Venting

[leih merigian]

Geyser is left footed, and very intense (as some of her pictures attest ). When we're out fetching and working out, she does a lot of torquing on that left foot, which is why I figure she keeps tearing up her left ankle's pad. Sigh.

Did it the other day. So, of course, I've gotta keep a bandage on it to try to keep her from licking it to death and just to protect the injury.

And, of course squared, she had to do this right when we're suddenly in the middle of a very wet weather pattern, when for most of this winter, we've had lovely dry weather and blue skies. So, trying to keep this freaking bandage dry is such a PITA.



(I always miss my indredible GSD, who is long over the damn bridge...I'd tell her to leave a bandage alone, and that was it. She'd leave it alone. Geyser? Not on your life! "I'm gonna f*** with it whether you like it or not"...I'm thinking I'll have to get that recipe for Sadie soup )

What's making you all nuts these days?

[ZodiacT]

The same problem here Zodiac keeps tearing her carpal pad while we're playing fetch, always on her left foot. I keep having to buy more bandage material because we've had such a wet winter here and the bandages keep getting soaked through. When she has the bandage on she limps like the most dramatic, pathetic beast I have ever seen so we can't play ball within a week of a trial because if she rips her paw and needs a bandage she will limp in the ring, which would disqualify us.

I feel your pain, haha.

[Raven]

Wow...I've been at the point with Thor where I can say he doesn't make me wonder if this is the dog that will make me lose my sanity. That said, since I'm not working..........we're always together..........always.......every minute.......second.....millisecond.......and the husband noticed the other night that I'm like the mother who is only around the kids all day. (Example: how I say 'yes' in a reply to him I'm saying in the same manner as when I mark a behavior. He's just now hearing it; I noticed I was doing it with my staff and colleagues at work. )

Let me go put a bandage on the boy to drum up a more interesting afternoon....Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea. Just to keep him used to occasional and random "stuff." Nice, Lieh.

[Dutchringgirl]

What about using Booties?

Sadie always makes me nuts

She is such a goober. I think herding the kids is my biggest peeve though.

[Lauren]

I got these ridiculous rubber booties for Xena. They are the medium (blue) Pawz. They look like big rubber balloons. I got them so that her back legs were not slipping on the hardwoods. They go up pretty far and she leaves them on. They do get a little warm which would not be great for a hurt but they keep her feet dry and safe. She only hated them the first time or two. The second time she grumbled but allowed me to put them on. By the 4th time she was still disgusted, but will hold the appropriate foot up and let me put them on.

They come in a 12 pack... and are about 12 bucks... Maybe that would help?

ps. Please don't tell them that it was me that suggested them.

[leih merigian]

You guys want to hear about booties? I'm like the origina bootie queen.

My GSD loved to fetch in the water, but was so intense on shore, in sand, that she'd get these horrible sores on the soft skin between the toes and all in there. So, we were constantly trying new and different booties for her to wear while water fetching. Thus, I have a lot of experience with different booties.

She, of course, was an angel about putting them on and wearing them . Geyser? Nah. That would be much too easy!

Even if I put a baggie on her foot to go out to quick pee, she has a fit. We have lots of little arguments and hissy fits in my house, that's for sure .

lauren, I just got some of those thin rubber ones, tho they don't come up her leg far enough to reach the carpal (thanks for the word!) pad. Jury's out so far on if they'll survive her nails very long outdoors . But, they sure seem worth trying for when there's ice on the ground (another constant source of pad injuries here), and when she's got a foot pad injury (all too frequent). (And I can see how they'd provide some traction in the house...)

So, Geyser has a doppelganger in Zodiac! Funny that's the same name as my GSD had, tho I called her Zodi (we went thru this before, I know ). I guess we feel each other's pain.

Raven, so glad to have given you some ideas for mixing it up . Gey and I have that 24/7 thing going on as well, and I know just what you mean about how you talk. When we're done with dinner, my spousal unit will look at me and say "ya!" (my release word ). I've had to make him watch it, since Geyser will be on a rug next to our table and may think she's being released before I release her .

[ZodiacT]

If you find some booties that come up over the carpal pad let me know! I looked at them before but didn't find any that go over the carpal pad and that's the only part Zodiac rips.

[Marjolein]

I've never really had problem with feet, once Dingo injured one (he got stuck in a shopping-kart as a pup with his pad) and we used a shoe for a while. In 3 days or so it healed. What about his paste you get to protect husky-paws?

What's making you all nuts these days?

well, 7 little monsters breaking down my house, because all of a sudden it did turn into winter and they freeze if I leave them outside for more than 2 hours... AAAAHHHHHH!! They know how to climb out of the pen I put up in the living room, if you step in you can never get out because they all drill their teeth into my pants and with any luck just that small bit of skin (OUCH!). They do not seem to sleep at all anymore, are hungry all day, chew anything they get their paws on, and can howl like a mature pack of wolves
Pups anyone? AAAAHHHH!

oh yeah, and Ivil, she still has some of the milkfactory dangling under her body, but she seems pretty much unaware of that, so everytime she jumps out of the pen, she hits it with her titties, scaring the hell out of me (it's steel, so lots of noise), but she does not even notice it! Arg!

[Schlussdibusti]

they freeze if I leave them outside for more than 2 hours

That's the solution1 When you want some quiet time, just freeze them! Then thaw them later for more action.

[Dutchringgirl]

they freeze if I leave them outside for more than 2 hours

That's the solution1 When you want some quiet time, just freeze them! Then thaw them later for more action.

[leih merigian]

Freeze then thaw them!

