RE: Memorial Day weekend, where will you be?
McKinney COE on Lake Allatoona in north GA. Actually taking the camper up there tomorrow after work. Gotta dig out my bathing suit!
RE: finally getting back to camping
I think one of the very best things you can do for your kids is camp with them. The closeness, reading stories, hikes, bike riding, and laughter while making s'mores etc. over a fire will provide peaceful and fun memories - and the knowledge that their dad is always there for them. Those memories will stay with them throughout their lives. Best wishes!
I agree. I remember when my dad up and disappeared, leaving my mom with 5 kids, a crappy car, and no bank account. She worked 28 days a month to keep house and home together. The 2-3 days she had off each month she used to take us camping. I'll never forget the first trip. As she sat under the dining canopy crying, my sisters and brother set up the campsite. She cried off and on the whole weekend, but especially when it started raining--she said it was all her fault. I realize now that there was much more going on with her, but we kids hung in there and strove to cheer her up. The last night we were there, we spent by the side of the river, drinking orange Crush, playing our guitars and skipping rocks. That was the first time I saw her smile after dad had left and it was the beginning of a whole new life for all of us.
Best of luck to you, OP. I hope y'all have a grand old time!
RE: Tiki goes to Florida
He sounds a lot like Pen, and I agree it is probably fear. I think some dogs.... and poodles do seem a bit prone to it, for one reason or another (could be wiring or the people that often end up with them to start with, or both I suppose), as do chis and I have one of those, too.
One thing that seems to be the case with both is that they've learned that sort of "ballistic response" to deal with situations that alarm them. They've done it before and it WORKS because eventually the thing that's "scary" to them backs up and goes away. So that becomes a default response and they have to learn A) not to do that and B) another way to cope with various situations that alarm them or learn not to be alarmed so much.
Can it be done? Tinker improved dramatically with me after I actually took the bite (it wasn't severe) and didn't back up. When that behavior didn't work, I stopped seeing so much of it. More exposure to people also helped a lot. Pen has improved a LOT but still has his moments, in particular because we've become a little pack of hermits since moving.
What I do when it happens.... and it happened on Saturday when my local Mormon missionary duo stopped by to say hello (hoping to play with the pitbull!) and I brought out the little brown beastie so he could get a little socialization time. He was too upset to respond well to treats and did the old "I'm going to bite you!" routine, whereupon he found himself flat on the concrete with me holding him by the cheek hair. And there he stayed while the humans chatted and waited until he relaxed. Then I let him up and he was a little dopey (like he'd just had a massage or reiki session) and very happy to have a few pieces of cracker and an ear rub.
Dead useful, those missionaries!
I realize that approach may not be practical for you, because from the sound of it dropping to ground level and staying there for however long it takes for Tiki to give it up may be more than you can handle physically (leaving out the question of some philosophical issue about putting the dog on the ground).
So I'll share the other thing that's worked really well and that I could've used but didn't on Saturday. Pen wears an e-collar, which I got to deal with his barking fits in the yard. I'd gone as far as I could with running out to correct him.... it was just never fast enough. So I bought the e-collar for that. What I discovered is that it makes a very fast and effective way to interrupt him when he gets belligerent with visitors in the house. He's part fearful and part territorial so that's more of an issue than out in public (he'll usually take treats when we're out and about and that convinces him that people are friendly). The e-collar allows me to control him a little less closely while knowing that if he issues a challenge I can stop him almost instantly. I can apply anything from a buzz or beep or a very small shock to something that will cut through any fit he can throw.
His initial introduction to the e-collar was stressful, but once he came to understand it, that faded and he's a calmer, happier and oddly more confident little dog with that as a part of his world. That may be in part because I'm a calmer happier and more confident human knowing that I've got a way to put a halt to bad behavior that doesn't depend on having direct physical control of him. I do "hear" a lot of worry/stress/anxiety in your comments about this dog that you're now attached to but worried about him biting. Unfortunately, that only aggravates the problem. And it's really hard not to be anxious.
There are other things you can do to produce a calmer Tiki over all, and that will reduce the tendency to react. Exercise as STRUCTURED walking (if you're not currently doing that) is very helpful. That means he just walks by your side and does not get to sniff or pee or do anything but follow until you say so. Nothing In Life Is Free can produce a more respectful and then calmer and more confident dog. Obedience training.... ditto. Teaching non-compatible behaviors (you can't do a long down and bark your fool head off) can also be helpful.
