Re: My dogs .. need opinions .. kind of long ..

[Guest guest]

, Firstly, I know how important your dogs are to you in terms of companionship and love.

That is a given, so the very notion of reducing the population in order to take on a new dog is not

even to be thought of. Secondly, is there no corrective surgery for dog spinal problems, like they do

for us? Thirdly, so...what's another dog in a houseful of animals? Really? If it were me, I'd get the

other dog, and start training right away. I think you'd love the challenge, and the older dog who is

still working for you could be a big help in co-training, couldn't he? Just a thought. Loving hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

Gosh ,

This is not an easy thing to give advice on. Do you feel you can handle

another dog? I'm not talking about the training, I know you're good at that.

I'm talking about physically being able to work with another puppy. You need

a big dog, big puppies need lots of attention. They're like kids.

I think I would get another dog. You definitely know what you are doing

and you would train him well. Still, another dog, another headache. I

understand your concern. Is there any particular breed that is low

maintenance, yet easily trained as an assistance dog? Wouldn't a lab be

easier. Their hair is shorter, doesn't need as much care, it's a large dog

and strong, and could pull a wheelchair or be able to turn lights off. I

believe they're smart as well. I know some of them are really mellow though,

borderline lazy but I assume that's without proper stimulation.

I don't know. That's a toughie. I'm saying I would, but I really don't

know what I would do if it was me.

Mojo

My dogs .. need opinions .. kind of long ..

> whew .. I miss one day of reading emails ..

> smiles.. boy they pile up fast!

>

> Well, my back is killing me. I took my two Belgians in to the vet

> yesterday.

> One of them was getting her teeth cleaned, the other was being evaluated

> for a limp.

>

> When I brought them home, Windi (who was still drunk from having her

> teeth cleaned) fell out of the van right into my arms. She weighs 70

> pounds. I was afraid she would break a leg so caught her kind of and

> eased her to the ground. Then I had to help the other dog, Dakota, out

> of the van .. she is not allowed to jump from the van anymore either.

>

> Lately every time Dakota sleeps curled up, when she gets up she was

> " bunny-hopping " her back legs together for several steps. After

> stretching .. or if she sleeps stretched out on the floor .. she is

> fine.

>

> With shepherds, my first thought was hip dysplasia. Then I did the test

> on her where you take the dog's back foot and turn it upside down and

> see how fast they turn it back upright so they can stand properly. Her

> foot was kind of slow to respond.

>

> So .. I took her and my concerns to the vet yesterday. The vet was

> convinced it was hip dysplasia. But I know the blood line of this dog

> and there have been excellent hip readings for OFA for 7 generations, so

> I was almost positive it wasn't dysplasia. I finally convinced her to

> xray not only for hips, but her spine as well. I told her .. do the hips

> first .. if its dysplasia, fine .. but I think it is her spine. (gads I

> am even having to fight veterinarians for proper health care)

>

> Well, her hips were excellent! But .. her back is not .. somehow she has

> managed to damage the disks in her lower back and the space in between

> them is decreased. When she lays in a curled position, it puts pressure

> on the spinal cord and her back legs become numb and she cant walk

> properly.

>

> It makes me feel good that I diagnosed this one correctly, but I wish I

> had been wrong.. Now the only thing we can do is watch her .. dose her

> with Deramaxx for the pain and inject cortisteroids when needed .. and

> try and keep her from sleeping curled up. (yea .. riigghhtt) Hopefully

> the spine will heal itself, but more than likely it will progressively

> get worse.

>

> Sighs .. this was the dog that I have been training to take over as

> mobility assistance dog when my German Shepherd gets too old to do it.

> Three years of training has gone into this dog and now she is not

> allowed to jump or to pull anything like a wheelchair, or to pull open

> cabinets or the refrigerator. She is not supposed to stand upright on

> her back feet.. she is to remain on all fours. So that means she cannot

> turn off light switches.

>

> I am so frustrated .. knowing that I need the assistance dogs .. and now

> have to start over with training a new dog. Which I don't have .. sighs

> .. 3 shepherds at the house and they are in various stages of

> uselessness .. smiles .. except as lovers and footwarmers. (Windi is

> beautiful .. has her championship .. but as far as learning is concerned

> .. she is clueless. We call her our cheerleader .. she is sweet and

> beautiful, but dumb as a box of rocks.)

>

> So .. knowing how long it takes to get an assistance dog from another

> agency (their waiting lists are enormous) .. I face the option of

> getting another puppy to train .. or do I just let it go and go without

> an assistance dog?

