"We love our "designer" dog - he's terrific! "

"Thats what I would refer to as a vice grip dog..............."

"not gonna happen if spanky is still there. The big guy removed max from btween the 2 pillows every night since he came home as a puppy, he still cuddles there 30-40 pounds later but moves down with head on BG's ankle, then to the floor on his own. Princess is a laugh. She sleeps with us a bit but moves to the new couch cause shes a big girl, 60 pounds, and needs her space. Zedva prowls all night. "

"Yup. The boy and girl (Spanky & Belle) have to be ON me, NEAR me, TOUCHING me at all times. I know they love me but it can be maddening sometimes. Keeping the girl off our bed at night was tough at first, we've broken her of that. Now if we can only keep the Beagle off!"

"PS - he gets a little gassy - but I don't think that is a "designer dog" trait! :-)"

"Dogs & kids have a special relationship. "

"Could be his diet or changes in his diet. Our dogs do not eat people food, and keep the same treats and dog food. Does he get more gassy when your granddaughter visits? She could be slipping him snacks. Our kids did this."

"A change in diet and/or overeating does cause gas-dogs are like people-some people are more gassy than others. Another factor is that walking helps the digestive process-and perhaps the gassy spells are when your dog isn't moving around so much. It was hard when we first got them, as they were used to fresh meat-& Stonewall had a stomach parasite. Their stomachs would get used a brand of food, but they didn't like it. So we'd add a 1/4 cup of the new food & mix it in & increase it every 2-3 days-It took about 2 weeks to change over to something else they didn't like. We now feed them a dry mixed flavor-beef-poultry-sheep, etc. for big dogs-They love fish & sponges-I think that they caught lots of their food in marshes along the Rio Grande. No I don't feed them sponges-missy opens doors & drawers to get my sea sponges for art projects. We're really careful in cleaning up quickly when we eat fish."

"Off course, checkers is too short to steal food. I cannot get over how cute he is! I cannot get any more dogs as 3 are enough and the others are way to big for a little dog."