Jessica L

Confession: my dog is weird. She doesn't really chew on much of anything, and only has a vague interest in rawhides, bully sticks, and real bones. She does eat the minty sticks that are made from compressed rawhide chips, but that is about it.

What are some things that she might want to eat or play with while I am gone? I am open to all suggestions!

In August, I will begin my first full-time job. I expect to be away from home for a solid 10 hours each day, and have been wondering what to do with my dog. It is a low-energy, medium sized dog, and I live in an apartment.

My main concern is with her using the restroom. She is too shy for me to hire someone to let her out during the day, and I think that crating her for that period is just cruel and unusual punishment. I'd rather rehome her than subject her to that kind of existence.

SO. My current plan is to keep her in my apartment's patio, and place a Porch Potty out there for her to use while I am gone. The problem with that is that I am on the third floor, and my dog can jump over four feet (meaning that she could jump from the deck if desperate enough).

I've been experimenting with leaving her, and she hasn't tried to "follow" me when I leave for the store or anything, so I'm hoping that she won't jump the deck. However, we WILL be moving into the apartment right as I am beginning this new schedule, so I'm a bit concerned.

Should I put some kind of tie-out cable on her (using a harness, in case of leaping) or something like that? Does my plan sound reasonable, or do you have something to add to it? I'd really like some outside input.

I keep hearing that it builds a dog's confidence to teach them tricks. I have a very fearful dog who is intelligent, but does little more than curl in a corner on the bed or couch. She is comfortable with me, but still prefers to be in her "safe zones".

How does one go about training a dog like this? I'd love to build her confidence, but what am I supposed to use to train her? I'm so used to dealing with hyper, dominant dogs that this one just floors me. How can you teach a dog to sit or lay when that's ALL SHE DOES? Is my "extrememly shy dog" somehow different from everybody else's "extremely shy dog"?

Btw, she will not eat treats unless we are on the bed with the door closed. She's not terribly food motivated, and excessive petting is scary to her sometimes. (depends on her mood)

I have an EXTREMELY shy dog that I adopted about a month ago. She is very fearful of people, but has bonded with me rather well.

My boyfriend adopted a 4 month old puppy today, and I am baby sitting while he is at the gym. Ever since I brought the puppy home, my dog has growled, snarled and even snapped at her. She doesn't want to be within 10 feet of the thing, and is kindof tolerating being on the same couch with me inbetween the two of them. (staring sullenly across at the puppy)

Now, I pet my dog as soon as I came in, took them both outside for a potty break, and have been giving plenty of attention.

This dog came from a shelter where she was kenneled with one other dog, and has spend most of her 2 years with other dogs. There is NO reason for her to be randomly dog aggressive like this.

HELP?

I always see dressage riders using polo wraps on their horses, but have been told that they offer very little support for the horse's legs.

So....what's the point? Is a horse really that much more likely to step on himself when performing dressage?

I've started the job hunt, and am cranking out letters of interest and introduction by the dozen. One employer is requiring applicants to email their entire application. What do I actually say in the email when I send about 5 attachments? Should my letter of interest actually go as the email itself, or should I attach a "letter of interest" and write something else in the email?

Help!!!

Just toying with an idea here....I don't currently own a purebred dog.

I am "interested" in getting involved with conformation shows, but don't know where to start. Obviously, I'd have to pick a breed first, but then what? Should I take some kind of "handler" class? Should I actually buy a dog for my first show experiences, or should I show someone else's dog for a while until I get a feel for things?

How is this usually done?

I have a medium-sized dog who is very fearful of people. She is left alone during the day while I am at work, and I feel guilty about the fact that she holes up behind the pillows on my bed 24/7. I do take her for a nice 2-mile jog in the evenings, but wish that I could give her more interaction.

I won't ask someone to come over to let her out or play with her, because she is scared to DEATH of new people. That would just be a horrific experience for her.

I'm wondering if something like a doggy daycare would be better? She gets along with other dogs, but I'm not sure if she would just shut down and hide in a corner, or if she would actually play with the other dogs.

Opinions?

I just bought a Furminator brush, and I love it. They have some non-shedding shampoo for sale as well, but I'm a little more sketchy on that. Has anyone used non-shedding shampoos (of any brand) with success?

Do certain types of dog food help with shedding?

I just adopted a dog, and am on my way to the vet to get a Revolution prescription for her after lunch today, but she does already have fleas.

What is a good flea shampoo that I can use before I put the Revolution on her? (might as well bathe her BEFORE the drops, right?)

I want one that works, and doesn't smell bad and won't make HER smell bad, either! If you don't have a "best shampoo", do you at least have a list of ones to avoid?

I live in Texas, and that means that all we have for sale here are Quarter Horses, Appendix Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas, and "grade" Quarter Horrses. There are a few Thoroughbreds floating around, but those are mainly racing-bred and hard to work with....

