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.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet I had a choice of two puppies and got out voted because the other one was more brazen, and wanted to chew my son’s laces. Only recently I told Dog that actually, he’s not actually called ‘Dog’ as I’d mentally assigned that name to the other pup. Four years on, and I still wonder how he’s doing and what our lives would have been like if we’d gone home with him.

I'll probably always wonder too @Silverbirchleaf

@Silverbirchleaf I think my dogs would love me to rescue a cockatoo. Can you imagine the carnage?

I initially phoned P's breeder about a little liver boy. He persuaded me the quieter, black bitch would be a better fit for P. I haven't regretted it for a second. Especially since we decided in a previous BA thread that boys are harder work.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks That sprocker thread is annoying. And not just because I got called rude and snarky. And you're a dictator. I stand by my comment of her not caring if the parents are health tested and people buy what's convenient. Especially since she subsequently posted she'd always wanted a basset, but will go for a sprocker as her friend breeds them. She later added she works 3 days a week, so pup would be home alone with a dog walker going in at lunch time.
Most recent comment is don't get a solid coloured cocker, as they are the worst. Get a parti coloured one. I honestly despair.

Exciting news about your DMum getting a puppy. Although it would be more exciting if it had been a cocker.

N is still spending hours outside. But the weather's getting colder, so I've been making her come inside.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet Glad to hear Brie is becoming more accepting of her baby brother. I hope he's sleeping better at night time too. Nothing worse than interrupted sleep.

P is a bit lame, so I have been doing shorter on lead walks with her. Had a lovely walk with K in the woods, which was slightly spoiled by coming home to 💩 on the new dining room carpet. No idea which dog was responsible, but they did a good job of spreading it around.

@Silverbirchleaf would never leave this thread! Plus as it's technically not my puppy...not sure I'd be welcome on the puppy thread 😂

Do you ever wish you could go back and pick the other one? From all you've said DDog is pretty perfect, so I guess it's more that case of 'what it.' Sorry, I know that's an odd question - just wondering how many people who i've matched wonder 'what if.'

@CoubousAndTourmaIet I'm horrible about Satan, but I do love her in her own way. She's grown on me. Like one of her many warts.

It's funny, isn't it, how we can see so early what they'll be like? Was there a reason why your DP really wanted him or was it just a natural gravitate toward him that sometimes happens?

It does sound like him and Brie are pretty perfectly matched through. It's nice to have two complementary dogs rather than two that wind each other up (as I have with Twatdog and DWS!). I imagine he's also acting up as he wants to impress her, maybe? DWS and Twatdog were like that with Satan - constantly doing naughty things and being noisy to get her attention whenever she was over...

@SpanielsGalore Bless N. Has it been raining or just cold?

I'd make a brilliant dictator tbh. My main objection was that the poster clearly remembered me from another thread, so set out to start an argument...even though she agreed with me 😂

I mean...solid cockers are the worst looks at Satan. But again, I wonder how much of this 'X colour is like Y' is actually down to nurture as well as nature.

People put so much stock in genetics, which is fair enough, but after that it's down to the breeder and once a puppy is 8 weeks old...it's down to the owner to build them into the dog they become. I read this interesting study on twin humans (when I was replying to the sprocker thread) and it said that if one fraternal twin had schizophrenia there was only a 50% chance the other twin would as well. And ditto if one fraternal twin had heart issues (i.e. like a murmur) there was only a 30% chance the other would. Which is crazy when you think about the shared genetic material. Twatdog and littermate sister were raised together, in the same way, for 8 weeks. But even at 8 weeks old they were notably different dogs...

She did honestly consider a cocker for a while - think I said ages ago. But Satan is just so special to her. Also, knowing my dad, he'd end up tripping over and accidentally booting a cocker spaniel puppy out the window. He's a bit clumsy. He's forever tripping over Satan but that's probably because she's trying to off him to get my mum all to herself.

Sorry to hear about your poo woes! How is K doing on her recall? Still going strong?

Really warm here today. We had a few days of it being nice and breezy and now it's back up to 13/14 again. Hen and I are going to the vets later as she keeps wincing when she puts one leg down, so I want to get her checked out. She's doing a lot more sleeping these days as well, but she's an old woman now so I'm really not surprised although it still worries me.

My gif didn't upload. But no one will say anything as I am a dictator. (I prefer the phrase 'Supreme Leader' - sounds more punchy - for future reference).

What? Boys are harder work? Oh no. Girls are much harder! I could say "in my breed" but I don't know if it's true. I know a few people who do favour boys, but equally a couple that only have bitches... So maybe it's a case of preference. Certainly boys are more needy, but I don't mind that and I definitely find it easier to bond with male dogs and cats (and humans...😳).

