|
Post by loosecannon on May 4, 2015 8:03:47 GMT
Met up for a walk and pub lunch yesterday with Heather, Phil and Charlie. Sooo lucky with the weather, as it looked black outside, first thing. A mix of on and off lead, on a unusual walk, as Rodin, Heather & Rowlf will confirm, as this is the walked we'd considered for an SLR option. Too much on lead for that, but for a casual stroll and chat, it's delightful. No doggy drama. Much less racey-chasey than I anticipated. Quite civilised actually. These Lurchers are faulty? Didn't manage any photos enroute, as keeping an eye on Albert. I could have taken some of him on lead, as he's very good, almost naturally in a proper heal. But meh,,, how boring would that be?! Back at the pub, after some dog bed layout planning and lead untangling and re-looping, all was relaxed,,, mostly. Albert travels very well. I do put a muzzle on him, as he seems not to appreciate the slim, feather-weight, insignificant Ringo sitting on him. Albert only grumbles at him, but Ringo's such a softy and gets upset. Got to look after the big puppiwuppi! Spot the dogs... and the hint of a summer. This morning, as Albert had slept-in** until past 8am, he was allowed onto the bed for a wee smooze. In other news: * I don't remember the last time he pee/poo'd inside at home. He still thinks the concrete floors at work are fair game, but more and more it's getting clearer when he's asking to go out. Either a little cry (other than a meal times, when that means something else!) or standing, looking at the door. Fab! Oh, and yesterday. I left the old downstairs bathroom door open, to see if he'd 'use' it's concrete floor. He didn't. The door remains open, with the dog's water in there. * With growing confidence, his recall is worsening. To be expected. He needs training is EVERYTHING. Even on lead, it might seem like he's walking to heal, but it's coincidence, in that that's how he walks on lead. Some turning, varying speed, pausing and stopping, needs to be taught. Would like to include auto-SIT when handler stops, but, heh,,, ya know. **PS - Does going out for a pee at 02:30 count as laying-in? He DID ask to go out and did a big poo without fuss.
|
|
|
Post by antoniaalfie55 on May 4, 2015 12:55:24 GMT
Love your updates Simon . Albert sounds and looks like a very happy and contented Hound, he is also very handsome
|
|
|
Post by daisydip on May 4, 2015 16:10:29 GMT
Great update Simon, Albert is shaping up nicely...will you be able to say goodbye? :-)
|
|
|
Post by rowlfsmum on May 4, 2015 16:11:50 GMT
Great update. Methinks Albert is providing you with a challenge!
|
|
|
Post by loosecannon on May 10, 2015 16:59:54 GMT
Nearly a week without an update. Time flies. One reason for the delay has been a leg injury, 20p size skin off his front leg shin. Dunno how it was done, but doggy shenanigans while all 3 dogs in the back garden are top likelihood. Shin hits immovable something and we all know how well shins are 'designed'. It seems to have upset him greatly. Umm'd 'n' arr'd about a vet visit, but it's just a flesh wound. He doesn't seem obsessed with the wound. The first time he looked at it today was at the pub, after the SLR walk, hence I'd left it uncovered. Some other thing is unsettling him, like he was also stung by an insect or has flees. No flees spotted and his treatment's up to date. No other lumps or bumps. The distraction varies throughout the day. From nothing to so much he almost ignores food. The cone-of-shame's very unpopular, but the healing's very fast when the tongue's away. I suspect he's never had an injury before and doesn't know about pain. I can tell if the Metacam has any effect. the Piriton seems to help. I did speak to the vet by phone! Any road up, apart for that, he's doing very well. No issues I'd consider problems. Nothing that's not already being dealt with and diminishing day by day. Even has reasonable recall, especially if you use a very high pitch voice. The more painful for me, the quicker he pays attention. He's so, very calm most of the time. Here's he's surrounded by people, dogs and woodland smells.
|
|
|
Post by BW on May 10, 2015 17:15:53 GMT
Nearly a week without an update. Time flies. One reason for the delay has been a leg injury, 20p size skin off his front leg shin. Dunno how it was done, but doggy shenanigans while all 3 dogs in the back garden are top likelihood. Shin hits immovable something and we all know how well shins are 'designed'. It seems to have upset him greatly. Umm'd 'n' arr'd about a vet visit, but it's just a flesh wound. Hope I'm not teaching my granny to suck eggs Simon, but aloe vera gel is excellent for speeding the healing of small cuts & abrasions. I use it on the hounds & myself - thanks to various foster dogs, (including current resident Bertie ), my forearms always look like a scene from one of the gorier episodes of Holby City!
|
|
|
Post by loosecannon on May 10, 2015 17:42:22 GMT
I'd not thought of aloe vera, or [manuka] honey, that someone mentioned on the walk today. It seems such a clean, well scabbed wound, that air and on tongue should be enough. New-age health and safety issue make me wary of applying anything to broken skin...
