One of the hardest things that pet owners find when they own a dog, is that the dog cannot tell you when it is feeling poorly. True enough there are symptoms that are sometimes very noticeable, like when your dog contracts diarrhea, but sometimes like in the case of liver cancer or spleen cancer, your wonderful little pet simply cannot tell you what is going on. It may be very obvious that he or she does feel very well, they might be listless or even act kind of ferocious, for instance if your pet has come down with canine distemper because he has been staying at a boarding kennel. Its just that many times, the symptoms might not be so apparent. One of the most important things that you can do when you are caring for a dog is to find information online that might be able to help you take care of your pet. Silly as it may sound, your dog cannot find out for himself what is going on with his health. He must rely on you as a caring dog owner to take on the responsibility of providing health care. Its not like pet owners don’t want to take care of their pets, its just that sometimes, they get busy, they start reading the email or playing an online game with their friends and then before you know it, 2 hours have gone by and they have not learned anything new that can help their faithful dog friend who has been laying at their feet while they were online. Now, of course, if your pet has loose bowels and is leaving piles of feces all around the house, this is pretty noticeable and you will start paying attention immediately. But, say for instance, your dog starts to develop the symptoms of cushing’s disease in dogs, would you honestly know what was going on with him. Most people would not and that is why it is a very good thing that we have the internet to help us track down and find information about dog health problems. Of course, this may never happen to you, that your wonderful little pet dog comes down with some sort of sickness that makes him feel bad and breaks your heart, but if that does happen, you know that the internet is full of information and helpful websites so you can find out what you need to help your dog feel better fast.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Dog Health Problems Symptoms - How the Internet Can Help
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Help my puppy is sick?
Answers:
He may have swallowed a piece of one of his toys. Examine all his toys and be sure that they don’t have any pieces missing. If he’s unable to eat or drink and hold it down without vomiting you definitely need to take him into the vets in the morning. Ask them to do an xray and they will probably do some blood work as well. You don’t want to wait too long because your dog can get dehydrated. You may also want to take his temperature. A dogs normal temperature should be from 100.5 to 102.5 if he has a temperature higher than 102.5 or if it’s really low you want to call the vet immediately and at least speak to someone and see if he should be seen before morning. Try to ask yourself some questions as well to be prepared for the vets office: could he have gotten into any chemicals, did he ingest a piece of toy/bone, have you changed his food lately, has he been vaccinated, you want to try to go over everything and give your vet as much information as possible because it will help your vet find the problem and hopefully resolve it sooner.
what food have you been feeding him? Because of the contaminated foods the first sign is vomiting. It causes kidney failure. You really need to get him the vet ASAP!!
Sounds like worms… is the vomit foamy looking? It could also be Parvo, which can strike a puppy quickly and kill within 24 hours. Usually with parvo, they’ll vomit but also have water-type poop that stinks like nothing else. You can tell if it is parvo just by smell, trust me. I’ve been through it.
Pups vomit for many reasons. The only way to know why your pup is now sick is to get him to your vets.
It is very important to do this because pups can dehydrate very quickly and die.
Please get him seen as soon as possible.
I am sure the vet will need to see your pup ASAP.
Stop offering dog food ,and switch to brown rice carrots and Chicken fresh garlic for smell.You can make this your self.
No Onions!!Onions can cause liver damage.!!!
If you would like to buy some food that will not be on the recalled list or just check out the site to see if you food is on the recall list
go to the site below.
Take that pup in to the vet, now. Don’t wait till it’s too late. Get off the computer and go–now!
It is very important that you get him to the vet right away. Do not wait until after the weekend- please take him as soon as you can. There is a virus called parvo that is extremely dangerous in puppies- it causes vomiting and diarrhea and they can die very quickly if they go untreated. German shepherds and rottweilers seem to be especially susceptable to contracting the virus- they get it from infected soil- usually in areas where people take their dogs a lot. It can live in the soil for over a year. I can not stress this enough- if it turns out to be nothing, at least you know- if it is parvo virus you can save his life.
Take it to the vet before it gets worse.
Get off of the computer and make an appointment with the vet ASAP!
please get your baby to the vet now!! it could be something really simple but its not worth taking chances good luck let us know jody
Answers:
What did your vets say? If he has put a splint on and said he doesn’t need surgery than keep him very quiet, try and crate him if possible, only walk him on leash so he doesn’t run or jump. You will only know if it has worked when the vet removes the splint and does an xray.
I think it would be best to take her to the vet and get their opinion(or perhaps visit more than one vet to get more than one opinion), but it would probably be best if she did get the surgery because then there is absolulty no chance that she could end up with permanent damage.
