RE: My poodles foot, suggestions please
I'm always surprised when people are so dismissive of a request for information. The OP asked a question to see if someone might have insight into why her dog has an issue with his foot. Someone here might have similar experience. That doesn't mean that she isn't going to take her dog to the vet. But wow, it's Saturday, and a lot of vet offices aren't open Saturday. So asking a bunch of experienced dog owners isn't such a crazy thing, is it? I mean, this is hardly an emergency that requires running to the emergency clinic.
Slippity, what I would do is lay my dog on his side to get the best look of the paw. If you have a helper, that will be great. Use a bright flashlight (mag light), and you want to carefully look at the paw. Not just the pad, but the entire paw. Look at each toe, top and bottom, in between each toe, and look at each nail. Sometimes, as Dale pointed out, there may be something little there that we wouldn't normally see. It could be a tick, some tree sap that dirt adhered to, a small thorn. Look also for a hole that looks like a thorn might have entered the toes/pad. With your mag light shining bright, run the edge of your finger very softly across the pad. Then, I'll use a straight edge (I like a credit card) and drag it across the surface of the pad to feel for any tiny pieces of glass that might have gotten into the pad. Sometimes, you can't see them, but you can feel them barely sticking out. And sometimes, you can't feel them with your finger, but you can detect them when the straight edge bumps into them. Look for the glint of light that glass/ceramics give off as well.
If I can't find any clear cause for it, what I normally do when I have a dog messing with a paw like this is what my vet has always recommended first: soaking three times a day/10-15 minutes each time in a warm Epsom salts bath. If anything did enter the paw, this will help draw it out. Given that you are at the point of having actual inflammation, if the skin looks red and puffy, what I would do instead of Epsom salts is use Betadine (which you can get at any drug store). Add it to warm water til it's the color of tea, and soak the dog's foot for 10-15 min/3x per day. This also will draw out anything that may be in the foot, but the Betadine will deal with the infection that has likely started.
At the end of each day, you'll want to reinspect the paw thoroughly, if something were drawn out, you might be able to see it. So get your mag light, your best pair of tweezers and look very carefully.
Keep in mind that a dog can wound their paw and the actual cause of injury may be gone, but if it continues to hurt, the dog can cause a "lick granuloma." (You can Google the term and find all sorts of fascinating info on them, but basically it's a trauma wound caused by constant licking). So we want to get that licking under control asap. Over-the-counter ointments generally don't seem to do this very well, in my experience. Some ointments like Neosporin apparently taste pretty good, because I've had several dogs that just loved the stuff.
Also, if your dog's foot issues might arise from an allergic reaction to something he stepped in, the last thing we want to do is add an ointment that might contain more stuff that he might be allergic to. So I tend to stay away from over-the-counter stuff unless I know exactly what I'm dealing with. I put a sock on the foot, taped rightly around the leg (but not the foot) with packaging tape to keep it on. (Ok, I don't actually tape it to the dog. I tape the sock to itself. Does that make sense?) The foot should be able to breathe, so it should only be covered with cloth. Anytime it gets even slightly dirty, I switch it out, and I take it off when they go outside.
Then, if the soaking hasn't made a whit of difference within about 4-5 days, I head to my vet. He examines the foot carefully, which I've already done. Finding nothing, he suggests soaking, which I've already done, so we can move on to the NEXT step...
My vet and me, we're a great team. :B
RE: Please watch your animals while camping or home
A lot of things can happen to pets while they're outside unsupervised. Their collars can get stuck on something and they can panic and strangle themselves. They can be stolen right out of the yard, or poisoned by vicious people with nothing better to do (or neighbors with a grudge. Or your lovely but poisonous ground coverings and perennials.) Very small dogs and young puppies can be harmed by hawks, eagles, raccoons, and other wildlife that you would never expect to be dangerous.
Heat, cold. These can be dangerous in extremes as well. Food, sticks, these can cause choking even in dogs that don't normally gobble. Deep chested dogs can bloat far away from your watchful eye. Dogs can dig out and climb out of yards in pursuit of a cat, squirrel or female in heat. Yes, even dogs who have never done so before.
