The New Adventures of Henry Spaniel.

[PapaverFollis]

Start with this thread.

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/springer-spaniel-rescue-useless-owners.815734/

I'm not sure how this thread will turn out but I'd like to share how we get on with Henry somewhere. And now he's landed in his new home with us it seems appropriate to start a new thread.

So far today has gone well. Though we've had to create a spreadsheet for animal care as both myself and especially MrPF are so tired we don't want to forget anything! To make things more complicated the horses are stuck in their boxes while we wait to see if MrT coming in lame the other day is going to pass or if he's actually done something. (He looked completely sound today, so hopefully I've overreacted!).

We're taking things very slowly. Henry was introduced to Hugo Sprollie and then Oscar Sprocker on arrival this morning. On leads, just on the driveway at the front of the croft. A couple of minutes to sniff and then being encouraged to ignore each other and look at their human instead. Hugo gave him the "I'm the big man around here" speech and to be fair, Henry was quite impressed with it and made himself a little smaller which satisfied Hugo. Oscar and Henry basically nodded at each other in the familiar way that spaniels often seem to on meeting another spaniel and both went about some important spaniel business in the vicinity of each other for a while. There was a little bit of looking like they might actually like to play... which is a good thing but we called them away from each other today. Keeping everything under any excitement thresholds for the time being. Henry impressed me as he was more than able to get a bit excited then switch down really quickly into being focused on MrPF again. Not bad immediately after landing in a strange new place after travelling literally the length of two entire countries in a day!

He has then been in his crate to chill out for a time. There has been a bit of vocal protest but he mostly settles really quickly. He went out for a poop and got a bit over excited and was lead biting and wiggling. That's OK. He's pretty massively over-tired. Crate while we sort horses.

After horse doings I have just now taken him for a good half hour pootle on the croft. Just by himself to get some energy out and let him explore and tire himself out. We're going to be using a long line for him for the time being, until we all know each other better. He's a very confident little chap too so I don't want to take any chances that he might be confident enough to tootle off by himself! I basically rewarded him every single time he glanced in my direction and he was soon whizzing back to me every chance he got. We played a few games chasing bits of kibble and cheese about, did some puppy sits and downs and generally had a great time, sniffing, exploring and eating.

He's currently in his crate again, being very quiet!

I could ramble on more but I haven't got time! Back on horse duties then straight on with other things! This would have been much easier if the horses could have been chucked out for the weekend. ?

A couple of pictures from his little croft ramble today. He is SUCH a good boy. I'm sure we'll hit issues but I think he's going to be fabulous.

 

[Clodagh]

Fantastic start!

 

[skinnydipper]

Lovely. Something to brighten our day.

I will enjoy following the thread.

 

[TheOldTrout]

What a lovely boy! And a great start to his new life with you.

 

[AmyMay]

Great start. Really look forward to reading about his progress.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Really great start. Looking forward to reading about more adventures with him.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

That sounds like an excellent start!

 

[Bradsmum]

what a great start and lovely pics. It was meant to be, the names Hugo, Oscar and Henry just seem to go .

 

[Michen]

Lovely give him a pat from me, Pepper says good riddance though ?

 

[ycbm]

Henry's got a thread! YES ?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

He sounds like a very good boy. I’m going vote for show springer x too with the calm yet keen demeanour.

 

[MrsMozart]

Oh happy reading indeed ?

 

[Moobli]

What a lovely start to his new life. I’ll enjoy reading about his ups and downs.

 

[View]

Yay, nice to read some happiness after a crud day.

 

[Nicnac]

He is just adorable. What a lovely account of his first day with you - the first of many many more.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Henry went for a little walk on the lead along the road earlier this evening, just as the sun was setting. He really is very excellent at walking on the lead! Just a little bit of direction and praise and kibble for good bits and he was on it! He was doing an amazingly cute bounce when I told him he was a good boy when we first set off. I was trying not to laugh as I probably don't want to encourage too much spaniel crazy. ? He soon got a little bit more tired and settled into a happy little trot.

He spied something in a field, which I think was a tuft of grass, but he locked onto it and did a bit of straining at the end of the lead. I waited for him to re-orient to me and gave lots of praise for doing so... I think he realised it was just a tuft of grass because he went back to being good. He was also very interested in some flapping material in a neighbour's garden, which I suspect looked a bit like birds. There's definitely a chase drive buzzing in that little mop head I'd say... that's fine. Hugo was really fixated on birds as a puppy so I've down-rated the attraction of birds before. Or he may just be interested in stuff!

A good first lead walk though. No people or traffic encountered.

He's spent a fair bit of time just chilling in his crate. He's been very good about it, has been quieter since he had his croft pootle earlier. He's had a stuffed kong in there but I think I made it too difficult, or he still needs a puppy kong, as he hasn't managed to get much out of it.

