Adolescent Dog Survival Thread - welcome to the teenage wasteland

[Bupster]

Buckled (under instruction 😄)

Our assessment with the behaviourist is booked for Monday afternoon.

Ironically, Brie was an angel on this evening's walk, no arsey lead biting on the field, and she didn't turn a hair when a tractor rattled past on the road. It's very much like that with her; some days are calm days, some days are crazy days.

@CoubousAndTourmalet that’s great news that it’s booked! Let us know how it goes?

@Bupster how’s your nose?! How’s the handsome little man?

I have my first family over in 30 minutes. Managed to get seven families/couples booked in today! I don’t know why, but I always hoover and deep clean before viewers arrive, even the rooms they won’t go in?! I mean they’re coming to look at Goldie puppies, it’s not like fur and mess should be a surprise… Wish the puppies luck (hopefully they don’t put anyone off) 😁

@LandSharksAnonymous Hope the visits go well and the prospective new parents are nice. 🤞 7 is a lot in one day. Will they overlap? I'd be staying at least an hour if I was viewing. Even if you were trying to kick me out. 😂

@CoubousAndTourmalet I hope the visit with the behaviourist goes well. Will your OH be there too? It might help ease his worries.

@LandSharksAnonymous I've finally found an old photo album. Here's my childhood goldie. Don't know if he was working or show strain. You'd know better than me. The cup is for an obedience competition. And that carpet is very dating.

@SpanielsGalore Each had an hours slot, minus an hour for my lunch break! But most families only take about 45 minutes or so on their first viewing, although the last person only took 20 minutes as she's coming back on Monday with her DH (she just couldn't wait another day). Next weekend I expect most people will stay 1-2 hours as I'll want to try and narrow down the matching a bit more.

Honestly the best part of puppy raising is seeing the joy that they bring to other peoples faces (whilst I stand in the corner, rubbing my bite marks, and thinking 'take the little ankle-biters! Take them all!!!'). I love watching people fall in love. Pen was on excellent form as well and got lots of fusses, which I always love to see.

Oh he was stunning! ❤It's hard to tell from those photos, but he's quite slim so I'd almost be minded to go working? Beautiful coat - even in those photos you can see how lovely it was!

Is it bad your carpet has reminded me faintly of Wetherspoons? 😁How are your rabble today? Hopefully no one got up to any mischief?

@LandSharksAnonymous That's a very full day. You must all be shattered. I hope no one has expressed an interest in Golden Girl. 💖

I have a couple of black and white puppy photos of our dog. His coat looks very short compared to your fluff balls, so perhaps he was working. He did well in obedience competitions, but wasn't shown.
I blame my mum for the carpet. It was very fashionable in the 70s. I hope. 😂

My older two have been angels as per usual. K was good for the first 45 minutes of our walk. Obviously to lull me into a false sense of security. Just as I was thinking how good she was being staying close, she disappeared off the face of the earth. I couldn't even hear her running or her tags jangling. She was probably only gone for two minutes at the most - she came back just as I was begining to think about panicking. She got a treat for coming back, whilst being called a little shit in a sing song voice. 😁

I’ve discovered that M is terrified of lions. We’re staying with relatives who live half a mile from a wildlife park and when the lions roar it sounds like they are in the back garden. Poor M had just found a suitable a poo spot last night when the lions started calling- he shot back into the house with half his poo still coming out. It must have been a completely primal response.

I’ve also discovered that he loves the beach. He was tearing around like a lunatic. The tide was way out so he didn’t get to go in the sea.

@SpanielsGalore they’re little buggers when they disappear!

@Bupster I assume you have been reunited with Bill?

@SpanielsGalore - Knackered! But I know the first visitor today very well, so I’m hoping they’ll bring coffee (there’s a theme here, isn’t there: all visitors must bring a gift, preferably coffee).

Oh naughty K! Did she come back looking all pleased with herself, or do you think she realised she might have done wrong?

They do that at her age though - they get all independent for a few weeks or months, then they learn. Twatdog ran off down Holkham beach when he was about 1 and I’ve never screamed so loudly in my life 😫I didn’t even wait two minutes before I panicked, the second he didn’t reappear I was doing my scream queen impression! He came back as soon as the screams started…

@Nella68 ohh! Poor thing! At least the beach makes up for the lions though?! Is it a sandy beach? They’re really good for building up their muscles (probably not what you’re interested in admittedly!)

