A Dog Named Fred

Best Crossbreed - Second Place!

2011-05-08T15:00:00.000+01:00

I didn't take a photo (for a change)

2011-04-06T07:15:00.000+01:00

Out geocaching yesterday with the dogs and my work assistant Will, we were rummaging in some brambles looking for a cache (Will was watching the dogs, so 'we' is myself and Fred). As it happens we were in completely the wrong place because I didn't realise the co-ordinates were for a clue, not the cache.

Fred alerted me to something, so got him his reward and let him go off due to brambles, only for my further rummaging to turn up... A KNIFE!? A cutlery knife, rather than a 'weapon' knife, but still. I disposed of it carefully, but it makes you think.

Brambles? That's a job for a terrier!

2011-04-03T13:43:00.000+01:00

Geocaching with a Dog Named Fred

2011-04-02T15:38:00.002+01:00

... and Beauty and Scamp.

It's time to reopen this blog I think, as I've noticed recently a lot of my online messages are to do with Fred and what he's up to. Also with what he found earlier on today it's really got to be done.

I started Geocaching after I'd taken Fred on a Tracking, Trailing and Search and Rescue type searching course. One of the women on the course took some of us on a walk to find a cache during a break and I was immediately hooked! I've read about it before of course, in dog magazines, but hadn't got round to looking into it. Geocaching is a world-wide treasure hunting game - check online to find where caches are, then use GPS to get you close, and search! You could find real treasure (if you like christmas cracker style bits and bobs)!

So now I've signed up it's my latest obsession, which of course means the dogs have to join in, and Fred is the most interested in finding caches with me.

Scamp points to a cache with his nose.

Fred really gets into it. With that root there, looks like an ENORMOUS mouth... You can see why I sent Fred in...

Fred drags out the burnt bit of wood that was hiding the cache. He tried to eat it after that.

Spider tree! There was a cache underneath.

Scamp keeping a look out for caches.

Why is there a photo of Fred's bottom? Because he's chasing a ball I threw as a reward for sniffing out a cache. On inspection it turned out to be a used 'family planning' article. Eurgh! But he'd still sniffed out an article that had human scent on it, as trained, so the reward was deserved. He didn't care that I didn't want it! Blerughghghg.

Before that he'd found a dead mouse, which was at the end of the log that Scamp was standing on above, it's not on the ground, so not sure what animal impaled it and squidged it into this crevice.

After two hours of walking, the dogs were very tired! Beauty won't lie down on rough ground unless she has a blanket, but the boys aren't so fussy! Plus for every step Beauty takes they take about 50...

Anybody still out there?

2011-01-28T15:53:00.000Z

I don't keep this blog updated any more, as Fred is such an angel these days.

I'm sorry, I couldn't keep that up for very long. Fred is still very much His Royal Fredness. His character has not changed although I like to think he's more under control these days.

Nope. Can't do it. Little bugger.

I've been in India for three weeks learning more about dog training and behaviour, and one of the tests I did on return was to ask the dogs who their role models are - ie who they think the boss is. Fred and Beauty both said 'You are, Mum' but Scamp said 'Fred'. Luckily I don't think Fred heard that, otherwise he'd become unbearable again! He stayed with Lu, the person who runs the rescue and who I blame all my problems on, and she said he was a real pleasure except for a few habits she doesn't like. She got him off his tablets and says there's been no ill effects, but we'll see when he's back up to his normal walking and training schedule. Be nice if he can get off them for good!

She also said some lovely things about me - she wants me to assist her with some work she's doing on one of her dogs who has some aggression problems as she needs someone she can trust, and she's also said if she gets any more puppy litters in she will want me to have them from as early as possible as I'm so good about the house training.

So really this blog wasn't about Fred, but more about me and how fabulous I am.

Can't blame a girl for trying!

Dilute Urine

2010-10-22T07:42:00.002+01:00

Fred has been on his painkillers for around two years now - I did try just giving him a week's worth every now and then, but he gets grumpy and starts beating the other dogs up.

Every three months or so we go back to the vet for a check up, and I have to take some pee (not my pee, Fred's pee). Luckily there's a brick wall outside the vet where ALL the dogs pee, so I just give Fred his 'have a pee' command and pop an old tupperware pot underneath to catch it - missing out on all the distress of having dog wee in my fridge all day (they like it fresh).

This time they asked me if I thought he was drinking more, I haven't noticed, but did notice I was filling water bowls up more. We have a lot of dogs here, it's hard to tell which one is emptying them. So he needs a blood test, although the vet said he wasn't showing any other signs of kidney problems.

The funny thing was, I have to make an appointment with the nurse and go back for the blood test. :-/ Eh? I asked couldn't it be done now - oh no, might be no nurse appointments left. Well, can't you do it? I've seen vets do blood tests before? Oh the look of horror on her face. :(

So I've got to drag us both back down there next Thursday to have blood taken, and of course they only do blood tests up to 3.30pm so that means I have to cancel a booked job.

Magical.

Squabbles

2010-07-10T14:40:00.003+01:00

None really, it's amazing! Both boys are Grring at each other if they have something they think the other wants. Scamp is acting very differently from when he was boarding, so I think he could tell things were different this time. No rows that I've seen, although both boys are sporting small scabs on their muzzles this week.

I think they keep each other under control really, it's nice!

Scamp has already stopped barking so much in the van - he used to bark whenever he could hear voices, or if he could see people. Now he's not bothering so much, maybe because it's far too hot, but maybe because he feels more secure with more rules and guidelines, and an owner not afraid to tell people to leave him alone. He's going for people in the park less, although still way too much. Male joggers are especially vulnerable (even if just a trip hazard) so I'm making sure if he charges off to bark, he's on his own. No back up, no support, nothing. When he comes back he sees treats disappearing into Fred and Beauty. Unfortunately it's too hot to wear his muzzle.

We started on close heelwork this week. The day I didn't have Fred he worked much harder. I had Fred today, and he was less inclined to hang around, but of course Fred does have a history of protecting food so I don't really blame him. We need to get out for walks alone, but with J away this week it's hard to take just one out in addition to leaving them alone while I'm working.

If he doesn't improve a lot in the next week or two, I will introduce the training discs as an interrupter. I hate to do it, but he can't keep on this behaviour, especially as he is starting to do a similar thing to other dogs, nipping etc.

Little bugger.

Introducing Scamp

2010-06-18T10:40:00.002+01:00

This blog has been retired really, as Fred, while still His Royal Fredness, has mellowed out considerably as we've learned where we both stand. He stands on his Throne of Fredness, and I don't bother him anymore.

Ha. No of course not. Fred's far too busy fetching paper from the printer (next job, learning to fetch fresh paper from the cupboard and load the printer as well), searching for lost items, alerting me to the phone ringing and picking up things I've dropped to misbehave.

Unexpectedly, I seem to have a new Fred. Scamp - Miniature Dachshund. I've been dog walking him since 2008 when he was tiny, but he's grown up fearful of strangers and has learned to bite them to make them stay away. As he lived with a child who has an active social life, all those kiddies are strangers - plus Mum has a 6 month old baby. So I was offered the chance to take him in.

There's something about him I've always loved (I always like the Naughty Boys. Dogs only of course. I prefer Nice Boys for my gentlemen friends!), so I said yes. I am currently in the 'oh shit, what have I done' stage. As unlike Fred, he's a danger to Other People, rather than just To Me. Also it makes it more difficult for my job - I have three dogs of my own now, that's the van kennels over half full. If I'm asked to board two big dogs, that's a houseful, even if he is tiny.

So this afternoon, after Fred has his final yearly vaccination and Beauty has a paw inspected for arthritis or some other painful problem making her squeak, we're going shopping for a muzzle. And a new collar, and a harness, and maybe some new toys, and, and, anything else I fancy in the pet shop. :)

Bathtime!

2010-04-05T14:31:00.006+01:00

Fred is auditioning for Toto tomorrow (open auditions), so that means ... BATH TIME!

Ready for a bath

Not very impressed

Would like to get out now please.

Something looks a little wrong here...

I'm clean now, let me out!

Clean and bright

Fluffy Freddie gets his reward. Nom nom nom.

Never Ever, Ever, Ever, Give your Terrier an Inch

2010-03-17T17:50:00.002Z

Cos he'll stuff his head in the biscuit box while your back is turned. Grr...

I had the busiest day IN THE WORLD today, and Fred came with me. He was a superstar, but by 4pm, after getting in and out of his crate in the hire van umpteen times since 7.30 this morning, he was flagging a bit. So while I nipped to the loo I thought I'd let him have free run of the van for five minutes. As I came back I was pleasantly surprised to see him not sitting on the front seat. Only to find him in the passenger footwell with his head in what was a nearly full box of dog biscuits.

Tch.

Terriers.

Devils.

'Place'

2009-12-26T21:43:00.004Z

Fred's 'place' training started (again!) today. I've tried to train this before, using the clicker. I've had no trouble getting him to understand he has to go to a mat, carpet tile, mark on the floor etc, and lie down. My difficulty has been in teaching him that he has to stay there until I say so.

I did think of teaching it like I taught his competition style stays, but I want him to learn to relax, or at least, not spend all his time waiting for a release cue.

Finally, I've been given a method I think will work. Not reward training, perhaps the opposite. I wouldn't like to say punishment, more penalty training.

I've cut out an enormous bit of carpet, as big as the crates in the car (and one in the house I've got up at the moment), and every time Fred's in a crate, the carpet is in there. Just so he gets used to lying on it. The next step is, when he's used to it being around, I bring it into the living room when we're relaxing at the end of the day. He's encouraged to get on it. If he gets off, he's put back on. If he keeps getting off, he's whisked out into a crate in the kitchen and has the door shut. All alone.

The idea being, if he wants to stay in the living room with the family, he stays in his place.

It sounds a bit mean, but he manages to stay lying on a cushion on the sofa for hours on end, so I will start with the carpet on the sofa! Then I can start halving the carpet until he'll happily sleep for hours anywhere, any time, on a thread.

Heh.

Wish me luck.

There were photos, but I deleted them in a stupid fit of stupidity.

I'd like to point out that Beauty learnt this very quickly. No matter where I go, pub, other people's houses, beach, bit of scraggy grass at a motorway service station, all I have to to is put down a small blanket or pillow, and she's asleep on it before I've finished standing up.

Romford

2009-12-24T19:48:00.002Z

For reasons I won't go into, Fred and I found ourselves walking about Romford market on Wednesday late afternoon/early evening.

Lots of people stopped me to ask 'what' Fred was, so I was happy to tell them he was a JRT mixed with a little sod who caused me a lot of aggravation. Yet still I was asked if he was a 'full boy' as they were looking for a 'good boy' to go with their 'lovely bitch'.

I'm tempted to give them the link to this blog and ask if they really want to ruin their bitch's chance of having a lovely natured litter for the sake of Fred's good looks and charm. :-/ But I fear looks are more important than temperament to the sort of people who would stop a stranger in the street, rather than do some proper research.

Yes, I agree Fred is a lovely looking chap (well, I would, wouldn't I, but at least a score of novelty dog show judges also agree), but if he were not already castrated I would castrate him, simply to remove the temptation to want to pass on his good looks.

Puppies deserve the best chance at a good life, and a good home that they can stay in forever. I don't know if Fred's 'issues' are learnt or inherited, but with his hips as well it's not worth the risk.

Recovery Going Well

2009-12-21T20:36:00.003Z

Fred seems to be recovering nicely. Had some worrying moments when I thought we'd have to go back to the vet as 'if he hasn't pooped by Monday we may have to look again', but he managed to go first thing Monday morning!

I was told 'no walks' but I thought that a bit harsh so on Sunday I took him out for a ten minute lead walk. He scampered a little bit at first, but soon settled down to sniff every leaf, every binbag and every lamppost, so stretching his walk to 20 mins.

I hope to get him back out tomorrow for another ten minutes!

He's sleeping well, eating well, and his stitches aren't looking too red or sore. Some dried blood on his belly, but I think this is where he's sleeping and perhaps rubbing against the blankets.

Next vet appt, Wednesday. Stitches due to be out on the 29th, for which he may have to be sedated because he's getting himself all panicked every time we go in the room now. This must be so rough on him, poor bugger.

Ah, well, that explains that...

2009-12-18T07:16:00.003Z

Fred's had an operation to remove another four bits of chewy ball.

