your aunt flo

I'm looking for ideas on what to wear to a major Hollywood blockbuster film premiere and I only have until the end of this week to figure something out!

Can you recommend some edgy designers based either in NYC or L.A.? I want to look effortlessly chic, slightly rocker chick, a little boho. If you have websites to share I would be grateful - pls. no J Crew or Banana, I'd like to look as original as possible.

Oh, as I'm super tall, I won't be wearing heels, and so will probably prefer to wear pants.

Thanks!

Contrary to what Canidae says on its website (http://www.canidae.com/recall.html) I still think there is a bad batch of Canidae out there, which could be unrelated to the recall.

Read here: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/canidae.html

Our dog's food has the same batch number 40461-01040 as others reported on the above link, and has been having explosive diarrhea which clears up when we put him on a bland diet, but immediately returns when we start transitioning him back on his Canidae.

Just wanted to put this info out there. If you've had a similar experience, by all means respond to this post, but I would suggest also contacting Canidae directly with the batch number (you can find this below the barcode) and perhaps Consumer Affairs (see link above).

Good luck all!

Our dog is 18 months old, and 6 weeks ago he suddenly developed a fear of the outside. We've have thought long and hard, but can't discern any unpleasant incident that would have upset him to this extent.

We live in a city, we've never moved apartments, he knows our neighborhood/ park/ dog run, he's well-socialised and well-traveled. We're going to the same pee/ poop spots, and he'll quickly and reluctantly pee in his spot, and then he'll pull at the leash and try to scramble home, claws scratching at the pavement, tossing his head like a horse. Often, he'll sit down and refuse to budge, tail tucked under and trembling.

As you can imagine, this has had a HUGE effect on going to the bathroom, going to the dog run/ park.

My question has two parts to it: A) Do you think this is the second fear phase, and B) Do you have any suggestions on how we can coax him outside?

Thanks!

I need to find a kennel/ other overnight boarding facility for my dog. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, just clean, safe and responsible. I've never done this before, so thought I'd tap into the advice and wisdom of everyone here!

What sort of questions should I ask?

What should I look for?

And, if you have any recommendations in the Brooklyn NY area, please let me know!

Thanks, as always, guys!

A pigeon was on my doorstep this afternoon, and its wing is trailing on the ground, like it's broken.

Is there anything I can do? I feel bad leaving it, but maybe I could leave it some bread and water or something? Can't afford to take it to the vet!

Our puppy is almost 11 months old, and for the last couple of months he has been sleeping on our bed. We've decided it would be better for all of us if he slept on the floor in our bedroom instead. I know we have our work cut out for us now (!!!) and fully expect our puppy to keep jumping up on the bed in the night, but was wondering if anyone had any tips for us? Thanks!

Does anyone have any ideas for a vacation on the East Coast with a nervous dog - one who can't be left alone in a hotel room, bc he will howl the place down and disturb the other guests?

I need a vacation, live in NYC, but my puppy isn't ready for a kennel so have to bring him with us. HELP!

P.S. flying with puppy is out of the question...

Do any of you have an opinion of the efficacy of DAP? I'm looking for an alternative to Prozac to help my puppy work through his separation anxiety.

Background:

We've tried almost everything... but puppy was taken away from his mother at around 5 weeks, was abused, abandoned and left for dead. We've tried a couple of behavioural trainers, but so far I think they are a waste of money.

We were going to put him in daycare to get used to not being around us the whole time (we work from home) but he was rejected in his interview because he was too scared of the humans there.

We work from home and our apartment is open plan, so ignoring his howls for hours on end/ locking him in another room is not an option.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts!

I stumble upon this link from the Animal Legal Defense Fund and thought it was quite useful. It answers legal questions about animals. Obviously this is no substitute for a lawyer, but it's a good starting point. Many of the questions listed are questions which crop up on YA! repeatedly.

http://www.aldf.org/resources/resources.php?pid=7&...

We currently have a pair of spring-loaded nail clippers ($10 from petco), but our large breed puppy is frightened of having his paws touched after surgery on his paw. Our current clippers aren't so good because by the time we've aligned them with his claw, he's flinched and moved away...

Looking for your recommendations for something quicker/ better to cut/ file his nails with that I can buy in the US.

Thanks so much!

This might sound weird, but... my 10 month old puppy doesn't seem to know how to jump! His back legs are strong, and he's an amazing runner, but when we hold a treat up in the air to get him to jump he stretches up, and would prefer to totter about on his hind legs instead.

Are there any safer ways to teach my dog to jump? And do you think the fact that he can't yet is weird?

I just noticed some round pink growths in my dog's mouth. There are 3, on the inside of his cheek. They look furry, almost cauliflower-like in appearance.

I'm taking my dog to the vet later, but do any of you know what this could be?

