Adolescent Dog Survival...Sharing Tips & Tails

[BrodiePup]

Moving on from the puppy survival thread, this is for anyone with a hormonal teenager 🤪

Brodie is just over 7 months now, and is a fun loving pup who is (mostly) a pleasure to be around. My main issue is still walking him which can either be almost a pleasure, or like having a Tasmanian Devil doing breast stroke and bunny hopping down the road 😡. There seems to be no reason for which dog gets attached to the end of the lead, but at least it shows he can do it if he's in the mood!

We've also had our first proper tummy upset this week 🤢 no doubt due to some rubbish he picked up and swallowed before I spotted it. Thankfully it seems to have passed now.

@YorkshireFelix Ace news! Well done both of you.

I do wonder about the mad spaniel stereotype sometimes and if mine is broken, as 99pc of the time she's really chilled in the house. She only woofs if she needs the loo or if we are selfishly eating (the solution to which is a work in progress), but is mostly otherwise either asleep, staring at me from her bed or other comfortable location, or following me about placidly 'helping'. Right now she's on the back of the sofa on my shoulder which is part of her evening settling-down routine – within a few minutes she'll be conked out again.

@brushingboots

Sounds as if you have a very good girl...I do too...well, sort of...

But it's funny you should say that about yours being 'broken', because I keep thinking our "guard dog" is defective - she never barks! All our others have been pretty calm around the house but still big woofers in the garden. Not this one, she's a lazy arse 😆She doesn't even bother us when we're eating, although if she sees me cutting cheese she'll sneak up behind me and give me a nudge.

@brushingboots honestly I was expecting the worst! So it's been a nice surprise. Although there's a pup at our classes who is only a couple of weeks younger than V but is completely insane. Her owner said she's like it all the time! Not sure I'd be able to cope with that...

@PyreneanAubrie a little nudge for cheese it too cute. I don't think I'd be able to resist that!

My neurotic dog in one picture
🤣

Awww, lovely Milo 😍You say he's neurotic but he always looks so happy.

How are you?
I've had a really shit week with depression so if you're struggling too you have my empathy. I'm shattered.

@PyreneanAubrie
I'm sorry to hear you've had a shit week, to be honest, I have as well.
What's been happening with you?
I've struggled to get out of bed really, I've been getting up taking Milo out going back to bed, my husband has basically taken over my car for work so I've been stuck in.
I've basically just withdrawn in myself. I've come to my mum's today.
My therapist cancelled this week - pissed me off.
I moved house in April so my psychiatrist team had to be moved to another team and it's all gone through now so I had a new convo with my CPN and he was really really stand off ISH. And I see my new psychiatrist on the 28th there's just a lot of change that I can't be dealing with
I've been struggling with Milo, I have lots of residual pain from ICU and I'm sick to death of him jumping all over me nipping me it hurts and I can't get him to stop so now I'm in a rut of shouting at him and I hate myself for it

Sorry. How is brie?

All that sounds really tough@CaptainBeanThief . I'm sorry you're struggling. You do have it hard and I wish I could help in some way. I had a CPN years ago that I couldn't connect with at all, they were just really patronising (they even asked me if my name was made up 🙄) and it does give you paranoia about what you tell them. I hope the new psychiatrist is better. I'm waiting for another round of therapy, referral came through but no appointment yet.

I'm not sure if my low mood is delayed reaction from losing my Mum last month but I keep crying at the slightest thing and being a bit shouty (mostly at my husband though, not Brie...).

He's been on dog walking duty because me and Miss Brie... hmmmm....sounds like a song ("Me and my Doggy named Brie....") had an encounter with an aggressive off the lead dog that came circling us, snarling with its hackles up 😨Scared the 💩out of Baby Bear: she towered over it but she's still a puppy in her head and she just completely froze. Dunno, I'm reaching the conclusion that Labradors hate me, although nobody else ever seems to have an issue with them...🤔 But I've sort of lost confidence a bit since then.

Look after yourself. I can understand that you don't want to be here much when you're feeling low, but it's lovely when you and Brodiepup do drop in with a photo and an update.

EXCUSE ME BRODIE PUP you've got the wrong dog 🤣!!

