Fun ways to spoil your dog!

[fire&ice]

Well, I didn''t want to hijack Mara''s new addition puppy thread.

But, as some of you may have read my old gal has lung cancer. From what the vet & internist said from the beginning is that it''s one of the worst in dogs. We have talked in length about what care/path to take. In the end, my needs shouldn''t come above her needs. I want her well w/ anything & everything that can be done. But, that would be subjecting her to very painful surgery to prolong her life by just a few months - not to mention that many don''t survive the surgery. In other words, the mass is inoperable for any sort of recovery.

So, I am at peace with our tough decision. It may not be everyone''s path; but, it''s our path. She has been poked & prodded enough. I don''t want to subject her to anymore invasive tests only to confirm what is already known. I will set up a fund or contribute to an existing fund that can be used for people who can not afford the care that could *save* their dog''s life. And, I have agreed to let them autopsy the dog. Tremendous strides in doggie health care are being made daily. Of course too late now, but -just this past week the critical care place set up a mobile "MRI ish" scan. Before, one had to get on a waiting list & send your dog away for several days to either DC or another state''s Vet School.

Anyway, it''s been a couple of hard weeks. But, as I said, I am at peace with our decision.

That said, let''s turn this into something positive. We are spoiling her rotten! I even cooked her a turkey - her favorite food! What low level activities do you do with your pups/cats to spoil them? Give me some great ideas. We even made up a "Heidi" song. She doesn''t know we can''t hold a tune! Ain''t dogs grand!

 

[Jennifer5973]

F&I, my heart aches reading your post. When our family pet, Tippy, had a stroke, we diapered her, fed her by hand (pasta, filet mignon, you name it), bathed her daily and carried her around with us in a blanket. After a month of this, she had a second stroke. When my mom came home from the vet's with no dog (and looking like a freight train had run her over), I knew instantly. The vet said the second stroke had made her unable to eat or drink--she would, if we did not intervene, starve to death. My mother made the painful decision to let her go humanely and Tippy left us in my mom's arms with a minimal amount of suffering.

The love for your pet is amazing and you will, as we were, continue to be at peace with the choices you've made. They were the right ones for her and for you. And I think the fund is a tremendous idea...Is there information on it publicly?

 

[researcher]

You poor thing! I am so sorry you've had to deal with such a difficult decision, but it's probably for the best. With my parent's dog (who suffers from horrible arthritis and everything else you can imagine--he's extremely old) they got a special blanket, lots of dog treats, a super soft grooming brush, and some toys like the little balls that you put peanut butter in. They just spoil him rotten because it's all you can do at that point--make the end of their lives as blessful as possible!

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 6/27/2004 6:04:14 PM Jennifer5973 wrote:

F&When our family pet, Tippy, had a stroke, we diapered her, fed her by hand (pasta, filet mignon, you name it), bathed her daily and carried her around with us in a blanket.

And I think the fund is a tremendous idea...Is there information on it publicly?

----------------

Sorry for your loss. Those little guys tug on your heartstrings.

We haven't put diapers on her yet. Though sometimes she just pees away with a wagging tail. She has no idea. We don't make a big deal out of it. BUT - we have bought a waterproof mattress pad to put on top of our bed. She used to love to jump on our bed. We carry her up onto her very own waterproof pad so no spills.

Fotunately, she still has her "goat dog" appetite & still enjoys holding court with the cats on the porch. It's always hard to know "when" is when. It's a self less act though.

As far as the fund, I was going to do it locally w/ my rescue org.

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 6/27/2004 6:13:08 PM researcher wrote:

peanut butter ! ----------------

Hah! Peanut Butter - she loves it - only to conceal the fish oil & vitimin E horse pills we are giving her. She's none the wiser!

 

[sevens one]

I'm sorry about your situation. This must be so difficult for you.

We used to give our dog cheese. He lovvvved it. It was his special treat.

 

[Mara]

F&I..again..sorry to hear about your gal. The thought of cultivating a relationship with your pet daily for years only to know that chances are good they will go before you is so heart-wrenching, even more so when it's a health related issue with no control over. Spoiling her in these last months sounds great.




As of right now my own little porkchop is resting against my feet as I type, watching Greg play the big scary tuba shyly from around my feet. Hah.




