Re: [pyrnet] Smart-ass dogs...<grin>, socialization and so forth

[Kelly Haskins <lovemypyr@yahoo.com>]

Hi Rhonda,
First of all I wanted to say that I always enjoy
hearing about Newman's escapades. In spite of the
"teenage" challenges that we hear about, he seems to
have a wonderful personality!
I know you were looking for some feedback on dog food
brands. Just wanted to let you know that Mandy has
been on California Natural since I switched brands
last fall and has done very well on it. Since she
tends to have the somewhat typical finicky pyr tastes,
I switch between the Chicken/Rice and the Lamb/Rice
formulas so that she doesn't get bored. I buy the
large (30 lb.) bag of one and when that is gone, I buy
the other.
Kelly & Mandy (pyr)
Framingham,MA

--- Rhonda Collins <rhonda@castlepublishing.com>
wrote:
> 
> >
> >The sentence around here that will make My dogs
> become VERY scarce ?
> >"We've got to cut some toenails today " ~~<BG>
> >Pamc
> 
> Yup. Newman absolutely HATES having his nails done,
> and fights like he's 
> being murdered. If he even SUSPECTS we're even
> THINKING of toenails, he 
> hauls it.
> 
> As for socialization and letting the pup "meet and
> greet" other dogs and 
> people, I also, cannot imagine having a dog as big
> as a Pyr or a Newf and 
> NOT socializing them, as well as taking them to
> obedience classes! An 
> undisciplined, unfriendly dog that big is a major
> hazard! If they're 
> well-socialized and obedience trained, they can be a
> joy to be around and a 
> member of the family you can be proud to take out in
> public and "show 
> off"...but I'd be embarrassed at the very least to
> take Newman out and have 
> him growling at other dogs or people, or jumping up
> on strangers, even to 
> be friendly. And think of the lawsuits just waiting
> to happen. Heck, if a 
> kid came up and wanted to pet a big dog  like that
> and the dog knocked them 
> down, even...no matter if it was trying to be
> friendly (or worse yet, 
> aggressive), the kid could be hurt and you could be
> sued. Same thing if 
> your dog injured another dog! As an example, I have
> a friend to rescued a 
> Pit Bull, and the dog proceeded to maul a neighbor's
> cat. My friend now has 
> to pay the $1,000  vet bill and figure out what to
> do with the Pit 
> Bull.  With Newman, I have absolutely NO concerns
> letting him sniff or play 
> with the smallest pup or child. He automatically
> scales his activities to 
> the size of the new "friend". He's also learned the
> phrase "It's a baby", 
> and immediately quiets and sniffs gently.
> 
> I took Newman out today with his Halti on (so he
> wouldn't be likely to take 
> off with me and break or bruise anything else), and
> we had fun. Went to the 
> low-cost vet clinic because I was afraid he had ear
> mites again. I was 
> surprised to learn that he didn't have mites, but
> rather a yeast infection! 
> Guess I haven't been taking enough care to keep the
> water out of his ears 
> when I bathe him. :-(  <shame on mommy!) The vet
> said to be sure to flush 
> them with alcohol after I bathe him from now on.
> 
> I had to wait two hours at the vet clinic at the
> feed store, but waiting 
> over there is kind of fun, because of all the
> animals and people wanting to 
> pet Newman and asking about him. He always has a
> ball when I take him. He 
> considers the little dogs to be interactive toys on
> strings, and the big 
> dogs potential playmates. It was hysterical...one
> woman had six, six-week 
> old Chiuahuas in a cat carrier and Newman was
> mesmerized! He laid down in 
> front of it and started snuffling enthusiastically.
> He was snuffling so 
> loudly that people came over to watch. He rolled
> over on his side to "see" 
> better, climbed on top of the carrier (the lady
> didn't seem to mind...she 
> was laughing too hard) and stuck his nose down in
> front (I guess to try 
> from a different angle), then when that didn't work,
> came back around in 
> front and laid down again (his jowls flatten out
> like he's a tire with a 
> flat) with his nose INSIDE one of the wire
> squares...still snuffling. The 
> lady finally said, "I think he's going to breathe
> all their air at the rate 
> he's going!"  I gotta say, he's always good for
> entertainment!
> 
> I found out that Revolution doesn't protect against
> Whipworms, but the vet 
> couldn't examine him for whipworms until after
> three, and I'd already been 
> there two hours, so I figured I'd wait and see if he
> starts gaining again 
> now that I've switched his food. I switched him to
> Pro Plan, and he likes 
> it, but the vet told me not to feed it to him and
> recommended Nutro Natural 
> Choice Large Breed Puppy. Shoot, I'm confused about
> what to feed him. 
> Everyone's ideas are different. I made an Excel
> spreadsheet with all the 
> ingedients of six different brands of quality dog
> foods, and I'm STILL 
> confused. I listed out Pro Plan, Premium Edge,
> California Natural, Innova 
> Puppy, Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy, and
> Diamond Puppy.  Anybody 
> have any comments on those six?
> 
> He HAS gained 1.5 lbs since last week on the Pro
> Plan, and he's back up to 
> 107.5.
> 


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