Elbie, Hoover, Dodge & Friends!

[koalathebear]

clastic: I can't play the guitar on Rock Band anymore because of the whole carpal tunnel thing but I still sing and OH is very conscientious on the drums. It would be great to have more people to play with. Glad you liked the cupcakes - they were flatter than they were supposed to be but I was trying to minimise usage of the electric mixer because of Elbie. :D

I'm sorry poor Mars is still suffering because of his cone head. The affection thing is interesting. When Elbie was younger, he was always on the go - not very affectionate - always dashing off to get a ball or a toy. In the last few months, he seems to love getting pats! He suddenly became very affectionate - no idea what caused it. You can see how shameless he was today in asking for pats.

I'm so jealous of all the people who got to meet Hoover!

He is so big! He is almost as big as Elbie, who i must say looks very unimpressed with hoover in the photos LOLLove hoovers eyebrows they are very expressive!

Thanks. I hope you can meet him one day! Hoover's eyebrows are very lovable and he has a very silly and dopey face sometimes. People look at him and just laugh!

By the way I was right, OH hadn't fed himself when I got home

;) That is so devoted! Poor OH

Elbie will get used to it, I'm sure, and I'm sure it is actually nice for him too - just hasn't realised it yet! The facial expressions on the two of them are priceless!

It's a fine balance. You want them to get along but not too well otherwise they'll bite each other's faces all day and play with each other and not listen to us Handling two rambunctious dogs in the rain has been very trying. I'm pretty certain tonight OH was wanting to send poor Elbie (who admittedly was being a little snot) to the glue factory.

Poor Mars with the cone head!! We tried, well we were successful thanks to some skinless frankfurters, to put cone on head of dog today. Not that's he's being overly licky, but we're worried about when we go back to work. It did not go well. Cheerful puppy became mad, bucking bronco/bull - from one end of the house to the other, bashing into walls and the floor. He was so distressed.

It is weird, right? One moment there's placid, loving puppy and then the next minute there's crazy, mad bull, rabid beast thing ... I'm sorry he found the cone so traumatic but I'm glad that he finds the crate a Happy Place. If you look on youtube, you'll see angry people condemning crates as cruel cages but I find that with our two dogs, they see their crates as a haven and go dashing in there whenever things get a bit much. Of course, we made a mistake tonight and put Hoover in there as a time-out (not punishment, but to calm down after a boisterous play with Elbie) and he decided to do the biggest wee you ever saw. Sigh. Still, one accident a day isn't too bad for a 3 month pup.

And to those curious - the job interview went well, but I don't think its a job for me. I'm at a bit of a crossroads at the moment careerwise. In fact one thing I'm considering is applying to Canberra for a government training/job (IP Australia) - but the logistics make it probably too hard.

Ooooh, come to Canberra, come to Canberra! Then again, maybe not. What if we don't get along? Actually, it has happened before. Someone on DOL was so friendly, always chatty, always nice but when we met in person, I never heard from them again and I sheepishly said to OH: "My offline persona must be so revolting compared to my online persona". Still, I do hope that you find the job you're looking for. For me, I've been a public servant for four months now after having been private sector all my life. It's been interesting adjustment ... But _{come to Canberra!}

[wuffles]

clastic: I can't play the guitar on Rock Band anymore because of the whole carpal tunnel thing but I still sing and OH is very conscientious on the drums. It would be great to have more people to play with. Glad you liked the cupcakes - they were flatter than they were supposed to be but I was trying to minimise usage of the electric mixer because of Elbie.

I like guitar best so maybe we should come over and play I am terrible at the drums despite the fact that I can play ACTUAL drums...

[Clastic]

clastic: I can't play the guitar on Rock Band anymore because of the whole carpal tunnel thing but I still sing and OH is very conscientious on the drums. :D It would be great to have more people to play with. Glad you liked the cupcakes - they were flatter than they were supposed to be but I was trying to minimise usage of the electric mixer because of Elbie.

