Hey, W.
Smooches to Sam!
I feed Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potato, and the Malefactors seem to be doing well on it. But I noticed that my local Sun Harvest (aka Wild Oats aka Whole Foods) carries a pet food brand that specifically advertises being by-product-free. I bought some for my cats and they just inhale it. It's damn pricey, tho.
A colleague whose dog has every malady & allergy on earth has resorted to feeding Honest Kitchen, kind of dehydrated BARF, everything non-GMO & human-grade, etc., and you can add anything you want. Again, freakin' expensive. http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/
My former and most trusted vet had nothing good to say about Science Diet (Hills), but if Sam's happy, everybody's happy ;-)
Cheers
connie
VOTE FOR SAM!
http://www.consumer affairs.com/ news04/2008/ 04/pet_food_recalls93. html
Monday, May 05, 2008
speaking of training ...
TxMals:
... and peeing -- here's a conundrum for those who own male Mals with the quick-to-lift leg:
Mr Rowan "solid-concrete-between-the-ears" the Red was neutered at an advanced age; in his previous life, he had been penned up for days on end and had apparently become used to soiling his space. Anyway, he's quite passionate about overmarking ANY traces of another dog, esp. any other male ...
Well, we go to McKinney Falls every weekend, and ever since we gave our friend's dog a lift a few weeks ago, Mr R has been systematically trying to fill the back of the RAV 4 to the brim with pee. I'm zooming after him with the various anti-pet-odor enzymatic cleaners, but he doesn't give a rat's behind -- he's on a mission!! And once he's peed in one place, of course, that's his designated pee-spot from then on.
Note: this dog gets by on his spectacular looks, not his brains ...
So what does one do in this situation? Sell the car to someone with a cold?? ;-) buy him Depends??
Thanks for any advice!
Cheers
connie
... and peeing -- here's a conundrum for those who own male Mals with the quick-to-lift leg:
Mr Rowan "solid-concrete-between-the-ears" the Red was neutered at an advanced age; in his previous life, he had been penned up for days on end and had apparently become used to soiling his space. Anyway, he's quite passionate about overmarking ANY traces of another dog, esp. any other male ...
Well, we go to McKinney Falls every weekend, and ever since we gave our friend's dog a lift a few weeks ago, Mr R has been systematically trying to fill the back of the RAV 4 to the brim with pee. I'm zooming after him with the various anti-pet-odor enzymatic cleaners, but he doesn't give a rat's behind -- he's on a mission!! And once he's peed in one place, of course, that's his designated pee-spot from then on.
Note: this dog gets by on his spectacular looks, not his brains ...
So what does one do in this situation? Sell the car to someone with a cold?? ;-) buy him Depends??
Thanks for any advice!
Cheers
connie
Aversives and Peeing
Re: "The terms can be confusing! An aversive is something that causes something unpleasant to happen that the dog does not like. Some aversives are worse than others. I have NO problem with spraying Bitter Apple on things to make them taste bad. It's the only reason I have any shoes left, since Akiak came to my house two years ago. I am such a bad housekeeper and seem to have a learning block about putting my shoes up...and getting them chewed up hasn't been sufficiently aversive to me that I learned from my mistakes!"
Dear C.
Hah! You should see my house! I moved in July and the vast majority of my stuff is still in boxes! (except the vast array of dog toys, of course -- most of those have been in & out of the washer, &/or eaten by Rowan ...) But I did finally buy and assemble an awesome shoe cabinet for the hallway from IKEA ... My aversive is The Magnificent "Stinker" Ghost, who has a penchant for peeing in shoes ... very effective! He's quite the little people-trainer!!
And I used to think it was only cats who peed in shoes ;-) ...
I highly recommend, esp for those who walk barefoot in the house, Sandnes shoe cabinet, http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90111895
The same thing in plastic, Trones, is only $39 http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30110832
4 compartments - says it holds 12 pair, but I have a lot of sandals & flats, and have over 20 pair in it ;-)
It's high enough for the roomba to sweep under it -- a must in the messy Mallie household ;-)
Dear C.
Hah! You should see my house! I moved in July and the vast majority of my stuff is still in boxes! (except the vast array of dog toys, of course -- most of those have been in & out of the washer, &/or eaten by Rowan ...) But I did finally buy and assemble an awesome shoe cabinet for the hallway from IKEA ... My aversive is The Magnificent "Stinker" Ghost, who has a penchant for peeing in shoes ... very effective! He's quite the little people-trainer!!
And I used to think it was only cats who peed in shoes ;-) ...
I highly recommend, esp for those who walk barefoot in the house, Sandnes shoe cabinet, http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90111895
The same thing in plastic, Trones, is only $39 http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30110832
4 compartments - says it holds 12 pair, but I have a lot of sandals & flats, and have over 20 pair in it ;-)
It's high enough for the roomba to sweep under it -- a must in the messy Mallie household ;-)
More re: Fw: For those of you who feed Nutro...
Re: Well Connie, your vet is only the 2nd vet I have known who
didn't try to push Science Diet down your throat. I currently
feed my rescues that are in bad shape on Science diet puppy,
and they do well on it, but I will not feed Science diet adult.
