1. Keep dog still.. no running/moving/jumping a week after spay/neuter.

Nope didn't follow up with that either because Troy is still waiting to be fixed.

2. Do not switch foods right away! You don't want to shock their stomachs.

I usually will switch the recommended way. The first time Troy did well with 50/50 new and old. But this last time he ate around the old and devoured the new. I was thrilled there wasn't any tummy upset.


3. Never lets your dog sleep on the bed with you/play tug/etc..
Troy sleeps with us. He goes from my bed to my daughter's bed at night. I've been sick so he's been snuggling with me breathing in all my germs!:rolleyes:



4. Don't let your dog walk ahead of you on walks

Don't mind as long as he's not dragging me.

5. Never use a flexi!

I have a flexi and prefer it when he's doing his business because he's a roamer when he's pottying. Training purposes I have a regular leash.

6. Don't give your dog junk food

Troy has a thing for french fries. I share. Chips he loves but I don't give them because I think they may be sharp and cut his butt.

7. Do not BABY or spoil your dog!

Troy doesn't like being held like a baby or even talked to in baby speak. But he gets treats, and gifts. He's spoiled in that way.
8. Let your dog adjust for a week before bringing people over to meet him/her as a puppy.

Well, nobody came to visit anyway. So I was okay here.

9. Don't encourage bad behavior.. no matter what.

I encourage begging because I give table food. I let Troy get on furniture and that's about it.


10. Do not leave your dog alone with kids/other dogs alone.
I have a 7 year old daughter. Trust her and Troy together. When she has company Troy is always with me because I don't trust other kids.
11. ALWAYS pick up your dogs poop.

I pick up in public places; The dog park, Pet Supply stores etc. But near my apartment its wooded and no one walks around there so I don't always pick up.

The guy I'm seeing actually said something about this the other day. He hates dogs, but when He lets Troy out he always takes a poop bag. Much more responsible than me.

I always fuss over mine when I come home. They are at the door to greet me, wanting to shower me with kisses, how can you turn this down?? I'm not going to.

1. Keep dog still.. no running/moving/jumping a week after spay/neuter.

- Okay, so we did do this with all of them...yay for us! :)

2. Do not switch foods right away! You don't want to shock their stomachs.

- We did do the gradual, but not for near as long...it was a 1/2 and 1/2 for two meals, then the full switch.

3. Never lets your dog sleep on the bed with you/play tug/etc..

- Our kiddos take turns in the bed....and Houston would just freak out if I wasn't on the floor playing tug of war with him....yes, I also growl right along beside him.

4. Don't let your dog walk ahead of you on walks

- Ahead of me, behind me, sideways from me....they go wherever they want (that's safe...most of the times trying to race up to the next spot they can hike a leg or smell something....if they start pulling...it's back beside me for a bit.

5. Never use a flexi!

I could be guilty of this, but I have no idea what a flexi is.

6. Don't give your dog junk food

- We are pretty strict with people food, but they do get the occasional french fry, potato chip, cheeto, or when I go to McD's they may get a 6 piece nuggets...we have 5 so it's one a piece and one for me!

7. Do not BABY or spoil your dog!

- I won't even dignify this one with a comment...I'm going to Yorkie hell.


8. Let your dog adjust for a week before bringing people over to meet him/her as a puppy.

- I don't remember....they're all older now!



9. Don't encourage bad behavior.. no matter what.

- Depends on you definition of bad behavior.

10. Do not leave your dog alone with kids/other dogs alone.

- I trust my dogs implicitly...I DON'T trust the kids...so this is always supervised. They only play with dogs they know that have been supervised so now we don't with those furkids.

11. ALWAYS pick up your dogs poop.

- In my yard....nope....if we are out somewhere, yes, except that time we forgot the baggies.