I'm sorry poor Mars is still suffering because of his cone head. The affection thing is interesting. When Elbie was younger, he was always on the go - not very affectionate - always dashing off to get a ball or a toy. In the last few months, he seems to love getting pats! He suddenly became very affectionate - no idea what caused it. You can see how shameless he was today in asking for pats.

I like the guitar and drums.. don't mind singing from time to time.. weird, because I have Singstar at home. OH might actually want to come over since we wouldn't just be talking about dogs. :D

I think Mars is just being sooky, he's probably only cuddling up to me so I would give him a scratch since he can't scratch anywhere around his head. I took the cone off as he couldn't sleep properly and as soon as I took it off he was ready to lick his wound, so the cone went back on. I think he's actually more itchy than sore, he's got some rashes and scratches from where they shaved.. scabs are always so itchy!!! He has been a bit more affectionate since Pepper arrived, but more so since he got cone head.

[Max#1]

Oh poor Mars! I really feel for him with the cone - after seeing Max's reaction. (Meanwhile Max is currently sleeping in his crate, beside me, of his OWN FREE WILL!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!). Proof attached:

Laughing at the online vs offline persona. I never had an online persona before. No that's a lie. When I was at uni (just as the internet was getting introduced) there was this telnet thing that some people used to go on. I did too - and I met all these interesting people.... who turned out to be sitting in the same room. It was the funniest arrangement. You'd walk in the room, past the people you would then 'talk to', smile awkwardly, then sit down. Meanwhile I learned to touchtype. It all ended after about three months, when I saw some of them at the refectory, and just sat down with them. Its interesting the impression you get of people without having met them.

Momentarily thought about giving examples, but thought the better of it :D

I've just been reading through the waiting for puppy thread - and seen James's and Ava's introductory images and stories!!!! So sweet!

KTB: do you really think that Elbie and Hoover will become more interested in face-biting than in you and Mr KTB? Having had two dogs before - and therefore being an absolute expert - I think you guys will always be more interesting/important to them. (Commiserations for the toilet training in the rain - due to Max's chew-heavy day he's been quite farty, and so I keep thinking I should take him out for #2's, but there's nothing there. Its about 5 degrees, windy and occasionally raining. Miserable).

Max also had a 'moment' where he realised the joys of being patted. Now he likes getting smooched up a bit (as opposed to being blissfully unaware that this option existed) - particularly from my sister.

Clastic - do you keep waiting to see the symptoms of testosterone withdrawal? I keep waiting to see if 'something' changes - ha!

[koalathebear]

Sorry to be a downer but did anyone see this poor boy? It makes me so upset. He is 10 years old. He was handed in for rehoming due to a family member's allergies. He might be going a bit deaf, he has some arthritis in his hips.

How can people do this to their beloved dogs who have been with them all those years??? As someone with allergies I sympathise but surely they know that handing in this sort of dog to the pound is tantamount to a death sentence? :D Can you imagine how poor Shadow is feeling at this point? :D OK rant over. :|

[Max#1]

When I think about helping a dog that's what I have in mind. I feel most sorry for the older dogs, maybe they are the one's hardest hit by having to start a new life with a new family.

I really wish we could help him. The time will come.

[Clastic]

Oh poor Mars! I really feel for him with the cone - after seeing Max's reaction. (Meanwhile Max is currently sleeping in his crate, beside me, of his OWN FREE WILL!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!). Proof attached:

Clastic - do you keep waiting to see the symptoms of testosterone withdrawal? I keep waiting to see if 'something' changes - ha!

Yay for Max!! How is Max doing? Does he need to wear his cone or is he being a good boy unlike my feral?

Haha, yes.. I'm waiting but I don't think anything will happen. He's still being a big boy and cocking his leg to mark every wee puddle outside that Pepper has done.

He wasn't really much of a brat with his manhood attached so there may not be any difference at all, only difference might be when he meets other dogs that are intact and he isn't anymore..

