Dogs and other family pets


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I can't speak too highly of rescue dogs.

Our dog , Bailey, was technically a rescue dog.  He belonged to a teenage family member.  She got him as a pup and didn't really understand the responsibility she was taking on.  She left him with us while she took a trip.  Then told us she didn't really want him any more.  We couldn't give him away, or take him to the pound.  We knew what would probably happen to him there.

 

We didn't really want two dogs at our age, but what can a dog lover do?

 

He didn't cost us a penny, except in vet bills.  He needed neutering.  He was also malnourished.  She thought he had allergies.  Not at all.  Just needed a decent diet.

 

He has more than repaid us in the pure love he has shown to us and is now a fine looking black lab / Spaniel cross.  Known as a 'Spanador' here.  Gets on well with Jake, our Beagle and is so obedient we thought he must have had training, but he hasn't.

 

The right one will show up.  Don't get discouraged.

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I can't speak so abysmally of, so called, rescue dogs who mostly appear behaviourally inadequate.

We have a neighbour who, also owning two bloodily loud beagles, decided to add to the dog nausea saga with this black misfit.

 

Not being interested in caring properly for her, 'beloved beagles', this unstable canine example appears to be following the other two's behavioural traits.

 

Barking for no reason, constantly jumping in and out of the dog flap and causing further distress to the adjoining neighbour by jumping over the fence into their garden.

 

Good news is the recalcitrant owner has had to reduce the dogs' exercise area to 6-8 square metres by erecting a steel mesh fence to prevent it escaping into other properties.

 

I think it's time for revisiting dog licencing laws, especially for reintroducing a dog owner licence fee of £400 per dog per annum and to include a valid licence displayed on the dog's collar.

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Alpha, sounds like the owners need to have dog owning classes!  It’s not the dogs’ fault for behaving badly....

 

Also,  perhaps your neighbours picked the wrong breed for their particular circumstances.  Do they ever get taken out for walks?

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Dog owners like that really annoy me. You shouldn’t have a dog and then not look after it properly which entails a lot more than just homing and feeding. As Margie said not the dogs fault.

I know Dogs Trust are worried that they will get an influx of dogs that have been brought during the lockdowns by people who don’t realise what they entail. Unfortunately they don’t stay as puppies forever.

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MargieH,

 

The dogs are very rarely taken out for exercise, usually every eclipse, even though the owner has two later teen daughters who, appearing to 'adore' the dogs, never take them out for regular exercise.

When, however, the owner's boy friend visits he appears to influence taking the dogs out.

The owner often goes to where her horse is stabled but would never think of taking the dogs with her for a run round as she is just too lazy to take them.  

 

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 Alpha, that is such a shame!   I feel quite cross when people don't look after their animals properly.  Unfortunately this case would probably not come under cruelty, or even neglect, as the dogs are presumably fed and do have access to an outside space.    It must be horrible for you and other neighbour's, though.....

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Yesterday I bit the bulletin and rang about some cockapoo puppies. They are due around the 1st March so won’t be ready until April. I got the answerphone, nearly didn’t leave a message but decided to.
A very nice lady rang me back, I was the 3rd she rang and we were on the phone for an hour, she gave me loads of information, answered all my questions and asked me questions about myself, the house and my experience with dogs. It felt like a job interview but showed she cared about the homes her puppies are going to.

So I am third on her waiting list. Whilst I was talking to her she had 14 replies to her advert. You can understand why the prices have rocketed especially for the poodle crosses. These are fairly reasonable when comparing them to others, I have set a budget and am not going over it as it is coming out of my savings. I will keep having the occasional look at the adverts, family send me links to any they think I might be interested in as well. 


 

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I am waiting to hear about the litter of puppies which will be born anytime now so decided to have a go puppy proofing the house. It made me realise how puppy unfriendly it is. I have a rack with shoes on in the hall, wires that can be easily got to and stuff in baskets on the shelf under my coffee table plus I am used to just putting things down and leaving them, also throws over chairs and settee. Neither Kai or Wolf would touch these things obviously as they were older dogs and knew not to.
So this morning I have rearranged my front room moving my sideboard in front of the broadband/phone/Alexa etc. cables so they are covered, Sorted out the drawers and cupboard in the sideboard, put stuff into trays and into said cupboards/drawers. Put the throws upstairs (it has made me realise I don’t have that much storage in this house or there is enough but it is full of clutter, not sure which!) Got rid of the telephone table, put my pictures of Kai and Wolf in the dining part of my kitchen and the Alexa/phone/broadband thingy on the sideboard out of harms way. Now I have a coffee table that has nowhere to go so at the moment it is at the side of the sideboard, hopefully blocking the gap between the settee and said sideboard to block access to the back of the settee. Still following me? 
Now I have got an empty corner In the front room for the cage(which I have been told I will need) along with room for the toy box (newly refurbished - scrubbed, toys sorted out and those still okay put through washer. This was rather a nerve racking experience as one of them kept squeaking as the washer turned/spun which made it sound like I was torturing them!) 

