Gryffenne

So... when I first adopted Sammi, i went through the not wanting to poop on lead with her (Amazing how you can remember the event, but forget the aggravation that went with it ) Training was first a double lead and all the time needed to get the idea, Then one lead, then a time frame. Always treat & praise when she pooped. Sammi is so well trained now, that she is great for traveling because every time I stop for her to stretch her legs, it's 1&2. Unfortunately, in her old age, she is going both about 4 trips outside a day. So when we adopted L&R, we knew that they would have difficulties with going on lead and I was prepared with treats, time and praise. Just wasn't counting on all the rain! Ugh. Both Lynni and River were taking 40+ minutes EACH the first week to do their #2's, if at all!! Most days, I could get an AM & PM Poop out of them, some days, tho, it was only 1 poop at night. They are fed 2x a day + lunch and bedtime large biscuits & various smaller training treats. Pooping on lead resulted in TONS of praise and a treat right then and there. (Oh, Sammi was loving all this because she was momma's little helper and showing them the ropes- which meant that SHE was getting treats again after producing poop ) The next week, they were down to 20 minutes EACH (mostly). This week, I started the "You have 10 minutes, otherwise we're going inside and trying again in an hour or so." This morning, Breakfast was at 7:15am. Sammi, because she can't hold her morning potty very long after she eats (partly age, partly training from when I worked- she got used to going out right after she ate & before I left for work) is the first to go out the door at 7:20. Then River, then Lynni. Lynni and I are walking back in the door at 7:34 14 minutes, all three went 1&2!! /victory dance And it's not oppressively humid, it's not raining, which means that L&R were able to take their morning walk after my coffee!!

That is what I am starting to think

or or maybe... hmmmm.... I may have to get a hold of this rock for scientific purposes.... although if my girls wanted to NOMNOMNOM on this Rock... I might have to rescue the Rock

CleverJason, once you have more than 50 posts, I can PM you some helpful information Best advice that I can leave here would be to maybe contact your vet, being this close to the due date for shots, might just be able to do 1 vet visit.

I checked while outside, then inside after I cleaned her foot off. I couldn't feel anything or see anything. When I pressed on her pads, toes, all over- there was no flinching or anything to show it hurt. Either she got it out, it fell out, or it didn't leave one. If it wasn't for the clearly audible zzzt-- cut short as she stepped forward, I would have thought that she just stepped on a stick or something.

I've had to fast Sammi for 24 hours before. Contrary to them trying to convince you that they are starving and will faint dead away if dinner is 5 minutes late. interesting. Sammi also went from TOTW to IAMS green bag (last year). Sammi also had loose stools, itching & licking. I wonder if they changed their formula or sources? OP~ Once the hookworms are officially "cleared up", if he still has pudding poop-to-full blown Big G and there is nothing else that could be causing it, this is going to sound weird... but try supplying him with distilled water in his water dish, nothing from the tap. I know it sounds strange, but I went through 3 months of loose poop with Sammi when I first brought her home. She even stayed on the exact same food as her foster home, was parasite & worm free (many tests), off and on bland diets, fasting, etc.... One day, my mom commented that if I can be sensitive to water when traveling, maybe Sammi was. To humor her, I got some distilled water & that was what I used in her water dish. Firmed right up.Used tap... big D. Back to distilled water and slowing transitioning to my Brita filtered water, and finally tap water like you would for food.

Just gave her some Benadryl. Thankfully she loves cheese as much as Sammi and sucked it down without realizing it was laced with something So far she has slowed down on the frequency of her licking/chewing. No swelling. Only a slight limp when no one is watching. If she catches DS or I looking at her, her limp becomes almost a crippling walk.

River (again ) I was taking her out to go potty. It had just finished raining. I here a zzzt and then nothing. Suddenly River is very interested in where her foot is planted. She won't lift it right away. Licks at it first, then bites at it. When she finally started walking again, she went only a few steps before laying down and chewing/licking her foot again. I check it, but don't see or feel anything except sand & dirt. When I finally get her inside (lot of limping and laying down to mess with her foot) I clean it off and use a flashlight to look some more. I still see, nor feel, nothing. She doesn't seem sore (no GSOD or flinching) when I press on her pads & between toes. But she is limping and occasionally licking/chewing her foot. I, myself, have never been stung! Is there something I can give her to help with her foot?? Benadryl? Baby aspirin for pain/inflammation? Help TIA!