The safest place for your pet is near you. When he's outside, you should be keeping a close eye on him. Check on him often. Build a kennel that has a floor and a roof. Lock it. When you're away from home, put your dog in the kennel, or crate him in your house, or put him in day care.
The back yard just isn't as safe as it looks. Even when you're home. Even when everything looks perfectly normal. You're so used to seeing your yard that you don't see all the traps and dangers. Look again. Protect your pet. Coyotes are a danger. But there are a lot of other dangers out there. Keep your pet with you when you can; when you can't, put him somewhere that he'll be safe.
Someone asked on another thread, what's the Fountain of Youth for dogs? How do they get to be healthy senior citizens? This is one simple way: protect them from accidents and other things that can do them harm.
You'll never know what disasters you've prevented! :B
RE: Holding Tank Heaters - Necessary?
Like PNichols, our Itasca has 12 volt tank heaters, and when we were at Yellowstone in October and it dipped well below freezing (low 20s), we ran them. We were dry camping. The next morning, we ran the engine for a bit to recharge them, and we were set for another night. We've used them more than I would have expected (we bought our MH in last Sept). If you stay in the southwest, travel during fair-weather months, and don't go into high elevations, you're likely ok. But freak snowstorms have a way of hitting everywhere these days. (Even San Diego was closed down by snow this winter. Last week, it was snowing here in normally balmy WA; it's mid-June!)
I like having them. In a situation like this, IMO, it's better to have the equipment and not use it, than need the equipment and not have it. I hear that broken lines can be expensive.
RE: RV camping with your dogs?
Dogfriendly is really helpful in finding RV parks that don't have breed bans. They print up a book guide that is useful when you're on the road.
I always call to check that the policy hasn't changed. And I've found it's useful when calling not to ask "Do you allow Rottweilers?" (or similar), but just to ask "what is your pet policy?" If they have a breed ban, they'll tell you. If they don't, they'll just tell you the usual -- pets on leash, if there's a dog run, that sort of thing. And it seems that they appreciate people asking what the policy is ahead of time because they're very friendly in pointing out extra useful things like walking trails, paths, etc once I get there.
RE: Propane fillup location pitfalls
Camping World also sells it. But not on Sundays. The Service Dept is closed on Sundays. And holidays. And in the evening. But other than that, it's convenient. :B
RE: using a gps system in a class C
Garmin 680. Never any issues. Works nearly perfectly (the GPS is perfect; sometimes the routing could be tighter). We use the suction cup mount.
RE: taxes in other states
Hmmm. I read every month in the FMCA and Good Sam magazines about how unfairly full-timers are being denied of their voting rights because they don't have permanent physical addresses.
But then I read posts like these, where all the discussion is how to avoid paying any and all taxes (that is, avoiding supporting the community in which you live), and I totally get it. There is no discussion about finding a nice place to live, finding a community that you can become a part of, etc. It's all about avoiding taxes. Why would a municipality want someone with NO ties to the community (someone who has likely chosen that community because it's a *cheap* place to live to begin with) make decisions that affect all the permanent year-round residents who actually live, work, attend school, etc there.
And rent, therefore property tax, for a relatively unimproved piece of ground at an RV park doesn't equate to rent, therefore property tax, for an apartment, much less a single-family dwelling. These almost certainly have very different tax rates in most locales; otherwise RV parks wouldn't be able to stay in business.
I have nothing against prudent tax planning. But I see why municipalities might be hesitant to extend voting rights to such long-term guests.
Sometimes, the things I learn on this forum are just so insightful.
RE: Fireworks
What we do is we spend the day in towns that don't allow fireworks. We live in the county, which does. So we drive in to the city, and it's much calmer and nicer. Not perfect, but better. (Many of the city folks who want to play with fireworks travel to neighborhoods like ours where they can light off fireworks to their hearts' content.). At night, make sure you're far away from the lakes, waterfronts, and the Space Needle which have fireworks shows.
As for campgrounds, we haven't tried any. A few years ago, we tried going into the mountains for the day to escape fireworks and it was worse than the war zone we had back home. Maybe someone else will have campground suggestions. I don't.
