[Oleanderz]

Narutrella- Yeah, those Trixie puzzle games are amazing! We have like two, I believe she has fun with them, either that or she just plays with them to get the snacks. Yeah maybe, according to the sizes that I’ve been buying for K9AII- she’d be in the large breed, I suppose. I’ll go with that! lol.
The 28-lb bags of EB usually last her about 2 1/2 months, sometimes longer. With the “free feeding” methods that they’ve been unintentionally doing she doesn’t go through food as much. I actually just recently bought a 28-lb bag that we haven’t even touched yet. She seems to really like the half cooked eggs and sardines mixed in with her EB:GP.
30-lb bags are cool, it’ll just give her more time to get adjusted to the food, I’ll probably try to get her used to that brand over the summer. Thanks for the book, I’ll look it thank you!! I may have to hurry and get her on a better food regimen. She looks to be a 4 almost a 5. I’d like to put a little more muscle on her bones. My vet says she’s completely healthy, but I think Lucille and I both need to begin our new years resolution to start eating better. I appreciate all the helpful links and tips!! (; w ; )<3 Thank you!

[Oleanderz]

Naturella- That’s exactly what I’m saying! I take Lucille out for one mani-pedi and all of a sudden everyone thinks she’s turned into the family Cleopatra. Everything (but the Jets gear) in that paragraph are pure necessities! Now I don’t know anything about what antlers are about, but I am guilty of buying a Beefy goodness box every now and then and if it’s something they love then why not let them enjoy themselves right?
Welp, looks like he’s gonna have a awesome next month-day lol. And that my cousin’s birthday! (not birthyear though but same date) I had no thoughts whatsoever that some people celebrate the day they come home. I brought Luci home on the 22nd of Dec, so that just morphs into Christmas. Bruno can swim?? He’s so little, I’d be afraid to let my dog go into any lakes around here. I can’t swim myself and what if something happens? Were you nervous the first time?
That’s so cute!! He probably makes a good warmer upper in the morning. If I could carry Luci around all morning I definately would. She has the warmest belly ♥♥(>w< )

D_O- She looks like the type to give you the puppy dog face when you’re eating something that smells good. Tell me, is Lily a westie? I’ve always adored those dogs!! I can’t clearly tell lol she looks like a very whimsical character, all upsidedown like that. It is never truly known to the Obsessor lol. Oh my gosh, that’s how I feel! For holidays and Christmas I usually suggest a Petsmart/Amazon card or things for Lucille. I can’t really clearly think of what I like myself honestly. I don’t feel as crazy now, I thought I was the only person that window shops for their dog online! (; w ; ) I just bought things and my current Amazon cart has $200+ worth of things waiting for the next payday. Hello, everyone. My name is Oleanderz and I am addicted to showering my dog in gifts.
So, Lily is relatively new to the family? That’s cool, how old is she? Did you adopt? Weruva? I heard that that was this amazing dog food made in a human grade food factory. Is it included in her rotation or is it just a treat? I’ve always wanted to try that brand for my pup, but the prices for the cans run pretty costly for my college/dog loving pockets.

Does everybody take their do to dog parks or do you all just go to normal parks and play together seperately? There are many wide open places in my town but I have never considered purposefully engaging Luci in an actual dog park. Whenever we go to Petsmart and she sees other dogs she instantly freezes like a statue for some reason. Usually someone else is with me whenever we go, so if she does that I can pick her up and put her in the car with them.

[Oleanderz]

Naturella- Curse you Google!! It was working fine last night!! (Tw T ) Luckily I could add the comparison picture to my icon. That is what I was trying to show you.
I don’t know how to categorize dogs by weight, but maybe I’m a little biased. I’ve had bigger dogs in the past. My previous dog was a big boy 65+ lb Chow Chow/German shep mix. My groomer thought I was crazy when I said Luci was relatively a small beagle mix. I guess we all have out thoughts on big and small.
Ok, the four bands it is, grains are cool, lightly cook the egg and triple Bruno’s topper serving got it! I may or may not have to go full drill sergeant on them, I promise nothing lol. And will do, this site is truly a blessing. I have no such intentions on leaving! I’m certainly sure there will be more questions in the near future, thanks a million Naturella!!

