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15770. Macnas - 7/11/2005 10:26:48 AM I saw, after a quick read to update myself, that some discussion was being had about dogs on leads etc.
My own opinion is that when you are on a public road/highway, you have the dog on a leash, no matter how well trained it is. But it is such a pleasure to have a dog that is trained to heel, if you never teach a dog anything else, train it to heel.
I'm not going to go into the ins and outs of it here, but there are many texts and videos that will tell you how to do it. It's not that hard, depending on the breed of dog. Arky's dog, being a daschund, will do it almost automatically when given a few basic lessons. Any "sheepdog", particularly black and white collie types, are harder.
But again, when out in public places, a lead is required. 15771. Macnas - 7/11/2005 10:30:52 AM Mago
Butch thinks he is number two in your world, first there is you, then there is Butch. Flexi comes third.
I'd sort that out if I were you, it can lead to some difficulties later. Let him know that FLexi comes before him, then get Flexi to have some command over him.
Butch will learn his place in the pecking order and will accept it happily. 15772. Magoseph - 7/11/2005 11:02:21 AM Mac, I just re-read the info about Butch on the shelter’s site and here’s exactly what breed he is: Labrador Retriever Beagle Mix. I taught him to heel first thing and I have no problems now taking him on longer walks. I see what you mean by making Flexy first in the house—I intend to work on this matter today—-Thanks for this good advice! 15773. arkymalarky - 7/11/2005 4:17:18 PM Arky's dog, being a daschund, will do it almost automatically when given a few basic lessons.
Maybe that's why Diva took to it with no training (not a little, but none at all) as an adult, and as Mags pointed out, Mazie's still very young (3 mos old tomorrow). Mazie's bed is also her carrier, so that's very handy for traveling and she's fine with it. I haven't had her where we needed a leash yet, so I figure by the time that occasion rolls around she'll be accustomed to it.
Mags, I think Butch will be a great walking companion. Mazie's not going to be allowed to be the one Diva was to Bob, but he still has Mojo. Since I'm not walking outside for exercise I don't miss that like Bob does. Diva was great on the trail, if you didn't expect her to stay with you the whole time. She was a riot to watch--everything was an interesting adventure to her.
I had been carrying Mazie when I was walking the trail with Bob, but outside walking was aggravating my allergies too much, so I'm exercising indoors now. Mazie does like to help me exercise. She bites my ears and climbs on me when I'm doing crunches. I figure the extra flailing around with my arms just adds aerobic benefit. 15774. Magoseph - 7/12/2005 1:07:04 PM Hello, everyone--Arky, are you allergic to ragweed? If that is so, what do you do to alleviate the symptoms?
Mac, I spent much time yesterday hugging and kissing Flexy and now Butch doesn’t come between us.
15775. arkymalarky - 7/12/2005 4:50:41 PM Hi Mags!
Yes. I'm allergic to everything outside, basically, around here--but not dogs! thank goodness. Of the 50 things they tested me for, I was highly allergic to 37 of them, meaning I had the most extreme reaction, a large red bump that was white in the center. That included every type of grass and tree that grows in our yard and stuff like ragweed. I was somewhat allergic to cats and mildly allergic to dust.
I take weekly allergy shots and take a daily antihistimine, Zyrtec. I also try to drink lots more water than I used to. I was on a nasal steroid and an expectorant for a year, and when I get congested and/or infected I will take a decongestant, and if it doesn't go away the doctor will put me on a strong antibiotic and/or prednisone. I kept infections constantly until I started all this a year ago. Since the treatments, I've had one sinus infection. I have constant symptoms, but they're much more under control and I can tolerate things much better without building up into constant infections.
Oh, and a HUGE help has been the dehumidifier in our bedroom. I'm very allergic to mold and we had our house treated this summer, so I'm hoping to get relief from that. I keep my bedding covered and wash sheets in hot water, and keep any cloth furniture I sit on often covered with a throw or something I can wash frequently. 15776. arkymalarky - 7/12/2005 4:52:56 PM I also have a very low-pile carpet (almost like indoor-outdoor), but my allergist suggested no carpet at all. I don't plan to go that far, especially since I'm not very allergic to dust. 15777. Magoseph - 7/12/2005 5:54:37 PM Goodness, Arky, where would be the ideal place you should be living, Sedona, AZ, maybe? You are a rare and precious plant who should have its own nursery. Flexy is only allergic to dust, mites, and ragweed. My older son who spent much time in the Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, as a baby, is allergic to dust, cats, and dogs--like Flexy he suffers from ragweed. He had shots until he was twelve and should have continued, but at the time, the allergist pronounced him cured. He lives now in a dust-free environment—he is lucky because he works from his house. Taking the carpeting out of our house helped Flexy greatly—we keep the Air Conditioner on most of the summer.