Pheremone collars can be a big help for some nervous dogs. Some will respond more strongly than others but they aren't expensive and it is definitely worth a try. There are anti-depressants you could try, or you could try a supplement such as l-tryptophan which is a mild anti-depressant, and/or sam-e which is also an anti-depressant. Rescue remedy in his water and in yours..... both helpful.
Speaking of SAM-e, one thing I have heard a lot about in rescue recently is liver issues and aggression. I think it's worth a blood test if you're going to talk to a vet.
As for what is "acceptable" or "not acceptable" clearly having a dog that threatens people's lives is not desirable, but let's be really clear... this dog is a rehab project and it's actually VERY early days in terms of that. You've had him for just a few weeks, and he's been exposed to a ton of new stuff. Nothing wrong with that, but right now you're finding out where he needs work. He's a long way from a "hopeless case" that needs to be killed. If he was a bigger dog that you couldn't physically control, things might indeed by different. But he isn't.
You do need to control his contacts with people, and one part of that is being clear with people. If you give people (such as Sis) clear guidance, it will help in many cases. Since you know that people looking directly at him and talking to him is apt to be just too much for him, it's a good idea to tell people clearly and calmly "Please don't look straight at him, and don't talk to him, he's being rehabbed and he's not ready for that yet." Once he can be calm around people who are ignoring him, a little more contact is worth a try. It's a process. He needs to form positive associations with meeting humans.
One thing I have done with feral kittens and had others do to good effect, is to spray my hands with pheremones. It can make a huge difference. I guess you can't run around everywhere hosing people down with DAP, but under some circumstances it might be helpful to apply it to hands, pant legs and so on.
If you do get to the point where you just feel like you're in over your heads and you don't have/can't acquire the skills to get the job done, then it may be possible to find someone in rescue who would have the chops to deal with his issues and get him civilized enough to be placed.
Thank you for this clear and thoughtful response. You've given me a measure of hope. My sister rescued a dog 2 years ago whose behavior was worse than Tiki's. That dog was extremely fearful and did a lot of growling and menacing in new situations. One year later, she was really a good dog and she has continued to be a good dog, though a little shy with strangers. As long as we all honor her boundaries, there's been no problems.
I have not been a fan of e-collars, but I may have to rethink that. I have not been walking him as much as he needs, due to the pain in my knees. However! I have been undergoing some shots to both knees (to replace add lubricant to the joints) and the benefits have been must greater than was predicted. I now have very little pain in the knees and can walk easily and go up and down steps. Time to get back out there and walk the damn dog! He does love his walks and I do not allow him to stop and sniff and pee everywhere. He is allowed two stops for sniff/pee--once at the beginning and once halfway through. Tiki walks very nicely on his gentle leader.
I am inclined to keep working with Tiki. Like you said, he's a little dog, only about 12-lb. so he's small enough to pick up and remove from a situation, if I need to. I try not to do that much because I don't want to reinforce the idea that "the world is scary and I must be on the offense." When people come up to him, I always let them know he is a rescue in training and not to come close. He is leashed 100% of the time when outside, even in our backyard, so I can control him. I haven't been quite as strict about stuff inside, other than he is only allowed upstairs with one of us. None of this free range business! He must sit when putting his leash on and taking it off. He is not food-driven at all, so sitting prior to feeding is a total waste--he could care less if he eats or not. He doesn't play with balls or toys either.
He's actually a smart little dog. I might even think about doing some agility training with him. He needs a J.O.B. in my opinion. Tiki does very well in the doggy daycare and did very well at my mother's house with her dog and the next door dogs. He doesn't even bark much when he's outside with the other dogs.
Thanks for letting me get all this off my chest. Sometimes talking it out, or in this case writing it out, gives me a clearer vision. I don't want to be hasty in my decisions. I hope very much that I can rehab this dog because he is so sweet, such a delight, except for this one behavior.
RE: Tiki goes to Florida
Some of the behavior sounds like the puppy mill rescue we had. Sometimes the way people were dressed (men in hats) (men wearing heavy work boots) and objects (shovels) and other things set her off. She was afraid. She had lived a horrible life and those things hurt her in the past. She did get much better, but is took a good year for her to learn that she could trust and that we wouldn't hurt her.
Curious -- how does he act when a phone rings, or a timer on a stove buzzes? Ours lived with an electronic bark collar that buzzed before it shocked her. At first she was terrified of those type of noises also.