[Oleanderz]

BC- Thank you, after doing some research and chatting with the others on DFA, I’ve decided to use Sentinel Spectrum w/ an added organic topical flea and mosquito protect for the really hot days up North! I appreciate the info!

[Oleanderz]

Naturella- Ok thank you, you just solved all my confusion with pumpkins in one strong swoop, much appreciated! (^_^ )
Yeah, it may be a good idea to have her stay overnight, I don’t want her tearing anything, just as long as I can pick her up first thing in the morning it won’t be such a bad option! She’s really not all that big, but I want to play it safe.
She is a Beagle/German Shepherd mix, I think it’s safe to say she’s she’s medium? She’s a 47 lb amalgamation of soft and sweet itself.
https://gm1.ggpht.com/fGVl0ACllCaI8E_fMSxsFCZ6m9dkCETYbrjeGi2WvfXB7UmvL5lSPo5CvFDLy6WOc6Ymbi-x-aoO9mbAWeeb9Bnd6NxTbf2ovM6JREChoSoUxCNPsuprZR28p94RPy14bRpotBDEOd2TBSjG4b8CNLcdvLEBXe9_3r4gCRh_YIfqA0hq0PuMRrbSIQ5tCwD3SQYenXHESFIjz1-cM8lZi4y7_-XGmriKFAjTddrO0d8MloZOuEA7rtZr__89K519ktBlZKqHsfXSscNpzj0guDviJdSKr7EYuYyU4TLocmDbd2VPUM1Ym0BC-gLfjUuKAsfuS7a8mXiwXwsEkeOd3O808oGSCPZkBx0L8GJLK0RdQC1PUMrf1ZOI3LURvQ-u5l14L-Hw13iwL0T-fiCvbmydda73dp1gJjikOD68_4ZfKZm3oUNh4h_J6WjnylgZLRKJE4cMAGsStwYKxDdb_tXEaXNn4Mp7W13Cb4WfI9boGueuYx8PVdgeMWNykxtyV3lAOIN1xpj_f93a3Z2o8bkuR9syPoXB1KxR02wKqDIVIuzGJLafAwZNFn2g04O1FA8yALE=w1342-h547-l75-ft
THANK YOU, YOU ARE HEAVEN SENT FOR THIS SCHEDULE!! I’ve been so worried at how I’d incorporate each flavor, I couldn’t decide on whether I’d want to continue using the brands over the course of the month switching the flavor or to switch the flavor everytime a different brand of food is introduced. Thank you!! Now do you think this is a pretty balanced schedule or should I add another brand into it? Or should I just stick with the four I have on that list?
No, I don’t think she does, but she did get itchy all the time before I started feeding her EB. One day I just looked it up online and it said that some grains can be associated with skin issues. So I decided to go with EB:GF…. Come to think of it, it might’ve been the brand we bought back then. I’ll look into it with her vet, but would it hurt her at all if I DID included a grain included brand since she’s been of it for so long?
Cool! Thanks! With eggs. I see a lot of people on this site giving their dog raw eggs?? Can’t dogs get salmonella like that? Can I cook her egg and add it as a topping? Now one last question. Do you buy all the food at the same time? Or do you wait until the rotation is just about up and then order it? I don’t want anything to be rotting by the time we go to eat it. If Lucille’s EB remains gets unsealed I put all of her food inside of a air tight food vault, I usually never buy more than two 28 lb bags at a time.
Thank you for all of the helpful charts and tips I’m going to get a marker board for Luci’s feeding schedules and food times. I start with the old food to new food ratio plan as well. I’ll also provide some incentive for my brothers to be more proactively engaged with her walks, training and play time too. Hmm, now that you’ve mentioned Excel signatures though, it does seem like a good method, this way I can keep track of who’s goofing off.
I’ll certainly keep everyone updated on when I start and how it’s progressing! I apprecciate all the help!!! (^w^ )<3
(Yay for little bags of Dr. Tim’s woohoo!!)