@LandSharksAnonymous K is always pleased with herself. 😂 Usually she's a bit wild for the first 5 minutes and then her brain engages. She'll respond better to a 'this way' than a recall. She's 10 months old tomorrow, so give it another year or so and I'm sure she will have cracked it.
This is why I like using a whistle. It doesn't go as shrill as my voice would. 😂
Good luck with today's visits. You must only have three left to do. I'm sure everyone is grilled before they get onto your waiting list, but do you ever change your mind about someone when you meet them in person?

@Nella68 Poor M. Although the image of him running back in mid poo made me smile. Hopefully your relatives didn't mind.

Hi all,

We're home! I was so tired driving back on Friday I could have cried, and then when Bill got dropped off in the evening I did cry - honestly, of all the many things I wasn't at all prepared for when getting a dog, the strength of the emotional bond is probably the biggest one. Once I'd sellotaped my nose back on we went for a walk and I've gradually been trying to get back into a routine, though we're both completely wiped out still. His daycare that had him while I was away are wonderful with him, but obviously it's not the same - he wasn't getting trained, he wasn't getting off-lead walks, etc.

Partly because of sheer over-excitement I think, Bill has decided to forget everything he ever knew and is very much full teenager right now; whatever the dog equivalent of Lynx Africa is, he's been swimming in it. I took him to the Common yesterday and the grass was wet and his line was slippery, and the little bollocks took off after some swoopy birds for what felt like about ten minutes. But he is gradually remembering the things he's learned, and today's walk wasn't perfect but was much better.

His two best friends left while he was away, so I'm a bit worried about making sure he gets happy social interactions. He was delighted to see the foster parent of one of his former besties yesterday, which was absolutely lovely for all three of us, but we've got work to do getting him to accept and be gentle with her new puppy that's arriving this week - he's an absolute nobhead with puppies and obviously the puppy's welfare comes first. I'll be so, so glad when he's out of adolescence...

In the house though he is his gorgeous, affectionate, squidgy self. The first night back, every time I woke up he was curled in my arms 😍

Update: the only way to get the little sod to nap this morning was to sit on the floor next to his bed in the study so he can rest his head on my leg while my arse goes numb. It is so uncomfortable I can't tell you - yet still better than Bill strung out and sleepless and bouncing off the walls.

I know what you mean @Bupster . I wasn't really a dog person until I got a dog. Always said I was too lazy to walk them and I wasn't picking up poo. Now I'm out in all weathers, swinging bag fulls of the stuff. 😂
Hopefully new puppy will up for playing with Bill. My sister has a cockador. His style of play is grabbing P round the neck and holding her down. P hates it but is too submissive to react. So we haven't been able to meet up very often. This year we holidayed together, because I have K and I knew she'd be a match for him. They played for hours and P was left in peace.

The visiting day for prospective puppy owners sounds exhausting @LandSharksAnonymous I hope you were happy with everyone. I imagine that seeing them interact with Pen gives you a good idea of what type of owners they will be.

The emotional bond is a wondrous thing, I'm with you on that @Bupster and @SpanielsGalore . It is not possible to fully understand or appreciate it until you experience it.

The idea of hearing lions from the garden made me smile @Nella68 but it's not surprising that Midge was a bit startled by it. Glad he enjoyed his visit to the beach.

@SpanielsGalore Oh bless K! She's brilliant for only being months though. Have you ever found that the benefit of multiple dogs is that if one comes the rest tend to - I think it's fear or missing possible treats! I'm sure you've said before, but how old are your other two?

Yep! Only three today, and already done. DDs have sports on a Sunday afternoon so I didn't want to interrupt that (hence the Saturday being so busy)!

I tend to meet people at least once before they even go on the waitlist and on occasion I will advise against buying a litter from me, but try and be helpful and point them to others (although I never actually recommend another breeder). But that's usually because I think they need something a bit more docile than what mine tend to be. @CoubousAndTourmalet as you say, watching them act around the adults gives me a good idea of what they'll be able to cope with!

