lonely dog what should I do?

[jboboxer]

Originally Posted by Jan

I think what your pup really needs is more exercise. You need to get up 1/2 and hour earlier and take her out for some exercise. If you can manage to come home at lunch time too, that would be great. If she gets exercise before you go to work, she will quite happily sleep until you come home at lunch time. The same will be true in the afternoon. Dogs sleep 3/4 of the time and puppies even more. If your dog is only being left alone for 4-5 hours at a time, she has it pretty good. There are many dogs out there that are confined for 8-9 hours at a stretch. My dogs are alone for 10-12 hours a day, but they do have a dog door, so they can go out as often as they please. When your dog gets a little older and has full run of the house, you can get a dog door and then you won't need to come home at lunch.

Good luck!

Yeah, I agree she is sleeping half the time when I get back you can tell I'm waking her up and she's tired. I do think she needs a little bit more stretching room, place to pee/poop also...... so I'm working on that part.
But even when I'm home with her on her day off, she wakes up not to eat, but she loves to sleep on my lap. I wouldn't be suprised if she sleeps 16 hours in a day. I know they say the average dog does 12-14, but maybe since shes a puppy she does more.

I mean there's times I'm home by myself and I can't watch her well, because I want to take a nap and I sleep on the couch while she's in the crate next to me. She is sound asleep even when the crate's door isn't closed. She goes in there right away at night also.

I am concern about over exercising her though, because my vet was saying her her red manage that I really don't want to walk her more than 30 minutes a day as a puppy.

She didn't bark today when I came home. I have a doggy door or shall I say had one, but returned it for another color. The thing is she's teething and trying to chew everything up even though I have a billion chew toys for her. I also don't know if I want her to have access to the back by herself without any supervision. Shes' 5 months old and even though I never had a female dog before I hear she can go through her heat cycle and it can be days before you notice, so it's something I don't want her free access to the back while I'm not home and she doesn't have her rabies shots yet.

I'm going to buy a huge exercise pen that gives her a lot of area she can play around in, so she can play with all her toys in there. I'm looking at putting down one of those self bathrooms like the wizdog after seeing a few youtube videos on it.

[Jan]

Originally Posted by jboboxer

I really don't want to walk her more than 30 minutes a day as a puppy.

You are right to be concerned about exercise, though it is forced exercise that is important. At her age, probably about 20 min. would be enough. Ideally another dog to play with would be perfect. Then they can stop when they are tired. You don't know anyone in neighborhood that you could meet up with in the morning for a play session do you?

An exercise pen can certainly be a good idea. I used one with Moto when he was a pup. Don't put all her toys in there. Give her a couple of different ones every day would be much better.

Good luck!

[RLucky]

This thread seems dead but it was an interesting read. One thing you guys failed to mention concerning getting another dog is this: When my 4.5 month old puppy is with one of her playmates, they're both loose. Sometimes the other dog will wander far and my puppy will follow. Basically I call it being a "partner in crime." Even if one of your dogs is behaved and the other one gets into mischief, I see the other one copying. For example, if one of your dogs takes off with a toilet paper roll and chews the hell out of it, the other dog will get in on it too. They'll get into trouble together and make the damage worse. Also, I have some personal experience with what you're going through. I had a pure bred Shar Pei pup a few years back and I worked all the time. He was crated for quite awhile but when I got home I was stressed out and didn't want to be bothered. I'd let my pup out and let him wander around while I was relaxing and he'd tear everything up. It was to get my attention. Wait till your puppy starts doing that if you don't crate her. Dogs rebel to get your attention. You yelling at them is a type of attention even. But what I did was this: I found him another home. I paid 700 dollars for just the dog, not including shots and neutering and I gave him away for free. It was best for him. It wasn't fair. Now that I have time for a pup, I've been trying it again, two years later. If things change, if you don't have time for them, find them a better home. Also, why doesn't your puppy have shots? Because of being sick? You're just making it worse. Your dog is going ill so it can't have shots, can't go to a daycare, then you'll have the dog go through puberty...it's just not fair to the animal.

[ehayes21]

Originally Posted by RLucky

Dogs rebel to get your attention. Also, why doesn't your puppy have shots? Because of being sick? You're just making it worse. Your dog is going ill so it can't have shots, can't go to a daycare, then you'll have the dog go through puberty...it's just not fair to the animal.

