HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: sd007b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Sunil Dixit)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Dog's a Couch Potato...Only when Noone's around...Help!
Date: 13 Dec 92 18:47:07 GMT
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

In <1992Dec10.061619.19361@pbs.org> dparker@pbs.org writes:

>> Once left alone, she'll jump right on our new couch and "lounge" until we
>> get back.  She'll eat our plants; she'll periodically even eat our toilet paper:
>> basically do everything she isn't suppose to.  (and things she never does
>> when anybody is around).
>> 
>> So..my biggest problem is our new couch, I can live with the other things right now.       Any ideas on how to train Abbey not to go onto the couch while
>> we're not there, other than keeping her out of the room. 

>> Jeff "My dog's on the couch more than me" Larsen.

>I saw something once in one of the catalogs I use that might help.
>Unfortunately, I don't have any catalogs around and don't remember
>what this was called, but maybe another netter might know.

>It was essentially an electric mat (that worked like an electric
>fence) that you put on the furniture or whatever it is that you
>want your pet to stay off of.  Put this on your couch and when your
>dog jumps up, she'll get a mild but unpleasant shock.

You may not have to resort to that method.  I have a suspicion that the
reason your dog lies on the couch when you're gone is because it smells
strongly of your scent.  When a dog is bored or misses its owner, the dog
often snuggles close to something with the owners scent.  Here are a couple
of ideas you might also use:
	When I leave for most of a day, I give my dog an OLD sock (he'll shred
the sock before I return) of mine, unwashed.  This usually keeps him happy
and keeps him off the couch.
	A friend of mine went to even further efforts by getting his dog a
doggie bed, and, believe it, slept on it and sat on it for half a week. 
Extreme, yes, but it worked.  He used to find clumps of dog hair all over
the house and on his bed before, now, nothing.

If these ideas don't work, you could always sit on the floor!

Sunil Dixit,  bedraggled owner of a sleepy-eyed Golden.
From: CBARNES@tamvm1.tamu.edu (Chris Barnes)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Opinions on breed.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 14:38:00 CST
Organization: Texas A&M University
NNTP-Posting-Host: tamvm1.tamu.edu

In article <1992Dec17.113741.1890@msus1.msus.edu>
    kevin@msus1.msus.edu writes:
 
>
>Well it looks like I will finally be able to get a puppy again so before I go
>asearching I figured I would query the net about the appropriate breed for my
>needs.  What I am looking for is a dog that will serve a variety of purposes.
>In order of importance (sorta) they are.
 
I would have a recommendation for you, but I think there's something
else that needs pointed out here.....
 
 
>	2.  Adaptable to both life with a yard and life in an apartment.
>	    ( I have crate trained a dog before and am comfortable with it)
 
>	3.  A good hunter of upland game. (Pheasant, Grouse)
>	4.  Between 65lbs and 100 lbs.
 
Item #2 is incompatible with #3 and #4.  #3 because a good hunter will
require lots of excersise - and that means more than just a walk after
you get home from work.  Staying in an apartment/crate all day will not
give the dog the excersise it would need (even for small hunting dogs).
#4 is incompatible simply because I would consider it cruel to keep a
large dog in an apartment all day (actually, I wouldn't sell ANY breed
of dog to someone that lived in an apartment).
 
.soapbox off
 
      -----------------------------------------------------
Chris Barnes            |   President - Bryan/College Station
cbarnes@tamvm1.tamu.edu |         Retriever Club.
(409) 846-3273 (home)   |   "Dedicated to the betterment of
(409) 845-4437 (work)   |               the retrieving breeds"
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Distribution: world
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 11:37:03 -0800
From: ELAINE_GALLEGOS@f703.n202.z1.fidonet.org
Subject: Homemade dog food
Comment-To: All@f703.n202.z1.fidonet.org
Reply-To: ELAINE_GALLEGOS@f703.n202.z1.fidonet.org
X-FSC-PATH: 202/703 701
X-FSC-PID:  RA 0.04