Sorry to be a downer but did anyone see this poor boy? It makes me so upset. He is 10 years old. He was handed in for rehoming due to a family member's allergies. He might be going a bit deaf, he has some arthritis in his hips.

How can people do this to their beloved dogs who have been with them all those years??? As someone with allergies I sympathise but surely they know that handing in this sort of dog to the pound is tantamount to a death sentence? :D Can you imagine how poor Shadow is feeling at this point? OK rant over. :|

I did.. saw him last night and was so upset. :D I really hope he finds a home where he can settle down and be loved... so tempted to take him if I didn't already have my own 2 monsters to deal with..

Edited October 16, 2010 by Clastic

[koalathebear]

Good news all, Shadow the 10 year old border collie appears to have rescue back-up so at least he won't be PTS

I've just been reading through the waiting for puppy thread - and seen James's and Ava's introductory images and stories!!!! So sweet!

Is you getting clucky? If so, I shall tell you a tale of a cute little Kelpie puppy that who when I was preparing Elbie's dog treats for Dog School today decided to bolt into the lounge and poo - 5 minutes before we were due to leave for class. ;) He has incredibly innocent eyes though so it's hard to be vexed with him.

In other news, Elbie had his second silver level class today. It was very windy but not too cold fortunately. The wind and the wet ground was very distracting for all the dogs and there was a LOT of lunging and pulling all around. The instructor had her two labradoodles tethered near the class and they barked and lunged the whole time - excellent as distractions! Some of the dogs were positively feral today - one rust-coloured terrier in the middle of nothing got up and started barking like a maniac, one lab and the same terrier attacked one another, barking crazily. Then dogs were breaking their stays all over the place! One woman got up in disgust, tucked her mat under her arm and walked out of the class angrily because her dog had no focus and would not go to its mat!

Elbie was his usual self, crazy and excited at the beginning but once class started he was very focussed. No problems with mealtime manners, heeling, stays, loose-leash walking. His stands are sometimes at a funny angle but he did well. Then we did the weaving in and out of owners and handlers and he did so well - not a single lunge or sniff! When the other dogs and handler were weaving in and out - Rogue the husky cross and his handler got a little too close to OH, actually brushed past him physically and trod on Elbie's tail and Elbie STILL did not move a muscle We were so proud of him.

He also did his tricks very well - high five, high ten then wave. Plus when we were waiting, he learned a new trick - the commando crawl. He does it fine on grass, just doesn't like doing it on the hard kitchen floor, I guess. We did a new thing which was weird, which was when the handler rejoined the dog, they went around the dog instead of just going to the dog's right. You have to careful you don't tread on the dog's tail. The first time OH did it, Elbie tried to follow him but then he realised pretty quickly that he was supposed to stay put.

Then we got home to little Hoover who was waiting patiently in his crate with his limpid eyes staring up at us. No accidents (phew!) and I fed him his brekky and worked on focus with him. Hoover's not as hyper or highly strung as Elbie - he's a bit chilled - so we're working hard with his focus.

Next week, we're going to bring Hoover to class ... while OH is in class, I'll just sit outside the clubhouse on one of the park benches so that Hoover can see all the people and dogs. We might let him run around in the off-lead area, too.

Hope everyone else is having a good Sunday! This afternoon we'll be heading over to Blossom's house to make her a little music video to hopefully get her adopted. She's been listed on Pet Rescue for ages!

[Clastic]

Good news all, Shadow the 10 year old border collie appears to have rescue back-up so at least he won't be PTS

Yaaaay! So happy to hear that. ;)

Next week, we're going to bring Hoover to class ... while OH is in class, I'll just sit outside the clubhouse on one of the park benches so that Hoover can see all the people and dogs. We might let him run around in the off-lead area, too.

Would you like some company.

ETA: Today is stitching day in this household, I'm going to finally stitch up all the toys they have managed to rip and which I've been meaning to do for ages!!!

