Our Current Challenge: Re-Housetraining Our Adult Dog

Plato is Having Too Many Pooping Accidents

This is tough.  Plato's "signals" when he needs to go out are subtle.  I think he was probably fully housetrained, but maybe things sort of broke down a bit when he was back at the pound.  He has never urinated in our house in the 2 months that he's been with us.  He had a few pooping accidents early on when he was sick, so I figured he just couldn't make it outside.  But it's also happened when he seems fine and his poop is firm.  It's not a regular thing, but it has happened often enough that I think it's a problem that needs to be addressed.  So what gives?  I think he needs to be re-housetrained.  I plan to research the subject and come up with a plan.  You can't teach an old dog new tricks?  Nonsense.  Stay tuned.

My Dog Plato Tested Positive For Lyme Exposure. What Next?

A Positive Test For Lyme Exposure Doesn't Mean Our Dog has Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called borrelia burgdorferi that is transmitted by certain ticks.  Here in the Northeastern part of the US, the bacteria are usually transmitted by tiny little deer ticks.  The bacteria are difficult to test for, so the tests look for antibodies in the blood, or the dog's reaction to the bacteria.  The test doesn't tell us if the bacteria are still in the dog's body or if the dog will ever get Lyme disease. 

Lyme Disease in Dogs is Different from People Lyme Disease

I'm not a people doctor or a vet, but from what I've read, the difference is that people often have flu like symptoms and a rash where the tick bit them and dogs often have joint pain and fever months after the tick bite occurred.  People can have neurological and cardiac problems from Lyme diease which are extremely rare in dogs.  Dogs can develop kidney problems after having had Lyme disease for a long time.  Most dogs don't show symptoms of Lyme disease at all and Lyme exposure is discovered through routine screenings commonly done on a yearly basis at the vet's office.

Only about 10% (less actually) of dogs who test positive for Lyme exposure get sick.  Some of the sick dogs have sore joints and run a low grade fever.  The lameness from the sore joints can shift from leg to leg, most often the front legs, and the affected joints are often swollen and hot.  Lymph nodes may be swollen too.  The most serious problem caused by Lyme disease in dogs seems to be in the kidneys when the antibodies fighting the Lyme bacteria get stuck in the kidney filtering system which can prevent the kidneys from cleaning the blood. 

Our Vet's Recommendations for Plato After Testing Positive for Lyme Exposure

Dr. Feldman made it clear that Lyme exposure doesn't mean Lyme disease.  He said that he wanted to quantify Plato's exposure, so he did a second test, since only a small percentage of dogs who test positive for Lyme exposure get sick and only a small number of those dogs should be treated with antibiotics.  Dr. F said that he usually doesn't treat dogs unless the level of a certain antibody (C6) is over 30.  The test measures the level of the C6 antibody, which is only in the dog's body if the Lyme bacteria is still there.  Well, Plato's C6 antibody level was 318 which sounds really high especially since Plato shows no symptoms of Lyme disease.  We followed Dr. F's recommendation and treated Plato with a 4 week course of antibiotics (dosycycline). 

Plato was also tested for kidney function since Lyme positive dogs in kidney failure spill protein into their urine.  Kidney failure seems to be rare, but many experts think that the progression of the disease and kidney failure can be slowed with early detection and treatment.  Plato's urine test came back totally normal which was a real relief to us.  His kidneys seem to be fine.  Going forward, Plato will continue with Frontline topical flea and tick repellent on a monthly basis all year round, not just during "tick season".  He will be tested periodically to see his Lyme antibody level and may be given additional courses of antibiotics if his antibody level isn't significantly reduced.  He probably will be given Lyme disease vaccinations.  We'll keep our grass cut relatively short and will continue to check Plato and ourselves for ticks.  Prevention is the best weapon against Lyme disease.

Training Your Shelter/Rescue Dog

It's NEVER too Late to Teach an Old Dog New Tricks!

