# Our new member of the family



## Dina (Sep 27, 2008)

Sam is 6 weeks old. Unfortunately, the mother didn't want her puppies so she's been feeding on puppy milk and grounded puppy food. She is a beautiful white boxer with a few brown spots on her. The kids are SO happy with their new baby!  Enjoy the pics.


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## babetoo (Sep 27, 2008)

cutie pie. hope he stays healthy. i


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## GotGarlic (Sep 27, 2008)

That's an adorable puppy, Dina  Looking at pic #1, are you sure she's a she?


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## luvs (Sep 27, 2008)

you're new pupkins is a love!!! you shopuld leave her ers un-cropped; they look so cute!!!


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## mikki (Sep 27, 2008)

AWWWW, how cute!!!!


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## quicksilver (Sep 27, 2008)

Oooohhhhh!!!!! What a babe!!!!!!! Give me that face!!!!!!!
What a squitcher!!!!!!! Big, big smiles on my face!!!!!!!!
Thanks, dina!!!!!


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## Barbara L (Sep 27, 2008)

I already responded by email, but I'll say it again--I am in love!!!  She is adorable Dina!  Please keep us updated!

Barbara


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## Barbara L (Sep 27, 2008)

quicksilver said:


> ...Give me that face!!!!!!!...


_Suddenly the genie said, that was your third wish, and *poof* he vanished.  With a cry of "Oh no!" Quicksilver turned and looked in the mirror.  She had gotten her wish!_

LOL  Sorry, I just couldn't resist a little "fairy tale ending!"

Barbara


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## quicksilver (Sep 28, 2008)

*i need that face!!! *


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## quicksilver (Sep 28, 2008)

wiggles, wiggles, wiggles!!!


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## kadesma (Sep 28, 2008)

What a little sweetie, hugs from me

kades


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## Michelemarie (Sep 28, 2008)

Oooohhhh, so cute! Thanks for sharing the pictures!


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## Russellkhan (Sep 28, 2008)

Very cute, congratulations!


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## texasgirl (Sep 28, 2008)

Aww!! We knew you were going to do it!! LOL


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## jeninga75 (Sep 28, 2008)

Lol... looks like a piglet.   Cute nonetheless.  Boxers are one of my favorites, congratulations!


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## expatgirl (Sep 28, 2008)

Now, what brand of eye make-up does she use???  How darling.......


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## JMediger (Sep 28, 2008)

What a cutie pie!  Keep us updated!


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## Dina (Sep 28, 2008)

Thanks guys. We're in love with her too. She is a female as she has all the body parts of a female. We're just keeping a close eye on her as she was not nursed by her mommy so is underdeveloped and undernourished therefore not at her ideal size/weight. She's going to the vet on Tuesday morning to get her first check-up, shots, etc. We've been feeding her Esbilac 2nd Step puppy powdered milk mixed with water and ground up IAMS puppy food. Question is, do you all think feeding her every 3 hours is best? We read up that a normal puppy should be fed twice daily but she's a special case.


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## quicksilver (Sep 28, 2008)

Don't know about the food, but I *NEED* that face!!! My guess about the food is a little bit more often is better that bigger amounts less often. The vet will say on Tuesday, I suppose.


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## Barbara L (Sep 28, 2008)

Dina said:


> Thanks guys. We're in love with her too. She is a female as she has all the body parts of a female. We're just keeping a close eye on her as she was not nursed by her mommy so is underdeveloped and undernourished therefore not at her ideal size/weight. She's going to the vet on Tuesday morning to get her first check-up, shots, etc. We've been feeding her Esbilac 2nd Step puppy powdered milk mixed with water and ground up IAMS puppy food. Question is, do you all think feeding her every 3 hours is best? We read up that a normal puppy should be fed twice daily but she's a special case.


Does she seem to have a strong appetite when you feed her?  Does she eat well?  I know that nursing puppies eat more often than that.  You can ask the vet when you go, or you could probably ask by phone tomorrow.

Barbara


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## kitchenelf (Sep 28, 2008)

That much cute in one place should be illegal!  Absolutely adorable!


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## lindatooo (Sep 29, 2008)

Love Boxers!  She's gonna be a jewel in your life!  Hugs, best wishes and puppy kisses!


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## pacanis (Sep 29, 2008)

Typically the pups are all weaned and on puppy food by that age as most breeders won't let them nurse past 5 weeks, but I haven't had a pup that young in years (it's illegal here in PA to take them away from the mother before 7 weeks), so don't know what modern "protocol" is for a six week old. I would think 3 or 4 times per day would be fine. A good _quality_ puppy food to help her along with goats milk mixed in if you know someone with goats. At least till she developes more, maybe for a couple weeks, then kibble would be OK. I gotta say, she sure looks younger than six weeks to me.

