yay, i was able to remove the post so the email is no longer available! i sent you an email with my real contact info :-)

Hi Kate! No offense taken at all. : - ) Most of my dog training experience comes from purchasing a dominant alpha male rottweiler with a genetic temperament problem as my first dog. I had to fast track my knowledge and information from lots of trainers, classes, and independent reading and research on how to train and handle a "hard" dog with positive training methods. He turned out to be a fine dog, though you can't really "fix" a poor temperament, we did get through CGC. During his life, I also spent a few years volunteering with a local animal shelter (SPCA), training dogs in basic obedience skills and consulting with potential adopters to help match a good pet to their lifestyle.

Lots of the health info I know just comes from general love of animals, talking to people about their pets and health issues they've had with various animals. My neighbors are vet techs and I spend quite a bit of time listening to them talk "shop". Sometimes I research a topic if I've never heard of a problem, just to satisfy my own curiousity.

More than anything else, I have a strong desire to do whatever I can do for the health and welfare of pets & people, love learning things about dogs, and enjoy seeing people build a healthy and happy bond with their dogs.

Just your typical lifelong animal lover... : - ) Thanks for the friends invite, by the way!

You have such a cutie, one of the happiest looking corgis I've seen! Penelope is coming from Purcell, but I think that is actually kinda far from you!

Hi Kate! Yes I do scale my dogs teeth. It's not difficult at all. The hardest part is getting the dog to lay still while you do it, but both of my corgi's are wonderful about that. I have two different kinds of tools that I use to scale their teeth. I got one from Dr. Foster and Smith and the other I got at PetSmart. One is sort of hook shaped and the other is more like a hoe type shape. The hook one is flat on the sides and what you do is lay the flat side against the tooth and side the flat part down the tooth. It will 'catch' the edge of the tarter and pop it off. This will work on my daughters dogs teeth but I found that it wouldn't work on my corgi's teeth. On my daughers dogs, their tarter will just pop right off in a big chunk when I catch the edge of it. But my corgi's have tarter like concrete. I have to use the hoe-like scaler and scrape. It's just a matter of elbow grease. My only advise is be really careful close to the gum. You don't want to slip and catch their gums or you'll never be able to get your baby to let you scale their teeth again. I always follow up with a good brushing because they LOVE the toothpaste. It's a treat. The anticipation of the toothpaste is what gets them to let me do the scaling I think.

Also, I got pointers from my dental hygenist. If you know a dentist, or a hygenist, ask them for hints and tips. That's what I did.

Welcome to Oklahoma corgis, hopefully we can get a bunch of Okie corgi lovers to join!!!

Oakley is gorgeous-- I enjoyed your pics!!

Hey, I've enjoyed reading your posts over the last couple of days. Hope everyone's back to normal! I know about the stress of moving....we just arrived in MN after a two-week journey (with stops) from Long Island. And our things still haven't been delivered after 3 weeks of transit! AH! Anyway, seems a number of us have the horse/corgi thing in common. Too bad its so hard to keep the dots connected!

I see you are from Enid. My Husbands Aunt and Cousin live there. I think she works at the bowling ally on base. I have been there one time, and we took our son to watch the planes land and take off. He loved it!!

I originally saw it in Country Supply-which is found at horse.com, but I did a check just today and didn't see it. I also saw them at Menards. I am actually going to use a wood gate kit for ours and make a picket gate, but you could also use that kit and just affix the wire to the wood fram. My other opening I have an trellis that has a gate. I'll check my catelogs at home and if I find the original kit. Would be nice because it was so simple. I love Montana. Wish I could find more excuses to go!

Glad to hear that Oakley is adjusting well, I'm sure it'll be a joyous day :)

Hey Kate! How are the family and corgis holding up? one more week to go till the reunion right?

Glad to be of help. Denise is wonderful with the Corgis! I have to confess to actually thinking of calling her about Teddy when he first came online...as Jake was coming out, she had mentioned she had a new Corgi who was a lot like him. Good luck! I look forward to hearing how it all went...

A bit more...so far Jake has destroyed the cheaper toys...the more expensive ones such as his jolly ball are lasting fine. As far as him chewing anything else...a couple of insignificant things when I had my back turned-so, I should have known better!

Denise and I spoke at length about Jake because it would have been my mother at home with him most of the day. I think he is really much easier to manage then she made him out to be! I don't know of any dog at the age of two that does not chew up things. You have to keep an eye on them until they get over that urge. I had a Belgian Sheepdog and after that a Beagle and it was really the same with both of them. So-you sort of have to expect they will get into things.

I am not sure about returning the dog...I did not ask, but I think if you asked about it, they would be up front...

As far as my experience with ForPaws...I can only say it was GREAT. Kathy and Denise were really helpful, we spoke at length on more then one occasion about Jake and what his needs were. Are we in love with Jakey? Absolutely! My mother especially...they spend the afternoon together playing ball. He is really pretty well behaved with her. He is still a teenager...his new thing is digging holes when he gets mad at me. But, Denise really works with the Corgis, getting them ready to go to a new home. Jake has had no accidents, walks nicely on the leash, listens...well, he has some issues I was aware of such as being fearful of coming in, hence the super good cookies. Things like that...

Overall, I would say that if you talk to Denise about your concerns and thoughts, she will respond. They really want the dog to go to their forever home.

Was it Denise you were talking to? Oh, too funny! Yes, that is my Jakey....

Please do feel free to ask me anything!

You made a comment about my Montana Friend pix. The picture was taken just beside the Gallitin (sp) River fairly close to Big Sky. These little guys will come so close that they make it easy to get a good shot. I had done some hiking and was just sitting taking it all in.

I know! Men are so impossible sometimes. And all I have to do is look at my Oliver and all my frustrations go away... : )

thanks for checking out and enjoying the video!.....yeah, the tunnel scene...she was to go in...but she thought NOT...so i sorta kneed her in, w/o touching her..she goes in...but looks to try to get out...then goes in the middle for i do not see her..............listen, w/ kaley corgi, sometimes she is too fast for me, so for a second, ....yes...i am thinking....oooooooooooo no, where did she go....did she get out???????

she shows up, calmly, and she returned to the spot she chose.........to pee!

looking at the video, since what i do is a blurr....i see she kept returning to one spot, to sniff, but my...."bye' would get her running to me...

silly girl
what am i gonna do??????

smiles : )




kaley corgi doing her usual....running off course

Oh goodness! What a cute girl! Her face reminds me a lot of my Skittles.

I'm sorry to hear about your trials with the Air Force! I'm an Air Force brat myself, so I know how unwielding they can be about anything that isn't "standard." Much love to your pets while they're in the kennel!