Things That You Used To Do That You Now Don't

[corvus]

Last night Kivi was being a needy smooch and tried to sleep on the bed with us. The bed as far as I'm concerned is the final stronghold. They are not allowed to sleep there with us. They have beds on the floor in the tiny bedroom and they ought to be happy with that. It occurred to me that there was a time when my dog slept in another room all together and the bedroom was the final stronghold. I was very reticent to bring the dog into my room to sleep, and in the end the only reason I did was because she was barking at possums quietly and someone was staying in the lounge room and couldn't sleep. She was so happy I never did move her back out again like I planned. I do believe that one act of letting her sleep in my room with me made a huge difference to our relationship. She was profoundly content with this arrangement and behaved like an angel.

I decided I'd been wrong about bedrooms. I hadn't realised it made a difference to the dog where they slept. So the next two dogs were in the bedroom from day one. The only downside is that they can't be expected to sleep away from us if we're staying overnight at someone else's place. They sleep with the other dogs at my parents' house, but only if we're not there. I guess that I'm okay with this, because I believe now that letting a dog sleep in the bedroom with you if they want to is a strong bonding activity for them.

That's just one example. What have you given a try for one reason or another and decided you had been wrong about?

[~*Shell*~]

It's a pretty obvious one for me - off leash dog parks.

I used to take my old dog to them frequently. She would go and play but was quite content to watch what we were doing and would stay near us so she would play and then come back to us and just chill out at our feet. I always thought I wanted Zero to be able to do the same. Now I know I will never let any of my dogs play with a dog I don't know well again.

A girl i used to work with had a dog that had never caused a problem - Sam was a rescue they had had for 5 years, a big boofa of a boy who was fine with other dogs (even fine with Zero) until the day they took him to the dog park and let him wander too far. He was playing with a bunch of other big dogs and a 5 month old Maltese got in the middle. He grabbed the puppy (in play) and killed it. My friend was beside herself - she had been watching the whole time and was on the way down to call Sammy back but the owner of the puppy (who was 17) was on her phone and hadn't seen. Sam had just played with the puppy the same way as he played with the bigger dogs. It was horrible to watch and I'll never forget it.

That being said, I do take Zero to the dog beach, he's too busy playing in the water to be interested in the other dogs though and we rarely have other dogs approach him.

[jackie_a1]

It's a pretty obvious one for me - off leash dog parks.

I used to take my old dog to them frequently. She would go and play but was quite content to watch what we were doing and would stay near us so she would play and then come back to us and just chill out at our feet. I always thought I wanted Zero to be able to do the same. Now I know I will never let any of my dogs play with a dog I don't know well again.

A girl i used to work with had a dog that had never caused a problem - Sam was a rescue they had had for 5 years, a big boofa of a boy who was fine with other dogs (even fine with Zero) until the day they took him to the dog park and let him wander too far. He was playing with a bunch of other big dogs and a 5 month old Maltese got in the middle. He grabbed the puppy (in play) and killed it. My friend was beside herself - she had been watching the whole time and was on the way down to call Sammy back but the owner of the puppy (who was 17) was on her phone and hadn't seen. Sam had just played with the puppy the same way as he played with the bigger dogs. It was horrible to watch and I'll never forget it.

That being said, I do take Zero to the dog beach, he's too busy playing in the water to be interested in the other dogs though and we rarely have other dogs approach him.

Amen sister.

A few years back I was an advocate for dog parks and ALL dogs should attend and that BREED played no part in reasoning not too. I used to think if the dog was socialised then all dogs should go to dog parks... (I know how stupid right)

It wasn't until I went overseas to visit my relatives in the states that their next door neighbour owned two beautiful red nose pitts (proper pitbulls maximum they weighed 15 kilos) and I loved them so he let me come with him to a dog park HOWEVER he stressed that I keep both dogs on leash at all time, his dogs were greeting others happily etc and I asked why he wouldn't let them play. He spent the next three hours explaining pitbulls their history, genetics and how it would be irresponsible of him to do so. He let me know that bringing the dogs was great socialisation and the dogs needed interaction but it always had to be supervised and on his terms so not accidents or attacks could occur. This guy changed my life made things so much clearer and I've never gone to a dog park since with Razor. I do go with Boss however keep in mind Boss is five months old. Razor is five years old.

So that's when I knew I was wrong dog parks are definitely not for everyone,

[Little Gifts]

My dogs always slept in the laundry at night without a problem. In my current house we even replaced one laundry door with a sliding half door to allow more fresh air to circulate in summer and so that the dogs could still hear and play guard dog for me during the night as I was living on my own at that time. Then one of the dogs got very sick and I had her sleep on the bed with me a couple of nights so I could watch her. Then the old boy was not well so he was on the bed too. Suddenly no one would sleep in the laundry anymore - they were even jumping the half door during the night and coming onto the bed all by themselves! If I shut my bedroom door they would be sniffing and scratching at it all night!

