I'd rather ask here.......and it's long, sorry!

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Posted by Iguanamomma on March 17, 1999 at 11:25:22:

With apologies to Jeff B. & kingsnake....this is not a reptile question. However, from past experience I KNOW I'll get a response from reptile people LOL

This is the problem: We have a 2 y/o German sheperd male that is way, way people-oriented especially his people! The 1st summer with him we left him in backyard when we went on short vacation. Nbr/friend who takes care of all of our reptiles (bless her!) was also taking care of Shadow. This worked fine the first 2 days but then she had to go to work. While gone dog dug under fence & escaped. Long story short...she located him at the pound & bailed him out to the tune of $61 (double bless her!!). Since we would be home the next day, she let him spend the night in her house (much to the displeasure of her 2 outside dogs & 3 inside cats LOL).
So this past summer we decided it would be safer for him to be boarded at the vet's. On the 3rd day of our vacation we got a call from the vet. Shadow was not adjusting to kennel life. He would not let anyone get near his enclosure and would only eat & drink at night after no one was there. We all agreed that this was probably a result of when he was picked up and impounded the year before....think it mentally harmed the poor guy! We told the vet we'd cut short the vacation and come back the next day for him. She was sorry & we told her it was okay because we'd had to leave our female ig in the herp vet hospital after emergency surgery the day before we left and were concerned about her, too. (Okay, there's some reptile in this story!) She asked "is that the one that was taken to the emergency vet with a prolapse? We've all been talking about it! Boy, you guys have had it rough trying to take a vacation!" So, she was even more upset that she had had to call us about Shadow freaking out on them.
We go to get him the next day and this is a dog I couldn't believe. When we walked back to the kennels all the other doggies came running up to be petted except one that you could hear snarling. It was our Shadow! He was backed in to a corner with all hackles raised and barking and snapping with foam flying. He looked like a rabid beast!! It took a good 2 minutes of us calling his name & talking sweet talk to him before the "lightbulb" went on & he stopped & started wagging his tail with an "aw shucks" expression on his face.

Now we have summer approaching and as far as I'm concerned I'd rather just sit here and avoid all the trouble LOL However, my in-laws 50th wedding anniv is in Aug. and all their kids & their families are getting together for a week in Panama City Beach, Fl where they as a family used to vacation every year. I've got to work something out with the dog!! Our friend will once again take care of the reptiles but I wouldn't even ask her to take in the dog because she now has new furniture & new carpeting LOL LOL You know most of you have the opposite problem....finding someone who knows how to care/feed/talk to their reptiles! I've got a dog that goes crazy!

If any of you have any suggestions whatsoever, please get in touch with me. Let's not tie up any more space here though. I've listed my personal email addy; it's mine not the "family" one so no one can complain that mom is taking up too much space. It's okay to use the family one tho if you happen to have me plugged in to your address book. BTW taking him with us is not a solution. Having a dog on you for 14 hours is not my 3 kids idea of fun...they thought it was until they did it for almost 5 hrs. at Christmas to go to grandparents LOL

Thanks in advance for any help!

Follow Ups:

Vacation end of July!......thanks for the input + SHORT message Iguanamomma 3/18/99 (1)
- OOPS! LOL that was short! .....msg this time Iguanamomma 3/18/99 (0)
emailed you - np Joan 3/18/99 (0)
Re: I'd rather ask here.......and it's long, sorry! BabyHerp 3/18/99 (0)
Re: I'd rather ask here.......and it's long, sorry! cirsisue 3/17/99 (0)

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: With apologies to Jeff B. & kingsnake....this is not a reptile question. However, from past experience I KNOW I'll get a response from reptile people LOL : This is the problem: We have a 2 y/o German sheperd male that is way, way people-oriented especially his people! The 1st summer with him we left him in backyard when we went on short vacation. Nbr/friend who takes care of all of our reptiles (bless her!) was also taking care of Shadow. This worked fine the first 2 days but then she had to go to work. While gone dog dug under fence & escaped. Long story short...she located him at the pound & bailed him out to the tune of $61 (double bless her!!). Since we would be home the next day, she let him spend the night in her house (much to the displeasure of her 2 outside dogs & 3 inside cats LOL). : So this past summer we decided it would be safer for him to be boarded at the vet's. On the 3rd day of our vacation we got a call from the vet. Shadow was not adjusting to kennel life. He would not let anyone get near his enclosure and would only eat & drink at night after no one was there. We all agreed that this was probably a result of when he was picked up and impounded the year before....think it mentally harmed the poor guy! We told the vet we'd cut short the vacation and come back the next day for him. She was sorry & we told her it was okay because we'd had to leave our female ig in the herp vet hospital after emergency surgery the day before we left and were concerned about her, too. (Okay, there's some reptile in this story!) She asked "is that the one that was taken to the emergency vet with a prolapse? We've all been talking about it! Boy, you guys have had it rough trying to take a vacation!" So, she was even more upset that she had had to call us about Shadow freaking out on them. : We go to get him the next day and this is a dog I couldn't believe. When we walked back to the kennels all the other doggies came running up to be petted except one that you could hear snarling. It was our Shadow! He was backed in to a corner with all hackles raised and barking and snapping with foam flying. He looked like a rabid beast!! It took a good 2 minutes of us calling his name & talking sweet talk to him before the "lightbulb" went on & he stopped & started wagging his tail with an "aw shucks" expression on his face. : Now we have summer approaching and as far as I'm concerned I'd rather just sit here and avoid all the trouble LOL However, my in-laws 50th wedding anniv is in Aug. and all their kids & their families are getting together for a week in Panama City Beach, Fl where they as a family used to vacation every year. I've got to work something out with the dog!! Our friend will once again take care of the reptiles but I wouldn't even ask her to take in the dog because she now has new furniture & new carpeting LOL LOL You know most of you have the opposite problem....finding someone who knows how to care/feed/talk to their reptiles! I've got a dog that goes crazy! : If any of you have any suggestions whatsoever, please get in touch with me. Let's not tie up any more space here though. I've listed my personal email addy; it's mine not the "family" one so no one can complain that mom is taking up too much space. It's okay to use the family one tho if you happen to have me plugged in to your address book. BTW taking him with us is not a solution. Having a dog on you for 14 hours is not my 3 kids idea of fun...they thought it was until they did it for almost 5 hrs. at Christmas to go to grandparents LOL : Thanks in advance for any help!

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