# Meet Zoey, our mix breed



## Daisy123 (Jan 26, 2009)

What a beautiful pup congrats!


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She is beautiful.


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## ssacres (Sep 29, 2012)

what a cutie.. She is beautiful..


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## craigieboy90 (Mar 1, 2014)

What a boonie pup.


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## Bwilson (Mar 25, 2014)

Congratulations on Zoey she is adorable. Still early to tell but I think she is going to have golden ears. My in laws just got a blue heeler Aussie mix and he is showing signs of having the Aussie rose or button ears. Look forward to seeing how Zoey grows up enjoy.


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## Mom Fischer (Dec 3, 2014)

Darn cute her face and ears look like a Golden to me but I am no pro. Anyway she is cute!


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## tessmk (Aug 30, 2015)

She's a cutie


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## 4goldengirls (Jun 10, 2014)

She's adorable. Can't wait to see how she turns out.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Welcome to the forum. 

Congratulations on Zoey, she's really adorable. 
Her coloring and markings are beautiful, she's got that typical Golden smile. 

Looking forward to seeing lots of pictures and hearing about her adventures.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Welcome! Zoey is beautiful! I see a Golden head there...if her fur gets long it may not be obvious later but as someone said, she has great Golden smile.

That's an interesting combination. My wish for you--that she has inherited the Golden "off switch"! I gather most Aussies don't have them, LOL. 

Best wishes for many years of licks and wags!


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## GoldinPNW (Jun 23, 2015)

OMG cutest dog ever. Her body looks 100% retriever but with Aussie colors


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## rabernet (Feb 24, 2015)

She is stinkin' adorable!!!


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## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

What a sweetie. Can't wait to see her journey.


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## Coco's Mom (Jun 2, 2014)

Zoey has really beautiful coloring. She is adorable.


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## SunnynSey (Jan 17, 2015)

Hi Zoey, welcome! Such a sweet puppy, I'm glad she is in a wonderful home.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

A spur of the moment vet visit due to her poops getting worse. She happy, playful, and gaining weight. Just has a poop problem lol. We were supposed to reset it 2 weeks for Giardia, but seeing as she got better for 1-2 days then got worse, the vet is doing another panel to see if she has anything else.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

hope she bounces back quickly. She is so pretty. I love the picture of of her smiling and getting a belly rub in your first post. 

If you haven't yet, you should start a Zoey thread in the puppy section. There's a lot of good info there for people with little ones and a lot of sharing about issues like poop.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

She's absolutely adorable! I can't wait to see her as she grows up. With the giardia, it can be very hard to get rid of. Duke has had it twice and we had to sanitize kennel every night, wash all toys on sanitize setting, wash bedding on sanitize setting every other day, wash his bum every night and full bath every other day before we got rid of it. Hope she gets better soon!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Zoey*

Your Zoey is BEYOND adorable! Love her!

Please keep us posted and be diligent about the giardia. Follow the vet's instructions.


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## Golden State Mom (Sep 16, 2015)

Poor baby! I hope she's feeling better soon. She sure is a beautiful pup!


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## bixx (Sep 8, 2015)

such a cutie!!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

*Zoey, our Merle.*

Duplicate post, threads merged


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Zoey's adorable.......

OP-I merged your two threads together so you would have all our replies in the same thread. 
I deleted the duplicate post.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Unbelievably cute. I definitely see Golden in her face and head shape. Cool colouring and marking!


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## bixx (Sep 8, 2015)

She's a beauty!!!


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## rabernet (Feb 24, 2015)

It's been FIVE days since we've seen a new picture of precious Zoey! Must...feed...the...addiction!!!


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## xooxlinds (Aug 23, 2014)

Love the pix, I see some golden in the body shape and ears  Can't wait to see more pix! Congrats!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

So lets talk Poop and Food

Currently she's on 4 types of food.

Iams Puppy intestinal health. This was to deal with her original loose stools and the giardia. She gets 1/3 cup a meal (3x a day) of it and it does not firm up her stools.

Orijen Puppy (didnt have large breed in stock) She gets 1/3 cup for breakfast but she gets loose stools from it. 

Fromm Large Puppy. She gets 1/3 cup for dinner, likes it but also gets loose stools from it.

Hills WD Perscription. This was the vet's most recent try to firm up her stools. It works, but feeding her too much of this will cause her to get constipated and drop marbles. So we have her at about 2/3 a cup and get a good consistency, she gets this every meal.

I notice when we cycle her off the Orijen and Fromm, and just use the Iams she seems to stop itching. Going to finish off these to bags (almsot gone) and try something else.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She is absolutely adorable. I want to squeeze her. Imagine if she gets some of the golden coat with the aussie markings. She is going to be very unique and just beautiful.

I would start with one kind of food and stop the others. By mixing them and rotating them it's probably causing the diahrea.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Ok, here's a photo from Sunday. She wasnt very motivated that afternoon:









And since we own cats, its impossible to keep her off the couch, which we dont really mind as she gets down if we tell her to.









Here's a video of her chasing after me:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10100278466260219


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Also, Ears:

Zoey's ears have a dull smell to them. They almost smell sweaty. They dont bother her at all and the vet said they look great and that its just most likely her earwax.

Is there any sort of drops we should look at to keep them clean and maybe make them smell "pretty" (lol)?


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

What a cutie! Awesome markings. I have a cat too. You can definitely teach Zoey to stay off the couch if you remain consistent about her getting off when she tries to go up there. As per the ear thing, I don't know because we don't use anything on my pups ears.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I swear if we had a Miss Doggy America, your Zoey would win. She is past adorable! Hubby and I both saw the golden in her face...that so. so very cute freckled face. Congrats on your adorable pup and welcome to the forum.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Food: research and find the best quality puppy or all life stages food you can afford long term, try it for a while, and if it works, stick with it. There are so many choices these days...some junk out there and some really good ones. I'd suggest a good one to look at is the Purina Pro Plan line of foods. People on here have mixed opinions--but they have a good track record. 

Ears: you can buy a commercial ear cleaner and use it once a week, and you can use a dab of mineral oil on a cotton ball and wipe them out. On dogs whose ears hang down and cover the opening there is always a chance of moisture causing yeast or bacteria to grow. It's a good idea to get puppies used to having their ears cleaned weekly. 

Love the new pictures!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

OutWest said:


> Food: research and find the best quality puppy or all life stages food you can afford long term, try it for a while, and if it works, stick with it. There are so many choices these days...some junk out there and some really good ones. I'd suggest a good one to look at is the Purina Pro Plan line of foods. People on here have mixed opinions--but they have a good track record.
> 
> Ears: you can buy a commercial ear cleaner and use it once a week, and you can use a dab of mineral oil on a cotton ball and wipe them out. On dogs whose ears hang down and cover the opening there is always a chance of moisture causing yeast or bacteria to grow. It's a good idea to get puppies used to having their ears cleaned weekly.
> 
> Love the new pictures!


Thanks.

