Nalle's Birthday

Today Nalle and his brothers has 5^th years birthday. Congratulations! So the time goes by. Nalle has maintained his wonderfully peaceful temperament throughout life. In addition, since there is no hereditary diseases emerged. Only all types of dermatologic conditions has been, hotspots, and yeast, and now possibly mange. Too bad that Nalle not blessed with offspring even if has had two dates.

Nalle 5-years.

Spring and hair loss

Hello again after a long time!

In February frosts were tight for many days. There was a low of -35 degrees. Arctic enough for us the Arctic sled dogs. Now, in March was then already milder. Pulling trips are being made, individually and as a pack, with the sled and skiers.

By mid February, the host and hostess took us to the vet. Reputedly the hairs on our backs were left by patches and patches of Otso were itched. I got it itched slightly, but I didn't scratched as so much as Otso. More detail in telling the hostess ...

Kivalo ski trip 13/03/2011

Now it has once again took a while from the previous entry. After the show in Kajaani the boys took the rematch, which resulted in Otso bit a hole to the ear of Nalle and Nalle bit Otso to the left front leg, which it limped one day.

I went to pick up the morning paper, both dogs on a leash with me. Way to the mailbox went OK, but when return Otso began to growl, which I forbid. After a while same happened again as well as a ban for a third time, which I forbid again. When we got back to the yard Otso growled the fourth time, and Nalle will no longer be tolerated and it attacked into the Otso.

Otso growled behind of my back between my legs and Nalle attacked from the front, so I got three holes of canine tooth, as well as bruising; inner side of left knee, the same leg inner thigh, as well as the right pelvis. At first I tried to get separated them on my own, but without avail, so I moved length of the leach away from of the dogs. In this case, the dogs stopped biting each other. I saw it at the same time that I held in my hand just Otso's leach and Nalle's leash had come off at some point from the collar.

I called Otso with me at the risk of Nalle will come with us. Otso came with me and surprisingly Nalle leaved on " the fighting arena". When I had taken Otso into the back yard, I went to pick up Nalle and I took it inside. Inside I checked the Nalle's injuries and cleaned them and then I took Otso, to the utility room and checked the injuries and cleaned the wounds. Finally, until I took care of my own wounds. :-)

Then I looked at myself in the mirror and wondered what the problem is? I came to the conclusion that the slight problem of leadership it need to be. I was thinking alternatives to problem dog trainers up to either one or both of the dogs being given away. But the tough of the giving away felt as I will just put a problem to circulation. Later in the day, when the dogs had calmed down, I let them together to the yard. After a while peeing, they were again as the same pack. In the evening, I talked to a friend of mine with the incident and toughs and she advised to look at The Dog Whisperer TV-program.

Here, we do not see the LIV TV-channel, but fortunately I can look The Dog Whisperer from computer. After watching a few episodes, I stated that Cesar Millan's methods would be suitable for me as well, and could at least try. Cesar's "recipe" for natural dog's life are: 1) exercise 2) discipline, and 3) tenderness - just in that order. I found that we had neglected exercise because of cold weather and the least was one of the reasons for this situation. The second reason was my reaction to (afterwards recollected): 1st growl -> I tensioned leashes in my hands, 2nd growl -> I tensioned leashes more and amped, 3th growl -> I tensioned leashes even more, and my whole body was tense and I was angry and frustrated. That was it all when Nalle came to the conclusion that there is no head of the hostess, and she will not get the discipline to Otso, so he need to take control to him self.

The first I had to begin to learn to relax, so that I can be relaxed and calm self-confident. At the same time I started to take care of that, I always went first through the door and the dog running loose on the leash either next to or behind me. In addition, I began to give tender to the dogs until they were calm.

I memorised also that last year I had read a book of dogs body language and learn ed how to use my body as a communication, especially for dogs to prevent that dog from entering one of the rooms and began to re-learn how to use your body and commanding. It took only a week or two, when I noted the dogs and especially Otso had changed obedient. The hardest part has been learning how to live in the moment and try to forget, or at least not to think about those fights.

To learning and thinking about these issues one evening, I noticed that it is just so weird that I use in my current job very peaceful and self-confident energy with cows, but then I do not with my own dogs. I shun Millan's term energy - the entity might be a better word. Now I've learned how to be calm self-confident leader of my dogs and found that Millan theory and methods are more effective.

Well this script came about as the extra mile... About those hairless patches... Trough one month I tried to take cure with Betadine. They were of round bald patches where the edges were a brownish deposits. When these hairless areas continued to spread and began to appear on the shoulders to Otso, I contacted a vet who has specialized in skin diseases, the diagnosis was caused by the yeast. To both dogs were given yeast medication on two days of week through three weeks. In addition to local treatment of patches were sprayed with Dermacool-spray. On the same day I went to the vet I browsed the Alaskan malamute forum, where they had been warning about mange. Well, of course, then I was hoping the best that it is the only yeast, but I feared the worst, mange. In addition, the weather began getting warmer causing the normal hair loss.

Week yeast discontinuation of therapy Otso's itching decreased and the hair started to grow back already, but Nalle bite his tail beam to be bloodshot. Well, I took care of it with Dermacool- and Cothivet-spray a week because of the only Dermacool didn't prevent Nalle from licking his tail. In less than a week after the treatment he began to look better already, but then Nalle bit the same place of his tail to blood again, so I contacted again to the vet which I mentioned to that specialized in dermatology and told the situation. Then I asked, could it be mange and told what I have read on. The doctor told me sensitively to write mange medicine cure because mange not always even itch. Well, now it's Friday the first doses of Stronghold on neck of both and next doses on two and four weeks. In addition, Nalle has a ten day antibiotic therapy, and locally to tail Dermacool- and Cothivet-sprays.

On this year, we passed Utajärvi heavy load pulling test because of the matters I've told. Those medications prevented to participate because of the anti-doping rules and I had other plans for that day. And so that the weekend wouldn't have been pretty boring, the boys craved for a change again, Nätti (Pretty)-lady's heat on neighbour. :-)