Baby Sitting Nina - Cockapoo

[David]

I think owners of spaniels must be superhuman!

We've got our son's Cockapoo, Nina, for a week while he and his family holiday in France until next Sunday. We've only had her for a day and we (including Poppy) are exhausted.

She's a lovely dog but never stops. Pops played with her lots but then wanted to stop. Nina persisted and Poppy got fed up with that in the end and gave Nina a nip. So they've settled at last.

They've had 3 walks today. We'll be really fit by the end of the week at this rate!

Wish us luck.

 

[Jacqui-S]

My scant experience of spaniels is that of an inability to relax!

 

[Lisa]

You might have a whole new appreciation of Pop-dog after this week is over

 

[Cath]

It could be worse David, its only for a week, it could of been for two

 

[David]

They have sorted themselves out and seem to be rubbing along fine now. Just the occasional madness. Last night we took a chance and let them sleep together. Absolutely fine with both of them in Poppy's bed.

The morning walk is actually quite fun. I'm getting used to two dogs on leads. The trick seems to be to get the leads so neither dog is ahead. The only thing that needs a bit of work is Poppy walks nicely on a slack lead but Nina pulls. I'm seeing if I can get her walking to heel l by the time we hand her back on Sunday.

 

[Boogie]

Photos are required!

 

[David]

Last night and this morning.

 

[kateincornwall]

@David what grand photos they are x

 

[jazzmynn]

 

[Jacqui-S]

Perfect

 

[Lisa]

Beautiful!!

 

[David]

It's also been a learning curve. Neither of us have had to look after more than one dog, but as you multiple dog owners will already know, it's a different game with a pair. I tend to look on Poppy as a pseudo human to a certain extent - I know, I know, please don't start! With the two of them it's got me looking at them like dogs properly. So a good experience all round, I think and a lot of fun (when they aren't kicking off!).

On the subject of "kicking off". Every now and then Nina will approach Poppy and Poppy will kick off with snarling and mouthing with Nina doing it back to Poppy. This is all in a whirl of bodies on each other, upside down and round and round. I'm at a loss to whether it's just play or if there is a bit of assertiveness going on. They don't bite each other or anything like that but it looks and sounds really alarming. If they do it when I'm out walking them it all gets very difficult and I have trouble getting it under control. This morning I was near a kissing gate so I got one through the gate and then shut the other one out for about 30 seconds while they calmed down. No more trouble after that. What do you think? During the day they pretty much stick together like glue and if they are snoozing they do that together. As I type this they are sitting next to me on the conservatory sofa.

 

[Jacqui-S]

@David I always remember those fab photos/videos that @snowbunny posted of Willow and Shadow all teeth and noise having a "play" fight. It can certainly look alarming. Sounds like "a wee domestic " but unlikely to come to any harm.
Definitely not a good look out and about though.......

 

[Stacia]

I walk with a friend and she sometimes brings 2 German Shepherds, they behave in exactly the same way, it looks alarming! However, it is play but can get out of hand, so Hilary puts a stop to it after a while.

 

[edzbird]

Every now and then Nina will approach Poppy and Poppy will kick off with snarling and mouthing with Nina doing it back to Poppy. This is all in a whirl of bodies on each other, upside down and round and round.

Our two do this every day. It's quite "violent" to see, but watching them carefully, they take turns being "the aggressor" and there is a constant battle to be the dog on it's back as this seems to be the "Top Dog" position. It sometimes explodes out into the garden if the door is open and I have to step in incase the neighbours think I'm holding Dog Fights. I rarely take them out on a walk together, but on the odd occasion I have they've never done this Fun Fighting.
Very rarely it get's out of hand - always Meg - and they have to be stopped. This is usually when she has picked up a tuggy toy in the middle of the "fight" but it's easily diffused and then they can start up again with the Fun Fight.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Something about spaniels and Labradors! Carbon has come to his spaniel appreciation later in life, but has now hit it full on, falling in love almost immediately with any spaniel he comes across.

I always love reading about Poppy's adventures!

 

[David]

Well late last night my son and his family arrived back from their holiday in France and called in to pick up little Nina. What a journey! They allowed plenty of time, fortunately. The queued for 3 1/2 hours at Calais to get through passport control and then made it to the ferry at the last possible minute. They got on but their friends 2 cars behind didn't make it!

Nina was so excited to see them all again. We took her out into the drive to meet them because she still has a tendency to wee unexpectedly when she's very excited. I took Pops too so she could see Nina getting into the car. I thought she might have been confused if Nina just disappeared.

Poppy was very subdued on our walk this morning. She obviously missed her little nutcase friend. I miss her too - it was great having the two of them for the week. On the upside, Jo (son's OH) is off work this week and we are meeting up with her tomorrow so the dogs can walk together again. That's all going to be after gundog training with Poppy in the morning so I guess she will be quite tired.

On the subject of the gundog training, it's becoming a bit of a struggle. I think Poppy can't quite see the point of it all and loses interest. I went through the same phase with our last girl, Lady, but she perked up when she got onto cold game. Hopefully that will happen with the Pop dog too. More about that later.