General Dog Chat 4

[geekone]

Apologies I just noticed the thread was running out so I am going to repost.

[geekone]

Ok not sure if this one should be on dog or puppy but here goes. My adorable dumbass stupid 7 month old giant schnauzer barked in a low roowing protective bark at a small child on a scooter. He has barked like this when spooked in the forest by a random person in the trees and when the doorbell goes which we are in the process of dealing with. He was with DH if he was with me I would have made him sit down and tried to make him quiet DH said the wee girl was petrified. He was on the lead on the pavement and had been past and with scooting children before. He’s huge and black and I don’t want him to get a bad reputation just because he might look big and scary. He’s already helped my next door neighbors little girl get over her fear of dogs and is a great big soft lumox. So how to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Btw it wansnt play barking he’s a schnauzer so he does this when with his doggy pals to make them play. They then tell him off and he keeps quiet and does this a lot was the more he socialises with dogs.

[geekone]

Also DH apologised profusely.

[thegirlsallgrowedupnow]

Geekone, my reply is on our old thread....

[Squirrel26]

SquirrelDog scavenged half a doughnut he found on the pavement on our walk this morning. He’s very pleased with himself.

[BiteyShark]

Found you . Thanks geek for starting a new thread.

BiteyDog was very excited to see me when I went to collect him from the carer but is now sat outside with his ball demanding play to make up for me abandoning him

[Squirrel26]

Poor BiteyDog. I imagine he has had no play, or walks, or cuddles while you were away. That’s what SquirrelDog always tells me has happened to him, anyway...

[BiteyShark]

He can't pull that one as I have photographic proof that he has been well spoilt whilst we have been away .

[BiteyShark]

thegirl are you back from your cottage and if so did Cocodog love it?

Avocados hope the arm is healing.

blue did you make a decision about the new dog?

BunchOfBastards hope you are feeling better as well.

geek no idea what to suggest but yes maybe if you start a thread as thegirl suggested you might get more footfall and helpful ideas.

Squirrel at least it was just a doughnut given what is usually dropped on the pavement.

BiteyDogs stomach is mostly ok but he's still on steroids so need to try and reduce them. So glad we got it under control though before I went away as I couldn't face cancelling two holidays this year because of dog illnesses.

[Squirrel26]

On this afternoon’s walk I had to retrieve half a cupcake. Which wouldn’t have been a problem, but it was still in a metallic silver wrapper...

[BiteyShark]

SquirrelDog is just helping to keep the streets clean of rubbish

BiteyDog has finally settled down and is now keeping a jet lagged DH company as they are both having an afternoon snooze

[thegirlsallgrowedupnow]

Welcome back Bitey , hope you had a lovely time. Cocodog had such a good time in Suffolk that when we got home she looked quite sulky.

[BiteyShark]

Sounds like Cocodog is voting to go back there again next year?

We had a good time, weather was a bit hit and miss but not too bad. I have a couple of days off before going back to work so planning on spending it settling BiteyDog back at home who is definitely trying the guilt trip face at the moment for ball play

[steppemum]

welcome back Bitey.

squirrel dog is DEFINITELY related to steppedog.
If my kids leave a cup cake wrapper around it gets eaten.

Went out with friends on Friday night, and at one point we were looking at each others dog pics.... (we do both actually have children!)

[thegirlsallgrowedupnow]

Our niece has come to stay overnight. Cocodog can ignore a young child easily but give her a twenty plus youngster and she is in heaven. Rolling about in her lap, nice walk to local pub, back for supper, more rolling about in her lap. Cocodog is not a food stealer but our old late lamented Labrador did on one occasion fart out a brightly coloured sweet wrapper😕

[NewYoiker]

Hello I found you! :) Hugo is being so frustrating at the moment! He has some hang ups from being a rescue dog and not meeting another dog other than chihuahua until he was 5, he constantly barks and chases bigger dogs in a game of chase. Won't do it with little ones but bigger dogs he just won't leave alone!

So trying to sort that out!

He also tried to hump an entire border terrier in a pub yesterday 🤦‍♀️

[bluetongue]

Welcome back Bitey and Biteydog

I decided not to get the second dog. It just didn’t a good fit and she wasn’t right for me.

Bluepuppy will be going to his ‘aunty’ in January next year when I’m away on holiday. Plus he’ll need to go there for about a week while I get some re-decorating done on my house.

