More pictures of his trip are available here: Dukie’s Trip to Welland

Also, here is a picture of one of Dukie’s Dad’s Friend: I like to call him the “Cow Dog” for obvious reasons.

Dukie has recently kept peeing on the floor. I am not too sure if it is as a result of the changes to his room. But I would like to solidfy his housetraining. Dukie is now at his Aunt’s place while the floor is being repaired. But when he comes back today, I am going to be restarting the failed crate training sessions.

Since I got him in November 2005, I’ve been crate training him in a 30″ deep metal crate. However, I suspect due to the large size of the crate, it did not give Dukie a den like feeling. As a result, Dukie just kept peeing and krapping all over the crate.

I just purchased a 24″ deep crate which I am optimistic would help create the den like environment that Dukie would need to get the den like feeling established. With that established, Dukie would hopefully know not to do his business in his crate. I would post the results of this new training technique when if it does work.

For your information, the Canadian Dachshund Rescue is having their fifth annual picnic on September 9, 2006 in Mississauga. I am hoping to bring Dukie there to chillout with the other Dachshunds. If you are interested in going, details are as follows:

 Canadian Dachshund Rescue Picnic
 Saturday, Sep 9, 2006 at 11am - 4pm
 Meadowvale Conservation Park “Area C”
 Mississauga ON
 http://www.wienerdogrescue.com/

Also, I just came across this article on the internet. Some people make me sick. This guy should be locked up for being so cruel - just like that heartless Cop (Officer Eric Hall of Cookeville, TN) who shot a dog in Tennessee

Annetta Lindsey got an apology, but it wasn’t much consolation.
 

Lindsey was holding her suffering 14-year-old dachshund, Coco, when a police officer arrived at her house on East Jackson Street on Saturday night. Coco was bleeding and foaming from his nose and mouth and convulsing.

A man had picked up a board with a nail driven through the end and struck Coco in the head with it, causing a puncture wound.

The man, who showed up at the house looking for someone but had the wrong address, apparently said Coco nipped at him as if to bite him. Lindsey said the man had been teasing the dog, which was tied up on the front porch.

She went in the house and a short time later heard a cracking sound and a yelp from Coco. When she ran to investigate, she found that the man had walked over to a trash receptacle next door, where workers are rehabilitating a house, returned to the porch and struck Coco once.

“Coco was lying there gasping for air. I tried to get him to get up, but he couldn’t get up,” Lindsey said. “The officer came and made Coco come to me. She said he was dying. I told animal control when they came to please save him.”

Coco survived the weekend but was euthanized Monday morning because of repeated seizures, an animal control officer later told Lindsey.

Two friends sitting on her porch at the time said Coco barked at the man but did not try to bite him.

She said the man responsible for Coco’s injury later apologized but that the apology won’t bring her beloved pet back to her.

“He took off because I was going to hit him with the same damn stick he hit my dog with,” Lindsey said Monday morning. “He came back after the police left. He apologized and said, ‘If I can help you, I’ll get you another dog.’”

The man left before police arrived. He was not immediately located. He was described as black, in his late teens or early 20s, with dark skin and short hair. He was wearing a white and red ball cap.

She said Coco, who stayed both inside and outside, had been the victim of repeated taunting by neighborhood teenagers. Children would kick him, shoot him with paintball guns and try to hurt him, Lindsey said. He had no teeth because someone had kicked him in the face.

“He was friendly. He loved kids. He loved the women,” she said, adding that the dog cared for three kittens - Eat ‘Em, Cheat ‘Em and Beat ‘Em - that live on her porch. “Everybody knew Coco.”

She said she intends to move out of her house, where she has lived for 12 years, as soon as possible because it reminds her of Coco and her deceased boyfriend, who gave her Coco nine years ago.

Saturday’s incident is the latest report of animal cruelty in Springfield in recent weeks.

City police said they have written 13 abuse, cruelty or neglect reports so far in 2006. They stressed that Sangamon County Animal Control statistics more accurately reflect animal cruelty reports in Springfield, but those numbers were not available Monday.

 

I was going to bed last night when I found Dukie to be overly excited. He then used his front paws to grab a hold of my hand (which is normally does during play) but instead of just licking my hand, he started his humping motion. Thank goodness nothing came out as it would have messed up my bed sheets etc.

