CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Behaviour & Training => Topic started by: Toni-UK on March 15, 2012, 08:58:13 PM
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A very elderly aunt and uncle have been given a surprise holiday for easter and have no suitable plans in place for their 9yr old cav.
So I have offered to have Millie the cav for the week as i couldn't bare their idea of a grandson living at their house for the week,but going out to work at 8am and not getting in until 5 or 6pm with one of his friends coming in at lunchtime to let her out for a wee,she would also be shut in a massive kitchen for the duration of the day to.
Millie is the sweetest little thing but i am ashamed at the way my A&U have raised her :embarassed: she never gets taken out,but luckily she does have a garden.She only meets other dogs when she goes to the groomers and she is extremely fat,please don't comment on what they should be doing as i have made my feelings plain on many occasions. >:(
My idea to introduce her to Ruby is to start off gradually with some onlead pavement walking(no nose to nose greeting).After doing this several times i was going to take them to the local field at a very quiet time of day,let Ruby offlead and put Millie on a long line,do this for a few days and see how it goes.
All being good the last hurdle for me will be bringing Millie indoors,i plan to walk them together beforehand and then enter the home together.I will have couple of water bowls out and put all balls and rope toys away though i have never known Ruby to guard (Millie does if she has stolen something,i.e food)
I really do not know how Millie will react but i do know Ruby can go from 0-60 in excitement and i don't want her to overwhelm Millie,or i am wondering if she will be a bit jealous.
Can anyone give me any further advice.... :blink:
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What you've got planned all sounds great to me!
Whenever we go to my sister's house we meet up with her and her westie on a walk and then all go back to the house together, it always works well.
It would be great for Millie if she could spend some time at your house before your aunt and uncle go away, so that it isn't too unfamiliar when she moves in for the week.
Sounds to me like Millie will have a great time with you!
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Sounds like a good plan to me.
Try to stay relaxed, as the dogs will pick up on how you feel.
Hope all goes well and Millie enjoys her holiday. (are you going to put her on a diet while she is with you? ;) )
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good advice from Heather & Ruby Tuesday ;)
I would also suggest a baby gate somewhere in the house if possible, just incase things don't run so smoothly - even if you have to split the girls up for a while, whilst not being ideal, it will be a darn sight better than being alone all day :-\ :'(
can just imagine her little face when she gets to like this 'dog walking' thing :005: ...photos please Toni :luv:
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Thanks for the advice :D
The meet went really well yesterday.I went across the road to get Millie and OH went across the road a little way off with Ruby.As i started to walk toward them Rubes face was a picture( i didn't know a cocker had a WTF face :lol2: :021:)OH started walking(as i didn't want them meeting head on) and i eventually caught up with them with the dogs on the outside of us,Millie was slinking down slightly and was squeezing raindrop size wees everywhere to scent mark,Ruby barked in the air a few times with excitement.Millie did lots of ground sniffing so maybe calming signals were exchanging,and when we reached a patch of grass we took the dogs on for a further sniff and Millie although not straining to get away stayed behind me mostly,Ruby kept out of her way but as we turned to leave the dogs did come close to each other,Rube briefly sniffed Millie and then walked away with her head down sniffing,i'm so proud of her :angel: she must have known Millie was scared.
We walked back to A&U and poor Millie had a really bad poo which i think was nerves as earlier she wouldn't even take a weeny piece of cheese from me which is unheard of :'(
So that was a huge eventful 30 minutes for Millie yesterday combined with the 10 minute car journey,and she had another one today as she went to the vet(under my orders) and was diagnosed with an ear infection.
We might see her tomorrow weather permitting,if not visit number 2 will be monday.
Thanks for reading :D
P.S
Linds,i will get some pics of her and Ruby when she is a little less nervous,i really hope this all works out.
and we have resurrected Rubys baby gate from the loft. ;)
HeatherandBenjy,We had planned to have Millie stay for the day and hopefully a few afternoons before they go off on their hols :D
Ruby Tuesday Millie will def be on a diet when she is with us or more likely fed correctly and given exercise ;)
She weighed 11kgs :o :o at the vets today,that's almost the same as Ruby and Millie is half the size.
