Border collie Jack passed away on February 28, 2022

[Margaret Boyle]

Re: Jack - new to my house

Oh, he is just too stinking cute in his mortarboard! Congratulations on your graduation, Jack!

Hi Natalie,
Jack looks really cute (clever clever dog congratulations) on his graduation at training classes. He has got a good home

LOL

[k9diabetes]

Re: Jack - new to my house

So we have a behaviorist coming to the house on Saturday to assess Jack's issues with the dogs in neighboring back yards. I want an expert to appraise the situation and suggest the best way to manage this as the combination of his seeming fear of the dogs next door and the fact that he won't poop on leash has made the bathroom routine quite challenging. If any of the neighboring dogs are out in their backyards when he goes out, he goes berserk.

He's also reactive to their barking from inside the house so it's not just visual cues.

In fact, he heard the terriers (the ones he most afraid of) from inside the SUV in the driveway the other day and lost it and it was difficult to get him into the house.

So we have lots of ideas from various sources - meeting the dogs, not meeting the dogs, blocking the visual, counterconditioning and desensitization (which is difficult since it occurs throughout the day while Jack is inside so we can't really control his distance from the stimulus), positive association, etc.

I want the behaviorist to see his reaction and the dogs involved and then suggest what she thinks will work best for Jack in this particular situation.

Our neighbors are all very nice people and most likely willing to help however they can, within the limits of their control over their dogs. The dogs on the east are extremely well trained so very manageable. The Jack Russells on the west, on the other hand, bark incessantly and probably have never been on a leash ever so they are not nearly so manageable by their owners. But Jack reacts to both.

So we will see how it goes.

If anyone is interested, Victoria Stillwell's site has a forum on training and behavior... http://www.victoriastilwell.com/phpBB2/index.php.

Also Sophia Yin at UC Davis has a behavior and training site with many videos on how to do some of the techniques. It is new... http://www.askdryin.com/

[k9diabetes]

Re: Jack - new to my house

I have been so busy that I haven't had a chance to update on Jack... and I've been so busy largely because of Jack!

We really like the behaviorist and Jack has improved in some of the areas we have been working on but also has transferred some of the problem behavior to other areas. Plus we started using his meals as training treats and that threw off his poop routine so we have had some accidents in the house again. Sometimes I do feel like I can't win for losin' but somewhere down underneath it all I think we will get there.

I've also been concerned about Jack's health. He's estimated to be about 1.5 years old but his stamina is not all that great and his heat tolerance especially is very limited. Plus a half dozen times in the past couple of months his front leg has buckled under him when he was climbing in or out of a chair.

So he spent the whole day at the vet on Wednesday. They started with x-rays of his wrists and moved up the leg, pretty much x-raying all of his legs. The good news is that there's no obvious problem on the x-rays. Hips and elbows look great. The vet thinks the leg problem is a soft tissue injury with possibly overstretched or partially unattached ligament in the right foot between the paw and the dew pad.

Did full blood work and everything there looks okay. But on Sunday, after he spent an hour with very little activity on a patio on a warm day - about 90 degrees - but in the shade, he was so tired. He didn't even want to participate in the training and didn't care if he was going to get a treat. And he came home and flopped down as soon as he could and slept for 3 hours.

So we may be taking a look at the heart just to make sure there isn't a problem. He can be very energetic if it's cool but it doesn't last very long, which is kind of unusual for his breed. After 20 minutes at the dog park, he's generally done.

Yesterday I took him for a pretty mellow leash walk in temperatures that at most were 80 degrees and he was lagging behind me on the way home.

So I am very concerned about that.

I only have Chris to compare and Chris had heart problems from birth but I don't think Jack's heat tolerance is any better than Chris's...

I hope it's just his quirk and all is okay.

I'm getting ready now to take him out. Fortunately the weather has cooled so he will like it better.

Natalie

[forscooter]

Re: Jack - new to my house

Oh Natalie...I am soooo behind!! I am so hoping that Jack is just having an "off" time of it and nothing more! After all you did for Chris, you surely deserve a break here....and I am going to add it to my never-ending list of gripes with the Big One if this turns out to be anything than something minor!

Are you sure it is heat intolerance, or could it be that the soft tissue injury could be just causing him to have the overall yuckies? Maybe he just can't keep up, or tolerate much, with that? Not that I wish that on him either but I'll take it over a heart issue....

Please keep us posted. Sending lots of positive thoughts for you both!!!
Beth and the crew

[ladysmom06]

Re: Jack - new to my house

Hi Natalie,

So sorry that Jack is having problems. Praying it's nothing serious. Sending positive thoughts from our house to yours. Hugs.

[k9diabetes]

Re: Jack - new to my house

Thanks Beth and Lynne,

I've been concerned about his stamina almost from day one when we adopted him back in October but the poor heat tolerance really stands out.

The foot injury does not seem to cause him much pain but who knows really? I believe the vet is going to review the x-rays with a radiologist and then he wants me to monitor Jack to see whether I think he's in pain.

