GreytNut

My hounds both do open-backed stairs with ease. However, I'm very careful to keep them clear of snow and ice because if they (or me) did slip, there's the possibility that they (or me) could break a leg.

Wild salmon oil has worked very well here. I tried feeding fish oil capsules (the same kind I take) from Sam's Club but for some reason that gave them the runs. So we went back to the salmon oil.

My crew have done extremely well on Taste of the Wild. There are several formulas, but they enjoy and do the best on the High Prairie formula, which is bison and venison. It is also reasonably priced for a grain-free kibble. I pay around $43 for a 30 lb. bag.

Dogs love to eat cat toys. I would suggest keeping them out of your hound's reach at all times. It is a good idea to keep dogs and cats separated when you can't immediately supervise. My cats have the master bedroom to themselves when unsupervised. All of their toys and essentials are in there. When I can supervise they mingle, but I don't let the cats bring their toys out of the bedroom. Here's why. Believe it or not, the object on the right once closely resembled the toy on the left.

Bread is OK in moderation. My bridge boy Tiny was a bread junkie. He came from a prison dog program, and when the inmates discovered how much he loved bread it became a game to smuggle him as much as he could eat. When I adopted him he was so fat he could hardly walk. In the journal his handler kept I found an entry that read simply, "I must stop enabling Tiny's bread addiction." While I stopped feeding him bread, the addiction never really went away. Once he stole a loaf from the top of the refrigerator. I have no idea how. When he had osteosarcoma and was nearing the end, I bought him a loaf to have all to himself. He got a third of it each day for the last three days. He was positively thrilled, and that was at a time when not much thrilled him anymore.

I'm glad things are going better. And thank you for rescuing her. Riley was difficult at first, too. Among other things he yowled, howled and frantically paced all day while I was working (just downstairs in the basement) for the first couple of weeks I had him. I couldn't even go to the mailbox without him running to the garage and howling. He had learned that the cement floor in the garage amplified his voice like shouting into a megaphone, and used this technique to make sure I could hear him when I left the house... and so could the whole neighborhood. It was a particular problem because my calls are monitored and if the QA folks had heard a wailing dog in the background I could've lost my job. Time, patience and alone training cured him. Within a few months I had an awesome, confident, happy dog. It sounds like that's what worked for you too. You may find that you can use this valuable experience in the future. When you have clients whose new dogs are exhibiting behavior problems, and who are wondering if there is hope, you'll know exactly how they feel because you've walked in their shoes. And you'll be able to offer advice.

Riley got his turkey neck today and thought he'd won the lottery. I gave it to him partially frozen so it would last longer because he is a power chewer. He had to eat it on a towel. When he was done I threw the towel in the washer on sanitize. We have to find a local source for turkey necks... it was a huge hit! You do not have to cut it up. They will chomp right through the bone. Bones should be given raw. You can feed the giblets raw or cooked.

All of my hounds have been collectors to a certain extent, some more than others. Riley is the most hardheaded of the lot. He was so bad that he once stole a carton of nails while I was working on a project. I chased him through the house as he left a trail of nails behind him. Now he mostly hoards toys. He piles them into his bed and sits on them like a dragon guarding its treasure. That's fine... they belong to him. It does usually fade with time. I think they are enamored with the idea of having things. At the track they didn't have things that belonged only to them. You can help alleviate the behavior by putting away things you do not want them to have, and by taking pilfered items back. Scolding only works if you catch them in the act. Riley has no idea what we're talking about.

I wouldn't hesitate to crate just one of them if the situation warranted it. I don't consider it unfair. You're just managing the situation as required so that no one gets hurt. Both of mine are well behaved in the house and get along well, so they are not crated. I muzzled everyone for a while when we had three because there was tension between two of them (and since I muzzled the offenders, I also had to muzzle the non-offender).

Fiona did that. She was an uber alpha girl who would hike her leg to mark over Argus's pee spots.

Hey, I used to live right up the road from you in Idyllwild/Pine Cove. Small world. We need pictures!

I've tried the Dentastix and Riley adores them, but he eats them so fast (in about a minute or two) that I don't think they have time to do him much good. He also likes cow hooves, bully sticks and extra large CET Chews. Those last longer. I use ProDen Plaqueoff on his food and Petzlife Oral Spray. I try to brush every night but don't always remember to do it. He adores the poultry flavored toothpaste so much that he will attempt to suck it out of the tube.

Wow, I'm sorry. He made it for so long and did so well that I was beginning to think he might beat the odds and become an osteo "success" story. What an awesome Dude.

