General dog chat

[BiteyShark]

Anyone fancy a general dog chat thread?

BiteyDog is now almost 15 months old and it's about time we ditched the puppy survival thread for general chit chat but it's still nice to chat about our doggie dilemmas and days so if anyone wants to join me in wittering on saves BiteyDog having the listen to my incessant talking at him then welcome aboard.

How's all the dogs coping with the snow in the northern parts? I am sick of the rain and I guess fortunate enough that BiteyDog doesn't like it much either so apart from a 20 min ball run we are snuggled up in the house today.

We are doing good

Noticed a lovely little sore gash on madam today where her old harness has definitely rubbed her. Poor thing. Hoping this new one helps very quickly

We actually bought BiteyDog two sofas when we got rid of the crate for him to lie on so I don't think you want me to comment as I would say let her on them and enjoy the cuddles . Ours are leather and I have a throw on them as well so they are easy to clean.

Soubriquet poor thing. Hopefully it will heal quickly.

Soubriquet, cocodogs perfect fit harness rubbed her for the first time recently. I realised it was a bit tight and adjusted it but also I think it is always damp from the morning walk. Mused aloud to DH about getting a second one...he is currently putting a hook above cloakroom radiator which is always on low😜
Bitey, we bought new fabric sofas recently so feeling a bit precious...last ones were nearly 20 years old and smelt of previous dogs! She spends time in the morning before a walk reclining on our bed or in her bed watching bird table activity and roasts herself in front of the fire after supper and then retreats as far from the fire as she can, usually behind the sofa, so lunchtime seems favourite for a cuddle and snooze on the actual sofa but she has already twigged that she only gets on if the red throw is ceremoniously placed😁

Ah yes fabric sofas don't really go with damp drying dogs as well as leather ones

At the moment BiteyDog is sleeping on the kitchen sofa after a day of agility training and following me around the house whilst I cleaned it. I'm on the lounge sofa missing my doggie cuddles but he clearly wants some time on his own

I tend to dump his harnesses and leads on the radiators when I get in to dry them.

I'm losing PestDog

He belongs to a friend, I've been looking after him for months. Friend has announced he's moving away, in a month, and PestDog is going with him. It's going to be too far for me to ever go and see them. I'm literally never going to see him again.

PestDog came into my life at a really rough patch in my life and he's become a really bit part of my life(style). I can already feel my MH taking a hit (have had depression in the past), and I went 48 hours without managing anything resembling a meal after I found out.

No chance of getting a dog of my own - I would, in a heartbeat, but no rescue will rehome to me as I work and am renting (even though I'd move before I rehomed the dog), I'm decades away from retirement and wouldn't want a puppy.

I'm devastated I know I shouldn't have got attached, but this scenario really wasn't on the cards when I become involved with him.

Oh no.

Try a small rescue. They are usually really flexible. Point out that yes you're working but you will hire a dog walker or whatever it is you do currently.

rightsaid so sorry to hear that they become such a part of your life and it's not surprising you are sad looking after him so much it's like he was yours.

I know PestDog can never be replaced but are there any other options to fill that dog shaped hole? Volunteering to walk dogs perhaps?

I think it's going to trigger some major life changes tbh - I moved to London for my (now ex-)DP, stayed for the job and then stayed for PestDog. But I've always known that I don't want to be here forever, and there's not really anything left to keep me here anymore.

He's lived with me, he sleeps in my bed frequently, he's even been cared for by my DF when both friend and I were away (he'll be upset too; I haven't been able to bring myself to tell him yet). He spent Christmas with me because friend cba to collect him when he returned from holiday. I've taken him to training classes and for a dog that's not mine he's cost an eyewatering sum. Friend even openly admits that PestDog loves me more than him. But it doesn't really count for anything long term

Volunteering is a non-starter, because due to working funny hours I can't stick to a reliable slot (e.g. Tuesday evenings). One day I'll be working the 9-5, the next day it could be 11-7pm, and the day after that 7am-1pm, plus a Saturday. I've tried contacting a few charities about volunteering in the past (e.g. Dogs on the Streets, which works with homeless people and their dogs) and haven't even got a response.

If anyone knows any rescues in London (but I'd happily travel anywhere within England / Wales) that will rehome to tenants with LLs that turn a blind eye to dogs and who work full time but could get a dog walker, please do let me know. It is, however, complicated by the fact that my dream dog would be the rather rare papillon, as I grew up with one, but they aren't often found in rescues.

