Beyond Adolescence - part 4

[SpanielsGalore]

Didn't realise we were that close to the end of part 3. 😂

We've gone for an air conditioned drive and a trip to the river to escape the heat

The comment we get most about little pup is what a convenient size she is, when she really would be considered too small for a lab.

I’m impressed that duck hasn’t been chewed to bits. Dog destroys any toy like that.

Perfect, that is exactly what she looks like! 😂

@SpanielsGalore hope you have some luck finding a behaviourist. I wonder if such persons are available online? I know it would be more use if they could meet face to face, but it does sound like you need a real specialist, might be quite hard to come by?

It’s funny how we seem to get stuck on our own favourite breed isn’t it. I could never imagine having anything other than a collie, though I will admit, Merry has tested that almost to my limit! I definitely don’t walk her 17000 miles though.

Today’s naughtiness was this evening when she chased a complete stranger along the river bank for absolutely no reason other than to say hello to him. Rather embarrassing as she was totally ignoring my calls and whistles. It was also odd because she doesn’t normally bother with humans unless they approach her.
Does anyone else’s dog perch on the sofa like a human?

22 at 08:00! I've already decided DDogs can have tomorrow off walks. It's been so hot the last few nights I have't slept so I need a good night sleep, even though i'll probably still be up at 6.

Clem has torn her dew claw. God only knows how she managed it, but it's hanging on by a thread. She isn't limping or licking it so I only knew something was wrong because she came for a cuddle last night. The only time she ever cuddles me is when she's hurt or in pain. Really does go to show just how good dogs can be at masking because I bet it's absolute agony for her.

My aim for 2027 is to go one month without a vets visit. Feels a bit ambitious though.

@Silverbirchleaf I think I remember @tizwozliz saying she made them herself!!

@Struckbylightning Oh bless her! Maybe the stranger smelt particularly good?

Mine sit like that on me on the sofa, but only directly on the sofa like that! Completely unrelated but where is your sofa from? Beautiful colour and it looks so comfortable.

Merry is absolutely beautiful.

it was so flippin’ hot last night. Dog decided to sleep upstairs last night , and we spent the night repeatedly shoving him off our bed onto the sofa in the office (it’s a sofabed). To hot to have him on our bed last night. (Anyone else keeping telling their pooch it’s ’Hot, hot, hot’ as in Big Cook, Little Cook’?)

For some reason, he didn’t want to go in the second wood today, one of the woods with tasty smells. Butt on floor, wouldn’t move. So I changed today’s walking route. He did a poo soon afterwards, so perhaps the second wood is not considered a safe secure place to do your business.

It's pissing it down here.

P and K were very naughty on last night's walk. All very good until we were almost back to the car. Then they got the scent of something and were off. Fortunately we were in the field alongside the beach, so I could see them racing around. But there was no way they were coming back until they were knackered. Little gits!

I have asked for a referral to a vet behaviourist for P. Unfortunately the nearest one seems to be in Edinburgh, which is just over 4 hours away. I'll have to ask about sedating her for the journey.
@Struckbylightning I did get a recommendation for a behaviourist who would come to the house. But they always want pain to be ruled out first and I have no idea anymore if P is reactive because she is still in pain or just neurotic.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks Poor Clem. That must be sore. Will it need removing?

@SpanielsGalore It was removed. And now she is back to ignoring me. She waddled off upstairs when we got home to sleep on MY bed on MY pillow. And when I tried to stroke her she batted me away with her paw in a 'go away, peasant' type manner and curled her head further under the duvet. Not that I am bitter.

The vet didn't charge though, so at least that is something!

@Silverbirchleaf DH had all the dogs on the bed again last night. I decamped to the sofa. Much cooler downstairs with the patio doors open...

I think it hit 35 yesterday and 29 today which felt a lot hotter, it’s ridiculous and feeling a bit apocalyptic. I suspect that might be why Merry started sleeping alone downstairs, it’s definitely several degrees warmer upstairs than down. That plus I think she’s nervous of the fan. So maybe it’s not because she hates me…
@TheHungryHungryLandsharks she also sometimes reverse parks onto my knee in that funny little perch. The sofa is from Loaf. When we first moved into this house we splurged on comfy squishy sofas, we have another one which is blue. The only issue is that they are too close to the floor and as we get older it is getting harder to make a dignified dismount. My poor Mum has to slide off it onto all fours then stand. So I think we need to buy higher legs for them!

@Silverbirchleaf Big Cook Little Cook that’s a blast from the past! My ‘children’ are in their 20’s now so it’s a faint memory.

@SpanielsGaloresorry but I’m kind of glad that I’m not the only one with a naughty dog who has ears with an off switch. Can’t your vet tell the behaviouralist that they have ruled out pain as much as they can do? Maybe they would be interested to take on such an unusual case? Just a thought, I don’t really know what I’m talking about.