He pays no attention to buzzers or phones. He will bark when the doorbell rings, but our last dog (a standard poodle) used to bark like a maniac when someone came to the door and he was not aggressive in the least.
RE: Tiki goes to Florida
Making excuses for his bad behaviors isn't helping the dog or the people he is exposed to. Your mother having a cup or shoe in her hand or the fact that she had a robe on is no excuse for the dog going into an aggressive behavior.
I hope I don't make you angry with my comments -- I know how difficult the whole scenario is. Been there and done it. It's a real emotional issue when trying to save a dog that might not be able to adjust to a normal life.
I know your intentions are good, but you have to consider how you'd feel if the dog ripped a kid's face up or seriously injured an elderly person -- or anyone else for that matter.
I do wish you luck.
Not angry at all. And I'm not making excuses, just describing the situation. I have good intentions, but I'm realistic. If we can't train this out of him, he will have to go. I have a very mentally handicapped son who is defenseless. So far, Tiki has not done this with him, although he did bark when he came home for a visit. I chalked that up to DS being a tall man who he had never met. But I did not allow the two of them to be together unsupervised at any time.
Like I said, I'm taking him to the trainer tomorrow. We'll have a frank discussion and see where it goes. I plan to talk to the vet shortly, too. I want to get her opinion before we do anything permanent. I'd like to give this dog a chance, but not if there is no chance of rehabilitation.
RE: Tiki goes to Florida
put a muzzle on it when you go out.
Oh, believe me, we do!
I am not offended by the comments. I came here because I really want some advice. Hopefully, Dr. Doug will weigh in at some point. I'd hate to have to put this dog down, so I'll continue with the trainer for awhile. But I told my family when we got him that the ONE thing I would not put up with is biting. So far, he hasn't bitten anyone, only threatened. But that's enough to keep my guard up. If he doesn't straighten out soon, I will consider putting him down. I would not return him to the pound--I could never forgive myself if he was adopted by a family and bit their child.
DH and I have talked a bit about the behaviors. He said if Tiki was a big dog, like a lab or a pit bull, we would never put up with this behavior. And I agree. However, Tiki is not a big dog and we are very careful about not letting him get close to people (other than his idiot sister.) I had really hoped to use this dog as a therapy dog, but I don't think that's gonna happen. I would never take him into a school. We only took him into the nursing home because we could get in and out without meeting people. I'm not sure I want to do this for the next 10 years.
Lots to think about...
RE: Grand Canyon cell phone reception
Can anyone comment on Sprint cell phone reception at Trailer Village, the south rim, bryce canyon and zion?
My sister has Sprint, mom has ATT, and we have Verizon. They never had any cell service at all inside YNP. We had texting ability when we were at Old Faithful and Mammoth hot springs, onlyYou're about 1000 miles north of the area inquired about.
LOL! Oops! I don't know why I thought it said Yellowstone. :S Oh, well. We didn't have cell service in GRand Canyon either.
RE: Grand Canyon cell phone reception
Can anyone comment on Sprint cell phone reception at Trailer Village, the south rim, bryce canyon and zion?
My sister has Sprint, mom has ATT, and we have Verizon. They never had any cell service at all inside YNP. We had texting ability when we were at Old Faithful and Mammoth hot springs, only
Tiki goes to Florida
Some of you have followed our saga of Tiki, the rescue pup. As you may recall he was very traumatized, but he has been coming around. He has done well in doggy daycare and has successfully learned to sit.
This weekend we took him to Florida to visit family. We stayed 3 days with my mom, who has a Border Collie mix and 2 cats. I wasn't sure how that would go, but Tiki did well. The two dogs tangled up a couple times until they got their pecking order sorted out. Tiki didn't bark all that much either. Inside the house, he quickly took a liking to my mom(she has good treats.) However, twice Tiki "turned" on her, barking furiously and snapping. Fortunately, mother didn't overreact and quickly squelched the behavior.
Then we went to another city to see other family. We stayed in a hotel, Tiki's first experience with that. He did well in the hotel. DH took him to MILs nursing home to see her--through a back door so he wouldn't have the opportunity to encounter many people *cuz we never know...* Tiki did great with MIL and she was delighted with the visit. The next day, DH took him back and met up with his sister and BIL in the parking lot. DH was holding Tiki, talking with his sister when Tiki "turned" suddenly, barking furiously and growling. Unfortunately, Sister is a moron and she moved in closer talking baby talk and trying to comfort him. She nearly lost her nose! At that point, DH brought Tiki back to the hotel without seeing MIL again--Tiki was clearly too upset. Back at the hotel, he was perfectly behaved and we had no more problems.