Maybe what you need to do (I assume you're in an RV) is get a hotel room, something nice and well insulated (I'm thinking like one of the nicer hotels by SeaTac). Get a prescription for something like acepromazine that will help your pup sleep through the noise you can hear, and let your sedated pup just snooze her way through the holiday. Yeah, it will cost you more money, but all of you will be more peaceful. That's what I would do. I don't think you'll be able to outrun this, unless you go to perhaps San Jose or Sacramento. California is pretty strict about fireworks, but they're still shot off in more rural areas there. So you'll have to drive a ways.
My beagle is a California dog; didn't encounter fireworks til we moved here a decade ago and is terrified of them. It's always a challenge for us. I haven't figured out a good answer either, except the noise-insulated hotel.
Good luck.
RE: I survived my first 'elective' surgery on my dog!
I hate when my kids need surgery. Elective surgery. (which is never "really" elective, is it? I mean, they're not getting a face lift). Necessary surgery. Then my personal favorite -- Emergency/Life sustaining surgery. Augh. Wannna know how many surgeries my kids have had? Count the gray hairs on my head.
Not THEIR gray hairs. They're calm. They're cool with it all. They love the dentist. They love the surgeon. They love the techs.
Me. I'm a wreck.
Congratulations on surviving it. You deserve a medal. :B
RE: Depressed after surgery
What I would NOT do, frankly, is allow him to play the alpha dog with the other dogs in the household. This is never a great idea... but especially when he's not feeling well. Being the pack leader is a stressful and lonely job. It is very frightening to a lot of dogs and thus leads to a lot of behavioral issues. That's why the humans are supposed to be the ones doing it.
Being the pack leader while he's in a weakened state as he is now... this is just too much to dump on a four pound animal who is feeling vulnerable and in pain. He needs to feel protected, and the pack leader is the protector. And yes I understand that when he growls at the other dogs you think "oh, he's being spunky!" But really what he is being is out-of-bounds in a way that isn't doing his mental health any favors. You don't need to put him on the ground or anything, this is not the time for physical corrections at all... but I would verbally correct him when he behaves that way. Just the finger or hiss can of doom (or a combination of the two)or a quick "hey!" when he acts up with the other dogs, will let him know that you're in charge and he can relax.
Yep. She's right. Completely 100% right. I would add that crating him (if he's crate-trained) will allow him the physical and emotional space to be protected. Dogs in crates feel like they're off duty. No one can bug him, and he doens't feel like the he has to assert himself.
Just thinking aloud....This sort of surgery is exactly the sort of surgery that I would go to a board certified surgeon for. My 58-lb female dog had a large (softball size) tumor between her vagina and anus. My surgeon removed it and she was up and around and her normal self in three days.
I'm not questioning your vet's qualifications in general. But I don't have my general practitioner vet do any surgery that's more complicated than a simple neuter. I love my vet. I trust him completely. But for my dogs' surgeries, I go to a surgeon, just like I would for myself or my husband. (And honestly, my vet is fine with the fact that I go to the surgeon. I see my vet plenty as it is.) Just my two cents on that topic, nothing more. And yeah, there's not much you can do about it now, anyway. I realize that.
But...having had dogs who have had some MAJOR surgeries (yep, I'm lucky that way), the more invasive or complicated the surgery, the deeper the sedation required. I'm guessing that your pup likely needed some heavy anesthesia. Two of my dogs took about one week to get anesthesia totally out of their systems. They were depressed, sick (diarrhea), and acted kind of like they had been poisoned. The first time it happened, I was freaked out. After that, I learned that we all handle anesthesia in our own ways. (My girl with the huge tumor metabolized anesthesia like it was a drink of water. "In and out. What's for dinner?" :) ) If your pup has a sensitive system in general, then it's possible that his body is still processing the chemicals. But my experience (and that of my cohorts) is that it can take up to a week. So if that's the case, your pup should start feeling better soon.
Good luck.
RE: Kudos to Camping World!
Then again, they're cheaper and better made than the ones at PetSmart.
And I saw them in a store in Oregon and one in WA. So the pens are available in some stores at least.
RE: Has your senior doggie found the "fountain of youth"?
