#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Farming & Gardening In Thailand >  >  > Thailands Zoos and Animals >  >  Barking dog

## Perota

My dog (G. Retriever) is 14 going 15 y.o. In all his life he never really barked but he started  about one year ago. At the beginning it was for some easy identifiable reason, he had no more water or he wanted to go out to pee ... But lately it's almost all day long and even in the middle of the night. It's not easy for us and I'm afraid that the neighbors may soon start to complain. 

What to do ? Does anybody have the experience of this kind of change of behavior and how to correct it ?

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## xanax

you could try one of those ultra sonic devices, seem to work with some dogs and not others

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## Pragmatic

Buy a muzzle. Stop Dog Barking Muzzle | eBay

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## Necron99

15 is pretty old for a GR.
Probably has RickThai style dementia.

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## Ronin

Prevent Dogs from Barking - How to Prevent Dogs from Barking Video

Or look for advice from the most well known dog trainer Victoria Stillwell.

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## Gilbert

Does he have cataracts, therefore blind?

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## baldrick

get him some good drugs

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## Rural Surin

> 15 is pretty old for a GR.
> Probably has RickThai style dementia.


Indeed...
I guess that they'd have to put 'im down.

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## palexxxx

Do what most Thai's do in the same circumstances,  nothing.

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## pompeysbroke

Very old, bless him...or her. Probably realises times up and having a howl. Don't muzzle, sod the neighbours...how much noise do thais make ffs. GRs are a beautiful breed

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## Mr Lick

> My dog (G. Retriever) is 14 going 15 y.o. In all his life he never really barked but he started about one year ago. At the beginning it was for some easy identifiable reason, he had no more water or he wanted to go out to pee ... But lately it's almost all day long and even in the middle of the night. It's not easy for us and I'm afraid that the neighbors may soon start to complain. 
> 
> What to do ? Does anybody have the experience of this kind of change of behavior and how to correct it ?


 
Do you live in a neighbourhood where other dogs are roaming free? Is he aware of passing pedestrians/traffic? Are there new bitches in the area he would like to hump?, even at 15 he may still have needs  :Smile:

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## Dillinger

Bring him in the house

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## pompeysbroke

^ Now that's practical..well suggested Dill....Ain't got long has he/she? Gonna love being loved up on the 'inside' for the end game...a nice big, blanketed doggy bed and that...sorted!

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## kingwilly

Perhaps he's in pain, digestion problems, tumour? Take him to get checked out.

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## Rural Surin

> Perhaps he's in pain, digestion problems, tumour? Take him to get checked out.


Yes...a Thai vet. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## wasabi

He is starting to see spirits, that's Thai dogs for you.

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## Kurgen

He's choosing lottery numbers

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## Gilbert

> Does he have cataracts, therefore blind?





> Perhaps he's in pain, digestion problems, tumour? Take him to get checked out.


IN here somewhere is the cause. I suggest a trip to the vet before the usual dog killers come out and recommend he is sold and skinned (they are circling now as you can see above)

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## Pragmatic

This may be the reason? 


> The issue is larger than just barking, so I'll share some of the things I know from my own experience.  Sometimes older dogs with health issues can exhibit strange behavior - like barking for no readily discernible reason.  If you suspect arthritis is an issue, that is a very painful condition, and some dogs just bark a lot when they're hurting.  Ask your vet for an anti-inflammatory med like rimadyl or dermaxx.  If you can treat the pain, some of the barking may recede. 
> 
> Since he has cataracts and can't see nearly as well, he is relying even more on his nose to tell him what is going on in the world.  Consequently, he has to make sure that YOU know what is going on in the world.  He relays the message via barking.  That sharp, high-pitched bark sounds like he's trying to raise an alarm.  If he can't see well any longer, there's a whole lot more things to be alarmed about now.


 constant barking in older dog - Dogs - MedHelp

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## kmart

> Very old, bless him...or her. Probably realises times up and having a howl. Don't muzzle, sod the neighbours...how much noise do thais make ffs. GRs are a beautiful breed



Nope. Imagine if it was the neighbour's dog constantly barking and disturbing you? Cue 10+ pages of people telling you to poison it / kill the neighbour, etc.  :Smile: 

Like mentioned above, the dog is very old and probably in pain or suffering dementia. Maybe treatable, take it to the vet's.

