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  • Shasta220
    Member

    FreeholdHound, glad they’re tripe treats….. Would one have to trip over trip treats? XD sorry, couldn’t resist that one! LOL!

    There are countless brands that you can find at boutique stores, and the ones above suggested are good. Just avoid any problem grains, sugar, and other unneeded additives (if an ingredient raises a slight red flag, just say no).

    Honestly though, I’d think it would be best to just do a web search for “wheat free dog treat recipes” (or grain free). You can cut then out to those big-bone sizes. Home made jerky is also great….just pop some meat slices in a dehydrator or oven until jerky-like.

    Shasta220
    Member

    So lovely. I wrote a poem after losing my best friend. (Think it’s on here. It was a tough one to write, for sure) I had him as a tiny baby, and held his bleeding head in my arms as he died… Hardest day in my life. It has made me even more strong and compassionate, though.

    May you one day meet again <3

    in reply to: Orange water #40692 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Thank you. I scrub it as well as I can, and the water is clear when it comes out. Silly kitty! I wish her water wasn’t so close to the food bowl, that’d probably help…

    in reply to: What food?? #40688 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Wolf shepherd as in wolf hybrid? I’ve never owned a hybrid (well, except for my 25% guy, but that hardly counts). But I have friends who raise and train hybrids for pets – they only feed their wolf hybrids a raw diet. They say kibble isn’t good for a Wolfdog at all, especially anything grain-inclusive.

    Other than that, definitely check out the large breed thread. Lots of helpful advice on there ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: How Safe is it for a Dog to Consume Cat Kibble? #40621 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    It’ll probably be the old lady, yes ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Hope you get some more thoughts. Great you’re trying to talk to lots of people, it definitely helps to get lots of viewpoints/experiences ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: How Safe is it for a Dog to Consume Cat Kibble? #40619 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I wouldn’t be too concerned about the protein/fat, since obesity isn’t a concern for Bru. I have no clue about the added taurine and stuff…. Probably be better to stick with dog food and maybe using the cat Kibbles as training treats on occasion? I’m just about to give my dog a can of catfood. Maddy ate some for a few days, but when it sits in the fridge (air tight container, yes), she gets picky and won’t eat. Dogs don’t mind at all though, hah. I figured it’ll make a great treat for ’em.

    in reply to: How long for allergies to subside? #40617 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    She does have medicated shampoos. They only help temporarily.

    Hmmm…. Treat recipe? I guess I don’t really measure the fat/carbs in mine. Possibly keeping it simple with just grinding/blending some lean meat (maybe some white meat and hearts), 2 eggs, and any desired veggies/fruits/herbs (I like potatoes, carrots, apples, mint, and parsley), and if it needs a binder then you can use a flour (maybe something like oat, coconut, or almond?) and some oil (I like coconut). If you want to get fancy you can add some ground flax, fish oil, or anything else that sounds “healthy” ๐Ÿ˜€

    Either roll into little “meatballs”, or just roll it flat on a cookie sheet then slice into squares. Bake at about 325-350 for probably 40-60min, you’ll want them pretty crunchy. Put on a cooling rack immediately to let steam escape. Store in an airtight container in the fridge ๐Ÿ™‚

    • This reply was modified 9 years, 12 months ago by Shasta220.
    in reply to: Greenies (Duplicate Topic #2) #40419 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Back to the subject of dental chews, I guess I do use them on occasion. Here is the ingredients of the ones I sometimes buy:

    Potato flour, rice flour, glycerine, water, natural flavor, gelatin, canola oil, titanium dioxide (color), monoglycerides of edible fatty acids, flaxseed oil, citric acid, magnesium stearate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate

    They’re called Checkups, sold at Costco. The size is prob medium (easy to split in half), great size for a 30+lb dog. Not the best ingredients, but I like how there are under 20…

    Plus the price is hard to beat. 24 for $11…. Greenies and other dental chews are around 1-3$ for a similar sized chew.