You know, Flexy read your last posts of this morning and demanded that I print them so that he can refer to the info if needed--so said he! He and my older son Joe are fans of Claritin. We plan to ask Joe if he has ever used Zyrtec—I also forwarded your posts to Joe. He and Flexy discuss their allergies and will probably discuss your case before the day is over, misery liking company, I guess.
15778. Ms. No - 7/12/2005 6:16:59 PM Here's a fun little time waster:
Save the Mice!!15779. Ms. No - 7/12/2005 6:17:24 PM
shit, forgot to close my damn tag. Hope this did it. 15780. arkymalarky - 7/12/2005 8:15:45 PM Haha! My allergist said about 10% of people here with bad allergies move out West, and believe it or not, I know a number of people who are worse than I am. Between dealing with my allergies and having a hysterectomy I feel better than I have in a very long time, and I'm pretty comfortable here now. I love how everything grows here and the relatively mild climate, so hopefully I'll keep things under control and be able to enjoy it.
Out West I'm still allergic to stuff, but without the humidity it's not nearly as big a deal and infections aren't nearly as likely. Since this environment is very warm and humid people develop allergies here when they might not have any problem elsewhere. I never had them before I moved here when I was 12, and neither did Bro. Early settlers in AR suffered a lot and infants had a very hard time due to respiratory illnesses.
People with allergies (or anything else, for that matter) are always looking for something that works better. Bro suggested Zyrtec to me, and even though it's more expensive under my insurance policy, I use it every day because it does work much better for me than anything else. On bad days, or when I feel like things are building up, I take Benedryl too, along with Sudafed. The main thing a lot of people don't get--including me for a very long time--is that it takes daily maintenance. Take the antihistimine daily and get the shots weekly, even when you don't have symptoms. Children who are treated can do well as adults--I've known several people who were either treated as kids or who have kids who've been treated, and it really seems to pay off as they grow up. A friend of mine told me to be patient and give the shots at least a year and they will work, and she was right. Bob recognizes that more than I do, because I was sniffing and coughing so much I'd quit noticing I was doing it, but it was driving him crazy. 15781. arkymalarky - 7/12/2005 8:18:38 PM Save the Mice? We need a Kill the Mice game! 15782. Max Macks - 7/12/2005 8:39:45 PM reading here
and just now seeing word ragweed !!
When I was a kid living in Minnesota I had severe
hayfever and ragweed was the principle offender.
dont have hayfever now living in Bay Area of Calif. 15783. Ms. No - 7/12/2005 8:50:31 PM Arky, it's a simple but addictive little game. You only get 10 levels free and then it asks if you want to buy the 50 level version, but 10 is plenty to play with for an hour or so. 15784. jexster - 7/12/2005 10:01:15 PM If I don't get/take the Iraq Vets Coordinator position with Swords-to-Plowshares, I think I'll take German
In deinem Kopf sind Staudämme aus Scheiße und die Pisse rinnt in Strömen
My kinda language!
15785. arkymalarky - 7/12/2005 10:05:32 PM Hey Max!
MsNo,
I tried it for just a minute, but couldn't figure out how to get the mice to go. I'll try it again, because it usually takes me a few times of playing before I figure things out. I got hooked on games on www.freearcade.com, and the best I could tell it never gave me problems with spyware or anything. I also found a cool maze game where you try to move cars out of a "lot," but I never could find it again, even after having bookmarked the site.
Dad got hooked on one he got from Slate where you group numbers into boxes, but it was a "free trial" and I hate those. I can't remember what it was called. It was a Japanese invention, I think. I'd rather get part of the game free and then buy the full version if I can't stand to live without it. If I had a PlayStation I'd be a completely useless human. 15786. arkymalarky - 7/12/2005 10:06:44 PM Good luck, Jex. Let us know what happens (or I guess we'll figure it out when you start posting in German). 15787. arkymalarky - 7/12/2005 10:44:47 PM We had a wonderful and much needed thunder shower--1.5 inches. 15788. jexster - 7/13/2005 2:39:40 AM dont have hayfever now living in Bay Area of Calif
Just wait.
It took me 20 years but it came..and according to my doc, will get worse every year until I die.
See all them grasses that turned brown for the summer? When the tree and wildflowers begin to bloom and the winds whip in especially the hot ones offshore, all that crap gets blown over you and into your nasal passages.
Like clockwork whatever is blooming or dying in late March and again in late-May.... 15789. jexster - 7/13/2005 3:06:23 AM On behalf of His Excellency
Norton I, Emperor of the United States
I welcomes Max to the land of Claritin and Nasonex!
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