Re: Managing the CONE If he's calm when he has the object you can just hold it til he lets go and then say give, mine or dead(whichever is your word of choice) at the same time. That's how Riley learned to give me things. If he started to pull away to play I either let my hand go with him so I wasn't pulling or I let go and started again when he was calm. Hope the cone is a thing of the past today
Re: Managing the CONE Goodness Lisa, your Simba is certainly a character!!! And it sounds like he's feeling a lot better... 8)
Re: Managing the CONE Thanks for the tips, everyone! I am on a mission to get a clicker but I live in a small town and neither of our 2 pet stores nor Wal-Mart has one. So am going to order from Amazon. Today is Cone Removal Day!!! Yahoo!! Will take it off just before dinner as that will make it exactly 7 days since it was put on....if we can last that long.... Will post a pic of happy Simba once it's OFF!! Oh ya - I went down to my son's bedroom yesterday afternoon to check on the damage. He had ripped to pieces the dog bed Josh had put there for him to sleep on. It was the one my old dog had used. Simba has ripped to shreds the old mat that was in our previous plus had a go on the oils sleeping bag we used for bedding in there. I was actually surprised the bed lasted this long. : At any rate....stuffing all over. Also apparently Simba had been up a lot in the night, restless (ripping bedding!) and had woken Josh up a couple times, scratching at door, wanting to be let out. So don't know what that was all about, but he certainly was on a tear yesterday morning!
Re: Managing the CONE Oh , Deconing Day has come at last I think frustration has a lot to do with naughty behaviour , just the annoyance of this pesky thing on the head that stops normal activity , good luck ;D
Re: Managing the CONE When Lady was coned-up we had her supervised during the day so we could take it off and just put it on at night when she went to bed. The wounds were in a different place to Simba and the stitches being at the back of her elbows weren't quite so tempting so it was possible. But I have to say we gave up after 4 nights because every time she turned around in bed under the kitchen table the crashing and banging woke us up! : (She was actually showing no interest in licking and she had waterproof dressings on anyway so we thought we'd get away with it.) I say very well done you to stick it out for the full period. 8)
Re: Managing the CONE A bit late to this one and well done on getting through it all. For future reference if you've got a cone eater and the inflatable/soft tyres are no good then an old fashioned bucket with the bottom cut out and used in place of the cone often solves the problem. Attaches to collar like the cone but the rigidity of the bucket means that edges cannot be reached to be chewed, and as they're narrower less furniture gets clobbered although that may also be partially down to the blinkered vision. It's what we used to use before cones came along! Kerryn
Re: Managing the CONE What a great idea Kerryn,hope its a very long time until I would need it but great tip.The photos of Simba with his duct taped cone will make me chuckle for a long time x
Re: Managing the CONE Gloom Cone came off... Great rejoicing.... Within half hour it was lick, lick, lick (to me incision, etc looks good, no redness or swelling, but still a scab where incision was so maybe that's what he's going after?)....vet advised cone on again for a couple more days. Went back to original cone as it was in better shape (kinda) than #2.... Almost destroyed it after 3-4 hours (duct tape is a real draw).... Swapped cones again.... In the process of trying to distract cone-head gave him a long, narrow "smoked" rawhide to chew on (I held it while hubby did cone swapping).... Dog choking on rawhide...thought we had a real emergency for a sec but he managed to hork it out....rawhide in the garbage...also had friends over and I would give him a 40% on behaviour - lots of jumping up, etc... But having the lead attached was helpful... Needless to say I am off to bed and hoping for better things tomorrow. :-\
Re: Managing the CONE Oh, not a good day today. I'm sure that your patience was wearing pretty thin at the end of all that. Or maybe just totally worn out. It's always a bummer, too, when they are showing their, erm, fun-loving side in front of your friends. Really glad that he managed to cough up the rawhide. I hope that tomorrow is better
Re: Managing the CONE oh poor you...just caught up on this thread. Brods hated his cone with a passion too, and Cuillin used to try and helpfully chew it off for him when I wasn't looking....not long now though, hang on in there!
Re: Managing the CONE Ack! The only thing worse than one dog with a cone has to be having two to manage!!!
Re: Managing the CONE Really bad day yesterday. Cone only lasted until the evening... After distracting with walks, chew bones (burned through my supply), training sessions it was just a no-go. He's gotten obsessed with the duct tape needed to hold the things together and was tearing it all to pieces. Gave him a new kong as a treat which he happily was busy with but once it was done it was back to licking. And also chewed through two leashes put on as houselines.... Basically had a meltdown and a good cry (me, not Simba... He's happy as a clam). Called the vet re: licking - he's a bit concerned as to why so much. I had a little peek at it this AM - dunno. It looks okay to me but what do I know? He's off to vet in a bit for a check on it. :-\
Re: Managing the CONE Oh dear Lisa what a rubbish day! You poor thing Hope all goes well at the vet and the cone is very soon a thing of the past!
Re: Managing the CONE Oh Lisa,that's not great at all,hate you have been brought to tears...... This whole cone business has been a massive p in the a..... Added to a pressure I understand you feel with the holiday deadline,you'd feel differently if you didn't have these 2 major factors I am sure, you haven't got any control of these 2 things which must be very frustrating.Hopefully when you get back from the vets,one thing ,the licking and so the need for the cone might have been solved.....or at least some help offered,let us know what was said. You must be exhausted with policing his recovery but you've done brilliantly,and that should be behind you very soon........stay consistent and keep drawing on those reserves of common sense it is so clear you have. Simba looks like a beautiful dog from your clip today,despite the growling,you were meant to have him for a reason,it's all going to come good xxx
Re: Managing the CONE hope it goes well at the vets . you have had a really bad time......it will soon get better
Re: Managing the CONE So...the wound is open a bit. With all the cone issues recommendation is a warm compress for about 5-10 mins 2x/day, followed by application of a topical antibiotic cream.Keep dog from licking site for about 10 mins post application. So not sure exactly how we are supposed to do this but I have gone and bought lots of treats, etc to stuff in the Kong so he can hopefully work on that while we are treating. Not feeling hopeful....see how it goes tonight and I guess alternate is to resurrect cone for these sessions. Thanks for the support, everyone. Really need it. :'( Starting the clicker training today - hopefully that will be positive.
Re: Managing the CONE Easiest way to distract away from delicious ointment is to apply just before feeding! Nothing gets between a lab and his dinner by the time food has been inhaled he should have forgotten all about it or if that's not convenient then a short lead walk until the goo has sunk in. Kerryn
