Do you ever count your lucky stars?

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You are kind on AAD so you will humour me I know ? - whenever I am feeling low, my dogs inevitably make me feel happy again! I was just reminded this evening about how relatively recently George joined my pack.... and I was struck by how much I love him already (sorry!), he has such a huge place in my heart ❤️ So a massive thank you to PonyParty for trusting me with him, I’m so glad I picked him up that day ?

Comparing double/triple/quadruple chins this evening ?? Can’t believe I’m posting this, I should be too embarrassed ??

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We feel the same about Hector. He was a stray off the street. Initially, I tried hard to give him away. But, once he had stayed a night or two he captured our hearts and now he runs the whole house.

We have had GSDs that we have loved, but little nondescript terrier Hector is in a league of his own.
 
What a lovely picture. I know exactly what you mean, I am feeling very low just now as I have spent the last two weeks with awful labyrinthitis and today have had to make a horrible decision to have my horse pts. However, my little Herbie seems to understand and is snuggled up next to me as usual but every so often lifts his head to give me a little kiss as if to let me know he's here for me! For all Hector is Mr EM's dog he is also being very sweet too.
 
Red-1 said:
We feel the same about Hector. He was a stray off the street. Initially, I tried hard to give him away. But, once he had stayed a night or two he captured our hearts and now he runs the whole house.

We have had GSDs that we have loved, but little nondescript terrier Hector is in a league of his own.
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Oh yes that description is so familiar! I adore my sighthounds and I really thought nothing would ever match them... but a George is so adorable ????
 
EventingMum said:
What a lovely picture. I know exactly what you mean, I am feeling very low just now as I have spent the last two weeks with awful labyrinthitis and today have had to make a horrible decision to have my horse pts. However, my little Herbie seems to understand and is snuggled up next to me as usual but every so often lifts his head to give me a little kiss as if to let me know he's here for me! For all Hector is Mr EM's dog he is also being very sweet too.
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Oh EM I am so very sorry ?? Those animals we love - horses,
dogs, cats, anything - give us so much love and companionship but it is so very VERY hard when they leave us ???
 
Levrier said:
Oh EM I am so very sorry ?? Those animals we love - horses,
dogs, cats, anything - give us so much love and companionship but it is so very VERY hard when they leave us ???
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Thanks, they really do, relationships with animals are, generally, so straight forward and easy with no hidden agendas. That's what is so great about HHO too, everyone understands how we feel about our animals.
 
Our Peril is a wonderful dog, she slotted into our family 18 months ago and we felt instantly like we'd had her for a lifetime. She adored Spot, Spot adored her, from the first second they met. Jake was a bit reluctant to love her at first but she persevered, presenting him with gifts, and he now adores her. She helped us all heal after we lost our beloved Spot and she is giving Jake confidence and gentle companionship in his old age. She is good for my soul. She will also selflessly help Jake eat his 13th Birthday Cake tomorrow!
 
We got Bo a couple of weeks before we said goodbye to Aled. We knew we would be saying our goodbyes soon, and we knew Luna would never cope on her own. Clodagh on here told us of “Collie needing a home” so we went to look only. He came home the same day. I love him so so much. Just to gently let him know that he’s not a lap dog ?

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It’s a lovely photo Lev. I have my struggles with being a dog owner, the feelings of failure when I get the ‘he’s a collie he should be easy’, in fact tonight I’m in tears wondering if he’s happy, if I’m doing enough to give him a good life and if he actually likes me, but I think that’s my own mental health talking. But I look at him and my heart bursts, I love him so bloody much, maybe that’s why I take it so hard thinking he might not love me back.
 

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BBP said:
It’s a lovely photo Lev. I have my struggles with being a dog owner, the feelings of failure when I get the ‘he’s a collie he should be easy’, in fact tonight I’m in tears wondering if he’s happy, if I’m doing enough to give him a good life and if he actually likes me, but I think that’s my own mental health talking. But I look at him and my heart bursts, I love him so bloody much, maybe that’s why I take it so hard thinking he might not love me back.
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Oh BBP.... take it from one who doubts myself daily in EXACTLY the same ways.... he truly does love you back ❤️❤️

I think that’s what I love and value more than anything about our canine friends.... and I don’t care about declaring it ❤️..... they love us unconditionally without a lot of the “hang ups” humans experience.....
 
BBP said:
It’s a lovely photo Lev. I have my struggles with being a dog owner, the feelings of failure when I get the ‘he’s a collie he should be easy’, in fact tonight I’m in tears wondering if he’s happy, if I’m doing enough to give him a good life and if he actually likes me, but I think that’s my own mental health talking. But I look at him and my heart bursts, I love him so bloody much, maybe that’s why I take it so hard thinking he might not love me back.
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Aled was easy, he was also 10.5 when he came to us. He had some issues, but nothing we couldn’t work around. Bo, as much as we love him, has lots of issues, one being, we can’t do lead walks with him and Luna together. Don’t beat yourself up. I’m sure he is happy, sometimes we just have to meet them half way. Bo is not happy at all on lead. Mornings, either me and OH take him and Luna out separately, or one of us takes them both in the car somewhere so he can be off lead. If you met him on lead, you’d think he wanted to kill you. Meet him off lead, and you wouldn’t even notice him.
 
Awww it’s a fantastic piccie. George looks like he’s in full meditation mode :)

I’ve got shingles at the moment, so I’m feeling somewhat sorry for myself but the dogs can still make me chuckle. Walking them however has been a bit of a challenge as my shingles pain is in my right shoulder and arm but luckily that’s NOT the Willow arm!!

