RedHead

First of all, if you adopt 2 greys you are much less likely to have separation anxiety They are used to being around dogs all the time, not necessarily people. I personally don't use a crate, but I think part of the point of the article is to allow times for your grey to be away from you in the house. Also, if you are planning on crating when you leave, then you will want to give them lots of practice in it while you are home as well. I just don't think it is necessary to crate for most of the day as the article suggests. When I get a new dog, I take them for lots of little walks, but I basically almost "ignore" them for the first few weeks. I think a lot of dogs get overwhelmed in the beginning and we sometimes humanize them thinking they want all kinds of petting, talking to, etc. when many don't (sometimes it even inadvertently rewards anxious behaviours). I personally just do my thing around the house and don't encourage them to cling to me every second of the day. I only give them attention if THEY choose to come and seek it. They get used to me going in and out of the house and realize that they are safe and comfortable on their own. I gradually just increase the times that I am gone. That has always worked for me, but their are many techniques

Mine is 8 years old and still weighs the same as his racing weight. I don't think there is a "standard" for how much a dog should gain after adoption, it just depends on the individual. Perhaps if you could post a pic it would help to see if your pup is a good weight (seeing hip points and part of the spine don't always mean underweight). Remember that they often loose a lot of muscle as well so that can sometimes account for not gaining.

Thanks for the replies. I tried looking this med up and just didn't see a lot of references to it being used in dogs which is why I was wondering. The dental gel I am using is called Breathalyser (I think). I have also tried a lot of the store brands but this one is actually cheaper and the dental tech said people have great results with it. I did try the CS for the bad breathe and it did make a difference (haha and I was such a skeptic)!! I ran out because I can only get tiny bottles for $20 and I noticed a few days after that the breathe was worse again. Will see how things go with this and will definitely use it again if I need to. Now my challenge is to get Teague to eat mushy food for 2 weeks (otherwise the antibiotics can fall out). Ughhh...picky boy! He never finishes his bowl!

So Teague just had his second dental yesterday at my new vet. His teeth look okay for the most part but his back two upper molars were horrible and brown and his breath was horrible so I knew there was something nasty somewhere (he had the 2 molars removed last year but the surgery ended up lasting so long that they couldn't do the other side). Just had a few questions: They only removed one tooth as they said that was the only rotten/horrible one (the tiny very back upper molar). Basically they said that Teague just has naturally not great teeth, but they aren't rotten enough that they want to pull...he just has a lot of pockets that collect bacteria and icky stuff. They basically cleaned everything and packed all of the pockets (9 teeth) with a long lasting antibiotic called Arestin. I think it is basically tiny beads (the size of sand) that they can put in the gums to kill all of the bacteria. Anyways, I was just wondering if anyone here had experience with it. I know they use it in humans, but have never heard of it for dogs. I will say one thing though...Teague has NO bad breath for the first time ever...he even had a bit of bad breath after his dental last year. Just wondering if anyone has had experience or success with this. I am hoping that with daily maintenance and brushing (plus I got a vet dental gel and will probably order Healthy Mouth) I can keep things relatively under control with regular cleanings. Time will tell....

The throwing up probably isn't related to the crate. Sometimes on an empty stomach they just throw up like that. I think almost every dog throws up bile every so often. As long as it isn't continuing I wouldn't worry too much about it. Some people give a little snack at bedtime if it becomes a more regular thing (just so their tummy isn't empty).

I feed about a dozen per week to my guy...never had any digestive issues with raw eggs in any dog I have owned. One of the best sources of protein out there Not sure how many eggs each of your pups got, they might have a bit of digestive upset, but nothing I would be too worried about.

Maybe this has been mentioned in earlier posts, but have you ever tried having another dog (preferably a greyhound) over to your house?

My old Alaskan malamute also got sick after taking Sentinel. We switched her to another one (I can't remember what was in the Sentinel that the vet said likely made her ill) and she was fine. Some dogs just don't react well to certain chemicals, while the majority are usually fine. You may want to try a skin topical instead of a pill if your pup is sensitive.