MrPF (who is entirely smitten) sat through with him in the boot room until dinner time. We've put an old duvet on the floor and Henry has a few toys to play with so he can have sitting with humans time while he's still separated from the big boys. I stayed in the living room with Oscar and Hugo and they've been pretty good all day but we had an outbreak of barking from everyone that I was unprepared for and Oscar and Hugo got a bit more unsettled. It would probably be better to let everyone get to know each other and all sit together but we definitely need to take our time with it.

I was going to go do some sitting with Henry after tea but he's gone settled and quiet again and actually it's been such a long weekend for him he is probably better off with an early lights out and just a last wee and poopertunity before proper bed.

I've done pretty well all day but I'm so tired now I can feel a huge overwhelmed feeling building up. MrPF is probably more tired but he did get a nap in this afternoon while I was hand grazing and walking horses and a Henry!

Fingers crossed for a sound MrT horse tomorrow who can go back out in the field and stay sound too! That would ease some of the pressure. To be honest even if he's not sound then the girls are going to have to have field time without him and he's going to have to deal with it, which will take a bit of work out of it.

Just last hays for horses and last wees for all doggos to go and I can bl*day well sleep! I suspect Henry will be no bother through the night. And then we have to muddle our way through tomorrow. One day at a time!

No more pictures of Henry... here's a picture of Hugo for whom realisation is dawning...

 

[Clodagh]

Hugo looks alarmed and slightly panicked. Is he projecting how you feel right now?
Good update. Sleep well.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Sounds like it is going as well as it could be I'm sure you'll all settle into your new routines really quickly.

He's a cutie ?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Hugo’s face is a picture-of a thousand words! Bless, he looks she’ll shocked. I bet he’ll be best mates with Henry in no time. Sleep well, PF.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Hope you all had a settled night? ?

 

[PapaverFollis]

Hope you all had a settled night? ?

Not a peep through the night. ? Not that I'd have woken up anyway probably! We're a bit squeaky this morning. Not on board with settled sleep time after breakfast. I'm wondering if there's more poop in the puppy so will take him out for another poopertunity after my breakfast. I've forgotten how puppies work a bit.

 

[Widgeon]

Oscar and Henry basically nodded at each other in the familiar way that spaniels often seem to on meeting another spaniel and both went about some important spaniel business in the vicinity of each other for a while.

This is one of the best descriptions of spaniel behaviour that I've seen, it really made me laugh - it's so true!

 

[PapaverFollis]

I'm having a crisis of confidence today.

MrT was not lame at all this morning so they went back out. However, while I was walking Henry the excitement of me being in the front field with a new puppy was too much for them and we had a full herd galloping about episode... so now I'm quite concerned about lameness again. Nothing I can do though except see how he is later. He looked OK from a distance.

Henry is being quite vocal today and the big dogs are realising that he's staying and are a bit out of sorts too. I'm so tired and a bit stressed out by the changes which isn't helping because that stresses Hugo out.

I've decided that we need to do introductions properly so they can all be together in the house sooner rather than later. This afternoon in fact. I think they'll be fine. I worry that Hugo might be a bit bossy and cross, so I want to actually walk them together first rather than just chuck them in and let them get on, but mostly I think they'll be fine. Then that stops Henry being on his own in the boot room. Which none of us are enjoying.

I'm going to have lunch. Make sure Henry is an empty puppy then going to sit in the boot room with him and see if I can just have a doze... so I can be a bit more composed for introductions and so he isn't getting himself too worked up. I'll sit with him but mostly ignore him.

I'm not looking at or thinking about the horses until later.

Henry did meet the horses on his walk because they were on the hardstanding as we passed through it. The Beast came straight over to say hi! She loves baby animals. Henry sniffed her nose and was very brave. She's very big. MrT also came over and I was struck by the similarity between my two HHO-acquired animals. They have matching blazes and mop heads! ? Henry got lots of kibble and cheese for calm behaviour round the horses and for any looking at me instead of them. I wouldn't have wanted him off lead while they were being idiots but he wasn't straining at the end of the long line or actively thinking about chasing. He was just kind of watching for a bit then tuning back in, then sniffing in the long grass, then watching them, then running back to me.

He's a good boy. He should be a bit tired after that but I think he's just overtired today and not settling.

Since I started writing this I've moved into the boot room to sit with him. That's better. He's quite cuddly and bouncy but hopefully he'll settle. I'll see if there's an episode of Pottery Throw Down we can watch together. I don't think his croft walk tired him out much!

As I say. Crisis of confidence! Worried I can't do this. ? I will. It's just feelings.


He has no sense of personal space I am currently discovering. ?

 

[Michen]

I think you are over thinking! You are doing a great job. Henry is a confident chap and he simply had to get on with things here. That meant being crated, being shut in a stable whilst I rode, being tied up to a tie point whilst I was mucking out, being left in the car at times whilst I shopped etc etc he just had to slot into my life and to be fair he did with very little complaints.

