Pick Me Up!

[The Duke]

I fell sleep just before midnight, and I’ve just given up trying to get back to sleep. It’s current 03:58  and spent the last 20 minutes begging my body to have two more hours!

[RSB]

Prety much the same although I did not want to wake the cat so I stopped in bed till a suitable time. Its like having a baby with the youngest cat. Once she’s awake it’s play time.

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[The Duke]

Lol, I do the same with the dogs, I’ll creep out the bed room and down to the office, not to wake them.

I’ve just woke the kids up and now tired again, have an appointment at 11, so I’m gonna try and grab an hour now and let wifey sort the kids out. I usually do it being I’m always up.

Got some paperwork done I’m the night so not all waisted time. Best thing about being awake at night is the house is silent. Asking as the dogs are asleep. My girl dog the one we had had to bottle feed demands to sit on my knee when I’m my presence so it gets cramped under my desk, with her omy knee (good job she isn’t much bigger than a cat), and my boy dog curled around my feet.

Thou at night they sleep with the kids mostly, the giirl I’m the girsls room, and not on the lads room, both on the top bunks. So if I wake them I have to go in and lift them down. Otherwise they howl on the beds. Some the girl dog will jump down, but not in the dark.

[RSB]

Little one sleeps at side of me all night. And usualy sleeps through. I’d rather know were she is rather than rummaging around the house while im asleep.

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[JayCeeDee]

Early on when we started the dogs, we had a GSD pup. The wife thought she was ill she was so quiet. She just mooched around, no mad playful puppy stuff!! It turned out she was only 6 weeks old and had been taken from her mum too early. I dealt with this by having her on my lap to comfort her, while sitting at the computer, which was out in the conservatory at the time. 5 years later, if she’s in the same room, or if I’m sitting out in the garden, she still tries to get back on my lap.   :scratch:

[Ed P]

If you are a registered carer then you may be able to get a break. link

[The Duke]

What is a GSD? Same with our pup, she was shunned by her mother at 4 weeks, so I bottle fed her for atleast 4 weeks , and now she thinks I’m rather her mother or husband lol.

My other dog the boy, is compleat diffent I’m temperament, he will sit you for about an hour of the day at most , but spend s most of his time lay halfway up the stairs a sleep. The girl just lay omy lap.

Luckily she is timely, even for a shistzu , the boy is big and a great specimen, everyone who knows the breed is always impressed with him, and as would we bread him. We had him done though . The girl is the definition of a runt, and sadly has been bread and bread to death, to the point she had hardly any snout and had had difficulties as a pup breathing. She sounded like a pig, now she just snores rotten. Hence why she doesn’t sleep with me. Lol.

What she does have going for her though is her lovable needy tepremt. The boy is aloof , and I think he feels he is to good for us most of the time. Lol.

[Richard]

I feel you are reporting some of the outward symptoms while the cause(s) are more deeply burred. It might be a physical or neurological cause but either way I feel it does need some external help to draw it out and sort things out.

RSB, I can see you have recently had a lot on your plate and clearly there are issues that have not been correctly or fully resolved to your satisfaction. As you appear to be a carer make sure you are recorded as such on any medical records as you should, (note the word should) get some enhanced medial support. It is very easy to slip into self destructive ways and these will do no one any good. To spell it out, it harms you, stops support for your mother and increases problems for support agencies. I know they can be crap at recognising a hand in front of their face, but they really do not want to risk any further assault on their budgets, e.g. if they might need to enhance services for your mother. Do be aware that long term stress can have serious impacts on your physical health which is another  reason for getting thoroughly checked out before something blows. Do watch out for danger signals, one can all too easily slip into self destructive ways, while superficially eating well and looking after one’s health risky (from a health point  of view) behaviours can slide in on the rationalised basis that things are bad enough so they cannot get worse. Sadly they can get worse if not sorted out in time.

The good news is that it is not too late, (I still feel that there is an unhealthy dollop of consequent depression in play.)

[JayCeeDee]

German Shepherd Dog. ( otherwise known as Alsatian, )

Two more loud snorers are Pugs and French Bulldogs. Same problem – no snout!!

I know what you mean about the runt, one of the French Bulldogs we have is the same. She has digestive problems and looks like she’s starved. So much so the owner gets dirty looks and nasty comments when she takes her for walks. ( Some people are just idiots!! ) The problem is she eats her food so fast, she used to chuck it straight back up – this is improved with a slowdown bowl where the food sits in a “maze” inside the bowl, so she scoops it out gradually with her tongue, rather than scoffing it in mouth-fulls.  But she still needs four smaller meals a day, or it overloads her tummy. :negative:

[The Duke]

We had 3 German shepherds growing up one was huge and hated people, he was mistreated before we got him at about 20 months old. Such a loyal and protective dog. Loved other dogs.

My other two loved people and thought they was people, but hated other dogs. All great dogs, the sad thing is cos I I got them when I was small, by the the the I was 18 they was all gone. ?

I always thought small dogs was a stupid and worthless idea, of the dog couldn’t protect the home , what’s the point. How wrong I was, I now have 2 of probaly the gayest dogs you could own, (especially when groomed ), but they are a fantastic breed, they love kid, and other dog, they are so laid back you would thing they was dead half the time , and they don’t mind being man handled by kids. Infact they really take to kids as that is what they was origanlly breed for.

To sleep on rich kids beds and alert guards to strange noises. They was a child friendly intruder alarm . The Tibetan mastiff , (what an animal ) was bread to parol the outside keep intruders bear and wolves away.

