General Dog Chat Part III

[BiteyShark]

A new shiny thread for general chat.

Old or new, big or small, everyone is welcome to pop in and chat

Can you have a word with your trainer? It is part of her job to keep the class happy and deal with potential problems. I remember our trainer mentioning that when one of the reactive dogs started the class, all the other dogs would be in the pen, sat up on the dog walk or in their owners arms whilst this dog was off lead until he went onlead again. He is fine now.
Our reactive dogs just don’t like other dogs and totally ignore the friendlier ones unless one of them bowls up uninvited. The playpens are their safe space when a new ,usually young, bouncer joins the group until they learn to settle down and focus on their owner. This was Cocodog last autumn and I dreaded letting her off the lead...she did the exercises with me and then careered around like a loony. Soon settled down even though we don’t go every week and now will accompany me back to where I drop her lead and to the group to lie down with the others. It is all about the owners though isn’t it and their willingness to work on issues!

Yes think I will have to if the dog doesn't settle down and stays (we have a lot of people that drop out).

I often think about dropping out when I muddle my reverse cross with a front one, send Cocodog in the wrong direction etc but unfortunately Cocodog has decided she loves going and squeaks in a high pitched excited fashion as we approach the car park. Cold winter afternoons will probably decide it 😁

Oh god my feet and head are definitely disconnected when it comes to the crosses BiteyDog just looks at me like

Who feels like the worst, shittiest dog owner in the world?

Apparently he was terrified at new day care . Sat in corner and wouldn't interact with any of the carers. Terrified of the other dogs so kept separated. I need to take him there again tomorrow so they can try and gain his confidence but I feel terrible . I am hoping he just felt abandoned like in the vets and is a bit better tomorrow now he knows I came back for him. If not then god knows what I will do for backup.

Oh poor biteydog. You are braver than me to try again...Cocodogs one night in kennels was her last. She panted and shook for three hours until she relaxed back at home. Have you any friends near who would have him as a back up. We have a few dog friendly friends and we have done the odd reciprocal sleepover. Or what about a smaller set up, a dog sitter based at home licensed for only two or three dogs, although I know these are like gold dust.

I feel awful but as soon as I picked him up it's as if nothing happened. If they say he is the same tomorrow I will have to reconsider. I don't really know anyone around where I live and we have no relatives that can help .

Our primary daycare is one of those gold dust sitters but obviously she has holidays through the year. Arghhhh this is so hard.

If he is his usual self at home, then may be worth persevering. Perhaps today was him sizing it all up. Also, have you asked your primary daycare if she has someone to recommend purely as back up. Our dog sitter walks with and knows several in our area. Ours, for example, only has a couple of dogs weekly for daycare. The majority just get booked in for owners holidays so she has a large number on her books and would be happy to add another occasional one on. They all work differently.

Oh gosh bitey, that sounds hard! Our new rescue pooch is still very heavily attached to me and not so with DH at the moment but we chose today to be the day he took her off on a long walk just the two of them. We tried this once before and she just sat down and refused to budge until he called me and the three of us set off together, but she will take a tour of the big field next door with him no problem. So they set off and I watched them hiding behind the curtain (we live on the hillside so I could see them for miles) and she took ages to get into it - stopping every minute and sitting down - took them a good 20minutes to travel a 2 minute distance! So he called me but I could see she was making tiny bits of progress and so said he should persevere... and of course she eventually got into it and had a lovely time but it took ages and the perseverance and patience to get there (and DH is pretty determined but was wondering if it was just kinder to throw in the towel when he called me). I really hope someone at daycare can keep going with biteydog

DDog went back to the vets on Tuesday to try again after he was sent home last week due to being distressed. He has had every tooth removed apart from 2 - they were all abscessed and the vet said they must have been left for years to get into that state.

DP and I are extremely angry and want to slap the breeder who has left him to get in that state and in so much pain.

Your DH must be feeling very pleased that he coaxed her along distantdog and it will get easier. Sometimes cruel to be kind does work out well. Same for crazycat dog I suppose. Horrible vet trip but pain free teeth at the end. Hope he is recovering well.
Bitey, good luck today with daycare!

Thanks thegirl, I am sat here with a dog on my lap so feeling especially guilty and today will be a very long day. He's quite barky and growly today at the noises (geese flying over) outside so wonder if this is connected

distantdog I am hoping that they can win him round today. We went to training last night and he was happily sniffing and trying to play with the dogs but that's because he has me there for security. If he is still terrified today then I think I will have to abandon that idea and look for something different.

crazycat poor crazydog but I bet it must feel better for him to have the bad teeth out. I can't imagine leaving a dog in obvious pain either. When BiteyDog has been seriously ill it broke my heart to watch him suffering.

I really wish I was one of those people that stopped eating when I was anxious and stressed. Instead I have had cake for breakfast .

BiteyDog had a good sniff of another dog at the door so they have put them in a pen together. Hoping the other dog gives him some confidence.

Really hope it goes better today bitey. I too have been doing some more self-indulging since we've had our dog and have been desperately wanting her to "just settle".

We seem to be one step forward, two steps back. After returning from her adventure with DH yesterday seeming very happy and really growing in confidence with him, this morning she flatly refused to leave the house with him to go do her business in the field unless I came too. She has had this routine with him every single day we've had her and never had a problem. He had to go to a meeting so we didn't have time to just persist with him alone and I had to go too but I really don't want to set that up as a habit. Got to keep reminding ourselves is still such early days in the experience of a rescue dog.

