Why is My Dog Embarrassing Me in Front of Company?

[edward]

We had company Sunday evening and my old dog decided to do her half twist butt in the curtains routine.

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/5793/1000788jpgolddogcv4.jpg

 

[Borek]

That's how happy dog looks alike. You don't have to be happy about that

 

[hypatia]

Aw man, I love doing that when guests come over! Cool pooch.

 

[BobG]

We had company Sunday evening and my old dog decided to do her half twist butt in the curtains routine.

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/5793/1000788jpgolddogcv4.jpg

The problem is pretty clear. It's lying on the floor in the lower center of the picture.

If my owner gave me milkbone treats, I'd do anything I could to embarrass them, too.

Try Puperoni's or those sausage snack'em things in a can (geez, I know what all of the good treats look like, but I can't remember what they're called.)

Or get her one of those 20 pound mammoth bones to supplement the milkbones. She'll still take her revenge out on you, but she'll do it by dropping the bone on your toes instead of embarrassing you when you have company. Well, she might drop the bone on your company's toes, but you'll be too busy rushing them to the emergency room to feel much embarrassment.

 

[Danger]

my old dog decided to do her half twist butt in the curtains routine.

However undignified it might be, it's still a lot better than the 'butt drag across the carpet' routine that my Corgi used to save for guests.

 

[Moonbear]

That doesn't look embarrassing at all! She just wants tummy rubbies! At least she wasn't humping the guests legs or sniffing under their skirts.

 

[Danger]

At least she wasn't humping the guests legs or sniffing under their skirts.

That's wrong?

 

[binzing]

So is the treat to get her to stop, or to get her to do the trick so you could get a pic? lol

 

[edward]

You should have seen the look on my guests faces when I snapped the picture. It was priceless. OOPs I just relaized I msipelled embarrassing.

 

[fileen]

If your dog is dragging its bottom along the carpet it may mean that it needs its anal glands drained. I work at a vet clinic...
If it makes you feel any better, when I was being inspected for my rider level 3 I was explaining to the examiner the various parts of my horse etc, and she promptly turned around, sat on her food bucket which happened to be at a convenient height and proceeded to hump her bucket. I had never seen her do this before. Turns out she was in heat. I had to keep a straight face as I rushed into pull her out. The 4 ft nothing 800 year old british examiner didn't even flinch, but there was that awful silence when both of us were just standing there like... is this really happening... what do I do? I quickly came up with a clever white lie and told him she does that to relieve back pain and that I would be calling the chiropractor in immediately. Both of us knew better.

 

[BobG]

You should have seen the look on my guests faces when I snapped the picture. It was priceless. OOPs I just relaized I msipelled embarrassing.

Worse yet, you misspelled "misspelled". Plus "realize", but who's counting?

 

[Evo]

If it makes you feel any better, when I was being inspected for my rider level 3 I was explaining to the examiner the various parts of my horse etc, and she promptly turned around, sat on her food bucket which happened to be at a convenient height and proceeded to hump her bucket. I had never seen her do this before.

Oh I thought you were talking about the examiner!

 

[edward]

Worse yet, you misspelled "misspelled". Plus "realize", but who's counting?

Can we call the second one a typo? please

 

[edward]

So is the treat to get her to stop, or to get her to do the trick so you could get a pic? lol

Actually the dog has me pretty well trained. I try to get the mutt to eat the milk bones to help keep her teeth clean, but she prefers the good stuff and she knows where to get it.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7627/1000807jpgblancatreatsgx6.jpg

 

[Evo]

OMG, she's so pretty!

 

[edward]

OMG, she's so pretty!

Old dog is 14 now and showing some age. Blanca is her name and she was a service dog for my father -in -law for 4 years. When he passed away I decided to let her enjoy being a dog.

 

[GCT]

Actually the dog has me pretty well trained. I try to get the mutt to eat the milk bones to help keep her teeth clean, but she prefers the good stuff and she knows where to get it.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7627/1000807jpgblancatreatsgx6.jpg

... " dogs don't know that it's not bacon ". I fed my cat such foods for years , after 7 years of eating that stuff , it had terrible teeth. One day I pondered on whether all cats in the wild have such bad teeth after 7 years , that's when I realized that companies such as Purina actually do not have the best interests for the well being of animals ... in particular their dental health. All of that cheap grease , sugar , and nutrients in crude forms ; my cat's health was decent , it's just that his teeth were not in good shape.