    Usually I give them to my older girl as she dislikes bully sticks, and bones are too hard on her since she has a chipped molar on one side, and no molar on the other.

    in reply to: Greenies (Duplicate Topic #2) #40418 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Ah, very interesting about the capsule. ACV helps acid reflux, which has symptoms of heartburn, correct? I may have to try getting myself to down it more often, as I have to take Prilosec daily and still keep Zantac 150 around :/

    Love it for my hair though, hahahaha!!! I’m sure I’ll get adventurous again and try it…..definitely smaller amount of ACV tho. Maybe a drop or two? (Okay, a little more…..)

    And I love Swanson btw!!!! One of my fave sites!

    in reply to: Nail Clippers vs Nail Grinders #40417 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Very nice info, USA dog treats! I also find that for wiggly dogs, it is usually fine to just clip the middle two nails on all four feet and then the dewclaws (if needed, my boy has a rear dewclaw on one side that is huge and in a half-circle, we are slowly “moving” the quick back. The other one? It got torn off when he was a pup, and now it only needs to be clipped once every 7-9mo).

    Most of the time, the two outside nails don’t need more than a tiny sliver removed, if that. So if you can at least get 8-10 nails out of your dog in a day, then that’s great.

    I find going for regular walks/jogs is plenty to keep the rear nails filed (whew! Loki hates having those ones messed with)

    in reply to: pitbulls with skin rashes #40402 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    If this food is helping, then certainly stick with it. If not, then possibly try an elimination diet….not always are allergy tests accurate. Try to do a super simple home made diet, or stay with the food (making sure she has no more allergic reactions), then add chicken for a week or two. Then try rice, or potatoes, or any other suspect allergen food. It’s time consuming, but well worth it.

    Most of the time, for allergy prone dogs, home made and raw diets do the best anyway. It’d also be better since you could know exactly what goes in her bowl, no more looking at the ingredient list!

    About the treats, I am disappointed with natural balance treats since they add molasses (sugar)…. Try some home made treats (keeping em simple….fruits, veggies, meat, and coconut flour or something if necessary. Bake in the oven for about an hour until nice n dried)

    in reply to: 5 Star foods and prices #40401 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I love Kirkland food, but some dogs get all gross on it (diarrhea, hair loss, itching) even though other foods with similar ingredients are fine. I’m considering trying Hyperion GF variety just for the heck of seeing if my lab does any better and has a possible allergy to rice. She’s doing fine on the grain-in stuff, but has been having some dandruff. Luckily no itching.

    Anyway, back to the rave: I love Costco. Wish there was one closer (have to drive 2hrs)…. Coconut oil is a fave supplement, but I wouldn’t feed it as it was SO spendy (a little tiny jar is about 20$). Found it at Coscto! A jar about 5-6x the size was only 24$. Boo-yah!

    in reply to: 5 Star foods and prices #40371 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Oops, sorry for being misinformed on that. Thanks, C4C! ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: 5 Star foods and prices #40335 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    It also depends on how you feel about Diamond products due to many recalls (includes Diamond, Kirkland, Chicken Soup, taste of the wild, and others)…. That being said, Kirkland Signature (sold at Costco) has palats of 5 star canned for about $18. Seems like after doing the math, that’s only about .70$ per can. A steal, really. Sorry, I can’t remember if the cans are 13oz or 6oz, but I thiiiiiink they’re 13.

    Since I’m on such a tight budget, I don’t mind taking the “risk”, as my dogs have been on Diamond a while now and have done just fine.

    in reply to: Nail Clippers vs Nail Grinders #40294 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    (If your other dog is a pup, then definitely try to get it used to clippers/files/etc ASAP….much easier to get a pup used to something as opposed to a 40lb dog!)

    in reply to: Nail Clippers vs Nail Grinders #40207 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I honestly have no clue if it’d hurt his paws. If it’s done for just a few min at a time, I wouldn’t think it could do any harm.

