Genabee

I need Charlie to train Genevieve. ;)

I did try having her in our room for a few nights... she settled for one of them! The other nights she would pace around my bed, scratch at her crate (escape from the crate!), scratch the bedroom door, try eating my furniture and just generally drove me insane! I am also reluctant to start that as a habit, as we want to start a family and a dog and a baby in the room probably isn't the wisest idea I've ever had! She is slowly getting better, keeping her busy with trick work and making her hunt her dinner from a drink bottle!! I am taking one day at a time and getting midday naps in when I need them!

Don't all pups do that to some degree!? It is part of their learning. What is the bet that guy doesn't have a dog or has a freakishly well behaved one! Don't let one pass byer get you down. The idea of the train station is a good one. Quiet often I walk Genevieve to the park and we just sit there and watch the kids play soccer, wiz past on their bikes and people and their dogs walk. It works as a bit of a break in the walk but also I try to get her to focus on me, or at least sit still and not jump around. Sometimes we are successful, other times not. I took her to obedience yesterday and the whole time there, she spent trying to nip her lead and dig the grass. I couldn't get her to sit for love, treats or money! Normally she is very good at sitting and waiting for treats. Not yesterday! But I know on another day, she will just sit their patiently... It will take time and patience, just as Koala the Bear said.... I'd like to know when the excited peeing will stop.

Aussie Lover.... I so understand you pain! Except your situation is now my version of a sleep in! I find if I make her a hot water bottle and put her back to bed, sometimes that works - but only if it is still dark. As others have suggested, once she sees the sun - she is awake! I used to get up and go back to sleep on the couch with her and we could sleep for another three hours easily. But that hasn't been good for me. And I don't want her in our bedroom (I tried it for a few nights and I think I got less sleep!). I don't feed Genevieve until about 9.30pm due to my work schedule, and I have started giving her evening feeds (kibble) in a drink bottle, it means she wears herself out trying to get it all out of the bottle!! I have found her to sleep a bit more since doing this, as like you, I don want to be walking her in the dark! I am hoping as she gets older, she wants to sleep more along the same time as I do! Of late I think she has had her days and nights back to front. Does anyone know how much sleep in a day the average dog needs?

We woke up for a toilet break at 6am, then went back to bed with a hot water bottle and the heater on. Slept through until 7.30pm. Mummy is much happier!

Glad to hear that obedience class went well. Obedience class must be so overwhelming for our doggies in terms of smells, people, dogs and sounds! Good luck for tonight! Elbie finished beginners today (some photos here) and will start bronze next week! So exciting Thanks re the sig - my husband made it for me. He's a web developer and sometimes if I pester him, he'll do graphics for me I'm not sure who is more clever - Elbie or your hubby!!

I have taken to putting Genevieve's kibble in a drink bottle and it takes her ages to get it out and eat it! The first time I did it she barked at it out of frustration, but now she just rolls it around for a while and knocks out a few pieces at a time. It is also a good way to wear her out at night before bed!

Genevieve gets the yearly heart worm injection too. She hasn't had a problem/reaction to it. I use advantage once a month for flea/ticks. We have used it in the past on our other dog and found it to be effective. Easy to put on her after a bath. She gets a drontal tablet crushed up in sardines once every three months for intestinal worms. I choose to give her the jab because I don't want to forget, and giving her a tablet once a month.... I would probably forget! The flea treatment is more precautionary - I don't live in a flea/tick infested area so if we do let it go for an extra week or so, I doubt she will catch them. I think it is a case of what works best for you and your dog. There is no right or wrong. Like immunising your kids, everyone is going to have an opinion on it.

We use advance...

Well we had our first class with the obedience club this morning! We started at the beginning again, which I think is a good thing! Refreshing past learnt lessons is a must when there are about 30 other dogs around!!! I think Genevieve was a bit shocked as she hasn't seen so many dogs in one place before! She was far more interested in sniffing and digging the grass though! Anyway, she was very quiet in the car on the way home and has been asleep pretty much ever since we have been home (as I badly need to go and do also). I will let you know how we go tonight! Koala the bear - I LOVE your sig!!!

I think Genevieve wants to herd magpies... She stood in the lounge room window this morning, barking at the one magpie that was on the grass. It was funny at first, but then it just became annoying. I had to lock her out of the room! You all have such smart sounding dogs!!!!

Tucker is cute!

