LizT

Okay, we've been taking Otis outside to toilet on lead for 10 days now. He has had short periods of supervised "freedom" around the house but has had to be stopped from cocking his leg on numerous occassions. He is scheduled to be desexed later this week. Many people have told me I should just get him a belly band and rehome him with this. This doesn't sit well with me as I have seen one too many Entire Show dog cock his leg on things he shouldn't (doorways, Stewards coats on back of chairs, table legs, other peoples crates, peoples shoes etc) with total oblivion on the part of the owner! :p It is one of my "pet hates'. A belly band would be a last resort to me. He is not 'elderly or incontinent".

I guess as in all mental illness the person just doesn't "see it". Like an anorexic sees a fat person in the mirror and not the emaciated wraith standing there with bones sticking out. Sad all round.

It's interesting that when I asked the Vet if there was a type of "Imdoium for dogs" she said "sadly No." !!??? I have heard of people giving Imodium to a dog but I'm not game to give human medicine unless I get the intruction from a Vet. Ah well, in any case the girls are 100% fit and well now. HURRAY! :p Wish I knew what had actually caused it though.

Woodbyne mention "Scourban" is that available from a Pet supplies or feed stock mechant? is it for livestock?

Fortunately neither dog became dehydrated and continued to drink and urinate throughout their ordeal. Their gums remained pink and they remained bright. No-one has pooed since yesterday noon so I think we have turned the corner. I will keep them crated for another 24 hours and if no setbacks will let them out for a brief stint tomorrow. It was a welcome relief to come home to clean bums and clean crates this morning. Meanwhile they will continue on their medication until the course finished. Is Lectade an electrolyte? I have "Recharge" on hand for if/when my horses need some, so would have given that if poor pups dehydtrated. Now I just hope none of the others come down with it. :D

Gave them both a bit of chicken and rice with their tablet this evening. They both are happy and a bit stir crazy but still have a bit of the runs. No. 1 girl is now pooing a very small amount browner gelatinous poo rather than swirting a golden liquid. No. 2 is still a bit runny but less frequent and with less volume. Both are drinking and urinating well. Both still getting bottoms washed and washing machine going with load of dog towels again. I think they will be glad to get their bedding back but for now they are sleeping on newspaper in their crates as it's more sanitary to change when soiled by "liquid farts".

Fortunately they are drinking water and bright, with good colour in their gums so the vet feels thay are okay to be with me and would only need to be on a drip if they went downhill and became listless etc. Your poor boy must have been very ill. The first dog has not eaten since Saturday night as I didn't feed her when she had the runs on Sunday so she will be gettting some chicken and rice (just a bit!) this afternoon. I might hold off giving the other one any food until tomorrow. Even though the vet said I could feed the first some yesterday and give the other some today. I don't like feeding an animal (or person!) with diahorea. I think the Metrogyl covers athe antibiotic department.

Sometimes I see them and hard to think that GSD is a little brother for maltese because of their size, ;) You mean his leg will grow slowly if he always running and jumping? No, I mean if he is running and jumping too much, (like say on and off furniture for example) he may cause damage to the growth plates or open knee joints. He is a baby and needs to take things slowly as he grows and becomes strong. Even as a 'teenager' you need to be most careful with his legs and joints. Large breeds need time to mature. Good on you for taking time for advice.

Well, just cooking up some chicken and rice for my poopy bum girls. The girl who came down with it first seems to be slowing up. But the other was a mess when I came home this morning, even though she was okay when OH took herout for a toilet at 4.30 am. Well I guess she is 24 hours behind. Both got bottom washes. I hope it stops soon. ;)

Late yesterday Bonnie came down with the runs and this morning Crystal had it too! I've had them both to the Vets as there was small droplets of blood at the end of each watery session. Poor babes. ;) They are now both on Metrogyl 200 They are both isolated in crates away from our 14 week old puppy who is fine and our new Rescue boy Otis, who is isolated anyway. No idea what has caused this as they are wormed regulary etc. but it would appear they have picked up a 'bug' (bacteria) from the garden. I'm thinking it may have something to do with this heavy rain and Septic/sewerage water overflow onto the grass?? Meanwhile I have two miserable Cavaliers crated on newspaper as they keep squirting and have to have their bums and tails washed continually as they are stained after each go. They are drinking water and are 'happy' (except they want out) and bright with no fever. My washing machine and clothes dryer has been going all day with old towels and cloth nappies! I wish there was Imodium for dogs!!

We are trying this now with a "rescue Cavalier" who is 7 years old and is an ex Puppy Farm dog who has no idea and would like to pee anywhere he likes.