When my old boy passed on I decided it would be back to the laundry for all future dogs. So when my next rescue pup came along she went to the laundry first night while my old girl got on the bed as usual. I didn't count on my old girl crying and carrying on all night till the pup was sleeping with us on the bed (even though the pup was perfectly content with the laundry after being in a kennel)! So much for being alpha! Now even my sister's dog sleeps on my bed with my other two and if I'm lucky they leave me some room. I have been known to sleep across the bottom of the bed out of desperation for some fur free sleeping space!

The wierd thing now is I can't get to sleep unless all dogs are on the bed with me and I wake as soon as one jumps off.

Edited May 19, 2010 by Puppy_Sniffer

[~*Shell*~]

That's exactly it Jackie - I like Zero to be around other dogs because he needs that socialisation but I don't want him playing with strange dogs. I like to be able to predict what will happen (especially since he has had behavioural problems in the past) and I've found the only way I can do that is to limit who he plays with to "known" dogs. For example, I will let Zero play with the dogs at training. I know who he can approach and who he can't. He's still socialising but he's not about to get bitten. I also know that those dogs aren't carrying any health problems. I will let him play off leash at my friends' houses because I know their dogs and Zero's been around them many times before.

You can have the friendliest dog in the world but it's always your own dog you have to worry about, it's everyone else's - there is no temprement test before you go into a dog park and who knows what behavioural problems those dogs have. Until I had a dog with a problem, I assumed that the dogs at dog parks were friendly, now I know that's not the case. On top of my friend's dog killing another dog, I've seen enough dog fights at parks not to be naive about some of the people who go there.

Edited May 19, 2010 by ~*Shell*~

[tdierikx]

Crates... I'm a total convert!

T.

[carlibud]

I'm a mean mum but my dogs have always slept outside, always. Came in through the day for close time, but outside to sleep. Then Bryd's died and Jazzy was on her own and went crazy being on her own, nearly tearing the screen door off its hinges and throwing her self at the glass door, the first night , so I set up her crate in the loungeroom and thought well just for tonight ,

Well its 2 months now and she is an inside sleeper now. She does sleep in her crate though, I have Mary here now , and she also is inside in the c-crate with her. When Mary was away at a show one weekend, I thought MMM will I just leave Jazzy out in the house but realised that she wouldnt want to go back into the crate at night again if I did

No its the crate for her at night but she puts herself to bed when she is tired anyway so I'm happy with that.

Worse part is if I have to stay away over night now, I feel really mean if she is left outside.

Mind you I still have a bed outside for her if she has to stay out and she dosnt kick up a stink if she is out later than she thinks she should be anyway.LOL

[tlc]

Crates here too, I never liked them, couldn't see the point of them (still don't agree with them for toilet training) but then suddenly having a pup that cried for hours on end, I tried a crate and it basically fixed the problem. For the first 3 none of them cried at night and they were all settled really quickly. but Bronson was totally different, he cried in the ensuite, he cried in the laundry, we put him on the bed and he just wanted to play and wouldn't settle, so on day 3 much to my horror I went and bought a crate and we never looked back. Even now at 2 1/2 he still sleeps in the crate.

[corvus]

There was a dog fight at our dog park just this morning. A non-regular and a semi-regular. Funniest thing, though, Mr Dog Park Ambassador Kivi Tarro who strongly feels he should greet every single dog in the park in turn got to about 3 or 4 metres from the dog that later started the fight and bailed. He just turned around and came back, and Erik took his lead. There's hope for Kivi yet.

[jackie_a1]

Was it serious Corvus or more like a scrap? Dog fights at dog parks are like car accidents. It's tragic but you have to look. I always find myself observing dog fights even if they're three miles away. I'll just be standing there staring into the distance shaking my head going tisk tisk haha.

[julesluvscavs]

I am anti dog parks too now ...

Years ago I took my German Shepherd x Blue Heeler to a doggy park on a quite Anzac day weekend. There was no one around at the time, so I had him (Sabre) off lead.

Then a couple men who were off their faces and drinking beer came in with their Rottie, and let it off it's leash. It came after Sabre, and of course Sabre went towards him, and as he turned very quickly, he snapped his cruishuit(sp?) ligament

I yelled at the men, but they didn't do anything to help, or to call their dog back !

I had to drag my dog to the car, as he was in so much pain and yelping heaps. He was quite heavy too!

I had to find a vet that was open on the public holiday, and it took ages to organised anything.

Years later he did his other side (they often do apparently), then arthritis set in and he eventually had to be pts

I have taken the Cavs to meet and greets in old leash doggy parks, but we always keep them on their leashes. Once someone's dog came up to them and tried to nip them. Luckily they were on our laps and we had some control over the situation.

So yes once I loved doggy parks, but now I don't !

And what is with people saying they have control of their dogs off leash, but the truth is many of them don't when it comes down to an actual situation! I've seen it so many times!

