Beyond Adolescence - V

[SpanielsGalore]

New topic for a new thread, inspired by a post about poo bags.

Does your dog's poo smell?

I was under the impression that dog poo only smells bad if the food doesn't suit the dog. Same goes for flatulence.

The only time my dogs' poo smells or they have windy bottoms is if they've eaten something rotten they've found on a walk.

I must be living in lala land for thinking its weird for someone to approach someone, demand a photo of their dog, be told no, demand again, be told no again and then do it anyway. 😱

@YorkshireFelix glad you're enjoying your break! It's it like a long yowl type thing? Like a wolf? Satan does that.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet so glad to hear you had a dry and quiet night!!! Makes so much difference, doesn't it? He is absolutely beautiful 😍

@SpanielsGalore eurghh. I remember you mentioning that when it first washed up!! Can't believe its still there. I hope K is keeping her kisses to herself!!!

I kept clicking on this thread to reply to things then kept getting distracted by other threads and then clicking on this thread and getting distracted by the dogs. Sigh.

Twatdog is still a twat. No walks here today as I am feeling really breathless and puffy (chest infection, probably). Dogs are going crazy as yesterdays walks were a bit crap, but not much I can do.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks Sorry you're not feeling well. Hope you feel better soon.
Will your DH not walk the dogs? Or is he one of those that can come with, but not manage alone?

I'm wishing I hadn't bothered walking mine.
We went to the woods. I took the overgrown, off piste route and saw a sign for a viewing point. Stupidly I followed it, tripped over a stick and hurt my knee and jarred my wrist and neck. Got to the viewing point and could see fuck all as everywhere is overgrown. And that was the highlight of the walk!
Later on, P came running up with what I thought was a large bird, like a rook. On closer inspection, the talons were antlers. It was a deer's head! And I don't mean a skeleton either. I gloved up and wrestled it off P and threw it down the slope into the bushes.
That was mistake number 2. K went and retrieved it. She was a lot more difficult to wrestle it off. Her jaws have the power of a staffies. I lifted it high and she dangled from it. Swung it around. Twisted it. Tried to get my fingers in her mouth to prise her jaws open. I won in the end, but not before I'd called her every name under the sun.
She's been extremely quiet since we got home, so now I'm worrying I've broken her jaw. 🙄

I'm also wondering how a deer dies in the woods in such a manner that its head is cut off. Do you think it's poachers and I should report it to someone? Surely another animal wouldn't have done it.

I learned quickly that lobbing dead treasure is not a wise move. I go for sticking things up high in trees these days. That's if I manage to retrieve them before they're munched.

@SpanielsGalore Yuk, again! Glad we went for a safe street walk today if our canines are finding all sort of gross dead animals today.

A quick google suggests to ring 101 and ask for a ‘wildlife crime officer’ if you suspect something amiss.

Hope that you and Hungry are both feeling better now.

@YorkshireFelix well done on the Wainwright. I love the Lakes!
@SpanielsGalore rotten shark. Yum. Is eating rotting stuff worse than rolling in it? That’s what our childhood dog used to do. But a deer head. That’s next level of weird. I agree with @Silverbirchleaf, maybe you should report it, just in case.
I also went off piste today and had another crazy walk. Ended up wading through waist high brambles and scrambling over fallen trees, only to be faced by this. No I did not cross the bridge of doom…
@TheHungryHungryLandsharks poor you, hope you feel better soon!

Hope you feel better soon @TheHungryHungryLandsharks Try to rest and have plenty of hot drinks.

I think photographing random dogs is very weird and quite worrying...so clearly I am hilariously panicky and irrational 😁

Hope you're okay after tripping @SpanielsGalore

I'm inclined to agree with @Silverbirchleaf and @Struckbylightning that you should report the deer head, it does sound a bit odd.

That looks a lovely bit of woodland @Struckbylightning My inner child would have forced me onto the bridge.