Spoiling? It's in my nature! We have about 10 various types of treats for her, in case she gets bored with one or the other. She ADORES the Natural Balance Lamb rolls (and will toss aside all other items in a stuffed Kong to get to that first). We feed her these great Nature's Animal dog biscuits that she really loves, they are good and crunchy and very large, for her we break them up and feed them to her in increments. They are all natural as well which I like and smell very good actually! Also I got her this interesting training treat (tiny bits) which is like Salmon Basil or something...she really likes them too. We found a cool natural pet food store close to us...where they only sell items that are homemade or natural, and alot of this stuff is treatlike obviously. More fun to visit than the typical Petco.




For foods, we are giving her strawberries and bananas which she likes, we have heard from various reputable sources that some fruits and veggies are good for them and can be treaty as well. Peanut butter for kong stuffing as well, also the trainer noted she likes non-fat cream cheese for them and they like to lick it. Also, she noted that shredded chicken breasts are good for treats/training so I was going to try that this week. The trainer also suggested 'California Natural' dog food for her, so we got the puppy version, it has less preservatives and other crap than alot of the dry dog foods, and she really loves it, so much in fact that since I have started mixing it with her old Eukanuba, she will pick out the new stuff and leave the old. Brat! They have various adult varieties as well.




One suggestion the trainer had which we like is to stuff a Kong with the dog's meal for that time period...aka morning, so put something like banana in the bottom and then some treats on top, then put in their dog food, and then top it off with some more banana or similar. Peanut butter etc can be used as well. Then let them have at it. There's treats and some fun stuff like the banana, but their regular meal is there too. Plus it takes them a while to get it all out and it's like a toy...hehee. So far we do this with P around the times we eat..she loves it.




Lastly and don't laugh...but there is actually dog ice cream. Or something like it. We got her Pooch Pops at the local pet store, which are like those liquidy things you put into the freezer and they solidify into icees. They have Beef and Cheese flavor. Also my girlfriend has fed her dogs Frosty Paws for years and she adores them. I got mine at the local large supermarket (one other one laughed at me when I asked!), and have not yet tried them on P but I'm sure she will love em too. They are like an ice cream alternative for dogs...much better for them since it's not recommended to give them people ice cream, and apparently this stuff is tasty too.




SO...Obviously as you can tell I don't think doing something like making turkey because your dog loves it is spoiling them too much.

I'll be boiling some chicken breasts this week...that's for sure! So don't know if there are any fun ideas in here for you that are intriguing...but have at it! And give your little gal a big smooch for me!




Natural Balance Lamb Rolls:


http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/product_detail.asp?pf%5Fid=202119702&dept%5Fid=1&brand%5Fid=389




Nature's Animal Natural Dog Biscuits:


http://www.petfooddirect.com/store/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=9&brand%5Fid=523




California Natural:


http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=cal-home




Kong Recipes and How To Use (good info!):


http://www.kongcompany.com/how2use.html

 

[fire&ice]

Blue Dog Bakery is her treats of choice. They smelled so good. After a couple of beers hubby had to try one. He said they were pretty good.

We also have someone local in N.C. that makes tasty treats.

Frosty paws are reserved treats for "Camp". Though we probably won't be boarding her again. I'll have to find them for her. After I typed this - have you thought about what arrangements you are going to make for P when you travel? Both of my monkeys absolutely adore their "camp" (boarding facility). But, they were exposed at an early age. Something to think about. Visit a few. Don't buy into the "suite" hype. It's not for the dogs. It's for you. The dogs don't like them. A place that is air conditioned is preferred (I don't know if this is a must around your area though). A place that has indoor & covered outdoor runs is good. Also, concrete separation between the dogs. They can smell, but, not pee all over each other - or stress the dog out. I prefer smooth concrete flooring. It's more sanitary. In the indoor area, my place puts down those lambywool things. Also, they are walked at least three times a day in a large fenced in area. And, again, remember it's about them; not about what a human would find as creature comforts. They're dogs. They preceive the world differently. Many of these facilities have "day camp". That's a real good way of an introduction. Visit a few & find out what is right for you. Also, dog people aren't necessarily people people.

So, keep that in the back of your mind. BTW, when Devil Dog was a pup, the day camp was a life saver when I had to either be away from the house for long periods - or just to get some work done!

