FranVT

I know it's gone sooo quickly I can hardly believe it. I did not think of beg being bad for her, of course it would be now that I'm thinking about it, I will stop doing it! It is one that we haven't really been doing much of anyway, we've been doing lots of sit, shake, come etc. I've been doing 2 sessions of a minute or so each day, the rest has been pure play / rest / eat! But yes you are probably right I am expecting too much. Like I mentioned earlier I just want to get it right from the beginning this time She is so different to Atlas, he was a big sook, she is much more capable. When I got her she couldn't go up stairs, so I left her and At in the yard while I mopped the floors but 5 mins later there she was behind me - she taught herself to go up! I know this is bad so I don't let her run up and down, I know it's bad for her back, I carry her whenever I can but she does go down and back up to wee sometimes. And she always wants to jump off the couch and bed but I don't let her do that either, and I don't let her jump up of course. Not that she could!

Okay Atlas is great at stand - however - I believe it is not actually "stand", it is "not sit" Oops that didn't really make sense. It's more like when I stop and he's supposed to automatically sit, but he doesn't, and I say stand and then he doesn't sit, that equals stand? Lol oh forget it it kind of makes sense in my head though

Yeah I said to her it's not about the BYBers having "good intentions", she said "they aren't monsters they love their dogs" and I said "of course! But can they show you that the parents are healthy? and that the grandparents were healthy? Have they health tested them" etc.

Hehe you are right I am freaking out over nothing probably! I just don't want to have a repeat of Atlas' bad behaviour / stubbornness / not listening to us, it was totally our fault, I just want to make sure we're doing the right things The stand thing is mostly because I plan to show her a little bit. I am so going to play that game! She will love it! She likes to hide under our bed and then run out and attack our feet as we walk past! She is a cheeky bugger. She doesn't mind being bathed either. She doesn't love it, but she doesn't particularly mind. She really, really, really hates the hairdryer though

Gretel I am too uncoordinated for clicking I tried it with Atlas and I think he was more bewildered than anything, watching me fumble with treats and clickers and whatever else I'd rather use a marking word like "yes!", do you think that works just as well or not? I definitely don't want to pull her, I don't want her to think the lead is a punishment.

Thanks heaps! Any more info / tips from others is totally welcome also!

I know absolutely zero about the breeder and about the person who bought the puppy so I can't comment but either of those scenarios are entirely possible!

Cooool lm! Thanks so much! See this is why DOL is awesome - all that stuff should be relatively obvious but I get so worried and flustered that I can't see the obvious things! I would love to have a chat later, I should finish work around 6pm, sometime after that?

First of all, I must say isn't it amazing how different puppies really do have completely different little personalities and habits! Atlas was such a snuggly loving boy and Luuka isn't really, she's a happy little thing but she doesn't want to be cuddled too much (she is a fair bit furrier lol) and she doesn't want to be in our bed she is happiest sleeping on the floor on her tummy. She is also hungry all the time, I'm feeding her adequately I'm sure (as per the breeder's feeding schedule) but she is just food obsessed! This is good though it means she has been very easy to do some basic training with. She can sit, shake hands and beg on command. She has been easy to toilet train, Atlas was much harder, but she is happier if she can go outside and wee in the grass. So I'm attempting to teach her to stand and drop. She is really not grasping stand, she just sits automatically, I hold her up under her tummy and praise but she doesn't appear to be grasping it! Do I just persist? I don't make the training sessions very long, a minute or so at most, I don't want to overload her, and I do try to make it as fun as possible and reward positively at each good turn. With drop, even with guiding her nose down following food from a sit, she won't drop from a sit she only wants to stand up and bend her neck down to get the food. Any tips here? I try to gently guide her down but I really don't want to hurt her even accidentally, she is just a little puppy under all that fluff! She is also very anti the lead. My breeder gave me this weird looking martingale, I will try to find a pic hang on... So I slip it over her head and just let her walk around with it, and she tries to eat it, and when I try to actually have her on the lead and have her walk with me she yelps and cries so I don't want to negatively reinforce anything, I'm a tad lost with how to handle it because Atlas was fine he couldn't have cared less about the lead and he was also quite a bit more robust Apart from these little things she is a delight, she is such a water baby, she loves being in the clam pool and in puddles! We've had a lot of rain here and she likes nothing better than a nap on the top step in the rain! She has been digging little holes in the mud, should we be filling these in with her poo? I have heard that stops digging ... She gets along great with Atlas, I thought I'd need to take her away from him to give her a break but it's actually him that needs breaks from her! He is faultlessly patient with her, when they play sometimes she yelps but the couple of times I've been watching it's either because he's accidentally trodden on her or he is not even touching her! If I think it's getting too rough I separate them for awhile and they seem to get the message because when I reunite them they don't go at it again for awhile. In return for being incredibly patient and reading through that drivel, here's some pics! Sorry they're not very good, my iPhone takes AWFUL pics inside.

