Redbird
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 29
I am offline
|
Post by Redbird on Mar 20, 2015 18:07:08 GMT
Seems like he's starting to settle SA is the worst thing I think to try and work with but with time and patience it does normally improve they are draining at night times I had one that took weeks to move the crate from by my bed a inch at a time until he was the other side of the open bedroom door then the other side of the front room then when he was a lot better he got rehomed lol which was good for him but we were knackered xxx he looked quite a similar actually if u look in happy endings for Ozzie in about 2012 u will se his story x Oh no to go through all that and he wasn't for keeps. I will have a look at his story. The last few days with Archie have been brilliant. The SA is getting much better. At night, we move his bed back into the kitchendiner from the lounge and I sit next to him in the dark with a cup of cocoa and the telly on low. By the time I've finished my drink he is sound asleep so I creep upstairs and he lets us sleep through until 6:30am. I left him and Clover alone in the house and visited a neighbour for 30 mins and he was fine - don't think he moved from the settee (I made sure I'd given him a good walk first). This afternoon he sat in the garden and watch me do some gardening. He has been a bit woofy with other dogs - more than in the first few days so I have some work to do on that - I don't want him to return to being reactive after the good work Brenda and Steve did.
|
|
|
Post by dearhound on Mar 20, 2015 19:07:29 GMT
By the look of the photo he knows he's in a good place - very relaxed (you must have been doing the gardening to his satisfaction!). By the way - love your avatar Redbird! x
|
|
|
Post by Mimsmum on Mar 22, 2015 13:59:36 GMT
Onwards and upwards. He is absolutely stunning. xx
|
|
feebee
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 27
I am offline
|
Post by feebee on Mar 25, 2015 9:01:54 GMT
Onwards and upwards. He is absolutely stunning. xx
|
|
feebee
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 27
I am offline
|
Post by feebee on Mar 25, 2015 9:03:31 GMT
hi all, how is archie doing please, i come on here nearly every day, but nothing for a little while, just want to know if he is settled in now,
|
|
|
Post by Mimsmum on Mar 27, 2015 10:19:55 GMT
He is doing well. Once a dog is rehomed the thread does go quiet. People usually update me via email now and then.
|
|
Redbird
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 29
I am offline
|
Post by Redbird on Mar 31, 2015 17:15:03 GMT
Hi all, A further update on Archie . Archie has continued to settle in at home extremely well. He goes to bed about 10-ish when we do and curls up on his bed in the kitchen diner quite happily. I no longer have to sit with him while I drink my cocoa. He sleeps through until about 6:45am - sometimes until after 7:00am! I know he's awake as I can hear him make a few playful barks at Clover and then they both start howling. The howling is Clover's idea and somehow I've got to get them out of this habit but for now I just jump out of bed. He is very calm and relaxed around the house and garden. He loves his cuddles (he's currently lying beside me on settee with head on laptop) and cheese filled Kongs. I feed him three times a day and he wolfs his food down. He is content when either hubby or I leave the house - he doesn't bat an eyelid now when David leaves at odd hours for work. He appears to be ok when I leave him and Clover alone for a short while but we haven't left them both alone by leaving the house together as yet. We are going to 'practise' this tomorrow as we are going out Friday evening for a meal so they will be left alone for the evening for the first time. He doesn't do much counter surfing. On the odd occasion he has jumped up Clover who is a big snitch, barks and lets me know. He loves going on walks and gets very excited with waggy tails when he knows we are going out. He enjoys sniffing the hedgerows. His recall is very good especially with David (and a cheese promise). I don't let him off the lead because of his reactiveness with other dogs (and he doesn't like the muzzle on) so for now, I think he's happier just rambling beside me. He still is very reactive to other dogs. I seem to have undone the good progress Brenda and Steve made with him. Last week, I took him to Dedham (a lovely walk along by the River Stour) as there are wide fields to walk through and you don't have to come into close contact with any other dog. I read that coming across another dog on a narrow footpath is very difficult for a scared reactive dog as naturally, dogs would circle each other and moving directly towards another dogs would be considered confrontational. Hence my idea to give other dogs a wide birth at Dedham. But even seeing other dogs 300 ft away (there was quite a few dogs over there) was enough to set him off and get him too worked-up even to be interested in cheese so not a good idea. So I am back to walking him around the village or quite places where we might happen to see just one or two dogs and this seems to be better for him. I met my sister and her soppy airedale yesterday and he was fine with the airedale - no reaction at all. We went for a walk together and we came across other dogs. Archie was quite calm and was happy to be distracted with cheese and walk on so I feel we are getting back on track. Although unfortunately, towards the end of the walk, we met a couple of black dogs (not together ) and he reacted badly to both of those. One was off the lead but didn't come anywhere near us or show any interest in us . He is also a little wary of some people that we meet when out on a walk. If it's appropriate, I give them a piece of cheese to throw on the ground and Archie is happy to eat it and then sniff them in a friendly manner to see if there is anymore where that came from. So some work to do on the reactiveness with other dogs and people when out and about, but at home, things couldn't really be any better . Some more garden photos taken yesterday.
