Designer and Mixed Breed Dog Community - Forum

Questions about Brushing Your Dogs Teeth

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:50:43 GMT

How often do you brush your dogs teeth? Our vet said you should really do it 2-3 times a week to keep up their dental health. I am just wondering how often everyone else does it? What kind of toothpaste do you use? We have some brand of enzymatic paste that is suppossedly the best, any opinions? Thanks!

There are 12 replies, with the last one on 2/10/2012 at 6:50 AM by emgerber

Reply:

The nylabone I got is for strong chewers and it is very hard. Khia loves it. I never thought about frozen carrots. I will give it a try. I know she does very well with carrots and she really likes them. Thanks!

What food do you feed your dog.

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:47:50 GMT

I would love to know what food you feed your dog and why you have chosen that food. There is so much information but I am not sure what is fact and what is fiction. My dog appears to have allergies.

There are 70 replies, with the last one on 2/10/2012 at 6:47 AM by emgerber

Reply:

We are going slow with the transition. I really hope this answers all her needs without allergy reactions. So far so good. Allergy reactions are all gone. She is happy, full of energy and on top of the world. I really want this to work for her.

What is new?

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:43:41 GMT

I would enjoy finding out how things are going for every one with there loving dogs. I love to hear about, share and talk about the fun activities you are having with our dog.

There are 53 replies, with the last one on 2/10/2012 at 6:43 AM by emgerber

Reply:

Nice about the dog day care. I have never used Petsmart for day care for Khia. We use the agility club we belong to. Sometimes I even taken her to day care just so she can have a day full of dog play even if I do not need dog care. You paint how nice is that. I would love to get a painting of Khia maybe one day. I would love to see your work.

Hello Everyone!

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:23:40 GMT

I'm Marcie Jae and a new member. My husband Les and I have 2 dogs, Max and Larry. I enjoy reading the articles on health issues and new designer breeds. We adopted Max who is a Standard Schnauser Mix last year. I haven't figured out what the "Mix" part of him is yet. And Larry is a Lab Mix adopted from a local shelter 5 years ago. We live out in the desert of Nevada.

I look forward to meeting and talking with you soon.

There are 3 replies, with the last one on 2/8/2012 at 6:23 AM by emgerber

Reply:

MarcieJae I have not heard back from you. How is it going with Max and Larry?

Chronic Lameness In my Mauzer.

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:52:33 GMT

Hi All,

We've been through a rough couple of months with our dog and we can't seem to find any answers.

Diesel is anywhere from 2 - 3 years old. We've had him for 1 1/2 years, he was a shelter adoption.

We knew he had very mild luxating patella in his right hind leg, but it didn't hold him back. He was a healthy, active little guy.

About two months or so ago he started to really go lame in that leg. We brought him in, Vet said it wasn't that bad and to put him on Cosequin. We did that...no change. Vet then suggested blood work & x rays, we did that. Nothing obvious that would cause such lameness. Then the front left leg started having issues. At that point Vet suggested a visit to Neuro and Ortho specialists. We did that....nothing obvious found. So, we decided to try antibiotics for potential Lyme disease, even though his bloods were clear. No improvement.

Prednisone next, saw some improvement in left front, but not in right rear. But he can't stay on that forever, so once he was gradually taken off, issues reappeared. Vet was encouraged by positive response so then prescribed Gabapentin. At this point I still see no changes.

Not sure what to do next short of a $1,500 MRI that would tell me what? That he's got a terminal spinal tumor or some other chronic spine disease? We're already trying meds that would help that.

So, I'm reaching out to you folks to see if ANYONE has experienced anything similar with their dog, and if so, what remedies might be out there that I'm not aware of.

Thank you all so much.

DieselsMom

There are 7 replies, with the last one on 2/6/2012 at 10:52 AM by emgerber

Reply:

Please keep us posted. I too would do any thing to keep my dog healthy and well.

Begging for people food

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:53:31 GMT

My 13 week old Chorkie loves to beg for human food. Anytime he smells food ( and thats almost always) he just sniffs and tries to reach it...the whole nine yards... his most recent thing is roaming the kitchen looking for perhaps a morsle or two on the floor. When all fails he goes back to the dog food, which is good quality food for puppies. I dont want him to beg, so any help offered will be appreciated.

