TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . FAN CLUBS . ABOUT US . CONTACT . CHAT  
Bomis   Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
Archive through April 11, 2006

The TVClubHouse: General Discussion ARCHIVES: 2006 Mar. ~ 2006 May: Hairball Haven: Dogs (ARCHIVES): Archive through April 11, 2006 users admin

Author Message
Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Friday, April 07, 2006 - 12:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tabbyking a private message Print Post    
what cute pics!
well, kendall is in the proverbial doghouse today. the cats had already started little rips in the bigger couch in the family room. they kung fu fight and look like kangaroos. they stand on their back legs and have to dig their claws in for purchase. well, kendall saw one of the slashes and managed to make a crater in the couch. at least he didn't choke on the foam innards.
did i mention the other day that he judges a book by its cover? when dh and i were at the car dealer's last friday, dd called to say kendall had chewed her brand new hardback nora roberts book. luckily, mostly cover with pages intact. well, the other day he chewed my 'missing persons' paperback by stephen white. and he chewed and swallowed the next ten pages of the book from where i had left off. not one damaged page from what i had already read. this book was almost 10 bucks! i only had about 60 or 70 pages left to read. so i went down to k-mart and stood in the book aisle and read the 10 pages he had actually swallowed, then went home and gingerly held the last pages together while trying to finish the book.
he is so cute, but he is really chewing now. he has his rubber newspaper, his large squeaky plush blue dog bone with rubber center, his tennis balls on a rope, regular tennis balls, chewy steak that squeaks, etc. and one real live cat who lets him chew on its neck. every time we see him going for something inappropriate, such as a table leg or someone's clean socks, we tell him 'no'. we then tell him 'chewy' and substitute with the things he CAN have.
little smart ass! and we still love him, but we'll be happy when he is living up north and can run around the yard to his heart's content. i think he just needs to get his yaya's out.

he really is the little watch dog now. the other night there was a pizza delivery commercial and the doorbell sounded exactly the same as ours. it rang twice and kendall got up, started his growl in the back of his throat and raced to the door. when he looked out the side windows and didn't see anyone, he pretended he had just been clearing his throat. dh and i laughed so hard. all i could think of was pavlov's dog, salivating (growling) when the bell rang.

Saxywildcat
Member

05-30-2005

Friday, April 07, 2006 - 3:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Saxywildcat a private message Print Post    
Love the pics, secret and jasper!

I just noticed this morning that I am able to pull clumps of mocha's hair out from the backs of her back legs. Sandy too. Is this just them losing their winter coat?

Mayajnn
Member

01-27-2006

Friday, April 07, 2006 - 3:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mayajnn a private message Print Post    
You're right, Saxy. Just losing their winter coat.

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Friday, April 07, 2006 - 3:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tabbyking a private message Print Post    
after vacuuming up about 2 "quarts" of dog hair this morning, i would say a resounding 'yes' to that question, saxy! we have a bagless vac and i had to empty the container twice after just vacuuming an 8x11 area rug!

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, April 07, 2006 - 10:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Saxy, if you can pull out loose soft clumps of hair that is them shedding their undercoat.. not that they don't also shed top coat.. Sounds fine.

Saxywildcat
Member

05-30-2005

Friday, April 07, 2006 - 10:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Saxywildcat a private message Print Post    
i brushed and pulled out a grocery sack full of hair this evening. I would have used the shedding blade, but I only use that outside!! I'm ready for these two to get rid of their wintercoats. We have hair EVERY WHERE!!!

I have never owned big hairy dogs before. Growing up, mom and dad got me and my brother each a mini poodle. Mom always kept them groomed, but they didn't shed. Once their winter coats are gone, will the shedding die down for a while??

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Friday, April 07, 2006 - 10:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tabbyking a private message Print Post    
yep!

we used to shave vito down in the summer because it's so hot where we live. it will be cooler up north, so i don't expect we'll shave kendall down. hairy dogs lose a lot of hair before summer comes and then it starts to thicken again in october or so.

Saxywildcat
Member

05-30-2005

Friday, April 07, 2006 - 11:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Saxywildcat a private message Print Post    
I have actually thought about shaving mocha down. She's so freaking fluffy! I think sandy will be fine, but Mocha may get quite hot come summer. Did you shave Vito on your own?

Does anyone shave their dogs on their own? Any suggestions?

