General Dog Chat 4

[geekone]

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

[BiteyShark]

What a good trick steppe.

Back to work tomorrow so just making the most of my last day doing nothing and pottering about with BiteyDog.

[Squirrel26]

SquirrelDog has created his own enrichment toy: He’s twisted up one of his bones in his fleece blanket and is gnawing on them both. Every time I try to untangle it he grabs the whole thing and runs away. I can’t work out if he’s done it on purpose and likes the mix of hard/ soft textures, or if he’s just really annoyed...

[BiteyShark]

BiteyDog does that with blankets so I have had to sew up some of them

Looks like we have a bit of separation anxiety back again after going on holiday. Was watching him for a bit when we went out and he was barking his head off for us to come back. We had this last year as well so just going to have to get him used to it again.

[steppemum]

morning, so clever dog behaviourists, can you help me out?

This morning we met a dog, younger and smaller than SD, and the two of them run round in circles playing. Except they were both growling and barking, and it looked like quite aggressive play, in that the Beagle would not let up, and SD was growling and barking loads, and that is pretty rare for him.
I could see SD giving me a desperate sidelong glance, that he does when he doesn't know how to get out of a situation. I called him, he tried to come, but each time as he got close to me the beagle came bowling round in a circle in front and they went off on another circle.

Eventually I was able to cut in and got him, and he sat on me feet trembling with relief.

don't get me started on the beagle's owner who did nothing

I said in a loud voice to SD, intending to be overheard - Let's stop that before it gets bad tempered, and the owner reluctantly wandered over and put a lead on his dog who was trying to jump all over me and SD

So, what is that type of play? Is it play? is it jockeying for position? How do I tell if it is OK? Why the growling and barking, what does that mean in doggy language terms?

[Squirrel26]

I don’t know, but SquirrelDog is a bit like that with my friend’s dog, who is a bit younger than him - there’s always a lot of growling and barking and rolling around together but never any actual damage or crying in over a year. Younger pup will roll over and submit, but then jump up and be back in SquirrelDog’s face trying to get him to chase. We’ve spent a long time standing looking at them going ‘er, do you think this is OK...?’ I found something on the internet at some point (so it must be true ) that said growling in play is normal, which was slightly reassuring. Neither of them is actively trying to get away though - they both ‘start it’ and will stop for a lie down if they’re knackered and happily share a water bowl.

I wonder if SquirrelDog and SD are just not confident enough to properly ‘tell off’ an annoying younger dog that’s quite close to their age?

[Squirrel26]

Good Lord that was long. Sorry!

[steppemum]

Good Lord that was long. Sorry!

ha ha , not as long as mine, I do seem to get long winded on this thread.

Hmm, yes, steppedog's doggy social skills aren't well developed, he tends to ignore other dogs, or be submissive. He is fine, but never seems to actively go 'oh great another dog, let's play'
Probably right that he isn't quite bold enough to say - get lost when they are being annoying.

[thegirlsallgrowedupnow]

Steppe, Coco dog gives me the same look when she has had enough of a strange dogs behaviour and if it is a dog known to us that she doesn’t want to engage with, will stick close by me and act all hesitant. I normally make a big show of putting her on lead in the hope the other dog owner will do the same. If they don’t I usually wave in a friendly fashion and disappear in another direction if I can.
I think a certain amount of play growling is fine particularly if they are rolling about together. Barking, lip curling and frenzied playing always makes me nervous. When I see Cocodog playing chase, taking turns, lying down together for a rest and acting all happy, it’s lovely to watch.

[BiteyShark]

I do think it's a good job BiteyDog is cute. He been getting up frequently in the night since we got back and last night he also had the runs at 4 am so a nightime trip to the garden. I am absolutely shattered and the pesky boy is fast asleep trying to resist poking him for revenge

[BiteyShark]

Phew BiteyDog's stomach is a bit better and he actually slept all night from 9:30 so we all had a good nights sleep last night 😁.

Looks like we have the tail end of the storm here. Not terrible but raining and blustery. BiteyDog is at backup daycare today so the house feels awfully quiet without him

[steppemum]

Aww dogs are just so cute.
Went stomping out in a grumpy mood, due to wind and rain, and within 5 minutes Steppedog was bouncing around, ears flying in the wind, chasing leaves.
Can't stay cross can you?

[Squirrel26]

OK, this week’s weird dog behaviour. SquirrelDog has some braided lamb skin chews, which he loves because he is disgusting. He’s taken though, to putting one on the floor, and barking at it. If I go over and prod it (with my foot. I try not to touch them more than necessary) he’ll then settle down to chewing it. But he prefers if I sit next to him while he’s doing it. What a weirdo I have too much time on my hands.