 

[lisab]

... " dogs don't know that it's not bacon ". I fed my cat such foods for years , after 7 years of eating that stuff , it had terrible teeth. One day I pondered on whether all cats in the wild have such bad teeth after 7 years , that's when I realized that companies such as Purina actually do not have the best interests for the well being of animals ... in particular their dental health. All of that cheap grease , sugar , and nutrients in crude forms ; my cat's health was decent , it's just that his teeth were not in good shape.

You're right that many store-bought pet foods contain ingredients that would neve qualify as human food, and really shouldn't be fed to beloved pets. But sugar in cat food - probably not. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/24/AR2005072401107.html"

Beautiful dog, Edward!

 

[GCT]

You're right that many store-bought pet foods contain ingredients that would neve qualify as human food, and really shouldn't be fed to beloved pets. But sugar in cat food - probably not. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/24/AR2005072401107.html"

Beautiful dog, Edward!

I'm not claiming that cats actually enjoy or do not enjoy such foods , I'm stating that these store brand foods cause dental problems.

 

[rootX]

Actually the dog has me pretty well trained. I try to get the mutt to eat the milk bones to help keep her teeth clean, but she prefers the good stuff and she knows where to get it.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7627/1000807jpgblancatreatsgx6.jpg

She's so lovely! :!)

I miss mine who was pretty much like her & I just felt a tear in my eye lol :(

 

[edward]

You're right that many store-bought pet foods contain ingredients that would neve qualify as human food, and really shouldn't be fed to beloved pets. But sugar in cat food - probably not. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/24/AR2005072401107.html"

Beautiful dog, Edward!

Even worse some of the ingredients in animal treats are the same as in human junk food.

Beggin strips ingredients:

Ground Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Flour, Ground Yellow Corn, Water, Sugar, Glycerin, Meat, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrosylate, Soybean Meal, Bacon Fat Preserved with BHA, Salt, Sorbic Acid (a Preservative), Artificial Smoke Flavor, Calcium Propionate (a Preservative), Glyceryl Monostearate, Phosphoric Acid, Choline Chloride, Added Color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6).

 

[edward]

She's so lovely! :!)

I miss mine who was pretty much like her & I just felt a tear in my eye lol :(

Sorry to hear about your dog. They are such great companions. I am sure cat lovers feel the same way.

 

[Danger]

I am sure cat lovers feel the same way.

It's just weird. When my father died, we shipped him off to the university medical school for 3 years of investigation by students. After about 7 years, I called to see what was up, since we hadn't gotten him back. They said that he was so interesting that they'd like to keep him a while longer. No problem. After 10 years, they sent him back in a little box that stayed on my front porch for another 5 or 6 years. Then my brother asked if he could have him, so there he went to the farm. I think that my brother planted him under a tree somewhere in his yard. My brother died a couple of years ago, so I don't know where he is.
And yet, when Dingbat MacBeth died, almost exactly on his 20th birthday, I wrapped him up in the sweater that he'd been lying on, buried him with a blanket of Kitty Litter, talked to him for 2 hours, and cried for the rest of the night.
There's something about those damned critters...

 

[GCT]

Even worse some of the ingredients in animal treats are the same as in human junk food.

Beggin strips ingredients:

Ground Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat Flour, Ground Yellow Corn, Water, Sugar, Glycerin, Meat, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrosylate, Soybean Meal, Bacon Fat Preserved with BHA, Salt, Sorbic Acid (a Preservative), Artificial Smoke Flavor, Calcium Propionate (a Preservative), Glyceryl Monostearate, Phosphoric Acid, Choline Chloride, Added Color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6).

Bacon fat , yeah , that'll do him good ... all of those dyes are going to stain his teeth , the sole way to clean his teeth of those dyes is organic solvents.

