My new lab is in heat. Help me. Any advice.
- Thread starter Jody
- Start date
witzend
Well-Known Member
Jody, you know Labs - they love food! When we first got it I got about one inch of cheap hot dog & cut it into tiny bits. I stood at the front of it and held them in my hand towards her face, and Mandy jumped up right away. As soon as I had given her a couple of nibbles, I put it on the very lowest setting and left my hand there. She's never fallen. The trick is to warm up from a walk to a jog within a minute or two, and to slow down the same way. Our old one had a timer on it so I could set it, but this one needs to be manually turned on and off. I don't let her get fatigued. I think we started with 10 minutes, but when she's in good shape she can go 20 - 25. About a mile.
Once we got her going - after about a week - if I go near the room with the treadmill she comes bounding in and jumps on board. All I have to do is turn it on. She's never fallen. Most treadmills have a "dead man switch" (just a fob on a string that stops it if it becomes disconnected) for safety. If you're concerned you can extend it to the appropriate length attach that to her collar.
Once we got her going - after about a week - if I go near the room with the treadmill she comes bounding in and jumps on board. All I have to do is turn it on. She's never fallen. Most treadmills have a "dead man switch" (just a fob on a string that stops it if it becomes disconnected) for safety. If you're concerned you can extend it to the appropriate length attach that to her collar.
I have never seen a dog who wants food so badly. She is a vacuum cleaner and one track mind when it comes to food. I have not been putting her food in the bowl, i have laid it on the bottom of her crate floor. She goes to fast and I tried therock in the bowl and it didnt deter her, she just got some bloody gums. Her tail will beat you up. A maintenence man came in the yard this morning Occupational Therapist (OT) thinking and about me having dogs and he was going to the next trailer. Kainda let him know that wasnt acceptable and then Broady started in. She was off leash and she didnt get him, but she started barking and stayed right where she was and if that had been a man that intended to hurt me. I have no doubt that man would have had a lab all over him. I told her to come and she did. I was so proud of her.
witzend
Well-Known Member
Jody, it would be best if you trained her to sit and wait for food. It's a pretty simple process, and it ensures that she knows who is the boss in the house. Labs are so easily trained with a food reward, it would probably take you about 10 minutes. It won't matter what her age is, or how long you have had her. She'll do anything for food. There is nothing more important to a Lab than food, and if she knows you're in charge of the food, you become the most important person in the house. You should probably stop feeding her in the crate.
This video shows training outside, but you wouldn't need a leash if you're inside. Once you've got "sit" established, do sit and stay as in the video. A lot of dogs are not happy to "lay down", so that's one that we didn't sweat at the get-go. Once you've trained her to sit and stay, do "leave it" (put a treat on the ground and tell her to leave it, then reward her with a different treat for a good "leave it") Never let her eat without your permission. When I talk about treats with training, I'm talking about a piece of cheese or hot dog chopped into about a quarter inch dice. Keep the bulk of the treat in your hand, making a fist. Feed the treat with it pinched in the crook where the tip of you thumb meets the bend of your forefinger when you make a fist, otherwise she'll nibble - not on purpose - your fingers at first. You can also refuse to let her have the treat until she is "gentle".
Our dogs are terrible jumpers, and I don't know that we'll ever get them calmed down enough to not jump on company when they arrive. But in our home and in our yard, we are the boss. (Just don't let them get out the front door!)
This video shows training outside, but you wouldn't need a leash if you're inside. Once you've got "sit" established, do sit and stay as in the video. A lot of dogs are not happy to "lay down", so that's one that we didn't sweat at the get-go. Once you've trained her to sit and stay, do "leave it" (put a treat on the ground and tell her to leave it, then reward her with a different treat for a good "leave it") Never let her eat without your permission. When I talk about treats with training, I'm talking about a piece of cheese or hot dog chopped into about a quarter inch dice. Keep the bulk of the treat in your hand, making a fist. Feed the treat with it pinched in the crook where the tip of you thumb meets the bend of your forefinger when you make a fist, otherwise she'll nibble - not on purpose - your fingers at first. You can also refuse to let her have the treat until she is "gentle".
Our dogs are terrible jumpers, and I don't know that we'll ever get them calmed down enough to not jump on company when they arrive. But in our home and in our yard, we are the boss. (Just don't let them get out the front door!)
I am sure that i can train her to do that but the problem comes in when she is eating, she doesnt really chew the food just whoofs it down and its gone in seconds. then her stomachis upset and she gets diahrea and has gas so bad. Some people from a hall in our area came by to witness and she farted so bad it was disgusting, they left. but if she eats it piece by piece she doesnt have that nearly as bad.
SuZir
Well-Known Member
There are special dog bowls for dogs with that problem. Bowls may be like baking tins or simply have highe5r and lowe parts. Idea is, that dog has to eat slower and can't wolf it down in second.
Other than that, those toys you fill with food and that keep dogs activated (for example Kong toys) also make them eat slower. And depending the food you give to her, the way I would do it, would spread it out to bigger area in your garden or even in house, if the food is not too messy. That they she would have to work to find every piece of her meal and that would make her eat slower. Also making those trails I mentioned earlier from food can both help her eat slower and offer her calming activities to do.
Other than that, those toys you fill with food and that keep dogs activated (for example Kong toys) also make them eat slower. And depending the food you give to her, the way I would do it, would spread it out to bigger area in your garden or even in house, if the food is not too messy. That they she would have to work to find every piece of her meal and that would make her eat slower. Also making those trails I mentioned earlier from food can both help her eat slower and offer her calming activities to do.
witzend
Well-Known Member
Mandy wolfs her food too. I think that all Labs do. If she's farting, it's because her food is not agreeing with her tummy, not because of how she eats it. Gulping will add air to her gut, but a good nutritional food will not give a terrible smell to the fart that the less nutritional food will. What brand are you using? We were using Canadae lamb and rice, and that worked well but was expensive. Now we're using 4-Health Salmon and Potato, and it's $20 less a bag. No problems with the gas. FWIW, our dogs only get dry food - no canned. Canned is mostly water, and so processed that it definitely causes gas.
