ALEX, the Bodeguero cross

A

Aitch

Location
Buckinghamshire UK
Alex had his first stuffed kong today. I rarely give them to my dogs but I wanted to see how he would do with it. At first he couldn't figure it out and grew bored with it so I held it for him and as soon as he got the hang of it he was away. He loved it! I'd filled it with yoghurt, blueberries and apple with a peanut butter plug. This would make a high value reward for him I think. He really loved it. :)
 
snowbunny

snowbunny

Location
Andorra and Spain
Aw, so glad to hear that he's settling down again. I don't think it's surprising at all that he craves routine and predictability, but as you said before, once he's truly settled it will likely help him to deal with things in the future if you can start to introduce tiny changes to his routine so that he can learn a bit of resilience to change.

Alex's first Kong! Brilliant, so glad he liked it once he'd worked it out :)
 
A

Aitch

Location
Buckinghamshire UK
The grandchildren came to visit today. It threw Alex into a spin. He was barking at them and then decided he had to protect me from them. I think this is because they weren't introduced to him properly as I would have preferred. I got my son to take the babies into his room so I could work with Alex and this time he calmed down quickly with me which made me pleased and proud of him.
Next time the babies (3 1/2 and 1 year old) come over I will make sure they are introduced properly in the hope that he will connect with them.
 
snowbunny

snowbunny

Location
Andorra and Spain
Wow, 3 1/2 and 1 - that's a handful! Alex was really good with the young children he met when I was out with him, but babies are a completely different thing, especially in "his" space. It sounds like you have it well in hand. I imagine the 3 year old will be where the potential problems will lie, as at that age s/he will be a lot more mobile than the youngest, so slowly-slowly with them all, as I'm sure you will do.
How is he doing with your son now?
 
A

Aitch

Location
Buckinghamshire UK
snowbunny said:
Wow, 3 1/2 and 1 - that's a handful! Alex was really good with the young children he met when I was out with him, but babies are a completely different thing, especially in "his" space. It sounds like you have it well in hand. I imagine the 3 year old will be where the potential problems will lie, as at that age s/he will be a lot more mobile than the youngest, so slowly-slowly with them all, as I'm sure you will do.
How is he doing with your son now?
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He is still getting used to my son but is a lot less stressed about him than he was, thankfully. The older child is used to being around dogs so he wasn't phased by Alex but Alex was certainly upset by him and really didn't like their mother at all. She came in and dropped the kids off and Alex took an instant dislike to her. I haven't seen that in him before. Good judge of character I'd say.
 
A

Aitch

Location
Buckinghamshire UK
Today Alex has played the clown all day. He started out at breakfast. They have to sit and wait while their meal is sorted out and then they can walk up to get it when they are called by name. Poppy and Amber did just that but Alex waited and when he was called got up on his back legs and walked to me that way. He knows it makes me laugh when he does that and I obliged by laughing and then giving his breakfast.
Later he decided I hadn't made his bed properly. He pulled it all apart and watched as I put all back together and as soon as I straightened up he grinned at me, leapt into my chair and went to sleep there.
This evening I wanted takeaway and when it arrived I was sorting out plates to put it on and heard a noise behind me. I turned around and, yep, there was Alex gently carrying the takeaway bag by it's handles, just following me around. I took it away from since it still had my meal in it so he grabbed the serving spoon I had just put down, dashed to the table and placed it gently down. By this time I was laughing loudly and he was grinning all over his face.
My boy is a comic! :inlove:
 
A

Aitch

Location
Buckinghamshire UK
Alex is stressed again. OH has gone to Munich this week for work (and Octoberfest) and Alex really doesn't like change in his life. I'm getting bitten a lot at the moment. I'm sure he will settle eventually though.
 
Lab_adore

Lab_adore

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Sydney, Australia
I've just read this from the beginning as I needed to catch up. You have done, and are doing an absolutely amazing job with Alex @Aitch .

I was sorry to hear about your son's situation, that is really sad.
 
Lisa

Lisa

Moderator
Location
Alberta, Canada
Aitch said:
Alex is stressed again. OH has gone to Munich this week for work (and Octoberfest) and Alex really doesn't like change in his life. I'm getting bitten a lot at the moment. I'm sure he will settle eventually though.
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It took Simba about 6 months to settle in with us. He had the initial upset of coming to our place, was with us for a couple weeks and we found out we’d be keeping him, got neutered, and about a month later OH and I went off on our previously planned 6 week holiday, leaving my two adult sons in charge. In the midst of that they came down to visit for a week (also pre-Simba planned) so pooch had to go to the kennel. Then we came back and sons left.

So needless to say there was a lot of upheaval for the poor pooch. So I completely understand the problems that can come along with that. But if Alex is anything like Simba, he will eventually figure out who he belongs to and what the routines are and these things won’t phase him as much. For Simba it was a marked change. OH and I both said it was like he took a deep breath and the slightly frantic edge to him just slipped right off, leaving us with a walking garborator/cuddle bun. :)

Hopefully you will find the same. In the meantime, try to keep things as regular and normal as you can for him and hopefully he will relax.
 
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