Recent content by cbmcts

Being a soft touch and tending to take on dogs that are in the last chance saloon because I enjoy a challenge (not sure if that's the right word! it's certainly not enjoyable at the start...) over the years I've learnt that you can't always save them. I can live with that as long as I can say...

I used the inflatable cone...

I've done the recovery twice with my nutty dog. It was a long 12 weeks each time - very long as he is not the best patient to say the least - but was manageable and the time does pass surprisingly quickly. He was crated when I didn't have eyes on him but was loose in the room with me most of the...

My dog occasionally lets off a big deep bark in his sleep, it really makes you jump. Because he's deaf, he never barks when awake, he just huffs hysterically when other dogs would bark.

If anything happens to me, the big dog will be PTS as he is not a dog that copes well with change and rehoming him has a very high risk of him reverting to the behaviours that he had when I got him nearly 6 years ago. Sadly, homes for dogs like him are few and far between. I had a health scare a...

My big dog, rottie/mastiff cross had auto immune disease - diagnosed by exclusion. His symptoms were very bad joint pain that standard painkillers did not touch and to be honest, steroids were the last ditch attempt before PTS as he was in so much pain despite industrial quantities of...

When people complain about chewy, thieving, destructive dogs - I have one too - I remind them who they should be blaming! Themselves because they allowed the dog to practice behaviour they don't want. I get it, I too often curse because the dog has got in the bin or is charging around going...

If she is better earlier in the day, after a nice quiet night, it does sound like trigger stacking which builds and builds as things happen during the day. Does she have a witching hour after dinner where the behaviour is OTT? The calming collars and plug ins did help but not enough IME. Despite...

It might be time to consider some pharmaceutical help, just to try and bring the neuroses down to a level where she can relax and settle a bit and feel more secure in herself. Selgian is the dog equivalent of sertraline, my dog has been on it 5 years now and will stay on it for life. It doesn't...

While rehoming an imported dog is not what I would do personally, and there is no denying that there are more environmental risks then most of us were aware of even a few years ago, done responsibly, it's better than obtaining a dog via puppy farming or some of the popular trading websites...

That's fair enough, my personal preference is large breed dogs/small breed bitches (I will never have another male terrier!) but in many breeds, same sex aggression is a trait and it is generally accepted that it is easier to mix opposite sex as adults. Note, I say generally :D When I was...

Most people who are adopting an adult will normally be advised (and want) to have an opposite sex dog. Rescues often don't know when a bitch was last in season and do not want to hold them for potentially 6 months and then another 3 months to spay at the optimum time so a lot of bitches are...

That makes sense. He is a rescue who was battered with suspected brain damage.

Big dog sees ghosts - stares at something that isn't there quite regularly both at home and out. Playbows to every horse he sees even if they're at a distance. Will only wear one particular (manky) collar, freaks out when it's removed for cleaning - doesn't happen often - and gets hysterical if...

In the UK most pounds are private kennels that have a contract with the local authority/council to take their strays for 7 days. The LA/council will only pay for the legally required 7 day hold, emergency vet costs and PTS if the dog is unclaimed or a rescue space isn't found quickly. There are...