The dog musing/vent thread

[Fran101]

I actually slipped and told Hank I loved him today. It startled me when it happened. He's a good boy though. I guess I should like...tell my family I have him. I totally haven't told anyone because I knew they'd try to talk me out of it.

Enjoy your happy bubble. It's annoying when you feel like as an adult you need to kind of deal with the opinions' of the peanut gallery but I totally understand it.

I've found it's easier with people who have passionate hobbies. My mom became much more open about my dog fancy when she started spending all that money going to india for yoga retreats and on fancy yoga mats :rofl1:

Happy to hear he is weasling his way into your heart!

 

[Beret]

Just got an invite to the SRS Crown Championships...

Which is super awesome and everything... But it's too far for such short notice. So as cool as it is getting an invite, we can't make it.

And that is beyond frustrating.

 

[Fran101]

merlin doesn't eat earthborn because it's the food he does best on (he is about the same on most grain free kibbles)

...he's on it because the bag has a giant resealable ziplock closure.
WHY DONT ALL DOG FOODS HAVE THIS????

 

[Dogdragoness]

merlin doesn't eat earthborn because it's the food he does best on (he is about the same on most grain free kibbles)

...he's on it because the bag has a giant resealable ziplock closure.
WHY DONT ALL DOG FOODS HAVE THIS????

Merrick also has it. Just saying ... and they have a decent grain free line, that's what I feed and even the ancient JRT, Bear with his allergies and health problems (from age) does well on it.

@laurelin My family ... esp my parents are always like "ANOTHER dog???" (even though I just have one!!!! They "stole" the others from me! :rofl1: ) They just don't get it, and I have given up trying to explain it to them. They also always try to talk me out of it, too. "You have this payment" or "you have that coming up" etc ... we ALL have "this" or "that" coming up

 

[pinkspore]

After a week on Vetprofen, Brisbane is willing jumping up on the furniture again. So glad he's feeling this much better, so sad he has been in pain and is likely to be on meds the rest of his life.

 

[joce]

I have one dog. Feel like loosing my mind and my family still says "are you sure you want another one?" Wtf? I had five just a couple years ago and fosters. Chaz's dog wants nothing to do with me. Literally walks in past me grabs his bone and acts like I'm not here when chaz leaves in the am. Grrrrrrr.

It's not like I'm eighteen guys. I'm in my thirties. I got this. Heck I had it when I was eighteen!

 

[sassafras]

Maisy is being very, very easy during her recovery, but it's rough going for Squash. No matter how much mental and physical exercise I try to give him, he is going mental not being able to play and scooter with Maisy.

But my blessed savior, the Kong Wobbler, is going to get us through this. I would like to buy all the beers for whoever invented this thing for the rest of his/her life. Normally he wrecks puzzle type things in a hot minute but this thing keeps him busy for 30-45 minutes a time and then he falls asleep afterwards. <3 <3 <3

 

[Babyblue5290]

I just feel like a horrible dog owner. Art is suppose to go meet his trainer today to continue work with his reactivity. I'm just....having second thoughts about it I guess. I've already committed to today's meeting so I'll go, but I'm not sure if I want to continue.

Don't get me wrong, I love my trainer, she is awesome.I'm not sure if the reason I'm having doubts about it is purely my own selfishness or because I don't think he really needs this route. >_<

I like going to classes where there are other students and we meet weekly. I like having other people to talk to and progress with. Honestly, I also like the cost a lot more. I'm also not really sure I like having one-on-one attention, it's a bit unnerving for me.

What makes me feel horrible is I keep thinking that Art is getting older, he's having seizures sporadically, I noticed a bit of a blue/white tint to his right eye yesterday, and he's not horribly reactive anyways. And I keep thinking "what are we really going to be able to accomplish?"

I feel horrible for thinking that, like I'm giving up on him. I just don't know. -_-

 

[xpaeanx]

My SO is seriously the best ever.... He's fine with my taking over the basement and is going to fabricate me a pool with jets to swim dogs in my gym....... Now we just need to buy/build our house. HaHa.

I love that he embraces the crazy, such a hard quality to find. It probably helps that he is a racecar driver and understands the "it's a lifestyle not a hobby."

 

[Shai]

I guess I should like...tell my family I have him. I totally haven't told anyone because I knew they'd try to talk me out of it.

True story: I actually forgot to tell my family that I had Lodin. As in, parents/siblings. I didn't even realize it until my sister called asking if we would take on her dog and I responded with, "Well we already have four and---" "'Four'? What? When?"

That was last month. Lo came home in February...

Oops?

 

[DJEtzel]

True story: I actually forgot to tell my family that I had Lodin. As in, parents/siblings. I didn't even realize it until my sister called asking if we would take on her dog and I responded with, "Well we already have four and---" "'Four'? What? When?"

That was last month. Lo came home in February...

Oops?

I don't think I've ever told my family about new dogs.

We get together for special occasions and they just ask, "So who do you have now?" and try to keep up on facebook.