As to not being welcome on the puppy thread, I'm not sure I ever was. Or maybe it was more a case of it not being a good fit for me, because LGD puppies aren't exactly the norm as far as crating, lead training, recall, toys, licki mats and all that jazz. So I'm kind of the outlier with the outlier dogs. It was ever thus.

Sorry about P's lameness @SpanielsGalore , hope she improves for rest.

Hope Hen is okay @TheHungryHungryLandsharks and there will be nothing significant to worry about x

I've read the spaniel thread. I'd take the dictator label as a compliment tbh, if the alternative is doing no breed research whatsoever and getting a puppy because it's local/I know the breeder/my friend has one and he's lovely, then yup, dictator is fine O Supreme Leader 😁Which, let's face it, you are in these parts. I rarely disagree with you ...altho a GSD is actually a herding dog, not a guarding breed...😉

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks K says take that back! Solid colours are the best.

I've had two solid blacks and they couldn't be more different. I would say breeding had much more to do with that than anything else. I had to put a lot more blood, sweat, tears and time into the first one and had to manage his environment all his life. K is a breeze in comparison. She's pretty bomb proof.
But I do agree the home also contributes to the dog. My friend and I both rehomed dogs with a bite history. Neither showed any aggression once out of their stressful environments.
Having had a fear reactive dog, who I worked incredibly hard with, I got a little sick of hearing the phrase "There's no such thing as a bad dog. Only bad owners."

K's recall and stop whistle are pretty good now. Although stop whistle only works to about 20 meters away. And neither work if she's chasing a hare or rabbit.
She flushed a hare on last night's walk and it ran straight into my leg. I have a lovely bruise today.

Weather here is down to single figures and damp. So not good for an arthritic 11 year old to be lying out in. I think poogate was N, as she had me up in the night needing to go. I've given her some prokalin paste stuff this morning to hopefully get on top of it before it gets too bad this time.

Hope Hen gets on OK at the vets. Do you think she's done something to her leg or it's a touch of arthritis setting in? She's 13, isn't she?
I'd say it's always a worry when they get older, but I worry all the time regardless of age.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet Thank you. P's currently in bin day meltdown, so looks like I'll have to take her out with K this morning after all. Can't leave her home alone whilst the glass collectors come round.

Busy day today. I'm doing a homecheck this afternoon for a couple who want to adopt a dog. I dreamt last night I failed them as you had to cross a rickety rope bridge to get to their garden. 😂
Then I have a decorator coming round later to quote me for doing the two walls I can't reach. Hopefully it's not too expensive.

DS is off to Kenya for 5 weeks. He was supposed to leave yesterday, but their flight from Edinburgh was delayed, so they missed their connection. He spent the day in a hotel at Heathrow. Fortunately he didn't have to foot the bill.

Hope the home check goes well and there's no rickety rope bridge @SpanielsGalore

Aww this is soo true! I have a what if doggy but slightly different situation.

I visited the rescue kennels and there was this lovely oversized Terrier called Sunny, very friendly and outgoing. My then partner didn't want a boy ...
I settled for a smaller black & tan girl. She hid under my chair when we first met her and was definitely the total opposite. (... second choice and all that.) But she turned out to be the best dog ever! Even after 20 odd years and several dogs later I still see his face and wonder what if .... I hope Sunny had an amazing life, just like my little girly.

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks
@Ylvamoon

I think it’s a ‘what if’ situation, especially when I get frustrated about Dog not going in the car. I did see one of his other siblings grow up indirectly though, as he was chosen as an assistance dog and his progress was recorded on the charity’s website.

@Ylvamoon Sorry to he forgetful but what dog have you got. I’ve a black lab. Are you new to this thread and if so, welcome, and if not, I’m obviously having a senior moment.

@SpanielsGalore The nature v nurture is interesting. A friend moved house and thought her dog had become depressed with the move. Then she realised the opposite was true, and he had become chilled, as nearby dogs no longer wound him up.

@SpanielsGalore Hope the home check went well and the decorator cost wasn’t extortionate. When’s the house warming party?

Think I'm getting over the "what if" thing though, because this little boy has my heart. And my big quiet girl seems to have decided he's not so bad now.

Love that thing about following sibling progress @Silverbirchleaf , must be a good feeling to know your dog has a brother doing such valuable work. Both of ours have a sibling that is/will be a working protection dog on a farm.

@Silverbirchleaf The homecheck went well in that they were a lovely couple, with lots of experience of owning dogs. Unfortunately, their garden fence was a little low though. It will be up to the rehoming team to make the final decision. They are after an older dog, so hopefully they'll be approved.