[leih merigian]

If you find some booties that come up over the carpal pad let me know! I looked at them before but didn't find any that go over the carpal pad and that's the only part Zodiac rips.

I've actually had two differend kinds of these. One pair, you have to use two sets of velcro to wrap around them at different heights. Don't like these, as they don't stay on very well at anything over a walk (and they get very wet if it's wet out).

The other ones were dayglo orange. Didn't work well for swimming, but might for your needs. Have you checked any Cabela's online catalogs? I've had a lot of success finding different kinds of booties in the hunting dog catalogs...

Watch out for booties that have the seams inside the boot...how stupid is that? Tends to rub the toes raw. (It's like who designs bathroom faucets? Not women. I can't even get my fingers between the handles and the faucet to clean the darn thing...grrrrr!)

[GSDNanny]

Duct tape. Apply dressing and then tape with duct tape, waterproof, quite destructive-proof, cheap and because it is sticky dogs arent fond of how it feels to chew. Works great, just sayin.

[GSDNanny]

Oh and duct tape comes in some snazzy colors these days too!

[Marjolein]

Duct tape. Apply dressing and then tape with duct tape, waterproof, quite destructive-proof, cheap and because it is sticky dogs arent fond of how it feels to chew. Works great, just sayin.

I love duct tape! Solved many problems with it, now that you mention it... think I can fix my issue with it too, stick them too the floor, another strip around the tiny muzzle and peace and quiet! Sure beats thawing them in the microwave, that would be such a mess...

[ZodiacT]

Have you checked any Cabela's online catalogs? I've had a lot of success finding different kinds of booties in the hunting dog catalogs...

I checked Cabela's and Bass Pro and all the booties I saw didn't come up high enough to cover the problem area. I guess they're more for protecting the dog's feet from debris than protecting them from crazy twists and turns while trying to catch a ball.

Duct tape. Apply dressing and then tape with duct tape, waterproof, quite destructive-proof, cheap and because it is sticky dogs arent fond of how it feels to chew. Works great, just sayin.

With how much Zodiac hates the regular bandage I'm sure she'd LOVE having something on that doesn't allow her skin to breathe, haha.

[alspyce]

Duct tape. Apply dressing and then tape with duct tape, waterproof, quite destructive-proof, cheap and because it is sticky dogs arent fond of how it feels to chew. Works great, just sayin.

I love duct tape! Solved many problems with it, now that you mention it... think I can fix my issue with it too, stick them too the floor, another strip around the tiny muzzle and peace and quiet! Sure beats thawing them in the microwave, that would be such a mess...

[Raven]

I kind of feel obligated to mention that Marjolein's duct tape photo (how cute, especially with the expression!) was Photoshopped. I feel obligated because people browse here without knowing members...and although there are NOW a trillion and one uses for duct tape...I know of someone who used duct tape in place of a shedding brush with an animal with unpleasant results, someone who used duct tape in conjunction with a flimsy basket muzzle on an aggressive pit, another who thought duct tape would suffice as a bandage....I just wouldn't want anyone thinking that any members would actually do this and get crazy ideas, is all.

SO, in earlier reference to Geyser and the bandage and giving me an idea: I wrapped a towel around one of Thor's feet and secured it. Aside from the initial motion that is similar to a frantic, newbie traffic cop during rush hour when a light is out, when Thor first started walking, he was good to go. That "what the hell is this on my foot" motion lasted only a few seconds.

Did some heelwork and tricks. Same as usual. Pulled out one of his favorite toys to see what he'd do with the "bandage." He did everything he'd normally do. He wasn't in love with it, but he carried on. Of course, I took pictures to show his father.

I was thinking about getting a real bandage to work with, but when he came home from the vet's last time (even though he did not win any medals on that visit), he had a wrap bandage on his front leg. He was fine with it. A LOT of wrap and very (too?) tight. He walked fine and only grumbled once when, in haste, I was more tearing it off than unwrapping it. But he gave me his leg again without fuss.

That particular vet visit rendered me responsible for doing his nails, and we hadn't even gotten to the nails yet, either. (I hate doing nails on any species and will gladly pay any sum of money to someone else to do dark nails.) Can you say Dremel????

Does anyone else hate doing nails or am I the only one?

[Marjolein]

I kind of feel obligated to mention that Marjolein's duct tape photo (how cute, especially with the expression!) was Photoshopped.

Photoshopped? I do this all the time

I remember posting a pic of Dingo years ago on the Dutch forum, it was for the photo competition with the theme "summertime". My pic was Dingo on a bath towel, in front of him a steel waterbowl with lots of ice-cubes, a straw and a lemon in it But one member actually thought it was a good idea and was going to put ice cubes in her dogs waterbowl We explained it could be dangerous, and too cold water is not good at all!

So, no, I might duct tape my own ears shut, but my pups can scream all they want... just two and a half more weeks... just 2,5...

[alspyce]

I kind of feel obligated to mention that Marjolein's duct tape photo (how cute, especially with the expression!) was Photoshopped.

Photoshopped? I do this all the time

I remember posting a pic of Dingo years ago on the Dutch forum, it was for the photo competition with the theme "summertime". My pic was Dingo on a bath towel, in front of him a steel waterbowl with lots of ice-cubes, a straw and a lemon in it But one member actually thought it was a good idea and was going to put ice cubes in her dogs waterbowl We explained it could be dangerous, and too cold water is not good at all!

So, no, I might duct tape my own ears shut, but my pups can scream all they want... just two and a half more weeks... just 2,5...

Another solution:

Quiet dogs.jpg (26.32 KiB) Viewed 2598 times