View Full Version : Job Update!
I'll try and get a picture of him tomorrow...he's doing really well!
He had his last set of shots a week ago...and today I dropped him off to be neutered - pick up between 5-6 tonight. He's at a different clinic - one that does neutering for the humane society. Our regular vet doesn't.
We start obedience classes next week on Thursday - but I wanted him neutered before we started so that's why I took him in today.
The puppy socialization classes at our regular vet's were very useful. I want Job to be able to relax and hang out without having to have our 'pack' of dogs nearby. Not to mention he now associates a car ride with going to the vet's and having FUN! He also associates a car ride with puking - but that's another story...:hmm3grin2orange:
He's not quite as big as I hoped he would be. He's still only 5 1/2 months...so he will grow more - get a bit taller, and then bulk out, but he won't grow a huge amount anymore. I was hoping he'd mature at around 70 lbs, but now I'm wondering if he'll even make 60.
Still - he's big enough to rough-house with Celeste, so it's okay. That's the main reason I've never adopted a puppy from the humane society...I like to know what the adult dog will look like - vs. having a 'surprise!'. Celeste was different in that she was already full-grown when we got her...
Algenco
01-26-2010, 03:58 PM
letting him know who's the boss:hmm3grin2orange:
Northernguy
01-26-2010, 05:29 PM
I once had a dog that would car sick all the time.1/2 a childrens Gravol 1/2hr before we left cured that.She eventually stopped needing them.It did make her a bit groggy though so its not a good idea before class I guess!
No...I can't give him Gravol before class...lol...but it would be funny.
Well, they sent him home with a cone on his head...I don't see the need for it, but I'll leave it on for 2-3 days to make sure he doesn't lick at his stitches...I have to work tomorrow, so I can't watch him the entire day.
As soon as I took him outside the clinic, he stuck his head in a snowbank...so he was a 'snow cone'...:hmm3grin2orange: As much as he hates the car, he was so HAPPY to be in familiar surroundings...and then he passed out and slept all the way home...
Then as soon as I got home with Job...I was greeted by an incident :sconfused:
My son came from doing chores and told me a horse was down. Sure enough. I don't know how long she was down. Morning chores were done around 6 a.m., and it was almost 6:00 p.m.. It looked like her hind right leg might be broken and she couldn't get up. Her hair was all frozen from sweating...it was awful.
I called the neighbour to come shoot her for me. :scry: He had a friend over who is also a horseman...and they first came to the same conclusion - that she slipped/ was kicked and broke something. But we couldn't feel an obvious break.
So between them and my son we dragged her to the barn on a tarp.
This is a pony - maybe 400 lbs.
We decided to give her a chance...put some straw under her...blanket on top. See if she was in shock, or overly hypothermic...and if she died, at this point nothing much a vet could do, even if I could find one to come out (bad road conditions) at least she was in the barn. There was no way I could have left her outside and have her survive.
Plan was to see how she did tonight...and if she survived, see how she did tomorrow and reaccess...or see if I could get a vet out then.
And THEN...about 20 minutes after dragging her in to the barn...she GOT UP :ssuprised: . Her leg isn't quite right, but she's putting weight on it...and she's eating and drinking. I have no idea what happened. Maybe she slipped, fell, was cast against the fence and got stiff with cold?
Just checked on her. She's up and eating and drinking. Leg still isn't right, but it may also just be badly bruised. No way to tell. She still may not make it, but I'm thinking it's going to be okay.
I'll let you know.
Northernguy
01-27-2010, 01:45 AM
I sure hope she will be ok Rue!
Thats terrible.It may be bruised from laying on it for however long it was.
Thanks...it's the most bizzare thing I've seen yet with a horse. And what if it turns out to be nothing serious? I might have shot her over it!:help:
...and now...my daughter just walked in the door - without her younger brother! They both had basketball practice. She forgot about him and left him behind in town! *ARGH* So the older son just drove back to town to get him...and then when he gets back, he has to drive to the city...he needs high-speed access to do homework...