 

[Moonbear]

You're right that many store-bought pet foods contain ingredients that would neve qualify as human food, and really shouldn't be fed to beloved pets. But sugar in cat food - probably not. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/24/AR2005072401107.html"

The problem with a lot of the brands out there is that they are made to appeal more to the owners than the pets. A cat or dog doesn't care what cooked bacon looks like, they just care that it tastes good. All those extra dyes and stuff are added to appeal to the owners.

 

[tribdog]

that's not embarrassing, this is embarrassing

Its sort of funny that the first time I used the smudge tool in photoshop was to do this

 

[fileen]

I just bought a $1500 puppy (dumb) and he will be eating home made all organic dog food. My dalmation is completely intollerant to all comercial dog foods. I have been making home made dog food for a couple years now. My horse has colitis from the corn put in horse food. Go figure that horses should NEVER have corn, its not even remotely good for them. When I started researching horse food I learned that comercial companies don't even have recipes. They just meet the %protein, %fiber etc with whatever is cheapest at the time. I only found one company that makes a horse food with no corn.. and yes I pay through the teeth for it. Very little effort, care or research goes into pet food.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Old dog is 14 now and showing some age. Blanca is her name and she was a service dog for my father -in -law for 4 years. When he passed away I decided to let her enjoy being a dog.

Sorry about the drapes.

She is a beautiful dog.

 

[edward]

that's not embarrassing, this is embarrassing

Its sort of funny that the first time I used the smudge tool in photoshop was to do this

You have completed the picture that I am sure was in the minds of my guests. Pet Smart sells Tushie Wipes for dogs but I haven't been able to teach the dog how to use them.

Edit: OK OK someone is going to say the dog could learn by example. I'm not going there.

 

[tribdog]

Poor dog, just wanted his bum scratched. I'll scratch my dog's bum I don't mind. Won't wash my hands afterwards either. Even if I'm sharing a bowl of popcorn with you.

 

[turbo]

They are not house-pets, but I have a couple of chipmunks who will climb me hunting for sunflower seeds in my pockets. It's not embarrassing, but kinda funny when they try it with someone who's visiting. The chipmunk gets startled and jumps off when it realizes it's trying to climb a stranger, and the visitor often has some pretty funny reactions, too.

 

[SticksandStones]

I'd be scared of catching something from the chipmunk...even if it is cute.

 

[tribdog]

You'd use a condom?

 

[turbo]

Abstinence.

 

[tribdog]

Cats can't taste sweet.

Depends how you cook 'em.

 

[Moonbear]

When I started researching horse food I learned that comercial companies don't even have recipes. They just meet the %protein, %fiber etc with whatever is cheapest at the time. I only found one company that makes a horse food with no corn.. and yes I pay through the teeth for it.

If you need to supplement grain for your horses, get it from a feed mill properly blended for your horses.

Very little effort, care or research goes into pet food.

Actually, that's not true at all. Companies like Hill's (they make the Science Diet line of pet food) put a LOT of research into their products. That's why I use them. I've met some of the scientists who work there and they can tell you exactly what each and every ingredient in their product does. They test their foods the same way you'd test a new drug for people...they start out testing safety and efficacy in the lab under controlled conditions, basically making sure the diet isn't going to leave the animals with some nutrient deficiency or getting obese if they eat the correct amounts of the diet, and then they do what are basically clinical trials with volunteers who feed the diet to their own pets. This tests how well it works across various breeds and mutts, and what happens in real world settings (i.e., when the owner doesn't bother weighing out precise amounts of food and just puts out a "scoopful" or as much as the pet will eat, or feeds lots of extra treats).

For your horses, or any other livestock, if a feed manufacturer won't tell you their ingredients, don't use them, for the reasons you cited. Protein is the most important one. Not all protein is created equal, and not all is properly balanced for every species. Just giving percentage of protein isn't adequate to know it's from a source that species can use. If they don't know the difference between horse grain and cattle feed, they don't deserve any business. By the way, it's not actually corn, per se, that's a problem for horses. It's that corn is often infected with a mold that horses are sensitive to. Other grains can get moldy too, though. Always make sure your feed for horses is stored DRY (that goes for the hay too). Cattle don't have that sensitivity, so can often eat feeds that would be poisonous to horses.

