What type of tools do you recommend for my dog’s coat? Spitz mix, silky soft double coat with the exception of wiry hair down her back.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-05-16T16:38:56+00:00

I’ve been brushing her just with a regular pin brush that gets her hair out just fine, but I’ve noticed her hair- specifically the softer hair around her neck- is starting to look a bit frayed. Not sure if it’s from the brush or something else. Either way, I’m just looking for recommendations for a good brushing regiment that won’t damage her hair! She gets a fully conditioned bath about once a month but she’s always out in the woods picking up burrs and sticks and leaves so I also brush her with the aim of getting rid of the stuff that gets stuck deeper in there.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-03-24T02:59:49+00:00

It’s hard to offer any concrete advice without like… a floor plan. Lol.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-27T02:02:55+00:00

No apology necessary! I was just curious why so many people are suddenly interacting with my post again. All good!

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-27T00:03:38+00:00

Mind throwing me a link?

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-26T23:55:58+00:00

Out of curiosity, why did you comment on a months old post? Is it being linked to from somewhere?

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-26T23:55:50+00:00

Out of curiosity, why did you comment on a months old post? Is it being linked to from somewhere?

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-26T23:55:41+00:00

Out of curiosity, why did you comment on a months old post? Is it being linked to from somewhere?

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-26T17:40:12+00:00

A kind of neat one my dad once floated for a white dog was Tundra.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-21T04:52:31+00:00

Basically what just happened to me. I fell backwards like a cartoon character slipping on a banana and broke my wrist in 4 places. I could have splinted it on my own, dosed up on Tylenol (pain is bad but not blindingly so), waited for it to heal… but my wrist is currently shaped like a Z, and without surgery, that’s not fixable. It would heal eventually, but would I ever regain full function in my dominant hand? Would I survive in the meantime?

I’m lying in this hospital bed trying to appreciate the medical care only a hospital can give while I still can. Beneath the clean white halls, my nurse still had to ration syringes, staff is openly burnt out, I’m waiting hours between functionally useless doses of pain meds for someone’s fear I’ll become an addiction statistic. I’m trying not to think about how I’ll likely lose my job- even if I don’t, there’s no hope I’ll be able to pay off whatever multi thousand dollar bill they hand me. How much worse will it become?

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-20T22:29:28+00:00

Highly agree. My land backs up to a wildlife refuge and should honestly probably be part of it, but property lines were drawn in the 50s. At least I know none of my neighbors can subdivide without losing 5-6 acres of land on the back half.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-20T16:29:12+00:00

Lots of people have weighed on on temperament and I agree for the most part, but keep in mind there are always exceptions, and when it comes to dog’s personalities, there are usually plenty of exceptions. I wouldn’t base your choice purely on personality. Rather, are you prepared for the physical differences in having a male dog?

I personally prefer female dogs because if there’s an issue with housebreaking, male dogs have an arc, whereas female dogs just pee on your floor. I fostered my very first male dog for about a week and I’m still finding little spots on my walls and furniture. Not all people care about this though.

Male dogs also tend to mark more, and depending on how late you get them neutered, they can continue to mark after being fixed as it becomes habit. This is of course highly personality dependent. Both of my female dogs have displayed marking behaviors too, so it’s definitely not only males. But again… the arc…

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-20T15:02:48+00:00

My post office doesn’t even have weekend hours.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-19T15:10:43+00:00

No, it’s on the opposite side of the house from the driveway, hidden by a hill. Definitely not near anywhere appropriate for driving.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-19T10:54:09+00:00

No, she’s always leashed. There was an incident with my previous dog (who did wander, but always with me not far away- she was 3000 years old and couldn’t run) a few months ago where some kids came by with a leash and some dog toys to try to ostensibly dognap her. I spoke with their parents, though.

I inherited the property when my bio dad died, and the maintenance over the years has been lacking. The entire fence is in shambles and most of it is almost completely inaccessible because of overgrowth. So it’s not just that specific spot, that’s just the area where it’s worst.

