What to Do when Your Dog Does This...

When the snow was around back just a month or two ago, near Denver, Colorado, my whole backyard was covered. At least my dog Jingo is going out to use the facilities in the snow. We are from California and he was not used to that. The rain is another story, he hates it. But why is he going by our sliding glass door and not in the backyard? He will run all over the back yard looking for the perfect spot, sniffing around, and then go right in front by our door. I was about to eat a burrito, when I looked out my window and lost my appetite. I think it is because he can't smell where his usual spots are. Their noses are sensitive, but in the snow, I don't think they can detect it.

My dog thinks he is a baby now:

Lately he has been wining and cries at night when I turn off the lights to go to sleep. He has been around my 23 month old, sees how he gets spoiled even when crying, and probably wants the same attention. The main reason is because I put a baby gate up to block him from roaming around the house at night. The reason I did that is because he had a small cut on his ear a couple weeks ago. Now that cut keeps healing and when the scab is there he scratches it off, make a new wound that starts bleeding. Last week I woke up and there was blood drops on the floor, the carpet, and the wall (from when he shakes his head). So since then I have been blocking him in only at night. During the day he is busy outside he doesn't have time to scratch. What to do, what to do?

Well for his wining and crying, the only thing that stops him (so my baby won't wake up from it) is to be mean. I go downstairs and tell him very mean, to shut up, point my finger, tell him to go nighty night, and go to sleep. I have to repeat it a couple times. Then he will listen. I know that sounds harsh, but that is the only way. Other wise he gets very loud, the baby will wake up, and my husband will too!

Now what to do about this ear problem. I have cleaned it with peroxide, used the special Mela-triple antibiotic ointment and Mela-Gel on it. The only thing that I think will work is to get a cone and make him wear it until his ear heals completely. As soon as his ear heals, he can go back to his normal bed area, and then his crying will stop, and everything will go back to the norm. -That is exactly what we did, after the cone was on him, his ear healed, and there was no more bloody walls.

To fly or not to fly:

We have to fly back to our home town soon to get the rest of our belongings from our old house. We are relocating to Co. from Ca. and will be staying there in Cali for about 5 days. So is it better to fly our dog on the plane for 2 hours or leave him at a doggie boarding place? If we take him on the plane, he will have to go underneath because he is too big to be a carry on. I have heard of stories where they mistreat animals underneath the plane. But I have also heard the same for those boarding places. One place I talked to says they exercise the dogs, let them play, and administer their food or medications if any. They sound like a great place and charge $23 per day. I don't like leaving my dog in a strange place, but it might be more fun for him to stay there than for him to be in the way of moving.

We left our dog at a doggy day camp:

Well we left our dog at a boarding place, instead of making him fly on a plane. The fee was $23 per day. -Kind of high price when you leave for a week. They are suppose to take him out 3 times a day for exercise and play. They said he did very well. I was a little skeptical because when I asked to take a tour, they said I couldn't, that all the dogs were out and kennels were being cleaned.

I was worried leaving him there to begin with. When I picked him up, the guy took me back where my dog had been staying. It kind of looked like a dog pound. There was a small bowl of water hung on the gate. I don't remember seeing a bed, like they said was provided. I felt really bad. Next time I am definitley doing more homework. The only reason I couldn't is because we had a plane to catch that day. When I talked to the owner of the place over the phone a week back, she made this place out to be one of the best. What can I expect though, a kingdom, a hotel with a bed, or a regular human house for my dog? For that price, well that's what I would have liked.
My advice, Take a Tour First!

My dog got his foot caught in a mouse trap

Today I thought someone was in my garage. I heard a knocking/rattling around in there, when I was in the kitchen with my son. Then I didn't see my dog anywhere so I figured it was him. He usually don't get into anything. I opened the door and Jingo's foot was stuck to the sticky mouse trap. I wish I would have taken a picture because he looked so helpless. I took him outside and poured vegetable oil on it. It was still hard to get it off and the glue off his foot. I forgot that the traps were in there and we forgot to close the doggy door. At least there not poison or he didn't get his nose stuck on it trying to eat the cheese off.

From a Breeder or from the pound? That is the question...

Would you rather buy a pure bred puppy from a breeder ? There are so many dogs out there that are in need of a good home. I adopted my dog from the pound about 7 years ago. He has been the smartest and best dog we could have ever found. Just because your dog might be pure, it doesn't mean they are going to be the best dog. I have known some pure dogs throughout my life that have had no attention span or just act plain crazy. I have also know some muts that are very smart and attentive. There are so many dogs in the pound that get put to sleep. Probably 80% or more every month in every pound out there get euthanized, except the no kill animal shelters. Instead of buying a pure bred, think about the life you could save if you adopted from the pound.

Dog treat chokes "Panda"

My mom had taken in a pomeranian dog for about 3 years. Panda was a hyper, fun loving dog that always got excited about food or attention. He was very protective of his new master Steve. Panda was given to my mom by my sister to take care of when she couldn't have dogs in the place she moved.

About a year ago my mom was giving the dogs some treats. They like to eat those little treats that are soft and chewy, and in the form of a steak. But this time was different. Panda swallowed the treat and it became lodged in the back of his throat. My mom and Steve tried to give Panda the heimlich but nothing would work. It would not come out. Even after he pooped and threw up, he could not continue breathing. They rushed him to the emergency vet but it was too late.
Just writing this story brings tears to my eyes and I was not even close to this dog. I do have a dog of my own that had played with Panda, he is like my first son before my actual son was born. Dogs are like children to us now more than ever. This has been hard on my family. No one new that this was going to happen and it is noone's fault. Please be very careful if your dog is the type to devourer treats and food without chewing. I advise not to throw the treat up for them to catch. That is how it gets lodged. I am still trying to break that habbit. If it can happen with doggy treats, it could easily happen with a real bone or food scraps. If you do give your dogs scraps, please no chicken bones! They do not digest right and can really harm your dog. I have also heard that greenies dog treats can harm dogs too.