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I'd like to welcome you all to Pet Advice and Support!!



Please feel free to post here and ask your questions. I'll try and help, and

Baby Rider is on board, too. (Happy to get hints from anyone else, )



Not an expert by any stretch, but experienced in many aspects.



Got a dog that won't heel? Or a horse that won't jump? Ask away and

be amazed at the results!!



Best of all, it's absolutely FREE!!



Bye kids!



;)

valerie wrote: I'd like to welcome you all to Pet Advice and Support!!



Please feel free to post here and ask your questions. I'll try and help, and

Baby Rider is on board, too. (Happy to get hints from anyone else, )



Not an expert by any stretch, but experienced in many aspects.



Got a dog that won't heel? Or a horse that won't jump? Ask away and

be amazed at the results!!



Best of all, it's absolutely FREE!!



Bye kids!



;)


Count me in on the question aspect Val. I have many years of experience in the pet industry. I was also raised on a rural ranch.

Ok I'm gonna be first with a problem that needs sorted!!!!!

My Beagle who is 1 1/2 is fat. she was a bit chunky when we got her at 7 months old but now she is getting fatter, I give her the light dried food and we have stopped giving her tit bits, but she is always hungry.

I think the biggest problem here is we can't exercise her much through the summer, it is between 35 and 50 degrees. She only wants to go out for ten minutes then drags me back indoors even at night when the temp drops to about 30 to 38 degrees....Winter is fine we go to the beach and she runs around and loses a bit of weight but then gains it again by summer.

Any suggestions?:yh_worry



I thought I was first.....

Thank you so much for talking about Sam. What a wonderful guy he sounds

like.



You know, I once heard someone say that their vet had told them (when

they asked how they would "know" it was time) that if their dog still had

3 things it liked to do, it wasn't time yet. That can be any 3 things. Sleeping

is certainly one of them. Enjoying meals is another.



As the mom of a very old 3-legged girl, I know how hard it is to watch them

when they aren't quite what they were. But they love you still, and you

love them.



Please give Sam a kiss on his muzzle for me. And tell him he's a good boy.



:yh_hugs

Pina She only thinks she's hungry. If you could get cake by whinning wouldn't you?? I would not feed her more than 1 cup dry per 20 pounds of dog each day. I know it sounds cruel but her stomach WILL shrink and she WILL be OK - you can do 1/2 cup in the AM and 1/2 cup in the PM. Also - very important - look at the ingredients on your dog food. If any grain is listed First - it is the wrong food. You might do better to give her normal dog food that has an animal meat (not animal by-product) listed first and do a cup a day per 20 pounds of dog with that. She is too young to get lite food and needs the protein from the animal meat and meal to keep her from being hungry.

Pina, is your house fairly cool? You might try some light house exercise,

some people play something called "hall ball" if your girl is interested in

that, or tug-of-war. Or if it's just tossing a little stuffed toy that would help

some.



Have you talked to your vet about food intake? You might want to decrease

it slightly. And to satisfy her need for treats, fresh veggies might work.

Give them to her in conjunction with hall ball and you're set!! (Those mini

carrots a lot of dogs like!) Keep treats to about the size of your little

fingernail.



If you have room outside, a kiddie wading pool can be a cool way to burn

off a little energy.



Good luck, and thanks for asking!

Pina - I agree with Val too - some mild exercise is good. Mini veggie treats are also very good so she feels special.

nvalleyvee wrote: She only thinks she's hungry. If you could get cake by whinning wouldn't you?? I would not feed her more than 1 cup dry per 20 pounds of dog each day. I know it sounds cruel but her stomach WILL shrink and she WILL be OK - you can do 1/2 cup in the AM and 1/2 cup in the PM. Also - very important - look at the ingredients on your dog food. If any grain is listed First - it is the wrong food. You might do better to give her normal dog food that has an animal meat (not animal by-product) listed first and do a cup a day per 20 pounds of dog with that. She is too young to get lite food and needs the protein from the animal meat and meal to keep her from being hungry.










