Big Paws Only Dog Forums

This all started Friday afternoon. My little sister came home from school, and left the door open. Sammie and Sky both got out. By the time I got down to the end of the driveway, they were gone. I searched for about 45 minutes before I found them. They were running towards our house from the busiest street in the neighborhood. 

I now feel all of you who have lost a pets pain. Those 45 minutes were the worst in my life. Millions of thoughts were running through my mind, the most predominant being “What if I don’t find them?” and “What if they’re hurt?” It was terrifying thinking I could never see my babies again, and what would happen to them if they didn’t come home. I never EVER want to experience that again. It also makes me more inclined to pick up every stray I find, because there could be someone out there missing them. Never again will I pass by a “Missing” sign. I encourage you all to pick up lost pets, and do your best to find their owners.

I looked them both over, and Sammie’s knee was acting up a little afterwards (he’s got very beginning arthritis) and Sky has little sores on his feet. I’m assuming they’re from running on hot pavement (I can bet you all the money in the bank they were having a ball, and running the whole time they were missing, while I was worried sick). They aren’t bad enough to deserve a trip to the vet, but they still need some at-home treatment. I’ve been keeping them clean with Peroxide and Neosporin, and wrapping them, then putting a sock over it. It’s probably the cutest thing you will ever see. He hops and skips and twirls around trying to get it off. I think it’s just an excuse to act like a lunatic. Anyway, what else should I be doing? Am I doing anything completely wrong? Anyone with experience with open sores, please pipe up!

Thanks a bunch!

I went to girls camp this past week and left the boys in the care of my family. My mom and step-dad were going to be coming up for two days of the camp and my sister was going to go watch some kids for a couple days, so there was a over lap when the dogs would all be home alone, for a full day, over night and half of the next day. well, i wasn't too concerned about it, i told Sara to leave Sky and Bailey outside w/ water and leave sammie loose in the house and pray he could hold it. Well, then my step-dad decides the 10 pounds of food left won't last 2 dogs a week.  So he goes to the feed store and buys the Diamond Adult MAINTENANCE not the Diamond Senior Premium. But then, he thought that the tub w/ the senior food in it was cat food  and so he plopped the maint in w/ the blue buffalo puppy food, and fed that to Sky and kept Sammie and Bailey on their regular food. Sky already has a sensitive stomach and swiching foods is VERY touchy, and of course Sara left Sky in his crate (for almost 2 days). needless to say he had a HUGE booty blow out and there was diareah everywhere. THEN my mom gets home and leaves him loose in the house w/o watching him, and he gets into my energy pills.  I came home to a poop covered puppy w/ the jitters. I called the poisen control center and they said that the pills would give him A LOT of energy, but since i take all natural, gentle energy pills (no caffine) he'd be fine. Phew!

He's back on his regular food and his poops are almost back to normal. He's also back on HIS supplements and OFF MINE!

Sorry if this makes no sense at all, and sorry for the length.

I was feeding kibble to all 3 dogs (diamond to sammie and bailey, natural choice puppy to skyler) and after tons and tons and tons of research and reading and research and thinking and research and reading and more research, i decided to switch Sky to raw. then, if it went well i would switch sammie and bailey, too. after 2 weeks on raw i decided to go back to kibble. i wasn't seeing any real benifits! Sky was sluggish (went to the vet-nothing wrong), and we both did not look forward to feeding time. he would only eat if he was really starving (he wouldn't touch anything meat-like for 4 and 1/2 days) it was hard to find stuff i could afford (a JH's income is not exactly steady!) and we both just hated it. was this an ok choice? i am going to upgrade our kibble ASAP, but i really don't wanna go back on raw.

also, anyone out there feeding Solid Gold? is it all it's cracked up to be? maybe i've been talking to all raw feeders to much, but it seems to have a lot of stuff they don't need. the healthier version of fillers, i guess. i mean, do dogs really need PARSLEY??? what other foods are good? i have been looking at Blue Buffalo, but it seems to be in between NC and SG, as far as quality and junked up-ness go. what do all 'o y'all think? \

Leah, the discouraged Junior....

This girl looks so sweet, and this shelter is all to famous for putting down dogs w/ a reason, and putting down dogs w/o calling their breed rescue, so please, lets get this girl a good home-SOON!
here is her petfinder page
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7097864

i cannot help transport but i may be able to go to the shelter to check her out, maybe even pull her if i had a garanteed home, and the adoption fee .  i can't keep her here for any amount of time, we had a scare w/ demodex and i don't wanna do it again!

please guys, we can pool our resources and get her out of there. she is in the Rio Rancho animal shelter in New Mexico.

hope someone here can take her, i would hate for her to go to someone who is gonna use her for the wrong purposes.

thanks, Leah

i was thinking that we could all post about our favorite dogs/aniamls that don't belong to us. friends dogs, rescues, whatever. post pics if you have them!!! give us a story about the annimal!

Leah

p.s. i tried to post my stuff but i am out of time. i'll get back to ya!

There is a BEAUTIFUL ACD at the Shelter here, in NM. He is a un-neutered male blue ACD w/ a docked tail (eeerrr). VERY swwet dog, a little bit of separationa anxiety, but i can tell he is going to get over that very quickly. chases cats, likes other dogs and all people. he stares at my rabbit, but no bad intentions. very sweet boy, definetly a velcro doggie. He Wandered into my driveway after a thunderstorm one morning, and i think he got lonely and scared from being left in a yard. a little thin, cactus thorns in one foot when i found him. he had to be taken to the shelter because i was pet sitting a PRT, and no one i knew wanted him. i puit an ad in the paper and on petfinder, but no one claimed him. he is so sweet, and very playful, but i can't have him! he will be held until the 8th and then be put up for adoption. please i really want someone i trust to go and get him before someone nasty gets him. PLEASE HELP!! in Albuquerque New Mexico. can help w/ a short distance travel. good in cars!
Leah.

P.S. if anyone is looking for a Bearded Collie bitch, i found one a couple weeks ago and held her for a week. she is w/ Beardie Rescue in Los Lunas NM

Hey all, sorry i haven't been on in a while, but i need your help! i am writing an article for my trainers newsletter, and i am supposed to do it on Flea/Tick/Mosquito protection this summer. does anyone have good advice or some sites to visit? i need this info ASAP, my coloumn is due in a week, and i haven't started! please answer if you, anyone you know, or any sites, have info for me...

Thanks in advance!!!
Leah