We've just done our first joint walk. It was a bit bonkers. B kept twizzling around and bouncing at O as if inviting him to play. If he was behind he kept trying to grab her tail and when he was in front he went galloping off at 90 miles an hour.

Good Morning.

I'm pleased to report that we've had a fourth successive quiet, dry and clean night, so fingers crossed that the tummy troubles and night barking is behind us.

Just sorted out his insurance - Pet Plan just the basic 7k same as Brie. It's only £52 pcm for the first year, because we had a breeder cover note with discount code, so that's not bad.

Hoping @TheHungryHungryLandsharks will feel less chesty/wheezy today and that @SpanielsGalore is okay after tripping up in the woods. Also hoping the spaniel girls have recovered from eating rotten shark 😬

Hope everyone enjoys their Friday walks.

@SpanielsGalore DH left home at 5:30 to catch the 6am train for work yesterday and didn't get back home until gone 23:00. Out again at 5:30 this morning. Bit chaotic for him at work at the moment given staffing changes & lots of people off sick. I'd love to stick the boot in and say he's useless...but I think even by my standards, dog walking at midnight would be at bit unreasonable 😂

DMum popped over this morning and took DDs and the dogs for the day though, so I have the house to myself for a bit. I'll probably be up for a pootle walk tomorrow though. Just very chesty and tired as I'm not sleeping as the cough is nasty.

I don't think any harm in reporting it. It is strange. I am so glad mine don't really bring me dead animals that often...and certainly nothing that big! How is K today? Back to normal? Sounds like a bit of an awful walk though

@Struckbylightning that looks like something that off-road cyclists would use!?

@CoubousAndTourmaIet glad to hear about your 4th dry/barkless night in a row! Sounds like he's settling!! And sounds like the two of them might be starting to bond? Twatdog used to try and play with Pen's tail if she was in front of him...must be something about dog tails that excites puppies!

@tizwozliz I have opted for the high branch disposal before. This time I was on a narrow path, surrounded by bushes. I thought lobbing it down the bank was a safe option, but didn't take K's determination into account. She never retrieved that well during gundog classes.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet Glad Odo seems to have settled at nighttime now. Does this mean you'll be able to sleep in your own bed soon?

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks That's a blooming long day. Your poor DH. I hope things settle down for him at work soon. Those sort of hours are not sustainable.
I hope you are feeling a bit better too and your dogs enjoyed their day with Satan.

I reported the deer head to the Forestry Commission, who is responsible for the wood. They took the time to send me a very detailed and informative email in return.

They say the head was probably the 'by-product of lawful deer management operations.'
Apparently they cull some of the herd, cut them up and leave the parts in situ. It's better for the environment, is a food source for other creatures and puts nutrients back into the soil. And saves money on waste disposal.
They said the by-products are not usually left near walking routes, so that will teach me to go off piste.

So although it was gross, I'm glad it was nothing nefarious. I'd work on a stronger 'leave it' or 'drop', but I'm not sure it would have helped. I'll stick to the more boring routes in future.

Might end up camping on the sofa for another week or two @SpanielsGalore because Odo has the L4 vaccine on Monday and it might affect his tummy. Then I have to get Brie through Bonfire Night and the weekend beyond. I've had to dose her up on Dorwest Skullcap & Valerian this evening and stick some Bach on as background music, because there's been loads of fireworks nearby. We're probably likely to have a whole week of the bloody things 😠
I don't mind sofa sleeping - I do it often, because when I have migraine or my asthma is playing up or the scoliosis is bad, I can't lie flat. I'm comfortable enough in there with Brie, I have a single size duvet, a back pillow and a hot water bottle plus plenty of reading matter and it means I don't have to listen to DP snoring

How interesting about the deer management. Ah well, at least you now know you don't have to worry about it being poachers and I suppose it makes sense in a way.

Poor Mr Hungry Landsharks, that is indeed a ridiculously long working day. I hope you can both have a restful weekend @TheHungryHungryLandsharks and that you can shake off the chest infection.

