Pretty Miss Emma

You may well be on the right track BC Crazy!!! Wait til the weekend and all will be revealed!!! This is where I was at. My first dog it was all ok and after 2 years (as I said earlier she was 9 years old when I got her!!) we added Kenzie to the clan. Yes it was succession planning, but I also wanted a younger dog that I could start working with. Ideally I would have waited til Kenz was a little older before adding another dog, but losing Em last year has left a very big gap in our house, and sometimes there are reasons that can't be resisted!! It has been interesting to hear from everyone about the age gaps, and what I also think is interesting is that so many of us have ideas about what is ideal, yet something seems to happen to throw those plans in to disarray and we end up with dogs at times we weren't necessarily planning!!!

I feel like you should be able to choose more than one response if you want to go back and vote (and I could also be wrong!!)! Sorry about your 4 year old you have a busy house from the sounds of it!!! How do you manage the age differences?

So I tried to make the poll with what I've come across as common age gaps, I know there are more divisions I could have put in but you have to draw the line somewhere!!! Anyway, just interested in the age difference between your dogs. What are the pros and cons of having this age difference? Was it a conscious decision to have the age difference you have? And if it was, were there certain criteria leading to that decision? Some of you know I lost my old dog last year. There was almost an 11 year age gap between her and Kenzie. But it was ok. I got Kenz because I knew Emma wouldn't live forever (and she went way before I was even close to ready for that to be a possibility), I wanted another dog that I could do the activities I liked doing with and I wanted some company for Em. Thank goodness they ended up loving each other heaps in the short time they had together so the company bit worked out well!!! And now that I'm a one dog household (only for another 5 days or so!!) I do have a dog that is now starting to be ready to compete in the activites I like doing with her, and while she still needs some work, I'm ready for another furry to join us and I think Kenz will be ok with that also (I think she misses having dog company in the house). But there have been some people that are suprised I've considered getting a dog while she is the age she is and because she's not completely ready to be competing. I guess for me the dogs are my companions fisrt and foremost and then following from that I hope they will be able to compete and do activities that I like doing. Maybe it's a different mindset that makes me ready when someone else wouldn't be !! So anyway, interested in how it's all worked in your household!

Slightly on this topic... how do you get a height card? I know you have to have the dog measured - by 2 judges? When and where and how do you get this done/organised? Just trying to figure out how you do it without seemingly harrassing anyone too much!!!

Look on ebay, you'll find them there

Is it different to breeders who have a large number of dogs and as such keep their dogs in kennels and rotate them through being the "house dog"? The dogs in the kennels wouldn't necessarily see a lot of the owner/breeder during that time, but then they get some intensive house time. I'm genuinely asking this as I'm still currently grappling working longer hours than I used to (mind you its only an hour or so more per day she's without me!). But when I'm home I'm with my dog and we do things around her. And is it different to the family that said they had time for the dog and they are home every day but the dog is in the backyard on its own except for when they come out to feed it? I don't breed so I don't have a strong opinion as I don't know enough about it all. But I think that possibly there are a lot worse lifestyles that a dog could be living. But I do agree with what some have said about a pup maybe not being a good idea and maybe an older dog might cope with it better.

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone can update me on whether or not George Schofield is working? This time it's for a friend! Otherwise do you have anyone who you would recommend? My friend is based in Carlton and is happy to travel a bit (but the less travel the better). I have also heard of Kim Lim in Geelong. But any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

I rescued and then found out afterwards (2 years later) that she was a show winning pure-bred!!! Then I went pure-bred because I like having some level of predictability (and it's all because of the first rescue girl!!!). If I were to find another like my first girl in a shelter it would come home in a flash, but they're few and far between. I just got lucky that time (she only came home with me because I fell completely in love, she was old and she was perfect!!)!

It is time when you think it is time. Everyone is different with what they are personally prepared to deal with, and if she isn't in pain then I guess that's what it comes to - what can you deal/cope with? When I had Emma PTS last year I made the decision because she wasn't going to get better, she wasn't in pain but she would be soon, there was no course of treatment that would enable her to come home. So I decided that I wanted to make sure she had quality of life in her last moments and knew that myself and Kenzie were with her and loved her lots. Other people would have taken a dog in her condition home for a day or so to have more time with them, but I couldn't cope with seeing her get any sicker and feeling any more miserable than she already was so for me the time was right then. I agree with ari.g - are there more good or bad days? In so many ways for me it was the nicest thing I could do for her and possibly even me - she had been sick, she was diabetic, she was going blind for the second time (and about to have her eye deadened) - it was a lot of emotional strain on me just looking after her day to day, and I think it also probably was for her to. But we had a lovely last week together not knowing what was coming, she did all the things she loved and saw all the people and dogs she loved (none of us knew it would be the last time). So for me I could see the time was right, even though I really wanted any other option to be available - it just wasn't to be. I don't envy your situation, but you will make the right decision at the right time. No one can tell you when that is you will just know that it is the right time. And for now, enjoy every moment of her.

