Dog Owner Chat! (for-fun poll added) (new chat)

[Saracirce]

Well, if you think about it, it's uncomfortable for you to eat until you're stuffed when you're hot, right? People tend to eat more when it's cold out and eat less when it's hot. Same for animals. The digestion process and having food in your stomach adds heat, which isn't fun on a hot summer day. I would suggest getting up way early, like the sun just starting to rise, or waiting until it cools down in the evening to feed him. Or both.

[little rowzerz]

Even though there aren't any big fireworks going off yet, some neighbors are setting off small ones. Rylee is freaking out ... Koda couldn't care less. So funny seeing the big black dog chickening out while the puppy is relaxed as can be. Though like I said, the big ones aren't going off yet... So we'll see what he's like then.

Bella, my Morkie, was really scared when the fireworks were going off. My other dog, Bo, the yorkie, couldn't care less.

[Cardinal]

UGH! Does anyone else's dogs eat less food and altogether seem uninterested in it during the summer? This is the first year one of my dogs have, though I know he has always had more trouble than the other one to stand the heat. So I called the vet and asked about it, and the first thing she said was "does he live outside?". Yes -_-.

She said it was pretty normal, and that they were more likely to eat more food early in the morning and late in the afternoon, and that if he is otherwise acting normal he should be fine. But I've dropped his meals from 4 cups a day to three, and it still isn't all being eaten. He gets all excited like normal when he sees the food, but then I put it down and he just eats reaaal slow like, always taking breaks to look around between chews. And somewhere in there he just leaves the rest!

I've been giving him three meals a day for that reason, to space out the food and that seems to help a little. So does feeding in a kong toy, like it gets him more interested in the food that way? But I only have the large kong, thinking it would be big enough for my large dog (aha, no), so it takes a really long time to feed him with that. Anyway, later I think I'll mix in some good stuff with his food and see what he does. Maybe he is just bored of it.

What are you feeding? 4 cups sounds liek a lot anyways. xD

I wouldn't be worried, I feed my two one large meal around midnight everyday. They both get 2~ cups of food. As long as he isn't getting to skinny, ribs are fine showing as long as he maintains muscle. Unhealthy weightloss includes muscle loss, look for muscle receeding along the spine and hip bones being see-able. Ribs = healthy. Spine and hip bones = not. =)

Durring the summer dogs also typically do not need as much food since they do not have to keep themselves warm. My girls get their food bumped up in the winter, then cut back in the warmer months.

[Saracirce]

As long as he isn't getting to skinny, ribs are fine showing as long as he maintains muscle. Unhealthy weightloss includes muscle loss, look for muscle receeding along the spine and hip bones being see-able. Ribs = healthy. Spine and hip bones = not.

See, now, that's why I've always been confused about Great Danes. I know the whole 'leaner the better' thing but I often feel Great Dane owners go too far. On many of the Danes I've seen where people claim they're at great weights, you can easily see their spine and hip bones even from a distance. Not to mention the crests on their heads, although admittedly some Danes of really exaggerated crests. I know they're not really a muscly breed but still. It makes me squeamish and I don't see how that could really be correct...

[Jazi]

That also depends a little on breed.


<3 Bukrah. A well-maintained saluki such as this guy here is going to have some hip/spine showing, but you should also see the muscle to make up for it on his legs, especially his butt.

[Keletheryl]

Found out that Piper has OCD. It's apparently not uncommon in Golden Retrievers. I just find it interesting, though. She's like me then! Lol I have OCD too. WE're so much alike, it's not even funny..

We're both blonde, we've both got OCD, and once, we both had hiccups at the same time! It's like we're connected or something, I swear...

[Saracirce]

"Cleaning is sooo boring, Sara!"

By the way, have I mentioned before that it's extremely easy to make Clementurd happy? All you have to do is buy a ball.


Which my mom did and she managed to pop it in under 10 minutes. Ah well, it was from the dollar store anyway.

And just a silly scenario where I imagined Clemmy 'talking' and it made me laugh:
Me: -picking up an unusually odoriferous Clemmy dropping- "Pee-ewww, Clemmy, your poopy stinks!"
Clemmy: -wiggles butt- "Ah ha ha! My poop stinks! Ah ha ha!"

[spiderfish]

Found out that Piper has OCD. It's apparently not uncommon in Golden Retrievers. I just find it interesting, though. She's like me then! Lol I have OCD too. WE're so much alike, it's not even funny..

We're both blonde, we've both got OCD, and once, we both had hiccups at the same time! It's like we're connected or something, I swear...

Didn't know is was possible for dogs to have OCD, how'd you find out?

[Keletheryl]

Found out that Piper has OCD. It's apparently not uncommon in Golden Retrievers. I just find it interesting, though. She's like me then! Lol I have OCD too. WE're so much alike, it's not even funny..

We're both blonde, we've both got OCD, and once, we both had hiccups at the same time! It's like we're connected or something, I swear...

Didn't know is was possible for dogs to have OCD, how'd you find out?

I was watching Dogs 101.
Dogs can also have a form of PTSD, which I found out yesterday.

[spiderfish]

Found out that Piper has OCD. It's apparently not uncommon in Golden Retrievers. I just find it interesting, though. She's like me then! Lol I have OCD too. WE're so much alike, it's not even funny..

We're both blonde, we've both got OCD, and once, we both had hiccups at the same time! It's like we're connected or something, I swear...

Didn't know is was possible for dogs to have OCD, how'd you find out?

I was watching Dogs 101.
Dogs can also have a form of PTSD, which I found out yesterday.

I knew about PTSD, there was a big article on it in Your Dog Magazine a few months back. Pretty sure my dog had PTSD when we got him.

Whats are symptons/signs of OCD?