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I Need Your Help . . . My Dog Is Scared of Men

Pet Community — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:00:18 -0800

This post comes from member lilegwene in the Pet Peeves group:

My husband and I adopted a dog from an animal shelter a little over two weeks ago. She's an abandoned, Australian shepherd mix, about six years old, and as sweet as can be. We've named her "Jaida" (pronounced Jay-ida and means "good girl" in Arabic). She is my little shadow and loves to cuddle with me and to play in the snow.

Unfortunately, she is very afraid of men including our vet and my husband. I thought it was something she would get over, and she has to an extent with my husband - she will take food from him now which she would not do for the first week we had her. She still does not come to him when he calls, puts her tail between her legs, looks away from him when he pets her, and darts away from him to hide under my desk especially when he first comes downstairs in the morning or comes home from work.

Learn the rest of this story - and offer your advice in the comments - when you read more.

Right now he is in the kitchen making some food and we are in the living room, where she is hiding under my desk. If he goes to bed or goes to the gym, she will come out and lay on her bed next to the desk but while he is in the area she likes to stay in her safe zone.

I know it will take time, and my husband has been just talking to her nicely, petting her when she lets him, and giving her treats, but we could really use some tips from anyone who has had a similar situation. We'd love to speed along the process! I thought that two weeks in we'd start to see some more improvements, but little has changed. Also, are her actions caused by former abuse from a man or are some dogs just naturally wired to dislike a man's big frame and deep, loud voice?

There's a lot going on in our community - join it, check it out, share your posts or advice in the great groups, and maybe we'll feature it here on PetSugar!

Pet Peeves: My Dog's Nose Is Dry and Cracked

PetSugar — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:00:12 -0800

This problem comes to us from the Pet Peeves group from member flissflower:

Q: My six-year-old German Shepherd's nose has become very dry and is all cracked. He is in good health otherwise - does anyone know why it would be cracked?

A: I've heard of dogs having dry noses when they are dehydrated so make sure he gets (and chooses to drink!) plenty of water. Also, just like cold weather saps our skin, chilly temperatures could have a negative effect on a dog, too. If he has other visible dryness - like on paw pads - it could be the sign of an illness or allergies, so double check with the vet to get a clean bill of health.

In the meantime, keep it moisturized with a healing product like Natural Dog Snout Soother in the full size ($16) or a trial version ($4) instead.

There's a lot going on in our community - join it, check it out, share your questions or advice in the great groups, and maybe we'll feature it here on PetSugar!

I Need Your Help . . . Dog Has Red Pads!

Pet Community — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:25:57 -0800

This post comes to us from the Pet Peeves group from member beth56374.

My dog has been sleeping outside for sometime now, and during the day until early afternoon. I cleaned out his kennel recently and made a horrible mistake . . . I did not put enough hay on the bottom. When we went to get him the next day, there were holes and he had some ice inside it. I feel horrible because now his pads (especially his back right foot, seen here) are all red. He has been licking it a little but also limps on it. He is now sleeping inside but not sure what else I should do for this? Any thoughts?

There's a lot going on in our community - join it, check it out, share your posts or advice in the great groups, and maybe we'll feature it here on PetSugar!

Make Us Work For You: Submit Problems to the Pet Peeves Group

PetSugar — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:30:30 -0800

If you've got problems, we've got answers. Along with the fabulous PetSugar Community, I'll be offering solutions to all your pet peeves and other animal-related dilemmas.

So what do I need from you? Why, the pressing issues, of course. To get in on the conversation, pose your questions to the Pet Peeves group, and I'll select ones to feature on the site as they come in! Problems solved.

Source: Flickr User blmurch

I Need Your Help . . . Multiple Pit Bull Household?

Pet Community — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:00:34 -0800

This post comes to us from the Pet Peeves group from member Smacks83.

Ok, so in a few months I'm going to be moving with my boyfriend to our own apartment (right now, we both live at home). I know right off the bat there is this one Pit Bull at a rescue that I am planning to try to adopt (2 or 3-year-old fixed male), and last month I saw another dog in the same rescue that was about 2 or 3 years old, a fixed female I am seriously considering getting as well.

Get the rest when you .

Here's the situation though, a lot of what I've read online (a good portion pro-Pit Bull websites), say that two pits cannot really live together and, if they do, must be kept separated at all times. I was wondering if anyone out there either has a multi-pit home or a pit plus other dog home. Do you keep them separated all the time? Only when you aren't home? Can this situation possibly work? There is so much anti-pit info out there, I'm just trying to get a real answer that isn't "just don't get a pit" (I've always wanted a pit bull, I love the breed. I have had a rott and a pit/lab/shepherd pound mutt before, if any of that info helps). Thanks!

There's lots of fun stuff going on in our community - join it, check it out, share your posts or advice in the great groups and maybe we'll feature it here on PetSugar!