[YoureAllABunchOfBastards]

BastardPup had a bath yesterday. Oh dear - he did not like that at all. But he smells a lot nicer

[steppemum]

Got told off this morning.
I was polite, but then spent the rest of the walk fuming.

There is a patch of trees, and if you let steppedog off the lead he goes nuts. Runs back and forth like a complete idiot. Totally nuts. He is trying to chase squirrels.
To be fair when he is like this, I can't easily get him back. So, for ages, we haven't let him off the lead there. Dh has come up with a new thing which seems to work, so today I let him off, partly to try the new recall thing. Steppedog was running round in circles going nuts, I was happy for him to have a good run before I tried to get him back. There are some bungalows facing this grass, and one couple came out, specifically to talk to me, and were REALLY grumpy about him being out of control and why didn't we have him on a lead etc etc, and they ALWAYS see me here, and I am miles away and not controlling dog. (hmm, he hasn't been off the lead here for ages, and I am always watching where he is)

I politely said dog is always in sight and I know exactly where he is, and that actually now he is usually on a lead and not let off, because he runs round in circles, but they were just grumpy, and having a go.

It was only after wards that I thought:

1. There is NO-ONE else there, he isn't disturbing anyone. I am standing in one place and he is doing huge rings round me to the end of the group of trees and back. But he isn't interfering with anyone
   
2. He is on public land, and he is just running, not in their garden, not even going over the footpath etc, just on grass under trees. Not even particularly near their house.
   
3. He isn't going up to any dogs, or any people (there mostly aren't any dogs or people, but the ones there are he ignores)
   
4. He isn't being aggressive, unpleasant, annoying or anything, he is just a dog running in circles.
   

The only person who is effected by his mad running in circles is me.

After they went inside, I tried dh's new trick, it stopped him in his tracks, I put his lead on and we left. The grumpy couple didn't see it though!

Dh told me to say next time - he is under control - I have made the choice to let him run in circles, when I want to stop him, I will.

[steppemum]

Oh dear that was long, bit of a rant!

[NewYoiker]

What's your dhs trick? I'm intrigued!

[BiteyShark]

blue sensible decision if she wasn't quite right for you.

steppe how annoying . Dog parenting does seem to bring out lots of 'opinions' from everyone. Clearly on lead or walking by your side is the only version of under control that they agree with but as we know that isn't true. I find it's pointless to say anything as those type of people think they are right and won't be told otherwise.

BiteyDog spent most of his walk today running at full speed to get his ball or circling me to try and trip me up until I threw the ball again . Then he decides to wallow belly up in some mud so I had to persuade him to go for a swim before getting back into the car throw his ball into the stream

Really enjoying my time off with him. Not looking forward to returning to work

[BiteyShark]

Just put my name down for scentwork. Hoping a suitable class becomes available for me to try.

[Squirrel26]

Have you looked at the Scentwork UK site, Bitey? They post things about workshops and classes on their Facebook page.

Some people seem to make a thing of being professionally offended by other people living their lives in a way that doesn't affect them at all. It must be very tiring.

Part of a sandwich today. What is wrong with the people where I live that they're discarding all this food??

[BiteyShark]

That's the site I used but surprised that where I live, even though I am prepared to travel a reasonable distance, there are only 2 possible trainers. Seems that 'general puppy and dog training' is far easier to find than agility/scentwork but I guess that it requires the trainers to be specially qualified iykwim.

Maybe the amount of food left on the pavements is a better view of the local takeaways and cafes than trip advisor Squirrel

[steppemum]

so, dh's trick, is based on the fact that he is deaf and blind to us when chasing squirrels and only focused on the squirrels, so you need to break that focus for a second, and then he will see/hear you.

So, he positions himself so steppedog is running in his direction, then suddenly runs forward towards him and shouts in a loud firm voice
STEPPEDOG DOWN and does a big hand signal which is a sweep of hand down to pointing on the floor, and keeps running towards him.

The shout always takes him by surprise and he instinctively starts to obey the DOWN, and once he has started, he then looks up at you and 'sees' you and does as he is told.

It really works, combined with the fact that he ends up down on the ground, which is a calm, waiting position.

The down signal is something I had been teaching him from youtube, rather than a STOP signal, as it is apparently better and more effective. It does really work for a fast dog like a springer, but funnily enough he hasn't mastered it in any other context!