  What is the calcium carbonate for?  Is that a calcium supplement?
I like to prepare home made food for my dogs sometimes too.  Rice and
chicken seems to work very well.  I use brown rice instead of the
white rice.  It cooks quickly if you soak it for several hours or
overnight before cooking.  Chicken is inexpensive, and of course, the
dogs love it.
  Some people think dogs can be turned into vegetarians.  I think they
will remain ccarnivors, no matter how hard those who wish they were
vegetarians hope.  As opposed to a vegetarian, a dog has a short
digestive tract.  If an animal has a long enough digestive tract, they
can in time derive some food value from soybeans.
  I buy Pedigree too.  This seems to be one of the better supermarket
brands.  I am not totally down on cheap dogfood, as a housepet will
get supplements of many different kinds.  Someone here threatened to
turn me over to the Purina Police for not praising their dog chow.
--- FMail 0.92
 * Origin: HILLCREST COMMUNITY BBS, SAN DIEGO: HST 619-291-0544 (1:202/703)
From: LKEYS@BUPULA.BU.EDU (clementine)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: ANOTHER food/fur/skin opinion
Date: 16 Dec 92 21:30:21 GMT
Organization: BOSTON UNIVERSITY, Pulmonary Center
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.22

I have a female Dalmation, almost 4 years old, who has had real problem with
her skin of late.  She was fine as a pup, but gradally things worsened.  Any
minor insect bite would turn into an ordeal which lasted for weeks.  There'd be 
a lot of serious itching/shedding/gnawing until the spot was nearly raw.  When
it wasn't  a specific problem bothering her, it was general dandruff and
excessive shedding.

Following some advise posted here I began adding Canola oil and nutritional
yeast to her food.  I had been feeding her regular ol' Purina Dog Chow for no
real reason.  My folks fed it to all of our dogs when I was a kid, so I figured
it was OK.  After only two weeks of adding the oil and yeast her skin improved
noticably.  Not as much itching, not as much dandruff, not as much shedding. 
But it hadn't solved the problem.

I began to think that I was bathing her too often with the wrong soap.  It's
amazing how filthy looking a white dog will get in one week's time.  When I
asked about a mild or skin conditioning shampoo at a very good pet shop the
owner asked what the problem was.  I explained and she immediately asked what
kind of food the dog ate.  Now, I know that fancy shop owners have a stake in
convincing people to feed their pets fancy food, but I walked out of the store
with a 5 lb. bag of Science Diet anyway.

Before the bag was gone the skin/itching/shedding problem had all but ceased. 
And I had stopped adding the oil and yeast.

Just my two cents.   
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
From: richg@hatch.socal.com (Rich Greenberg)
Subject: Re: Mushing Equipment Catalog/Info
Organization: Hatch Usenet and E-mail.  Playa del Rey, CA
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 02:53:22 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.152756.26515@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> krk1@pyuxe.uucp (24228-knights) writes:
>
>I know somebody out there must have some info on where one can
>obtain mushing equipment (do I hear Steve Lee's voice a-callin'?). :-)

  Black Ice
  11225 county road 20
  Delano,  MN  55328
  612-955-2505

Usual disclaimers apply.

-- 
Rich Greenberg      Work: rmg50@juts.ccc.amdahl.com   310-417-8999
N6LRT               Play: richg@hatch.socal.com       310-649-0238
What?   Me speak for Amdahl?  Surely you jest....
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
From: Valaria_Vorlop@mindlink.bc.ca (Valaria Vorlop)
Subject: Interior Decorating with Crates WAS Opinions on breed.
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 00:45:24 GMT

> Judith Van Noate writes:
> So glad that I'm not alone in the early crate style of interior
> decorating.


Hardly :) I have great end tables in my living room, an Extra Large Vari
Kennel on one end of the couch, and a medium sized one on the other side. Put
a nice piece of finished wood on top of the big crate, and it's a great place
for the lamp. For the small crate, I just took the legs off my old end table,
which is the same size as the top of the crate and put it on top. Fortunately
for my SO, this city has a two dog limit, or you can bet the dining room
table would soon be replaced by strategically placed kennels :)

--
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   ********************************************
Valaria_Vorlop@mindlink.bc.ca   *For YEARS I wondered what ceiling wax was.*
or:      a4080@mindlink.bc.ca   ********************************************
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *                        *******
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
From: toolan@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: BRO in MA
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 15:49:10 GMT

In article <1gk88bINN5pu@nigel.msen.com>, dan@msen.com (Dan Sugalski) writes:
> : %What is a BRO?
> : A Breed Rescue Organization
> 
> Ok.  I wasn't sure if the b was for breed, boxer, bouvier, briard or whatever.
> Does it have to be in MA?  Are there any particular breeds?
> 
> Karen
> 
	Well, now that I know what a BRO is, I can tell the poster of the 
	original question of several Greyhound rescue groups in Massachusetts--

	Greyhound Pets of America--call Millie at 617-472-4055 (I am a GPA
	volunteer in MD; if this number doesn't work I can check it out 
	through MD GPA)

		These groups are listed in Cynthia Branigan's book "Adopting
		the Racing Greyhound," but I know nothing of them except for
		that listing...