Edited October 17, 2010 by Clastic

[wuffles]

Elbie was his usual self, crazy and excited at the beginning but once class started he was very focussed. No problems with mealtime manners, heeling, stays, loose-leash walking. His stands are sometimes at a funny angle but he did well. Then we did the weaving in and out of owners and handlers and he did so well - not a single lunge or sniff! When the other dogs and handler were weaving in and out - Rogue the husky cross and his handler got a little too close to OH, actually brushed past him physically and trod on Elbie's tail and Elbie STILL did not move a muscle We were so proud of him.

Sounds like Elbie is doing great in silver! Our class was really interesting (which by the way starts at 8am now, very early for a Sunday!). We started off with heeling which lost Ava very quickly as usual. She was much better when we moved on to other stuff. We did lots of stays and sitting/standing for exam. With the stays the dogs would be left in a line while the handlers walked all over the place, left, right, away from the dogs, behind the dogs... all very testing! Then we paired up and would walk around our dogs, walk around the other dogs and give them pats. All off leash and not stuff you can practice at home so we had fun and Ava was awesome! She stayed put while other people patted her even when I wasn't there. She even almost nailed the standing bit until two dogs got up to play and her 'partner' dog started barking so she decided it was a good time to wriggle the bum and snuggle up to the other handler who was standing beside her

Hope everyone else is having a good Sunday! This afternoon we'll be heading over to Blossom's house to make her a little music video to hopefully get her adopted. She's been listed on Pet Rescue for ages!

Looks like Blossom needs some new pics as well! Poor big brindle dogs, I bet she is an absolute sook ;)

[Max#1]

Clucky clucky.

Check out the ears on this one:

http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/87436

Good news about Shadow too.

[Max#1]

Clastic - tried a million times to quote, but I just can't do it! Yeah Max has been good - and no conehead for him. As for testosterone withdrawal - I'm really hoping he's not so enthusiastic to hump the other puppies whom he meets now - though he's always peed like a girl so that hasn't changed. A lady who was dropping her cat at the vet when I was picking Max up though he was a girl: 'isn't she pretty'. Hmph.

[Primedogs]

hope both Mars and Max are feeling okay today but are not being to boisterous.

Also hope Hoover and Elbie are going well, and Hoovers not having too many accidents inside.

Second week of a new class and it was okay, I was so proud of deakin as we did our first real bit of off-lead heeling in a class situation. I was holding my breath everytime we turned or came to a stop terrified that he would relise that he was off lead and pounce on the dog next to him or just keep on going straight ahead when I turned or stoped, but we managed with him only needing a touch on his collar once when he got distracted by a mushroom and started lagging a bit behind. Even though we had been doing off-lead change of positions, stays and recalls in the class before I was still so freaked out about doidng a heel pattern off-lead. Though this week he decided to go around the jump instead of over it and threw a little fit in the stays.

A lady who was dropping her cat at the vet when I was picking Max up though he was a girl: 'isn't she pretty'. Hmph.

I think max is very handsome, but I have that problem with watson the converstaion usally goes a bit like this goes a bit like this

Them: is it a boy or a girl

me: he is a boy

Them: Oh she is very preatty, whats her name

me: his name is watson

Them: what breed is she

me: he is a sheltie etc.

[ravenau1]

It's snowing at my house. Started snowing some time after I went to bed (so after 12:30), and is still snowing now. When I got up this morning at 7am, there wasn't a lot of snow on the ground, but took Roo out for a play anyway. Brought her back in around 8 for breakfast and went back to bed. Got up again at 9 and it had snowed a lot more and was deeper. You couldn't see the grass! Roo had a great time catching snowballs in her mouth and doing zoomies around the backyard. We spent almost an hour out there I think. Then she came in and after awhile the cat and her were riling each other up and I was getting annoyed, so Roo is now in her crate asleep (hopefully) and the cat is asleep somewhere.

I'll post some pics in awhile. Not many though because my camera has hissy fits when it's cold and shuts down. Gah.

