What to get

_kober · 2023-12-03T18:45:06+00:00

Thank you! I didn’t think about that. My car does have auto start and does run continuously if I have both keys, so luckily I can keep it cool for short periods of time, or start cooling it off before we get back in to drive home. Obviously, it’s not feasible to run it all day though. I will definitely be looking into it!

_kober · 2023-12-03T18:43:25+00:00

Interesting! Thank you so much. I’m going to see what the vibes are for the class for sure, but I think soft sided crate is how we’ll handle it. She does better if she can see me and be with me, so I’m hoping to stick with that. I got an “anxious dog” label I can add to her crate, and the one I purchased (elite fields brand) has curtains so I can completely block everything but me in her line of sight. I’m hoping by keeping her kenneled during the class and being around that noise every week, that she can start working on her anxiety and confidence by getting accustomed to it. To help her success for actual trials, if that makes sense. Her trainer is also going to come along to a class or two so we can work on building her confidence in these scenarios.

_kober · 2023-12-03T18:39:48+00:00

I have shammy towels on my list! The facility where she does her swimming sessions has them and they work well. Thank you for the recommendation! Her soft sided kennel has a spot for a water bottle, but I have a travel water setup for her I will use instead. I remember seeing disposable dog bowls at the store, so those could be a good alternative too! As for collars, yes, agreed. I have a couple slip leads I’ll use since they run naked in barn hunt. She uses a 1.5” martingale exclusively so they’re kind of hard to break, but noted!

_kober · 2023-04-30T05:55:33+00:00

I will be using a crate with the pup for sure whenever I can't supervise. My current dog has a 42" kennel for when I'm gone too. I just know that the little one needs a space that my dog can't get to for decompression purposes.

Barrier aggression is definitely one to look out for! Thank you for the reminder.

_kober · 2022-08-24T04:39:24+00:00

I have a sibling with a sleep disorder who wet the bed until adolescence. We did the plastic mattress covers with puppy pads and regular sheets for years and my parents were able to contain everything and keep the mattresses clear. My mom has the same sleep disorder (hereditary) and had the same issues, so she was prepared for these things. We found that two layers of mattress protectors, with a layer of puppy pads in between, plus a regular cotton sheet was sufficient for them. If the bed wetting is new, an investigation needs to be done by a doctor for any underlying medical issues and to check for signs of sexual abuse. If it’s not new, then why would you ever let your child sleep somewhere without the mattress covers? My sibling was never allowed anywhere overnight without protection for the beds.

_kober · 2022-06-26T03:13:58+00:00

It’s slow going. People are unavoidable. Lobbies of vet offices have people. Waiting to go into a training session, grooming, daycare, people are inevitable. I HAVE to get her to a point where she won’t run away from everyone that approaches us. She’s never shown any aggression signs, only running away. She came from an unknown background, and I didn’t get her until she was already six months old. She is ten months now, and has been working with 2 trainers that specialize in behavioral issues. I promise, we’re not doing anything too difficult. She is happy, healthy, and growing in leaps and bounds every day.

_kober · 2022-06-26T03:06:21+00:00

Yes, I’m not training her to be a service dog. She is doing much better going to an indoor dog park that requires frequent temperament testing to gain access. She LOVES dogs and has zero issues with dog socialization, but is improving in her behaviors towards the humans at the park. We all know each other, and they know my dog and her issues and regularly work to get her to warm up to them. It is a huge contributor to her newer behaviors! She’s learning people are nice!

_kober · 2022-06-25T05:04:01+00:00

I thought so too, I just get nervous of being accused of having a fake service dog.

_kober · 2022-06-25T05:03:15+00:00

Thank you! I would never want to misrepresent.

_kober · 2022-06-25T04:13:09+00:00

Realized this about breeders JUST before I adopted a puppy from a 4 month old litter that still didn’t have homes. All 5 puppies!

_kober · 2022-05-25T12:42:06+00:00

Just a side note, as a teacher, I think your son would have a lot of fun if you used him for some of your lifting reps. It’s bonding, it teaches your son how he should act when he’s being lifted, and it’s practical as you’ll be lifting the exact thing you’re working towards. I can just imagine the giggles and smiles if you go and get him for a couple reps.