Would your hours potentially change if you moved away from London? Wondering if more stable hours and dog walkers/day care might make it easier to rescue.

If you are willing to travel there are quite a few

Our local jay gees was happy to rehome a young staff to us despite us living in rented accommodation and had a young baby. We didn't go through with it at the end but we passed all the home checks and everything.

Many tears in wales would probably rehome to you. They work closely with a puppy farm and take in their old breeders (even though they are still young) and puppies that don't get sold.

Basically search dog rescues and ignore the blue cross, RSPCA and battersea type places and go for much smaller rescues who don't get massive public funding

Also look into rescues who take in dogs from places like Romania.

It would depend on the job, truth be told. At this level of seniority, in my career path, it's intrinsic, but one more promotion would likely promote beyond the funny hours and regular travel, depending on the structure of the organisation. I'm considering changing sectors, but I don't know what will happen with that. I'm also hoping that a move out of London could mean sensible house prices and hence a shorter commute time / potentially being able to pop home at lunchtime.

I've looked at Many Tears, and while I would in principle be willing to take an ex-breeder, they understandably only rehome ex-breeders to homes with an existing dog that can show them the ropes of how to be a pet dog. They also ask for written proof of having a tenancy that will allow you to have a dog; part of me would be tempted to fake those docs on the grounds that the LL has never said anything about PestDog (has just offered a 12 month extension in fact), and I'd move to another house before I'd rehome a dog.

I'll have a look at Romanian rescues; has anyone got any experience of taking one on? The main things that would concern me would be housetraining, as I'm not sure how quickly they'd crack it if I was out but used a dog walker, and not always being able to meet the dog first. take it for a walk etc. I've dealt with reactivity before (in PestDog) and frankly it's not something I'd willingly sign myself up for with a new dog.

A friend of mine has two Romanian rescues actually

Don't seem to have any problems. One is a bit nervy from her previous life but they have both settled in well

We get up around 5ish in the week so I have no problem letting BiteyDog out at the same time at the weekend for a pee as we all snooze for a bit after.

It's the 2/3/4 am circuits around the bedroom clip clopping about with a toy in his mouth that have been the killers in terms of sleep. I KNOW it's too early to celebrate but we have been ignoring him when he does it and he didn't get up last night at all and stayed in his bed. I even asked DH if I had slept through it but no he didn't get up. Really hoping we have the same tonight 🤞🏻

Oh right I am so sorry to hear about PestDog. Poor you. Poor PestDog! Your friend definitely wouldn’t agree to let you permanently adopt him? It sounds as if your friend isn’t a great owner and a PestDog is a bit of a nuisance to them - they definitely wouldn’t consider it?

We have a Balkan rescue dog - she arrived in October. She was in the Serbian Nis Centre where they are killed but rescued by Help Pozega Dogs She’s about 2, perfectly house trained, has a bladder of steel, doesn’t care about being left and just sleeps, then lives for food and walks and tummy rubs. She’s incredibly polite to other dogs but uninterested in playing with them. She’d fit right in with you.

I was very apprehensive about not meeting her first, but it’s been fine. Pozega Dogs does foster some in the UK, but not lots. They’re very helpful with information, answered all my questions, sent videos of her with cats as we needed to see that etc. They home-checked us via links with UK and did need to know about tenancy/secure accommodation stuff but you could chat with them and see if they’d be flexible.

So we’ve had a very positive experience. They have quite a lot of little dogs but papillons understandably are unlikely! They say a lot of their dogs are a year or so old, and have lived in houses before but get abandoned when they’re no longer cute puppies, or just when owners move house/lose jobs etc - its very common just to dump dogs on the street there. So lots of perfectly well house trained dogs end up as “street” dogs but aren’t feral.

Our girl has definite quirks and needs ongoing training but she is just as she was described, so they know their dogs well and want the best for them.

I've told him I'd adopt PestDog, but no, he wants to take him. I worry for his welfare; I live with the friend, he went out over 24 hours ago and hasn't been back since; I've no idea where he is, what he's doing or when he'll be back as he didn't bother to mention it to me but just assumed I'd look after PestDog. Of course I do, but if pulls this sort of stunt after he's moved (it's not the first time, he's done it for 48 hours+ before) there will be no one to step in. I fear I've made dog ownership seem too easy by doing so much for him . My only remaining, slim, hope is that taking him proves impractical or too expensive; they're going to another continent.