There are 2 replies, with the last one on 2/6/2012 at 7:53 AM by emgerber

Reply:

Yes crating is a good idea if your dog is crate trained or if you have a dog bed in another room you can send him to the bed and give him a special treat. Anytime he comes back in the room you are eating in gently send him back to where every you have designated he needs to go while you are eating. Being consistent is the only way he will learn. If you slip up once and give him food from the table he will start begging again. We do not feed your dog any human food and we never feed when it is our time to eat. Our dog has a regular feeding schedule so she knows when it time for her to eat. The treats we give her are safe fresh fruits and vegetables. Learning a new skill takes time so relax, be consistent and your Chorkie will learn.

I am having the hardest time...

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:18:00 GMT

I have a 11 month old Chiweenie and a 3 month old chiuahua mix. I live in apartments and they complain about poop outside and the grass dying so I tried to train my pups to go on the patio (never use it) and then clean it with hot water and soap. My dog sophie loves going outside but is afraid of the patio and the little pup Luna is hard to keep up with and catch her in the act to correct her (she is very sneeky) I have been trying to use puppy pads and even got some spray that is supose to make them want to go in the place you spray it but they dont seem to get the concept... any suggestions on what I can do.?

There are 5 replies, with the last one on 2/5/2012 at 4:18 PM by emgerber

Reply:

Scooter80917 nice! You sure were lucky to get your dog trained so quickly. I know some people struggle because some dogs just are not easy to train that quickly.

Jumping!!

corky95621@designermixes.org (corky95621) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:35:15 GMT

I am having trouble with my Bulloxer Chloe jumping up on people. She is now almost 70 lbs. It almost knocks people over when they come to our house and she jumps up. She has given my 7 year old a black eye from jumping up. I don't know how to get her to stop. Other people with boxers tell that is their nature, but it isn't ok with me for her to act like that. She is a large dog and could hurt someone. I have tried putting her in her crate for this but I don't think she understands what "no jump" means. I have tried giving her treats for not jumping but as soon as she finishes the treat she starts jumping all over everyone. Does anyone know how to take care of this behavior? I would be soon grateful for any advice.

There are 9 replies, with the last one on 2/5/2012 at 11:35 AM by corky95621

Reply:

you can go on youtube and watch Vitctoria Stilwell videos of how to train jumping dogs or go to itsmeordog.com she has great videos and advice. you are supposed to ignore the dog when it jumps on you and keep turning your back away from the dog when it jumps and give it attention when it stops. my dogs know the word NO so when they start to do it i will bend over them (a threatening pose) and point my finger and say NO firmly. they will stop jumping at my feet after that has been done. jumping can be a real issue with larger dogs. but i do suggest looking at victoria stilwell she is amazing!

Mixed Breeds?

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:23:18 GMT

I have done a lot of reading about opponents to this 'Designer Dog' craze and cross breeding in general. I know there are valid points on both sides and I am just curious about everyone else's point of view. Why should we or why should we not be creating mixed breed dogs?

There are 13 replies, with the last one on 2/4/2012 at 8:23 AM by emgerber

Reply:

corky95621 nicely put. My dog's cross and my interest in this cross was because I have always wanted a white coated dog that was medium in size but a working dogs so we could compete agility. I got exactly what I wanted.

Apples

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:18:20 GMT

Are apples okay for dogs? I know dogs should generally not have people food and we very rarely feed our dogs any. Every once in a while they get rice or fresh baked chicken or things along those lines. I know there are things that dogs definitely should NOT have like chocolate, raisins, grapes, onions, sugar, etc. The last couple of days I have been eating an apple and my dogs are going crazy trying to get to some of it so that made me wonder if apples are okay for dogs. I am not going to feed them an entire apple or anything just curious if a small piece or lick is okay? I also read that the seeds are definitely not good for them. Thanks for your thoughts...

There are 11 replies, with the last one on 2/4/2012 at 8:18 AM by emgerber

Reply:

Khia is loving and doing great with the safe raw vegetable and fruits. She is so full of energy, enthusiasm, and enjoys life to the fullest. It is so nice to have a low calorie, healthy treat that does not impact her allergies.