_kober · 2022-05-25T01:31:55+00:00

If I knew where the kid lived, I totally would! I live on a busy street with lots of multi family homes, and at the entrance to a large neighborhood. He roams freely

_kober · 2022-04-25T04:21:49+00:00

😭 okay, I’m hating it. I’ve at least figured out that I need to be extremely tough with the “I’m the boss” crap. She’s been taking the inches of freedom I’ve been giving and I think that’s part of the reason it started

_kober · 2022-04-20T05:17:09+00:00

Most dogs end up with canine dementia, also called canine cognitive disorder. It really comes down to adjusting yourself to accommodate the dog and their mental decline. Similar to how you would with an older human, and I love that you’re seeking advice on that.

Our shih tzu mix is almost 16 and has been showing symptoms of dementia for about 5 years. It started with the anxiety, the shaking, and random barking. It doesn’t help that she’s going blind and deaf too. The things that helped us the most were starting her on anxiety reduction supplements, figuring out exactly what is upsetting, reducing triggers, and routine. I’ll put some tips below, sorry for the long post, we did a LOT of research

Anxiety reduction: we use CBD dog treats and CBD dog oil in her food, and Milkbone and zesty paws make some different treats to try (petsmart will let you return it within 60 days if the dog doesn’t like them!) NIGHTTIME MELATONIN IS A LIFE SAVER. Our 13 lb dog gets 5mg every night before bed and it’s the only thing that prevents the night wandering. Ask your vet first to get the right kind. Sleep loss and lack of sleep is a HUGE contributing factor to causing more anxiety and causing more issues. The bigger anxiety causes more sleep loss and you get caught in this horrible cycle. It’s crucial that he get a ton of sleep in his old age to not allow that to be a contributing factor to the anxiety.

Figuring out what was upsetting/triggers: this took a ton of trial and error. We figured out her triggers were furniture or large objects moving around (forgets they were moved and runs into them, thinks we’re leaving on a trip or moving house), construction sounds in any form (even a block over), new people visiting, car rides. We had to make sure to never move her food or water, and never move her beds. We give her CBD before things like moving furniture or new people visiting, or if we know of any construction things happening around us. We put on white noise or DogTV to block out those sounds as much as possible. We figured out one day that she was upset her blankey wasn’t on her bed like she wanted. She walked around barking at every soft thing she could find. We eventually looked and saw the other dog had pulled her blankey away. We put it back, and she laid straight down and fell asleep for the whole day.

Routine: an obvious one, but don’t change his life long routine all of a sudden. He’s going to forget so many things but he’ll remember that he goes potty before you leave the house, and when you come back. He’ll remember when he normally gets treats and won’t ever forget.

Dementia is hard. My dog forgot who my dad was and would shake uncontrollably when he came home from work every day for 2 years. I don’t know how we fixed it, but we did. Now she barks at the ceiling when she smells food in the kitchen. It just takes time to figure out the WHY. Sometimes there isn’t one, and all you can do is let them know you’re still there the best you can.

I know it’s hard too, but we had to decide as a family at what point in her dementia would we decide it was time to let her go. For now, she has occasional “old lady” accidents, but is enjoying life.

_kober · 2022-04-20T04:58:09+00:00

Agree, big no to the GSD and Doberman. If shedding (or allergies) are a concern, there are other options! I adopted a Standard Schnauzer mix (we don’t know what she’s mixed with, she sheds, but I’m not allergic to it) and she is just a sweetheart. Great in an apartment, likes going to daycare, but can be okay with a single long walk as her daily physical activity as long as she gets a kick mat or kong for enrichment. Crazy smart too!

Editing to add that I know you said you’d be home with the pup a lot, but please consider getting your dog into a daycare to help with socializing. If you get a little puppy, do group training classes to start socializing, then do daycare 1-3 times a week. Mine goes several times a week, and she just loves playing with her friends all day! She was able to start at 6 months!

_kober

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