Argh I know! I didn't say that though! You never know, maybe the person didn't tell the breeder it was for a gift?

I had a friend who told me a while ago that she had her name down with all the pet shops for a pug when they "come in" (like they're bloody boxes of cereal or something). I explained my views on pet shops, and on BYBs (she was scouring the paper as well), and explained about ethical breeding and registered breeders and the support she would (should) get from a breeder for the life of her pup. She was a bit disheartened at the price I told her she'd be looking at for a pup, but I did tell her that a pet shop would not be much less, probably more. She is an animal lover, but a very headstrong girl so I was pretty sure that she would just ignore everything I said in the quest for a pug. I also told her about the (very limited knowledge that I have) problems that pugs can have, and told her to make sure she at least called a registered breeder to have a chat, or at least do as much research as possible online or with local owners etc. I also told her about rescue. She posted on a forum that I administrate in the "things that make you happy" thread - "I get my new puppy Monday week! I am so excited!". I took a deep breath and PMed her, congratulating her and asking all about the pup. To my delight, she said that a friend of her grandmother had a pug puppy (purebred) bought for her for Christmas (by a well meaning relative) but she felt that she was not up to looking after a puppy. Amelia offered to take the puppy on (as well as all the breeders details, papers, certificates everything) for the price of desexing (was a breeder condition). She is frantically getting ready for her puppy's arrival and making sure her house and yard are up to scratch and buying all the things she's going to need. A small victory, but a victory nonetheless I feel. Perhaps you guys won't agree. Knowing this girl, I feel this is a good outcome.

Atlas bark is called "the liquidator" because of what it does to grown mens' bowels It is the most brutal bark I've ever heard. Luuka is soooo cute when she barks while he is barking. It's like "RRRRRROWF" "...wuff!..." "RRROWFFROWFROWF" "...wuffwuff!..." so adorable.

LM I don't even know what I would have done if I had seen him kick her He should be counting his lucky stars - I have ZERO tolerance for animal cruelty and she's just a little bubba I told the cop "he is lucky I didn't see him do that" and he said to me "yep I've got dogs too, I can't imagine hurting a dog especially looking at that gorgeous little ball of fluff!" He was a bit of a sweetheart actually.

I haven't posted anything yet don't panic! Atlas sometimes gives people a fright unnecessarily too, it's embarrassing But yes I am massively proud of him, he definitely sensed my distress immediately and went to bat for me. He is amazing. A super generous DOLer has offered to make him a collar and lead, not sure if I'm allowed to say who it is but they could not have given me a bigger compliment than saying they would be proud for Atlas to wear their collars <-- happy tears.

Thanks Julie Both dogs came with me last night to the people across the road, but I will definitely be as vigilant with her behaviour towards visitors. Though from what I can tell, she is basically invincible (at least she thinks so anyway). I have a blog for him! Okay I swear I will start adding entries - what better time! What you've done is the way I'd start it as well - using relaxed off territory environments. Glad you got onto it so quickly. You could take him for a casual stroll through areas where there are more diversity of people 'types' (male; female; bearded; smooth face; different skin colouring; etc). I wouldn't make a big fuss about anything. Just go for a walk as though you weren't trying or focusing on or anticipating/looking out for any behaviour from Atlas. If all that is ok, bring it back to where the 'event' occurred as well (ie your home). I'd intro 'soft' people first (females are often better in these circumstances, but that is quite a generalisation, however as this intruder who gave the fright was a male, starting with female might be the way to go), to my home beginning with familiar and then not so familiar people. I'd have Atlas on lead and out the front when they arrive, having the guests walk in first, just to make sure all is ok with Atlas about that. If it is, then re-work the exercise with Atlas in the home. Keep it all very relaxed, almost as though the alarming event didn't happen in the first place. Obviously, I'm erring completely on the side of caution in this - the careful structure I've hinted at (and is an example only) is potentially unnecessary. But only you know Atlas and can make the judgement call as to how incremental you chose to take this. It is just that Atlas has already had the fright from the intruder, and then there was the follow up visit by the police, with both he and you already and still distraught. Might pay to just do a 'check' on whether there is any carry-over effect for Atlas and whether there has been any environmental pairing that has occurred. Thanks so much Erny that is invaluable advice. I am going to be really interested to see how he went at the beach today, knowing my boy he'll bounce right back, but I will definitely be watchful (calmly so) when we have visitors coming. We have visitors quite a bit so there'll be lots of opportunity to make sure he is readjusting.