He starting throwing up again on Sunday night, then Monday night it was really bad, with another bit of ball appearing. Luckily he threw up again a few times on Tuesday while waiting for the vet appointment as the vet still didn't seem to believe there was anything too badly wrong.

They took him in for an xray, and had to operate.

Poor Fred! No wonder he's been such a little sod, he must have felt really rough! And where was my sympathy? Nowhere. Mean ol' Mina!

At least he's done now, although I feel dreadful that he's had to go through this. He'll be in stitches (and not in the funny ha ha way) all over xmas and the new year, so we'll miss all our usual christmas walks. And of course with the snow, he loves romping around in that!

He was in a lot of pain the last two days since the op, but he seems more settled now and let me put his t-shirt on him before he went out for a pee this morning (loads of snow out there!).

On the plus side, I am considering sending him out to clear the paths later.

That's a Lot of Trouble for One Small Dog to Get Into in One Day

2009-12-11T16:11:00.005Z

Little sod! How many times have I started like that?

He's been in and out of trouble all day long.

First walk this morning - he's dawdling, as usual. I think he may be eating acorns (which aren't very good for him), but I'm swept along by a Bulldog, a Beagle and a Beauty so have to wait for some less muddy ground to be able to stop.

As I stop and wait (calling nicely, calling crossly, 'NOW!') I see him coming - just as a gaggle of women power walkers come along and scare the crap out of him. I see his bandana (bright yellow, so I can see him in the leaves) flashing all over the place in a panic, not coming in my direction at all.

He vanishes.

I take the other three dogs back to the van, hoping he'll be there, mooching around as if nothing had happened, but he's not. Dogs loaded, panic a bit as I have to have the Bulldog back at a certain time for Mum to go out and have a quick scout around.

While searching, I find the reason for those silly piercing cries of his. I was able to find him (stuck behind a fence, which is why he was squeaking) by following the sound.

So that was all fine.

Then on the lunchtime walk he managed to get himself stuck on a bramble - it went through the bandana. So I had to cross a stream, going through the marsh on either side, duck under branches, walk through brambles, duck under an old victorian fence, and gingerly lean over a barbed wire to get to him, where he growled at me.

Deep breaths.

Try to pull the bandana off his head. Think he should be able to move and tell him so. He looks at me. Bandana is now draped over his muzzle, making him look ridiculous.

Undo harness.

Undo bandana.

He legs it while I pull brambles off bandana, extricate myself from barbed wire, brambles, bushes and stream (and all this time the two dogs I am walking are waiting patiently for me, one looking a bit concerned at the strange things Aunty is doing) and I tell him to stop trying to dig under the fence into the pasture.

Finally get out, only to find he's vanished. Again.

Swear quietly. He's not wearing his bandana so he's pretty invisible, oh my goodness is that Fred running up the hill in the cow pasture, towards a huddle of cows where it explicitly says 'Dogs must be on leads and under close control'? Gnhh.

Call.

Call again.

Shout.

No way am I going near a herd of cows when there's a dog running around.

Tell him so.

He gets closer to the cows, and I think we have a "These are small... but the ones out there are far away" moment. He realises that they aren't small, but those large scary things that always scare him and he runs back down.

Fred stays on lead for the rest of the walk.

Mum has uncontrollable giggles at the memory of Fred with a bandana on his muzzle. Think it may be stress.

Mum has a lie down in a dark and quiet room before Fred gets strangled.

Fred is still a Very Bad Dog

2009-11-26T17:26:00.003Z

Can't train that out of him, and cuteness doesn't make up for it.

He's thrown up a couple of times as he sneakily ate some pieces of a rubber ball. The first time I had to shut him in the kitchen while I cleaned up, but he'd already got most of it.

The second time was last night. It woke me up, so I immediately held him away from it with his tether (which is there to stop him wandering off and pooing), so far so good. He wasn't impressed, but hey ho. Until my other hand sleepily pulled a tissue out of the box to clear it up with.

He gave his really nasty sounding growl - the one that means he is fully prepared to bite me, and keep on biting me, until I stop doing whatever it is I'm doing - he knew what I wanted a tissue for. I played dead with that hand, so he turned to the hand holding the tether and growled at that, so I had to play dead with that hand too.

Finally managed to tighten the tether so he couldn't reach his mess, and had to sneak past him with a tissue.

He's only been aggressive over food since his diet. And no, I don't think vomit is food either, but clearly Fred does.

Hitchhiker!

2009-11-26T17:20:00.001Z

Fred seems to have one...

Fred the Fabulous

2009-11-17T17:36:00.016Z

Not that I'm showing off! Well, not much. Okay, so I am, so what? So would you be?!

Awww, here he is, as close to the cover shot as I could get him without him trying to eat the book. oh...

Ah well, never mind, perhaps he just needs a moment to have a flick through to see what he's supposed to be doing!

Four Years Old!

2009-11-09T08:13:00.003Z

It's Fred's birthday today - happy birthday Fred!

We don't 'celebrate' the dogs' birthdays with cards, cakes or party hats, but he will be going out for a couple of extra walks where I'll let him do all those stinky things dogs think are so great but really aren't.

The Gadget Show - tonight!

2009-11-02T19:25:00.004Z

Pet gadgets. 8pm, Channel 5. Look out for his Royal Fredness!

Fred was lucky enough to be selected for filming for The Gadget Show recently. Hurrah! As usual lots of hanging about, loads of filming, all for what is likely to be a five minute segment. Fred's getting quite professional about it all now. In some ways I wish I'd pursued an agent for him, rather than going into dog walking! He was picked to play with quite a few of the gadgets (or 'toys' as many of them were), because he's so toy motivated he'll do anything for a toy, and of course there is his destructive side (carefully managed and directed to toys he's allowed to murder) which seems to delight everyone who sees it! And of course he always does as directed.

There were 8 or 9 other dogs there, also testing, and were given toys to play with to 'test'. There seemed to be a bit of a pout from one owner as the chuckit was given to another dog, but my own pout came from the Frisbee we were given. 'Fred can't play with chase toys,' I explained about his dodgy hips. Magically we were given the choice so I chose the quacking duck for Fred. He began to kill it almost immediately.

Shortly after, he killed a zombie. Not shooting it through the head, as is traditional, but ripping its guts out. He did a bit of demonstrating on a doggie treadmill as well. I thought he'd be nervous, but he kept his eye on the string of (fake) sausages and kept on walking. I believe the presenter nodded off at one point...

My lovely son recorded some video, but I was scared to upload it before the show went out in case the Spoilice (spoiler police) came to get me. Maybe later in the week!

Looking forward to seeing if he gets any screen time, watch out for episode 14, which is on in half an hour. The Gadget Show is on Channel 5 at 8pm on Mondays, and on Fiver at 8pm on Tuesdays. Other tv shows and channels are available. As other other dates and days of the week.

Well, well, well, my, my...

2009-10-08T16:55:00.002+01:00

Having had a small wad of cash I no longer needed...

I sent off Fred's DNA to test him for his breed.

Results came back today, slightly gobsmacked to find he's 10-20% Welsh Corgi. The rest is pure JRT.

So much for suspected to be a JRT/Patterdale mix in the description of this blog!

Not a drop of Royal Corgi blood that I can see!

Rainy Update

2009-10-06T17:11:00.004+01:00

Fred's been off his tablets for over two weeks, and until today I hadn't seen any signs he was bothered.

Yesterday and today it's been damp, misty and raining. Yesterday he let me gently wipe him over with a towel to dry him off after his first (of four) walks. Today, I had to coax him out of the van for his walk, then when he went back in he seemed a bit grumpy, and I got growled at when I dried him underneath, so I didn't bother with his legs!

I've thought damp weather might be a problem in the past, but now I feel it's been confirmed. I'll keep him off a bit longer, to see if this happens again. If it does, I'll know to start him on the tablets again when we get wet weather.

What is it that makes his bones ache when it's wet?

Fred, the Worm Farmer

2009-10-03T08:05:00.007+01:00

Yesterday I took delivery of two wormeries. I've been toying with the idea for a while, and decided to go for it.

As usual, I can't do anything without Fred.

Don't want to worry you, but I can smell something funny.

It might not be here now, but there was something in here.

sniff,sniff, sniff... ?

In fact, Fred was after the small bag of worm food, next to the bag of worms. Just after this photo was taken he tried to drag it off with his paw and eat it.

Oooooh... a new toy! Thanks Mum!

I rescued the worms from Fred the Farmer, and now we wait to see if enough of the worms are too stupid to escape so we can start adding poop to it in a couple of weeks!

Taking a Break

2009-09-21T17:12:00.004+01:00

Fred is taking a break from his painkillers.

I'm really not sure about it, but the vets have mentioned it quite a few times. So he didn't have any yesterday, nor today. He's had 3 walks again today, had to keep him out as the cleaner was coming so it was fairer all round.

He's just had two hours in a crate having a snooze, be getting out for his tea shortly. The vet suggested that if he starts to appear sore I should put him back on for seven days, then off again.

I am keeping an eye on his temper, more than his legs, which is why I put him in his crate. I've got an oldie foster here, and a puppy boarder, so wanted to make sure he got proper rest.

Fred's Prize

2009-09-19T12:54:00.002+01:00

It looked about my size, so I sent him back in to look for the other one, but no joy. He carried this for around 15 minutes before he gave up..

The Singing of The Fred

2009-09-12T08:40:00.003+01:00

When visitors arrive, we still have issues with Fred jumping all over them, so we pop him into a crate sometimes.

If it's a stranger Fred tends to be VERY excited and a bit barky, so we cover him up and he's quiet after a few minutes. When it's someone he knows well and REALLY likes, and gives him a great opportunity to jump REALLY HIGH to get to his face (like my brother who is 6'5") he sings.

Watch out for those high notes.

A Hard Dog to Love

2009-08-31T07:57:00.002+01:00

I love my dogs, don't get me wrong. In fact I love loads of dog that belong to other people too. But Fred is a special case, because he's hard to love.

I had a message another terrier owner, I want to keep her privacy, but she's new to terriers and has a friend with a terrier who has similar problems to Fred. Terrible attitude and hip dysplasia.

So I explained to her how hard it can be to love some dogs. Not hard as in 'difficult to feel love' but hard as in 'completely unrewarding 90% of the time'. Possibly she knew this anyway, but it made me feel better to say it. So I'll repeat it here.

In around 2 months time I will have had Fred three years. I still can't have a cuddle when I want one. He rarely sits on my lap on TV night, and even if he does he's off again after five minutes. If I have to pick him up for any reason he often growls at me and sometimes snaps. He's bad tempered and irritable, doesn't give any indication he wants to be with me and yesterday he cocked his leg on my leg.

I think that says it all.

Problem Dogs

2009-08-17T16:21:00.005+01:00

Regular readers (you know who you are Mum) may have noticed Fred has been a little bit of a problem to me over the last two years and ten months.

So, now he's finally A Good Dog (within reason) it's very harsh that he's on the front cover of a book called 100 Ways to Solve Your Dog's Problems.

I got so excited I squealed, so of course Fred started barking, jumped up and tried to bite me. Ho hum. Can't wait for the book to hit the shops...

Sent to The Hole

2009-08-01T08:59:00.002+01:00

Fred has sadly been moved into the kitchen at night.

I had some sickness and the runs go through the dogs early in July, so he was moved downstairs because he couldn't hold it in. Since being downstairs, even after the virus has (finally) fled the house he's weeing and pooing every night. Completely ignoring the newspaper and puppy pads all over the place.

I'm half convinced it's a separation issue, as he'll poo indoors if I go upstairs for more than about 30 mins even if the back door is open, although he'll only do it if he hasn't had a walk, and when he was sleeping upstairs he would go downstairs and poo in the hall. One night I slept downstairs and he was clean all night. So really have no idea what he's doing. Sadly since the illness when he had an accident in his crate overnight, and then again a couple of days later in a car crate he's lost all inhibitions about crapping in his crate so I can't crate him overnight now. He's also had his tea time changed from 6-7pm to 4-5 and that's made no difference.

So I'm afraid he's now having to sleep all on his tod in the kitchen.

I didn't want to bring him back upstairs after the illness as I'm sick of him waking me up to bark at noises in the garden. I've been very busy working extra shifts and earlier mornings and I can't cope if he's keeping me awake. Now I don't want him up as I'm just sick of cleaning up his mess. I don't mind 'accidents' (even when Beauty was also ill and flooded the kitchen with unpleasantness) but that's not what this is.