I took the Orijen out of her diet yesterday, and she stopped throwing up. She only threw up 2-3 times over a 5 day period but the food is the only thing that I could figure wasn't agreeing with her. We picked up a bag of Pro-Plan puppy, Focus I think, to give a try. The vet recommended it lol.

I guess itll be a test to determine which actually agrees with her the best.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)




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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She looks like a Oreo cookie.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Zoey's so adorable, really enjoying the pictures. 

Sorry to hear she's been sick, I feed my two Adults a Purina Pro Plan formula, they do really great on it. You'd be surprised the number of members that feed PPP. 

Is that a chewy of some type in front of her in the picture where she's laying on her back on the floor? If it's got any flavoring on it, that could be upsetting her stomach also. 

I use Virbac Epi Otic Advanced ear cleaner, my Vet recommended it and I initially bought it from them. I order it off Amazon now-less expensive. I think PetCo and PetsMart carry it also. It's got a drying agent it in it, nice smell to it. 

For some reason it has been out of stock on several sites I've checked and those who do have it available, have it way overpriced right now. It usually runs about $10-14 depending on where you buy it or order it. 

I order from Drs. Foster and Smith a lot, they have it on backorder right now with a 2/16 delivery date, priced at $11.99.


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## GoldenSkies (Feb 27, 2014)

Wow she sure is cute! I agree that she looks like an oreo cookie/smoothie  Hopefully her symptoms improve. keep us posted.


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## Mom Fischer (Dec 3, 2014)

She is so cute. Food is such a puzzle sometimes. Good,lick with it. It took us 4 foods to get it figured out and it it $60 for. 27lbs bag&#55357;&#56863;


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## Wicky (Aug 27, 2015)

Zoey is just adorable. Hope she is doing better.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Super cute, can definitely see the golden in her. Hope her tummy problems gett sorted o


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## Helo's Mom (Oct 16, 2011)

OMG she is so cute I can't stand it!!!  I think she has a golden head. It will be interesting to see how big she gets!

Actually that last picture you posted, she looks all golden except the color!!!


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## thorbreafortuna (Jun 9, 2013)

Zoey is absolutely adorable. Congratulations! I agree that except for her markings and coloring her face and ears look all golden.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well I think our dog is actually defective. Last night my wife went to see if she was alive, and was acknowledged by butt wiggles and sloppy kisses.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well today Zoey let herself out of her cage and had no accidents in the house from730am-11am, and then from 1130 - 530pm. When I got home she greeted me at the baby gate in the hallway and I was like "huh" lol


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

MilesToEmpty said:


> Well today Zoey let herself out of her cage and had no accidents in the house from730am-11am, and then from 1130 - 530pm. When I got home she greeted me at the baby gate in the hallway and I was like "huh" lol


Lol. Jake our bridge boy golden would climb the baby gate. My mom would get home and he would be laying by the door. He had no accidents either. Sounds like you have a smart pup. Also good no accidents and didn't get into trouble.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*What a Sweetheart*

ZOEY is so CUTE!!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Our first stick:










Arguing with daddy (me) about wanting some of the boubon:









Chewing on her cheese stick (video):
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10100281829335589

Lazy Sunday:


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)




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## BeehiveGolden (Oct 4, 2015)

That is one happy pup. What a doll.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She is adorable. I hope you keep posting so we can see her growing up.


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## Mom Fischer (Dec 3, 2014)

OMG I know I said this but dang she is so cute! If I ever found a mix like her I would have to adopt her.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

That is a beautiful HAPPY pup!!! Love the picture.


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## Daisy123 (Jan 26, 2009)

Such a pretty girl!


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## L.Rocco (Jul 28, 2015)

I just fell in love with her! So incredibly adorable.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Yesterday my wife and I took her for a walk and we actually had people waiting outside their houses for us to walk by (they could see us coming) and pet her. Said she feels like a cloud lol. Her fur does have different textures especially the grey fur on her rump, it feels like stuffing from a stuffed animal lol.

I still want a pure golden, so I see another in our future. 

Edit: Today is our 3 month birthday!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Here's a photo our vet took of Zoe a few weeks ago:


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

OMG...Zoey is soooo cute!!! Hope tummy issues have cleared up. Looking forward to watching her grow up!!


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## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

She's certainly got all the typical golden poses going on. Stunning pup.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Just popped back in to see any new pics. The one in your post #51 is beyond adorable. I just love her markings.


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## thorbreafortuna (Jun 9, 2013)

I love her. She's beautiful and she looks like a lot of puppy fun!


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## mddolson (Jul 10, 2012)

Beautiful, I love his spotted face.
That shot sleeping on your lap: Priceless!

Mike D


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Now that she's getting to be 3-4 months old. How should we handle shedding? SO far she only loses a few hairs a day but some adult fur is starting to poke through on her back, and her belly/chest fur is more adult textured. We just want to be ready for our furr baby to explode lol


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Given her DNA, Zoey is going to have a lovely thick coat. If you haven't started already, start brushing her every day or other day, or at a mnimum once a week, using a pin brush or slicker brush. Don't focus on completing the brushing, focus on having her enjoy the process. I trained mine by putting a small pile of treats out of reach but in eyesight of the pup. I'd brush the head and ears gently, then give a treat, then move on to next section of the body. Carry on as long as the pup is willing to sit still. Once she's bored, stop and pick up where you left off the next time. If you teach her to love being groomed it will make your life and housekeeping much simpler.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

14 weeks and weighing in at 30lbs! Hoping she slows down...


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well we had our second night of puppy training tonight. That was brutal.

Day one (last thursday) we got her to "sit" on a "mat" and started working on "down" (lay down.) By Saturday night she had it all and knew the words. We could even do "sit - down '- sit, then throw her treat and change up the cycle. 

Tonight we could barely keep her seated. She wanted to run around and had no real interest in working with us. We literally looked like we had no control over her, but the trainer said she must just be moody (she was talking back to us some commands.)

There was a pretty golden there as well a week younger then her, and significantly smaller (a boy at that.) My wife asked me what it was because it was beautiful and she wanted one as well. Told her it was a golden like Zoey and it blew her mind haha.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

MilesToEmpty said:


> Well we had our second night of puppy training tonight. That was brutal.
> 
> Day one (last thursday) we got her to "sit" on a "mat" and started working on "down" (lay down.) By Saturday night she had it all and knew the words. We could even do "sit - down '- sit, then throw her treat and change up the cycle.
> 
> ...


It sounds like Zoey needs to be tired out before class. Maybe a long walk beforehand. Funny about the Golden.


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## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

do you feed her before meals? not a complete one otherwise she'll fall asleep. Funny story actually, before Kaizer's first ever class we fed him his entire dinner and he ended up falling asleep in the middle of class after he ran around smelling everything. We started giving him half his meal before class and it helped in keeping his sleepy enough not to be a hassle, but awake enough to actually learn.

I also found it useful to show up 10-15 minutes before class and help Kaizer get acclimated to the place again, he'd always show up really excited but calm down enough once class started. the one time we were late and just got into training, he was a bear to work with. i generally have a very calm puppy though, so maybe you'll need more time than that to get Zoey to calm down lol.

