* Shelter dogs are the best *

I haven't asked her yet, so don't go telling me to move or whatever. I want a persuasive little speech before I even talk to her.

She gladly rented to us when we already have 3 big dogs, but I did explain that mine are older and well-behaved and don't destroy building fixtures. Her last tenant had a small dog that chewed up the bottom of one of the doors. She didn't even charge us a pet deposit, but we had to put each individual dog on the lease.

She was really happy that we wanted to move in, since we are young professionals and our neighborhood is mostly low-income. Some of our neighbors are on public assistance. Then again there's a mansion across the street. This is an older downtown area.

She's also a dedicated Christian and has personal missions. Like she originally bought this house in order to rent it for cheap to a lady who had a young daughter and lived in an apartment with bullet holes in the front exterior.

Anybody have any thoughts on how to appeal to her? I really want to start fostering.

I housebroke and trained a 4 year old feral dog so I know that the old adage about only puppies being trainable is bullcrap.

But I'm curious as to whether anyone has ever housebroken or trained (for leash, commands, whatever) a 10 year old dog, a 15 year old dog, etc.

I have some relatives with a small (very old) senior who's not housebroken and I'd like to see if I can do anything...

I have 3 big dogs, 2 of them love cats but can be obnoxious (whuffling in their face and playing chase), and my lab is afraid of cats since she got attacked by one as a puppy and almost killed.

I always thought it'd be impossible for her to live with a cat, but a couple of years ago I rescued a very tiny, starved, 4 week old kitten with a mangled leg and tail off the side of the highway. I guess the kitty was in sufficient shock to not care about my dog's posturing and, since she didn't whack my dog in the face or attack her or anything, my dog got over it after a few days of giving her the wary stink-eye. And they got along fine after that.

My roommate adopted the kitty in very short order, and since we've all graduated, the kitty (who turned into a very awesome cat btw) no longer lives with us.

I miss having a cat and was just wondering whether it would be a good idea to get another, and if so, what I should look for. My DH thinks that a very young kitten would be best since they are less intimidating, but I tend to think that it's hard to tell what kittens' personalities will be like when they get older, so a mature cat is the way to go. But then we have to find an adult that truly isn't intimidated by big dogs, and that may not be easy.

Thoughts?

I DO plan on asking my vet about this as soon as I take my dogs in next, but I just moved in August and haven't even found a regular vet here yet (I'm unwilling to go to just any vet), so...

The house I just moved into has a huge oak tree in the backyard that my husband attached two very large balls to with rope. Basically, if you can imagine dogs playing tetherball, that's what it is. They leap around and bounce the ball with their noses and mouths. They LOVE it, and they get way more exercise "playing tetherball" than we can give them simply by walking them... I mean, they'll do it for hours.

But is all this jumping around bad for their joints? I have a Mastiff (she's the most into it by far), a Lab, and a Border Collie/mix. I'm feeding them Canidae, though now I'm considering switching to a brand with more protein.

More like a series of questions here:

1) Is training for water rescue for a Newfoundland dog extremely time- and labor-intensive or is it one of those things that's so bred into them that it almost happens naturally - like LGD's with guarding sheep or BC's with herding?

2) How long does it take to train a dog for water rescue, and what's a good age to start? What's the maximum age to start training a Newfie for water rescue? Is it possible to start at 1.5 years? 3 years?

3) Obviously purebred Newfies are bred for water rescue and are great at it. But could Newf mixes and huge Lab mixes be equally capable, or close to it?

4) What does one look for in evaluating the potential for a water rescue dog?

5) And, finally, what kind of tools do you need? Can you train a dog on a beach, or do you need, like... a boat or a pier or something?

...And of course I want to dissuade him.

I know that when breeding little dogs like chihuahuas, something like this would kill them. But could it do the same with a 45 pound ***** bred to a 120 pound dog?

I found out why - it's because of their breed ancestor, the St. John's Water Dog, a hunting dog that was created in Newfoundland and started to go extinct in the 19th century due to heavy dog-ownership taxes. They died out completely in the 1930's.

They were not only used to create Labrador Retrievers, but also used in varying quantities to create Newfoundlands (crossed with Mastiffs) and all the other types of retrievers as well.

Funny thing is - if you are at all familiar with animal rescue, you know that big black dogs are very difficult to adopt out and are also VERY common. Well, these dogs look exactly like the typical big black lab mix that populates half of the kennels at most pounds: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John%27s_Water_Do...

I rather want to start calling the Big Black Dogs (BBD's as we refer to them in shorthand in the AR community) St. John's dogs to try to remove some of the stigma of the name. Who's with me?

Help me out, guys - I've got a marketing project and the only things I know about are dogs, books, and medieval European history.

So are there any dog-related products that haven't been invented yet but that you wish you had? It doesn't have to be too far out there - think about things like the Halti and the Brake-fast bowl. Or entire product lines like all-natural, grain-free dog food and treats.