I have a friend who always uses the EzyDog harnesses on all her Jack's and other little dogs.

I'm trying to get weight off Kenz so she gets a grated carrot, I mix it with a sardine so that it tastes yummy!! I also put psyllium husk in her food which expands with the addition of liquid, so that probably also helps to make her feel full (it's just fibre). I wonder if feeding with something like a Kong might help as the dog will have to work a bit for it's food so the brain work might tire it out a little (and I wonder if they are like us - the slower you eat your food you tend to not need as much as you feel full sooner, obviously it would probably still eat it all but it might feel a bit more full as the food hits, and expands in, the stomach over a slightly longer period). just random thinking on those bits!!! But the grated carrot definitely helps!

When this happens to me and my dog I generally turn the other direction when I see the dog approaching and we just head off with me telling Kenz how wonderful she is and keeping her attention and giving her heaps and heaps of treats. She actually copes much better with dogs off lead runnig towards her than any dog she doesn't know on lead anywhere near her. At the same time I really don't want her on lead around an off lead dog that I don't know and don't know how it is going to act. So just walk out of the situation clamly and confidently. I have had several dogs follow us, but I figure that's their owners problem if they are going to let a dog with no recall off lead in and on lead area - once they get a bit away from their owner they frequently try to figure out where they are and head back to them. If you can get out of the situation I don't see the point in having undue stress on your dog!

Have totaly been through the "I ruined my dog" moments!!! I don't know why but I've also now just realised she is who she is and I did what I did - there are things I'll do differently next time, but for now such is life! While I would do anything to have my Emma back and I would have done anything for her to not be sick when she was, in some ways it taught Kenzie to have some independence because there was no other choice - but that was just circumstance had it not happened things would be very different in this house. Like with everything in life hindsight is wonderful, but we learn from our experiences and I sort of figure for now enjoy what you have and work with what you have - we don't get enough time with with them as it is so don't beat yourself up over it. You've identified a problem and you're trying to work on it, so far that's a lot more than many dogs get in their life. You're doing a good job!

What happens if you have Sonny inside and leave Stella outside? I'm just wondering if that is a good way to start increasing the separation/distance? (I don't know, I'm just really thinking out loud) Kenzie used to jump on the outdoor table and howl like a wolf for the first 5 minutes when I would take Em for a walk but then she'd settle. But I taught her from day 1 that she would spend time in the backyard without Em - when I was home Em would be inside for a bit and Kenz out in the yard and then they'd swap, but they'd also have some together time. Eventually she got used to it! Do you leave her with something to keep her occupied? Maybe short stints outside with something great to keep her busy and build up to longer times and actually taking Sonny out for a walk? How is she if she is inside when you take him out? maybe that is the first step, her being inside when she's on her own and working up to being outside. Like I said really this is just me thinking out loud, but could be worth a try?

I think you are right there do seem to be quite a few similarities!!! I think it's a beautiful photo - thanks!!! It's pretty much my last one of the two of them together, it was only about 1.5 months after it was taken I had to have Em PTS, so it's a bit special to me!!