I had my ex- CPN for 5 consistent years, he went above and beyond for me, he once came to my flat because I didn't answer my phone ( I was on a bad bender and fell asleep)
Now I've got some flakey twat I just have a bad feeling about.
It makes sense that you would be feeling the delayed grief from your mum, you've sort of only just started processing it and it's only just "sinking" in.
In terms with brie being harassed by nasty cretin dogs - obviously as long as she's not in danger and you obviously I think in certain (bare with me this will be controversial) that it is ok to be on a conflict situation as it could build her confidence.
Milo gets himself in all sorts - never put him in danger - he never exhibits aggression but if a dog ever dared tried to attack me/my husband or if he felt an immediate threat believe me he could and would be able to hold his own!
The other night we went to my mils and her OH for tea and they have a 2 year old dachshund, being a fucking little knobhead, barking, snarling and attacking Milo for.... Nothing Milo got annoyed and pinned him down to say enough now. So he can hold his own. But it's definitely good and positive to expose our dogs to bad and good situations so they know how to react in the future.
Anyway @BrodiePup how you feeling about getting mixed up, personally I am deeply offended and so is Milo look he says so

@BrodiePup

No, you daft ha'p'orth; I wasn't calling you & Milo Brodiepup I said you AND Brodiepup. Wasn't confusing you. It's just you both seem to do a weekly drop in these days while I'm mostly here randomly rabbiting on to no-one in particular 😁

Bupster, BrushingBoots and YorkshireFelix are kind enough to respond to me but I think I've scared everyone else away with too many tales of LGD's long-lost ability to do recall.

Ok I am so sorry
I cannot read ha ha ha 🤣

@CaptainBeanThief
That's a nightmare moving on from a CPN who understands you to one who you don't feel you can rely on.

Arrgh, poor Milo being harassed by a doxie. I hope your MIL understood and didn't blame Milo for getting fed up with her little brat....

I think my worry with Brie being cornered into responding to an aggressor is her size. She's still only 7 months old and I don't honestly know if she'd defend herself or me at this point, but I also need to be wary because if she did it would be all too easy for her to be labelled aggressive.

Tiny dogs get away with murder compared to giant ones and it's always a worry if they are pushed into reacting. I've only had it happen once when one of my bitches - on the lead - was set upon by two loose dogs together (Lab & Border Collie). She forced them into retreat and the owner, who was pushing a pram, accused me of having a dangerous dog 😡

That was long before all the Bully XL stuff but all the bad press that big powerful dogs get is scary. Another reason why I can't risk letting her off the lead. Poor baby, she's not just big, she's massive and very strong.... and... she's just now rolled off the sofa and landed on her back...😱

To be honest, I didn't give a shit if she understood, he dog was being an aggressive little twat and it needed telling off. I wouldn't stand for Milo doing that to another dog and if he did and another dog told him off, then so be it, dogs still need manners.

Some people are unreal they let their manky dogs terrorise other dogs but when said dogs react they are the "bad" ones fuck me get a grip and train your dogs 🤣
Milo can be a bit neurotic at times constantly I think he was born funny but he's not aggressive or prone to terrorising anyone apart me and me alone

Oh my mum's car is in for repair, they have obliterated two of her diamond cut wheels they have to realign her steering till paint job and possibly new passenger side wings.🫢 They have fucked it 😬😬😬
Oh it's going to court as well they are looking at prison time, the bastards

@CaptainBeanThief You are right, I know, but I'm still scared of her being attacked and reacting.

What a sodding pain regarding your Mum's car. Will you have to go to court as a witness? I hope not... get your doctor to write a letter of exemption - my Dad did that years ago to get out of doing Jury Service (he had Social Anxiety).

Did someone mention my name?
I'm sorry to hear that you're having bad times @CaptainBeanThief and @PyreneanAubrie it must be horrible, especially when you're not getting the support you need.
Dark nights and cold weather don't help anyone.
I do think it will be losing your mum that's catching up with you @PyreneanAubrie it's still early days, it's a smorgasbord of emotions that change by the minute.

I've nothing to report, which is why I'm not about much. It somehow seems wrong to post that everything is going really well. I don't want to temp fate, and pride comes before a fall and all that 🤣.
Brodie will be 9 months next week and he's most definitely a teenager, but I enjoy the battle of wills and usually win, much to his disgust!
He's making a wonderful little dog 🥰.

Thanks@BrodiePup
I'm sure you're right about reacting to losing my mum, and the time of year not being very uplifting. I must admit, I'm not looking forward to Christmas because having no family makes it a bit meaningless. But we'll get out for walks on the moor with Brie (weather permitting) and we'll get through it somehow.

I'm glad that everything is going so well with Brodie now - he seems to have made a lot of progress in quite a short time so I hope that will also prove to be true for those of us with slightly younger dogs.