|
|
|
Post by daisydip on May 10, 2015 17:46:47 GMT
Nearly a week without an update. Time flies. One reason for the delay has been a leg injury, 20p size skin off his front leg shin. Dunno how it was done, but doggy shenanigans while all 3 dogs in the back garden are top likelihood. Shin hits immovable something and we all know how well shins are 'designed'. It seems to have upset him greatly. Umm'd 'n' arr'd about a vet visit, but it's just a flesh wound. 1st thing... well done for not mixing up letters (shin hits!) 2nd thing ... all greyhounds make like they've been shot with any injury. I find manuka honey is fantastic for healing. It has antiseptic properties and seals the wound. I swear by it. I love your updates on Alberto, he looks and sounds lovely. (you've done a grand job with him)
|
|
|
Post by catsanddogs on May 10, 2015 18:05:22 GMT
Simon, the vets used manuka honey on Georges and Ella's wounds, you can buy the vet grade on the web or just use off the shelf one.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using proboards
|
|
|
Post by loosecannon on May 10, 2015 20:59:28 GMT
Thanks. Interesting. Now we're likely to move back to dressing and bandage, the homey option stacks up. Trip to the shops me thinks. Tho we often used have some manuka in the cupboard,,, of course we don't at the moment.
|
|
|
Post by daisydip on May 10, 2015 21:20:09 GMT
Thanks. Interesting. Now we're likely to move back to dressing and bandage, the homey option stacks up. Trip to the shops me thinks. Tho we often used have some manuka in the cupboard,,, of course we don't at the moment. one more endorsement... SuperVet himself uses Manuka.
|
|
|
Post by catsanddogs on May 11, 2015 7:29:43 GMT
Amazon do a medical one - Activon . Though we have used both that and off the shelf. The key thing I believe is to get high grade if off the shelf. If you need any vet wrap we have loads as bulk bought a while ago.
|
|
|
Post by loosecannon on May 14, 2015 14:15:48 GMT
Sorry, no photos. Just an update of Albert's progress and progress it has been.
* He's a very sweet boy. A big puppy. * Great eye contact. Walks on a slack lead, unless the puppiness thing happens. Easy to calm down while on lead. * Allows you to touch him anywhere, inc nail clipping, but has some issue with the tips of his ears, which I'm de-tuning. * Still learning how to play, but now more nibbling and biting. Joey doesn't yet trust him to remember to nimble instead of bite, but Ringo's not scared of Albert, so Albert's clearly not being 'serious'. Ringo gets scared of serious stuff. * Likes coming to work or at home and spending most of the day lazing around. Just like me.... Nevertheless, has a lot of energy and does well on a Lurcher dose of zoomies. * His strength and stamina are increasing, along with his weight. I estimate he's about 23Kg and 25" at the shoulder. He's going to be a big and strong. * Good with strangers, though starting to 'guard' my office at work, when staff walk by. Even those he knows,,, being everyone. Today, the alarm system engineer (has his own dog, a biggish bull-type I think), ignore Albert's deep bark, opened the child get and came straight in for me to sign the job sheets. Made a fuss of Albert, who was utterly perplexed,,, until he realised the neck 'n' ear rubs were rather nice! Friends then. * No idea about kids. In every sense! * Cat test the other week suggested he's probably fine, especially with a confident cat. * Sleeps in a dog bed on the floor next to the bed and doesn't stress about joining the other dogs in bed with us. * Almost house trained. Just need to catch him giving a clue that he's asking to go out. If one takes him out often enough, he's clean inside. Pee's on command to, "quick, quick", pretty much any time. At the right times (you know when a dog is contemplating a poo, right?), poos to "poo, poo". * Pre-food patience and calm is getting very good. I don't stop the 'singing' as the foods about to be served, 'cos it's fab! He goes into his cage and waits there (door about and some more singing), while Ringo and Joey are served. On return, he's well mannered. Almost does a perfest 'leave it', allowing me to touch, move and withdraw the food. * Recall is variable, especially with distractions. All basic training to be done! He'll be brilliant. He almost sits!
Have I missed anything?
|
|
|
Post by rowlfsmum on May 14, 2015 15:08:04 GMT
Think you have covered pretty much everything! Great update.
|
|
|
Post by dearhound on May 14, 2015 15:45:25 GMT
Does he do ironing yet?! x
|
|
|
Post by loosecannon on May 15, 2015 21:49:56 GMT
Yesterday, on leaving work, he stopped and stared at the fire exit that goes to the pee-break zone. Asked to go out? He did. A first.
Got home. Got over exciting. Pee'd on one of the dog beds,,, with a starting to walk away dribble.
Highs 'n' lows! lol
|
|
|
Post by rowlfsmum on May 16, 2015 6:41:10 GMT
Oops!
|
|
|
Post by Fran on May 16, 2015 14:33:29 GMT
Sounds like he's coming on a treat Do you think the oops was due to being excited and submissive?? Sent from my Kestrel using proboards
|
|
|
Post by loosecannon on May 16, 2015 14:50:46 GMT
... Do you think the oops was due to being excited and submissive?? Just excited. He's ignorant of submission or aggression. He's a large puppy.
|
|
|
Post by loosecannon on May 16, 2015 16:59:58 GMT
Albert does fund raising. Romsey, today. He was excellent. Got rather tired towards the end, after near 3 1/2 hours and was getting a little touchy about his ears being ruffled. But they are gorgeous ears and he'd had much ruffling. Very popular hound.
|
|