I also have to say, you don't see many white Boxers because responsible breeders will cull them. Sad, but true in any breeding program. I had a couple Boxer breeders tell me that 40% of Boxers are born white. They tend to develop a lot of health problems, deafness being one you will notice right away. I wish you all the best with her. You are right in saying she needs special care.


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## quicksilver (Sep 29, 2008)

kitchenelf said:


> That much cute in one place should be illegal! Absolutely adorable!


 

 Had to get my daily fix, dina. Thanks!


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## LPBeier (Sep 29, 2008)

She's wonderful, Dina!  I would probably call the vet's office today just to see what they say about feeding, but they will be able to tell you more tomorrow when they see her.

Keep up with the pics as she grows, okay?


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## LPBeier (Sep 29, 2008)

pacanis said:


> I also have to say, you don't see many white Boxers because responsible breeders will cull them. Sad, but true in any breeding program. I had a couple Boxer breeders tell me that 40% of Boxers are born white. They tend to develop a lot of health problems, deafness being one you will notice right away. I wish you all the best with her. You are right in saying she needs special care.



Pacanis, I had an all white kitten with blue eyes.  I was told that ALL pure white cats with blue eyes are deaf.  Mine wasn't deaf at all..... though I do believe he had selective hearing LOL! As do most cats.

What I am trying to say is that statistics are not always right!  But yes, it is something worth knowing.


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## pacanis (Sep 29, 2008)

Yes, I understand. Not all white dogs are going to be deaf and have problems, but they are a lot more likely to if they are not technically supposed to be white. And it is generally accepted among Boxer breeders that white is not a color they want to promote. I wish the best for Sam and hearing about her growing up, but I had to say something.


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## Fisher's Mom (Sep 29, 2008)

Pacanis is right about white animals having a tendency to deafness. It doesn't mean _all_ will be deaf, but it's a thing to watch out for. You want to watch for it early because you will train your pup a little differently if it is deaf. (I used to have a white cat with different colored eyes and she was completely deaf. That said, my new pup (who is red) appears to be deaf, too, so it's not just white animals.)

But Dina, I have to say that is a completely adorable pup!!!! I'll bet your kids are enchanted with her. Is she settling in yet? Is she starting to develop a personality yet? Be sure and update us with pictures and stories.


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## Dina (Sep 30, 2008)

I took her to the Vet today and he found tapeworms, hookworms and a skin infection. I've been very stressed and sad about it. She got a medicated shampoo and antibiotics for her skin condition. She hasn't shown any signs of Parvo so we're hopeful. She is malnourished so the Vet recommended a supplement to mix in with her puppy food. Due to malnourishment she has weak bones and can't walk or stand up straight. She's vomitted due to the vaccines and seems lethargic. My daughter is very helpful so between both of us and Vet's recommendations, we hope to care for her and bring her back to health. Would you all please pray for our little puppy? She needs a lot of support in every way.


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## texasgirl (Sep 30, 2008)

Aww, Dina, of course you're going to get my prayers!! Poor little girl! She will get better, how can she not, with so much love aimed at her!!


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## pacanis (Sep 30, 2008)

That's very sad, Dina. Sounds like her "breeder" didn't give a hoot. I don't want this to turn into another animal abuse thread, but people like that tick me off. I hope she pulls through for you and grows up the best that she can.


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## LPBeier (Sep 30, 2008)

Dina, you, your family and that cute little pup are all in my prayers.  Keep us posted on her health.


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## babetoo (Sep 30, 2008)

LPBeier said:


> Pacanis, I had an all white kitten with blue eyes. I was told that ALL pure white cats with blue eyes are deaf. Mine wasn't deaf at all..... though I do believe he had selective hearing LOL! As do most cats.
> 
> What I am trying to say is that statistics are not always right! But yes, it is something worth knowing.


 

my neighbor has two all white cats. they are both deaf.


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## babetoo (Sep 30, 2008)

texasgirl said:


> Aww, Dina, of course you're going to get my prayers!! Poor little girl! She will get better, how can she not, with so much love aimed at her!!


 

when i got my thomas,cat, at the pound he got very sick the day after i got him. they are not free here. 
he would not eat or drink water.
he was on antibiotics and iv for liquids. it took a while but he got better. he is healthy as can be now.

so hang in for the little puppy. sometimes it takes a while for them to get better. you sound like i was and already bonded to the pup. so keep your chin up and i will bet he gets better.

babe


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## Barbara L (Oct 1, 2008)

Sam definitely has my prayers Dina.  

