Edit To Ruby's Diet

Hi all! I hope you had a fabulous Christmas and New Year!

Over the past few weeks I have noticed that something has not quite been right with Ruby, every other poop has been very soft, if not total water. A call to the vet has confirmed that this is not due to a blockage or bug, but her diet. The only issue was finding out what the cause of this mess actually was.

It has taken us weeks to rule out her treats, chicken, vegetables and most other things. Finally, I removed her morning serving of James Welbeloved complete dry food. Her stools have since hardened properly, and have been more regular. We used this food as it is free of most things that cause dogs issues, such as milk, and is hypoallergenic. Obviously, this is not the case for Ruby.

I believe that Ruby may be allergic to oats / oat flour. This would explain her reactions to the product when given in large quantities.
Since this discovery four days ago, her stomach has settled, she has more energy, and seems a lot more cuddly. Also, her amount of gas has vastly reduced.

This brand of dog complete feed is brilliant for my Dad's Malamute, Jess, but does not agree with my Siberian, Ruby. I believe it is different for every dog, and every breed.

Also, I previously mentioned that both Ruby and Jess were fed frozen meat packs from our local pet shop. Recently, both dogs have stopped eating this food altogether as the brand has added more fillers. Neither dog will touch it now, so this has also been removed.

Ruby does, however, receive around quarter a cup of the dried complete feed throughout the day as a treat to ensure that she is getting all the vitamins ect that she needs. This small amount does not appear to affect her.

Ruby's diet is now very similar to what she had before, but rather than biscuits for breakfast she has two chicken legs, and for dinner only one chicken leg with some mixed vegetables.

Moulting Season!

So almost overnight, Ruby started to moult, and BAD! It has been a nightmare because we have dark carpets, and her undercoat is white! Terrible! I've been hoovering day and night, to no avail.
Then, thankfully, my dad introduced me to the 'Furminator'. Best dog brush I have ever used!
They cost around £18 in pet shops, but can be a lot lot less online, shop around, get a great deal and you won't regret it! It has layers of combs in a comfortable handle just just whips the excess fur away! Check out the link below!

www.fulminator.com

Bad Tummies and Bad Doggies!

So, since I have been back at work, Ruby has started pooping inside, making Jay a very unhappy girl. I think it's because of the change in routine, as I work in a night club.
I have tried everything to put her off. EVERYTHING! Lemon juice, vinegar, products from the pet shop, everything. She will only go on the carpet in the hall too, the other end of the house to the back door. Talk about frustrating! When I let her out, she just stands there, looking at me and mouthing off. BUT, she will go outside when we go for a walk. This has resulted in shutting her in whatever room we are in until she creates a fuss to go out and then we go for a nice walk.
A few days ago though, she went straight outside to do her business and started to yelp in pain! The poor girl was constipated.
That put her off for the day. After several trips to the vets, they were stumped. There was nothing wrong with her, no dehydration or intestinal problems, and no glandular issues either. Then he suggested a knob of butter! I thought he must be mad, but he is a Siberia specialist!
Voila! It worked! Within the hour, a nice healthy poop came out and she has been regular ever since.
A mad idea, but it worked!


N.B. You should always consult a vet first, there could be something seriously wrong, and it doesn't hurt to have peace of mind!

An Introduction...

My name is Jay, and I live with my Fiance, Sam and our eleven month old Siberian Husky, Ruby.
We adopted Ruby at ten months old, so we have not had her very long. We adopted her from my dad, after Ruby had a fall out with his 15 month old Alaskan Malamute, Jess. My dad adopted Ruby at seven months.
The poor baby has been pushed from pillar to post, coming from a family who had no time for her, or cared enough to make the time. She's a beautiful little lady, with a big heart and stunning baby blue eyes. She weighs in at around 24kg, stands around 60cm, and is a beautiful mixture of tan and grey.
My dad had already done a lot of work with Ruby, (he got Jess from a similar family when she was 8 months old, he's used to it) so she was mostly house trained and knew a little lead etiquette. She has also calmed down when it comes to food and stopped trying to steal it from your hands.
She is a complete live wire, but with alternating shifts at work for us, she is never alone, never neglected.
In this blog I will be charting and discussing our trials and tribulations with Ruby's training, and here to answer any questions about Siberian Husky's, or other big breeds, as chances are, I have had at least a little experience with them! As I said, my father has a Malamute, my mum has a Rottweiler, and has previously had German Shepard's, Bull Terriers, a Pit Bull Cross, Dobermans, and a Collie.
I hope you enjoy, and I hope I can offer a little bit of reassurance for those of you out there who are going through the hell that can be dog training!

Meet Ruby!