WHAT KIND OF BREED IS IT ?IF ITS A SMALL ONE YOU CAN PUT A BRACE ON IT , I DID THAT TO MY POMERANIAN WHEN SHE BROKE HER LEG ABOVE HER PAW TOO, I PUT THE PART OF A CURLER ON IT WITH TAPE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS UNTIL IT HEALED.
If you know for sure she fractured her leg, I am going to assume it’s because the vet told you so… and if this is the case, he or she should have told you all about how the dog needs to heal and WHAT the dog needs to heal. if you just assumed the dog fractured her leg based on things off the internet, I can’t advise you enough to take her to the vet for the official diagnosis. Depending on the severity of the fracture, the leg could heal incorrectly without the proper setting, and some examples of how include the dog could walk with a perminant limp.
If you want her to live a life of pain, with a permenant limp and don’t care much about her at all.. then by all means just put a splint on it.. But if you care at all, and don’t want her to heal with a screwed up leg, and have pain and arthritis her entire life, then get it fixed up…
My poodle broke her leg twice in the same spot. She had the surgery the first time and it helped a lot. Her leg was straight. The second time they just put a splint on and now the pin has bent and her leg is crooked. Her leg has been for a few years now. It will be that way until she dies. I would suggest gettin the screw and pin put in if you want it to heal correctly.
Answers:
From my expierence I haven’t had much luck with the pads but here are the basics of a simple potty training routine for a puppy.
1. Take him outside (and stay till he’s done or a long time has gone by with no results):
As soon as he wakes up in the morning (You don’t have to be awake.. much!)
Right after his breakfast
Right after his lunch
Right after his naps
Right after taking him out of his crate
Right after his dinner
Right after any snacks of much size
Right before his bedtime
If he whimpers in the night
Praise him in a cheery voice when he produces.
2. Only feed him and give him water when you can take him outside right away. Especially in a hot or dry climate, you would normally never let dogs be without access to fresh water, but for the weeks that you are training, this limitation will speed up the potty training process for your dog. There will be fewer accidents and so the dog will more quickly learn what you want. But use your judgment about any risk of dehydration.
3. When he does pee or poop where you don’t want him to, quietly clean it up in a matter-of-fact way. This isn’t a time to talk either loving or annoyed talk to him; essentially ignore him while you do the cleanup. Certainly never yell or physically punish him in any way.
4. When you and he are both home, keep him with you as much as you can, whether at your side (a leash can be handy for this once he accepts it), in a confined area, or in a crate, or otherwise nearby. (If you are crate-training, do keep the puppy in the crate as little as possible.)
Tips
Keep in mind that you are building a relationship at the same time that you are teaching him one of his first lessons. Think sometimes about what the world must look like from his perspective, filled with giants who are sometimes very loving and other times confusingly angry. Practice patience!
Potty training dogs isn’t always fun — you are waiting for the puppy to go, in whatever your climate can dish up and at all times of day. If the puppy is running loose in a safe place, this is a good time to do a few stretching exercises while keeping an eye on him. Even if the puppy is on a leash, you may be able to do some simpler ones. If you do a bit of gardening or something else, be sure it doesn’t get your attention so much that you are distracted from your job of watching the puppy every moment, so you know when he has done his job.
Don’t take him back in the house the very moment he has done his stuff. He is likely to notice that the fun of being outside ends abruptly once he eliminates, and this is not an idea you want him to come up with!
My husband and I train our puppies by saying “Do your stuff!”just as they pee or poop. After they have heard the phrase maybe a few dozen times, you can begin using it to encourage them just before they are actually doing their stuff. Eventually, it will be helpful when you are walking them as adults. I must admit I have never had a dog who heard me say that and always immediately performed, but it does help them get the idea. It’s just part of my routine for potty training my dogs.
If you are clicker-training, you could click when the dog did his stuff where you wanted him to, then give him a treat a few moments later, when he is done.
Physically, puppies vary in how old they are before they have control of elimination, but if you bring your puppy home around the age of 8 weeks, which is considered the ideal age, expect a month or two of accidents. They will become rarer as this time goes on.
Those puppy pads aren’t a good idea.. It confuses dogs, they know they shouldn’t pee in the den, yet you are telling her that she should.. Dogs should be trained straight off to be peeing outside.. That way there is no confusion, no 1/2 housetrained dogs, no dogs that think it’s okay sometimes to pee in the house sometimes not.. Ditch the puppy pads and really housetrain her.
When she pees in the house, rub her face in it hard and throw her down outside. Dont let her back in for 2 days and she’ll never pee again in your house.