I've had dark blue upholstered sofas and black dogs for years with no problems. The dogs shed, but it doesn't show up on the sofas. However I recently rescued an English Mastiff and she's got light hair, which shows up really bad against the dark colors. It's pretty much impossible to vacuum it completely from the upholstery.

I'm going to get new sofas soon because the sofa and loveseat are my college furniture and they are wearing out. I was thinking about chocolate brown leather so that the dog hair wouldn't adhere to the fabric, but dogs' claws can scratch those really easily, right?

Are there any other options that would look nice? A fabric that dog hair wouldn't adhere to and dog claws wouldn't scratch up?

Backyard breeders?

Puppy mills?

Irresponsible eople who don't spay/neuter?

Irresponsible people who buy dogs and aren't prepared for the commitment of pet ownership/aren't willing to train/don't research the breed?

Or someone else?

I've been passively looking for the next dog my husband and I are going to adopt - when I finish my accounting program this summer and start a big-kid job, I'm rewarding myself by adopting an adult male giant fluffy dog, which I've wanted since I was a little kid.

I keep going back and forth on a Newfoundland versus a Great Pyr. I think a Newfie might be a little better for us (sticks by your side, loves water), but few come through rescue. There are tons of Great Pyrs in shelters, and of course they are excellent dogs, too. It's not like they are massively incompatible with our lifestyle, they just aren't quite as ideal as I think Newfies are.

Which would you pick? (And I don't care which one you think is most attractive, that's irrelevant.)

We have a young Aussie mix, and a senior English Mastiff that we just adopted last month, and they play together all the time. Our other (first) 5 year old dog is mostly Labrador Retriever and quite delicate and princess-y. She likes to play, but other dogs always want to play with the more energetic, agile, and strong Aussie. So she's always left out.

I should probably take her to meet prospective adoptees and find the male that has an instant crush on her (you've seen dogs do that, right?), but I was thinking that a dog like this Newfie might be ideal: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?pe...

Firstly, why do so many people think that big dogs should live outside and small dogs should live inside? I have both big dogs and small dogs, and my big dogs aren't any higher-maintenance indoors than my small dogs. In fact they are lower-maintenance since their adulthood, because they're lazier. And they never have accidents, unlike my small dogs.

Secondly, why do people think that big dogs need more room than small dogs? I have an Aussie mix, a Lab, and an English Mastiff in roughly 1000 feet of living space and they do much better than my neighbor's hyper JRT's.

Thirdly, why do people think that small dogs are somehow more "companions" (or girly dogs, for lack of a better phrase) and big dogs are more hunting/working dogs (or boy dogs)? My family's doxie has the highest prey drive I've ever seen - I have watched her tear a live opossum in two. And I've watched my Lab cuddle with a chinchilla and a bird.

Fourthly, why are so many people all, "I want a small dog/toy breed/dog under 7 pounds?" Like, why? I take in big dogs because I do rescue and it's so much easier to find homes for small dogs, but what's better about a small dog than a big one?

I've gotten (rescued) dogs that didn't fit perfectly (read: at all) with my lifestyle before. I've inherited dogs with behavior problems before. And I never gave up on any of them. I trained them to the extent of my ability, I modified my lifestyle to the extent that I could, and what I could not change I learned to accept.

My three dogs are dependent on me for everything - food, love, medical care, happiness. The idea of any of them being sick, hungry, in pain, lonely, hit by a car... of not having ME, of wondering where I went and when I'm coming back for them... it makes me want to throw up, honestly.

They are my responsibility. I would chew off my own foot before I "got rid" of any of them.

Is it always easy? No. Are there sacrifices? Most certainly. I can't fly off to Europe on a whim. I can't take a job that requires extensive travel. I can't buy a big screen TV without making sure that the dog's budgetary needs are covered first. I can't always rent the nicest house. And of course, it's a lot of work.

Do I get tired of dealing with the responsibility? Yeah, occasionally I do. But apart from the fact that I wouldn't trade it for any amount of money, I CHOSE IT. What kind of person says, "I want to get rid of my dog, he's too lazy/hyper/big/small/expensive?" Would you "get rid" of a child because he's got ADD, or has a growth spurt and costs a lot to feed, or has some behavioral issues? Because the landlord of the house you want to live in won't allow couples with children? Because you can't have as much fun or take a job that pays more? Because raising kids is a lot of work?

And before you say, "there's a big difference between dogs and kids," there really isn't. Your commitment to your dog - a responsibility that you chose - is just as sure of a sign as your character as your commitment to any other responsibility, including kids.

But unlike kids, you CAN choose the particular dog that fits with your lifestyle. Unlike kids, dogs cannot be "accidents" or "whoopsies." Unlike kids, dogs do not require that you completely re-prioritize your life in order to be a successful guardian - though of course, you must re-prioritize to an extent.