New Here

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:45:16 GMT

A proud Chorkie momma

There are 4 replies, with the last one on 1/31/2012 at 6:45 AM by emgerber

Reply:

Loved the picture of Romeo would like to see some more. I love the beautiful big eyes.

Pet- icure

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:33:42 GMT

Has anyone tried one of those Peticure things? I have one and I hate it. It is so hard to get her nails done. My Chloe will not holds still. I have to physically sit on her to hold her down. Even then she won't be still so I can't get them done. Any advice?

There are 22 replies, with the last one on 1/23/2012 at 6:33 AM by emgerber

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I was just checking. I also just shave around the paw pads but I was never really told this was right or wrong but it works for Khia and she has no problem with me doing it. I am always open to new ideas or better ways to do things so that is why I asked. Thanks.

Breeders in US?

Bigdoodlepups@designermixes.org (Bigdoodlepups) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:02:41 GMT

Does anyone know of a Newfypoo in the US or Canada? I have not been able to find one breeder.

There are 3 replies, with the last one on 1/22/2012 at 6:02 PM by Bigdoodlepups

Reply: Hi! Actually I raise Newfypoos and St Berdoodles. They are amazing breeds! No drool and less shedding. Perfect for allergy homes!!!! As for health issues none report so far! Actually your designer dogs are more healthy than your purebreds!!! Great for allergy homes and we have several as therapy dogs!

Two-year-old male Chorkie, an ASTONDING father

yoflomarie1@designermixes.org (yoflomarie1) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:36:57 GMT

My two-year-old Chorkie, Rocky, became a father on October 3, 2011. Since these three puppies were born he has been SOOOO protective of them. We have several other doggies in our home, different breeds, and we were concerned there would be a problem with all the different dog personalities. There really hasnt been a problem and Rocky has just been amazing with these pups. We kept one little boy and we call him Billy. Rocky kisses Billy, cleans his ears, plays tug-of-war and lays beside him and sleeps. He allows Billy to crawl all over him and curl up against him. Has anyone else experienced this much attention, affection and guarding from their "Papa doggies"? I THINK IT'S AMAZING!!!

short haired dogs that shed

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:22:04 GMT

So I know shedding can be a reall issue when it comes to dogs and their owners. If you have a short haired dog that sheds a lot and have a hard time finding the right brush to take care of it get a ZOOM GROOM. I swear by this brush with short and long haired breeds. I use it in my grooming salon and at home with my dogs. I have had several owners call back and ask for me to tell me how great it is to bring their dog home and not have any shedding and have asked me what i use. It is not an expensive brush like the FURMINATOR is, this brush is under $10 and comes in a variety of colors. It is a rubber brush so you dont have to worry about scratching your dogs skin like you do with slicker brushes. dogs who are inside shed YEAR ROUND whereas dogs that are outside will shed SEASONALLY. If you guys have ANY questions about grooming and grooming supplies feel free to ask :D

There are 6 replies, with the last one on 1/22/2012 at 1:22 PM by emgerber

Reply:

That is great. I am planning to get one. I already have 3 different brush and they are all great for specific areas of my girl's coat but the though of her getting a massage while I brush is nice.

Beware of the dog sign

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:05:06 GMT

Where can i get a beware of the bullkita sign?? or somewhere that could make me one? would love some answers, ebay doesnt have any and that usually has everything !

There are 2 replies, with the last one on 1/22/2012 at 1:05 PM by emgerber

Reply:

How about making the sign yourself and getting it laminated? You must have some computer skills and with all the resources available for free on the Internet you could make a wonderful sign yourself. If you want it over sized you could save your design and go to Staples or a copy shop and they could make it any size you want for just a couple of dollars. It would be customized and fun to do.

Mixed breeds...

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:30:25 GMT

[size=5]We saw our first mixed breed Newfoundland/Poodle Saturday. The owner referred to it (Simon) as a NewfyDoodle.

Why?

Would Newdle not be more appropriate?

