Dog Training & Health

[meezermom]

Thank the Goddess he is home! Get his chip activated and a homing beacon on his collar and explain to him about bad things happening to good dogs when they run out doors! Right now, get any meaty type canned food to get him started on eating but go with the bland diet ASAP. His stomach has been badly abused from hunger and he needs easy nutrition..Feed several small meals instead of letting him eat as much as he wants otherwise he will just throw it up..... Pick up some canned sweet potatoes too and mash them into the oatmeal and hamburger or ground chicken. It is an excellent source of nutrition for all living things and easy to digest....Poor fellow. He is probably in a great deal of pain so hopefully the vet can get that abcess opened fast and draining....

Now, he is going to have to be door proofed!! He needs to learn that an open door is something to stay away from, not bolt out of....Is he afraid of water from a hose? If so, that is the best thing to use....You will need to "set him up" and considering how he takes off, you will want a longish rope tied to his collar and anchored inside somewhere. Open the door and if he starts to cross the threshhold, turn the hose on right in his face while yelling a panicky NO at him. He does need to be scared enough to know not to cross over.....

I am so glad he is home. I have been worrying so much about this and was afraid there was going to be bad news. Hope the hubby will get on the right page now about how critical it is for Shadow to be trained safely and well...and he needs to be involved in it.... You do not need this.. Keep us up to date on how he does....and tell Shadow he just took his last freedom run! He is a home dog now as he has responsibilities... He needs lots of rest and food and then training with your hubby needs to start...he has to see that Shadow needs structure and for him to be on the same page as you are....all it does otherwise is confuse Shad and that isn't good for him... Give him a hug for me!

[Jasmer]

The vet took a couple x-rays and discovered that Shadow was shot several days ago, in the chest and it exited into his left foreleg. The bullet is embedded in the bone and his poor little leg is broken in three places. He's going to be okay, he has an appetite and will drink water if I flavor it lightly with some chicken broth. I've bought some canned Nutro chicken, rice, and oatmeal and am feeding it to him half a cup at a time. There's no medical attention required since the injuries are healing very well on their own. We just have to keep him off his feet as much as possible for the next several weeks.

[meezermom]

Hopefully this will cure him of ever charging out a door again.......but my heart hurts for him and his pain....he must have been so scared. Bet he is so thrilled to be back home with you!!