Beyond Adolescence - a thread to chat about grown up dogs, cake and anything else, excluding coffee.

[SpanielsGalore]

Not going to tag everyone as I don't know who wants to join. Welcome everyone. 😁

I have had two roofers here this morning. After the initial barking at heads appearing over the ridge, the dogs have been so good. They've sat in the garden and watched them working. Greeted them every time they came into the garden and didn't once try to bolt out of the gate. I heard one of the men telling them to 'stay' as he struggled through the gate with a bucket full of water, and then telling them they were 'good dogs'.
They've just finished and as they were leaving one commented on how calm my dogs are and not like 'normal spaniels'. See. Not all working cockers are 'high on crack' and 'manic'. 😇😇😇

Beautiful weather here today. 🌞 I unexpectedly got my car back yesterday. 🥳
Off to the woods to walk the adolescent nutter until she collapses in a heap. 😂

Well yes, it is a relief that's it isn't pyometra, but still a horrible thing for her @SpanielsGalore .
Some bitches are so brave with pain - almost too good at hiding it, S was like that too, so it doesn't surprise me what you say about P. All credit to you for knowing something wasn't right and getting her checked out.
Glad your insurance will cover the vets bills at least.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet He'll be fine. He's just a massive baby. 😁

@SpanielsGalore good news and bad news, as you say! Bet you're glad you advocated for her though and so glad that she can begin to mend not you know what you is wrong. £346 sounds like a steal to me! I think Clem was closer to £1K the other night 😤

But they're worth it. Even if they then ignore you for the next few days and pretend you don't exist and only look at you when they want food.

@LandSharksAnonymous Out of hours vets are so expensive. I have heard that the vets our OOH is sourced to demands £300 up front before they will even look at your pet.
Funnily enough P, who has been a clingon for the last three days, has buggered off upstairs now her pain meds have been increased.
How is Twatdog? Did he go to the vets today?

The daughter of the family who runs my daycare once said that it was quite handy that I had ADHD as Bill was like that too, and it was one of those comments that wasn't accurate, but is quite true - he has the same need for external regulation, the same flitting attention, the same hyperfocus. Except given the choice he'd get up earlier and earlier in the morning and I absolutely would not.

Happy soggy doggy photo just for the sake of it. He managed to find a pond halfway up a hill this evening.

Thanks for the tag @CoubousAndTourmaIet, I will lurk here as I am still very much in the teenage trenches. Although I think we are all the same group now repeated in two threads 😂 Hopefully this one will recruit some newbies!

@Bupster He does look very happy in there. ❤️ And the water looks quite clean too, which is always a bonus.
I absolutely believe dogs can have ADHD. I know of dogs that have been diagnosed with it. I also think my reactive cocker was autistic. I've been on courses on autism for work and he had so many of the traits they described for children. I used to take him to training classes that used 'teaching dogs' to help other dogs learn how to interact. They responded very differently to my dog than they did to others, who were just bad mannered.
So it annoys me when people refer to cocker spaniels as all having ADHD. It's simply not true. There are better ways of describing dogs with high energy levels.

@SpanielsGalore Im so sorry to hear about P but glad she isn’t in any immediate danger and well done you for trusting your instincts. Wishing her a speedy recovery ❤️

We had an autistic cat @SpanielsGalore He was one of our family of 6 Maine Coons and his behaviour absolutely fitted with autism. He didn't know how to interact with the other cats and we actually had to teach him how to jump onto a chair because he couldn't do it. He was very cute but didn't understand play or affection at all. Sometimes he'd sit on my lap but not interact in any way, just sit there totally still until I got too hot and tipped him off.

@SpanielsGalore typical isn’t it! They get their meds, feel better and abandon us. I know we don’t get them medical treatment for them to say ‘oh thank you mummy, I love you,’ but I don’t think a bit of gratitude would kill them!!!!

