Erny

I think I better go get a wax job!

I didn't realise peoples thought I was a "he" .... I tend to forget my name is a bit misleading - it ain't meant to be. It stands for: EaRNYour rewards.

When I die I wanna come back as Erny's dog, (not the one he's go now). Erny you do sound like a very kind dog carer. ;) Abs! Sssssssshhhhhhhhh. I told you - I gotta keep up my tough trainer image. Now excuse me while I go pick up the other 5 doggy bed mattresses she's NOT at the moment sleeping on, and wash them ......

I know you didn't, Isaviz! (Although other of my friends would!). I do wonder about myself, though!

Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to 'discuss' this with me. Isaviz .. I don't know what they do to check for bladder prolapse :D Abergavenny .. Thanks for the Slippery Elm tip. Must admit I'm hesitant to add things to her foodstuffs for fear of kicking off IBS. I almost had her better (this was about 12 months ago, after a long bout of visiting numerous vets and me insisting something was wrong) and then put her on Joint Formula. I had double checked with the maker of this product as to liklihood of reaction - he said he knew of 3 dogs in the world that reacted to it. Kal was the fourth. I've never got her back quite as well as I did the first time around. But I'll remember the tip for if it is necessary. ;) Isaviz .. Since the 'episode' I described in this thread, urination and defecation has returned to normal. No incontinence last night. ;) I expect they have! I've got a variety of descriptions on tap myself! Don't kid about it! I've pondered on that over the last 12 months, wondering if it's my dog's condition, or whether it's mine! ;) Abergavenny .. I've been conscious of the fact that incontinence can come with older age. It did only begin after the 'bone incident' and the serious of surgeries that were done following that. It usually occurs when she's uncomfortable, and I'm suspicious that her back might be out again ... so perhaps it's that. Or even maybe it's just coincidental that she's 2 years older than when the bone incident occurred. Maybe the incontinence WAS initially due to pain and discomfort ... but maybe it's now an age thing. I will be taking her to see her chiro next Wednesday. Well ... the urge to urinate sequence and its cessation upon vomiting has got me beat too. But she does seem ok (well, back to her normal 'not quite ok' status, anyway). Her appetite is great and she slept fine last night, except for one point in the early hours of the morning, when she whined ............. because her blanket had come off her and she wanted it back on. :rolleyes: I put it on. Don't tell anyone .... 'cause I'm meant to be the strict, hard, no nonsense dog trainer! As I mentioned in my first post - I sent an email to Russell Mitten with ALL the nitty gritty details of what happened at the park the other night. I will return here when I have any form of information from him in response, to let you know what he says. In the meantime, thanks ever so much for your attention to my thread. It's nice to know there's somewhere to go when I'd otherwise have turned it over and over and over in my mind by myself. Makes a difference to share.

... sorry .. not laughing at you, but rather, at my (and Kal's) situation. All these troubles began when she swallowed a large piece of bone (cracked it off the end of a marrow bone). She's done this twice. Due to nerve damage it caused in the oesophegus, I even have to soupify her meals now. She doesn't get bones anymore. Well ... on the odd occasion. And they are marrow bones with the knobbly ends sawn off (so she can't crack them off) leaving the shaft part, which is harder still. But it's developed that I can't give her many of those either. Firstly because I won't give her one when I haven't got the time to dedicate to sit out and watch her chew on it. Secondly, because she doesn't seem to cope with fat content very well anymore ... if I feed too many it makes her stooles sloppy. Also, she had done a poo (nicely formed ... a smidgy bit soft, but holding its shape) on arrival at the park. She's poo'd since. This was definately a squat for a wee, not a crouch for a poo. (Sheesh .... I really gotta get a life! ). But I hear what you say. I just can't think of anything she eats that could block ... 'cause everything needs to be and is soupy. I will keep it in mind as I continue to study her, though. Thanks, Abergavenny. :D

Hi Isaviz - blood tests taken only yesterday week ago show kidney function normal. The Werribee Vet also took a sample of urine and tested that - it came up all clear as well. That urine sample was one week ago, so I guess it's possible for a urinary tract infection to have developed in the meantime...... maybe. BTW - liver function normal also. Sugar levels also normal. She's not "blocked" - quite the opposite. And I see that her urine is clear and pale in colour (ie not dark rich yellow). No sign of blood .... that I can see, anyway. I feel like I'm blocking all your attempts to provide helpful suggestions, by negating them. Don't mean to. I really do appreciate them. And Isaviz - that you took time out to 'google' means alot. I'm humbled. Thanks. (looks for "humble" emoticon .... )