When he tried to rush through doors or me etc I’d block the door when I opened it with my foot and say “aha ah” as a warning and he’d wait.

When I had him in the main room with Pepper and cat I allowed him a bit of “buzz” time (I personally thought it would be unreasonable to expect no buzz time so he got ten mins!) and would then ask him to sit on his bed. Any time he moved off he was placed back on with a firm “bed”. It would take a couple of times of this and then he’d settle.

This may not be a popular opinion but Henry had to work around my life and my needs and that of my other dog, it wasn’t really about him- he’s confident enough to cope- but I think by expecting him to get on with it (and behave) he did. I don’t think walks tire him but being out and about did, so coming to the yard whilst I did jobs even though he was mostly staying still tired him mentally.

In a weeks time it’ll feel like he’s always been there

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Not a peep through the night. ? Not that I'd have woken up anyway probably! We're a bit squeaky this morning. Not on board with settled sleep time after breakfast. I'm wondering if there's more poop in the puppy so will take him out for another poopertunity after my breakfast. I've forgotten how puppies work a bit.

You will be fine. My lot like to try to playfight after breakfast, but have been trained to be calm, I want to eat my breakfast in peace! They were apparently sound asleep once my OH got up and let them out. They have periods where we've just carried on with our routine and they have just followed. It helps that Bear is very calm. I think Henry will shortly be fabulous, he is bound to do as the others do and you are great. It just takes time to get a youngster into the required routine. Once you trust him and he can be off lead, it'll make a huge difference.

 

[Clodagh]

It’s a great photo. All will be well.
I agree with Michen that they live up or down to your expectations. At least he’s not neurotic! Relax x

 

[PapaverFollis]

I don't know about expectations but I was kind of hoping things would have gone better today. The half a collie in the house is causing issues. He went mental as soon as there was a mattress dog bed on the floor and went into full throttle training mode. Too much mat work at agility! Which is not compatible with a blunderbus Henry pup. It all got a bit fraught even though they'd been fine on the walk we did with them both, just ignored each other mostly.

The two spaniels were fine but too excited to settle. They just wanted to wrestle once we were in the house.

I never seem to be able to make the "just get on with it" mode of animal management work for me I'm afraid.

We've brought Henry's crate through to the living room and we're just going to crate and rotate while we all get used to each other. They were perfectly happy on the walks we did with them. It all just got a bit much once we were in the house. Hugo IS neurotic unfortunately! And I'm not much better.

Hence my feeling a bit overwhelmed by this at the moment.

But I do think it will be OK eventually. It is only day two. We have a Henry in the living room now, albeit in his crate still for now. And that is a step forward. And he's just managed to settle himself for a sleep. Hugo has got over himself enough to be sitting next to me. He's on alert and keeps looking at the puppy, then looking at us and whining like "do you realise you've left that lying around?". Oscar is just Oscar. Henry will be the boss of Oscar right from the off. No issues there except making sure to not let Henry push him around too much. Oscar is one of life's doormats but he's the happiest dog you'll ever meet!

Henry himself has been really good. Bless him. Barely responded to the Hugo madness. It's just the interface between Henry and the big boys is a bit more complex then might be expected because of the Hugo factor. Quiet evenings are going to involve crating for the time being. That's fine. We just have to go at Hugo's pace with this for now. Which given that he's currently staring at MrPF trying to communicate "get rid of it" with his collie mind-waves... might be quite a slow process.


I'm feeling quite subdued and defeated really. I'm just really tired still as well. I'm sure we'll get somewhere tomorrow. I'm going to take Henry out to do the horses with me as well him getting a croft walk and a lead walk either by himself or with one or other of the boys. He IS worn out today now he's persuaded himself to settle and sleep so he is getting enough input. I just think the excitement level was all too high this afternoon to let him switch off properly. He's much happier now he's through here. ❤

 

[Michen]

What happens if all dogs are sent to their beds, in same room? Assuming your original two do and then Henry will with a bit of correction will they kind of "have" to settle because otherwise they'd be being disobedient?

Hope you feel better tomorrow

 

[PapaverFollis]

If I send any dog to a bed, Hugo also goes to that bed. He doesn't understand that all commands are not for him. It's fine with Oscar but with Henry he was resource guarding the bed and a flip switched in his head as he went into intense work mode. He's a very weird and very drivey dog, a complete control freak... it's hard to explain. He will figure it out. He justs take a while to adapt to any change.

And any of the training work I've tried to do to get him to be more calm and normal has just made him worse. All the mat work at agility was about teaching him to settle in a high stimulus environment. It worked. He wasn't even a tiny bit bothered by other dogs running, but it placed so much value in the mat (and beds in general it seems) that actually having beds on the floor when introducing a new dog was almost as silly as leaving high-value treats around would have been. I was a bit stupid not to anticipate it.

 

[Clodagh]

. I was a bit stupid not to anticipate it.

tbf not many people would have anticipated that. Be kind to yourself.