Meet Toby

[peggy0]

Re: Meet Toby

What a cutie. I have a black lab Toby; means God sent. don't take that too seriously lol

[momofdecker]

Re: Meet Toby

Thanks Peggy. I had no idea the origin of the name. Rebecca picked it out on the way home. We got him in October and often call him Tobers - our October pup Hope all is well with your Toby!

[Judi]

Re: Meet Toby

I love the Santa picture! you guys are all so cute!

[momofdecker]

Re: Meet Toby

Thanks Judi!

We had not taken the dogs but when we got there others had their pups so we went home to get them. Last year's picture w/ Santa put me in tears when Rebecca kneeled in front of him and asked for money to save her Decker. I needed something happy this year. I had no intention of being in the picture but Kinser is a mama's boy and would not sit with Santa w/out me.

[Soaphie & Sydney's Mom]

Re: Meet Toby

Great picture!

[Blackjack'smom]

Re: Meet Toby

Holli, All three of my dogs still have their dew claws (all being rescues) They have never had problems with them catching on anything...just another toe nail to cut! However, from the pictures, it does look like Toby's are more prominent than what my dogs seem to be and I can see that they may cause a snagging problem. Glad to hear that all is going well. Hope Kinser is getting more used to him day by day!

[momofdecker]

Re: Meet Toby

Thanks Tami & Donna.

Over the summer we'd gone to an event at the same location we had our pictures taken w/ Santa. There was a local college sorority group that helped organize and work the event. The girls were getting their group picture taken and asked if they could have Kinser sit with them. Got him all situated and started to walk away so they could take the pic. He panicked and came right after me. Finally did get him to stay so they could take their pic but he was not happy about it. Surrounded by a bunch of college girls and he thought I was going to leave him. Guess he still has a bit of separation anxiety even as an old man.

Good to hear your dogs all do fine with their dew claws, Donna. Hope all your crew is doing well! If Toby's were not already catching on things I'd be much more confident in leaving them be. I think he's going to be a jumper though and so far it's when he jumps that we notice them getting caught on things. I'm also hoping to start him running with me come Spring. I can see the potential for those claws getting caught during trail runs too.

Took him to hang with the chow puppies on Thansgiving. My SIL has two that are about the same age as Toby. He was terrified at first but as the day went on he got more comfortable and was playing by the end of the day. They came to our house last night and Toby had a field day. He was doing hot laps around the living room, behind the couch, into the dining room, around the table and back. Saw glimpses of Decker in those moves First time he's slept through the night and not had an accident in his crate. Think we might kidnap the chow pups more frequently

Kinser did fine with the puppies in their home, as there was also a three year old chow that he had a lot of interest in. Not so thrilled when the pups came to his house. Think I heard a sigh of relief come from him when they left to go home. At the end of the night he got an extra milk bone for putting up with all the puppy madness.

[Patty]

Re: Meet Toby

Haven't had as much time to keep up Holli, but LOVE your Santa pic and stories about Toby and living room toys . Enjoy puppyhood!

[Abby's Mom]

Re: Meet Toby

Enjoy puppyhood!

Amen to that! It goes by in a flash, but during that time... it is just a hoot! I love it!

[momofdecker]

Re: Meet Toby

Thanks Patty & Barb. Puppy hood has been very healing! I'd come to realize I'd been harboring a lot of discontent towards Decker's diagnosing vet and still carried a lot of guilt for being so naive in his care for so many years. I was trying to move beyond it all and knew the negativity/guilt was not healthy but still struggled to find a positive.

Just this week Toby has learned to catapult himself up onto our beds. This morning I woke to a puppy leaping onto my chest, pushing his face into mine giving me lots of puppy kisses. He then leaned his head into my neck and snuggled in for a cat (puppy) nap. So unconditional and innocent. `He's brought the positive back into my life and is helping me to let go of the negativity and guilt. I can't believe how fast he is growing and absolutely love to watch him master new things as his confidence grows. I still add pictures to the shutterfly site "Meet Toby"
https://inmemoryofdecker.shutterfly.com/pictures/345

Have not been doing any running due to a plantar fasciitis flare up in my foot. But still talk to my Decker boy daily and wish him a good night every night. We've had quite a few windy days and when Kinser & I go walking in that crazy wind I look up and know my boy is running with that wind. I envision him running full speed, darting back and forth and smiling over us. I tell him how much I miss him and thank him for letting me know he is ok.

Decker never strays too far from my heart but time has granted room in there to learn to love Toby too!

[Abby's Mom]

Re: Meet Toby

Thanks Patty & Barb. Puppy hood has been very healing! I'd come to realize I'd been harboring a lot of discontent towards Decker's diagnosing vet and still carried a lot of guilt for being so naive in his care for so many years. I was trying to move beyond it all and knew the negativity/guilt was not healthy but still struggled to find a positive.

!

Holli,

Awwww Holli, it just pains me when I see the greatest care givers for our diabetic pups, experience guilt, guilt that they didn't do enough. Perhaps because we fail or feel that we fail at the end, and need to let them run free, we ache.

I will write more.... But to let you know I was thinking of you. Decker is running free, and you need to as well.

Barb

[buddingartist]

Re: Meet Toby

Holli

I felt that way about Buddy for so long and there are days when guilt just takes over.

I know how you feel and I find comfort in thinking that we did what we could, with we knew at the time.

Take good care

Louise

[momofdecker]

Re: Meet Toby

Thanks Barb & Louise.

Barb you always know how to put a smile on my face!

Louise I was just thinking of you the other day and how much support you provided for Decker. There is no doubt in my mind that you did everything you knew how to do too. I admire all you do for your current pups. They are very lucky to have found their way into your heart and your home!

[Patty]

Re: Meet Toby

we ache

Yep. Two powerful words. Because we care so very much.

[momofdecker]

Re: Meet Toby

Looking for some diet advice to deal with puppy diarrhea. Poor Toby has had terrible diarrhea since around Thanksgiving. We discovered he was helping himself to a lot of cat food (via the cat door) and have fixed that problem. He saw the vet last week and she put him on a bland diet. Rice & burger - then we've gradually mixed in his dry food.

His diarrhea was so bad he was getting up every 40 minutes at night to go out and it was all liquid. Vet said he looked healthy and was surprisingly not dehydrated. He weighed in at 19.5 pounds at his 15 week check last week. Seems skinny to us but vet says leaner is healthier than overweight.

The bland diet stopped the frequent need to potty during the night but he has continued to have soft stools. Today was the first day he was back on his normal feeding and the husband just called to let me know Toby's had another 'crate blowout' - where the diarrhea is so bad it hits the walls outside of his crate. He is eating taste of the wild grain free puppy food. He's been on it since we got him and did not have diarrhea until around Thanksgiving. We have also been rotating with blue buffalo but did a gradual rotation. When the diarrhea started we went back to only taste of the wild. John was not able to take a stool sample to the vets because there has been nothing solid to take. He's convinced it's the food because the vet said grain free is not great for puppies. I'm not so sure.

But we have to get through Tues - Fri this week where he is in his crate from 8:30a - 4:30p and we need to find a solution so he doesn't have to sit in his mess for an extended time. Our weather has been horrible, making driving nail biting going to and from work, and unfortunately not an option to do during lunch time.

I'm afraid to switch him to a new food with an already upset tummy? Do we go back to the rice/burger? Is there anything else we can add to his diet to help firm up his stool? If we can make it to the weekend I'll be on vacation until after the first of the year and we can play around with his kibble diet because I'll be home to let him outside as needed.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!