No they don't...dogs are not humans. The destruction is a bi-product of their boredom and lack of exercise - plain and simple. And I am glad you found your dog a more suitable home. I am sure it was quite a lesson to learn.

Originally Posted by RLucky

Also, why doesn't your puppy have shots? Because of being sick? You're just making it worse. Your dog is going ill so it can't have shots, can't go to a daycare, then you'll have the dog go through puberty...it's just not fair to the animal.

Um, no...Roxy hasn't had all of her shots because she has a pretty bad case of D-mange...which has everything to do with a low immune system. And you don't give a dog with dmange vacs because they assault a dogs immune system...

[Caney Creek]

Originally Posted by RLucky

Also, why doesn't your puppy have shots? Because of being sick? You're just making it worse.

I don't understand this part... what is making what worse exactly??

[RLucky]

Originally Posted by Caney Creek

I don't understand this part... what is making what worse exactly??

I realize what I said is confusing too, lol sorry. At first I was typing it should have its shots..then I was thinking because of an illness. So out of curiousity...what does the dmange do? Is it permanent? I was confused about this part.

[BxrMommieNAZ]

Originally Posted by RLucky

I realize what I said is confusing too, lol sorry. At first I was typing it should have its shots..then I was thinking because of an illness. So out of curiousity...what does the dmange do? Is it permanent? I was confused about this part.

d-mange is mites, we all have them, but when the dog's immune system is weaked they kind of take over, cause hair loss, extreme itching, scabs, the OP has posted some pictures if you look at his posts. So until it is rectified (no typically it is not permanent you have to strengthen the immune system but it can take many months if not a year) no shots are to be given and even after the mange has gone away, it's usually smart not to start pumping vaccinations into the dog for another few months and give the immune system time to strengthen before you go bombaring it all over again. The OP is not being irresponsible, their dog is ill and shots are not recommended for dogs with mange as it's an immune disorder.

[RLucky]

Ok, I'll stop talking then.

[jboboxer]

Just an update
I'm a little confused when I was reading that antibiotics don't cause or can't cause UTI as a by product............. My wife and my mother both told me they had a UTI right after taking antibiotics, but I'm not a woman so I don't know.
Well I asked the vet and he mentioned that antibiotics could infact cause a UTI, but he was explaining that antibiotics can kill good bacteria that then could cause a yeast infection, which in turn could cause a UTI.

But when I was talking to him I told him she really has no signs I can see anymore of a UTI. If she's in her crate she doesn't or can't hold it, but during the weekend if she's with me for 16 hours out of her crate she will only pee outside. She hasn't had a slip up in the house in weeks and weeks........
But she has this thick yellow green stuff coming from her area.

The vet said it was puppy vaganitis and from what I read online:
Puppy Vaginitis and Bladder Infections | Puppy Acne, Staph, Demodectic Mange | GREATDANELADY.COM

It seems that it will go away naturally and he said it wouldn't. So far Roxy has been on antibitotics probably 4 different times. Twice cephalexin, then recently amoxilin and when I told him about her green/yellow thing and what she's been taking he then gave me another type of antibiotic, which I'm not sure what it is to be honest.

I'm just not sure if he's crazy and it's going to go away naturally?

Might sound crazy, but I can't wait for her first heat, so I can rest a little bit better knowing that it's really puppy vaganitis and it's going to go away naturally.

Is Puppy Vaginitis common? How common? Why would some dogs get it and not others?

[jboboxer]

Originally Posted by RLucky

This thread seems dead but it was an interesting read. One thing you guys failed to mention concerning getting another dog is this: When my 4.5 month old puppy is with one of her playmates, they're both loose. Sometimes the other dog will wander far and my puppy will follow. Basically I call it being a "partner in crime." Even if one of your dogs is behaved and the other one gets into mischief, I see the other one copying. For example, if one of your dogs takes off with a toilet paper roll and chews the hell out of it, the other dog will get in on it too. They'll get into trouble together and make the damage worse. Also, I have some personal experience with what you're going through. I had a pure bred Shar Pei pup a few years back and I worked all the time. He was crated for quite awhile but when I got home I was stressed out and didn't want to be bothered. I'd let my pup out and let him wander around while I was relaxing and he'd tear everything up. It was to get my attention. Wait till your puppy starts doing that if you don't crate her. Dogs rebel to get your attention. You yelling at them is a type of attention even. But what I did was this: I found him another home. I paid 700 dollars for just the dog, not including shots and neutering and I gave him away for free. It was best for him. It wasn't fair. Now that I have time for a pup, I've been trying it again, two years later. If things change, if you don't have time for them, find them a better home. Also, why doesn't your puppy have shots? Because of being sick? You're just making it worse. Your dog is going ill so it can't have shots, can't go to a daycare, then you'll have the dog go through puberty...it's just not fair to the animal.