In my experience, we couldn't take Kaizer out on a walk because he'd either get sleepy or he'd go into tantrum mode and bite everything. Maybe it'd work out for you though because zoey seems to have higher energy? Must be the aussie in her

I don't know if I've said this, but Zoey is absolutely gorgeous. I love her freckles


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well Zoey eats at 630 and that's when her training is, so we take a full meal worth of Freshpet chopped into pea sized pieces. First class it worked great, second she wanted to eat eat eat all the treats but wasn't having it.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Today Zoey had tummy issues and poo'd in her crate between 1-3pm when our friend came to check on her. She said Zoey looked incredibly embarrassed and she had to hose her off.

I came home early from work to give her a bath... actually gave her a shower which I think was easier. Today she weighs in at 34lbs.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well Zoe' had a rough weekend.

Friday she was on a rice only diet. We've noticed that chicken in large amounts give her an upset tummy. She had the poops throughout the day Friday every other hour until 7am Saturday.

We stopped feeding her rice Friday evening at 6pm and she didnt eat anything until 1130am Saturday. We fed her Dave's restrictive diet throughout the day with a spoonfull of her kibble and some hot water which made it almost like a stew. Sunday I had an Iams intestinal heath from when she had giardia so we fed her that.

She didnt poo again until Sunday evening and it was about 60% normal again. Gave her 2 tablespoons of kibble a few times throught the day in her kong because she was cranky. Sunday night we were back to the potty every 2 hours so we took her to the vet this morning.

Very unhappy puppy. She didnt want to get in the car, she usually jumps in. Drove her there and my wife dealt with her since I had to go to work. 

The vet says she either has giardia again or its something she ate a few days ago. Strictly told to feed hew wd until things clear up. They also scolded us for feeding her the Daves and said "never, ever, ever again due to being such a low protein" (which is why I fed it to her to being with)

So we wait and see. 

(The vet said we should have been feeding her wd immediately and was unhappy that we waited 5 days to get some) Thursday night my wife went to the vet and purchased a bag of wd. They ended up giving her a bag of iams intentional health (which makes her sick) and my wife didn't realize until she got home... so we were less then impressed with our vet this weekend.









Compared to 10 weeks


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

So sorry you're going through this. Giardia can be very tough to get rid of. Switching foods might also upset the tummy.

We've had Giardia in my house 3 times (total pain the butt)...here's what worked for us to get rid of it.

1) Wash the bumm area every night (wear gloves)
2) On days 1, 5 and 10 full bath/shower
3) Wash bedding and any towels in sterlizlation cycle on days 1, 5 and 10
4) Wipe bumm area every time after going (we used pampers sensitive diaper wipes)
5) If using a kennel, use clorox disinfecting wipes 2xday (1 in am and 1 in pm)
6) Pick up poo every single time she goes, she can reinfect herself by eating it or stepping in it and then licking herself

Good luck! She's just adorable


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## Daisy123 (Jan 26, 2009)

Poor baby I hope she feels better soon!


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## DebHow (Oct 30, 2015)

She is a cutie! Her face & ears look like a Golden to me. Her markings are unusual and she looks so soft!


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## BeehiveGolden (Oct 4, 2015)

This poor dog. She definitely found the perfect home for her with kind dedicated owners. Hope your next post is a happy one.


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## Mom Fischer (Dec 3, 2014)

Aw poor thing but she is still darn cute. Had things that are hard to clear. Lucy can d n food wth any poultry at all. Snack figuring that it she has been great.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Poor Zoey, and you. Hope she's back running around soon. 

Some people feed a bit of boiled hamburger with rice instead of chicken. She might tolerate that better. Sounds like chicken doesn't agree with her at all.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well after 2 days on the wd we're back to normal. Not sure what we ate last week that could have done it other then some carrot slivers or the banana. Likewise, she wont be getting either till shes bigger.

The giardia test came back negative, which i expected. Even with sleeping about 16 hours a day, from my observation of staying home with her yesterday, she still slept through the night from 11pm-600am before starting to whine... and then she just wanted to lay in bed with my wife and I. Spoiled puppy. 

She's for sure feeling better. Romping around the hosue after the cats (which I wish I could get her to stop doing)

And everyone keeps saying she's abnormally soft, actually the vet said the hair on her head felt like a bunny and the rest of it like a cat. Only the fur on her chest/belly area actually feels more like dog hair. Hopefully she stays fluffy.


Here she wanted some popcorn my wife was eating:


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

MilesToEmpty said:


> Well after 2 days on the wd we're back to normal. Not sure what we ate last week that could have done it other then some carrot slivers or the banana. Likewise, she wont be getting either till shes bigger.
> 
> The giardia test came back negative, which i expected. Even with sleeping about 16 hours a day, from my observation of staying home with her yesterday, she still slept through the night from 11pm-600am before starting to whine... and then she just wanted to lay in bed with my wife and I. Spoiled puppy.
> 
> ...



First of all, she is absolutely precious!

Second, I think there's some sort of intestinal bug going around. I thought it was just at our house, but I've heard several other people in our area and even in other states mentioning their pups having diarrhea. We had 4 at our house get it over a 2 week period. One of mine ended up at the vet for fluids because he was so sick with it. Within 3 days of coming down with it, all of them were back to normal and only one needed medical intervention (my 10 year old golden).


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## MarcWinkman (Oct 28, 2015)

Zoey is a beautiful pup. She definitely looks to have the ears and head/face of a golden.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She is adorable. Chloe puts half her body on my recliner like that also. It's so cute.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

She's got the golden sprawl down - on her back and all 4 legs in the air!!!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

She's absolutely adorable, I love her coloring and markings. 
Good to hear she's feeling better, great pictures.


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## Daisy123 (Jan 26, 2009)

Love the photos!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

I love Zoey-she is so cute!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Glad she's running around again...even if she's chasing the cats!

I do love pictures of puppy bellies...hers is just wonderful. I think you and your wife lucked out with little Zoey.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Zoe made it onto our trainers instagram page being super cute. She was actually being used as an example but secretly we knew she was putting her head down because she was cranky!
https://instagram.com/p/-CKIjiRORs/


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## thorbreafortuna (Jun 9, 2013)

She's too cute, goodness!


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

That picture of her in "settle" is beyond cute!


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## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

I almost feel this pup should be a whole new breed!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Tired after the vet:


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## goldenewbie (Nov 10, 2011)

jennretz said:


> That picture of her in "settle" is beyond cute!


 Yup!! She is really cute! What a beautiful puppy you have!!:--heart:


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well Zoe loved Thanksgiving. Loved the attention and the few pieces of turkey we put in her bowl with a Turdukey stick from the petstore. 

She's starting to paw at her face and her breath smells like a septic tank. I noticed her rear molars are coming in now, oddly enough we never saw her drop a tooth or notice the puppy ones fall out.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Zoe*

Zoe is a doll!! Has a vet looked at her teeth? Would probably be a good idea since you said her breath smells. What is a turdurkey stick? Could she have broken a tooth?


