rcullen1980

We recently got our 9 year old boxer mix back after being overseas a few years. She stayed with family but was mainly an outdoor dog. Before that she had her own couch when it was just her and my husband. Now that we are back and have brand new furniture I do not want either of our dogs on it. The younger one I trained not to get on so he's pretty good but the older dog is smart enough to only get on when we are not home or at night when we are asleep. We catch her on the love seat in the mornings.

What is the best way for me to train her to stay off since she doesn't get up when we are around. My husband thinks that if I let her on it to teach her to stay off it will confuse her.

I won't kennel her at night but I don't really want to put things on the couches every night to keep her off either. Do the sprays really work?

Any suggestions?

My 2 year old is a very early riser. Most mornings up before 630. (this morning before 6)

I have put foil up in the windows to keep the sun out, I have given her a good snack before bed to help stave off hunger pains, I've tried putting her back to bed (she screams and wakes up her siblings)

She gets a good 2 hour nap during the day and she doesn't go to bed until 830 or 9 each night.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I am having a dilemma.

I have a daughter, 9, and in the mornings I watch two other kids, 9(boy) and 10(girl) for about 30-45 minutes before they walk to school.

They are your typical children, they want to play games or do activities before they go to school but the problem is, both of the other children want my daughters attention without the other one there.

If one gets to play something with her the other ones gets mad and vice versa.

I'd like some suggestions on things they can either do together or around each other and still get the time they all want.

Part of the problem is the 9 and 10 year old boy and girl are brother and sister and the typical annoying sibling act is always present.

Any suggestions on things I can have them do in the mornings are appreciated.

Up to now I've just tried to let them work things out on their own. The last person to watch them in the morning was very strict and had issues keeping them calm.

I on the other had do think they need some sort of activity to get the jitters out before having to sit in class all day.

I've thought about timed word searches, see who can find the most words in 10 minutes or other puzzles like that but I'm not sure where to get things like that. I'd like to have something different to do each morning.

My 1 1/2 year old Okinawa Mix pup has insecure barking issues.

He will bark whenever someone new comes to the house and will not stop. I will put him in his crate and he will continue to bark and growl. Once he gets to sniff the person who is over and he gets comfortable around them he is fine and will sit next to them and cuddle. Most of the time that is the case, but there are a couple cases where he will bark, growl and follow the person around. He has not bitten but I don't put it past him to do so if he were ever to feel really threatened.

He will bark at another dog he hears outside, kids playing across the street and other noises he's not familiar with.

I have done everything I can think of to get him to stop. I believe he understands that he's not suppose to bark because if I tell him "hush" and walk towards him he will stop and back away but as soon as my back it turned he will start up again. Even when he is sitting with me on the couch he'll hear a noise and start low grumbling. He looks at me when I tell him to hush and he will for a second but then starts back up. I think he's not sure how to stop.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Other than that he is a great dog.

We will be moving back stateside towards the end of this year and I'd like to get him past this issue before he is going to be handled by strangers and on an airplane for 12 hours.

I need some ideas for educational and fun crafts for 3 year olds.

My son is not yet ready to draw lines and trace his letters so I need some other ideas for hands on crafts and things he could do.

I know painting, threading beads and building blocks are some ideas but others would be appreciated.

How can I help my 3 year old understand that it is gross to sit in a poopy diaper? We've tried potty training and he just doesn't seem to care. He is also my 3rd child, (boy #2). He could care less that he is dirty and will sit in it instead of telling us.

I could use some advice from seasoned potty trainers out there.

I did not have this issue with my older children. I can't help but think it has a little to do with my youngest one. (18months old)

We've tried everything. I know people say that boys will wake up one day and decide that they are ready to potty train but he is almost 3 1/2 and at this rate his little sister will be potty trained before him.

I have an 8 month male Oki-mix that is continually trying to dominate a 14 month female shiba-inu that I am watching for the next 4 weeks.

My neighbor and her family went back to visit family and will be gone for 4 weeks. I now have 2 female Shiba-inus that I am caring for while they are gone. The younger shiba is 9 months and has been submissive. My 8 month male is constantly following around the 14month old female trying to dominate her. She will not give in and fights him off. I think part of it is he is still young and immature and not sure how to handle suddenly having these 2 females in the house. They always played together before so they are not new to him, just new to our house.

If I get up and tell him to stop he will back off, but the minute she moves he is back to following her.

I'm not sure what to do. They've only been here 3 days. They don't get into dog fights, she just vocally tells him to leave her alone and has even rolled him so she is the dominate one, he just doesn't understand that he needs to back off. He even goes up to her licking her face as if he is submissive to her, but then changes his attitude when she starts walking around. I think he's confused.

