Charmed life...

Well, Doktor dog is doing AMAZING on raw food.  Seriously, nothing has worked as well as switching to raw.  His skin is clearing up, his eyes are bright and shiny, and no goop!  His fur is soft, no  dandruff, and no smell... I have never seen anything like it!  I have been doing research like a mad woman, and it does not have to be as expensive as all that... so, looks like the boy is going to be on a 100% raw diet.  He certainly is worth it!  I'm going to be making friends with a butcher to see if I can get some bones on the cheap, and most likely will be making my own combination of raw mixture... its much cheaper that way, and I can't really afford to do it any other way.  Still on the lookout for some good books on the subject, and will certainly post about them when I find them.  Until then, I am most defiantly a believer in raw food.  I will not get on my soap box about it, but it is just working for me, and for that I am seriously happy.  I know that a lot of vets are not on the raw food diet band wagon... but then, I don't go to my Dr. for nutrition advice.... I feel it is the same for my dog. What I have seen with my own eyes has made a huge difference, and I will stick with what is working.

here's the boys, posing for the camera.  What you don't see is the fact that even tho Dok's ears are back, his tail is going a mile a minute.

As far as training, it is going pretty well.  He is doing great with the wait command, and I even got him to wait in the other room while I went into the kitchen and cut up more treats, then went outside and shut the door before returning to him... he was still sitting and waiting.  I'm very proud of him, he seems to have really become a much better behaved dog.  As far as the Prozac goes... the verdict is still out for me.  I'm not sure that I am all that impressed with it, it seems to make him very sluggish, and that is not what I want.  I did say I would give it some time, and I will, but I am fairly convinced that this is NOT the answer for me and Dok.  The 4th of July is almost here, and the Prozac does not seem to make a difference with his fear of fireworks.  That is a problem, as I hate to see him go through his freak out on the 4th.  Fireworks are pretty horrible around my house, and last year it took us 4 hours to pry Dok out from under the porch... which mind you is only a couple of inches off the ground.
He certainly seems more relaxed to me... maybe that is the Prozac, but I don't think it is the only thing.  He still does not have his ears up, quite often in fact... but I'm not really thinking that is a bad thing.  His tail is up more often, and he genuinely seems like a happier dog.  I am still very worried about his interaction with other dogs, and as of yet, we have not had any.  Mostly that is because I am still a chicken... so maybe someday soon.  I don't know if he will ever be ok with it, and if he is not, then I will just continue to make the necessary precautions so that nothing will happen.

Prozac Dreams...

Ok, so we bit the bullet and put Doktor Dog on puppy Prozac.  He has been on it sense Saturday, and the verdict is still out.  Of course, it will take about a month to notice any results, and currently he is still in the side effect stage... about 2 weeks of lethargy and decreased appetite.  Well, he certainly is lazy... but his appetite is still the same... ravenous.   The only difference with his appetite is that he won't get off the couch to beg for food... but if you are sitting right next to him, he certainly wants a bite (which of course, he does not ever get).   I have also noticed that it seems to give him crazy dreams... this  may be anthropomorphic of me, maybe he does not dream like we do... but it sure seems that way.  Last night, after several kicks in the face from the Doktor (he has become quite the bed hog, and seems to always wake me up with kicks to the face), he started making the most ridiculous noises, almost as if he was under water, then whining like he wanted something.  This continued for quite sometime until Mike and I's laughter probably woke him up!  Maybe dogs get drug induced dreams as well.
Along with the lazy has come a pretty strong aversion to work.  He will do what I ask of him, but he does not seem to think its the best idea I have ever had... I think he would rather curl up on the couch with a good book (but of course he deserves a treat for this).