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Karen519 said:


> Zoe is a doll!! Has a vet looked at her teeth? Would probably be a good idea since you said her breath smells. What is a turdurkey stick? Could she have broken a tooth?


Twizzies Chews | Emerald Pet

I didnt see any broken teeth minus her puppy canine, and from what I can see online people call it "blood breath" but when my wife gets home we will take a better look.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

MilesToEmpty said:


> Twizzies Chews | Emerald Pet
> 
> I didnt see any broken teeth minus her puppy canine, and from what I can see online people call it "blood breath" but when my wife gets home we will take a better look.


Well she just dropped a tooth on the ground and the smell went away. Guess there was gunk stuck under. Still a tad stinky so i expect we will see a few more fall out. I looked and 2 of her canines are dull in color and wiggle a bit. She's a monster when youre trying to look at her teeth lol


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Off to the vet, she was even super excited when she got there lol:


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Love the new pics, Zoey is really growing. 
She's so adorable.


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## GoldenLabMix (Dec 3, 2015)

What a gorgeous pup!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well, she goes in next Wednesday to get fixed. Hopefully things go well, and we dont have any issues as she gets older. I would have preferred waiting, but the adoption place requires all dogs to get fixed prior to 6 months or they come and take the puppy back. Oddly enough all puppies from them under a year the adoption fee is $350, and that covers getting them fixed and chipped when the time comes for it. Since Zoe didnt come from a shelter and was given up by a breeder, she didnt come with the same policy... just getting her fixed by 6months.


After I was outside working all day, which she had a fit with.









And here's a video where she was trying out for Nascar. So far the most laps she's successfully completed at high speed around the coffee table has been 11. Was another case of the zoomies.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10100298424917909


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Hope her spay goes well and wishing her a quick recovery.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

I think every picture of her gets more and more gorgeous. She is a fun pup - you can just tell. I hope her spays goes well. Keep the pictures coming


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

The most bizzare thing with Zoe right now is her hair growth. She hasnt shed much, but we shower her every 2 weeks with Furminator and a conditioner for puppies. Even though she's lost that cottonball fur, its still super soft but about 1"-1.5" long now, and its super smooth and shiny.

We did get her some new treats and something is making her a bit itchy again, could also be the dry air in the house though.

Here's a photo from her final night at puppy training. She starts obedience training at an AKC kennel in January.









And then she was looking at my wife during this photo lol


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She is just adorable. That video of her doing zoomies was so cute.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Off to get Spayed, she knew something was up.









Picking her up from getting Spayed. The vet didnt trim her nails like they promised so we were less then pleased. 


















We take her cone off when we can monitor her. She hates it and freaks out with it on all the time. At night she can never get comfortable in bed. Last night I woke up after getting rammed in the face by the cone as she wanted to lay next to me.

And here's just a new fur photo. Not much puppy fluff left, but oddly she hasn't shed much at all.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Oh poor puppy. We never used a cone. She never bothered her stitches. But we were home all the time and she sleeps on the bed with my parents. So we never left her unattended. If she doesn't like it take it off and see off she bothers it.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

She is really adorable. Goldens are double-coated. Their puppy fur become their undercoat, and their adult fur grows overtop. The Furminator is supposed to be very bad for their topcoat. 

We also did not keep a cone on Rundle and just kept an eye on her at all times to make sure that she wasn't licking or going at her stitches. 

She is so cute!


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

She sure did look dejected....you could try a tshirt on her vs the cone, although it's been enough days now hasn't it?

There's something about the cone. My one boy shuts down just like Zoe does. Poor girl....hope she's back to her old self.


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## AngelCoopersMom (Oct 15, 2015)

So pretty. Hope she gets to feeling better very soon. Our Cooper hated the cone too.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

She goes in Thursday to get her stitches removed. That will have been 8 days, the vet tech said that was kind of soon but they did say between 7-10 days.

Im tempted to go to petsmart tonight on the way home to get her something softer. When we arent home during the work day, which is only Tomorrow and Wednesday of this week, we put her cone on and put her in the XL crate we have.

Im not sure if the stitches are itching her, or if its her buzzed fur the way they cut it.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well we got Zoe's stitches removed the day after Christmas. She's terrified of that vet and luckily will never have to go back. Now I see why we pay ours so much... They love the pets as much as their own, and Zoe gets super excited to go to our vet.

Anyway, shes a handful and getting more stubborn. We start obedience training next Tuesday at a AKC certified place.

Here's her Christmas present from "Grammy"



























After bath time:


















All different lengths of puppy fur:


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She is getting so big. She reminds me of a Oreo cookie. She is getting some feathering on her tail.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

She is so sweet


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Somewhere, way back,someone said she should be a new breed. I agree. She looks better every day. I love the waves/curls on her tail.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

We've had a few oddballs this week. She's got some tangy breath. Same breath she had when she was teething, but from what we can tell she has all her adult teeth. Shes been spending most of the day in her crate as my wife is out of town, but we have a neighbor come let her out mid afternoon.

Yesterday morning she woke up at 4am and made me take her outside. She peed but it wasnt to the extreme as a 6-7am sleep all night pee. 

This morning she woke up at 3am to go pee again. She has been doing really good about staying in bed with us until 530-7am usually.

And another question I have been meaning to ask, she goes nuts when she cant find me. Is it normal for them to be so clingy?


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## faiththegolden (Jan 3, 2016)

She is adorable! I love the last photo with her paw on the bone....reminds me of my sassy little girl. Congratulations


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

MilesToEmpty said:


> We've had a few oddballs this week. She's got some tangy breath. Same breath she had when she was teething, but from what we can tell she has all her adult teeth. Shes been spending most of the day in her crate as my wife is out of town, but we have a neighbor come let her out mid afternoon.
> 
> Yesterday morning she woke up at 4am and made me take her outside. She peed but it wasnt to the extreme as a 6-7am sleep all night pee.
> 
> ...


Being clingy is really normal for a young dog, and puppies go through several fear stages. I don't know when they occur but you could look that up. 

Zoey is getting cuter every day. Enjoy your training class. I bet she'll be the smartest in her class.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Those golden eyes, and Aussie ears lol.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

She's just such a perfect blend of the best of both breeds.  Such a sweet face...


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

So we switched Zoe over to Fromm Heartland LBP (as recommended by Fromm), and are having great results. Previously being on the Chicken Grain Free LBP and always have issues with her stools/itching, then the Pulsar fish and getting a fishy smell to her fur (but great for stools), the Heartland has been great. 










Here's a "derp" photo from last night:


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

MilesToEmpty said:


> So we switched Zoe over to Fromm Heartland LBP (as recommended by Fromm), and are having great results. Previously being on the Chicken Grain Free LBP and always have issues with her stools/itching, then the Pulsar fish and getting a fishy smell to her fur (but great for stools), the Heartland has been great.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Love the pictures!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Zoey*

Zoey is just adorable. Love the pictures!


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## 4goldengirls (Jun 10, 2014)

Nice photos - she's camouflaged with the snowy grass in the outside photo.