Suggestions please....

My DD is almost 1, we've been trying to get her to drink from a sippy for several months. When she takes a drink she lets whatever is in the cup dribble down her chin.

She loves her bottles and drinks her milk no problem, but whatever is in her cup...milk, water, diluted juice...she lets flow out of her mouth.

We've tried several different types of cup but she does it with every kind.

Advice please!!!

I've had BH contractions every day for the last 2 weeks, then suddenly yesterday and today, nothing.

This is baby #4 but I've never had these with my other 3 so this is a new experience.

She's been extremely active then yesterday as well, she slowed down.

I had a dr. appt. this morning and she is head down and has dropped.

I'm 36 weeks and even the midwife thinks I may not make it to my next appt. in 2 weeks.

Anyone else experience the BH contractions then have them stop and have their baby soon afterwards?

I have a MAC and up until 3 weeks ago the video was working through skype.

I go into the preferences, go to the video option and it states that there is "no video camera connected"

I've tried looking online to fix the problem but cannot find the solution.

Any advice would be helpful.

I've not upgraded my skype or anything like that so I'm not sure why it suddenly is not connected.

My webcam still works on my messenger and photo booth, just not on skype.

Thanks

Has anyone had a kidney stone while pregnant?

My dr. is waiting on results from my labs and I won't find out until tomorrow but she's pretty sure I have a kidney stone. This is my 4th baby and I've never experienced it.

Experiences please? I''m 20w6d.

Thanks

And of course she (and her 10 year old brother) think it is hilarious and take in the smell. But I am worried about how much it stinks. I know some odor is normal but for us to smell it in the front of the van while she sits in the third row or from across the living room.

What do you think would be the cause and what can I do to simmer down the smell?

And I need some advice on baking cookies, cakes and such.

I tried to make some cookies today and they came out flat. How can I make them fluffy? Do I need to adjust the time, temp or amount of certain ingredients?

Thanks.

My husband got orders to go to Japan for 4 years. My ex has given me permission to take our 2 children with us for the 4 years because of the wonderful experience. We leave in two weeks and my ex and I had been working on a new parenting plan that states he gave me permission, etc....suddenly I got an email from him last night that said he has consulted with an attorney and the attorney told him that he does not have to give me permission to take the kids and either I pay for the whole expense of transporting the kids to and from Japan for the summer and Christmas break or I give up my child support for the next 4 years and he pays for half the transportation costs.

I say okay, if I give up my child support for the next 4 years then he has to waive his right to claim one of the children on his taxes for the next 4 years. If he is not going to pay child support then he should get the benefit of claiming one of them.

Does that sound fair to you?

My 7 week old son is suddenly getting very fussy after feeding.

I'm not sure if it's a formula issue or just him deciding to be fussy. He eats 4-6 ounces at a time every 3 or so hours during the day and after some of his feedings gets very fussy. I try my best to burp him but he doesn't always.

Last night he had a screaming fit for a good hour and was passing a lot of gas. We gave him Mylacon drops and finally got him to sleep after he ate 2 ounces.

Does it sound like he could be having issues with his formula? He eats Enfamil Lipil.

I don't think it's colic because the symptoms of colic don't match.

We are moving from the states to Okinawa at the end of the summer, we have a 9 and 5 year old that will need to be occupied. Aside from the coloring books and travel games does anyone have any other suggestions that will help pass the time? Thanks..

I had my third child by c-section 4 weeks ago and now after I eat or drink anything, even just drinking water or eating a piece of bread, my stomach feels like it's been punched. I feel like I have a build up of gas and it only goes away if I lay down and massage my stomach.

Anyone else ever had this?? I have my 6 week appt in 2 weeks and was going to ask my doc about it then.

My 8 month old Doberman pulls constantly while on walks. I've tried a regular collar and leash, a head collar, harness and putting a leash up high around the top of her neck just below her ears like Cesar Milan on Dog Whisperer.

But nothing has worked. My hands are raw from trying to hold onto the leash. I'm open to suggestions on how to get her to walk more calmly.

I'd like to know what your success stories are for naturally inducing labor.

I've heard nipple massage, sex, walking, hot food, bumpy car rides, massaging ankles, etc....

What worked for you?

and we are moving to Okinawa Japan by the end of August. I am pregnant and due beginning of May, but I also have 2 children from a previous marriage. This will be an awesome experience for all of us. Any suggestions on how I can convince my ex to not give a fight about taking the kids? They would come back every summer for the whole summer and every other Christmas.