Pina, NVV just gave you very good advice! I heartily concurr!!



(Thanks, NVV!!)

My darling Siamese cat, whose name is Won Ton (because he is a noddle head) likes to climb between the floors into the ceiling. Now we have those ceilings between floors with the panels, but all the pipes and wires are up there. When he was little he would climb in there, because us girls would worry-oh, he is stuck, poor little thing. But as he grew, he never gave up this nasty habit. He started falling through the panels, and then it got to be a pain. I have blocked all entrances, but he continues to go up there. 2 panels are out now, and he hangs his head down to see if we notice. I ignore him, then he howls for attention. How do I keep him out of there?

If he is still getting up there - you have not blocked off all the entrances - have you tried a cat tree? For this guy you may need to add some doors (hanging cloth) on the cat caves of the tree. I would suggest buying some catnip (flake or spray) for the new cat condo. It may peak his interest more than the catacombs of your celiling.

Thanks for the suggestions.... I have only put her on the light food a week ago. So you think I should either put her back on the normal dried food or tinned meat. We live in an apartment so we have no outdoor space, when she gets too hot I give her a cold shower and let her drip dry, at the moment it is nearly every day, that seems to help cool her down, and she will play for a while. ..... other times I try to play with her it only lasts a little while and she gives up and goes to bed.......I live on the top floor which is the 5th. and we have been using the stairs to go down when we go out but coming back she walks straight to the lift....hopefully when I start taking her to the beach again at the end of October through to May she will get a bit healthier and lose some of that weight.

Thanks

Pina - tinned food is THE WORST for her right now - dry only. I had a customer who wondered why her dog's farts smelled so bad - she was giving him a fried egg every morning - pee-eewww.

nvalleyvee wrote: Pina - tinned food is THE WORST for her right now - dry only. I had a customer who wondered why her dog's farts smelled so bad - she was giving him a fried egg every morning - pee-eewww.




Thats it......no more fried eggs for the bf's breakfast. :wah:

Pina, NV is right, no tinned food! The nutritional value in canned dog food is much lower than dry, being about 70% water. It is also harder on their teeth. They need good crunchy food to keep their choppers clean.

Have you considered an indoor treadmill? They are quite easy to build, and most dogs I've encountered really enjoy this exercise.

Being so young, have you had him checked by the vet? There are several things that can contribute to weight gain, and you should eliminate those possibilities before going crazy trying all kinds of foods.

When you do switch the food, be sure to do it gradually, a bit of the new in with a larger portion of the old, gradually adding more new food to less old food, to prevent an upset tummy.

BabyRider wrote: Pina, NV is right, no tinned food! The nutritional value in canned dog food is much lower than dry, being about 70% water. It is also harder on their teeth. They need good crunchy food to keep their choppers clean.

Have you considered an indoor treadmill? They are quite easy to build, and most dogs I've encountered really enjoy this exercise.

Being so young, have you had him checked by the vet? There are several things that can contribute to weight gain, and you should eliminate those possibilities before going crazy trying all kinds of foods.

When you do switch the food, be sure to do it gradually, a bit of the new in with a larger portion of the old, gradually adding more new food to less old food, to prevent an upset tummy.


Diabetes could be a problem, thyroid, not enough bacteria in the intestines - try 1/4 cup plain yogurt every other day. I love the indoor treadmill idea - just didn't want to suggest something so expensive - but hey BR - give instructions and I will pass them on. And YES - mix old food with new food when switching - otherwise - it really upsets their bowels.

Chonsi, again, NV has nailed it. If your cat is still getting in the ceiling, he's found a way that you don't know about. Heat vents are one of the ways my cat did exactly the same thing as Won Ton.