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## AngelCoopersMom (Oct 15, 2015)

She is so gorgeous! Where did you buy the Fromm. I was looking for retailers here but there don't seem to be any close by. It must be more of a specialty food, huh?


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

AngelCoopersMom said:


> She is so gorgeous! Where did you buy the Fromm. I was looking for retailers here but there don't seem to be any close by. It must be more of a specialty food, huh?


From what I was told by our local "fancy pet food store" is that Fromm sells a line called Prairie that came out about 6 months ago. I kept telling them that they changed the name to Heartland but they kept telling me I was talking about Acana.

So I went to Chewy:
https://www.chewy.com/dog/fromm-heartland-gold-grain-free/dp/115332

Its by no means cheap, and I wish she could tolerate the Chicken. The LBP and the heartland LBP are both Grain Free. Zoe's issue seems to be primarily with poultry. Even when we give her boiled chicken breast she would have stool issues. On a grain/fish diet she pad perfect stools and went 2 times a day. Anything grain free with all the fillers she usually goes 3 times a day.

My wife and I are looking into actually cooking for her as it would be alot cheaper then $56 a month for food. 

For her weight she should have about 3.5 cups of food a day. We give her about 3, to keep her skinny, but also make up with it from the bully sticks and what not she gets.

3 cups of food weighs .980lbs according to our kitchen scale.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Checking in for any new pictures  ???


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

jennretz said:


> Checking in for any new pictures  ???


 Funny - I stopped by for the exact same reason!


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## Amystelter (Jul 31, 2013)

Hi Zoey love bug, you are adorable


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Our Derp puppy:









We are seeing more and more Aussie in her... But then she gives us the golden look lol.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

Definitely has more aussie in her now. But, still a very good-looking pup!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

She's a beautiful girl. And clearly much loved! Has she tried to herd you yet, LOL?


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

> We are seeing more and more Aussie in her... But then she gives us the golden look lol.


She certainly has the Golden look down, she's so adorable.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Got Zoe DNA tested.

Mom's said is Pure Golden back 5 generations. Father's was an Aussie Rottwiler mix, and his parents crossed into Cattle dog/Aussie/Rotty/one more.

So here's some more of out 66lb fluff ball.


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## craigtoo (Jan 6, 2016)

What a happy dog! And so great looking...!!!


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Zoey is absolutely gorgeous!! Lucky her, to end up in a loving home, lucky you!


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

She just keeps getting prettier and prettier 


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

Wow! I could look at photos of her non-stop. Such an interesting mix!!


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## wendii (Nov 22, 2015)

Zoey is such a beautiful dog! I love the pictures of her!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

She is just so cool looking!! Has become so beautiful as she's grown. I'd be stopping you at the park for sure to say, what a beautiful dog! Such great markings and colour!


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## Wicky (Aug 27, 2015)

Just loving Zoey's photos!


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## DebHow (Oct 30, 2015)

She's a beautiful mix and looks so happy! And silky!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Zoey*

Zoey is SO BEAUTIFUL!!


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## AngelCoopersMom (Oct 15, 2015)

She is gorgeous!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well we are taking Zoe to the vet today due to excessive panting. She's always been a panter, but over the past month we have had 2-3 times where I don't think it was possible for her to breath any faster- like 5 breaths a second fast. After finally falling asleep her "normal day panting" will go away and she will slow down to a breath ever second or 2.

Yesterday when it was 80 degrees outside we played for a few min then went in and she plopped down on the floor panting.

Ive noticed that her legs make poping noises from time to time and have been told its not abnormal for dogs. She shows no discomfort when it happens and you can push on her hips and shoulders and she seems fine. We found out her brother (96lbs!!!) has severe hip dyspepsia so we know it runs in her genes... But her brother struggles to get up, and run around - where Zoe with go running and jumping through the air to catch a ball so I dont think thats her issue either.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

Oh no! Hope she's okay! Please keep us posted!


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## Mom Fischer (Dec 3, 2014)

She is so cute. There is a dog at our dog park here who looks a lot like her. Such a darling baby you have.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well she came back healthy from the vet. They suggested we could do an xray and bloodwork next, but thats about 400. 

They think its because she's got so much brain power she's not mentally stimulated enough and getting stressed from being bored. I must agree, when you make her think she stops panting.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

The popping is still not normal. I would get X-rays for that. Panting is hard to say. I know my Rundle starts to pant after dinner because she knows that is when we go to take her for her walk and she gets revved up for it. Without context only you know if the panting is within the realm of normal for your dog or not.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

We put Zoe on Cosequin for joint support. The poping seems to come and go, and we notice it more when she's at a funny growing stage. Its completely gone now, again - for the time being.

We're pretty sure that she's panting because shes excited. Still monitoring it and looking for any oddball situations.

And my wife and I have decided to try to find her a companion, we missed out on a 8month old adorable girl last weekend, so we registered with our local Golden Retriever rescue of Maryland in hopes of finding another pup. Not sure if we are looking for more of a pup, or a 3-5yr young adult. Either way, he/she must get along with Zoe so she has someone to harass other then our cat. I think she's starting to realize that the cat doesnt like her squeak toy that's as big as he is haha.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

She is so cute. How neat to get her a pay ate. We are thinking of doing the same when we get in the new house. Chloe needs a playmate.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

So when we took Zoe for her checkup she came in at 65lbs (10months.) Vet said she could probably lose some weight but when we look at her stance she looks like she fits into the "ideal" range, but her abdominal tuck is more to the "underweight" range. 

We have cut her food back from 3 cups to about 2.5 cups a day with 1-2 daily walks and some running in the backyard. We will let her chew on a yak cheese, antler, or bully stick at night before bed.

Anything else we should change?










Fromm Heartland 
https://frommfamily.com/products/go...ge-breed-puppy/daily-feeding-recommendations/
8 TO 12 MONTHS OF AGE
Weight of Puppy 60 lbs
Cups of Food per Day* 3 3/8
Grams 344


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I would lose the bully sticks and yak cheese. Both are high in calories and fat (I'm guessing, anyway). Make them a very occasional treat. (It's hard, I know. Shala loves those smoky, meaty bones you can get that are full of fatty marrow. But they have to be a rare treat. I bought her a Himalaya Chew (yak cheese) last week, but while she loved it, her tummy didn't. My guess is that they are very rich).


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Sweet Girl said:


> I would lose the bully sticks and yak cheese. Both are high in calories and fat (I'm guessing, anyway). Make them a very occasional treat. (It's hard, I know. Shala loves those smoky, meaty bones you can get that are full of fatty marrow. But they have to be a rare treat. I bought her a Himalaya Chew (yak cheese) last week, but while she loved it, her tummy didn't. My guess is that they are very rich).


Yea we usually only let her eat part of a bully stick, but she'll knock out a whole one when we have guests over. As for the Himalaya Cheese sticks, we try to make one stick last 2-3 weeks, and usually give it to her when we are eating dinner so she doesnt get too much.