Do not use training pads!!! You are inevitably teaching your dog that it is okay to do their business inside the house!! Try crate training. It simply works!!! Here’s a great video clip on how to crate train:
http://petvideo.com/play.cgi?showid=674…
Read this article this may answer your query
http://www.dogsvets.net/articles/crate_t…
He is neutered and on anti anxiety pills he gets 2 long free walks a day and we play with him.
I can’t keep him on a leash as he always gets totally hog tyed and hurts him self even with a trolley system. The 5 foot fence is nothing for him to jump so i know a 6 foot fence will do no good. Help!!!!!
Answers:
Have you tried crating him in a single room with a closed door? could you keep the radio or tv on to keep him company? Have you considered possibly getting a second dog to keep him company (don’t do that unless YOU really want another one!).
We have an escape artist who in the past mangled her carte beyond use- we purchased a new one (all metal) and used zip-ties to secure the edges so she couldn’t wedge her way out of the frame- should you use a crate, be sure to remove your dog’s collar for it’s own safety, if it is an escape artist like ours!
umm.
leave it with a dog sitter i really dont know srry
Crate train him, give him longer walks..
I have 2 Bullmastiffs that I crate during the day
They wine a little when I am leaving and as my female has separation anxiety it always breaks my heart when I leave because she falls out!
I recorded her on day when I left and all that fuss only lasted for about 5 minutes and she laid down and slept for the entire day!
try a large kennel/crate with a kong and some stuffers, a pigs ear etc and NO BEDDING!!! in there or you will end up in the ER and your dog will need surgery to remove some fiberfill!!!
Trust me I know!!!
Try going to http://valuecrate.com and buying one of theirs, they are HUGE …I needed a large one with the giant dogs I have 
Hope this helped
run an electric wire around the top and bottom of your fence,only dog approved electric box,found at pet smart,pet co etc,i have rottweilers and it works for them,it don’t hurt it more or less scares the hell out of then,they get a little zap when they hit the wire
Mine was an escape artist, too, and also had separation anxiety (although not as bad as yours. We tried everything: chew toys, stuffed animals, all kinds of things. We finally resorted to getting another dog, and she has been really happy ever since. The two dogs play all day, and just wind up exhausted in the evening.
put him in a room with no windows and put like chairs and tables in front of the door.
Your dog needs to be crate trained. It’s the safest, most calming thing for a dog. Mine was a terror until I crated her, now she goes into her crate on command and will even open the door with her paw to get in.
http://www.siriusweb.com/aad/crate.html…
One quick tip in training (and yes my dog was an adult when I was training her, they do not need to be puppies) – make sure you choose a CRATE ONLY treat they can’t resist – we use liver treats exclusively. The only time the dogs get liver treats is if they are quiet in their crates. They would do anything for those treats!
Also, it may help to keep the dog in the crate EXCLUSIVELY until they learn to settle down – of course take your dog for walks and outside play time – but if your dog is that destructive and manipulative – keep him in the crate in a common room so he can see you coming and going to the bathroom, bedroom, etc. Keep those special crate treats ontop of the crate.. when you walk by and he’s not having a fit, praise him and drop a treat into the crate.
It took me 2 weeks to turn my sep. anxiety animal around.
Good luck!
This dog needs to be crate trained using an airplane type plastic crate available at any pet supply store. If you crate train him using a clicker and a shaping procedure he will learn to love his crate and it will be a safe place for him to go when you can’t be with him.
An alternative to the crate is for you to put him in a utility room or some other room where there isn’t much damage he can do but leave him with a dog bed, many toys and several Kongs. Kongs are rubber toys that you can stuff with cheese or other treats and freeze them. It takes a dog a few hours to get the goodies out of it.
In addition, you might try some stuff that I was very skeptical about but initial reports from some vet friends are that it just might work. It’s some stuff called DAP and it’s available at PetSmart in my town: http://www.nextag.com/dog-appeasing-pher…
It apparently releases a pheromone that relaxes many dogs. Again, I’m usually quite skeptical about stuff like that but this is getting some good research behind it.
You can buy (and I recommend) a Chain link enclosure. They come with a top on them, so the dog cannot climb up and over the sides. This enclosure should be placed on cement, otherwise “Mr. Escape Artist” will try to dig under it.
I had a dog run built for me, I used cement for the floor and wrought Iron for the sides with brick for two of the walls . This worked for my dogs.
