Leon Red Bone (Hawk)

[user 7704]

Can't prove it by me. Zeus has become a home body since his attacks. He used to go visit everyone, but now he is scared.

Leon loves it outside, but he has to be tied while I work. Just a few more weeks until the fence is done and they can play outside without being scared.

 

[DrHenley]

Leon will be a much better behaved dog when he can run around all day outside. He's just got too much energy to be cooped up.

 

[Mountain trapper]

The dogs will like that Robin. We just drove to the mail box and about halfway home we let the pups out to run the rest of the way. Today warmed up to 40 degs so the dogs stay outside all day. The GSP still gets a little cold though.

 

[user 7704]

The two dogs have started friend wrestling rather than the Alpha dog placement wrestling. I am enjoying the exercise they are both getting. They aren't barking when they play so that part is nice.

Zeus did not like Leon for a long time. He was too rowdy for him. Zeus is 9 years old. Lab/Pyrenees mix

 

[user 7704]

I have handle type knobs on my doors and my cat, Monkey Face IV can turn the knob and walk in. First time, it scared me because I thought it was a ghost or something.

 

[user 7704]

Leon just grabbed a bag of kale seeds , probably about 3/4 of a cup, and dumped them on the floor. I was not a happy person.

 

[user 7704]

I did not do this. I was in the kitchen and found him like this. We have been working since 7 a.m. so he is dogged tired.

 

[user 7704]

Leon has 3 harnesses and can now be out of them in 5 minutes. I keep him double tied, but the second tie is just his chain collar, so it isn't safe. I hate this. He needs to be outside.

Too smart for his own good.

 

[Cindyd]

Leon's a Beaut! and sounds like a handful! I don't want to take the topic off of Leon so not sure if this is appropriate place to post a question about dog issue in general or not...I have 2 border collies who are great dogs, but neither handle storms well. They both go a bit coo-coo with thunder storms. Lucy, in particular is neurotic when it starts thundering. I have tried multiple things to help to no avail including the calming jackets, CBD drops. Someone suggested to try dramamine. I do have some and wondering if anyone has experience for that use? The vet has never suggested that, but noting the vet has recommended works either. It is a nightmare being around them when it is storrming. Today we have only 40% chance of rain but it is thundering now and Lucy has already started! If I neet to post this elsewhere, my aplogies, please advise. Thanks!

 

[user 7704]

My daughter has 3 German Shepherds and one of them eats the furniture, door frames, etc.
She gives him Trazadone. I have some for Leon too. It is for relaxation. It does work. You can it at the vet. 100 pills for $27 in TN.

I have also used Benedryl but never dramamine.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Leon's a Beaut! and sounds like a handful! I don't want to take the topic off of Leon so not sure if this is appropriate place to post a question about dog issue in general or not...I have 2 border collies who are great dogs, but neither handle storms well. They both go a bit coo-coo with thunder storms. Lucy, in particular is neurotic when it starts thundering. I have tried multiple things to help to no avail including the calming jackets, CBD drops. Someone suggested to try dramamine. I do have some and wondering if anyone has experience for that use? The vet has never suggested that, but noting the vet has recommended works either. It is a nightmare being around them when it is storrming. Today we have only 40% chance of rain but it is thundering now and Lucy has already started! If I neet to post this elsewhere, my aplogies, please advise. Thanks!

You can use ThunderEase calming pheromones

 

[Cindyd]

I will try it at your recommendation. Have seen it but assumed like most other similar, it wouldn't work...ordering now!

 

[Dracos]

I have done this in the past with a gun shy dog. The previous owner was cruel and mean to her and abandoned her in Louisiana. She was afraid of any loud noise. Find what your dog really likes, cooked bacon worked for me. Cut it into very small pieces, you don't want a fat dog. Whenever you shoot or when thunder booms give the dog a piece and praise. After a while and much patience, She began to associate gunfire and thunder with good times.

 

[Buttoni]

My last dog passed away in 2020. Miss that ball of energy and barrel of laughs so much. But I digress. I successfully acclimated Button to rain (which she didn't like when time to go outside for business) and thunder (which scared her as a pup under 4 mos. of age). Rat terriers are like Jack Russells in that they are relentless when they want something and LOVE playing 24/7, even more than most dogs like to eat. Her first year I had to put her dry kibble on the floor and literally flick it around with my finger to make a game of eating because her play drive just never shut down long enough to dome to her dinner bowl. And then she'd crash at 9pm.

