sobesmom

Some do. Some do after a while. Some NEVER do. No matter how happy and content they are. When I was new to the breed I thought roaching was a "measure of happiness". NO. My first grey, Sobe, started roaching after a year, but ONLY on the couch. And it took nearly a year for him to be allowed on furniture (he had issues that needed to be dealt with before he got furniture privileges). My 2nd grey, Diana, roached in the car on the way home from being picked up from transport from the track riding to and from a strange place with strangers. Totally not a "content and settled situation". That's just how she slept. All the fosters we had- did or didn't. IMHO - yes, a dog roaching is cool and comfortable. But - a dog that doesn't roach is NOT not cool and comfortable. They just might not want to relax in that position. It's like putting your feet up on the coffee table. Do you? Or don't you? I don't. My DH does. We're both chilling and happy, but I'd rather have my feet curled up under me on the couch. Personal preference and comfort. Don't read too much into it. It's like Roo-ing. Sobe was a champ. It gave Diana panic attacks. There are "general trends" but they're just general. Not for every dog. And that's OK. They're individuals. OH - I had a foster like that. It was really awkward and (I'll admit) super funny. Some of them are just not built for it. It's like their spine is too skinny to support it!!

Do you have a bundt pan? Or do you know someone who does? If so, borrow it. Same shape, same result. I'd suggest trying a low-tech, home-made solution first. The gulping might very well go away as the dog gets more comfortable in the home in a week or two.

Glad to hear it. Well done. Don't be afraid to ask questions here. And Congratulations!!!!

IMHO and experience - there are no drawbacks to feeding oatmeal as an additive to a healthy diet. There's not a lot of nutrition in it - but who cares if the dog has a healthy diet and it's serving its purpose. I had a dog that had perfect poops if I gave her 1/2 cup of cooked rice per day (she'd eaten the same food for years, but started getting loose poops as she aged). Tried a bunch of different foods, went back to the food she always did great on, added the rice, and tummy troubles gone. No harm, no foul. You're looking for fiber content at this point (I think) so, if it works, stick with it!

Well - I'll say I was wrong. I'm really glad it worked out well! Sounds like the girls will get along well. Nicely done. Call that a win!

Hooks are a B*****. I had 1 foster that came to us with them. Scoop every poop immediately. Treat constantly.

I say it's too soon. Wait a couple weeks.

Non-issue. Some do, some don't. For some it comes and goes. Not a bad question to ask about - but it's just a quirk.

I agree with the others. Keep it short, simple, get "the business" done, and go back home quickly, with a treat. Don't get hung up on "what" might be the issue - the whole thing is the issue, so just go slow. Find a patch of grass that's CLOSE, that he's OK going to, and call it good. I'm sure you were told that exercise is important, and that walking creates a bond. That's true - but NOT NOW. Right now, minimizing stress, and getting your dog to "go" outside is the goal. The rest will come later. Don't walk him to the point he freezes, even if that is 6 feet outside the door. 6 feet is enough for a few days. Then it will be 15, then 100 yards. The point is to not push. Just wait. It will happen. Stay positive - stay upbeat! Everything is OK! Show confidence! Small steps are GOOD steps. Just don't ask too much, and in 2 weeks - you'll be SHOCKED at how far he's come. I had a foster that was totally cool in my fenced yard but freaked out when we left it. I had to carry him back. So - I square-walked him. On leash, walking in squares. Bigger and Bigger squares, in the yard, for weeks, until he was bored. Then we went out of the yard. No issue.

Keep going. Baby steps. It'll be OK. You're doing great. In a month, you'll be posting pic's of how awesome she is on walks. SLOW and steady. Don't push. You'll get there!!!!

Congrats on your adoption! It's not uncommon for a dog to seem "perfect" and then regress. We call it "the honeymoon is over". SO. Just back up a step. Start over, and revamp your expectations, and pretend she was this way on day 1. Short walks, positive reinforcement. Keep it simple and positive. Forget how she was. That's over. New dog - day 1.