|
|
|
Post by Mimsmum on Mar 31, 2015 17:52:49 GMT
Well done Lisa for cracking the night times and leaving him. Hope he is a good boy for the evening out. Once he feels safe with you both and settled that is the time to work on the meets and greets outsIde. You are doing an amazing job, and are half there xxxx
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
I am offline
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2015 19:02:09 GMT
It can be tough going with a fearful, reactive dog. You're doing all the right things though. My one word of advice would be...if on occasion, it feels like you've taken a backward step, or he has a bad reaction, or you've misjudged him/the situation/the other dog - don't spend too long beating yourself up over it. Try to understand what went wrong, and take that lesson forward with you. We've had Alfie for nearly 2.5 years and we still have the odd occasion (like last Friday...black lab, hum-de-hum) where I/we make an error in handling him. It definitely helps you to develop a thicker skin. Good luck with your night out. We find our two get VERY excited to see us when we have a rare night out, so remember all the techniques and you'll be fine.
|
|
|
Post by earlybird on Mar 31, 2015 19:57:11 GMT
I think you are doing a great job with Archie, it is so confusing when they have had so much going on in a short space of time, if we could get inside that brain it would make life so much easier, enjoy your night out. Well done
|
|
|
Post by Socksmum on Apr 1, 2015 13:00:50 GMT
Hi Lisa, thanks so much for the update, he is as gorgeous as ever. Lots of good advice here, you definitely aren't undoing anything, Archie was having the odd bark-off when still with us, we tried to put it behind us and not to get stressed about it, as Loz says, it pays to grow a thick skin. It maybe that he will always find the odd situation scary. We found that when he got excited and barky at dogs who were some way off but offlead, we would let him off and he was fine and usually bounced up to them enthusiastically, quite vocally but never aggressively. We did always muzzle him though as not everyone knows your loud barky dog is just a playful lump! Huge respect with getting him to sleep downstairs with Clover and to cope so well with David's comings and goings. He looks so happy in your pics xx
|
|
feebee
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 27
I am offline
|
Post by feebee on Apr 5, 2015 17:44:23 GMT
thanks so much for the update on archie, he seems happy and settled now, and you seem to love him, so,at last i feel we did the right thing by him,will always regret we were not able to keep him, but with you he gets the exercise and walks that we just could'nt do here. you mention the black dogs and he always seemed to have a thing about black dogs,no reason that we knew of,thank you so much for being his new mum and dad, and rest assured, archie never went for anyone or other animals(cats got him going tho he never got that close to one)and with children he was perfect,and so loving,thank you again
|
|
|
Post by roderick (Gramps) on Apr 9, 2015 13:00:20 GMT
Listen to the bark, a low growl then a bark look out, if the ears are relaxed and he barks is probably a play greeting. The tighter the lead to a dog means the more the danger so try and relax the more trust you give him the more he will trust you to judge any situation. When you meet other dogs ask can you walk with them till things calm down you will be surprised how well this can work. A little time taken chatting with other owners while the dogs wait and get a chance to check each other out is a big bit of socializing.
