Big Paws Only Dog Forums

Hey there Wimble,
Welcome to BPO.  You will love this group of people.  They are great, friendly and very willing to help with advice, opinions and sometimes just knowing they are there and they really care helps.  Sounds like you already have some wonderful "Paws" in your life.  We really need pics, you know.  So, you want a Tibetan Mastiff.  I have one we got through American Tibetan Mastiff rescue.  He is my dream dog.  Don't get me wrong, I love my Wolfhound and my Pyr, but Cody is the dog of my heart.  He is not a social dog, not friendly with strangers, will not take treats or biscuits from anyone other than family, etc.  He guards my house and me and is my "saint" of a dog. Which breeders are you looking at?  Who have you talked to?  Welcome to the group, you will love it here.
Kathy

Anne and Tucker will be in my prayers.  Has her vet suggested anything to help settle Tucker's stomach?  After Chichi got up there in years, she had a few bouts with severe stomach upset.  We would give her a gruel of pureed rice mixed with boiled, pureed chicken.  She would get maybe 2 tablespoons of this every few hours.  More if it stayed down.  If not, wait a few hours and try again.  Our vet also gave her anti nausea pills and occassionally we gave her Pepto Bismol.  It usually helped.  If nothing helps, she can try taking raw beef liver, puree it and pour this slowly down the dog's throat, a little at a time.  It at least gives them some nourishment and will help build up their strength.  Tell Anne I said Good Luck.
Kathy

One of the ladies here locally has a friend who recently lost her St Bernard.  She got it through the local St rescue group.  She is looking for a St Bernard puppy that she can raise and love now that she is more familiar with the breed and has absolutely fallen in love with them.  The local rescue does not have any puppies, so she is looking for a breeder in Florida.  Can anyone help?  I have dealt with the rescue group, but not any breeders.
Kathy

Unfortunately, accidents like this happen all too often and it is not always unsupervised children that get bitten, nor is it always the dogs fault.  My nephew was bitten in the face at 8 months of age by my brother's doberman.  He had the dog for 6 years and she was great with his son.  His wife was folding clothes in the living room and the baby was playing in the clothes in the basket.  He fell onto the dog, who was sleeping on the floor at his wife's feet.  The dog was startled, bit him and he had numerous stitches at the emergency room.  No permanent, disfiguring scars, but he does have small scars on his face and neck.  My brother killed the dog immediately.  He never took the time to think through what had happened.  The baby had slept with the dog and crawled all over her for months.  She was a fantastic, loving, protective dog, who loved her family. She was simply startled awake and reacted.  It happens and is one of the things that we have to accept as a possibility if we choose to live with dogs.  Just take a little time to think through your decision and make sure you are not being too hasty in your choices.  If you really cannot take the chance of it happening again, take the earlier advice and work on finding a good, loving home for him, either through a local rescue group or independently.  Only you can decide what is right for you and your children, but, keep in mind while some rescue groups will place dogs who have bitten, some absolutely will not adopt them out.  We have some breed rescues here that won't even take the dogs into their program.  The circumstances do not matter, they are simply not willing to accept the liability if anything should happen down the road and they were aware of a previous incident. Good luck with your decision and my prayers are with you.
Kathy

You are doing a wonderful job with them.  You are right.  They are going to need wonderful homes just to try and keep up with the fantastic start you are giving them.  You are sure feeding the puppy fever around here with the too cute pictures.  If I didn't think they would get lost under the big paws already here, I would be seriously considering it.  Thanks for the pics.
Kathy

I don't know much about the feeding requiremnets of Saints having never raised or owned one.  As far as cow hocks, I noticed that Cody had it when we first adopted him.  On his first vet's visit our vet noticed and commented on it.  He wanted to do X Rays on his hips, and back legs.  I waited until Cody had adjusted to us somewhat before I had it done.  As it turns out Cody has displaysia in one hip.  After gaining weight, which he needed to do, he is supporting most of his weight on his strong back leg and his hocks have turned a little more.  I have seen Saints go through rescue here that were so bad their hocks actually hit together when they were running, to the extent that it tripped them up.  Apparently, our vet guessed that he might have a problem after seeing his hocks.  He explained that it is one of the signs, but certainly does not mean that all dogs with cow hocks have bad hips or knees, just that some do.  If your vet didn't mention it, then it sounds like Tub just has an issue with his hocks.  Hopefully that is a good thing and he has no further problems with it. Kiss Tub for me.  He is such a cutie.
Kathy 

I would love to see what my dogs would think of snow.  Maybe we will have to load them up and head north this winter sometime.  I know they all had a barking, growling, fit this year when the outside Christmas lights came on the first night.  I guess Max had forgotten them from last year.  I had to take them out one at a time so they could sniff them and check them out from the outside, then they settled down to look at them out the window. 
Kathy

They are too cute.  I love those fat little bellies.  You must have the patience of a saint.  Love the they don't listen anyway.  Actually my pyr and TM listen much better than Max.  All will come when called in the house, without fail.  In the yard, when I'm calling them in, Max will come towards you and veer off at the last minute to go the other way.  I turn off the light and go inside.  I'll go back in 5-10 minutes and he will be standing at the door, with his head turned sideways, like "Mom, did you forget me?"
Kathy