dogtrainer7

A dear friend has an elderly cat that is in distress and like many folks today she struggles to survive.

I called around to several vets but seeing that she is not a client they want to charge her for an exam and blood work on top of the fee making it a ridiculous cost.

I have also contacted other agencies on her behalf but all seem to want to charge more than she can afford

She does not own a gun or know of anyone that does to make this a merciful situation for the cat to put her out of her suffering.

Does anyone have any ideas of what to inject the poor animal with to take it out of its suffering that is as well humane that she just drifts off to sleep.

Sorry to ask such a lousy question but hope you understand the cat is suffering

Thank you

....dog on giving information such as your name, address, phone #, shot records, breed, micro-chip #, etc. would you join?

Seeing that so many vets do not check for a micro chip and with the amount of lost dogs their are in this country something has to work better.

How many questions have we even seen just on this list about "I found this dog" or "help I can`t find my lost dog"

What if a list was started that was Nationally advertised for any breed or mixed breed that if you lost your dog you could go to and post "dog lost or missing" or search for "found dogs" state by state.

It could include a picture down load area as well.

This list could be broke down state to state with all animal shelters, rescue organizations, etc. getting up to date notification of lost dogs.

Just an idea I have been playing with, what do you think of it?

If this existed would you pay a small, let`s say $5 fee for it?

God Bless

thinking when they buy or support their children getting a dog when they know that their child's life will evolve in to either going on to college after high school, getting a full time job, and best of all wanting to move out of their parents place to live on their own.

Seems to me this is not very good planning for the future of the dog or child unless the parents keep the dog.

I mean how many posts are their daily saying "how do I convince my parents to let me get a dog"

So many young adults post the problems they are having just trying to get a place of their own because a lease agreement states NO PETS.

Of course I support the youth of today learning to be responsible dog owners but does anyone not see the big picture here, planning for the future of the dog?

Whats your feeling on this? and yes, I would like to hear from the young adults on this issue as well.

This question is not meant to hurt or down play anyone, I just would like to know.

Good Luck and God Bless

This will probably sound like I need immediate psychiatric help but what the heck.

Have any of you ever had or presently have what I call an old soul for a companion?

I have been blessed by having 2 such wonderful dogs in my life.

I don`t know what it is, the eye`s full of wisdom.

The way they learn so quickly and easily even as a pup.

Their calmness, demeanor and loyalty that tell you they have done this before?

I know, I know, most of you think I`m nuts, but if you have ever been blessed enough to have one of these dogs in your life you know what I`m talking about.

Just looking at the dog you know he or she has been here before.

The dog just embodies confidence and Wisdom.

My first one was many years ago a Lab Shepard cross that I rescued from a BYB that I was blessed with.

I have never come across a more intelligent dog in all my life.

After that it was a Flat Coat girl I had. Even though I knew she was an old soul she had issues.

I`m a believer in you keep coming back till you get it right and in her case she was coming back again.

The first one, he wasn`t coming back anymore . He was the total package.

Even saw a shaman one time to ask about her and was told that she was still in the second station sorting her stuff out basically.

If you don`t think I`m nuts and have owned one of these very special dogs please tell me about it.

Good Luck and God Bless

taken of the endangered species list in the rockies and Great Lakes region?

Personally I would like to see a few survive this time as before they were placed on this list they were nearly wiped out of existence in the lower 48.

Like bears, unless a pack or one or two become a nuisance they should be moved to a safer location.

Let`s just hope the ranchers along the Rockies this time work with the Wild Life folks instead of going on hunts to wipe them out.

It wasn`t long ago when I lived in Alberta that I remember the Wild Life folks in Yellowstone National Park imported a dozen Wolves from Alberta to repopulate the area.

They were hunted down within 3 weeks by local ranchers.

Let`s hope the same doesn`t happen this time.

Good Luck and God Bless

OK about 2 weeks ago one of my Flat Coats started coming down with major eye buggers in one eye.

Not the hard ones but really snotty ones.

The next day it started watering and I thought perhaps an infection or just an eye cold so I applied this eye ointment I got from the vet on an earlier occasion mfg by Bausch and Lomb for one of my Aussies that had an irritation going on.

It cleared it up in a day or two but yesterday my other Flat Coat came down with something similar and this morning one of my Aussies has it as well in one of his eye`s.