Typically he's been clean in the kitchen so far.

Little Sod Returning

2009-07-26T08:24:00.006+01:00

His Royal Fredness has come back again. Yes, I know it's my fault. Yes, I've slacked off. Yes, Rob told me this would happen if I were lazy, although admittedly I thought once this was 'fixed' it would be 'fixed' forever.

Fred's started jumping like crazy at me when I come in again (yesterday I was startled to gaze into his eyes from a standing position). He's started nipping Beauty when 'excited' again, and last night I was giving her some love and affection, and ignoring the toy Fred was trying to stuff in my face and he ran round and bit her on the backside twice.

So I've had to tighten back up on all the things I'm supposed to be doing and hadn't, so although it's quite handy having Fred remind me it's time to feed him and Beauty I am now ignoring his requests for breakfast. I have found the rattle cans as well (well, one of them) and just having them in obvious places is calming him down again, but I will probably have to at least pick them up when I or other visitors come in. Can't be doing his hips any good to be leaping around like a kangaroo!

A lot of the debate about 'aversives' is that they work in the short term, but not the long term, which is my experience as I do have to keep it up or he backslips (although is it the aversives that are slipping, or my day-to-day reaction to Fred that is at fault?). Trying to train him out of this behaviour didn't work. Trying to retrain him to do something else instead didn't work. Rewarding him for calm behaviour didn't work. Maybe someone better at training than me would have worked, but Fred lives with me. Like many millions of other dogs he doesn't live with a brilliant, qualified and highly experienced dog trainer/behaviourist and us normal members of the public have to do what works for our dogs. I am not hurting him, in fact the opposite as jumping and impact will hurt him in the long run.

So I'll continue, and hate the feeling that judgemental people have given me that this is a Bad Thing I am Doing.

Slightly Delayed Update on Leg

2009-07-26T08:22:00.002+01:00

The vet thought the symptoms were more likely to be his stifle than his hips, but he wasn't complaining about her jiggling his knee, and he was when she jiggled his hip. She did mention the operation again, saying it was normally something done when he was really lame, but said it was my decision. Fred is hopping along a fair bit of the time these days, maybe he should be kept on a lead permanently, but he doesn't run around much anyway, these days he's normally lagging behind.

They say they can't really see anything obvious on the xray, so think most likely answer is 'subluxation' ie partial dislocation and I assume it righted itself. If it happens again (which it did this morning although only for a few seconds after a bulldog jumped on him) I have to keep a record, crate rest for 6/7 hours and he said 'hot and cold compresses' but I think if I approach Fred and try to do things to his back end after he's gone through that he'll a) bite me b) jump around like a loony trying to keep his teeth between me and his painful back end possibly making things worse, so I can't see that happening. I now have some 'morphine-type' tablets to give him if he has another episode, and go back in a month for a check up.

This vet (seem to see a different one every time) thinks Fred is too old for a hip replacement, which I wasn't really considering anyway, and said the other op is 'salvage' rather than a 'choice'. He is putting Fred's character into his decision making as well as just his 'body' I think. Also there was no sign of any 'arthritic change' meaning he hasn't developed arthritis at all so far. So we are doing something right somewhere.

So not really any the wiser I don't feel! Crating him for just one day was hard enough, so I am definitely not going to rush into any operation until and unless it becomes essential to his quality of life.

Leg has stopped working

2009-07-19T10:28:00.002+01:00

Took Fred out for a walk with Beauty and a customer's dog this morning, as usual. Fred snapped at me when I lifted him into the car - unusual in those circumstances but generally I am used to him doing this if he's feeling sore so thought nothing much of it. Lifted him out of the car, no snap this time, he pottered off, I scooped Tally's poop within a few minutes then noticed Fred was holding his dodgy leg up. He does this sometimes for a few seconds, but this time it was different.

He couldn't put it down (or too painful?), growled at it, sniffed his foot, nibbled his leg, then rolled round and round on his back a few times, having a good old growl, tried walking again, did step or two then leg back up in the air. Repeat. So we went back to the car, took Tally home with a promise to return and do her walk this afternoon and rang the vet. They've told me complete crate rest, toilet breaks on lead and straight back into the crate, and want to see him tomorrow first thing.

I am probably getting upset over nothing, but I am so frightened.

Head Tremor

2009-07-18T15:33:00.001+01:00

K9 Multisports Level 1 Title

2009-06-14T08:39:00.003+01:00

That's what Fred got yesterday!

Had a training & assessment day at Ardleigh and it was a really lovely day. I keep forgetting that we are supposed to organise our own heelwork patterns etc for the assessment, but Helen is very patient with me.

We repeated the core exercises from the last session, but I gave agility a miss because of Fred's hips and it being such a long day. So this time around I chose Assistance Dog, and HTM level 2. Fred got through his Assistance dog, with some clicker advice from Helen, but by the time they got to his HTM turn he was just not interested in working. I wasn't going to force him, so withdrew him. He can't do anything that requires a lot of intense work anyway, because of his hips.

I am going to keep going with it, because now it's not so cold the day is a lot of fun, but I might stick to the summer sessions! Next time we are going to be looking at scent, which I've tried to teach to Fred and failed miserably. She's given us some really good info though, so hopefully I can succeed this time! Just need a few housebricks...

Canny Canine Communicator

2009-06-08T20:00:00.018+01:00

Fred is.. not the same dog he was this time last year.

7 Jun 08
He went to nip me when I just happened to put some paper down next to him, and if I have to pick any of these yorkies up he launches into an attack on them. One poor dog must wonder why I hold him up for Fred to bite. :(

And definitely not the year before.
1 Jun 07
The sight of a running dog in class sends him into a frenzy that has been getting worse and worse. He got more and more wound up by the other dogs and he bit me so badly he drew blood. He got really crazy and started sounded aggressive, rather than just excited and then gave me even more of a munching on my hand.

He now mixes with so many different dogs, of different ages, temperaments and sizes, that he's become an expert at communicating with them.

The maniac 6 month lab pup that pesters him to play when he just wants to pootle about as he's on his 5th walk of the day and is probably feeling his hips...

The dog we meet on walks occasionally who is learning to accept 'strange' dogs, she has a 'moment' and lunges...

The enormous Great Dane x Mastiff who thrusts his head into Fred's crate while he's trying to get out...

All these things pass without there being anything interesting about them, mostly without being noticed. Except that it's Fred. Who was so awful, for so long. I despaired of ever having a trustworthy dog who would get on with other dogs. Now he's the dog I rely on when I want to check out a new dog I'm walking, to see if he'll fit into a group.

Of course, the little sod is still Fred. He's still not allowed to sit on my lap, has to eat separately and be crated if my son and I have food when I have another dog in the house. He'll still give me a good warning if he's in pain and I dare to move near him, he'll still not let me touch certain bits of his body. And he still has to be muzzled for the vet. He still goes bonkers when kids are playing ball games near him. He still gets the zoomies, he can still get annoyed and tell another dog to get lost, and he still sounds like he's going in for the kill when he's playing. He still has to be popped into his crate if he's given a particularly tasty bone or stuffed kong, to protect the household!

He's lost none of his character. He's still Fred. He's just a mature, experienced and wonderful Fred.

Too Well Behaved

2009-05-27T16:09:00.005+01:00

Last week Beauty was bitten by another dog in an unprovoked attack. Luckily, I was walking with two colleagues who have around 20 years experience with dogs - and have both had a hand in training Fred. In fact, these two women were taking Fred's first class. I walked out in tears, as I didn't seem to be getting anywhere and decided not to bother, and one of them sent the other to chase me down and bring me back. In many ways, I owe them a lot. Especially as they were the ones to help get the dog away from Beauty - I'd dropped the lead so she could run and I think because of this she only had one bite.

She's really not doing very well, and because she needs time and peace and quiet to rest I've been taking Fred to work with me for the last week and a half. He's getting around 3 hours of walks a day, if not more, but there are times he gets to sleep in the crate for 30 mins or so in between walks. I've noticed he's really lagging behind most of the time (unless I've got some mad chasing toy that boings everywhere, when of course he is so desperate to get hold of it he's jumping around like a loony - backwards most of the time - and doing sommersaults in his efforts to catch it) and when I go to the crate to get him out, he's still lying flat out, instead of being ready for whatever is coming next.

I've got two Greys in this week, for a board, so whenever there is food around, he has to be crated. I've not been bothering to let him out after J and I eat our supper and he's not asking to come out. This morning he was in a crate for two hours, and again, didn't ask to come out. Normally he sleeps for around an hour and then sits staring at me until I let him out.

So I left him behind today - being wet I did worry about his hips. Why does damp make joints hurt? Does damp weather make Fred ache? Poor little sod. He was sleeping more anyway, as the behaviourist said he would, but still, it's very disconcerting to see this livewire pain in the backside just lying around doing nothing. Am I hurting his hips? Is it some new plot he's cooked up for devious reasons of his own? Is is because he's had his daily exercise tripled rather suddenly and can't rest without a crate at home because the two 'new' dogs? Is 'greyhound' catching? He's sleeping as much as they are...

Is this dog going to rule my life for the next ten years? Yes, I rather think he is.

Model Dog!

2009-05-04T21:03:00.004+01:00

Fred posing away on an OAP bed.

Didn't even get to keep the bed!

Good Temperament

2009-04-24T11:53:00.003+01:00

Walking Fred, Beauty and a customer's terrier in the park this morning, Fred was complimented on his 'good temperament'. I nearly cried, especially when the person said 'not like that one' and pointed to the 8 month old terrier pup I had with me.

I'm in two minds about this. Fred has improved a great deal (so much that I'm seriously considering retiring his blog), but not two minutes ago he nipped said pup on the backside as Fred wanted to bark in the garden and pup was standing in the way. This is just the terrier way as far as I can see, and not really 'naughty'.

Putting the pup on a lead so we could chat, he did many of the same behaviours Fred did when he was not much older - lunging, barking, crying in frustration - and I think to myself - there was nothing wrong with Fred a properly qualified trainer could not have coped with and I made it worse by taking him to such an old-fashioned training centre. But, this pup didn't bite - I also had Beauty on a lead, and Fred would have turned around and bitten her - he would have bitten the dog who ran past within biting distance, and probably he would then have bitten me. He did all that from the first class I took him too, so it was unfortunate that I wasn't given appropriate help, instead I got 'one size fits all'.

I hated to see poor pup labelled as 'not' a good temperament for behaving as puppies do - he'd pinned their dog down on a previous walk (with his owner). Another pup I walk does this, but she does it and an argument errupts, while this pup has a bit of a chomp on the neck while he's there. I've googled and googled and googled and cannot find any explanation for this behaviour - the other dog I've had to stop walking with other dogs as I just can't have other customers' dogs made unhappy when I won't walk my dogs with her!

But nice for Fred.

Full of the Joys of Spring

2009-04-12T13:42:00.002+01:00

This last week Fred has been very amorous on walks. Not sure why, but he spotted a lovely black beauty tied up against a fence about a week ago and tried to work his charms on her, and since then I daren't stop and chat to another dog owner as he's off making his sweet music with their dogs!

It had all been the ladeez, but we bumped into one of my customers walking their dog today. We said hi, Benson nearly pulled his owner over, and Fred attempted a charm offensive. Benson is a male Great Dane x Mastiff. Even standing on his back legs Fred is shorter than Benson, but he thought he'd have a go anyway.

Dirty little toerag!

Not so Pawly

2009-04-07T08:03:00.002+01:00

No magic whiffy sleeping juice for Fred - he's still a bit swollen but is improving - he did let the vet check his paw this time (well, I say 'let' I mean 'didn't fight for so long but just let out piercing shrieks the whole time'). The vet doesn't think there is anything in there, as she had a bit of a squeeze all over and his crying wasn't 'ouch' sounding.

They want to see him again on Thursday, just to be sure because it's a long weekend after that. They may kick me out and clip his claws. Eeek...

He's had his space helmet off last night as he's not licking his paw so much, and boy I've never seen Fred so lost in touch as he was this morning. He hardly seemed like the same dog who first arrived here a couple of years ago - mornings are always good for cuddles anyway, but he was eyes closed, moaning, blissfully lost. So I took the chance to do some TTouch around his mouth, quick go at his gums, and very, very briefly, a paw or two.

Poor Pus Paw

2009-04-02T17:48:00.003+01:00

Poorly Fred! He's now sporting a fabulous space helmet!