    Funny thing about him hating the pressure of clippers – my boy Shasta (the one I mentioned as Mr. Floppy) is mostly perfect about it, but occasionally he gives a squeak (even though I’m nowhere near the quick). I’m guessing he just doesn’t like the pressure/pulling from it. But then I clipped his dewclaw (it was so long that it’s making a half-circle), and he didn’t care one bit – but I actually /did/ get the quick and make it bleed. He didn’t fuss at all. I put a bit of cornstarch on, then he’d lick it and make a disgusted face. Within a few minutes bleeding stopped completely. He’s so silly!

    It’s hard to see his quick since his nails are black, but I’m so glad he does it while laying down – I can look at the underside of his nails and see exactly where the quick starts.

    in reply to: Nail Clippers vs Nail Grinders #40080 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I just use clippers. But then again, the boy I do is Mr. Floppy – he will lay down on his side and go completely limp like a dead dog when I bring the trimmers out. Only thing that moves is his wagging tail!

    I’d say the grinder would be a good investment though. I’ve also seen ingenius ideas – sticking sandpaper to a board and teaching the dog to dig on it. Buuuuut not too many dogs learn the command “dig” lol!

    My other guy, Loki, isn’t a huge fan of nail clipping. He gets his nails filed by running on asphalt/cement. He very seldom needs them trimmed now.

    in reply to: Greenies #40077 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I suppose if you want to take the risk of it and do more harm than good, then you’re more than welcome to Greenies. I find that texture to be more along the lines of sticking to teeth, causing even MORE plaque, despite the fact that it might take off a couple crumbs of tooth gunk.

    My dog has almost perfect teeth and he has had only a small small handful of chews over his lifetime – it’s all been brushing and good diet.

    in reply to: Greenies #39994 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I still genuinely think that Greenies do way more harm than good. If you want fresh breath, google “DIY greenies”. There is a great recipe for a natural breath-killing recipe (uses herbs, chlorophyll, and activated charcoal…..texture is more like a biscuit tho).

    It’s said on here that giving a Greenie is like giving your kid a candybar. I suppose I wouldn’t be opposed to it once in a blue moon, as every kid gets a candybar once in a while. BUT, if there are healthier options that are just as satisfying then I’d rather go with them.

    Zuke’s do have much better ingredients, yes, and they are a tad spendier, yes. I use them maybe once every few months. Any dental chew does ZERO good for my lab who is missing a top molar, since she only chews on one side.

    Brushing is still the best way. If you want a tooth-cleaning treat, give them a chunk of raw bone-in meat (I give frozen chicken, actually. Works better than dental chews IMO. Doesn’t leave that nasty gunky residue on the teeth, either!)

    Also, I honestly couldn’t possibly care any less about a seal of acceptance. No matter what fancy labels/tests/seals go on, my gut instincts and my dogs will be the judges of what works and what doesn’t work…

    • This reply was modified 10 years ago by Shasta220.
    in reply to: Lab Puppy – Best Dry Food? #39993 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Definitely check out the large breed puppy thread, I’m sure skimming over that (and adding comments) would help tremendously as to how to get started.

    I’m not too worried about it being 7wks. I know 8wk is the “ideal” age, but my baby boy was only 6wks when a friend gave him to us. He grew into the most loyal dog I have owned – never had one as good as he was.

    Congrats on the lab pup journey! We went through a black lab once, but I don’t remember much about her as I was pretty young when we got her (she was clear at 5wks when we rescued her). We didn’t know much about dogs (I was too little to do any training, my mom had never owned a dog, and all dad had were the farm dogs that roamed around)… So she was a typical “evil” lab with her leash-pulling, biting, jumping, etc. LOL! Now she’s enjoying senior life, and I often wish I could go back to her puppyhood now that I know a thing or two about behavioral adjustment and training, hah! But she’s a sweetheart.

    Then I’m pet sitting a chocolate lab pup currently. She’s one of the better behaved ones I’ve had! Very very mouthy and mischievous, but in the week we’ve had her, she’s only had 2 piddles in the house!

    in reply to: Switching Dog Food #39767 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I’ll agree with both posts above – trying some canned + water to make a mushy soup would be a good suggestion. Also, it might not be good for them to go from super junky food to super quality. I’ve actually heard of cases where the dog got very very I’ll from going to a 1 star to a 4-5 star food (even with a transition) right away. Try finding one that still has grain….maybe 3-4 stars, then give a week or two (at least) of transition time, then try to transition to the grain free food.

