Mike's Doghouse

Our holiday this year was rather subdued. We’ve spent so much money on sick critters and sick vehicles, that Santa thought it best to skip our house for now. But we were promised a new refrigerator soon so perhaps all is not lost. At least it wasn’t coal!

The dogs got gifts from Mary at Asheville Pet Supply. A stuffed gorilla with a Santa hat, a tough stuffed tree, a loooong stuffed dog, and some treats. Sam, our Catahoula, thinks all toys exist to be destroyed. That’s how he believes they were meant to be played with. We keep all stuffed toys up and give them out whenever he has something else to do. He even will destroy Kongs! Anyway, we’d gotten him and Mike some Nylabones to gnaw on and he’d chewed off about half while Mike’s doesn’t even have dents. So while the others played with the stuffed toys, we gave Sam his bone.

Casey just wanted to investigate everything, she didn’t want to play. PopCorn is pouting (see pic below) because we had to put the helmet on her. Joella played with the gorilla for a while until she discovered Mike’s Nylabone. Mike traded with her and all was happy.

I watched Mike for a while to make sure he didn’t start pulling anything off (it’s a small toy) and saw that Sam had a lot more off his bone. Later, I saw no pieces around and figured he’d eaten them. We took the stub away, shook out the blanket, and found no pieces. Sam usually doesn’t eat the pieces but there’s a first time for everything.

Then yesterday, I found them. In two piles of vomit from Mike. Yep, the little snot ate them. I checked him over and we fed him a light dinner to keep his tummy happy. We are fairly certain there’s not more pieces inside him. They were all huge and I don’t think they would have made it out the other end without doing some damage. We went through the other toys and wound up throwing away the fleece tug. Sam had decided, after several weeks of actually playing vs destroying, that it was time to kill it. Now knowing that Mike just might eat the pieces, we had to toss that. The stuffed toys are out of anyone’s reach. After all the wollering Mike did to the gorilla, it wasn’t missing a single bit of fuzz! (Jo still has a stuffed toy I got her nearly 8 yrs ago so maybe it’s a Rottie thing?)

Mike is eating fine today, no more hurling.

I dislike the term “commands” but that’s what they are. With Joella, it is always a “request” that Her Highness then determines is worthy of fulfillment. She will do what I ask/tell her in terms of SD work. Basic obedience, though, is iffy at best. It is a mistake I will not be making with Mike.

Somewhere, I have a longer list of the commands Jo knows. Borrowing heavily on Marley’s list, here’s Joella’s SD commands:

1. Let me have it
2. What have you got
3. Get it
4. Bring it here
5. Get the other one
6. Get my shoes
7. Where’s Lorna
8. Back up
9. Get behind
10. Get your leash
11. Get in truck/car
12. Get in the house
13. Go around
14. Turn around
15. Look at me
16. Touch it
17. Open it/Pull it
18. Get Under
19. Take it

And her obedience requests:

1. Up*
2. Off
3. Down
4. Lay down
5. Out
6. Outside
7. Hurry up
8. Are you done*
9. Wait
10. Sit
11. Stay
12. Easy*
13. Leave it
14. Drop it
15. Gimme a kiss

(* are those that are also SD related)

I know there are others but that’s all I can think of right now. Mike will be taught all of those plus some others. Joella stinks on her recall (coming when called) and her Stay is almost as bad. Mike and I will be going to a series of dog classes starting this January. First there will be 5 of the Puppy Obedience classes followed by Basic Manners 1 and Basic Manners 2 (both are 6 weeks each, I think). Along the way, we’ll work on SD stuff but I want to make sure Mike has a solid obedience/manners footing. Mike knows “sit” and we are working on “down” and “out of the room” (used after meals). He knows “outside” means to go outside but he’s not made the connection that it means to do his business. He still is not house trained, dangit!

I have made a spreadsheet of the above commands with the word/phrase, what it means, and the reasoning behind it.