Thanks to you too, Isaviz, for responding. That theory would make sense to me too, if it weren't the other way around. She was peeing/trying to pee in amongst grass grazing. It was only once she vomited that the urge to pee stopped. I've just got off the phone from the emergency centre. I've described the symptoms (and a brief .... hah! impossible to be brief! run down of her turmoilish history over the last 2 years). The symptoms of last night don't in themselves ring any immediate bells with them either. They're not suggesting nothing is wrong (I've felt there's been something wrong for the last 2 years, as I mentioned, and have been periodically having checks/bloods/investigations done all that time), but on my description of her demeanour, are suggesting it doesn't sound like an "emergency". I don't think it is either - albeit I feel it IS something that deserves vigilent attention and investigation. I just sent her outside for her "before bed" pee. All is normal there. She came running back inside and happily trotted to her bed (where she waits until she sees me pick up her blanket to put over her .... tough dog, not!). Meal time, bed time, car drives and me are her favourite things! Her coat sheen is good, as is her appetitie and her eyes are clear and sparkly. I will continue to keep a close eye on her (as per usual .... close inspection of her poo and watching her pee has become a standard part of my life ). Thanks, everyone, for coming here to read and to take the time to throw up some suggestions/possibilities. She is better than she was during the 'episode' last night, but if she was to deteriorate between now and Tuesday, I will take her to emergency or an alternative Vet. Thanks again. Fingers crossed.

Lablover .... I'm worried too. In fact, I guess I've been concerned about her on and off (mainly on) for the past 2 years (since the bone swallowing incident). I've done everything I can, even in the face of one vet suggesting that "over investigation is a disease too" and others implying I'm a mere worrywart. Some Vets have been nice and seemingly understanding, but didn't seem to be able to see the "big picture". Russell Mitten seems to recognise there is a problem, but has admitted that he is at a bit of a loss as to what else to check. I have to weigh Kal once a week for a month and report back to him then. As you would have read in my first post, he doesn't know about this new symptom though, and it concerns me too. I mostly work from home (except for tomorrow, when I am training at the kennels) so she's been and still is close by me and I too have her sleep on a dog mattress on the floor next to my bed (has done ever since she swallowed the bone and had following complications such as peritinitis, amongst other things). Thanks for your concern. I think I might ring the emergency centre and describe the symptoms and see what they say. I expect they can't diagnose over the phone (heavens, I certainly can understand that), but they might be able to give me an idea if they at least recognise the symptoms as being of anything significant.

As far as the "confused" emoticon is concerned, I'm with you, Allerzeit! I'm really quite puzzled. (In fact, I've been puzzled by a number of various symptoms apparent ever since the "bone incident" - I don't know that the vets I've seen know, either.) Can an upset stomach bring about such a strong urge to pee? I shouldn't laugh ... I'm quite concerned. Thanks for your post, though. It helps even to know I can share my thoughts and concerns here.

Thanks Trifecta. But would cystitis symptoms of urination stop merely because she vomited? There has been no excessive urination (nor any futile urges to urinate) today. If it is suggested here that this is urgent, I will have her checked more urgently at our local emergency centre.

Hi! Last night, while out for a walk in the park with my de-sexed 12 yo Rhodesian Ridgeback bitch, she became quite 'pacey' and obsessed with eating grass (big time - not terribly unlike a horse being let out into fresh spring pasture). She'd only stop her pacing and grass eating to squat. Most of the time, there was no urine (she'd already passed good amounts of urine during the walk - not just marking, but serious peeing, if you know what I mean ), but during this 'episode' there was about three times when there was urination involved. First a reasonable amount (which surprised me given the wee stops she'd had not long before). The other couple of times just dribbles. She would dry squat whilst pacing, as if she couldn't help it, and I noticed her vulva (?) was pulsing, as if it had this strong urge to pass urine, when none was there to pass. All of this occurred within a space of 2-3 minutes. Finally, she vomited (the vomit comprised of white froth and grass, naturally, as well as yellow stomach bile and a few remnants of vegies from her breakfast that day. Once she had vomited, her urge to pee disappeared. Does this trigger any ideas for the cause of the problem with anyone here? Does it make any sense? She has got a complicated history of health issues (weight loss; intolerence to many food stuffs; exercise intolerence) which have appeared in the last 2 years - following a series of operations which began as a result of her having swallowed a bone that caught in her oesophegus. Because of weight loss and food and exercise intolerence, I went back to Werribee Vet Hospital (Dr. Russell Mitten) last week. He's checked her heart and done a full blood work up, reporting to me yesterday (before our walk) that everything is showing absolutely normal. I'm not sure if these signs she showed last night are in any way connected to existing concerns I've got with her, or whether they could signify something independent to those. I've emailed Russell Mitten - he only works on Tuesdays, so it'll be a little while before I can expect a response. I thought I'd run it by you guys in the meantime to see if these recent symptoms ring any bells. Thanks for reading. :D

The OP PM'd me earlier this morning and in my response I recommended urgent contact with K9 Force and/or Steve Austin @ Hanrob.