Now it is Spring finally here in the North West, (Oregon) and the leaves are coming out and the trees are in bloom.

Looking at my glass top picnic table it`s covered in a light green dust I figure to be pollen. By the way I live in a forest.

Now I have lived here in Oregon since 2000 and yes the weather does dictate runny eye`s, cold, rainy, hot, etc. but this time it seems to be more of an irritation that I have not had to deal with before.

Do you think it could be the pollen getting into the wells of their eye`s?

I treated my 2 dogs that presently have it with the same ointment this morning.

Again it has no name on the tube but the ingredients are;

neomycin

polymyxin B sulphates

dexamethasone

and ophthalmic.

Do any vet techs or folks that live here in the NW have anything similar happening with their dogs?

As well do any of you treat with the same or something similar, and what?

No smart a** answers like go to your vet.

I just want to know if anyone else has or is experiencing anything similar, what their solution was and if I`m taking the appropriate steps

with what I`m using to clear it up.

If all else fails to the vet on Monday.

Good luck and God Bless

better to take your dog to a no kill shelter?

I live about 45 minutes away from a No Kill shelter that I have visited and even donated to.

It really saddened me to see all the dogs that were in their twilight years there.

They were all well taken care of but some had physical ailments or other handicaps. Many were very old and all I could ask myself was who is going to want to adopt these dogs?

The place has a waiting list a mile long to except dogs and the odd one gets adopted, how sad.

It just makes me wonder why a person would get rid of a dog that has been a loyal companion to an old age knowing that it will live it`s life out there, with no one to care for and love it other than giving it it`s food , water. and taking care of it medically.

Dogs are social animals is this fair.

It just makes me wonder is it better to euthanize an unwanted dog in it`s twilight years or to be placed in a no kill shelter where the dog will live it`s life out lonely.

What`s your opinion?

God Bless

Dogs eating poop, yeah I know, here we go again.

Well the end of last year I bought 2 new Flat Coat girls from another reputable breeder on the East coast as show, performance and breeding prospects.

Yes I already know that young dogs will eat poop and eventually grow out of it, but one of the girls is over a year old and the other is close to a year and it still continues unless I`m out there with them to pick it up right away or chase them away from it.

But now they have even gotten to the point where as they will try to get at it from one of the other dogs I have before it even hits the ground, getting their snouts and heads covered in it as well, YUK!!!!!

By the way I feed an all natural diet to them which is mainly meat, either fowl, fish or Bison in kibble form.

I have tried additives, even one from my vets office.

I have had them on pineapple mixed in their food but nothing so far has worked.

Other than additives has anyone found a natural deterrent I can mix with all the dogs food that works as I would really like to end this nonsense?

Please only reasonable answers will be appreciated.

God Bless

....... spay or neuter and if not please give reasonable replies as to why.

This question is not to be taken as judgmental. I am just wondering why folks that do not either have working or show dogs keep their dogs intact.

It is just that I have read so many questions pertaining to breeding and or domination situations that I would really like to know the reasons for keeping a dog intact.

I`m sure that their are plenty of good ones.

I would appreciate that folks answering both pro and con be given a chance without reprisal or tons of thumbs down, so be fair even if folks do not have the same belief as you do.

So no feuding please. Fair question, fair answers please.

God Bless

.....the poem "I`m still here"?

If so could you please forward me a copy either on the list or through my e-mail as I recently lost one of my wonderful dogs and thought i had it but can`t find it.

Thank you so very much

dogtrainer7 with The Ra Dog always watching over me

This is very difficult to ask so only sincere answers please.

One of my Flat Coats has been sick for a while and I was already nervous about the outcome of the cyst I had removed from him, especially after another appeared causing me to bring him back to the vet.

An x-ray was done of his chest and it turned out that he has lung cancer.

I asked the vet what would be the signs to look for to know when the end was getting close as his breathing is already quite deep.

I don`t want him to suffer and he is not displaying any signs of pain and still is quite spry still at times.

The vet said that I will know, and left in tears as he has known him all his life.

This all made me fall apart as well as he is such a special dog.

I watched him last night laying down and it almost seemed as though he could not fall asleep. His eye`s kept opening and i was wondering if he could not fall asleep because he was in pain, I just don`t know.