 

[fileen]

By the way, it's not actually corn, per se, that's a problem for horses. It's that corn is often infected with a mold that horses are sensitive to. Other grains can get moldy too, though. Always make sure your feed for horses is stored DRY (that goes for the hay too). Cattle don't have that sensitivity, so can often eat feeds that would be poisonous to horses.

I was told by my vet that corn is a source of starch which is not easily digested, and ultimately ends up fermenting in the hind gut. I spent about 3 weeks with my vet this summer (I won't tell you how many dollars) as my horse needed blood transfusions and such. She very nearly died. I didnt sleep a wink the entire time. Kaopectate and probiotic yogurt every three hours for a week. I literally did not leave her side. I was told that starches in general are bad for horses. Feed companies put cheap starches like corn in their feeds for energy. I don't know where you live, but I am in Ontario Canada and feed companies are limited. I've never even heard of Hills. I feed Buckey as they make a lovely pellet that has no starch and no calories and is just a vitamin mineral and nutrient supplement. Its great for my haflinger and quarter horse who can get all their calories from hay. My TB mare has never been entirely healthy. When I bought her she had never been outside and was in a stall so small she couldn't lay down. Her feet had grown over her shoes. The first time I put her out she stood at the gate and shook with fear. She eats a product called safe n easy which also has no starch but has some added calories. She is just beginning to put the weight back on now. After the big scare in April she lost a tremendous amount of weight and no matter how much I fed her she didnt gain. She eats 2.5 square bales of hay a day at 50% alfalfa. Because of the colitis she does not absorb like a normal horse, although with care and patience I think she's coming around. All my horses eat pelleted feeds with no molasses. I don't think they are around long enough to become mouldy. I also feed beet pulp but I am careful with it. She also gets a fat supplement in a pellet form. When I went looking for feeds with no starch or low starch, only Buckey had an actually recipe and could guarantee no corn. I am sure there are other feeds out there, but I have yet to find anything in the area. I am however always on the look out as I would like to switch to something a little cheaper.

 

[~christina~]

I just bought a $1500 puppy (dumb) and he will be eating home made all organic dog food. My dalmation is completely intollerant to all comercial dog foods. I have been making home made dog food for a couple years now. My horse has colitis from the corn put in horse food. Go figure that horses should NEVER have corn, its not even remotely good for them. When I started researching horse food I learned that comercial companies don't even have recipes. They just meet the %protein, %fiber etc with whatever is cheapest at the time. I only found one company that makes a horse food with no corn.. and yes I pay through the teeth for it. Very little effort, care or research goes into pet food.

I can't believe you payed..1500 for a dalamation. Is it made of gold?
I could get a albino doberman for cheaper than that..(faints)

 

[Danger]

I can't believe you payed..1500 for a dalamation.

I wouldn't pay that much for a car...

 

[fileen]

I can't believe you payed..1500 for a dalamation. Is it made of gold?
I could get a albino doberman for cheaper than that..(faints)

HAHA No! I did not pay that much for my Dalmation. She was super cheap, $100 or something. I bought a pure bred Newfoundland. I have always wanted one, and so researched breeders, and they all run for around that price. One lady wanted $2000. His hips, ears, eyes etc are all guaranteed. We have him signed up for his water training already, if they complete and pass they are official life guards and can be on any beach (even those that say no dogs allowed) It sounds like a lot of money, but I know the breed and they are really great. When you love your animals like I do, I guess the money doesn't matter. This is a dog I can leave with the kids, he'll be friendly with my cats, easy to train... The breeder had over 20 dogs at her home all in breeding pairs, and I met every single one. Not one of them has a mean bone in their bodies. This is a breed that tends to live only a short while (6 to 8 years) And most of her dogs live to be 10 - 16 so I think I made the right decision. Animals are my whole life, I wouldn't spend my money anywhere else.

