What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

[Lotsaquestions]

Merlins first day properly out after his neuter. My god was this dog wound up tightly. We took him to the enclosed park we found where he spotted a dog friend he'd met before. She wanted to greet him and her owner was fine, so we let them. Lets just say she has probably gone off him a bit Imagine an overly eager teenager rush up to you screaming OMG HIIIIIIII!!!! LETS PLAAAY!! He was bonkers, so I broke it up and I think the poor girl was pretty relieved.

But, in general, my god what a difference. He actually played with us, only half scanned the park for dogs, and when he spotted one around the corner we couldn't see he immediately went into 'bolt mode' and charged off BUT I shouted 'Stop!' (his emergency stop) and. he. actually. did. I was like, what? Who has replaced my dog? He stopped mid charge to meet a dog, turned around, and recalled back to me. I smiled the entire way home. Then, the gifts kept on coming!

We ran into another dog on a lead, Merlin didn't react. He was keen, but responsive and watched me. We were across the road from two Jack Russells that wanted to have a go. Two weeks ago Merlin would have been 'WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?!' but today it was a very, very small growl (I mean, two dogs were trying to have a go, its understandable at this point!) and then turned to me immediately when I asked him to watch. I don't think my smile could have grown wider. It took alot out of him to do it, he started to get a bit snappy with taking treats, but by that point we were almost home and I let him shake his tug toy to get the stress out along the way.

I had to share this, I am living on cloud 9 right now. Months and months of practise and work have seemed to have all paid off in one single day. I am so proud of my little boy!

[JudyN]

Brilliant!! Long may it last

[JudyN]

Jasper is dreaming of Christmas... or keeping watch in case a reindeer falls down the chimney?

[Lotsaquestions]

Thats an xmas card right there, on a close up he looks sooo much like my old Lurcher. Was some sort of terrier x whippet x collie with terrier hair. Beautiful dogs.

Today I've been entertaining a crazy dog again because, although his wound looked alright, turns out it wasn't. He has an infection, and all his exertion yesterday made it appear. Another week of bed rest but this time with the added torment of me putting salt water and cream on his wound twice a day Vet said that him being really fluffy kept the wound too warm and without airflow. At least he had one day of joy...

[JudyN]

Aw, that's a shame Would shaving or clipping the area help?

[Lotsaquestions]

The vets shaved him down loads because he was so fluffy in his undercarriage. I mean his balls themselves are like two pom poms I think it was because he's fairly low to the ground so all moisture gets kicked up to his belly fur, which is warm and keeps it damp. Basically we're drying him off really thoroughly even after a small lead walk along the streets. He's definately feeling the infection now, he's bitten us quite often in frustration the last two days (zoomie type bites, not angry, because he's a coiled spring and in pain / super itchy). The salt water can't be helping his mood either, that STINGS.

[Shalista]

its a sign of my immaturity that "pom pom balls" made me giggle

[JudyN]

I hope so, because it made me giggle too and I'm old enough that immaturity has got to be a good thing

[Shalista]

poor bax had a heck of a car ride. i couldnt get time off o nfriday so we drove up sat afternoon and back down again sunday. he was fine going up but i think the 1,2 punch really knocked him out. he was much more anxiouse on the way back and i still have christmas coming up where we drive BAAAACKKK up north again.

i told the rents im doen driving up till spring but i do have a doctors apointment in february up there and i legit am 90% certain im going to board him to spare us both the misery of his car anxiety.

[mansbestfriend]

The quality of recent posts has degraded sharply. Have a nice life. Edit: My dogs are fine and living a good life.

[JudyN]

What a strange post, MBF Those of us who still come here regularly try our best to give helpful advice within the limits of our knowledge and experience. You know what they say: 'Be the change you want to see'

[JudyN]

Today I went for a walk with my friend who has two rescue dogs, plus a third that was only supposed to stay for a week - over a year ago - who is still so traumatised she's not got a collar on him yet so he can't go for walks. When she turned up today, she had a little terrier in the car with her He'd come frome a rescue in Bulgaria, she'd done a home check for him which went well, but then the new owner changed her mind The poor lad had spent most of his life on a 3' chain, has some signs of spine/hip damage, and also a habit of suddenly spinning in circles and attacking his legs, which seems so stereotyped I wonder if there's some neurological damage. He's the sweetest little fellow though, looks something like a JRT x Yorkie.

She says he's absolutely, definitely, certainly, not staying for more than a week or so....

BTW, if anyone has any knowledge about the spinning/attacking back legs thing, and whether it's likely to be neurological or behavioural, I'd be very interested. It's coupled with growling, and my friend was told that when he was chained up he may have been attacked by rats that went for his back legs, so maybe it could be a flashback to that? She says that picking him up and cuddling him seems to be the one thing that snaps him out of it.

[Lotsaquestions]

Removed

[JudyN]

Thanks, LoQ - aww, it's sad to see your aunt's spaniel so distracted. I thought Eddie's spinning might be OCD. He didn't do it on our walk which surprised my friend, but he was having a lovely time sniffing around and meeting other dogs. He did get a bit grrrrr at one point when there were quite a few dogs but nothing you wouldn't expect from a small terrier! He's due to have a scan on his spine & hips and then think about the spinning (in case it's related to pain).

[Lotsaquestions]

A terrier who doesn't have a grrr every now and then is a broken terrier, to be honest! Sounds weird but its probably best to hope its pain related (and treatable obv!) since OCD in dogs from my understanding is a lifetime commitment of training and it never really goes away.

Yeah Maddy is such a sweet dog. One family get together they brought her when she was pretty young, she hid under my aunts chair to begin with, but by the end I had a happy spaniel jumping up to see me with my other aunts slipper in her mouth