[steppemum]

He wants company for breakfast I would say!

[BiteyShark]

Yes they do cheer you up steppe when they are just so happy at simple everyday things chasing leaves, eating flies

Squirrel I have to be in the same room otherwise BiteyDog won't eat his dinner. However, when he has a dentastix he hides to eat it honestly have no idea why he thinks I would want to steal it

BiteyDog is home so the house is noisey again with his clip clipping about on the wooden floors

[steppemum]

what is in those bloody dentastixs? Like doggy cocaine.

BTW Bitey, I had a friend who doesn't give them to her dog any more as they gave her dog the runs. Don't know if it is something you've looked into

[BiteyShark]

I know what you mean. He will do anything for them.

Ironically despite all his stomach issues they don't seem to make any difference to him in that area. They do sometimes make him hyper so I guess it's like a sugar rush for dogs

[thegirlsallgrowedupnow]

Wet and very windy this morning so cocodog was out first thing for as long as it took her to pee and undertake daily stocktake of bone burial area, football whereabouts and top secret location of yak bar. I am pretty peeved about said yak bar. Quite expensive, she loved it (she ignores antlers) and it kept her busy for nearly an hour and then she hid it in her house treasure spot. This is under DH s pillow so not going to work. I tried to help by tucking it down the side of her day basket, she put it back under the pillow, I put it in her toy box, she moved it outside. I haven’t seen it since! If ever there was a day to rediscover a yak bar down the side of your basket I would have thought today was it but no, it is languishing in the dirt somewhere.

[BiteyShark]

Does your DH know that his pillow is Cocodog's favourite hiding place for chewed things? Best hope she doesn't find it again for a bit given the wet weather muddy damp yak bar under your pillow anyone

[thegirlsallgrowedupnow]

DH is a bit of a softie where Coco is involved but even he would draw the line at a muddy yak bar. She hasn’t ever brought buried treasure back into the house YET although she regularly tries to smuggle in her football.

[BiteyShark]

Spent today in the attic sorting out all the crap I had thrown stored up there. Threw lots of old dog beds out and lots of half used toys that BiteyDog stopped playing with. At least I got rid of the evidence of how much money I have spent wasted on the dog

[fleshmarketclose]

Well what a nightmare today's walk turned out to be! I took a wrong turn on the trail and so ended up adding a mile to the walk in the mud and drizzle. Half way back passed a bloke walking two lovely fox terriers. Bella did the customary growl but we carried on anyway. Walked another ten minutes when Bella did another growl and the old and doddery fox terrier had caught us up. I stood a while waiting for the owner to come back for their dog but no owner. By which time Bella and terrier were friendly so I turned round to go and find owner myself as fox terrier more than happy now to walk with Bella.
Walked a good half hour but still no sign of owner and so many forks in the trail so didn't have a clue where to look so thought I'd walk terrier back to ours and put a post on local facebook page as collar had no tag and take dog to vet to scan for a chip. Half way home and passed a bloke with a husky who asked why dog was with me, I explained. He knew where the dog lived and so said he would walk the dog home as it lived on his street. Only the bloody dog wouldn't go with him and the husky so ended up turning round again to follow the man with the husky to get the terrier to follow me. Two hours after I set out and 10k later I finally left the terrier and walked home with Bella!

[BiteyShark]

flesh the terrier and it's owner were very lucky you were there. I hoped they thanked you for looking out for him.

Hope you and Bella have a good rest after that.

[YoureAllABunchOfBastards]

Flesh - we were once walking in Cornwall and found ourselves accompanied by a Border Collie. No owner in sight. It followed us for the full four mile loop. As we got back to the village we started in, a local said 'Oh, you've got Bob, then'. Apparently he did the local walks on his own every day, collecting company where he could!

Weirdest thing was, we'd nicknamed him Bob after the writer of the walking book we were using, and it turned out to be his actual name.

[fleshmarketclose]

Well I didn't hang about only got the terrier in the gate and came home so no chance to thank me. Left husky owner to explain as I'd had enough by then. I couldn't believe he didn't turn round when he no longer had two dogs tbh,it was a lovely little thing as well.
Oh well Bella is shattered so I'm guaranteed a quiet day today now at least

[fleshmarketclose]

Youreall Meg the farmers dog joins whoever is passing for walks as well. She is lovely so I never mind as she is great with Eric and Bella. She has a tag on now saying "I'm not lost, I'm the farm dog I just like company" as people kept taking her to the shelter when they found her. A lot of the trails are through the farmland and so technically she is on her own land anyway and she is as sharp as a tack and so wouldn't get lost anyway.