Many pet stores make cat repellents, which could be an option for you. Just spray the stuff right into your ceiling, (I'm assuming you have access to it, with all the holes Won Ton has made) and see his reaction. Some cats seem immune to some repellents, so you may have to try several.

Another tip: If you catch him up there and he peeks out at you, give him a quick squirt with a water bottle, or take a couple quarters in an empty coffee can and rattle it HARD. If he begins to associate being in the ceiling with a shocking noise or getting a good soak, he may stop going up there.

nvalleyvee wrote: Diabetes could be a problem, thyroid, not enough bacteria in the intestines
Yep. All things that should be vet-checked before drastic diet changes.



Let me say here, that while several of us have varying experience in animal training, behavior, and medicine, there is no substitute for what your vet tells you. We can help to an extent with some things, but for major problems, I will always send you to your vet, as they know best.

BabyRider wrote: Yep. All things that should be vet-checked before drastic diet changes.



Let me say here, that while several of us have varying experience in animal training, behavior, and medicine, there is no substitute for what your vet tells you. We can help to an extent with some things, but for major problems, I will always send you to your vet, as they know best.


Truer words never spoken, BR!!

Chonsigirl, in addition to the other suggestions, might you be able to put

up quite a bit of double-sided sticky tape? Cats dont generally like to

step on it... and it's a really cheap fix if it works. A bit more expensive and

maybe not doable since it's the ceiling is one of those mats that you plug

in that gives the animal a slight shock (like you walking across a carpet

and touching a doorknob!!) and they hate that. Or, another cheapie is

aluminum foil, sometimes that can discourage them.

I've always given her dried food that I buy from the vet he also has a pet shop. It was a friend suggested the light dried food last week, but I think I'll go back to the original stuff.......I will look into the size and price of the treadmills it sounds a good idea.....The vet isn't worried about her weight he says she is about 4 kilo's over but I think she looks too fat and people do comment about it.

valerie wrote: Chonsigirl, in addition to the other suggestions, might you be able to put

up quite a bit of double-sided sticky tape? Cats dont generally like to

step on it... and it's a really cheap fix if it works. A bit more expensive and

maybe not doable since it's the ceiling is one of those mats that you plug

in that gives the animal a slight shock (like you walking across a carpet

and touching a doorknob!!) and they hate that. Or, another cheapie is

aluminum foil, sometimes that can discourage them.


:yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl

Absolutely - find something they don't like - I'm still laughing - so will you when you see your cat's reaction.

pina wrote: I've always given her dried food that I buy from the vet he also has a pet shop. It was a friend suggested the light dried food last week, but I think I'll go back to the original stuff.......I will look into the size and price of the treadmills it sounds a good idea.....The vet isn't worried about her weight he says she is about 4 kilo's over but I think she looks too fat and people do comment about it.


Vet food is always more expensive and is usually formulated for animals in bad health - go to the pet store and buy something that has good protein..

One gentle caution for you, Pina. Don't let your girl rule the roost. YOU

are the alpha, let her know it. Forget taking the lift because SHE wants to,

you take the stairs. She might be in the obstinate teenage stage and you

shouldn't let her get away with it!

valerie wrote: Don't let your girl rule the roost. YOU

are the alpha, let her know it.
Very, VERY important point here. Establishing the dog's place as omega is much easier than trying to force them there once they think they are alpha. Excellent point, Val.

Something else I would like to say to all of you who might be a little

hesitant to come on here and ask your questions... please don't worry

about sounding "stupid" or whatever... we've all been right where you are

I'm sure, at some point. I don't think anything will suprise or shock us.



So take advantage of someone who's been where you are, it will be better

for you and MUCH better for your pet... and we will get a kick out of helping!

JAB wrote: What do you do about a cat that hisses at you all the time?



My sister, who lives alone, has a cat named Pepper. She spoils it bigtime! So, naturally whenever I or anyone comes to visit, Pepper goes bonkers with her hissing and runs and hides because we're taking the attention away from her. Or at least that's what my sister says. Is this typical of 'jealous' cats?


