Dogs with behavior problems that no-kill shelters won't take or will kill

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
MWM

Since crating seems to have solved your night potty issue..........and at least one has not marked today............. Maybe some of your issue is anxiety based. The crate means security, or comes to mean that to a dog in time.

If I'm only going to be gone for say 5-10 mins, Maggie gets to stay out of her crate. (I'm getting her used to not always having to be in it if I leave) Longer than that she is in the crate. 1. because it makes her feel more secure and 2. it prevents accidents and her getting in to things. She'll gradually work up to staying out of the crate full time. But it is a very long process and the open crate will still be available to her anytime she wants it.

Four hours in a crate is nothing more than a nap. Eight hours most dogs deal with just fine as long as they get play time and walk time. I know many that are crated 13 hrs several days a week but this means owner has to make a special effort once they get home to play and exercise the dog. This is one reason I'm leery of easy child every getting a dog. Her husband is not a dog person in the least. She works 12 hr shifts but it's like 14 hrs before she gets home or longer. She is in no shape to either play or walk a dog by the time she gets home.

If you really watch a dog, even a puppy spends a lot of the day napping.

When I get full time work outside of the home it's going to be a big change for Maggie. But at least I know I'll both play with her and make sure she get plenty of exercise when I get home and on days off. Plus Travis is here too......even if he doesn't come downstairs much. lol
 

flutterby

Fly away!
Janet, I have a 10 month old husky/shepherd/lab mix that is the same way with her stool. I switched from store brand food very early on and went to Diamond Naturals Puppy food (no soy, wheat, or corn). I compared the ingredients to Blue Buffalo, which is out of my price range, it they were comparable. I get it at TSC. I think you can get it at PetSmart, but it's probably more expensive there. A 40 pound bag at TSC is around $32. However, when she was about 7 months, I had to switch her to the adult version because I couldn't decrease her food enough to not have loose stool/diarrhea without her being hungry. She has a sensitive gut. She is 46 pounds and she gets 2 cups of food a day - one in the morning and one in the evening. If she even gets 1/4 cup more, she'll have loose stool or diarrhea. She can't have treats or any people food or the same thing happens. She's also been very hard to house train, and I think it's because of that. I know when she's going to have loose or runny stool because she'll pace and pant for up to 3 hours. I think she's crampy.

She's almost 11 months old and she's just recently gotten to the point where she'll go to the door if we're in the kitchen, or to the gate if we're in another room, when she needs to potty. However, I have to keep her in the same room with me, or she'll just go. That's why I have gates up.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
The Diamond Naturals is good food. I'm using the senior for Molly and Rowdy. They love it! And seem to be doing better on it. I sure wish it were cheaper though. Travis buys it for them.

Maggie can't eat it without issue. Maybe it's due to what Heather described, I dunno.

If I wind up serving it to all 3 dogs; shoot, I might as well serve them up a plate of food with us. It will cost about the same. lol Although I am preparing to make homemade doggie food and see how they do.......and how the cost is. Then I know wth they're eating, not to mention it won't be full of preservatives either. I know the older dogs would be fine, I'm worried about triggering the loose stuff with Maggie again.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I found a no-kill shelter that will take my dogs and I know it's a good place. I'm not going to even consider it until February, because it takes money, but at least I know they will have a great place to go. I'm relieved, but very sad.
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
Janet, I tried fish based food with mine one time too. To say they didn't like it was an understatement! This was one of the very expensive, very good brands too. They never even actually tasted it. One by one they walked up to the bowl and sniffed it, gave me a dirty look, sniffed it again, then walked away ...still giving me dirty looks over their shoulders! Luckily I had only bought very small bag for them to try.

Does the food you're using have wheat in it? That's another very common allergen with dogs and can cause digestive problems if they're sensitive to it. The Taste of the Wild can get expensive but they don't eat as much of the premium foods because their nutritional needs are met with a smaller amount of food. My dogs aren't little bitties - they weigh 22 lbs., 28 lbs., 32 lbs. and about 45 lbs. A 15 lb. bag of the TOTW costs about $29 (including tax) and will last the four of them about two weeks. A 30 lb. bag costs about $47 and will last them just about a month. Not too bad for feeding four dogs really. If there was a cheaper alternative they could all eat I would do it but there really isn't unless I feed them each a different food and I'm just not going to do that.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
No wheat...you should see me reading ingredients on dog food bags and then see the dirty looks Tony gives me. He looks at the prices and says we could just feed her what we eat...lol. It would be cheaper. I tell him then it would have corn, wheat and dairy...lmao. Heck, one day he made a mistake and gave her some table scraps that had biscuits in it and she had horrible gas all that night. He learned.

One thing I have noticed is she does eat a whole lot less with the better food. The food recommends 3 cups for her age and size but there is no way she eats that much. If she actually eats 2 cups she is doing good. Normally she eats about 3/4s of what I give her and Buddy finishes it.

We are getting a TSC being built here but it will take a couple of months before it is finished. I will have to order it online I guess until they open up. I guess I will try that one first before going to Taste of the Wild because it is probably cheaper.
 

buddy

New Member
MWM,.glad you found one. If they ..or even one of.them just needs potty training maybe they will do that and be able to adopt out...who knows. I sure was glad to adopt an already trained dog! Someone out there might think yours are just the right fit.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Abby seems to be getting the complete hang of puppy pads...lol. Lord help me. She went twice right on the pads last night. Maybe what I need to do is to take the used pads outside and put them in the yard!
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Actually Janet, that is what most people who start puppies on the pads have to do. :)

At least a pad is better than the floor.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Her pad is right by the door now. Thankfully I am not having to pay for these pads. They are the big plastic chucks that you use so beds dont get wet. I get them with the adult diapers I get sent because I have issues when I have bronchitis. Every 2 months I get a case of these adult diapers and they come with a ton of chucks too. I dont use the chucks but the dog does. You should see my house. I have depends stored in every nook and cranny. If a storm hits, I can soak it all up! lol
 
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