Commands list in OpenOffice.org format (.ods) and Commands list in MS Excel format (.xls). Let me know if you need it in another format; OpenOffice.org saves in several others. I will update the spreadsheets as Mike learns more or I remember more of Jo’s list.

I was able to not only look at Mike’s teeth, but to also get some images of them. The trick is to catch ‘im while he’s sleeping.

In the first image, those two slightly larger bottom teeth might be new adult teeth but I don’t think they are. I checked back at the Donnerberg Rottweiler site but it’s still hard to tell.

The second photo clearly shows the baby canine tooth.

We go to the vet’s this afternoon to pick up Popcorn and to give them Mike’s urine sample (we weren’t able to catch it yesterday). No fecal sample yet since he and Sam keep wanting to go outside to play.

You can see larger views of the teeth photos over at Mike’s photo gallery in the “Growing Up Big” album.

So, if you remember from a previous post, Mike’s age is in question. It is possible he is younger than we thought. Normally, this isn’t a big deal, but if he is younger than previously assumed, he rec’d his rabies vaccine too soon and it will need to be repeated. I don’t know if other vaccinations will also need to be redone.

Tonight, while waiting for something to download, I did a search for images of puppy and adult teeth. Not for the squeamish! I managed to find an excellent set of images and explanations on, get this, a Rottweiler site!

Donnerberg Rottweilers in California has a great page of teeth info. The photos are great and include puppy teeth, adult teeth, and various stages in between. These photos will help me to keep an eye on Mike’s teeth. I looked at them this afternoon and I don’t see that much of a difference since last week at the vet’s.

In the morning, I have to collect a urine sample and during the day, collect a fecal sample. Oh goody. Oh joy. In the afternoon, we take another of our dogs, PopCorn, in to the vet’s to get two masses removed from her foot. She’s had a mass from this foot removed before and we knew it would grow back. It did, and brought a friend. PopCorn just had a cancerous tumor (and her spleen) removed two weeks ago. It is a slow-growing cancer, extremely rare, and since this means she’ll be with us at least another year or two, we figure it would be best to make her comfortable. When we take her in (she gets carsick so we always take her in the day before), we’ll give them Mike’s contribution to our growing bill there.

So far, I’ve just worked with Mike on simple things, like releasing whatever is in his mouth and going after the toy I throw. I’ve gotten him used to the clicker and he no longer twitches each time it clicks. And yesterday we specifically started working on sit. I’d kinda worked on it before while getting him used to the clicker. But yesterday we locked ourselves in the kitchen and learned sit.

Clicker training is an excellent way to teach behaviors. Joella learned all her SD tasks this way and excelled. I think Mike will be the same. It is also easier on me since there’s no leash jerking or butt pushing. Just sitting and waiting for Mike to do what I want him to do then rewarding him like mad. Basically.

Linkages:
Karen Pryor (Wikipedia)
Take a Bow Wow (Karen Pryor Video/DVDs)
Clicker Training YouTube videos

Mike went to the vet yesterday! There’s some weird stuff going on but nothing to be too concerned about yet. He’s on an antibiotic and a dewormer. Thursday I am to collect and take in a urine sample and a fecal sample. Oh, the things we do for our dogs!

Mike may be younger than the original vet paperwork says. He should be getting his first adult teeth this week if he is the age it says. If not, then he is younger and some vaccines may need to be repeated. This is no one’s fault, and could be simply the wrong date was entered into the computer. There were 8 puppies in that litter, at least one other slightly older puppy, and an emaciated adult dog and I’m sure the vet’s office was busy taking care of them vs making sure dates were absolutely correct.