Are you sure we don’t have the same dog?? lol, I have a deaf great dane who is EXACTLY the same way as yours. I contacted a behavior specialist. She told me to change her diet first.put more meat and vegetables in her food and LESS cereal. I found a lot of recipes for home made dog food on the web. She also told me that YOU have to be the leader. Make the dog go with you everywhere until he’s literally sick of you! Also, make him work for any food or treats he wants. She did say to use the anxiety medication, which my vet is against. She said there are also some really good books on the web you can get with information on how to stop this behavior. I know that now we don’t make a big deal of goin anywhere and she’s not as frantic as she was. Being that she’s deaf makes it more of a problem. Try changing the diet first, then for help go to www.wagandtrain.com . GOOD LUCK!!
why don’t you get him a doggy friend. you could get a small dog or if you don’t want another dog then get your friend or neighbor to bring their dog over for your dog’s company while you are gone. or just get a doggy sitter. have you heard of those king kong dog toys. they look kind of like fire hydrants and you put some squirty treat and then freeze it and they try to lick it out of the toy through a hole. you can look it up at www.petco.com. its called king kong chew toy. good luck!
You could get him a dog cage. It’s not cruel or anything, and he won’t be able to break out of it.
What do you mean by “2 long free walks”? Is that off lead???
That could be the root of the problem. All dogs should be lead walked at all times until they’re trained well enough not to be on the lead (like three years later).
The leash is your best tool to resolve _all_ of your problems. Teach your dog to walk on heel.
In the meantime, get fence extenders from a hardware and garden store. Also, cover your fence. If he can see the outside world, he’ll desire it.
Good luck.
Answers:
First off take a deep breath and calm down. Next get your vets number handy in case she has any complications. Third sand back and watch she should be able to do it all by herself without any help. She will want to eat the after birth and it is good for her but I would not let her eat more than a couple as if she eats all of them it can and does cause them to get black tarry and very very smelly diarrhea. It is gross trust me and hard to clean up. Second make sure you feed her a good quality puppy food if you have not been already. You need to take her and the pups to a vet within no more than 72 hours after birth but the sooner the better. Next as you are watching her while she delivers watch to be sure that she delivers all of the pups if she gets one stuck it could kill that pup as well as her that is why I said to have your vets number handy. 90% of the time all goes well so just keep watch and let her do the rest. May I also suggest you get a book called breeding dogs for dummies it will help you with the care from here on out and the right questions to ask potential owners when you place the pups in their forever homes.
Ok once a pup comes out take of the plescenta and make sure the mouth and nasal passages are clear so they can breath! Then if they are not breathing rub the dog all over to stimulate breathing. Once the pups have come out and you did the above give it to m om so they can nurse! Hope this helps and remember to keep them warm!!!
CALL A VETRINARIAN IMMEDIETLY!
any emergency vet office should help you
arnt your parents home?
keep her calm
gl
it’s ok, she will do most of the work. get a warm towel and a pair of scissors. she will have her pup w/ a slimy sack around it. she should tear it w/ her teeth, chew the cord into and clean the puppy, if she doesn’t, you can tear the sac, cut the cord about a half inch from pups belly and rub it clean w/ the warm towel. it will be fine
Look you dont have to do too much. The mother dog will do almost all of the work. You can get some towels and help dry the pups off once the mom has cleaned them off. If she has the pups close together then just get the newest pup born and give it to the mom. You can do this and you will be fine.
If she doesnt break the bag open just tear it with yoru fingers and then get the pup into a towel and start to rub the pup until you hear him or her start to squeek. Then give the pup to the mom.
You should just let the mother dog alone. She will know how to give birth and take care of her puppies. She may not want you to bother her. In some cases if they are fooled with the mother won’t care for them.
sweet heart the dog knows what to do. Just leave them alone and she’ll do all the work.
Well, you should of thought of that before you decided not to get her neutered! No, that was mean, sorry. I’m pretty sure the mom will know what to do, just make sure their breathing! Where are your parents?!
Don’t worry and don’t panic. This is a natural cycle and they have been doing it forever. Let her do most the work and try not to interfere to much it might make her nervous or anxious. Just calmly help each puppy along, pull off the sack and make sure it is breathing. She will clean them all when she is ready and they need it. My only concern is for her since you said she is 11. Keep an eye on her and if things go bad, call the vet. Also remember, it may take time so if it seems to be forever, it is probably ok, just watch the wonders of God take place:)
Answers:
Have you tried blowing in her face? That will usually stop it. However, to work, it has to be EVERY time, and not just when it is especially annoying..
The first time or two, she may act as if she likes being blown at..(don’t just do a gentle ‘breeze’ but as hard as you can..)
She also needs to be taught the very basics of obedience. She obviously does not respect your wishes, so is being a ‘brat ‘for attention.
Here is a helpful site for teaching her the ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘Down’,,etc> http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/traini…
Teach her to sit, and practice until she is doing it reliably.. When she does unwanted behaviors, make her ‘sit’. and only praise her when she is obedient.