Bubba was a wolfer as well. He got tear rending farts when he ate grass compost from the yard. Is it possible that she's eating something outside that is contributing to the smell?
This is a really good site for dog food comparisons. You can look at their ratings then shop from there.
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/4health-dog-food-dry/
witzend
Well-Known Member
Making a game of eating where she has to find the food is an excellent idea. on the other hand, any time you put dog or cat food outside you are inviting rats to stop by. The dog will always leave crumbs, and the rats get mega big on them. Then they start looking for your stash...
DammitJanet
Well-Known Member
4 Health is an excellent food and is cheaper than some of the so called wonderful foods in the grocery store. I get it at Tractor Supply. The only thing I will get at the grocery store is Rachael Ray's Only Six. That actually is like a dollar more than the 4 Health and I get 2 pounds less food!
donna723
Well-Known Member
Jody, I hate to tell you this but Purina is TERRIBLE food! One of the worst! Junk food for dogs! Check on that dog food advisor website that Witz gave you - it's downright scary! Purina, like most commercial pets foods, is a CORN-based product. Corn is used as a cheap filler in pet foods. Dogs can't digest corn - it goes right through them and creates massive poops! But they still aren't getting sufficient nutrition from the food so they eat more and more trying to make up for it, and poop even more! It's basically no more than corn pressed in to little pellets that have been sprayed with a few vitamins and minerals and artificial flavorings. In addition, corn is a very common allergen in dogs and can cause stomach problems, gas, and skin issues.
The 4 Health that Janet talked about is an excellent food. It's basically a Tractor Supply store brand virtually identical to Taste of the Wild foods but not as expensive. I assume that it's also grain-free like TOTW. I still give my little guys the Taste of the Wild because I have three Bostons, one with a very sensitive stomach and another with a host of allergies and auto-immune issues and I've been hesitant to change their food since I finally found one they could all thrive on. But one of these days I'm going to try the 4 Health and see how they do on it. You also have to watch what you give them for treats. Most of the grocery store brands are also made of corn. You can find better treats in pet stores.
My Bostons are also very farty (is that a real word?) little dogs but there isn't a lot of odor. Their food agrees with them but theirs is caused by swallowing a lot of air when they eat because of the shape of their mouths and jaws. But on the wrong food, those little guys can clear a room really fast! You can buy special bowls in pet shops that keep them from eating too fast. They are made like angel food cake pans with a projection in the middle. They have to eat around this projection and it really slows them down so they don't swallow as much air when they are eating. But I would get him on a better food first, then look in to a different bowl.
The 4 Health that Janet talked about is an excellent food. It's basically a Tractor Supply store brand virtually identical to Taste of the Wild foods but not as expensive. I assume that it's also grain-free like TOTW. I still give my little guys the Taste of the Wild because I have three Bostons, one with a very sensitive stomach and another with a host of allergies and auto-immune issues and I've been hesitant to change their food since I finally found one they could all thrive on. But one of these days I'm going to try the 4 Health and see how they do on it. You also have to watch what you give them for treats. Most of the grocery store brands are also made of corn. You can find better treats in pet stores.
My Bostons are also very farty (is that a real word?) little dogs but there isn't a lot of odor. Their food agrees with them but theirs is caused by swallowing a lot of air when they eat because of the shape of their mouths and jaws. But on the wrong food, those little guys can clear a room really fast! You can buy special bowls in pet shops that keep them from eating too fast. They are made like angel food cake pans with a projection in the middle. They have to eat around this projection and it really slows them down so they don't swallow as much air when they are eating. But I would get him on a better food first, then look in to a different bowl.
Last edited:
GoingNorth
Crazy Cat Lady
I quit feeding ToTW when Diamond took them over. I fed Wellness Core for a couple of years and just recently switched to Orjen (I have cats) which is also grain-free.
Jake, my older cat, has mild colitis and switching to grain-free obviated the need for steroids to treat the colitis. He had bloody stools and horrible gas. Going grain-free has cleared all that up.
Both cats are in excellent coat, shedding is reduced, and they maintain their weight well. When I still had my dog, who was violently allergic to corn and wheat, I fed Prairie dry food. Prairie comes in several formulations. I fed the venison and barley and he did very well on it. It's kibble I highly recommend.
Some other good brands of dry dogfood are Blue Buffalo, Orjen. There are several good corn and wheat free dog foods out there, or you can go completely grain free if you choose.
You will find improved body and coat condition and an amazing reduction in size and odor of their stools.
Please, please, quit feeding your dogs Purina. It is, as Donna said, nothing but flavoured corn.
Jake, my older cat, has mild colitis and switching to grain-free obviated the need for steroids to treat the colitis. He had bloody stools and horrible gas. Going grain-free has cleared all that up.
Both cats are in excellent coat, shedding is reduced, and they maintain their weight well. When I still had my dog, who was violently allergic to corn and wheat, I fed Prairie dry food. Prairie comes in several formulations. I fed the venison and barley and he did very well on it. It's kibble I highly recommend.
Some other good brands of dry dogfood are Blue Buffalo, Orjen. There are several good corn and wheat free dog foods out there, or you can go completely grain free if you choose.
You will find improved body and coat condition and an amazing reduction in size and odor of their stools.
Please, please, quit feeding your dogs Purina. It is, as Donna said, nothing but flavoured corn.