:D I cocked more than one eye brow at that one too, when I received the newsletter, Kelpie-i. Reading between the lines, I got the underlying impression that they were saying we shouldn't talk about drives anymore because the peoples don't understand them ..... I say "learn". I wonder if they passed this one by Scott and Fuller .... or even read their books.

On a discussion level only as well isnt the $1000 that elevates your drive? not the flick of the band..... Yes youd put up with the flick for a $1000 but Id imagine it would be better if there was no flick all together there, yes? I'm sure I'm wrong, Myszka .... just musing on the thought. I see the $1000.00. My inate 'money drive' ( ) is activated. I could get to the money and pick it up, maybe even one note at a time. But I've learnt I can't avoid the elastic band flick and I'm more determined to get my hand in the box much faster and maker a stronger grab for the money, 'cause I want to make sure I achieve my goal to the fullest possible extent. ????????? But K9's explanation makes more sense.

Just my opinion, but I think it is more a dominance/leadership issue. The dog even bit the owner just on being told to sit, BEFORE it even actually obtained this obviously important resource (ie the food). Either way, I agree - it's serious and needs early attention. Only the consulting behaviourist would be able to properly determine the situation. I also agree that the behaviourist should consult with you AND your dog, rather than you SENDING the dog to the behaviourist. IMO, any behaviourist part way worth their salt would insist on this anyway. And the "Triangle of Temptation" program by K9 (refer Myszka's post and link) would be a good one to start on immediately.

Discussional level only, Latisha, 'cause I don't know much about the theory of correction elevating drive either, but, using a slightly different version of your human analogy: Put your hand in an empty box and receive a mild elastic band flick. Not pleasant, so you quickly (and probably by reflex) withdraw. I expect you wouldn't want to go put your hand back in the empty box. But put your hand in a box that contains $1000.00 that you can have if you reach it (this being the equivalent of the dog's drive goal), and I'd expect you'd cope better with receiving the elastic band flick. Whilst I don't know much about the theory of correction elevating drive, I'd guess that the correction would not be so harsh as to act as an aversive to the dog? Would it be considered more a stimulation that excites/frustrates the dog? Given that the dog's energies are being channelled into drive, this is where that excitement energy is aimed, therefore heightening drive? Do I make any sense at all?

Leadership is a must. And I'd very strongly urge you to consult with a behaviourist. The behaviourist would be able to assess the situation and explain why it's occurring. Advice would be given and a program set, to get you back on track and in a more harmonious relationship. Please don't think it's about the breed of dog. To give a human analogy, think of this: A guy meets a girl. The relationship didn't work. Is it because of the nationality of either, or more likely because one doesn't understand the other? IMO, it's the latter. Where are you? What State/local? If you PM me, I might be able to give you a a few names of people who can help you. Please get onto this VERY quickly. Not only for your safety sake, but also because the quicker you do, the easier it will be to turn your dog's behaviour into something more desirable.

There are some lovely bandanas that you could use to tie around Jyra's neck....but this is what I've heard only. And bandana's aren't illegal!

:rolleyes: MM .... I thought you might find this thread! Stacked with info, ain't it?

Yeah - it seems to be a "one size fits all" method. Wonder how long their course takes to learn. Not long, I suspect?

Teaching your dog to work in drive can help with this. You can then use the drive to work in the proximity of other dogs, using desensitisation methods which increasingly lower your dog's reaction threshold. Yes - you need leadership, but leadership doesn't have to, IMO mean "nazi style" (as Haven put it ) interactions.

Come back and let us know what choice you made ... and how it went.

I admit, it's frustrating as a trainer/behaviourist when people don't apply a suggested method for an appropriate block of time. Sometimes it is this that prevents the success of the methodology. But, given the signs your dog is showing, perhaps: Inform Dogtech your not achieving the desired results. Inform them of the anxiety their method appears to be having. Listen to what they say and what they can offer. Go see Steve for a second opinion. Chose from there the method that best suits your dog and that which you're more comfortable with. BTW - do you have to pay more money for the second consultation with Dogtech? If so, try talking to them on the phone beforehand, and maybe getting your 2nd opinion before the second consult with them.

Work in drive, IMO, will promote leadership and increase your dog's desire to work. I see you're in Sydney - have you tried to get a consult with Steve (K9 Force)? I know he's busy though ...