I have a cav and she is great! We have a small house and she is confined to one end of it, with a tiny court yard. She stays in the laundry when I go to work. We don't have any major issues (aside from the normal puppy training stuff). I do my best to walk her every day. She is smart so I am constantly trying to give her new tricks to learn. But her favourite thing to do is curl up on the couch with her Mum! I have always been under the impression that cocker spaniels are more active than cavs, but I could be wrong. Oh, and doesn't bark a lot either, which is good if you are going to have neighbours in close proximity. Good luck deciding! I am sure either breed would make a great pet!

Poor sniffer dogs!!! Getting teased on the job like that!!

I too was a bit unsure about the whole crate thing... they did look a bit cage like! Our first dog never had one and it wasn't until we were preparing for Genevieve and I did all this reading and every thing was crate this crate that... My husband (who hadn't had a dog before) was reading everything he could get his hands on, doing it all by the book so to speak - and told me we 'had' to have a crate. So we compromised and went for the soft crate. I wouldn't advise this for a puppy!! She can escape out of it easily and she has chewed and dug it up! She does love it though. It has been so handy for us. It moves around the house with us, whatever room we are in generally. She hangs out in there off her own accord and she understands it is 'her room'. We rarely zip her up in it unless we need her to be out of the way for some specific reason. She sleeps in the laundry at night, so I leave it unzipped for her. I would definitely recommend them and I will be using one for my next pooch ( and probably the more cage looking one I was put off by this time!!!)

So from that I take, don't waste your money Wizzle!

Find out where they live, walk your dog around to their house and let them dump on their driveway/lawn/verge/verandah!

What a star!!! I really love how you are giving him every opportunity to reach his potential! All dogs should have parents like you guys!

Ouch! Poor Genevieve. I hope she's ok and I hope she sleeps soundly tonight! You me both! I am exhausted - I've just been chasing her around and playing fetch (with her rules of course, not the conventional ones). And a bit of trick work. Now she wants to snuggle, so I think it is bed time for all!

We have this in our will. If just one of us dies, the dog will stay with the other (along with any kids we have). If we both move on from this world, my sister in law is legal guardian of our dog and any children we have. I know if she wasn't able to have the pooch, my parents would have her. She would be looked after. If husband and I separate (God I hope it never happens), dog will live with me (mainly because of his work and she is really my dog!). If we have kids, he will get the dog when he gets the kids.

I have learnt so many things from having a dog in my life. I was 16 when Aurora came into my life. She taught me what the notion of 24/7 really means... getting up in the night, providing dinner for someone else, priortising my life around someone else's needs, sick times, play times... responsibilty in general. But she also taught me what real loyalty is about and that there is always some one that loves you, even when you aren't the easiest person to be around! She definitely was the one that taught me that I wanted (if not needed) a dog in my life! Genevieve.... Genevieve came to test my patience!!! Genevieve has taught me that no matter how hard I try, I can't have control over everything and that ideals are just that - ideals! She must know that she is our 'first baby' and she is doing everything to make sure we are prepared for the human kind! She reminds me that even when I have had a long, tiring day, that it isn't all about me and that is only half my job - I still have to go home and be a Mum. And that doesn't stop. Oh, and that I can function better than I think I can on no sleep!

Is he itchy there? We have an elbow knee chewer here too, but I am pretty sure it is more out of itchiness... I have changed the shampoo we use and have added sardines to her diet and have noticed she doesn't do it anywhere near as often. I also try to distract her when I see her doing it, as it can become a learned behaviour, so I suggest you nip it in the bud sooner rather than later. Some dogs also do this out of anxiety. Maybe if you rule out other possibilities (ie. allergic reaction to food or grass etc) maybe it is worth seeking behavioural help... Good luck!

We've done the padlock thing and she got her paw wedged in between the zip and hurt herself! Why didn't I think of the carabiner clip!!!! That's a good idea to try! Last night she went back in the laundry. She slept in until 5am today (this is two hours more than the previous night)!!! I ignored her until about 7.15am when I had to get up. Lucky for me I had left the heating on, so when it heats up every so often, it would drown her out long enough for me to doze back to sleep! We will get there. We will just keep working her really hard! Thank you everyone for being so understanding and for all your suggestions. I am sure it is a phase that we are both going through, but when you are tired it always feels so much worse.

No I don't but I too would be interested!!!

What is with that!!!!!????? How does one spot 10cms to the right or left, or the other side of the yard altogether, make any difference to the excretion of bodily waste, I ask you!??? Of late we have taken to pooping and peeing on the pavement, even when it is not raining! I kinda figure as long it isn't inside my house....