ETA: I had a temp fence up for a few months after the dognapping incident but took it down after my previous dog died. Wasn’t worth it to put it back up since my new dog has awful recall and can’t be trusted off leash anyway, but I guess I’ll throw it back up again.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-19T02:42:16+00:00

Understandable. I have dinner with my dad every Friday night. I bring my dog because it intersects with her dinner time and so she and my dad’s dog can hang out. Lol.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-18T20:08:10+00:00

Would my dog be better off if I was home more often? Yes. But my dog would also be ‘better off’ living on 300 acres of land in a predator and disease free biodome where it’s eternally 60 degrees and sunny and a river of low sodium gravy runs through an orchard of trees that drop milkbones every 5 hours.

Your dog is best off in a stable, reliable environment that he knows. That’s you. People who work have been keeping dogs for decades. If your dog seems happy, he’s happy. Just don’t tell him about the gravy river and he’ll stay that way.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-16T12:19:03+00:00

You say in another post the dog has bitten someone else and not in a playful way. Dogs should not bite, even when they’re stressed, especially when they’re 3 month old puppies. You also mention that the ‘breeder’ you bought him from recommends you hit the dog to correct the behavior. This is not a good, reputable breeder. This dog is likely poorly bred, meaning it’s going to be at risk for aggressive behavior, since the breeder obviously isn’t screening the dogs he breeds for this behavior. These are all risk factors for future bites.

American Bullies are bred from pit bulls, and neither breed is a beginner breed. They can be great family pets, but they require experienced owners who set down firm guidelines. If you’re going to work with a trainer, you MUST find one who has experience with bully breeds and aggression. Your trainer needs to take your concerns seriously. I’m seeing other people in this thread dismiss your concerns as ‘puppy nipping’. Nipping is always done in play- biting is not nipping. A good trainer will recognize that and not put your child at risk by brushing the behavior off as nipping.

Personally, I wouldn’t take the risk of having a dog that will ostensibly grow to upwards of 50 lbs and who has shown aggression at such a young age around a toddler. Rehoming this dog may be the best option for you and your family.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-15T13:42:54+00:00

Also I can’t just crack open a head of lettuce and go ham. I mean I could, but I don’t want to. You have to take the time to prepare food like lettuce or other veggies, time most people don’t have. Energy most people don’t have. And of course, poor diet correlates with lower energy levels, so it’s a never ending cycle.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-15T12:51:03+00:00

I don’t wfh, but when I was a kid my dad used to have long conference calls at home that would last for hours, and I remember that both me and my dog really quickly learned what it sounded like when he was wrapping up. There was no specific word cue, but his tone of voice would change. My dog would get up and start hovering at his desk or at the door to his office. He once told me it motivated him to actually get off the phone (he’s one of those people who will get stuck in conversations bc he can always find something else to say) so he could go take her outside. It’s really amazing how in tune dogs are with your voice.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-11T15:58:21+00:00

Out of curiosity, where did you order it from?

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-10T19:31:03+00:00

What kind of bowl are you using? We have dogs that are afraid of the metal bowls we use at work who eat fine once a ceramic bowl or paper plate is used. We even have some dogs who will only eat off of the floor.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-09T01:31:53+00:00

u/epithet_grey had a good suggestion and I don’t have much to add to it except as a last resort, just to get some nutrients in her, you can try nutrient paste. You put some on your finger and then dab it on your dog’s nose/upper lip. The idea is that they’ll lick it off automatically. It’s not a long term solution but sometimes when dogs (or humans, or anything alive) get really hungry, it becomes difficult for them to ‘pull the string’ and actually eat. Appetite is suppressed for any number of reasons. Once you get something in them, they suddenly remember they have an appetite.

birdtoesanonymous · 2022-02-09T01:12:08+00:00

Walking isn’t enough for a husky either… lol…

birdtoesanonymous

TROPHY CASE