It is amazing that you raised her by hand from 2 days old! , and I know she is very dear to you. However, she really does need some tough love here, and to learn to respect you and other humans..
It is interesting to note that it’s a natural thing for them to do for their caregiver, they also lick the face of the alpha, right through into adulthood.
However that being said, the quicker you put your foot down, the less irritated people there will be, as to us it’s not always acceptable behavior.
i don’t understand you really…you are not a dog person!it is a natural way of dog showing their emotions…my dog would never lick a person that she doesn’t like or don’t know!!!or if a person show that they don’t like to be licked…she would never try to lick them again…Dogs can sense who likes them or not!give him a break!
you have had your dog for 2 DAYS!!! show it what is appropriate and what is not… praise the appropriate behavior and ignore the innapropriate behavior. SPAY/NEUTER this dog,, so the same thing does not happen
SMACKING YELLING ETC> are forms of abuse,,,, STOP IT
I think you need some obedience lessons, and the dog too. You never yell at a dog or hit them, when you are trying to teach them something.
Licking is a dogs way of showing affection. My dogs do it to each other and to us.
Saying no lick and putting your hand between the dog and yourself may help, but it will probably lick your hand instead.
Smacking her is NOT the way to do it. You will just make her vicious that way. Seeing as you dislike her licking so much I suggest you find her another home where she will be loved.
Just accept her little licks as “puppy kisses” which is what they really are if you do love her.
Congrats on pulling the puppy through without it’s mother.
I have two boxers and my female does not do that she only gives kisses when asked. Yet is a spoiled and loveable dog. However my male cannot keep his tounge in his mouth! I do not think itd an effection thing I think its more excitement. I tapped his mouth help it shut and said no. Nothing works!! I’m in your boat that how I can across this looking for answers and solutions. I will try the blowing thing but some how I don;t think he is going to care.
Answers:
First of all, is your dog spayed or neutered? If you have a male dog that is not neutered, then, u might want to consider getting it neutered unless u want to have him as a stud for a female dog. Some male will try to escape from his kennel/crate to try to get into a female kennel to be bred. If you got a female that is not Spayed, it might want a male dog by escaping, or making sounds letting the male dog to come to her. Another thing is that how old is your dog? Male? or Female? Sometimes, dog might not like to be kenneled, try using lure with treats. Then, after a week or so or until he/she learns the lure then, try using the word crate or kennel. But, it has to be very simple word. Practice some Obedience Training, play with the dog, %26 run with the dog. Spend some time with the dog before you put the dog inside the crate/kennel. That way the dog will be so tired when you leave the house. Leave a treat ball, radio, or a Kong. Another way not let the dog chews on things associate with something good like a treat. When you see the dog biting, or chewing the Crate/Kennel, say no or use a command that is simple like ex: eh eh. When the dog looks away from the Crate/Kennel, give a treat that is called “Assocation with Good Behavior. One thing, I like to share with you is in Leerburg there are some Crates that is called “Aluminum Dog Crates” Here is a website you might like to see:
http://leerburg.com/crate.htm
Also, sometimes he/she might have a Separation Anxiety. That might be another issue to think about.
He needs more exercise and more time out of the crate. he is bored. Dogs are not meant to live as caged animals. Give him more attention and play with him more. A tired dog is a good dog.
If he must be in a crate, try a metal one which he couldnt chew through.
Also, make sure when he is in his crate to give him plenty of chew toys and other things he likes to play with to keep him occupied.
Try anxiety pills they sell them at any good pet supplies store.
Also try special time with you and your animal, Something that you do on regular. This will improve your training ability.
First, Does the dog absolutely HAVE to be in a crate? If he hates it so much, is there a different route you can take?
If he must be in a crate (which some dogs do) can you try using a DAP diffuser to calm him down? I would avoid drugs until you have maxed out all of your other options. Also, is it all the time that he is upset in there, or only when you leave? You may have a dog with separation anxiety, in which case you may want to try some alone training with him. Google “alone training” or vist www.greytalk.com and do a search for alone training. It is a website geared towards greyhounds, but alone training works the same with most breeds and you can get some great advice about it from that website. Good luck!
Friday, September 20, 2013
Will having a dog help me to exercise more?
The simple answer is yes. Anyone who owns a dog will tell you that depending on the energy level of the breed, dogs need to be exercised several times a day. Many dogs, like mine, need a significant amount of high level physical activity per week. This typically equates to less overall sedentary time in urban-dwelling owners. Here’s my simple equation for additional exercise:Â
small yard + big dog = less sitting time for me
 There’s actually research departments looking at the data related to dog ownership and physical activity rates. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine by local (UVic) researcher Ryan Rhodes found that dog owners walked an average of 300 minutes a week compared to 168 minutes a week for non-owners.
