Smoke Hardy from South Carolina

[maryshardy]

I am so impressed with the updated website and I look forward to keeping intouch. Here is more about our wonderful experience with Wolf Creek.

Our family owned a weim for 13 years and wanted to try a rescue weim so we discovered Wolf Creek after lots if investiagting other groups here in South Carolina. As soon I we saw the photo of Smoke, we said he's it! So the process begain. Within two weeks we had Smoke with us! He foster parents were GREAT with explaining Smoke to us. They were right about everything! He is gentle, laid back (amzing for a weim) and super with children. We had no problems with him; it was as if he had found us! He did not like his kennel to be closed and after LOTS of work we decided to let roam the room with his door open. It worked but he does require walks or a good run each day. That is typical of this breed. His favorite activity is chasing lizards and birds. He could spend every waking hour doing so. He LOVES to eat and keeps a 85 pound body in good shape. We realized that he has a food allergy to wheat, rice and chicken so he is on a special allergy dry dog food. It works but took about 3 months before we noticed the major change. We also give him yogurt with his meals as he had a bad case of runny poops and gas. This happens when he is being naughty and gets into the trash eating something that doesn't suit his tummy. He devours pressed raw hide bones and loves to chew on his Nylabones as well.

When we come home Smoke must have something in his mouth to "prance" around with. This is his way for saying look at me I am so happy you're home and now it's time to WALK! He is so playful and strong at the same time but also gentle and sweet. We love on him all of the time and he is never bothered. Our other weim was much more jumpy and would get up each time you tried to cuddle with her so this is a nice change for us.

He has several buddies that he plays with and most are large bread dogs. His best buddie is Moby and golden retriever who seems about the same age as Smoke. The play until they can't play any more. He has several other buddies and it is fun to watch them play. Smoke also attend doggy day care when we know we have long days and can't get walks in. He enjoys that as well.

We will be sure to send photos to let you see how great he looks. Thank again for your caring of this special breed.

[jguinn]

Thanks so much for the feedback about the website. I'm certainly glad that users are finding it easy to use. Thanks, also, for posting in the discussion forum! We're so fortunate to have a great group of hard-working, creative folks that helped to put all of this together.

What kind of food are you feeding Smoke? My dog, Stella, seems to have very similar food allergies. We had excellent luck with Canidae's Lamb & Rice for about two years. Sometime around September of 2008, though, it began causing severe diarrhea though. They reformulated earlier in the year, but this was not the first time that we've had to change foods. So I'm not sure if it was a result of the reformulation or if she just developed another sensitivity to lamb proteins. Either way, we went through about four different foods before finding one that worked for her.

Her vet prescribed Royal Canin's Hypoallergenic HP-19 for her, and it seems to work well. She's not very fond of the flavor at all, though. Since it is made entirely of soy proteins (no animal proteins) and is extremely expensive (~$100/mo.) I've been trying to switch her over to Taste of the Wild's Salmon formula. Seems to be going pretty well until we get over a 50/50 mix of Royal Canin and Taste of the Wild. I'm really more afraid that she will develop a sensitivity to the soy protein and then I'm out of options.

[maryshardy]

Smoke is on Natural Balance Potato and Duck formula. Yes, it is expensive ($50 per 30 pound bag) but it helps with his coat and he is free of the diarhhea, weight loss, and chewing on feet (less poop too). He has been on this product since October. But the real test will be this summer with the grasses in full growth. He might have an allergy to the grasses as well. Over the winter he has been fine with the grasses. Just something to consider.

In November, Smoke got diahhera again!!! He might have gotten into soemthing that didn't suit him well as he roams the park across from our house and picks up food that people leave on the ground. We put him on a mild antibiotic and gave him plain yogurt with his same dry dog food. Wet dog food (same product) didn't work for him - diarrhea again. We stick to dry with yogurt (2 tsp/feeding). It worked like a charm! The vet said that his intestine were needing bacteria ballance; the yogurt helped get him back on track.

After three weeks of plain yogurt, we stopped the yogurt to see if his stools were staying solid and they are!!! He looks and feels great. He isn't hyper on this food just laid back after he gets his walk in.

Good luck to Stella and we are happy to give any advice. This breed is so sweet!