My beagle/spaniel is 15. She hikes, camps (including tent camping) and I just signed her up for an agility class! She also rules my 2 year old German Shepherd with an iron paw.
How do we do it? A lifetime of activity. We're outdoors people and she's always been active. She eats a grain-free diet of premium kibble mixed with home cooked food and veggies (not human food that's just our cast-off dinners. I cook specifically for her). She had ACL surgery on both of her knees in 2001 (bilateral TPLO), and she's taken glucosamine/chondroitin supplements every night since then. That, along with her diet, has seemed to have prevented any arthritis. She has a bit of arthritis in her toes, but that's it. Her snacks are limited to high quality (not from China) dehydrated meat like Merrick or Canz. Occasionally, she can have a few Cheerios...and a bite of cheese pizza. She loves pizza.
I run a full blood panel on her every six months, so any changes can be caught quickly. She's on a very low-dose of thyroid medicine (thyroid issues are common in beagles. Hers didn't appear until she was about 14 years old). She has recently developed a 1/6 heart murmur that could continue at that low range for years. But I'll continue to monitor that on a 6 month interval as well.
Otherwise, she is happy, feisty, healthy, and raring to go. When we go camping, she's the first on the path, and blazes new trails. She still chases squirrels and follows her nose. In camp, she's the first in the tent, burrowed in her sleeping bag after dinner and out for the night....But the first to wake up and get going in the morning, especially when she sniffs deer at the edge of the campsite.
At home, it takes her a long time to walk around the block. She's not as fast as she used to be. And she has to sniff every meeting post, just to see what all the other dogs are up to. We jog around the yard, doing laps, to make sure she still gets her cardio exercise. She swims in water therapy once a week.
The secret? There isn't one, but several. An Excellent grain free and varied diet (grains contribute to arthritis). *Regular* veterinary care to catch little things before they become big things. Lots of exercise -- as much cardio physical exercise as she can reasonably tolerate. But also MENTAL exercise to keep her brain sharp. When I train my younger dog, she sits alongside them and does the tasks as well. She loves it (she gets snacks!) and it keeps her brain active. Getting out of the yard and seeing new things. Going for rides; going to the vet's office to say hi to her friends there when we refill her prescription; going to the pet store; going to new and different parks and other locations. Keeping life interesting.
Basically, it's the same stuff that our doctors tell US to do. All of it.
And, as Susan says, lots of love. Not being an outdoor dog (outdoor dogs lead shorter lives). More love. And tons of hugs and snuggles.
Did I mention love?
RE: Humane Society complaints
You all are too nice. I'd send the letter back with a note saying simply, "It's not me". .
John
No. I disagree. This is a perfect time to get EVIDENCE that the complaints are groundless and arbitrary. I'd call the Humane Society or whoever is sending the letters and tell them that I'd like them to send an agent to my home to investigate the complaint in person.
I'd also demand to know who is filing the complaints. (Send a certified return-receipt requested letter. Keep it short. I would simply say, something like "I have received the two attached complaints. Please advise the name and address of the party/parties who have filed these complaints.") Since noise complaints will (in most municipalities) result in fines, penalties, up to and including your losing your dogs, you almost certainly have the right to know who your accuser is. Our animal control (who handles noise complaints in our community as well) will take complaints and will agree not to share the complainant's name -- unless the subject demands the information.
If the Humane Society won't send out an agent, I would videotape my backyard, include a copy of today's newspaper and perhaps a neighbor or friend in the video who could be a witness. I'd send a copy of that to them with a letter that said "I asked you to come to my home. This is what you would have seen. No dogs. There haven't been any dogs here since XX date. Note the absence of dog toys, bowls, dog houses. Note that the grass is fully grown in (add your own additional ideas). You haven't appropriately investigated this matter. If you had, you would have seen that no dogs have been living at my home and that this complaint is 100% frivolous. I trust that this is sufficient evidence to have this matter dropped entirely. Please send me a letter to that effect."
If you don't receive a response in 14 days, I would send another letter (certified)confirming that they have realize the complaint is frivolous and that they have dropped the matter.
