Author Topic: Zach 'n' Hurley, back atcha. (Read 15572 times)

MisterMagoo · « **on:** May 09, 2008, 03:22:44 PM »

okay, so for the past two weeks-ish i've been visiting a bulldog, named him hurley, and awaited my return from vacation to take him home.

enter: complication.

a woman has been angling for this dog for a bit now, and today expressed this desire. upon being told of the situation, she was frustrated, asking if it was for SURE that i was going to come back and buy him. normally i'd have just shrugged this off.

HOWEVER.

hurley's dad has had another progeny (they breed the bitches, as most, every 18 months as i found out). this guy is 8 months old and an absolute doll. sweet as hell.

so why should i give a crap? after all, i've been bonding with hurley for two weeks. well, as an 8 week old puppy, it means he is guaranteed to be much more socialized than hurley. he'll be easier to train, easier to get him used to grooming, the transition period will be easier, since he's a lot calmer at 8 weeks.

what do you all think? pictures of the little guy enclosed.

knny187 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2008, 05:19:40 PM »

I like that one...but go with want your heart tells you

MisterMagoo · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2008, 05:27:17 PM »

Quote from: knny187 on May 09, 2008, 05:19:40 PM

I like that one...but go with want your heart tells you

well my heart tells me no matter what the older dog will get a home, be it mine or this other woman's (and if at the end I take him home as per the prior plans i will be happy as a clam), but i can arrange it so two dogs get homes.

i'm waiting to find out what she thinks tomorrow. if she wants to take the older dog, i take the younger. if she has changed her mind, the fates decided i keep the big guy.

Butterbean · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2008, 06:37:30 PM »

It's a sign!! GET THEM BOTH!!!!! Hurley and Bunny!!!!

If you can only get one maybe take the pup and let the woman have Hurley and you can arrange play dates

chaos · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2008, 07:32:58 PM »

That's for you to decide big guy, which one fits better into your lifestyle. Obviously Hurley being a bit older may need a little more attention at first, but they learn quickly. And the new guy is just 8 weeks so you'll get the whole potty training experience.......

Do what you feel is right.

windsor88 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2008, 08:13:44 PM »

That's a tuff decision. At least the older one would have a home.

BTW...the other woman...she is not like Korean is she?

MisterMagoo · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2008, 12:40:17 AM »

Quote from: chaos on May 09, 2008, 07:32:58 PM

That's for you to decide big guy, which one fits better into your lifestyle. Obviously Hurley being a bit older may need a little more attention at first, but they learn quickly. And the new guy is just 8 weeks so you'll get the whole potty training experience.......

Do what you feel is right.

at this point i'm thinking either will fit, and from what little time i've spent with each i will get along famously with both. training and socializing the younger will go well, but the older has a great personality as it is.

however, i realize that if this woman takes the older dog, then two puppies get a home. so while it may sting to give up the one i've played with until now, i realize that he gets a good home AND the younger does.

chaos · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2008, 01:57:35 PM »

Quote from: MisterMagoo on May 10, 2008, 12:40:17 AM

at this point i'm thinking either will fit, and from what little time i've spent with each i will get along famously with both. training and socializing the younger will go well, but the older has a great personality as it is.

however, i realize that if this woman takes the older dog, then two puppies get a home. so while it may sting to give up the one i've played with until now, i realize that he gets a good home AND the younger does.

Sounds like you know what you want to do.

MisterMagoo · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2008, 02:54:14 PM »

Quote from: chaos on May 10, 2008, 01:57:35 PM

Sounds like you know what you want to do.

things worked out! just... backwards. the woman bought the puppy. i keep hurley. i'm actually happy it went that way.

and in OTHER news, it turns out he has a wheat allergy and my once-a-day doling out of a few Beggin Strips is why his fur hasn't been tip-top lately. replacing that crap with nutrical, giving him some cream, and vitamin E and he'll be good as new.

the breeder was there, and we chatted for a while. he gave me a few supplies for him, some numbers and a ball-load of literature to read. said he'd be a great candidate for breeding. all i need is an extra $500.

knny187 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 12, 2008, 11:25:55 AM »

& a x-ray to OFFA

~flower~ · « **Reply #10 on:** May 12, 2008, 12:14:05 PM »

Thats great Magoo, you would of had to come up with another name.

Since he has a suspected wheat allergy, have you considered feeding him a raw, species appropriate grain free diet?

MisterMagoo · « **Reply #11 on:** May 12, 2008, 03:46:58 PM »

Quote from: ~flower~ on May 12, 2008, 12:14:05 PM

Since he has a suspected wheat allergy, have you considered feeding him a raw, species appropriate grain free diet?

i have, actually! thinking about the logistics of it, not sure i can wrangle it.