Fred's limp was worse when I got home from work on Wednesday, so today we've been to the vet. They are pretty sure he's either been stung, or has trodden on something which stuck into his paw. It's now all weeping and red and skanky looking, and very swollen.

He had a painkilling injection, which I think is giving him a very mellow feeling (cos he's already on painkillers daily so had to be careful what he had) and an antibiotic jab. They are not sure if there is something in there or not, so we are going back Monday. If he's no better they will give him some of the magic whiffy sleeping stuff and investigate properly.

Poor little bugger.

Poorly Paw

2009-03-31T17:59:00.006+01:00

Fred's done something to his paw. As soon as we'd gone 50 yards I knew he was limping on our afternoon walk. I know what his gait is like - I spend hours examining him when he's walking because of his HD. Especially on days like today when I forget to give him his tablet with his breakfast. Whoops.

Anyway, he wouldn't let me look at his paw without growling nastily and trying to bite me, so we went back to the car where I muzzled him and enlisted the aid of another dog walker to help me hold him. I can see a swollen pink bit, so I'm none the wiser really, but I can't see a foreign object so we did have a short walk, keeping him on the lead. He didn't seem bothered by it - other than the limp.

When we got back to the car I was very excited to be able to break open the First Aid kit. I washed it out with sterile saline (because it was Fred I used the squirty spray so I didn't have to get too close and upset him, then squidged in a blob of hydrogel (basically sterile saline in globules) and popped him in his crate. Only to find the globule on the floor of the van. Ho hum. So it's not sticky then? And that's a one use only tube (so obviously needs to be enormous in case I need to cover the entire dog?) so I wasn't too impressed with that. If I have to 'fix' it on by rubbing it with my finger it's hardly going to be sterile anymore, is it?

When we got home I stuffed his paw into a 'bath' of hibiscrub and hope that's enough. I'll check him tomorrow, but I can't see it's that bad - he was standing with both front paws on the door sill - and it's got metal edges as it's a security door.

No idea how he did it, he might have done it on the walk this morning, he did have a bit of the zoomies, and was skidding about as usual, but I didn't notice him limping then.

In the meantime, I can use the rest of the hydrogel for gardening. :)

Fred Flew!

2009-03-27T17:57:00.004Z

Fred popped himself into his crate last night! I'd moved it to nearer my bed, so in the morning I could let him out for a cuddle before getting up. Awww..

As for him flying, well, here's the photographic evidence...

I should have made the text bigger, but the bottom one says 'Skidmarks', which is reasonably self explanatory. Fred was chasing after his squeaky toy, and his brakes are rubbish, so he usually skids past, or does a handstand or something. In this case he skidded to a stop going forwards and PAST his toy - in trying to turn around mid skid he dug his front paws in (where if you squint you should see it says 'left the ground') and that flipped him up into the air! He landed, facing the other direction, where it says 'final landing'. You can see three paw marks - the missing one I think was his his left hind leg, which is the dysplastic one.

So, I was quite proud of my flying Fred - that must have been a couple of feet at least!

Condemned to Solitary Confinement

2009-03-25T16:11:00.003Z

A couple of nights ago I got up in the morning to find TWO poos AND a wee at the bottom of my stairs. We haven't had any for a while as the dogs have been kept very active, then I had a boarder here who exhausted all of us. This was the final straw.

I don't see why Fred has decided that's his own personal night toilet, but I'm not having it any longer from the little sod.

He's now crated at night. So I'm all sad and cold and reduced to a microwave teddy on cold nights, and he's stuck in a crate all on his own. I am not sure how long it will take to break him of the habit. One week? Six? Forever?

On another note, it's a bit sad that I'm sad and lonely because I don't have a DOG in my bed. Sheesh... I need a man in my life!

38 year old single, fabulous mum of spotty teenager, interested in camping/caravanning, long country walks, obsessed with and working with dogs, seeks man with similar interests (plus handy with the DIY) to share a life with.

Photo of the Week

2009-03-22T14:48:00.000Z

Fred's Come a Long Way but can Still be Naughty

2009-03-17T07:18:00.004Z

I took Fred to my old training club on Sunday. It was a lovely day, and really their facilities are fabulous, plus if you get the right trainer things do seem to get taught, rather than just 'practiced'.

Fred started off attentive - normally he sticks his nose on the floor and won't remove it when we're outside, and he was working well although not really close. I've given up hope of him giving me 'competition' heelwork or anything of that nature because he's come on so well in other ways. He walks close enough to me not to scare horses and small children when we are out and about and that's good enough for me. But I do like the social aspect of training and I do want his Gold award, so keep going!

In one of the compounds there was a staffy who was having some 'zoomie' moments, and Fred was just lying by my side, relaxed but alert and watching it. How long ago would he have tried to get to it and savaged me if I got in his way?

The trainer pointed out to me that Fred might get on a bit better if I were more consistent and less flappy - she thinks I've relaxed as Fred has improved and it's affected how I am with him. It is true - I can often try three different methods in as many minutes and I need to pack that in. Fred then slows down to try to calm me down and of course loses his 'work focus'.

But I was pleased that he didn't go after the dog running around. At the end of the session two of the people in my class started throwing toys for their dogs and Fred did look like he was going to go and join in (not sure if he wanted to play, or eat them, but think he had his terrier instincts on red alert so probably wanted to eat them - or at least bite their tails), so I was just waiting for the right moment to interrupt and my dad interfered. So I wasn't best pleased with that.

Hippy Fred

2009-03-11T06:53:00.005Z

We've been to the vets for Fred's three monthly hip appointment (thought I'd done it two weeks before but ho-hum) and have an update.

I think his movement has got worse - he's swinging that back leg out more, holding it up more, and walking slideways more. No that's not a typo, when I was a ruffian that's what we called it when we made our cars drive with the arse-end hanging out to the side - it was sliding, to the side, slideways, geddit? Well, Fred walks like that a fair bit.

I don't think his pain has got any worse - it's only on days/weekends that he's really busy that he gets snappy and agitated when he's disturbed and that's only happened once or twice in the last few months.

The vet went off to find his old x-rays and said she couldn't see anything that would make her rush for the scapel but as his movement is getting worse should perhaps do another one in a few months as his weight is now stable at 9.8kg (although if that drops to 9kg then I'd think it was probably perfect) and the weather is getting warmer so hopefully Fred won't be getting worse for a while! I admitted he has off-lead time but she didn't try to beat me up so I will carry on giving Fred good quality of life. He still gets the zoomies, but not nearly so often.

Oh, and as for the pooing at night, I've tried leaving puppy pads at the bottom of the stairs and getting up and letting him out, and all that's happening is it's becoming a new routine to Fred and that is out of the question, so when he got up last night I put him in his crate and zipped him in. Then couldn't sleep for wondering if he was so desperate he'd go in there and wake up covered in it. But he was okay. So that was all right.

Still no solution for him doing it in the house during the day - coming home for breaks then going off again doesn't seem to help and he is now covering three exits (not all at once).

Not a Good Foster Mum

2009-03-07T21:05:00.005Z

Oh I'm a bad mum. :(

I've just been phoned to take in an emergency staffy - his foster mum has gone sick and he's had to be collected. He's in a van at the moment, desperately searching because he needs somewhere to stay.

And I said no.

I just can't face it. I'm out so much of the time now, I've got my weekend all planned with office work and a special walk for Beauty, and I've got a day-care dog in on Monday, and a vet appointment for Fred, as well as six dogs to walk (plus my two). So I've said no because it feels 'inconvenient' and I don't want the bother.

I stopped fostering in September because of Fred's behaviour, and now he's so much better there is no reason I can't go back.

I started fostering as something to do while I wasn't working - I gave up work in August 06 and Fred arrived in October 06, so I fostered for two years (so really I fostered for four times as long as I thought I would as I only expected to be out of work for six months). So I shouldn't feel guilty that I don't want to do it anymore now I'm back at work. I'm homechecking when I can, so I am trying to do my bit, but I can't help feeling I've let everybody down. Lu knew I didn't want to foster anymore - Rusky arrived with no warning - I thought she was dropping in for a cuppa because she was in the area, but really she brought a foster dog, although even then I'd said I didn't want to take on anymore fosters. When he went I said he would absolutely have to be the last one.

Then I wonder what my reaction would have been had it been a JRT. Probably very different. I'm a bad mum... :(

Dogs are Disgusting!

2009-03-05T08:14:00.002Z

By 7am this morning Fred had cocked his leg on Beauty while she was doing number 2s, then, when she came in and did a rather revolting and long drawn out 'stretch and toot' he had a sniff of her fart.

Disgusting creatures!

Six Distinctive Distinctions!

2009-03-02T08:57:00.003Z

Fred and Beauty had a go at K9 Multisports yesterday (and yes, I admit it, the missing person was my dad who for some reason hadn't put it in his diary despite me going through a list of activities with him and him writing it down on scraps of paper), and although it was cold it was a good day. We only cheated a bit.

K9 Multisports is more about having an acceptable pet, rather than a obedience pet(although they are still strict on heelwork despite claiming they aren't), so at level 1 it's more to do with will your pet stand and behave while another dog is walking past, will he come back when you call, walk with you, etc. That's the 'core'. There there are a few 'options' you can chose from (see their options information as I won't list them all here).

Beauty and Fred passed Level 1 core with a distinction. They both did two options each - both did agility, Beauty did Gundog because for her it was just a stay, no interest in running after the thing I just threw, and Fred did Heelwork to Music. They both got disctinctions in their options as well.

Now, we've got all these distinctions at Level 1, we passed everything we tried. But... we haven't passed Level 1 because we have to do the core tests again. I can't say we've passed anything because we're not eligible for the next level yet. Although they say I have passed it, I just don't have my 'title' yet. But I still can't take the next level until I've got that title, so I haven't passed!

Personally I think this is a really weird way of going about it. Each exercise (except for heelwork and social control) has to be done three times anyway, so I can't see the need to retest. It gets worse at higher levels - the core tests have to be repeated more often each time you go up. I can't see the point - why not test all at once? It's even more strange because K9MS seems to be concentrated on a very few areas of the country, so we either have to travel there each time, or we have to pay someone to come to us. To gain 'assessor' status to be able to test other people you have to take your dog through each level as well, as you can test at the level below where you are. So to spread it around the country is going to take some time to find people willing to keep travelling (or paying) to keep taking the tests, and who has a dog suitable to go the whole way through the levels, bearing in mind there are six options that they'd also have to do to be able to offer a range of options to a class.

It does sound like something worth working for - 23 tests for the top title, just in the core tests. That would be an achievement to be proud of! But it's so repetitive! We'll have done 6 recalls each by the time we pass Level 1. Surely 3 is enough to show my dogs will come back to me, or that they will sit on command? I will probably take the core tests again at this level so I can at least say I've passed something I've tried, but I can't see myself willing to go any further.

Perhaps if I lived on their doorstep and they offered courses where we could test on a regular basis to get us moving quickly, but otherwise no - it's just too long-winded!

K9 Multisports - Sunday!

2009-02-28T16:44:00.003Z

If you see this before Sunday morning, and you are at a loose end, there has been a last minute space opened up for K9 Multisports training and assessment day at Dog Training in Essex & Suffolk, held near Colchester in Ardleigh.

I am taking Beauty as well as Fred, and it's going to be a good day out, and worth travelling for. We missed the last one, because it was just when Fred had his diagnosis, so were pleased to be offered a second chance! Places sell out fast each time, so if you want to take advantage of someone else's misfortune(!) and grab this space while it's available, give Joe a call on 07809 117912.

Arrival is 9am for a 9.30 PROMPT! start.

Sneaking

2009-02-22T18:37:00.002Z

There's no doubt about it, earlier on today I caught Fred sneaking about the house. And I'm not anthromorphising. There is no other word to describe what he was doing. I'll tell you how it happened.

I was on the loo (sorry). I try to remember to shut the living room door, but really it shouldn't matter if I leave it wide open he should not cross that doorway without an invitation. So, I left it ajar by accident, he uses his too-clever-by-half paw and opens it, making it creak, by the time I shout NO! he's halfway up the stairs, but does go back down. Then, as I get involved in my book (what? Never read on the loo?) I hear some stealthy stair-stepping. Just a little at a time, every now and then, a pawfall, or a creak, or a nail clicking. He was definitely trying to move quietly so I wouldn't hear him.