Roxy is so attached to me, she can't be in another room without me. She has separation anxiety I would say, so I think it would be mean to give her away and I'm too attached to her as well. I really love the dog and hopefully that things will just get better for my family at home, so we can spend more time with her.
Not many people are going to take a sick dog either

I believe she is getting enough exercise as she can barely make it home after walks and that doesn't include the backyard when I kick the soccer ball around and she runs as fast as she can to chase it. I try to give her as many toys as I can to mentally stimulate her and do anything I can with her.

A lot of things have come up, but right now I'm coming home and trying to eat lunch and work a little bit from home to spend more time with her during lunch. I'm in the process of buying a large exercise pen for her, so that she can round around in when I'm gone.

She has all her shots, except her rabies shots, because of her red manage. She's getting a shot for her manage once a week. I'm trying to do everything I can to help her recoup from her manage, from feedings change/(no grain/low carb), supplements, giving her a bath twice a week with special stuff for manage, putting a sulfur based cream on her on her often to kill the mites/bumps. This has been going on for I'm guessing 7 weeks and it's hard to find any bumps on her now.
I've actually cut down to giving her a bath once a week now and putting on the cream only when I find any bumps. There's an entire thread that people have been so helpful here that you can read if your interested.

[BxrMommieNAZ]

[QUOTE=jboboxer;1264798]Just an update
I'm a little confused when I was reading that antibiotics don't cause or can't cause UTI as a by product............. My wife and my mother both told me they had a UTI right after taking antibiotics, but I'm not a woman so I don't know.
QUOTE]

It can cause a yeast infection, but bladder infections are caused by bacteria, antibiotics you take to get RID of a bladder infection, they don't cause them. But they can cause a yeast infection if you do not supplement with a good bacteria such as acidophilus.

[Caney Creek]

Originally Posted by jboboxer

The vet said it was puppy vaganitis and from what I read online:
Puppy Vaginitis and Bladder Infections | Puppy Acne, Staph, Demodectic Mange | GREATDANELADY.COM

It seems that it will go away naturally and he said it wouldn't. So far Roxy has been on antibitotics probably 4 different times. Twice cephalexin, then recently amoxilin and when I told him about her green/yellow thing and what she's been taking he then gave me another type of antibiotic, which I'm not sure what it is to be honest.

I'm just not sure if he's crazy and it's going to go away naturally?

Might sound crazy, but I can't wait for her first heat, so I can rest a little bit better knowing that it's really puppy vaganitis and it's going to go away naturally.

Is Puppy Vaginitis common? How common? Why would some dogs get it and not others?

It WILL most likely go away on its own, it WILL NOT go away with antibiotics, and it seems to be a VERY common topic on this forum. Search the Health Issues forum for "puppy vaginitis" and you'll get hundreds of threads on it, all with the same advice: leave it alone and it will go away once the dog is spayed or has its first heat.

Caney had puppy vaginitis; the vet diagnosed it when she was 11 weeks old and put her on a course of antibiotics which did NOTHING. Then after finding this forum I learned that it was pretty common and nothing to worry about, and that it would likely clear up on its own. So we waited it out. Sure enough, Caney had the vaginitis right up until the day she was spayed, at the age of 10 months. Never saw it again after that. During the time that she had it it seemed to cause no problems except that we had to keep her back end wiped so that it wouldn't get on the comforter

If the vaginitis is the only reason Roxy is taking antibiotics, I'd advise that she stop them since it probably won't work anyways (the fact that she's had several courses of antibiotics already is proof of that). The vaginitis isn't really hurting her, but giving her SO many antibiotics IS hurting her. Just like steroids, antibiotics should be reserved for those times when they are absolutely necessary... and right now for Roxy, they're not. Antibiotics take a toll on the immune system too, so I would imagine her having so many antibiotics recently has probably slowed her recovery from the mange.

antibiotics, antibiotics for dogs