General Dog Chat 5

[BiteyShark]

A thread for general chit chat about our wonderful but sometimes pain in the arse dogs.

New or old, feel free to join. Everyone's welcome.

PestDog is embracing the bank holiday. His dinner is in his dish, the back door is open, and he's still flat out on my bed seeing no reason to move

Like BiteyDog he's prone to bringing you balls and presenting them to you. My favourite is when you don't throw the ball for him, so he decides that the issue is probably that he hasn't selected the right ball, so he goes off to find another one that might be more to your liking

Fortunately we have only two balls so I won't be surrounded by a mountain of them unlike PestDog

He is so ball mad that we haven't actually bothered going for a walk this weekend as he is happily outside with us playing ball. I did feel guilty for about 5 mins this morning but then thought if we go for a walk he just circles me until I throw his ball so he gets no less exercise and he doesn't give a toss about sniffing or exploring. I'll take him for a walk later in the week but that will be for my benefit rather then his.

MuppetPup slept through from 11.30pm to 6am last night for the first time! Whoooo - I of course still woke up at 12, 2 and 5 listening out for him. He also settled back to sleep until 7am after the 6am toilet break.

Laughing at BiteyDog licking the bath water and encouraging you to play. It’s that look they give you like you will break their doggy heart and take away all their doggy dreams and hopes if you don’t do what they’re asking.

Also laughing at avocados hamster acquisitions.

We are off to introduce MuppetPup to the sea today. He’s already been out for a quick walk, sniff and socialise this morning and had his first nap. MuppetCat is currently lying on his back showing his tummy (usually too much for MuppetPup to resist) while MuppetPup chews on a chew toy.

My previous dog was a dream on weekends. He’d just sleep in with me until I got up whatever time that was and would carry on sleeping on my bed until he heard me go downstairs when he’d finally surface. Now MuppetPup likes to whine piteously like his heart is breaking sing to me while I shower or wash my hair.

I’m feeling v anxious about how he’s going to be on Tuesday when he has to be left for 2 hours before my mum arrives. I think I’m just going to have to do it and see what happens. Having had my previous rescue who hadn’t been socialised well and who had been left so his barking caused a nuisance which was why he ended up in rescue and I got him about 13 months old but he learnt to be great at being left and was very calm. If MuppetPup hates being left, I can get a dog walker in for that short time he’s left and build up to him being left better. I’ve read the studies though where they measure the stress hormone released when they’re v distressed and how it changes their brain so am also slightly anxious that I’ll permanently damage my precious first pup. Overthinking at all?

Love that BiteyDog and PestDog are having great holidays

Huge steps forward with Bella just now,. Since we sussed the recall she has been off lead for the majority of every walk which has done wonders with her meeting and greeting other dogs because off lead she doesn't growl at them or lunge she either sniffs or ignores and when I put her back on the lead to pass others on lead she is distracted with a treat for going back on her lead so doesn't bother to growl then either. A full week now with really lovely walks and a fair bit of socialising with other dogs with no bother.
Have also sussed the disturbed nights and crack of dawn wake ups, they happen when ds goes and stays overnight with exh so she obviously feels like somethings amiss because ds isn't home. Taking her round the block so that ds and exh can leave without her knowledge seems to have sorted that as well.
I'm sure there will be something else crop up but enjoying the successes for now anyway.

I have left him for about half an hour and he was fine but that’s because he managed to open the kitchen door and had free run of the house. It opens inwards on him so really annoying pretty impressive that he opened it. And after days of no accidents he crapped in my daughter’s room (I found it by following the smell

So nice to hear Bella is getting on ok flesh and having off lead stressfree walks is so lovely especially in this sunshine.

merry with toilet training it does feel like two steps forward and one back . Have you got a camera so you can check on him when you leave him? Might be useful then you know whether he is upset or not.

Yes am going to set up a camera Bitey - and have a test run tomorrow morning... fingers crossed.

drinkswineoutofamug I had a similar surprise dna result test on my last dog who I had been convinced was a greyhound/collie cross. Turned out to be greyhound/Belgium Shepherd cross with a smaller bit of deerhound and whippet and terrier. He also hated baths and would be really scared so I avoided them too and just did a quick hose down in the garden when he was really muddy unless the bath was unavoidable. He’d bury his snout in my chest shivering until the ordeal was over. He wasn’t at all well socialised and the rescue think he’d never really been walked or anything due to his reaction to walks in the rescue but he learnt to love everything very quickly (he was 13/14 months when I got him)

BiteyDog has finally crashed out as DH has been playing with him all day. We also had another bbq so again he got chicken cooked for him

I think he's going to be very upset when we eventually go back to work and so will I . Buys another lottery ticket

How did your test run go merry?

Another wonderful boring day again today. I love holidays

merryMuppet it seems those Belgian Shepard's like to sow many a seed!
Mugdog has had a busy bank holiday going to numerous diy stores looking at wallpapers etc. So she's had lots of fussing. She's not keen on the fact we are missing carpet , doesn't like the sound of floorboards.
I've been informed now of what poor dog was going through before we (daughter) stepped in and rescued her again. She was called, stroked, picked up and thrown across rooms. She was also locked in a cellar , in the dark with no food or water.
Why didn't the rspca act more on our information?

