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Messages - marypr2

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hello all-
I wanted to visit you to tell you that all is well in our household with our 7 year old recently neutered almost de-adopted Alaskan Malamute, Akuma, aka Kuma.

The vet told us that the scaley-itchy rash he had on his groin that came a week after his neutering was some kind of bacterial infection.  He put him on another round of antibiotics and it is almost all heeled now. (He had been on 2-week's worth of antibiotics associated with his neutering.) Anyway, after the weekend from h*ll with him acting out, being aggressive and howling and whining constantly, he did calm down quite a bit.  I have concluded the rash was driving him crazy.  I need to put this thought away that if he starts acting nuts, then there is probably something bothering him/making him feel badly.

I can't help but think he got this rash thing in the vets office when he stayed overnight for the neutering. 

Last week we had a meter reader come, and since she couldn't read the meter through the gap in the fence, I had to hold the dog by the collar for her.  THAT was a mistake, as Kuma wanted to get that girl really badly.  He really hasn't lunged at anyone like that in my experience, but this girl was obviously petrified of him, and I think he was reacting to that.  He never did get loose or get to her, but he jerked me around a couple of times and I think threw my back out.  Man, he is powerful!

I finally got him a pinch collar this week, and so far, it has been great.  My 7 year old daughter usually holds the leash when we walk Kuma, and she has found the pinch thing to be really great when she wants him to move on.  A couple of times he has wanted to challenge other dogs out for walks, and she has been able to hold firm with him.  Yay!  I also make sure she says either "no" or "come" or something when he is about to get pinched, so he can associated the words with the pinch.

I have a question here.  Is there an easy way to get the pinch collar on and off?  I find it hard both ways, but especially getting it off.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

We went to a dog park this past weekend, and Kuma was like a puppy running around with the other dogs.  He had a few aggressive moments with two different dogs (one a great dane, another a german sheppard), but after they had their little spats then all they did was sniff each other.  I suppose this is how these dogs establish their dominance, and I assume Kuma won in that game, but who knows?

The weather has cooled here in Atlanta, and now Kuma is choosing to sleep ouside on the landing.  The cooler weather has definitely lifted his spirits.

We still haven't gotten a back-pack for him to use, nor have we bought one of those cube things for him to play/get treats with.  I looked for one in the store but couldn't find one.  We are still reeling from the vet bill for the neutering, all the shots and meds, so I need to be cool about spending more right now.  I'll keep these things on my list though.

So, as I said, all is well for now with our little household.  Thanks for all of your help and advice two weeks ago.  Some of you were right on with your comments.

Take care,
Mary



   

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Collars, crates, & other cool things / Re: Need Suggestions for Toys
« on: September 19, 2007, 08:31:33 am »
Hi-
Yes, I tried the Kong, and tried it with peanut butter....can't recall if I froze it or not.  Kuma didn't go for it at all.  It just made a mess that attracted ants.

So, when you freeze it, does the peanut butter just crack up (and come out the hole) when they chew on the Kong?  or is the freezing to make it cold to eat?

Take care and thanks,
Mary


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Collars, crates, & other cool things / Re: Need Suggestions for Toys
« on: September 18, 2007, 08:04:10 pm »
Thanks for the information.  Are you someone involved in managing the site?

Mary

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Alaskan Malamute Discussions / Re: Got Him Fixed, Now What?
« on: September 18, 2007, 08:02:35 pm »
Oh wow!  thank you.  My Kuma is 85 pounds, though I don't know his measurements.  According to the charts, that would mean an XL....do you think that an XL would be too big for my dog for some reason?

Thanks again,
Mary

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Alaskan Malamute Discussions / Re: Got Him Fixed, Now What?
« on: September 18, 2007, 06:11:50 pm »
Hi-
As a followup, the vet said that the rash he has is something bacterial, and he provided another round of antibiotics.  Since my DH took in Kuma, I couldn't find out any details about the infection.

The vet said it COULD be he was indeed feeling badly and the infection was especially itchy the first few days, and thus the moaning and groaning.  I don't really get that, since the rash looks the same today as it did on Sunday night.

Anyway, his sutures came out fine, and to my relief all of his escapes of last week didn't undo the surgery.

Thanks everybody for your help.

Mary 

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Collars, crates, & other cool things / Re: Need Suggestions for Toys
« on: September 18, 2007, 06:06:48 pm »
Oh yes, he does like those soup bones.  We can get them at the grocery too.

Say, I have been unable to post a picture.  It keeps on saying it is full.  How is it that you all are able to post pictures?  Is it just MY buffer is full?

I can't figure out how to contact the administrator to ask this question.  Maybe you all know.

Have a great day,
Mary

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Collars, crates, & other cool things / Re: Need Suggestions for Toys
« on: September 18, 2007, 05:33:23 pm »
Hi-
I looked at dog.com, and they sell these cubes.  Don't know if you would have to back order it or something, but they had it listed.

Mary

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Collars, crates, & other cool things / Re: Need Suggestions for Toys
« on: September 18, 2007, 04:52:28 pm »
Hi-
I tried to find your "I caught my tail" post, and I couldn't.  Where exactly is it?  Perhaps it isn't under Malamutes and that's why I can't find it.

Thanks again,
Mary

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Collars, crates, & other cool things / Need Suggestions for Toys
« on: September 18, 2007, 04:21:35 pm »
Okay, you guys.  I have already discussed with you that Kuma doesn't really play with ANYTHING I have for him....no balls, no squeaky things, no ropes, no Kongs.  He will chew on rawhide bones and pig ears.  He is picky about his treats too, and prefers snausages to everything else.

So, I am looking for suggestions for REALLY GREAT toys that a dog like this might like.  Remember he is really smart about escaping....pe rhaps there is a toy out there that he can manipulate by opening up doors or sliding things.

thanks in advance for any insights.

