Dear All, Heart & I have been absent froom teh Forum since Thursday because of another emergency, worse than the ear yeast infection that brought us to emergency vet the laast time.  She had an ulcer on her right foreleg that got infected.  She had a hot spot that she was licking & she got allthe hair matted away froom it.  She's on antibiotics & anti-itch medication.  Yesterday, I added a tea tree/chamomile/aloe vera remedy, & that seems to be helping.  She was forced to return to teh vet's on THREE visits (on teh same day) to fit an Elizabethan collar as she still could lllick the wound.  We were both hysterical.  She has been able to remove the  collar herself every night except last night -- I think that proves that the tea tree rememdy has made her more comfortable.  Most of tje time now I just have her on the leassh where with frequent "No's" I can correct her reaching for the hot spot to lick.  (This was Ana's, our Traienr's, sage advice.)  She shadows me anywway, so I can always watch her, almost always anyhow.

Following is my log:

Yours in Hiim, Deb

Dear Jill, Yes, indeed, I've been working on & believe I have succeeded in being Heart's alpha.

What interests me the most about her is that she responds so well to verbal praise, more than to treats.  "Good girl, Good Heart, good Heart,good girl" repeated sing-song several times really rewaards her.  Also, when I inadvertently stepon her, I murmur OOOOOOh while stroking her, & she calms even when I just startthe vocalizaztion. 

She has learned "Slow" on teh stairways because of my physical liiimitations.  She has learned "Wait" & "Go!" at streeet-corners, as well as NO STREEEET re the gutters.

We are working on Stay.  Love in Him, Deb

Dear JustMe, Yes, the SF SPCA would be a great place for boarding.  Thanks so much for makign me think of using the vet's; I was going to use a high-cost private boarder.  Love in HIm, Deb

Thank you ever so much for you indepth detailed journal!  I'm so very sorry you've gone through this, but it's bringing you two closer, in that Heart is realizing to really trust you along with all the love she will be giving you!  Everything you are doing for her is exactly correct and loving!  You are such a good Mommy! 

As for her doing her "second" business quite frequently..........don't you think it's because of the medications and lotions/sprays?  Add on to that, she's so intelligent, she knew something was not quite right and she got upset 'cause she just couldn't figure it out!  But, she knows without a doubt YOU will come through for her with LOVE!!!! 

As for her fear of the pet store............some owners are not kind to their pets and "take them to task", especially if they have an audience.  You know the mean type I'm writing about!  These negative emotions can linger and Heart is so sensitive, she probably is sensing another pet's distress?  Which only goes to further prove to NOT TRUST TOO MANY people in your travels with Heart!  Especially, if you want to make a quick trip into a store and someone offers to
"hold her for you" ~ don't trust them for a moment! 

And, guess what!  Once you two get into a healthy routine ~ both of you will be sleeping soundly throughout the entire nights!  This is just a period of adjustment we all go through. 

I so admire all you are doing!

Dear Just Me, Oh, thank you for your posts to me!  You don't know how much they reassure me!  I need feedback from more people than just our Traienr Ana & my Darling brother.  You provide that extra feedback, & I am ever so grateful!  Love in Him, Deb

Deb-Asa first time poodle person--you're doing wonderfully!  I agree that it is probably the meds making her go more frequently.  I do demand feed which means I leave food out continuously.  We found that the dogs don't gorge themselves then.  They just get a bite or two when they want one.  We started feeding on a schedule but BG would gobble everything down too fast and make herself sick.  And they don't all want to eat at the same time.  I have to sit in the bathroom with Doodles for him to eat.  Sugar will grab a mouthful of food then go to the kitchen to eat it.  Lilly will scratch at the board under the feeder as if it will dispense the food.  LB will take out three or 4 nuggets, put them on the bathroom rug then lie on them and eat them from between his paws.  Eddy, Backster and BG stand at the feeder to eat like normal dogs!  Also check with Ana about the heigth of the dishes for food and water.  If they are too low, Heart can have trouble swallowing.  We had to raise our feeder and water dish (wonderful thing--it holds 1 gallon and fills the dish as they dring from it) about 3 1/2 inches.

When Maxamillion was young we took him into Pet Smart.  I was in one part of the store and DH and Max were in another part because DH wanted to look at the snakes.  The salesperson had one out in a box on the floor because he was cleaning the cage.  Max, nosy as most poodles are, walked over and looked in the box.  I heard a yelp and DH started yelling "Max is trying to find you!"  I turned just in time for my precious baby to launch himself into my arms!  We had to leave the store and he would never go back in that particular store again without being in my arms!

re-tired           

Dear ALl, Here's my report too our Trainer, Ana, for today:  I wanted to report to you about Heart today.  She jumped up into my lap for cuddling! -- it was so sweet AND desirable.  She is fun to watch when she follows a fly through the hosue.  We received her neeew Service Dog in Training vest, swhich FITS!  It's blue & white with gold lettering & black binding. 
 