    Yes, I looked over ingredient list on a cheap food (Purina pro plan. It’s because I’m stuck feeding it to a pup that I watch). What is it that adds flavor? Disgustingly processed animal digest!!! Ewwwwwwww!!!

    in reply to: How Safe is it for a Dog to Consume Cat Kibble? #39704 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I would think as an occasional treat, it should be fine. My dogs regularly consume canned and dry leftovers without problem. Our cats are so pathetic! (Sorry, gonna go out on a limb for ya) We buy them Chicken Soup dry. Out of all three cats, only one and a half eat it (Panda likes dry, and Maddy is dry/canned. Millie refuses anything with the name “cat food” on it), and Panda only eats a tiny portion of what goes in his mouth – he chews up the food, then spits crumbs back out in the bowl, never to eat them again. We have an entire bowl filled with nothing but crumbs!

    And then since they’re so picky, we’ve been buying the small bags. I thought “well, he’s been eating it regularly now…..the bigger bag is SO much cheaper, so I’ll get it!” Of course! Now he decided that he hates it -_- darn cats!

    I really have no clue about giving it as a regular meal though…..I’ll let some of the pros answer that one ๐Ÿ˜‰

    in reply to: Boston Terrier with food allergies #39690 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    It seems like I have heard around here that allergy tests are usually very inaccurate. You can take the same dog in for a test three different times and have each result differ. I’d try an elimination diet for a while, using these suspect foods (usually done by a home made simple diet and adding one suspect allergen at a time to see if a reaction occurs).

    It’ll take a while for an elimination diet, but that’s about the only way you can tell for sure.

    I don’t know too many foods’ ingredient lists. Seems like Victor uses Sorghoum instead of rice/barley as the carb source. I know a home made/raw diet is tricky to do, but it might be easier if you could possibly grind the meat/supplements and portion out daily meals in the freezer? Then when you take her to the pet sitter, you can just give her a container. This might be a possibility at least until you could find a food that works well ๐Ÿ™‚

    Also agree with aquariangt, there will probably be no easily accessible kibble that avoids all those ingredients (assuming that she really /does/ react to them all), so canned may be a better option since it’s much easier to avoid problem ingredients.

    • This reply was modified 10 years ago by Shasta220.
    in reply to: Two questions: Actiflex and Charcoal. #39689 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Thanks Sandy. Yes, it’s the horse Actiflex, forgot to clarify, sorry! I guess I can just try the charcoal out. It’s mainly because it was on sale for cheap – 200caps for $10. If it doesn’t work, then I’ll probably look into probiotics, chlorophyll, or something like that. I’m not concerned about Loki’s gas, as it’s very occasional.

    in reply to: Elevated Feeders? #39432 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I guess it really is more of an opininative thing and depends on the dog. My dogs don’t really gulp, but they’re fast eaters. I’ve set their bowls up slightly higher, but they usually prefer to eat on the ground. My long-legged mutt likes the ground so much that if food is up, he takes a mouthful, drops it on the floor, and picks up one kibble at a time! He may need to have food up when he’s older, as his legs are so long that it looks like a giraffe lol! (He does the splits to reach that ground, hah! He’s 45lbs at a healthy weight, and as tall as my 90lb dude used to be, and that guy was healthy/slim as well!)

    in reply to: Purina Supports Grains For Dogs #39431 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I’ve been looking a bit for Victor. Seems like the nearest dealer is a state away though :/ I have a friend who is lucky enough to get 40lb for about 32$!!!! Such a steal lol! If I can ever get a more steady job (I have no clue how babysitting and pet sitting manages to keep my 50$/month for dog food going, but it does!), then I’d absolutely get into something better for them. Possibly NutriSource or Earthborne….something along those lines.