Well, he doesn't know that in the same way mums grow an invisible pair of eyes on the back of their head when they have a baby, so owners of little monster terriers grow extra-sharp hearing. I told him NO! again and he went back downstairs. Noisily this time, because he knew he'd been caught.

So, it's proven. Sneaky is a dog attribute just as much as it is human.

Do Vets Smell?

2009-02-19T11:50:00.001Z

I think they must do.

Yesterday we had our vet check for my dog boarding licence, and I happened to be in the front garden with Fred when he arrived. Fred did his usual 'leap around like a loony' but I was prepared with my discs and a little 'chink' deterred him. He then did his second trick of circling the visitor, but by the time the vet came in the house Fred had legged it, and his third trick of running around with a toy in his mouth never happened.

So I think that vets must have a certain smell, and once in out of the open air Fred had him sussed and ran off in case he had a thermometer in his pocket.

Fred has been strangely well behaved this week. Very, very odd...

Look Down

2009-02-11T16:41:00.004Z

I've added a new widget to the blog - as Fred now appears to be showing off how fabulous he is (to the outside world at least!) I've added a bookshelf to the bottom of the blog. I would have put it a bit higher up, but it's rather large!

Have a look - the books there are the ones which really helped me when Fred was at his worst! Except the small dogs training, which I bought for a laugh, and the Doggie Dinners which I bought in an optimistic moment and it hasn't left the shelf since.. It's still a good book for people who like to cook!

The reviews aren't mine - I can't control that bit of the widget. There should be some Amazon links too, but they don't seem to be showing up yet.

You've Got To Giggle

2009-02-10T08:19:00.003Z

At the new training club I've been taking Fred to, there are a couple of other terriers. It's nice to see I'm not the only one!

Last night a woman with a Border Terrier told me how placid she thought Fred was unlike her 'hyperactive dog'. The implication being that Fred was 'easy'.

If I hadn't laughed, I would have cried.

This Is Your Last Chance

2009-02-08T09:08:00.003Z

The last couple of days I've had two poos and a wee at the bottom of the stairs, and one on the doormat in the dining room! I'm getting very frustrated with this bloody dog. He is THREE YEARS OLD he should be able to hold it! Actually I think it's a dirty protest. Well, he'll have to lump it. As apparently, so do I. }:-(

Now I have to go out to see to some cats for half an hour. I wonder where I'll find poo when I get home?

Fred's Naughty List

2009-02-04T08:32:00.005Z

* When being clicker trained 'down on tea towel' (we have to improvise, all right?!) he couldn't wait half a second for me to extend time a bit and in his annoyance because I didn't click immediately he bit the tea towel, dragged it about, shook it to make sure it was dead, then did a formal present with it.

* Pooed in the hall overnight Monday.

* Pooed in my bedroom overnight Tuesday when I wouldn't let him downstairs.

* Keeps eating bird seed in the garden and attempting to chase the wood pigeons away.

For the log, head tremor this morning. It's every time I have another dog in the house, there's no denying it.

Balls

2009-01-24T15:13:00.007Z

We went to walk in a different park today - just for a change - and took my parents and their five dogs with us. I always remove my dog walker jacket when walking with their dogs because they don't get out much and my mum doesn't really have any control over them. I don't want people thinking that's how I manage my business.

Today I was glad for my own sake. Little sods. Beauty immediately wandered off and wouldn't come back, so she went back on lead. Normally she stays with me and just goes off if she sees a squirrel. Fred, now, Fred was a very Naughty Boy! Kept running off to mix with other dogs, sniff interesting bushes and decided he had no clue that he was supposed to be with me, completely ignoring recalls and thinking that heelwork meant 'slowly speed up, getting in front of annoying owner then run off'. He ran off after kids playing football - normally there is a 'distance' at which he won't run off after them, but not today. I know his willpower is poor for balls, it's what I used to train him to recall because he absolutely loves them so much, and stupidly I hadn't taken any toys with me - I've got so used to not needing them. I got so cross I said a really very naughty word really very loudly! I think my parents wanted to strangle me as much as I wanted to strangle Fred!

Luckily it must be an affluent area as all the balls were proper leather ones, which take him some time to chew through, so I didn't have the embarrassment of having a burst ball to deal with today (that last happened over xmas!), but really. He showed me up good and proper and after our cup of tea and a bit of fruitcake he had to stay on the lead all the way back to the car.

Flashbacks?

2009-01-22T16:05:00.002Z

This morning I went out to walk an early dog - got back to two piles of poo, a trail of rubbish from the bin and three wees. In all three downstairs rooms. I blame Beauty for the bin, and Fred for the rest. It was a shock, I was only out for an hour.

I've got into a habit of feeding and walking them before going out to work, but because this was so early and I knew I'd be home before starting the day proper I didn't this morning. I know some of Fred's problems from 'before' was that he was left alone all day and messing all over the house. Are my increasing hours giving him flashbacks and making him stressed? As the time I'm out has built up gradually I thought he was okay - he seemed better when left at home with Beauty than when I take him to stay with my mum for the day.

I'd been planning to take the dogs with me today anyway, as I have a customers dog I wanted to walk them with to see how she is with them (I put her with another dog last week and it went really pearshaped), so out they came.

I walked Fred with a Great Dane, then tried them with the planned dog and that again all went pearshaped so they got put back, then I got them back out to walk with the last dog of the day (only had three dogs today). So they spent a good half the time in the van, which made me feel awful, but if Fred isn't keen on staying home, what should I do? On that last walk Fred came off lead and he had the zoomies round and around and around and around. Oh yes, and he had another two poos. How much crap can there be in one small dog!?

We've been home over an hour and he just can't settle - throwing himself around, chucking cushions and blankets everywhere, pacing about. So I think he's in pain. I put him on my bed, where he did seem to settle a bit more but my son came in from school and Fred came down and it started all over again. I was going to get his crate out of the car, give him an early tea so I can give him an extra painkiller and make him rest, but I think I'll try sitting on the sofa with him to see if he'll rest with me first. It's an excuse for me not to do my to do pile...

New Tricks

2009-01-22T08:27:00.003Z

Little devil.

J's dad popped round last night while I was feeding the dogs. I put the bowls down and went to ask him to share some extra care over the next month or so, then heard a very strange noise behind me.

Checked on Fred, and the little bugger is standing on his back legs eating out of Beauty's bowl! Surely he can't be that hungry! I'm going to start feeding them a bit earlier in the evening. I am supposed to vary the feeding time, but once 6.30/7 comes Fred just stares at me for hours and it's hard to find the time to feed him when he's not demanding it. The behaviourist said to send him to his bed, then go and feed him, but that's not really working either.

Now I'm so busy at work he's being fed quite early in the mornings, so I think I will try feeding them as soon as I get in. I weighed Fred at the weekend and he was 9.7 kilos, so as far as I'm concerned his diet is finished, so I really don't want him helping himself to extras! Or being stupid with his hips!

Pain and Suffering

2009-01-19T08:45:00.004Z

Poor old Freddie.

An old boyfriend of mine visited on Saturday night, and Fred was so pleased to see him that he was back to his old tricks of jumping right up to his face (or nearly) and generally being over-excited. The tips the behaviourist gave me didn't work (although they have been for everyone else) which was the problem I had when wondering about bringing a behaviourist in - I knew those things didn't work. Anyway, that's a whole other story and not what I'm talking about, and as we know they do work. Just not on this particular person for some reason.

Every time my visitor left the room for a wee, Fred was leaping around again when he came back in, as well as running about while he was waiting for him to come back.

On Sunday, at training, I noticed a return to some of his old behaviours. Whining and crying and doing that funny singing noise, also wandering off a bit more than usual, and when I reached down to him he was leaping up and reversing away from me. So all that time the club had me put him on a half-check chain, and a muzzle for biting me when I tried to handle him, I was hurting him, then taking away the only way he had of telling me he really wasn't having a good time.

When we got home from training he had the zoomies round and round the garden - he hasn't had those for ages. I think he was trying to set off some endorphins (or whatever!) to try to help with the pain. I gave him an extra tablet last night, just in case. That it's his own fault for jumping all over my friend I really can't hold against him.

He starts agility at the end of the month - I've found a club that trains in a really nice, gentle, slow way and is happy for him to not do any jumps. We're starting in beginners, and I will watch very carefully for any of the same behaviour that I saw yesterday, to make sure it's not too much. Am I stupid for trying it? I don't think so. There's no reason it has to be a high impact sport, just a bit of fun.

Also on the subject of pain and suffering, Trinny and Susannah Meet Their Match Dog Lovers is on ITV at 8pm tomorrow night. You might see Fred and/or Beauty(or maybe not).

Busy - but a quick comment

2009-01-14T16:13:00.002Z

In a further move, the Kennel Club has announced that it will crack down on the small number of breeders who continue to use the practice of mating close relatives by refusing to register those puppies that are born from any mother/son, father/daughter or brother/sister mating, taking place on or after 1st March 2009.

Hurrah! A move in the right direction, although what's so magic about 1st March?

Departures from this principle will only be made in exceptional circumstances or for scientifically proven welfare reasons.

Lightweights. Wimps. *censored*

Of all the cheek!

2009-01-09T14:56:00.006Z

Took the dogs out for a stroll today, Beauty doing what comes naturally after a good brekkie on the way home.

Fred has a habit of cocking his leg when she is toileting, so I am trying to train him to pack it in. Today I told him not to, and lo and behold, he kept away. Wonderful! Everything going swimmingly! So I get the bag out to deal with Beauty's 'doings' and look down to see the little sod cocking his leg on ME!!

Luckily as we were nearly home he only had a drip left, but really. No manners at all.

Had another chat with the dog model agency again today - the film that was keeping her busy is now finished and soon we should have an appointment for her to meet Fred. This wil probably clash with dog walking. Ho hum.

Just so I've got it diaried, Fred still has his head tremors from time to time. They seem to go away for ages, then another one pops up.

Dirty Little Oik

2009-01-07T09:54:00.003Z

Fred seems to have designated the bottom of my stairs as his personal overnight potty. Grrr...

Both dogs have, on occasion, suffered from a dodgy kebab (or similar) and needed to go in the night. They do run downstairs with some urgency. If it's Beauty I normally wake up due to the clattering of 28kg down uncarpetted stairs. I usually let her out the front door and off she goes. Fred is much quieter and I don't hear him, but I clear up in the morning (bottom of the stairs is not carpetted so it's not too bad). Lately he's started to get up every night and just wets and messes, and there is no reason why he couldn't wait - the mess is completely normal, not 'dodgy tummy looking' at all. It's getting really annoying to get up to every morning!

When I first got him he pooed every night, so I started crating him. I happened to take on a foster dog called Jack, and Fred stopped doing it. So I have no idea why he's doing it again, but I'm going to have to start either crating him again, or I'll put a wedge under my bedroom door so he can't get out!

There's no reason he has to get up at 3am to use the loo. He wakes me up coming back in the bedroom, then I can't get back to sleep for hours and when the alarm goes off and I haven't had enough sleep I want to strangle him!

Best Laid Plans of Minas

2009-01-03T22:24:00.002Z

I was really looking forward to getting back to training club tomorrow. We hardly went through December, and they've been closed for Christmas.

Unfortunately I hurt my back yesterday trying to get the heaviest filing cabinet in the world over my doorstep. It's only a small cabinet, but the step is nearly a foot high and something went and isn't back yet. It's much better today, and is bound to be even better tomorrow, but I have to be careful because I've got two new dogs to walk on Monday and of course I've got to take care I'm fit for that.

Oh, but I want to take Freddie training! :( Gah.

Back in Training

2008-12-31T16:30:00.004Z

It's taken me a while to get used to working again. I seem to forget I haven't got all day to hang around anymore, and the dogs have been a bit short-changed.

Fred is very grumpy after the few days of off-lead walks we had over xmas (he went for my hand through the duvet a couple of night ago) so I can't really go back to a lot of running around for him, but I am planning to go back to proper training sessions.

This morning I took them for a short run in the park, then I put Beauty away and did a short session with Fred. The look on his face made me feel really bad. He was so happy to be back at work, really looked as if he were saying 'At long last! Thanks mum!'.

If I want to make any impression on some competitions this year we've got to get cracking and work in new places on a regular basis. He just about managed distance control from 3 paces in the park, but he did a 20' sendaway! Probably it helped he was going to a fabulous squeaky toy instead of a dull old traffic cone, but he did flat next to it, rather than just grab it and wander off! His heelwork wasn't very close but it was attentive to the extent I could see him turning his face away from other dogs walking about so he could watch me. Closeness will come! He won't need anything flash for competitions, as we're working at such a low level that he only needs to heel and come back. At our training club he needs to do do more though, as we work at a higher level and I really want to do well next time we have a progress test.