x2, good advice indeed. Agreed. When the police left, I went over to the people across the road and took him with me. They cooed over him and he sat politely while their kids patted him, one of them touched her nose to his nose and he gave her a big lick (this was all carefully supervised of course). Their bitch has had puppies so she was upstairs (coincidentally, remember that dog that jumped into our yard and fought with Atlas? It impregnated their bitch in a similar manner) but there was another dog and he was fine. We also took him to OHs parents place for breakfast and he played with their dog as usual. They're taking him to the beach and I said he'd had a bit of excitement the night before and to make sure he has a happy calm relaxed day. Is there anything else I could do? Thanks everyone for the well wishes and praise of my most deserving boy

I'm the same as kitty but I got the $100 excess and the routine care (probably a waste but meh) and it's $22 a fortnight. Really easy signup. I got the comprehensive cover. I can't comment on anything more than that because I haven'th ad to use it but my advice is to read the product disclosure statements really well and see what you think is best

HEhehe It's a rental so I think what we'll do is ask if they can enclose the veranda gap with some french doors or something. He is definitely sleeping wherever he likes tonight! Lol. No I think he will be in his crate as usual, that is where he likes to sleep anyway.

I sat with him on the couch while I was crying, he was licking my face and I was just saying 'good boy good boy' and giving him cuddles and pats over and over. Luuka was quite put out I am so glad she is okay, if he had hurt her,

I am feeling better now, my partner rang me on his break, they're about to start a Caesar so he won't be home for awhile but he asked me if I wanted him to leave work. I know how that would leave the other theatre staff so I said no, just hurry up! Lol. And knowing he is at the diversionary centre is making me feel better too in case he came back.

I know I feel SO silly! The front door doesn't have a screen door, just a big wooden one, so I leave it open because it's so nice and breezy with it open It's firmly locked now

They so are, I am just sooo grateful I can't even describe it, if he'd smashed that bottle he cuold have really hurt me, or the dogs which is even worse! I should add, the police picked him up before they came to see me, he was stumbling around the neighbourhood. They are taking him to the 'diversionary' centre whatever that is.

She is totally fine, if he did kick her down the stairs she didn't even yelp, maybe the people over the road were mistaken or maybe she just took a tumble by herself

I am sitting here shaking trying to calm down, scariest thing just happened to me. OH is at work until at least 11.30pm depending on what is happening in theatre so I'm home alone (except for our mate who lives in our downstairs room temporarily but it's pretty far from the front door and always has his headphones on). To get to our front door you go through a gate (silent), walk up a set of stairs to the second floor and go through a doorless gap in the veranda, cross the veranda then there's the front door. I gave Luuka a bath earlier so I still have the dog-gate pulled across the veranda gap. So I'm minding my own business watching a movie in the room that is directly inside the front door and I hear an almighty CRASH from the veranda, jump up and there's this shirtless Aboriginal man with a bottle in his hand talking gibberish, standing at the top of the stairs, and I got the fright of my life! He had knocked over the dog barrier trying to get in. He was yelling stuff and waving the bottle around so I screamed for Atlas who was at the other end of the house playing with Luuka, he came running and the guy froze. I said "okay mate time to go hey" and he started screaming at me, Atlas' hackles were up and he started barking really savagely, he said "does that effin dog bite?" and I said "yep so it's time to go" and he was like going on with all this stuff, he was calling me awful names, yelling at me, calling Atlas awful names, Atlas was barking and going mental but staying at least 1m from him, snarling and barking. He then demanded I call him a taxi and I told him the only person I'd be calling would be the police if he didn't leave right now, I yelled out for my houseguest but he didn't hear me (because of the headphones). After a bit more yelling and waving the bottle around, he turned and started making his way down the stairs. I scrambled for my phone at that point but was shaking so much I couldn't use it. He left, and I sat down to basically have a huge cry. A few mins later, Atlas starts going off again and I'm like OH BLOODY HELL but it was the police! He asked me to go talk to him at the fence because Atlas was carrying on (still quite upset naturally) and I went down, he took my statement but I chose not to make a formal complaint because it wouldn't have done any good really. He said that the ladies across the road saw him kick Luuka down the stairs I missed that. They told me the people in the house across the road called them. The police officer was really nice. So he left after praising Atlas and saying how cute Luuka was too. I calmed down a bit more then headed across the street with Atlas and Luuka to say thank you very much to the ladies across the road. I'd never met them before. They said he'd been wandering around trying to get into houses and they'd called the police around 20 mins - 30 mins before they actually turned up. Apparently he tried for about 10 mins to get over my fence and none of us noticed (me, dogs I mean). Then he went under the house but couldn't find anyone, that's when he came up the front stairs. Whoa sorry I started typing this post just before the police came, it's turned into a pretty damn long one! I just want to publically and fervently thank Atlas so much for being my protector and staying between me and this man who gave me such a huge fright. Far out. I love that dog.

I have tats and a bull breed, so does my partner, OH is also 6'10" and gets the "think you're tough because you're tall do ya?" thing all the time, it's a total joke. We do walk Atlas on lead though. Hehe.