		Greyhound Friends, Inc.
		Louise Coleman, Director
		167 Saddle Hill Road
		Hopkinton, MA  01748
		508-435-5969

		Greyhound Life Line
		Irene Milbury
		228 E. Foxboro Street
		Sharon, MA  02067
		617-784-2157


	Thousands of these wonderful dogs face death each year if they are not 
	adopted once their racing career ends.  If you'd like more information
	about Greyhounds, please let me know.

		*	*	*	*	*
				*
	Sharon Toolan		*	My opinions are my own;
	toolan@stsci.edu	*	No one else would want them!
				*
		*	*	*	*	*

"Mom" to Amber (8 yr. old retired racing Greyhound) and
	 Topaz (3.5 yr. old retired racing Greyhound)
From: dan@msen.com (Dan Sugalski)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: what's too cold.
Date: 13 Dec 1992 04:34:59 GMT
Organization: Msen, Inc. -- Ann Arbor, Michigan
Distribution: ca
NNTP-Posting-Host: garnet.msen.com
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]

Sharon Zeff (szeff@informix.com) wrote:
: Hi, I have a question about whether it is necessary to turn the heat on
: for my dog.  She is a greyhound so there is not much fur to her.  I live
: just south of San Francisco and it gets into the 30s and 40s at night.  I
: tend to put more clothes on and sleep under an extra comforter, but this
: is my first winter with my dog, she is full grown though.  I would rather
: not pay the outrageous power bill that comes with turning on the heat, but
: it would certainly be preferrable then having my dog get sick or even be
: uncomfortable.  She tends to sleep on the couch and does not stay in one
: place so covering her up would probably not work.  Does anyone know how to
: tell when a dog is cold ?
 
You might try a dog crate with a crate pad and a blanket.  Let her get
used to the crate gradually, feeding her in it so that she learns that it
is her place.  A crate ends up as the dog's "den" and if you get the
vari-kennel type, it will help to retain body heat as it is enclosed.
You don't have to lock her in; my German Shepherd, Gaia, knows her crate
is her space and goes in on her own.  If you make it comfortable and put
it somewhere she likes to sleep, your dog might choose it over the couch.

Karen 
(on Dan's account)

Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
From: z8tah@zohar.gsfc.nasa.gov (Theresa A. Held)
Subject: Re: Dog meets Snow, how do you do...
Reply-To: z8tah@calvin.gsfc.nasa.gov 
Organization: NASA/GSFC NCCS
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 19:24:33 GMT

My yellow lab x puppy met snow for the first time at age 6 
months.  It snowed over night.  I took Ginger to the 
sliding glass door to let her out in the early am.  She
put one paw out for a second looked at me, looked at the 
snow, looked at me like 'what go out there in that!' and
peed on the floor.  After that I shoveled a small patch 
of grass.  After I played in the snow awhile she got 
curious and came and played with me.  She then loved the
snow and no more problems.

I got Capers the next summer and her first snow experience
was chasing outside after Ginger.  She took around 5 steps
before she turned and to me with this quizzical look on
her face.  But ginger wanted to play so she soon got 
used to it.  

Now the only problem I have is if the dogs wake up in
the middle of the night and it has snowed they whine
to go out.  

Once they get used to it most dogs love it. 
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Theresa A. Held         
              A dog - A heart beat at my feet - Edith Wharton 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
From: cjackson@adobe.com (Curtis Jackson)
Subject: Re: Dog searching and eating food off the counter when nobody at home
Keywords: dog, food, counter top
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated, Mountain View
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 05:02:22 GMT

In article <1992Dec12.002027.19183@donner.SanDiego.NCR.COM> lingz@robin.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Ling.Zhao) writes:
}My 2.5 year old golden retriever would search and eat food off counter top
}when no one is home.  We can not catch him in the "act" because he never
}does it when somebody is home.  One time he even turn on the gas in the
}kitchen.  We've tried to block access to the kitchen with chairs. But 
}recently the fellow figured out a way to the kitchen by slowly moving his
}body underneath the chairs (we caught it with a camcorder).
}
}Any advice?

