Dear Father Christmas

[Feltwell]

I would like a dog who doesn't bite - never get a rescue collie

OOooo no no no, I've had 3 rescue collies - well, mostly collies with a bit of something else - and they've all been as soft as soft can be.

This ferocious mutt, collie cross alsation, used to spend most of his time asleep on his back with his legs stuck straight up in the air. He was chasing a rabbit once, it stopped and turned and he ran back to me to hide behind my legs, I kid you not :roll: In his last 6 months my daughter was born, and all he wanted to do was sleep next to wherever she was.



In fact, on our post-Christmas list is a new mutt for the Feltwell family - now that the youngest Feltwell is 4, it's time for a dog. First I've got to make the garden escape proof for a dog - yet another job to add to the list..... :roll:

 

[fluffytail10]

Ah I've got just the dog for you!!!! free to good home. She loves small children too - yum yum slavver, slavver :twisted:

 

[fluffytail10]

here she is

 

[Feltwell]

Hmm, not the friendliest expression I've ever seen on a mutt.....

 

[MatthewC]

And that green eye from the flash doesn't do her any favours - I assume it IS due to the flash?! :shock:

 

[LadyArowana]

Ah I've got just the dog for you!!!! free to good home. She loves small children too - yum yum slavver, slavver :twisted:

Awwww, my sort of dog, no good having one that won't deter the thieves and robbers who might have an eye on the handbag.

 

[Alex]

Back in the 80's, I had a rescue Border Collie, he was found tied up in a shed in Bristol. For the first few months he was a nightmare but gradually he turned into the most wonderful companion anyone could ask for. I then got a second one, a puppy, from a farm. For a dog with working parents I am embarrassed to say that he was frightened of sheep but then he was also frightened of everything else as well. The rescue dog lived to be 18 (the vet estimated that he was at least 2 when I first got him) but when he went deaf and blind, the younger one used to lead him about by the long fur on the side of his neck, how did he know ?
We now have a handbag dog or that is what my daughter thought when she got her........................ the dog has other idea's :lol:

 

[fluffytail10]

Yes well I wouldn't mind if she just bit thieves and burglars, however I am her main quarry. She spends most of her time stalking me round the house and taking chunks out of my legs. And don't suggest dog whisperers - we have tried those and they all just stopped returning our calls after a couple of weeks.Still, she loves her 'daddy' :roll:

 

[Alex]

Fluffytail,
Have you tried one of those dog training classes ? For you and the dog not your other half and the dog. I mean one of those classes thats run by someone with 70 years of experience of working with dogs and the class costs £1.50 a week including coffee, biscuits and a raffle ticket, not one of those ones that cost £60 for 6 weeks.
My dog attacked me the first night I got him or so I thought. All I tried to do was get him to sleep in the kitchen, I put his new bed near the aga so he would be lovely and warm, he actually got in it but when I tried to shut the kitchen door he went for me. My lip was cut and I had scratches all over my face. Thinking about it over night, I realised that he wasn't trying to attack me he was trying to climb up and over me to get out of the kitchen before I shut the door, he was found shut up in a garden shed and was just terrified of being locked in anywhere. Over the next couple of days I managed to find a local dog training class, not only did we both enjoy ourselves at our weekly class, I got some really good advice and support from other people at the club who had heard it all before.

Good luck

Alex

editThe best dog training classes I have been to are the ones that have everyone from young children with the family pet in tow to those people who have 5 or 6 dogs with them.

 

[angrybird]

Dont mention dogs !!! we are on week four and so far this week its a happy house!unlike weeks 1,2 and 3. The lovely Golden retriever we adopted adores me and Mr A but hates my poor Staffordshire bull terrier His head is Retriever size and it seems like he wants to swallow my poor staffy whole! Every one judges them on first sight and thinks that staffies are thug dogs but I have the most loving loyal companion that feels like he's been thrown to the lions.We have been to a doggy Psychiatrist and she thinks that the Retriever will do what ever it takes to take over the house,that includes trying to kill poor Mr Smudge the staffie! and it will take time :?
We have three walkies a day trying to wear the old dog out and so far its working and its keeping me fit!


Dear Father Christmas I have been good 'so far' this year so please can we have a happy home for Christmas

 

[skier-hughes]

We have two rescued Border Collies and my wife is now a trustee of www.bordercollietrustgb.org.uk
Our first one was found as a stray, so no real idea of age. She'd never met another dog when we had her, at about 4/5. Lived indoors, weighed over 30 kilos, but loved humans.
She had no idea of dog behaviour, so when introduced to the dogs down the farm, and the German Shepherd came over and started bullying her, she promptly decked him.
From that point she would try to attack any dog first.
After 12 months we took the decision to have a second dog.
This one was 3 years old, but came with kennel cough, every time she coughed the first would attack her.
So 2nd was caged, first was kept on a lead.
We had fight after fight week in week out, over all sorts of things, like toys, food, going out the door first, making a noise, fireworks banging would be 2nd dogs fault.
Now, after 6 years of being together, we haven't had a fight for over 18 months, they play fight together, but we are always mindful of the sort of triggers that might cause a problem. As Alex said it's about understanding what happens for which reason and why the dog thinks that.
Dog two used to disappear at 6pm each night, hide under Jo's desk and not come out until morning. She hated men, particularly those in hi-vis vests carrying something. Swearing also made her run for the cover of the desk.
Not long after having her, we found out she was abused by her last male owner, him and his partner separated and he kept the dog. He used to return home from work at 6pm. His girlfriend went and kidnapped the dog and handed it in to rescue. We assume he had a bag, wore hi-vis and probably just swore at the dog on his return.
conditioning by previous owners can be hard to remove, dog 2 still hardly has fuss, but will play for hours without hand contact!!