Think that room is more or less done, just need to find some way of blocking off the back of tv but I think that will be a case of keeping door to room shut when I am not in there with him/her. 
I am now exhausted so I will leave the kitchen for the time being although that isn’t as bad as the front room. There could be more to come!!

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Was reading about the dog-napping of Lady Gaga’s 3 French Bulldogs in Hollywood and the $500,000 reward she’s offered for the safe return.  What was interesting is that French Bulldogs originated in the UK and were very popular amongst lace makers in NOTTINGHAM.  

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Very many years ago I did the audit and accounts of The Amalgamated Society Society of Operative Lacemakers and Allied Workers. They had opulent premises on Derby Rd. near to Canning Circus. The boardroom where I worked was especially luxurious. The general secretary was Councillor Flewitt, a Labour member. It was certainly ‘jobs for  the boys’ at the higher level. The lace operatives were called ‘twisthands’. I didn’t see any French bulldogs though!

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10 hours ago, Beekay said:

SG, putting the coffee table next to the sideboard, won't that be like a step to get up to the sideboard?


Not at first BK he/she will be too small. By the time they could they should know they are not allowed on furniture or the table will have to have a new home!

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You could always make him/her a little set of steps Cherub.

After all you want to make the little one feel at home. Not heard much of your spider recently, have you evicted it?

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Stavertongirl    when i had my last pup it seemed to be the done thing to have a create, so I brought one, never did like it, never did get on with it, to me a dog basket is much nicer. I personaly would only use a crete if it fitted in the back of my car.  

House,  well again why don't you look at baby's play-pen's these are much nicer than a create and they have more space, you could also put like a safe floor in the pen so it could be cleaned and if pup was small enough to get though the bars I'm sure you could come up with something.  This is just my opinion.

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I haven’t seen my monster spider for a long while BK, don’t know if she is still hanging around somewhere in one of the sheds in the side room. I do have a more normal sized one that keeps appearing occasionally on the wall of that room but we are ignoring each other at the moment.

I have never had a cage before, not that keen on them to be honest but it will only be used for him/her at night and when I have to go out. The rest of the time he/she will have the run of the house and garden. I will leave the door open on it whilst I am in so the pup can go in and out of it if it wants. As he/she gets bigger It won’t be used unless they want to. 
It’s been such a long time since I had a puppy, when we got my two boys my husband was here, so it will be the first time I have done the training by myself. Fills me with a bit of trepidation as I can be a bit of a softie, just wish the puppy training classes were running at the pet shop at Wollaton but there is stuff on the internet to help. I have looked up the breed on the internet, it says they are intelligent and very easy to train (we will see) but can suffer from separation anxiety (but then so do other breeds). Just hope I don’t get a howler!!!

 

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Our son bought a cocker puppy a few months ago and he is quite easy to train, but has to be watched as he still wants to chew anything and everything!   I hope that when he’s lost his baby teeth that will get better.   Apparently, cockers. are quite sensitive and shouldn’t be shouted at - quiet discipline is the best..... suppose that’s true for dogs and children!

He has a crate and likes it - it’s his safe place.

What has the poodle gene added to the mix?

I suppose the nature/nurture debate will apply to dogs, too

Are you taking on a male or a female?

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I wish you all the luck in the world SG. In the meantime, while you're waiting, why not throw a lead on your spider and take her for a walk.

You can show her all your favourite places and stop in the Park, with your flask of tea and Marmite sandwiches. 

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The poodle mix means they don’t shed hair apparently so are okay for people with allergies I am actually allergic to dog hair, it was always bad when my two boys were moulting but my spray and tablets controlled it and they were worth the occasional sneeze and sniffle.

Don't mind a dog or bitch, aren’t bitches supposed to be more faithful, just will have whichever one picks me.

We went for a walk the other day, headed towards Wollaton Hall via Old Coach Road and had a wander around a newish estate that has been built. Found some more dog walking paths around there with woods and fields so he/she will have plenty of different walks besides bluebell woods to explore with us. We have been going to Bramcote Hills Park as well, there are no end of people with dogs there it is like a dog park. It does feel strange going for a walk without a dog along with us. 
I do miss my boys especially with the lockdown but am looking forward to having another companion although he/she will never replace them. I must say of all the dogs my husband and I had they are the ones that just took my heart the most. 
 

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MargieH.   Re. the Cocker pup.  My rescue, Bailey is part cocker part lab.  He is extremely well behaved and I never have to raise my voice to him.  A simple, "Don't do that." is enough.

 

Jake the Beagle is a totally different proposition.  Stubborn as a mule.  Much to my shame I do yell at him on occasion.  I have to stop immediately because if Bailey is anywhere near he thinks he's in trouble and gets a very miserable look on his face.  I have to go and give him a stroke to assure no hard feelings.

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Stuart, I presume it was a miniature/ toy poodle that was the cross as Westies are quite small aren’t they.  Standard poodles can be very big dogs!  Or is it all done like breeding cattle.these days?

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