Uhg my biggest issue with training-Scoobers is still a jumper, well I let him get away with murder because of his social and behavior issues when I adopted him (he's a rescue from a pound that takes in puppy mill dogs so often-the abuse then endure is unimaginable! He was even terrified of grass!) we started training after he was no longer afraid of peopel and his confidence was built up but he still jumps on people it's a continual process-Elvis is adorable he just bounces all over so I actually play into it, "Are you excited Mommy is home, oh you were home alone you are so neglected, jump around Elvie-roo" but Princess not so much I purposely make her wait so she doesn't jump up and stays even tempered-its so much easier to get a dog as a puppy and implement the correct training rather than try to cope with and undo what's been done wrong..

See you there! I seriously lost one of the M&M's I eating while reading this!

Hahahaha! Too funny! But how can you not spoil these little ones?! :D

I couldn't tell you..it must take an especially evil person not too all I can guess...but seriously I loved how you put it...imagine if that's true we'll be meeting a lot of the people on here in person there...

1. Keep dog still.. no running/moving/jumping a week after spay/neuter.

I didn't have Levi when he was neutered, but I can imagine that keeping such a wild little man still for a week was impossible!

2. Do not switch foods right away! You don't want to shock their stomachs.

I try, but I don't switch his food often. When we switched from Blue Buffalo to Orijen, I did gradually phase out his old food.

3. Never lets your dog sleep on the bed with you/play tug/etc..

HA! Levi always sleeps with me. And we play tug-of-war every day. Sometimes I even let him steal my socks and pretend like they are toys.

4. Don't let your dog walk ahead of you on walks

Levi almost always walks in front of me. He generally doesn't pull, so it's fine. I like for him to be in front - easier to keep an eye on him!

5. Never use a flexi!

We love our Flexi. :) If we are in a situation in which it is inappropriate for Levi to use the full length of the Flexi, I just lock it in a short position. No big deal.

6. Don't give your dog junk food

I generally try not to give him junk, but I also try not to eat junk. I am guilty of giving him the occasional bite of a French fry, but that happens maybe once every few months. He gets plenty of good, healthy treats, like green beans or carrots. As far as junk dog food - no way. I'll occasionally mix in a bit of wet healthy food (like Wellness Core) into his kibble as a treat.

7. Do not BABY or spoil your dog!

Levi is extremely spoiled. My mom frequently uses the word "rotten" to describe him. As far as "babying," I try not to. I'd rather let him walk then carry him around. He's small, but he is very much a "real dog."

8. Let your dog adjust for a week before bringing people over to meet him/her as a puppy.

I didn't have him as a puppy. But he is very well socialized and has always been fine meeting friends/family members in mass numbers.

9. Don't encourage bad behavior.. no matter what.

I do try to correct his bad behavior. He does occasionally "steal" my stuff (like my socks!) which doesn't bother me, so I don't correct it.

10. Do not leave your dog alone with kids/other dogs alone.

When we visit my best friend, Levi always stays out with her chihuahua. They are the best of friends. I'm also comfortable leaving Levi out with some other dogs (my older brother's small dog, my aunt's two small dogs, etc). Levi is very familiar with all of the dogs I would consider leaving him alone with.

11. ALWAYS pick up your dogs poop.

In public, yes. At home, no.

I'm bad about letting them sit on my lap while I'm driving or when I am a passenger. I know they are supposed to be in their crate or in a carseat but I never got the carseat.

I don't mean this toward you in anyway-I just read what you wrote and thought of this and also what I did.-one of my pet peeves is seeing someone kissing and petting their dog while driving or a dog jumping all over their person while they're driving! Also seeing people with trucks having their dogs on a leash in the truck bed thankfully I've yet to see a dog free in the back of a truck-I'd call the police with their plate number... I love seeing people with crates secured in the bed of their truck and their dogs safe in the crate-my dogs all wear a harness when we go anywhere out of the house and I bought these attachments they clip on the harness and then clip into the seat belt buckle so one end of it is a hook that snaps the harness metal loop and the other is an IN plug just like on the seat belt and clicks into the seat belt handle attached to the seat. I like these best personally because I know in an accident my dogs will be secured and not throw into anything-I used to just have mine sit in the box style car carrier until a friend suggested these and pointed out how they keep dogs secure even in an accident...pretty soon I'll need a mini van (or if I get my way the sig. other will buy the 7 seater Landrover I want) so I have enough seat belt attachments in my car!