Glad your puppy is okay Kashing ....but remember he will mature slower than the little Maltese so you will need to be careful he doesn't over do things as he grows, especially when it come to running and jumping as his legs will take longer to grow and become strong.

Really, I've attended most training programs with 8 week old pups for years now. Never had an issue.

This is so true, sometimes people put their instructors on a pedestal and feel they can do no wrong. (I've seen in horse riding and martial arts over and over again).

Used properly and in a targeted way, food shoudn't be a bribe tho'. Agree tho' that there are a range of ways of teaching a drop, and the method the OP describes isn't the only non-food method. I'm sure there are many kinder variations on the theme. Did the OP describe a method? I missed that. I thought she just offered to show an alternative (I didn't know if there was food involved or not).

Very true and totally sad that this person chose animals and not some inanimate objects.

In my experience in Obedience training which goes back 30 years and various CLubs I have seen this method done many times by those instructors who do not believe in using food as a bribe. Particularly if the dog is later to learn food refusal. It is most unpleasant to watch and I personally have seen many far better non food methods used in a much kindlier fashion, such as placing the dog gently into the position by gently lifting both legs out in front of him with a single sweep of your arm. Far nicer. And yet recently (last five years ) I saw an instructor use a very rough method such as stepping on the lead close to the dogs head on a Staffy pup who wasn't cooperating in being shown. The pup was clearly distressed and the owner never returned to training. Personally I'm not a big fan of using bribes in training but I don't believe the alternative is brute force either. I think varying methods are needed for different breeds and individuals alike.

I trained my GSD pup by taking to the 'toileting" area when he still lived indoors as a puppy. 5 years old now and he still goes to the bottom of the garden.

Sounds like Braxton Hicks It's all part of the uterus toning for the real deal.

This is true Poodlefan.....and I've heard of many cases of 'baiting' nuisance dogs but the method of death????????????????????????? So sick.

I agree, if that puppy hasn't 'bounced' back 100% after the time lapse between his exhaustaion and Kashing coming home to take him to the vets I'd be off to the Veterinary Hospital with him if he looks even remotely listless still.

My personal experience with Braxton Hicks contrations was just a hardening and tightness of the uterus momentarily which felt a bit odd and then passed. IMO it didn't feel like an actual contraction.

My Cavaliers go to the door and paw the ground, this indicates they 'want to go out" problem is they sometimes also do this 10 minutes after they have come back in from toileting becuse they decided "they want to go out" again. I tell them off then and say "you've just been" and they sook and go sit down. In these instances I'm glad there is no bell.

I have a thread in Rescue title "About to Foster my first Rescue Cavalier" with some history on this little fellow. Basically though he is a 7 year old entire male who has lived in a "Chicken Run" type enclosure and crated too judging by his keeness and willingness to stay happily in his crate. He has been liberated from a "Puppy Farm" environment and is now undergoing rehabilitation. Problem is when let out of his crate he will immediately walk over to a piece of wall, door, furniture, drapes, whatever and sniff, then proceed to lift his leg. We have stopped him three times with an "AUHAARH!" and a physical movment from us, then taken him outside to toilet on lead and praise him lavishly when he does go. Problem is he also seems to want to pee about 8 times on various objects outside, so we are limiting him to an area in the yard exclusive to his toileting and keeping him on the lead for now. Even when he has been toileted outside he still appears to want to "mark" indoors. Is it possible to housetrain and older dog with this kind of background? At the very least if he needs to live outdoors I think the new owners would prefer a dog that didn't lift his leg on EVERYTHING! Could make for a very smelly back patio??? He will be desexed in maybe two weeks as the Vet feels he is too weak at the moment, will this help to change his need to mark or is it too late for a 7 year old dog to break the habit of a lifetime?

This is a rule? In which state? Here, there are always dogs around that aren't entered. Especially baby puppies getting socialised before their first show... I know of heaps of people (myself included) who bring along companion dogs to shows, provided there is room in their trolley or gazebo what's the problem? Not taking up any more space, especially compared to those who find it necessary to place a large puppy pen up with only one Baby Puppy in it. Back to original thread, with my first bitch bred I brought her along at 5 weeks because I wanted a mentors opinion of how she was coming along. After that she stayed home in an old fashion 'confinement" LOL She actually whelped on the day I had entered a Show (for a different dog of course) but I was not planning to go in any case as she was 'definitely pregnant and it was way to close for me to even consider leaving her side. I had done the entry in her early stages before she was confirmed pregnant.