Where the Wild Things Are

[barbarianoftheuniverse]

I have an eight month old Border Collie called Meg. She is far from perfect (and so am I).
Today she has been about 60/40 good. The 40 included chewing up my camera memory card which DH is sure he put safely on the mantelpiece. Every time I look down at this screen she takes a quick munch of the coffee table with her eyes on mine. This despite a 2 hour walk which included much in and out of streams.

Hello all, we've been away this week and sounds like everyone else has been busy!

Hope lego land was fun Moose, I love the place. Not maybe when it's crowded but we used to live nearby and learnt that the first weekend it opens in March is usually really quiet so we used to go then. Also stayed in hotel which we loved

Brief post!

Anyway minty has been with a boarder and it was perfect for us! He obviously had a ball, was wonderfully happy when we collected him but not stressed or shaking like after the kennels. I love the woman too, very down to earth and gave me good honest feedback which reflected him so I trust her - like she said she learnt that when she was out walking them (she has up to 6 dogs!) minty had to be the first dog to go back on the lead, if she put another dog on the lead first, he would run off and be hard to catch! Typical him. But she said he was 100% playful with the others dogs, no growling. Maybe his size gives him confidence.

She has agreed to have him back and will be our first port of call from now on. He is also wonderfully muddy so we know he's been having a ball!

I've put a call into the vets about neutering as he's nearly 11 months. How long do they have to stay on short lead walks for? I was thinking it would be worth planning during a busy work week so I don't miss the walks too much!

Tough for those of you with ASD and similar - does having a dog help yours sons as a sort of undemanding friend you can easily connect too? You must need even more robust support networks than the rest of us.

(Sorry I'm reading the thread backwards! I've missed 'chatting'!)

We haven't done Legoland yet Minty - still have that delight to come. Can't stand the place personally, but the dcs all love it. Hotel was already starting to look jaded and tired last year and it had only been open a year. We stayed when it was brand spanking new and the contrast was stark - dread to think what it's going to be like this year if they haven't done a refurb.

So glad Minty got on well with the boarder. Must be a load off your mind after the kennels. I was so relieved to see Pip was happy and relaxed when we collected him from kennels on Monday.

I'd say it's still a bit early for Minty to be neutered, given his size, but see what the vet says. Iirc, it's lead walks for roughly 10 days - until the stitches come out.

Ds1 has definitely connected with Pip. He never really bothered with our other dogs, I suppose because all but Lurcherboy were here before him and he was very young when Lurcherboy landed, so they were just there, iyswim. He's totally smitten and really soppy over Pip though and Pip seems to get that he needs to be calmer and gentler with him too. I think he finds it a relief to have a friend he can talk to and just 'be' with, without having to constantly try to judge facial expression and body language etc, so yes, in that way I do think you're probably right.

We stayed at the hotel when it was new too - it was its second weekend being open and they had already 'lost' some of the Lego figures that adorned the rooms through people taking them as souvenirs!

I love the busyness of legoland but now we live up north we need to explore Alton towers instead. Infact DS1 has a school maths trip there!

Minty is SO tired! Not even following me to the loo.

I think it must be such a relief to have a friend in a dog if you struggle reading facial expressions. The world must be such a minefield for someone on the autism spectrum so I can imagine what a lovely comfort it would be to chat to and cuddle a dog who won't judge you or misinterpret you.

My ds1 has a school trip planned too - choice of Alton Towers or Drayton Manor. They never did trips like that in my day!

Pip slept for almost two days after being at the kennels last weekend. Picked him up on Monday afternoon and he's just about back up to his usual cheeky self today. In fact he's just trashed his toybox and left shredded cardboard all over the living room floor.

Ds1 can't walk through a room without at least speaking to, if not fussing Pip. I've never known him so attached to anyone/anything.

I know - how things have changed Moose! My DS1 is earning merit points at school which can be swapped for Nandos or cinema vouchers at the end of the year! How cool is that? I asked him what he has to do to get a merit - expecting it to be exemplary behaviour or some massive extra task - he said "oh like it's for doing your work quietly, or for like taking a message to the reception for the teacher or for like turning on her computer" - he does make me laugh!

