# Am I mad (to adopt another two dogs)?



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

We already have one, very challenging, Romanian rescue. 


A friend in our village, whom we knew through meeting up with our dogs, died recently. He had three rescue dogs. His wife took over the walking of the dogs during his illness. Just after his death, and before his funeral, she was rushed into hospital and diagnosed with terminal cancer. They have one daughter. She is 8 months pregnant with her second child and has two large dogs, chickens and a pet pig. All other relatives had houses full with pets. 


Brenda, the lady with the cancer, is distraught about what is going to happen to her dogs. We have offered to take them to live with us. It seems that one, a Cockerpoo, may have an offer of another home. That leaves Esther, a collie cross, and Max a Chololate Labrador. They are both senior dogs aged about 10 we think.


I could not bear to think of Brenda, carrying her diagnosis, and worrying about the fate of her dogs.


We have plenty of room at home for them but my worry is the impact it will have on our plans to travel. We bought the fifth wheeler to spend the winter months in Spain or Portugal. How relaxing will it be to travel with three dogs, two of whom are still learning the ropes? Roomy though the fifth wheeler is, compared to the Hymer, it may be difficult during spells of bad weather. There is a large garage that could be utilised, for those times, possibly. Feedback from people who use their garages for dogs please?


To add to the level of difficulty we are having extensive building work done which entails us moving out of the house and into the fifth wheeler during November, December and January! We do have a porta cabin that could be brought into service but we were hoping to store most of the furniture in there.


The initial worry is to settle two, bonded, dogs into our household with our existing dog. We have plans to exercise them all together for a while. Tigan can be very territorial with people but we hope he will be better with dogs.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes.!!!

Ray.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

A difficult dilemma Pat

As you know we use our garage for shadow, in fact on this trip he has travelled in it which has been much less stressful for us and him, as even winding down a window sets him off guarding and barking,ear splitting in the confines of the van

Albert bought and fitted the window in the garage door, and fitted lightweight internal wire doors at both sides to allow a breeze through, and we have an eternal breeze fan in there

Obviously you loose storage space, shadow has half of the garage

Do you not have a local rescue centre that could help out, possibally with a donation for their upkeep that would guareentee there security and safety

Travelling with three dogs I imagine is a lot of work

Some photos of our arragement


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## Lesleykh (Apr 13, 2009)

Generally, I've found that dogs thrust together settle and find their own place. So I reckon any dogs you take in will be fine. They are not crazy pups, so will not trouble your existing dog by constantly demanding play. 

We travel with 2 large dogs in our panel van. We all seem to survive. They love being so close to us and we get a bit more space by allowing them to sleep on our bed when we're not in it. We do have to shake out the sand and grit regularly, but hey ho! Ours are lurchers though, so sleep 95% of the time. The other 5% they are either trying to hunt small furries or doing mad zoomies if allowed off their leads. An older lab should be fine with sleeping a lot while you travel, and our old collie cross was 13 when he travelled with us for a year abroad. He loved it. It was his last year, so it was great to make the most of it and enjoy being with him (though he had his moments!).

Situations like this seem to work themselves out in the end, but if it doesn't, then good dog rescues do arrange fostering for cases where owners have to go into hospital. That's what got me into dog fostering originally, although I ended up keeping both dogs I fostered through Wood Green.

Lesley


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

You have to be tough I think Pat otherwise your plan is going out of the window.
What about getting in touch with the local newspaper and asking if they will run a story about the dogs needing a new home?
Advertise in the free paper (I assume you still have a free paper)
There are also breed rescue associations I´m sure you know.
It´s very difficult when animals are in need, we had a beautiful black kitten arrive in our garden a few years back, nobody claimed him so we took him to the local cat rescue,
they tried their hardest to get us to keep him, but Manny cat is a big enough worry when we are away we didn´t want to worry over 2 of them.

Be brave, be sensible, but of course you know what you can cope with.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I'd have to say no, at least on a permanent basis, you already have enough, and you have to think of your own future.


