Cordelia

In the spirit of hoping May lives longer... PLEASE do NOT give a dog with congestive heart failure, ham!!!! It is a cured meat that is full of salt which will increase her fluid retention and is dangerous considering her current poor condition.

That sore is a lick granuloma and has been there a long while.. nothing to do eith the pound.. it is often an obssessive behaviour can develop for various reasons.. from boredom to dealing with chronic pain (in other parts of the body). Looking at that belly.. perhaps someone with experience in the veterinary/medical field should have been asked to have a look at her.... had I known she was being discussed here, I would have offered my opinion when I first saw her at the pound... that she wasn't pregnant and that heart disease was quite likely due to her severe fluid retention. She is a very sick dog and should never have been released to rescue (or anyone else). Mita.. you mentioned me in one fo your posts and i appreciate that you remember some of the harder cases i took on over the years... but with respect.. I would never have forced this poor, gravely ill dog to endure tests nor would I have prevented her from being released from her pain and suffering (even if it is at the pound). Where is the ability to look at the future for this poor dog? A large breed with (what is likely to be) congestive heart failure... not too many homes lining up for dogs with terminal illnesses or illnesses that aren't cheap to keep at bay (and then only for a relatively short time).

But they haven't taught their dog to behave around other dogs... all they have done is frightened the animal into total submission so it is too scared to interact for fear of severe correction... that isn't training a behaviour.. it's using brute force to frighten into compliance.

Interesting first post. Boerboel? The only reason he stays close to you now is to avoid a severe correction (read that as physical abuse) from you. He has NO idea why you've abused him for looking at other dogs so avoids further pain/stress by being too frightened to move away from you. That isn't training.. it's purely driven by fear of prior 'corrections' as you call them. A better word would be "avoidance". There is nothing 'social' about whatever it is you are being taught to do with your dog. It isn't play react either (there is no such thing). I'm not sure why that is funny? My Great Dane is over 60kg and she often plays with other dogs. What's the big deal? (unless your Boerboel is now fear aggressive due to over-corrections around other dogs).

Anyone NOT wanting to feed their pets chemicals would do well to stay awat from most commercial dog foods. Perhaps study natural/raw feeding BEFORE leaping in with propoganda fed to many vet staff by the commercial food companies. Demodectic mange is often based in an immune deficiency or hormonal imbalance... treating from the inside - out is the most sensible way to do it. And any vet worth their salt would be telling their clients AND staff that. Stuffing a dog full of chemical foods and ivermectin shouldn't be the first reaction.

I have totally lost my inspiration... I wanted to do a photo a day and my brain has completely dried up any and all artistic ability I have.

Love them Lea!! Taurus.. more great pics.. love the angles you put on your pics (but if i scroll fast I get woozy! lol) Itlby, i like both, but I actually prefer the original one you did.. it's more crisp and striking for me.

Love the natural beauty one, Taurus.... I adore Morton Bay Figs (that is it, yeah?)

Thanks! I forgot what letters I hadn't done so I just did whatever.

Purdy Nom Mop Head Love my rock Hate you! Love me Soul Dog

Finally found one for X Xylocaine! And a few letters I may hav done already, but thought, what the hell! Roasted Could have been a good one without the tongue! Stumpy

Absolutely gorgeous shots Ruthless!!

Absolutely gorgeous shots everyone! I'm a complete retard when it comes to layering in PS. I just don't get it. *sigh* I adore the texturing you're doing Rocco.

I'm not THAT old.. and I'm single... but he's WAY too young to keep.

21... I reiterate.. Damn. *sigh*

WHOOOOOOAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bit young but damn! You breed 'em spunky Bindy Boo.... (please don't take offence!)

Love the porkchop! Damn.. I was going to do catching zzzzzz's as well! I'm having enough problems finding something for X!

Red Shovel Tools Urn Vain Water

Key Lost skill Machine Nasty Oranges Plop! Queen (yep.. grasping at straws now.. )

Grass Happy Idiot Juice

Fab work everyone. Figured I might join in. Absolutely lovely (ok.. I couldn't think of anything else.. Basket Ceiling Dangerous Eye Fence

Using an anti-anxiety drug (clomicalm) or even a very low dose of valium could be beneficial in relaxing her enough so she is able to learn. Highly stressed animals can develop learned helplessness and lose the ability to learn new behaviours or tasks... medicating to decrease those anxiety/stress levels allows an animal to be opened up to new behaviours, re-training and desensitisation.

My Great Dane is fed away from my others. She is dangerously food aggressive with other dogs and will kill if another dog comes near her when she has food (no issue with people doing the same). I see no reason to feed dogs together if one of them feels the need to constantly battle over it (and in my case.. use deadly force to drive the point home).

You've said she doesn't like being around new people so it isn't her loss at all. She's happier being away from that which worries/frightens her.... that said.. I wouldn't keep a very fearful/anxious dog around people she didn't know anyway, so putting her in a crate is safe for all concerned. I agree. Whilst you don't feel that her fear behaviour is an act, it does sound as though she has learnt to use it to her advantage.... ie: your dad does very little with her. Getting him to be the only one allowed to feed her is a good idea... though I would go so far as suggesting that he hand feed her the first half her meal if he is willing to spend the time it will take to do it.... She might go hungry for a day or 2 before she ventures forth, but hunger will win out eventually. No eye contact or talking when he first starts though. I don't agree with jogging when you start seeing her tense up, Midol.... you are conditioning her to run when she is frightened of someone or feeling anxious. Stop, have her sit beside you and teach her to focus on you (or whoever is walking her) instead.

It's called Conditioning, Midol. There's no 'force' about it. The dog still has 'the choice' not chase... but it has been conditioned to chase.... In sighthounds, the instinct is already there... the trainer/owner conditions the dog to do it consistantly and predictably. Dog chases = rewarded = dog chases = rewarded = dog chases = rewarded = the trainer/owner has conditioned the dog to respond in a particular manner.