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## baldrick

> digestion problems


yes - it could be loud burping   :Smile:

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## cdnski12

Dogs in Rural Issan bark at almost anything at night. When one barks, all the dogs on adjacent village farms bark. Usually they start around 3 am and get more frequent until daylight. The Roosters start crowing @ 05:45 (false dawn); but I am already awakened by the eager beaver Rice Farmers chugging past my bedroom window on their noisy Kubota Paddy Tractors @ 05:00 hrs. SOB ... it's a wonder I get any sleep at all. Maybe I should nap in the daytime, like Uncle Ik Apoon?

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## Perota

Thanks for all the answers and advises.

Most of you got it right (I think), he is old, suffers from a lot of chronic diseases , skin problem, arthritis, poor eye sight ... that are linked to old age. I believe two of his main problems are he can't move around anymore due to his age, it's getting very difficult for him to stand up by himself. Also he can't come to the house anymore. We have a typical town house with the living quarters in the first floor and it's impossible for him to walk up the stairs anymore, so basically he now has to spend most of the time alone in the garage.

We can't do much about it. We go to the vet on a regular basis, he get all the medicines and supplements he can get. It's a bit sad to see an old friend who has been with us for so long in such a poor shape, we just don't know what to do anymore to make his life more comfortable.

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## Perota

> This may be the reason? 
> 
> 
> 
> 			
> 				The issue is larger than just barking, so I'll share some of the things I know from my own experience.  Sometimes older dogs with health issues can exhibit strange behavior - like barking for no readily discernible reason.  If you suspect arthritis is an issue, that is a very painful condition, and some dogs just bark a lot when they're hurting.  Ask your vet for an anti-inflammatory med like rimadyl or dermaxx.  If you can treat the pain, some of the barking may recede. 
> 
> Since he has cataracts and can't see nearly as well, he is relying even more on his nose to tell him what is going on in the world.  Consequently, he has to make sure that YOU know what is going on in the world.  He relays the message via barking.  That sharp, high-pitched bark sounds like he's trying to raise an alarm.  If he can't see well any longer, there's a whole lot more things to be alarmed about now.
> 			
> ...


Thanks for the link. It seems our problems are not so unusual.

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## Sailing into trouble

Hi Perota,

We have for the past four years had the good fortune to be serrate  owners of 3 Goldens. Mrs and I have fallen in love with the breed. Serious question. How do they cope with the heat in Thailand? Also do they have the same instinct as Soi dogs when it come sot messing with snakes?

Our Blog page has crap loads of pictures of Goldens in Lakes, rivers ,ice, snow, my bed etc
Southpacificengagement.com

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## Gilbert

> so basically he now has to spend most of the time alone in the garage.


He is piss bored and lonely. That about sums it up. 

I would suggest you make the effort, when you are home, to bring him upstairs with you then, and at night time, put him back down.

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## Mr Lick

> Thanks for all the answers and advises.
> 
> Most of you got it right (I think), he is old, suffers from a lot of chronic diseases , skin problem, arthritis, poor eye sight ... that are linked to old age. I believe two of his main problems are he can't move around anymore due to his age, it's getting very difficult for him to stand up by himself. Also he can't come to the house anymore. We have a typical town house with the living quarters in the first floor and it's impossible for him to walk up the stairs anymore, so basically he now has to spend most of the time alone in the garage.
> 
> We can't do much about it. We go to the vet on a regular basis, he get all the medicines and supplements he can get. It's a bit sad to see an old friend who has been with us for so long in such a poor shape, we just don't know what to do anymore to make his life more comfortable.


 
It's gut wrenching when the time arrives for owners to say goodbye to their pets. It reminds me of losing a 13 year old lab some years ago which had been with us as a puppy.
It no longer wished to go out for a walk, was having bowel control problems and generally feeling sorry for itself.

Our greatest fears were confirmed by the local vet and it became a painless end for our very good friend, certainly better than witnessing the suffering it had endured over the previous few weeks.

The wife couldn't bring herself to give the vet the go ahead so it was left to self to make the decision. Of course she never forgave me.

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## RawOne

Old dog that can hardly stand up by himself... and in a lot of pain.

Hate to say this, but have the vet put him down...don't make him suffer anymore.

Get a new puppy if you want a dog that much...