Here's a link to a picture.

http://s234.photobucket.com/albums/ee107/wuuzle/?a...

or

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee107/wuuzle/ba...

Thanks!

Any advice for a puppy who won't go to the bathroom if it's raining? He doesn't seem scared, more... distracted... like he can't smell where he wants to go.

Obviously, we have no control over the weather, we don't make a fuss (i.e. we're calm about it when he doesn't go) and have tried taking him out, bringing him in, crating... he's 9 months old. He's been needing to go for hours, and he won't go inside bc he's housetrained, but he just won't pee if it's raining!! Any ideas for a desperate puppy? Thanks!

I think the show is badly made - too much 'before and after', not enough 'during', and the little we see of his techniques are physically aggressive (e.g. jabbing, poking)!

Why do people always recommend his techniques, esp. when (thanks to the editing of the show) they haven't seen them properly in action, but what we *do* see is physically violent? There is no 'whispering' involved, he doesn't sense a thing in comparison to our dog's behavioural trainer - now *there's* a bona fide dog whisperer!

I'm curious to know if any of you have experienced this with your dog... and *of course* I'm taking my dog to the vet...

Our 9mo neutered dog has had a discharge at the tip of his penis for about a week. I thought it would clear up, but it hasn't, and it's leaving nasty yellow/ green opaque stains on our sheets!! Did your dog ever have this, and was it thrush, or a UTI or something else?

For the last couple of years I've been chatting/ emailing/ talking on the phone to a woman a little older than me. I like her, but I don't feel ready to meet her. She keeps asking me to visit her (she lives in the Mid-West, I live on the East Coast) which I have so far managed to avoid doing. Now she's saying she's seen a great deal on a airfare to me, and is suggesting a weekend this fall.

I would be fine meeting her if she were visiting other friends who lived in the same place as me, or vice versa, but she would be coming specially to meet me. And stay in my house!!!

How do I get out of this? It sounds terrible, but I know that my friendship to her (if you can call it a friendship) means more to her than her friendship does to me. I don't want to hurt her feelings, and I recognize that if I do nothing I hurt her even more in the long run. But I feel she is being real pushy, and like I have to say something! How can I tell her in the kindest possible way that I can't?

For the last couple of years I've been chatting/ emailing/ talking on the phone to a woman a little older than me. I like her, but I don't feel ready to meet her. She keeps asking me to visit her (she lives in the Mid-West, I live on the East Coast) which I have so far managed to avoid doing. Now she's saying she's seen a great deal on a airfare to me, and is suggesting a weekend this fall.

I would be fine meeting her if she were visiting other friends who lived in the same place as me, or vice versa, but she would be coming specially to meet me. And stay in my house!!!

How do I get out of this? It sounds terrible, but I know that my friendship to her (if you can call it a friendship) means more to her than her friendship does to me. I don't want to hurt her feelings, and I recognize that if I do nothing I hurt her even more in the long run. But I feel she is being real pushy, and like I have to say something! How can I tell her in the kindest possible way that I can't?

I've been bitten twice in the last week by a flying insect in our local dog run (New York City), and my ankle and face have had a lot of swelling and itching around the site of the bite. It doesn't warrant my going to the doctor >yet<, but I was wondering if any of you have been bitten like this? I hate bugs, don't know anything about them. I've seen fat green shiny flies around, could it be them? I grew up in the Mediterranean, so I don't think these are mosquito bites... any ideas as to what this insect could be? The swelling lasts for days and is over an inch (3 cms) in diameter. Thanks...

I know this question isn't strictly related to dogs, but here goes... I've been bitten twice in the last week by a flying insect in our local dog run (New York City), and my ankle and face have had a lot of swelling and itching around the site of the bite. It doesn't warrant my going to the doctor >yet<, but I was wondering if any of you have been bitten like this? I hate bugs, don't know anything about them. I've seen fat green shiny flies around, could it be them? I grew up in the Mediterranean, so I don't think these are mosquito bites... any ideas as to what this insect could be? Like I said, I know this isn't a dog question, but thought I'd had more luck if I asked folks who frequent dog runs. Thanks...

I think as long as you use a *properly-sized* crate to house-train your dog and to keep him/ her safe when you're not around, and NEVER use it as punishment, a crate is a wonderful thing. A dog will see his crate as a special safe place for him to retreat, just like a den in the wild, providing you don't abuse him with it.

I don't leave my dog in his crate for hours on end, I never use it as a punishment, and it was INVALUABLE for house-training where all other methods failed us.

I think too many people see a crate as a cage, and they anthropomorphise the dog too much.

What do you all think? And if you're against crates, how did you house-train your dog and keep him/ her safe and out of mischief when you went out?

This could be a potentially heated debate, so do try to be respectful of what others have to say. We are all entitled to our opinions!