u/Selective_Somewhere

I see a lot of discussions here and from my friends on Tirz around balancing shots with eating more.

For example, I have a friend who does the shot right before the days she tends to “pig out” (her words not mine). My sister doesn’t take hers on vacation so she can eat a lot. I have a friend who will eat foods that she knows will make her sick on Tirz and suffer while telling herself “she needs to learn”. And people here who want to make sure they have a hearty appetite on the weekend so they can eat junk food.

I feel like, I just want to eat like a “normal” person without obesity and with a healthy relationship with food all the time. Like, pizza isn’t “cheating” nor is a dinner out with friends at a burger joint. It’s normal to occasionally have small meals that aren’t a perfect combination of protein, carbs, and fiber. But a half or whole large pizza and a pint of ice cream or a huge burger with bottomless fries and a huge shake is just not how a person with a healthy relationship with food eats. I do not want to repeat the seeking behavior, the feelings of anticipation, the dopamine rush, and then the guilt cycle. Even if it is just once or twice a week versus three times or more.

It reminds me of weight watchers days. Skipping meals to have all your points at dinner or eating your face off after the weigh in. It reminds me of the days of tracking every morsel and step. Justifying eating certain foods. I wanted this med to break out of these cycles of depravation, powerlessness, and shame. The food addiction spiral.

I have only been on Torz for almost a week and I’ve loved the feeling of being satisfied by smaller meals and enjoying what I’ve eaten. I don’t really want to eat another McDonalds meal again but if I do (and I probably will on a road trip where I’ve not prepared well since I am a human) I want to enjoy and feel satisfied by a small fry, a half a fillet o fish, and a small root beer. I want to normalize not cleaning every plate no matter where I’m at between shots. My body thrives on 1,500 calories a day on average even when I’m very active, but my brain and my stomach say 3,000 calories a day is best.

So, for those of you who have been on Tirz has it changed your relationship with food or just toned down your food issues?

First shot yesterday. Besides the (fairly mild though unpleasant) tummy issues, is not thinking of food normal? Like naturally thin people, do they just not think of food? And so they eat for nutrients only? Sort of like washing your face or brushing your teeth?

Yesterday I was out and about after work and I was on my way home around 8pm. Often at this point I’m hungry but not starving and using the time as an excuse to get takeout or fast food. At my best I’ve got healthy food at home I can warm up or eat out of the fridge instead.

Anyway, this is different!

Recently went to the doctor for crazy periods (peri menopause, but am soon getting some additional tests). Bloodwork came back with iron deficiency anemia. Ferritin is 7, hemoglobin is 11.

I was prescribed ferrous iron 65 mg on the morning on an empty stomach with vitamin C.

It made me so sick. She said I could take it with a non dairy meal and no coffee or tea.

She also said if it’s still not working for me I could reduce the dose.

Anyone have any tips or tricks to tolerate this stuff? Specific foods? Dosage?

I took it at 7:30am with a bit of applesauce to help it go down. I ate 1/2 cup of applesauce around
8:15am after when my stomach started acting up. Helped a little. Ended up eating two pieces of toast and an egg at 9am because I couldn’t take it anymore. It’s now almost noon and I don’t feel like throwing up but am still nauseous and burping.

Not sure what flair to use here.

I had a couple of killer periods two months in a row passing clots the size of a Volkswagen Beetle and last 10 days. Called the doc and they got me in quickly with the nurse practitioner to order tests. I’m way overdue for a pap and assumed we’d do that so when she mentioned it I said yeah let’s do it.

The speculum might as well have been a two liter soda bottle! I stopped being sexually active about ten years ago and only tampons have been up there. But honestly this was excessive! I ended up having to swab myself (you can do that now—how cool is that?) and she said my cervix looked good.

When I googled it I found that elasticity goes away and there’s dryness, etc. Could that be it? I mean what the hell?!?! Going forward Domingo for a child’s speculum? Has this happened to you?

I’m considering talking to my doctor at my upcoming visit about trying Zepbound for weight loss, something I’ve struggled with my entire life.

First, how do I know if my insurance covers it?

Second, what questions should I ask?

My best friend is on it and has been for a year. She’s lost nearly 100 lbs. she was very sick the first few months with diarrhea and vomiting and cannot eat spicy foods (not even taco seasoning). But the thing that’s concerning to me is that her blood tests have come back worse despite the weight loss—fatty liver values up, cholesterol up. I know she’s eating the same foods just less of it and nothing spicy. Since she is losing weight she is not even trying to eat better. Doughnuts for breakfast, energy drinks from Dutch Brothers, dirty sodas, etc. So this is concerning because I definitely have food noise. I’m typically eating well for a week or two then having a bad week and the cycle continues.