Recently we started giving her Whimzees which she loves. Either the sticks, gators, or hedgehogs. They seem to be rather low in fat content.
Alligator | WHIMZEES | Natural Dog Treats

She loves to chew on things, for antlers she provides the ones that are split vs the whole ones. We got her a hollow marrow bone, which she hasn't had much interest in but will chew on it when nothing else is available and she's bored. 

We got her a Himalayan Wood Chew thing...
https://www.chewy.com/himalayan-dog-chew-ruff-roots-stalk/dp/112733
But she hasn't had much interest in it.

Any other recommendations on good things to chew on?


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Sadly, I don't have any great recommendations. Shala used to get antlers - but my vet told me all the broken teeth she sees... are from antlers. :frown2: 
So, now she gets big, huge Nylabones. They are a bit softer. She does love them, but I know she misses antlers. Those were the best. 

The alligator thing you linked to... the first ingredient being potato starch - that would be high sugar/high carb. Probably just an occasional treat, too.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

Petstages dogwood and deer horn are the best chews invented for dogs - and no need to worry about calories with these!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

3Pebs3 said:


> Petstages dogwood and deer horn are the best chews invented for dogs - and no need to worry about calories with these!


What's the difference between Deer horn, and deer antler?

I know the split elk antler we gave her she loved and didnt seem to have any issue chewing it up, but the antler we just bought for her seems rock hard and does worry me.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

MilesToEmpty said:


> What's the difference between Deer horn, and deer antler?
> 
> I know the split elk antler we gave her she loved and didnt seem to have any issue chewing it up, but the antler we just bought for her seems rock hard and does worry me.


Petstages deer horn is similar to a nylabone, but with real antler mixed in. My little doggy can't get enough of them, and they last a long time and are a lot safer on her teeth.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Chloe loves the dogwood sticks.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

We ordered Zoe a dogwood stick and she seems to like it. Does't go nuts over it though, I think she'll learn to love it more. 

We got our application filed for the GRREAT Golden rescue, and had our home inspection yesterday. Zoe is still pooped form playing for 30min.

This was the only photo I was able to capture.


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## Wicky (Aug 27, 2015)

How lucky Zoe will be to have a playmate! I'm sure she will get used to the dogwood stick. Sona is another huge fan!!!!


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

That's exciting news and a really respected rescue!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well as of today we are approved for GRREAT! Now we wait till we find Zoe the perfect family member.

As for Zoe, we have her going back to the vet on on 6/7/16. Possibly getting bloodwork and an Xray to see if there's anything abnormal causing her to pant. We are averaging 1-3 breaths a second on a normal day. When she wakes up in the morning its 1 breath every 1-2 seconds, so we know its triggered by physical activity. We also keep our bedroom cool at night, about 66-67 degrees . I've noticed it sounds like there's a lot me phlegm in the back of her throat now that summer has picked up, and she will sometimes cough on it.

All sorts of things are on our mind, fluid buildup in chest, could it be a heart issue (heart sounds fine), or perhaps its as simple as having seasonal allergies. Our vet has been great in dealing with our phone calls, and requested we take videos for when we bring her in... yet she's been sounding pretty normal minus the panting lately.

Just this week we started her on Zymox Otic for her ears, as she always seems to scratch at her right ear. Haven't seen any side effects from it, but she sure doesn't like the goop squirted into her ears!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

After playing in the sprinkler, and can really see her colors:


















"Speak"










And here's her most common face, always panting or with a silly expression on her face:


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

She's such a pretty girl! Hope you figure out what is causing the panting.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well today was Zoe's big day. And she did great at the vet. Vet shows us the xrays and she looks normal, even her hips look good. They're still going to send them off to a radiologist to have them checked as well. My biggest fears were lung or heart issues, and there were none evident.

Blood work and urine sample are getting sent off to the lab as well.

Her vet is thinking its behavioral, and we will proceed on that as our next step once he gets the reports back.

But they absolutely loved her. One of the vet techs came out front giggling about a fluffy black dog that tries to smile and show her teeth, and she was talking about Zoe. She left being the celebrity for the day.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

My rescue pants when he's feeling anxious or uncertain about things. It's good you're checking things out.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Glad that Zoe's health checked out. She is a beauty.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well we went for a walk today and I let her run freely extended on the leash around our community pond/stream. It seems her inner Golden came out.










This is the first time she's actually jumped into water that came up to her waist.

I can't get over how her waist/hips are Aussie fur styled and the legs, belly, chest, and tail are Golden. We get comments about how she looks pudgy until you touch her and its a good 1" thick fur on each side of her!


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Looks like she had fun 


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well I've been talking with the person in charge of Foster homes for GRREAT, and turns out she was the midwife for Zoe's litter mates. Zoe was born at 9:13am on 7/14/15 weighing in at 15.1 ounces.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

MilesToEmpty said:


> Well I've been talking with the person in charge of Foster homes for GRREAT, and turns out she was the midwife for Zoe's litter mates. Zoe was born at 9:13am on 7/14/15 weighing in at 15.1 ounces.


That crazy and cool.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Zoe looks wonderful and healthy! Good luck with a new pooch. You'll probably find that Zoe will be even happier than she is now. Ever since getting a playmate for Tucker (Bella), I've been sold on always having two dogs. They need and enjoy the company of their own kind and it doesn't detract from their relationships with their humans.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well yesterday a 9month old girl popped up on GRREAT and we were the first to apply for her. Talked to the foster and got a great feel for it. Said she would let us know by Friday what she decides.

This morning GRREAT contacted us about a little guy named Jake. He's 4 months old from PA. Im assuming from a puppy mill since most breeders would take back a puppy if there was an issue at home.

The family's son is extremely allergic to the guy so they have to put him up and we agreed to foster until the 6/7month time.


So I present you with Jake :smile2:


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Oh, isn't he just the cutest? Is this a possible foster failure?


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

OMG he is so cute. I bet he ends up a foster failure.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

How come they only need a foster until he is six or seven months old?


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well we were told that once he's 6-7months of age we can either adopt him or have him adopted out. 

I have a strong feeling he's not going to be leaving though, as we were looking for a male. We were really hoping for a 3-4yr old, but I think this guy might give Zoe a run for the money.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Oh yep I bet he has found his new home. Is he at your home already?


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

That's wonderful for you! Congrats. He's adorable.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Cpc1972 said:


> How come they only need a foster until he is six or seven months old?


They only release the dog for adoption after its been spayed/neutered, which they cover through the program at around 6 months of age, unless the vet requests an older date.

Luckily our very we use works with them and bills them directly. So when we get him we will take him in for a checkup.

I'm actually really impressed with the organization of the rescue. 

That gives us 2-3 months to determine if he's a keeper. Apparently hes got a particular coffee table leg that he is super fond of at his current home, luckily most of our furniture has iron legs lol.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

MilesToEmpty said:


> They only release the dog for adoption after its been spayed/neutered, which they cover through the program at around 6 months of age, unless the vet requests an older date.
> 
> Luckily our very we use works with them and bills them directly. So when we get him we will take him in for a checkup.
> 
> ...


That makes sense. At least they arent fixing them at like 12 weeks like most shelters these days. Zoey will have a new best friend.


