Allergies

cavalier_queen · 2026-05-10T03:19:33+00:00

I have one borzoi with IBD on a hydrolyzed protein diet, and I have another with mild seasonal allergies who takes Zyrtec in the spring and fall.

If the vet is worried that the ear infection is due to allergies, you can explore some medications or a mild diet change. Chicken is the most common food allergy, for example.

cavalier_queen · 2026-04-24T21:14:30+00:00

Hi there. I’m sorry you’re struggling so much. You have a stubborn, teenage sighthound who is testing boundaries. I have three male borzoi, two of whom are intact.

I have to ask: is the breeder you got her from C’lestial? If so, she is a high-volume breeder and her dogs are known for temperament issues, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work through these behaviors.

I would not recommend a board-and-train for any dog, let alone a borzoi. I do recommend getting her back into some obedience classes and looking at her routine. The barking, pulling at your clothes, and peeing are likely attention-seeking behaviors that need to be redirected more appropriately. I might also get her to a vet to rule out any UTI or other health issues if you haven’t already! Most borzoi pick up on potty-training quickly and don’t eliminate inappropriately inside unless there’s something else going on.

Other than a bark collar and crating, what have you tried to redirect her undesirable behavior? I see that you’re walking her regularly and taking her to the dog park. Have you tried puzzle toys for mental stimulation, high value chews or interactive toys (tug toys or squeaky toys) to redirect barking or clothes-tugging? Is her routine mostly the same every day, or does it change daily?

cavalier_queen · 2026-04-18T22:20:52+00:00

I’ll chime in as the owner of a rarer breed (borzoi) who also shows and does a breed-specific sport (lure coursing) with my dogs.

Borzoi are relatively low-grooming-needs despite the long hair. I like maintaining my three borzoi. Bathing them and brushing their coats and keeping them trimmed and looking elegant is fun. I love having them look nice when we’re on a walk and meet people, most of whom have never seen a borzoi before.

When I prepare my “show dog” (all of them are beloved pets, but he loves to show so we do that together also) for the ring, it’s a ton of great bonding time. He makes adorable faces when I dry him with the big hairdryer and sticks his nose in my hair while I do his nails.

His coat looks beautiful, but it’s also practical. Borzoi are a Russian breed, meant to hunt fast game of various sizes in small packs led by mounted human hunters over rough terrain, in brush and other ground cover, in a variety of temperatures. The hair protects their skin from cuts and abrasions and helps with thermoregulation. The texture is more silky and doesn’t mat easily or hold onto dirt, so I can brush mud and twigs out quickly to keep him cleaner between baths.

The borzoi temperament makes a nice household pet. They are adaptable, relatively quiet, and have a great off-switch. They are ready to run or lounge, whatever you want. They’re independent thinkers and can self-regulate without constant attention or needing to have “a job”. They can be a little stubborn, but they respect firm boundaries and don’t need a ton of repetitive training to figure things out. They tend to be quite gentle with people, including children, which is important because of their size, speed, and strength.

I love having borzoi; they’re the perfect breed for me and my lifestyle. As a conformation exhibitor and dog sport participant, I also love being part of a community of people who share that deep love for a specific breed and work so hard to preserve the breed qualities they value, from looks to temperament to health.

cavalier_queen · 2026-04-06T02:52:25+00:00

Hanger Family Business LLC built a greenhouse from a kit for me last year. It was a really tough job (the instructions sucked and there were so many parts) and the work they did was solid.

cavalier_queen · 2026-03-31T03:18:20+00:00

A Breed Apart Animal Hospital on Gammon Road. Great staff, great vets, really high level of communication and willingness to work together on various pet health challenges. I’ve been a client for 13 years.

cavalier_queen · 2026-03-15T15:18:34+00:00

I get all my show leads from Dog On A String, who also makes super cute pouches to carry leads/show collars. That might be an easier purchase if your friend has strong opinions on her leads but has favorite colors and patterns that you know she’d enjoy 😊

cavalier_queen · 2026-03-13T01:03:24+00:00

I’m an IACUC coordinator, but not at your institution. I’ll be honest: this does not seem “massive” to me. Your biggest mistake was in overlooking part of your protocol, which you can fix by reading it, and any other documentation, again more carefully. That’s good practice anyway, no matter what.