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## Gilbert

> Hate to say this, but have the vet put him down


Easier said than done in Thailand.

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## bobo746



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## Perota

> Hi Perota,
> 
> We have for the past four years had the good fortune to be serrate  owners of 3 Goldens. Mrs and I have fallen in love with the breed. Serious question. How do they cope with the heat in Thailand? Also do they have the same instinct as Soi dogs when it come sot messing with snakes?
> 
> Our Blog page has crap loads of pictures of Goldens in Lakes, rivers ,ice, snow, my bed etc
> Southpacificengagement.com


Based on my my experience, I have two, they don't have much problem with the heat. They are more active when the weather is cooler and tend to sleep more when it's very hot like today, just like every other dog in Bangkok.

They are retriever, hunting dogs, which means they make very poor guard dog but they love to hunt, run after everything that move, love to swim. I say they are poor guard dogs but I guess it depends the way they are raised as I have seen G.R. that were pretty aggressive with strangers.

Regarding snakes, in my area in Korat I know of two dogs that were killed by snake but in both cases the dogs were in a cage, no possibility to run. My neighbor found his dog and the snake dead side by side. Usually when a dog find a snake, it barks from a distance but avoid to get too close.

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## Perota

> Old dog that can hardly stand up by himself... and in a lot of pain.
> 
> Hate to say this, but have the vet put him down...don't make him suffer anymore.
> 
> Get a new puppy if you want a dog that much...


I never said he was in a lot of pain and I don't believe it. Probably frustrated not being able to run like when he was younger but he still enjoy his daily walks.

Easy to get rid of your dog when he becomes not so fun anymore. People who say "it was the right thing to do" should answer the question, the right thing for who ? the owner or the dog?

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## Perota

> Originally Posted by Perota
> 
> so basically he now has to spend most of the time alone in the garage.
> 
> 
> He is piss bored and lonely. That about sums it up. 
> 
> I would suggest you make the effort, when you are home, to bring him upstairs with you then, and at night time, put him back down.


30 Kg ! And after a couple of hours inside, with the air cond he becomes more energetic and start barking because he wants to go out for a walk ...

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## xanax

> 30 Kg ! And after a couple of hours inside, with the air cond he becomes more energetic and start barking because he wants to go out for a walk ...


Even though he can hardly stand up?

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## dirk diggler

I'd be going a bit mental if I was locked alone in a garage too. 

Get a new one to keep him company. Why wait until he has passed?

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## xanax

Locked up in a garage = animal cruelty, and he wonders why the fvcking thing barks 24/7, have it put down and put the neighbours out of their misery!

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## Perota

> Originally Posted by Perota
> 
> 
> 30 Kg ! And after a couple of hours inside, with the air cond he becomes more energetic and start barking because he wants to go out for a walk ...
> 
> 
> Even though he can hardly stand up?


The problem is his hips, it's very difficult for him to stand up on a slippery floor like wood or ceramic. But once he is standing, he can walk. I walk him about 1 km early morning and in the evening when it's not too hot, he enjoys it. Actually for a while he was staying with my mother in law who doesn't walk him, he almost ended with his back legs paralyzed.

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## Perota

> Locked up in a garage = animal cruelty, and he wonders why the fvcking thing barks 24/7, have it put down and put the neighbours out of their misery!


If you have nothing positive to contribute, why you don't just fuck off ?

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## Gilbert

A fish oil tablet once a day will ease things up a bit. Also, if you don't already, ditch the premade toxic petfood (pedigree, Hills etc) and start him on rice, veg and chicken. You can whizz the chicken and veg up with water to make it easily digestable as well as getting some more fluids into him.

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## Perota

> I'd be going a bit mental if I was locked alone in a garage too. 
> 
> Get a new one to keep him company. Why wait until he has passed?


Actually that's what I'm thinking of. I've a female in our house near Korat, they get along quite well but she's used to run free, I don't think she will enjoy the city life. You may suggest that I leave our dog in Korat as well. That would be perfect but if he is not with us or my mother in law, he stops eating. It's not easy.

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## xanax

I really don't know who is more pathetic the dog or the owner, 15 years, his time is up mate.

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## somtamslap

How's the doggy's appetite?

