He came from a Puppy Mill

[jlaack]

The first thing that I did was check the thyroid, and have checked it a couple of time to make sure it was normal. It was. Also had his blood sugar check, before and after he ate. He tends to get grumpy when he wasn't getting enough food. Not so much at feeding time, but having something more often in the day. His blood sugar went weird after he ate.

I know this isn't the point of the thread, but has your vet provided more insight into his blood sugar levels? Possible causes, possible treatments? Since you mentioned he had food agression perhaps there is a medical reason for this problem? There are many human disorders related to sugar levels that have a tremendous impact on personality, health, diet needs, etc and I can't help but believe such is also the case for the dogs. If it were my dog, I'd be exhausting this avenue as a possible explanation for the behavior.

[keller27]

Originally Posted by jlaack

I know this isn't the point of the thread, but has your vet provided more insight into his blood sugar levels? Possible causes, possible treatments? Since you mentioned he had food agression perhaps there is a medical reason for this problem? There are many human disorders related to sugar levels that have a tremendous impact on personality, health, diet needs, etc and I can't help but believe such is also the case for the dogs. If it were my dog, I'd be exhausting this avenue as a possible explanation for the behavior.

This is what I wrote for his trainer (testimony)

Cat filmed a lot of Khori’s activities. During this process she observed him closely, and came to the conclusion that some of Khori’s grumpiness was due to insufficient intake of food. Cat wanted to test her theory, so she chose to take Khori to my veterinarian for blood work. The goal was to determine whether or not he had a thyroid condition or fluctuating sugar levels. Both conditions could cause grumpiness. The test results came back stating “no issues with the thyroid”. Yeah! The surprising results were in Khori’s sugar levels. His sugar level went down after he was fed instead of up. Although the veterinarian was unconcerned and insisted that food was not the issue, this put up a red flag for Cat. With more research Cat’s theory was confirmed. This relates to a condition where an individual lacks enough food to maintain proper sugar levels in the body. Armed with this information Cat experimented with Khori’s feeding program. She discovered he required more food as well as it needed to be spread out over the course of the day. This change in his feeding program made him a much happier boy.

[jlaack]

The goal was to determine whether or not he had a thyroid condition or fluctuating sugar levels. Both conditions could cause grumpiness. The test results came back stating “no issues with the thyroid”. Yeah! The surprising results were in Khori’s sugar levels. His sugar level went down after he was fed instead of up. Although the veterinarian was unconcerned and insisted that food was not the issue, this put up a red flag for Cat. With more research Cat’s theory was confirmed. This relates to a condition where an individual lacks enough food to maintain proper sugar levels in the body. Armed with this information Cat experimented with Khori’s feeding program. She discovered he required more food as well as it needed to be spread out over the course of the day. This change in his feeding program made him a much happier boy.

Again, I apologize since I know this isn't the point of the thread. In most cases food agression should be dealt with a behaviorist/trainer. In cases where there is a possible medical explanation for a behavior, I would fully explore that avenue to try to find a solution. I also would be doing so directly with my vet and not via my trainer. Has a vet named a medical condition that causes the fluctuation of his sugar levels? While the change in the feeding program has helped (which is great) what if there was a fix? Further what if there are other health concerns that can develop if his medical problem isn't correctly treated? There are disorders pertaining to glucose levels in dogs and humans that can have grave consequences if not monitored and treated very carefully. If it were me, I would be exhausting this avenue with a vet and not with a trainer.

[MarleysMama]

I just wanted to say that I am really sorry you were taken for such a ride. But I absolutely commend you for working so hard with your dog to make him the very best he can be.

I too researched asked questions, was asked questions, the whole 9 yards. I was told there were titles, health certifications, etc. I drove 5 long hours...just to end up in a townhouse that had atleast 8 dogs in the back (that was just what I could count) and a cardboard box with poop covered pups =[ I could have left...many say I should have..but I didn't. We took Marley, I told the guy he was a fraud, gave him a FRACTION of what we were supposed to pay this 'reputable' breeder, got his akc registration papers and left. It broke my heart to leave the other pups there..but we did what we thought was right. We have been SO fortunate that Marley has a wonderful temperment, loves our children probably as much as they love him. We work very hard with him...but I don't regret it. You are doing the right thing by your dog.

And I do completely agree with the couple of people who recommended going to a good shelter and rescuing. DH and I have long decided that out next rottie will absolutely come from a shelter. I know in my heart Marley would have ended up there, being fought, or dead. We just rescued him early, that's all.

Take Care and thank you for doing this dog justice and being a great owner. =]

[keller27]

I have noticed that Khori is starting to display stress behaviors that he never knew to do before. Maybe he is finally picking them up from my shih tzu, the tongue flicker, yawn, turning of the head. He never learned that, being taken away from the dam at 4 weeks. This is a big deal for him.

It will be a long time before I get another. The thing is, not sure if my husband would go for another rottie after all we are going thru right now. A friend came over to watch the basketball game. I kept Khori on leash, he likes the friend, but the friend has surgery. Guys do what guys do during the game and starts yelling at the TV. Khori last about 1.5 hours, laid down, and started doing the little growls under his breath. So I took him for a walk, then he spent time in his room behind a babygate after that. The other day he actually went into his room on his own to be by himself. This is what we have been hoping for with him to remove himself, instead of growling that has worked for him in the past.