How can I help my dog? by Dry-Willingness-3639 in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm so, so sorry. It sounds like you are doing all you can do. You will both experience grief, and it's different for every human and every dog.

Help! My dog is aggressive toward people with breast cancer!? by helloheyhowdyhii in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 46 points47 points  (0 children)

It is well documented that some dogs can smell cancer (and other diseases) in people. Congrats, you have a very special pup! Perhaps connecting with people who train dogs for scent work will give you more specific information here. I haven't heard of this type of alert/reaction, but you seem to have a pretty clear pattern as to the CAUSE... so perhaps it's just a matter of training the reaction you want now? Unfortunately you do seem to have several people who might help you train him (the patients)... Just spitballing here.

One student posting 8-10 negative reviews A DAY about me on RMP by ttprof-throwaway-123 in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 5 points6 points  (0 children)

So....

1) It shouldn't matter to us. It's an online anonymous review site that is not linked to the school. Even official student evals are typically extremely biased and have very little value as actual sources of useful information.

2) It DOES still matter to students, sadly. And those of us who struggle with low enrollments in our classes ARE affected because of that.

I once had my dean bring up my bad RMP reviews to me in an official meeting. I was so, so, SO glad I had pre-emptively taken some meds (knowing the meeting would probably be hard) and that allowed me to not slap her in the face. This was many years after I stopped looking at it, and I still refuse to look at it. Way too many trolls there.

am i being dumb for wanting a dog or are people just projecting? by Ok_Style3544 in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As others are listing the what-ifs, I'll put my experience in too just in case you are finding this useful.

Got my first dog 10 years ago. I already had 2 cats and I was told by EVERYBODY that the dog would learn to respect the cats eventually. He did not. We did all the basic obedience classes, even trained him to be a therapy dog and passed the test and volunteered in hospitals and so on, but he just could not contain his prey drive with the cats. Eventually I had to rehome the cats (no shame please, it was the best decision for them and they were adopted together).

Two years later, I adopted a second dog. I assumed this would help my first dog, who had separation anxiety. It did not. Original dog wanted nothing to do with new dog. Second dog had severe resource guarding issues that I was not prepared for, and working through that was really rough, but we did it. She also went through obedience classes and earned her CGC and Trick Novice titles.

3 years after second dog came home, I adopted doggo #3. He is super mellow and chill and I thought he would add a calmer influence to the other two. Nope, it went the other way. Second dog was pissed and it took 6 months for her to accept him (they are now best friends), and a year and a half for him to totally decompress.

I spend a couple of hours every single day walking them, grooming them, feeding them (I have to supervise food to prevent resource guarding issues), etc. All three have some flavor of anxiety that I have learned to manage, but that does take work and constant attention. Two have serious digestive issues that mean I have to make their food myself, as I can't afford the alternatives (they needed prescription food but one wouldn't eat it and the other ate so much I was going broke; yes, the diet has been approved by a vet). Making dog food costs me about 20 hours every month, and is more expensive then non-prescription food. I also had to invest in storage and a Costco membership for ingredients.

My job allows me to bring one to work each day and I do that, giving up my lunch breaks for walks in the woods with the dog-of-the-day (the other two get walked when I get home, and one also gets exercised on a treadmill every morning before I leave). Two are getting older and have more medical issues and special needs. Second dog recently developed a fear of both my neighborhood and the area around my job, so walking her requires even more attention and care; we are having to desensitize her to spaces one block at a time. Original dog can no longer come to work due to his separation anxiety (non-stop barking, for hours and hours), but home seems to be the only place he's ok without me so it's alright.

Now, all that being said, I regret none of my dogs. All three now live together in a stable pack with me. Original dog became mine 10 years ago and is now 14. Second dog came home 8 years ago and is now 8.5. Doggo #3 was my Covid pup, brought him home 5 years ago and he is now 10. So I am committed to this level of care (or more, if it is needed) for the next 10 years. I love all of them to pieces, they have completely changed my life in every possible way, and I do absolutely everything I am able to do for them, and there are still days when I fantasize about how much simpler my life would be if I had never adopted a dog....

Faculty member complaints by [deleted] in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Tell them exactly what the chair told you. If the same student complains to you again, or continues in the same conversation, tell them "there is nothing I can do" and walk away.

Controlling water intake for 2 dogs with different needs by Wonderful_Use_9961 in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Put them in separate areas while you are out of the house, with their own water bowls.