~flower~ · « **Reply #12 on:** May 12, 2008, 04:02:09 PM »

Quote from: MisterMagoo on May 12, 2008, 03:46:58 PM

i have, actually! thinking about the logistics of it, not sure i can wrangle it.

One dog, no problemo

by logistics do you mean storing the food, or putting a diet together or what?

It really is not as difficult as some would make you think. It does help if you have a freeze or good freezer space because you can buy in bulk and save money, but I know people who don't have a freezer and they do it. There is a raw feeding thread around here somewhere I will find and bump.

MisterMagoo · « **Reply #13 on:** May 12, 2008, 04:14:11 PM »

it's a combo of storage, being confident in my ability to set the diet up, something like "if I go on vacation", and cost. what does a raw diet cost compared to a semi-premium commercial food diet? those kinds of questions.

~flower~ · « **Reply #14 on:** May 13, 2008, 07:50:14 AM »

Quote from: MisterMagoo on May 12, 2008, 04:14:11 PM

it's a combo of storage, being confident in my ability to set the diet up, something like "if I go on vacation", and cost. what does a raw diet cost compared to a semi-premium commercial food diet? those kinds of questions.

Well raw can be as expensive or cheaper or the same. I figured it out that I can feed cheaper or about the same compared to premium crap-in-a-bag. This is not including the health benefits and satisfaction they get from eating real food.

Now I have 2 freezers for my dogs and I buy in bulk cases so of course it is cheaper than if I was going to the grocery store buying packages of items. Their is also preground raw that a number of companies make for those who don't want to feed whole bones or for convenience. That is a more expensive way to feed.

I have went on a few vacations and I have someone come stay with the dogs. I pre-bag their meals so they just have to dump them in the bowl. You can find places that board animals that will feed the food you bring, or you could get pre-ground or the freeze dried raw that is like kibble if they won't do raw bones.

I have been in a local buyers group since end of last year and I have saved even more and have been able to find more variety cheaper, depending on where you are their may be a similar group in your area.

There are tons of yahoo groups about raw feeding, some breed specific or location specific, and some just general, you can look for one to join, and their are a number of books out there too. If you can find someone local to 'mentor' you that could help you find sources and get comfortable with the diet. I do variety/balance over time and have no set feeding menu that I follow; I just rotate foods through and add some offal (organs) a few times a week to some meals, or whatever they haven't had in awhile. It is harder to balance a humans diet than a carnivore yet somehow people manage to do it just fine without training!

And of course there are a number of *hack hack cough blech* kibbles out there that will do okay *hack hack cough blech* . There have been few threads on choosing one.

MisterMagoo · « **Reply #15 on:** May 13, 2008, 09:29:41 AM »

i found this one about kibbles, which seemed fair enough to me: http://www.bulldogbreeds.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?t=642&sid=ecafd61602b8d63650a5c17c0572444e

i'm going to chat with his vet and his breeder, to see what they think. undoubtedly raw feeding can and does work for tons of dogs, but i'm not convinced it's a universal cure-all. if they're on board, i'm going to at least sketch out logistics.

~flower~ · « **Reply #16 on:** May 13, 2008, 09:55:06 AM »

Quote from: MisterMagoo on May 13, 2008, 09:29:41 AM

i found this one about kibbles, which seemed fair enough to me: http://www.bulldogbreeds.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?t=642&sid=ecafd61602b8d63650a5c17c0572444e

i'm going to chat with his vet and his breeder, to see what they think. undoubtedly raw feeding can and does work for tons of dogs, but i'm not convinced it's a universal cure-all. if they're on board, i'm going to at least sketch out logistics.

Raw IS universal for every carnivore.

Kibble is not. They are designed to eat, digest and use a carnivore diet.

Curious, why do you care what they think? So if one or both is against it you wouldn't even if you thought it would be best and workable for you?

Good thing people came along 50 years ago and made kibble

A lot of vets and people are clueless and uniformed. I would not not feed raw because either the breeder or the vet was against it. I would only go by what I felt comfortable with and with my research, not what the brainwashed public (including vets!) has been made to believe.

Whatever you decide make it your decision only. You are the one that is going to live with him and take care of him (and pour in the same dead, boring, species inappropriate food into his bowl everyday! sorry, had to get that in!

)

~flower~ · « **Reply #17 on:** May 13, 2008, 10:00:02 AM »

If looking at crap-in-the-bags look for the first 4/4 or 3/4 ingredients to be a meat product.

now I have to go get this crapple taste out of my month for that tip!