I am not sure what's going on. With mother both times he turned on her she was holding something--once it was a cup and once it was a shoe. She was wearing a bathrobe too. With Sister, we have no idea what set him off. Of course, then she made it worse.
I am trying really hard to nip this in the bud (pun intended.) I give him a sharp "No barks!" and a downward tug on the leash. I praise him when he behaves well in an iffy situation, such as when he encounters other dogs or people he doesn't know (or stop signs, plastic bags or fire hydrants--oy~) I know he is acting out of fear but I can't figure out how he is going from loving, likeable fellow to Demon Seed in less than a second.
Any ideas how to manage this? I plan to take him to the trainer tomorrow and I will be addressing it with him.
ETA: Tiki is a Bichon-Poodle mix, if that helps.
RE: Dogs welcome in Yellowstone??
We were at Yellowstone in July 2007. It was 76 degrees in the daytime, too hot to leave an animal in the car. We didn't have our dog with us, primarily because we were concerned about managing his needs. As I recall, you can't take them hiking on the trails, nor on the boardwalks. We saw animals in the campground and on the roads. I would not want to risk a dog vs. bison or bear encounter (we saw both, at close distance.) Most of the boardwalks are not fenced, so it would be very easy for a dog to take a flying leap into a thermal. Even worse, if a child or elderly person was to be suddenly scared or tripped by a dog *they* could take that flying leap into a thermal. Think it can't happen? Read "Death in Yellowstone".
Yes, you could take your dog to Yellowstone. I wouldn't.
RE: Unwanted guests, lets hear your story....
I am a retired Special Education teacher...worked with guys like the one who began this thread for many years. If he seems a bit "off" he is, and it's not his fault. I worked hard teaching "social cues", manners, etc., and we reinforced these day after day, because they were forgotten day after day...some stuck, some didn't. If this guy is mildly retarded and now an adult he may or may not be getting continued social skills training if he is fortunate enough to be working in a shelter workshop.
In a positive way you need to be direct with folks like this or you WILL be taken advantage of, because he's just trying to be friendly, and probably means you no harm. "This is our family time/our dinner time/etc., and you need to leave now." If he complies, great. If he does not, or if things escalate then or in the future, then you need to start working higher up the chain of command.
Too bad we need to sometimes deal with "stuff" like while out camping, but I'd much rather deal with this guy than a bunch of obnoxious campers drinking too much beer a campsite or two down the way.
Where is my "bowing before your awesome-ness" smiley? My youngest DS18 is severely mentally handicapped and autistic. He has be privileged to have many really great teachers in his life. They have helped us potty train DS, taught him to feed himself, helped him learn to clap to music, play simple games on a computer, and participate in story time. And they have been doing it over and over and over for 15 years. DS functions on the level of a 1yr old so obviously, we don't let him wander around by himself. He's a sweetheart, but he needs constant supervision and assistance with everything. If not for his wonderful teachers and assistants, I would have completely lost my mind. I don't know how you do it and my hat's off to you for making it your life work. God bless you in retirement--you've earned it!
RE: Campfires...good in moderation
A good thing to have in your first aid kit is burn ointment.
I keep a jar of prescription Silvadene cream in my first aid kit, both at home and in the camper.
Here's my PSA--
First degree burns leave redness and pain, similar to sunburn. Be careful what you put on a burn--anything Vaseline or oil based can make things worse. Cool cloths will help take the heat out. I have used wet tea bags on minor burns. An NSAID like Advil or Aleve will help with the inflammation.
Second degree burns leave blisters. If it's confined to one small spot you can probably treat it yourself. Larger than 2", multiple blisters, or blisters on the hands, face or feet should be treated by a doctor. These burns are very painful and can get very infected when the blisters pop.
Third degree burns cause destruction of all 3 layers of skin. Usually turn black, may or may not be very painful because the burn destroys the nerve endings. This is a serious emergency--call 911. This person will be shocky; he needs medical supporte and need IV fluids immediately.
RE: "Corps of Engineers" Camgrounds? What's that?
Personally i have never stayed at a bad corp of engineers campground. That doesn't mean there isn't one but everyone i have stayed at is very nice and clean. I highly recommend them!
I would agree with this. We love COE campgrounds! The ones in my state are wooded and relatively private--you're not right up on each other. Lots of the sites are lake front. Bathhouses are clean. The only negative I can think of is a lot of them (maybe most of them) have no sewer hookups. But they have water & electric, and a dump station usually
RE: Unwanted guests, lets hear your story....
well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.
when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again.
when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever.