BUT...what I would also do is figure out what is going on in my neighborhood. Either someone can't figure out it's your neighbor's dogs that bark (perhaps a shut-in elderly person who is just guessing what yard they're in?). Or who there's someone in the neighborhood that dislikes you and/or your dogs a lot.
Neighbors like this are dangerous. It doesn't take much to go from filing a false complaint that can get your dogs taken away from you to actually doing something to take your dogs away from you. I personally wouldn't let the dogs in your yard (when they're there) without supervision, ever, til I figured out exactly what the deal was.
RE: what kind of tent
I've been a serious backpacker for decades. Frankly, CKAYAKER's advice is exactly right.
Lighting? Really? Plan on pitching that tent under a tree? Ok, the tree gets struck, you don't. Out in the desert? Find a Joshua tree or saguaro. At a KOA? Park next to the Class A with his TV antenna up. Stop worrying about it. My 3 tents all have aluminum poles. I've been in plenty of electrical storms. Never even caught a tiny spark. (Well, except the static from my polypropylene long underwear rubbing up against my polyester sleeping bag liner. But that aside...)
Listen to CKAYAKER. When someone who actually knows what they're talking about give you advice, it's polite -- and wise -- to take it. :)
Have fun!
(The "Don't Try This at Home" warning: Don't pitch a tent under a tree if you expect electrical storms. It's actually pretty dangerous because the electricity can travel toward you! Just pitch your tent in the wide open meadow and let the tree take the hit all by itself!)
RE: If you were on this jury.....
That is the difference in a person and an animal. My wife had to have three surgeries in the past 6 months. Having read the horror stories of how things get mixed up in hospitals, I told them ahead of time, if they screw up and remove something that was not supposed to be removed or leave something in her that is not supposed to be there, that I will OWN THAT HOSPITAL! No beating around the bush for me.
Off topic, but...
Wow. I'm sure you made a lot of friends for your wife. :S
The "horror stories" like you cite rarely happen. That's why you hear about them. Most malpractice lawsuits are things like, the patient didn't take her antibiotics after surgery because she didn't think she needed them. Then her the site of her ankle surgery became hopelessly infected (she's a diabetic, so she has bad circulation and healing). THAT's why her foot had to be amputated in a second surgery.
So her family finds some cheesy attorney and there's a lawsuit.
But darn it, that's not a great story that's "Live! At 5pm! Trial at the Hospital! Woman's Foot Amputated Due to Negligence!"
Because it's her own negligence.
But yeah, I bet your wife's doctors and nurses loved hearing how you'd own their hospital. Personally, when I had surgery, I wanted my husband bringing my doctor aged scotch and the nurses flowers, just to make sure I was well taken care of.
To each his own.
RE: Setter's kidneys starting to fail-food suggestions?
The problem with many of the "senior" kibbles I've seen is that the protein comes in large part from the grain and not as much from the meat ingredients. (The first five ingredients are generally considered the most important, and if you're seeing a lot of grains, or grains listed first, then your dog is going to be getting more grain than meat).
For dogs with liver disease/kidney disease/renal failure, the type of protein is important. Dogs need meat. Meat is easier digested and processed by dogs and it has a wider array of amino acids that dogs need (especially if you feed high omega 3 meat sources).
I had a dog with elevated liver enzymes, and BUN and creatine that were off for YEARS (about 6 or so). (Cushings and similar disorders were ruled out). I fed her Canidae (24% protein); then I switched her to a homemade grain-free diet. I like Pawz's recommendations and think that they're both worth checking out.
But also, I do want to point out that I make my German Shepherd's food, which averages out to about $2.40 per lb (I track all expenses). My older dog eats premium grain-free kibble (with some homecooked). The kibble costs $2.20 per lb.
That veterinary diet is definitely more expensive than either of the diets my dogs are on. It sounds expensive to feed your dog a homemade diet, but it's really not that expensive. It takes time to LEARN how to do it. But then it's not that much effort either. Preparing your dog's food, you know exactly what he's eating, right down to how many grams of protein and fat per serving. So, keep your options open. Look around. If you're interested, these might be very helpful to you:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/K9Kitchen/
This group is hosted by Monica Segal www.monicasegal.com.