Ok let's look at this from a different perspective. Perhaps to Echo, Bella is a playmate and/or toy. Understandable. So - time to change Bella's status in the pecking order, and make her a "Human" in Echo's eyes. Somebody higher than her in the pack, not a litter-mate that she can roll around with. You can do this by making Bella a caregiver to Echo. 3-year-old's, if I remember correctly, LOVE to have IMPORTANT JOBS. Bella can start by feeding Echo. Maybe get Echo to do a simple command, like "look at me" before giving her the food, so that Bella is in control. Even teaching Echo "look at me" can be Bella's job. (with help, of course). Maybe even have her stand on a stool while doing it, so she's physically "bigger". You'll have to explain that this is a "very important job". Bella will gain confidence that she is the "boss" and "teacher" of Echo, and Echo will learn the same. That Bella is a human to be followed and respected. You can also let Bella walk Echo on- leash. Meaning, the grown-up holds the end of the leash, Bella, holds it mid-way and walks beside the dog for the "appearance" of her being in control. She can tell Echo "stop" and "go" and "good girl!". Only a few minutes at a time for any of these things, or they'll both loose focus. Get one good response, praise them both, and call it a day. Short, positive lessons. It would also be good if Bella knows that she's allowed to put on a "mommy face" (sorry mom, but you know what I mean), and sternly say "Echo - NO NO" when Echo gets rowdy. The're both toddlers. Simple, small lessons. Lots of praise, and cookies! Best of luck to you! It sounds like you really want to do the right thing for your family, and your dog. I think it's great that you reached out for advice. We ALL need help. I've used GT as a resource for many years. A piece of unsolicited advice - use a strainer, like you do for pasta, when you read responses. Let some hang in there and have value, let some slide right through and rinse away, and let some get stuck half-way through and make you think a bit about what to do with them - keep or toss? Regardless, it's YOUR strainer to shake out, and make a meal with.

not an issue.

Bad tooth.

Corn starch? My grandma swore my it for babies with heat rash -and it worked better than any ointment.

Do shorter walks until she's back to normal.

I would not hand-feed. Keep all distractions away. Feel in a calm, quiet place. Put the food down, leave the dog alone. Pick the food up in 15 minutes. Repeat in 12 hours. The dog will eat.

Ok - this is just MY opinion, but if that's the ONLY place for a dog to "go" - no. IMHO you need to leash-walk for outs. You dog will need the exercise anyway. I'm not a person that thinks leash-walking is always necessary. My dogs had a yard and used it. BUT - you don't have a yard. That space may be fine for the occasional emergency or middle of the night "out", but not as the every day norm. Sorry, but I just don't see that working. No offense, but you asked.

It stands to reason that if it was a hot day, and the hose was cold water, it would be a shock to the system due to the lack of temp regulation abilities. But, I've never seen or heard of it happening with cold water. I believe it though. Not a huge deal. You may just want to use your hose to fill a big tub or several buckets in the yard, let it warm in the sun, then use that to bathe. MUCH easier to do baths in the yard IMHO. Oh - get a cheap kiddie pool, fill that, let it warm. That would work, too. I always bathed my dogs outside, but I have a mixer valve on my hose. So, I can regulate hose water temp just like you do in the house. (Thank you contractor FIL).

The puppy might actually help Ruby. Just treat the puppy as you would normally, and don't worry.

Yep - lesson learned. Years ago my adoption group got PetCo to donate their grooming area for us to use for new fosters coming off the track after transport. Lots of eager volunteers, and some PetCo employees volunteering, put the dogs in the dog baths. And the dogs started dropping like they were dead. Most of the volunteers, and all of the PetCo employees, were hosing the greys in water too warm, and they all fainted. An experienced volunteer, whose dog she was washing was FINE, yelled "How warm is your water?" Then she ran around and turned down the temp, and they were all just fine. Their body fat is so minimal, that they don't regulate changes to temp well. Water temp will affect a grey much quicker than being outside on a warm day will. I had a dog faint bathing in at my home - and I KNEW better. I just thought the water should be a "bit" warmer. I was wrong. Room temp. No higher.

That's great - but - 10 is pushing senior range. You'll start hitting aging issues in a few years. Just keep that in mind. I'm NOT discouraging you, just know what you're getting in to. Personally, I'd adopt a 10 year old (that was suited to my home) in a heartbeat. But I've lived with many greys. Seniors have so much to give, generally have been in a home for years so they know the ropes. And, you're giving a dog another chance. That dog had a HOME. And now it doesn't. But - I'd also suggest looking at the 5-6 year olds. That's the "sweet spot" IMHO.

I totally agree, but my threshold is lower. I tried to refuse taking fosters under the age of 4 for males, 5 for females. It "mostly" worked. "older" doesn't have to mean "old". A 5 year old is very different than a 2 year old. A lot of first time adopters ask for "small, young, female". IMHO, big, older, and (personal preference) male - is better. At least older. 5 or 6. A great age - in their prime, out of puppyhood, lots of live to live.

My Sobe was a 90 lb male. He acted like he was starving the whole time we had him. He'd eat anything that wasn't tied down. I did every trick to make him feel less food-obsessed. He defeated every no-open trash can I bought. He learned how to open my oven when I started keeping the bread in the oven. He learned how to open the microwave when I kept the bread in the microwave. He learned to open the refrigerator!!!! I had to bungie-cord my refrigerator shut. Yes, some of them are just food-obsessed. He ate a 5 lb bag of sugar - SUGAR- one time and had BIG D all over the carpet to the point that we ripped out the carpet.

Pizza crust. Sobe LOVED pizza crust his whole life with us. So, when he needed meds, pizza crust. Point is - whatever "thing" your dog loves. Put it in that.