KTB, are you still having your party? You're welcome to my soft crate by the way. It's still in the box- haven't even taken off the packing strips.

LOVE those snow shots, lilli_star!

Hope Max and Mars are feeling better, I bet it's really hard to keep them quiet!

KTB, love those shots, hopefully Elbie will get used to snuggling with Hoover. He's quite big and such a handsome fellow :D

I finally have a doggy picture to share, our little girl, born on Friday night. The next 8 weeks are going to go so slowly lol. We just about have everything we need now, I am so excited, but very, very impatient lol

Teeny Tiny Dobermann

[Primedogs]

ravenau1 oh she is just adorable and so tiny, do you have any names picked out yet?

[lilli_star]

Hi everyone. Hope you've all had a good weekend.

I thought I had replied to KTB's and others posts about the meet and greet, but apparently not Sounds like you had fun and Masters Elbie and Hoover were much adored. I uhhh...have never played Rock Band *blushes*. I bet it's fun though. (More fun perhaps with alcoholic beverages involved to loosen people's inhibitions )

I am terrible at the drums despite the fact that I can play ACTUAL drums...

Oooh, secret talent, Wuffles? Or are you a rock chick from way back? Does hitting the drums count as 'playing' them? :D

That's quite a bit of snow lilli_star! What's it like living near Orange? I'd actually like to live somewhere like that but OH would never agree

Well, it's freezing cold in winter, and not too bad in summer. Also, this winter was really wet, but it was wet everywhere, and it's meant that dams are full, so shouldn't complain too much. Before I moved here, I had 4 years out west NSW- 3 1/2 years of that in the far west, so I was really, really over the heat and really, really, really over being so far from civilisation. Driving a 6 hour round trip in the one day just so you can go to a shopping centre was normal, but in hindsight, crazy! I like having actual seasons too. My two brothers live down this way (my two sisters live in Sydney), and I wanted to be closer to my family, especially as Dad gets older. I knew he would eventually end up moving down this way, which is what we're working on at the moment.

Anyway, better go check and see what my doglet is up to. This morning she started pulling the stuffing out of one of her toys- I finished the job for her this afternoon and gave it back to her empty. There was A LOT of stuffing in it, and , apparently, a squeaker. :D Shame, 'cause she really liked the toy. It was a stuffed ball with rope on each end. Will have to go early to puppy school on Tuesday and stop by Petbarn and get a replacement. I actually had one in my hand when I was there last week, and decided she didn't need it. Typical.

[ravenau1]

We have a bit of a list, Primedogs, OH and I only agree on one name at the moment so that will probably be it but we will do some more discussing. I had a long list of mainly Star Wars related names to choose from :D as OH is a SW geek.

At the moment the short list is

Natasi (as in Imperial Admiral Natasi Daala, first woman to reach the rank of Admiral in the Imperial Navy - Star Wars lol) - This is OH's first choice

Kandosii - Mandalorian word that means 'awesome' or 'great' lol, Star Wars again.

Keldabe - Mandalorian home planet, you guessed it... Star Wars

I like Kandosii, Kandi for short. I am working on it lol.

[ravenau1]

'nother one :D

[Clastic]

Max#1 - Good to hear that he doesn't need to wear his cone anymore. When Mars was 6 months and we started taking him to obedience people couldn't work out whether he was a girl or boy, we always get the tilted head to see if he had dangly bits or not. :D

lilli_star - Loved the photos of all the snow, there was so much of it!! I would love to take my pups to frolic in the snow one day.. but they would probably not even play in it and freak out though..

ravenau1 - ooooh, Dobermann puppy pics! Can't wait to see pics of when she grows up! 8 weeks and counting.

Primedogs - Great that Deakin is doing well with obedience, sounds like he did very well with his off-lead heeling. And poor Watson.. some people just don't seem to hear.

Just thought I would take a pic of my 2 monsters who are rather unhappy to be stuck inside on such a nice day.

[Max#1]

Oooh poor Mars.......