Humping Posture In 10Week Old Rotti.

[tdierikx]

One of my boys hated getting a bath... but loved cool hosing of his boy bags on hot days... so that's where we'd start if he needed a bath... lol!

 

2 of my current 3 dogs go completely mental if they get wet... so we don't bath as such, just go to a friend's place who owns a pool, and we paddle around for a while on a hot day... not as thorough as a proper bath, but seems to do the trick. I have to carry them into the pool, but once they are in they are fine for a quick rub down while they paddle in the shallows.

 

T.

[Paul777]

Thanks T, Roova.

Sitting on a milk crate, I had him between my legs & got as wet as he did, lol. Although he wasn't happy getting wet, he tolerated getting lathered & massaged while I kept telling him he's a good boy. Being unsure what was going on from the start, I tried to take it slowly.

Starting at the feet, working my way up, it was when I got water on his shoulders that he reacted badly, or, by that stage he was just fed up.

It was at that point that the noise of the spray-gun releasing pressure was what I thought at the time was what made up his mind that we're not doing this anymore.

 

Being so hot, I didn't bother to warm the water any. Could the cool water be a part of his reaction?

Being in that 'puppy fear period', I'm reluctant to risk instilling a lifetime phobia which is why I tried the bucket & then the sink.

He was even a bit reluctant to be dried & needed constant reassurance. It's strange because he's not a sooky, whiny pup ( The only 2 times that he's whimpered at night was when he was busting for a poo)

 

A wading pool sounds like an excellent idea & exactly the right time of year to try it.

 

I'm not sure if it's related but due to the heat, I couldn't take him in the car to do some shopping this morning. When leaving him alone, I put him in the bathroom with his 'blanky' (an old towel that he's had since 8 weeks that he drags around & takes to bed) & a couple of toys. A dried pigs ear, his favourite treat, keeps him occupied until I return.

Today I was gone about 70 minutes & he hadn't even touched the pigs ear nor had he gone to sleep, which is the usual pattern.

Could both just be due to the puppy 'fear period' ? (12-16 weeks) He's been a little jumpy & sticks close when in the yard at night in the dark, for e.g. the last week or so.

 

 

[tdierikx]

When he displays nervousness, don't react to it... just act normally and he should get the idea that nothing is really that scary...

 

As for not eating his pigs ear while you were gone... do you know what he was doing instead? Are you 100% certain he didn't settle and sleep, only waking when he heard the car arrive back home?

 

T.

[Paul777]

On 25/01/2017 at 6:21 AM, tdierikx said:

 

 

As for not eating his pigs ear while you were gone... do you know what he was doing instead? Are you 100% certain he didn't settle and sleep, only waking when he heard the car arrive back home?

 

T.

I can't be "100% certain" really but I'm fairly sure that he didn't sleep.

He gets really excited when I pull out the pigs ears & sits perfectly at my feet fully focused, lol.

When I return home, I pull up in front of the garage, put shopping items inside the front door & let Z out before I pack things away & garage the car.

When he's fallen asleep during my absence I usually have to wake him before I open the bathroom door. He stretches a few times & lets out at least a couple of 'vocal' yawns after he awakes. This time he was up & full of beans looking anxious/relieved.

 

My last Rotti developed separation anxiety when I had 2 x 3 month stays in hospital, only a week or two apart. He fretted himself sick.

When my then gf told me he was sick, the Dr wouldn't let me out (I was the only person who had full control of him) so I just left 2 weeks early (the Dr was Chinese who said "It's only a dog." Ugh Yes, I did give him a mouthful) to get him to the vet.

The vet took over a dozen stones from him & 2 1/2 litres of urine. He said without treatment/op he'd have "died within 24 hours".

According to the neighbours he'd sit in my bedroom & howl all day when alone. From that day on, whenever I left him on his own, he'd howl from my bedroom at the window.

It was quite upsetting but there was little that I could've done apart from leaving a radio on an 'easy-listening' station.

[tdierikx]

If you suspect he's developing separation issues, then you need to start giving him "alone time" more often...

 

Start with short periods where you leave him for a few minutes, and when you return,don't make a fuss of him, just let him out and carry on with normal tasks.

 

I'm suspecting that you are spending a LOT of time together, and he's beginning to expect that you should always be around and paying attention to him.

 

Another option is that maybe you can train him up to be an assistance dog (I get the vibe that you have some disability going on), and then he can be with you pretty much wherever you go... as it will be his job to help you with your daily life. My brother's assistance dog even went to  hospital with him, so it could be a good option for you both in that respect. Worth looking into anyways...

 

T.

[Paul777]

Thanks T.

I've wondered about the "assistance dog" thing. Definitely worth looking into. How do I go about that?

You're very perceptive - yep, I'm an amputee with restricted blood flow to all limbs (according to the 'experts', "100% of these patients will suffer multiple amputations & death within 2-3 years of diagnosis." That was more than 17 years ago)

As my condition has not deteriorated, I figured I've got at least 10 years left in me & why I didn't wait longer to get a pup as I don't want to pass-over before my furry mate.

 

Yes, he's with me pretty much 24/7. Sleeps under my bed on the tiles, ignoring the flash bed that I bought him.

Reading SteveK9Pros threads, he said that he takes his new pups everywhere with him. Maybe I read it wrong but I was under the impression that he's with his new pups 24/7?

When I visit clients several times a week, he just lies at my feet while we attend business.

I've made a point of not giving him too much attention & he's good at amusing himself.

 

I'd read here not to make a fuss on return so I just give him a quick pat & take him outside for toilet where he's soon distracted.

I'll start on your suggestion today with "alone time". It was upsetting to know that my last boy fretted that I wasn't coming home everytime that I left him alone. They never forget.

[Paul777]

Z has the habit of chewing bark & sticks. 16 years ago I planted 8 native trees in my bare bones backyard & now it's covered with tree debris (& beautiful shade)

This morning he spewed twice on my floor at 5am; two lovely piles of sticks, gum-nuts & bark that must've been sitting in his guts for God knows how long. About half a cups worth. (nothing like waking to the sounds of heaving & cleaning up vomit first thing)

If it's not one thing .............

[tdierikx]

The joys of owning a pup... lol!

 

T.

[Paul777]

Serves me right .... my head told me to get an 18 month old but my heart took Z home. Not that I'm complaining, he's a lovely pup 95% of the time.

I had a quick look at the assistance dogs & I could qualify (neurological disorder to at least one limb) due to chronic nerve pain & a bulging disc in my back. 

Thanks again for the suggestion T.