If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager. Y
It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.
Nicely stated. It's unfortunate and can be unpleasant to have to be direct and blunt (at least for me, it is), but there are times that it's required.
It doesn't need to be unpleasant. I work with children and adults who have autism. They often struggle with social cues so they don't realize when they're being a pest, I find that if I just tell them directly they do not take offense. They really do want to fit inso they have to be told. People with autism are very attached to "the rules", so being direct with them plays right into their rule-seeking mindset. As long as you don't act to humiliate them, but just speak calmly they probably will just get up and move on. One thing about it--you can't be namby-pamby about it. No dropping hints. You need to just come right out with it.
RE: Supartz injections today
I had the same issue with my Right knee(bone on bone).....I tried everything before turning to surgery 2 years ago(fancy knee brace, chicken shots, cortizone shots)...when all was said and done, I wish I had done the total knee replacement many years earlier. One thing I will comment on and I know everyone's experience is different but I had General anesthetic and when I awoke in recovery.....without being overly explanatory(graphic), it wasnt a pleasant experience for 2-2 1/2 hours after surgery.
Yeah, I have very unpleasant reactions to gen'l anesthesia. I always throw up. And when I say always, I mean ALWAYS. I have had several surgeries and the nurse asks if I have problems with anesthesia--see above. Always. And they never fail to say, "Oh, we use some new stuff now! you won't be sick!" And it never fails. I throw up. One time I was waking up after surgery, sick as a dog, saying "I'm gonna throw up! I'm gonna throw up!" I couldn't even get my eyes open but I could hear my nurse make a real snarky comment to another nurse "Oh, she's just making herself sick." Unfortunately for her, she moved in a little too close and got a blast all over her shoes! I tried to tell her!~
Update on the knees--To my surprise and delight, my knees feel much better today! I haven't even had to take any pain medicine today, not even Tylenol! I wasn't expecting that at all. I even took the dog for a 1/2 mile walk with no problems. Huh! If it keeps going like this, I'll be a believer!
Be careful of Tylenol I was taking Tylenol with codeine and eventually it mucked up my liver
You make a very good point. Tylenol is cumulative and it can cause liver failure in people who consistently take more than the recommended doses. I take Tylenol a few times a week, and always at or below the recommended dose. But thanks for the PSA. We all need to be reminded that OTC drugs are not without risks.
RE: Supartz injections today
Either the doctor has a poor needle technique or you have a problem with needles, or it could be that Supartz hurts more. I just had a shot of cortisone in each knee and did not feel a thing. The shot worked like magic but the effects only lasted a few weeks
By the way my doctor had an assistant spray some stuff on my knee to numb it up before he stuck in the needle, did your doc do that?
Yep. I have very little space inside the joint due to severe arthritis. I'm just trying to buy some time to avoid double knee replacements. So far the Supartz is doing a good job.
RE: Unwanted guests, lets hear your story....
well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.
when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again.
when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever.
If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager. Y
It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.
Nicely stated. It's unfortunate and can be unpleasant to have to be direct and blunt (at least for me, it is), but there are times that it's required.
It doesn't need to be unpleasant. I work with children and adults who have autism They often struggle with social cues so they don't realize when they're being a pest I find that if I just tell them directly they do not take offense. I really do want to fit in but so they have to be tol. about people wit about people with autism is so being direct wit so being direct with them plays into that rule seeking.
RE: Supartz injections today
2nd shot today and holy cow! I had almost immediate relief! And it didn't hurt nearly as much getting the shot. As my Dr says, I'm 40% done with the shots now.
I can't believe how much better my knees are. It's really a miracle. To think that 1 month ago I was seriously thinking of selling the house because of all the stairs. (that still may happen, but hopefully farther into the future.)
RE: Hot Tubs for real
That still doesn't adequately answer the question: Where are you gonna put all that water when you're done?
I used to have a 12 ft by 3 ft pool- THAT is a lot of water.
The yard got a very good drink and was squishy for a couple of days.
But, it was not all that big of a deal to drain it.
I'd expect a very similar situation for a hot tub. Smaller pool on a smaller site. It will make a signficant wet spot that will dry up in a couple of days and would not be a big issue unless it's right on a dirt footpath or it's rainy season.
It won't be a big issue if the campground owner deems it not an issue.
