Puppy training thread.

[Which Tyler]

We've just started the hunt for our next fur-baby; and it's ridiculous.

We're looking because ours are 11 (and she's really starting to show her age) and 5.5; and we want to get a pup who can overlap with the old lady by a year or so (so no risk of resentment for being "the replacement" - also can learn, hopefully good habits, from the old girl) - so some point in the next 1-2 years; but our ideal is tough to find.
5 years ago, Talisker set us back £700 as a cross-breed (Leo X Berner)
Looking at Leonbergers, Bernese MDs and Newfoundlands (ideally a cross between 2 of those 3 - with good genetics being the single most important factor).

We're seeing cross-breeds of one of those (with poodle - what else?) going for £5k! We've seen a 5 year old Newf. looking for a new home, asking for £2,500. It's insane.

No wonder dog thefts are up (that 5 year old Newf is giving off strong vibes of dodginess - only pics within the same 5 Sq M with stock fencing in the background "is no trouble, and lives with other dogs" (but they only want rid of the 1) is 5 years old and speyed - it just comes across as being a dog stolen for the purposes of cash breeding; but only discovered afterwards that she was already speyed, and useless for that purpose.

Lockdown has seen a huge surge in puppy buying (and puppy farming, and theft for such purposes) - there's a horrible sense of impending doom that lockdown ceasing will see a surge of adolescents looking to be rehomed.
I'm perfectly happy to have one of them; and ethically think we should. Practicality wise though, I've known too many rescue dogs with major reactive problems, and I really don't want to risk that - especially with 2 old cats in the house.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Yeh seen a few posters around my neck of the woods of dogs gone missing and rewards for their return. Heard dogs are getting pinched from peeps' front gardens, especially smaller dogs and puppies who can be enticed with food and in parks when let of their leads and easy to bundle and get away. Very sad state of affairs, but suppose easy money for those who get away with it.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

The scam that targets dog owners

When Sharon's dog Ronnie went missing, she fell victim to an increasingly common scam.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Which Tyler]

This morning, I had to carry the venerable old lady upstairs for the first time

I'm not ready for this.
It's not my readiness that counts.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

This morning, I had to carry the venerable old lady upstairs for the first time

I'm not ready for this.
It's not my readiness that counts.

Was watching Marley and me yesterday. The ending always gets me.

 

[Which Tyler]

Was watching Marley and me yesterday. The ending always gets me.

Ali always teases me that I'm a hard hearted ******* when it comes to death and suffering on screen - unless it's an animal (or child) when I have to have a cry on Guiness' shoulder

 

[Which Tyler]

This morning, I had to carry the venerable old lady upstairs for the first time

I'm not ready for this.
It's not my readiness that counts.

Quick update, she had a severe and dramatic aggravation on Wednesday - playing with her 'sister' and neighbour's dog, and she screamed and fell onto her side. I've never heard her scream before - it was incredibly distressing for myself and the neighbour (and the dog).
She seems to have made a full recovery now. Osteopath visited today to see what she could see. Plenty in the hips, mostly down to weakness, but nothing found in the front legs where the issue was last week.

Our best guess was that she had a sprain in the same wrist she had an infected bite in about a year ago (almost certainly from neighbour's dog, playing) - and she had a strong nocebic reaction and went full-on drama queen when Monty went for an ankle bite again.
It would have been my first thought if she'd been a human, where I know what I'm talking about, and Katie agreed that it makes perfect sense for pain to work the same way in dogs.

ETA: For anyone thinking "what the hell is a 'nocebic reaction'?" - highly recommend this:

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Labrador impaled by one-metre-long stick

Molly, a 17-month-old black Labrador, was chasing her ball down a bank but then ran into a branch.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Bada-Bing!]

The mother of all shuns.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

The dog cleaning up rubbish from his local park

Harley the Labrador picks up discarded bottles on his morning walk to be binned by his owner.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Bada-Bing!]

love row contrast.

 

[Which Tyler]

We've just started the hunt for our next fur-baby; and it's ridiculous.

Well, we're meeting an adolescent Ridgeback X Labrador tomorrow with a view to re-homing him at the weekend.
We've never re-homed before; but hopefully dealing with a new 5 month old isn't TOO different from dealing with a new 2 month old.

Am currently working on a plan that makes sense for managing the introductions with ourselves and our girls - and running it past our dog trainer to make sure we've covered all the bases.
We're being as flexible as we possibly can be, as we're the ones receiving the dog, not the ones with the emotional wrench of giving him up; but we want to know what we're doing once he's here.

 

[BiggusLaddus]

I had a ridgeback until she died last year, aged 12. She was the most loyal dog anyone has ever had. Ever.

Didn't like postmen though. Or other big dogs, but loved little dogs oddly.

Be prepared for lots of shedding.

 

[Which Tyler]

I had a ridgeback until she died last year, aged 12. She was the most loyal dog anyone has ever had. Ever.

Didn't like postmen though. Or other big dogs, but loved little dogs oddly.

Be prepared for lots of shedding.

Correction - my Guinness is the loyalest, faithfullest, bestest black dog the world has ever seen

Shedding we're used to - Guinness is Newfoundland X Pointer, whilst Talisker is Leonburger X Bernese Mountain - all 4 shed for giggles; Talisker blows pretty much her entire coat at least once a month, and closer to once a week!

 

[BiggusLaddus]

No idea who said it, but heard somewhere that every dog owner thinks they have the best dog in the world. And none of them are wrong.

 

[Which Tyler]

No idea who said it, but heard somewhere that every dog owner thinks they have the best dog in the world. And none of them are wrong.

I've certainly said it on here before - previous thread though IIRC

 

[Which Tyler]

Well, we're meeting an adolescent Ridgeback X Labrador tomorrow with a view to re-homing him at the weekend.
We've never re-homed before; but hopefully dealing with a new 5 month old isn't TOO different from dealing with a new 2 month old.

Am currently working on a plan that makes sense for managing the introductions with ourselves and our girls - and running it past our dog trainer to make sure we've covered all the bases.
We're being as flexible as we possibly can be, as we're the ones receiving the dog, not the ones with the emotional wrench of giving him up; but we want to know what we're doing once he's here.

Meeting was a great success; got on well with myself, and both our dogs; and seemed active and curious throughout; you could see him and my younger working out how to play together, and you could see him and my elder working out where the boundaries lie. All 3 tails were wagging throughout.


He seems well trained and socialised - only query is that he's never met a cat yet; which will soon change.

He's coming to live with us on Saturday.

Now we just need a new name for him as he shares his name with a nephew of ours.
Kobi => Beli Mawr / Bélénos (either way, called "Beli"; or possibly Kobi => Loki

Concerns over Beli Mawr / Bélénos is the pronunciation - the former could sound like Belly More; the latter like Belle Anus (consequently I favour the former - he's not a cat!). Obviously, there's a LOT of Loki's out there the last few years

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Tails wagging is a very good sign. Did they smell each others butts? Another good sign.

Good luck with the work bringing him home. And also meeting with the cat.

Kobi is a nice name.

 

[Which Tyler]

Tails wagging is a very good sign. Did they smell each others butts? Another good sign.

Good luck with the work bringing him home. And also meeting with the cat.

Kobi is a nice name.

yep - and he did lots of licking of my girls' lips - and submissive behaviours.
Knocked the old lady down on one occasion whilst trying to hello/submit; and was very apologetic, whilst old lady almost apologised for upsetting him.

And yes, we like the name Kobi - it's just that dogs and human family members should share a name - it's weird.
Looking at Beli or Loki as both 2 short syllables, ending in "ee" - well within the normal evolution of a dog's name

 

[Which Tyler]