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Sounds like today went really well. It must be quite overwhelming for Millie to be outside if she's not used to it. :-\
11 kg! :o Wouldn't it be brilliant if you could show your A & U how much she likes her walks by the time they get back. ;)
What a star your Ruby is as well for being so good with Millie :luv:
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Oh.... and had to giggle about Ruby doing a WTF face :005: I've seen Archie do it, when Paul was holding a pup. Archie is 100% Paul's dog and regards Paul as exclusively his, the look on his face was priceless! :005:
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I'd glad things went well for you all. It is great that you've put so much thought into introducing them. Most people would just have Millie delivered on day one of the holiday and hope for the best!
Poor Millie, she is missing out on so much isn't she. It upsets me when people let their dogs get overweight, it makes the dogs life harder in the long run. Our dogs get treats, in moderation, but also plenty of exercise.
Let us know how it goes today/tomorrow :)
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I hope the introductions go well. Sound like you you are doing Millie the world of good especially making them get her ear sorted out :'(. I know how difficult it is when friends and family don't look after their pets properly >:(.
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Another successful meet today :banana:
We just repeated the same thing again,Millie seemed a lot less stressed and Rubes face was "WTF..oh it's that little dog again" which was good.
Millie did drool and slobber quite a bit but i put that down to lots of sniffing and panting while on the walk. :-\
Our plan for tuesday is the field,so i'm hoping for a little interaction between them both,we'll see..... :D
Thanks for the comments ;)
I hope the introductions go well. Sound like you you are doing Millie the world of good especially making them get her ear sorted out :'(. I know how difficult it is when friends and family don't look after their pets properly >:(.
It is very difficult isn't it, as i have told them for years to the point of being blunt that she will die early,but as the saying goes,you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.
On the plus side,my aunt has found the confidence to take her out,only down the road,but it's a start :D
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Great to hear that today's meet went well :happydance:
On the plus side,my aunt has found the confidence to take her out,only down the road,but it's a start :D
That's brilliant! Sounds like this could be quite a turning point for little Millie! :luv:
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Great to hear that today's meet went well :happydance:
On the plus side,my aunt has found the confidence to take her out,only down the road,but it's a start :D
That's brilliant! Sounds like this could be quite a turning point for little Millie! :luv:
agree - maybe a small step but defintely a step in the right direction :luv:
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Hi all,We had another meet with Millie today at large flat field but i am worried about her.I know she whines in the 10 minute car journey to meet us and when i open the car door she comes out to me willingly but after a few minutes she does keep stopping and looking back at the way we have just come.
(when i say we i mean me,OH and Ruby)
I just wait a bit then gently coax her on and this is where i start to worry as after a few minutes the drooling starts,it is strands of salivery drool hanging out of the sides of her mouth and from the little bit of research i have done i think it could be brought on by stress :'( but i don't know what i could possibly do to make things easier for her.
Ruby has been an angel,though was a bit gobby today with excitement and barked in the air several times but Millie didn't seem to react.We also met a working lab who is a good boy,he had one quick sniff and ignored her.
I thought when we see her on friday i will get my aunt to walk Millie,and i will walk Ruby but stick to pavement walking and not the huge wide open space that she isn't used to.
I wonderd if any of you fosterers or re homies had seen the drooling thing at all :huh:
Thanks for reading ;)
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TBH I would imagine that the stopping and drooling are more to do with her levels of fitness. :-\ The fact that she is whining in the car and gets out willingly would indicate that she is pleased to be out and about. (When we first had Fizz out of the puppy farm she used to freeze if we went to open spaces or refuse to get out of the car unless I carried her :'()
Millie's very overweight and so will only be able to cope with short bursts of exercise (hence the stopping and then getting going again). Also the exercise will be making her heart work quite hard, so yes the drooling could be to do with stress but more of a physical stress than emotional one iyswim ;)
I would keep going, but just remember that she won't have the muscle tone or fitness to cope with very much at the moment. :)
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Thanks for the reply :D
Good job the vet had said her heart sounds good or i would be worrying about that.As you pointed out the fact that she is getting out of the car willingly is a good sign(i didn't think of it like that,duh) but i am starting to think it is a mix of emotion and physical as if we stop during the walk she will whine to get going as if she wants to get back :-\ and she still slinks down for part of the walk.