You can't teach an old dog new tricks?  Nonsense.  Our new dog is 6 (a best guess) years old.  And he's learning fast.  He responds very well to his name (Plato).  He does well with "come" and he's getting better with "sit".  Our neighbor, an adult who is pretty sensible, told my 10 year old daughter that Plato is too old to train.  He's wrong and Lucy knows that.  She has seen Plato's progress over the 12 days that he's been with us.  We've started to trust him off leash in our yard, with supervision.  But we still have to be careful for his safety.

This Morning's Scary Incident.  Plato Ignored "COME" and Ran Across the Road!

Plato went outside, peed and bolted.  He ran up the driveway and didn't stop despite all the whistling and yelling "come" and his name.  He continued on to the street which he crossed at a gallop without looking both ways.  Our street is busy in the morning, but Plato got lucky and crossed without getting flattened by a car.  He sat on the other side of the street and waited for Lucy and I to catch up.  We told him "no", got him on his leash and went for a walk.  I was really surprised since Plato had proven to be fairly trustworthy in responding to "come" commands.  Lucy wasn't so surprised.

When I think back to yesterday, I am not really surprised.  Yesterday was a seriously rainy day and Plato didn't want to take a walk.  He only went out when he was desperate to pee and only pooped late in the evening.  He could not comfortably work for the post office, since he apparently hates walking in the rain.  Snow is great, but not rain.  I might have been able to force him to walk, but it would have required yanking him the whole way.  So, this morning Plato had tons of pent up energy and he was perky on the walk we took after his "escape" across the road.  And he wasn't listening well with all that energy.

Training the Adult Shelter Dog Requires Patience and Persistance

I am not a dog training expert but I have worked with a trainer, done a lot of reading on training dogs and have experience.  Old dog can learn new tricks.  Our dog Bailey learned new commands and hand signals even though he was 10 when he joined our family.  Plato is only 6 and he's learning fast.  We are consistent in the words and signals that we use to give commands.  And we are using hand signs, since Bailey lost his hearing and that often happens to dogs as they age so we'll be ahead of the game if Plato learns signs from the start.  We use positive reinforcement to reward Plato.  We tell him what a good boy he is and often give him treats for his obedience.  Plato isn't that food oriented so the prospect of a treat doesn't seem to motivate him much.  When we got Plato, he ignored sit and we had to push firmly on his rear to get him to sit.  Now, it only takes a light touch and he's down.  Sure, he has a long way to go, but he's learning and settling into our home very well.  We'll keep at it and keep you posted.

Adopting a New Dog!

There's a New Dog at Our House and He's Fabulous

A lot has happened since I last posted here at SeniorDog.com!  We adopted a new dog, a 5-7 year old English Shepherd (a good guess from the look of him, but who knows?) named Plato!

Plato's Story

Plato was picked up as a stray about 2 1/2 years ago.  He was brought to PAWS in Montclair, NJ.  PAWS means Pound Animal Welfare Society and from my experience, they're a great organization.  Plato was adopted by a PAWS volunteer and went from being a stray who was totally indifferent to people, to being a well socialized, happy dog who did great in his new home.  And then his human Dad died this past October and Plato was brought back to PAWS to find him a new home.  Plato was depressed.  His fur had become badly matted during his Dad's illness that it had to be mostly shaved all off.  It's growing back now but is still really choppy and close to the skin on his sides.  He's gorgeous anyway and he's doing really well in his new home.  We're thrilled!

Next at SeniorDogCentral.com:  Our First Trip to The Vet With Our New Rescue Dog and Our Shelter Dog Adapts to his New Home!

Check back!

Grieving the Loss of Our Dog

We Miss Our Dog

Bailey, our almost 16 year old dog, died on October 22, 2009.  The holidays brought the loss of Bailey back like he had just died.  It was the first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years without him and he was missed terribly.  My daughter wanted to hang Bailey's stocking with the rest and we did.  Just because he's gone doesn't mean he's forgotten.

I think I am OK and then I find that the grief just hits at times.  Sometimes it's unexpected.  Like when I realized we could travel and make stops in the car without letting Bailey out to walk and without worrying if he would get too cold waiting for us.  I am still sometimes very surprised when I remember that he's not here.  Sometimes the grief would be expected if I would think about what I was about to do.  A few days ago, I took out the bag containing Bailey's ashes and a paw print.  I cried a lot and it just didn't stop.  Most of the time, we are OK and we remember happy times with Bailey.  Grief is a process that is difficult but necessary.  We love you, Bailey.

