Big Paws Only Dog Forums

I meant to add that Giants LOVE to countersurf!  I dont think just simply keeping things off the counters is the best thing to do.  THis is a headstrong and dominant breed that must have training.  They totally CAN use their brains and be taught to respect boundaries.  Hugo could easily steal from the counter and tables but we taught him from day one NOT to stick his nose in place it didnt belong.  Teach them and EXPECT them to do what they are told.  Getting a good trainer is a wonderful idea.  They can help you with certain issues when problems arise.  When HUgo would stick his nose up the counter I would simply say in a loud sharp forceful tone "NO"!!  ANd I sounded like "the boss" so he respected that.  Dont let your giant get away with anything now that you dont want them to do when she is grown.  It is a matter or just teaching her manners daily.  You have to spend time and teach her.  THis breed has to be worked with or they can be destructive.  hope this helps
shellie~

Part of the problem is very similar to the problem with getting kids to eat their veggies.  Poorer quality foods have loads of artificial flavors that are very yummy, so they make the food extra palatable--but that doesn't mean they are better, just that they taste better.  Kind of like a kid choosing Cheetos over green beans as a side dish.

This is an excellent way of putting that!!  Wish I had thought of it    But you are correct.  Just because a dog eats it up doesnt mean it is good (nutritionally) for him.  Antifreeze tastes good to dogs, but obviously is a bad bad thing.  When a customer comes in the store and says their dog love XXX brand whether it be kibbles n bits or moist and meaty (fill in any low quality brand) but they wont eat wellness, innova (fill in any high quaility brand) I usually tell the customer well it is like trying to raise your kids on potato chips and candy.  just because they love it doesnt mean it is healthy.  you cant have good health on junkfood, same with the dogs....

One thing to mention, another customer came and said his dog had been eating happily a certain good quaility brand.  that was what he always bought, same brand, same formula everything.  Then about 3/4 into a bag the dog stopped eating it.  He could not make her eat it.  In fact she turned her nose up to it in disgust.  He found that very odd since she was NOT a picky eater, so he contacted the company and he sent the remained of the bag in for analysis.  Come to find out a little dampness had found its way into the sealed bag (a processing/packaging error) and caused a dangerous mold to grow affecting the bottom portion of that bag of dog food.  They told him it was a good thing the dog smelled/sensed/detected that mold.  The company sent him out several coupons for free bags.  it was not the Diamond mold that happened a few months ago, but this was in Nutro Natural CHoice.  WHich I am a big fan of and feed currently.
Shellie~

i would suggest a vet visit also.  If this is an odd behavior for her and she normally does not act this way then something is going on.  Sometimes if there are problems going on, dogs will simply act "out of the norm".  By her not entering the door, think about it this way-it could hurt her to step across something.  so she senses she will have to step across the threshold.  Or sometimes the problem could be an issue with balance or inner ear.  just because she isnt yelping in pain, doesnt me there is nothing wrong.  some dogs do not show how much they hurt.  think of it this way-in the wild if they showed how badly they felt which would be considered a weakness, they could fall prey to a predator.  I have seen many dogs just what i thought was mildly sick and the next thing they you be at the vet's in critical condition.  If she is favoring her leg, it might not be her leg bit instead maybe a disk in her back. 
Shellie~

The problem with greenies isn't one of getting too big a chunk.  It's that the wax coating is not digestible and it forms blobs after being chewed up that clump into blockages.  Dogs have been found with blockages from greenies months after being given one as a treat.  It just sits in the digestive tract of some dogs and clumps together.  They are really not worth the risk.

This makes total sense!!  I have never een thought of it this way....

Mine are sitting here chewing on their greenies.  how does everyone feel about them? 
Shellie~

Since I used to work at Hugo's Kennel, I was the one who gave him his first haircut (and every haircut since).  He got his nails, belly, potty area done at only a few weeks old.  He had his first full hair cut at probably at 8 weeks, if not sooner.  I would go ahead and take her to the groomer's now.  Even if you choose to leave the fluffy puppy look, which is fine, Annabelle will still benefit greatly from the visit.  The groomer will bathe her, brush her, pull out her ear hair, do her nails and pads and just get her accustomed to the whole grooming process.  Believe me is it VITAL for the health of your dog (not to mention the groomer) that you start this early.  It is extremely hard to groom a giant schnauzer who has never had any grooming done to him except what is done at home.  I have groomed giants who were 6 months+ and had never stood on a grooming table.  Giants are stubborn and at 6 months old they are also big and quite a handful to never have been groomed.  Giants should go to the groomer's every 6-8 weeks while they are under a year old.  Even if it is just to get a bath and nail job.  Believe me, the groomer will love you for it 
shellie~

When I was a groomer we used diluted dish soap as a prebath to get the grime off.  This also began working on any fleas the dog had.  We always rinsed and finished with a second or third bath using various doggy shampoos.  Always some type of tearless on the face though-no dish soap on the face.  It is too risky to use dish soap around the eyes-OUCHIE!!!  Nature's Choice has a great line of shampoos.  They make one called hypo-a that is great.  Also groomer's edge shampoo is fantastic.  They have a sulphur and coal tar shampoo called furst aid that is fantastic for deodorizing the dog and does a great job on skin problems (flea bites, irritations, etc). 

I am an assistant manager at a local chain pet store and have access to many different types of shampoos.  There is a brand called Kenic which has a great tea tree oil shampoo. 

De Flea spray can be usec on carpets, bedding, furniture, etc.