Cancer is quite predominate in Flat Coats and I have experienced my share of cancers in the breed.

So besides the labored breathing can anyone in the know tell me what I should be paying attention to as I have never lost a dog to lung cancer, and I want my boy to go with all the dignity he deserves.

God Bless

Hi folks,

I`m just wondering if anyone else out there with multiple girls has experienced this.

I have 3 girls and 3 boys. 3 Flat Coats and 3 Aussies

My Alpha girl (Aussie) is 2 years old and has not come into season yet and my 1 year old Flat Coat came into season the first of the year.

Since then I have noticed my Flat coat girl starting to take dominate stances around the female Aussie who has the senior position.

Once already a skirmish has broken out between the 2 which I had to intervene in to break up.

I can tell that the Flat Coat must be vying for the top position but I have never experienced this before with any of my girls in the past.

To me age has always`s dictated pack hierarchy with the many dogs I have had.

I guess my question is for folks that have either had or have multiple girls.

Can who ever comes into season first dictate what the pack hierarchy will be as far as the girls go?

I honestly have never seen this before and want to know if anyone else has experienced this and if so do you try to intervene to keep the pack structure continuous by age or do you just let the change happen?

Good Luck and God Bless

Proposal to acquire, store and sell frozen semen of famous sires?

It doesn`t fly real well with me or other breeder`s I have spoken to.

Would you want to relinquish control over breeding your dog to a delegation of AKC appointed officers?

God Bless

How many of you folks out there train and work their dogs in dressage or have tried free style dancing with your dog at competitive levels, just training it or not.

God Bless

I asked this question the other night but it was real late and I was quite upset and not many folks were on, so I thought I would ask again during prime time.

Sorry for the length of the details and question.

By the way I`m no sympathy hound and stand by what I do.

Just wondering how others feel about this?

I am an owner, instructor and breeder of Flat Coated Retriever`s.

I spend many hours training, exhibiting, competing, playing with them and loving them.

They are the Peter Pan of dog breeds, always happy, full of energy and a true people dog.

But the big down side of the breed is that cancer takes so many of them.

Many at the young age of around 5 and you consider yourself lucky when you have one survive to 10 and up.

I love the breed dearly and will never want to live without one but at times when you lose one especially at a young age it makes the pain unbearable.

I have lost many champions and always tell perspective puppy buyers about the problems with cancer, but still I go on.

I always pray that they are in a better place across the Rainbow Bridge and waiting for when it is my time to join them.

I have one right now that I already know is slipping away, he is only 8 and an obedience champion as well as a bit of a celebrity having his picture put in several newspapers and my best friend.

It just hurts my soul so much to see him this way.

Myself, I believe in quality of life and will never sit back and watch any of my dogs suffer. I want them to have their dignity when it is their time, but I know of so many other breeders or owners that will fight to try to buy more time with their dear friends by introducing chemo or other drugs to prolong their lives only to maybe get a few additional months and watch them wither away. I guess they are stronger than me.

I had a girl one time that the week before took a 1st at an agility trial just blowing the field away and had her CDX in obedience only to go down to cancer and be gone in 24 hours due to a tumor rupturing at the age of 5. She never even showed any signs of discomfort till then.

Myself I find it so hard to live with my dear friends only to know they will be leaving me soon and their is nothing I can do about it.

I have been told by one person to do the best I can to breed the cancer out of my lines but hey, find me one FCR that does not carry it.

I guess my question is what would you do when you know that their is nothing you can do to save your friend?

Would you try to prolong life to hold on to them as long as possible?

Or would you do as I do and at the first signs let them go when you know their is no hope?

God Bless you all and if you can, say a prayer for Ra.

I am an owner, instructor and breeder of Flat Coated Retriever`s.

I spend many hours training, exhibiting, competing, playing with them and loving them.

They are the Peter Pan of dog breeds, always happy, full of energy and a true people dog.

But the big down side of the breed is that cancer takes so many of them.

Many at the young age of around 5 and you consider yourself lucky when you have one survive to 10 and up.

I love the breed dearly and will never want to live without one but at times when you lose one especially at a young age it makes the pain unbearable.

I have lost many champions and always tell perspective puppy buyers about the problems with cancer, but still I go on.