So I have to relearn that when I get up in the mornings I shouldn't hang around online for hours doing sod all, but actually get on with things as I used to when I had a 'proper' job.

Git

2008-12-29T09:05:00.005Z

Just when I think all is clear, he went for her on her bed last night. AARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

He was unsettled a fair bit yesterday, and I had rearranged all the furniture over xmas, plus we've been out for good walks nearly every day, so whether his hips were hurting and that brought this 'relief' back to his mind I don't know. He's been having head tremors on and off again as well.

I'd been starting to look at fostering again. Only just stopped myself emailing about a couple of dogs because my head knew it was too early. I can't help it. I see their little faces and just want to help them all. I may have to face that I can never foster while I've got Fred.

I've signed up for a new rescue site and hope to get some transport runs or homechecking done, maybe that will ease the urge.

Sleeps Like Babies

2008-12-26T15:59:00.010Z

When I first got Fred, I thought he'd never get that 'knackered after a walk' attitude quite right. He'd pace and pace and pace, bark at every tiny noise, keep himself going and generally make me think there was no way I could ever tire him out he had so much energy.

He caused a huge row Christmas Eve two years ago, because I stayed overnight at my boyfriend's house and I stupidly thought I wouldn't need Fred's crate. He kept us awake for hours, walking up and down the bed (we camped in front of the open fire - I thought it would be romantic!), then my fella took him into the other room for a hectic ball game to 'tire him out'. I, being short of sleep and unhappy my romantic firelit night was spent telling Fred to go to sleep instead of being filled with soft kisses and crackling flames, had a go at my fella for making Fred even more agitated and even less likely to settle. Cue fullscale row until 5am on Christmas morning.

In a way, Fred did me a favour, because my fella's actions during that argument led me to believe staying with him would lead to a life of emotional and mental abuse and I made up my mind it was over (just took me a few weeks for my heart to catch up to my head and make the break).

Anyway. I only mention it because yesterday, our 40 minute Christmas Day walk in the park, knocked him out for five hours. He barely moved. Today we've been to a Greyhound Plus walk (ie we could take other breeds this time), then a visit to my parents. He got in his bed when we got home and again, not moved.

I expect him to wake up about 7pm to give me The Stare for his tea (which I will be ignoring until he stops it, then I'll feed the dogs, as per behaviourist), and then go back to sleep until I get The Stare tomorrow morning when he wants to get up again. Fred has come a long way in two years, and I'm prouder of him than I know how to express. Most people can't believe it when I tell them I adopted him because no-one else would.

I include a picture of a rather mild The Stare for those of you who might have missed the pleasure.

Just looking at that photo makes me want to get up and do his bidding...

Some stuff

2008-12-22T14:41:00.004Z

Naughty

Fred is getting a bit cocky again - he is still leaving Beauty alone when she's in her bed, but a couple of times he's done what I call his 'Garden Grrrrrrr' which is him running out into the garden towards her growling - he veers off before he gets to her, but it's a habit that used to end with him flashing his teeth far too close to her, and I don't want that back. I think he's also tried to have a sneaky nibble at her legs a couple of times when we've all been milling around, as if he thinks I won't notice. It means that she's leaving her food if he comes to close again, so I am not sure if he is just walking past, or he's walking near her to make her move away.

Either way, I'll have to watch those things. I have been very busy, so have had little time to do stuff with him, and we've not been to training for weeks so he could be getting bored.

Boney

I can feel his spine! We were having a cuddle, and there it was. Also I can feel his ribs underneath without trying, and I was having a good feel about and I can feel the back of his ribs, if that makes sense.

So I think he's reached his correct weight for himself now. So hats off to Fred! I've just bought another case of his food, which is fish and so very low in calories but when that's gone I won't get any more. Beauty has lamb in the morning and senior/lite evenings, so I will probably do something similar for Fred. I'll also start giving him a litle bit more of what he has now so his weight loss slows down before I work out how to stop it entirely. Don't want the little sod to wither away to nothing.

Postie

I appear to have trained Fred to hate the postman, which is a pain. Since I taught him to fetch the post, a couple of times he's been able to get to the front door while the postman has been putting it through. He gets very excited and growls anyway, but I don't think that helped.

Now if we are out on a walk and we see the postie, Fred gets very over-excited and looks as if he wants to kill him. It doesn't look good, and I wonder if all the feelings he was showing to Beauty are now being directed at the postman. Poor old postie - my neighbour's dog does a very similar thing to him, so he must feel very unwelcome!

Studying

I've passed Phase 1 of my pet-sitting course, and have the next lot to study while J is away. I am not very impressed with the course - I am so put off by the bad spelling and grammar that I'm having to sub everything before I can settle down to study. There also is usually materials missing.

Next time I will be going with a different company - COAPE - to study 'Introduction to Psychology'. Perhaps that will help me to understand how and why training a dog to get the post made him aggressive towards the postie so I don't do it again!

So lovely to see...

2008-12-17T08:52:00.004Z

This morning Fred has twice tried to get on Beauty's bed with her - I think he wants to snuggle up again. The second time he gave a little growly sound, as if he's not quite sure how one says 'may I join you?'. Sometimes when they have one of their ten seconds play bursts he really looks as if he wants to enjoy himself, but has no idea how to go about such a thing.

A bit of play broke out instead of snuggles this morning, and I have to make their breakfast and get them walked before I go out to work, so there is not likely to be a repeat today.

The last few days I've been able to leave the room while they are eating! You know how it is, I kept feeling they were okay to be left but was nervous about it. Then something came up and I left the room, forgot what I was doing (old age!) and didn't go back. Suddenly the both came in looking at me for pudding! I still pay a lot of attention, and don't leave them every time, or I leave them for a short while. Don't want Fred getting cocky again!

Five, Yes Five

2008-12-13T21:53:00.005Z

Nominations at our presentation dance tonight!

I had noted there were three on the noticeboard, but I definitely counted his name being read out more than that tonight. I was most impressed that the instructors thought that much of him.

We didn't come home with a trophy, but what I come home to was a dog who has had a young puppy here all day (who was even annoying Beauty so much that she had to tell him off, placid dog that she is) and didn't bite him, bully him or pick on him, a dog who, when allowed to work with his instincts is a fantastic little dog who learns incredibly quickly, a dog who a year ago was like this:

he had a munch on my arm. Then he bit Beauty, then when Megan escaped from the arena he bit her too. So I had to muzzle him

Despite all the mistakes I've made, he is now reliable (within reason!) and trustworthy and a wonderful little dog.

Trophies are nice, and I would have really loved Fred to have won one tonight, but nothing, nothing, will ever dampen the pride I have in the way this little dog has turned out.

Fred, you little bugger, I love you!

Day 7

2008-12-11T21:45:00.003Z

Another week and Fred hasn't been a bad boy! I'm still too nervous to leave them eating together though, although Fred's coming on really nicely there. I've popped out of the room a couple of times, but Beauty can be a bit nervous still and if they get something extra like a bit of leftover chicken she'll run off. I assume thinking Fred's going to beat her up for it, although each time she's done it he's just been sitting there, trying not to look at her (he's not allowed to stare at her while she is eating).

I've been able to put his bed next to hers, and last night when I was checking her feet after a walk she squealed (big softie!) and he didn't make a move. She squeaks like that every now and then for no apparent reason, and a couple of times they've been standing together waiting for me to open a door and he's shown no interest at all. I think she's getting aching muscles after a run, as a couple of other greyhound owners have said they get this same noise after a lot of exercise. She is on a mobility supplement, but since Fred's diagnosis they don't get a run every day, more like once or twice a week and perhaps that's the problem now. Nothing for days, then over exertion.

Fred is seeing the nurse tomorrow for a repeat presription of his painkillers, and a weight check and chat. He has lost more than the 2 kilos I gave him as a target, and frankly although he is clearly a different shape I can't really feel his ribs any better than I could to start with! I need to know if he's lost enough now, and if so, then I need advice on how to feed him to stop further loss, but without gaining again. I want to feed a senior diet to get all the mobility benefits and need to know if that will be okay.

Amazing!

2008-12-05T19:39:00.003Z

Remember I said Fred was paying more nice attention to Beauty these days? He approached slowly, then sat with her for a minute. She laid down, then he did too!

Didn't last long as she must have twitched and we know how sensitive he can be when there's twitching around his back end, but it was lovely while it lasted!

Bad Dog

2008-12-05T10:29:00.003Z

I was so excitied, we'd got to 12 days and nothing happened, and I thought I'd wait for it to be two weeks so I could post up a success.

Then the other night Fred had a quick pop as he ran past Beauty, then again the next morning at breakfast. She is reacting very differently - her habits are changing as he comes under control - but it means I've had to tighten up again. He's been chucked out of my bed (I'd let him back in as I was cold!) again, and is now not even allowed to look at her while she is eating. I might move his food bowl so I can teach him to leave the room when he is finished. At the moment he'd have to walk past her and it would disturb her to work him.

Otherwise things are going okay, no more interfering with the coffee table. He's transferred that to my work bag (usually something nice smelling in there) so I've had to work on that, but otherwise he's at rest more, which I was told to expect but frankly didn't believe!

Oh Dear

2008-12-01T19:43:00.002Z

Today while doling out the fish and chips I dropped a chip. Fred dived in, I said 'Leave', he said bugger off and ate it.

Hmm...

And he ate a custard cream (or tried to, I scooped that one out) he found in the park. But left a manky bit of sandwich and an entire milky way bar (actually I fancied that one...) we found on the pavement when told.

He's being a good boy at the moment. It's most disconcerting. He's doing some attention seeking again, so I must be slipping back to some old ways, but he's left Beauty completely alone.

Moaning Minnie

2008-11-26T09:52:00.003Z

Compared to some people's jobs, my busy day was probably a nice gentle day. Looking back I was shattered, but of course I've had office or driving jobs for all my working life, so having to not only stand up, but actually walk is taking some getting used to. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't had to cut down on Fred's walks, so losing a bit of fitness myself (not helped by chocolate scoffing to take away the boredom).

Things still going well round here - nothing directed at Beauty since last Thursday and much less attention seeking behaviour. He has even been going up to Beauty for some attention, which she is really enjoying. Oops, play breaking out as I type. Sadly I have to keep breaking it up as I think it's playfighting, which Fred is NOT ALLOWED to do. I am trying to encourage them to focus their playing on a toy, but the minute I interfere they start wanting attention from me and they stop playing. I will persevere though.

I have been able to play with Fred more this week - when we first started this I felt as if I would never be able to play with him again. I can't interact with him when he is demanding attention, and it's taken nearly three weeks for it to die down enough for me to be able to find a moment when he is not demanding attention to be able to give it to him.

One thing he has started doing, which I think is still a demand for attention, is when I walk out of the living room towards the stairs, he joins me and walks so close he's leaning on my leg. Obviously this is something I've spent a year trying to teach him so I want to keep a clicker in that area of the room so when he does it I can mark and reward. Does this count as giving in to his demands for attention and will ruin everything else I am doing? This dog is shaving a few years off the end of my life I think.

Very Busy Day Ahead

2008-11-24T08:51:00.002Z

I've got the first of two Mondays where I'll be leaving the house at 10am and not getting back until at least 4pm.

I have to drive to Colchester (60 mins), assist in an agilty class for 90 minutes, drive back (another 60 mins), then walk three dogs over two hours.

Made worse by the problem that three of my mum's dogs have kennel cough so she can't have my dogs and they will be coming with me. I left them for five hours a couple of weeks ago, and apart from Beauty leaving a trail from the bin directly to her bed (I was finding bread bag in her poop for a few days after that) they were okay, but leaving them for 6 hours, and lets face it, I will be very unlikely to find the energy to walk them as well, is just too long.

By taking them with me they will have to hang about in the car a fair bit, but they are used to that with the travelling we do, and I'll be able to walk them with my customers dogs (which was the idea all along anyway).

So I'd better get cracking...

Skinny Ribs

2008-11-21T08:59:00.004Z

Fred has been on his weight loss diet since February. It took me some time to find the right balance, and as I can't take him to any dog sports because of his hips it's taken a long time for the weight to come off. It's been fairly steady coming off since July, but I could hardly see any difference.

