Getting a Dog - where to start?

[SaddlePsych'D]

Hmm...so Ivy's toileting seems to be taking a backwards step. She wasn't hesitant about going in the garden when she first arrived and we were taking her out probably more than necessary initially. Over the last few days she's been a bit fussy about going out in the garden and if she does get outside she hasn't always been going to toilet. We've been trying to wait it out until she goes but she's pretty determined not to go! Unfortunately this has lead to a couple of accidents. I've managed to catch her in time twice, interrupted her (nicely, no telling off!) took her outside and lots of praise when she went in the right place. But a couple of times we've been too late. Not sure what to do other than wait even longer when we take her out in the garden.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Oh look at her, she looks flat out there! Absolutely gorgeous dog she's becoming my favourite HHO pooch!

She was properly worn out! She snoozes most of the day anyway but after a walk she's fully asleep as soon as we're home ?

 

[TheresaW]

Can you still get Primula with prawns? Absolutely disgusting and dogs would sell their souls for it.

I haven’t had it for years, but I used to love it on toast. ?

 

[Clodagh]

I haven’t had it for years, but I used to love it on toast. ?

Omg you are sick ?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Our sweet girl made us proud again today! In the mornings she's getting a little more bouncy and her tail a little more waggy, and now we've got her fencing sorted in the garden she can go out free range - she gave us a tiny taster of her 'zoomies' before breakfast. She's visited the vets, just to say hello and be weighed, and was a very good girl (and secretly loved all the fuss from the vet nurses. Then this eve she's had her first pub visit - we had the place to ourselves and the staff were so fab with her. She was nervous but curious and able to eventually settle, OH took her for a bit of a snoop around and she said hello to the bar staff (with scooby snacks on hand to help!) Then she learned about cheesy chips and got comfy, and we wondered if she would want to leave!

 

[bonny]

Our sweet girl made us proud again today! In the mornings she's getting a little more bouncy and her tail a little more waggy, and now we've got her fencing sorted in the garden she can go out free range - she gave us a tiny taster of her 'zoomies' before breakfast. She's visited the vets, just to say hello and be weighed, and was a very good girl (and secretly loved all the fuss from the vet nurses. Then this eve she's had her first pub visit - we had the place to ourselves and the staff were so fab with her. She was nervous but curious and able to eventually settle, OH took her for a bit of a snoop around and she said hello to the bar staff (with scooby snacks on hand to help!) Then she learned about cheesy chips and got comfy, and we wondered if she would want to leave!

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That’s a lovely update x

 

[TGM]

Hmm...so Ivy's toileting seems to be taking a backwards step. She wasn't hesitant about going in the garden when she first arrived and we were taking her out probably more than necessary initially. Over the last few days she's been a bit fussy about going out in the garden and if she does get outside she hasn't always been going to toilet. We've been trying to wait it out until she goes but she's pretty determined not to go! Unfortunately this has lead to a couple of accidents. I've managed to catch her in time twice, interrupted her (nicely, no telling off!) took her outside and lots of praise when she went in the right place. But a couple of times we've been too late. Not sure what to do other than wait even longer when we take her out in the garden.

I'm sure by now you have an idea of what her toileting frequency is. So when you feel she probably needs to go take her out on the lead for a short walk and let her sniff all the verges. Keep walking until she does her business then praise her and give a treat. They are far more likely to 'go' in this situation rather than just being out in the garden. One, exercise tends to stimulate 'going' and two, sniffing where other dogs have been also stimulates toileting.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I'm sure by now you have an idea of what her toileting frequency is. So when you feel she probably needs to go take her out on the lead for a short walk and let her sniff all the verges. Keep walking until she does her business then praise her and give a treat. They are far more likely to 'go' in this situation rather than just being out in the garden. One, exercise tends to stimulate 'going' and two, sniffing where other dogs have been also stimulates toileting.