I second the idea of mousetraps. Our trainer suggested putting random
mousetraps under newspaper on the floor -- the newspaper hides the traps
and to some extent prevents the traps from doing any serious damage
to sensitive toes. Dogs don't like it when the ground jumps up and
bites them.  ;-)
-- 
Curtis Jackson  DoD #721   '62 Yankee Brunette "Dorothy"    '81 Maxim 650
cjackson@mv.us.adobe.com   '91 Black Lab "Studley"  '92 Collie/Golden "George"
  "They that can give up an essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
   safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin (1759)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
From: emunsey@nyx.cs.du.edu (Elizabeth Munsey)
Subject: Tpoys for blind dog
Keywords: blind, dog, toy
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 92 15:44:02 GMT

My mother's dog (a cocker spaniel) is now blind in both eyes.  He's always likedto play fetch and I was wondering if there are any dog toys out there that wouldbe appropriate for a blind dog.  Any suggestions? 

Thanks for any info that you may have.

Elizabeth
emunsey@nys.cs.du.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Distribution: world
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 92 09:41:00 -0800
From: ELAINE_GALLEGOS@f703.n202.z1.fidonet.org
Subject: Re: dog legal problems.
Comment-To: Michael.G.Buening.1@f703.n202.z1.fidonet.org
Reply-To: ELAINE_GALLEGOS@f703.n202.z1.fidonet.org
X-FSC-PATH: 202/703 701
X-FSC-PID:  RA 0.04

 > 
 > I almost can't take it any more.  Since when did people
 > publicly 
 > display PRIVATE email on the net without at least asking
 > anyone.
 > And you claim to know so much net etiqute (I don't know how
 > to
 > spell it).  I never said it was wrong to have an opinion and
 > I 
 > am baffled at your incredible one sided attitude.  It is okay
 > for
 > you to have an opinion.  When I say I don't like your opinion
 > then
 > I am being BAD!  What the heck is that.  I was simply asking
 > you
 > in a PRIVATE manner to think before you type.  Falling on
 > deaf
 > ears I guess.  
 > 
 > Mike
 > 
 > -- 
 > | Michael Buening	         | 
 > | mike@nowaksg.chem.nd.edu       |
d
  Excuse me, bud, but I explained that I am writing from a small local
bbs, and have only limited access to some services, such as netmail. 
In addition, I also explained that the access to this newsgroup if
different than any other boards I use.  Don't send me things you are
afraid others might see.  These boards are not as private as some like
to think.
  I don't recall you or any of your cronies discussing Any issue with
me.  At least not without first swearing at me, belittling me
ppersonally or at least giving a subject I like to talk about an
unsavory edge.
 People here have had kind things to say, but somehow these things are
sent privately.  The slams get sent globally.
--- FMail 0.92
 * Origin: HILLCREST COMMUNITY BBS, SAN DIEGO: HST 619-291-0544 (1:202/703)
From: jfox@hooksett.East.Sun.COM (John Fox - SunExpress IR)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Deer Whistles (was Re: Hearing ultraso
Date: 17 Dec 1992 22:13:34 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distribution: world
Reply-To: jfox@hooksett.East.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: hooksett.east.sun.com

In article 22434@newshost.lanl.gov, srlee@beta.lanl.gov (Stephen R Lee) writes:
>In article <1go9bsINNm34@seven-up.East.Sun.COM> jfox@hooksett.East.Sun.COM writes:
>
>[stuff deleted]
>
>>I would tend to agree with you, but you must remember that a sample population
>>of one is not statistically reliable. 
>
>I agree, but I am not talking about a sample population of one.  Grated, I
>am not talking about a huge sample either.  If the approximately two dozen
>deer that were hit by locals in my area, only 2 were hit by people with
>whisltes.  There were more deer (actually, deer and elk both) hit, but
>I can only speak with certainty about people that are local to my area.
>It is probably safe to assume that the other doezen or so were also hit
>by people that did not have them.  At any rate, while this is not a large
>sample, it does seem to indicate that, at least emperically, in my area
>they are somewhat effective.  Maybe we have different deer and elk or
>something. :-)
>

Not to get *too* carried away....
You can't compare total deer/elk hit by cars with or without whistles,
unless you can say that the two groups (those cars with and those w/o)
are equal in numbers and miles driven. Sure, I would expect many fewer
animals hit by whistle-laden cars, if only 10% of the total cars
had them!
Until you have 2 equal groups, such assumptions have little meaning.
You did go on to say all the gov't vehicles have them. That may make your
numbers more meaningful. I'm assuming the majority of total miles driven
in your area are done w/o deer whistles, and therefore statistically you
would expect to see more accidents with that group.