Frozen carrots are a real good snack for when the pup teeths. When that happens don't be alarmed if the pup's ears flop. She may feel a little puny also. I have found the easiest tooth care to be a damp guaze & baking soda. I just rub the teeth. They don't mind. Like people, proper teeth care can prevent lots of things. My vet cleans Gus's teeth without putting him under. Not all dogs will tolerate it - but goes back to the socialization & exposure of everything. From day one, I looked inside his mouth. Putting the dog under general anes. is just not the best thing. Kongs are good for chewing also. Not only does chewing relieve stress for a dog. It promotes good dental care. Both my pups had no use for the kongs though.

Mara, I really wouldn't rely on just the voice of your "traniner". I'm sure she is capable; but, provides only one point of view. I relied heavily on my breeder. She knows the breed. She knew this particular litter. I stayed in touch with her to make sure no health problems arose, etc. Keep a good relationship with them. I am hoping to get another of her line; but, no puppy news as of yet.

Yep, it's a harsh reality that you will more than likely be sending your pup to the Rainbow Bridge someday. Enjoy them while they are here. I don't think you can spoil a well behaved dog. In the blink of an eye, they are gone.

Curious, does Portia still have that "puppy breath"?

 

[JHeebner]

I'm sorry to hear of your pain during this difficult time.

Our old black Lab is 14, and recovering from Vestibular Disease--severe vertigo that left him like a stroke victim. He's recovering splendidly, though.

But, at his age, his activities are limited, of course. Some of his favorites (besides eating, any Lab's favorite---and any food will do):

* Classical music. He noticeably likes it.

* Catch & Tug. He still LOVES to play games.

* Ten-minute neighborhood walks. [That's all he handle.] They keep him alert and as fit as he can be.

* Quiet Time. I sit down on the floor with him every morning for 20 minutes, while I drink my coffee.

* Vacations. He comes with us every year, during the week-long ones.

* Bring the dog to the pet store. Some allow leashed animals inside. Let the dog pick out his own new toy(s). Over the top, yes, but so cute for the owners to watch.

It's all about the dogs ... Hope these thoughts give you some more ideas on how to spoil your dog with love!

 

[moremoremore]

I'm so sorry to hear that. you know, after we put my Mel down (he was a stray and apparently had diabetes...we never knew until it was too late), I asked my husband why people even bother getting pets when people will always outlive the animals...? It's so painful to say goodbye...but I think the answer is b/c they bring us so much joy ...and we can bring them joy by spoiling them rotten with love!!!! Just know that your doggie doesn't know she's sick and that to her, each day is just another day of fun and love if she's comfortable...And also, I want to add that when it came time to put Mel down, I stayed with him and brought his favorite brush and brushed him the whole time and was amazed at how quick and peaceful it was...

....Sending doggie hugs your way, MMM.

 

[Judi W]

Those of us that are true dog-lovers can all understand how you feel. Many, if not most of us have gone through this as well. It is so heartbreaking to watch your healthy, young, beloved dog get old and sick. They give us such unconditional love! No matter what....they are there at the door - happy to see us. Just like humans, dogs are kept healthy longer as medications are developed to improved and enhance their lives. But when they are sick and suffering, it is a comfort to know that we have a choice to “release” them.

There are so many yummy and fun treats made for dogs these days. Mine love the peanut butter flavored snacks and the rawhide chew bones. They also LOVE table food but we try not to give them much of that since the VET says it’s not doing the dog any favor. We want to keep them healthy, strong and WITH US for as long as possible. Those of us with the “empty nest syndrome” fulfill that “need to parent” with our dear doggies!

The best way to spoil your dog...just love and enjoy them for as many years as possible!!! They give so much and ask little back in return!

 

[Mara]

When we travel we will either leave P with my parents or my grandmother. My parents are just itching to take care of her! We used to have a Westie when I was younger and my mom has always wanted another one. They have an outdoor beagle that has already had her place in the household usurped by our small white terror. Molly must be wondering why that little rat gets to play inside and she has to stay outside. My grandmother, who is an old curmudgeon, has already said she 'misses' P and wants to come see her every day of the week. She cares for Molly while my parents travel. But we would love to bring P with us depending on where we are going, esp to visit G's family in the East Coast where we will be with family the whole time. However for longer trips, or trips for just us (aka Europe which we are discussing for next fall), we'll leave her behind and probably miss her horribly the whole time. We met a couple with a Westie this weekend who said their gal travels easily on the plane, they have a soft airline approved under the seat carrier for her.