I'm glad you said Pip was really tired - DHs worried about minty who has basically slept since 430pm, not gone into the garden voluntarily, not eaten much, not chewed anyone's slippers but is just sleeping and leaning against us for strokes. Bless him, thoughts of an operation have faded from my mind! He's fine but like you say absolutely exhausted. Might do little pottery walk tomorrow instead of the usual hour long romp.

DS and Finn share lots of cuddles, he has been used to being swooped on and hugged from being a tiny puppy and has never been scared of DS but is very wary of other tall men.

We seem to have had a breakthrough yesterday. Finn has decided that his bed of choice in the new house is in DH's study which is downstairs unlike at the old house. I've put his vet bed in there and last night he went in there after his evening walk and didn't pester us with a toy all evening. When it came to bedtime I left him there and he stayed there all night! The crate is still up and I feed him in it still but think he's ready to have free range at night now. He isn't allowed upstairs and seems to have got that finally, no need for a barrier anymore.

Hi Minty! glad it all went well with the boarder - sounds much better than the kennels

it took ages for ds2 to get used to Fitz - but it takes him ages to get used to any change (new clothes have to sit in his drawer for at least 6 months before they can be worn, holidays etc are tricky) so I expected it

To start off with he used to call him Sauron (anything less like the lord of darkness would be hard to find but hey-ho ...) and Fitz seemed to reserve his most nippy nips for ds2's feet - not helped by the fact that ds2 has very long mobile toes and insists on being barefoot indoors, but gradually over the last few months he's mellowed and now often plays with Fitz and asks how to get him to do things and he was delighted to see him again after our holiday

It sounds like Finn's coped well with your move NCIS - it's a huge change for adult humans let alone a puppy!

Good to hear Finn is settling into his new home ok now.

Basil, I actually know of a Lurcher called Sauron, always thought it was an unusual choice for a name, but I think he may have been quite challenging when they first got him!

I put ds1's summer clothes in his wardrobe a few weeks back, so that he's had time to get used to them being there before he needs them - if we ever get any more warm weather that is. Same every season. He's another barefoot lad too. When he got a verruca he still insisted on having one bare foot, even though he had to keep a sock on the infected one.

We do the same holiday every single year, my Dad's old house in Ireland, which fortunately is right next to a fantastic beach for dogs and kids alike. Ds has the same bedroom, bed, bedding etc and insists on sticking with his home routine for computer time etc and visiting the same tourist spots every year. Dh and I are sooo sick of visiting the same places every year. I've been going there since I was 3 years old, so I've more than seen/done it all before over the years. The odd occasion we've tried to go elsewhere have been disastrous and ended up with us all more stressed and exhausted, so the antithesis of what a holiday should be really.

Pip has decided he has to wake us up at 6.00 am every day since he came back from kennels. Luckily the neighbours are away on holiday, so we've been ignoring him, despite being none too chuffed at being woken that early during half-term, but this morning he redoubled his efforts to full on screaming and we had to go down and tell him off. Really hoping he doesn't think that was rewarding him, as I can't see my neighbours being tolerant of early morning wake-up calls, as they're late risers.

Hi Moose ds3 was just the same, we did the same holiday every year until he got to 17 which coincided with his move to independent specialist school. We went back to the holiday we did when he was five which was hell because it wasn't where we had been the year before.
He remembered every minute of the holiday 12 years previously although he was non verbal at the time. Directed us the length and breadth of the island from memory and we had a great time.We've been somewhere different every time since with no difficulties so think it was probably down to stress of being in the wrong school placement.
Eric's five months now and I think he might be moving to being a tweenager as he's definitely trying his luck a little bit more lately. Today he decided he wouldn't come back when I called but would in his own time. He opened the kitchen cupboard and ran off with a packet of biscuits and he climbed on the fireguard (no fire in) to get the box of tissues that he then emptied and shredded whilst we were all upstairs, he did though have the good grace to look guilty I suppose.

Only 5 more years to go then insanity. Ds is in an indie placement now - non-specialist, but allegedly very good with ASD. Can't say I've seen much evidence of that during his first year. It's been awful to be honest. Hoping y8 will be better now he knows how things work and the school are more used to him too.

Eric sounds like such a bundle of cheeky fun, I love hearing about his antics!