In short I have an incredible Labrador that is not just amazing in the dog sports we partake in but also in life. Imagine the drive of a Malinois (except zero noise) and the best temperament traits (read not the annoying parts) of a Labrador. And an off switch any pet dog person would pay extra for. Travels well. Dog and human friendly to neutral. Easy keeper. Excels in anything I put in front of her.

I want a puppy. And I’ve got three people from across the country who do dog sports and SAR on a list for a puppy from her of if I ever breed her. I also have two people who want what’s “left over” for professional detection training and TSA and/or FEMA. In one of my sports a judge is a professional detection handler and told her buddies who blew up my phone.

DNA tested, needs updated hearts and eyes (they’ve been done just need an update), excellent hips, normal elbows, no allergies, no health issues. Her pedigree is dog sport royalty though there’s lots of good pedigrees out there so I don’t put much on that but people are going to ask so there you go.

I need to choose a sire but I’m not sure I can find a dog as perfect as she to complement her and the only thing I can think of is that I would like her puppies to be a little smaller. She’s a huge bitch. Though people love her size for the 24” agility class. I’ve asked a few people who know her well like my instructors and friends in the breed who will be honest and they say she could use a little more “team sport” DNA because she’s an independent and self motivated bitch at times but honestly that’s just part of the fun! She’s super trainable nonetheless. And a working fool when it’s offered.

I have a few dilemmas.

1. She is a LOT of dog and very strong/determined/driven so I do have to be careful with where the puppies go unless I want to get puppies back (I will take them but I do not want this to happen).
2. I am unsure how the professional detection program works. What happens to any washouts or dogs who get injured or something? I need to research more…
3. What’s the minimum amount of space and set up I can have and still survive a litter of wild large breed puppies?
4. Cost if all goes well? Cost if it doesn’t?
5. Is this doable with a full time albeit remote position?

The biggest issue is that she just turned 5. So I need to make my decision or spay her. I’ve been going back and forth on this for about 3 years. In all fairness she was 18 months when she came into season and comes in once a year so it’s not like there have been many opportunities to breed her.

What am I missing? What would you do and why? I don’t need to hear “there’s enough dogs or Labs” or about breeding to standard, blah blah. Yes she has the highest titles in her sports. Yes her littermates do too. And her parents and their parents, etc.

ETA: I have her breeder’s blessing (a couple of people on my list her their dogs from her and know she is done breeding) and an unlimited contract but her breeder is struggling with health issues and not available for questions or mentorship.

I am 51.5, no kids, and I’m assuming I’m in perimenopause. I don’t have any physical symptoms other than my periods. Sometimes a little brain fog.

In 2021 just after my Covid booster, I had a rather light period. However, while flying home from picking up a puppy I got some cramps. Tried going to the bathroom to poop and nothing. As I’m sitting in my seat sort of bent over from my cramps, I gush all over. No pad or tampon because I thought I was done. And of course I’m in first class. Blood all over the seat. A mess.

My periods essentially have been heavy on day two and with the occasional clot late in my period and a smaller gush. Not quite like the one on the plane though. My doctor says it was peri. It was manageable. Periods every 25-35 days.

In June my period came and it was normal for me. But it lasted 10 freaking days. I thought it might just be a weird one.

This month (28 days later) after about 5 days it was almost done. Then a clot came out and I gushed a couple times over a few hours. Lightened up for a day or two. Then I passed the biggest clot I’ve ever seen and my period came back but no gushing or heaviness just normal. I’m now on day 7.

I have an appointment with my doctor and I have no idea what to ask for. I’m scared I have cancer of course.

This is more of a hypothetical question than anything else and not an issue that I am having. It is something I’ve seen in my years of dog sports but nothing I’m looking for advice on just thoughts.

Say you get a dog (from a good breeder, etc.) to do XYZ and it’s clear that your dog is just not into it. No pain no health issues, just around sexual maturity when dogs begin to become who they are the dog was like, no thanks. Perhaps drive or sensitivity or too much worry about the environment. But overall as a pet it’s a great dog for the breed, so no issues there.

