Question:

My 2 year old female (spayed) maltese is having some issues. One is with her food. She will growl while eating and she eats very fast. I have tried a large object in the bowl to slow her down, I have tried feeding her by hand, I have tried putting small amounts in the bowl at a time, I have tried holding the bowl and letting her eat a few bites at a time, but she still swallows it whole, and when I put the bowl down she will growl. She sometimes growl when she is waiting for me to give her a bite. I feel I have exhausted everything. She is also “moody”; she will want to cuddle and play one minute, but sometimes if my husband or I go to pet her she will lower her head and growl. I don’t know what happened along the way, but I want this stopped. As a whole she is very sweet, but I’m getting very frustrated and impatient with this behavior. Please help!

Tonya

ANSWER:

Hi Tonya,

I am not surprised you are losing your patience with your girl – you have certainly tried everything to bring her around. Have you had her since she was a puppy? And if so, was she always like this or is it something that developed as she aged?

Normally guarding behavior develops when pups are still with their littermates and ‘survival of the fittest’ means you gobble as much food as you can as fast as possible. Once away from the litter, however, most dogs stop protecting their food although they may still continue to gobble it whole.

You may not like my suggestion but I would take her to an obedience class with a trainer that understands small dog mentality and aggression. Many small dog owners forget that their dog is actually a dog – just in a petite package. They let their dogs get away with behaviors large dog owners cannot tolerate just because their dog is big and cannot be picked up if it misbehaves.

Your dog thinks she is the boss and that by growling she can get her way. And so far it has worked! Obedience class will help you to be the boss and put her in her place in a way that she will understand. Find a trainer and class that is not about teaching your dog the perfect ‘sit’ but instead focuses on manners and behavior.

Let us know how it goes!
Ann

Question:

Hi,

I own a 4 month old Shih Tzu. I have read that Shih Tzu’s a little harder to housetrain than other dogs and that it requires preserverance.

I’ve tried toilet training my Shih Tzu since about a month ago, but she refuse to relieve herself whenever she’s in the toilet. Instead, she will urinate wherever she walks to – the den, the kitchen, room, any new area she manage to venture to! Once, she even urinated on my bed & while I was carrying her!

I’ve read that puppies need to go about every half hour to one hour. My Shih Tzu, however, relieves herself about 3 – 4 times in 10 minutes. Is this normal? How can i prevent my puppy from urinating as and when she feel like it and wherever she wants?

ANSWER:

Hi there,

It sounds to me as though she is suffering from a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). I would take her to the vet immediately and have her checked out! Some female dogs benefit from early spaying as the extra hormones aggravate chronic UTIs.

Ann

As some of you may or may not know, I do not usually like the whole doggy dress up thing. I don’t really think that dogs need to wear clothes in the house, bathing suits at the beach, or party dresses at special occasions. To me, a well-behaved dog speaks volumes whereas a well-dressed dog may say as much, but not necessarily what you want the world to know about you.

Where my attitude changes is in practical clothes for dogs – sweaters for the winter, raincoats in rainy weather, and boots for when it is either very cold or very hot! And, well, if I am going to dress my dog in practical clothes to protect them from the elements, I am going to make sure he looks cool.

With winter around the corner, I decided it was time to look through OMDS’ Canine Collection. I found there were three basic criterias: wet weather gear, cold weather outdoor gear, and cozy indoor sweaters. Over the next month, we are going to look at practical winter gear for dogs of all shapes and sizes.

This week – wet weather!

Wet weather can be hard on dogs and owners alike. It can chill the pooch through, especially dogs that have a thin or short-haired coat and nothing is more frustrating than spending an hour walking your long-haired dog only to spend another hour drying them.

For a wet weather jacket, I always look for jackets that cover the abdomen and arms well so body heat stays in as well as keeping the wet away from these sensitive areas. Hoods are great if the dog will tolerate them; do not expect your prick ear dog to like wearing a hood ever. The other thing I look for is the ability to snug the jacket up with elastic cinch chords so that drafts and rain cannot find their way into the jacket, chilling your dog against your best efforts.

For cute and practical, I found our Dots and Ruffles Rain Coat met my criteria and for practical only, our Camo Jacket is waterproof, has a hood, and comes in three colors of camo.

Always watch the fit of any piece of clothing to make sure the arm holes do not bind and the chest is not too tight.

Next week we look at cold weather gear and how best to protect your pet from Old Man Winter!

Question:

I have a 5 month chocolate lab puppy that I have had since he was 6 weeks old. , I have just learned about this great website Ohmydogsupplies… well Oh my dog will not stop biting on the leash when I put it on him, he bites, tugs, pulls, flips around, all the way to the street, then he stops and walks like a perfect puppy. How can I stop him from biting the leash.. I have tried no bite sprays, I have tried harnesses verses a leash on his collar. Help !!! My neighbors think my dog is vicious! He really is not but when he sees that leash , watch out CRAZY dog appears!! My Sister has his bother and he does the same thing, is it genetic, I truly don’t remember my other two dogs doing this.. Help me!! I am desperate, I will do anything, if it helps !!