Ummmm... Prozac and Bunny food, what a good combo

The other bullet we bit (and quite a bite is is going to be)... we have decided to put the dogs on a raw food diet.  Doktor Dog has SO MANY allergies... and his hair is always falling out, his eyes are always thick with goop, and he itches like crazy!  We have tried grain free, we have taken him off chicken, we have fed him the best premium dog foods on the market... from blue buffalo, to origin to California natural's... you name it, we have tried it... all except raw.  The thing about raw is, well, its expensive.  I mean REALLY expensive.  When you are looking at a dog that weights around 70lbs, which Dok does, you are looking at almost 200$ a month.  THAT IS SO MUCH MONEY!!!!  So, to get around this money pit, we have decided that we are only going to feed him 50% raw, and the rest a good grain free, chicken free commercial dog food.  (Pip, being the less than medium dog that he is, gets to be on 100% raw... which he will love!)  I would like to eventually make the move for the Doktor, and get him on all raw, but we have to see how this goes.  I have decided in order to make this a little easier on us, I'm going to pick up the dog food every week.  I feel like if we do it in smaller increments it will be a little easier on us.  Currently we are spending 80$ every time we buy a bag of food... that lasts us about a month... but 80$ all at once is kind of difficult for us sometimes, so I feel like if I spend 40$ every week, then it will be a bit easier.  I know this is more money in the long run, but I do feel that both dogs  are worth it, and if I can get to the bottom of Dok's health issues, as well as his insecurities his quality of life will be much better, as will mine.  Wish us luck.

Yesterday... and today...

So, yesterday we worked really hard, and I feel like he did pretty well.  I'm going to post a video from yesterday... but no giving me grief about my fat belly!!!!  (ugh... its about the dog, not me... right?)  He waited for quite some time, even when I left the room, he was pretty good with his ears and body language.

HA!  For some reason the video will not upload... no fat belly for you guys!  I'll try again later.

Today however, not such a good day.  Walking with Doktor Dog is a nightmare.  He slinks when he walks, won't look at me even once... cars freak him out, people freak him out, dogs barking freak him out, fireworks freak him out, I think even Pip freaked him out!  I really REALLY don't know what to do about this.  I want to take him on a short overnight camping trip this Saturday, but I don't want to make things worse.  I put in an email to the vet/behavior specialist, and I'm still waiting to hear back from her on whether or not she thinks I should take him.  I do really want to go, but we will have to see.

I'm really trying not to feel discouraged... he really does do well in the house, but outside, not so much.  He is just so insecure.  I do think that we will probably have to go with some meds for a little while, I hope it is not permanent.  I'm really hoping that he does not always look like this when we walk him... this was a hike a couple of months ago, his ears are always so far back, but I just don't have the heart to leave him behind.  I don't know when it started being like this, he used to love to walk and hike.  ugh.  Its amazing how behavior can start to change, and we don't seem to notice.

The long and winding road...

Well, I have not written in a while... mostly because I have nothing new to tell.  Dok is getting better, and that is a very good thing, but I do feel like we are kind of at a stand still.  I got him a gentle leader, which does fit under his muzzle, so walking him is a bit easier, but as always when he is wearing it, his ears are pressed back and he is feeling more stressed out.  The doctor asked me if I felt we needed some anti-anxiety meds, and I really REALLY don't want to go there.  I don't know if I need to, or if I just need to work harder.  I feel like I have been working, but lets be honest, I have not been working hard enough.  There just never seems to be enough time.  I have worked with him once already this morning, and I will be working with him again once I finish this blog... then when Mike gets home, we are going to try a walk... Its just a very VERY long process, and I am hoping one that will end in success.  I would at least like to be able to take him hiking, something which I have always done, but now I'm just not so sure.  I will always keep him on a leash... Dok will never be one of those dogs that get to run ahead of me on the trail, I just don't know what he would do when faced with another dog.  He seems to be stressed out the most by puppies, but he does not like very many dogs at all.  I wish there was something I could do to make him more comfortable, but I just don't know how to do that.  He looks relaxed and calm when I have a treat in my hand, and as long as it is only Mike and I... maybe one or two more people that he knows well, but if there are more people involved, then he is all over the place and concentrating is very difficult for him.  I know that the 4th of July is coming up, and for Dok that is like hell on earth... maybe meds until we are through with the stupid holiday?  I'm thinking on it.  I've tried the pharmone collar, and I'm not certain it has made any difference at all, but then I am not certain that it hasn't.  Its just really, really hard to tell.  The only option I have is to keep on trucking along, and hopefully soonish, we will be able to go out with our friends AND our dogs for a nice weekend adventure!  (boy, I'll drink to that!)

silly dog, looking all kinds of stressed out.

Also, I'm looking for people who are willing to come over and help me work on getting the dogs over the door knocking thing... what I need are people who are willing to come over and knock on my door repeatedly while I'm in the house getting the dogs calm from the door.  I'm trying to get them to react better when people come over to visit or someone delivers something.