 

[~christina~]

HAHA No! I did not pay that much for my Dalmation. She was super cheap, $100 or something. I bought a pure bred Newfoundland. I have always wanted one, and so researched breeders, and they all run for around that price. One lady wanted $2000. His hips, ears, eyes etc are all guaranteed. We have him signed up for his water training already, if they complete and pass they are official life guards and can be on any beach (even those that say no dogs allowed) It sounds like a lot of money, but I know the breed and they are really great. When you love your animals like I do, I guess the money doesn't matter. This is a dog I can leave with the kids, he'll be friendly with my cats, easy to train... The breeder had over 20 dogs at her home all in breeding pairs, and I met every single one. Not one of them has a mean bone in their bodies. This is a breed that tends to live only a short while (6 to 8 years) And most of her dogs live to be 10 - 16 so I think I made the right decision. Animals are my whole life, I wouldn't spend my money anywhere else.

Oh..that sounds more like the price for a dalmation.
Ah, Newfoundland's shed a lot though.

I want to buy an Akita. There are problems with security around where I live, so I wouldn't buy a golden retriever or a Newfoundland, or any small dog for that matter. (I personally find little dogs to be useless) Previous, doberman passed away last year. Seems like yesterday.
As long as you raise your dog from a puppy, with cats, it should be okay. They say that cats are not trainable but I have trained mine.

 

[lisab]

They say that cats are not trainable but I have trained mine.

You're right, ~christina~, cats are trainable. But they're excellent trainers, as well.

I once had a kitten with an especially strong affinity for scratching the couch. I thought, I have to stop this in the bud - every time he does that, I'm putting him outside.

He figured it out before I did. Every time he wanted to go out, he would...you guessed it...go scratch the couch.

 

[fileen]

Oh..that sounds more like the price for a dalmation.
Ah, Newfoundland's shed a lot though.

I want to buy an Akita. There are problems with security around where I live, so I wouldn't buy a golden retriever or a Newfoundland, or any small dog for that matter. (I personally find little dogs to be useless) Previous, doberman passed away last year. Seems like yesterday.
As long as you raise your dog from a puppy, with cats, it should be okay. They say that cats are not trainable but I have trained mine.

I have always wanted a Newf. I have owned a lot of dogs. I had to euthanize one for being "overprotective" and Ill never forget it. Since it was my dog I had to make the decision, take him it and hold him throughout. I swore Id never get a dog on a whim again. I broke my promise with my dalmation, she loves me very much but she's a one person dog. Shes never bit or lunged at anyone but she has been known to growl at people if they approach her. As a result I have to be soooo careful with her. Its such I pain. When I had to euthanize my labradog I told myself no more dogs. He was only 8 with hip dysplasia. Then my 19 year old mutt passed away and I changed my mind. I started looking for breeders a year ago, and my pup comes this weekend. I am soooo excited. I have a friend with an Akita and she has similar problems to that of my dalmation. Reseach your breeders. I found the vet to be a good person to ask about breeders. I hand spin all sorts of fiber. We raise angora rabbits and such, so the plan is to spin the dog hair.

 

[tribdog]

you had to euthanize a Labrador? those are one of the gentlest and easiest breeds to train. and I don't think euthanize is the correct word. Doesn't it mean putting it out of its misery? I don't know what its called when you are putting it out of your misery.

 

[fileen]

you had to euthanize a Labrador? those are one of the gentlest and easiest breeds to train.

He was in a lot of pain. He couldn't get up on his own. He never complained. Your making me cry just thinking about him. He slept with me every night, he never so much as curled a lip...

The dog I had to euthanize for being over protective was a mutt. He was great with our family but was very aggressive around strangers. He tried to attack a small child who wandered on our property. If my dad hadnt been there to pull him away she would have been injured. He was just too dangerous to keep around. The only reason we keep the Dal is because she never approaches people, she is outside for minimal amounts of time, and doesn't mind being kenneled when we have guests

 

[tribdog]

it's a sore spot for me. some of the people here keep trying to euthanize me.

 

[fileen]

it's a sore spot for me. some of the people here keep trying to euthanize me.

haha well as long as you can get up to pee on your own I suppose there's no reason to consider it

 

[hypatia]

Not to worry Tribdog, I have some piddle pads left over from bathroom training my pooch. I'd mail them to you before anyone could "put you down".