Poor poor MugDog drinkswineoutofamug - that’s heartbreaking. So good she’s now being loved and fussed and treated properly. I so don’t understand how people can be so cruel. We moved into rented accommodation when we first returned to the UK and the previous tenants left their cat behind who was in a terrible state. They used to set their dog on it and laugh. We encouraged her inside but if you shut the door, she’d go crazy with fear so we left the door open for ages until she learnt to trust us. When we finally got close to her, we could see that they’d tied an elastic band round her tail and a visit to the vet confirmed she’d need her tail amputated. After just a year though, she was a transformed kitty and was the sweetest most docile cat who you’d trip over in doorways because she couldn’t be arsed to move.

The test run was a disaster Bitey - my youngest daughter (14) was still in the house while I was taking my 17 year to work which is only a 25 minute trip and although he’s been great in his crate at other times, 8.15am is just not good timing. I even made him a special kong and everything. He howled and was really distressed so DD let him out and cuddled him until I got back. Not sure if it’s undone work done so far so did lots of rewarding for going in his crate this afternoon and he’s settled asleep in it now although I’m only just out of sight. He has pootled out once every 30 mins to check I’m still here and goes back! So have decided I’m going to get up at 6am and fetch my mum over before work and then walk MuppetPup and go to work and drop girls at school and build up to him being left for the 2 hours more slowly. I’ve left him with my daughters while nipping out to the shops etc to get him used to my going but coming back - we’ll get there eventually... Glad your weekend has been good and relaxing. We’ve had lots of positives as well as the leaving disaster. He’s playing well with other dogs and learning manners and we managed a cafe meal and a walk to a pub. His recall is coming along so definitely making progress. Just hope he sleeps tonight

Poor MugDog It's a testament to her good nature that she'll still come to you and isn't prone to biting hands out of fear.

Many dogs have been through less and come out far more traumatised.

How horrible . Thank god MugDog has landed on her feet with you drinkswine

There is something seriously wrong with people who abuse animals

merry it could be the fact that your DD was still in the house.

We had many regressions with leaving BiteyDog. The worst was a period of stress and anxiety following admissions to the vets.

Eventually I found that we needed to cover the glass in the doors as he would see shadows and howl as he thought there was intruders. Then he would hear the odd car in the distant and think we were back and get all upset so we left the radio on. Then we found lots of talking on the radio upset him as he thought 'humans' were about so we settled on Smooth radio in the mornings . We finally got to a point where he would sleep as soon as we left and now he is ok for around 3 hours but at the time I was worried. I now actually like watching him stretched out on the sofa fast asleep.

Thank god for cameras though because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to work out what was wrong and everyone jumps in with seperation anxiety which it clearly wasn't as that's a specific condition which isn't easily rectified with opaque film and a radio.

BiteyDog sounds such a character Bitey - I love that he has a preference for Smooth radio

MuppetDog did brilliantly with my mum while I was at work today. He’s doing well with other dogs and his recall is coming along and I’m able to call him off mid-play. Just the small matter of the sleeping through (I was seriously considering if I’d made a serious mistake at 3am this morning after he woke at 11pm, 12pm, 3am and 4am). I was up at 6am and he was all sleepy then! . He was doing so well up until last night. Maybe he sensed my anxiety about leaving him today. Am thinking an air conditioning unit might be next on the amazon list so he doesn’t get too hot in the summer as he was panting when he was waking last night but stopped as soon as we were outside in the cooler air. My previous pooch was happy just to have the fan on him in the summer but I think it’s harder to stay cool in the crate. I seriously thought of taking him out last night but think it would be unfair as consistency is key and MuppetCat would be a bad influence and entice him into playing at 3am without the crate. Fingers crossed tonight is better...

PestDog liked last night's prospective lodger so much he humped her leg She said she'd let me know... As yet I've heard nothing, weirdly enough...

merry sounds like muppetDog is doing really well. Sympathise with the sleeping as BiteyDog has never been the best sleeper.

Avocados who needs references when you have PestDog

So Mrs pup is 20 weeks old today, and have noticed her wanting to run after cars when they come past, so now our walks are all about walking nicely and not jumping up at people.
Hope everyone had a good easter.

Don't they grow up quickly mrs . 20 weeks already.

Still off work enjoying chilling with BiteyDog. He's just had a mad 15 minutes play growling and throwing his toys about. I think he's decided he's 20 weeks old again

merryMuppet ours is also doing well with recall, if we're over the field she'll go and say a quick hello then carry on walking, I'm actually amazed at how good she's being, until it's time to go and she runs away from me

Oh Bitey how lovely,when do you go back? She's just had an empty bottle with some treats in, took her less than 5 minutes to get them out

Ah you have the jumping away when it's time to go home. I still have to trick BiteyDog as he never wants his walks to end

Unfortunately I will have to work next week. But it's been nice having a holiday at home with the dog.

Yes and I also have the lying on the floor in protest and pretending to be asleep once we finally manage to leave, She is so good when we are over there, her recall is great, it's getting her home that's the problem, I am doing alot of training on our walks at the moment

Ah i bet, I worked all bank holiday weekend, including a couple of extra shifts, so I'm going to get her a snuffle mat as she is a bit of a sniffer.

Here she is with DD2

Getting recall cemented at that age is great especially before they hit adolescence and ignore you again. Sounds like the training is going really well.

We have this thing where I get him to sit and stay and I briefly grab his collar before I throw the ball. That way I can grab him when we need to leave. But I have to be smart because if I am a bit slow or he sees me reaching for the harness to put back on he lunges away and then does the stupid dancing about just beyond arms reach