Henry's marbles

Spudlet

Spudlet

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 April 2009
Messages
19,800
Visit site
They'll come back, right? They will come back??

He has had me in tears again today - I just can't cope at the moment
frown.gif
It's all a bit too much
frown.gif
frown.gif
 
They will
smile.gif
- we have all had days when we would cheerfully leave them tied to a lampost!
smirk.gif
smirk.gif


My offer of hooning around with Max still stands over Christmas if you are passing this way.
smile.gif


You probably are both in need of a break - from each other and work!! So the dog sitters will get him and you get a couple of days away with from him with work. As much as I hate going away with work I do quite like having a few days off from the horses, dogs, mud etc especially this time of year - even if it is only one night I come home feeling a bit refreshed from missing the daily grind.

Chin up -its nearly Christmas!! Tell him the condition of Christmas presents is being good......
grin.gif
grin.gif
grin.gif


O and by the way - these are yours *hands back marbles*
grin.gif
 
Thank you
smile.gif


He was ok when we came out right? Picnic notwithstanding, he was ok?

I am kind of dreading this trip (7.15am train tomorrow, arriving back midnight on Wednesday) but it is a relief to know he is someone else's problem for a couple of days - God but I feel like a cow for feeling like that.
 
He was fine - no better or worse than any of ours have been.
grin.gif


I'm sure the break will do you good - I know its work but try and take advantage of being in a hotel (you are in a hotel right?
confused.gif
) and get some decent food inside you, long bubble baths and early nights without having to do any of the clearing up!!
cool.gif
smile.gif


You will come home feeling better and might even miss the little toe rag!!
wink.gif
grin.gif
 
Gah! I feel for you, yet at the same time I'm also thinking "Eeeep, what have I done?!"

I was in Pets at Home today picking up a Mr Squeaky Chicken and some puppy training treats. The checkout lady asked what we were having. When we told her a Cocker Spaniel she said "awwww" but the lady next to us said, "Oh heck....good luck, you'll need it!"

PMSL! I think she clearly shares you angst Hoppalong.
 
[ QUOTE ]
"Oh heck....good luck, you'll need it!"



[/ QUOTE ]

Never a truer word said!
shocked.gif


I am worried that this bogging off will be so much fun he'll just start doing it forever
crazy.gif


Guess we just have to ride this out then start again - I have a day off on Friday so we are going to the beach again so I can walk the paws off him. Then I will have the whole Christmas week to work on it as well.

If all else fails I have found a gundog trainer that does remedial sessions fairly locally...
 
I agree with SU, give him a week before you write him off!

A couple of months ago I lots my whistle and Otto started taking the pee, even once I'd found it it took him a week to realise I meant business again! I was tearing my hair out!
And when we got him castrated, after 10 days of lead walking I had the horrid deaf puppy we bought last year back
mad.gif


The best thing I can do with Otto, and it may work with Henry, is to get him hunting through the cover I want. It seems to get him on my side, I think he guesses I know something he doesn't! It keeps his attention at least half focused on me and then when I want him to come back I don't have to battle to much with his nose! Because you are breaking his concentration every few secs/minutes it helps stop the nose override problems a wee bit.

The way I do it is to blow his 'Oi!' (or turn) whistle, so he is heading back, then as he is running towards me I direct him into the cover at the side of the path. At first I basically walked to where I wanted him to go, but now I can just motion with my hand which side. Try to keep one step ahead so that he stays close, as it's when they get their heads down and leg it in a straight line that you don't stand a chance!

This seems to be the key to Otto and he thinks it's great fun! Like Henry treats and toys just hold no allure to him, neither does fussing him, letting him do what he wants but only on my terms seems to be the way forward. He no longer thinks of coming back (or even just close) as the end ofhis fun, but rather 'What's Mum found for me to do now!!'

ETA - It also means that when I do call him back he is lookinng at me to see if I am going to send him into cover, which stops his attention being caught by a bird/squirrel/leaf falling and bogging off before he gets to me, which is his biggest fault!
mad.gif


Keep plugging away, you will get there!!
grin.gif


(Sorry if you've been trying this with no effect and insted of taking my advice have my Profiteroles instead
grin.gif
the choclate has liquor in them, yum yum!)
 
I'm sorry to hear you've been having such trouble with Henry at the moment
frown.gif
I can imagine some days you do really feel like giving up
frown.gif
I can't give any advice as all other members have given you such good advice already so I'll offer you a hug instead
grin.gif
 
Sorry to hear your haveing trouble,my little gril can be a right git some times,for example on Saturday i spent half an hour sitting on a bench on top of a hill, waiting for her to come back from chasing rabbits,
frown.gif
blush.gif
but today up the fields she was coming back to me straight a way,some times i have been so tempted to leave her,but the good days do out way the bad ones.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I can't give any advice as all other members have given you such good advice already

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't lie, it's 'cos you have nice easy Labs that are born ready trained, not hooligan Spaniels
grin.gif
tongue.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

blush.gif
blush.gif
Too true
grin.gif
A bit of food and they'll do anything
grin.gif


Beastie on the other hand...
blush.gif
 
Thank you
smile.gif


I have started teaching him a new trick - roll over - in the hope that the more he learns at home the better!

Henmeister, I hadn't tried that up until the weekend, it is what I was aiming for on Sunday but he was to hyper to get it I think. Afrer this lunchtime's mad hooning we did go to a rabbit warren on the line - normally we march straight past that as we are out of time by that point on the walk but today we took a special trip and I got him sniffing in all the holes- he was starting to listen to where I was directing him although I'm sure he just thought I had a crap sense of smell
grin.gif


I might try something like hiding yummy treats in cover for him to find as well, we can start on the lead and work up to geting off-lead I guess. The he will get a reward for snoofling where I point him to.

I am normally tougher than this but right now I am feeling a bit beaten down - I haven't slept properly in a couple of weeks and I am getting ill so it is all getting me down a bit
frown.gif
Thank you for letting me whinge at you
blush.gif
 
FAO Henry...

Henry! Hello! Over here...no, over HERE...no...(anyway, I'm through the computer screen so I suppose it doesn't REALLY matter)

SO....Henry...look, what's this? *reaches virtually behind spangle lug* What is THAT?

YES, you clever boy - it's one of your missing marbles! Now, be a good boy and pop it back where it belongs. That's better.

Now - you're going to be a good boy? Yes?

Promise? Or we'll send you to Auntie Cayla..and International Dog Rescue won't be able to help....What's that? You ARE going to be a good boy? Well done Henry, I knew you'd see sense!
grin.gif


(I think I've found a new career in virtual spangle training- no charge for you hun, the first session is a freebie
grin.gif
)
 
LOL. So glad I am not the owner of the only hooligan spaniel in the UK... There are days when people ask 'Is he a rescue?' and I am tempted to reply 'Not yet.'
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top