Have a lovely weekend 😊

@PyreneanAubrie we've still a long way to go with Brodie, but he's coming on in leaps and bounds. I think it's probably because we're totally bonded now and know what we ultimately want from him, and how we're going to achieve it. It's just going to take time and patience.

It's just the two of us at Christmas too, as our few relatives all live a long way away. We're not religious and think that Christmas is for kids, so pretty much ignore it. We catch up with friends, take it easy and eat rubbish. Christmas lunch will be random picky things that we really fancy and a bottle of wine or two.
We'll also have lots of nice walks too if the weather is ok 😊.

Hope you feel a bit brighter soon, be kind to yourself, it's a difficult time x

Awww, nothing beats that bond @BrodiePup and feeling that you are coming to an understanding with your dog.

The festive season is similar for us, actually. We're not religious either.
We generally do "anti-Christmas" lunch and have something like pizza or chips on the 25th, our only concession to the season might be a bowl of beetroot soup with home made bread at some point over Yule.

Living in quite a touristy village, Boxing Day can be bedlam for dog walking so we'll probably drive up to the moor to avoid the crowds. Same on New Years Day if the weather is dry.

I'll get through it, I think I'm just feeling a bit disconnected with losing mum and also my dad died in mid December four years ago. I burst into tears walking Brie on the moor this week when my chap said to me "Your Dad would have loved Brie" because he really would 💔

Sorry you're both having a tough time @PyreneanAubrie @CaptainBeanThief

@BrodiePup SO glad to hear how well he's doing! I love to hear some positive dog posts as it gives me hope for the future (not that V is being particularly awful at the minute or anything!).

I have covid at the moment which is grim and also quite retro of me. Vinny has been enjoying sharing the heated blanket on the sofa. And to think his brothers went to be mountain rescue and ivory detection dogs! He's lucked out massively 😂

Oh no @YorkshireFelix 😷 How totally crappy! I hope you feel better soon.

It's good to see that Vinny is looking after you so well 😉

Not sure if I've posted this before, but just to prove that B is far from perfect, some recent repair work...
Monkey his best friend has no ears.
Toxic Sheep who came from his breeder smelling of his mum and siblings has half a head.
Freddie the pheasant has no legs and only one wing.
Am I the only saddo who repairs my dogs toys?

@YorkshireFelix Get well soon x

Oh no, @CaptainBeanThief and @PyreneanAubrie, sorry to hear you're both feeling bad. Lots of love from us both. Pupsy sends kisses and full-bodd wiggles. I wish I could do something more useful to help, but I hope you both know you can always come to us here if you need <3

@BrodiePup Glad to hear B is doing so well! They are such wonderful dogs and it's lovely when they prove to be.

@YorkshireFelix Very retro of you to have Covid indeed! Hope you feel better soonest! We also have a heated blanket on the sofa (and on our bed) and pupsy loves it – so much so that I think she now sleeps on it, turned off, at night instead of in her bed. So spoilt. Her brothers and sisters are out working every day now it's the season and there she is, spread-eagled on the heating element, such a little princess.

This week her equafleece arrived and it's fair to say that she hates it! But I love it and would definitely recommend. Just using it for drying off on the way home from walks, rather than walking her in it as there's no way she needs to be any warmer out and about.

@BrodiePup
I think it's really sweet that you're mending Brodie's baby toys.
When we got Brie she had a pink flamingo that came with her but she very quickly killed it. I binned it but sometimes I wish I had kept it even though its guts were hanging out. She still has a pink blanket and rope with mummy smell but I keep those away from her! She has also had a succession of soft ropes and balls, all of which have been wrecked/pulled apart and had to be confiscated.
I'm sorry to say that my Dogchild is very destructive 😞

You all seem to have nice dogs I just seem to have Milo insessently winding me up day and night 🤣🤣😬🫢

Oh, that looks very posh, @brushingboots and it's the perfect Spaniel Woman colour!!! What a stylish girl 😍Hopefully she will get used to wearing it.

Very curious about heated blankets now, must have a look.... Brie feels the heat so we've got the thermostat in our house at 17 and I've taken to wearing a fleece robe over my trousers and sweater. Today I forgot and opened the door to the postie at 1pm, then of course, me being autistic, I had to explain to her that I was fully dressed in case she thought I was ailing or just slobbing 🙄 So now she'll just think I'm bonkers 😬which is probably worse 😆

Thanks for good wishes, I'm just a bit tired and low this week but it sounds as if CaptainBeanThief and YorkshireFelix both have a lot more to deal with than I do so I'll 🤐

No, I don't have a nice dog. I have a wild animal that rips things up 😧