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## Perota

> I really don't know who is more pathetic the dog or the owner, 15 years, his time is up mate.


https://teakdoor.com/2740642-post38.html

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## xanax

well you have had some good advice, muzzles, sonic devices, trip to the vet, bring the fleabag inside, fish oil, and have it put down. Then you say there is not much you can do, in other words you took none of the advice and the dog is still yapping away. Do you just want people to write ahh poor you and poor likle doggie? if not do something about it and stop whining.

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## Perota

> How's the doggy's appetite?


Very good. I usually cook meat withe rice, dog food only once in a while when I didn't have time to buy his meat. I bought a 5 kg bag in December, it's still half full. https://teakdoor.com/thailands-zoos-a...-dog-food.html (Do ants eat dog food ?)





> well you have had some good advice, muzzles, sonic devices, trip to the vet, bring the fleabag inside, fish oil, and have it put down. Then you say there is not much you can do, in other words you took none of the advice and the dog is still yapping away. Do you just want people to write ahh poor you and poor likle doggie? if not do something about it and stop whining.


It is not that I don't consider the advises given by the people here, actually I'm quite thankful that people take time here to try to solve my problem, but I've already tried most of the solution offered above and some others are not really practical.

Thanks to some links provided I realized that the problem i have is common with other dogs, we could call it the "grumpy old dog syndrome". Considering his age, he's in quite good health and will probably be with us for a couple of more years. But also because of his age we are more tolerant than before and he start to take bad habits, like barking for no good reason. I wouldn't hesitate to put a muzzle on a younger dog but I won't do it on my old dog.

I talked to the neighbor yesterday, it seems she doesn't mind, she even said my dog looks good given his age, so at least that's one problem solved. The most difficult part now is to make the difference between when he really needs something and when he is just "grumpy".

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## misskit

My 16 year old Thai dog is a grumpus. She wasn't barking, she was jumpy and snapping at anyone or anything coming near her. The vet suggested giving her a kind of dog biscuit called Composure. I generally shy away from expensive "support" stuff which my dogs won't eat or doesn't work, but this has a very good effect. The dog spends most of the time on her bed now, very relaxed.

Composure could be a solution to your barking problem.

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## xanax

I still would try the sonic device

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stop-Dog-B...item4619896f62

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## Gilbert

> I still would try the sonic device
> 
> Stop Dog Barking Collar Procter Sonic Bark Control Unit Dog Training Puppy | eBay


So to be clear, you advocate strapping a very distressing sound device around the neck of an old blind dog. Do you have or have you ever had a dog?

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## xanax

> Originally Posted by xanax
> 
> 
> I still would try the sonic device
> 
> Stop Dog Barking Collar Procter Sonic Bark Control Unit Dog Training Puppy | eBay
> 
> 
> So to be clear, you advocate strapping a very distressing sound device around the neck of an old blind dog. Do you have or have you ever had a dog?


How do you know it's distressing are you a dog?

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## Gilbert

> Do you have or have you ever had a dog?


That will be a no then. 




> How do you know it's distressing are you a dog?


An educated guess. What possibly makes you think it would not be distressing to an old blind dog who to compensate will have sharper hearing, to then be blasted with a sonic alarm every times he opens his mouth.

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## hazz

you could try pig pheromone, the stuff they spray in the pigs face to get her receptive before artificial insemination. Its known to stop some dogs from barking. Also you can DAP collars that help some skittish dogs that bark too much.

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## misskit

A DAP collar would be the best thing. Not seen one in Thailand.

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## Perota

For those (like me) who have no idea what a DAP collar is, here is a definition from Wiki :

Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) is a chemical developed to calm dogs suffering from separation anxiety disorder, astraphobia (fear of thunder and lightning), fear of fireworks, or those with excessive barking problems.
The chemical is a synthetic analogue of a hormone produced by nursing canine mothers that is seen as 'promoting calm and secure behaviour and in establishing a bond with the mother.'[1]

Dog appeasing pheromone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A DAP collar is a collar that release DAP. It seems it also exists electric DAP diffusers.

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## xanax

about time we had a pic of this dog don't you think?

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## Gilbert

Just out of interest, are both Misskitt and Hazz american by any chance? Dog Valium and a chemical pheromone dispenser? Bloomin' heck - the poor lad is lonely and in pain and the "best thing" is to dope him up? 

OP - before you try the chemical sedation methods to shut your dog up, how about doing a different route? 