Anything fun!!! I found playing games with Kenz was a really good start, she also has confidence issues. Trick training has worked wonders for us also!!! And tricks range from simple hi-5, shake, etc up to "put your ball in a basket and carry the basket to me". The reason tricks have worked really well for me is that she loves learning, and she knows her tricks really well. When we are in a situation where her confidence might be a bit shakey we start doing tricks, when she meets new people they do simple tricks with her. She's now at a point where she voluntarily goes up to people she's never met and will try to shake hands with them. Another thing that worked well for us was teaching targetting/touch. I taught Kenz that when she sees a new person (or someone she doesn't see often) she needs to go and "say hello" (which actually means go and touch them on the leg with your nose) - people just think she's nudging them so that they will pay attention and say hello to her. Now that she's used to it she doesn't always nudge them she will often just go and sit beside them. But targetting can be good as it is a simple behaviour to learn and you can use it when they are close to you (as it is something they can do and do well even if it is a bit stressful - so I will get Kenz to touch my closed fist then touch the other one and she just goes back and forth between them). but it can also be used to help them get some distance from you by sending them out to go and touch a target plate. Lastly for us agility has been brilliant. It has helped Kenzie realise she can do things independently and succeed at them. And it's heaps of fun for her (and me)!!! I find free-shaping is really good with almost eveything I've mentioned here. Kenzie learns most things through free-shaping. The way I see it, free-shaping teaches a dog to learn and to try and that trying is ok because eventually you'll figure it out. And I think that is what builds confidence - trying, making some mistakes, but getting there in the end and doing it well. I haven't actually done a lot of reading etc on free-shaping it's just sort of how I've worked and how many around me have worked. I want to say that there is a book called something along the lines of 100 things to do with a box and that might be talking about free-shaping in that book (but don't quote me, I haven't read it!!!). The way I teach a dog to touch a target plate is free-shaped - have plate wait for dog to interact with it in any way and reward, then up the expectation of the interaction (so reward for glancing at plate, then looking at plate, then moving toward plate, then touching plate with nose briefly, touching plate for extended time, move plate to new positions/environments, etc, etc), obviously that's an exceptionally simplified version of my understanding of it but you probably get the gist. The benefit I see in free-shaping over luring or positioning a dog is that they have to problem solve, they have to try different things, they have to find the answer. As a trainer you need to have a good idea of what you are looking for (and alternatively be able to see what is happening and change your plan if you see something different occurring that you would like instead) and you need to be patient - I've done some work with a few dogs that were not brought up with free-shaping and at first I found them frustrating because they did not think it was ok to try they just wanted to do what they had always done, but eventually they figured it out!! I find this type of training very fun!!! Sorry, got a bit out of control there with that lengthy response, hopefully some of it may be useful!! Only my interpretation/thoughts, but I have a little girl who is getting more and more confident and less and less reactive!!

This bit here describes my Kenzie to a tee!!! She generally loves all other working breeds, loves her few close friends that are not working breeds (and over time will make friends with other breeds of dogs but it usually takes a few good meetings), but otherwise she pretty much just says "I don't get you" about other breeds of dogs!!

I'd say if you have access to NADAC trials then definitely get her back in to it, I started my old girl when she was almost 11 years old (I adopted her as a 9 year old so couldn't start her when she was young as I didn't have her!!). NADAC have a vetrans division which is great as they get lower jump heights and more time yet still get to have all the fun. I'm not sure that it runs in NSW, but maybe you could get it started up there for all the oldies!!!

I see a lovely looking old dog!!!! I miss my old dog (who like yours was adopted as a senior!). I do see BC though also!!

That looks like what I was looking for!!! Had no idea it was that old I must have been having a quiet day and trawling through lots of old stuff!! Not quite sure when a little will be coming. There's a possibility of it being within the next 2 months, if that doesn't work out then not completely sure. But fingers crossed sooner rather than later!!

Thanks, I'd found that one when I searched. There was another one that had a long list of things to have in the house. It seems to have disappeared as I thought I saw it afte Emma died and I've gone looking back to the start of last year but still haven't found anything!!

You can only do what you can do. And as pepe001 says maybe it is her time. Maybe you could treat her and get more time but would that be quality time, will she still be happy? While it's really an awful decision to have to make sometimes it's better to let them go while life is still a bit good and not let it get to a point where life is bad. She's had a good life and you have been a wonderful owner for her, take comfort in that. And compared to many greyhounds out there she has lived an exceptionally long and fruitful life.

A bit back, and I think it was in here, someone started a thread that was along the lines of "things needed when preparing for a new puppy". Can't remember the exact title but something like that (and maybe it could have been in general?). But anyway I can't find it and I just wanted to have a look through it!! So if anyone knows where it is could you please point me in the right direction!!!

Wrapping front legs around another dog is appalling manners I think (unless they are close friends who are playing). So I would be keeping him at a distance from other dogs until he learns (is taught) his manners. Maybe go in to the training thread and have a look at some of the stuff on reactive dogs and see if it fits in with the behaviour you are seeing. Like Sandra777 said trying to diagnose over the internet is fraught with problems, those with the knowhow can't actually see and interpret what is going on with your dog and the environment. So you might get great advice ut not for the problem you have (it will be for the perceived problem). Having a reactive BC, my advice to everyone I meet now with a dog showing even slight issues like that is to get help from someone who knows what they're doing - it's much easier to prevent there being a problem that to try and untrain and fix a problem. OT- have you put pics of your young man up in the BC thread?????