Pets

[wurwolf]

Speaking of Chance, things have been getting better. We followed everyone's advice and got a crate for him, but after he injured his foot and rubbed his nose bloody and raw on the bars, then somehow busted down the front of the crate, we figured it just wasn't going to work for us.

So we cleared out the guest room. There wasn't much in there anyway, but we took out everything he could potentially destroy or hurt himself on -- the mattress, box spring and bedding, and the television -- and raised the blinds so he can't reach them and so he can look out the windows. We put his bed and some toys in there, and we gave him a few things that smelled like us so he could rip them apart. He still has separation anxiety and he barks when we leave and he's kind of slobbery when we get home, but it feels like a better solution for him than putting him in a crate. We just don't have a guest room for a while, I guess, until he gets used to the idea that we're not abandoning him.

Also he's stopped the mounting thing, I think. He hasn't done it in a while, anyway. I got tough on him once, pushed him down and told him no really loudly, and I think he got the message.

We all went camping the other weekend and he was the perfect dog. He behaved himself well in the campsite and on the trails; we didn't even have to have him on the leash because he stayed with us the whole time (he spent the time on the trails constantly checking to make sure we were all there and no one had fallen behind). He's a great outdoor dog.

[wurwolf]

I agree. It was one of the things that appealed to me the most about Chance when I first read his online profile. I also wonder if it has something to do with the breed -- maybe herding dogs herd their humans or like to stick close to hear the next command? Not sure but I also think Chance has had some training in that regard.

[Tripe]

 

Is it because she's having difficulty adjusting to the new home at night?

As for herding dogs: Sadie (my in-laws' Great Pyrenees) likes to herd and keep a watchful eye on pretty much every living thing within her household, if if those living things are just visiting. I can't imagine a more secure arrangement than having a GP around the place.

[LucasM]

For people with large dogs, you may want one of these if you drive with your dog a lot.


[Picture is link.]$44.95 + $3.95 shipping today only (don't know regular price).  It says almost sold out and it's only been on sale for less than an hour!

For some reason it won't let me hotlink the larger picture.

[Bob]

Ohhhhh, that is nice.

I just have several large beach towels spread out when the dog is going for a ride with me.   They are easy to put out, and fold up when humans need the space.

[LucasM]

Yeah, the reason I thought the thing I posted was so exceptional is that it does a lot to protect a dog in case of a brisk braking: there's significantly reduced chance of them losing footing and getting partially tossed down into the human 'leg room' area where injuries (from being 1/2-on and 1/2-off the seat) could occur.  [I was thinking potentially injured or even broken legs or neck, but internal bruising and such would also seem a possibility if they were tossed into that area quickly.]

I think for me, who was always an exceptionally cautious driver but was still hit and injured by three people who weren't, I may think more about such possibilities.  The rate of such injuries are probably quite low, I think I'm just ultra-sensitive to them so thought I'd share it.

[Bob]

Oh yeah, those are GREAT and so are those dog seat belts.

I just don't drive my dog much, and when I do, it is places just a couple miles from me.

[goflyblind]

stupid pets (and pets of siblings). why do you have to insinuate yourselves into our hearts so that we spend all day worrying about whether or not you're freaking out on your flight?

[Bob]

My goal in life is never put a pet on a plane in those horrid pet zones.   She stays at home with dog sitters or a kennel when I get out of town.

I am sure they are normally very safe (the have less problem than humans on the pane), but I say NO

[goflyblind]

hrm. it seems he filled one of my shoes with pee while i was getting dressed and i didn't find out until just now when i got home from the airport. lovely.

[MerryWanna]

Question for Cat People here -


Has anyone tried either of these two relatively new cat products with any success? I have to run in a sec but I'll try to add links for them later--


- the 'clicker' training device

- the Omega 'pull and roll' litter box? It has a lot of good Amazon reviews but people can game those systems, which is why I don't trust them completely


Am thinking of getting one or both items for Urrow next month.

[k1]

We've had the Litter Maid Plus self cleaning litter box. Actually two of them once our cats got pissy and needed a his and hers litter box. It worked well as long as you remembered to empty the trays and occasionally swap out the litter.

[Bob]

That's the advantage of having a backyard facing the golf course...

POOP TOSS

[mattwnelson]

This is the problem with using non-scoop litter.. These neat inventions don't do anything for me. :/ Oh well. At least the kind I do use cuts down on the odor.

[MerryWanna]

This is the problem with using non-scoop litter.. These neat inventions don't do anything for me. :/ Oh well. At least the kind I do use cuts down on the odor.

If these things require I use anything other than Feline Pine, I'm going to just fuggetaboutit...That stuff is absolutely amazing. Not only is there no clay dust which is really icky and bad for cats, but I  live in a room the size of a U-Stor-It.  Because it does something that utterly removes all the ammonia-ey piss scent, I still only have to change the litter about 3 times a month - with daily removal of the poops, of course.  I know, I get to sounding like a commercial when I speak of this stuff.  But it really is that great.