[Oleanderz]

That sounds wonderful, with all the cold in my area. (‘ w ‘ ) It’s awesome to get out and explore every now and then, and including Bruno it must of been an amazing trip. Glad you both had a lot of fun!

[Oleanderz]

Also regarding to the actual topic, Houston we have another problem. Recently she’s begun showing early stages of the estrous cycle, we’ve talked about performing the operation on my next break/multiple days home, but how would they and would they even be able to perform the hysterectomy during her second phase? (<– around the beginning of my break).

[Oleanderz]

Zach M- The toothbrush bristles are moreso firm rather than soft. The smaller (precision) brush head is the softest of the two, but if Ginger’s teeth still hurt with the precision brush I’d go with the finger brush. If all else fails, then I think she might need to schedule an appointment for the primary teeth/gum care doctor. Dogs can’t really express pain as vocally and verbally as we do; they’d just keep it trucking if they can’t fix it themselves. So if something’s down I’d go get her checked out. Good luck!

[Oleanderz]

I personally haven’t heard of the parsley method, but I totally agree with D_O with teeth brushing. It only takes a couple minutes of your day. I usually only brush the outsides of my dogs teeth, but when I do do the insides I take this poultry flavored toothpaste with the finger brush and clean it that way. http://smile.amazon.com/Virbac-CET401-CET-Oral-Hygiene/dp/B004ULZ2PI/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&qid=1424017655&sr=8-28&keywords=dog+toothpaste She literally picks up the “teefs box”, brings it to us and cries for the toothpaste. My vet recommended it for her, and we’ve been brushing her pearly whites since she was a pup!

[Oleanderz]

Dori- Thank you for the tips! I’ll take them to heart. I really wish I could get my mind together on a balanced rotation though. I don’t want her to get sick or anything without me there noticing. Going away as far as I do every weekend, I rely on my brothers and my mom for weekday care. I kind of need to be smart with timing for her rotation because once I leave back for school, they’d probably go ahead and feed her the new food immediately if I don’t call them in the morning.
Yes, I know certain plants and fruits are toxic to dogs, I was just really unaware when she was growing up. Dogs can eat yogurt??? Like what kinds just plain? And speaking of what they can eat with do people usually use canned pumpkin or fresh pumpkin for help with digestion? Do you puree those foods or can you just chop it up and add it to their food?
The first thing she normally attacks is the wet food tubs, she can’t get enough of them. Again another thing I wish I could train her in, but I can’t be there the whole week to watch her eat for twenty minutes. If I do that on the weekends then by the following weekend she’d be back to the old “I’ll eat when I want habits”. Though you are head on with that last part. Between my mom and two brothers we constantly “spoil” her. I’ve added up the snacks between the three kong (treat dispensing) toys, jw balls and trixie puzzle games thats A LOT of meals she’s been replacing with snacks. I’ll have to hold a meeting the next time I’m home. Thanks a bunch Dori! I’ll try and give some of your methods a shot.

Naturella- It feels like I am! You guys are the best!!
Won’t she have trouble walking? I hope she won’t have problems getting to do her business, she lives in an apartment buliding and it’s two (albeit short) flights of steps.
They sell 5 lb bags of the Kinesis GF version on Chewy.com I think?
EB’s tubs are kind of thick, I wouldn’t say the liquified parts seem like soup, it’s more like gravy and lots of meat– depending on the recipe you choose. That’s wonderful, good to hear Nulo is a great brand, Chewy.com sells it and it I can buy I’m bulk for food I’d rather! So should I rotate every Dr. Tim’s 15- Nulo 11- and EB 14 lb bag, or should I stick with every Dr. Tim’s 30- Nulo 24- and EB 28 lb bag? and would this be a decent rotation or should I add another main to it. I haven’t even truly decided on all of her toppers yet. Thank you for the coupons as well! So kind of you (; w ; ) Oh my gosh.
I can only hope to keep her on a steady routine, wish us luck. Got it no, onions, grapes or raisins.
Wow, talk about organization. This is amazing, how long did it take you to wind to this list? I’m going to try and make up a schedule too, do you mind if I make one based on this design? Alright so Earthborn GF, Nulo Freestyle and Dr.Tim’s are all on my list so far! Thanks for all of the help!