The twat would let her within two feet - kept barking and backing away. Then he tried to clamber inside me (literally forced his head toward my crotch hard enough I fell over). Which isn’t unusual. He’s fine at the vets, except when he’s in pain (even if he’s not showing that pain). Which is really helpful. He works himself into such a state that he just can’t calm down. It’s amazing really, as he’ll let a judge grab his bollocks and will let young kids clamber on him without blinking an eye…but the second he’s in a bit of discomfort or pain, he’s a sodding nightmare.

But he’s fine in himself. Still a bit stiff and limpy and doesn’t want me touching the front of his front leg (but will let me touch the back). The vet did not what wanted though which was to give me some meds to bung in him so he’ll sleep most of the next few days because she could see then stiffness even in the small room and despite his escapology attempts. Then if he’s still acting like a massive bellend, I’ll drug him again and take him back under sedation so they can do a proper test.

Basically, he’s a dramatic loser.

@Bupster is Bill a total water baby? P is still a little unsure about water - he likes to paddle but not
to swim!
@SpanielsGalore & @CoubousAndTourmaIet it sounds dim of me but I never considered that animals could have ADHD or Autism! I wonder if much research has gone in to it? I suppose when you spend as many years around animals as you all have it’s easier to spot different traits in them.
Hope P is ok this morning (and you too!)

@LandSharksAnonymous and hope Twatdog is all ok! Pablo was at the vet yesterday as you know, only for his nails to be clipped and for me to get him weighed (just under 17kgs for those not on the puppy thread) and get flea/worming prevention.
He was a bit of wimp on the nail front bless him, unlike the first time. He would only let her do it when he was sat on my lap holding on to him!

Today I am mainly trying to decide whether to bake
another cake as I only have one slice left of my last one! I think it would be a good idea as I spent £40 on the ingredients plus new baking tins and scales and I feel like £40 for one cake is very excessive. Thank god it’s pay day today 😂

Oh God yes.There was one memorable walk where he jumped in a stream, into a drain (like a culvert) twice, into the canal (I had to haul him out by the long line) and then still jumped into the pond twice on the way home. He jumped in it again this morning and it was freezing here.

We've got unexpected plasterers - I live in a rental and we usually get plenty of notice but sometimes it goes a bit wrong - and he's really struggling, God love him. He loves visitors, but he just can't nap today with the noise, and he's knackered. We'll go out for a super long, sniffy walk later but it's too early right now as we've not long come back from his morning walk.

Re boy dogs at the vets. All our boys were big babies, would cling to mummy and squeak pathetically if the vet stuck a needle in them. Mag wouldn't have his claws clipped and Merl was phobic about ear wipes 🙄

The girls would endure everything without protest. N&R both had a closed pyo, R had leg surgery, S had an emergency op for torsion. No drama. S also had a large tail abscess drained without any sedation and the vet didn't even muzzle her to squeeze out all the smelly gunk!

In summary, yes, boy dogs are gigantic big drama queens.
So not much different to human males really...

Awww, bless him @Bupster It's never easy for dogs having workmen in the home. Ours would be on edge the whole time (though perhaps that's a guarding trait, I'm not sure) and it does seem to be emotionally draining for them.

Bill does sound like a real water baby. Does he have webbed feet? I know some breeds do.

Update: I buckled and took him out to watch squirrels at the cemetery. Productivity today is not going to be high…

Bless him, he's doing so well - it's miserable in the house, he's trapped in the bedroom with me but he can't nap for the noise, but he's only barking when it's really loud or it's woken him from a doze. And in fairness, I feel like barking my head off too. I think I'm just writing off today.

Sounds like a stressful day for both of you @Bupster
Hopefully a quiet weekend ahead...?

How is P today @SpanielsGalore

@CoubousAndTourmaIet ha, before I got to the end of your post I was thinking of chiming in and saying that it’s the same with human males 😂
Even the vet said “aww you need to sit on mummy’s lap to get your nails done” the wuss 😂

@Bupster has he always been a water baby or did he need to be introduced to it? I half think that if P had an enjoyable swim that I wouldn’t be able to keep him out of water (maybe that’s just because it seems like a Lab thing but perhaps he just doesn’t much care for it) but I wouldn’t want to force it on him! Sorry you’re having a stressful day. I hope they sod off soon so he can get some rest!