I always pray that they are in a better place across the Rainbow Bridge and waiting for when it is my time to join them.

I have one right now that I already know is slipping away, he is only 8 and an obedience champion as well as a bit of a celebrity having his picture put in several newspapers and my best friend.

It just hurts my soul so much to see him this way.

Myself, I believe in quality of life and will never sit back and watch any of my dogs suffer. I want them to have their dignity when it is their time, but I know of so many other breeders or owners that will fight to try to buy more time with their dear friends by introducing chemo or other drugs to prolong their lives only to maybe get a few additional months and watch them wither away. I guess they are stronger than me.

I had a girl one time that the week before took a 1st at an agility trial just blowing the field away and had her CDX in obedience only to go down to cancer and be gone in 24 hours due to a tumor rupturing at the age of 5. She never even showed any signs of discomfort till then.

Myself I find it so hard to live with my dear friends only to know they will be leaving me soon and their is nothing I can do about it.

I guess my question is what would you do when you know that their is nothing you can do to save your friend?

Would you try to prolong life to hold on to them as long as possible?

Or would you do as I do and at the first signs let them go when you know their is no hope?

God Bless you all and if you can say a prayer for Ra.

How many folks out there have dogs that are poop eaters?

I know it`s disgusting but hey we all know it happens.

I have been in dogs for many years, Flat Coats and Aussies but I have to say the Flat Coats are awful for this.

You pretty well have to be right behind the dogs with the pooper scooper getting it before the Flat Coats do.

I have even caught one getting at it before it even hit the ground, YUK. Fresh from the oven I guess.

I have heard many a reason why this occurs from something lacking in their diet to they could not be getting fed enough, hmmm is all I can say as I have tried many different approaches to this problem.

Once even getting a new drug to try out from the vet that was supposed to stop it but didn`t of course.

I have 2 questions regarding this as I am curious.

1) How many breeds out there are known for this and tell me what they are?

2) Have any of you been able to successfully stop it from occurring how?

I know this is a disgusting topic but I hope you all have fun with it, lol.

Good Luck and God Bless

Hi everyone and Merry Christmas to you all.

Let me start by saying that I in the past was a breeder of Flat Coated Retrievers and competed with them in Show, Agility, Obedience and Hunt. I am a competition level obedience trainer as well.

Then the worst happened my ex and I broke up and one day while I was not home she came and stole 6 of my dogs taking them to another country.

Well having helped train other peoples dogs that own kennels, Aussies specifically, these wonderful folks gave me new life and made me co-owner of one of their very special Aussies. Since then I have gotten 2 more but it always troubled me to just give up on the breed that made me what I am so I went out and found myself 2 wonderful Flat Coats to go with the one handicapped FCR boy my ex left behind.

I now have a 4 month old FCR (black),

a 7 month old Blue Merle Aussie,

a one year old FCR (black)

a 15 month old Red Tri Aussie,

a 7 year old FCR (black)

and a 8 year old Red Merle Aussie.

I did have a kennel name but from what I hear my ex is using it and now I need a new one.

So with this mix of colors and 2 different breeds I have just been dumb founded thinking up a new one. All these dogs will compete in Performance venues and Show.

Does anyone have a suggestions or Ideas?

Again From my family to you and yours, Merry Christmas and may God bless you all

My pc got wiped out by a virus a while back and I lost this poem.

It always brought a tear to my eyes and I would always pass it on to others when they lost their best friends.

I would even read at times when I still have down times thinking of all the wonderful things that I did with dogs in my past.

I would really appreciate it.

Many thanks to you all and God bless us all.

Due to an injury I had on my own property I had to resign from my truck driving job back in 01.

I went into business for myself as a kennel owner and trainer till my dad took ill in Ga. thus me moving there in June. Well I found my savings going fast and now struggle to keep the wolves from the front door.

I started applying on line to lots of trucking companies but all came back with "we need current experience"

Then I searched for companies that require no experience and have applied to a few just the other day.

It really hurts to have given up on a career that I truly loved and made good money at but starting my business somewhere new will take time that I don`t have and I need to be able to make a living and pay the bills thus falling back on my class A CDL.

Does anyone know of any trucking companies or even owner operators that will give experience/ hire some one that still actually knows what he is doing without it costing me an arm and leg?

Who would you recommend?