So I decided to put the breed's limitless play drive to work for me. Everytime there was a thunderstorm, I'd take her out on the covered patio, put her in my lap up in a chair and play, play, play with her with her absolute favorite toy (a Wiggly Giggly ball). Soon she was ready to be put down on the cement slab off lap to plat fetch with WigglyGiggly. Soon I noticed she wasn't ducking with thunder cracks in a few weeks of this desensitization program at every storm we got. By the time she was a year old, she would just go out the door on her own in a storm, run around in the rain and wasn't bothered by cracks of thunder at all. She still wasn't fond of rain and would scurry back inside once she'd done her business though. She was never around gunshots, so I honestly don't know how that would have worked out for her.

I desensitized her to getting her claws clipped/ground with an buzzing electric nail grinder in a similar manner. First I let her play with the grinder turned on , buzzing, so she could play with the main box. Then I'd touch her leg/paw with the grinding tip in a game-like manner. Then we progressed to bits of cheese or hot dog every claw I tried to grind. Eventually, she was eager to get them cut because she knew it meant treats galore. With ratties' energy level, they don't usually gain weight until much older dogs. Used the same treats approach for applying ear/face medications, which she hated. The one thing she would never EVER let me do, despite doing it from a very early age so she could get used to it, was brush her teeth. She wouldn't let us or the vet open her mouth. So we just gave up on that one and used dental chews designed to help remove tartar.

She's buried down at our BOL with a young 3' Catawba (purple) Crepe Myrtle as her grave marker. It was blooming when we went down last week.

 

[Dracos]

Very sorry for your loss, but aren't you glad you had her?

 

[Buttoni]

Sure am.

 

[user 7704]

It is I. Dont worry LEON.

 

[user 7704]

I did not even say the word. I opened the door and boom he hit the water. He is one happy hound.

 

[Buttoni]

That is too cute! Dog's got to do what a dog's got to do.

 

[Buttoni]

For your listening pleasure, a tune from Leon Red Bone's name sake and a longtime favorite musician:

 

[user 7704]

For your listening pleasure, a tune from Leon Red Bone's name sake and a longtime favorite musician:

He opened for John Prine on one tour.

 

[user 7704]

We had a huge rain storm and Leon refused to come inside. He was a huge mud hound and finally came barreling into the house and ran from one couch to the other. Mud everywhere. Had to mop, change covers on couches, and give Leon a bath.

 

[user 7704]

Taking Zeus, we our Lab/Pyrenees mix to vet today. Last week he started. Having so much trouble with his hips. I think it is hip dysplasia. He is in pain and it is breaking my heart.

This was so sudden. Sometimes he curves to the left and at other times he curves to the right. Has basically, stopped going outside except maybe once per day to poop and pee.

I'm afraid they will say he is beyond help and I cannot take him being in pain.

He is 9 years old.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Taking Zeus, we our Lab/Pyrenees mix to vet today. Last week he started. Having so much trouble with his hips. I think it is hip dysplasia. He is in pain and it is breaking my heart.

This was so sudden. Sometimes he curves to the left and at other times he curves to the right. Has basically, stopped going outside except maybe once per day to poop and pee.

I'm afraid they will say he is beyond help and I cannot take him being in pain.

He is 9 years old.

I have a 17yo lab mix that has hip trouble. About 5 years ago, I started giving him Dinovite. It's like he got a second life.

 

[user 7704]

Talk radio and the Dinovite commercial are being ousted by Ruffgreens.

 

[user 7704]

PP, so Dinovite works as advertised. That is great. I will check it out. I fear it may be too late for Zeus, but I can try. Plus, start Leon on it.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I can't stand the Dinovite commercials, but may start giving it to our lab pup. I wish that I had given something like that to Gus. Even with our 2 new puppies I still miss Gus everyday.

 

[user 7704]

As suspected, Zeus has hip dysplasia, spinal and knee arthritis, ear infection and a flea or two.

Gave him gabopentin for pain. They sell that stuff on the street.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Talk radio and the Dinovite commercial are being ousted by Ruffgreens.

Ruffgreens is about the same thing.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

I can't stand the Dinovite commercials, but may start giving it to our lab pup. I wish that I had given something like that to Gus. Even with our 2 new puppies I still miss Gus everyday.

My boy has been gone and replaced for 3 years now. I still miss him…