PestDog is a name he earned in the early days; it's not a name he deserves any more, now I've trained him he's lovely (mostly - he did growl at a guide dog earlier in a cafe because it refused to greet him ), but it sort of stuck. In the same vein, I'm sure BiteyDog isn't all that bitey!

Your Balkan dog does sound like a perfect fit for me! I think I'm going to wait until after he's left (when there's no PestDog hope any more ) and then contact the papillon breed rescue; if that's a no I'll look at other rescues including the eastern European ones. Having looked at some overnight I suspect they're a bit less rigid because they're very well aware of what happens to dogs that don't get a place in a shelter / adopted; almost any home is better than that, whereas the likes of Battersea may have a waiting list but aren't dealing with street dogs and dog catchers in quite the same way, so can afford to wait.

Haha yes my MN name was in honour of BiteyDog when he was a nippy puppy as he was like a land shark .

I did wonder if PestDogs owner might contact you after he has left when he realises dog ownership is harder than he thinks. Maybe reiterate that offer one more time with the provision of you not having already rescued another dog (unless you feel up to taking two on) and let that sit in his head for a bit.

I am grumpy.
When we got the dog, I said I am happy to walk it every day, and do not want walking him to become a bone of contention, but I would like to have some enthusiasm for walking him at the weekend, for kids to train him with me, and for us to go out for a walk sometimes as a family.....

So yesterday, no, NO-ONE wanted to come out and walk, NO-ONE could be bothered to walk him themselves NO-ONE wanted to do some training with him and NO-ONE, come evening, wanted to feed him.

So in true "I'll do it myself said the little red hen" style
I walked him
I hosed him down
I dried him off
I gave him treats
I did some training with him
I brushed him when dry
I cuddled him and gave him lots of attention
and
well, no I didn't feed him, I made dd2 learn how to do it from dh (the other too know, dd2 was claiming she couldn't do it because she didn't know, so I made her learn)

So this morning we had words.

Suffice to say, someone else is walking him today.

It’s the only thing DS1(17) will do without eye rolling and huffing. He does love those dogs though.

It’s all a bit miserable in winter. Maybe there’ll be more enthusiasm when the weather’s better. It also gets easier when they’re old enough to start taking the dogs out themselves.

steppemum enjoy your day off walking the dog .

I get BiteyDogs daycare days off from walking which is a welcome break. I am shattered this weekend as we did agility training yesterday and obedience gun dog training today.

I've said that he'd always have a home with me and that he's never to be rehomed to anyone else. Even if I had another dog, one way or another I'd make it work.

I'll reiterate it before he goes, but it would cost me an arm and a leg to get him back to the UK again I'd pay, though it would be painful.

I really shouldn't have got attached, even though it was inevitable

Oh rightsaid, it is pants.
Is there any way you can get the dog ownership point over before he goes? I am thinking of you being 'unavailable' when he needs a dog sitter? Or texting him after 4 hours, saying - you do realise that if I wasn't here you would need to be home now for the dog? and so on?

Well, dh and dd1 walked the dog. You are right, it will be easier in the spring. It was pretty wet and miserable yesterday, I know, I was out walking the dog in it
To be fair, dh does pull his weight, I was hoping for a bit more from the kids, and I genuinely don't mind walking him, we wouldn't ave adopted him if that was an issue.

posted too soon...

but the odd day off now and then is nice!

we always end up having a few words with a new pup...everyone wants to come round and smoosh the pup, but busybusying out in the yard in the dark is less popular.

Dh pulled a stunt last night....was just off to shave his head, comes down in his dressing gown "oh i just had a shower while I was up there, have to be up early for work tomorrow"

Hmmm...I'll do all the evening busys as well as getting fark all done all day AND tomorrow then shall I??

His punishment is a kick when busys are required in the early hours.

Still demonpup seems to be catching on. 10weeks old and dry overnight, and so far today only 2 tiny wees inside when I wasn't paying attention.

I hope your friend sees the light about Pestdog and you get to keep him.

DH likes to potter along on walks so cocodog and I only invite him on afternoon walks or weekend pub lunch walks,far too frustrating for us otherwise. He admires the training and effort I put in to her but doesn’t use the commands, I hear him shouting no at her in the garden when she runs off with one of his gardening gloves when a calm “drop” would suffice