TheresaW
Well-Known Member
Where to begin? For an older boy, 11 in January, he never seems to get tired.
The guarding issues have improved no end. I think it's more that we are far more careful that nothing tempting is available for him to steal, but I also took on board some things that DryRot told me. As he stays with my mum during the day whilst we are at work, I wanted to make doubly sure he never hurt her. He did steal a baked bean tin off the worktop before she could blink, and without thinking she went to take it off him. He growled at her, and she backed off. She said she was so worried about him hurting himself, she leant over and bellowed at him if he didn't drop it she would punch him so hard on the nose. Am sure there were a few expletives. However, he did drop it, and she picked it up and threw it away.
He has improved no end around the horses. Will never be 100% around them I don't think, he is genuinely scared of them, but on the lead he will walk past them and ignore them as long as they don't come over to him. He doesn't have to have anything to do with them, but I wanted him ok'ish as we can take him to on so many nice walks, but chances are we will see riders, and would hate for him to upset them. He will now sit beside me with mine as OH walks them past, and vice versa, so we will try him out and about soon.
My sister and BiL came up with their dog and the 2 babies. We met at mums and took Aled to meet the boys and George. He's been fine with all dogs and children we've met on our walks. He had a sniff of the boys whilst on lead, and he and George had an absolute blast in Mums garden. Not sure some of the plants will ever recover. He was very good with the babies, although obviously we were on the ball the whole time.
Last weekend we met up with the OH's cousins whose Dad used to own Aled. We met in Buxton and went for a very long walk across the Dales. We don't usually let him off the lead, but they said he would be fine, so we let him off. What they didn't tell us was, he is a mud monster! He found all the muddiest, wettest puddles he could, and rolled and splashed as if his life depended on it. He was very good, came to call, and any strange dogs that ran up to him, he would have a sniff and then ignore. He was put straight back on lead when we went through some sheep fields.
He has lost a bit of weight, will take him to the vet in the new year and get him weighed. We can't see it, but the cousins can, so the scales will tell.
All in all, he is a joy, is good company for mum, and we just love him.
Gratuitous pic of Mud!
The guarding issues have improved no end. I think it's more that we are far more careful that nothing tempting is available for him to steal, but I also took on board some things that DryRot told me. As he stays with my mum during the day whilst we are at work, I wanted to make doubly sure he never hurt her. He did steal a baked bean tin off the worktop before she could blink, and without thinking she went to take it off him. He growled at her, and she backed off. She said she was so worried about him hurting himself, she leant over and bellowed at him if he didn't drop it she would punch him so hard on the nose. Am sure there were a few expletives. However, he did drop it, and she picked it up and threw it away.
He has improved no end around the horses. Will never be 100% around them I don't think, he is genuinely scared of them, but on the lead he will walk past them and ignore them as long as they don't come over to him. He doesn't have to have anything to do with them, but I wanted him ok'ish as we can take him to on so many nice walks, but chances are we will see riders, and would hate for him to upset them. He will now sit beside me with mine as OH walks them past, and vice versa, so we will try him out and about soon.
My sister and BiL came up with their dog and the 2 babies. We met at mums and took Aled to meet the boys and George. He's been fine with all dogs and children we've met on our walks. He had a sniff of the boys whilst on lead, and he and George had an absolute blast in Mums garden. Not sure some of the plants will ever recover. He was very good with the babies, although obviously we were on the ball the whole time.
Last weekend we met up with the OH's cousins whose Dad used to own Aled. We met in Buxton and went for a very long walk across the Dales. We don't usually let him off the lead, but they said he would be fine, so we let him off. What they didn't tell us was, he is a mud monster! He found all the muddiest, wettest puddles he could, and rolled and splashed as if his life depended on it. He was very good, came to call, and any strange dogs that ran up to him, he would have a sniff and then ignore. He was put straight back on lead when we went through some sheep fields.
He has lost a bit of weight, will take him to the vet in the new year and get him weighed. We can't see it, but the cousins can, so the scales will tell.
All in all, he is a joy, is good company for mum, and we just love him.
Gratuitous pic of Mud!