>

> sighs .. my German shepherd has maybe 1 or 2 years left in him .. as his

> back is compromised by compressed disks as well from an injury during

> search and rescue (we think he did it when he jumped through a window

> and landed wrong). Dakota has been doing the pulling of the wheelchair

> as Gideon wasn't able to. Gideon is better at retrieving things .. gads

> .. I cant wait too long to make this decision as it takes a minimum of

> two years to properly train a dog for assistance..

>

> do I need four dogs here? sighs .. rats ..

> I cant make decisions lately .. and this one is a big one .. I need some

> input that is " outside " the problem.

>

> thanks for listening ...

>

>

>

>

>

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>

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>

[Guest guest]

Hi , No, I don't suppose adding another dog would be easy, especially one that would need to be potty trained. But it's also not like you have a choice. I think you should start puppy shopping now and get yourself a dog ASAP and name him/her Lupie Lou. Our little Westie is super sharp, but certainly not an assistance dog. She could be trained, but she's too small. Had it to do over - if I'd known I'd need this much help this soon I would have applied for an assistance dog. - - Think of the fun you'll have. Sure it will be hard work and frustrating at times, but is there anything you love doing more than training dogs? And - sure better to get one now when you are still able to do the training yourself. Just some thoughts. Sure wish you were training a dog for me. Hugs - a B

My dogs .. need opinions .. kind of long ..

whew .. I miss one day of reading emails ..smiles.. boy they pile up fast!Well, my back is killing me. I took my two Belgians in to the vetyesterday.One of them was getting her teeth cleaned, the other was being evaluatedfor a limp.When I brought them home, Windi (who was still drunk from having herteeth cleaned) fell out of the van right into my arms. She weighs 70pounds. I was afraid she would break a leg so caught her kind of andeased her to the ground. Then I had to help the other dog, Dakota, outof the van .. she is not allowed to jump from the van anymore either.Lately every time Dakota sleeps curled up, when she gets up she was"bunny-hopping" her back legs together for several steps. Afterstretching .. or if she sleeps stretched out on the floor .. she isfine.With shepherds, my first thought was hip dysplasia. Then I did the teston her where you take the dog's back foot and turn it upside down andsee how fast they turn it back upright so they can stand properly. Herfoot was kind of slow to respond.So .. I took her and my concerns to the vet yesterday. The vet wasconvinced it was hip dysplasia. But I know the blood line of this dogand there have been excellent hip readings for OFA for 7 generations, soI was almost positive it wasn't dysplasia. I finally convinced her toxray not only for hips, but her spine as well. I told her .. do the hipsfirst .. if its dysplasia, fine .. but I think it is her spine. (gads Iam even having to fight veterinarians for proper health care)Well, her hips were excellent! But .. her back is not .. somehow she hasmanaged to damage the disks in her lower back and the space in betweenthem is decreased. When she lays in a curled position, it puts pressureon the spinal cord and her back legs become numb and she cant walkproperly.It makes me feel good that I diagnosed this one correctly, but I wish Ihad been wrong.. Now the only thing we can do is watch her .. dose herwith Deramaxx for the pain and inject cortisteroids when needed .. andtry and keep her from sleeping curled up. (yea .. riigghhtt) Hopefullythe spine will heal itself, but more than likely it will progressivelyget worse.Sighs .. this was the dog that I have been training to take over asmobility assistance dog when my German Shepherd gets too old to do it.Three years of training has gone into this dog and now she is notallowed to jump or to pull anything like a wheelchair, or to pull opencabinets or the refrigerator. She is not supposed to stand upright onher back feet.. she is to remain on all fours. So that means she cannotturn off light switches.I am so frustrated .. knowing that I need the assistance dogs .. and nowhave to start over with training a new dog. Which I don't have .. sighs.. 3 shepherds at the house and they are in various stages ofuselessness .. smiles .. except as lovers and footwarmers. (Windi isbeautiful .. has her championship .. but as far as learning is concerned.. she is clueless. We call her our cheerleader .. she is sweet andbeautiful, but dumb as a box of rocks.)So .. knowing how long it takes to get an assistance dog from anotheragency (their waiting lists are enormous) .. I face the option ofgetting another puppy to train .. or do I just let it go and go withoutan assistance dog?sighs .. my German shepherd has maybe 1 or 2 years left in him .. as hisback is compromised by compressed disks as well from an injury duringsearch and rescue (we think he did it when he jumped through a windowand landed wrong). Dakota has been doing the pulling of the wheelchairas Gideon wasn't able to. Gideon is better at retrieving things .. gads.. I cant wait too long to make this decision as it takes a minimum oftwo years to properly train a dog for assistance..do I need four dogs here? sighs .. rats ..I cant make decisions lately .. and this one is a big one .. I need someinput that is "outside" the problem.thanks for listening ..."The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=lupies