|
|
|
Post by Mimsmum on Apr 20, 2015 17:18:58 GMT
Off to Happy Endings with you gorgeous boy. xxx
|
|
|
Post by Socksmum on Apr 20, 2015 21:15:28 GMT
Off you go lovely boy xx
|
|
|
Post by daisydip on Apr 28, 2015 18:59:33 GMT
Great update. I love seeing what MC puts.... off to happy endings gorgeous boy. It make me have a warm glow!
|
|
feebee
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 27
I am offline
|
Post by feebee on May 26, 2015 7:22:12 GMT
Hi all, A further update on Archie . Archie has continued to settle in at home extremely well. He goes to bed about 10-ish when we do and curls up on his bed in the kitchen diner quite happily. I no longer have to sit with him while I drink my cocoa. He sleeps through until about 6:45am - sometimes until after 7:00am! I know he's awake as I can hear him make a few playful barks at Clover and then they both start howling. The howling is Clover's idea and somehow I've got to get them out of this habit but for now I just jump out of bed. He is very calm and relaxed around the house and garden. He loves his cuddles (he's currently lying beside me on settee with head on laptop) and cheese filled Kongs. I feed him three times a day and he wolfs his food down. He is content when either hubby or I leave the house - he doesn't bat an eyelid now when David leaves at odd hours for work. He appears to be ok when I leave him and Clover alone for a short while but we haven't left them both alone by leaving the house together as yet. We are going to 'practise' this tomorrow as we are going out Friday evening for a meal so they will be left alone for the evening for the first time. He doesn't do much counter surfing. On the odd occasion he has jumped up Clover who is a big snitch, barks and lets me know. He loves going on walks and gets very excited with waggy tails when he knows we are going out. He enjoys sniffing the hedgerows. His recall is very good especially with David (and a cheese promise). I don't let him off the lead because of his reactiveness with other dogs (and he doesn't like the muzzle on) so for now, I think he's happier just rambling beside me. He still is very reactive to other dogs. I seem to have undone the good progress Brenda and Steve made with him. Last week, I took him to Dedham (a lovely walk along by the River Stour) as there are wide fields to walk through and you don't have to come into close contact with any other dog. I read that coming across another dog on a narrow footpath is very difficult for a scared reactive dog as naturally, dogs would circle each other and moving directly towards another dogs would be considered confrontational. Hence my idea to give other dogs a wide birth at Dedham. But even seeing other dogs 300 ft away (there was quite a few dogs over there) was enough to set him off and get him too worked-up even to be interested in cheese so not a good idea. So I am back to walking him around the village or quite places where we might happen to see just one or two dogs and this seems to be better for him. I met my sister and her soppy airedale yesterday and he was fine with the airedale - no reaction at all. We went for a walk together and we came across other dogs. Archie was quite calm and was happy to be distracted with cheese and walk on so I feel we are getting back on track. Although unfortunately, towards the end of the walk, we met a couple of black dogs (not together ) and he reacted badly to both of those. One was off the lead but didn't come anywhere near us or show any interest in us . He is also a little wary of some people that we meet when out on a walk. If it's appropriate, I give them a piece of cheese to throw on the ground and Archie is happy to eat it and then sniff them in a friendly manner to see if there is anymore where that came from. So some work to do on the reactiveness with other dogs and people when out and about, but at home, things couldn't really be any better . Some more garden photos taken yesterday.
|
|
Redbird
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 29
I am offline
|
Post by Redbird on May 28, 2015 8:05:52 GMT
|
|
|
Post by alfie&tillysmum on May 28, 2015 9:04:51 GMT
Belated Happy 4th Birthday Archie x.
What a happy beautiful boy in those stunning pictures.
|
|
|
Post by Socksmum on May 28, 2015 9:12:36 GMT
Happy belated Birthday wishes to you beautiful boy. He is really settling well with you and David , Lisa,. It was going to be a bit of a struggle for a while as he'd had such a lot of changes to adjust to but we knew straight away that yours was the perfect forever home for him. All the best for his continued progress, please deposit a on that lovely nose from his old foster mummy. Are you still planning to come to the Fun Day?xx
|
|