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Friday, April 07, 2006 - 11:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tabbyking a private message Print Post    
the lady who bathed vito once a month did him for free each may. by october, his hair was long again. we get an average of 30 or more days over 100 degrees in our central california home, with most of may through september at least in the 90's, so it made a big difference. and i only had to vacuum once a week instead of 4 or 5 times a week! we did not take his hair down to the skin--his hair was maybe 1/2 inch long when he was first shaved. by october, it was its normal 5 inches or so.
you can call any pet groomer and ask or call your vet's office for someone they recommend.
mocha will probably appreciate it.
i am going to love living up north, where even though it's real hot in the redding area, much like what we have here, we are up high enough to be at least 15 degrees cooler than redding. most of the summer will be in the 80's for us.
dogs also love those kiddie plastic wading pools in the summer. vito would run through it and smile, as he shook all over us, of course!

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 10:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Happymom a private message Print Post    
Cassidy sheds LOT all year long. We live in the SF Bay Area of CA so it doesn't get really cold. She sheds like crazy always. I can always pull clumps of hair out. I vacuum her, but the shedding blade works best. There has never been a time where she's been brushed with a brush or shedding blade and gobs of hair aren't still coming out, even after a straight hour with the shedding blade.

Tabby, I like your idea of the kiddie pool! I think we'll try that this summer with Cassidy. We've had them before, but the kids were in them and I didn't want her in with the kids. I love hearing all about Kendall (and Vito ).

Penguingirl
Member

01-26-2006

Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 11:04 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Penguingirl a private message Print Post    
Tabby, I think that's what you call digesting a book <snort>.

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 11:27 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tabbyking a private message Print Post    
lol, penguingirl.
last night while i was on computer for 10 minutes he chewed the insides of my dd's shoes and was starting on her giraffe slippers when i caught him. we had a major talk and i reminded him of exactly what toys are HIS. "chewy" i said over and over while showing him his 4 toys.
over night he didn't chew anything he shouldn't. but just to bug me, every time i was half asleep, i'd hear his toys going 'squeak, squeak' like a cheap hooker's bedsprings. once i looked over the banister and he looked like a coyote outlined from behind by a window. he had one of his toys in his mouth and he was gazing at the ceiling, just chomping away.
vito loved the kiddie pool. sometimes he just stood in it, sometimes he would do his stretch in it (butt up and chest down, front paws on either side of his muzzle). he would run through it, drink out of it...we just changed the water every day (left it empty at night because of mosquitoes and standing water).

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 11:48 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Landi a private message Print Post    
i used to shave my siberian down when it hit 100 degrees. she loved it!

Saxywildcat
Member

05-30-2005

Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 5:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Saxywildcat a private message Print Post    
I want to get the dogs a kiddie pool. Mocha has this issue with pawing all of the water out of their water bowl. So, when a 5 jug is empty within half an hour to an hour, well, she needs to stop or else they'll get thirsty! I did get her a little tupperware thing I filled with water for the pen, which I will have to put back in there, but I think she'd love a pool as well. It's fun to watch her biting at "things" in the water.. LOL

Okay... I'm off to work. I wish my coffee would set in!

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Monday, April 10, 2006 - 10:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Happymom a private message Print Post    
Growing up, we had a funny weird dog who would pick up her water dish in her mouth and dump it. She was a big strong dog, part Malamute. We ended up turning an old pail about 5 gal. size into her water dish.

Watching2
Member

07-07-2001

Monday, April 10, 2006 - 10:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Watching2 a private message Print Post    
Tabby - Your Kendall stories are cracking me up!! Kellie had this thing she would do when I used to drive my son to school every day. The minute I'd close the door, she'd hightail it right for the waste basket by the computer and pull stuff out all over the floor. I remember a few times catching her in mid flight when I would reopen the door just to catch her. My friend was laughing at me about all the excitement in my life since some days I would do it 3x in a row just to catch her.....and she'd still do it! Now she just does it occasionally, esp. if we're gone longer. Although, miss kitty Misha I think, sometimes does some of it and Kellie gets blamed!

Kellie has long hair and an undercoat and she has clumps come out all year long, even in the midst of the coldest of winter, probably because she's indoors most of the time. I could brush and brush and brush her and still get more to come off. You'd think she'd be bald esp. when I've spent over an hour or 2 with her, but nope!

Usually in the summer what I do is just cut her hair down with a scissors. I know it looks a bit uneven at first, but it always fills in so it doesn't look bad for long. I think she'd freak out over the clippers. She's a sissy dog about things like that! She HATES the kiddie pool because she just plain hates being in the water and that's where I give her baths in the warm weather. You'd think I was beating her with the look on her face when I'm washing her and she's always wanting to get out. I end up totally soaked with her shaking the water off and totally coated in hair, too. That's why I don't like to do her in the tub anymore because it gets all over the walls and it's just gross!