The spray I got for hot spots has reduced her scratching quite a bit.  I haven't had the cone on her all day.  Just a few No's & a lot of praise when she scratches elsewhere on that leg (or elsewhere) are doign the trick.   BTW, last night was the 1st night that she did NOT get the cone off.  I think that happened because the spray left her less itchy.
 
We have been working today on STAY. 
 
There are quite a few commands that I've taught her, that I should mention to you:  Wait!  Go!  Slow!  I also announce to her when we're going into the Post Office!  Store! (Walgreens) or Market! (Cala/Ralphs/Kroger).  I praise her lavishly when she pees or poops, towards cuing on demand at a later date.
 
I learned from teh list-serv how to express her anal glands & will do so tomorrow (assuming that she lets me).  I am also going to resume combing & brushing her tomorrow.  (I didn't want to when she was in so much physical discooomfort & itching everywhere.)
 
She prefers praise "Good Heart, good girl, good Heart, good girl,, Good Heart, good girl, good Heart, good girl" to clicker/treats (not that she won't accept clicker/treats.)  This is because when we're at home, "Good Heart" is accompanied by pettign endign in a belly rub.
 

Yours in Him, Deb

Dear Re-tired, Then there's my solllution for when we go to Pet Foods Express, which we have to go to becaause it's the most trust-worthy store in town.  I'll smiply hold her.  I ask the clerk to find each item for me anyway, so the clerk can easily bring the items to the register for us.  I really appreciate yoru bringing this up!

I spent $25 for a cerramic bowl with the water portion lifted off the floor, ceramic so the water will stay cool (I change it every couple of hours anyway.).

You have SIX Poodles/teh Doodles, Wow!  I never realized!

I really appreciate your approval of what I'm doing with my Heart!  Love in Him, Deb

By now, you do not need reassurance as to your loving care to Heart!  You have proven over and over again that you are the most wonderful poodle Mommy!  Not everyone is cut out to own a poodle ~ because they can be (and probably are) more intelligent than some people!

I've read that you're going to "express" her anal glands.  I would check with Ana and your Vet how often this should be done.  You see, if you do it too often, it may cause irritation OR cause another situation.  It is my impression (and I could be wrong) that when poodles "do" their second business, this causes the anal glands to do things "normally"!  Because she's had somewhat "loose" 2nd businesses, the anal glands may have become a bit swollen, but as soon as she's "regular", normal "relieving" should be just enough? 

Just an opinion, as always.

Thanks, dear Just Me!  You always bring up just the right questions!  The vet said that once every 2 months is plenty for expressing Heart's anal glands, & a bath only every 1-2 months, so I'll do it right before a bath.

Here's my journal:

Saturday, November 07, 2009:

I got teh vet-quality earwash.  (I’m returning to the pet store the substitute I bought.  Interestingly, it is the same price!)  The vet said that if her hair hasn't grown back over the hot spot in 6-8 weeks, I should return.  My brother says thta dogs are very resilient & I shouldn't worry about it.  (He has owned Goldens all of his adult life.  We owned a Boxer & a Daalmation as children.)  I keep the leash on her at all times (even in bed) & tug at it to dissuade her whenever I see her licking her right ankle.  I also am using the tea tree oil spray.  I also am giving her oral anti-histamine (anti-itch) prescription meds.

Two hours later, she jumped in my lap for cuddling.  Go figure!

Yours in Him, Deb

Dear Deb-  You really are doing great for the length of time y'all have been working together!  The leaping is bothersome I know and is very hard to train out of them.  Lilly (Doodles' littermate) will pounce on my feet as I walk when she gets real excited.  And Doodles insists on being right behind me with his nose almost touching my leg.  So in the house, I shuffle instead of walk!

Also there is a "stuffed" toy on the market that doesn't have stuffing.  I'll try to find a link to show you.  You are lucky that she loves stuffed toys.  None of mine do.  Maxamillion did but only because he wanted them in his bed.  He didn't play with them.  And here's the kicker--remember when McDonald's put out the first beanie babies?  That's what Max had.  Other people stood in line to get them as a collectibles.  I got them for Max!  If I still had them all....!

re-tired