MisterMagoo · « **Reply #18 on:** May 13, 2008, 10:06:36 AM »

haha, well i realize that i am horribly ignorant on this matter and chances are the guy who bred him and the medical specialist will know a few more things than me. i'll talk it out with them and see what they think. it's a weird thing to think about, since no one seems ambivalent about it. it's either "do it! best thing ever!" or "don't! it will murder your dog and rape your wife!"

EDIT: and yeah, i realize they're carnivores. it's not the "whole foods" part i'm iffy about, it's the "raw" part.

~flower~ · « **Reply #19 on:** May 13, 2008, 10:10:30 AM »

FYI: It used to be that Hills (and still is I believe for at least some schools) sponsored the brief nutrition part of veterinary school.

Not that would sway or influence anything in their learning.

temper35 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 13, 2008, 03:53:30 PM »

Please don't let that psycho sway you into feeding raw food to your dog.

Feed it whatever you think is best, there is no right or wrong. If you had never taken notice she tries to push a raw diet onto anyone who owns a dog.

"have you considered feeding him a raw, species appropriate grain free diet?"

She sounds like a huckster trying to sell you bananas.

PS - cue flower and the "omg you are obsessed" waa waa waa.

~flower~ · « **Reply #21 on:** May 13, 2008, 06:02:31 PM »

Quote from: temper35 on May 13, 2008, 03:53:30 PM

Please don't let that psycho sway you into feeding raw food to your dog.

Feed it whatever you think is best, there is no right or wrong. If you had never taken notice she tries to push a raw diet onto anyone who owns a dog.

"have you considered feeding him a raw, species appropriate grain free diet?"

She sounds like a huckster trying to sell you bananas.

PS - cue flower and the "omg you are obsessed" waa waa waa.

heaven forbid you feed a carnivore a diet for a carnivore

a species appropriate diet is always right. Can an animal survive on something else, of course, but why not look into the appropriate diet before settling for something adequate, but not perfectly suited?

And it is not that you are obsessed temper, it is that you seem to be almost offended by the suggestion? It is not my fault that you chose to feed the way you do, don't try and prevent anyone else from feeding a species appropriate diet. Either come to grips with your feeding decision and get over it, or go ahead and feed your dog the way nature intended it to be fed.

If you think processed dead food that has to be supplemented up the ying yang to have any nutrients in it and contains filler much appropriate sustenance but stresses the body to digest it, then that is your choice and don't worry that other people chose to feed food that is not processed and the animal is made to derive sustenance from, and also cleans the teeth and is enjoyable to the animal to eat, and don't let it concern you that some people would like to show people they do have other options rather than what the misinformed would like them to believe.

hmm......food you can really eat and the body can really use........or processed grains with some meat products sprayed with flavoring to make it somewhat palatable..........decis ions decisions........ $:-\$

mother nature - huckster extraordinaire!

wait, I figured it out!! You are showing your dog that YOU are dominant, that it will eat what you as a human think it should eat instead of what it is designed to eat. Way to be the alpha!

ps- lite reading: http://www.5stardog.com/dog-food.asp
http://www.api4animals.org/facts.php?p=359&more=1

MisterMagoo · « **Reply #22 on:** May 13, 2008, 06:08:32 PM »

lol, hey. Flower obviously cares, she doesn't profit from her advice, it's out of concern for the animals. I'm not sure I'm on board with the raw diet but I've got it in 3 books so I'l keep reading.

~flower~ · « **Reply #23 on:** May 13, 2008, 06:26:47 PM »

Quote from: MisterMagoo on May 13, 2008, 06:08:32 PM

lol, hey. Flower obviously cares, she doesn't profit from her advice, it's out of concern for the animals. I'm not sure I'm on board with the raw diet but I've got it in 3 books so I'l keep reading.

Even if you are not on board with it, I hope that your research will help you choose a *cough hack* better quality kibble especially since you suspect he already has a grain allergy.

I do agree with temper on that you (or anyone) should feed what you are comfortable with since it is your dog and you will be doing the feeding, my goal is to make that decision a bit more difficult and thought provoking

MisterMagoo · « **Reply #24 on:** May 13, 2008, 08:24:38 PM »

Quote from: ~flower~ on May 13, 2008, 06:26:47 PM

Even if you are not on board with it, I hope that your research will help you choose a *cough hack* better quality kibble especially since you suspect he already has a grain allergy.

I do agree with temper on that you (or anyone) should feed what you are comfortable with since it is your dog and you will be doing the feeding, my goal is to make that decision a bit more difficult and thought provoking

well i think it's not quite accurate to say there are no quality kibbles. after all, there are a heck of a lot of healthy human foods that are manufactured, a lot of them are even preservative-free and made out of whole ingredients, they're just "processed". look at a brand like kashi.