Re the breed knowledge, I am definitely not just relying on what one trainer says. I belong to an online Westie group list where there are alot of breed experts, I have been a member there on and off for over 5 years, couple that with my previous knowledge of our Westie and I'm pretty well versed in what this particular breed's characteristics are. In terms of training, not all dogs are going to be the same, so as we both noted, take and leave some. The best type of knowledge in my opinion is one gained on the job.

No she's got much better breath now, we are giving her breath treat bones and greenie type bones to chew on that clean her teeth etc...so short of smelling now like the food she just ate (aka liver...ew!), she's got much yummier breath!

 

[pricescope]

About KONG. Sharik brings his in to the kitchen every time someone is talking about food. After he gets kong back staffed, he throws it at the wall. If the staffer was too creative and treat is still inside, Sharik throws harder-at the staffer legs. That hurts. He always gets it out at record time.
I know, I know "my dog is sooo smart..."

 

[Judi W]

----------------
On 6/28/2004 3:14:33 PM leonid wrote:

About KONG. I know, I know 'my dog is sooo smart...'----------------

Speaking of SMART dogs....can't help but brag a bit myself! My daughters little Yorkie, Miss Waggs, is one of the smartest dogs I've ever encountered. She understands everything you say to her! If I wouldn't have seen this with my own eyes I never would have believed it...but.. my daughter told Miss Waggs to bring her "baby" (stuffed toy) to us. She went to a GIANT box to retrieve the "baby". My daughter then said - "bring us your Gonzo baby". Miss Waggs sifted through the whole pile until she found the Gonzo and promptly brought it to us! Wow, now that's one smart little doggie!!!!!

 

[Mara]

Haha we only have a fledgling Kong lover here..she's kind of lazy. She barks at me if the Kong will not yield the treats within 5 minutes and then abandons it for more tasty treats like my TOES. I usually give in and throw it on the floor so that more goodies pop out, I guess since she is only 5 lbs I can't expect her to reach wall-throwing fame just YET.

But that sounds great! Not the leg part.

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 6/28/2004 3:26:07 PM Mara wrote:


Haha we only have a fledgling Kong lover here..she's kind of lazy. -------------

That's my male. My old gal was very dexterous (sp?)and could dig them out. And, note to self, don't p*ss off Leonid's dog. - OUch!

I'm wondering Mara, does the Westie group argue? I used to belong this one Schnauzer board (primarily made up of mini owners) that would get into knock down drag out fat name callin arguments (they made our Friday Tiffany threads seem like afternoon tea time). The most dysfunctional group of breeders, fanciers & nuts. No wonder they stuck with dogs.

My St. Schn. boards are quite tame & helpful except if you have an interloper trying to breed on the side (which is understandable). For the most part though those boards are quite helpful - if not only a great place to brag & freely tell cute stories! I signed on to the Canine Cancer list. After I asked a few questions, I couldn't subscribe anymore. It was too heart wrenching.

 

[Robyn12]

I'm sorry to hear about your dog, Fire and Ice. I know how hard it is when to lose a pet.

We spoil our dog on occasion with Bacon -- it's her absolute favorite. Our breeder had also suggested training with Meat Sticks by Gerber. It's baby food, but we break it into pieces and give it to her as a special treat sometimes. She LOVES it. Also, you can never go wrong with freeze dried beef liver, by Pro-Treat.

 

[pricescope]

F&I, most of the dogs we know love atrificial crab flavored fish flakes-the most expensive one's. Funny, not crab meat wich was on trial too

 

[JHeebner]

With this many suggestions for and varieties of new dog delicacies, F&I will simply have to start taking her pooch to the Old Country Buffet for meals.

 

[Mara]

F&I...no the Westie list is very tame! Everyone is very polite, it's well moderated as well. I mostly just lurk and sometimes ask a Q or two.

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 6/29/2004 10:56:32 AM Feydakin wrote:

He weighed too much to just pick up and toss into the truck so we built a small ramp he could walk up and straight onto the seat of the truck.. Then we would go for long drives with his head out the window and tail wagging..

Steve
----------------

Hah! Did that this morning - though in my car. Fortunately, she is not too heavy to pick up. Rolled down the window - let her nose fill up with the breeze. It must be a dog thing as all of mine like this.