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## emjaiuk (Jun 3, 2005)

All the time we had a RV we had 3 dogs at a time, and traveling was no problem, (except when all three wanted to travel on the dashboard!), however, where are they going to travel with a fiver? I wouldn't want to travel with them in the trailer, and would they fit in the pick-up? Other than that it's your choice. I would love to think of you giving them a new home, but three dogs are different to two, and would affect your lifestyle to some extent.


Malcolm


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

emjaiuk said:


> All the time we had a RV we had 3 dogs at a time, and traveling was no problem, *(except when all three wanted to travel on the dashboard!)*, however, where are they going to travel with a fiver? I wouldn't want to travel with them in the trailer, and would they fit in the pick-up? Other than that it's your choice. I would love to think of you giving them a new home, but three dogs are different to two, and would affect your lifestyle to some extent.
> Malcolm


How big/small were these 3 dogs Malcolm?


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Brenda is totally against them going in to rescue. Esther, the collie x, came from Dogs Trust and was, apparently, covered in faeces when she arrived. Brenda has said that she would rather they be put to sleep than to go into rescue.


That leaves finding homes for them. Have you ever tried to find a home for a ten year old dog? It is almost impossible. Some years ago, when I worked in a vets', we had a "regular" customer called Butch. His owner had Munchausens (?sp) by Proxy with him. He spent more time in our hospital kennels than he did at home and he was perfectly healthy. His owner, eventually, died and the dog came to his vet (guardian) for rehoming as was her wish. He was nine at the time. When he was a regular in-patient, all the nurses and ancillary staff loved him and said they would love to take him home. When he needed a home no one wanted him. He was dark brindle and about the size of a Corgi. We heard of someone wanting a small dog and contacted them. They looked at him and said he was too big! What they meant was that he was old and plain.
I said I would "foster" him until a home came along. 
He later travelled all over Europe with us and our lurcher.


I have lots of doggie friends who work in rescue and they always have older dogs looking for homes. Only the very small ones find a place easily. 


Then we have the wishes of poor Brenda. She knows us, she knows how we care for our dogs and it gives her comfort to know where they are going. I don't think I can deny her that comfort.


The dogs will have to travel in the back of the pick up truck. There is room for three (just). The fiver is plenty big enough once we are parked up. I think we will explore the use of the garage for wet days so that we can limit the amount of muck entering the van.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

You´ve already made up your mind obviously, they may turn out to be a treasure, like some unplanned babies are (me for one) :grin2:


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

Well speaking as one that’s just taken on a third rescue dog, I would say...think long and hard. Walking all three together is hard, partic if they run off in diff directions. The rescue people asked me to foster one but we fell in love with him and just had to keep him. It’s ok at home we have the space. My other male dog gets a bit aggressive to the new one, so we are having to be careful in confined spaces....so 3 in our small Hymer is hard. Not too bad in good weather as you can keep them outside, but when it’s wet...!!!!
Here in Portugal they all sleep outside anyway, and will in winter . It’s mild.
Holidaying in the van in cooler wetter climes....i’m A bit worried....
Garcia


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes Jan, your a treasure all right.

I like all animals but in general dogs have an odour. Not that their owners are always aware of this odour. We had a short haired cross Lab/Dane for 12 years back in the 60/70's. No one commented until we came to sell.
But since we have not had another dog for some considerable time (like smoking) you can always tell a dog owner just by standing next to them.
A couple of Brits here drag two great Newfoundland cross donkeys around boot sales and can clear the field with the stench. But they don't notice and I'm sure would be suitably offended if we said they dogs stank.
We stayed with friends who had something like a red setter with dreadlocks that insisted lying under the kitchen table and reeking so much we could not eat. But it's owner happily declared her dog didn't smell.

But three in any confined space will create an 'atmosphere' in the extreme. Thats fine if one is happy to live with it but be aware of others who might not be immune to the odour.

