My New dog...

MydogJoy · 09-01-2010, 09:23 PM

I think so too. I'll have to do that soon.Thank you.

Dawnben · 09-01-2010, 10:33 PM

I am planning on going to My vet and getting C.E.T.chews that are Dental which gets rid of tartar and plaque. Here is the URL:CET Chews for Medium Dogs (30 Chews)
if you haven't heard of it.[/quote]

I would be careful with the raw hide on those chews the warning is that the dogs can choke on it , plus a lot of chemicals are used in the making of raw hide

MydogJoy · 09-02-2010, 09:45 AM

What kind of chemicals and what do they do?
I've heard that raw hide makes dog gag on them but not with all dogs. The only way I will know if my dog gags on them is if I try them. If you look at the reviews, most of them are good even though they have raw hide in them.

Dawnben · 09-02-2010, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MydogJoy

What kind of chemicals and what do they do?
I've heard that raw hide makes dog gag on them but not with all dogs. The only way I will know if my dog gags on them is if I try them. If you look at the reviews, most of them are good even though they have raw hide in them.

How is it made? Rawhide is made for commercial use from bull, cow and horsehides obtained from slaughterhouses as a byproduct of the meat industry. The flesh side is scraped clean of all remaining meat, membrane, fat, etc. Traditionally this is done by hand, using a drawknife and scraper. Modern day tanneries use a form of a band saw to speed the process up and make a nice clean piece of leather. Commercial manufacturers of rawhide products have machinery to do this. Once the flesh side is cleaned, the hair must be removed. There are two traditional ways of doing this. One is to “dry scrape” by hand. This is extremely time consuming, not to mention the amount of good ol’ fashioned elbow grease! Commercial makers of rawhide do not use this method.

The other method is to soak the fleshed hide in either an Ash-Lye solution or a Lime solution. The Ash-Lye involves covering or soaking the hide in a mixture of wood ash and water, which creates Lye. The hide soaks for approximately. 3 days in the Lye solution, then as much of the hair as possible is scraped off. The process is repeated until all hair is removed.

The Lime solution is the quickest and most often utilized by manufacturers. This utilizes ordinary builders powdered (hydrated) Lime. The hide soaks for 1-3 days and the hair is scraped off. This process is highly caustic but the most efficient for mass production.

To remove all traces of the Lime solution and to sanitize the rawhide product, commercial makers then rinse the hides in a bleach solution before creating whatever shape is to be used. The bone and other shapes used to attract you and your pet are created while the hide is still wet. The “treats” are then either dried or sent for “smoking” to further entice the unsuspecting owner and pet. A processed rawhide can shrink up to half its original size when dried.

If the chemicals used to make these “treats” haven’t convinced you to stop, please consider this:

When rawhide is again wetted, usually when your pet salivates over this chew you have provided, it will slowly regain its original size. When your pet tears off and swallows a piece, that piece then has the potential to swell inside your dog’s stomach. Your dog’s gastric juices WILL NOT break down the rawhide. Once swollen, the piece then has the potential to cause anything from mild to severe gastric upset, to death.

pawzaddict · 09-02-2010, 02:01 PM

Wow ty for the information. Where do you learn about all your food and treat details?
Posted via Mobile Device

Tess · 09-02-2010, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MydogJoy

I finally went to Petsmart got Joy some toys. She is still very curious about them and I think she is more of a calm dog than a active and playful dog. She still can be active, especially outside.
The owner called and told me she was mistaken about her age. She's not really almost two. She is almost Five and she had a litter before she was spayed. This also may be why she is a little less active.
I got her some treats by Old Mother Hubbard. It's new at Petsmart. I got her Nature's Recipe for Terrier. She likes it a lot but not too much, has had no problems. I am planning on going to My vet and getting C.E.T.chews that are Dental which gets rid of tartar and plaque. Here is the URL:CET Chews for Medium Dogs (30 Chews)
if you haven't heard of it.

Yes, my mother uses those chews for her dog and they were very effective at cleaning up her dog's teeth. It may be worth giving this treatment a few weeks to see how it goes. Maybe you can avoid the expense and stress on the dog of a full aneasthesia. But definitely get veterinary advice on that. I am not a vet. Brushing her teeth is a great idea, and yet as she is still trying to figure out her new family, it might be a bit scary for her, so perhaps consider introducing this routine slowly for a while. In the long run you want her to enjoy it, so pairing the brushing with hot dog treats or something like that, will pay off for the future. (take a hot dog and slice into many thin disks, and alternate a little brushing with a treat!)

As far as the rest of your story with this dog, its just so wonderful! There is nothing more gratifying than helping a dog who needs rescuing. My family did a lot of dog rescues when I was younger. We saw dogs keep improving in all ways for months, so it takes time but its really fun. I would not be surprised if you begin to see small changes soon, that continue. For example the slow walking she is doing may be because she is still feeling nervous and unsure. As she settles down and finds out she is safe in your home, her whole demeanor should become more relaxed and happy.