I would never encourage someone to adopt a dog based on increasing their level of exercise; dogs are an enormous committment and take time away from other areas of you life. However, if you’re toying with the idea of getting a dog, picking a breed that you can exercise with might be something you want to consider. I really wanted a pug but knew that a large breed dog who could act as my running partner made far more sense. My high-energy large dog also is great for other active areas of our lifestyle like hiking, swimming, snowshoeing, and camping. The added bonus is that although my dog sleeps away most of the day while I work, he usually gets me up and away from my computer at least once during the work day.
Bottom line: Dogs are exercise partners that are always happy to join you in any weather, regardless of your mood, and don’t mind if you’re wearing that same old stinky running shirt
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Didn"t Even Get A Name, Just Abuse: "Dog" Needs Our Help
The following is an account of an incident that occurred late Friday evening. While we have very strong suspicions about how this girl received her injuries, we are not sure. We do intend to find out to the best of our ability.
She will be going to Dr. LaVine ASAP, as we WILL find a way to make it happen.Â
Perhaps Dr. LaVine can give us more insight into where these wounds have come from.
This is the story of a fur-baby named Dog
(We do intend to give her a suitable name.)
Hi Rescue Angels,
If you are really out there and exist. I have heard that there are humans who care about us, but I have never met any, so it was a bit of a shock to me today when I was told that if I told my story, I might be able to get some help. I had a lot of trouble believing that anyone even came to see about me today though, and that happened, so I guess someone had to care a little. In fact, a lot of things happened in my life today that I never thought I would see.
I should tell you right up front, I am not worth much, and I doubt you will find it worth your time to help me.Â
I have lived my life with a family that never named me. They say I am two years old, but I couldn’t tell you. I do not remember a time when I was happy or when anyone cared about me.
They would throw me table scraps at night and some nights were better than others. I have caught a rabbit or two in my day just so I would not starve, though I am not much of a hunter. In fact “The Man†(that is what I call the person who has owned me) told those kind people who came for me that he does not know what got into me. He told them I was never good for much of anything but laying around until he wanted me to have some babies, then I took to chasing small animals and eating them.
At least that is when they started kicking and hitting me. Even the kids that had shown some kindness at one time seemed to take pleasure in my pain after that. And I have known a lot of pain.
I could have told them, if they had learned to listen, that I was trying to eat so my babies could live.Â
I am a Pit Mix and The Man bred me with an APBT and wanted to sell my puppies. He told those kind people today that I was not even much of a breeding dog because he had to put me on a “rape rack†so I would let the male “mount†me. I suppose those kind women that came today could tell you all about what that is because I could “feel†them getting really angry about it.
I decided then and there that I was going to stand really close to them. One reached down and stroked my head. That felt nice, but it scared me too. I jumped and got behind her then.
Anyway, I was forced to breed as The Man said, and I knew my puppies needed more nutrition than I was able to give them with the scraps I was eating. It might come as a huge shock to The Man to learn that dogs are not overly fond of collards and turnips. And while the chicken bones he boasted about feeding me were good, a little meat on them might have made them more nourishing for my unborn babies. Once again I found myself in awe of the kind women’s reaction to what The Man was saying. While he may not have noticed that they were seething just below the surface, I could smell their anger and one of them told him what chicken bones can do to a dog. I learned that woman’s name was Sheila because the other woman nudged her and I could hear her whisper,
My mind began racing when I heard that. I was scared and excited, but it was the best feeling I had ever known because I understood they were trying to take me away from the place where my entire life had been a living hell.
But, while The Man told them of my shame: chasing and killing small prey, and finally one of his “laying hens,†I wondered if these women would continue to be kind to me.Â
The Man’s wife had never had much use for me, though she would throw food my way on occasion. She had never spoken to me much, but now, as my shame was being related to these two women, she seemed to have something to say about me. “I tell you he ought to jest have put a bullet in the egg sucker’s head. A dog that’ll kill a chicken ‘ll suck eggs and they ain’t no count.
I told them young’uns to kick that dog in the head if she got near my setting hens.â€
Then one of the children spoke up, the smallest of the two boys, “I kicked her right ‘tween the eyes too.†And he smiled with laughter in his voice.
That was when I learned the other woman’s name was Beth. I could feel the rage coming from her as she took a step forward. Though I could “heart hear†her, no sound came from her mouth except heavy breathing. I knew she could not find the words she wanted and I could feel her anger rising to a white hot when the nice lady named Sheila said:
“Beth, why don’t you go and get those papers in the van so we can get out of here. It is getting late.â€
The lady named Beth barely gained control, but she did not move yet.