Ray.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

The garage for a wet hound or wet days is invaluable pat

Keep an eye out at Aldi for incontinence bed pads, they are invaluable in a motor home, although Albert has managed to loose one of my four, must have put it on a tree after shaking it and forgot it

The wire doors are not difficult to sort and allow him to watch the world go by , and although he doesn't lie outside the van, keeps him off muddy sites, 

The downside is the loss of floor space, but cargo nets can help out, we haven't a lot of room in the van with fixed raised beds so having a garage where he can go frees up room, always he sleeps in the van and is in with us when we are just reading etc 

I prefer he didnt go on our bed as he is often slightly damp from his latest swim , or as you say in wet weather as he still needs a walk out rain or snow

Personally I think he's happier in the garage, it's often cooler than inside the van, if it's very hot or if we leave him alone in the van we run the air con.

It would be good to just leave him outside the van but unfortunately his temperament is not suited to that

Sandra


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

No, definitely not.

By posting on here for advice indicates that you are not 100% in favour of adopting them. If you were positive you wouldn't have asked.

When in doubt, keep out.

Drew


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## emjaiuk (Jun 3, 2005)

For most of the time, a medium sized terrier X, a collie X, and an Airedale X. In our current narrow bodied Hymer we have a Deerhound X and a Lurcher and space is hotly fought over by all four of us.

Malcolm


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

raynipper said:


> Yes Jan, your a treasure all right.
> 
> I like all animals but in general dogs have an odour. Not that their owners are always aware of this odour. We had a short haired cross Lab/Dane for 12 years back in the 60/70's. No one commented until we came to sell.
> But since we have not had another dog for some considerable time (like smoking) you can always tell a dog owner just by standing next to them.
> ...


There are a few reasons why dogs smell Ray, mainly because they are not groomed regularly or they sleep on the same bedding fore too long before its washed.
We have had a GSD with a Sheltie for the past 40 years, they are groomed regularly, don´t sleep on the same bedding (a) because I wash the whole of the GSD bed regularly and (b) they are not confined to any space. Dogs smell when they are wet after a swim or bath. These two have never had a bath :surprise: shock horror. I have just groomed Motley I could send you some of his fur :grin2:it doesn´t smell nasty, honest. I have just been and stuck my nose in it, smells no worse than human hair.
I know when dogs smell the same as I can smell someone who has never used a deodorant or they smoke, just because we have dogs doesn´t mean our sence of smell has gone.
End of my rave, you should never get me stired up about dogs.>


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Ha ha ha, I'm not sure whether you should be congratulated, admired or certified Malcolm. 
In the 'Nicest possible way' of course.

Ray.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes, our old Lab/Dane was very short haired and loved being towelled down after getting wet. He also loved being hoovered by laying down in front of the Hoover Junior.!
But we were aware of 'essence' of Russell later. Very difficult to totally eradicate. 

Ray.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

raynipper said:


> Yes, our old Lab/Dane was very short haired and loved being towelled down after getting wet. He also loved being hoovered by laying down in front of the Hoover Junior.!
> But we were aware of 'essence' of Russell later. Very difficult to totally eradicate.
> 
> Ray.


And, 
the reason a house might stink of dog is because the vacuum cleaner is not emptied often enough, I empty mine frequenty (its a bag) and spray dry deodorant into the bag before refitting it.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I Hoover the whole house daily when I'm at home 

Including those rooms never slept in

Only have pure wool carpets

In the van also pure wool, hotel quality 

And I could be so wrong

But I just believe wool is better

I recon sometimes he smells

But it's not him but the place he swims

He should be brushed more 

But when we are away we can't get down to his level

The knees are crap 

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

He can jump up, find a lonesome picnic table, spread something on top like a big towel and brush/ comb him up there.
Put his fur in a bag and in a bin.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Haven't found that many lonesome picnic tables as yet

And he's not that keen on jumping 

Sandra


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## Lesleykh (Apr 13, 2009)

Ah, the advantages of having lurchers with very short hair. Our previous collie x springer was very hairy, needed a lot of brushing and left his doggy smell everywhere. Our current girls, despite being double trouble in some ways, do not smell much and we no hairy dustballs blowing around corners and down the hall. My mum would certainly tell me if she walked in and the house smelt of dog!