The suggestions to sit on the floor with her, allowing her to approach at her own pace, offer treats, and just in general be very mellow around her, are I believe excellent ideas. It sounds like she's a little overwhelmed right now. Sleep is one way to cope with that feeling, so make sure she has a quiet place to rest where the rule is no one is to disturb her (even for petting... let her come to you for a while). That could be a doggy bed under a desk or in a corner. She's probably already chosen some safe resting spaces.

It sounds like Joy has come to a lovely family. She will respond in her own time and return all the love and more!

Tess · 09-02-2010, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawnben

The other method is to soak the fleshed hide in either an Ash-Lye solution or a Lime solution. The Ash-Lye involves covering or soaking the hide in a mixture of wood ash and water, which creates Lye. The hide soaks for approximately. 3 days in the Lye solution, then as much of the hair as possible is scraped off. The process is repeated until all hair is removed.

The Lime solution is the quickest and most often utilized by manufacturers. This utilizes ordinary builders powdered (hydrated) Lime. The hide soaks for 1-3 days and the hair is scraped off. This process is highly caustic but the most efficient for mass production.

To remove all traces of the Lime solution and to sanitize the rawhide product, commercial makers then rinse the hides in a bleach solution before creating whatever shape is to be used. The bone and other shapes used to attract you and your pet are created while the hide is still wet. The “treats” are then either dried or sent for “smoking” to further entice the unsuspecting owner and pet. A processed rawhide can shrink up to half its original size when dried.

If the chemicals used to make these “treats” haven’t convinced you to stop, please consider this:

When rawhide is again wetted, usually when your pet salivates over this chew you have provided, it will slowly regain its original size. When your pet tears off and swallows a piece, that piece then has the potential to swell inside your dog’s stomach. Your dog’s gastric juices WILL NOT break down the rawhide. Once swollen, the piece then has the potential to cause anything from mild to severe gastric upset, to death.

Well, I just want to comment a little here, as a chemistry teacher. Just a starter statement... "Everything is made of chemicals." So the thing to do is understand how they work and when they are "bad" and when they are "good." Lye is simply a strong base (sort of the opposite of an acid). It is Sodium hydroxide, or NaOH. Na is just half of table salt, which is NaCl. The hydroxide, or OH part is the base. If it is neutralized/diluted it is not actually dangerous, it simply becomes part of a water molecule. We constantly live with dilute acids and bases in our environment and in our foods.

Bleach is a more dangerous chemical, but that too is rendered fairly harmless with exposure to air, where the chlorine part evaporates. You know there is bleach there if you can smell it. What you are smelling is the chlorine part. I've never smelled bleach on a raw hide, although you can smell it in certain cleaning products. Don't drink those!

Of more concern to me with regards to rawhide chemicals can be other tanning chemicals used in rawhide made in other countries, which can include carcinogenic compounds based on the element Chromium. This is why one should make sure rawhides are "made in USA."

I also have found that rawhides can cause upset stomachs in many dogs. In my personal experience if a dog eats a lot of a rawhide in one sitting, he/she can get the squirts. Its also not good for a dog to eat big chunks of rawhide at once as they don't digest well, and theoretically could get stuck in there, although I think that is rare. Dogs can get all sorts of objects and chew toys stuck in their system. My dog once passed about a quarter of a tennis ball, that had been in his system for many days. So there really are no totally safe toys. I think one needs to get to know your dog, and what he/she might consume. Keep a close eye on them when they get busy chewing, and if you are concerned, trade the toy for a treat and don't leave the dog alone with that toy later.

Overall, I believe the best teeth cleaners are soft, raw chicken bones, such as wings and necks. You have to teach a dog how to manage these if they are gulpers, but in reality this is why wild canines don't have periodontal disease. PD is purely a product of feeding kibble. Our dogs will never need their teeth cleaned because they eat plenty of wings and such, but its not something to undertake without thought and care first. Meanwhile, I would not rule out the rawhide chews if you can find they are made in the USA, and they do not upset Joy's tummy. As always, ask your vet for advice! (although most vets are horrified at the idea of feeding raw chicken.)

Dawnben · 09-02-2010, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawzaddict

Wow ty for the information. Where do you learn about all your food and treat details?
Posted via Mobile Device

These are a few sites I get info from , some is 30 years of owning dogs and my experience as a groomer and owning a boarding facility some is from the Whole dog journal
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/petfood.htm#fat
Natural Dog Care Guidance from Organic Pet Digest
DogAware.com: Diet & Health Info for Man's Best Friend

pawzaddict · 09-02-2010, 09:27 PM

Thanks! I want to own my own daycare/boarding one day

I think the whole point is not giving chemicals we would not want in us to our dogs. *shrugs* I don't prefer it unless necessary
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MydogJoy · 09-03-2010, 11:14 AM

I can't reply yet, I have to wait to Monday or Tuesday. I don't have enough time. - Going out of town.