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## 4goldengirls (Jun 10, 2014)

How exciting for you. Gorgeous pup. Much happiness is sent your way.


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## Mausann (Oct 9, 2010)

I wasn't able to click on the pictures and see them! What did I do wrong?


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Mausann said:


> I wasn't able to click on the pictures and see them! What did I do wrong?


Looks like most of the links have expired... Ill have to reupload them somewhere else and make a mass post with them.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Jake arrives tomorrow at noon


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

MilesToEmpty said:


> Jake arrives tomorrow at noon


Jake is a very lucky fella and I bet he will indeed give Zoe a run for her money. Lots of bitey face in your future I think.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Can't wait to see pictures.


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## Krissi2197 (Apr 23, 2016)

How's Jake settling into his foster home? I hope you guys are having a lot of fun together!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Oh my, where to begin.

He's a little he devil.
He likes to tinkle on the floor even though the "give up" family said he was fully house broken.
He farts, a lot.
He chases Zoe around like a Tasmanian devil with mouth wide open with puppy snarls and likes to go for her shins.
He sheds.
He farts some more.
Counter surfs.
He's teething.
He wakes up at 4am to go potty. How the previous home owners got him to last 8 horus 

But...
He's learned(ing) how to sit.
He's learned come.
He's made of butter.


So far he's had a bath since he was stinky and he was a charm. He even picks up his leash when he wants to go outside. He's supposed to ring bells to potty but that doesn't seem to work.












































Here's the butter:


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Oh and an update on Zoe from her vet follow up yesterday, which we took Jake to as well for socialization. 

Urine culture came back with the same bacteria on it, so she was diagnosed with vaginitis. We chose to have it sent off as well to see if there are any other issues with it, but for now she's on a 14 day supply of 750mg of antibiotics. The culture will tell us if she needs different antibiotics.

Vet gave her a look and said she was underdeveloped and if it the UTI comes back after treatment and grooming then they would recommend surgery to correct a skin issue.

My neighbor said thats common with female goldens? She knows 3 people who have had to get it done for their girls since they were fixed before their first heat.

We wanted to wait till after, but the state of VA refused our request since they said "she will get pregnant" even though we don't let her off leash.

So long story short, hopefully she's on her way to feeling better and getting an end to her panting. Right now she's just laying around tuckered out from the meds.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Your description of Jake cracked me up! He's a handful.

Hope you get some answers on Zoey?


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Omg he is adorable. Looks like Zoey and him are having a great time. I hope you get some answers with Zoey. Let me get this straight. The state of VA mandates you spay or neuter any dog?


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Cpc1972 said:


> Omg he is adorable. Looks like Zoey and him are having a great time. I hope you get some answers with Zoey. Let me get this straight. The state of VA mandates you spay or neuter any dog?


Any rescued dog. 

We actually had to mail a form to the ASPCA (I think? Cant remember who it was) and the rescue we got her from. The paperwork actually said that if we did not get the dog fixed then they would take her back and ban us from every reducing a dog in the state of VA. Im to sure if that was an Out of State policy since we live in MD or not, but it was quite strict.

Im going to start a thread for Jake here shortly.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

I guess that makes sense. Most rescues and shelters require that if they aren't fixed before adoption.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well today is Zoe's "Spa" day.

We found a local groomer that was highly rated, even our vert "personally" swears by her, which we asked about when we found out about her UTI and needing some trimming.

At 830 she got dropped off and played for 30minutes with the groomer's SIX huskies and another client's 2 Goldendoodles.
At 900 she went into the crate to get use to things and thats when my wife left.
At 1130 they were going to go play in the garden and the pond in the backyard for an hour.
At 1230 she gets her bath, clean ears, ear fluff, butt fluff, leg fluff, and other necessary areas trimmed. They are going to attempt her nails (which we have still had no luck doing.)
Around 200pm they go into the sunroom and enjoy a snack (we provided her kong with some treats and PB) and play for a bit to air dry.
We pick her up at 3-4pm

Sounds like a Spa day to me haha.

Ill make sure to get a photo once she is home before Jake covers her with slobber from chewing on her lol.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

I want to be your dog! LOL


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

jennretz said:


> I want to be your dog! LOL
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


So do I haha. Luckily we only have to pay for the "grooming time" which is $50 an hour. But theyre going to work with her with brushing and the nails to try to get her more accepting of things, so its worth it I suppose. Plus her birthday is in 2 weeks, so I guess she deserves it lol.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Your posts are the best.......... love your sense of humor.

Jake is just adorable, his puppy antics will be gone before you know it and when you look back on them, you will laugh when you remember them. 

I hope the new meds help Zoey and I hope she's enjoying her spa day, lucky girl.........


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

What a success. They even got her nails. Was worth the $80

She was happy I swear, but I just caught "that look"


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

She looks beautiful, I love her coloring and markings. 
Pretty girl..........


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Just a lap puppy fireworks photo.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well Zoe has finished her antibiotics. The culture for her urine came back with alpha hemolytic streptococcus. Vet said its usually triggered by stress and as strange that she showed no other signs. Frequent urination, irritation, swelling, etc.

They started her on trazodone now to see if that reduced any symptoms of anxiety or stress. Not seeing any difference in that as well.

Blood work came back good. Chest and heart look great in the X-rays. 

Im stumped, and I think the vet is running out of ideas as well.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Poor Zoey, are you close to a Vet School to get a second opinion?


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Closest vet school to us is Virginia Tech, and thats a 4 hour drive.

Ive been doing a lot of reading into allergies and what not and came across a Japanese Holistic food site that talks about the "Ying and Yang" of foods.

Oddly enough, Zoe had all the symptoms of too much "warm" food:


> Signs of excess include seeking cool places, rapid panting, thirst, red eyes, panting at night, dry skin, dry cough and restlessness.
> 
> Food that should be used:
> 
> ...


So in the mean time I switched her off her Fromm Large Breed Puppy and put her back on the Horizon Legacy Salmon food that we normally use for treats/training. Now Im on the hunt for a Duck, rabbit, or white fish diet for her to try. It agrees with her so its not going to cause any upset and hopefully we can monitor any changes.

Here's an interesting article that talks about warming and cooling foods and different allergy types.
Helping Allergies In Dogs With Food Energetics - Dogs Naturally Magazine


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

I'm really interested to see how this goes...


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

jennretz said:


> I'm really interested to see how this goes...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You're not the only one.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

MilesToEmpty said:


> Well today is Zoe's "Spa" day.
> 
> We found a local groomer that was highly rated, even our vert "personally" swears by her, which we asked about when we found out about her UTI and needing some trimming.
> 
> ...


WOW. I think your groomer sounds like a real find. :nchuck::nchuck::nchuck:


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

MilesToEmpty said:


> Closest vet school to us is Virginia Tech, and thats a 4 hour drive.
> 
> Ive been doing a lot of reading into allergies and what not and came across a Japanese Holistic food site that talks about the "Ying and Yang" of foods.
> 
> ...