Thank you Texted DH to pick up some more Pepcid. Don't have any in the house & I use Zantac for my stomach issues. So far so good. Morning River Attack was normal, appetite was normal. Can't tell you about her poops yet because it is raining outside. Apparently her and Lynni will both melt, now, if they have to go out in the rain.

With the recall nightmare a few years ago (caused me to finally start a homecooked, and then a raw diet for a while) through to today, I think I might be more concerned if i found a pet food that has never had a recall of their product.

(Almost) 48 hour update: Saturday, River's appetite and pooping were both normal. Her energy level was about normal. Took the girls to the bark park, but the mosquitoes were so bad that we didn't stay long. After they peed 10 times and did a quick zoomie, River was next to me as if to say, "I'm ready to go back home now". I wouldn't call her lethargic, but she has been subdued in her play and loving. No tender spots when I feel her torso and abdomen. Sunday is where it got interesting. 6am we wake up to her vomiting. Instantly awake (just like with kids, it is amazing how fast that noise brings you out of a dead sleep to WIDE AWAKE) It was a small amount of bile... and... the component from the iPod, including the plastic sheath. While daddyman is cleaning it up and examining what was horked up, she is leaning on me with her head tucked in my shoulder getting comforted. Again, no tender spots, checked her throat and mouth as well. She lays back down. When we get up 2 hours later, she is doing her morning ZOMGILOVEYOU routine with me like normal. Appetite normal, poops normal. Still subdued in her play, but being as lazy as a grey usually is when not in zoomie mode. No blood in stools, no blood in the bile. Poops have been usual consistency for the times of day they are produced. Thirst and appetite have both been normal. Should we still be in high alert mode? Or can I start relaxing a bit?

Thank you for the quick responses! Gave her some bread, worked on her treat taking excitement while we were at it Didn't think of that. Would definitely explain the allure. DS loves to play on his iPod while eating his lunch and it is charged in right there. it prolly smells like his 3 fave lunches: PB&J, Tunafish, and Grilled Cheese.

Help! While we were outside with Lynni and Sammi, River got a hold of an iPod cable http://www.cellphoneshop.net/4wall10.html?CAWELAID=1800340993&CAGPSPN=pla&catargetid=530001600000010056&cadevice=c&gclid=CNDU37aMir8CFQKLaQodQzkAqg Looks like this ^^^ The wider part that plugs into the iPod is the part she bit off, not the part that goes into the wall socket. We don't think that she took the entire end off in one gulp, we found the metal part, just not the plastic around the metal. It's soft plastic, most likely in pieces. Should we be flipping out NOW or wait til the AM to call the vet? Treat it like a chicken bone and giver her bread with olive oil? Or will it pass on it's own? This is pretty new to me, Sammi's never been one to eat things that aren't part of a food group. So far, River seems to want to eat plastic items. DS has gotten extremely good about his Legos in the past 2 weeks.

How terrifying! Glad to hear that he is doing much better

to GT! Grats on the home! How exciting for you I remember over 8 years ago when I first became a member of the Greyhound world. You're in for an incredible journey

I haven't used Bitter Apple yet with greyhounds (although it IS on my list if River goes after another cable), but I did use it a lot when I had ferrets years ago. It's great for stuff like cables/cords, table/chair legs, corners, moulding, etc.... NOT for kids toys, stuffed animals or multi-piece items like legos. I also would not recommend pillows or clothing. I remember the taste of that stuff and how it felt when I itched my eye after applying it to some computer cables, and before washing my hands.

I am so, so sorry

WTG Sidney!

I forgot to mention.... you probably do want a recognizable verbal command for times when you can't clap, for example, with a leash? (Yes I am still clapping around the house) I don't know how much you are pulling your hands apart, but you don't want to risk yanking the leash with your wrist motion. If that makes sense? Sammi knows, "Leave it!" and "Drop it!" and those are used more on walks than anywhere else.