 

[Moonbear]

I was told by my vet that corn is a source of starch which is not easily digested, and ultimately ends up fermenting in the hind gut. I spent about 3 weeks with my vet this summer (I won't tell you how many dollars) as my horse needed blood transfusions and such. She very nearly died. I didnt sleep a wink the entire time. Kaopectate and probiotic yogurt every three hours for a week. I literally did not leave her side. I was told that starches in general are bad for horses. Feed companies put cheap starches like corn in their feeds for energy. I don't know where you live, but I am in Ontario Canada and feed companies are limited. I've never even heard of Hills. I feed Buckey as they make a lovely pellet that has no starch and no calories and is just a vitamin mineral and nutrient supplement. Its great for my haflinger and quarter horse who can get all their calories from hay. My TB mare has never been entirely healthy. When I bought her she had never been outside and was in a stall so small she couldn't lay down. Her feet had grown over her shoes. The first time I put her out she stood at the gate and shook with fear. She eats a product called safe n easy which also has no starch but has some added calories. She is just beginning to put the weight back on now. After the big scare in April she lost a tremendous amount of weight and no matter how much I fed her she didnt gain. She eats 2.5 square bales of hay a day at 50% alfalfa. Because of the colitis she does not absorb like a normal horse, although with care and patience I think she's coming around. All my horses eat pelleted feeds with no molasses. I don't think they are around long enough to become mouldy. I also feed beet pulp but I am careful with it. She also gets a fat supplement in a pellet form. When I went looking for feeds with no starch or low starch, only Buckey had an actually recipe and could guarantee no corn. I am sure there are other feeds out there, but I have yet to find anything in the area. I am however always on the look out as I would like to switch to something a little cheaper.

The only thing you need to watch out for with corn, aside from the mold (look for ones that are certified tested for mycotoxins), is that it is actually very dense in energy. Horses can eat too much too fast, and that's when they develop colic. You can't just switch suddenly to corn, but only gradually adjust. Of course, the one with colitis is going to be a special case, so none of my advice would apply there. Can you give her injectable vitamin supplements to make up for what she can't absorb?

Sounds like the rest are easy keepers...put on and keep on weight with really minimal feeds.

This site might be helpful:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/b762/

 

[fileen]

The only thing you need to watch out for with corn, aside from the mold (look for ones that are certified tested for mycotoxins), is that it is actually very dense in proteins. Horses can eat too much too fast, and that's when they develop colic. You can't just switch suddenly to corn, but only gradually adjust. Of course, the one with colitis is going to be a special case, so none of my advice would apply there. Can you give her injectable vitamin supplements to make up for what she can't absorb?

Sounds like the rest are easy keepers...put on and keep on weight with really minimal feeds.

She gets a stupidly expensive probiotic that has helped her with absorption. I went home for thanksgiving (Canadian) and actually cried when I saw her. She gets a pelleted feed that is just vitamins minerals and nutrients and she seems really healthy at the moment. She has the odd day that the gentleman who runs the farm calls me to tell me she's a little irritated, but she hasnt had the runs or been in a tremendous amount of pain since the last big illness. I had to take her off her fat supplement because I was worried she was gaining too fast.
She had a rough go. When I bought her she was in so small a stall that she couldn't even lay down. She was never an easy keeper and had seemingly random bouts of colic all the time. I assumed it was ulcers and decided to try to maintain her since ulcer meds are out of my financial means. I had her at a farm where I did all the work, and he offered to do it for me while I was in school for a certain fee. That a** h*** starved her and stopped turning her out to pasture. I got a tip off from a friend that she had lost some weight and wasnt going out. Since I was paying for food I was curious how she could be losing weight. He was feeding it to his own horses. I could have killed him when I saw her, she was skin and bones, covered in manure and so hyper from being kept in she was jumping up and down on the spot. Luckily for him he was on vacation. He left a 14 yr old girl looking after the farm of over 40 horses for two weeks. A friend came and got her right away and she didnt really recover. She stayed at my friends for 6 weeks and then I moved her to her present home. She was happy enough but not gaining weight and irritated off and on. Then I showed up and saw the obvious signs of colic and called the vet. It all went to H*** after that.
She has recently just been packing it on though, I would say she is no longer under weight, although Id like to add a couple more pounds in case she has an episode so were not back at square one. My big concern now is the insane price of horse food. I am glad the rest of my horses are easy keepers, they just get hay and vitamins.