Pics Of Our Dogs

[Tim Cake]

Recent hike into the bitteroot

Mutt-luks for your Mali? I use them on my GSDs.

 

[tho9900]

someone was horrified I didn't have any of those for Nala... I asked em what the temp was where they were which was about -10... I looked at weather.com and told them it was 74 here.. I didnt eant her feet to sweat lol...

And Sarg talking reminded me... I need to get me a John Wayne can opener next time I am near a GI surplus.. just fond memories of hurricane season and dads stash of C-rats... I got my azz whooped for opening each box and eating all the chiclets lol...

 

[shogun]

Yup. They save his feet when it starts getting icey, those things have vibram rubber soles.

 

[tho9900]

ya I see em a lot on the Service Dog group webpage I go to... never gets less than 30 here and that is a day or two.. but might not be a bad idea for those 105 days in the summer so we can walk on the asphalt... I'd have to order them but I dunno... what do yall think? Can you see any down side to using them to protect the feet against extreme heat?

 

[Sludge]

ya I see em a lot on the Service Dog group webpage I go to... never gets less than 30 here and that is a day or two.. but might not be a bad idea for those 105 days in the summer so we can walk on the asphalt... I'd have to order them but I dunno... what do yall think? Can you see any down side to using them to protect the feet against extreme heat?

The only sweat glands on a dog are in the paw pads. There is some evidence that the nerves and sweat glands play a significant role in thermoregulation- that is they use their feet like thermometers to control the heat-venting "panting". Canine footwear not designed with high temperatures can lead to heat related health issues in a hurry as a result. I have a set of the "ultra-paws" brand for 'Po-dog which work extremely well. They claim to reduce thermal transfer from surfaces by 75 degrees F, but I never bothered to run a thermocouple to verify it.

However, I must admit I cannot vouch for their viability for the hardcore big dogs ya'll run with- With Guapo being brachycephalic, I try to avoid taking him out on pavement and the like on really hot days. He is great in a crowded indoor environ, but really can't handle the heat as well as dogs with normal skull structure. Fine by me- anything ove 85 is too hot for me too. We do most of our outdoors stuff in spring and fall anyway, but I keep his footies in his vest pockets just in case.

For cold weather here, I only put his winter boots on if we are in an area where salt has been used as ice control. With the notoriously brutal cold and wind chill here in Nebraska, I am not out in that shit if I can help it, so neither is he.

 

[tho9900]

true with her little 3 inch long nose Nala has heat regulation probs to start with.. she has to go out with me sometimes being a service dog.. Imma post this on the Service Dog group I am on... they have their dogs out in all kinds of weather... I just wanna take care of my baby...

 

[Sludge]

true with her little 3 inch long nose Nala has heat regulation probs to start with.. she has to go out with me sometimes being a service dog.. Imma post this on the Service Dog group I am on... they have their dogs out in all kinds of weather... I just wanna take care of my baby...

It is the Paradox of Dogs. (See the comic strip on "The Oatmeal" of the same name). I know 'Po is not a pet. We have two other pet dogs. I know 'Po is intended to be a tool first and a friend second, but I find myself sometimes making decisions that are best for 'Po and not best for me. For instance, I never take 'Po to school. Of all the places I need him school is near the top of the list, but lets face it, a biology lab or a biochemistry lab is far too dangerous for any dog...well that and his crowd control training would make him a horrible distraction to others. Too much nasty shit he could get exposed to chemical-wise. On really hot days or really cold days, I would rather stay home and indoors than risk my squishy-faced companion getting hurt or sick by extreme heat or cold.

I suspect I may have "roont" him as a service animal. I treat him more like one of my kids, but as you all know, working dog or not, these critters provide so much more than the tasks they are specially trained to do. (Honestly, I don't even know where Guapo's "panic button" is- I haven't had drop attacks in so long he hasn't needed to use it!) On the plus side however, upon reflection, I realized that being forced to make decisions that send me out in public without him has helped me immensely. I couldn't do it at all before. Now I worry enough about him that I am less and less affected by crowds and public spaces. Perhaps this was the intent when the assigned him to me? I dunno. All I know for certain is that he and the other two pugs make life quite a bit more tolerable every day.

 

[Raven]

Maggie moonlight as a vacuum cleaner sometimes.

 

[tho9900]

I wish Nala did.. she could clean up all the food that falls out of those lips when she looks up from her bowl..

Know what you mean exactly Sludge.. Nala and I are intertwined.. sometimes she knows what we are about to do before I do.. and vice versa.. I am sure it sounds stupid to other people but its almost a unit when we are together.. And I make the same decisions based on her, when I got the news and they told me I was dying... the first thought I had was racing through my mind trying to figure out what was best for her.. thank gawd I am not... but ya.. I was more worried about her than me...

Here is to our Service Dogs... and it is odd, a lot of civvys I meet with service dogs don't have the same relationship... the guide dogs and hearing dogs etc do but the rest???

And I have the feeling Po does the same for you like Nala does for me.. makes decisions for my well being versus hers...

 

[shogun]

I can easily feel the difference when I have Panzer with me or not. I went to visit my folks in Florida a while back and couldn't bring Panzer with me. I didn't sleep, anxiety etc etc.
Here at home the reason I can let go and sleep peacefully is simply because I know Panzer will awake to any noises and protect.

 

[Tim Cake]

Well, there is a new canine addition coming to the house. I am in the process of adopting a female Caucasian Shepherd puppy. The "official" breed name is Ovcharka. The puppy its 3-4 months old and already weighs more than my adult male GSD. I guess I am a pushover for orphans.

 

[shogun]

Ovcharkas are beautiful! Big Russian guard dogs