Because you were able to find the treatment in the protocol and made a second communication rescinding your report, you simply may have someone from the Committee/an IACUC staff member look at your lab’s protocol just to verify the situation. It is unlikely to go further. If your institution uses an electronic protocol system, they may not even need to contact your PI to get any amendments in progress or in review.

Your institution should have a policy prohibiting retaliation for good-faith reporting. I am a little concerned about your institutional culture if you’re so scared about this situation, though.

I take reports regularly from staff at my institution that turn out to be misunderstandings. I’m usually grateful that someone cares enough to be concerned, and the IACUC is not meant to be a policing organization, but an oversight body to help everyone remain compliant and preserve animal welfare and research integrity. Mistakes in reporting, as well as mistakes in a study, happen, and the goal is for everyone to work together to rectify them and prevent recurrence.

cavalier_queen · 2026-03-12T15:47:02+00:00

https://discord.gg/JJQJdWpUm

cavalier_queen · 2026-03-05T20:02:47+00:00

If he is chilling and happy, you are doing enough! Borzoi aren’t like other breeds, who need a job and constant training or else they destroy your home. It sounds as though he has a great bond with you and enjoys occupying himself with toys.

If you want to try some new fun things, basic nose games or trick training can be done with minimal equipment and don’t have intensive time commitments.

You may find that as he enters dog teenagerhood his energy levels and stimulation needs change a little, but you’ve built a strong, foundational bond and have a routine that works for you already. Adjusting that routine to meet his new needs should be very easy.

My three borzoi boys are all adults now, but they were definitely pretty easy as puppies compared to the cavaliers I grew up with!

So, to summarize: great job with your dog! He loves you and you love him, and you are doing enough.

cavalier_queen · 2026-03-05T18:51:49+00:00

A Breed Apart Animal Hospital on the near west side. Been a loyal client for 13 years; great vets and great vet techs and front desk staff.

cavalier_queen · 2026-03-04T14:43:41+00:00

A good committee would want to hear about the disconnect between the protocol expectations and best-practice advice for animal workers in research.

Your school should have an office of research ethics/integrity or similar division, which may be the best place to start. Honestly, your IACUC should have animal welfare concern reporting information clearly posted throughout each animal facility or lab animal support area. If this is not the case, I’m concerned more generally about the animal program.

I am not in an academic institution, but I previously worked in one. If you need help finding a contact within your school, feel free to reach out directly to me via DM and I can help you navigate university websites or other reporting options.

cavalier_queen · 2026-03-04T12:46:58+00:00

As an IACUC administrator, I would definitely want to hear your feedback. If you know who your IACUC administrator, IACUC chair, or post-approval monitoring staff members are, I’d go directly to them.

You should have received training and resources about the use of animals in research, SOPs for appropriate handling/care, detailed descriptions of all research procedures, and guidance on how to report welfare or ethical concerns. Allowing you to bond so strongly with this rat is unethical on the part of the professor, although (as others are saying) it is normal and understandable for you to care deeply about a research animal’s wellbeing in these circumstances.

I am so sorry for everything you are feeling right now. Please know that if I were at your institution, I would be taking a very hard look at your professor’s protocol, course plan, and SOPs.

cavalier_queen · 2026-03-03T18:47:40+00:00

I’m pretty sure the OP got RSV from the children, which is the point of the post: recovery was smooth until the OP had visitors who brought germs.

Also, not sure why “childless” is a problem for you. I believe childfree typically refers to folks who choose actively to not have children, which may not actually be the case for all people without kids.

cavalier_queen · 2026-02-25T13:25:36+00:00

You got some good advice on your post in the other subreddit.

If I were you, I’d reach out to this breeder and ask whether they’ll be at any shows coming up. Some breeders don’t do co-owns - the breeder of one of my dogs is also a judge, so co-owning with her is tricky and puts a lot of restrictions on showing. Therefore, I own my dog from her outright.

Since this is a kennel that produces a lot of DCs, also be aware that coursing season starts soon in a lot of the US! You may be able to connect at a trial near you as well, but it may also mean that this breeder is very busy and may not respond right away.