*bangbangbang*
That's me hitting my head against the wall...
Northernguy
01-27-2010, 02:43 AM
I am glad to hear you didn't jump the gun!
Is there a vet coming to see her?
You need high speed!:19:
I don't know that a vet can do much - but I will call if it looks like a vet is needed.
If she bruised her leg, or pulled a tendon/ligament...stall rest is all the vet will suggest. If she looks like she's in pain, I have some bute on-hand. If it looks like she's getting a fever (infection) I also have antibiotics on hand...
I've done most of the horse care myself - under the supervision of our vet - so I can handle most things...
But apparently I can't tell a true broken leg from a stiff, unbending leg that looks broken and frozen...:hmm3grin2orange:
We checked on her every hour since we dragged her to the barn...so far so good, she's still up and eating...
...and yeah, we need high-speed! Can you make them hurry up and build that extra tower???:22:
deathtroll
01-27-2010, 07:06 AM
have you ever considered satellite for internet can be a little bit more expencive but not all that bad
I hope that everything is alright with the horse and that the classes go well for job
Little Embers
01-27-2010, 10:31 AM
Gee Rue! I started reading the first post and thought, this is a nice update with the puppy doing well (apart from car sickness lol), finished his shots, being neutered, starting puppy pre-school and becoming a snow cone lol....
....then we get to the pony (poor thing)..and a child being left stranded LOL..I hope the homework gets done, and I really hope the pony will be OK!
Is there ever a day without drama and everything goes smoothly for you Rue!:11: :11:
sailor
01-27-2010, 12:08 PM
Wow I hope your pony is ok Rue. Hopefully it turns out to be nothing major and just some stall rest and some tlc is all that is needed.
have you ever considered satellite for internet can be a little bit more expencive but not all that bad
I hope that everything is alright with the horse and that the classes go well for job
Thanks! The pony mare is up and eating still! And there's poop in the stall! Which is good, her digestive system is working! It could also have been colic that put her down...and then she got too stiff to get up?
I'm still overwhelmed by it all - she seems fine...:help: :hmm3grin2orange:
Wow I hope your pony is ok Rue. Hopefully it turns out to be nothing major and just some stall rest and some tlc is all that is needed.
I am so hoping it was just an unexplained incident that I'll never have to relive...:hmm3grin2orange:
Northernguy
01-27-2010, 01:44 PM
That is wonderful to hear!:19:
I understand that calling a vet for every little thing is not necesary but its nice to have that reassurance that she is ok!
Is she still walking with a bad limp?
Gee Rue! I started reading the first post and thought, this is a nice update with the puppy doing well (apart from car sickness lol), finished his shots, being neutered, starting puppy pre-school and becoming a snow cone lol....
....then we get to the pony (poor thing)..and a child being left stranded LOL..I hope the homework gets done, and I really hope the pony will be OK!
Is there ever a day without drama and everything goes smoothly for you Rue!:11: :11:
Thankfully I have more dull days than not...too much of this would do me in...
And wait! It didn't stop there!
My older son came home with the 14-year old...and then took his car to go to the city - and got helplessly stuck...the road is impassable...I took the truck to go get him, and had to park on a cross-road and walk in...
...he won't be handing in his assignments today...in fact he has to miss school because I need the 4X4 truck to get to my job...
I just called the municipality office...to see when the snow plow is coming through...maybe we can pull him out then...on my way to work.
And of course, hubby is away on business.
Didn't get to sleep until 1:00 a.m., got up at 6:00 a.m. to deal with the 'mystery blood' on the mudroom floor. It's from one of the dogs...but I can't tell which one. Job's incision looks fine. Everyone's toenails look fine. But it was a considerable amount of blood (maybe a tsp.?)...
LOL...I'm scared to drive to the city...who knows what else is lurking...:help:
On the plus side, the school buses are running, picked up the kids on time this morning...don't know why it seems we're the only ones stuck in a drift...