I see dogs loose ALL the time in the back of pickup trucks here. It always makes me feel so bad for the dogs even though they usually seem to be enjoying it. Still, it is dangerous. The other day, I saw a lab up on top of the tool box just behind the truck cab -- if they had stopped quick, that dog would have been in my windshield! I had to pass them just so I didn't have to look.

Even worse, I see human kids in the back of pickups without any sort of seat or restraint. I actually DID call the police about that a few years back. Guess what -- it is not against the law! I said, well I guess it isn't against the law for dogs either then. No -- not against the law. Dog, adults, kids, they can all ride in the back of a pickup with no seat, carrier, or restraint! Unfortunately, there is a lack of common sense so many do it all the time -- probably moreso down here in the south.

I tried to EDIT the ABOVE POST but was out of time -- IT IS NOW IN ERROR!!!!

I just checked to see if that was still the law in FL -- it is not, at least not all over. So thankfully the law HAS changed since I called way back, I should pay more attention! Now FL law says:
"Minors under the age of 18 may NOT ride unrestrained in a truck bed without an installed and approved safety belt.
Persons 18 years and older may ride unrestrained in the bed of a truck.
A child may ride in the bed of a truck with an adult only in a medical emergency.
Each county in Florida may exempt children from this law, with a majority vote and public hearing. In other words, counties could independently allow minors to ride in the bed of a truck. Check your counties rules."

But I still see it all the time here, maybe our county has exempted it, I think I will check into this more. We are so close to AL here and AL has no law against riding in the bed of pickups according to this state-by-state chart:
Cargo area laws Shows 20 states have no law against anyone riding in the back of a pickup!

But I don't think you will find any laws around here against dogs riding in the cargo area/pickup bed. It is unfortunate for sure!

YES! It is against the law throughout the state of FL and most other states also (I believe Montana and Arkansas are the only states with minimal restrictions on both people in the back of trucks AND DOGS). An unrestrained dog is deemed a hazard to other drivers-as you said it could have hit your windshield-the law is to protect other drivers-common sense would hope the law was to protect animals also! I wish the law went even further and just leashing a dog freely in the back of a truck was also illegal...technically in all states driving while distracted by anything is also a ticketable infraction so having a dog distract you is illegal also but again rarely enforced.
IF YOU SEE AN UNRESTRAINED CHILD ANYWHERE IN A VEHICLE CALL THE POLICE IF YOU SEE AN UNRESTRAINED DOG IN THE BACK OF A PICK UP CALL THE POLICE
The more complaints the more police become aware of the issue and take action.

Cargo areas refers to the back of vans, trucks with canopies etc...not open beds on trucks

After being involved in an accident in June of this year where my car was totaled and Jackson was with me, I am so thankful he was okay. Had he been on my lap when the air bag popped out, he would have been dead very quickly. I'm sure of it. He was in the back seat when the accident happened but I have purchased a car seat that he's been in ever since. I admit, I let him sit in the back free if we're driving for short distances (and I shouldn't even do that) but I never allow him on my lap anymore even if he tries. It's not worth it to me anymore after experiencing such a terrible thing.

An unrestrained 10-pound dog will exert about 500 pounds of force in a collision at 50 mph, and in a collision at only 30 mph, an 80-pound dog will exert roughly 2,400 pounds of force.

I just saw this -- Sorry but that is NOT true. The cargo area is the back of a pickup truck. They specifically talk about enclosed cargo areas and open if you read that reference.

Check out the Insurance Institute article: Cargo area laws You will see some states have laws allowing riding in the back for younger passengers IF the cargo area is enclosed. Some specify fully-enclosed on all 4 sides. But it most definately is calling the back -- bed of the pick up truck the cargo area.

Here is one quote from that page.

"The beds of pickup trucks are designed to carry cargo, not people, and are not designed to provide protection in a crash. In addition, children and adults can be easily ejected from cargo areas at relatively low speeds as a result of a sharp turn to avoid an obstacle or crash."