You are an experienced trainer, not a professional or anything and maybe not the most patient or sympathetic. You continue working with the dog and the dog makes some improvements. But it is nothing like you thought it would be. Very inconsistent depending on their general mood. And maybe the dog begins to enjoy the thing you love but only when it’s easy, you’re at home, you have the ball or the cookie in your hand, no pressure, etc.

And let’s say you are someone who must trial. For whatever reason. It’s your purpose in life, it’s your social life, maybe you just need ribbons. Whatever. But the dog is just so/so even under the best circumstances. The dog is now 2-3 years old and not a slow to mature breed.

Do you:

A) Let them be the nice house dog / pet dog they are maybe a hiking partner too. After all, you’re not going to make them be someone they are not.

B) Send them back to the breeder. You don’t have room / money for multiple dogs.

C) Continue trying to turn things around with the dog. You learn new methods and/or work with trainers that specialize in motivating lower drive dogs. See how things go.

D) Say too bad suck it up buttercup, you’re doing this because I want to do it. Maybe you feel like asking them to do hard things can only help.

E) Something else. And if so what?

ETA: The dog reacts the same to all sports available to you not just one sport.

Thanks for the feedback on my post from a couple weeks ago! It was super helpful and gave me a lot to think about.

Since I posted this, a few things have happened.

First, I trialed my second dog to her NW1, first place overall, 3/4 pronounced searches. She is a different dog from my first. She has a TFR, is more sensitive/biddable, less focused, slower to mature, and hyper social with people. I’ll wait for a little more maturity to enter NW2.

Second, I might be getting a small non-working breed to train. I’m not going to own the dog but it’ll stay with me. Not a board and train, technically speaking. Sort of helping a friend in need I guess. So I’m pretty excited about that.

Finally, I accepted an offer for a new job so I am taking a break from teaching this summer to focus on my onboarding. It’ll give me time to think about my next steps.

Anyway, even though it’s just a NW1 title, I’m feeling pretty good about my baby dog and how she’s coming along. I know that once she grows up a bit and gets more mileage, she will be an incredible nosework dog.

I’m hosting a seminar and my seminar presenter does soap making as a hobby. She is not local to me. She is flying with a carry on and won’t be doing any sight-seeing .

I was considering a gift card for her to a soap making store but I would want it to be somewhere special.

Any suggestions?

I am considering becoming a nosework instructor, as the title says. But I am having some imposter syndrome feelings about it. How about a reality check? Would you take lessons or classes from me?

The good, I think:

Background in dog sports (competition obedience, rally, agility, nosework, light field work) since 2010-ish and was a very involved pet person (pet classes, all dogs had CGCs) prior to that since about 1998. Background before that in training and showing horses.

My dog has multiple placements and high in trials in NACSW. We don’t have much time for AKC at the moment. Also we got a Summit title our first time out a couple weeks after getting our ELT3 and turning 5. I have an up and comer dog who is doing well but no competitions yet.

People, and by people I mean experienced people, mostly complement me on my leash handling skills, staying calm under pressure, patience, managing drive and arousal, and general handling skills.

I train often and with multiple COs as well as some online coaching. I’ve been setting hides for my ELT and Summit friends (who were all NW2/3 when we started) in novel locations for going on 3 years now. Time flies!

I started teaching agility/sports pre-foundations classes about a year ago at my agility coach’s place. Mostly puppies. I’m not a great agility handler but my dogs are always trained really well. In fact my coach paid me a really nice but backhanded complement the other day that if my dog had a world team handler with the training I’ve put on her she could be a world team dog. 😂 Anyway, my class now are repeats and threepeats. People come back. They are all ready to move on from me now and they look great!

The bad, I think:

I’ve had just one nosework dog (not including my up and comer) and I won’t lie when I say she’s a one in a million dog. She’s also not an “off breed”. That said, a lot of people could not handle her and it’s not like she didn’t require work because she did and still does but she never required work on her motivation. We’ve dealt with things like box smashing, arousal and blinking hides, thresholds, close hides, distractions.

I live in an area with a lot of CNWI instructors who are also COs and judges and who have more nosework experience than me. But not with dogs like mine, they tell me. They are also much older than me and some are threatening retirement. I don’t plan on getting a CNWI at this time.

I have a full time job and plan to keep it. I would not go full time as a nosework instructor unless I was retired and that won’t happen for at least 15 years. So classes or lessons would need to be in the evenings, one or twice a week. I also won’t be giving up my weekends.

My interest is in high drive dogs and handling—the people side. My style is dog driven with strong foundations. I’ve had soft dogs and know a lot about pressure. It feels a little niche to me.