Yes, our two are definitely starting to get along better and we had another little walk with one each before I headed back with Odo so DP and Brie could do a full meadow walk. That's how it'll be for a good few weeks. But at home they're getting along fine and interacting nicely. They are absolutely chalk and cheese though, could not be more different in character, which I suppose is quite a nice thing.

Everyday a school day regarding deer management. Never of heard that before. @TheHungryHungryLandsharks can you image the uproar if there were decapitated deer left around Knole park?!

Happy Halloween from a little howling wolf 😁

🤢🤢 @Silverbirchleaf! The people of Sevenoaks would be in uproar! Somehow I don’t see them doing a @SpanielsGalore and grabbing it off their dog! Just lots of screaming 😂 tbf I would be screaming to.

@SpanielsGalore @CoubousAndTourmaIet don’t feel too sorry for him! He chose this job and the possibility of long hours (better for his career) - he could have taken a nice does job and spent the next three years becoming a member of MWA (Mouse-Wigglers-Anonymous). Plus it doesn’t happen that often, it is particularly bad at the moment.

He took Twatdog and DWS out with DDs, my mum and Satan (lucky him!!!) this morning. I had a more sedate walk with the other three which has culminated in a Pain Au Suisse and a latte in the sun. I’m looking forward to hearing all about how ‘she was nasty to me’ (Satan) and he ‘doesn’t understand why she hates me.’ Satan hates him with the passion of a thousand suns as he kicked her once by mistake - tripped over her when she darted between his legs - and she’s never forgiven him. This was about seven years ago. 😂

@CoubousAndTourmaIet he really is stunning!!

@Silverbirchleaf Indeed. They took the time to send a lengthy reply, listing all of the ecological benefits. It was very educational.

From what I gather, they only leave the heads and legs behind. I assume the bodies are taken away for venison. Not a job I'd fancy, but I'm not a vegetarian, so can't be hypocritical about it.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks It wasn't my favourite moment of dog ownership. But I wasn't letting them bring it home in the car. And I'd have been there for hours if I'd waited for them to eat it. This is one of the reasons I always keep vinyl gloves and hand gel in my dog walking bag. The other reason being needing to help out at the other end, if you get my drift.

Hope your DH has a lovely walk (poor man 😂) an that you are feeling better today.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet Little howling wolf is adorable. ❤️

Little Howling Wolf is gorgeous. I want a cuddle!

Thanks @TheHungryHungryLandsharks @SpanielsGalore @Silverbirchleaf

He's a very cuddly, affectionate pup, albeit a particularly vocal one 😬

I was right. Satan was mean to him - wouldn't let him pat her. Sigh. In a way its quite sweet that he's still so upset by her dislike so many years later. Admittedly it is also very impressive that she is holding a grudge this many years later. Dogs really are quite remarkable.

@SpanielsGalore yes I get your drift! Horrible dogs. I should probably take more things with me but I only ever take the absolute basics.

Twatdog is being very clingy today. Won't leave me alone. If I move, he moves. If I sit, he sits. It's a bit like having a giant leech attached to me. Only this leech sheds fur and drools and is far better than the normal kind.

Is it just me or is The Doghouse getting worse lately? I've just been accused of not wanting people to have a dog that differs from my own...WTF? I've never once in 50 years recommended anyone getting a LGD, in fact I've gone out of my way to put people off the idea.

The crazies are out in force at the moment 🙄

@SpanielsGalore that’s really interesting (and kinda gross) about the deer culling. Imagine having that job… the chopping up I mean! And I’m impressed that they took the time to explain to you.
@CoubousAndTourmaIet that is such a cute picture, he looks like a real character!
@TheHungryHungryLandsharks Satan sounds more like a cat than a dog. Imagine holding a grudge for that long. Your poor DH.
TwatDog sounds like Merry. She is my permanent leech, but a leech that wants to play a lot!
Did anyone get lots of Trick or Treaters? We only had 2 lots and both groups were teens. Merry got fussed a lot, so she was happy.