Ds is at Sutherland House where I think they perform small miracles every day. Ds wasn't speaking when he started there now he shops, does his own banking, eats out, catches buses and trains it's perfect for him.
Eric is a character there's no doubt about that. He's too clever by far I think and constantly up to mischief but he looks so cute and I end up smiling and rolling my eyes rather than telling him off.
We're taking Eric on his first seaside break the week after next to the Norfolk coast, I'm half expecting him to be more trouble than ds3 ever was tbh.We usually find deserted beaches so that ds3 can relax Eric loves to dig and get wet so it should suit him too I hope.

I'm feeling a little glum tonight. We bumped into Maz's BT best mate tonight. I was going to text her in the next few days as we hadn't heard from them when we usually walk once a week at least. It seems he relapsed again with the ongoing illness I mentioned upthread and they honestly thought they might lose him last week He had had to be in the vets on IV antibiotics. Vet is a little stumped but now thinks it is either a very severe unknown infection which has wiped him and keeps cropping back up every few weeks, lukemia (sp?) or an immune system problem. He has had a bone marrow sample taken and they are awaiting the results. Vet has said that the worse case senario is that it is the immune system as it will likely mean keeping him on antibiotics for life and hoping he has a couple more years. to think as he is a livewire 18 month old ball of boisterous terrier when he's well.

He has picked up again after the IV antibiotics - I was treated to a kiss in my ear and he knocked Ds onto floor for easier death by licking so fingers crossed it has been an infection rather than a long term problem.

Oh no - poor Maz's friend - fingers crossed he continues to pick up

Oh dear Fan, it sounds such a worry that BT illness. Poor dog. Must be awful to feel so helpless.

Is Maz ok at the moment?

Yes thanks Minty he has not had an episode in ages...I have been sucessful in stopping him foraging for scraps on the floor! Diet is 100% the key for my little rogue.

I am keeping everything crossed for his little buddy though. He is a lovely little thing and they love him so much (don't we all!)

Really great that you have found the trigger for Maz, sounds like you've got some control of the illness for him. Your poor friends though.

I've been seeking advice from an OES forum on best time for neutering our boy (thanks Moose for suggesting this route). What a controversial topic it is though. We are no further on really but I've realised how diverse and strong people opinions are on neutering. Bit of a minefield and we are thinking of leaving a while but must work on recall as Mintys is slipping for sure.

So sorry to hear about Maz's best mate. Fingers crossed it was just an infection and he's on the mend now.

Is there a UK specialist for the BT illness - sorry can't remember the right name and have had a glass too many this evening.

Good to hear Maz is still doing well on his strict diet.

It's Pip's birthday tomorrow! Can't believe he's one already. I bought him a new soft toy a few weeks back, but big old softy dh couldn't resist buying him another when he was out with ds2 and dd this afternoon. Planning on taking him somewhere really nice for a good off-lead run and the dcs are insistent he needs a cake that they can eat.

Awww Happy Birthday to Pip Moose of course he needs cake, how very dare you think otherwise!

I have posted a pic of Maz and and buddy so you can see just how alike they are. Maz is the skinny string bean though, his mate is a little thicker set.

There is a uk specialist for CECS that Maz has yes. A french (I think) but UK based vet and a very experienced breeder have carried out a study and co wrote a recent JSAP article for vets as awareness is still limited.They are aware diet is key though they are not as pro raw as the European people who first identified it. A growing number of people on the support group are raw feeding though.

Whatever is affecting Maz's friend is very different though. Sounds awful to say but apparently cancer would be the better of the two options of cancer or a defective immune system according to the vet. Fingers crossed for the third option of random overpowering infection!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Pip, happy birthday to you! :)

Fitz sends licks and wags and says cake isn't optional

Hope you all have a lovely day - I can't believe he's 1 already....

Happy b

Happy birthday to Pip! Wow you've all done so well to bring Pip on since those early days when he was poorly and unable to go out and socialise. Look at him now, at festivals and everything!

Enjoy your cake - we need a pic of birthday boy

Sorry meant to say here is minty enjoying our favourite woodland walk yesterday. We normally have cake in a lovely outdoor cafe in the wood but there was a wedding there yesterday and I was too worried about a muddy minty crashing into a beautiful bride! Imagine having your wedding in the woods? How lovely is that?

Happy Birthday Pip, of course he must have cake