We think for some reason she got shy about going when on the lead in the garden. She was still going on walks but for some reason our initial on lead strategy for the garden stopped working. After a bit of Googling we took her out with long line so she could get further away from us and that seemed to help. Now our fencing is sorted she can go out free range so fingers crossed it's not a problem now, she'll happily trot off to find her spot and go. Phew!

 

[CorvusCorax]

I have to keep all mine moving on a leash and they sometimes need a good leg stretch/short walk to get everything going. I can spend up to 15 minutes per dog on a 'quick' toilet break. The female could go up to three times in that period.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Uh oh, Ivy has claimed my most expensive pair of socks. OH isnt the most observant so despite being home with her all day we have no idea when this happened. Noticing her be a bit more curious about things, possibly a good sign of settling in and feeling a bit braver, possibly also that means more potential for boredom. We're not sure but thinking we need to up our kong stuffing game and more mental stimuation and/or walks needed!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Also her being a cute little burrito last night.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

You will soon get used to keeping your stuff out of her way!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

You will soon get used to keeping your stuff out of her way!

Yep! It's not been a problem before but she's getting braver and more curious. Nice to see her coming out of her shell but we'll have to be a bit more on it and also work on the leave/drop training. She's sort of got 'drop' which seems like we're going to need.

We've not long got back from an evening walk to town and it was her best walk yet given some of the busier spots. We picked up some squeezy cheese while out which helped a couple of sticky spots on the way back ?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Just going to leave this here... ?


Being a very good girl this eve. I've had another wobble (tricky walk and lots of whining this AM which is a new thing) but reminding myself it's all to be expected. She was a superstar at the yard yesterday. Not interested/bothered by the horses. Ok with the other dogs, and eventually got brave enough to have a sniff and let everyone at the yard say hello which is pretty big given how shy she is with new people. ?

 

[AmyMay]

I have no words!! ?????

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I have no words!! ?????

It's certainly a look

 

[some show]

Haha! She's got a lovely intelligent look on her face there, is it biscuit-focus? Joe's been needing his equafleece this last couple of days/nights too!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Haha! She's got a lovely intelligent look on her face there, is it biscuit-focus? Joe's been needing his equafleece this last couple of days/nights too!

Haha, well spotted! I think it was OH doing something in the kitchen, possibly involving sausages.

I tried to get pics of her in her new coat as well but by that point she'd had enough and came over for a cuddle instead.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Our dino dog being all snuggly today. She's had a couple of days off from walks. Sunday was a huge day for her and Monday we had a really not great walk. I overlooked her body language when we were getting ready to go out thinking she would be alright when we got going. Most of it was fine but getting back was painful. At one point she was throwing herself around on the end of the lead which is not like her. I'd had to pull her along away from a couple of cats so whether that contributed I don't know. Tuesday we got in the car to go to a quieter spot and she refused to get out of the car. At that point I just thought let's leave the walking for now and regroup. She's been a bit cheeky this eve which has been nice to see so hopefully the time off to chill at home has helped. She's been managing a couple of hours home alone which is great. Although has a new thing of whining in the mornings when OH comes upstairs from his shower to get changed. Not great pre 7am. ?

 

[splashgirl45]

sounds like you are doing really well...she is a lucky girl

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

sounds like you are doing really well...she is a lucky girl

Thank you! I am constantly doubting whether we're doing the right things with her and not wanting to ruin her. She's taken a bit of a backward step with her walks after having had a couple of really good ones.