The next time he humps and I find my camera’s charger, I definitely post some pictures.

The night before he threw up, Dukie had found a used laundry dryer sheet and started chewing on it. Being a toxic material, I suspect that might be what caused him to vomit all night.

He seems fine now hopefully it wasn’t too big of a deal.

Also, sleep with him has been pretty good. He’s only made one accident so far and hopefully it’ll be the last.

Here’s an updated picture of Dukie

So my sister decided that it was a good idea to start feeding Dukie grapes as it treat. However, I did recall reading somewhere that grapes weren’t too good for dogs. Hence, I was hesitant on feeding him them initially. But grapes being a fruit, i didn’t think they were too dangerous.

After Dukie ate the grapes he appeared to not eat any other foods, or drink water the entire night (partially because he slept in on the same bed as me) and did not eat as much the next day. In addition, he appeared not as hyper and more sleepy than usual. To add salt to the wound, I was even more alarmed by the following article from the ASPCA:

The Wrath of Grapes
by Charlotte Means, D.V.M.

Magoo was a big, playful Labrador retriever who often got himself into some sticky situations. Usually, his escapades were harmless. But one day, he managed to snag a box of raisins from the pantry and ended up eating an entire pound of the sweet treats. Other than being exasperated by Magoo’s behavior, his guardians didn’t think much about it. They knew that lots of people shared grapes with their dogs and often used raisins as training rewards. So it hardly seemed the kind of emergency that required a call to the veterinarian. In fact, if Magoo’s parents had called the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) just a few years ago, they would have been told not to worry about it.

Through the Grapevine
Enter the APCC AnTox database, a computerized system that contains nearly 500,000 animal-related medical conditions and that enables veterinarians to quickly identify toxic- substance exposures, recognize clinical signs and administer proper treatment. By tracking cases in thisregistry, similarities in animal medical conditions nationwide can be logged and syndromes can be identified.

Around 1989, the APCC began noticing a trend in dogs who had eaten grapes or raisins: Nearly all developed acute renal (kidney) failure. As more cases were reported, enough data was generated in the database to help veterinarians identify and treat dogs at risk. In all of the cases, the ingredients for potential acute renal failure were the same. Whether the ingested grapes were purchased fresh from grocery stores or grown in private yards didn’t seem to matter, nor did the brand eaten. And the ingested amounts varied considerably, from over a pound of grapes to as little as a single serving of raisins. The cases weren’t from any specific region, but instead came from across the United States. Around 1989, the APCC began noticing a trend in dogs who had eaten grapes or raisins: Nearly all developed acute renal (kidney) failure. As more cases were reported, enough data was generated in the database to help veterinarians identify and treat dogs at risk. In all of the cases, the ingredients for potential acute
renal failure were the same. Whether the ingested grapes were purchased fresh from grocery stores or grown in private yards didn’t seem to matter, nor did the brand eaten. And the ingested amounts varied considerably, from over a pound of grapes to as little as a single serving of raisins. The cases weren’t from any specific region, but instead came from across the United States. The database showed that dogs who ate the grapes and raisins typically vomited within a few hours of ingestion. Most of the time, partially digested grapes and raisins could be seen in the vomit, fecal material, or both. At this point, some dogs would stop eating (anorexia), and develop diarrhea. The dogs often became quiet and lethargic, and showed signs of abdominal pain. These clinical signs lasted for several days — sometimes even weeks.

When medical care was sought, blood chemistry panels showed consistent patterns. Hypercalcemia (elevated blood calcium levels) was frequently present, as well as elevated levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and phosphorous (substances that reflect kidney function). These chemistries began to increase anywhere from 24 hours to several days after the dogs ate the fruit. As the kidney damage developed, the dogs would produce little urine. When they could no longer produce urine, death occurred. In some cases, dogs who received timely veterinary care still had to be euthanized. Why did the fruit cause the dogs to become ill? No one knows. Suspect grapes and raisins have been screened for various pesticides, heavy metals (such as zinc or lead), and mycotoxins (fungal contaminants) and so far, all results have come back negative. In the cases where the grapes were grown in private yards, owners confirmed that no insecticides, fertilizers or antifungals had been used on the fruit.

