Leanne
Sniffer Dog
- Location
- Shropshire, UK
Fantastic to hear!!!!
ALEX, the Bodeguero cross
- Thread starter snowbunny
- Start date
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
What a lovely update! Great to hear that he's settling down a bit now, and I'm not at all surprised that he's got "staff" doing his bidding. He's such a bright boy, it was a travesty to have him cooped up in the shelter with no stimulation for so long.
Routine can be very soothing for dogs, and that's definitely what he needs right now, so he knows he's safe and settled. But in time, it will definitely be better for him to learn to be fluid; dogs that are too set in their ways can become anxious if something unexpected happens and the routine has to shift. Not to mention, you want to be able to do things for yourself without thinking "if I'm five minutes late walking the dog, he's going to spontaneously combust"
I'm sure he'll learn to be adaptable really well once he's got it in his head that what he has now is his new "normal" and not something that's going to be whipped away again.
Keep going with the updates, I love to hear them!
Routine can be very soothing for dogs, and that's definitely what he needs right now, so he knows he's safe and settled. But in time, it will definitely be better for him to learn to be fluid; dogs that are too set in their ways can become anxious if something unexpected happens and the routine has to shift. Not to mention, you want to be able to do things for yourself without thinking "if I'm five minutes late walking the dog, he's going to spontaneously combust"
I'm sure he'll learn to be adaptable really well once he's got it in his head that what he has now is his new "normal" and not something that's going to be whipped away again.
Keep going with the updates, I love to hear them!
- Location
- Buckinghamshire UK
This morning Alex caught and killed a rabbit.
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
If there is a war, you won't go hungry then
- Location
- Buckinghamshire UK
I eat rabbit quite regularly. Looks as if I might be eating it more often now.If there is a war, you won't go hungry then
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
He must be quick, even Charlie has never managed that! x
x
When Brexit starts to bite at least you'll have food xx
- Location
- Buckinghamshire UK
This little dog can move! He is really fast.He must be quick, even Charlie has never managed that!
The down side was that some woman started yelling about the poor little bunny and wasn't I going to do anything about it. All I could say was that the rabbit was dead and did she want me to perform cpr? It is completely natural for a dog to follow it's instincts I'd have thought.
- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Maybe the rabbit had Mixy and was slow so Alex did it a favour. I can't imagine anything other than a Lurcher type dog actually catching a rabbit as they weave to confuse their preditors. Believe me Charlie has tried and he is a super fast Lab x Pointer with more Pointer genes than Lab so he can move! x
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Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
- Location
- Buckinghamshire UK
We think Alex is part pointer hence the "cross" in the title. I should also say that I have had dogs, over the years, catch rabbits before. They will if they are really committed. Amber just enjoys running after them, Poppy thinks it is beneath her and Bear used to have a go when he was younger but was more of a ratter. One of my earlier dogs used to catch them quite often.Maybe the rabbit had Mixy and was slow so Alex did it a favour. I can't imagine anything other than a Lurcher type dog actually catching a rabbit as they weave to confuse their preditors. Believe me Charlie has tried and he is a super fast Lab x Pointer with more Pointer genes than Lab so he can move!
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- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
I had a cat that regularly brought rabbits in, left their bunny tail and rear ends behind the downstairs toilet door xx
xx
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Just catching up on this thread and love all the Alex updates. OK, the rabbit bit is squicking me out a bit but hey...if he's going to do it at least he's got you as his human who is not only matter-of-fact about it but also might get some use of the rabbit?
I'm sorry that you've gone through the biting thing. I'm really finding what @snowbunny recommended and what you've tried to be very interesting, though. Carbon is not bitey but when he gets nervous he pinch/nibbles on me. It only happens when he's really stressed - like when his buddy Paul got adopted or when we arrived in Regensburg and started city life - but the 'make everything boring' seems a great idea as does rewinding back to treating him like a small puppy.
I wonder if it's a bit like humans with PTSD where it helps to dull down outside stimuli and focus on a basic and achievable routine until you can get back in the game? Maybe the stress of going from the streets (or where ever they come from) to the shelter and then to a new home environment causes a similar sort of delayed stress reaction in dogs?
Alex is a very lucky boy and I'm looking forward to your next instalments. Hopefully with no blood - yours or any furry creatures - next time.
I'm sorry that you've gone through the biting thing. I'm really finding what @snowbunny recommended and what you've tried to be very interesting, though. Carbon is not bitey but when he gets nervous he pinch/nibbles on me. It only happens when he's really stressed - like when his buddy Paul got adopted or when we arrived in Regensburg and started city life - but the 'make everything boring' seems a great idea as does rewinding back to treating him like a small puppy.
I wonder if it's a bit like humans with PTSD where it helps to dull down outside stimuli and focus on a basic and achievable routine until you can get back in the game? Maybe the stress of going from the streets (or where ever they come from) to the shelter and then to a new home environment causes a similar sort of delayed stress reaction in dogs?
Alex is a very lucky boy and I'm looking forward to your next instalments. Hopefully with no blood - yours or any furry creatures - next time.
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
I remember many years ago, when one of my German Pointers caught and killed a rabbit, it was a black rabbit (they are wild), I was so upset I held it in my arms and wept for it, it peed on me and then all the fleas left the dead flesh and crawled all over me!
? I think there’s a lesson for us all here...
- Location
- Buckinghamshire UK
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Leanne
Sniffer Dog
- Location
- Shropshire, UK
- Location
- Buckinghamshire UK
Alex has been a joy since I last posted. His character is developing nicely and he adores Amber.
I am now able to see his stress points more clearly and am able to deal with the situation quickly. He responds to LAT well if I cannot remove him from the situation but calming games are definitely the best approach to take most of the time.
He is now just beginning to become a tiny bit more flexible about routine. I'm not pushing it as I think he needs to get his head around things but he was almost an hour late for his morning walk one morning and only started to look a bit anxious toward the end of that hour. I stopped what I was doing within minutes and headed out and he relaxed immediately.
I have introduced him to a dummy and he loves it so I'm thinking about doing some memory work with him in the fields. I think he would love it. He has a very quick and active brain and I think giving him a little more to focus on may work well with him. I am using calming games after each training session and he responds well to these as a "winding down" element.
He still doesn't like my cats but he is learning that a cat in the room means lots of treats so that will continue.
All in all he and I are beginning to understand each other, I think. I am completely in love with this little boy and I think we are going to really enjoy ourselves as our journey continues.
I am now able to see his stress points more clearly and am able to deal with the situation quickly. He responds to LAT well if I cannot remove him from the situation but calming games are definitely the best approach to take most of the time.
He is now just beginning to become a tiny bit more flexible about routine. I'm not pushing it as I think he needs to get his head around things but he was almost an hour late for his morning walk one morning and only started to look a bit anxious toward the end of that hour. I stopped what I was doing within minutes and headed out and he relaxed immediately.
I have introduced him to a dummy and he loves it so I'm thinking about doing some memory work with him in the fields. I think he would love it. He has a very quick and active brain and I think giving him a little more to focus on may work well with him. I am using calming games after each training session and he responds well to these as a "winding down" element.
He still doesn't like my cats but he is learning that a cat in the room means lots of treats so that will continue.
All in all he and I are beginning to understand each other, I think. I am completely in love with this little boy and I think we are going to really enjoy ourselves as our journey continues.