There was a horrible local story yesterday about an 80 year woman who was bitten by a dog in a local park which has a dogs on leads rule. The very first comment on the Facebook story was ‘why was there a dog being walked in this heat’. WTF is wrong with some people.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks at least Clem knows that you are the person she can go to when she is hurt. Like Merry, she just has different ways to show her love. Also, I note that it was your bed and your pillows she chose to snuggle up to. And I think you need to explain how your vet did a procedure for free. What have you got on him???

I feel your pain, in a much smaller way. thought I was being really clever by teaching Bill that if he looked at the binmen through the window, then looked at me, instead of roaring his head off, then he'd get treatos. Now he never barks at them through the window. He barks when he hears the lorry approaching three streets away 🙄

A few Bill pics just for the fun of it. He found a carrot in the long grass this morning and was SO delighted. Then I found him duck TV to watch later.

@Struckbylightning ohh I do love a Loaf sofa! But the closest store to me is Guildford and it's a sodding awful drive and I refuse to buy a sofa without seeing it in real life first. Perhaps I should be more flexible...

Tbh it probably is the heat! Mine either all come downstairs or all stay upstairs. But if one comes down to sleep with me when it's hot then they all do (not quite sure who the instigator is). Merry clear does love you (even with the naughtyness and running off to chase joggers 😁).

To be fair to Clem, she's a very good girl. And nothing on the vet! It's probably because it's independent. But tbf it was only a 10 minute job, just a quick yank, small bandage and off it came. She keeps licking it though. Every time I say 'bucket' she stops (because she knows it's code for buster collar and she hates them. Twatdog sticks his face into the cone as well, which doesn't help).

@Bupster I see Bill is looking beautiful as ever!! How are you and he coping in the heat?

@SpanielsGalore Did they give you a time-slot for when they might be able to see P? Hopefully something soon?

@Bupster Thank you for the lovely picture of Bill, although it does beg the question, who drops a carrot in long grass? He is so concentrating on that duck.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks Hope your dh and dc enjoy the Tiger Inn and the Eastbourne air show (or is that tomorrow?). We seem to be on an occasional flight path, and get some interesting planes fly over us, including the red arrows. Always have a spitfire flying over. Are you having a nice quiet day with coffee and cake?

Hope everyone guts good night sleeps last night, without sharing the bed with their pooches (or being forced out of bed).

Dh and I saw Jesus Chris Superstar last night. Excellent. However, felt like naughty teenagers on way home, as recently changed doors, and Dh only had the old key on him. Had to ring (young adult who lives with us ) son at nearly midnight to let us in!

Hope all the poorly pooches are better today also.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks Glad the dew claw was removed easily and what a bonus that it was free!

It's always a good sign when our anti social ones are back to their usual anti social selves. P is still a cling on. Last time I enquired about the vet behaviourist, he had a 6 month waiting list.

@Bupster Bill is looking as handsome as ever. It's amazing how far away they can hear the dustbin lorry from. I live at the top of a hill in a village, so P can hear it going round all the roads below us too.

@Struckbylightning My pair have perfect recall until they pick up a scent.

I honestly don't know which is the best course of action. I could see a pain specialist and a behaviourist, but I'm not sure if either of those can prescribe anxiety meds. The vet behaviourist can medicate for anxiety and hopefully diagnose pain too.
My plan today is to video P walking and take photos of her standing and send them to the orthopaedic specialist for assessment. She has a lump on her leg, which I am worried is the metalwork poking out, but is probably entirely normal.

@Silverbirchleaf Were you tipsy and giggling too? 😂

@Silverbirchleaf they're off today! Left bright and early and I celebrated by having an Apple Crumble muffin on the patio with the dogs. I've only moved since 07:30 (when I got up which is a huge lay in for me) to get more coffee and a toasted teacake.

It's so much nicer today as there's a bit of a breeze. The heat always feels more manageable if there's a gentle breeze.

I missed the 'superstar' bit at first and I was thinking 'bloody hell, SilverBirchLeaf had an exciting night.' Did your son let you in without too many complaints? 😂Was it good?

@SpanielsGalore 6 months is a very long time, although I guess that says a lot about how good he is? And possibly also how few vets there are that do his work. Will you go for it?

I do feel like once you have a few 'incidents' with one dog in particular you worry forever more about even the smallest things. It's hard not to panic when you know if any of your dogs are likely to have an issue, it'll be that one!

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks Enjoy your breezy, peaceful day.

I hope he's good, but I fear it is more due to location and lack of vet behaviourists. If he's the closest to me, he has pretty much two thirds of Scotland covered. If not all of it.