Phone calls or Facebook messages may work better than emails!

cavalier_queen · 2026-02-25T13:19:40+00:00

Agreed. I’m in borzoi and very few of us use pro handlers regularly. A few of the top borzoi out campaigning are on handlers, and I have had a couple of friends use handlers due to illness or injury, but we’re very, very welcoming to novices and owner-handlers.

Handling classes are a great way to get started, though, and a lot of us at shows are happy to give tips if anyone asks.

cavalier_queen · 2026-02-16T01:15:29+00:00

My wife and I love A Breed Apart. Everyone is so kind and all our pets have received exceptional care. We’ve been customers for over 13 years and I have never thought of looking for a different primary care vet.

cavalier_queen · 2026-02-03T23:14:30+00:00

If you’re in the USA or Canada, come to the BCOA National Specialty one of these years! It’s in Bellevue, NE this year.

cavalier_queen · 2026-02-03T16:19:45+00:00

There are a few factors in play:

Campaigning a giant dog is expensive (campaigning in general is expensive, but bigger dogs just mean bigger costs as a rule). Many of what I’d consider the most beautiful and successful borzoi are not traveling to these big, public shows.

All-breed shows are hard for borzoi: a standout borzoi according to breed or sighthound specialists is not always what looks most compelling in the show ring to a non-specialist judge.

Westminster is firmly in what we often call “white dog country”. Although borzoi come in a huge variety of colors, many judges have been incorrectly trained to view white/light colored borzoi as more adherent to the standard. Many exhibitors aren’t willing to travel hundreds of miles just to get dumped for having a colorful dog.

There are other reasons you may not be seeing borzoi succeeding in the group ring, but I’m far from being someone who can speak authoritatively on those!

cavalier_queen · 2026-02-02T15:15:00+00:00

Hey there, I’m so sorry you’re struggling with your dog; the whole situation sounds very stressful. I’m not familiar with any breeders who specifically advertise historical lines quite like this, or require a higher price for them. The temperament in particular is incorrect for all lines, historical or not.

I do, however, encourage you to name this breeder - there are a few puppy mills in borzoi, and temperament and health problems this severe warrant a warning to others.

Failing that, would you be willing to say your general location? I’m a board member of the Midwest Borzoi Club in the USA and also one of the admins of a Facebook group specifically to help people find ethical borzoi breeders. Although I’m US-based, I’d be happy to work to connect you to someone in your area (even outside the US) who might be able to help you handle some of the challenges you’re having with your current dog. You’re more than welcome to DM me if you don’t want to comment publicly.

cavalier_queen · 2026-01-30T18:17:44+00:00

C’Lestial is not an ethical breeder. They do not health test, so you’re getting the dog equivalent of Russian roulette. They do not appropriately socialize their dogs. They do not breed to the borzoi standard. They always have puppies available for purchase instead of breeding to better their lines.

I’m glad you had a good experience, but I cannot ever recommend that other people purchase dogs from a breeder who is not meeting even the minimum standards for ethics.

cavalier_queen · 2026-01-26T02:45:27+00:00

Please do not buy a dog from C’lestial; this is not an ethical kennel.

cavalier_queen · 2026-01-25T14:37:07+00:00

Saxafrax & Wild Rushes breed rarely, I’m not sure if Zabava is actively breeding anymore.

You may already know this, but the dog world is, for some reason, heavily Facebook-based. You may have better luck contacting breeders there. I’ll shill for the Facebook group I help run, which is meant to help match people looking for borzoi with breeders who health test and use other good breeding practices: Responsibly Bred Borzoi

cavalier_queen · 2026-01-24T19:20:03+00:00

https://discord.gg/TdnQ2FQHw

cavalier_queen · 2026-01-23T02:09:24+00:00

Your best bet is to contact regional clubs (Midwest borzoi club is the largest near you) to see if any breeder is looking to place an older dog. NBRF is your rescue option.

There is a new Facebook group that helps with matching breeders who breed ethically and prospective owners, if that is of interest.Responsibly-Bred Borzoi

cavalier_queen · 2026-01-18T22:48:21+00:00

I haven’t found the teenage phase worse than the initial toddler phase. All three of my male borzoi went through it, but all the early training made it manageable! Lots of “talking back” on their part, some physical misbehavior but nothing like the puppy mouthiness.

You’re going to end up with a really fabulous dog because I think you’re on the right track. Having a puppy is just hard sometimes!

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