Yeap, the Country Buffet! I've got some shoppin to do.

Both my pups love rawhides (yes, I know they aren't the greatest for them). I had to discontinue the use. No matter what I did, the two would have issues about the bones. I called it the "bone of contention". I was tired to stopping arguments & putting them in a doggie down.

Not OT about taking the dog to the pet shop for a bit of shopping for them. I always say they could have a lovely parting gift.

 

[chialea]

I'm so sorry, F&I... what you're doing really is for the best, though. Pain and poking is so much worse when you can't understand what's happening. Sometimes you just have to let go. My parents' dog is heading down that path as well, though a little more slowly.

The best spoiling for our dog has just been giving him as much attention as possible: rolling tennis balls at him, petting him as much as possible, talking to him, petting him with our feet when he inevitibly lies on them...

 

[quaeritur]

Dear F&I-

My heart breaks for you with this tough decision. I think you are doing right by your pooch though, and I commend you for choosing and committing to a path, even if it isn't the easiest one for you. I think our dogs answer the "when" question for us. As long as there's that glint in the eye, and the tail wags, just keep on spoiling her!!!

One of my favorite favorite treats that my dogs LOVE is doggie "ice cream." I make it myself -I used to give them frosty paws, but didn't like some of the less-than-natural ingredients. Here's my recipe (it's really frozen yoghurt):

2 cups vanilla yoghurt (I use reduced fat, but if this is about spoiling, go ahead and use the creamy stuff!!)
2 bananas [edit: sliced]
1/4 cup peanut butter

Run through blender until smooth. Pour into pyrex or similarly unbreakable bowls. Freeze until solid. This will fill 4 small pyrex bowls, and keeps the pooches occupied for a while. Especially nice on a hot day, lazing in the grass

They also love strawberries, and I used to give them grapes, but raisins have caused severe toxic reactions with (esp. small) dogs, so I stopped doing that. Their other favorite "quick treat" is freeze-dried liver. It's pretty rich, so they only get two or three a day, but they'll do anything for those. And I like that there are no added ingredients.

As far as toys/games, mine are all about demolishing stuffy toys beyond recognition, tug, and keepaway

.

By the way, can I just say how nice it is that I can talk and learn about two of my favorite subjects (dogs and diamonds) on the same forum?!?!

 

[Mara]

qua...I picked up these links last nite. Take a peek on them becuase one of them mentions liver as being dangerous to dogs in long term consistent doses.






http://www.resq4paws.org/dangerousfoods.html


http://mnawf.org.my/newsletter-03-4/Pet_care.html




That's a great frozen/ice cream recipe since I'd love to give her more natural...but I read that dogs really do not process dairy well, does this include yogurt?




I gave P her first Frosty Paw yesterday, oh my god she went nuts. I just gave her 1/2 and she licked the bowl, licked it again, checked around to make sure none got away and licked the floor around just in case. Too funny!

 

[quaeritur]

Tee hee! I just ADORE your pup, Mara, she is to die for. Thanks for those links, I'm going to look at them right away. On the frozen yogurt... while milk isn't good for them, yogurt is fine. I think it's because the active cultures break down whatever proteins cause trouble. In fact, my vet recommends giving them yogurt when they're on antibiotics, because it helps maintain a good bacterial balance in the intestine. So no probs with the "ice cream"! And I believe cheese is fine too -that's their training and nail trimming treat!

 

[quaeritur]

Hmmm... interesting. I used to feed my dogs raw (the female has had urinary incontinence since puppyhood and a no-grain raw diet helped a lot). I had heard about the raw egg being a problem only if it wasn't fed whole. I believe the yolk has biotin, which makes up for the avidin in the white (but I'd have to do more research on that). Mine get maybe a whopping three raw eggs each a year, so I'm not worried about that, but I'd be careful if I were feeding it regularly. On the raw meats, we never had a problem. The only reason I stopped was that I just couldn't afford the cost of buying them the organic and pesticide free meat, so we switched them to high quality kibble. He gets Solid Gold Millenia, and she's on a potato and meat to keep her grain-free. They still do get the occasional raw bone (raw ones don't splinter like cooked ones do. I never give them cooked bones!) I'm relieved about the liver - they get teeny little cubes that I doubt add up to more than half a serving a week, at most, so it looks like we're in the safe zone with that. Thanks for sharing this info!

ps. give miss Portia a kiss on the nose from me!