Edited May 19, 2010 by JulesLuvsCavs

[corvus]

Just a scrap, but sounded like a serious scrap. Luckily the instigator was on leash, but the other dog wasn't keen on letting it go. The owner of the unleashed dog was able to pull it away.

I used to try to do the "I'll take care of this" alpha thing when an aggressive looking dog was approaching. I realised with my last dog that it doesn't work if you just all of a sudden decide to start doing it one day. And I learnt that dogs are much better at reading other dogs than people are. With Kivi I took a bottom-up approach instead and just made sure I was there whenever he needed some social support. As a result, he now tends to put me between him and a dog he doesn't like the look of rather than me trying to put myself between him and a dog I don't like the look of. It's way better. I'm super chuffed with the bottom-up approach.

[Kaffy Magee]

Walking my dog off lead and tying up out the front of shops. Nothing in particular happened to change my mind, over the years I have realised there is too much potential for things to go wrong. My heart is in my mouth now when I see off lead dogs near roads or other dog, or people/ kids approaching tied up dogs.

Edited May 19, 2010 by Kaffy Magee

[cowanbree]

Bones. I have always been very pro bones as part of the diet even though I have had the odd cracked tooth and a few other small issues. Great for the dog and the added bonus of having nice clean teeth. After Cowans incident I will pay for dentals, no more bones in this house. Not only did it cost thousands but more importantly my dog has had a terrible time and will never eat a normal meal again

[julesluvscavs]

Bones. I have always been very pro bones as part of the diet even though I have had the odd cracked tooth and a few other small issues. Great for the dog and the added bonus of having nice clean teeth. After Cowans incident I will pay for dentals, no more bones in this house. Not only did it cost thousands but more importantly my dog has had a terrible time and will never eat a normal meal again

I think it might have been a bone that broke one of Renae's front top teeth the other week

I want to give them bones because they are prone to so many dental issues, but yeah they can be a worry too...

Sorry to hear about your dog cowanbree

[jackie_a1]

I'm actually quite lucky with Razor no dogs have succeeded an attack however I get a few off leash when I walk and ESPECIALLY this guys one border collie. He rides his bicycle with the dog UNLEASHED at all times he never carries a leash and the dog can be ten to twenty metres in front or behind at all times his dog is entire and ran at Razor hackles up aggressively. I just held Razor's leash tighter and the dog was met with this stance.

The border collie stopped and I hollered at his owner to put his dog on a leash. He didn't he just called the dog back and it ran off. I'm lucky Razor is pretty confident and it usually deters most dogs.

[tlc]

It's funny with dog parks I have noticed a lot of people here don't like them and I think mostly live in big areas. Our big off leash park is great and we are not a huge city so all the people that frequent the park are mostly regulars. But on the odd occasion there will be a dog we don't know and it is amazing how good a judge of character my oldest boy Cooper is. He likes to go and say hello but he will go towards the other dog if it is off lead then he stops a little way back from the dog and just watches, probley 7 times out of ten he will keep going and has a little play till I call him back. and the rest of the times he just turns around and comes back so obviously there is something in the posture of the other dog he doesn't like so he doesn't bother going to say hello. Funny thing is the three younger ones hang back with me until Cooper makes sure the other dog is ok to play with

I also used to tie up in front of shops but don't now, like KM said too much potential for something to go wrong!!

[HeavyPaws]

I thought "When I get a dog, I'm going to buy it the best food. It's going to eat Pedigree everything"

"Please kill me" is what I mentally pray whenever I remember thinking that.

Also, and I'm putting this in little words so hopefully it will go un-DOL-punished, I used to think BSL was okay because the GS and the dobie were "bred for killing people and being violent"

Okay, I was like, 13.

But it's revolting thought to me that I used to be THAT blind

[furballs]

Walking my dog off lead and tying up out the front of shops. Nothing in particular happened to change my mind, over the years I have realised there is too much potential for things to go wrong. My heart is in my mouth now when I see off lead dogs near roads or other dog, or people/ kids approaching tied up dogs.

I would never tie my dogs up where I can't see them either, I used to do it years ago and one day came out of the shop and saw a bunch of kids walking off with my dog, lucky I came out in time or she would have been gone

[dee lee]

Let my dog rumble with a "gang" of dogs at the offlead park.

I used to go to the offlead park with my staffy x and we'd both have a ball. Me chatting, her "playing" with a bunch of large dogs.

Unfortunately she ended up in the "wrong crowd" and learnt some aggressive behaviours that I feel led to her becoming DA and she was kept onlead for the rest of her life.

I still take my GR to the offlead park but avoid the "gangs" of dogs and owners. I carefully screen any approaching dogs (especially after Honey was attacked by one!) and keep moving.

We both have a lovely time. :D

I also no longer let my dog offlead before looking in the sky for sky writing. :D