    All I have nearby are a couple of feed stores and pet boutiques. There is a PetCo about an hour away, then Costco/PetSmart is closer to 1.5hrs. I hate PetCo though they are SO expensive! I was looking at canned cat food there….all of it was at least .60$ more expensive than at the local feed/boutiques, ugh! (.60$ more per 5oz can, that is. If it were per case or something then I wouldn’t be so upset)

    in reply to: Purina Supports Grains For Dogs #39413 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I just do Diamond Naturals and Kirkland. I really can’t afford more than $1/lb currently. Yes, they all have the same. They also get eggs, oils (sardine, anchovy, and coconut), and occasional kitchen or garden scraps (meats and veggies).

    in reply to: Elevated Feeders? #39412 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I’ve never liked them simply because they aren’t natural. Wild canines don’t build tables to eat their meat or drink their water on. Virtually everything is within a foot or two of the ground.

    in reply to: Vigorously shaking ear #39385 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Keeping my fingers crossed for her. Keep us updated! ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: Purina Supports Grains For Dogs #39384 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Hahaha your posts make me laugh Aleksandra! XD I do feel so disgustingly horrible to feed it to her, yes. They use PP Sport (higher in protein….from those wonderful chicken beaks and extra corn, of course) as training treats for her. So I figured using some of my 4 star kibble half the time would make me feel like she had at least SOME real food in her gut. Plus she loves it! It’s pretty obvious how much she hates her current food – she is a Labrador and she eats free choice. But she only goes through what she needs. No more, no less (I’ve never seen a lab do that).

    It was almost relieving to see her fur get flaky and skin get super stinky. I emailed her owners, giving them my story on how Cassy used to be super gross on SD and Purina, but now does fabulously. Hopefully they will see the pup’s icky skin and want to switch…. *crosses fingers*

    in reply to: Purina Supports Grains For Dogs #39377 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Geez….pro plan went GF? I’d guess this is their first GF food. I seriously have lost all respect for them! They trick so dang many people! Most people don’t think about researching out the ingredients, they’re going to trust the back of that bag to be telling truthful things. Ugh!

    I mean, if they even had /one/ decent food line, then I might not hate them as much. But everything is about money, not “your pet. Our passion” smh!!!

    And I’m especially upset because I have to feed it to a puppy that I take care of -_- Pro Plan Focus large breed puppy. They are a wealthy family who thinks they’re giving the best to their lil girl. I’d try to slowly move her to my food instead, but it’d be bad for her if anything. As soon as she’d get used to my food, she’d have to go back to her home and eat that junk :/ she’s only 13wks and already has that signature “Labrador” stink as well as a super dry flaky coat! Poor baby!

    • This reply was modified 10 years ago by Shasta220.
    in reply to: Vigorously shaking ear #39376 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Let us know how it goes ๐Ÿ™‚ it does sound like there’s probably something lodged in there.

    But my lab used to vigorously shake her head due to otitis. That was an almost continuous thing though, and medication only masked the symptoms. It was only when I finally convinced my parents that cheapest food doesn’t mean it’ll cost the least in the long run….now she’s off of those nasty chemicals and certain grains, and doing fabulous! ๐Ÿ˜€

    in reply to: cause of teeth chattering? #39375 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Chattering is usually a sign of anxiety or excitement. I’ve found that often older dogs do it more than younger dogs. I have no clue why that is, but my lab is proving it. When she was younger, she never did it. Now she will do it occasionally.

    Sometimes it means a male dog smells a “girl” dog….but that’s obviously not the case for you LOL

    in reply to: Treatments for Eye? #39374 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Another question entirely off the topic…. What are symptoms of kidney failure in cats? I’m taking care of their cat as well as pup. All I do right now is go to the house to scoop litter and put some canned food in her bowl. She’s 17 and has kidney disease already, and they did give me their vet number incase of kidney failure, saying it’d be okay to put her down if necessary. I’m keeping my fingers crossed all will be fine, but what are some things to look for? I’m guessing no urine in the litterbox is a big one, right?

    in reply to: Treatments for Eye? #39373 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    She is completely fine. Got her into the vet (oops, Dori. I meant to say calling the vet right now.), he saw very very little damage, it was only in the lid. She’s on antibiotic drops and is all good to go. He wasn’t concerned at all, but better safe than sorry. ๐Ÿ™‚ since it was our cat and the pup is my responsibility right now, I went ahead and paid for it. I won’t even bother to tell the owners until they come back, I don’t want them to be worried (or upset that I paid, lol!)