Florida is NOW a yes as to having restrictions for the following: "all persons 18 and older; persons 17 and younger in an enclosed cargo area; persons 17 and younger on non-limited-access roads unless local law exempts them from the prohibition on minors riding the cargo areas of pickup trucks and flatbeds; persons 17 and younger on non-limited-access roads in a seat fitted "

Not sure what you are referring to as a canopy but if it is a camper shell or other enclosure, then some states make the laws inapplicable IF the cargo area is covered, as Maryland.

The different areas of a pickup are the occupant compartment and the cargo area. Since I previously listed my reference, I am not sure why you are arguing the point???? :confused:

I wasn't arguing any point other than saying no in FL it is actually illegal contrary to what you first posted...I thought it was important people know and report people breaking the law, especially on an issue so dangerous. Which I see you later edited-but I don't know maybe I didn't refresh the page so I didn't see your edit. I noted the open enclosed cargo area because I read your references and it said there was a difference between open cargo areas and covered cargo areas...(yea a canopy was any type of covering). I used NOT capital because it is such an important safety issue, not to stress any argumentativeness towards you. I'm sorry you took what I said as offensive or trying to argue I just read something different, and posted the link. YT is for sharing about Yorkies and so on not for delving out conflict, so I'm sorry a conflict arose here. Hope you have a happy holiday season and enjoy the FL sunshine while some of us are tolerating less than desirable outdoor weather right now.

WHAT!?!?!?!!?? There are RULES?!!?!?!? NO way I am telling Sam there are RULES!!! He will lock me out of the house.... AGAIN! Ollie doesnt know how to unlock the door so nope, Im not telling him there are RULES.

Someone else come tell him!

:p

I never posted that it was currently legal for children to ride in the back of pickups. Actually what I first posted was that I called the police a few years back and they told me at that time that there was no law against adults, children, or dogs riding in the back of pickups. That was a true statement. That is what they told me at that time. I immediately thought about that, and decided to check to see if it was STILL the law. The law had changed and it took me a whole 13 minutes to find that law and make a post with a link to the law and saying that it was now LEGAL for adults 18 and over to ride in the back up a pickup, and then I listed the restrictions for children, saying also that those could be waived by local county law. I tried to edit the first post to ADD the new law, but it was over the time limit so I made a new post directly following the first one. I posted the link and said that 20 states did not have restrictions about riding in the back of pickups. After BOTH of my posts you then quoted just a portion of my post, leaving out the part that showed the police told me that years ago making it look like I had only posted: [Originally Posted by FlDebra . No -- not against the law. Dog, adults, kids, they can all ride in the back of a pickup with no seat, carrier, or restraint!] and then you came at me with: Pretty much arguing that my facts from my reference were wrong about 20 states not having rstrictions, and making it look like I had made that previous statement alone without the explanation that the police gave me that information in the past. Then you wrote to me again, saying , to argue the FACT that I had said the cargo area was the open back of a pickup. Only the enclosed cargo areas were as you listed and we were not even talking about that. So now arguing over my terminology even though I was using a reference that clearly explained backs of pickup trucks are called cargo ares. You also wrote I don’t find it offensive -- I do see it as arguing. And I looked high and low through this thread and see NOWHERE that you listed a link. I would be glad to read it if it was contrary to the one I listed.

Just to review, as I am sure we have muddled this for anyone else: "it is unlawful for any operator of a pickup truck or flatbed truck to permit a minor child who has not attained 18 years of age to ride upon limited access facilities of the state within the open body of a pickup truck or flatbed truck unless the minor is restrained within the open body in the back of a truck that has been modified to include secure seating and safety restraints to prevent the passenger from being thrown, falling, or jumping from the truck." However, those over 18 years old are permitted without restriction.