[Oleanderz]

A whole two days late, but Happy Anniversary Naturella!! Have a good time in Chattanooga, take lots of pictures! (人 •ᴗ•)

[Oleanderz]

D_O- Thank you for that valuable info, after doing a bit of research on DE, I have decided that this product is not for me. I’m going to play it safe with my pup; since I’m away at school most of the time. My brothers aren’t the most attentive of teenagers and I believe a simple spritz and go would do the trick so I’ve ordered the CedarCide best yet spray. I’ll let everyone know how it’s working around the second month of Spring. It’ll be plenty warm enough for the mites and maggots to start stirring around here!

Naturella- Are you on you on your first year of Sentinel Spectrum as well? It’ll be fascinating to see how we both end up this year! Though I guess Dori’s dogs are more than enough proof of legit-ness of this brand. Good luck with Bruno! (I’m guessing that’s him on your icon? He’s a cutie!!)

C4C- No, I wasn’t even aware Avon had a bug protection line. Sorry! (The reviews seem pretty solid, dunno how they’d work on pets though.)

I haven’t given Lucille anything steady since her first year with Interceptor; it was only because of my childhood novice, inexperience with dogs and financial standing that I didn’t even think about heartworm medications. After reading about the terrible tragedy with Turbo, I have decided to no longer go without the meds either. I recently got the ok from my vet for my pup to begin with SS and CedarCide if all else fails, I will return her to the Interceptor. Hopefully they haven’t chopped and screwed the formula too bad.

[Oleanderz]

Naturella- Hmm, I live in the North, but not too north that it’s snowing all the time. I don’t see many fleas at all up here. Maybe once in my life I’ve seen a flea manifestation and it was with my cousins cats at a house they had moved into. Oh no, squishing fleas is far beyond my territory. I don’t know what I’d do if I found a flea on Lucille. I have also never heard of nature remedies for fleas, I’ll look up those two just in case. I have a feeling this summer is going to be an angry one. Thank you! (‘ v ‘ )

D_O- Sprays might be a good idea, that way we can spritz and go for walks! Oh yeah, I know you guys don’t have much of winter. I stayed at Santa Monica for two weeks and it was GORGEOUS the whole time. *wipes a single tear* lucky ducks!!
I like the reviews I’m seeing on the DE, I may go with that if the Best Yet: Bug Spray is a bust. Does the DE not work from inside out? Do I have her eat it? Why would inhaling it be a problem? Should I mix it in with food if that’s the case? She sniffs at everything! Is this the stuff? I just want to be safe –> http://smile.amazon.com/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grade-10/dp/B00025H2PY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423838906&sr=8-1&keywords=Diatomaceous+Earth+Food+Grade Thanks for the tips! I didn’t know so many people went natural with bug repelling!

Dori- Really? Well, that’s good to know that Sentinel and Spectrum can both stand on their own in extreme conditions. I live in the North, and while it’s not extremely humid, we do take walkabouts in the nearby forest every now and then and I want her to be as protected as possible, so I may still end up trying the natural topicals. Thank you so much for your input! 😀

[Oleanderz]