I've never changed my mind after putting someone on a wait-list but I am so cautious. One of my friends who breeds had to turn someone down after they came to view the puppies, despite being on a waitlist - her girl jumped up at the woman, and she screamed (forgivable if you've been startled) but then shouted at the dog. Instant 'no' from her to selling them a puppy anymore.

@Bupster I know it's completely ridiculous, but whenever I see his ears I just think 'ohhh so silky' and want to stroke them. I don't even know why! ❤

It always takes a while for them to calm down after they've had a few days or a week away from their owners, doesn't it? Probably because they miss us so much. But he did come back to you (eventually), so that is something! What sort of dogs does he like to interact with? Just thinking that some kennels and rescues do like to bring other dogs in for the dogs there to socialise with, so maybe that's an option? Controlled situations etc?

The emotional bond is beautiful though, isn't it? Sort of a weird codependency that revolves around walks, food and cuddles. I have to say, I don't think I could ever be without a dog.

We had a nice day with my cousin and her family yesterday. Brie received a lot of compliments on her waistline and beautifully elongated body shape, now that she's fully de-fluffed. Weirdly, she looks much bigger with less fur. We talked a lot about the behavioural stuff (because vet & student vet), it was helpful to get their perspective. I'm terrified of coming across like an arrogant know it all but I still need to mention our previous dogs in order to emphasise how different Brie is... I'm very apprehensive because I know I've done a poor job with socialising her.

This morning we actually managed to get Brie in the car, for the first time in months, and drive up to the moors for a quiet walk. We didn't put her in the boot, it was dog guard out, back seat two thirds folded and me sitting on the other one third. Inevitably, it ended up with me having 8 stone of dog sitting upright on my lap, leaning her full weight against me. By the time we got home I resembled Flat Stanley.

@LandSharksAnonymous Yes. They either all come or none of them do. 😂
Having an older dog definitely helped with teaching recall. First couple of whistle blows, they looked at the older dog and followed. By the third whistle for P and 4th for K, they knew whistle meant treat so came running straight away. I also reward for voluntary check ins. Seeing P come back and get a treat, certainly made K start coming back of her own accord. Most times they'll both recall to the whistle and separately to names. Unless they are chasing a deer and then neither will return.

What I find funny is, if I blow the whistle and P is close by she'll think it's only for K. She doesn't come for a treat, but will stand still and look around trying to find K.

P turned 4 last month. Genetically she is K's great aunt as her dad is K's grandad.
N was 10 last month. She joined us about six weeks after K. I tend to walk her separately at the minute as she can only manage 20 minutes and it's too muggy to be pushing a buggy round the woods.

Didn't realise you met people before putting them on the wait list. That's a good idea. Saves wasting time after the puppies are born. People can talk the talk over the phone, but be complete arseholes in real life. Screaming and shouting at a puppy would be a definite no from me. Silly woman.

@Bupster I'd offer K's services for a play date, but she'd probably be a bad influence on Bill. 😂

@CoubousAndTourmalet Glad you had a good day with family. I'm sure you didn't come across as a know-it-all. But to be honest, you probably do know more than them. I'm not sure vets cover a lot of behaviour during their studies.
Many years ago I had a dog who got terribly stressed at the vets and didn't like strangers touching him. A vet nurse leaned over him in the waiting room and stroked his head. She ignored all of his body language which was screaming "Go away" and he air snapped at her. She then wrote in his notes he was grumpy. I politely (or not) explained why she was wrong, demanded the comment be removed and suggested they send their staff on behaviour management courses. And this is why vets don't like me. 😂
I didn't realise Brie didn't like the car. Has she always been like that or was there a trigger? P hates it since we did 6 vet trips in a fortnight.
How's the new harness working out for you?

Thanks @SpanielsGalore

Sorry about your bad experience with a vet nurse. I have heard a few similar stories, and we've had our own reasons for writing a complaint letter to a veterinary practice, so I'm sure they hate me also.

Fortunately my cousin's girls know me well enough now to understand my anxieties, but I needed their advice, from a vets perspective, how to come across well with the behaviourist. It's difficult, because with Brie, my experience has counted for nothing. She is very different from the other dogs, and that's what they (vet girls) think I need to emphasise. I do feel clueless as far as "training" but they commented that they find it difficult to think of Brie as a dog, so they understand the way I speak to her. The previous trainer said I'm the problem, not the dog - I just hope it won't be the same this time.