“Raisin” the Success Rate
Even though the exact cause of the renal failure is unknown, dogs who ingest grapes and raisins can be treated successfully to prevent its development. The first line of defense is decontamination. Inducing vomiting in recent ingestions and administering activated charcoal helps prevent absorption of potential toxins. Dogs should be hospitalized and placed on intravenous fluids for a minimum of 48 hours. A veterinarian should monitor blood chemistry daily for at least three days following the ingestion. If all blood work is normal after three days, it’s unlikely that kidney failure will occur. If a dog shows evidence of renal failure, fluids must be continued, and other medications should be used to stimulate urine production. Some dogs may need peritoneal dialysis, a process where the peritoneum (the membranessurrounding the abdominal organs) is used to filter waste products that are normally filtered by the kidney.

Thanks in part to the AnTox database, grape or raisin ingestion can be easily identified and treated. Today, a dog can make a complete recovery from this potentially fatal condition. Dr. Means is a veterinary toxicologist at the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, Illinois. Reprinted from ASPCA Animal Watch, Summer 2002, Volume 22, Number 2, with permission from The American Societyfor the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 424 East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128-6804. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is the only animal poison control center in North America. Established in 1978, at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. The Center is the only facility of its kind. Located in Urbana, Illinois, the specially trained staff provides assistance to pet owners and specific diagnostic and treatment recommendations to veterinarians. In 2001, the Center handled over 65,000 cases.

But 24 hours after eating the 2 grapes, Dukie seems fine and well - being all hyper. Perhaps that moment of looking tired was to do with the lack of food by sleeping with me than by eating the grapes.

Anyway, i’ve came across this article which discusses whether or not to sleep with your dog.

Should you sleep with your dog? by Hope Saidel

There’s a moment of truth for every dog owner. It’s the end of the evening and you’re ready to go to bed. Rover is sitting and looking at you with those big brown eyes, head cocked to the side, cuter than any animal has a right to be. Do you let Bowser sleep with you?

There’s no right or wrong answer to this question. The real question is - is letting Fifi sleep in your bed right for you? And truthful answers to a few questions will let you reach the right decision for you and your dog.

First: Pixie is an adorable, 15-pound Mastiff puppy. But will there even be room for both of you in bed when she’s a full-grown, 120 pound dog? Her legs don’t bend the way yours do - picture her, as an adult, taking the space of a five-foot square. Possibly not the best choice for a sleeping companion in your twin bed.

Next: Does Bruiser snore? Or shed? Or drool? Much as you may love him, there are times when he’s been rolling in something that you really may not want on your sheets. And giving a dog a bath every night before bed-time isn’t really a viable evening ritual.

Third: A dog’s normal body temperature is somewhere around 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Which can be warm, wonderful and cozy on a cold winter night - especially when you’re trying to keep that thermostat low and the energy bills under control. It actually sounds delightfully snuggly this time of year. But picture those same 102 degrees in August. Will you really be able to look at that shaggy face and say “Not tonight, dear, it’s too hot out!” Muttly isn’t going to understand and may think he’s done something wrong.

There are trainers out there who claim that dogs should never sleep with you, that it undermines your authority as the leader of your family “pack.” The most important concepts in training are patience, decisiveness, and consistency. Decide what the rules are for your dog. Stick to them. As long as Sparky knows what’s expected, she’s happy.

Yes, Trinket would probably prefer to sleep in bed with you. He may even decide that your pillow is the best place to be, with the blanket pulled up to his chin. But he doesn’t get to decide that. You do. If it’s what you want, it’s what you and Duke should do. If it’s not, teach your dog where his bed is and reward him for staying in it. Be strong. The more work you put into training Hooch now, the longer you’ll be able to enjoy your well-trained dog.
About the Author

Hope Saidel is the co-owner of GollyGear, a bricks-and-mortar and online small dog shop featuring fun, affordable and practical products for small dogs. She has trained and competed in Obedience with small dogs for over a decade and is on the Board of Directors of the North Shore Dog Training Club.

Today, while nobody was home, Dukie got out of his cage and started exploring the house.

Summary of damage

1. Tore up his little den
2. Took a poop and peed in the living room
3. Went into the kitchen and other taboo areas

Well, it wasn’t too bad but I think I might start getting a proper dog gate and dog lock for his den.