Lesley


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Thanks for all the words of warning. I had been through them all myself anyway  I just don't see us having any choice (by us I mean the owner and us) other than to put them to sleep.


Garcia's point, about walking three, is one that I have worried about. On the vast majority of days there are two of us walking the dogs so they should be manageable. If only one of us is available then I think we will have to walk them separately. It only takes one to spot a hare.....


It is my plan to fit them all with travelling harnesses and train them to remain seated in the back of the truck until told to get out. This should help us to manage them when we arrive on sites or go anywhere like the beach etc. Any suggestions on "crash tested" harnesses welcome.


As regards smell - some breeds smell more than others. I think diet and exercise play a big part in body odour. A good quality diet and plenty of exercise has always sorted any smell issues out with the various dogs we have owned. It is surprising how little exercise some dogs get. Fat dogs always seem to smell more than lean ones too. We walk our dogs for a minimum of an hour and quarter in the morning and 3/4 of an hour (different walk) in the afternoon. Never had a smelly one yet. I think Esther and Max have been used to about 20 mins twice a day so will have to build up slowly and watch for signs of fatigue. They both need to diet  but then so do most dogs nowadays.


Feel so sorry for them as they are living in an empty house at the moment. They have access, at all times, to the garden and relatives visit, from next door, to feed and exercise them. The third dog has, apparently, gone off his food. Brenda's wish is to come home to be with the dogs, albeit for a short time. No one is sure if it can be arranged as she needs 24 hour care. I have offered to take the dogs for a visit if she goes into a hospice. I know that some hospices do allow this.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I have one question Pat, do you love or feel you could love these two dogs ?


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

A lot of people smell.....Personally rather smell dog than people!!


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

There is dog smell ( nice ) and dog smell (stink) 
Some dogs you don't want to touch because then your hands stink.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

We were in a 'truckers' restaurant last month and this odour came upon us. There was only one other 'client' an old bloke with a small dog.
We moved table but he followed us (with dog) to the buffet. It was so overpowering we paid for the drinks and left. Never did work out if it was him or the dog.??

Ray.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Shadow doesn't normally smell, at home he professionally bathed and groomed every couple of months 

And Albert brushes him on the garage workbench 

It just depends on which river/ lake he swims in 
Compte was fine, here at the Rhone a touch iffy, but there's quite a bit of weed about 

Moving on today towards the verdon gorges, that should be clear water !

I recon you will manage just fine pat, 

They will soon settle in with you and a couple of good walks a day will leave them just wanting to rest and relax

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

raynipper said:


> We were in a 'truckers' restaurant last month and this odour came upon us. There was only one other 'client' an old bloke with a small dog.
> We moved table but he followed us (with dog) to the buffet. It was so overpowering we paid for the drinks and left. Never did work out if it was him or the dog.??
> 
> Ray.


There must be something wrong with you sense of smell :grin2:


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Jan, I love all dogs. I have known these dogs for years from meeting them on our regular dog walks. I am sure I will come to love them.


During the years that I worked as a Pet Behaviour Therapist, however. I came to know of all the little nuances that go on between dogs and how stressful many dogs find it living with us humans. This makes me super sensitive to their emotions when I am around them and this, in turn, is very stressful. When I trained we were told that the job was considered to be as stressful as being a psychiatric nurse. I certainly found it stressful mostly because you have to persuade people to change the way they are handling their dog. You then turn into a marriage/family counsellor in order to help them do that.


I, of course, think I should be able to "fix" their behaviour issues and often I can. It takes quite a bit out of me, though, and I can get quite cross with Chris when he handles the dogs in the "wrong" way. It will be us that needs the marriage counselling next ha ha!