That is wonderful to hear!:19:
I understand that calling a vet for every little thing is not necesary but its nice to have that reassurance that she is ok!
Is she still walking with a bad limp?
Still not walking quite right...but I didn't take her out of the stall yet...the wooden floor in the stall isn't slippery...the concrete aisle can be...so I'll check after dinner...
William
01-27-2010, 03:41 PM
I really hope you ponny hasn´t suffered a serious injury.
Sorry to hear that job still havent had a growth spur to get to the size you would like him but I am sure he will still be a wonderful companion.
So far so good! She's still fine from what we can see. Geez...I should've taken photographs to prove it all...at least I have witnesses...:hmm3grin2orange:
I'll keep her in tonight...maybe I'll let her back with the rest of them tomorrow...
I am so tired...
Just got the car dug out of the ditch thumbs2: ...it took the 4 of them to get it out...:fish2:
HeatherB
01-27-2010, 11:32 PM
Rue- when hubby gets back your gonna need a vacation!!! Just go lock the bathroom door, get the bubbles going, and relax with a nice drink. You need a break!
Oh! Good idea! I'm not a bather...but a soak sounds so nice!:1luvu:
But first...dinner...I made a huge stock pot filled with 'stewp'...my version of a stew/soup crossover...
HeatherB
01-28-2010, 12:22 AM
Sounds yummy! Now, make the kids clean the kitchen and go relax! You've had a crazy couple of days!
Thanks! I did let them do the dishes. Dinner was very good! I tried something mildly different...I substitued yams and turnips for the potatoes I usually put in.
Make the stewp a little sweeter than what it normally is, but was still very good...I had no complaints from my oldest son, who is the fussiest of us...then my daughter baked some fresh cookies for desert...so a very satisfying meal all told. And bonus! Lots of leftovers for today, so I don't have to cook...just heat it all up...thumbs2:
Had the 'mystery' blood again this morning...but I traced it back to the old retriever...he must have a nail that's ripping open from the cold maybe? He has issues with his nails to begin with, so I'll just keep an eye out on it.
Job is hating his cone...was eating it last night. I'm tempted to take it off, it's driving him insane, but then if he licks I'll have to to put it on again, which might be harder if he's had it off...so I'll hold out a bit longer...
Slept like a log last night...nothing like a little stress to wipe you out...
Pony is still in the barn and still doing wellthumbs2: ...maybe I'll keep her in another night or too while it's so cold outside to really give her a chance to warm up without the stress of the wind...
Pony is still in the barn...she seems fine...but if there's damage from frost...I'm just giving her extra time to heal up without having to deal with the wind...
And I took Job's e-collar off! LOL...he's MUCH happier! So am I. He did a little 'exploratory' licking, but it's been 4 days...so unless he starts licking and won't stop, he should be good to go.
Can't give him a bath until Tuesday - they said to give it a full week...he could use a bath...he has that 'clinic' smell...
Went to our first obedience class!
Er, wasn't quite as much fun as I had hoped.:sconfused:
My fault though - I let myself get irked...(blush)
First of all I didn't take a tote bag along, had all my stuff loose and everything was falling as Job was tugging on the leash...then we had to walk down steep stairs into the basement training facility...and the door slams on you - so I was dropping stuff, Job was scared to go down the stairs, I was scared he was going to get slammed by the door...it was a circus...
Finally get him down the stairs (only took once - 2nd time we did the stairs, after the pee break, he was a trooper) and settled. The trainers explain their philosophy to the class - and my heart sinks - it's not MY philosophy. Oh well - I'll do it their way...may work for Job...and I might learn something...:help:
After the pee break we do a submissive roll and I notice his incision is oozing...I think he 'cut' himself on the sharp snow crust (didn't even think to keep him out of the field)...and the instructor tells me:
"He can't have the stitches out! He might even need more stitches put in! Cancel your vet appointment to have them out - book a new appointment to have him seen again!"
Didn't think it was that bad, and our vet appointment was immediately following the class so I wasn't going to cancel.