Massive daycare fail here. It was really day boarding and so he sat in a kennel all morning. He might as well have been in his crate at home.

Have made enquiries with a much better looking place - more expensive but looks like it is worth it for the one day a week he would be alone all day.

distantdog it's so disappointing isn't it when you think you have made progress for them to regress again.

BunchOfBastards yes I have seen kennels advertising daycare and wondered if that would just happen.

I'm counting the hours down until I can collect BiteyDog.

Is he particularly toy or food motivated, distantdog? Would he respond to a ball game or tuggy or your DH laying a trail of titbits around the house or garden, something that only comes from your DH maybe always at a certain time of day with you busy elsewhere that your dog will look forward to, may help accelerate their bond building.
Cocodog is fine with my DH but I have done all her training etc and so she does tend to look for me and I get the best welcomes. But come 6pm she knows DH will sit either outside or inside and read his paper and have a sneaky beer and she always curls up right by him and has a snooze.

Well it seems Bella has got her paws firmly under the table as I'm currently getting the cold shoulder because I got lost on our walk this morning don't ask and we ended up walking almost seven miles in all. Bella is disgusted and has curled up on her cushion with her back to me. I suppose it's a good sign that she is feeling secure anyway and I suspect she will forgive me if I offer her a dentastix anyway.

I find a dentistix forgives everything flesh .

BiteyDog was 'better' but salivated lots in the morning so very stressed. I don't think I can put him through anymore as he would need lots to get him used to that particular daycare. I am now phoning round home daycare places to try and find backups but they are very busy. He needs a home environment and I don't want to cause any behavioural issues by pushing him anymore in the larger more noisey daycare. Such a shame as the staff were lovely and really tried and it would have been really convenient but it isn't the right environment.

Hope it's gone ok today bitey. Fingers crossed for you.

thegirls - Well it's funny that I chose the name "distant dog" as I joined here worrying about her bonding with DH... as it's me posting I probably should change my name to totallybloodyclingydog!

She is super nervous around everyone. We didn't think she'd had any abuse but are going to probe "her story" a bit more and see if there's more to it or if this is simply due to very understandable separation anxiety/fear attachment. She is a ~14 months rescue and for her first couple of days with us treated us the same (i.e. pretty nervous with both of us and didn't get out of her bed at all) and then BOOM 48 hours later she was totally attached to me and wanting to sleep outside our bedroom with our door open so she could see me.

So we made sure DH does ALL the dinners, ALL the treats (I literally never give her any food ever) and he was taking her out to the field (our "garden") much more than me too so we thought we were giving him all the rewarding tasks. Unfortunately she has no interest in balls etc. but she has now demolished a tug toy and she has let me do a couple of very gentle tug of war sessions with her but she would no way let DH do that with her.

We are planning on him doing the training bonding classes but I think it's going to take quite a while for her to be able to go to the classes. We just went on a walk the three of us and she was happy as larry and DH said she was like that yesterday once she had got beyond the meadow and couldn't see our home anymore but it took him ages to get her to that point whereas today we skipped through the meadow in minutes because I was there. When we got onto the walk proper, she barely noticed my presence and looks to him when unsure where to go next or what to do.... so it's all a bit confusing!

We both work from home, we live in the countryside, we don't have kids and we both grew up with dogs and love them... we are going to give her a lovely life and have the patience to stick this through! But all thoughts and advice extremely welcome!!!

Gosh sorry that was so long for the "general chat" thread - should have put it back on the "bonding with rescue dog" thread I started!

Sorry to hear you think you need to find a new solution bitey but at least he was "better"!

I think I would be disgusted too flesh but Cocodog would love it. Young missy has scored two big games of ball from me today. An extra one because she managed not to jump up at my elderly mother and only once at my father and then I had to pop out for 15 mins whilst we were having coffee and she apparently lay on the floor and ignored them. I told dad to put her behind the kitchen stair gate if she fussed them too much but she was an angel.When they left I had some deliveries to do, so left her again and found her quite happily lying in the hall waiting for me to come back.
Bitey, is he home yet and how has the day gone?

That sounds really tough on your DH distant. I don't have any advice as all our rescues were my parents dogs when I was a child so don't really have any first hand experience. Maybe it's one of those 'time' things that he will win him over eventually.

Oh and don't worry about the long posts. It's nice to hear about everyone's dogs and how they are getting on.

I am pouring myself a large as it's been a stressful few days and plan to spoil BiteyDog with something yummy to eat.

Well done Cocodog .

Think we crossed posted a bit thegirl. He was better but not enough for me to continue as it sounded like he was still very stressed. Going to have to find a home environment for him. I will ask my primary daycare person when she is back for recommendations and will phone round a few places as well.

Oh no, him, her , him, her getting confused. distantdog , sounds like you are doing all the right things. I think consistency is key so if she is happy playing gentle games of tug with you and happy having DH giving treats and food then slowly, slowly catchee monkey as my son in law says. It obviously will not happen overnight so gentle and slow, go on walks together, maybe short positive walks with DH and then with you as well. Sounds like you are her ideal owners and you will win through and she will be a happy dog.