A raw diet is also an option as well. www.rawdogranch.com
Good luck!
RE: how long did it take to fully housetrain....
It depends on how you are trained to get the puppy in a schedule that is consistent. The first thing in the morning at the same time is one, two is about mid day, three is mid afternoon four is after a meal, five is just before bedtime. With each time giving a reward of a piece of dried liver or milk bone treat. Once they know when to expect their potty time, they usually are trained and won't go inside. They also need to be scolded if they mess up by putting their noise in it and giving a spank and loud NO! Some people don't spank they do what the dogs mom would do and grab their ear at the top by the head and shake it slightly. Be careful as some dogs will bight if this is done. That's why the other end is easier.
YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT DOGS AND TRAINING. Hitting a dog only teaches them that their humans hit. Putting a dog's nose in his mess proves nothing.
PLEASE EVERYONE, IGNORE THIS POST BECAUSE THE OP KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT DOG TRAINING AND IS GIVING VERY POOR ADVICE.
Whoa Wayne! I have used everyone of trop-a-cal's methods in the past and they do work--I simply choose not to strike dogs anymore--I have found that scolding works as well as corporal punishment, largely that depends on the animal involved. Making the dog recognize the source of your discomfort by putting its nose near the urine or scat reinforces exactly what you are scolding for. I don't put their noses in the stuff for the simple reason that we tend to be pretty affectionate with our dogs and prefer their and our nuzzling a bit sanitary.
This is a question that requests opinions--the OP is free to choose from all our experiences.
Actually, though, you're both just wrong. Mother dogs don't scold or otherwise reprimand dogs for urinating or defecating in the den. They clean it up themselves (they lick it up and swallow it).
If you catch a dog in the act of urinating/defecating in the house and you yell at or hit it, the dog will learn ONE lesson -- that you don't like him to poop or pee. This dog won't learn to go outside. He DEFINITELY won't learn to poop or pee on a leash in front of you (after all, you hate it when he poops or pees. You yell at or hit him). He will go in places that he thinks you won't find the terrible poop and pee that you hate so much. The basement. The spare bedroom. Behind the sofa. Under the bed. Behind the draperies. "Ah." The brilliant dog owner then says. "He knows what he's doing is wrong. "That's why he's hiding it from me." No. It's what you taught him.
Also, if you have ever actually watched a female dog and her litter, you'll see that a the mother virtually never does any of the "pick the puppy up and shake him" behavior that everyone loves to say that they're copying. She doesn't. If there's an adult male around the litter, he doesn't either. And they don't pin puppies to the ground. (Another popular misconception).
If a pup is doing something that makes Mom unhappy, the mother will do a variety of things: walk away, ignore it (withdraw attention because pups like attention), push it aside with her nose a bit; and if the pup insists of being particularly obnoxious, growl softly at it. That resolves things, but it virtually never gets to that stage. Why? Because Mom is teaching the kids how to be good socialized little pups. Mom doesn't snap. She doesn't growl. She doesn't get physical.
Humans get physical with dogs. Then we say, "well, that's what dogs do; that's why we're doing it." No. Balanced socialized dogs rarely do that. When dogs do get physically aggressive with each other, it's with dogs they don't like, and it's with dogs that they have a good intention of hurting (or they want to make it look like they'd hurt them).
Yelling or scolding a puppy does nothing but overwhelm it. Dogs are not equipped to handle human anger. They understand reasonable consistent leadership and firmness. But a firm command is NOT reprimanding a dog for something over which he has no control. That's just bad leadership -- which is another word for bad training, which creates an uneasy relationship between dog and owner. I want my dog -- especially my puppies -- to trust me completely -- to run TOWARD me for everything, whether they're hungry, afraid, excited, hurt, happy, etc.
I do not ever, for even a second, want my puppy or adult dog to be afraid of me. When someone acts in ways that a puppy can't understand -- hitting and scolding for something that he can't control -- the pup will learn fear. How couldn't he? He can't control his bodily functions, and these make his owner angry. He's destined to make his owner very angry and he knows it. Poor puppy.