But by then I was just getting irritated...
Anyway...made it through class...took him to the vet clinic...the technician took the stitches out (they were in there a bit tight - some swelling on top of the oozing) and said to keep an eye on him and watch for infection...but it's probably fine...(thank goodness).
Got him in the car to go home (he HATES the car) after a brief struggle...:hmm3grin2orange: and then was almost hit trying to get out of the parking lot by an idiot...I see why women drivers get a bad name...
My mood is getting darker...
Once we get home, Job is so excited to leave the car he lunges to the end of the leash, I slip on ice in the driveway and go down...
Now I'm just mad!
I finally get in the house...put Job away...look around...and not ONE kid has done any of the little 'chores' I asked them to do! N was supposed to shovel, P was supposed to vacuum (quickie, not a major clean-up) and E was supposed to put his dishes away and wipe down the counters...
*argh*
It will be better next week! I'll make it better!
Anyway...my work-stuff was cancelled today...so I have the day 'off'...think I'll start on Job's obedience homework...at least 2 -3 10 min. sessions a day...
William
02-05-2010, 08:54 PM
Sorry to hear about your tought day.
Whats the homework?
Thanks :shappy: ...just a tough evening though! The rest of the day was fine!
We're using food rewards...so you let the puppy nibble on it while giving him commands and reinforcements...and when you're done - you actually let him eat it. These guys use little slices of weiners. The weiners (or whatever) ONLY get used for training, to keep the novelty level high.
Put puppy in a sit by saying 'Rover, sit! - push gently on back end if necessary...reinforce by saying 'Good sit!' in a happy voice...
Bring weiner to floor and say 'Rover, down!' - push gently between shoulder blades if necessary...reinforce by saying 'Good down!...
Bring wiener up - say 'Rover sit' - praise...
Bring wiener forward - say 'Rover, stand' - 'Good stand'...
Let puppy have weiner slice to finish eating.
Repeat several times.
Make sure you seperate the sit, down, stand distinctly so the puppy learns which is which.
...the second part was to teach the puppy to follow you. Hold leash firmly, but do NOT pull the puppy....just let him learn to follow you where you go...this may take a while (and he will get jerked a bit as you change directions - just don't add to it). Lots of praise when he actually finds himself in a 'heel' position (at your left side, at your heel). Once he figures that out, you can 'sit' him in a heel position using the previous commands ('Rover sit! Good sit!).
Finally...roll puppy on side, or his back. He might not like this...if so you need to perservere. When he's calm, rub tummy, play with toes, check out his teeth and his ears. Getting him used to enjoying a 'submissive' positon comes in handy at the vet and at the groomer, as well as at home (when clipping nails for example).
End of session 1!
Do this 10 minutes at a time...for 2-3 sessions a day.
Little Embers
02-06-2010, 12:39 AM
Maybe you could train your children the same way Rue...so they would do the chores when you asked them to..:rolling:
Northernguy
02-06-2010, 01:07 AM
So how was your day Rue?:14: lol
Falling on ice would have done it for me too!
Let the kids walk for a while.It gives them time to think of why they are walking.
Maybe you could train your children the same way Rue...so they would do the chores when you asked them to..:rolling:
Good idea! They already went and ate the dog's hotdogs before I chance to use them at class! Now I just have to praise them and rub their tummies once in awhile...
Wait...I think I tried it on hubby...didn't work too well...
*sigh* It's all so complicated...
So how was your day Rue?:14: lol
Falling on ice would have done it for me too!
Let the kids walk for a while.It gives them time to think of why they are walking.
At least I didn't hurt myself...it was just the final indignity...:hmm3grin2orange:
I should make the kids walk...:hmm3grin2orange:
Job is doing well. His sit is very good! He stands not badly...doesn't quite have the 'down' figured out...and is getting the idea of 'heeling' - all using the methods the instructors suggested. He is a bright dog though - just still not sure how willing to please he is...and that's very important if you're training a dog. If the dog doesn't want to work with you, it won't happen very well...
