We had one of our dogs tested using the Wisdom Panel. We guessed her to be a golden retriever/poodle plus something else -- sheltie and terrier were tops on our guesses. She's totally strawberry blond with loose curls and a lean build. She came back as primarily rottweiler and english setter. See what you think -- she in my avatar :-)

I had these symptoms plus a few more (fatigue, sinus congestion, burping, sweats,etc.) last fall. 5 doctors later, the cause appears to be mycoplasma pneumonia and a sinus infection (long gone now with antibiotics), gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD), along with pretty severe allergies I didn't know I had, and possible asthma or bronchospasms. I'm still dealing with the allergy issues. And for what it's worth I also have no significant family history of severe allergies or asthma. There were a couple of times while driving that I got my phone out just in case I needed to call 911. For some reason the choking feeling of pressure in my throat was worse when driving (probably because my reflux was aggravated). I was not anxious or panicky, but I can see how it would strike one that way pretty easily. Good luck getting to the bottom of this. It was a miserable feeling and I hope you get relief soon.

How awful for you. I'm so sorry.

Anxiety disorders do occur in dogs; I had one with separation and noise phobia issues that didn't go away but in fact worsened with time into a generalized anxiety disorder that didn't respond to medications. At times he was truly miserable, though he was a sweet dog and a great companion in general. Mine didn't come from a shelter, but was a stray, so there may have been some background issues I'll never know about. It was a tough problem to deal with; we ended up taking him everywhere we reasonably could -- strangely he was fine waiting in the car for us (cool weather only), though he would tear up the house if left there alone. One of my current dogs is from the Pound, and she is more of a nervous temperament, too, though thankfully less severe. That said, some of your corgi's issues I would expect to improve, such as being nervous around your husband. My parrot that was scared of men did learn to like my husband, though he remained very leery of other men. I doubt a trainer would help, as this is an anxiety issue, not an obedience issue. A calm, predictable environment, time, and maybe some medications if necessary would be more likely to help. And exercise, as you have already tried, as long as it doesn't seem to introduce more anxiety. I would talk to your vet about any possible physical problems that might be underlying this (ear infection, UTI, joint pain, etc.) Good luck. Hope it works out for both the dog and your family.

I like my Mac just fine, but I totally understand your experience with the sales staff. My first time in the store I left convinced I wasn't going to buy a Mac because of their superior, cooler-than-thou attitude. I had looked at PC laptops extensively first and received better help and no attitude. Eventually curiosity won out and I got a MacBook Pro. It is an improvement over my last laptop, but for three times the price it better be! The whole Apple culture is a turn-off for me.

That's too funny....we just finished cleaning up after our Kleenex Battle Royale. Our toddler got into a box of them and made a huge mess. Making lemonade out of lemons, we turned it into a whole family battle. Highly recommended :-) I will add to the list: Anything they know they can't have (cell phone, computer, food grabbed on the sly from the freezer....) Anything they can pull small parts off of, like a cherry tomato plant Grown-up jewelry (to lose)

We have lots of black widows outside, but I've never been bitten by one. They do creep me out a bit, though. Our bigger concern right now is scorpions. I DID get stung by one of these last Fall.

I wonder if she would like pajama jeans? They're pretty pricey, though.

One of my sons has night terrors (and sleepwalks), and he will talk during them....but not very coherently. He will do strange things, like pace, or take all the tissues out of a box, one by one. He is always agitated, and nothing I do seems to calm him. When he is ready he just goes back to sleep. He never remembers them in the morning.

I'm gardening! I've got tomatoes in pots and a raised bed (soil here is not so welcoming to vegetables), along with basil, cilantro, peppers, thyme and mint. I've got 12 baby plums on a baby tree. Baby grapes, baby kumquats, and figs. And the oranges are ready to eat. I love edible landscapes! From our years in a community garden, we've learned lots of things: Aphids love lettuce and cauliflower. Ladybugs will stay put if you have enough aphids. Home-grown cauliflower can taste like nothing I've ever had from a store. Artichokes are impressive plants, and are fun to grow even for the flower. It's worth planting something for the hummingbirds. Always work to improve the soil! Kids will eat things they picked themselves that they would never eat if you served to them.

An unneutered cat will have *very* pungent urine. You may or may not smell it on the cat itself, depending on how fastidious the cat is in his habits. A neutered male cat doesn't smell any differently than a female cat. A musky/musty odor makes me wonder if you cat could have an infected wound somewhere. Cats get abscesses very commonly after fighting with another cat, and they can be surprisingly hard to notice. You might want to check him all over for discomfort, lumps, discharge, etc. Also give his ears a sniff. Ear infections aren't common in cats, but they can occur. Also, cats can have a very strong odor after expressing their anal sacs. It generally doesn't linger long, but if it got on bedding it might. Hope you find the source!

That does sound good! I wish someone else in my family besides me liked pecan pie....

Fabulous! You should be very proud of what you have accomplished.

We liked the quirkiness of "Visualize World Geography". I'll second "Yo, Millard Fillmore" for learning the presidents.

I can't recommend the avocado ice cream that we made. Sour cream and peach was really yummy, though!

If you have someone who can do it for you, a quiet room with a long head/shoulder/neck massage is my favorite way to treat a migraine. Works wonders for both my husband and me. Especially if you throw in a nap afterwards.

Hi, I've got a 6th grader doing serious typing for the first time this year. We used Typing Instructor Deluxe initially, but then moved to Typing Quick and Easy 17, which he prefers. He was sometimes frustrated by the interface with Typing Instructor, but seems to do fine with Typing Quick and Easy.

I have this book. No, I wouldn't call it a serious grammar program. We use it as a reference when we hit a particularly confusing area in our regular grammar program. We haven't needed it much, so someone else might have better information, but I have liked what we have done with it. We enjoy the way it uses humor to mitigate the intimidation factor and make it less dry than your average reference.

Be careful when cutting with scissors-- you'd be surprised how easy it is to accidentally slice the skin. Electric trimmers work well, but the sound and vibration is alarming to many dogs. It is also possible to cause razor burn with them. If possible, having someone else there to distract with little bits of a very yummy treat is good. Liverwurst is super yummy to most dogs. I would recommend doing only a small amount of trimming at a time, keeping it non-threatening.

The Seven Silly Eaters is my all time favorite kids book at that age. I can practically recite the whole thing from memory. Peach and Blue is a wonderful and sweet book (but it does have a theme involving death -- or at least the rotting of the main Peach) Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep is very sweet. Dogger is also fabulous and gentle. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble Owen One of Each Only the Cat Saw Little Beauty -- based on the true story of a gorilla and his pet kitten Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch -- very sweet Henry Hikes to Fitchburg is a great choice. Based on Henry David Thoreau. Hope that helps!

Hi, I am brand-new here (been lurking for a year), but I registered so I could reply. LARGE volumes of cat food can indeed be a serious problem, if pancreatitis should develop. It can usually be treated (hold off food and supportive care primarily....more aggressive therapy if needed). Any higher fat food can cause the same problem. I am a vet and it would not be unusual to see an increase in pancreatitis cases around the holidays, as the family dog got treated to some of the feast :-). It is a more common problem in middle-aged female dogs. That said, many, many dogs eat cat food without serious ill effects, and you have a bigger dog, so odds are things will turn out fine. But, if there is lack of appetite, painful abdomen, or vomiting, I would advise you to have you dog examined promptly. Good luck; hopefully it will all be resolved soon!