Then this week, it's like the whole 2 kilos fell off at once.

I can't believe how skinny he looks, all of a sudden.

Gah

2008-11-20T11:21:00.004Z

Bloody dog! I suppose I should be pleased it's only every few days, instead of every day now. And this time Beauty chased him away from her food, which was good for her, although it meant that I couldn't react quickly enough as they are a lot quicker than I am - especially when my hands are in the washing up - and they were in the other room and stopped before I got there. So much thinking I could do something else in the kitchen while supervising meal times. Even though I was STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO HIM. There are still days when I want to strangle him.

I had a catch up with the behaviourist who has told me I'm still being too gentle on him at other times, and this is why he does sometimes give in to his what appears to be constant urge to be a little git towards Beauty.

So I have to spend more time being really mean over the little things so that this big thing carries on become less and less frequent. Hopefully it will continue with more time between each incident until we get a gap of his entire life.

Not so Good

2008-11-17T10:19:00.003Z

I thought Fred was learning, I really did. He's been thinking twice about bullying Beauty, but, as I have found out the last couple of days - only when she is in her own bed.

When she gets in his bed, which I don't like her doing anyway because she is too big and has squashed it all out of shape, she is stuck out towards the corridor through the room (Fred's bed is there to keep some space between him and her bed. That means when Fred is in the dinning room, sees something in the back garden that excites him, he runs back in and has his pop at her because she's sitting right in his view. And because I can't see him in the other room I get no warning.

So he's not really learning anything at all with this aversive training - which was my worry about aversives in the first place! He's just learning if I'm around he has to behave, but if I'm not, he can do what he likes.

I will have to ban Beauty from his bed, so once again she loses a little bit more freedom because he's being a pain in the backside.

Pig's Feet

2008-11-15T13:41:00.004Z

Fred is currently in his crate, having a chomp on half a pig's foot.

The behaviour work has been going very well with regards leaving Beauty alone, but I think he would get protective of his foot if he were out. He's growled a couple of times and no-one has gone anywhere near him! Beauty is enjoying hers too. I know I'm not supposed to give him high protein, but HE'S A DOG! So I am sure he can handle it as long as it's not every day.

I just have to remember not to feed him a full dinner tonight.

I'm still having a lot of trouble ignoring his demands for attention. I think the problem is that if he's not asking for my attention, he will refuse it if I offer it, so I feel I've had hardly anything to do with him for days. Last night I finally turfed him off my bed, I let him sleep next to me on his own bed. A few times he woke me up jumping on the bed, so I chucked him off. Then in the morning I called him for a cuddle and he ignored me. Again.

I'm going to have to start training him to do something, just to be able to play with him, otherwise I'm going to crack.

Dieting Succesfully

2008-11-13T12:12:00.003Z

Fred's diet is still going the right way. He's now down to...

...

...

10.9kg!

Still a way to go - I originally thought 2kg woud be enough (he started at 12.8kg in February) but I still can't really feel his ribs properly. When I look at weight charts for similar breeds they are usually between 7 and 9kg, so we'll keep going. Knowing about his hips now I'd quite like to see his ribs on a regular basis, not just feel them.

He still looks very barrel chested, but there is no doubt he's looking skinnier around his waist, plus there is now more room between his belly and the floor, so he looks taller and even more handsome if that is possible. I wish I'd thought to take his waist measurement, rather than his chest, which hasn't changed at all!

Fred's Chariot has Arrived!

2008-11-13T07:29:00.013Z

Please ignore the mess in my kitchen - also the fact that the chariot takes up at least 1/2 of the kitchen!

Ten minutes of clicker training and he was getting in and sitting on command. This from a dog who normally runs away from pushchairs, wheelchairs and bikes. Obviously they aren't normally in my kitchen though.. I have to train Beauty to walk alongside it as well, she might be a bit wary of it at first.

I've jiggled it about a bit, done some bumps and he looks a bit wary but he'll get used to it, and outside he'll have a harness on and be strapped in. It's the wrong time of year really - this is for summer days out when he shouldn't be on his feet all day, plus there is no way I am taking him outside my front door with everyone looking at me! Also looks nice and handy for lots of shopping...

The brakes don't work on it, but my dad should be able to sort that out for me, and it's missing a permanent brake, considering it's made to be used as a pushchair as well as a bike trailer. Otherwise I'm very happy with it - just need to pad out the footrest properly so he's got a bit more room to sit and lie down in it - that cushion I've stuffed in doesn't really work! It does also have wheelguard things, but I didn't put them on indoors as we wouldn't be able to move it indoors at all!

My mum might be able to make some use of it as well, with her little dogs. So I'm very happy with it, just got to find somewhere to keep it for the winter!

EDIT - Dad found the permanent brake!

It's That Time of Year Again

2008-11-11T08:55:00.004Z

Time to buy tickets from my training club's presentation dance.

Fred has been nominated for three awards (which is nice considering he hasn't been there much for the past few months). A couple he was nominated for last year, most improved temperament and all-round progress - neither of which he won. As a reminder he won Most Promising Rescue Dog. He's also been nominated for something that I can't remember the exact wording - something to do with 'handler' and 'outstanding achievement', I think 'and dog' might be in there somewhere.

Well, we will see what happens! Haven't remembered to take any money with us, and they are not letting us put our name down without the money. I hope to remember to walk some round tonight. We don't go training during the week anymore - they changed the times slightly and it's just too late getting home for J to get to bed.

How Could I Forget?

2008-11-09T09:40:00.001Z

Happy Birthday Freddie!

Discover Dogs

2008-11-09T08:36:00.006Z

I went yesteday with a couple of friends and had a really good time. I stocked up on a lot of the 'treats' that I add to the dogs' dinners because they are usually cheaper at shows. I pestered Pooch & Mutt to sort out the labelling on their products and made the poor bloke tell me what was in it. They are having to relabel to sell to Germany, so they might as well sort it out for here too! I did buy a big pack of Mobile Bones though, to make up for it.

I also had a chat with the bloke from Feelwell's about how they make their treats - they are planning a new range of bedtime treats to help lovely doggies to sleep. Awwww... They are also planning a complete food, which I may investigate. Beauty has done so well on their biscuits. I bought Fred a couple of bags of his own - the 'lite' version.

I had more of a look around the breed stands than I did last year, because my friends were looking. I had a lovely cuddle with a Portuguese Podengo, but sadly they noticed me trying to pop her in my bag. I just asked if I could have a chat about the breed and they plonked the poor dog on me! I spend a lot of time with the Lancashire Heelers too. After having two bad experiences with the health of my mixed breed dogs I will not have one again. Ideally I'd still have rescue, but I want a dog I can be sure is well-bred and I can't see anything wrong with starting to look now. I had thought I'd like a Patterdale, but I'm sure I only like them because they look a bit like Fred and I think I should be more sensible. Ideally I'd have a dog that didn't have little stubby legs, and do I really want another sighthound, but one smaller than a JRT? I've got plenty of time to think about it. I won't have more than two dogs, and hopefully we've got another 7 years with Beauty so nothing to worry about for a while! Both come with red noses though...

I bought Fred one of these - Dog Box. The idea is similar to that of a shapes post box for children. The dog has to put the shape through the hole to knock treats down through a slot in the bottom. There are smaller slots and shapes, although they are all round. I let both dogs have a go last night. Of course, Fred just knocked the shape flying and stuffed his head down the hole! He didn't really get the idea, but did knock it in a few times. The treats don't stay in very well though, or they don't all get knocked out. I have to load it up so that he doesn't post his shape and get nothing back.

Beauty I started off just with the shape and a nose touch, which she did very glamorously and all gentle like.

I picked up a click and treat stick. I really have no idea why I did that. The treats I use are so small if I move the stick wrong they vanish (I assume up the handle) and because it opens at the end, Fred is a bit nervy about touching it. He knows I want him to touch it, but has to have a few abortive goes before he reaches it. Really don't know what I want the thing for...?

One of the leaflets I picked up stated that the KC have asked for legistlation to make sure that puppies can't be bought or sold unless they are registered with them. Are they completely barking mad? I'm sure this news isn't news but old news by now, and I may have misinterpreted what they mean, but really, what a load of idiots. Mind you, might stop the Greyhound racing industry dead in its tracks if they can't sell any pups. Bizarre.

Bought loads of stuff, spotted some Dogs Today content on various breed leaflets (cheeky buggers, not even a credit!), bought some perfect fit harnesses from Dog Games, but neither actually fit the dogs because the woman wasn't listening to me (I can send them back for an exchange, but of course that's more money for postage), picked up loads of leaflets, a few free mags, tired feet, a Turtle mat from a salesman with a bad attitude, a rosette to go with his Silver KCGC award, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Lovely.

And Another Thing...

2008-11-07T19:15:00.007Z

I've been stewing a bit today. Something suddenly hit me that I didn't think anything of at the time, because I didn't know the DP had started a round robin.

One of the things I was told on Monday by the behaviourist is that the reason why Fred's problems (well, this particular problem) started back when Jack left is because I allowed them to wrestle.

Now, the reason I allowed them to wrestle is because when I first saw it I was concerned that it shouldn't be allowed. So I went on DP and asked if this was okay. I particularly said I don't want to make either of them so rough they become anti-social. I was told they were perfectly fine.

Allowing them to wrestle allowed Fred to fine tune his technique, and this is why the problems of going after other foster dogs and then Beauty (which I'd forgetten started on Beauty that same time until I read the entry I linked to above - this is why I blog!) started after Jack had gone. He had no one to wrestle with anymore, so begun to work his magic on other dogs. My main concern, that one or the other would become anti-social, came true.

So. All the people who reported me for abuse to my Greyhound, I hope you are still reading and perhaps take a long hard look at the advice people are giving on your precious site. Had I not been given such poor advice we might not be here now. Perhaps also consider that the reason I wasn't taking advice by the end of the infamous thread was because it was running contrary to the advice I was getting from professionals who had met Fred and Beauty, and also consider the following, which I saw on another list. I am hoping to get the author's permission to repost her entire message, but until then, here's something to get you thinking. She said it so much better than I ever could.

Sometimes someone asks a question and then says that each of the offered solutions won't work.

We aren't there. We don't know all the contingencies in place. We don't know the history. We don't know what the trainer has tried or how skillful he is. The person may have already tried what you suggested. The person may know of contingencies you don't. The person may need to hear several solutions and weigh them before being able to accept one or the other.

Don't argue, don't judge, don't criticize the individual, don't belabor the same point again and again, and for goodness sake, don't take it personally.

PS I have deleted a few anonymous comments from this blog because they were accusatory and, well, anonymous. Anyone who wants to comment can do so - unlike certain sites I do not like to block people's honest opinions, and they really don't need to leave a name, which is why I allow anonymous comments in the first place. Some people are not brave enough to even state their name (DP screen name for instance), yet are 'brave' enough to throw accusations around, and I will not engage with such low people.

Pottering about the local roads

2008-11-06T16:01:00.005Z

Since Fred has been on short lead walks only I have been walking around my estate with the dogs. Having lived on this estate for 34 of my 38 years it doesn't really hold any surprises for me now and I thought I'd be bored to tears.

It is boring stopping every 5 seconds for him to cock his leg, but sometimes he picks up a scent of something (other than another dog's pee!) and follows it all over the pavement, in very strange little trails. I've complained so often he won't get his nose off the floor, but he seems to be enjoying himself and maybe he's got a little empty space inside him that only sniffing will fill so I let him get on with it, and it's quite fascinating watching him do it. It seems to tire him out as much as chasing after a ball, and is obviously kinder to his hips.

Beauty doesn't seem bothered one way or another on our walks - she is used to the stop/start of the walk caused by Fred and has learnt she's not allowed to poo on people's gardens (why can't people get a fence?) but has to find a grass verge. She's still eager to go out, so can't be too worried we are now having less interesting and shorter walks. I wonder if she's still hoping she'll end up somewhere rabbits and squirrels can be found. She has to make do with watching a few cats.

I expect all 32 nails to be filed down lovely by the end of the month, when I hope to be able to sneak off to the woods a couple of times a week for a short offlead walk. I think the dogs are settling to the new routine better than I am, because no matter where they go they see in smell, and there's smell everywhere, not just places that are pretty for me.

Tremors Again

2008-11-05T21:43:00.008Z

Fred had head tremors twice today. I'd mostly associated them with having other dogs here, so was surprised to see the first time, let alone the second!

