Teagan had her annual this morning.

We ran down 10k to get there (well, it's 9.5k away, but we ran to a big park just south of it and she peed/explored and then we walked up). She did very well with regards to the other dogs in the park - didn't ignore them, but she just watched them calmly.

Teagan was great during the exam - the vet kept expecting her to freak out, but she didn't blink through blood collection or my vet poking her vulva, and while that's totally what I expect, I was still proud of her.

I also love that my vet totally respects and is okay with how I want to see her vaccinated - she was vaccinated by Animal Services when I adopted her end of October 2007 - I can't find the paperwork, but I'm sure it was a 3-year rabies vaccine. My vet knows and is fine w/me not wanting to give her other vaccines (didn't disagree about adverse reaction issues) - she did say the company they get their 3-year rabies vaccine from likes it to be vaccinated 2 years in a row and then it's a 3-year vaccine, which I'd never heard of, but she was fine with me not wanting to go that route either.

She's also totally fine w/me feeding raw! When Teagan was getting diagnosed w/hip dysplasia after I first adopted her, she had some issues with the bone (thought it might be more difficult for Teagan to poop), but not to raw itself, and she was totally happy today with me feeding her raw, except she thought Teagan should have more carbs (grains) in her diet. Eventually she said 'What about sweet potato?' which I don't mind giving sometimes, so - vaccines and feeding went well!

She was also happy w/Teagan's weight loss (from 70lbs October 2007 to 53lbs now....I have miniature GSDs), though I need to redo her med amounts because of it.

The only bad thing about the visit, was she took a really close look at Teagan's back knees (her hips are obviously still dysplastic, but they're fine given that), which she hadn't done before, and they have thickened (arthritis) - she actually thinks Teagan may have torn her cruciate ligament years ago in one of her knees

Anyways, so she said Teagan still could run, but I'm going to move her distances down (she is running over 10k now, and I think I'll move it closer to 5k runs). I let Teagan set the pace, but she suggested having her run a bit slower and adding in more walks etc instead. Hiking is still good, but I am not going to have her carry a pack - Luc will, and Neb when he's old enough. I haven't been taking her to the dog pool this winter b/c she's been enjoying running so much, but she also thought we should incorporate more swimming into Teagan's workouts.

Otherwise, she suggested that I might want to try pheromones for Teagan as a way of helping with her aggression. She said she uses them for her nervous dog, and while she said that Teagan obviously wasn't nervous, that it might take the edge of some of her aggression to. I will look into it.

Sounds like you have a good vet, one willing to be alright with how you want to feed and vaccinate. You're lucky!

As you said you'd do, look into the pheromones. I'd rather try something else if I could before deciding on something. Is Teagan an aggressive dog? Towards other dogs? I read that she was weird with one of your friends once. How has that been going?

Teagan? Yeah, she's very aggressive. Totally fine with Luc and Neb, but she is extremely prey aggressive and can be a bit rank-driven. She's not a dog that shows obvious or overt signs of aggression, so you (or at least me) had to learn how to read her - once I did, they're very easy to see, but she doesn't vocalize, for instance, unless she's been thwarted.

I figured out she was aggressive shortly after adopting her, but I didn't realize how aggressive until last June, when unfortunately I got tangled in her leash in our side yard, didn't see a guy coming with his dogs, and dropped the leash while I was detangling (she was sitting nicely at my side). The second the leash hit the ground she took off, I looked up, and took off after her. In a couple of seconds she'd sliced through the muscle and fatty layers, front of thigh to anus. It was the most horrible experience of my life - I felt so terrible for the dog and it's owner and that my mistake caused that. I got Teagan off immediately, paid all vet bills, and the dog is okay today, thank goodness. One of the most horrible things to me was that it was obvious how much FUN Teagan was having; she was having the time of her life; for the couple of weeks following, I think I cried everyday, while she pranced around like the happiest dog in the world.

Anyways, she had been seen by a trainer prior to all of that, and since I've worked w/my FR trainer, and also spoken to some others. I thought at the time that at least she wasn't trying to kill the dog, b/c she didn't go for the throat, but they were all 'oh no....she was disembowling it' which was a shock to me. Basically, they said before I got her she learned how to attack and to enjoy it, and the consensus is that she's killed before as well. I've been told that nothing I can offer her in terms of treats/toys etc will ever be able to match or come close to the rush she gets from attacking. So we are working on behaviour modification - when we see another dog out on a walk she has to sit calmly or heel, basically give her a job to do - and it's going well - but it hasn't taken away her aggression. She'll sit for me, but I can feel her vibrate with it.

