Dogs

[Crazyface]

Well I'm 6 days into a 12 day stint, looking after my lads dog whilst him and his family go away and I'm shattered. Walking in the morning, wifey does this, I walk it when I get back from work about 1pm for 1 hour. It's constantly jumping up at us for attention when we are sat on the couch trying to watch TV. When we move to get a brew or anything it's there beside us following us everywhere. It picks it's ball up and drops it at our feet ALL THE TIME, asking for us to throw it. It would play chase the ball 24 hours a day!!!!! I've had enough. I'm soooooo drained.

I really want to do a "Niles" (reference to Fraiser) and put the thing in a kennel until they get back!!!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

What breed is it? Sounds like you could never tire it out.

 

[Aztecs27]

Is it a Spaniel? They tend to have duracell batteries in them...they never stop...Well actually, not true, they will stop if they've had enough exercise and aren't fed a bucket load of E numbers...Ours (Springer) settles down really well in the evening since changing her food (and she's still only 6 months old).

But yes, it is tiring, but I actually don't mind waking up early in the morning to walk her now. She goes to a dog walker for her second walk of the day - instead of us having to do a 22 mile round trip at lunch time to go back home for her, plus she gets to run around with her mates every afternoon. It's literally the best thing we've ever done, couldn't imagine life without her now.

Any excuse to post a pic here she is the other week with 'helicopter ears'

 

[stokie_93]

Is it a Spaniel? They tend to have duracell batteries in them...they never stop...Well actually, not true, they will stop if they've had enough exercise and aren't fed a bucket load of E numbers...Ours (Springer) settles down really well in the evening since changing her food (and she's still only 6 months old).

But yes, it is tiring, but I actually don't mind waking up early in the morning to walk her now. She goes to a dog walker for her second walk of the day - instead of us having to do a 22 mile round trip at lunch time to go back home for her, plus she gets to run around with her mates every afternoon. It's literally the best thing we've ever done, couldn't imagine life without her now.

Any excuse to post a pic here she is the other week with 'helicopter ears'

she's a beaut!

I've always wanted a dog but my parents have never been flexible enough to keep one due to work commitments.

I'm moving out (touch wood) next year and one of the first things i'll be getting is a dog! I've always wanted a husky but don't think it's wise as a first dog so may look to get either a spaniel or a lab!

 

[patricks148]

We have two short haired German pointers, they need at least 2 hours exercise a day and kept occupied during the day as well. luckily i work from home. they are both getting on now so like a nap the rest of the time.

Baldrick has now gone almost 3 months past the vets expectations and is a lot less lively than he was before the Cancer. we wouldn't be without then though

 

[Crazyface]

What breed is it? Sounds like you could never tire it out.

Cross between Terrier and Pomerainian. Looked dead cute as a puppy. Well i'm sure they all do. but she's mad now. Only a year old. She even has a bit of a pulled muscle in one of her rear legs, she starts to limp after her first 2-3 mad dashes to fetch the ball, but it still doesn't stop her!!!!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Aztec - Springers are lovely but are working dogs so need loads of exercise. I love them but we went for a cocker spaniel as they are similar but need less walking. We bring ours to work and she just potters around the factory and office. She gets 3 half hour walks a day and she is fine with that, as am I. She loves a good run on the beach at a weekend but she is not like a springer or working cocker that can run all day. By the way, great picture. I love a floppy ear shot.

 

[User62651]

I'm lucky in that dogs are allowed in our office (I work in forestry management) so my springer (black and white) sits under my desk when we're not out on site. Lost him in the forest yesterday (thick spruce crop) for an hour which was worrying, but at least he's knackered today from trying to find me. He is a bit manic at 2yo and can go bananas if wound up and since they've stopped docking tails his tail is a weapon that batters everything in its path, shins mainly, as they wag like crazy. Springers get filthy and wet as soon as they get out - if there is any kind of stream, bog or mire he'll be straight in it. His penchant for bringing shoes as gifts drives the family mad, any loose shoe will get picked up and deposited somewhere else.

 

[Marshy77]

We have just got a cockapoo from 8 weeks old. Good as gold, very cheeky, very active, fairly needy at the moment and teething! Never had a dog before so it's come as a bit of a shock getting up at 6 to take her out etc. Good for the kids though as it gets them out of bed and active at the start of the day.

Just had her 12 week injections so can start to walk her now which again is good for all of us, plus it means on a weekend I can get up and take her for a walk before golf which increases my brownie points with the Mrs.

 

[Aztecs27]

Aztec - Springers are lovely but are working dogs so need loads of exercise. I love them but we went for a cocker spaniel as they are similar but need less walking. We bring ours to work and she just potters around the factory and office. She gets 3 half hour walks a day and she is fine with that, as am I. She loves a good run on the beach at a weekend but she is not like a springer or working cocker that can run all day. By the way, great picture. I love a floppy ear shot.