    Just so upset that the vet charges an extra 50$ for a checkup that she didn’t need…..aka checking her temp, weight, and heart beat when they did it literally three days ago! Ugh.

    in reply to: Treatments for Eye? #39317 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Thank you Dori, I’m calling them right now.

    in reply to: Hmmmm, will I survive? #39024 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Although my boy is way too smart. Before I could afford buying my own dog food, the dogs were on FMV and dog Chow…Shasta got used to chow, but that FMV? He’d go for 3 days without eating. I was so mad (not at him…I was glad he didn’t eat!). The other dogs gobbled it up like any other food.

    I probably will go ahead and give a few of my kibbles to the pup. I remember my lab….I didn’t realize that slow transitions are so vital when I did switch her. She went from dog chow and SD to Dog lovers gold (4 star) in under a week. Luckily she had no health problems at all, only got better and better.

    in reply to: Hmmmm, will I survive? #39011 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I probably won’t give the pup more than maybe a few Kibbles of my food as training rewards (even though they buy a different flavor of PPP and are giving me several bags for treats), as I’ve heard some horrid stories of dogs who went from a 2 star food to a 4-5 star and got terribly sick. I may drop a bug of this site in their ears though…

    Too funny about Bru Bru! I wonder if dogs sometimes like the cheaper stuff the way people often like hot dogs and McDonalds… Like my cat even! She’s a picky lil thing, and I’ve barely been able to get her consistently eating Felidae, CS, and NB canned. I had a can of dirt-cheap food (it was in the pantry from several years ago. Before I knew anything about animal nutrition, mom used it to put our 17yr old cat’s meds in) out for something (NOT for the cat!). I turned around, and Maddy was pigging out on it….did I forget to mention her bowl was freshly filled with Felidae? *face palm*

    in reply to: Purina Supports Grains For Dogs #38989 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    So other than the fact that their anatomy, digestive tract, and everything else is different from a horse….. Sure! Dogs are just like horses! Heck, they both have eyes and ears. Oh and tails…..annnnddddd legs! So yep, Purina is right – dogs are just like horses. We should start buying bags of COB grain for our dogs instead ๐Ÿ˜‰

    in reply to: Purina Supports Grains For Dogs #38988 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I am laughing right now! Purina is saying “look! We haven’t done any proper research! But people are catching onto the fact that our dog food is junk…..let’s say that dog food should be comparable to horse food! Yayaaaaa!”

    I will have to say, I’ve never seen or heard of cases where a wolf (or feral dog) got into a farmer’s property to steal the corn and wheat, or even dig up the potatoes! They usually go in to get the lambs and hens… (And leave the beaks, feet, or other by-products out!) *holds hands up* I know I don’t know as much about “good nutrition” as Purina, so definitely don’t listen to what I say…..Purina knows THE best nutrition for dogs, absolutely! *said in the most sarcastic tone imaginable*

    Okay, sarcastic rant is over! XD

    Shasta220
    Member

    Try to compare ingredients and do an elimination diet. Maybe it’s a protein, potato, legume, etc. Allergies are such a bummer to deal with. ๐Ÿ™

    in reply to: Labrador Puppy #38852 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Most foods on here that are 4-5 stars are trustworthy. Be sure to find one with as much quality protein as you can. Avoid by-products and fillers like corn, wheat, and soy. Diamond makes the most affordable 4-5 star foods (I buy Kirkland from Costco. Made by Diamond, very similar to Diamond naturals, and only about 25-30$/40lb so very economical), but many people avoid anything by that brand due to recalls.