...but this 'trend' of annoying, not peaceful, evenings seems to be continuing...:help:
Yesterday, for my evening activity I went to rescue my 17-year old daughter from the farmer's field she managed to get herself stuck in.
She teaches piano lessons as her P/T job. For one group of 4 siblings she drives to their house after school to teach them (we live in a rural area)...the roads are in great shape, both gravel and pavement...
So what does she do? She looks down at her radio to twiddle with settings...drives into the ditch while doing that...then tries to drive out of the stubble field and gets stuck.
Then she calls me...hubby isn't home...I can't pull her out, so I figure I'll just pick her up and we'll call a tow-truck in the morning and go from there. I have no idea where the farm is so I take my 14-year old along - he's been there.
He thought he knew more than he knew. I'm now lost in the middle of no where and it's dark.
So I call my daughter and tell her I'm lost - only to find out the people she teaches happened to drive by her on their way to the city and helped pull her out. It took 2 full-ton trucks to drag her out of the field. Thank goodness they were able to help. I did eventually find her...the roads are partially numbered...if they were fully numbered I wouldn't have been lost in the first place!
So I followed her home...we drove slow in case the snow was affecting the brakes at all...and other than freezing cold feet (was worried about frost-bite for a moment) and being a little chilled she's fine. The car seems fine.
Got home two hours later...grumpy...but relieved it was still all okay...
I hope she'll start paying more attention after this episode -
rich311k
02-10-2010, 03:27 PM
I must say you live a very adventurous life. You always have some minor calamity going on. I am glad the car was saved and your daughter was unhurt.
Northernguy
02-10-2010, 03:29 PM
lmao! Make her walk.It really gives them time to think!
Hell You had to walk when you were younger!Why is it different today?
I still remember haveing to walk to school or where ever evryday.Snow or not.
And it was up hill both ways in nothing but my PJs!:hmm3grin2orange:
...lol...I'd make her walk, but she's supposed to be restricting her exercise at the moment, so I don't think a 30-40 km walk would be a good thing...:hmm3grin2orange:
I feel like my life IS a minor calamity at the moment...and of course, hubby's gone for the rest of this week...home for the weekend ...and then gone all of next week.
At least the 3 kids are all pretty much grown up enough to provide a little muscle when necessary (even if it takes nagging on my part to get that muscle in gear)...it was harder when they were little...mind you, they weren't driving into ditches either...so maybe it's a trade off...
I'm ready for some nice, boring, days now...
Obedience class was much better last night. All the dogs were calmer so that helped.
New stuff: 'Watch me' - getting your dog to look up at you and make eye-contact...important for communication between the two of you and the start of the 'recall'...
Still not a fan of giving so much food reward! But it's not worth arguing over...I'll use less treats at home, more in class (so I don't get picked on for being stingy :help: ):hmm3grin2orange:
Need to retrain myself too - I've done enough 'old-school' obedience I tend to go on auto-pilot for some things...and now I'm being called on my use of words...lol. I made the mistake of saying 'Good Boy Job!' When I should have said 'Good come!'...:fish2:
William
02-12-2010, 09:31 PM
LOL Seems like you should be allowed to use any command you want to.
He's nit-picking with me a bit...but that's okay.
Essentially you can choose any commands you like...but you need to be consistant with it so that dog knows what you mean. I've gotten into the habit of using a mix of english and german words...not quite like schutzhund, but along those lines...
William
02-12-2010, 09:55 PM
Not to worry. I am teaching kaiser the commands in english, spanish and swedish. I am sure Job can pick up a mix as well. :-)
LOL...Kaiser - the multilingual dog!thumbs2:
William
02-12-2010, 10:09 PM
Well it is too confusing for me to always change language when I talk to him. He just have to settle for the language I am using at the moment. However I do combine commands with hand signals so it shouldnt be to hard for him.
Hand signals are great...I use them at home too...but I'm hiding them in class...:hmm3grin2orange:
BTW...any residual issues for Kaiser from the ceiling caving?