Decorater was extortionate IMO. I can buy stair ladders and do it myself for a third of the price.

Hopefully everywhere will be finished by Christmas, so the house warming can double up with Hogmanay celebrations. 🥳

Long time lurker, never posted on this thread, but on other doghouse threads. Just felt brave today.

I have 2 doggies. An incredibly handsome Tibetan Terrier & a little rescue cockerpoo, who quite frankly is a menace....picture is for proof 😀.

@Ylvamoon you've mentioned your rescue cockerpoo (and your terrier) before! So lovely to put faces to the chaos!! They're absolutely stunning 😊I do have to say, your cockerpoo has the 'look' I was expecting from all the comments you've made...the 'come and try me' look!

@CoubousAndTourmaIet thank you! Hen is okay. Just getting old, which obviously I know. But it's sad to see.

Is it!? I always had in mind GSD guarding...but then I suppose that's because that's what people seem to buy them for. Never seen anyone try and herd with one...

@SpanielsGalore she's 14 now, pulling her doggy pension and wondering why there's all this talk about 'puppies'. She says she's dealt with 38 puppies in her life, she's not dealing with anymore.

At least there was no rickety rope bridge, but sucks about the fence. Fingers crossed they're approved! I know older dogs can be athletic, but most really aren't going to jump a fence - not when food and a human bed is in the offing.

Sorry to hear about the delay to your DS' flight. I can't imagine anything worse than a day at Heathrow...other than paying for the pleasure😂

Does K ever catch the hares? And poor N being responsible for poo-gate. 🙁

I know what you mean about the phrase. Tbh I think no dog is born 'bad' but I think breeders/owners shape their dogs a lot (which I think i've said before).

It is strange though, isn't it, how dogs with bite histories can do a complete 180 in a new home. If anything you might expect them to be a bit guardy or nervous at first, but I've never really heard of it happening as most appear to settle really happily? Have you? I wonder if its because we do breed specific so the rescuers tend to be more experienced by and large and thats why?

@Silverbirchleaf it's always when it's not going well you think it, I guess! But Ddog is pretty awesome in other ways from what you've said + having a bit of a 'quirk' makes life interesting. At least that's what I tell myself...

That's very interesting about your friends dog. Sounds like the move was the best thing for her dog! 😊

I've just realised...if puppy is staying with me whilst we get Satan used to her...I'm doing the sodding house training!!! I've been tricked 😱

Hi @Ylvamoon , I have seen you on many a thread. Embarrassing confession; I thought when you said you had a Tibetan, you meant a Tibetan Mastiff 😳 I apologise that I may have referred to you as a fellow LGD owner on several occasions, when you probably didn't have a clue what the hell I was rabbiting on about 🙄

To be fair @TheHungryHungryLandsharks I think most people think a GSD is a guarding breed. Like most people think our chaps are a herder, when it's actually the reverse. According to AI we're technically both correct though, because the GSD will herd and guard, whereas my breed doesn't herd at all, because it lacks prey drive.

So, the boy has just had his "witching hour" , rushing around the kitchen and extension, yapping hysterically like some sort of demented small terrier. I hope to goodness he won't be doing that for very long. He has now crashed out behind the dining table, so no doubt he'll wake refreshed just as we're ready to go to bed.

@Ylvamoon Thank you for the photo. Do most people assume they’re both cockerpoos?

@SpanielsGalore If you buy the ladder, I’m sure we can set up a working party to come and paint your walls!

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks Sorry, but did have a giggle about you being tricked! Just been out for a pub meal (and now feeling fat), and three goldies turned up at the house opposite. They were gorgeous (and I immediately thought of you).

‘Alsatian’s’ were always the guard dog of choice growing up, and a dog to be a little fearful of. Actually, I’m still a little fearful, despite doing a monthly walk with a lovely GSD.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet I bet he’s cute though.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet - the Tibetan Terrier is a door bell- they will leave the job of getting rid of unwanted visitors to the Tibetan Mastiff! Or that seems to be the preferred version for their existence. they were also used as herding dogs Never sold, but given as good luck charms.

@Silverbirchleaf - yes, most people don't know that there is such a thing as a Tibetan Terrier. And there are so many pooX around, it's an foregone conclusion. Yet I really believe when the cookerpoo was created, what they wanted was a Tibetan Terrier: medium sized, emotionally intelligent and relatively easy to train. Mine have always morphed into the perfect support role if I needed it. I know a few that are assistance dogs and excelling at their role. The only downside is, if they think a task is pointless and the reward not up to their standard, they will not do it. So traditional repetitive training is a no go!