Barbara


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## quicksilver (Oct 1, 2008)

Dina said:


> I took her to the Vet today and he found tapeworms, hookworms and a skin infection. I've been very stressed and sad about it. She got a medicated shampoo and antibiotics for her skin condition. She hasn't shown any signs of Parvo so we're hopeful. She is malnourished so the Vet recommended a supplement to mix in with her puppy food. Due to malnourishment she has weak bones and can't walk or stand up straight. She's vomitted due to the vaccines and seems lethargic. My daughter is very helpful so between both of us and Vet's recommendations, we hope to care for her and bring her back to health. Would you all please pray for our little puppy? She needs a lot of support in every way.


 
Oh my gosh, Dina. I had to go offline most of yesterday, but knew I wanted to see what happened at the vet yesterday. I'm so sorry about the bad things you found out. But I have every hope in that little bitty's chances.
I find, after you do what you have to do for them with food and meds, it's best to let them be, sleep as much as they want and let their own bodies take over. We can kill them with kindness and attention sometimes. 
When my baby got bit on his snout by a pigmy rattlesnake, he didn't pee, or drink or eat, or get off the couch for 3+ days. I gave him the meds the vet gave me, tried to get him to drink water at least, bringing the bowl to him, but nothing. So I let him alone, and slowly, very slowly, he came around. I think the feeling of being loved and feeling secure is just as important as the meds. So keep her comfy, and all and know we're saying prayers. She'll be fine I'm sure, I pray, I hope.


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## Dina (Oct 1, 2008)

Ah thanks for your words, Quicksilver.  I'm just updating that Sam is better today.  She ate well at 5:30 this morning, played then napped.  Oh but let me tell you about nap time.  She likes to be held, cuddled and petted as she falls asleep.  Once she's in a deep sleep then I place her carefully in her crate and she sleeps like a baby.  LOL  She's SPOILED already!  At lunchtime, she did it all over again.  She refuses water so I'm having to add plenty of water mixed with her food.  The supplemental food the Vet prescribed is helping her as I see her stronger, holding herself up more and she's not hungry between meals.  I will continue to keep you all updated on her and post pics to see her growth.  Thanks for the prayers for our little Sam.


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## texasgirl (Oct 1, 2008)

Dina said:


> Ah thanks for your words, Quicksilver. I'm just updating that Sam is better today. She ate well at 5:30 this morning, played then napped. Oh but let me tell you about nap time. She likes to be held, cuddled and petted as she falls asleep. Once she's in a deep sleep then I place her carefully in her crate and she sleeps like a baby. LOL She's SPOILED already! At lunchtime, she did it all over again. She refuses water so I'm having to add plenty of water mixed with her food. The supplemental food the Vet prescribed is helping her as I see her stronger, holding herself up more and she's not hungry between meals. I will continue to keep you all updated on her and post pics to see her growth. Thanks for the prayers for our little Sam.


 
Aren't they the sweetest when they snuggle?!
I'm glad she is doing better today and I know that she will continue to thrive with you as her momma!!


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## GotGarlic (Oct 1, 2008)

Hi, Dina. I'm sorry about Sam's problems, but glad to hear that she's doing better  Hang in there.


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## Barbara L (Oct 1, 2008)

When my mom got her dog Baby, Baby was terribly weak and very sick.  She was a puppy mill puppy, and the store where we got her fed them adult dog food.  She was too little to eat it, so she ate the sawdust.  With tender loving care, Baby became strong and healthy.  She lived to the age of 14 1/2, and except for a few tumors at the end, she was strong and healthy her whole life.  

I'm glad to hear that Sam is responding positively.  Give her a cuddle and a kiss or two for me.  My prayers for her health will continue.

Barbara


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## deelady (Oct 1, 2008)

so glad to hear that the little one is doing better! Before you know it you'll be on here complaining that she chewed up your favorite slipper!


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## Dina (Oct 2, 2008)

Ah, thank you all.  I have cuddled with her a lot.  A friend and her daughter came by to visit her.  Sam played and cuddled with them for a long time.  They brought Sam some little bitty toys but Sam only wanted adult interaction.  Of course she knows what's good.  LOL  

Today has been a better day too.  My daughter gave her her bath, fed her and she's now sleeping like a baby.  I am dreading giving her the dewormer but it's necessary.  The antibiotic didn't cause vomitting today so it's a good thing.  I hope the dewormer will not cause any more stomach discomfort.  She's had enough and we all here are looking forward to getting her healthy.

Oh and for those that mentioned deafness in white dogs.  Thankfully, Sam is not deaf.  She hears my ever tip toe when she's dozing off and wakes up when she hears the phone ring.  I'm glad she's okay with her hearing.  She doesn't need more ailments.  Will keep you posted soon and post some pics.


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## LPBeier (Oct 2, 2008)

Dina, I am glad Sam is getting stronger and it sounds like she is in the perfect loving home.  The dewormer should be okay if you give it with her normal food and if she does have worms she really needs the medicine.  The worms will zap strength and nourishment from her.  We had the same problem with our Violet because she was born outside and spent her first few weeks there.  