It stinks, the poop stinks, the dogs bodies stink, the storage
area stinks, and the dogs never get good poops. I am using
the Science Diet puppy because my rescue group gets it at
a special price. My dogs that are in good shape eat Pedigree
and they are doing very well on it.
Hi, F.,
Well, she was pushing Wellness and did get me to sign up for mail-order Omega-3s ;-), so it wasn't entirely altruistic. But she had a good understanding of northern breeds, and gave me the tip with zinc for Ghost's skin.
B. used to feed Pedigree's Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach salmon formula, I think? I've fed it too and find it perfectly fine, although it goes rancid pretty quickly - has to be stored cold, which the Petco doesn't. And my garbage-disposal Rowan will occasionally get Costco's Kirkland store brand if I'm totally broke ;-). That's what the cats normally get; Consumer Reports liked it a lot, and my vet says it's better than most. Rowan prefers to eat plastic and rubber anyway ;-). His latest favorite on our walks in McKinney Falls: poison ivy! Yummy!
What a guy ...
Please kiss my darling Waco for me
Cheers
connie
didn't try to push Science Diet down your throat. I currently
feed my rescues that are in bad shape on Science diet puppy,
and they do well on it, but I will not feed Science diet adult.
It stinks, the poop stinks, the dogs bodies stink, the storage
area stinks, and the dogs never get good poops. I am using
the Science Diet puppy because my rescue group gets it at
a special price. My dogs that are in good shape eat Pedigree
and they are doing very well on it.
Hi, F.,
Well, she was pushing Wellness and did get me to sign up for mail-order Omega-3s ;-), so it wasn't entirely altruistic. But she had a good understanding of northern breeds, and gave me the tip with zinc for Ghost's skin.
B. used to feed Pedigree's Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach salmon formula, I think? I've fed it too and find it perfectly fine, although it goes rancid pretty quickly - has to be stored cold, which the Petco doesn't. And my garbage-disposal Rowan will occasionally get Costco's Kirkland store brand if I'm totally broke ;-). That's what the cats normally get; Consumer Reports liked it a lot, and my vet says it's better than most. Rowan prefers to eat plastic and rubber anyway ;-). His latest favorite on our walks in McKinney Falls: poison ivy! Yummy!
What a guy ...
Please kiss my darling Waco for me
Cheers
connie
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Malamute puppies
Post to TxMals:
Hi, E.
How lovely that you're going to invite a new pup into your life!
Others on the list with experience in breeding & puppies will be able to give much better advice. I'm just in rescue and don't know anything about breeders (except for the sad end of things when dogs come into rescue), but my advice would be to:
1) absolutely go visit the home and observe how the people and dogs interact, their condition, etc. Of course you know to run screaming from anything like cough, splayed feet, gunky eyes/nose, tapes, fleas, etc., but just as important are how the pups and the parents are socialized.
2) absolutely insist on vet clearances for hips and eyes for the parents, at least. Do Sibes have thyroid? Heartworm, vax record, any other vet issues, and vet phone #. Then call the vet for a good long chat.
3) Re: description: there's nothing wrong with a mix/mutt/all-American, but if you get the feeling that this breeder is completely clueless and/or dishonest, beware.
4) Houston is sadly one of the areas in Texas where unscrupulous backyard breeders are selling adorable Mally puppies that turn out to have horrible hip dysplasia, chondrodysplasia, early glaucoma, thyroid, bad temperaments, and more. The gene pool is thoroughly muddy :-(.
If it were me looking for a puppy, I'd either: a) go to a highly recommended and thoroughly reputable breeder and pay the big bucks, or b) go to rescue. So far, I've been delighted with all my Mallies from rescue. (okay, the boys are baaaaaaad, but that's part of their charm ;-)).
I esp recommend a lady Mallie from rescue, preferably one a couple of years old. She will be way too intelligent, but will fill your heart with joy and keep you on your toes ...
Let us know what you decide!
Best
Connie
Hi, E.
How lovely that you're going to invite a new pup into your life!
Others on the list with experience in breeding & puppies will be able to give much better advice. I'm just in rescue and don't know anything about breeders (except for the sad end of things when dogs come into rescue), but my advice would be to:
1) absolutely go visit the home and observe how the people and dogs interact, their condition, etc. Of course you know to run screaming from anything like cough, splayed feet, gunky eyes/nose, tapes, fleas, etc., but just as important are how the pups and the parents are socialized.
2) absolutely insist on vet clearances for hips and eyes for the parents, at least. Do Sibes have thyroid? Heartworm, vax record, any other vet issues, and vet phone #. Then call the vet for a good long chat.
3) Re: description: there's nothing wrong with a mix/mutt/all-American, but if you get the feeling that this breeder is completely clueless and/or dishonest, beware.
4) Houston is sadly one of the areas in Texas where unscrupulous backyard breeders are selling adorable Mally puppies that turn out to have horrible hip dysplasia, chondrodysplasia, early glaucoma, thyroid, bad temperaments, and more. The gene pool is thoroughly muddy :-(.