To the Rescue: How to Make Friends With a Friend's Cat

PetSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:40:14 -0700

While my house is feline-free, I've got plenty of friends with kitty housemates. Most of the time, they're pretty receptive to my overtures, but here's an easy tip I've learned the sharp way.

When reaching out to pet a cat, approach with fingers tucked under and fist together. Open hands with spread fingers can look a bit too much like unsheathed claws to some cats, and they could perceive your gentle petting desires to be a sign of aggression and lash out. Ouch. Move slowly - so you're not a moving target - and show the cat your hand first to sniff your scent before reaching in for a rub.

If you've had this problem, or other issues with animals, big and small, share your questions and concerns with our Pet Peeves group - I'm only here to help!

Source: Flickr User FriaLOve

I Need Your Help . . . Dealing With Aggressive Dogs on Walks

PetSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Nothing turns a walk time from rad to bad quicker than a foul-tempered pooch. I'd hazard a guess that very few, very lucky pet owners have never encountered an aggressive dog while out and about - even an attempted lunge is scary stuff - and what if it continues on way too far? Community member Beaner explains:

We've been going in the woods off-leash ever since we had our dog and, last weekend, the same dog went after him for the third time. I told the owner he should leash his dog since he's aggressive, and his response was, "Well I think dogs should just work it out themselves." When I saw him again, and I yelled to scare the other dog off, then leashed mine and walked the other way home. Is there anything I can do?

Get more of the story and offer your own advice when you read more.

Here's where the story gets more ridiculous as the offending owner asked Beaner if her dog was neutered - he is - but, when she asked back, he said "pretty much" even though she could see evidence to the contrary. Umm, horrible. Now, it's definitely a good idea to remove any dog from a dangerous situation but, unfortunately, there are some people that just won't do the right thing and ruin the fun for everyone else. Other than contacting the local animal care and control facility to see if there are any policies regarding aggressive dogs, I'm at a loss about what she can do - any tips?

(If you have problems of your own, don't forget to submit any questions to the Pet Peeves group - and we'll help work them out!)

I Need Your Help . . . Ear Protection From Rain?

PetSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:00:46 -0700

Rainy days go away! Not only does the wet stuff totally annoy some pets, it can be harmful, too. Check out this message about a three-year-old blue American Pitbull:

We rescued Diva at seven months old, and she had already had her ears clipped. It was a chop job to say the least - the problem now is that she is getting gunk in her ears when we walk, especially in the rain. I am looking for something to protect her ears and not block her hearing.

To see my advice, and offer your own, read more.

First off, I'd check with a vet to confirm that build up isn't coming from an infection. To keep ears clean, pick up a safe cleanser with Almond or Macadamia nut oils to repel water and soften stubborn wax. Anyone else have any suggestions to make walk time less sticky and less waterlogged?

(Remember if you have questions to be answered, either send me a private message or simply post to the Pet Peeves group - we're all here to help!)

Pet Peeves: Can I Put My Moisturizer on My Dogs' Paws?

PetSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:30:43 -0700

Q: My dog's paw pads are super dry, so dry they're nearly cracking. I know cold weather is coming soon and this will worsen - can I rub some of my lotion or Vaseline on them?

A: I commend your concern for bow owwies on the paw pads but you need to be careful what you rub him down with. Maybe you also want to sweeten them up, corn chip smell and all, but step away from your perfumed lotion! Search for a good pad moisturizer (Samson likes Opie and Dixie's healer) or ask your vet if the problem is severe. Not only can human hand moisturizer soften the pads too much for extra slips or slides, but the ingredients may also be harmful if ingested (read: licked).

If you have problems with pets, don't forget to submit your questions to our Pet Peeves group - I'm here to help!

Source: Flickr User lisatozzi

Pet Peeves: How Do I Know If My Dog's Toy Is Too Small?

PetSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:10:59 -0700

Q: I was soooo excited for my new dog, I went out and bought a ton of "puppy" toys . . . but now I'm wondering if he's outgrown them since he's almost one year old now. How can I tell if his playthings are the right size?

A: Ahh, new-puppy-mom syndrome - happens to the best of us! Not sure what kind of dog you have, but if he's a larger breed that grew significantly in size, there's a chance you may need to remove some of his old toys. Also, many puppy toys have a softer consistency so his adult teeth could tear them to shreds in no time at all.

My quick and easy rule is that if your dog can fit the entire toy easily is his mouth, it's too small. If you have a small dog, you may want to use the method some parents recommend - make sure it doesn't fit inside a toilet paper tube. Regardless, stay alert and promptly discard any tiny, torn bits or other possibly choking hazards. Don't forget, the same thing rings true for multiple pet homes (Saint Bernards could easily choke on a Chihuahua-sized toy) as well as those houses with tiny kitty toys laying about.

Source: Flickr User flygraphix