 

[Laurelin]

True story: I actually forgot to tell my family that I had Lodin. As in, parents/siblings. I didn't even realize it until my sister called asking if we would take on her dog and I responded with, "Well we already have four and---" "'Four'? What? When?"

That was last month. Lo came home in February...

Oops?

Yeah I guess I just shouldn't care. For some reason I do though... I texted them and said I was testing out a new dog (I lied and blamed agility people for him lol). No reply back from them at all. Oh well, I consider that me telling them.

he is such a nice dog and settling in very easily now. I really think the first 48 hours he was just so over the top from being in a concrete kennel a month. Now with good outlets he's doing great.

It's not the best timing since I just moved. I'm not sure I could find another dog as good as he is. He seriously just seems like a perfect dog. He is fun and high energy, up for anything. Turns off during work and at night. Confident with people. No more accidents. Just...some minor things you'd obviously expect to work through. Overall he's gold though.

I am trying to spin it as 'look I saved a bunch by not buying an expensive purebred'! :rofl1:

 

[Shai]

Oh I cared. I just...there was a lot going on at the time and it never really came up I guess. We don't really talk dog stuff. And somewhere along the line I truly forgot they didn't already know. Even when they did it wasn't a big deal...I brought him up to visit and a few said, "Wait, I haven't seen this one before have I...?" and they adored him and that was it. I guess it kinda made it easier because he was already obviously established in the household. Plus anything over one equates to crazy do lady

As someone who has added the right dog at the not-ideal time before...my personal advice would be to try to find a way to make it work if you can. Because in six months or a year when you are settled in and ready to rock, he will be too. And because awesome dogs are worth it. And because you'll second-guess yourself either way and he is already home so give it a go with everything you got and if ot still doesn't work out he'll be that much better prepared for whatever lies ahead and you'll know that you chose to wait rather than allowing yourself to give in to external doubts.

But that's just my two cents

 

[Laurelin]

Lol. Well I ran into my dad unexpectedly today (how weird) and he thought I should go for it.

I guess things work out.

 

[Brattina88]

Ugh I know how all of you feel! lol Laur I'm glad you got your dads approval Anyway

My mom knows I'm actively looking. She's all for it because she knows I'm ready and I "need" it. She's worried about me. Actually, just today she said "you are the same way today that you were right before you got Maddie. I know it's going to happen, it feels right, and I know you're ready" (researching and talking to breeders she meant)

We both agreed not to tell my Dad until after probably LOL

blip

And because awesome dogs are worth it. And because you'll second-guess yourself either way and he is already home so give it a go with everything you got and if ot still doesn't work out he'll be that much better prepared for whatever lies ahead and you'll know that you chose to wait rather than allowing yourself to give in to external doubts.

But that's just my two cents

I want a like button for your post

 

[Laurelin]

So ummm how do y'all deal with tug safety? Hank recalled in decently fast and went for the tug and got my hand in his mouth. Ow.

 

[Linds]

So ummm how do y'all deal with tug safety? Hank recalled in decently fast and went for the tug and got my hand in his mouth. Ow.

I have clear rules for tug where they don't grab it until I say "get it!' and a strong out. When I first start I make sure my hands are positioned correctly to avoid teeth as much as possible and paired with the "get it" it helps.

I don't punish if they accidentally grab my hand but I do end the game for a minute, mainly to give myself time to collect and to work as a "teeth me no fun" for a minute.

Most of my tug related injuries happened with discs because my thumb was hidden from view. Not fun.

 

[Oko]

So ummm how do y'all deal with tug safety? Hank recalled in decently fast and went for the tug and got my hand in his mouth. Ow.

I have rules and we play a game once to make them clear. No getting it before I ask you to, out when I ask you to, bite my hand and the game is done. We play a game I learned from SG where you present the tug with your hands close together, and tell them to get it. They inevitably nail you, and you say oops or owww and take it away. Then hands further apart so that they have room to not hit your hands, praise and tug. Then a little closer, then a little closer-if they make an effort to be careful not to hit your hands, good, if as you move them closer they nail you again, oops/owww, toy goes away and fun is stopped, until if you offer a tug with your hands too close for them to get their mouth between them, they will not bite it. It was very effective for me.

 

[Linds]

I have rules and we play a game once to make them clear. No getting it before I ask you to, out when I ask you to, bite my hand and the game is done. We play a game I learned from SG where you present the tug with your hands close together, and tell them to get it. They inevitably nail you, and you say oops or owww and take it away. Then hands further apart so that they have room to not hit your hands, praise and tug. Then a little closer, then a little closer-if they make an effort to be careful not to hit your hands, good, if as you move them closer they nail you again, oops/owww, toy goes away and fun is stopped, until if you offer a tug with your hands too close for them to get their mouth between them, they will not bite it. It was very effective for me.

That's an interesting idea Oko! I like it, except for the getting bit part.

 

[Oko]

That's an interesting idea Oko! I like it, except for the getting bit part.

Yeah, the getting bit part isn't pleasant LOL.