But I will never trust her, and it's obvious to me that just keeping her on leash is not enough - I can't trust myself not to drop stuff, apparently - so she is also always muzzled when outside.

Which is all a very long way of saying, yes, she's aggressive. I'm not sure how much the pheromones will do, but it may be worth a try.

I have to admit too I was very upset about her knees - I just hate to think that she may be uncomfortable, and then to have the issue in addition to her hips - and that she probably tore a cruciate ligament and it was never treated (based on how her knees are thickened and around the medial side, something) - I know it was before I adopted her, but that upsets me.

But I am lucky in my vet in terms of the vaccinations and diet, especially since she is a traditional-type vet. I also like that she knows Teagan's history and isn't nervous around her, b/c sometimes people are (which is bad, b/c Teagan picks up on that, and she is, IMO, a bit of a bully if given the chance).

One funny thing - I was telling Toby that the vet said she had a small vulva, and said 'she must be a virgin!' and while I was thinking it and debating whether or not to say it outloud, Toby said 'Not if Neb has anything to say about it!' and we both laughed....don't worry, Neb doesn't try to hump her anymore, he knows he's not allowed, but he does get...excited...every time he sees her.

Sorry to hear about Teagan's knee and continuing hip problems.
I am glad you like your vet! She sounds like a great person for Teagan.

You've done well with Teagan's exercise and Teagan will only continue to prosper as well as she can with you. I am still amazed at how well you handle 3 dogs!

Pheromones have been known to work. It would be a great picture to see Teagan relaxed...I can picture her eyes half closed, sitting slightly askew, mouth open, tongue hanging out, swaying to an internal beat...

Or, just walking calmly past another dog.

Good luck with Teagan, Jennifer. She is and will always be lucky to have you for her owner.

And I feel so bad, I upped her running distances slowly b/c she seemed okay and she loves it SO much - you should see her when I change into my running gear! So happy and excited.

And then during the exam I was able to hear her knees clicking - I was reading the Marvista vet page on ruptured cruciate ligaments and so much of it is what we discussed today or symptoms she had. I just have the worst feeling in the pit of my stomach. My poor girl!

We are going to discuss maybe switching meds on Monday when her CBC comes back, so there's that. And I'll ask my vet where you get pheromones - I totally spaced when I left on that!

Thanks for your support - I'm just upset about her knees right now. I'll add some more massage moves though, and I'm going to start giving her some heat treatment to at the suggestion of my vet.

Your vet was probably talking about DAP (Dog Appeasement Pheromones). They are considered "calming" and as such, they work on both fear and aggression (aka anything to do with adrenaline). You can spray it on your hands and rub it on the dog (my vet does this, before every exam. My dogs don't mind going to the vet at all!)

I spray it on my fosters beds when I first get them to help them settle in. It does work, though I haven't tried it for aggression.

Good for you for finding a vet that is so welcome to your choices!! After some frustration I *finally* found one that agrees with the raw diet and only pushes rabies (legally required, and has fought it numerous times but mostly lost). She will even give us a half dose of the rabies shot *shhh* don't tell .

I have read in your posts that Teagan was aggressive, I never knew the story.

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I've been told that nothing I can offer her in terms of treats/toys etc will ever be able to match or come close to the rush she gets from attacking.

Wow. I didn't realize her aggression was so serious, nice job working with her on this!

On a lighter note * I LOVE the sig pic, it made me laugh pretty hard, and got a good giggle from the bf.

Angela, where did you get the pheromones? I can see them being good for Luc in certain situations which make him nervous as well as trying them for Teagan.

Jennifer, I always like to think they're wrong about how strong the rush of attacking is for her, but based on what I've seen (and I don't plan on seeing anymore) I have the horrible feeling they may be right. It's sort of frustrating/depressing, but I guess - knowing that, you just move forward. Dunno. She's such a sweet, great dog in every other respect though.

My mom sent me an email with a bunch of similar pics and said 'Guess which one reminds me of Teagan!' It was obvious Toby and I are going to recreate it with her, it seems like too much fun not to

(Edit: and I just turned out lucky in terms of vaccines and feeding with this vet; I'd heard really good things about them for a long time, and they happened to be a 10-minute walk from where I was living when I adopted Luc, so I tried them out as my dog vet (I have different vets for all the species, though I'd like to start my cats with this vet as well).)

I think Dr Fosters and Smith carries them in their catalog.

Yep, here you go: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+11260+8907&pcatid=8907