Now, to the OP, what breed is your dog? Some breeds seem to take longer to be housebroken than others. Are you using a crate? (If you aren't, you should...) If you are, I can give you a plan for housebreaking that, although it may seem a little demanding (for you) now, is pretty much guaranteed to work, if you do it consistently. My young German Shepherd was housebroken by 9 weeks old (we got him at 7 weeks.) He pottied in the house exactly 3 times and one of those was because Dh forgot to stick to the plan! :B . We're getting a new pup in a few weeks and starting all over again.
Let me know.
RE: Queen Bed + Short Overall Length?
I sure wouldn't base a MH purchase on the beds' mattresses. A 2 inch foam topper, cut to fit the rear bed's angled corner, makes our rear corner bed extremely comfortable in spite of the slightly firm mattress. These foam toppers really help with firm mattresses, but of course won't help a soft one.
It's not the mattress. It's the SHAPE of the BED I was referring to, and it's hard to work around that. You can't put a different shape mattress (a regular double or queen mattress) in there because then there isn't room to walk where the corner was cut off.
If your body is longer than the bed (because the bed is chopped off at an angle), you will be uncomfortable at night. And not being able to sleep comfortably at night IS a reason not to buy a given motor home. This isn't something that's obvious when a person looks at the master bed because it visually looks like an intact bed, even if it's a bit short. But if both people are tall (I'm 5'8", Dh is 6'0"), it can be a problem. That's why I brought it up.
RE: Leveling Jacks
Probably depends a lot where you stay. If you're mostly at RV parks, then probably, you don't need jacks. If you're at government campgrounds, especially those in states that get actual weather where the sites erode and shift from year to year, jacks are, IMO, a great thing.
We've stayed in some sites that were so darn steep that it would have been pretty unsafe to have our coach perched up on wood blocks. Not to mention, all that wonderful storage space in your coach that you use up schlepping that wood around. I've seen people pull out the equivalent of a small Home Depot lumber department when they start to level their coaches. For us, we pull in. Whoever is driving drops the jacks. The other stands outside, glances under the coach to ensure that the jacks all dropped like they should. We double check the levelling with a bubble level.
And, about 2 minutes later, we're done.
Someone here told me that it makes sense to buy your jacks when you first get your coach because you'll get your full value out of them that way. (Sometimes, you get truly brilliant and invaluable advice here!) We tried wood and plastic blocks twice. We bought the jacks (the joystick model). That is probably some of the best money we have ever spent. Honestly. It just makes RVing that much better. I see people lounging around in $200 chaise lounge chairs; they have all the other fancy Camping World gear, but they level their coaches with wood, and I just think, they could have saved that $400, saved up some more, and bought something truly worth the money.
My two cents, for whatever it's worth.
RE: If you were on this jury.....
Doug's right. An animal is property in most states, and you're only going to get compensated the market value of the animal. There are some exceptions to this (service animals, that sort of thing) and intentional acts. But barring gross negligence...actually, I'd have to say willful malicious behavior is actually the bar that the plaintiff would have jump in this case, the compensation is going to be what the dog is actually worth. A couple hundred dollars? Maybe a thousand or two? If the dog were a stud or dam that was dropping prize litters, those folks would have been down at the shelter as soon as they got the call. So good luck convincing anyone that the dog is worth more than whatever a similarly papered dog is worth.
Emotional distress? Not that someone can legally make a claim for it, but I can just see trying to argue to a jury that you can leave your dog at the shelter for days but now, you're emotionally distraught at not having the dog around. Please. If the dog meant that much to you, you'd find a way to come up with the money. You'd beg, borrow or cash advance a credit card. Or you'd go down in person and offer to clean kennels till you worked off the fee. Even if they said no, you'd sit by the kennel every minute you could to keep your dog company. (Imagine if you did this. Those workers would know you and they'd know your dog. This mistake likely wouldn't have happened). You'd do something, but you wouldn't just leave your dog in a shelter for days all on its own. And that is EXACTLY what the defense attorney would argue if this were your case.
Regardless....
It's certainly not worth going to a JURY for. Jury cases cost a fortune. Small claims is the best bet.
LOL. The censors got me for using the appropriate term for a female dog. :S