The Man asked them if they were going to be able to take me after all. He said that he had thought they told him they would try to help find me a place, but did not have any room at the time. Beth spoke then: “Oh we will find room. We are going to take her today.â€
My heart was dancing then. I had no clue where I would be going. But I knew I was leaving there and I knew I was leaving with people that understood the language of dogs: Heart Speak People. I had heard of such people, but never really believed. Yet here they were in front of me. So I have to finish my story now and hope that the part about rescue angels is true too.
I hope the rest of my story does not make you hate me.
I know some of you may already think I am a bad dog because of my killing food to eat. And I did eat a few of those eggs too, but I can’t say as I ever sucked one. I was just hungry and I hope you understand that.
The Man’s Wife almost seemed disappointed that they were going to be taking me. I wanted her to shut up, but after all that time of having nothing to say to me, now she could not seem to shut up. “That dawg ain’t good fer nuttin’†she said. “Oughta be shot in the head.â€
Then she looked Beth square in the face: “You knowed she let those babies she had die? They was dead before they come out of her almost. Never even suckled her.
A dog that has dead babies like that ain’t no good. Sumthin’s wrong with ‘em.â€
I think Beth had held it about as long as she could, but she had gained some control when she responded, “Well maybe the babies died because the poor dog was kicked in the side.†She did not smile when she said it, but she managed to get it to come out not sounding like the white hot anger I smelled coming from her.
Then the woman named Sheila decided it was her turn and she did sound a little bit more hostile than Beth. But I noticed something really special about Sheila. While she and Beth talked to each other with the same words, Sheila seemed to be able to almost imitate The Man’s Wife’s bad language. And she did it in such a way that it made me want to smile for the first time in my life because I could hear the hostility as well as the truth beneath the words. “Ya’ll know those babies might jest have died cuz they was borned after a rape? It ain’t good to let a dog be raped that away. Maybe ya’ll need to take some schooling on dogs before you try to get one to have puppies again. Don’t ya’ll know that a dog ain’t ready to get with puppies but a few of them days she is in heat?â€
The Man and his wife looked at Sheila with awe as if she may know something after all. I guess when she spoke their language they were better able to understand her. But Beth took a deep breath and just said: “Maybe you should take classes somewhere on how to correctly care for a dog before you try and own another one. You want to tell me what happened to this dog? “
“Where did she get all these wounds from?â€
Sheila finished: “And why is she bleeding?â€
The Man explained that I had just lost my babies. And I had just lost them. I am still grieving over that loss, but I can tell you there are things worse than death. I can tell you my babies are better off at that place called Rainbow Bridge that all dogs know about than they would have been with The Man or any of his friends.
Beth asked again: “But why does she have a hole there in her thigh and what are all of those cuts and sores under her coat and on her face?Â
Also, why does her front right leg look as though it has been broken before and not set right?â€
The one little girl My Family had in four children spoke up with her sassy mouth as always: “My momma said ya’ll would ask ‘bout that and she said when you do that it ain’t none of ya’lls bees wax.â€
The Man spoke up: “Here, Here. Don’t go sassing grown-ups. You youngun’s go on and let me handle this business here.â€
I was relieved. I had felt the white hot anger coming from both Sheila and Beth again and I was afraid if they got too mad, The Man might make me stay there. But instead, he told the two women that he was not sure what had happened to me. He said that one of the animals I had taken to chasing might have gotten a hold of me. He also said that the neighbor’s had a dog and their dog may have “gotten a hold of me.†Beth asked what kind of dog the neighbor’s had and the response was “One of those little mean dogs like that one on the Taco Bell commercial.â€
Beth got the papers from the van without asking more questions.Â
She was speaking to The Man now as the rest of the family had left as he had told them to. Once she had the papers signed and had me in the back of her van she told him that it was only a suggestion, but it was a very strong one, that he should not think about getting another dog. She and Sheila had a lot more to say as they drove away.
I know Beth and Sheila plan to watch my old family really close. I did not understand all of the things they talked about as we left there, but I do understand that Beth and Sheila think I am worth saving, and I suppose that counts for something. They talked about the fact that I have been something called ABUSED. But there was also a lot of worry in their voices.
You see, when they went to see me today, they did not have anywhere to take me away to.Â
They were planning to get pictures of me, but were going to have to leave me there at that bad place until they could find a place for me. They did not know I had this wound on me, and they did not know I would have all these scars.