Just asking...[/size=5]

There are 2 replies, with the last one on 1/20/2012 at 7:30 AM by emgerber

Reply:

I do find it interest the names that are used for our mixed breeds. My girl is half American Eskimo and half American Cocker Spaniel but this cross was done 3 generations back. Her parents and grand parents are American Eskimo Spaniels (Cock-A-Mo). She is called a Cock-A-Mo here at this site but my breeder actually refers to her a an American Eskimo Spaniel. Her thoughts were that this makes all people look at her as a special breed vs a mutt as some people would call her.

Warning about topical flea&tick medication!!!

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:05:02 GMT

If you have a small dog, PLEASE be careful of the over-the-counter topical flea&tick meds that you put on the dog's back. I used one a month ago and my Pom/Chi started having seizures within an hour. Between emergency vet visit and two trips to my own vet and multiple meds, it cost over $500 and I almost had to have her euthanized. But luckily, at the last minute, she began to respond to anti-convulsant medication and now she's doing better, but will probably have to be on this med the rest of her life due to neurological damage. These flea treatments may be okay for bigger dogs, but the EPA has had LOTS of complaints about seizures and deaths in small dogs and in cats. Be careful!

There are 2 replies, with the last one on 1/19/2012 at 8:05 PM by emgerber

Reply:

I guess I am just a 'big afraidy cat' but I always take my dogs to the Vet when it comes to all that kind of stuff. My dogs get a top to bottom health dog check up yearly at the Vet and this is when I get my years supply of Flea and Tick Medication along with Heartworm Medication and a few other things, and all the immunizations and other protections she needs to be safe especially with my dog competing agility and doing Superdog Shows.

Pro Grooming

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:57:10 GMT

I have always wondered how the professional groomers treat my dogs while they are being groomed. I had a friend, who sent her dog to the groomer, and when she got to the groomers to pick her dog up, she could hear her dog crying and squealing. Then she heard the groomer cussing her dog out. My friend knew something was wrong. So she ran to the back of the shop to get her dog immediately. She said blood was everywhere and that she had cut two of his toenails completely off, and then three of them were cut down lower than the quick. Her dog was in major pain, and the groomer told my friend that it wasn't her fault, it was Derby's (her dog) My friend got so mad at that groomer and never went back. What happened was, she rushed him to the vet, and he had to have surgery and they had to fix everything. They glued some of his nails so they would stop bleeding. At first the groomer refused to pay for Derby's vet bills (she was the owner) My friend said that if she didn't pay for the vet bill, she was going to sue her. So regretfully, she payed. But I would be really scared that something like that would happen to my dog. Her dog is now scared of being touched on the paw. He wont let you do anything to it. he is traumatized. That's why I do grooming at home. Has something like that ever happened to you ?

There are 4 replies, with the last one on 1/19/2012 at 5:57 AM by emgerber

Reply:

I do 95% of all my dogs grooming but I do have 1 groomer that I can use. She is the only one I will use. Khia knows her and really likes her. Whenever Khia sees her she is all excited and happy. This tells me that my dog had a good experience and no problem with the grooming experience. She always listens to what I want, will make suggestions and give ideas but in the end it is always my decision what will be done.

Dachshund

corky95621@designermixes.org (corky95621) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:34:23 GMT

We breed or Dachshund with a Miniture Pinsher and the puppys are due in May. She has had one other litter of Dachshunds before and we had no trouble. But because of the male being a bit bigger than the last dad she is having a problem. She was born with a malformated let bone. The bone from the hip to the next joint did not form all the way so she limps. Well with all the weight she is carring yesterday she hurt her leg jumping off the furniture I think and she would not move at all. I gave her a baby asprin and today she is walking again. What I am worried about is she still have over 30 days before puppys are due. Is therr something we need to do to make it easier on her??

Thank you

Valeriewb

There are 3 replies, with the last one on 1/18/2012 at 11:34 AM by corky95621

Reply:

you should NOT be breeding a dog with hip problems. you can end up killing your dog. UGH! im sorry but irresponsible breeding makes me upset. Also the male shouldnt be bigger than the female, it causes the pups to be bigger and can kill your dog while giving birth. the male should be about the same size or smaller and the female should not have any problems. im sorry but shame on you for breeding this poor dog and making her suffer.

