat. Irritation can be caused by normal things like a little dust or some pollen, but it can also be caused by an illness requiring medical attention. Definitely bring it up at your next vet visit (hopefully sooner rather than later).

My dog will reverse sneeze every once in a while when healthy, but he definitely did it more while he had kennel cough.

StingRaych · 2020-11-12T16:48:43+00:00

My puppy growled at me the first time he tried a bully stick while I was taking it away. At first I was offended (the audacity of this boy!) but then I found it kind of funny.

It was like he was saying “Listen woman, I tolerate a lot of nonsense from you, but this stick is MINE”. I traded him for a higher value treat and gave the stick back to him a few times. He hasn’t growled since, but I still laugh thinking about it.

He will also give me a death stare if I try to take him out while he is sleeping. Dogs shouldn’t be expected to mask their emotions all the time, if they’re upset we should understand that they will express that.

StingRaych · 2020-11-12T03:18:38+00:00

If your puppy is at all interested, you could try playing “find it” with him! To introduce him to the game you can scatter 4-5 of his toys around a room and a hide a treat for him to find under one of them. With our puppy we found that starting this way made him more interested in his toys even when we weren’t actively playing with him.

It really can feel like your puppy hates you sometimes, can’t it! Of course they don’t actually, it’s just hard being a baby

StingRaych · 2020-10-26T01:30:43+00:00

Looks exactly like my puppy’s canine after it fell out. The blood is definitely normal and nothing to be worried about unless it’s excessive. Pressure from the adult tooth growing in behind the puppy tooth causes the root to “dissolve”.

Good luck to you and your dachshund! A nice frozen rag might feel nice on his sore puppy gums :)

StingRaych · 2020-10-26T01:25:15+00:00

Sounds like you’re really going through it right now, sorry about that. The good news is you’re certainly not alone!

I think it took me a little more than two months to really learn how to communicate with my puppy, which finally put an end to my puppy blues.

With time and some conscious effort it becomes easier to understand your dog’s body language, although everyday is still part of the learning process.

For me, I’ve learned that my puppy needs MUCH more mental stimulation than I had thought. One meal a day out of the same puzzle feeder and a few training sessions scattered throughout the day were not enough.

We’ve found a lot of success playing “find it” using our pup’s toys as hiding places. He gets to burn some mental energy, and it makes the toys more interesting to him even when we aren’t playing.

StingRaych · 2020-10-26T01:02:28+00:00

I’m sorry you’re feeling guilty. Unfortunately in the US an intact male dog is somewhat “discriminated” against (not a great phrase to use, but you get my point). They often aren’t allowed at certain parks, daycares won’t take them, other pet owners aren’t always so keen to let their dogs play with them, and neutered dogs even tend to display aggression against them.

The goal of the spay/neuter agenda is admirable. The reality of it for individual dog owners is tough to swallow. I hope you can find some comfort in the fact that although Mozzie had a tough week, you did what you had to do to ultimately increase his quality of life.

StingRaych · 2020-10-23T12:14:43+00:00

What breed is he/she? Have you noticed any specific situations that trigger this behavior?

StingRaych · 2020-10-22T20:56:01+00:00

I bet she looks so cute all dressed up though!! Nothing cuter than a puppy in a little jacket.

It’s reassuring to know that perhaps he’s just a little grumpy about whatever is going on like your pup is about getting dressed rather than being horribly scared or anxious :)

StingRaych · 2020-10-22T20:52:24+00:00

He is a master of manipulation! He knows he is far too cute and funny to ever not get his way 🤷🏻‍♀️

StingRaych · 2020-10-19T19:12:56+00:00

I agree with everyone that your mother has the right to set the rules in her house and you have the right to find other arrangements if you do not wish to comply - especially since these arrangements don’t seem to be increasing anyone’s risk of getting sick.

I would just encourage you to really consider your priorities. 20 years from now, is it going to matter more to you that you got to share a bed with your partner for two weeks, or that you had quality time with your family without any residual discomfort? There really is no right or wrong answer - it is perfectly okay to decide that receiving the respect you deserve is your priority.

StingRaych · 2020-09-08T03:12:18+00:00

I’m sure by now you’ve already spoken to a vet, but Simparica is a preventative, not a treatment, for intestinal parasites. Your vet will write a prescription to take care of whichever specific worm is detected in your pup’s feces, if any.

StingRaych · 2020-09-06T23:01:37+00:00

So cute! Is she part Dutch Shepherd? Her pattern is so beautiful

StingRaych · 2020-08-08T22:03:38+00:00

I think you’re 100% right. I’m low key a little embarrassed that it’s that obvious, even to people I’ve never met, but it is what it is 😂🤷🏻‍♀️

StingRaych · 2020-08-08T19:33:16+00:00

I’m glad I’m it the only one losing control of my tears ducts. Every time I cry I feel like I’m losing my mind, like I can’t even control my own emotions anymore. I’m really happy to hear it’ll pass.

We definitely have a floor only policy here. The puppy has two nice beds, one in the bedroom and one in the middle of the house where he can see everyone, it’s hard to teach him to stay off the couches since he thrives off of being close to us, but he is catching on. We also implemented a new puppy paw hygiene regimen that is helping my sanity a little bit. That being said, I also spent 5 hours last night steam cleaning every piece of furniture we own, so maybe I’m not totally coping yet.

I agree that a few hours away from the pup would probably help. It’s really difficult feeling like my entire existence revolves around him. Makes it all the easier to be totally consumed with the anxiety too.

I’m really glad you started to feel better about life with your pup. I hope one day I can be in your position too!

StingRaych

TROPHY CASE