@Naturella- Thank you!! ( ; w;) I’m trying to be, I’ll do my best!
Right, so absolutely wait until recovery time is up. That’ll give me a bit more time to think about it, but I think I have some sort of idea.
Alright exercise at all times! Of course no food is perfect, that would make things too easy. (T w T )
That’s the same method I used when I transfered her from Beneful when she was a puppy. Ok good to know a change in flavors matter in diversifying her pallet. I was exicted when I saw that Dr. Tim’s has even larger bags of food than Earthborn on Chewy. The 44-lb bag will last her a while if I keep it stored in the vault! Pumpkin helps with digestion? I never would’ve known. Is that why it’s in all of her fruitables??
I was just looking up reviews on THK’s GF dehydrated food itself, I was contemplating on adding it to a future rotation, not sure yet, but it looks like it’s produced by a fine company! I’ll pick up some THK perfect form before I start with the rotating process.
If I mix it with kibble and wet food, would I still have to add water? Dori said that is weight loss becomes a problem I can just mix her Earthborn tubs with the EB:GF.
She’s used to snacking on Stella & Chewy’s salmon or beef dehydrated bits, it won’t be too much on her belly if I put in the EB:GF, EB tubs, THK:pf and the topper? Maybe I’d have to add in water then. Oh yeah, I’m definitely familiar with fruit scares; one time when she was s puppy, I was playing MK6 with friends and eating a banana. It was like the 2nd lap when she nibbled a chunk off of it. We shared everything she was allowed to eat back then, except bacon. My mom never let her have any. Anyway, she bites my banana and I freak out and throw my controller and try to stop her from swallowing it. I took her up to my room and cried like a baby, but she wasn’t the slightest bit concerned for her well being she just ate EVERYTHING when she was little.
Thanks for more suggestions! I’m certain I’ll keep Earthborn in her future rotation, but for now I’m considering Dr. Tim’s, Nulo Freestyle(<–I’ve been looking up retainers and reviews all evening) and Victor’s Yukon River or Joint health! I really need to figure something out and how many I can incorporate into a rotation and which ones would be best for my pup. Do you think it would be alright to stick with the Earthborn tubs and continue to mix the food as she transitions or should I stick with the same brands when tranisitioning? Thank you so much for all of your input!!

[Oleanderz]

Topic jumping, but does anyone know if I can I use a topical flea preventative with the Sentinel Spectrum? (Preferrably K9 Advantix II, because I buy in bulk) ‘m looking at the website and some reviews and peeps are saying that it doesn’t protect against adult fleas. Only the larvae and the eggs are present on the comparison chart as well. Does anybody have any problems with just using Sentinel Spectrum during Spring/Summer?

[Oleanderz]

And they did it for you without any complications? That’s amazing, I wouldn’t imagine the ASPCA near me to do any type of important surgery like that. I’m thinking I should probably stick with my vet’s hands. It’s the first time I’m having a pet cut, I want her as comfy as possible. I’m feelin’ better about heading into this, thank you Marie!

[Oleanderz]

Ok so I’d just need to get raised single bowls or something like that so she can fit under it. Alright, that makes sense, I normally feed them seperate but I guess mixing them wouldn’t be any different. Thank you!

[Oleanderz]

Dori- Okay, I see your point with the issues with digestion before surgery, I’ll stick with Earthborn then. The way she eats is very strage though. When her food is put down, she doesn’t go to it and finish it off at an even pace. She maybe takes a couple bites of the dry food and then moves onto whatever I’m doing. She’s moreso into treats and wet food. Would it be okay to replace her dry food with the wet food or even mix the wet food and the dry food together if she struggles with weight loss? I don’t want anything to be too heavy for her to eat.
She already eats from a raised bowl (I wanted to avoid back problems- is this ok? http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BUFY8I/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2UDNPGKURPVSY ), or do you mean she has to eat on like a raised flat surface so her tongue can get it? That would be so sad to see that. She has a drinkwell zen too should I just put her water in the bowl next to her food? That would be so sad to see that. I could probably ask my brothers to spoon feed her? I wish I’d be able to moniter her at all times. Oh okay I was typing as I read, my next break from school isn’t for another month and my brothers have school for eight hours and my mom has work for ten. So, she is unfortunately not monitored all of the time. The two days I get coming home on the weekends is nothing compared to her ten days of recovery. So that’s a good idea. That’ll give me enough time to make preparations. Thank you so much Dori!