Lisa

ANSWER:

Hi Lisa,
Sounds like you have your hands full! I am going to break your question into three parts so come back over the next few days for the full answer!

Leash misbehavior in young pups is common but it is easy to stop with the right training.

My first suggestion would be to wear him out a bit before the walk – play fetch with him for a few minutes in the backyard or anything that will let him expel that first burst of energy before you put him on a leash.

Next, do not give in to his silliness. Make him sit/stay while you put the leash on and do not start to walk until he is calm. Use quiet, calming tones that encourage him to be calm. If he starts to jump around, just stand there until he is calm. Once he does calm down though, give him a huge ‘good boy’ and start your walk. If he steps out nicely, keep walking but if he starts being a crazy pup, stop and stand still until calms down again. Repeat. It may take you thirty minutes to get down the driveway the first time but once he knows the only way he is going to get out onto the sidewalk where all the new smells are is by behaving, he will quickly come around!

Come back Monday for Part Two of the Case of the Crazy Lab!

Question:

I have an 8 year old beagle, we bought him a new comfy bed and now he lays in it and licks the entire bed every night, we also have a throw blanket we leave on the floor for him and he started licking it too.

Lazarus

ANSWER:

Hi Lazarus,

How odd although I am finding out not that uncommon. Did you happen to notice anything else that coincided with the new bed such as a change in food or an increase in thirst?

My first instinct is to have him checked over my your vet, especially his mouth and teeth. Infections, gingivitis, and growths can all lead to lick behavior in dogs but normally it is not reserved to just one or two items.

If he comes back with a clean bill of health, you may have to look at other options. Have you tried washing the bed since you bought it? It may be something it is treated with that would make it taste good. Remove the bed for a night or two and replace it with a different blanket. Does he still ‘wash’ his bed?

To stop the licking, pick up a bottle of Bitter Apple from your local hardware or pet store and liberally spray the bed. Most dogs do not like the taste and are discouraged from inappropriate licking or chewing.

Does anyone else have any suggestions on why the dog is licking the bed?
Let us know what the vet says and if he offers any other suggestions.

Ann

Question:

I have a 2 year old Corgi/Shepherd mix who loves to play with large hard plastic balls.  Buddy especially enjoys herding the ball at high speed.  When playing outside everything is fine for a short period but, after a bit, as he lowers his head to move the ball, he’ll suddenly start yanking up tufts of grass and throwing them off to the side before pushing the ball again, stopping every few feet to grab more grass.  He does it regardless of the height of the grass.  This is a disaster for the lawn.  We haven’t been able to figure out how to stop the grass snatching.  Any suggestions?

ANSWER:

Hi Tricia,

You stated your dog likes to play with a hard plastic ball and then eats a lot of grass. I am wondering if you have checked the ball for pieces of plastic missing. Does he chew off any of the ball? Have you checked his stool? Are there pieces of plastic in the stool?
I ask these questions as often dogs will eat grass when their stomach is upset. Instead of a hard plastic ball, I would suggest that you get a soft ball at the pet store. They have many different types that resemble soccer balls. If the ball has a squeaky noise maker do not leave your dog alone with the toy as often they can come out of the toy and the dog can swallow it.

If none of the above is occuring and your dog just likes to eat grass………………….
One suggestion would be to mark off a certain area of your yard for the dog to graze and train him to stay in that area. You could use wire mesh that can be bought at the hardware store to mark of that area or use an Xpen.

An X pen is made of the same material as a wire crate only there is no floor and allows the dog more movement. It is sort of like a playpen for dogs.

Before marking off a certain area with mesh fence or getting an X pen, I strongly suggest that you check and see if your dog is biting off pieces of the hard plastic ball.
Hope this helps.

Nancy

Gobbling food is a really common problem with puppies and young dogs as the dynamics within the litter are too eat as fast and as much as you can before your littermates eat it all up on you. Puppies come into homes where there is no longer a power struggle for dinner and outgrow the tendency to gobble their dinner. However, some don’t.

There are times I like to spend the time to retrain my dog but in this case, I don’t mind the quick fix and the Brake Fast Bowl is the quickest of all fixes. Like the blurb says, the bowl looks like the latest edition to your kid’s Lego collection with three big knobs in the center. However, those knobs work to slow down your dog’s gobbling by basically being in his way. They work great and with time, your dog will slow down even in a regular bowl as they learn that there is no competition for the food.

I have heard of people making their own cheap rendition of the Brake Fast Bowls by adding a big rock in the center of the dish. This would work too but I have some concerns about the food getting trapped underneath the rock. I don’t know about you, but I can see my dog either picking up the rock and dropping it on the floor or getting her tongue stuck underneath it as she tries to sweep the food out of its hiding spot. I like the idea of the knobs being a part of the dish – no rocks on my floor, no rattling around as the dog moves it about, and no weird tongue injuries that are hard to explain to your vet!