    Also be sure plenty of stimulation, training, and exercise comes ๐Ÿ˜‰ I’d recommend finding a group obedience class. You’ll learn TONS of tips to last a lifetime, and it’ll help get the pup on the right track, as labs are very mischievous when not given a job. I grew up with a lab, so I can’t remember much about puppy phase. But I’m getting a lab pup this weekend to take care of for two weeks, so I will very much remember the chewed up tables and wet carpets, I’m sure!

    in reply to: Doggie Depression #38851 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Also considering her breed. CDs are very very loyal and often “overprotective”, so if they don’t have their human there giving them a job, they will become depressed. It’d be like a husky never allowed to run, a Bull breed not able to do sports, a collie never able to herd, do agility, or even obedience!

    So try to get Jess active by getting active yourself…..after she’s had an exam, because running her if there is a health condition might make things worse.

    in reply to: Doggie Depression #38743 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    It sounds like a possible health problem more than anything. I don’t know much about what it could be, but has she had a checkup lately?

    My boy, Shasta, went through severe depression (I genuinely thought he might die, it was that bad) when his best bud was tragically killed. I was quite shocked as well, so I spent just as much time with him as I could. I did things to get our minds as off of it as possible. Sometimes I’d just sit w him on the couch for hours at a time, we were that sad. It really choked me up to see him jump and get excited at every little sound or smell, just hoping Otto would come back.

    He stayed that way for a good week or two. A month after Otto died, we rescued another dog (hoping to be Shasta’s new friend), and it seemed to make things a bit worse, as the rescue dog was /very/ annoying to him.

    Anyway, I’m thinking this is a totally different depression than what Jess may be going through.

    But definitely, try to keep her as busy as you can with toys and (when you can) sports. Try finding a class for herding, agility, frisbee, etc. Something that will get her mind focused and body active.

    • This reply was modified 10 years ago by Shasta220.
    in reply to: Does anyone know about food Allergies #38721 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I’ve just kinda skimmed through the past few posts, but I read “Patch smells like yeasts my friend said it’s like mold.” I knew a dog once who had that distinct smell. They couldn’t figure out anything in his diet! and they bought an anti fungal shampoo (I believe it was Malaseb), have never had the problem since. The dog didn’t have any itching though, so I still think Patch probably has allergies… There’s that slight chance he might also have a skin fungus and shampoo would help clear it up.

    If he has any outdoor allergies, have you any access to local raw honey? I know of some super allergy prone dogs that get a spoonful of raw honey every day and can now go outside in the worst allergy seasons without a problem.

    in reply to: Does anyone know about food Allergies #38680 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    I looked it up…supposed to be abbreviation for Ampersand aka “and” I’ve honestly never seen anyone use “&amp” though lol. So it’s not just you ๐Ÿ˜‰

    in reply to: Does anyone know about food Allergies #38678 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Sue, for your treats, try going back to really basic things. Carrot sticks are good, then one of my recent ones was to combine boiled potatoes, carrots, chicken hearts, and parsley, then bake for about an hour or so. You can bake/dehydrate almost anything, but try to stick to no more than 2-3 ingredients, that way if it makes him act up, you’ll have fewer things to consider.

    I agree with the possibility of outdoor allergies, since it seems to be just his paws. I know people who keep baby wipes around, so that might be a good thought as well as the water rinse Dori suggested ๐Ÿ™‚

    in reply to: Does anyone know about food Allergies #38677 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Dori: elimination, not illumination I’m guessing? XD (it’s okay. I have autocorrect, so I’ve written some rather embarrassing things and skipped right over em)

    in reply to: Does anyone know about food Allergies #38632 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Did you say you made the Jazz biscuits, or are those store bought? I honestly wouldn’t feed them to my own dogs, as I try avoiding anything with sugar. I don’t believe that dogs get cravings for sweet things the way people do, and why put something bad for dogs in there when it won’t even affect their taste preference?

    in reply to: Does anyone know about food Allergies #38630 Report Abuse
    Shasta220
    Member

    Read back over it again. It may possibly be the wheat. One of my girls gets flaky if she gets much wheat in her gut (I’ve not tried gluten free wheat, but I’d guess it’d still make her flare up). I’m assuming you make these buscuits, right? Maybe try using oat, rice, or some other flour instead.

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