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.

Ewwww smelly Bella .

Why is it that they are so pleased and happy when they do that whilst you seethe inside

I've no idea Bitey, she was so pleased with herself, it was dripping off of her. I ended up wrapping her in a bin bag to take her through the house. She went to the groomers last week so it's always a big temptation to roll when she has been groomed. We had a couple of close shaves with horse muck but she surpassed herself this morning. It's a good job I love her really.

Afternoon all. May I join?

GrouchyPuppy is a 9 month old Newfie who started her first season the other day and is feeling miserable about it all. Poor wee bean. This is her customary face at the moment.

It's a lot messier than I thought it would be. Contemplating whether to be ridiculous and put a pair of pants on her to contain it all. She'd hate it, though. Decisions decisions.

Welcome GrouchyKiwi. Poor grouchyPup .

Maybe try some pants and hope she doesn't try and bite them off

@flesh Bella sounds like she had fun! At least one of you did... 💩
FWIW a cyclist ringing their bell will usually not be using it to mean "get out of my way", more of an "FYI I'm behind you and if you're aware of me then you won't suddenly step into my path". I prefer it if a cyclist rings their bell before overtaking me on a pavement as it means I can give extra consideration to PestDog's positioning.

Took PestDog walking in the hills earlier. I'd been keeping an eye out for sheep and when I spotted some I immediately put him on a lead. 10 seconds later I spotted someone letting their staffie chase them - they ended up on a narrow road with their lambs

Avocados some people are just plain stupid aren't they and I bet they would be upset if a farmer had shot the dog .

We had fun today. We had a tiny mouse in the garden and BiteyDog spotted it. Ended up with DH wrestling BiteyDog back into the house whilst I caught it and evicted it to next door. Really hoping that it doesn't have a homing beacon and comes back because I don't think it will last long with BiteyDog about.

That’s awful Avocados - those poor sheep and lambs. Don’t they realise the stress and damage they can cause with an out of control dog! - I once had a close shave with my old hound as I was right up on the downs and a herd of sheep ran across a field just at the sight of MuppetHound. Thankfully he didn’t chase after them but recalled and I put him on his lead.

Had to laugh at Bella Flesh and her proudness at rolling in slurry MuppetPup started to roll in something stinky just as I was about to go into puppy training the other night! We’d have made a right pair as his tripey treats have made my favourite walking coat stink a bit despite trying to clean it.

The owners of the dog didn't look local - it's a bit of a beauty spot and they weren't really dressed for the occasion.

Unfortunately I wasn't in a position to herd them back off the road; I hope they made their way back to safety before someone came down the single track road too fast.

I regard things like mice to be canine enrichment for PestDog - he's never caught one but it would be helpful if he did...

Unfortunately if you've seen one you've seen lots. Was it a brown or grey mouse? If grey it's a house mouse that will likely make its way indoors so I would put a few traps down.

Yes it was a tiny grey one which was back in the garden around midnight 😂. BiteyDog was otherwise engaged having a poo so didn't see it

I suspect he/she lives in our garage (fortunately detached from the house) as we have mouse droppings in there and it's very cosy for them

It's the worst time of year for it to happen too, Avocados. Poor sheep.

Bitey My parents had a dog that was a much more effective mouser than any cat they've ever owned.

GrouchyPuppy was a real trial last night. DH was out so all she wanted to do was sit by the back gate to wait for him to get home but she kept barking at whoever walked past so I couldn't leave her out there. It was not a relaxing evening, what with her bashing at the cat flap to be let out all the time. Really looking forward to her season being over (so is she, I think).

Am laughing at BiteyDog’s mouse-missing skills and impressed at your emoticon skills Bitey 😂

When I was growing up, my childhood dog who was a Heinz 57 rescue used to go in our back field, put her ear to the ground, then dig like crazy and catch moles! - we got to recognise the signs she’d found one but it was v v hard to distract her once she had.