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I wish you all the best Pat, I think the breads of the dogs are quite lovable :smile2:

I do think there must be a good bond for communication between dog and owners and this is sometimes missing, but I don´t need to tell you that now do I. :wink2:


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

Well if any of you fancy “bad dog smell” ....I have the thing for you....
It seems to us that a local goat farmer is using a ditch near one of our daily walks to dump the occasional dead goat he has ( tho why he wouldn’t eat it if it died “normally”I don’t know.
Anyway, we’ve had 4 or 5 in the same place over the last year...so I cannot see that they have died naturally all in the same place.???!
But my three horrors have been taking turns to not only scavenge bits of leg and guts, but , now that the current dead one is nicely decomposing....they are rolling in its carcass.....
Omg ...the smell is gagging!
Garcia


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Garcia said:


> Well if any of you fancy "bad dog smell" ....I have the thing for you....
> It seems to us that a local goat farmer is using a ditch near one of our daily walks to dump the occasional dead goat he has ( tho why he wouldn't eat it if it died "normally"I don't know.
> Anyway, we've had 4 or 5 in the same place over the last year...so I cannot see that they have died naturally all in the same place.???!
> But my three horrors have been taking turns to not only scavenge bits of leg and guts, but , now that the current dead one is nicely decomposing....they are rolling in its carcass.....
> ...


Oh dear, I will keep my clapper/mouth shut.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Garcia that is disgusting!


Could you not tell him that your dogs are partial to a bit of goat meat and ask for the next carcase to be delivered shrink wrapped for the freezer?


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

Yes you’re quire right....revolting, but short of keeping them on a lead , I can’t think what to do to stop them. Which reminds me....when you have to have them on the lead, three dogs even with 2 people is hard work!
Garcia


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Part of my worry is that Esther is never let off lead due to her hunting habits. My own dog has to stay on lead in "hare country" which is common round these parts. I am hoping that Esther will be amenable to some reward based training. Her dad used to just follow after her when she went off hunting! Of course she thought he was joining in. Great fun! 
I have the fortune to live opposite a bridle path with no hares nearby so my dog can run free, Max will be able to run free and we will work on Esther. Other trips might involve the car to get there and then one or more dogs can run free.
We do have a large garden too 


Although a retired behaviourist myself, I am going to employ a colleague who is at consultant level to my GP level of expertise. He will come and meet Tigan first to give some more insight into his challenging behaviour. He will also give some input into the management of introducing the other two and then may return if there is seen to be a need.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Shadow is allowed off the lead if we can see no dogs are near

Any dog that shows him aggression is fair game, unfortunately they are usually little jack Russel type whose owners feel they are cute attacking big dogs, I'd prefer they didn't get stuck in his throat 

But he loves to run with the bike, and Albert runs him on a rope lead , and he's to busy running to care 

We can't take him to cafes etc, a waiter rushing towards the table puts him into defensive mode and we can't relax

He has a thing about people in towns , approaching swinging bags etc , danger alert 

But the truth is he's under control at all times 

Unlike the little dog across from us on the last pitch that we have since changed

Who shot out across the road to attack a dog walking past on a lead 

The owner said fine, it wasn't fine, no way should that rope have been long enough to reach the road from their van 

Shadow would have ate it if it had attacked him Although on a head halter he wouldn't have reached it before Albert brought him under control

He is a hound from hell, but a controlled hound from hell

Which sadly we can't say all those dogs we meet are 

Sandra


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Things have moved faster than anyone wanted.


Brenda, the terminally ill neighbour, was desperate to come home to her dogs. Arrangements were made for her to have 24 hour care and she was discharged and arrived home Tuesday. We got a desperate message, later that day, to say that she could not cope with the dogs and could we take them sooner rather than later. The possible new home for, Baxter, Brenda's third dog, a Cockerpoo, is now doubtful so it means all three dogs needed to be removed urgently as Brenda was afraid of falling.


