Dogs

[star seed 7]

Kate from LOST

[Asteriskhead]

oh, jesus christ, here we go.

[Trim]

mrs. pooch

omg

[Mrs. Gooch]

mrs. pooch

omg

 

[Trim]

I don't think she's going to eat in the kitchen where I want her to.  I think it's the narrow area that I want her be in.  I've trial and error'd that it's not the food or the bowls b/c she eats and drinks well when I put them in the living room, possibly incentivized by the loss of her bed.

[star seed 7]

Show us the narrow area

[Trim]

We're about to walk up to the vet for that intro meeting.  I'm gonna ask her both about ideas on making it work as is, or also what she thinks of my idea of putting a mirror behind the bowls at ground level.  That would make that room seem bigger to her, and she also seems to like reflective stuff.

[star seed 7]

That's an acceptable food location, don't change it

[Mrs. Gooch]

A mirror is going to make her think another dog is trying to eat her food.

[Trim]

A mirror is going to make her think another dog is trying to eat her food.

Yeah, I'd considered that as a negative.  I actually tried to create some competition by getting down there myself and pretending I was eating, but after I got up she just mimic'd me and nosed around it too w/o actually eating.

[star seed 7]

It's probably all that extra artisanal hippie crap you put in the food

[Mrs. Gooch]

A mirror is going to make her think another dog is trying to eat her food.

Yeah, I'd considered that as a negative.  I actually tried to create some competition by getting down there myself and pretending I was eating, but after I got up she just mimic'd me and nosed around it too w/o actually eating.

You are going to have to go all in and eat some dog food.

[Emo EMAW]

A dog is not going to starve itself to death.

[star seed 7]

A mirror is going to make her think another dog is trying to eat her food.

Yeah, I'd considered that as a negative.  I actually tried to create some competition by getting down there myself and pretending I was eating, but after I got up she just mimic'd me and nosed around it too w/o actually eating.

Well now the dog thinks that is your food and is too scared to eat it, you really mumped this up

[IPA4Me]

That's an acceptable food location, don't change it

Agreed. Plenty of room there.

A dog is not going to starve itself to death.

Yep. Just give her time. She will eat.

[XocolateThundarr]

A mirror is going to make her think another dog is trying to eat her food.

Yeah, I'd considered that as a negative.  I actually tried to create some competition by getting down there myself and pretending I was eating, but after I got up she just mimic'd me and nosed around it too w/o actually eating.

You really needed someone there to get that on video.......

[Trim]

Vet says all is normal, and to stick w/just the dry food being left in the bowl in the kitchen until Payton gives up and accepts that's where the dining room is.  Vet said to skip the wet food and the pumpkin being mixed in as that's just to incentivize eating the dry food, and it's clear that eating the dry food on its own isn't the issue.  She's only down a pound since getting here*.

Got all the sizing figured out so I can return a bunch of the extra crap I bought.  Vet thinks Payton won't be interested in the crate as her own luxury apartment given her affinity for the bed and duck, but I'll probably keep it as a travel thing if it looks cool once I get it.

Vet gave her a bordetella vaccine after looking at all the texas vet paperwork, and said I have to take her back for another rabies shot next year.  I was given a flea bill to feed her once we've got eating on point.

Just realized I forgot to ask about grooming/bathing.  I know I'll be taking Payton back to that place to get her nails/claws trimmed, but I don't know how often.  As to bathing, is it just convincing her to get in the tub and hosing her down with the Tobias guest room elite shower head?

*right as we got back to my place and went through the courtyard, she pulled over to the leafiest area and dropped a solid deuce, so maybe down another pound now 

[Mrs. Gooch]

Dogs only need a bath when they get actually dirty (like roll around in a mud puddle). They don't need a regular bath.

[star seed 7]

Have you investigated boarders?

[puniraptor]

Looks like a Japanese fridge

[Trim]

Also crate training your dog is the easiest and most important thing you can do for her and yourself.

the reasoning behind crating a dog extends beyond protecting your stuff.  it gives them a sense of security, it's their doom cave in their mind's eye

Exactly right.

she probs needs a real crate but whateves.  she will not want to use it unless she's been crate trained.  otherwise she will hate your unholy guts until she gets used to it and then all of the sudden it will be the coolest thing in the world to her, like her first apartment or whatever

I've received the crate, and she's terrified by it, as I expected given her aversion to tight spaces.  I've got it set up w/all 3 side doors and the ceiling open, her preferred bed and duck in it, and I even tried putting the ham strips she craves in w/it.  She won't have anything to do with it.  I picked her up and put her in while the sides were closed and as soon as I opened 1 barely, she darted out.

She doesn't eff w/anything in my place.  She loves her open-air doom cave apartment that is her bed in a specific spot in my living room, with her duck on it.  Is there any reason to keep rough ridin' with this thing?  Everything I read on dog expert sites matches what was said on here as far as the benefits being 1) keeping her contained if necessary and 2) giving her her own space.  Neither seem necessary, and the latter seems traumatic to her. 

The only benefit I can see of forcing her to deal w/this is that on the rare occasions it's necessary for travel or something, she'll be tolerant of it.





Regular pre-crate #life:

[sys]

if you think you will need to put her in it for some reason, you'll be able to change her mind with food.  if you don't, just punt it, it doesn't matter.

[Trim]

if you think you will need to put her in it for some reason, you'll be able to change her mind with food.  if you don't, just punt it, it doesn't matter.

That's the answer we both want.  Disassembling now.

[Trim]

sys, you're her favorite other gE'r.

[sys]

sys, you're her favorite other gE'r.

she's a good dog.