Recent content by animalcrackers

Great post! Thanks for sharing. Dr2Little, is it possible to use a specific sound (versus a phrase or word) as an emergency recall? Like a dog whistle or some other object that makes a distinct noise.

I like the books and movies. For all the HP fans, in your opinion, which director did the best job so far?

Not all dogs who are available for adoption are listed on Petfinder. Sometimes some rescues take a while before updating, so you can try contacting them or even dropping by to meet the dogs. You can also try breed rescues via the local breed clubs.

Very smelly stool can be a negative sign regarding the dog's diet. I feed homecooked, and I'm happy to report that my dog's poop isn't too smelly at all.

Size doesn't really matter to me either, but I do tend not to go for dogs who are at the extreme ends (very small or very large).

What handsome dogs!

I don't believe in yearly shots. According to what I've read, depending on what type of vaccine your dog gets, he can have at least seven years immunity from parvo and distemper. Unfortunately, the rabies shot is required annually where I live so I don't really have much say in that. I don't...

How do I make eggshell powder without using a blender? Would it be okay to just crush them until they're tiny fragments (but not powderized)? And how much do I give my dog? She weighs 20 lbs.

Is there a specific type of dog he seems not to like? Hmmm... maybe a behaviorist would help.

Yep, use a leash as much as possible. You can start training a reliable recall in the future. There's a thread about it somewhere in the training section. You can also get the booklet or DVD titled "Really Reliable Recall". For the grabbing of the Spiderman stuffie, you can teach "Drop It" or...

To teach a good retrieve, try this method.

If you haven't yet, you might want to buy or borrow a copy of "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson. It's a really good book about resource guarding. As for what games Gracie and your daughter can play, fetch is always a winner.

You guys might want to check out "Barking" by Ian Dunbar, "Help! I'm Barking and I Can't Keep Quiet" by Susan Hetts, and "The Bark Stops Here" by Terry Ryan.

I have the same problem with my dog. Try adding some ice if your dog likes cold water or to change it often to keep the water fresh. I also add water in my dog's food and sometimes give her milk (which she loves to drink) diluted in water.

Muzzles aren't used for continuous barking, and bark collars usually don't have much success. Try following the protocol in this website.