I would love to see some pictures when you are ready to show us.


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## pacanis (Oct 2, 2008)

I'm glad to hear she's not deaf. It can be hard to raise a dog that is deaf from birth without the aid of a good trainer. 
And think about deworming her as tough love. You should not dread wanting to make your dog healthy.... she won't hate you for it.


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## jpmcgrew (Oct 2, 2008)

Aw, Dina be happy to deworm Sam those suckers are draining all the nutrition she is getting, tape worms are notorious for that. Once she has no worms of any kind you will see a dramatic improvement in her health.


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## love2"Q" (Oct 2, 2008)

i have always wanted a boxer .. 
heard they are great dogs ..


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## quicksilver (Oct 3, 2008)

Dina said:


> Ah thanks for your words, Quicksilver. I'm just updating that Sam is better today. She ate well at 5:30 this morning, played then napped. Oh but let me tell you about nap time. She likes to be held, cuddled and petted as she falls asleep. Once she's in a deep sleep then I place her carefully in her crate and she sleeps like a baby. LOL She's SPOILED already! At lunchtime, she did it all over again. She refuses water so I'm having to add plenty of water mixed with her food. The supplemental food the Vet prescribed is helping her as I see her stronger, holding herself up more and she's not hungry between meals. I will continue to keep you all updated on her and post pics to see her growth. Thanks for the prayers for our little Sam.


 
Haven't been able to check back for the past couple of days. So I'm thrilled to see things coming along. I love "Nudgers"! They say they feed our endorfins too. So keep the cuddles coming. And please keep us posted. Thanks for the updates.


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## Dina (Oct 3, 2008)

I know what those nasty worms do inside puppies. Ick! I gave her the second dewormer last night, along with the antibiotic and she didn't get sick anymore. The side effects are subsiding. Yey! I'm overjoyed! I hate to see her throw up and feel worse with meds but I know she has to have them. I will take pics Saturday and post tomorrow as it will be officially one week since we've had her. Thanks for your posts and words of concern for Sam. It really means a lot to us (even my daughter reads your posts and they bring a smile to her face).


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## quicksilver (Oct 3, 2008)

Good morning, Dina. SMILES here, for you and 'OUR' baby Sam.


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## pot clanger (Oct 3, 2008)

Oh - so  young!  Too bad about the dam, but so glad you all were there for her!  Best of luck and love to you !


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## LEFSElover (Oct 3, 2008)

Dina said:


> Sam is 6 weeks old. Unfortunately, the mother didn't want her puppies so she's been feeding on puppy milk and grounded puppy food. She is a beautiful white boxer with a few brown spots on her. The kids are SO happy with their new baby!  Enjoy the pics.


Give me that baby!  Not kidding, I want her!  Oh my gosh, I think I can smell puppy breath from here.
She is soooooooooooooooooooo seriously cute.  I bet she'll be a wonderful addition to your family, lucky you, lucky her....


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## quicksilver (Oct 4, 2008)

Hey, Dina, how's our baby today? Give her a huggles for me. 
*I NEED THAT FACE!!!*​


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## Dina (Oct 6, 2008)

*Sam's recovering well*

Hi All!
Sam is recovering so well. I'm so thankful that the worse is over. Her dewormer kicked in and she's been able to absorb more nutrients to grow. Comparing the pics from the day we got her and now, I see a good difference. She's jumping about a foot high when she plays with Christopher~he loves to rattle her! She even has energy to bark! Her hair is shedding so it's a good sign that she's growing it back. The skin infection was giving her hair loss. She's doing wonderful. We love her to pieces. By the way, she DOES NOT wear diapers. Amanda was goofing off and made her one out of Sam's pads. lol


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## jpmcgrew (Oct 6, 2008)

Oh soooo cute. She has one eye bigger than the other? I have never seen that before but it only adds to her cuteness.


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## kitchenelf (Oct 6, 2008)

Dina said:
			
		

> Oh but let me tell you about nap time. She likes to be held, cuddled and petted as she falls asleep. Once she's in a deep sleep then I place her carefully in her crate and she sleeps like a baby. LOL She's SPOILED already! At lunchtime, she did it all over again.



Dina - as my husband would say - she is NOT spoiled, she is well-loved!!!!!!!!!  Your puppy is just well-loved and needs security...and you're it!

You must have been adding your pics as I was posting - she looks MUCH better!  What a cutie!


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## pacanis (Oct 6, 2008)

She looks _much_ better


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## Dina (Oct 6, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> Oh soooo cute. She has one eye bigger than the other? I have never seen that before but it only adds to her cuteness.


 
No.  She has a brown spot on her left eye so it makes her eye look bigger.


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## LPBeier (Oct 6, 2008)

She is so adorable, Dina.  Thanks for sharing her with us.  Prayers keep coming for her continued health.