Brie was fine in the car until about 9 months old, when she suddenly started refusing to get in. We have no idea what triggered it, there was no specific incident that upset her, but it did seem to roughly coincide with the secondary fear period kicking in. We haven't pushed her; we've made a few attempts to get her in over the last few weeks, but allowed her the choice. Today, with the dog guard out we managed to persuade her in via a door, not the tailgate. Obviously it's not ideal having such a massive dog on the seat with no restraint other than me holding onto her, but for short journeys it's doable.

The new harness is lovely quality and is now vet approved 😉 It's a much better design for Brie's body shape and there's no way she could escape it because of the double girth straps!

@CoubousAndTourmalet My biggest complaint was when I left P with a specialist vet to have an operation on her right hind leg and they operated on her left one by mistake. We were not happy.
My dogs sit on the back seat and have a seatbelt attachment clipped to their harnesses. Would that work for Brie? I know she's a lot bigger than my three, so it might not be appropriate.
Glad the new harness is suitable. That must take some of the worry/stress out of walks for you.

How can they operate on the wrong leg? That's disgraceful @SpanielsGalore , I hope you wrote to the BVA.

If we can't persuade Brie to travel in the boot behind the dog guard again, we may indeed need to look into clipping her in somehow, even if it means completely removing half the rear seat.

@SpanielsGalore - That's a good spread of ages, an older dog and one that's young and energetic and then a puppy. It means you've always got one who is up for mischief and one who is up for cuddles 😃I love how it is all or none though; makes me feel better about my bunch!

I do wonder if Twatdog has spent a bit too much time around Satan as he does, on occasion, show some 'spaniel deafness'. He'll come eventually, and not run away (other than that one time), but it's very much a 'I'm coming, calm down, I'll be there eventually.' No prey drive, just a 'I'm a git' drive.

@CoubousAndTourmalet I've had car issues with twatdog as well, and like you nothing seemed to set him off. I always had him on the back seat and the others in the boot, but he suddenly started refusing to go on the backseat - I think he might have found the jump out to be a bit daunting (the door doesn't really open that far, which is weird for a family car, and so it means he has to jump out at a bit of an angle. He now only goes in the boot, so I've had to move to put Hen in the backseat, she jumps in alone but I pick her up to get her out. So glad you've found a harness that works! Are we allowed to see a photo of Brie in it? 😍

@SpanielsGalore that’s appalling. I wonder if vets have a ‘never event’ reporting system like human hospitals do.

@CoubousAndTourmalet good to hear about the harness. I hope she gets used to the car again.

@LandSharksAnonymous That's exactly how it's worked out. N is a foster and wasn't meant to stay, but she's fitted in so well.
Mine can be like twatdog. I can see the little buggers, and they'll start coming towards me but get distracted and stop off half way for a sniff. Then eventually come and still expect a treat. Which they always get. 🙈

@CoubousAndTourmalet The vet blamed the nurse for shaving the wrong leg. He was presented with a limb and didn't do any pre-op checks. Just cut into it. They only realised the mistake when he couldn't find the metalwork he was supposed to be removing.
I complained to the vet practice. They waived the cost of the operation and said they were sorry I felt let down. 'Let down' was not one of the emotions I felt. I see sawed between raging and devastated.
@Nella68 As far as I know, they had a practice meeting to discuss how this happened and decided they should check they had the right limb next time before starting. That was it.

I know the feeling @LandSharksAnonymous , same with our car we had to get her in at an angle today, with the rear door. Trouble is, it has a boot sill, so it's also tricky for her to get in and out via the tailgate. Algy got the hang of it, but Brie is less confident. Our previous car was more dog friendly, despite being smaller.

That's appalling @SpanielsGalore . Waiving the fee doesn't compensate for your poor dog having to go through surgery or you having to deal with post-op recovery. That is very poor.

Here you go @LandSharksAnonymous . photo of Miss Fluffykins modelling her new harness. Having a second girth strap is so much better. In reality she has a beautifully level topline but you can see here how uneven the moult has been - it's making her appear sway backed 😧 If you look at her neck it's pretty easy to see why the collar is slipping off 😰