I used to make up batches of food like this for Karma..and you are right, they like it way more when everything is cooked together! I am guessing the broth/flavour from the meat makes the other foods have a more appealing smell and flavour. FYI (I'm sure sobesmom already knows this ) The eggshells are for calcium...for kidney dogs you want to stay away from bonemeal and bones as a calcium supplement because they contain higher levels of phosphorus which you don't want.

Oh no I am so sorry Johanne. You guys have been through such a battle. Your tribute (and especially the last pic) has me in tears. I am hoping you can finally have some peace in knowing that Kasey is now pain free (and you don't have to be constantly worrying about him). He had a great life with you. Hugs

I'm so sorry for your sudden loss.

I would just feed more if your dog needs to gain weight. Don't feed overly fatty meat cuts as a regular part of the diet (that isn't healthy). You can add things like eggs, sardines, cottage cheese etc. if you want though. On a side note, lots of dogs loose weight when their owners go away. I know Teague always drops weight when he stays at my parent's house. It may just be that she missed you!

Oh no Thinking of you.

Most people assume grain free has more meat/less filler so they think you feed less, but this can really vary with brands. Many don't have any more meat or calories than regular food, if they have high amounts of potato, peas, etc. I would look up (or check the bag) the calorie count and go from there. It is probably around the same amount.

A bit messy but I just cube up leftover roasts and rotisserie chickens to use as treats. I freeze them in portions and take out what I need. Cheap, natural and very high value for the pups. I used to bake salmon treats as well, but I can't remember the exact recipe (they were soft). I think I basically mixed a can of salmon with a few eggs and whatever amount of flour and water I needed to make a dough.

What a special girl Misty was. These things are so hard. So sorry for your loss.

Do you feed green tripe? Not sure how fatty it is but I have read that it is a perfect food for kidney dogs. Low in phosphorus and good quality moderate protein. I know someone who mixes it with egg whites and a bit of cottage cheese for their kidney dog.

No advice, but I am so sorry you are going through this. I recently had to put one of my dogs down and it was one of the hardest things I have done. In the end, and when you back on things in the future, you will take comfort in knowing that you made the right decision.

It depends on where you live and how hot it is. I don't have air and we usually are fine but it isn't fun when we have temps in the 90s or 100s. When it gets really hot and humid I would suggest keeping your windows closed as well as most of the blinds so the sun won't shine in. That will keep it much cooler and help to lower humidity. I also have a cooling mat and fans. I turn my furnace fan on which seems to help because it at least blows cooler basement air through the vents (almost feels like AC!).

Dried liver is fine but just remember to take into account the dried vs raw amounts. You need liver for certain vitamins but you don't want to overdose. You will be feeding less of the dehydrated (I am sure there are formulas if you google it to convert the amounts).

I have always been well aware that raw meat contains salmonella. In fact, I believe a good proportion of dogs and cats already have salmonella naturally occurring in their systems (kibble fed too). I even get why they do they don't endorse it because they could easily have a lawsuit if they promoted something with salmonella. I use common sense when preparing raw meat, and it's a simple matter of washing hands (not like I am touching dog poo). If people don't feel safe or don't agree with raw I don't have a problem. Funny fact that people get salmonella ALL the time from handling dog food treats. With the constant kibble recalls and contamination/foreign ingredients I personally feel much safer feeding raw.

I feed different kibbles, depending on where I buy it or what's a good deal lol. Usually TOTW, Orijin, Acana, Nutrition First and Nutram. I've tried lots of others but these are the only ones picky boy will eat. If I mix them with raw I don't have digestive issues.

Mine was very similar. He took at least 6 months to a year to start bonding and showing me affection. He is almost 8 and still seems to grow each year in personality. A lot of greys do have an aloof personality though, I know mine will never be a friendly lab type.

I am so sorry. I always loved seeing pics of Tibbie. She seemed to live life to the fullest, even in her senior years. Hugs!

Glad Kasey seems to be doing better! Hope the coming weeks are less stressful for you!!