As long as he doesn't look like it hurts his ears, i think you're fine. It's like the beta version of clicker training. You make the noise, he stops and looks at you. A few years ago, when i was relocating, I lived with my best friend. She had always had more... hard headed breeds. At the time, she had a husky that was 1 yr old. I warned her and her daughter that you cannot raise your voice to Sammi in the same manner because "it will scare the crap out of her". Fast forward a week or so, her DD, 11, walks into the kitchen to do dishes and catches Sammi sneaking into the garbage can. She has something in her hand that was about to go into the sink, so she raised her hands up and yelled SAMMI BAD GIRL GET OUT OF THE TRASH! NOooOOOOO! (I take off running in there, as she is running out past me) Apparently, in the small kitchen, with her arms up and yelling,while running towards Sammi, she.. well.. really did scare Sammi as bad as I had warned. I am comforting Sammi as I hear, "Mom I am so sorry, I didn't know Colleen was being literal! I thought it was just an expression!" Now I am while trying to comfort Sammi and let her know it's okay, to not do that again. Later on after they both calmed, she fed Sammi a treat & made up with her, then I explained exactly why, in that instance, she appeared so threatening. We also moved the garbage can.

Over the past 8 years, Sammi has dealt with many different schedules. School schedules, my working nights, Summer vacation, my working days, etc... While she felt breakfast was ZOMG THE MOST IMPORTANT THING EVER, to me, it was her potty times that were more of a concern. Now, Sammi will sleep until 10am+ as long as DH or I remains in bed. She wasn't always like that. When she was younger, you could set a watch to her. School days meant breakfast was at 7am, potty was right after. Weekends, unfortunately, meant that as well But once summer vacation came, I started moving her to more of a desirable time frame since the majority of the time I was working 10hr nights at the casino. How I moved her food & potty times was one of 2 ways: Method #1, Alarm clock conditioning. Worked well in reverse, too -- If Sammi was used to an alarm clock going off- like for school or day shift-- Alarm is set for 15 minutes past the "normal" time. I don't get out of bed til that alarm goes off. Day or so later, 15 minutes more. And so on. Method #2, used when I had a sudden schedule change (ie going from days to nights at work) or when an alarm clock isn't something she was used to--7am *poke poke whine poke whine* I'd tell her to lay back down and roll over. If she is just wanting food, she would usually curl back up on her bed. If it was potty time, then she would remain insistent (and sometimes, she tried the same act for food.. BUT...) if she wouldn't lay back down, then I would note the time, pet her for a few minutes, get up and slowly move to getting my shoes on and grabbing the leash and a bag. Then hook her up. No rush, no real fuss. Take her out, no walk... just do your thing and back in the house & I'd lay back down. So even if she didn't have to really go, but tried thinking if I was out of bed I'd feed her then, no such luck. Once the time I decided on for breakfast to occur arrived, then I'd feed her and take her for her walk. She eventually realized that breakfast wasn't happening just because she woke me up. As for Dinner, I try to keep the 2 meals 12 hours apart, but sometimes Dinner is less than 12 hours after Breakfast. Daytime time distance seems to concern Sammi more than Night time. ANd yes, they know time very well. Just wait til you go through daylight savings!

Oh this is going to be fun trying to describe, please bear with me I think, as long as it isn't the cupped hand POP clap (with the right room acoustics -like an echoing bathroom- that can hurt MY ears, so I imagine it might hurt theirs) it's fine. DH makes a clap sound sometimes, although he has started to pick up my vocal stop command (explained below). I've been sitting here clapping different ways trying to describe it. Sammi is looking at me like I am nuts I am more verbal in correction than my DH is. My voice, while low for a female, is quieter than his (normally... years in theatre and then over a decade as a craps dealer... I can project ... loudly... without screaming, if I need to). My go-to correction to stop-them-in-their-tracks for dogs, cats, ferrets, kids, drunk gamblers, etc... is a fast, sharply punctuated noise. I am not even sure I can spell this. Sounds kinda like: Et tet teh (Again, repeating this to try and spell it, Sammi is giving me The Look ) It stops most pets and kids in their tracks and makes them look at me. From there, I give further instruction depending on the situation.

My childhood cat, died 15 years ago and I still am aware of her popping up in some dreams.

Curious as well! Sammi can't handle Advantage nor Frontline Plus. Usually a supplement has worked with her, but this spring has been SO BAD, that I am trying a "natural" topical repellant (lemon grass oil, clove oil, peppermint oil are in it IIRC) so far it has worked wonderfully at my SIL house, as long as you didnt walk out into the back woods at sunset : Then her tail looked like a fly strip. Otherwise, the skeeters up by the house left her alone while they dined on us humans- and we had Deep Woods Off on! Din't find one tick on her either, nor fleas. Now excuse me while I find some wood to knock on!