 

[fluffytail10]

Yes i have thought about 'normal' training classes. But she is just so dangerous. She will bite anyone that walks past her, not just people trying to pat her or anything, so I would be terrified to take her anywhere where there are children running about. She also hates all other dogs and will attack all on sight. All our walks are a nightmare so I couldn't face attending a class where my stress levels would be through the roof the whole time. She hates everything - bikes, cars, children, open spaces, closed spaces.....

To be honest I just avoid her as much as possible, if I have to walk her we go along the main road where no-one else would dare to walk. If I even look in her direction she will snarl and bark at me. I've tried being more dominant with her - but then I ended up with a huge hole in my arm. Anyway, lets talk about more joyful things.. she has heart murmur hehe

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Fluffy Tail,, pleeease get some individual help for your Border Collie. Try a dog whisperer or contact FSTBC The Freedom of Spirit Trust for Border Collies. You do need to deal with the biting before something really serious happens. Border Collies need loads of brain exercises like problem solving, and agility, they are very bright. The more stressed you become the more aggressive the dog will become. She does not trust you at the moment.

Some years ago we rescued a 18 month old Border Collie from the roadside ( some PPUKer's will remember him) at the time we had a Labrador aged 8 years old. The Collie was not top dog, and he learnt from the Labrador . However there were a few occasions when he would show his teeth & loved nipping my Daily help's behind when she was vaccuming the floors! Wheels fascinated him. Anyway we had 16 years of fun with the Collie under our very watchful eyes.

Do please get help for your own sake and peace of mind.

Love Joss xx

 

[Schoolmarm]

Fluffytail,
I agree with most of what Joss says, apart from dog whisperer.

How long have you had her and which rescue is she from? I can't imagine a reputable rescue would rehome a dog like this.

If you did get her from a reputable rescue, they will have a policy that ensures all their dogs are returned to them and not be rehomed by yourself. Lifetime backup.

If you rescued her yourself, then first she needs a full vet check to see if pain is causing her aggression. This can include blood tests for thyroid issues.

If everything is ok, she needs to have a one-to -one with a behaviourist that DOESN'T believe in dominance theories, pack theories and putting your dog in it's place etc.
Anyone who says to eat first, etc. should be avoided. Any rank reduction strategies are outdated and cause terrible stress to dogs and often end up with injuries to owners.

If you haven't had her very long, it may be worth just letting her settle in with no pressure before trying to move forwards. I will try and get the name of a reputable behaviourist for your area.
She shouldn't go to any classes, as you say, it would be far too dangerous plus it would be far too stressful for her.

Sending big hugs!! I have only seen three dogs put to sleep by their owners for aggression and they were all collies. I'm on my third and would never have any other breed though lol!!

 

[Schoolmarm]

Can you "manage" the situation a bit better too until you get help? A house line is useful, you can get hold of the end of it without going right near her also try and give her somewhere she can chill that also prevents her stalking you.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Dave Brice
http://www.db-dogbehaviour.co.uk/about.html

The lady who recommended him is very highly regarded (Jane Ardern BSc (Hons) CBT, DipCABT, CAPBT, MAPDT1058, CAP2) and is a very good friend.
He is very good with biters and has worked at wood green.



Good luck and keep us informed!!

 

[Juju]

I'd like builders, carpenters etc to reply to my requests for estimates for work even if it's to say 'sorry that job is too small' or 'no I have too much work on' rather than just ignoring me. Personally, when I get offered work, I grab it straightaway! To be fair, we've managed to get a few jobs done but even those people who have done estimates haven't given dates for the work even though they've said 'oh yes it'll be done before Christmas'...

And in terms of the work I'm doing on the house, i hope Father Christmas can spur me on to finish painting the hallway. I started it 4 years ago 'in time for Christmas' but I'm having a big push to get it actually finished for this Christmas....
I will post piccies when finished, not because it's anything special but because I will be so pleased to be finished! The reason it's been daunting has been because 4 of the 5 the doors leading on to it were dark varnish and have now been painted; there's lots of original wobbly horizontal panelling, and also modern wood panelling on part of the ceiling, and of course lots of skirting, architraves etc. I ended up repainting the walls that were done 4 years ago too...

Juju

 

[philpjuk100]

I would also like someone to mend my roof!,Three roofers quoted me all said they would do it within a fortnight,none turned up the last one removed the polythene I had put beneath the tiles as a temporary "fix" saying it did no good and it leaks again!.After retirement I promised myself that I would not work above the gutters but the weather is getting worse and it looks as though I will have to,if they don`t want to do it why don`t they tell me?.

 

[Feltwell]

Can I have 3 children who aren't wound up to bursting point with Christmas excitement, completely hyper and silly as a result and seem set on driving their Dad to the very brink of insanity? No? Thought not.

Guess who's putting up the Christmas decorations today - and getting mithered to death by three small, excited "assistants" in the process. Bah humbug!

 

[philpjuk100]

Make the most of it feltwell,after years of big Christmas dinners with up to 15 guests this year we are down to three old folks and one very old folk! we will see one son for a quick visit during the day but the other one is too far away.We may get the photo albums out and relive chrissys past!