Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[david3103]

It seems likely that I'm about to re enter the world of being a dog owner. With some complication in that the dog will be mine to walk and train, but mother in laws as companion.

Choice yet to be made but a cocker spaniel or a cocker/poodle cross seems favourite, any words of advice and maybe a good recommend of a book would be appreciated.

Thanks

[RED-DOG]

It seems likely that I'm about to re enter the world of being a dog owner. With some complication in that the dog will be mine to walk and train, but mother in laws as companion.

Choice yet to be made but a cocker spaniel or a cocker/poodle cross seems favourite, any words of advice and maybe a good recommend of a book would be appreciated.

Thanks

Socialise your puppy well, give it as many new experiences as possible in the early months.

Be sparing with your commands, you only really  need one during puppy hood and that's "No". To the puppy it should mean "whatever you're doing, stop it immediately". 

Don't put up with any bad behaviour like pulling on the lead or nipping in the belief  that you will cure it when he's an adult, it will be far far harder by then. Start as you mean to go on.

As far as a training book goes, I recommend "The Family Dog, Its Choice and Training" by John Holmes. It's ancient now but still the best of its kind. It's usually available for a few pence on Amazon.

[edgascoigne]

Just remember, if you see a door that has PULL on it, do the opposite.

Little English Welsh joke there, language fans...

"Jones the Bond. Double 'o' theven. Licence to Kill."

<3 Alan Partridge

[theprawnidentity]

Just remember, if you see a door that has PULL on it, do the opposite.

Little English Welsh joke there, language fans...

"Jones the Bond. Double 'o' theven. Licence to Kill."

<3 Alan Partridge

Doctor Nowt

[Tal]

Whoosh

[kinboshi]

We've a long way to go, but it was nice to spend a day at the beach where they actually listened to us.  We spent a few hours on a patch of our own and just down the way from us was a man with his two small dogs.  Every now and then the boys would look over at the other dogs who were playing and barking, we'd get their attention back on us and if need be, use a firm voice.  I was delighted with the way they stayed put because there would've been no chance even a month ago.  That said (and I really hope I'm wrong) they may have been more inclined to listen because we were in unfamiliar territory?

It's really difficult to convey the principles of teaching reliable recall, and I'm afraid I'm failing miserably Dawn. I'm going to keep trying until you tell me to piss off though.

In your post you say you were delighted when your dogs stayed put. You mean they had a choice?

If they had ignored you and run off to play with the other dogs, it would just confirm to them that they don't have to come back until it suits them.

During the training period, every time you give a command that you can't enforce, you risk taking a giant leap backwards.

Sorry.

Trying to explain this to Dawn is like trying to call back a dog that hasn't had correct recall training

[Laxie]

We've a long way to go, but it was nice to spend a day at the beach where they actually listened to us.  We spent a few hours on a patch of our own and just down the way from us was a man with his two small dogs.  Every now and then the boys would look over at the other dogs who were playing and barking, we'd get their attention back on us and if need be, use a firm voice.  I was delighted with the way they stayed put because there would've been no chance even a month ago.  That said (and I really hope I'm wrong) they may have been more inclined to listen because we were in unfamiliar territory?

It's really difficult to convey the principles of teaching reliable recall, and I'm afraid I'm failing miserably Dawn. I'm going to keep trying until you tell me to piss off though.

In your post you say you were delighted when your dogs stayed put. You mean they had a choice?

If they had ignored you and run off to play with the other dogs, it would just confirm to them that they don't have to come back until it suits them.

During the training period, every time you give a command that you can't enforce, you risk taking a giant leap backwards.

Sorry.

Trying to explain this to Dawn is like trying to call back a dog that hasn't had correct recall training

Bite me.

Were you looking in our window to see my confused head tilting sideways as I read it ffs?!  lol

[david3103]

Thanks Tom

[tikay]

Talking of dogs, what a lovely disposition this fella has.

[HOLDorFOLD]

Snowdonia took me by surprise. Some of the views were so spectacular that I literally gasped when I first saw them.

Photographs can't do it anything like justice.

Click to see full-size image.

 

WOW!  I LOVE this pic Tom, and whenever I am drifitng in my mind to my own 'place' for solitude this is so similar to what I envisage.

Thanks for sharing .... can I steal this for my phone screensaver please?

 

[tight4better]

Talking of dogs, what a lovely disposition this fella has.

Wow.

He's adorable as well

[RED-DOG]

Snowdonia took me by surprise. Some of the views were so spectacular that I literally gasped when I first saw them.

Photographs can't do it anything like justice.

Click to see full-size image.

 

WOW!  I LOVE this pic Tom, and whenever I am drifitng in my mind to my own 'place' for solitude this is so similar to what I envisage.

Thanks for sharing .... can I steal this for my phone screensaver please?

 

Miss Holdy Handy, as I live and breathe! What a pleasure it is to have you gracing my diary. A word of warning though, be careful where you wander on blonde, there are other, less savoury diaries around.

Help your self to the picture, it will be much happier as your screen saver than it would be if it were to stay shut up in my computer gathering electronic dust.

XX

[RED-DOG]

Talking of dogs, what a lovely disposition this fella has.

Awww!

Who could watch that without smiling?

[RED-DOG]

This is a level.

Click to see full-size image.

After some very disparaging remarks regarding my au natural leveling wedges, I decided to purchase some factory made ones.

£2.99 from Oxfam. Excellent value, stylish, lightweight and multifunctional.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

So anyway, I'm home!

It's one of the nicest parts of going away.

We now have five so called 'wild' rabbits in Russian doll sizes.

The dogs are pretending they haven't noticed.