General Dog Chat Part II

[BiteyShark]

A place for nattering about our canine friends.

Old or new, feel free to come and chat any time

So whilst BiteyDog was lovely and clean from the groomers it didn't last long as he clearly has anal gland problems [boak] I am sure it's on purpose as a protest at being clean

I find socks are like crack to dogs. If I accidentally drop one from the laundry his eyes become saucers and it's a race to see who can get to it first.

so, I was really fed up yesterday with steppedog.
I only let him run free off the lead (bearing in mind he really does run) because I can stop him going up to dogs on lead. Usually I can distract him/call him away and then we are past the lead dog. Also he is normally really not bothered by/interested in other dogs, quick sniff and he runs past. But yesterday I couldn't do that, and first dog he growled and barked at, and the second dog was obviously reactive and upset and I couldn't get steppedog away. The owner was very nice (maybe because I was trying very hard and apologising porfusely at the same time) but it isn't fair on other dogs if he is going to do that.
Also the running off the grass area is a worry. So all in all I was really fed up, and wondering if I need to put him on a long lead and not let him run free.
So, I got thinking, and realised he has also got pretty slack at his lead training, lots of lunging and pull/drag. And then I realised that I have a pocket full of treats, but that I had come home with most of them for the last few days, as he was walking so well, we just went for a walk, and I didn't feel the need to reward him all the time.

I think the two are connected. We haven't even had him 6 months yet, so any training is still getting embedded.

We set off this morning and went back to basics, treat right outside the front door as he waited to cross the road, and treats for walking well. I had a secret supply of really nice bacon ones, and all through the walk I called him to Come! and every time he did he got a yummy bacon one.

He was perfect, came every time, listened, did as he was told, walked well on the lead. He even came at one point where he is difficult to call as he loves that patch of woods. The only thing is it was chucking it down with rain and we didn't meet any other dog owners, and he is much more hyper in the nice weather.

So, I think I need to keep the treats and reinforcing behaving going, and see how he is.

So glad today was better steppemum. It's very easy to slip a bit on the training and they seem to sense that and take advantage

Steppedog sounds like he's doing so well - our trainers say they reckon a rescue dog is still settling into their new home even after a year. They also say they can regress, and then go through the stages of growing up again - maybe he's hitting a repeat adolescence?

that's helpful squirrel, yes I had heard about the one year thing, and I see that, every now and then I realise he has settled to another level, which is very heart warming.
I think I had thought that once he had learnt to do something, then he would do it.

Don't know why I thought that really, I do have 3 kids, thought I would have learnt by now....

Good Lord SquirrelDog is driving me nuts this evening. He was out all bloody afternoon in the local country park with his dog walker. Then I took him out for another hour and a bit. Then I played chase and tug with him in the garden.

He's spent the rest of the evening obsessing over something
invisible outside. Barking in the garden so I had to bring him in. Barking and scrabbling at the back door and then the conservatory door. Standing at the front window whining and crying. The only time he's stopped is when he realised I was eating chocolate spread out of the jar with a spoon, then he came and trampled on me because he wanted some (Not. A. Chance. I'm not an idiot). It's all deeply unrelaxing.

Squirrel that does sound exhausting. Hopefully he will tire himself out soon .

BiteyDog has had some really tiring days at daycare so he is exhausted and keeps coming home and just sleeping. I am very grateful as I am feeling ill at the moment so don't have the energy to entertain him.

Bitey I'm sorry you're not feeling great.
I am definitely dog parenting all wrong.
So we have had lame on back leg, lame on front, foot chewing and now a swollen eye
WTF am I doing wrong?

Wolfie it isn't bad parenting but more just bad luck with ailments. I think some dogs (including mine) just have more things wrong with them. Has Wolfiedog been sticking her face in grass? BiteyDog does have hay fever which affects his eyes. Do you have anything to use as eye drops to rinse her eye in case there is some irritant in it?

Yesterday daycare said BiteyDog ate a piece of rubber from an abandoned half open tennis ball yesterday before they could stop him. I am trying not to panic but will be inspecting his poo to hopefully see it come out but any vomiting and we will be at the vets straight away just in case it's stuck . I was just saying to them he is so healthy at the moment

Oh Wolfie

not a bad parent, poor wolfiedog just needs a bit more loving.

Squirrel, I wish there was a gadget that showed you what your garden smelt of, so you could go outside this morning and go - Ah FOX so that is what was driving him nuts!

Wolfie, perhaps some dogs are more accident prone just like some people are. Hope she is better soon.
We have been lucky so far in illness and injury but have lucked out in the coat care 😢 This morning we met new young lab on the block halfway up a track, there was 30 feet of mud and puddles between them. Met in the middle with great gusto. Thing is, lab goes home for a hose down. Cocodogs coat has sucked mud up like a sponge and needs a full bath. Which I haven’t time to do until later this afternoon. She smells disgusting, sort of a grassy horseshit.