William
02-13-2010, 01:47 AM
Nothing bad. He stopped biting my girlfriends trouser legs after that but nothing else. I have no idea why he stopped and what association he has in his head but he used to do it a lot and refused to stop, after the roof incidient he hasn´t done it once.:hmm3grin2orange:
He has a bit of a draumatic day yesterday though. He was stung by a scorpion wednesday night and couldn´t walk for 24 hours. He is fine now.
Good Grief! Poor guy! That's a lot for a puppy to experience in close succession!:ssuprised:
William
02-13-2010, 02:04 AM
Well hopefully he has learned not to chase scorpions. There are no really dangerous types here but it is still a good leason to learn.
You know...I don't think I miss the experience of scorpions...
I was setting up an invert lab one day and was 'stung' by a pickled scorpion...(blush) That was real enough for me...
Job just finished week 4! He's such a Good Boy! :hmm3grin2orange:
I didn't think he'd do as well as he's doing, or learn as quick...proves I don't know as much as I think I do...:help:
He's very food motivated...so that's a big help...anything for a bit of weiner...
Dog class, week 5.
Job is doing very well still! :1luvu:
His sits are crooked, but we'll fix that over time. I don't want to nit-pick about it too much at the moment. He does a beginner 'sit stay' and 'down stay' really well. His recall is quite good - esp. since that's the one I've practiced the least (needed 2 people at the beginning, and I didn't have anyone handy while I was training him). They've only initiated more precise heeling now - and his heeling needs work. If he doesn't see a weiner bit in my hand , he's tugging and looking all over the place...:fish2:
I noticed all the guys in the advanced class that starts after us all have pure-breds (guess they're all trialling)...wonder what they'll think when I bring Job into their group...:hmm3grin2orange:
I could do Rally with him...but I really don't want to compete at this point.
Not sure why the Kennel Club won't let non-purebreds compete in obedience - the purebreds can be neutered and the objective is obedience not providing breeding material. I would think it would be a nice gesture on their part and do a great deal towards rewarding responsible pet ownership...but whatever...
Northernguy
03-06-2010, 04:22 PM
Thats good news on the Job training!thumbs2:
How long til he graduates?
Thanks! It's an 8 week class. I did ask if they do a 'Graduation'. In the past they have, but they've since found that a lot of people don't want to participate in a Grad...:sconfused:
So, she'll ask to see if we all want one...if enough of us do, we might...if not...no huge loss...
Generally I enjoy the puppy grads...some puppies do quite well, but most blow it at some point...so cute...so it's not a high pressure event...
Northernguy
03-06-2010, 06:07 PM
Sounds like fun! lolthumbs2:
That'll be the one day that he does only what he wants to do!:hmm3grin2orange:
We're done! We graduated! Woohoo!
Job did fine. Needs work on his sits (he's supposed to sit parallel to me when I stop...NOT perpendicular! :hmm3grin2orange: ) but did everything else well!
Now I have to decide if I can manage to make it to the next group of lessons...this time they're on Sundays at 1 p.m....not a good time for me...
Northernguy
03-26-2010, 04:40 AM
:dreads: Congrats Job! :dogrun:
I guess congrats to you too! lol
Thanks! I like to think I had a hand in it.
I sure hope Job grows out of his car sickness though...yesterday was brutal...I had to stop once on the way in to class to clean up the stinking, putrid lake he puked up...and again on the way home!
Who knew a dog could hold that much water?:sconfused:
Northernguy
03-26-2010, 02:56 PM
Gravol really does work!lol
I feel for you! lol How come when a dog gets sick in a car its always between the seats?
You noticed that too????:ssuprised: I have special dog covers in the back of my KIA AND I use an old towel...and sure enough...if there's one inch of seat that ends up showing...he pukes on that...:help:
I'd give him Gravol, except I don't want him sleepy while in class. I'll have to check if the non-drowsy version can be used on dogs...I don't want to go through this every week!
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