Why don't people realize that "getting rid of" your dog - or neglecting it or throwing it out in the backyard because you don't feel like training it - is, 99% of the time, a sign that you have a weak character, are irresponsible, and shouldn't ever own pets? Or have kids?

Liver or meat dehydrated in the oven - got it! I'm going to try it.

But my Mastiff's favorite thing in the world is mint. She loves breath fresheners more than anything on this earth. Also, I love for my dogs to have fresh breath because they lick my face about a zillion times a day.

I have thought of these ways to incorporate breath-freshening herbs in a dehydrated meat treat. If anyone is experienced in dog-treat making or cooking, please help me out and let me know which of these is likely to work.

1) Make a "stock" by boiling parsley and mint for 2-4 hours. Mix a few tablespoons of the "mint stock" with egg whites. Coat dehydrated meat with mixture and bake for 20 minutes.

2) Puree meat/organ in a food processor with mint and parsley and then bake. OR

3) Puree meat/organ in a food processor with mint, parsley, and EGG and then bake. (Would egg help it stay together?)

Also, what other herbs are good for dogs?

And that includes wheat, right?

Well, I've been browsing dog treat recipes online because pre-made treats are expensive and chock full of preservatives and additives. But ALL the recipes include some sort of flour. I'm guessing that's because there's no other way to hold the treats together.

So is just a little bit of flour fine and dandy? Or should I be looking somewhere else for a dog treat? I've just switched my dogs to a grain-free food (Taste of the Wild) and I really want them to be healthy - they've been rather sluggish lately.

But I also desperately need training aids, as I just adopted a senior English Mastiff who is NOT leash-trained.

Advice, anyone?

These are the treat recipes I was planning on using; other than the flour, they look really healthy.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Diabetic-Dog-Treats/D...

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-and-Pum...

I just got some for my dogs. I found it at the tractor supply store and it was slightly less expensive than Blue Buffalo, but I've read that it's one of the best dog foods out there.

Anybody have experience with this dog food? Flavors that your dog turned his nose up at (my lab mix is really picky), runny butt, anything like that?

I recently acquired a senior English Mastiff from a former friend who dumped all her pets for no good reason. Because she's a bit older (6) and has some weird chronic minor health conditions (lots of tiny cysts pop up), and because my other dogs aren't getting any younger, I've decided to switch to a quality kibble. (I've been doing a combo of low quality kibble and plain ol' meat.)

But I don't want to mess with more than 2 different kinds of kibble at once if necessary. Can I feed large breed adult food to all of them? I've got a 4.5 year old lab with hip dysplasia and a 3 year old Aussie mix who weighs 50 pounds.

The only difference in large breed food and regular food that I can discern is that the large breed food has glucosamine and stuff for healthy joints. Is there anything else?

I plan on trying Orijen, Blue Buffalo, Avoderm, and/or Merrick.

I picked up a little 4-5 week old kitten on the side of the highway about 6 months ago. She'd been hit by a car and had a broken leg. My roommate adopted her, which is good because she's a cat person and I'm really not (sorry, I know, bad section to say that in).

This cat has been vomiting after eating at least half the time ever since we brought her home. Dry food is impossible. We only feed her a teaspoon of wet food at a time, close to a dozen times a day - and she STILL vomits. It's a nasty sight to behold - she foams at the mouth, it comes out of her mouth AND her nose...

Today I decided to start trying the raw diet, and giving her raw fish, because I think part of the problem is that she's just eating way too fast - since she's always hungry because half her food is vomited up. But still, a teaspoon of food or so should NOT make her throw up.

Between the two of us, we''ve spent about $700 at the vet on her. None of the vets at the practice can figure it out.

Has anyone ever heard of this before or had any experience with it? I imagine that if we don't find a solution, all that stomach acid coming up every single day will kill her within a few years, like what happens with human bulimics.

I am adopting a 6 year old English Mastiff whose owner is dumping her, and I have a 60 pound Labrador and a 50 pound Aussie mix. I'll be rather poor for the next several months to a year and I just can't afford good dog food anymore - not THAT much of it, anyway.

I've been thinking about doing raw feeding for a while. But buying meat from the grocery store's cost was too prohibitive. (I only eat meat once a week or two myself.) I never even thought of going to local butchers and buying the stuff that humans don't eat. Surely those things are very cheap, right?

Where do you go to get cheap raw meat, parts, bones, etc. and how much does it cost?

I'm adopting a 6 year old English Mastiff who has had emergency surgery for bloat before. Someone had thrown some food on the ground outside and she ate it. Her stomach is now stapled to her other organs, which will hopefully prevent it from happening again, but just in case...

I know the basics of how to prevent it - elevated feeding bowls, and split mealtimes, etc. My question is, how does that work with raw feeding? I sometimes give my dogs a raw bone with a little meat on it. Obviously, no dog is going to eat that from an elevated bowl - it takes them like, an hour to eat it. Can I not give the Mastiff the raw bones? Would it trigger her bloat to eat one from the ground?