Our garden smells of the squirrel that sits in next doors tree and taunts BiteyDog. Occasionally it will run across the fence which causes BiteyDog to throw himself at the patio doors demanding you open them immediately one day he will go through them

Oh dear thegirl I wouldn't sit too close to Cocodog until she's had her bath . BiteyDog has had his summer clip so he is lovely and short.

How's the eye today Wolfie?

Phew a couple of bits of tennis ball passed through him so no more worrying for us. Just what I want at 11pm at night, inspecting BiteyDogs poo

Ha it's part and parcel of dog ownership. Poo inspection!
It wasn't the actual eye. Swollen above it. Looks fine now. Training on a sand type surface. Maybe somehow irritated her eye and she rubbed it?
Today's Wolfie Classic? Running up a skate ramp and jumping off the top. You know when you're a giant puppy whose growth plates haven't bloody fused. As that's a good idea! Don't actually know who looked more freaked. Me or her?!
Well she's eating, not lame, eye fine and not foot chewing. Shall see what tomorrow holds!

Sand can be a terrible irritant and we have rinsed out grains from his eyes a couple of times. Glad WolfieDog is better today.

BiteyDog decided he was staying in the spare bedroom last night as he is allowed on the bed in there. I really don't mind if he adopted that as his bed but oh no, instead he decides at 3am he was lonely and came back into our bedroom

I think I must be quite a strict dog parent☹️ Cocodog is allowed on our bed for a cuddle most mornings and sofa when invited but she sleeps in the kitchen with the door shut. Last night was the first time we have let her have free roam of the house whilst we met some friends at a beer festival, we left at 6.30pm intending to be out for a couple of hours but didnt get home until nearly ten. She met us at the door but we think she probably had just stayed in her basket in the lounge all evening. No chewing, no cushion re arranging. I am quite precious about my sleep though so won’t change her kitchen nighttime routine but will definetly give her run of the house now if I pop out for an hour or so during the day.

We only relaxed night time when he was over 1 and he could be trusted otherwise it had been kitchen only. He loves the spare bed (and no one else ever sleeps in there unless they are unwell) and he gets much better sleep there so I secretly hoped he would stay but I guess he still likes to be close to us. I did miss waking up and hearing him breathing on the floor next to me

Our bed though is totally off limits to him and he knows that and never tries to get on it.

Lovely weather here, having to put sun cream on so I don't burn at the agility class.

Bluepuppy actually asks to get under the duvet on my bed. And I let him

He’s come home from a few days at his home boarder. Apparently he jumped on a car while he was there Crazy, silly whippet.

Cocodog doesn’t relax easily. Once she is relaxed she really chills, so for example yesterday evening she snoozed and slept from 6 ish through to 9.30am this morning just with a couple of loo trips and her breakfast this morning. We then took her to our local big country park which she adores for an hours walk and she played with a cockapoo madly for about 10 mins of that. Get home and she decides she would rather nap on the patio in the shade except that every time an insect buzzed it disturbed her, every time I went in and out of the greenhouse, DH filled his watering can her little head popped up etc, etc. Now indoors and she has crashed but not with us, when she is super tired she always goes somewhere to be on her own so I guess her sleeping in our bedroom probably wouldn’t work for her.
Weather is great isn’t it. DH planning a bbq this evening so cocodog will be staying up late😀

blue I am sure DH would let BiteyDog on the bed if I wasn't around . Sounds like bluepup has a good time away.

Enjoy the bbq and sun today thegirls.

We're strict. No dog upstairs. Obviously he's been up when he's being cheeky and someone has left the stairgate open by mistake. Once he ran up and pooed on our bed

Oh dear Goood, I don't think I would have liked to have found that on the bed

I've always let SquirrelDog on/in my bed. He wanted to be there, I didn't mind and he's ridiculously indulged . He takes himself up there on his own if he's really tired in the evening, which makes me laugh because I imagine he's like a teenager going off to listen to his music in his bedroom.

Yes Squirrel, I’d class Bluepuppy as being ridiculously indulged as well. What sort of dog is Squirreldog? Bluepuppy is a whippet and it is little known outside of whippet owners that there is a ‘whippet bill of rights’. At the moment this bill is not followed 4-5 times a week as he can’t sleep in until a time of his choosing. Poor neglected whippet

Strict at night, totally over indulgent during the day. Cocodog arrived 20 mins ago with a flying leap onto the bed. She lies spreadeagled on top of me whilst I rub her belly and chest poking me with her paw if I stop. When I have had enough of this I tip her off and get this face gazing at me...