Brie turns 18 months this weekend ❤

And this little one turns a year old.

I had a very similar conversation with my team today 😂all whinging about our ‘pathetic’ male pets and then someone said her husband was just as pathetic! Made me laugh. I, of course, cannot call DH pathetic as his colleague are my colleagues. So I had to nod along trying not to grin 😃

@Bupster hows Bill (and you) now? Did you get anything done in the end?

@VanGoSunflowers make any cake?

All the cake talk has got me thinking about Christmas. I am debating placing the M&S Christmas order as DH loves their chocolate pinecones (and he’ll be home!!!) but I keep looking at the price and just chickening out…

No turkey this year, that’s for sure.

Typed a long reply this morning and then lost it all. I shall try again.

@LandSharksAnonymous I must admit, it has been nice having all of the dogs snoozing in the living room with me in the evenings. But it's good that P is in less pain, so feels she can take herself off to bed.
Poor TD being scared at the vets. You'd think a show dog would be used to being handled, so would allow a vet to examine them. Just goes to show what a huge impact pain can have on them. I hope the meds bring him some relief and he's less sore and limpy soon.
The chocolate pinecone look delicious. And it is Christmas. And your DH will be home. You know you have to buy them.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet Awwww your poor cat not knowing how to play or jump.
My dog was a great family dog, but he couldn't cope with the outside world at all. Or the outside world coming into the home. He had to sit in his spot on the sofa and always walked anti clockwise round the edge of the garden. He also couldn't cope with visitors coming through the front door. But if we shut him away whilst we let them in and they were already seated, he accepted them being there. God help them if they needed to leave the room to nip to the loo though. 😂

@VanGoSunflowers It's not dim of you at all. I wouldn't have given it a second thought if I hadn't experienced it. Some people are cynical and don't believe animals can be autistic or have ADHD, but I've had discussions with vets who are very open to the idea. I think there has been research into horses having it too.
£40 is a lot of money to spend for one cake. You need to make at least five more to even out the cost.

@Bupster Sorry the unexpected plasterers have spoilt your day. I hope they weren't there for too long and you and Bill have managed to have a more peaceful afternoon.

Pleased to say the increased pain meds are doing their job and P is much more her usual self today. On the down side, it meant she wasn't impressed to be left behind when I walked K.

And I know how much we like talking about food and going down rabbit holes. 🙈 I'm struggling to find a dry food with less than 6% fat. The foods advertised as being for pancreatitis have higher fat content than her current food. If anyone knows of any low fat foods, P would be eternally grateful.

Awww, Happy Birthday to little K. She's beautiful @SpanielsGalore ❤

I've just looked at loads of low fat foods and most seem to be around 8%, as I'm sure you've noticed...I'll keep looking.

@SpanielsGalore I'll take a look and see what I can find! The only one that's really low, that I know of, is Royal Canin but even that's about 7%.

So glad to hear P is doing better, but I think you'll have to make it up to her that she didn't get walked when K did ❤It's bittersweet isn't it? They get better and so they don't cling as much and whilst I am very glad Clem is 100% back to herself, I do (in a terrible way) miss the clinging she did in the car. As you say, the fact they come to us for comfort is so lovely.

With Twatdog it does just go to show how pain can effect them. It is vaguely amusing as the vets know me very well given how long I've been around, so they know he's shown...and yet there he is, crying and trying to run away. Once he even did a submissive tiddle. As I said...loser.

I probably will buy the pinecones if only so he doesn't eat my Yule Log (I personally find them a bit sickly). The M&S Yule Log is incredible, and it is the hill I will die on with my family - anyone touches it, and they lose a limb. It's mine.

@SpanielsGalore have you had a look on All About Dog Food? There's not many but there are a few, one from Pets At Home.

The plasterers stayed ALL DAY. Bill managed to sleep through some of the skimming but woke up constantly. I took him out twice and he's so knackered now he refused an evening walk again. Bless him, he did really well considering. I did absolutely none of the work I planned to do, but I did get some work done and it was quite useful, so there's that.