If it were me looking for a puppy, I'd either: a) go to a highly recommended and thoroughly reputable breeder and pay the big bucks, or b) go to rescue. So far, I've been delighted with all my Mallies from rescue. (okay, the boys are baaaaaaad, but that's part of their charm ;-)).
I esp recommend a lady Mallie from rescue, preferably one a couple of years old. She will be way too intelligent, but will fill your heart with joy and keep you on your toes ...
Let us know what you decide!
Best
Connie
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Puppy Mills on Oprah
Investigating Puppy Mills: http://www.oprah.com/world/global/slide/200804/global_20080404_101.jhtml
http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200804/tows_past_20080404.jhtml
Some good material here -- hope people read it!!
Awfully depressing to know that there are Mal breeders just like that here in TX ... hip dysplasia, chondrodysplasia, early blindness, hypothyroidism -- the problems that plague our Mallies are genetic, and only extremely careful and conscientious breeding will eradicate them ...
http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200804/tows_past_20080404.jhtml
Some good material here -- hope people read it!!
Awfully depressing to know that there are Mal breeders just like that here in TX ... hip dysplasia, chondrodysplasia, early blindness, hypothyroidism -- the problems that plague our Mallies are genetic, and only extremely careful and conscientious breeding will eradicate them ...
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Vote for Missy!
Hey, Malbuddies, today is the last day to cast your vote for my
gorgeous Miss Congeniality! Remember, the prize is a Bissell pet
hair eraser ... Missy was owner-surrendered because of her excessive
shedding ... you do the math ;-) !!!
http://www.bissell.com/redirect.asp?page_id=47073&Pet=10170
Speaking of which, I took Missy to Petsmart for a desperately needed
grooming on Sunday. (I have several blown discs plus currently a
lovely case of the flu, and know when to cry Uncle!). We were half
an hour late for the appt because of her walk of fame from the car to
the back of the store. What a total ham! Batting her big brown eyes
at every child in the place, who all threw themselves on her. 2 had
their pictures taken with her, I kid you not -- this is with a dog
who is ejecting large clouds and clumps of undercoat every time she
moves. Of course the "aww, adorable" reflex is triggered in every
adult in the place, too -- esp. those wearing black pants. Corinne,
you are obviously right -- this gal was a show dog at some point.
Here she is, stacking herself in the middle of Petsmart like there's
no tomorrow, surrounded by gently floating drifts of fluff and
adoring throngs with camera phones. It's ridiculous ;-).
When I come to pick her up, the grooming gals are rolling on the
floor laughing. Missy talked the entire time she was there -- and
she has a nice basso profundo voice. Her average "woo" sounds like a
ravening grizzly bear offering to take your arm off at the shoulder.
When she really wants something, windows rattle. Apparently there
was a handsome Sibe boy there, with glacial blue eyes -- Missy and he
made googly eyes at each other the whole time and kept the place in
stitches.
Of course Missy makes sure to say hi to everyone in the store on the
way back to the car, flashing eyes right and left, prancing high,
plumy tail all fluffed out and waving -- she's a sight to behold.
When we get home, she pops out of the car, trailing behind her -- you
guessed it -- clouds and clumps of undercoat. >sigh< Maybe I can get
her used to the idea of being Shop-Vacced, like the late, great Allie did.
Best to all Malafluffers
gorgeous Miss Congeniality! Remember, the prize is a Bissell pet
hair eraser ... Missy was owner-surrendered because of her excessive
shedding ... you do the math ;-) !!!
http://www.bissell.com/redirect.asp?page_id=47073&Pet=10170
Speaking of which, I took Missy to Petsmart for a desperately needed
grooming on Sunday. (I have several blown discs plus currently a
lovely case of the flu, and know when to cry Uncle!). We were half
an hour late for the appt because of her walk of fame from the car to
the back of the store. What a total ham! Batting her big brown eyes
at every child in the place, who all threw themselves on her. 2 had
their pictures taken with her, I kid you not -- this is with a dog
who is ejecting large clouds and clumps of undercoat every time she
moves. Of course the "aww, adorable" reflex is triggered in every
adult in the place, too -- esp. those wearing black pants. Corinne,
you are obviously right -- this gal was a show dog at some point.
Here she is, stacking herself in the middle of Petsmart like there's
no tomorrow, surrounded by gently floating drifts of fluff and
adoring throngs with camera phones. It's ridiculous ;-).
When I come to pick her up, the grooming gals are rolling on the
floor laughing. Missy talked the entire time she was there -- and
she has a nice basso profundo voice. Her average "woo" sounds like a
ravening grizzly bear offering to take your arm off at the shoulder.
When she really wants something, windows rattle. Apparently there
was a handsome Sibe boy there, with glacial blue eyes -- Missy and he
made googly eyes at each other the whole time and kept the place in
stitches.
Of course Missy makes sure to say hi to everyone in the store on the
way back to the car, flashing eyes right and left, prancing high,
plumy tail all fluffed out and waving -- she's a sight to behold.
When we get home, she pops out of the car, trailing behind her -- you
guessed it -- clouds and clumps of undercoat. >sigh< Maybe I can get
her used to the idea of being Shop-Vacced, like the late, great Allie did.
Best to all Malafluffers
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