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## Barbara L (Oct 6, 2008)

I'm glad she is doing so much better Dina!  She is so cute and sweet!  She looks well cared for and well loved!

Barbara


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## dave the baker (Oct 7, 2008)

What a DOLL!


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## quicksilver (Oct 7, 2008)

Hey, Dina. I'm so glad to hear the good report. And smiling at the new pics. Thanks. Huggles to you both.


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## Dina (Oct 16, 2008)

Sam's growing more each day!  She goes to the vet next Tuesday and I can't wait to hear the worms are all gone.  She's been trying to aim for the pads to poop and pee and she's almost there.


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## pacanis (Oct 16, 2008)

Super, Dina!


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## quicksilver (Oct 17, 2008)

Dina said:


> Sam's growing more each day! She goes to the vet next Tuesday and I can't wait to hear the worms are all gone. She's been trying to aim for the pads to poop and pee and she's almost there.


 
Boy, ain't it the little things in life! Good for her! Good for you!
(what? no new pics? boo hoo )


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## expatgirl (Oct 17, 2008)

glad to hear that she is getting better........they are only with us for a short time compared to our life spans.......so cherish her.............she looks like she would love cuddling and lots of it..............


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## Barbara L (Oct 17, 2008)

I'm so glad Sam is doing better!  She is such a sweetie!

Barbara


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## Dina (Oct 18, 2008)

Sam turned 9 weeks old on the 16th. She goes back to the vet Tuesday. I feel we will have a good report because she looks so healthy and happy. Here are some updated pics. She loves to sleep on the FIRST step of the stairs. If she goes too high up she gets scared and can't come down till I help her. LOL She's also ready for Halloween! Check out her bumblebee costume.


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## jpmcgrew (Oct 18, 2008)

Oh man! That is just waaay too cute. Better be careful I might just come and kidnap her.


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## expatgirl (Oct 18, 2008)

hey, Sam, do you pollinate........if so you are welcomed in my garden any time of the year..........how cute..........


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## expatgirl (Oct 18, 2008)

actually at Halloween we have a local pet shop that has dogs pose for pictures dressed in costumes and at Christmas there is chair and a Santa outside that will pose with your pet..........too cute..........


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## quicksilver (Oct 18, 2008)

Gi Me, Gi me, Huggles. I NEED THAT FACE!!!!!!!!  And your son is just a munch!
Thanks for the pics, Dina!


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## pacanis (Oct 18, 2008)

Wow... 100% improvement.  She looks great! Great pics!
And what a cutie!


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## Fisher's Mom (Oct 18, 2008)

I can't believe the difference, Dina! Sam looks like a different puppy! So healthy and such a beautiful coat! Never underestimate the power of love, huh?


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## SierraCook (Oct 18, 2008)

Dina, I am so glad that Sam is doing very well.  It just breaks my heart to hear about animals that have been mistreated or have not been given the proper care.  It is nice to see a happy ending to this story.  I agree with everyone else, Sam is very cute.


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## Dina (Oct 19, 2008)

expatgirl said:


> actually at Halloween we have a local pet shop that has dogs pose for pictures dressed in costumes and at Christmas there is chair and a Santa outside that will pose with your pet..........too cute..........


Yep.  PetsMart has it going for Halloween pictures this Tuesday.  We are going to take Sam, more than likely.


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## expatgirl (Oct 19, 2008)

oh, then post a picture, Dina....I love pictures of people's pets.........


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## Barbara L (Oct 19, 2008)

All the pictures are adorable, but the one of Sam sleeping on the stair is priceless!  She has grown so much!

Barbara


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## jpmcgrew (Oct 19, 2008)

She may be scared of the stairs now but in no time I'm sure she will be ripping up and down those stairs.


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## Dina (Oct 20, 2008)

Alright now that Sam is all better I'd like to work on the house training (WHICH IS DRIVING ME NUTS!)  We've been strictly using pads and sprays to attract her to pee and poop on them but NOTHING!  We wake up every morning with poop all over her paws and crate.  We end up wiping everything down with Clorox cleaner which takes a good 20 minutes to do that whole crate.  Argh!  We don't want to take her outside on the grass afraid she will contact Parvo since she doesn't have her full set of vaccines yet.  We did try a baby diaper, ripped a tiny hole for her tail to stick out through, and that worked.  My daughter only wipped her and there was no mess everywhere.

Can anyone help on how I should be housetraining her for better results?  I even thought of a litter box but that junk is for cats only and would be too weird on puppies.