We discussed nutrition. Large breed puppies should not be on puppy food for very long. It can cause them to grow too fast which can create problems such as Panosteitis. This is what Joella had. Some pet food companies have come out with different puppy food for different types or breeds. Mike was getting Iam’s “Smart Puppy” but we switched him to Wellness’s “Just for Puppy”. There are great debates about the role puppy food’s protein content and Panosteitis. Our vet recommended a food less than 26% protein, preferably less than 24%. Our adult dogs now eat Taste of the Wild, a high protein dog food. We started using it to combat Joella’s lethal gas problem. Prior to TotW, our dogs got Wellness Fish and Sweet Potato. We love Wellness’ products and the quality of the ingredients (they don’t do animal by-products). In a week or two, we’ll switch him to the Wellness Adult Fish and Sweet Potato.

For reference (minimum protein):
Taste of the Wild

High Prairie Canine Formula has 32%

Iams

ProActive Health Smart Puppy Large Breed has 26%
ProActive Health Smart Puppy has 28%

Wellness

Super 5 Mix Just for Puppy has 28%
Super 5 Mix Large Breed Puppy Health has 26%
Adult Whitefish and Sweet Potato has 22%

Not long after Mike was rescued, his tail was amputated due to infection and injury. He has an odd habit of growling at then chewing the stub. This happens at least once a day. He did not like the vet messing with the tip of it. It is possible that there is some nerve damage due to the infection and injury. Normal docking of tails does rarely causes this and is done when the pups are just a few days old. When he is neutered in a few months, and if the tail is still bothering him, they will check the tip for possible scar tissue or otherwise compromised nerve. It is quite possible Mike is just being a weird puppy and there is nothing wrong.

Mike was microchipped, too. The vet’s office uses the HomeAgain microchip. This will ensure so that if we are ever separated, he will be able to come home again (pun intended). See my previous post on emergencies.

Mike weighed just 14.5 lbs. He is in a growth spurt and his body is using slightly more than it is taking in. I am feeding him a lunch and we are increasing his morning and evening meal amounts. He should start gaining weight once the internal parasites are gone. Right now he has just two activity levels: all out and full stop.

The vet’s staff all loved Mike. They knew I had been looking for puppy and were looking forward to meeting him.

Winter is here in the U.S. South. We’ve already had several snows and a long drawn out cold “snap”. Hurricane season is over just as blizzard season begins. There are things any pet owner should have on hand for emergencies either season can bring.

One of the few good things brought about by Hurricane Katrina and Rita is that groups finally realized the lengths people will go to in order to keep their pets safe. Many humans and pets died because there was no where to go together. Animal shelters were overwhelmed by the number of dropoffs. As a result of this and more, disaster assistance groups have now changed their policies to include pets.

There are things you need to have on hand for emergencies. There are so many different kinds (medical emergency, weather emergency, toxic spill, etc) that it would seem a fully prepared kit would weigh more than the dog! You should have first aid kit on hand just because cuts happen regularly. An evacuation kit would be for if you had to leave the home. While you are getting the dog kits together, make one for yourselves, too!

Lists of stuff to have in a kit:

CanisMajor has a list of the basics to keep on hand in your dog first aid kit.

PetEducation.com, part of Drs. Foster and Smith, has another, more comprehensive list for the kit. They also have a list of stuff to have for an evacuation kit.

The Humane Society also has a list for a first aid kit as well as a disaster/evacuation kit and advice.

American Red Cross has a section dedicated to Animal Safety. This includes the suggestions for a pet first aid kit. (Also make sure you know about the “Preparedness Information for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities“)

The American Veterinarian Medical Association has a section on evacuation and first aid.

Already prepared kits/books:

The Humane Society’s Pet First Aid book
Outdoor Safety has several different human and canine first aid kits (be sure to read why the company exists)
Cabela’s has 3 Sporting Dog first aid kits

Some simple things you can do:

Get the basics together and remember where it is. Hang it with the leashes (make sure you have a leash or carrying crate for each animal) and leave it there. Check it once a year or so to ensure nothing has gone beyond its expiration date.
Microchip your pets. If you get separated, you can be re-connected when it is safe. Make sure one of the contact persons is away from your region so that in the case of a weather emergency, there is someone who can be reached.
Read up on preparedness. Get ideas and then follow through on them. Being prepared is the best thing you can do for yourselves and for your furkids.