We were booked on an all day Scentwork course at Railway museum in Nottingham, which is a 3 hour drive from here, with our Tigan for Thursday and could not get all of the dogs in the car together. We, therefore, went and picked up Baxter on Wednesday. He is the liveliest of the trio, and we needed to get him out from under Brenda's feet. 


He is adorable! He is also very needy. Loves nothing better than cuddling up to people. This has been indulged by both his previous owners and he is used to sleeping on the bed. As an insomniac, who hears a gnat fart, there is no way I could cope with that. We tried leaving him with Tigan downstairs but the raking of the door and the barking was unbearable. We erected a soft crate and installed it in the bedroom so that he could not jump on the bed but still be near people. He barked in frustration for a full fifteen minutes. By this time it was gone midnight, our nerves are frazzled and we need to leave at 7am in the morning after walking and feeding the dogs.


As Chris is, for a change, a bit proud of his, new to him, Jaguar XK Sportsbrake he did not want Baxter scrabbling all over the leather seats so we put Tigan, as usual, in the back (Baxter jumped over the seats so could not be contained in the back) and put the crate on the rear seat for Baxter. He barked in our ear for a good twenty minutes. It was pure frustration at not being able to lie where he wanted to lie. He settled eventually.


Tigan was a star at Scentwork, searching for hidden cubes of cheese all around the goods yard and missing none of them  We gave Baxter a little introduction to the concept, of seeking out a scent, and he enjoyed himself too.


We pick up the two Golden Oldies today. They looked so confused on Wednesday at being shut out and away from their mum 


Anyone want a Cockerpoo? Good foot warmer on cold winter nights  Seriously, he will make someone a lovely companion. I would keep him but four dogs will not fit into the truck that we use to tow the Fiver with.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Sorry Pat. My first comment still stands.

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I know, Ray


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

I think it will have to be head over heart Pat.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Sometimes things have a way of working out Pat

Could well be someone looking for a dog just like that 

And your gift to your dying nieghbour is priceless 

Sandra


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I am sure it will all be worth it if poor Brenda can relax in the knowledge that her beloved dogs are safe. Poor woman did not have time to grieve for her husband before being pole axed by a terminal illness. The last thing she needed was to worry about her dogs.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Probably all us dog owners are thinking hard about this one Pat.
All second/third or forth hand dogs come with problams, I know most of ours have.
Unfortunately Baxter arrived when you had the appointment booked, I am sure otherwise you would not have been so stressed about it.

With each dog we have taken on we have allowed them to do their own thing for a week, until they can at least trust us a bit if not whole heartedly.
After the week comes the training which mostly is passive training.
Hopefully Tigan will grow to love the other dogs and as he has been hard work for you, and your getting there as you say, maybe the others will learn from him.

Most new dogs try your patience at some time, don´t need to tell you to keep your cool though do I. :laugh:
I honestly can´t remember these two causing any problams though.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Well the rest of the pack arrived yesterday. Baxter, the Cockerpoo, had been picked up early and accompanied up on our day out. Ester and Max said goodbye to their mum yesterday. So sad.


Max, being a Labrador and, so, bred to accompany anyone on a shoot is taking it all fairly well. A bed, a cuddle and dinner thrown in? Yes please!


Esther is a strange one. She went in to Dogs Trust as a puppy and, reading their vet notes, was starving. They guessed that she was Collie/Terrier mix. I have another theory. If you look up breed called a Kooikerhonje you will see that they are not dissimilar to a collie/terrier mix. The reason I think that she might be a Kooikerhonje is her tail. It has the longest feathering I have ever seen. Her owners have trimmed it to keep it clean but I remember it, once, at full length - beautiful. The dogs use it to lure ducks, apparently? Ask Hans if he has every heard of them, Jan. I saw one many years ago and remember the owner saying they were not the nicest of temperaments. Esther has a bit of a reputation for grumpiness.