My old cat would catch mice outside, bring them in and then let them loose in the house. I’d corner them into a jam jar and then take them back outside to release them. MuppetCat hasn’t ever caught anything and is a bit pants on being a cat really - I think all his time around dogs means he identifies as more dog than cat

Hope GrouchyPuppy is calmer tonight Grouchy

Was just reading the puppy support thread and the person who was leaving their 11 week old all day with just a neighbour popping in every 2-3 hours! There’s probably lots of people who do this but it makes me want to cuddle all those poor lonely confused pups. Cannot imagine MuppetPup not having his humans around - he’d be so distressed and upset. He cries when I leave for work even when he’s here with my Mum and that feels bad enough.

Awww BiteyDog is just the same as GrouchyPup when one of us is out at night. He is ok in the day but he expects us both to be in at night

Well the mouse situation has been fixed by other wildlife. DH found it this morning dead and half eaten. He thinks it must have been ill anyway given that it didn't run off quickly when I caught it the other day.

merry we were going to have a dog walker pop in for BiteyDog as a puppy but realised very quickly that was never going to be enough so he went to daycare. He loves it there and I don't have to worry about him when I am at work. Worth every penny and so much so I don't think we will stop doing that even though he is now older to cope with just a dog walker popping in.

I definitely had some assumptions about leaving MuppetPup before I had him that he totally hadn’t read the memo about Bitey. I definitely thought MuppetPup would be able to be left for at least an hour once a week by now (he’s 13 weeks old). I thought I’d crate train him and watched the videos and everything and he can do time in his crate alone and takes himself off there in the day if I’m working in the garden and he gets tired but there’s no way I can put him in at 8.30am on a Monday morning and swan off to work and expect him not to panic until my Mum gets there two hours later. I got so stressed about it in the run up to going back to work as I realised it just wasn’t going to happen and my Mum has been really helpful so I now drive over to get her at 6.30am on a Monday morning so she’s there already when I leave. I realise I was just lucky with my old hound who was happy to snooze for as long as I was out and not stressed at all although I still rarely left him.

Note to self: use paragraphs! I wish Mumsnet had an edit post feature!

I’m definitely thinking of finding daycare for MuppetPup for the day I used to take my old hound into work until he’s calm enough to come into work with me. He loves other dogs and I think Bluetongue found it good for her whippet pup for a while.

I know BiteyDog loves going to daycare because if I am at home when she picks him up he goes crazy with excitement and I don't even get a backward glance

I am fortunate that I don't have to pay for 5 days a week otherwise it would be mouth watering expensive. I think I worked out with everything we spend (insurance, food, training classes, daycare, grooming, flea/worming) £400-500 a month

Older dog goes to daycare, and it has been great for her. One of my reservations about getting a second dog was that 2 lots of daycare are a sizeable expense! The plan is for DH to retire soon, but the dog has got here sooner than the retirement plans have kicked in.

Melanie does the second dog potentially mean less daycare or is it simply too long for any number of dogs to be left?

Toby, dog 2 can go to daycare once he's had all his injections, which is another few weeks. We have been leaving them for short periods, but a full work day would be unreasonable.

Ah I wondered if it was just part time but yes a full day is long time.

Crikey at those costs Bitey. What proportion is daycare?

Daycare was a godsend when Bluepuppy was little. I can honestly say that without I wouldn’t have been able to keep him. He really hated being left. It cost me a fortune as he was going 3-4 times a week at one stage. Now he’s 2 he only goes once every week or so, as much to burn some energy as anything and my budget looks much better.

Over half Avocados hence being glad I don't need to send him everyday.

Sorry, Grouchykiwi. I forgot to say hello and welcome to you and your gorgeous pup

Are you a kiwi in NZ or living in the UK?

Anyone want a cocker spaniel, semi trained?

BiteyDog decided to clip clop around the bedroom several times last night. That's after getting up for three pees . I told him very clearly this morning that it's a good job I love him he on the other hand thinks if I do this some more I may be allowed to sleep on their bed

I'll swap you for a delinquent Brittany. He's decided he does not like his current kibble (it's bloody grain-free-gluten-free venison and hand roasted sweet potato or some such). He liked it fine last time, which is why I bought the 6kg bag.