Your cats may be smarter than Evita. Squeak is hogging all of the feline brain cells. She leaves the dogs alone. Evita is a lost cause. But if there's any doubt, better safe than sorry. I have the dogs in the living room because they are trustworthy unsupervised, and because elderly Raven frequently needs to use the dog door. The cats cannot be left to roam the house or it will be in shreds by morning. They yowl when they are locked out of the bedroom. Riley also has some sleep aggression issues which make sleeping in close quarters with him a bad idea. Thus the arrangement.

This is why the cats sleep in the bedroom and the dogs sleep in the living room. Evita has no sense of self-preservation and will box the dogs' ears while they sleep. Tiny almost killed her for it once, and Riley snaps at her if she disturbs him while he is on his bed. She doesn't get it and she probably never will. To add to her confusion, Raven is fine with snuggly kitties so she gets mixed messages. It's safer just to separate them when I can't immediately supervise.

Riley is my first real toy lover. The others would occasionally play with toys, and Tiny had a partially-deflated basketball that he loved. But Riley is quite serious about his toys. He has a chenille sheep and a floppy mouse that are his favorites. He carries Lambie and Mr. Mouse around all over the place, and squeaks them with great gusto to greet me when I come home. I am forever rescuing toys from the dog run because he carries them outside. It's great fun to have a toy hound! Alas, they seem to be in the minority.

I actually asked my neighbors for help when Riley first came home and was having problems with separation anxiety and howling. I let them know when I was leaving and asked them if they would please listen and tell me whether he cried or not, and for how long. They were good observers, and I think they minded the howling a lot less when they knew I was trying to put a stop to it. ETA: We worked A LOT on alone training. It took about 6 weeks, but we went from me not being able to go to the mailbox without him flipping his wig to being able to leave him for the day with minimal complaint.

Your best bet is to get a pro who is willing come to your area. They can heat up your house (to 122F, if memory serves) for about 3 hours and it will kill all the bedbugs, even the ones that are hidden deep in carpets/mattresses/draperies. Obviously you would want to evacuate food, medications and houseplants before the treatment, but you don't have to leave for all that long and there are no toxic chemical residues to deal with afterward. It's tremendously effective.

Riley is my first real loudmouth. Argus was quiet. Tiny could get whiny when he was upset. But Riley cries when he wants food, cries when he wants attention, cries just because. He stands out in the dog run and yodels at passersby on the street in hopes of calling them over to pet him. They reinforce this... they usually do go pet him. He barks when he wants to play. Oy vey. Raven is silent except for the occasional burp.

Agree with the above. Most dogs don't really chew their meals, they gulp. Find some soft treats to give for rewards, and you should be fine just putting water in her kibble.

I have been on the hunt for turkey necks for months now. I go to the supermarket meat departments, ask if they have turkey necks, and they look at me like I have six heads... "You want what?"

Yes, they do pick up on what's going on with their comrades. When Argus had bone cancer in his leg, Raven knew it before we did. She was constantly fussing over him, licking his leg and hardly letting him out of her sight. She was clearly worried about him. Argus, who usually wasn't a touchy-feely type of dog, seemed grateful for the attention. He let Raven snuggle with him, which was something he didn't normally permit.

No, he's old and gray. He didn't seem especially bright, but I don't know him all that well. I do think some of his behavior has to do with being unaltered. His owner refers to him as a "dirty old man." Don't know the owner well enough to push for neutering (and now he may not want to get to know me) but will find a diplomatic way to suggest it if the opportunity presents itself.

I've seen the "bad wag" before, so I know what you mean. I do pay attention to posture and have thought about exactly what happened. This is my best recollection. Initially both were cautious. Tails were high up and wagging stiffly. After a few seconds the lurcher's tail lowered and wagged more broadly. Riley's lowered only slightly but also wagged more broadly. It appeared that he was saying, "I'm in charge here, but you're OK." Postures relaxed. Sniffing commenced. Lurcher was enthusiastic. Once it was clear that they weren't going to eat each other, humans relaxed as well. Lurcher continued to sniff. I turned my attention to the owner and missed the moment when the lurcher decided to mount Riley. Next thing I saw was the lurcher on his hind legs pawing at Riley's back, and Riley whipping around to strike. Lurcher yelped and fell back, tucking his tail between his legs and cowering. Riley stood stiffly with his head and tail held very high, not wagging, staring at the other dog with hackles raised. He relaxed when the lurcher retreated behind his owner. Riley didn't hide behind me but pressed himself tightly against my legs. I did not scold him but took up all slack in the leash so that a second attack could not occur. About that time the lurcher started whimpering and I noticed his ear was bleeding.

Riley really didn't give any warning. He snarled as he was lunging. His reaction makes a little more sense now, though. He is a highly dominant dog. If humping is a display of power, then I can see why he wouldn't tolerate it.