Yesterday we had another dog class. The weather was much better, maybe 75 max. He did better than last time but still was pretty tired by the end of the class, losing interest in participating. And he looked tired when we got home. Again, not nearly as tired as last time but you could see it in his face.

I've noticed too at the dog park that he's looking for the shade even when the temperatures are very mild.

He does not seem stressed at class. We took him to one back in November too. And we don't do any strenuous activity there.

We will most likely do something - x-ray or ultrasound - in the next few weeks. I'm leaning toward going straight to ultrasound since it won't cost much more than x-rays but can tell us more. Our vet does his own ultrasounds, which is nice.

[pgcor]

Re: Jack - new to my house

Hi Natalie - I'm hoping that Jack may be a little older than indicated? My Buddy was very heat sensitive as he got older and would lay on top of the air conditioner grate in the kitchen.

I hope it's nothing serious anyway. Will be watching....

Hugs, Pam

[eyelostit]

Re: Jack - new to my house

I hope everything is OK with Jack.
Is he out in the yard alot? Did this just start to happen as the weather got warmer there? Or is it always warm there?
Just wondering, my dogs would tire out easily here but we get that humidity in July-Aug that just about makes us humans sick to the point we can't do anything except stay in A/C

[k9diabetes]

Re: Jack - new to my house

We haven't really experienced heat until now so haven't seen the heat intolerance until recently. The lack of stamina has always been true with him.

At home, Jack's in the house probably 95% of the time. He doesn't have a concept of hanging out in the yard and causes trouble with the neighbor dogs when he is out there so we keep him inside mostly. He does go on a walk or to a dog park or both every day.

[Margaret Boyle]

Re: Jack - new to my house

We haven't really experienced heat until now so haven't seen the heat intolerance until recently. The lack of stamina has always been true with him.

At home, Jack's in the house probably 95% of the time. He doesn't have a concept of hanging out in the yard and causes trouble with the neighbor dogs when he is out there so we keep him inside mostly. He does go on a walk or to a dog park or both every day.

Natalie,
Lucy is not good with heat if it does get very warm she will look for a shaded bit too lay down and usually wants to go indoors, she never ever has been good with the heat. So I do hope it is just heat intolerance with Jack as a lot of dogs do not like the sun. Lucy also flags in the heat (so when we do get good weather I do not take her too far)

lol

[labblab]

Re: Jack - new to my house

Dear Natalie,

I'm afraid I don't have any suggestions to add, but I just wanted to tell you that I am so sorry to hear that you are having some worries about Jack. I am guessing that every one of us who has gone through the grueling (and sometimes heartbreaking ) experience of caring for a dog with chronic problems says a little silent prayer on the day that they bring a new companion home...("please oh please may this little one lead a long and healthy life"). But of course, we love them just as much no matter what, and we marshall ourselves to do whatever needs to be done on their behalf.

I was just hoping that you'd be getting a break from any medical worries for a long, long time. And I'll continue to hope that these issues turn out to be only minor ones for Jack!

My best wishes to you all,
Marianne

[ladysmom06]

Re: Jack - new to my house

Hi Nat,

He doesn't have a concept of hanging out in the yard and causes trouble with the neighbor dogs when he is out there so we keep him inside mostly.

Are they the JRT'S?

[k9diabetes]

Re: Jack - new to my house

Indeed! Noisy little devils. These three are cute as buttons but I don't think they have ever had so much as a leash on them. My neighbor said he tried taking the three of them to the dog park but they were like a little mafia mob hassling the other dogs!!

Interestingly, our behaviorist, Sophia Yin, has an Australian cattle dog and... a JRT named Jonesy who she says is the most difficult dog she's ever trained! Met him at class the other day - he was boinging up and down for a squeeky toy, rising at least four feet, almost five feet of vertical lift!

Natalie

[k9diabetes]

Re: Jack - new to my house

I'm hoping maybe he just runs hot... haven't moved to check the heart yet, although I may still do it just to settle the question. It's been raining here so heat hasn't been a problem recently.

I'm really really hoping it's just a quirk and he's okay.

[rhodesian46]

Re: Jack - new to my house

Hey Nat,
Sorry to hear about your boy. All bloodwork was done right? I read that Jack has heat intolerance .This makes me think of Cushings as Pebbles had almost the same symptoms at first. Wanting to be on the cold floor Didn't want to stay outside at all in the heat and would cry. I know that sme dogs may have their liver enzymes a little elevated Most have them very high. Pebbles was in the 200 and 300's. Just a thought. I hope not I also hope that his heart is fine.

I do think though that God has a plan. You see you are wonderful with sick cats and dogs.Chris was lucky to have you. I do know whether it be a small problem or large problem you will take care of them. Many in their lifetime never have a problem with their animals. I seem to be given many that needed care including Cleo the 2x obstructed cat. BTW he is doing great.Sending positive thoughts your way