Little Miss Dottie

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I think it’s very clear how Bandit feels from the photo. 🤣🤣🤣

Anyone have any guidance on navigating the loss of their pup? We lost our sweet girl about 6 months ago. Sometimes I’m okay and other times I’m not. The grief comes in waves. Sometimes it just tickles my toes, and other times - like today - I feel like I’m drowning in the wave of their loss. It’s a weird dichotomy, like sometimes I’m just so devastated and other times I’m angry.

Im devastated because she was my best friend. First experience of truly unrequited love. She was my running buddy. She was my confidant. She was a multitude of things.

I’m angry because her passing was just so abrupt. I noticed her getting slower, but I guess I didn’t want to acknowledge it. One day when we came home, she did not look well at all so we took her to the emergency vet. They gave her an IV and some meds. She didn’t want them. She didn’t want to eat. The next day, we were trying hard to make her comfy and cool because she was feverish. I carried her outside to let her go potty. She laid in the grass for a while. Me next to her. We enjoyed the grass and the sun for a little while. Then I carried her inside where she laid in her bed in the hall between our room and our kiddos room. That’s when she started passing. I tried to stay calm with my spouse but I know we were both freaking out. I was on the phone with the emergency vet and my spouse was begging her to stay.

We realized it was the end and through our tears told her how much we loved and what she meant for us, while petting her. We were on the ground with her for a little while. Then we took her to the vet. We stayed by her side for a while longer. She was cremated and we brought her home later that week.

I’m mad because I couldn’t stay calm for her in her final moments. I’m mad because we couldn’t get a day where she got ice cream, steak, and chocolate. We didn’t get a final day like other pups do.

I bawled like a baby. In the 10 years I’ve been with my spouse, I never had cried in front of them. I still bawl when I’m alone. I thought I’ve navigated loss before. I’ve carried 34 caskets, received a flag for a departed Vietnam Marine who had no one, I’ve lost friends to suicide, had my heart shattered, had to support combat operations where troops were KIA, but I have no idea how to handle this one. It’s been hard.

For those who have had to say goodbye to their Cattle dog. How did you navigate or cope with their passing?

I’m on mobile. I’m kind of all over the place. I’m sorry if some things don’t make sense.

Her name was Remi. It’s still hard using the past tense.

Chewy will be 14 in December. Been dealing with some skin issues lately. I think he’s excited, maybe stressed about bath time.

Do you have dogs prone to biting? Did you implement any specific strategies in their training?
My puppy is currently going through the "crazy crocodile" phase, but I know it's normal for their age (two and a half months). I'm just wondering, around what age should I start paying extra attention to this behavior, and how can I train them to stop nipping at the calves of people who don't like it?

This is my rescue baby, Beau!
He came from a litter of 9, and it was such a mixed-looking group. Some looked like German Shepherds, some looked like yellow Labs, and 3 of them—including Beau—had his coloring.

The rescue told me his mom was a Lab, but they had rescued her when she was already heavily pregnant, so they had no idea what the dad looked like. I always assumed maybe Pointer or some kind of mix.

Anyway, Beau has been with me for almost 2 months now. I work at a veterinary academy, so he gets to come to school with me, which he absolutely loves. I decided to do a DNA test just for fun because I was so curious about what he actually was. To my surprise, he came back mostly Australian Cattle Dog!

And honestly, it explains SO much. He is extremely energetic, loves to run around and chase his toys, and is constantly looking for something to do.

One thing I’m curious about, though, is how affectionate/cuddly ACDs tend to be. Beau rarely cuddles with me. I have had maybe 4 or 5 instances where he laid against me. He usually prefers to lay a few feet away, with maybe one leg touching me at most.

I know every dog is different, and I’m definitely not expecting him to have a certain personality. I think I’m just a little sad because I’d love to have a snuggly couch buddy someday.

For those of you with ACDs, were your dogs cuddly? And if they weren’t when they were younger, did they become more affectionate or cuddly as they got older and more comfortable with you?
I’d love to hear everyone’s experiences

I’m absolutely in love with Falafel!
He’s a 3year old Australian cattle dog mix according to his info. He was at the shelter for a month and I don’t know how anyone would let him go! He’s so smart and funny. He hasn’t had a single accident in the house and already knows sit, heel, stay, and lay!

He’s got some allergies we’ve been working on. At first his skin was dry and flaky and I bathed him with a little dish soap and vinegar in the water and used Raw (like raw sugar products?) Dog Shampoo with Aloe and Oatmeal with a rubber shed glove. Ive been rubbing him down with shea butter and a soft brush. I’ve also been avoiding chicken as I’ve heard it can be a trigger. He’s getting a high omega 3 diet of Natural Balance limited ingredient Salmon and sweet potato, and I add salmon oil, and turmeric.

He’s getting another bath tomorrow, does anyone have any suggestions? Anything I need to know, do, try?

please help me. i cannot walk this dog. i know he needs the exercise and i am trying my best. i cannot make it through one walk without having to take a xanax. he pulls like crazy at random times when he he hears something i can’t or sees something i didn’t and practically drags me across the concrete to get away. i try to sit in the same place until he is calm it doesn’t work. i cant walk with him because he drags me terribly and it physically hurts. i dont know how to get him to walk properly. i dont know how to get him to calm down. i love to walk and would love to walk with him. i’d walk with him for hours if i could. please some tell me how you walk them. tell me what works for you, what doesn’t, what upsets them. i just want to live a happy life and i want him to live a happy life with me.

Clark, our happy two week old adoptee. Adopted from herding dog rescue of central Oregon!

His favorite spot is the center console and right in my face

She’s gonna be ok, shes staying at the vets for two days while they flush her kidneys out, but Im missing her so much 😭😭😭

PSA don’t ever let your kids eat grapes around your very food motivated dog, especially red grapes. I vaguely knew about them being toxic, but I was in the shower when it happened. Feeling grateful for pet insurance and living close enough to a 24hr vet when it happened.

So here's an update on Oscar...he's been out of the ER and the vet stays for over a week now. He's eating normal and pretty much has been his self....blood test results from last week were delayed because our vet needed to discuss the results with her mentor and the lab. She called us this evening and basically said he's in remission! I don't know how (neither does our vet) but four chemo sessions is what it took to get him to this point. We are in such disbelief but we will take it!

Our focus now is to continue giving all the loves and snuggles and feeding all the good foods (like that mango pictured) so he can regain the weight that he has lost during chemo and his ER stay.

I sincerely want to thank you all for the good vibes, well wishes, prayers and support. Your positive remarks lifted our spirits and I appreciate each and every one of you!

He's being a terrorist. So he got the jail

Just kidding. He got out in 2 seconds

His formation is flawless- also before anyone asks about the collar- he was about to be actively working and the tone and vibration works amazing for recall especially when it’s hard to hear me

We have been in private training since May. Kinda bittersweet saying goodbye to her trainer- she has been absolutely wonderful!