Anyway, she is a shameless hussy with my Tigan. Having been denied freedom for many years (she hunts), and living in a small bungalow with small garden, the sight of the over acre of a garden here sent her into ecstasy! She flirted and chased Tigan until he begged for mercy  He is 3 and she I 9! She then went on hunting expeditions in the shrubbery. Chris had thought to fence the pond off before they came.


Max is quite lame and Esther looks very stiff in her back and hind quarters so a vet visit has been booked. I expect it is arthritis and so they will get some relief from the pain soon.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Forgot that Baxter, the Cockerpoo, went for a paddle in the pig slurry on our walk! We were warned that he does not like being washed or dried. They were right  We will dodge that area next time.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Neither of us had ever heard of a Kooliwhatsit Pat :grin2: and Hans said he wouldn´t have one because he´d break his tongue trying to prodounce it.
I looked and found these lovely youtube vidio´s, one after another, they are very energetic dogs it seems, well this one is.
Maybe you will have to do what we do with Motley to tire her out, although we have never succeeded in tireing him yet and he is 8 years old, 
you will have seen we play with a tennis racket and ball.
It sounds as if Tigan has a play mate. 
We *may *have had one of these dogs visiting, but she was all sable, I will look out the video with her on.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Looks very much like a brown Border Collie a friend of mine had a while ago


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

That is lovely isn't it Jan? They are supposed to lure ducks with their tails. Can't see why a duck would be attracted to a dogs tail myself, but there. 
Esther definitely has the tail but not sure about the athleticism or the love of water. Perhaps the tail and her similar colouring are an accident. Mind you Esther is nine and arthritic so perhaps she would not be so athletic and would avoid water eh?


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

The dog we had here Hans says was a Sheltie, of course it was, I had forgotten, it was a few years ago, one tends to forget as one gets older :laugh:
We will be interested to know what medication the vet gives them for arthritis, Shade has Metacam every day prior to that he had Phen-Pred which is a very strong anti-inflamitory.
He no longer screams in pain thank goodness, it was quite unbearable to hear and see him in such pain.
I hope everything is sorting itself out, sleeping arrangements etc. Is Baxter still being a pain?


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I think that Metacam is the drug of choice now, for arthritis. Sometimes they will want to do blood test before prescribing it though. I think it affects the liver sometimes. Far better, in my opinion, to have a shorter pain free life than a long and painful one.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Well, Baxter, the Cockapoo, has just trotted off to his new forever home  A lovely family, who already own a Cockapoo, have adopted him. They are fully aware of all his little foibles but are still keen to give him a home 


One of the people who came to look at Baxter was not a good match with him. This was mostly because she works and, although she already has a dog walker in place, Baxter would not cope with being left at home at this stage of his learning. We have helped him to learn to sleep off the human bed by teaching him to sleep in a soft crate and then gradually moving it out of our bedroom. It would not be fair, yet, to leave him home alone for long.


While she was here, however, the lady fell in love with Max, the 11 year old Labrador/Springer! I never, in a million years, thought that he, at his age and with a "Labrador Elbow" lameness against him, would attract a potential new owner. She has had Labradors before and has been looking for an older dog to ease her loneliness. One look at Max and she was besotted! It fair brought a lump to my throat. I home checked her yesterday and she has a list of items to amuse him and help him in and out of the car etc. There are some wonderful people out there 


This means we still have Esther. Esther is nine years old and a very aloof lady. The vet check revealed pain in her spine and she, like Max, is on Carprox anti inflammatory medication and her mobility is much improved. She has been known to snap in the previous home but she was not on pain meds, then, so who knows how she was feeling? If she stays with us we will cope. Tigan seems to like her. She flirts, shamelessly, with him and then, I think, regrets indulging in the ensuing zoomies round the garden


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

There you go pat

Life has a way of working things out 

You just need to give it chance and keep your cool

Sandra


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

So pleased to read your post Pat.


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