They also noticed that I am not eating well for a dog that has never had a lot of food. But I have to admit I really liked that food they gave me tonight. I managed to eat almost half of it, but then I felt really bad. Beth gave me some fluids under my skin and that made me feel better. She also gave me something called antibiotics, and even though it hurt, she treated my wounds and put a brown powder on the deep one. The brown powder made it feel better and stopped the blood from flowing from the spot just beside the bad wound. She said that it was something called “a bleeder†and that the powder would make it stop bleeding for now.
She also said I would not be able to get stitches because of infection.
You see, I know these people are doing all they can for me. And I know they are having problems doing all that they need to, but they have told me I am worth it and they will have to find a way. There are several problems as I understand them. They have something called an emergency fund and there is not a lot in it because so many animals have come in that have been hurt, sick and that have heart worms.
But Beth and Sheila both have said they will try and find a way. Beth said she would try and talk to Jerry and see if he has any ideas. I have not met Jerry yet but I understand he is a Heart Speak person too. I heard that he was hurt too. I wonder if someone kicked and beat him like they did me? Cause I heard Beth say that he may have cracked his ribs but he is too stubborn to go to the hospital. She said he would go to the doctor this week and they will know for sure. I hope he is ok. I really want to meet him.
I am so excited to meet people who think I am worth something, even if I did eat that chicken and those eggs.
The next problem they have is that they do not have anywhere to keep me. The place called Eagle’s Den is full and all of the places called “fosters†are full too. I did not understand all of that, except that there are laws in this state that say how many dogs can stay at these places and … well … they are full. I also heard Beth say that she had lost three fosters in the last month and is having to work really fast to stay within something called “compliance.â€
I know she has some temporary fosters right now. But they can only keep the dogs they have for a week or so.
Sheila and Beth both said the vet may want to keep me when they take me there, or I may be ok to leave, but either way I will have to have a place to go. Right now a really nice man is taking care of me, but he travels a lot and will have to leave again this week.
The Man has always told me I am NO GOOD and I know you may think that too. As far as I know, from all I know of this world, it may be true. My babies did die and I did chase those smaller animals and I ate them. I was really hungry and I did not know what else to do. Beth is worried about my front leg and has said I need to stay off of it as much as I can. They have a really soft, padded collar to walk me with and it feels so good to be treated nice. I am getting nice baths that hurt my ouchies, but I know they will make me better. Beth & Sheila come here all the time to check on me and have told me about others that have been hurt.
They told me that my “hurts†are really bad for me and that I never should have been hurt.Â
I hope all the stories I have heard about rescue angels are true and that some of you will not think I am a bad dog. I know I was so worthless that my family never gave me a name. I know they had to put me on a rape rack so I would have babies for them. I know I chased and killed smaller animals to eat. I know I ate eggs. I know all of my babies died and I did not know what to do to stop it. It made me really sad when they died and I know I was even more worthless because I got depressed over it. I know I hurt from being hit and kicked, and I know my family thought I deserved that, and even thought I deserved to be shot in the head. And I know how I got these wounds on my body, even though I am not ready to talk about that just yet. I know I need help, and that probably makes me even more worthless in the eyes of people like The Man. I know I hurt a lot and the hurt is in my body, my mind, my heart and my spirit.
I have trouble walking. My tail will not wag.
Still I have a flicker of hope in my heart. These people who are trying so hard to help me believe I am worthy, so that gives me hope. OH I HOPE I CAN BE LOVED AND CAN HAVE A HOME. And I hope my babies that were far too good for this world are with loving angels at Rainbow Bridge. I Hope they know how much I loved them and wanted the best for them. And I hope they never know the pain of rejection that I have known.
Do YOU think I am worthy? Will YOU help me?Â
Beth says that everyone can say a prayer for me, or light a candle and send me good and loving thoughts. She says those are some of the BEST gifts to receive. I know those things make me feel good.
But, those are not going to be enough to save me and I know that.
I need help with vetting costs and the cost of a place to stay if I need to be boarded.Â
And I know I will have to stay in this area for a little while because it is a state law that a dog has to be something called “quarantined†for a certain amount of time … and in that time they have to get all the vet care they need.
If you can help, you can send them through Eagle’s Den’s verified Pay Pal Account.
As always, you will be able to make donations directly to the vet once she has a chart started there. If you would prefer to make a donation to the vet, please until she has a chart, make a general donation to Eagle’s Den and we will have it applied to her bill when her chart is ready. We WILL as always keep you updated.
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If you would like to donate to help our animals… your donations ARE tax deductable and 100% goes to the care of the animals.
Eagle’s Den Animal Haven & Rescue, Inc
We are located in Southeastern NC, in Bladen County. If you would like to contact us you may do so at our mailing address
PO BOX 281
Dublin, NC 28332
Thank You and May Creator smile upon you.
Eagle’s Den Rescue