Mary

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Alaskan Malamute Discussions / Re: Got Him Fixed, Now What?
« on: September 18, 2007, 12:38:45 pm »
Hi All-
Just to let you know, things were much improved yesterday, after we got thorugh the morning.  Kuma was calm for most of the day, and he got to have a good walk with daddy at night, and then spent some quality time with dad later watching TV.

Part of our dilemma is that we haven't found anything Kuma enjoys doing, except going for walks.  He won't play fetch and he will only run with us in the yard for a little while.  He also won't do much with chew toys like a Kong....I bought him one, tried it with peanut butter and other treats, and he didn't find it fascinating at all (the ants did though).  We have given him various bones and rawhides that he has dug holes and hidden, so he doesn't do much with them either.  He WILL focus on pigs ears though.  Loves them.

Perhaps a back-pack would make sense for him.  I entertained the thought of figuring out how to train him to pull a wagon or something with kids in it, but I haven't gotten very far with that.  We'd  have to be very careful so that no one got hurt.  We also don't have a harness for him yet, and that is a must if we want him to do any of this stuff short of a back pack.

Thanks for all your pearls of wisdom.  He was supposed to see the vet yesterday for suture removal and to have the rash looked at, but just our luck the vet went home sick with pregnancy-related illness.  We hope to get him in today.

We are having glorious weather here (in Atlanta, Georgia).  That may be lifting the dog's spirits some, too.

Have a great day 

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Alaskan Malamute Discussions / Re: Got Him Fixed, Now What?
« on: September 17, 2007, 03:27:55 pm »
Sorry, navarre1316, that last post was for you.  Who is Daphne?  My brain is somewhere else.

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Alaskan Malamute Discussions / Re: Got Him Fixed, Now What?
« on: September 17, 2007, 03:25:54 pm »
Hi Daphne-
We got Kuma as a result of a family member being unable to keep him.  They fell on hard financial circumstances and had to move, and he could not go with them. From what I understand, the dog stayed in their back yard all the time, except at night when he was in the garage.  I don't think he was walked very much, but he had three kids around him, so I am sure they loved on him when they were with him.

I have been told by others in the family that he seems happier than he did while he was with my sister in law's family, and that he looks healthier.  We do try very hard to get those daily walks in.  It's good for all of us.

Other than that, my sister in law said he would howl a lot when there was a full moon.  She didn't say it was a constant thing.  Perhaps he misses his previous family more than we think, or my sister in law is not telling me everything.  Who knows?

I do not think my sister in law's family abused him.  However, they had rescued him from someone who kept him on a chain all the time.  Abuse was suspected with his original owner, but I don't know the extent of it.

Yeah, I agree he might just not feel good, but I haven't a clue what is wrong.  He is still on antibiotics from getting neutered, and perhaps he is not reacting well to that.  He was prescribed two week's worth of those things.  I havne't noticed if he moans and groans when he gets up, but he certainly doesn't yelp like he is in really bad pain or anything.

Thanks,
Mary

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Alaskan Malamute Discussions / Re: Got Him Fixed, Now What?
« on: September 17, 2007, 02:41:24 pm »
Hi-
Did the blotchiness look kind of like psoriasis?

I haven't caught Kuma licking his wound at all.  I was given one of those collars just in case he chewed on it or licked it, but I haven't had to use it.  And this rash thing developed just this weekend...the surgery was a good week before that.

He seems a little better today, so maybe all of this was for naught.  I gave him a pig ear about an hour ago, and he responded appropriately with sitting and staying before I gave it to him.  He's still moaning and groaning some, but not as badly as early this morning.

Thanks for your response,
Mary

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Alaskan Malamute Discussions / Re: Got Him Fixed, Now What?
« on: September 17, 2007, 02:03:29 pm »
Hi-
It has only been 10 days since he got fixed, and the vet told us not to expect any real change for at least a month.  So, you are right on target with your remark.  The recent agitation though is moving in the wrong direction, and that's what concerns me.

Thanks for your response. I'm just frustrated.

Mary 

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Alaskan Malamute Discussions / Re: Got Him Fixed, Now What?
« on: September 17, 2007, 02:00:45 pm »
Hi-
We have not done obedience training with him mostly for lack of time.  All of this has happened so quickly (including our adoption of him) that we haven't had a moment to plan. 

I will say that when we first got him, he seemed to be really pretty well behaved, and responded well to "sit", "down", and "back".  My daughter is even able to hold the leash to walk him.  She is also 7 years old, and he is far more powerful than she, but he behaves fairly well.  I take over the leash as need be if there is another dog around, or cars are passing, etc.  My daugther has pretty much gotten him to quit stopping frequently too, as she just keeps on walking when he stops, and he eventually comes along.  We have not tried to do anything to train out the howling, but I would say we haven't a clue how to do that anyway.  Owing to the fact that he was responsive to commands that we gave him, it didn't occur to us that we needed to do training. 

I am kind of wondering too if the dog could be agitated right now because my husband is kind of "over it".  He returned from a week-long trip and had to repair a fence that was wrecked by our Houdini dog.  Maybe he is giving the dog really bad vibes.  The dog's recent (really bad) agitation seems to have happened since my husband came home.  I could be coincidence, but maybe not.  Unfortunately, the agitation exists when my daughter and I approach him too, which makes my daughter in particular not want to deal with him either.  If he won't sit for her or calm down when she wants to give him a treat, she will just drop it and leave. 

Anyway, this feels a lot like it is spiraling out of control.  If indeed the dog is responding emotionally to some bad vibes, then we need to fix the vibes, which won't be very easy, at least not with this husband. 

Thanks for your response.

Mary 

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