Not knowing how old the cat is or how long your sister has had it I only

have a couple of suggestions. They should probably be tried one at a time,

your sister should pick the one she thinks it would be easiest to try and

then if that doesn't work, go to the next one.



I myself would probably start by isolating the cat before anyone comes

over, ideally in a room with the cat's food, water, litter box and cat tree.

(Remembering to keep the litter box as far away from the food as

possible) The cat should be behind a closed door and left alone until

visitors are gone.



This one might be a little tougher to get all visitors to do, but if your

sister can convince every visitor to completely and totally ignore the

cat, up to and including turning their back on the cat or walking in

the opposite direction, it might help. Neither your sister or the visitors

should comment on the cat, say its' name, or try to approach the cat.



Finally, your sister could try getting some supremely good kitty treats,

and keep these treats for ONLY when visitors come over, and at no

other time. Have each visitor carefully toss a treat where the cat can

reach it while still maintaining distance. Treats can be anything the cat

really is known to like, smelly little foil pouch thingies included! Or a

simple piece (very small) of boiled skinless chicken breast. These can

be done ahead of time, diced and frozen.



Good luck to your sister!! (And yourself!!)



;)

By the way, JAB, the cat's hissing might actually be fear aggression.

It hisses to make itself seem bigger and scarier and more of a threat

to the much larger human visitors.

Hi Valerie,

My lab just loves swimming in our stream and will swim and chase the trout for hours on end. The problem...flaky dry skin on his back during the summer months. The vet told us to put 2T of safflower oil over his daily food, which would help improve his coat and flakiness, and to keep him out of the water, but no way will a lab stay out of water. I tried the oil for a few days but when I noticed loose bowels, I stopped it. Do you have any suggestions?

Well, CD, I love labs but yes, just TRY and keep them out of the water! A

little bit of oil is a good suggestion but if it creates that other problem...

YUCK!!



Is the dry skin mainly on his back? What you might try is getting some

"Bag Balm" you can get it at a feed store... it is used for cow's udders

to keep them soft and supple and to prevent cracks, etc. It won't hurt

him at all, even if he happens to lick some. Do your best to work it in

down to his skin, not just on top of his hair. It should repel moisture some

while actually in the creek and curiously, hold moisture IN, too.



You also might try a "Linatone" type product, more expensive than just the

safflower trick, but also less chance of the unpleasant side affect!



Curious as to what you feed your guy, does he usually have firm stools?

If it's just with the addition of the oil, I'd probably say the food is okay

but if they are marginal, you might try a change to a better kibble.



Give 'im a big smooch for me and tell him I said happy trout fishing!!



:-4

Thanks Valerie for the suggestions! I have bag balm, never gave that a thought to try that on a dog. He only has the flaky skin (looks like dandruff) towards his rear end on his back. We feed him Iams Lamb and Rice and Pedigree Healthy Mature dry dog food. Yes, firm stools, unless he gets the oil, which I stopped. He's 9 years old.



This "Linatone," where do I purchase that? Never heard of it before.



Re: keeping him out of the trout stream....I believe those trout call out to him to come and play tag. Will be pretty hard to keep him away from the water with this stream running the length of our property unless he's kept indoors until it freezes over.

Thanks again for your suggestions!

Linatone is at most any pet store... some grocery stores have it in the

pet section... and if you shop at Wal-Mart I've seen it there locally!



At 9 years even though he's healthy some of his systems are starting

to slow, so he might not be as good at "fixing" things as he once was.

But he should be alright being as how he still wants to be active and

out there, that's more than half the battle with the seniors!!



:-6

Thanks for the information on the linatone. Will look for that when I go shopping this week and give it a try.

My dog sure doesn't act his age. Like he has built in springs on his feet. Always wanting to go! Pouts worse then a child if he has to stay indoors.