As for dogs -- I still cannot find any reference that actually shows dogs are not permitted in the back of pickup trucks. In fact, I found SOME county laws that restrict it by saying they should be caged or tethered by at least 2 tethers. But I found no state law on the books yet that disallows dog from riding in the back of pickups. I did read that Florida was trying to pass a law putting restrictions on dogs riding in the back, but reading through the Animal law at present -- I can't find it. It might have been recently put into law and I just can't find it, or they have not updated online. But it does appear they are allowed to ride in the back with double tether in at least a few counties.

You have accused me in another thread of following you around arguing with you -- I just want to make it clear in this thread that I have only tried to answer your arguments with my posts. I started to feel like I could have posted the day of the week, and you would have argued with that! I propose a truce of a sort -- to at least alleviate the discomfort of others. Wish you a most Merry Christmas and Happy New Year as well. I hold no grudges over a difference of opinion.

Ye I read the links you posted...and yep I feel the same way considering the posts to me in several other forums from you, after I responded to your post here. This forum is actually the only time I have ever responded directly to you, about information in your posts, only because it was so important for obvious safety reasons (I felt) I responded to...
Originally Posted by FlDebra
Even worse, I see human kids in the back of pickups without any sort of seat or restraint. I actually DID call the police about that a few years back. Guess what -- it is not against the law! I said, well I guess it isn't against the law for dogs either then. No -- not against the law. Dog, adults, kids, they can all ride in the back of a pickup with no seat, carrier, or restraint! Since I previously listed my reference, I am not sure why you are arguing the point????
" I responded with it is illegal, please call the police if you see this-it is so dangerous etc...and also read the definition of a cargo area , again off the link you posted but really its silly now since it started such drama, which was completely not my intent, I simply wanted factual information presented but that's neither here nor there now. I see you revised later stating you looked it up again and FL law changed, however maybe I just didn't refresh in time to see your revision and wanted to have it known it was illegal (now)...nevertheless the nonsense insued....Please keep on the topics and stop posting like this to me in forums...I'm surprised no one has been offended their forum post has gotten so off topic. I don't feel you are 'following me around' but you did make a point to contradict whatever I said in several other forums after I responded here contradicting you-again which was to contradict you personally just to make sure people knew it was in fact illegal and offer clarification to what the law actually is...that was all. I will make a point to not comment directly to you, or your posts ever again to avoid such silliness. Look how long these posts are and how off topic they have gotten. Also please don't call me names such as a used car-salesman and a bully-it's just unnecessary-especially when I was talking to someone else offering some solution to them trying to be nice. Happy Holidays and moving on to the topic(s) at hand...

I numbered some of your claims here and as I tried to explain them to you one last time.


:rolleyes:Oh for Heaven's sake -- you are getting out of hand! (1) There are 2 threads where we seem to have gotten under each other's skin. You are most definately replying directly to me there as well as here. In one sentence you say this is the ONLY thread where you are responding directingly to me and then in another sentence of the same post you claim there are several forums where I am contradicting you??? (4) I don't know what the heck you are talking about with this "several other forums!" I asked you to tell me where they were. Unanswered. It is best to have a reference, proide a link, or at least have some sort of basis when you make wild accusations or argue facts with another member

You did not need to contradict me here as I said what happened years ago, said what the current law was and did not need corrected or have someone jump in with wrong information like you did saying the back of a pickup was not a cargo area. That was just plain trying to be contentious as there was no good to come of it even if you had been right, which you were not! You saw my correction, you even quoted just a small part of it taken out of context! You saw that I had listed what the law used to be and then mentioned that I tried to amend the post with current law but had to go to a new post to do so, so you USED that situation to jump. Very unattractive quality.

11:32 am I said that the police told me it was not against the law a few years back, which they did.
11:45 am I decided to post the current law quickly so as not to give anyone the wrong impression. And I gave a link to the reference!
11:48 am (3) Edited to correct a typo -- nothing MORE! All done well in advance of your first post to jump on me that you made at 12:28 am. Do you forget it is all time-stamped?

