Finally Getting a Dog!

**ekfishlover2011** · 10-17-2012, 10:19 PM

Well, my barking collar backfired. Apparently it had some kind of malfunction, that when hit against metal it would go off and vibrate and scare dog. His food and water dishes are metal. His tags on collar are of course metal. I turned the collar off now, he hasnt barked. Wow he was a fast learner there. I now have to teach him that everything he thought was bad (aka pretty much anything metal) is safe.

Any suggestions? He wont even drink unless i give it to him in a different dish now, and ducks his head and tucks tail just to walk past dishes. :( And he is back to not eating also.

**MandyK** · 10-17-2012, 11:57 PM

Buy him a couple of new dishes that look completely different and see if that works.

**Rue** · 10-18-2012, 02:31 PM

I agree. Buy a couple of ceramic or heavy-duty plastic bowls. Bowls are cheap (relatively speaking), it's not worth trying to make him accept the metal ones at this point.

**SueD** · 10-18-2012, 11:26 PM

And don't be too concerned if he misses a meal now and then. My Silky was a terrible eater the first three years I had her and caused me lots of worry for a time, especially while still a puppy. But she was healthy, proper weight, really energetic and I got used to her skipping meals now and then. She started to improve when I got my 2nd dog when she was 3 yrs - afraid of the other one eating it for her. But even now at twelve years old, she still has days she does not eat. She's really healthy and looks and still acts like a much younger dog.

**ekfishlover2011** · 10-19-2012, 08:22 PM

I traded the cat's dish and the dog's dish, and finally today he ate with no coaxing or hand feeding. I just filled it up, put it down, and watched him gobble it up. Yay! He started using the water dish and dry food dish again now too.

I got him a fleece coat for winter and the tag said "find my matching button up raincoat", so we went and found that too. It buttons to the outside of the fleece coat to go over it, or you can use it alone. The raincoat part has reflectors all over it. So now if it is freezing rain outside which we get alot in this area, he has a fleece lined raincoat with hood to keep him warm and dry and i can still walk him. And if its summer and its raining i can just use the raincoat part so his fur doesnt get nasty and wet, and if its just a 26F winter day i can just use fleece part and he will be warm.

The other day i was trying to walk the dog and it was dark and rainy and horrible. It was hard to hold dog, flashlight, and umbrella all at once, and keep the flashlight beam pointing forward. Then i dropped the retractable leash in this confusion and something broke inside and it decided not to retract anymore. So i googled best place to get a new one and found ones with flashlights on the hand part of the leash!!! They were really expensive at all the pet stores though, so i ebay searched and found a really nice 15ft LED one that runs on AA batteries which i have a small army of rechargeable ones of. Grandma told me not to buy it, but i did, because it was only $15 with free shipping and they were almost out of the color i wanted (only 4 left when i ordered).

Hes not much of a chewer, and hes not really eating his dry food yet, and he has horrible breath and not-so-good teeth, so i got a combo of Tropiclean Fresh Breath products for him. I got the gel that is supposed to clean teeth without need for brushing, and i got the water additive. Both say they are for both cats and dogs, so my cat wont be left out on this. :) Now i have everything i need finally. :)

**Rue** · 10-20-2012, 01:46 PM

That's exciting! I love leashes...kinda like shoes...you can never have too many...

Just bought my two big dogs new collars...just because the old ones were gettin', well...old...

Keep an eye on his teeth. I wish my Mini-D didn't have teeth issues, but she does. And it pays to keep on top of it...

**SueD** · 10-20-2012, 04:22 PM

Try a rain slicker with hood for yourself and you can then ditch the umbrella. Since I walk two dogs, it's just not possible to handle two leashes (sometimes going in different directions!), the flashlight, an umbrella, and then try to pick up the poo (condo living).

**metal-otaku** · 10-22-2012, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by SueD

and then try to pick up the poo (condo living).

I own my own house, and i still pick up my dogs poo. unless he already poos in the compost pile. i don't want to step in it. neither does my bf. nor do i want people visiting to step in poop. nor do i want to smell it or have the smell bother the neighbors.

**ekfishlover2011** · 10-23-2012, 01:44 AM

My dog refuses to poop in own yard, so its good that i dont have to worry about missing it and stepping in it accidentally, but its so annoying to have to struggle to hold him still and open up a new poop bag everytime too. X_X I wish he would learn to go in own yard. Hes finally learning to go number one in yard, so i think we are slowly getting there.

I think Paddy is finally realizing that he is not ever going back to his beloved ex-owner. He now eats for me everytime, plays tag in the backyard, finally started eating his bones that he hasnt touched since hes been here, lets me brush his tail, stays back when i open door, gets excited when i come home, and is always next to me. Hes a really good dog.