She's done fantastically well today, a 2 hour car journey to OH's parents' house for the weekend. She's discovering the joy of rugs on underfloor heating! However we've pretty much confirmed that she is quite worried about men (usually older men, she warmed up to OH just as well as she did me but we've noticed she is more likely to swerve men when we go walking) - she won't even come to OH's dad for a chunk of sausage which is her absolute favourite. Makes me sad to think what treatment she might have had in the past and feel so proud of her when she does get a bit closer to new people.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

It took P dog over a year to get 'used' to men at all, she was very aloof with Mr TFF still till about 18 months in but had actively backed off from male employees at the coal face I was at, despite them bearing mini gifts for her. She now is happy to meet 'people' of both sexes but is a little racist at times. It took 2 years before she found her voice to occasionally bark in excitement. I dread to think what she had gone through before, she's been with us 6 years in January.
What I'm trying to get across is to be very patient indeed, things will improve but might take some time. Keep a bit of a diary, you'll find it interesting reading back in 6 months or a year x

 

[splashgirl45]

as FF says, it will take time, remember you have had her a very short time and you are learning as well as her, its gone so well in that short time i am sure she will turn out great...

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

It took P dog over a year to get 'used' to men at all, she was very aloof with Mr TFF still till about 18 months in but had actively backed off from male employees at the coal face I was at, despite them bearing mini gifts for her. She now is happy to meet 'people' of both sexes but is a little racist at times. It took 2 years before she found her voice to occasionally bark in excitement. I dread to think what she had gone through before, she's been with us 6 years in January.
What I'm trying to get across is to be very patient indeed, things will improve but might take some time. Keep a bit of a diary, you'll find it interesting reading back in 6 months or a year x

Bless P dog! It's upsetting to think about what they might have been through in their previous life. Ivy has basically had the week "off" because we knew this would be quite a big deal for her. She will have a low key start to next week as well. She's worried but staying curious which is good to see.

This is definitely a lesson in patience for us, and a huge learning curve but every time we see her show a little bravery or affection it melts our hearts!

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I want to weep with joy! This little hound just keeps on surprising us. She is now OH's dad's best friend and feeling relaxed enough at ger grandpawrents' home to do this (underfloor heating!):

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

A little Ivy spam seeing as it's five weeks today since we brought her home. She is doing so well out on her walks now. We'd been throwing kibble down to help get her unstuck which was working quite well, then we were advised to pair a cue with it and the difference is huge - 'this way!' is usually enough to keep things moving and she seems so much more confident out and about now.

She had her (first time, does it show much?!) owners frantic with worry after a jackpot counter surfing win at the weekend, half a fancy blue cheese complete with part of the cling film it was wrapped in. Of course she was totally fine and the main concern now is her increased motivation to investigate the kitchen worktop (and the loss of said fancy cheese). On the plus side our kitchen has never been cleaner or tidier!

We're just now switching her over from Pedigree dry to Millie's Wolfheart dry food which looks much better quality so I'm really hoping this will help her look even better in her coat/condition.

She charms everyone she meets (when she is brave enough to say hello), and alongside her affectionate side we're seeing a little more of her 'bouncy' and a bit of goofiness. She melts our hearts and makes us laugh every day

 

[splashgirl45]

what a lovely post, she is settling in very well, there are never too many Ivy pics

 

[Ariadne123]

She is gorgeous! Those ears! That face! What a sweetie.

 

[Escapade]

I love Ivy updates! Clean counters here too, there is nowhere the snozzle can’t reach (can unscrew the lid off jars too, I’ve learned…)

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I love Ivy updates! Clean counters here too, there is nowhere the snozzle can’t reach (can unscrew the lid off jars too, I’ve learned…)

Oh my! I hope she doesn't work out jar lids!

We're off to our second group sighthound walk tomorrow. She did fairly well at the last one given the number of people and hounds although we did have to duck out part way through because she didn't want to walk the way the rest of group were going! She also got overwhelmed with excitement and/or fear and started jumping about and yelping before we got going. Once we were on the move she was on a mission and fine in amongst the pack (and leading it!) but it was a bit unsettling to see her behave like that. She's a very different dog on her walks now compared to then (it was a few weeks ago) so we'll see how we get on. If there's a repeat of the overreacting we'll pack in the group walks for now and practice going out with just a couple of other hounds.