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## Fisher's Mom (Oct 20, 2008)

Dina said:


> Alright now that Sam is all better I'd like to work on the house training (WHICH IS DRIVING ME NUTS!)  We've been strictly using pads and sprays to attract her to pee and poop on them but NOTHING!  We wake up every morning with poop all over her paws and crate.  We end up wiping everything down with Clorox cleaner which takes a good 20 minutes to do that whole crate.  Argh!  We don't want to take her outside on the grass afraid she will contact Parvo since she doesn't have her full set of vaccines yet.  We did try a baby diaper, ripped a tiny hole for her tail to stick out through, and that worked.  My daughter only wipped her and there was no mess everywhere.
> 
> Can anyone help on how I should be housetraining her for better results?  I even thought of a litter box but that junk is for cats only and would be too weird on puppies.


House training is a huge chore, Dina. It's especially hard to train a pup who was rejected by it's mother. The mom cleans them up from the time they are born and it teaches them not to like having pee and poop on them. Here's what I'm doing with Junior - maybe some of it will help.

He spends most of the day in our den, which has tile floors and a back door. He gets walked on the leash every 2 hours. He's only allowed in the rest of the house for maybe 1/2 hour immediately after he has been walked. No playing around during the walks. When he potties, we immediately pet and praise him and sometimes offer him a little treat. The few times he has had an accident, we show him and then take him to the door and help him scratch on the door and then take him outside. It's starting to sink in and he sometimes scratches - mostly if he has to poop. We don't use pads or newspaper. He's about 6 months old now so of course, Sam won't be able to hold it as long as Junior can yet.

We feed him 3 times a day, with the last meal being at 6 pm. We take his water up at 8 pm. He gets walked around midnight and then goes into his crate.

The crate is really a carrier that is only a little bigger than he is. It has some fuzzy bedding in it. It is next to my bed with the front facing so he can see me. He wakes me up by whining and scratching when he needs to go potty. When he was younger, he could only go for about 4 hours so I had to get up at least once a night. (I would walk him and then immediately put him back in his crate for sleeping - no playing in the middle of the night and no water either.) Now he can wait for 7 or 8 hours at night and he never potties in his crate.

Maybe if you could borrow a carrier from someone that is just barely big enough for Sam, you could use it for nightime. I know she's growing so fast that it would be ridiculously expensive to keep buying carriers that you know she'll outgrow within a month. In the daytime, I would use your larger kennel whenever you can't be with her every second. You really can't trust them completely for quite a long time.

Good luck, Dina.


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## jpmcgrew (Oct 20, 2008)

This is how I start training a puppy after they eat or wake up from a nap you take her to the piddle pad and give lots of praise when she gos. They also seem to need to pee when they get cold. Be patient she will get it. How close is her pad? If it's too far away she might be scared at night to go that far. If she is locked in the crate at night she just might not be able to hold it their little bladders are still small so you may want to get up a couple times at night to let her go.


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## expatgirl (Oct 21, 2008)

I have to pee on a cold every night though I don't want to get up.........DH will knock you down in the mornings to get to the toilet........he will also huddle up in a cold ball and let you and he freeze to death but you will get no blanket in the night...........once he's asleep.........that's it..............you're on your own...........so is he........but he just adjusts..........


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## Barbara L (Oct 22, 2008)

Dina said:


> ...We don't want to take her outside on the grass afraid she will contact Parvo since she doesn't have her full set of vaccines yet...


Has a dog with Parvo been in your yard?  We had a dog that died of Parvo, and when we got another dog the vet said to wash the whole area down with bleach.  If no dog with Parvo (that you know of) has ever been out there, and your puppy has started on her shots, I would think it would be okay.  You should ask your vet about that.  I do know that Parvo is a terrible way to die, so it is good you are taking precautions.  

Barbara


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## roxanam (Oct 22, 2008)

i have a chiuahua...he is like a member of the family...soo sweet


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## Some Like it Hot (Oct 22, 2008)

How cute!  Congrats on the new family member!  I soooo love doggies!!!!!


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## Some Like it Hot (Oct 22, 2008)

Barbara L said:


> Has a dog with Parvo been in your yard? We had a dog that died of Parvo, and when we got another dog the vet said to wash the whole area down with bleach. If no dog with Parvo (that you know of) has ever been out there, and your puppy has started on her shots, I would think it would be okay. You should ask your vet about that. I do know that Parvo is a terrible way to die, so it is good you are taking precautions.
> 
> Barbara


 

I would agree with Barbara.  It is parks/doggie parks that you would want to avoid until all vaccs have been administered.  Your back yard should be safe.  Now a front yard might be a different story.