@TheHungryHungryLandsharks - yes, the cookerpoo is something else! Love her to bits, but wouldn't have another one! She's the manifestation of everything undesirable of both breeds x10! Plus that insane energy! Played go find it for over an hour today. Bunch of tennis balls chucked into some woods, then asked both dogs to retrieve them... Tibetan walked straight to a ball and brought it back for a treat. Cookerpoo runs round like a loon trying to pick them up all at once... keeping in mind only one ball will fit in her mouth.

There's two Tibetan Terriers in our village, their size always surprises me. For some reason, my head tells me it's a small breed, but the reality is different. I'm amazed that your Tibetan is so much larger than the cockerpoo though @Ylvamoon . Really interesting what you say about their intelligence and the behavioural differences between the TT and the cockerpoo. I definitely know which of the two would suit us better...

@Ylvamoon I remember you having to tell me your Tibetan Terrier wasn't actually a Terrier!😁It's funny as I really should have known better but sometimes your brain just goes 'bla' (like @CoubousAndTourmaIet thinking you met a Mastiff)! 😁

I agree with C&T though, I know which of your dogs would suit me better (clue: it's the one that brings the ball back for a treat)! Tbh the cockerpoo sounds like a bit of a sweetie in a 'oh gosh she's a maniac' type way. How old are they both?

@Silverbirchleaf Ohh thank you! I honestly think that there are very few people who only have one Golden? I have no idea why that is though. Perhaps they just like pain and suffering and fur. I found fur in my breakfast muffin this morning 😫Did you take DDog to the pub?

@CoubousAndTourmaIet it's funny isn't it? I think it's that thing I mention above, where you get it in your head a breed does one thing. And of course many people went through that stage in the early 2000 of buying GSDs because they wanted a 'guard dog' which I think is why I get so confused!

Sorry to hear about witching hour. It's horrible isn't it? I find witching hour to be even worse than the teething/biting because nothing stops them. With teething you can give them a toy or (in my case) another dog. With witching hour, nothing stops them. Did he wake up just before bed, as you feared?

It was horribly muggy this morning on the walk. I know I'll be whinging when it's raining. But 17 and humid is just not acceptable in October 😞But we met the most beautiful English Setter. Absolutely stunning. And Twatdog had a game with her, which is nice as he usually only plays with his girlfriend. Although he did get a bit wanky and run over the top of her. Twice. But she didn't seem to mind. They are such beautiful dogs, but watching her run around I could completely see where the 'beautiful but brainless' comes from when people describe them.

No, fortunately he didn't have a second witching hour @TheHungryHungryLandsharks , he got it out of his system early and we had a second night of him only waking once for a wee, which is much more manageable.

He is now 13.5 kg and I've taught him to go up and down the back steps slowly rather than carrying him in and out. It's three shallow steps at front and back of our house, so for a small puppy it's a problem, but he's getting more leggy and is quite a calm pup. Brie was carried in and out until about 12 - 14 weeks because she had a habit of flinging herself at ninety miles an hour and face planting 🙄

I suspect all setters are a bit loopy. Years ago there was an English Setter nearby that Sylvie used to play with sometimes, and he was the goofiest, most lollopy dog on the planet. We now regularly see a female Gordon on the meadows and again, a big lolloping, un-co-ordinated dog. Very beautiful but would be way too much dog for me, I'm afraid. Though tbf, most dogs would be too much for me.

@CoubousAndTourmaIet my boy is a handsome 14kg, he comes from eastern European lines, his dad is an import. So he's on the larger side. But what I think they should be. Uk lines are smaller and have a few additional health issues... my cookerpoo is only 6kg and we think a mini or toy Poodle x WCS. A hot water bottle in disguise.

Please don't get me wrong, the Cookerpoo is far more biddable than the Tibetan. @TheHungryHungryLandsharks the Tibetan will fetch a ball maybe twice (work in progress!) and then just seek out the other balls and sit near them for the loon to find. She will bring them back if I ask for it, but the expectation is for me to throw the ball for a game of fetch - food reward is of no interest.
My cookerpoo is also trained to competition level Agility and is quite successful. Very focused and amazing in the ring as long as I have a ball in my pocket! I'd say a true working dog.
@TheHungryHungryLandsharks I'm sure you would have fun with a Tibetan.

@Ylvamoon I also do agility with my dog. It’s great fun, but a lot harder than it looks, and a lot more mentally challenging. On my last lesson, we spent alot of time discussing the course, and it was interesting how we all wanted to approach a certain section differently.