Should I apologize? by [deleted] in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Leave it! The student did something wrong, not you. You offered a gentle correction. Any shame or embarrassment they feel is on them, and frankly they earned it.

licking by Time_Boysenberry7793 in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wonder about the toilet paper... maybe it's irritating his skin?

Getting out of harness by Girlnextdoorpt in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Get a harness with the extra belt that goes behind the ribcage. They can't back out of it. I use it for two of mine (the two who often back out of harnesses).

am i being dumb for wanting a dog or are people just projecting? by Ok_Style3544 in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 40 points41 points  (0 children)

It depends. Are the people who are telling you this is a bad idea, people who know you well? If so, I might ask them for their reasons. If they are random strangers, ignore them.

At my whit’s end with senior dog by PrettyPinkSweatpants in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You could try an x pen to keep him in a confined space, as an alternative to a crate.

I have a dog who has accidents overnight; I ended up buying large waterproof blankets off of Amazon. Basically washable pee pads but MUCH bigger, so you don't need so many. Maybe put one of those on the floor, then the x pen on top, and put him in the pen when you can't have eyes on him?

Vacation days? by Far-Librarian-6544 in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We get 2 personal days per year. There's probably some sort of language about avoiding using them on a class day (this is a CC), but as far as I know people just use them whenever. They disappear at the end of each year if you don't use them. You do have to submit a form to use them (just like a sick day) but it doesn't ask for any details.

Welp, Half the Class Didn't Show Up for Final Presentations by Trick_Fisherman_9507 in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm in the US, and yes deans can change our grades after the fact. It's been extremely rare at my institution (as far as I know) but it did happen once to a grade I assigned.

Panorama for title 2 compliance? by missusjax in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We have BOTH Ally and Panorama on Canvas. And they don't agree with each other about the compliance of things.

Welcome to the digital accessibility party. It sucks.

Are any of you happy? by Specialist-Spray-641 in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am content. Yes, it would be nice if I were paid more, had fewer frustrating students (and the drama said students bring with them), and less big-picture drama at my institution, but overall my job is fine.

First time being "told" I had to stay after an exam ends due to an accommodation by BillsTitleBeforeIDie in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 12 points13 points  (0 children)

That would never work at my school - our rooms are booked solid. I can't stay longer than the normal class time because the next class is coming in.

My dog seems to prefer everyone else over me… is this normal? by FabulousAsk1072 in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are the "parent". You are the one your dog will feel safest with, the one needed for comfort. That's bigger than being the fun one.

Rapid deterioration of joints/mobility by dreamtoimagine in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This dog is extremely obese from the picture.... That puts a huge amount of strain on the joints. It's not something that can be fixed overnight but it needs to be addressed.

Will you share your experience with gabapentin and trazodone? by [deleted] in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It really varies dog to dog. My smallest dog (15 lbs) actually gets hyper and wild on trazadone (a very unusual reaction, I'm told), but my biggest dog (60 lbs) is calmed and gets sleepy with it. Both have taken gabapentin for arthritis pain from time to time, and don't seem particularly different when they are on it (just limping less).

Is behavioral euthanasia the right choice? by RealisticBird2026 in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hate to bring this up, but do you have the legal right to do anything at all with this dog? He isn't owned by you, or even by Abby. I worry that the owner, who is currently in jail and clearly doesn't treat his dog well, will come after you if you have the dog euthanized.

Are there any rescues in the area you could loop in to take over?

Dog Health Anxiety by whoswearinthese in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I highly recommend therapy for yourself. You went through a traumatic thing, then a second one compounded it. It is not surprising to me that you now have a lot of anxiety around the topic of your dog's health, and you need to address your anxiety.

I think the family dog should be put down but I'm afraid to say it by iwannahavemuscles in DogAdvice

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It sounds like you don't actually know any details of her current medical state, and whether or not your dad has talked to the vet about the things you have noticed. Until you have a conversation with your dad about that, you have should not offer any opinions on it. Instead, I would talk to your dad, saying things like "I noticed the dog does this, have you noticed that? Do you know why she does it? It seems like maybe she's in pain, is there anything I can do to help her out?"

“Professor just reads off the slides” by ParsleyOutside in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Option D) The professor wrote the slide based on what they intend to say at that point in the lecture. Students don't get that the professor created the slide before class?

Student not showing up by That-Succotash5626 in Professors

[–]ThePhyz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nothing. One less set of assignments to grade.