I'm not sure if it is 'the programme' as it's been quite full on today and things he's done for a while suddenly have different consequences, but also I had four visitors today. Normally it can take me weeks to have that many! So it could have been that many people to greet, and he wasn't allowed to jump all over them.

I had a chat with Rob the behaviourist anyway.

Two of my visitors were from the local paper, another one my dad and his dog to have a little bit in the paper about the Good Citizen awards they've just got and for a bit of publicity for the business. Last time I was in some photos for the same paper but for the next town, neither of my dogs were in the published picture! That was for the rescue I used to foster for, she was after some publicity herself. I am going to contact the paper to see if I can have some of the other shots - they took a lovely one of me with my dogs only and I'd like to have that one.

While we were having our photos taken on the green outside the house today, a silly old biddy came out of her bedsit and said 'I'm a resident, what's going on?'. Couldn't believe it!? Can't she see that when a man has a camera and is pointing it at two people who are grinning inanely it's likely that some aliens are abducting the local residents to experiment on them? Tch.

She then bent the reporter's ear for some time, lucky him!

Had a lot of fireworks tonight, so Fred's been a bit restless. At least he didn't poo in the dining room like he did last night!

No real moves towards Beauty, even when she is eating he is staying away. Mostly today he's been grabbing bits of paper trying to get my attention. I always thought he had a good 'leave' response, but it's really improved for things like sticking his nose in the bin. Ignored me then, as it was worth too much to him. Not anymore, he's not going there so often and backing straight off!

Sideways Somersaults

2008-11-04T23:17:00.005Z

Fred has done a couple of these as he remembers he's not supposed to jump up at people in mid-jump.

He has been promoted back into eating in the same room as Beauty - only the first time did he try to mug her, he was stopped before he reached her and hasn't tried again, although I am obviously continuing to supervise. He will now sit and wait while she has her lump of fish skins - the first day he tried to grab the bits she dropped, but again was stopped and now waits quietly while she scoffs her bit. When she's gone out he is released to hoover up.

Twice he has gone for her, the first time I caught him as I happened to be sitting there (still can't quite give up the barricade!), the second time he approached so much slower and I was able to help him change his mind (I knew the 2x4 offcut would come in handy).

She's been growling in her sleep (something that has triggered him before), he looked at her, looked at me, went back to sleep. I haven't been brave enough to deliberately set off triggers when I am ready and prepared to deal with him, but we are only in the first 24 hours and I am not ready to push it. Next week I should get the report and programme to follow.

I do feel as if I've had nothing to do with him all day though. He is not allowed to ask for attention, so I've only managed to catch him not asking once to be able to have a fuss.

The Witchhunt

2008-11-04T14:36:00.007Z

I'm sure at some point it will be deleted, so here's a copy of a message I posted on Dogpages.

http://www.dogpages.org.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=185240

Well, I never thought people on this site, a place I came to for help, could be so malicious. Does anyone think that a report that I am going to have my greyhound put to sleep made from EDINBURGH is going to be taken seriously 450 miles away? Especially considering I am in touch with the RGT anyway and they saw Beauty only a few weeks ago.

The people on this site are extremely unkind, narrow minded and extremely nasty. I will not miss any one of you.

Be warned - the people on DogPages will love you if you follow their advice, but woe betide you if you take the advice of a professional and decline theirs.

It has been reported to the RGT, from numerous places around the country - plus Scotland - that I am abusing my Greyhound. The RGT know I am not, as I was chatting with one of their volunteers only recently, and I had both dogs with me. She is also a good friend of my neighbour so she knows about the dogs. However, the poor woman who runs my local branch has to investigate, which she is extremely uncomfortable doing, because of this witchhunt. She even told me she would be quite happy to leave Beauty with me if I needed to rehome her, as long as she did the homecheck! Does that sound as if there is a problem anywhere but in the minds of a few up their own backsides idiots with nothing better to do? All the problems with dogs all around the world, and they choose to pick on me.

AVOID DOGPAGES. Nasty, nasty people.

ETA: 12 minutes and it was gone!

Trained, but Uneducated

2008-11-04T08:09:00.006Z

That's our Fred.

We've had the behaviourist round last night (4 hours!) and Fred did all the behaviours that I was complaining about, so I really feel that finally someone else has seen it, rather than just read (and MISINTERPRETED or IGNORED half of all of my sentences) what I've said on the web.

It seems I have trained him within an inch of his life, but given him no guidance on how to behave in polite company. As far as he is concerned, in this house, for him, there is no Worse Case Scenario. Nothing bad will happen to him, ever, so why should he not act exactly as he pleases?

I feel a bit miffed by Fred. Although each dog I've had (or fostered, or dog sat) has been different, and so they have been treated differently, I haven't really acted any differently with Fred so I do feel annoyed that he's reacted so very differently from every other dog and in such a negative way. None of the other dogs act this way even though the same 'nothing bad will happen' applies to them too.

The behaviourist did fall a little bit in love with Fred I think, but told me that really it boils down to - he is spending every single moment of his life manipulating me for attention ... and it works. So he sees no point in anyone else being in the house, or being around me, which is why he is bullying Beauty.

It's also why he doesn't settle in new places - all those new people to train, and to get things in the house/office/shop exactly how he wants them. Fred was doing all the pacing and acting unsettled here last night as he normally does in new places - or did when he first came here, he just never switches off. Well, I knew that - although when the chap had gone, Fred got in his bed and didn't move for 3 hours - didn't even follow me when I left the room which he normally does. Just really knackered, or already the things we'd been doing all evening having an effect?

So there will now be Consequences. I don't mean I will be knocking him into next week, but there will be a lot less praise and treats* around here, and rights will become privileges he has to earn, just because a dog like Fred needs to work to get what he wants.

If I can just keep it up... He's so cute, and lovely with beautiful eyes which I am not allowed to gaze into anymore. ..sob..

*Definitely less shop-bought treats. Apparently most of the treats I have in my cupboard are made from such delightful ingredients as sawdust, used car engine oil and anti-freeze! Again, I make a plea for the ignorance of yesteryear!

Fireworks

2008-11-01T11:31:00.003Z

Last night didn't go too badly. He had on his t-shirt, harness and a house lead and I think they did help in some weird way. He was lying on the back of the sofa for a while, then settled in his bed, then on my lap for a while. He was unsettled while they were going off but no reactivity from him.

After we went to bed there were some more, and we could see them from the bedroom window. He watched them for a while, when they stopped he settled down again, and after that just slept through them.

I wonder if seeing the lights made him feel better that it wasn't just a noise he didn't understand? Perhaps I am crediting him with the ability to make connections he just can't make.

I won't be giving him the valium tonight, Beauty is safely tucked away where he can't get her, and no matter what the vet says, the dogs will be out for a few short walks today!

Kongs

2008-10-30T20:42:00.002Z

The kongs are working wonders! I can now get Fred to have them one at a time - and he even brings the empty one back to me in return for a filled one. He does try to throw them at me but I make him pick them up and put them in my hand. When he's eaten them all he gets the fish skins in return for the last one.

He's still making silly noises while I am making them, which is a bit off-putting, but I am going to stock up on kongs and try to get in a pattern of having one set ready for each meal and stuff the next lot while they are eating. He'll probaby still pester me in case I've got something better than he's got, but we'll see.

I was thinking that instead of two lots of three kongs I could move to three lots of two in the hope that will help - perhaps he is feeling hungry. I could freeze them and both dogs could have them while I'm out dog walking in the middle of the day.

Is there some important reason that they shouldn't be fed little and often?

It is my plan to make Beauty bring back one empty one in return for one full one. A retrieving greyhound? Can it be done?

Rubbish Vets

2008-10-30T09:03:00.004Z

My vet not only can't advise me properly on Fred's HD, but they can't even refer me to a specialist to get a proper opinion on the best course of action!

They have doubled his painkillers, despite my concerns about him being on them long term, so we'll see if they have any effect. She's put him back on even more restricted exercise, confined to one room and even on a lead in the garden.

I am wondering if it would be better for Fred to have more exercise, not so much he is in agony, but I'd be bloody grumpy if I never went out but had to watch someone else coming and going. I feel as if I can't even up his training to give him something to think about because with his weight problems and no exercise I worry he'll be putting weight on, not taking it off!

I did notice when I fussing him the other day that I could feel ribs that I couldn't before, but his shape doesn't seem to be changing. Maybe he's just a smaller barrel! Still plenty of meat there to get off.

It's so hard making decisions. Do I keep him painfree but bored? Or let him enjoy himself and have to put up with the aches and pains? He never makes a fuss about pain, even when I trod on his foot (by accident!) the other day he didn't squeak although he held it up for a while.

the behaviourist trainer is coming on Monday.

King Ell that Hurt

2008-10-28T18:49:00.004Z

Fred bit me today. :(

Wasn't his fault. I saw a neighbour and offered her a lift home when I had both dogs in the car. She is a very little old lady, and walks with a stick - the metal NHS sort. As I wasn't in the car at the time but helping her in I couldn't see Fred, but as soon as I started helping her in he went absolutely bonkers. Really barking crazily, a real 'stop or I'll rip your face off' bark so I went round to my seat to try to calm him down. I've got a 'net' to stop him coming through to the front, mainly because when someone gets in he dives in the front and licks them to death. He was going at it so hard I thought he'd get through it, so put my hand up and boy did I get chomped.

I put him in the crate with Beauty and it is to his credit that he didn't redirect to her, I was very careful to make sure she'd be safe, but obviously something about this old dear really freaked him out, and I think it was her stick. An odd clunking, creaking noise, repeating at regular intervals, getting closer and closer and closer (missing only the scary soundtrack) must have scared him for some reason.

Feeding Time

2008-10-28T12:12:00.005Z

Oh, how I long for the ignorance of yesteryear, when I threw some Bakers (kept in the bag in a cupboard) in Buster's bowl once a day and that was dinner time.

These days it's a nightmare, and takes me longer to feed the dogs than it does to feed my son.

We're on this NatureDiet stuff these days (well, they are, not me), which is going down well, but because Fred has started inhaling it I've had to start stuffing it into three small kongs for him. Beauty gets through hers quickly as well, so tomorrow she'll be getting the kong treatment as well (I need more kongs, I think it will take more than the two big ones I have!). So twice a day, once stuffed, I have to also stuff:

Probiotic biscuits
Bad breath biscuits
Joint Mobility tablets
Plaque Off powder

For Fred, painkiller
For Beauty antibiotics for this week

and then for pudding - a lump of dry fish skins each.

I also have to bake one packet to make some training treats for them.

Today for lunch I am having a microwave meal, 6 minutes, lovely.

Good Citizen?

2008-10-26T17:55:00.004Z

Certainly is!

Silver a year after he won his Bronze. We didn't get there early enough to enter Beauty as well, but next April we hope to get Beauty her Silver, and Fred his Gold.

Apparently biting chunks out of your big sister is not an issue for these tests.

It's a miracle!

2008-10-26T09:05:00.007Z

My brother came round yesterday to sort out my fish tank and when Fred started jumping all over him I told him to leave. And he did.

I nearly fell over.

Edited: That is, I told Fred to leave (as in, leave my brother alone), I didn't ask my brother to leave the house.

It came up in conversation with the behaviourist/trainer the other day that I don't think I've used 'leave' in that situation and so perhaps I should try it. I've tried it a couple of times when he's jumping at me, and that has limited sucess, but I was amazed how well it worked with my brother.

Boris is really good, and will just stand there anyway, unlike my dad, who does everything wrong while trying to get it right, so it was nice for Fred to have an 'easy' examination first.

I'm also saying 'leave' as soon as I hear a noise, but my son caught me out last night by clattering down the stairs then nearly wrenching the living room door off its handle, so Fred went for Beauty then, but otherwise things are going well.

I'd still like the trainer to come round and see him - I left him a message yesterday, and will try again next week if I hear nothing.

Unexpectedly

2008-10-24T20:00:00.003+01:00

Fred is apparently borderline/low hypothyroidism (or whatever).

The woman who phoned didn't sound as if she knew what she was talking about, so I will be ringing back in the morning. She said it didn't need treatment. What? We go for the test due to the unpredictable aggression, the test shows it may be a factor, but no treatment offered?

I am going to ask another vet practice for the same test and a second opinion.

Edit later: Hmm. The interweb also said anti-inflamatories can give a low reading. Fred is on 20mg a day. This is a problem of going to a different vet for speed!