1) Sliding about puts undue stress and pressure on already painful joints, so pop on some slippers as in the picture to give him friction. 
2) Fish Oil, and even an anti inflammatory after his morning dinner (human ones like voltaren will be fine - 25mg) - it is slow release so will give relief throughout the day and crucially will free him up to  attempt to climb the stairs. 
3) Some scraps of carpet applied to the stairs to give him more grip when he tries to climb them. If they are open backed stairs, cover the back with cloth - they can get scared with open backed stairs. If he can walk for a kilometer twice a day, he can get up the stairs as well. Just do it as soon as he walks in though as his joints are moving, and chugging up the stairs would be easier than when he has relaxed and got stiff again. 

For when he is downstairs, a radio playing in the back ground, ideally with speaking rather than music, will keep him interested. Items of clothing / beeding with your smell on it near to his bed will make him feel more secure as well (a laundry basket with your bed linen in it etc). 

Dogs typically poop 30-60 minutes after they eat (remember this for your house training thread by the way) so you know when he will poop, so after his morning dump, haul him up the stairs. I dare say he has been a faithful mutt all his life, so don't abandon him now because I doubt he abandoned you.

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## misskit

Good luck with finding anti-slip slippers and getting the dog to wear them if you do. A harness for the back end of dogs, to use for support, are also available in the West.
Agreed about carpet on the stairs and fish oil.

However, if the old dog has senile dementia, as he very well may have, "drugging" him with pheromones is the kindest thing to do, even with the other contraptions.

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## Perota

> Good luck with finding anti-slip slippers and getting the dog to wear them if you do. A harness for the back end of dogs, to use for support, are also available in the West.
> Agreed about carpet on the stairs and fish oil.
> 
> However, the old dog has senile dementia, as he very well may have, "drugging" him with pheromones is the kindest thing to do, even with the other contraptions.


We use an old towel passed under is belly to help him stand up. 

For supplement, we give him Arthripet

For the stair, we prefer he doesn't take them, we are too scare he fell and break a leg.

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## misskit

I just looked at the Composure dog treats I have. They contain colostrum (from mothers milk) and l-theanine, neither are considered drugs.

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## xanax

still can't be bothered to show his poor old pic then

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## misskit

> We use an old toilet passed under is belly to help him stand up. 
> 
> For supplement, we give him Arthripet


Makes me smile to think how that looks.  :Smile:  

I've cut an old leather satchel down the sides and slip it under my old girl's belly to lift her. Sometimes she can go on her own, other times can't get her arthritic back legs going at all.

Mine has fish oil and meloxicam as well as the supplement treats.

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## Perota

> about time we had a pic of this dog don't you think?


This picture was taken about two years ago. He was already 13 y.o., looks good for his age :-)



This one last week

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## Perota

> Originally Posted by Perota
> 
> 
> 
> We use an old toilet passed under is belly to help him stand up. 
> 
> For supplement, we give him Arthripet
> 
> 
> ...


I made a mistake, not toilet, towel. But I guess you already corrected by yourself.

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## bankao dreamer

> This one last week


You have received a lot of advice some good some pathetic. Owning and loving dogs is a wonderful thing but sadly with them there comes a time when the inevitable can not be put off any longer. You are trying to find solutions and if I was in your position I would be doing the same. But is there a solution or an inevitability here ? only you can decide. I would not like too be in your shoes I look at our dogs and know that some day I will be pondering what is the best thing to do. My thoughts are with you.

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## tango

^^^ 
You might try taking him to a pond or some such body of water. Good therapy relief for the olde guy, and your buddy too - he's a sweetheart! 

Inspired from:
 Schoep, the Arthritic Dog Whose Photo Touched Millions

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2370119/Schoep-arthritic-dog-pictured-heartwarming-photo-owner-easing-pain-dies-celebrating-20th-birthday.html


https://www.google.co.th/search?q=Schoep,+Arthritic+Dog+Whose+Photo+Touched  +Millions&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US :Surprised: fficial&client=firefox-beta&channel=sb&gws_rd=cr&ei=pzQ-U42bHo68kAXt9IHADA

  I've lost two Rott female sisters, each at 11, over the past three years. Prinz, the older male at 11, is in the initial suffering stages of arthritis. The daughter Damn and son Benz are just 5 and 6 respectively. 
I hear your pain!

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