Winter Dog Care

Winter Dog Care is a Must

It is amazing to me that some people think that dogs can be left outside in the cold winter months in the northeast without the minimum requirements of water (not a block of ice in a water bowl) and shelter.  If the dog is going to be outside at mealtime, the food should be freshly prepared.  A dog can't eat a frozen lump of kibble. 

And maybe a nice coat.   People would regularly tell me that our senior dog Bailey's coats were "cute".  They were cute on him, but the reason he wore a fleece or a rain coat was because he needed it.  I actually felt a bit uncomfortable when we first started putting coats on Bailey.  I didn't want people to think that I am some crazed Paris Hilton wanna be who dresses up her dog like an accessory.  But I got over that because Bailey's needs were more important than other people's impressions of me.

Dogs don't do well when they're cold, hungry and dehydrated.  And senior dogs are especially vulnerable.  Senior dogs' bodies don't regulate heat as well as younger dogs.  Short coated dogs and small dogs, like seniors, need more protection than young fuzzy, well insulated dogs. 

When it gets cold like it does in New England, dogs need protection.  We don't have a dog house.  Bailey walked, played and hung outside for awhile in the winter, and then we brought him inside to warm up.  But a dog who is going to be left outside for any length of time in the cold and sometimes wet winter months needs shelter.  Shelter means a cozy dog house.  The dog house should be well built and small, just big enough for the dog to comfortably stand and lay down.  If it's too big, it will be too cold.  The dog house should be set up on supports to take it off the ground so that air circulates and the dog isn't lying on the cold ground.  The bedding should be clean and dry.  Clean, dry straw is probably best because blankets and rugs and those sorts of things get wetter than straw and can freeze up and be very cold.  The dog house should also have a flap sort of door so that the cold winds don't blow in.

Better yet, bring your dog inside when it's too cold. 

My Favorite Christmas Gift: A Child's Memories of Our Cherished Senior Dog

The essay reprinted here is my favorite Christmas gift.  It was written by my 10 year old daughter, Lucy.

My Dog

Have you ever had a special person in your life?  Well, my dog Bailey was like that for me.  Bailey wasn't a person, but he was a very good friend.  He watched over me, taught me the value of life, and he overcame obstacles and never gave up.  He was very important to me.

One example is that he watched over me.  I could always count on him to be there when I needed him.  I remember when Bailey used to pad through the halls of my house.  Every night he would always come into my room and listen to the stories my mother read me.  Then he would watch my brother Alex get ready for bed and watch TV with him, after he would lie down in my parent's room and doze while they watched the 10 o'clock news.  Bailey watched over my family and I and I think we had a special bond because of this.

Bailey overcame obstacles; he never gave up, and always tried his hardest.  One time Bailey was having trouble getting up the stairs.  He was panting and straining to get up each step.  But he did.  It hurt me to see him try so hard.  I helped him up the last of the stairs.  He never gave up, and always tried so hard to complete his daily routine.  He worked with what he had and was an inspriation to me because of this.

Another reason why Bailey was so important was that he taught me the value of life.  When he died, I realized how much he meant to me, and how valuable life really is.  Once after Bailey was gone I was up in my room, crying.  I felt like I would do anything to get Bailey back on this earth.  I went outside and looked up to the sky.  I asked if it could make a dog just like Bailey for me.  Later, I realized that Bailey was a one of a kind.  Nothing could replace him.  Ever.  I wouldn't let myself.

My dog, Bailey was a very important part of my life.  I will cherish his memory forever.  I used to think that I wasn't complete without him by my side.  That I could never go on without him.  But now I think that him being gone has made me ever stronger.  He taught me how to appreciate what I have.  He taught me to love.  He was more than just a pet and friend.  He was family.  He will always be in my thoughts and my heart.

Some may not stay with us long, but others may stay a while and leave foot prints on our hearts.

-Anonymous quote