WARNING: this post discusses canine bodily functions. Don’t read if you don’t like the words “poop” or “pee”.

Oy, what an experience this has been. Mike is roughly 14 weeks old. Old enough to learn right from wrong in the human world and terminology. But that doesn’t mean it is easy for him or me.

House training has been rough for both of us. “They” say a puppy will need to go poop about half an hour after eating. Mike, however, has gone as long as 6 hrs although his normal is between 2-4hrs. He’ll pee much more often. Like every half hour. Everywhere.

Part of the problem is that our fenced in yard is connected to the back porch. Normally we just open the door and out they go. In the summer, the door is open all the time. Off the back porch is a dog ramp. The first part is slightly sloped and sturdy enough to hold a human. The second part, however, is steeper and not sturdy. It is a project we need to finish but never got around to. It is painful for me to go down that second part, and is quite risky. I don’t go down it when I am home alone. Taking Mike out to do his business is difficult. I either have to put him on the leash and take him out front or I go down the ramp with him. When he is out front, he’ll pee but he has yet to poop.

Mike needs to learn to tell me he has to go. I have to learn to pay attention to him.

I believe Mike understands what “outside” means. I’m not sure he understands he needs to ask.

I called Elena today and asked for her wisdom. She suggest I put Mike on a schedule. Go out every 2 hrs. When he poops in the fenced yard, take it out to where I want him to go out in the front yard. This is the safest way for me. Once he learns to go there and learns to ask to go there, then we can just morph that into asking to go out the back door. But first, the pooping and peeing in the house has to stop.

If all goes well, Mike will grow up to be my Service Dog (SD). I live in a state with a great Service Dog In-Training law which will allow me to take Mike anywhere with me as long as he is fully house trained and obedient. Just like a “real” SD, Mike is not allowed to disrupt. I don’t expect to take Mike out until he is at least 6 mos old.

In the meantime, he and I will do regular dog training. We’ll be starting sometime in January by taking a Puppy Obedience Class with A Good Dog’s Life dog training school. After that, we’ll start the Basic Manners Class. All dogs should have some degree of training. It’s for their own good and safety. The owner learns how to communicate with their dog and the dog learns what his/her boundaries are.

Along the way, Mike will also be learning the basics of some of the future tasks he’ll be doing. Already he is learning “let me have it” (give me whatever it is in your mouth). All our dogs learn this anyway but for Joella and soon Mike, it is also used for when I want them to release the object they’ve just picked up for me.

I am an avid fan of clicker training. To work properly, teaching a task begins with breaking it down into the smallest steps, teaching those steps, then combine them. “Get it”, “bring it here” and “let me have it” will become the retrieve task. Even the step of “get it” could be broken down further by identifying specific objects. “Get my shoes” is Joella’s command for retrieving my shoes from another room. “Get it” is usually used for something the dog already knows I want.

It really is much simpler than it sounds. Stick with me and Mike throughout this process and we’ll learn/relearn it together.

You’re in the dog house now!

Okay, puppy house, but basically the same thing.

Mike is a Rottweiler mix puppy who was born the last week of August. Mike, his 7 siblings, and their nearly starved mother was dropped off at a shelter. A rescue group heard of them and got them all out. We brought Mike home Nov. 29th, 2008.

I got Mike not as a pet exactly. Mike will grow up to be a Service Dog. He will learn to pick things up, retrieve things and people, help me do various tasks, and will get to go where “pet” dogs aren’t allowed to go thanks the the Americans with Disabilities Act. More on that later.

At any rate, this will be about Mike and his life as he grows up to be a Service Dog. It will also include his best friend Joella, who is my current Service Dog.