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## roxanam (Oct 22, 2008)

*And here is a photo with my chiuaua*

Picable - Photo Page: My Dog Picture


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## Dina (Oct 22, 2008)

Barbara L said:


> Has a dog with Parvo been in your yard? We had a dog that died of Parvo, and when we got another dog the vet said to wash the whole area down with bleach. If no dog with Parvo (that you know of) has ever been out there, and your puppy has started on her shots, I would think it would be okay. You should ask your vet about that. I do know that Parvo is a terrible way to die, so it is good you are taking precautions.
> 
> Barbara


No Barb. No dog has been out there except for our dalmation we had over 2 years ago. She didn't have Parvo. I just read that Parvo lives in the grass and dirt and I'm terrified that Sam will contact it as she's been quite weak at the start. She goes for her second Parvo vaccines this Friday so I'll check with the Vet then. Thanks. In the meantime, I'm putting pads all over the floor but she keeps missing them. Argh!

The supplemental food she eats makes her go and go all day. I tried giving her the dry food a couple of times daily and that worked okay. There were not too many accidents. I hope the vet takes her off the supplemental stuff~it's expensive, smells nasty and gross to clean up.

I'm a germaphobic so I'm trying to deal with this as patiently as I can.   Sigh!


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## quicksilver (Oct 25, 2008)

How's our baby?


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## Barbara L (Oct 26, 2008)

I hope everything went well at the vet's.

Barbara


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## Dina (Oct 28, 2008)

Sorry for posting late on Sam.  She went to the vet last Friday and she's free of worms and skin infection.  She went from 2.3 pounds to 9 pounds in 4 weeks.  Woohoo!  Sam got her heartworm pill, second Parvo vaccines and another one to prevent diarrhea (don't recall the name now).  She can't go outside yet until she gets the 3rd Parvo vaccines in another 3 weeks.  She's as healthy as a bee!  Problem is she's been sniffing her poop and sometimes wants to eat it.  Yuck!!!!!  I don't know what to do about this because once I get busy doing something else, I find her doing this and I'm disgusted.  I change the pad and wipe her mouth with antibacterial wipes.  What can I give her to clean her mouth and teeth?  I've seen some mint chewable bones...are those okay for puppies?  Should I start brushing her teeth already?  Maybe there's some antibacterial toothpaste out there...lol


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## Barbara L (Oct 29, 2008)

You can buy toothpaste for dogs at Pet Smart (and other places).  From everything I've heard, eating her poop won't hurt her, but I know from experience (my dog, not me!--I can just picture pacanis jumping in here if I hadn't clarified this!) that it is disgusting.  Cubbie was doing this for awhile, so I looked it up online.  There are pills you can give them that are supposed to stop it.  The funny thing is that one of the ingredients in some of them is brewer's yeast.  It said that dogs don't like the taste of it, so it stops that behavior.  That wouldn't have worked for Cubbie.  We were giving him brewer's yeast every day (supposed to help with fleas) and he loved it!  In fact, I stopped giving him brewer's yeast when I read that, and he stopped doing it.  Now if I could just keep him out of the catbox!

It's good to hear that Sam is growing and is so healthy!

Barbara


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## Dina (Oct 29, 2008)

Thanks Barb.  I'm going to call the Vet to ask what I can give her and go to PetsMart to get the toothpaste.  I'm so stressed cleaning up after her that my eczema is coming back.  Argh.  I need to go to the vent thread instead...


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## pacanis (Oct 29, 2008)

Just happened to drop back in. I caught word Barabra L has a little experience with coprophagia.... 


There's no cure, nothing is wrong, it's just gross. My own vet asked me if I knew how to cure it because his dog own is doing it. 
One fix. Clean up right away. It will save you more work in the long run. Take it from a professional poop scooper


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## jpmcgrew (Oct 29, 2008)

Sometimes dogs eat poop because they are missing something in their diet some sort of vitamin or mineral. I'm sure she will grow out of it as now the worms are gone. She will get better about it as she grows her little body is still in a bit of shock.Maybe some puppy vitamins will help her cravings.


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## Barbara L (Oct 29, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Just happened to drop back in. I caught word Barabra L has a little experience with coprophagia....


Not any longer, thank goodness!!

Barbara


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## quicksilver (Nov 8, 2008)

I just saw the new thread from snackpack, and it reminded me to ask how our babygirl, Sam, is doing.


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## texasgirl (Nov 8, 2008)

LOL, me too.


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## Novicebaker35 (Nov 8, 2008)

*Awww, I just read through this entire thread and I am soooo happy to see that Sam is recovered and growing stronger with each day. I ABSOLUTELY loooove the pic of her asleep on the first step and that Halloween costume is awesome! She is as cute as a button!!!! 

As for the eating of poop, Reesie (our brown and tan mini doxie) used to eat her poop. It was disgusting, but thankfully she moved on!  
*


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## quicksilver (Nov 13, 2008)

Still haven't heard how our baby's doing, Dina.
what's up?