Every day is a bonus with the dogs, especially with the two older ones who could potentially pop off any time really. Button has almost reached her next milestone, which was 1st March, so I’ve got to pick another date to aim for. Her birthday (16th) is too far away so we may aim for June next :)
 
Levrier said:
Oh BBP.... take it from one who doubts myself daily in EXACTLY the same ways.... he truly does love you back ❤️❤️

I think that’s what I love and value more than anything about our canine friends.... and I don’t care about declaring it ❤️..... they love us unconditionally without a lot of the “hang ups” humans experience.....
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I hope you’re right. I feel like a failure tonight. I see all the beautiful photos of peoples off lead dogs enjoying the great outdoors and it feels like he is missing out because of my failures as a dog trainer. Off lead he wants to chase flocks of birds across the sky, or cars down the road or my horses across the field. Anything that might get him killed. And it’s my fault for not being able to teach him otherwise. I’m trying to juggle a full time job, the horses and him on my own, I’m always tired and failing to do any enough justice.

Anyway, sorry, I’m killing your happy post. No idea why I’ve got so upset tonight, usually I’m fine and so is he. This post needs to get back on track with dog loving wonderfulness.
 
A lovely photo of you and George. He looks very at home!

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It’s not a dog but this is my favourite photo of me and my cat who I adore. This was the morning after my other cat was killed by a car. I had spent all night crying and woke up to him lying on me like this. He definitely knows when I need a cuddle. So happy my OH got a photo of it.
 
BBP, don't feel a bad owner because you haven't managed to train him to reliably come back and be safe off lead. I am on my fifth collie from a pup and the latest one is the first I have had problems with recall with. When working she is great, totally focussed, that is sheep and agility. However take her into a park where she can see other dogs and she is gone. My others were always focussed on me and not interested in other dogs so this has come as a shock. I have to work round it. If I give my other dog a ball then the youngster will herd her so considers herself 'working'. Remove the ball and she is off to find other amusement. Consequently when out she is always on a lead and very rarely let off.
You will get there eventually as I will I hope. Have faith. I would say that belonging to an agility club where I can sometimes let her run with other dogs after training has helped, as has the agility work. We are more of a team now. She will be three in June.
 
BBP said:
I hope you’re right. I feel like a failure tonight. I see all the beautiful photos of peoples off lead dogs enjoying the great outdoors and it feels like he is missing out because of my failures as a dog trainer. Off lead he wants to chase flocks of birds across the sky, or cars down the road or my horses across the field. Anything that might get him killed. And it’s my fault for not being able to teach him otherwise. I’m trying to juggle a full time job, the horses and him on my own, I’m always tired and failing to do any enough justice.

Anyway, sorry, I’m killing your happy post. No idea why I’ve got so upset tonight, usually I’m fine and so is he. This post needs to get back on track with dog loving wonderfulness.
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You most certainly are NOT a failure. Look how dedicated and committed you are despite the trials and tribulations he throws at you. Collies aren’t “easy” dogs, they are intelligent dogs so learn bad habits just as quickly as good. They are also often highly strung, over sensitive and obsessive so learned behaviours can be very hard to eradicate especially when they are self rewarding.
It sounds like you have a lot on your plate too, which means his issues will seem magnified. I wish you were closer and I could offer some practical help.
 
A beautiful pic and post, lovely.

My 2 Swissies Mabel and Peggy, have really been life savers for me ...... the last 6 months have been hell, with MiL seriously ill in hospital an hours drive away, so daily visiting until she died a week ago, and OH between jobs so no money coming in ...... but my woofers are always there for me, with a big smile on their faces and dragging me out for a therapeutic walk no matter how awful the weather .....,I just couldnt be without them. ❤
 
BBP, I went through something very similar with my little hound. She can go off lead but I have to be careful where, and some times even so she goes off doing her thing - last year, 2 days after my first marathon I walked (up hill and down dale) 15 miles for about 6 hours because she tittled off for a jolly. I was ringing vets locally to see if anything had been brought in when I got a call saying she was about 4 miles away from where I'd been walking!
I wondered some years ago if she'd be happier as part of a hunting pack but the reality is she does love to hunt but hates rain, hates the cold and sleeps on or in my bed on a regular basis. I'm pretty sure she would not like to trade her 24 comfortable hours for the sake of hunting for a few hours a week.
And the days when (even now at 10) she goes off doing her thing and then comes trotting back when I call just make all the bad days go away. She's not easy, she is super smart but she's also independent and stubborn but she is a joy
 
Lovely photo, Lev. Sorry to hear you’re feeling low - glad that George and the others are on hand to help you feel better though! He certainly is a softie, when it comes to his human(s). Such a sweetie when he was with us; I’m so pleased you were able to offer him a wonderful home. Hope the clouds lift for you soon (no, I don’t just mean the weather!).
 
Love my woofers too and they are actually far more capable of lifting my spirits than almost anything (and I love my horses too but they are very hard work really!!). :) I completely thank my lucky stars for the dogs and all of the dogs I have had as they are the friends that have often helped me to weather life's storms. None of them are perfect and certainly not perfectly trained either but their loyalty and good cheer are a straight 10!! :)
 
Levrier said:
You are kind on AAD so you will humour me I know ? - whenever I am feeling low, my dogs inevitably make me feel happy again! I was just reminded this evening about how relatively recently George joined my pack.... and I was struck by how much I love him already (sorry!), he has such a huge place in my heart ❤️ So a massive thank you to PonyParty for trusting me with him, I’m so glad I picked him up that day ?

Comparing double/triple/quadruple chins this evening ?? Can’t believe I’m posting this, I should be too embarrassed ??

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That’s terriers! Not a lot gets them down and it must rub off on their owners!
 
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