Do they all do this as they get older? (vet, black, training)
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Well, I've got a seven year old female coonhound/lab x (48lbs) and a 3 yr old Pharoah hound x(40lbs). The female is lovable, sweet, very gentle...but ohhh she has started to test my patience more
1. She is active--after I workout, she gets out for a 2.5-3.5 mile walk/day, and plays with the other dog...but requires some coaxing to do this. Once she's out, she's happy to walk for a while. She'll relieve herself about every four hours, including walk when I am home--but sometimes she'll keep me up at night as well (not often, but often enough) getting me up to take her to go to the bathroom, and breaking my sleep (or just outside to bay at the moon..aaaargh).
2. She has become very picky about her food. Has to be warm. Has to have 'stuff' on it--Ie, wet food, pieces of chicken, that kind of thing--or she won't eat--she's gone more than 48 hours without eating before. I know she is training me by my giving in, but I want her to eat... She was never like this before last year.
3. She is blind in one eye--has been since a puppy--this particular eye suffered an injury. Therefore, she was always cautious going up and down steps, but now even more so. This worries me because I wonder if the other eye is starting to go--but the vet says that as far as he can tell, her vision is fine--and she can actually see maybe 75 percent of what other dogs see--because the good eye has taken over some of the work the bad eye is not doing?
Anyway...these are my babies...the blond one is the younger, Pharoah x, she is the black one.
Yes, I think they all do things like that as they age.
"I know she is training me by my giving in, but I want her to eat." Then, whatever you do is the absolute right thing. I make many adjustments for my pup who is getting on in years. I think it's natural to kind of 'soften' up and indulge them a little more as they get older. Why not? It gives them comfort and makes them happy.
Sometimes I have to remind myself when my dog acts differently than he used to, that I need to be more patient with him the older he gets. They're not puppies anymore and it's natural that their needs and wants will change.
I've never had a blind dog, but my dog is losing his sight; we both have to adjust. Your girl may need a little more help getting up and down the stairs, but she'll probably be OK if she knows you're there. I'm sure the vet knows what he/she is talking about.
Perhaps if you didn't let her drink past a certain hour she'd not go as often during the night? I'd keep the feeding on a very regular schedule.
Both your puppers are very sweet looking. I'm certain they have a wonderful, loving home ~
Thanks y'all...it is hard isn't it, when you remember them as puppies and then they change? She sleeps more than she did before..she's not ancient by any means of course, but I am starting to see changes, and when she started getting up in the morning looking stiff, we started the glucosamine and chondroitin(sigh)...if only they could stay little and smell like puppies forever(but be as well behaved and trained as they are when they get older).
Since she is exhibing several new behaviors, you might want to get her checked out at the vet. Frequent urination could be attributed to a UTI. If she's not feeling very well, she may not want to eat. BTW, both dogs are gorgeous!
Hey..sorry I've been out of commission for a couple days..couldn't access the account from home...thought I'd forgotten my password again or something. As far as her eyes go, I did get a second opinion--and this vet seems to think a referral to an opthalmolagist (oh god my spelling this morning) that specializes in canines is in order. She certainly still sees things, but has been...what I thought was just more careless. We will walk down the street and if there's a telephone pole on the side of the bad eye and she's paying attention to something else---BAM! (Ok, so I admit, it was a little humorous to me at first, but poor thing she looked so stunned).
Pretty babies.
I think a visit to the opthalmologist is the right thing to do.
Food has to be warm...with stuff on it...chicken....uhhh..I'd say this little cutie is spoiled.
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She was never like this before last year.