12:28 am YOU Said it was illegal all across the state -- actually posted incorrect information (2) saying that only 2 states had minimal restrictions. Adults can ride in the back of pickups without restriction, in some circumstances so can children and I still find no law against dogs (especially if tethered with 2 tethers). So even when you try to correct, it is not with good info. I did not call you a used car salesman. (5) I said you came back at another member 4 times trying to change her mind. I said used car salesmen are trained to take 7 no's but I did not think that would work here. Sense of humor?????? I did not even call you a bully. I did say something about bullying someone with repetitive attempts to change their mind. That is not really the same thing. But closer than it was when you said I called you a used car salesman, I guess. :rolleyes: This is from the other argumentative thread. Why bring it here? Certainly no other motive than to stir crap. You know I did not call you a used car salesman -- you are just twisting again to try to make it look bad for me when all it does is make your attempt look ridiculous! Untruth never goes over well.

I will say I think you have a problem. Seriously! You twist the truth to try to justify what you say and do. When I call you on something you just ignore it -- don't answer, don't provide proof, just continue to make up and twist information. You admited you had an issue with needing to control in another thread, but this is ridiculous. I have not in any way tried to single you out. I have continued to answer your posts directed to me. If you don't want me to post to you, then stop making up things and posting them to me.

If anything I have let things go!!! You have other threads where you have popped off with absolutely FALSE information too -- like arguing with another member and saying only Japan and the US guarantine dogs (another example of (2) )-- no one else does anymore, you said! That is not true, yet you argued with another YT member about it without any facts to back you up. I let it go because you had made this claim that I was following you around (4) -- which is just plain weird. There are more examples! You have been busy recently and not very factual! But I tried to let them slide, and instead tried to answer your false accusations in these two threads. I asked you nicely to stop this on the forum. I asked you to PM if you felt you wanted to make any more false accusations or do some more "non-arguing." It doesn't belong here. You are adding nothing valuable! :thumbdown Pls do as I ask and go through the personal message system for any further communication of this ilk. The forum deserves better.

Britster -- I am sorry for letting this happen in your thread. I do not know how to handle these situations. On one hand I could have walked away and let her say these things to me and twist my words without a reply. But I felt I was honorbound to stick up for myself and not be pushed. I am sorry -- your thread was such a cute, fun way to talk about how we crossed the line and spoiled our babies. Maybe it can be again. I won't post here again, unless it is 100% about your topic, and your topic alone! I promise! TTYL!

I love this thread!

1. Keep dog still.. no running/moving/jumping a week after spay/neuter.

- First of all, Niko wasn't even that affected by his neuter, it was like he hadn't been neutered at all, he had so much energy the moment we got home. We left his little collar on but as far as him running around. I controlled it the best I could, but by the 2nd-3rd day? He was running and jumping and it was fine! I still think it is just mentioned as a precaution because of the potential of something going wrong, but it isn't a FACT that something WILL go wrong if you let your dog do what it wants
.
2. Do not switch foods right away! You don't want to shock their stomachs.

- Well I was bad at first, I did one better and MIXED a bunch of different foods together because I had this amateur idea that the dog would enjoy the variety. So i mixed Evo, Fromm, Artemis, Blue Buffalo. Then I realized I shouldn't be doing it so now I have bags of each and I am slowly going through each bag and trying to be better about not doing a rapid switch, by mixing the last bit of the old bag with some of the new, etc.

3. Never lets your dog sleep on the bed with you/play tug/etc..

- Ha! Yeah right. He initially slept on the crate on the floor, then in his bed on the floor because we didn't want to crate him (dang they really play on your emotions don't they?!). Then we had incidents where he would pee and hop back in bed so I started putting his bed up on my bed. That way when he was smaller he would wimper because he couldn't jump off the bed when he wanted to go pee and I would wake up to take him out. Then he slowly jumped off the bed/started realizing to bark or get my attention if he wanted to be let out. He also started sleeping through night and now hes MOSTLY trained...but he STILL gets to sleep on my bed and NOW he hardly sleeps in his own bed but cuddles up right next to me, and I don't mind it, I like it!

4. Don't let your dog walk ahead of you on walks

- He mostly always walks ahead of me and occasionally pulls, gotta work on that!