 

[fire&ice]

Hey, great frosty paws recipe - even my non Goat-dog will like it!

Yep about the yogurt being O.K. My vet recommended a bit as well. The internist said to watch about too much cheese (bad on the pancreus) - but the way I look at it - and the same way I look at my diet - something's gonna kill you & everything in moderation. Sometimes I think this whole diet thing with dogs is becoming like humans. The only thing fit for human consumption is certain organic only salad greens when blasted w/ purified water to clean it.

Mara, have you given P ice cubes yet? Can you say Hockey Rink? It was quite the site to see Gus bantering about the puck w/ his paws. He even would pass to my Gal - who would oblige! It's a good way of watering them & regulating their pee! I don't know about yours; but, mine - if it went in - it came right out. Plus, they are spending that puppy energy. The only good puppy is a sleeping puppy.

Also, watch out for onions. They can be highly toxic for a dog. And, something to consider, though neither one of us smoke, the vet did say that lung cancer in dogs can be caused by second hand smoke.

We used to give the pro liver treats also. They adored them. But, the store that stocked them changed owners & doesn't carry them anymore.

 

[Mara]

yah we read about onions and garlic...we gave her a teaspoon full of spaghetti sauce the other night which had been cooked with onions and garlic but we picked them all out and she adored it. extremely small quantity too.




its amazing what foods can be bad for dogs! you almost figure if you can eat it they can to but that's not the case.




YES on the ice cubes! she LOVES them. partially because they are cold on a hot day but also the slip factor...anything that can get away from her she loves. we also took the wrapper off one of those round milk bottles, the plastic ones and since she can't get ahold of it, it slips and slides all over the place, she loves it. we only let her play with it while we are watching though since we don't want her to puncture the plastic with a tooth or anything. but man she goes NUTS with that thing. sometimes we tie it to a string and trail it around, talk about psycho dog. a good bout of that is guaranteed a nap after!

quar...will do!

i love giving her kisses but i dont know how much she loves receiving them...hehee. (aka what is that weird human doing to me)

 

[CaptAubrey]

odd. times have changed. i had a mutt when i was growing up who ate everything under the sun and never had a problem. whenever we had ribs or steak, he got the bones, which he gnawed to pieces. once he and a friend broke into the pantry and ate an entire bag of mini-snickers bars. they barfed up the plastic wrappers afterwards but that was it. certainly no sign of being poisoned.




there's such a thing as being overprotective.

 

[fire&ice]

You know - I agree about the overprotection - but people should be aware of some of the things that can set off dogs - quite different than humans. The onion thing is a fairly widespread "senstivity" that dogs can have. Not every dog will die - but it's a real threat. I had someone in Gus's puppy class who gave her dog a drive through hamburger. The dog went into arrest shortly after & died.

I haven't heard about the garlic thing. I cooked Heidi's turkey in some garlic rosemary. Their noses are in the air anytime they smell garlic!

ONe of mine got a rawhide caught in his throat. I'm glad I was home. I heard some weird noises. I had to put my hand down his throat to pull it out. It was really louged. So, the threat is real. Though I kept giving him the bone.

I was careful to monitor the size of the pieces. Beef bones can cause a problem; but, not usually. Chicken bones are really splintery and a threat.

Most of all - be aware of the bad things that are particular to dogs. BTW, the snickers were probably fine. The real toxic chocolate is bakers choclate or the real dark choc. Funny, the very reason it is good for us. Is the very reason it's bad for them.

And, it shouldn't surprise anyone that processed dog food w/ color added chemicals isn't the best. Aren't we saying the same for us?

And, Cap't - you can't spoil a dog.

It's my story & I'm stickin too it.

Actually, I've been slapped for this. But, it's my belief that a dog has the cognitive ability of a 2 year old (given doggie terms). Watch a well socialized dog & a 2 year old - they play the same games. It's quite funny.

Mara, funny about the milk top - works good as a puck also. She sounds like she has a strong prey drive. You can use that to your advantage.

One final note to our Cap't - if you think this thread is overprotective - you should see the lengths & expense some dog owners are going through to have their pets last a few more months. Again, I said my choice is my choice - but it's truly amazing. Things may change; but, dogs do not respond to therapies the same way humans do as of now. Not making a judgement call. Just an observation.