Now, I am graduating college this year, and will be getting a job SOON! I plan to start taking English riding lessons (dressage and building to jumping) while I save up for my "first" horse.

I do have riding experience, and have owned 3 horses as a child. I'm certainly not a beginner as far as horse handling goes.

Now, I have heard that Quarter Horses can do well in dressage if they are trained for it, and aren't built downhill. This means that I might be able to take one of the thousands of "green broke, you finish him" horses for cheap, and hire a trainer to train him/her in dressage.

Option No. 2 is, of course, that I could pay upwards for a horse who is already trained.

Which is the better option? To buy a horse who is a well-mannered, green broke "clean slate", or a horse who has already been trained in English riding?

The latter is going to be MUCH more difficult to find, as everyone here does roping/reigning/cutting/barrels. Dressage horses are far and few in between.

I have one of those classic "pound puppies", and I feel that he has a very strong boxer resemblance. The only catch is that he is black with white markings instead of the standard fawn/brindle with white markings.

Is the fawn color a dominant gene, or is it possible for a boxer mix to carry black fur from another breed?

I am writing a letter requesting a donation, and I'm not sure how I should begin the salutation.

"To Whom it May Concern" sounds too impersonal and vague. We are directing this at local business owners, so should I simply write "Business Owner" or something like that?

I'm a little lost.

Help!

I live in the U.S. and am new to Champagne (but I'm learning!).

I absolutely HATE dry Champagnes, but for some reason that is the only type that stores think they should stock.

Could you offer some brand suggestions a list of stores that I might be able to find them in? My local Specs doesn't sell anything other than Brut Champagne, and that is just too dry for me.

(please keep in mind that as a beginner, I plan to do a lot of tasting. I can't afford to do "tasting" at $40-$70 a bottle)

Now, I know that Chis are a dime a dozen in the "I don't feel like taking care of the random puppy I got as a present once" market. But, if I actually decided to get a decently-bred Chihuahua, what should I look for in a breeder?

I've already got: shows dogs to Championship before breeding, clears dogs for genetic faults, ideally works dogs in some sort of competitions (obedience or agility perhaps), does not run a kennel, does not readily ship dogs to buyers, and prefers buyers to visit home and dogs at some point before purchasing a puppy. And of course, requires a spay/neuter contract in non-show homes.

Since the Chihuaha breed has been practically DESTROYED, what sort of subliminal things should I be looking for? Is it appropriate for this breed to only be bred for temperament? What goals should the breeder have that I need to look for?

I am trying to think of ways to expose a puppy to children. I know how they should interact, and I know how to make the experience a good one, but I don't have any kids to do this with! None of my friends have children either.

My boyfriend is in the process of finding a puppy, and since we plan to be married with children at some point in this dog's lifetime, it is imperative that the dog is able to have some exposure to children in order to be fully socialized.

I don't have any friends with children, so I am wondering if there are places to go where I can let him/her be around running, screaming, laughing, "little people" and be pet and loved on and just have a good experience in general. Any advice for places to go, or methods to use?

I'd love all the tips and suggestions you can throw at me!

I have a small, 20lb terrier mix who ate the nylon slip lead I used to have, so I'm now in the market for a choke chain collar.

How do I choose the right chain weight for my dog? I know how to get the right size, but should I get a fine or medium weight chain?

I've heard that the finer weights can be a little harsher on the dog, as they cut into the neck a little bit more. Is that true?

I'm going to make Horchata (the cold, Mexican almond/rice drink) and the recipe calls for blanched almonds. How do I blanch almonds??

I'm doing a little preliminary research on Dane breeders, and it is starting to look as though a LOT of Danes have very droopy jowls/lips. Are they SUPPOSED to be floppy? I was always under the impression that the Great Dane muzzle was supposed to be more of a smooth, clean, non-slobbery look.

Okay, I'll begin by stating that this is NOT my dog. I found a yorkie on the side of the road last week, and picked her up in hopes of reuniting her with her owner, and have been irritated ever since.

She is an adult dog.

She is not housebroken, doesn't seem to know how to walk on a leash, knows ZERO commands, and takes special delight in destroying paper, foil, and select shoes.

Now, I have a crate (which she is circling and whining in right now). I am keeping her in the crate all day (starting today), with occasional potty breaks. Apparantly taking her out every 3 hours to use the restroom wasn't enough to housebreak her, so that's why I've resorted to the crate method.

Should I let her wander around until she finally uses the restroom, or should I take her out, walk her a bit, and if she doesn't go then that's her problem? I'm thinking that she might actually TRY to potty while we're out if I go that route.

What do I do about the destructive behavior? Obviously, I have to crate her at night while I'm asleep, and keep all shoes and trash cans behind closed doors. I limit her activity to rooms where I am present. (or at least, I was doing that until I crated her).

I can handle the leash training, but am I doing the rest of it right? Never housebroken an adult dog before.