Let's See Your Dogs!!

Thanks guys!

 

She's at her happiest when she's at the dog park.

 

New edition!
His name is Stetson.

 

Maggie's favorite trick, playing dead!



napping in the back of the taco!

 

@ImpulseRed008

Puppies!!

 

That's Jake's best trick. His only trick now that I think about it.

 

Roman and Gunner accompanied us to the overland expo in Flagstaff last week.

 

Started with 11 puppies in the litter, and now down to 7. If all goes well today, 3 more will go to their new homes.

 

I know the feeling!

He lives to play with other dogs! The Great Dane is one of his favorites!

 

i swear the day I ever meet someone who dumps a dog off ill be dumping their body parts off shortly after. Not cool

 

looks like one veteran champ right there

 

I wanted to write a couple things about a drug called Apoquel. It's an immune suppressant used to provide relief to dogs with dermatitis or other itch causing disease. Riley often ends up with pretty dry skin. Even after a bath with a medicated shampoo (so much so that I rarely bathe). It's important to note it doesn't do anything for the underlying condition, just provides some relief from the itch. And quickly too. Usually within a day or so, he'll be much better. A week and he's much better. Enough so that he can be off the drug in a week or two at most.

I started Riley on it a while ago to see how well he tolerated the drug. He's done very well. And the beauty is we can run a 7 day course and then stop. I don't have to wean him off it. Together with his vet, I looked at a number of options and compared to the others, Apoquel is probably the least invasive solution compared to steroids or ABs. To be sure, there are contraindications and I'd be lying if I said it was 100% safe-but going back to steroids, those can have some serious long term problems. Things like kidney and liver issues. Antibiotics (ABs), used frequently, can become less effective over time. Apoquel can have kidney/liver/other organ complications too but at a lower rate than the alternatives. Apoquel hasn't been around long so it's hard to say whether long term use will have significant effects or not (like steroids do). So far, all's well in Riley's world when he's got the itch. Since we can use it only when he's itching, I think it'll be a better long term solution.

You might be wondering "why not cure the underlying condition". One reason is cost. To have him skin tested would be expensive and very uncomfortable for Riley. Second, even if I knew what the trigger was, that'd be a condition requiring some form of long term meds; probably steroids. Finally, since his discomfort is short term, Apoquel seems to suit the bill-he'll need fewer meds over the course of his life too and that, to me, is a good thing.

 

Meet my new dog, 친구

 

Google says that's 'Friend', yes?

 

After my dog Georgia's third major breakout in hives the first 6 months we had her I refused to go the steroid route and went to a veterinary dermatologist. She was very allergic to nearly everything, 20 of 25 grasses, 30 of 35 trees, dust, mites, cotton, wool, etc. I chose to go the injection route with anti allergen serum. She was so allergic to so many things I have to give her 2 shots every two weeks cause they couldn't compound her serum into a single injection. It was, and remains terribly expensive. Probably between 1500 and 2000 for her initial visit and testing, then every 3 or 4 months another 400 for more serum and syringes. Plus, she gets 2 Zyrtec daily (down from an initial dose of 3). Good for you if you can control Rileys outbreaks with other than the testing/allergen thereapy, but I've been impressed with how well the anti allergen stuff has suppressed her response and prevented the frequent use of steroids!

 

Huh?



There are at least half a dozen of us on here that hunt with our dogs. And I would say even outside of TW most hunters treat their hunting dogs better and give them more work and attention than most of your everyday family dogs. Even those that kennel their dogs outside.

To not let a dog that was breed over the years, born and loves to hunt is cruel punishment to the dog. Most dogs that are abandoned in the woods are family pets. The video Gift should be seen by anyone that has never owned a dog before IMO. And worth the watch no matter who you are. This is where most of your abandoned dogs come from.



Years ago when I was living in Asheville, NC the now Ex came home from the grocery store with a beagle mix and said here you go its a hunting dog. I don't hunt rabbits but it became the family dog for 17 years. When I moved to Mn. one of the first things I did was start to build brush piles so the rabbits would reproduce and have cover, and the dog would have bunnies to chase. The Ex and neighbors didn't care for the brush piles, but I really didn't give a damn what any of them thought about it. It was the right thing to do. Up until she died she would bay all over the neighborhood chasing bunnies.

Last week got a call from a Toller breeder in Tx. She has a 1.5 year old pick of the litter that she gave her son and his family. They weren't giving it enough exercise and work so took it back and was looking for a good hunting home for it. After some conversation I pick him in 2 weeks and she is able to give it a ride pretty far North, I only have to drive 4.5 hours to get him. He will have plenty or work to do and a welcome addition to my 2 year old Toller.

Hi my name is Jax and I need a job. And birds to hunt.

 

Ah. The ultra-rare cat dog.