P's leg seems to be bothering her. She is a bit stiff on it and isn't standing with her paws in line. But when I saw the local vet, she said P was doing well for only 5 months post op. The specialist gave the all clear after 15 weeks and you think that means she's back to normal. But apparently not. 🤷‍♀️
Photo of leg that is probably fine and it's just me being paranoid again.

Not tipsy but did giggle a little and the show was excellent, although it did take me a couple of songs to get into it. Sam Ryder has an amazing voice. Don’t think I fully appreciated it before. The other outstanding performance was from the actor who played Judas, and should have got equal top billing in my opinion ( although obviously isn’t a well known name). Michael Ball was in the audience as well.

@Silverbirchleaf DH and DDs had a lovely time at the airshow. DH is a bit bitter about the parking - close to £40 once you factor in the park and ride + parking costs etc. The day might be 'free' but the parking certainly isn't. H

They loved the pub. DD1 keeps going on about the 'bang bang fries'. They booked a table and it sounds like it was a good thing they did as it was chaos around there with people trying to find lunch.

And I had a lovely time in the back garden. So a good weekend all around!

@SpanielsGalore I can see a little lump on the leg, but that looks more like a joint/socket than anything else? Although my eyesight is terrible

I know it's not the point of the photo, but I love her grinchy toes!😂

Lovely cool walk this morning, in part because the sun wasn't out yet and in part because of the breeze. DDogs and I did 5 miles although Hen and DWS returned with DDs about halfway through given their joints. After that we met another walker with a Golden Retriever puppy that she said was 5 months old..the look on the woman's face when I said I had five. Never has a look conveyed so much horror 😳

I'm just about getting to that stage again where I almost feel broody for another puppy. It's like the bad memories have gone and all I can remember is how good DWS was. That being said, it's still another two if not three years away so I've got a bit of a wait...

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks Glad your dh and dc loved the pub. I had the Ploughman’s which was delicious. I shall try the fries next time. I’d be cross if I’d spent that much on parking as well.

I couldn't manage five dogs, one is hard enough and especially lumps like golden retrievers. What if they all pull in different directions on walks? Although I guess they entertain each other at home.

@SpanielsGalore Hope P is better today and walking better.

Rumour had it that it rained last night.

We had rain! I'm not sure how much, we heard it overnight but the ground looked dry this morning.

Enjoyed mid morning walks yesterday, very pleasant.

I think I am with the lady on your walk. 5 is just So Much Dog! I agree with @Silverbirchleaf; one is plenty for me!

We had rain on our walk this morning, but it was a very sorry show. You could more properly say that the air was a little wet for a few minutes. The sun is now blazing down, we finally have a hosepipe ban, but there is a slightly cooler breeze.

@Struckbylightning @Silverbirchleaf the wrangling so many is quite easy really. On lead they all walk to heel because they are so food motivated. And off lead they all stick fairly close by because they're terrified of being left. Would be very different if they had the brains to get into mischief, like Merry does (for example), but mine have nothing between their ears 😃

We had a tiny spot of rain overnight, but if the patio hadn't been a bit damp still I wouldn't have noticed.

I am very sick of the sun now - didn't even sit outside today to enjoy the weather 😂

@tizwozliz can't believe people are disagreeing about labs being perfect dogs on that other thread!!! Justice for you and @VanGoSunflowers

I do get the impression that lots of people don't really understand the size that working labs generally are. Round here, we almost exclusively meet working types so I forget that some people's experience of labs is meeting dogs that are 35kg+

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks £40 for parking?? You should have come up to Blackpool air show, you can park outside a crack den for free 🤣.

@Idstillratherbepaddleboarding £20 parking, £10 for an adult on the park and rider to get closer to the show and then £5x2 for each DD. Parking closer was even more expensive although probably not much more once they factored in the park and ride!!!

I think the way DH carried on yesterday he might well have preferred the crack den 😂How are you and Rory coping in the heat?

@tizwozliz it's probably that! But tbh even show line labs shouldn't be that heavy - if they are it's surely just down to weight. I don't think I know any show line labs that aren't obese tbh. All the working ones are lovely and slim though. It's a shame, but I feel like 'chunky' in labs has been normalised more so than other breeds...

I do like how my praise of labs summoned @Idstillratherbepaddleboarding . It's like you all have some sort of radar for labrador praise 😃

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks haha I have been engrossed in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series and now I have run out 😭😭.

I’m loving the sunshine , except it’s pouring down here now! It doesn’t get as hot up here though and we always have a nice sea breeze. Rory is quite happy, although a little annoyed it’s too hot for too much ball catching! He loves a shady spot in the garden and he loves to wear his cooling collar when he gets a bit hot. He even goes to the freezer to ask for it!

He’s also jealous that his tortoise sisters have been making more of an appearance due to the hot weather, he thinks all the attention should be on him!