A word of warning with shaving dogs with long-hair coats. Their coats act as much as insulator for hot weather as it does for cold weather so be careful you don't take it down too much. They have it for a reason! :-) Sometimes when we do something we think will make them cooler, it may make them feel hotter (or get sunburn) since the fur protects them from the sun, etc.

Kellie is due for an outside brushing/cutting. Up until now, I've only been able to spend a short while outside with her doing it and I do just a little here and there in the house. This week is supposed to be warm so it's her time! LOL

Saxywildcat
Member

05-30-2005

Monday, April 10, 2006 - 10:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Saxywildcat a private message Print Post    
I would never shave mocha down all the way. She needs a trim of some sort though. Last night, we could have created a pommeranian out of the hair i got off of those two with the shedding blade in the back yard. Mocha atually looks thinner now. It's kinda funny, lol!

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 12:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tabbyking a private message Print Post    
that's why vito was only shaved down to a half inch and he was mostly an indoor dog. when he was outside, he favored the covered deck or a nice cool spot under a large bush.

we are going to try and move the cats to the north house this thursday night. we will arrive there about 3:00 a.m. on friday, since i have to wait til dd is out of her night class. kendall will go in his area behind the 3rd row of seats. actually, the 2nd row and the third row is folded down. then i got a large carrier for the cats to travel in together which will go on one of the second row seats. i can already hear the 5 hours of meowing. i am hoping having the two cats together and it being the middle of the night might help some. since we will be up there for 9 days, they can just get used to the new house with dd and me there. (also, not sure if/when dh will take a trip down to this house during easter break and who would change the litter box and check on the cats for those 9 days?!) it will only be another 5 or 6 weeks later that we all live there full-time. dh and i will take turns living there and the cats will never be more than 3 or 4 days alone, which they do fine with.
right now, i have the big carrier in the master bedroom where the cats mostly hang out. they have checked it out a few times. i don't want it to be a complete shock and have them see it for the first time when they are put into it for travel.
the older cat (the shyest one, webpee) used to travel a lot in the motorhome with us, but he hasn't done that for a couple of years. when dd and i both worked the golf course, we never were off together long enough to go anywhere. also, he could roam the entire motorhome; he wasn't caged.
here's hoping kendall and the cats all sleep at least part of the trip. and that webpee doesn't realize kendall is just a seat behind him!

Watching2
Member

07-07-2001

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 12:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Watching2 a private message Print Post    
Oh Tabby, just thinking about all those furbabies on a long trip is making me think about how much Misha howls on the 15 min. trip to the vet. YEOWWWWWW!! I wish you the best!!!!! Hopefully, the nightime will help. Misha doesn't mind her carrier since I leave it around and actually have to put her into it when she's knocking stuff off shelves when everyone is asleep but me...and she complains, but the silly girl, minute I let her out, she goes back in it for a few. It just has to be HER choice! LOL Good luck!!!!!!

Lancecrossfire
Animoderator

07-13-2000

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 1:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lancecrossfire a private message Print Post    
Does anyone know of any specific concerns in behavior with the Chow breed?

Mocha
Member

08-12-2001

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 1:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mocha a private message Print Post    
I've heard they're very stubborn and not good with kids.

Jeep
Member

10-17-2001

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 1:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jeep a private message Print Post    
Lance, I've never had a Chow so don't know anything first hand. However, I know they are on a lot of homeowners insurance companies "not acceptable breeds" list. If you have a Chow (or other breeds listed) I can not get you a homeowners policy. If you have one, it can be a reason for cancellation as well. Apparently, they've had problems with them over the years.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 1:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
That's what I've heard too Lance, from a friend who has a chow, that they aren't good kid dogs.

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 1:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
We had a chow in my old neighborhood. He was nicely groomed and kept in a wonderfully grassy fenced-in backyard--which I passed every time I walked Herc. Herc is a cocky little mutt unafraid of big dogs, etc, but he wouldn't even walk on that side of the street. That chow charged at everyone who came near, so I didn't trust him a bit. (I can usually make friends with any dog, really, I can.) But there was something in the personality that felt like contained brutality. (That I see in a couple other breeds, too.)

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 1:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
We have neighbors who had a Chow. He was terrifying (and I like dogs). I don't know if he was a terrible dog or they were terrible dog owners (I suspect a combination, but more the latter).