5. Never use a flexi!

- I have one of these because he is isn't trained off leash nor do I have a fenced in yard. I want him to have as much freedom as I can afford him on our walks so we use a retractable, but my family knows how to use it pretty well to keep from pulling, we also use a harness so if we do tug on it from a rare time to time its not hurting his little neck.

6. Don't give your dog junk food

- This is one rule I do follow, no people food! If we do give him food it is a TINY bite and in his dish only and the only things weve ever given him is a small piece of mango. Although he will eat anything off the kitchen floor and just watches us cook in the kitchen, waiting for something to drop.

7. Do not BABY or spoil your dog!

- Negatory. How can you not?!


8. Let your dog adjust for a week before bringing people over to meet him/her as a puppy.

- Didn't do this, and he didn't care he LOVES new people and dogs.



9. Don't encourage [COLOR=green ! important][COLOR=green ! important]bad[/COLOR][/COLOR] behavior.. no matter what.

- Niko sometimes barks relentlessly and we have to give in and end up positively reinforcing his barking..it is a vicious cycle.

10. Do not leave your dog alone with kids/other dogs alone.

- Never will.

11. ALWAYS pick up your dogs poop.

- Nope. I hardly do, they are SO small and mostly always in my yard. If it isn't in my yard it is somewhere where no one is really going to walk over. Dogs in my neighborhood, and I mean BIG dogs always are pooping in MY yard (it isnt fenced) and their owners never pick up their GIANT poops. Me not picking up my dogs poop is my passive aggressive SCREW YOU to them. I know it probably isn't the right thing to do and it probably makes no difference to them because it is all happening in my own yard anyway....but yeah if he were to poop on someone else's lawn in plain site where people walk or kids might play, I do pick it up.

I love this thread too! It's only slightly worrisome ;-)

Buddy had a TERRIBLE stomach the first 2 years so I had to be really careful with food - but he gets SO picky now - he refuses to eat until he makes himself sick! So now I change his dry food every so often and if he hasn't eaten for a day or two, I'll put some shredded cheese on top, or add a bit of wet food (we're trying the Tiki brand right now) --
I always try to gradually switch him to the new food, but he picks out all of the new pieces and leaves the old! Lately it hasn't been a problem though, so fingers crossed! We're trying something new right now...

He sleeps in bed with me. Oh! And he doesn't know any kids, so is not great with them (he barks at them as if they were other dogs!). Would never leave him alone with them.
And while I wouldn't leave him alone with a strange dog, I'll leave him at a friends house with a dog he knows for short periods of time.

You sure your dog isn't allergic to grains? I see you're feeding him a wet food with grains in it now...Dogs usually eat new better-it's new!

He definitely *was* allergic to grains (or something!) in his first year - the moment I switched him to Nature's Variety Raw Instinct (now simply called "Instinct") our whole (digestive) world changed!
Now, he's 5 years old, but his dry food is still grain-free. When I do switch foods with him, I generally go from Instinct to Call of the Wild or other grain-free varieties, just to be safe. I have also been giving him a dehydrated brand -- Sojos -- which is grain-free -- which he not only loves, but it makes his breath smell sweet!!
With the wet food I use to "tempt him" he gets such a teeny amount it's more like giving him a treat. Generally doesn't affect him.
---- So really all I was trying to say in my post is that he does not allow me to "gradually switch him" to a new food, though I try to follow the rules! :)

Everyone breaks rules ;)...I'm pretty sure everyone on here is "going to Yorkie hell" as one woman put it because we are all guilty of breaking the rule on spoiling our dogs- I just noted what you had said and it rang a little bell for me similar to something we went through here...:rolleyes:

...oh and re: poop picking up - I try to be super conscientious about it. As a city-dweller we have enough bad-smelling stuff around!
I'm so crazy about it, that if he poops, and I can't find it (easy enough, with their tiny little poops!) I will pick up someone else's, if I come across it, as kind of a "payback" for the one I missed.
I'm a weirdo. I own it :cool:
So jealous of you guys with yards!