I agree it's a individual choice - but people should be aware they 
at least one state has concluded based on their findings that they
cause more accidents than they prevent. Bear that in mind when
considering one.

John
From: rasmussenc@vaxb.gbus.virginia.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Amputation Progress Update
Date: 14 Dec 92 13:31:06 GMT
Organization: Darden Center, University of Virginia

Hi Netters -

Those of you who followed the Amutation Decision Needed thread may be 
interested in Meagen's progress.  If don't remember, Meagan is an 11
y.o. Dobe who was diagnosed with bone cancer in her front left leg.  Tammy 
is her owner, a vet tech, for whom I posted the question, "is it fair to the 
dog to do this (amputation)".

It's been a week since the operation.  Meagan came home Wed pm.  Tammy put 
her in the basement with canine company (Alex in a crate, Keysa in a whelping
area with her 3 puppies).  Meagan didn't like this very much because she was 
an "upstairs" dog.  Problem was, there was a step Meagan would have to 
negotiate to go in either one of the front doors, and as Tammy had already 
fallen while helping Meagan once, Tammy decided the basement would have to 
do.  Neither Tammy nor Meagan were very happy.

On Saturday, I visited the crew.  Meagan got right up and came to visit with 
me, and Tammy said that she hadn't seen Meagan wag her tail like that since 
the surgery.  (Admittedly, I sure do like to hand out the "Oh!  You poor 
thing!" sympathies, which this dog eats right up...)

Yesterday, Tammy called me to say that Meagan had climbed two stairs in the 
basement trying to get upstairs, prompting Tammy to place a baby gate at the 
foot of the stairs.  Then, Tammy let Meagan out in the fenced in area, and 
Meagan hopped over a 18 inch plank of wood (a puppy proof barrier) to get to 
the front yard.  So, needless to say, Tammy was going to go ahead and let 
Meagen back upstairs last night, and it appears that Meagan is going to 
work this new handicap out.

Thank you all for your kind words and support.  You're great!

-Chris Rasmusen  
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
From: giguere@csg.uwaterloo.ca (Eric Giguere)
Subject: Will late castration affect my dog's behaviour?
Organization: Computer Systems Group, University of Waterloo
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 17:53:54 GMT

I had to take my dog Dino in to the vet this morning because he started
yelping when pooping.  Turns out the scent glands around his anus were
infected.  Not only that, his prostate gland is 3 times larger than it
should be!  The poor guy was trying to pass his prostate gland!  ouch...
My vet recommended that he be castrated tomorrow in addition to being
treated for the infection, and that's what we're going to do.  It was either
that or use estrogen shots to get the prostate gland down to normal, but
that's really just a temporary solution.

Anyhow, Dino is about a year-and-a-half, and I was wondering if I can expect
some behavioural changes when he recovers from the operation.  Or will he
just stop humping my roommate's stuff toys?

-- 
 Eric Giguere                                    giguere@csg.UWaterloo.CA
          So is Windows NT short for "Windows, NOT?"
From: shaig@think.com (Shai Guday)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: BRO in MA
Date: 15 Dec 1992 05:15:26 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: brahms.think.com

In article <1gj5bnINNhl@nigel.msen.com> dan@msen.com (Dan Sugalski) writes:
%
%What is a BRO?
%
%Karen

A Breed Rescue Organization
From: ac0g@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (ANNEMARIE CONNOR)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: help needed with puller
Date: 19 Dec 92 19:29:45 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

I have a 16 month old lab mix who does not seem to respond to the choke
collar.  This has been an ongoing problem and the correct use of the choke
chain (quick, crisp snaps) does not seem to be helping.  I am considering
trying a pronged choker or a head collar.  Anyone have any experience with
these devices and their proper use?
Otherwise, this dog is well behaved.  He is good off the leash, but on the
leash he is like a bull dozer!  Because I have not been successful with him on
leash I have not been able to teach him to heel.  Any training tips for this?

                                            Thank you,
                                            Annemarie
--