View attachment 19548

Lovely looking dog! Yea, Poppy comes from a line of fully working Springers too...which is fine, but she becomes uncontrollable if a bird flies by! Currently trying to kerb that so we can control her if/when she starts to chase and flush (which we're happy for her to do, as long as she listens when we need her to). As she's only 6 months old we still can't walk her as far as we'd like, but when she's old enough she'll get two long walks a day (so probably at least 3 hours walking) and we'll probably still have our friend walk her during the day when we can't work from home, as she has 2 spaniels of her own (one Sprocker and one Springer) who Poppy absolutely loves.

Absolutely can't wait until we can walk her for hours, as we have some great, hilly walks right on our doorstep...but having to limit her at the minute (even though she'd still go all day probably!) really sucks!

I'm lucky in that dogs are allowed in our office (I work in forestry management) so my springer (black and white) sits under my desk when we're not out on site. Lost him in the forest yesterday (thick spruce crop) for an hour which was worrying, but at least he's knackered today from trying to find me. He is a bit manic at 2yo and can go bananas if wound up and since they've stopped docking tails his tail is a weapon that batters everything in its path, shins mainly, as they wag like crazy. Springers get filthy and wet as soon as they get out - if there is any kind of stream, bog or mire he'll be straight in it. His penchant for bringing shoes as gifts drives the family mad, any loose shoe will get picked up and deposited somewhere else.

Ha! Poppy's tail is docked (it's still legal if the breeder is a working dog breeder), although you wouldn't realise it as they're only allowed to dock a very short amount (see below), so Poppy's tail still wags and knocks stuff over! When she wags her whole back end ends up wagging because of the force of her tail going back and forth! She'd go missing in the forest as well if she had her way!

 

[dewsweeper]

Get a rescue greyhound.
We have two, laziest things on four legs until they see a cat, squirrel or a rabbit.
Lovely pets though.

 

[Foxholer]

Well I'm 6 days into a 12 day stint, looking after my lads dog whilst him and his family go away and I'm shattered. Walking in the morning, wifey does this, I walk it when I get back from work about 1pm for 1 hour. It's constantly jumping up at us for attention when we are sat on the couch trying to watch TV. When we move to get a brew or anything it's there beside us following us everywhere. It picks it's ball up and drops it at our feet ALL THE TIME, asking for us to throw it. It would play chase the ball 24 hours a day!!!!! I've had enough. I'm soooooo drained.

I really want to do a "Niles" (reference to Fraiser) and put the thing in a kennel until they get back!!!

Little experience with that style of dog, but seems to me like it needs a bit of 'discipline' - and I don't mean the 'beating' kind! Simply needs to understand when YOU are prepared to give it attention and when it should stay out of your way - knowing that it will get the attention it wants at some stage!

Different/unusual environment can cause a normally well trained dog to relapse into 'untrained' mode, or it may not be getting the message at its real home - and if there are kids there 'discipline' is often difficult to instill! May not be a great deal you can do in a week/fortnight though, as learning to communicate can sometimes take longer than that - for either party! However, I'd suggest you stop automatically reacting to it dropping the ball at your feet - establishing a message for when you either are ('Ball?') or are not (something clearly different) prepared to give it the attention it wants!

You should be educating it as to what you want/need! Currently, it is training you as to what it needs/wants!

 

[Fish]

My Max is a nutter with loads of energy.

 

[SocketRocket]

My Meg She's a 10 year old (seems like getting on 10 months) Springer and is such a clever girl and has been so good to train but she can be a little mischievous

 

[Crazyface]

Little experience with that style of dog, but seems to me like it needs a bit of 'discipline' - and I don't mean the 'beating' kind! Simply needs to understand when YOU are prepared to give it attention and when it should stay out of your way - knowing that it will get the attention it wants at some stage!

Different/unusual environment can cause a normally well trained dog to relapse into 'untrained' mode, or it may not be getting the message at its real home - and if there are kids there 'discipline' is often difficult to instill! May not be a great deal you can do in a week/fortnight though, as learning to communicate can sometimes take longer than that - for either party! However, I'd suggest you stop automatically reacting to it dropping the ball at your feet - establishing a message for when you either are ('Ball?') or are not (something clearly different) prepared to give it the attention it wants!

You should be educating it as to what you want/need! Currently, it is training you as to what it needs/wants!

This is what I was fishing for. Thanks. It is beginning to fell like I'm being trained. I've adopted a more stand offish mode with her. Seems to be working, she's less in my face and a bit calmer. I've also stopped her bouncing up on to the couch. This is where we sit! You have your "bed". She's not happy about this but is getting the message.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Eyyy OOP.
Just back from the posh bit of Yorkshire where I was well impressed with their dog training methods.
I passed a sign that said

DOGS!
PLEASE SHUT
THE GATE

Reading as well as shutting gates.....that's clever.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

One tip I picked up when ours was a puppy, when your dog gets too excited turn your back on it. It calms them down. Very effective for dogs that jump up at you. Turn around and keep your hands close to you.