[Oleanderz]

Okay, I feel like a terrible pet owner right now, but I have to ask this. Are these parasites transmitted through contact with other dogs? Or just being outside on infected dirt or eating bad grass? I’ve always been confused about heartworms, hookworms, and roundworms and how they’re contacted. I saw the title Interceptor and I remembered this empty box I have in my dog’s file and records. The one time I bought Interceptor, I was really… young, so everything my vet offered me, I bought. I used it over the course of a year and forgot about it (Or in this case, they stopped putting it into the market and my technicians never offered me a substitute. I didn’t even know.). Fast forward 6 years now I’m wondering; her tests for heartworms and such still always come back negative, it is a violent slap to the face just now when I realize that that medicine was so important. I normally just put K9AII on her and keep it rolling. I haven’t really been looking into a preventative or anything for this. Does anyone know exactly when it will be coming back? If not soon, what do you use on your dogs to protect them from these hijackers?

(Also very unrelated to the topic how do I add a picture to my icon?? Still very new here (; w ; ) )

[Oleanderz]

BC- Metabolism changes? Ok. Can that teeter either way with weight loss/weight gain? Do you think I should change her diet to something lower in calories before the surgery? For some reason she doesn’t like the weight control EB:GF. We tried the 28 lb bag and everything recently and she went through it very slowly. Any suggestions? Naturella suggested that I’d normally rotate something within the Annamaet, Dr. Tim’s, or Victor options. Thank you so much for adding a recovery time! Of course I can ask my vet this info but he’s normally so busy, he’s a very kind man but everytime of walk into the waiting area there’s like 6 different assortments of pets and people rushing him and the other technicians for information. I’ll probably be briefed this same info before the operation but this site is such a relief for my uneasiness. Thank you all!

[Oleanderz]

Melissa- Good idea, I didn’t consider what the negatives were for leaving her unspayed in the long term. Thank you!

Dog Obsessed- That definitely is another good reason to as well. The reason why I was able to get Luci that easily at my age is because her mother wasn’t spayed and their owners dealt with two litters of puppies beforehand thanks to the tresspassing neighbors’ dogs. They couldn’t keep a majority of her litter, so they just handed the puppies to the SPCA. The last litter was a litter of 7 but they only sold 3 and my Luci was the last one because she was polydactyl –or has an extra dew claw on each back paw.
Thanks for the facts!

Naturella- Thanks! Back when I got my first job it was really hard for me to find this brand!! and a good enough one to keep her regulated and energetic. Before Earthborn my mom and I would actually buy her Beneful–cause of the cost. Never again, I fed that to my long since deceased Chow-mix King and it did nothing for him in the long run.
Thank you for the rotation suggestions!(You’re so thoughtful! Thank you for remaining GF with them too!!) They would all be safe enough to switch out from Earthborn; also how often should they be switched? For the past few years, I’ve been switching between every 28 lb bag for a different flavor of Earthborn. Another question, I don’t see the Victor brand food on Chewy.com, but I fould it on Dogfoodadvisor. Where do you happen to buy it, if you don’t mind me asking?
Earthborn has the most protein, Annamaet has the most carbs and they’re all relatively similar with the amount of fat. Do you think I should switch to one with a lower protein content since Luci only gets 3 walks a day? Sorry for the barrage of questions! I appreciate any and all help!!
Yeah, boxes are awesome, I just figured there was some sort of catch to them or something for how cheap I pay for them every month. Also how I found out Luci likes flying Discs. That must be the reason why BarkBox is all over youtube. I’ll check it out!

Dori- Yeah, it was rather weird for me to wrap my head around the idea of them too. Sounded like an easy way to scam me or harm my dog. Last thing I need.
Really? Thank goodness, I appreciate the reassurance. How did he feel afterward, like they have to put him to sleep or give him pain medicine? And how long would she have to wear that cone? I really don’t want her to hate me, dislike going to the vet, or be in any sort of discomfort. I don’t know how she’d be without me there if she needed help walking and where I am now I’d be a nervous wreck! Also would I need to put her in a cage afterwards? She’s hasn’t been in one of those since she was boarded during a move at her vet hospital.

Thanks for all the help!!!

[Author]

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