Question:

I have two dogs. A 1 1/2 yr. old chocolate lab, Kona, and a 10 month old rottweiler/great dane mix (we think, got him from the pound when he was 7 weeks old), Titan. Kona is a very small lab, she is only like 50 lbs. We are pretty sure she has ciliac, so we have begun feeding her a perscription diet. Our problem is this though, we did not know that the food we were feeding her was bad for her, well then she was allergic to it. She starting eating Titan’s poop as a result of never feeling like she was getting enough food. And then her own. And we cannot get her to stop. I don’t think it is so much because she is hungry any more, but because it is so much of a habit. She is stubborn is all get out, and extremely quick.

ANSWER:

Hi Shantel,

Question:

My 1 year old black lab is foaming at the mouth during excessive play and during eating time.

He vomitted yesterday, but still very playful.

Please help. thank you.

Laura

ANSWER:

Hi Laura,

Question:

My niece’s Shih Tzu had two puppies. One was born with a flat chest and sometimes gasped for air. I took her to the vet at the emergency clinic to find out what was wrong with her. The vet did x-rays and told me she has Pectus Escavatum and said it was genetic. She also told me there was no cure and she may not last long and if she did, she would die at an early age and would never run a marathon. This little girl has stolen my heart.

I read on the internet surgery is an option. Can you tell me if it is worth my time and money for surgery and what are the risks? Will the surgery correct the problem? What can I do? She is 6 weeks old.

Tanya Shepherd
Gautier, MS

ANSWER:

Hi Tanya,

What an awful congenital defect! I have never seen this a true case of Pectus Escavatum in a dog but I am familiar with the problem and the debilitating effect it can have on a dog (or human for that matter!).

Pectus Escavatum is where the term ‘hollow chested’ came from and the chest has a sucked or hollow appearance. The sternum and several ribs growing abnormally and possibly displacing or rotating the heart cause the hollow appearance of the chest. There is a decrease in lung capacity and sometimes complaints of chest and back pain. The cause is somewhat unknown although increased pressure in utero is thought to be one possible cause as well as an increase in pressure or traction on the sternum because of abnormalities of the diaphragm.

There is some question in regards to how effective surgery is at alleviating the problem, at least in human medicine. It seems there is some debate on whether it actually improves the lung or cardiac function – that is open for discussion it seems.

Surgery in animals is believed to more effective then it is in humans although no one can really accurately judge pain levels in animals post surgery.

The good news is there are more surgical options for animals and the prognosis is good that it will correct the deformity. Vet Surgery Central Inc has some great information on the actual procedure.

These are the questions I would answer if she were my dog – some would be for your vet to answer, and some only you can answer.

1. Are there any other medical conditions relating to the heart and lungs that could impact her health? Heart murmurs are common with PE so make sure she does not have one and if she does, how will this effect her prognosis. Ask to see an Internal Medicine Specialist and have him do a cardiac ultrasound and EKG to check for other abnormalities before putting your pup through the discomfort of the procedure




2. Ask your vet for a referral to a veterinary Surgical Specialist. No one understands what goes into the procedure as well as a surgeon and although this is not a complicated procedure, it is not common and there are risks involved because of the potentially restricted cardiac and respiratory system




3. This is an ongoing procedure for at least six weeks that actually casts the dog’s chest. The cast must be replaced every two weeks, more if she is growing quickly. There is risk of infection as well as anesthetic death, pneumothorax, and bleeding into the chest if the heart or thoracic artery is punctured during the procedure. What is your ability to handle these issues? Ongoing care with multiple visits to the vet? Can you emotionally handle the procedure and risks? What is your ability to finance the surgery and this level of ongoing care?




4. This is a touchy subject and I am probably going to get deep-fried for saying it but sometimes in veterinary medicine, I wonder whether it is fair for us to do what we do to our pets just because we can. I have personal experience with this so do not think I am saying it lightly but I think sometimes in our attempt to keep our companions with us, we sometimes forget to ask whether it is the best thing for them. I know I have had second thoughts after going to the ends of the earth to save my pup and when her disease returned like we all knew it would, I let her go because I couldn’t put her through the necessary treatments a second time. I have spoken to others who felt the same way so I am not alone on this. This is not to say that you do not go through the testing and research stage of talking with a surgeon and internal medicine specialist but when you have all the information in front of you, make sure you are go through with the procedure for the right reason. If they say everything is wonderful and the prognosis excellent, then go for it. If they have any reservations about quality of life or anything after the procedure is complete, sit with your thoughts for a while and decide what is best for your pup.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. I feel for you – this is a tough decision.

Ann

PS Make sure your niece does not breed the dam and stud again! As a congenital deformity, it is best if both dogs are ‘fixed’ and the bloodline stopped.