It would wind up Dog too much having people coming to the door all the time, so we turn the hall lights off and are bah humbug on Halloween.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet its because you dared to question the logic of importing a dog and sticking it in a house with young children when you’d never met the dog. Seems like most people share our common sense approach, but the import brigade will never listen. It’s just another form of gaslighting where they put across arguments that ultimately have no basing in reality or fact but there’s so many of them that it’s like screaming into the void. Tbh most have admitted they only got an import because they failed to get one from the UK due to having children or a cat but when you get pint out that’s stupid and dangerous, they act like they never said they did it and when you point out they could have gotten a puppy (safer) they start screaming again. It’s also like toddlers, in a way; refusing to listen to arguments and screaming like a toddler until you either disengage or capitulate. Gaslighting toddlers. Is that a thing?

@Silverbirchleaf we do the same! Lights off, curtains including blackout blinds drawn, and gate locked. I’m a miserable old bat though as it’s nothing to do with the dogs being wound up. If your child wants candy, go out and buy it yourself. 😂 very tight fisted of me, I know!

@Struckbylightning honestly, she sort of is. I’m also convinced she understands English. I called her ‘pointless’ once and the look she gave me!!

Thankfully, Twatdog has learnt with age that I’m not any fun. He gets a few minutes game and then he needs to find someone else (if only because if I play to long he gets lairy and uses his paws to beat me up - he’s got me in the face more than once)!

Anyone else really find their morning walk muggy? Started off cold and then the breeze went and it got really close 🤢made for a rather short walk as I’m still not 100%.

We didn't get any trick or treat kids, but we generally keep a low profile like @Silverbirchleaf It was a surprisingly quiet evening up here, so I can only assume most of the activity was in the centre of the village.

Thanks @Struckbylightning , Odo is indeed quite a character already.

I've just done two walks, one with each, because DP managed to cut the palm of his dominant hand open yesterday, so he's off dog walking duty for a few days until it heals a bit. Uneventful early walk with Brie, only saw one dog, but on Odo's walk we encountered seven different dogs, though I only allowed one greeting, with a dog that lives on our street.

Hope you all have a good Sunday. I forgot to say A Pinch and a Punch and White Rabbits...

Horrible air quality here too @TheHungryHungryLandsharks , it's been misty for a few days. It affects my asthma so I'm not surprised it's bothering your chest also. It's that weird season of not knowing what to wear; a sweater doesn't feel enough but in a coat I end up sweltering and uncomfortable.

Satan sounds "interesting" and slightly challenging. Good point from @Struckbylightning about Satan sounding more like a cat with her little grudges and uppity attitude. I confess that Freija loathed me and treated me with contempt for years after I accidentally whacked her with my hand once.

I don't know how to cope with being "the enemy" on some of these threads. The rescue ones are particularly frustrating and I really should stay off them, but the dogs concerned so often have LGD blood these days that I feel I need to say something. Not that they ever listen to what is said. But to ask for advice how to get a dog then respond with a toddler tantrum is indeed weird.

Speaking of toddler tantrums... Odilon is in a different league from our other PMD when it comes to tantrums. Never had a puppy like this before and it isn't easy to figure out how to deal with it. Feeling like a novice owner at present - this little chap has me beaten.

He is so gorgeous. He doesn’t look real!! I can’t even imagine how lovely he is in real life 😍

Sorry I posted and dipped again!! @SpanielsGalore the basking shark plus deer head combo is just absolutely rank. I am very thankful that V has never managed to find any dead things, although I am sure it’s coming at some point…

We sat in darkness with loud music on last night. He was stressed by groups of kids walking past and then we had loads of fireworks. I am thinking about ordering some of the Dorwest stuff but not sure I’ve left it too late now as I think you’re meant to give it for a couple of weeks for it to work, or am I wrong on that? I guess it’s worth a try anyway as we generally end up having fireworks pretty much constantly here through the winter.