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## Dina (Nov 20, 2008)

Sam is doing great! She had left the poop for a while then started back up again yesterday. Ick! I'm fixing to go brush her teeth and bathe her to bring her inside. Should I begin giving her vitamins in case it's what she's missing by eating the poop? I don't know how to keep her from doing this. It drives me nuts as our 5 year old loves to play with her. Here's the latest pic of her taken 3 weeks ago.


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## expatgirl (Nov 20, 2008)

you know, vitamins can be really hard on the digestive system.....I think that she'd throw them up again.......this is why you're told to take them with food.......I would take her to the vet......


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## In the Kitchen (Nov 20, 2008)

Oh what success!  I have been following this little dog since beginning and praying and hoping things would be okay.  What a rough start for something so cute and precious.  My brother found 6 kittens t hat the mother left in his garage and the owner locked the mother up and would not let the kittens nurse.  My brother did it and that was five years ago.  Today, he has six wild cats that are beautiful but no one can get near them.  They are constantly waking my brother up at 4 in the morning for their food by throwing themselves on his door.  When anyone comes over to the house if he is near the cats they run up his pants leg and jump away.  He takes them to the vet by manages to catch one at time when they eat.  In other words, they never got a mother's love and this is the real reason they act so different.  They are so big and beautiful.  I am only thankful, truly t hankful this little puppy got to be in the home he has.  What a blessing.  I just love you for giving him all the time and attention and you know he will repay you everyday of his life.  That is what a bond should be between his mother and him.  Instead he loves you all the more.  This just made my day.  I will consider it something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  I love dogs and can't recommend them enough.

My neighbor just got a Dalmatian that has same trouble.  No one can pet the dog.  Always have to manipulate some kind of way to entice him to be caught off guard.  I give the dog treats everyday and he won't let me put my hand on him.  So very sad.

Thank you so much for sharing the pictures.  They really make your posts so much more personal.  Good luck with him and you know you never made a mistake doing all this.  Excuse me for relating so much of my own similar experience.  I go on and on and on and on.  (My dogs don't mind, people do)


These are only my own personal feelings.


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## texasgirl (Nov 20, 2008)

OMG SHE IS SOOOOOOOOOO CUUUUUUUUUUTE!! She so chubby now too!! You did such a great job Dina!!


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## mikki (Nov 20, 2008)

She's so cute Dina,you did a great job with her. give her some hugs from me, OK?


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## Dina (Nov 21, 2008)

Thank you guys.  We sure saved Sam's life thankfully.  I very sad to say that we ended up rehoming her last night.  Due to her eating poop, she developed worms and we didn't want our 5 year old getting sick.  It was a stressful situation cleaning after Sam and keeping our little boy clean and safe.  The vet bill, meds and accessories turned out to be $1,000 in the 2 months we had her.  DH told us he could not afford that anymore.  I'm so sad knowing she's not with us anymore  but I feel that the new family will love her just as much.


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## Alix (Nov 22, 2008)

Thats too bad Dina. It seems you just aren't destined to have a pet. They are a lot of work thats for sure. And expensive little boogers too! Murray was about $1000 just to bring him home! I'm not even going to figure out what we spend on him monthly for food and toys etc. The cats aren't cheap either, but they are less than the dog. 

I hope you find a pet that suits your home. Good luck my friend.


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## jpmcgrew (Nov 22, 2008)

I'm so sorry to hear this. What kind of family took Sam? I would have taken Sam in a heart beat but we already have three dogs.


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## Barbara L (Nov 22, 2008)

I'm sorry to hear that.  I'm glad you took her when you did though, as I'm sure your care is why she has lived and thrived this long.  

Barbara


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## snack_pack85 (Nov 22, 2008)

Wow, thats too bad.


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## Dina (Nov 23, 2008)

I didn't get to meet the family who took her but the weird thing is that their last name is Nuñez also.  Wow!  Who would have thought.  The lady who took Sam is my husband's co-worker with 3 teens.  The kids really liked Sam.  Who wouldn't?

I've been extremely sad missing her.  My kids seem to be okay.  They didn't spend as much time with her as I did so I get to feel most of the loss.  We will stay in contact with the other Nuñez family to check on Sam periodically.  Seems our role with pets is mostly to foster them.  We're just glad we got her healthy and strong.


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## pacanis (Nov 23, 2008)

Dogs don't get worms from eating their own poop unless they have the worms themself. Or their area is infected.

I'm glad you took this abused pup in for the short time you had her. And sad for her.


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## kitchenelf (Nov 23, 2008)

She looks so good Dina - you did a great job!!!!  For future reference...there are pills you can buy at Pet Smart and various places to stop them from eating their own poop.  Some dogs just do that and I was told it is almost inherent as that is what the mother does to keep her "house" clean for her babies.  Don't know if that's true or not but it did make sense.  I gave our dog the pills and eventually she just stopped.  It was also my understanding that they don't "get" anything from doing that except really bad breath


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