Health issues for POOTALIANS

corky95621@designermixes.org (corky95621) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:30:52 GMT

Have year-old female Pootalian named Black Cloud. She will aperiodically breathe with a deep rasp / cough for about 10-15 secs, then return to whatever she was doing. Don't believe that it is kennel cough. The cough does not follow eating / exercise. Any thoughts on this, and health issues for Pootalians in general?

There are 1 replies, with the last one on 1/18/2012 at 11:30 AM by corky95621

Reply:

i was going to ask if it sounded like the dog was snorting in a way. does your dog tense up when this happens? it could be a reverse sneeze which happens periodically and only for a minute or so. You can look up a reverse sneeze on youtube to hear what it sounds like to see if this is what your dog is doing. It can happen when a dog gets excited, stressed, or eats too fast. Usually when this happens with my Pinneranian I will plug her nose and force the air through her mouth which helps a lot. Now whenever it happens she comes running to me to fix it lol

Frontline won't work.

corky95621@designermixes.org (corky95621) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:10:00 GMT

Hi all. I have an issue with my 4 1/2 month old Chipoo, Sophie. Vet says her skin won't absorb Frontline. Says she only sees it once in awhile. She went to the groomer on Friday ( which was very traumatic to her and now I have to decide what to do, but that's another story :), they gave her a flea bath and I told them to go ahead and try the Frontline on her , and Sunday I found a flea. She is itching and driving herself and us crazy.[:(] Anyone have any ideas? I've heard that the sprays and powders don't really work and can be harsh to their systems.

There are 4 replies, with the last one on 1/18/2012 at 11:10 AM by corky95621

Reply:

Frontline is not a very good brand compared to the others. ask your vet about a pill that can be given WORKS WONDERS!!! it is possible that if your dog is itching like crazy that she could have flea dermatitis (flea allergy) you can try a shampoo called ADAMS PLUS but i do warn you it is about a 20 dollar bottle but WELL WORTH IT! i always recommend it and i have used it on several of my dogs and it kills the fleas instantly! you can also try garlic pills from your local pet store, garlic works great at warding off fleas. they also put garlic in some pet treats for that same reason. I do know that once you have fleas it can be a battle to get rid of them cuz you have to treat your yard and your carpets. fleas can live up to 6 months in your carpets. Also try putting a bit of salt into your dogs shampoo, or put some shampoo into your palm and sprinkle salt into that. GREAT at killing fleas without all the chemicals :D :D

Longterm pros and cons of neutering/spaying

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 06:32:47 GMT

Recently the question of spaying/neutering and age came up and I just wanted to post an article(pdf) I found on the NAIA(National Animal Interest Alliance).

[url]www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf[/url]

in case I am not allowed posting direct links..

xxx.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

There are 7 replies, with the last one on 1/16/2012 at 6:32 AM by emgerber

Reply:

Your comment is so right on. We are a society of just going along with what everyone else is doing or saying without even questioning is this right or wrong, or a good thing or a bad thing. Neutering/spaying your dog is not something that should just be done or not done. This is a medical procedure that has risk and you need to be very clear in my mind why you have chosen the route you have gone. Hopefully your posting will make people stop and think it through before making a decision.

Beginner Agility

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:30:59 GMT

I am thinking about doing some Agility training with my two dogs. They love learning new things and I thought it would be fun. I have never done anything like this before so I am looking for ideas, pointers, suggestions, etc about equipment, tips and whatever else you can help me with. Thanks in advance! [:D]

There are 7 replies, with the last one on 1/14/2012 at 6:30 AM by emgerber

Reply:

Well how is the agility going? Some of you have talked about trying agility so I am just checking in to see how it is going and how much your dog is enjoying this activity. I know my girl lives to do agility.

Lets touch base!

emgerber@designermixes.org (emgerber) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:12:45 GMT

I know there are at least 2 other members of this web site who have Cock-A-Mos and I would love to share stories and just general things about our dogs. I have looked up the pictures of your dogs to see the similarities. I would also like to know more about heir histories. Please respond.

There are 2 replies, with the last one on 1/13/2012 at 12:12 PM by emgerber

Reply:

Oh no! I did put it under the right mix. When I posted I thought on no it was wrong, then when I checked it was right! I need to double check before I post. I just am not having a good day. My lunch break is over. I just need the day to be over so I can get home and have some fun and go for a walk with my dog.