At the moment this is a 10-15 minute (with lots of stops for sniffs) plod every other day but the good news is A&U are still taking her down the road twice a day which is literally 5 minutes but it is a start and i have told them this isn't to be for the short term leading up to and during their holiday,they MUST continue it afterwards as to go back to how it was would be downright cruel.
Will keep you posted and try to remember to take some pics. ;)
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Just another thought, maybe you could take some water along with you and a bowl (you can buy fold up plastic bowls at PAH) so if she is drooling a lot she could have a drink?
If it makes you feel any better, when Buddy arrived (his picture is my avatar) he weighed a whopping 21 kilos. :o He used to get about 10 minutes into a walk, lie down and just point blank refuse to move :005:
So glad to hear that you've persuaded your A&U to take Millie out as well :clapping: Sounds like you've already made a huge difference to Millie's life. :)
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We walked Ruby and Millie on Monday then took them both into our house at the same time,just me and OH,no aunt and uncle.
As i predicted,Ruby got rather excited and did rush at Millie twice,barked at her and play bowed,Millie was having none of it and wouldn't even give eye contact.
We had the back doors open but Millie stayed on the deck and would not venture onto the grass much to Rubes annoyance.Every time Millie came over for a stroke Ruby did too for a while and when she did Millie would look the other way and then walk off into another room though eventually Ruby just laid on the grass and left our little visitor to it.
Millie did pace a bit,and kept sitting near the front door whining,she also wouldn't eat or drink :-\ though i know that's quite normal.She also managed to snooze by my feet for 5 mins.She stayed for a total of 2 hours and i was so proud of Ruby :luv: as she wasn't in her face she seems to know Millie is nervous.
We are doing the same tomorrow,i just hope when we have her for the week (starting 6th April)that she doesn't pine too badly :'(
I tried to take pics but she wouldn't keep still,maybe next time :D
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Sounds like it went well for a first visit.... and sounds like Ruby is a little star! :luv:
I wouldn't worry too much about her not eating or drinking. Two hours without either isn't going to hurt her. I think its great that you're putting so much work into getting Millie used to you two, Ruby and your home before she actually comes to stay. :clapping:
The more she visits now the more familiar it will all become and the more she will understand that she does always get to go home afterwards. ;) We do the opposite when rescue dogs arrive and try to go out frequently, just to cement the idea that our home is 'base' and this is where we always return to. :)
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Thanks for your input,it's much appreciated to know i'm doing the right things ;)
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Tonight is Millies' second night with us.She spent a lot of yesterday whining and occasionally scratching at the door :'(
She has her little bed in the hallway by the radiator so she has somewhere to go to get away from Ruby.She wouldn't come into the lounge much yesterday but is getting much better today and quite likes going into the garden.
Ruby has been good but i am noticing a few low growls here and there and walking in front of Millie to stop her coming to us :-\
If we are giving attention to Millie she is ok-ish,she has to come over and will whine and grumble until we stroke her too.
The one thing that has happened that i can't fathom is Millie scratches with her back feet(like covering a toilet)when she gets excited and each time she has done this in the hallway Ruby has zoomed toward her barking with a few little low growls :-\ Ruby also did the same when Millie was enjoying herself on the grass writhing around on her back,She zoomed over and did the same thing,each time stopping millie from what she was doing,what's all that about :huh:
It is SO hard to keep my nose out and not tell Ruby "sssh" or "quiet" each time she growls/grumbles as i feel sorry for Mills as she has had virtually no dog contact for 9 years and i wonder if she understands :-\
On a good note Ruby came in from the garden earlier trotting toward Millie and Millie was wagging her tail at her and looked relaxed(she didn't turn and walk the other way),they also had a nose to nose sniff of their own choosing today which was nice :luv:
I am really hoping i can get some pics in the next few days :shades:
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Sounds like all is going well, even if Millie spent a bit of the first day wondering when it was time to go home. :luv:
Its funny isn't it? Whenever one of ours 'digs' in their bed to make themselves comfy, Bruno does the same as Ruby and rushes over barking and growling. We've got him now to go and pick up a toy instead which he does the 'death shake' on. It seems like he's particularly sensitive to that noise?
Hope that you've had a good day today. TBH I wouldn't worry too much about Ruby doing a few growls. When a rescue dog arrives here there's always a few 'handbag' moments in the first few weeks as they settle down. ;)