Zoe might be a candidate for a raw diet. I've heard so many people talk about their dogs' health improved after switching to raw. There is a lot of info on here about that.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Another thought...if you haven't already, read up on Goldens and thyroid problems on here. Many mainstream vets test their thyroid and say it's fine but in reality it's low. I guess many Goldens need more thyroid than other dogs. Just a thought.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well between the meds she's on and switching her to a fish based food, we haven't really seen any improvement with her panting. 

We are hearing lots of popping from her joints, but she jumps around happily with no sense of discomfort. When they wrestle she can bound right over you ever so gracefully with a smile on her face. Vet checked her joins and said they feel ok, and dont feel like they have issues, but can do an xray of the hips if we desire which may be our next step. I started her (and Jake) on the Joint and Immunity Nupro just for a maintenance item and to see if anything changes with that as well.

*** The one thing I have noticed, is that her panting sounds wet, sort of like she has a lot of saliva in the back of her throat that's causing a sound different then just normal panting. I noticed this change when we started her on the antibiotics. The vet said her lungs looked great in the xray so there no evidence she has any chest cold. We have cut her food for the past few weeks some since her ribs are getting a bit softer then I would like and are trying to get her to shed 1-2lbs but arent really getting anywhere with that.

Jake pants, but he pants normal. Zoe is up to 240 breath per minute when she really gets going. 


In other news, yesterday was Zoe's birthday. Shes now 1 human year old :smile2:


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Do you have a specialists vets office near you? It might be worth a visit if you do. Believe it or not, there are internists for dogs. You seem still concerned and they may have a more in depth expertise.

Happy Birthday Zoe!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Actually looks like there's a place relatively local to us, Leesburg. Ill need to shoot them an email or give them a call I suppose.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I hope you're able to get some answers for Zoey. 

Happy 1st Birthday to her!


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well we tried the Trazidone for 2 weeks and saw no change in Zoe.

Today we took her to the vet with jake, an she was so anxious her eyes were red and she couldnt relax. Vet lookd at her and my wife both said "its behavioral."

Make her do some tricks for a treat and her panting will slow down to 1/3 of her 240 breaths per minute. 

So we now have Zoe, as of this moment, on 40mg of clomicalm to see how that works. After 1 week we increase it to 80mg.

If it works, we will need to take her to a behaviorist. So far we were quoted $600 for a visit for that so not sure if I should be happy we are going this direction or not lol.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

I've got Charlie on Clomicalm; it's less expensive to buy the brand vs the generic believe it or not. It has helped a lot to get him to a point where we can desensitize him to his triggers.

ETA - we consulted with a behaviorist who did a phone consult with his regular vet. It is expensive but I found it helpful. His regular vet prescribes the clomicalm.

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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Do you think she is fearful and anxious? A visit with a certified behaviorist will give you a lot of information. Not a trainer, a behaviorist (although many are both). In our case, the behaviorist came to our home, interviewed my DD and me, watched the dogs' interactions and then came up with a plan for us. I learned a lot and the plan helped Bella and Tucker enormously. 

Tucker is a resource guarder and can be a bit of a bully when given the space to do so. Bella is a fearful dog who was never trained or socialized until she came to us at one year. In the years since our visit with the behaviorist I also joined a Facebook group I have found very helpful. It's called Fearful Dogs and is run by a trainer who specializes in fearful dogs. She has a rather strict but logical approach to working with fearful animals that is quite effective.

Good luck! I hope you can get to the bottom of all this.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Im really not sure what it is.

She's not scared of the train anymore, frankly she sleeps through it. Shes not scared of thunder. During a storm she will bark and look at us and we nod and tell her its ok and she goes back to sleep, or back to playing.

She's not scared of people, in fact she wants all the peoples in the world.

She guards certain treats, like a bone or something of the sort. So we can only give them to her when shes outside alone with us and on a leash. Shoot, she growled at our cat who was looking at her when she was eating it. Sadly I believe we are going to have to back off on those even more, and we only give them to her for a few minutes a month...

She always wants what Jake has, and vice versa. But her panting started way before we even got Jake.

She seems to do it when she get anxious. Like at night when we are on the couch she will jump up between us and just start panting and drooling. If you get a toy the panting resides as she has something to focus on.

Friday we switch to a half pill in the morning and night, and the week after a full pill at breakfast.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

You might speak to your vet about giving her a trial on fluoxetine/Prozac. Bella takes 40 mg a day and it has made a world of difference. I also give her some trazadone immediately prior to what I know will be a stressful experience (such as taking her to UC Davis for cancer treatment). The difference I describe as: the first helps her pause and make good decisions and the second tranquilizes her and keeps her mellow during stress. I hope you can get to the bottom of it all.


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## Goldengirl0904 (Jul 27, 2016)

We are getting our first golden! As we know, color is not first priority in choosing a pup, but we are really wanting to know if his litter will be close to the color we want. We have third pick in the litter. The dam is a dark red golden, like really dark red and the sire is a medium colored golden, which is exactly the color we want. We hear you can tell by their ears and muzzle? I'm going to post pictures of the parents and the litter to see if you guys think any of them will be close to the color of the sire like we are looking for! We are just afraid of him being super dark and we know nothing about the coat and how it changes. Any advice would be lovely! Thank you and so glad to finally be apart of the golden club!


























MilesToEmpty said:


> Hey
> 
> everyone!
> 
> ...


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Goldengirl0904 said:


> We are getting our first golden! As we know, color is not first priority in choosing a pup, but we are really wanting to know if his litter will be close to the color we want. We have third pick in the litter. The dam is a dark red golden, like really dark red and the sire is a medium colored golden, which is exactly the color we want. We hear you can tell by their ears and muzzle? I'm going to post pictures of the parents and the litter to see if you guys think any of them will be close to the color of the sire like we are looking for! We are just afraid of him being super dark and we know nothing about the coat and how it changes. Any advice would be lovely! Thank you and so glad to finally be apart of the golden club!


Hey, welcome to GRF! May I suggest you start your own thread, perhaps n the main forum? You will get far more responses than by having it buried inside someone else's ongoing thread.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Well we have Zoe setup to go to a Doggy Daycare on Tuesday. 

https://www.vipboarding.com/

This is in hope of burning off some of that Puppy and Aussie energy. For $22 a day I cant argue it.


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## MilesToEmpty (Sep 3, 2015)

Thought Id stop by and say hi. Its been a busy year!

Zoe is doing great and is as healthy as can be. She now goes swimming Sunday's with GRREAT and loves it.

Jake is a derp and a half. He obviously didnt get the brains like Zoe has, but he wants to please you oh so much. He belongs to us now as a full foster fail. Hes coming up on a year old. Oddly he and Zoe weigh the same amount, 55-59lbs


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

Thanks for the updates and the pictures. Both are just stunning


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Thanks for the update. Zoe has matured into a beautiful girl, but she always was stunning. 
I absolutely love the photo where the two of them are in the typical golden relaxing pose!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

They look like such good pals. I always loved Zoey's neat markings - still do. They are both beautiful!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Zoey is lovely. And obviously has an Aussie brain.


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