In Tibetan the name of a shiztu is lion dog. As when there hair grows out the have a slender back end and grow a mane. They look cool @nd more manly, at that stage, then they turn onto ewokes. If we wasn’t so lazy with the combing that’s how I’d keep them, but it takes to much bushing. The big one would let you,but the small girl is a right scruff and doesn’t like the brush.

 

I just remembered my profile pick is my male dog I’m ewoke mode at 8 months old. Just after a face and bum trim.

 

[JayCeeDee]

When a new dog comes in, it’s only the small ones that react to the bell. Mainly Jack Russells, Shih Tzu’s and a Puggle ( Pug/Beagle cross ), the bigger ones just watch at the door to see who’s coming to play!!

[Bob Williams]

I always had GSD’s: thanks for bringing that in John, I shied away from that acronym on previous MM posts, to save having to explain it! :scratch:

My Army dog Blue was a monster, brought up as a Attack dog, don’t think the Army trains them for that now. I used to wake in my bunk in whatever NI s****hole I was in at the time, to sense him, stood at the side of my bed and just staring at me. He was shot in NI, the Army made that my last tour because it gave me such a hatred of those scumbags. I still cannot see McGuiness or Anderson on TV, have to leave the room. I see McGuiness is suffering and very ill now, hope he lives a long time like that. I cannot help those feelings, I know too much about those people in those times. They were the Planners, the brains who sent others out to kill and maim. Blair should be ashamed of what he did, exactly the same appeasement as Chaimberlain in Munich, 1938.

I had another monster, JJ, when I was workshop foreman: boss/mate brought him to the garage one day and gave him to me. He wanted me to try to train an almost-grown GSD which had been badly treated, so much so that he hated everyone and everything. My boss had a farm and I ran the workshop. The adjacent farm was owned by a man who should never have been allowed to keep any animals. He kept the dog in a locked shed for days at a time with no food or water. JJ dug his way out  and killed a full-grown boar, ate some before running off to the boss’ farm. Boss brought him back, carrying his shotgun, pointed it up the other guy’s nose, put £50 on the table. “I’m buying the dog or your brains are on the ceiling!” He got the dog, made the guy sign a receipt. I got the result next day.

I don’t know why, might be a little of my training, but I have always been able to calm some temperamental dogs. There are some I never would approach, I sense something in them, usually it’s the older ones who have been abused and they are so set in their ways that the only real answer is permanent sleep. But I felt something about that dog, so I spent 2 weeks with him. I slept in a sleeping bag in the workshop; for 2 nights he would go to the other end and growl, 3rd night I woke up and he was asleep beside me. Last 3 nights, he was wrapped around the sleeping bag, and oh my, did he stink! Next day I gave him a bath with a bucket of soapy water and a hosepipe, dried him off with the air compressor on low. He loved that! Then he was mine and the bossman was p*****d off because he could do nothing with him. That dog loved me and I loved him. He would go home with me at times, loved my missus and my kids, still hated everyone else except the garage staff. Totally ignored the boss. Biggest GSD I ever had, I could get my whole hand on top of his skull, between his ears and space either side. He lived for 15 years, got arthritis in his rear hips, then in his front shoulders, could hardly walk. Boss’ lads and I had him put down on his favourite spot, a bank above the garage where he liked to sit in the sun. We buried him there, 3 grown men walking back down the bank, crying our eyes out. I never had another like him.

I am thinking about taking an old rescue dog, something small, Westie size. We have decided to just take UK self-catering holidays now, don’t like putting them in kennels. Lady next door has two white Westy girls, they are smashing dogs. Can’t handle anything big now, but walking a dog will give me more excuse to get out.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[The Duke]

A shiztu is a great chioce as the are by nature a loving breed, they don’t malt, (so no added hovering ) , they don’t really play with toys, so don’t have a habit of chewing woodwork and paper, and the big one, they don’t need walking, so when the weather is bed you can miss a day or so. My boy gets restless about day 4 or 5.

Also I never had to teach mine on or off a lead. When on the walk behind me, when off, the run about 50m ahead and behind.

There one issue is the a difficult to house train, my boy must of been hitting two when he stopped daily pooping on the door mat. The oppersite door to which he goes out.

But a year on the accessed are few and far between and only if been left in a long time. So I don’t shout at him for that, as he is always sheepish , so I know he knows it’s wrong. What does still annoy me is it’s behind the front doors so more than once I’ve stepped in and slid in it!

It’s at that point doth dogs spit in different directions and my young girl says what you swearing at dad!

[Bob Williams]

My way to stop that pooping  in wrong places Steve;

Pick an area where you want the dog(s) to do it. Remember that it’s not what you say, it’s the tone of voice. Point to the poop they just did and say “BAD!!!” in the voice they don’t like, you will know the one (or your youngest will!) Take the dog to the spot you want them to do it and say “Good dog/boy/girl, whatever you say when they have done something good, in whatever tone you use at the time they do good. Maybe a treat. Repetition does the rest, dogs are simple animals and it takes time for it to sink in – “Oh he likes that!” You can vary that by poop-scooping the original and taking it to the spot, more “Good.”

I have only hit any of my dogs in very exceptional circumstances. Loosely rolled newspaper or magazine, tap on the nose. Second most painful part of a dog’s anatomy: guess which is the most? Yep, canine’s testes. :yes:  😉 But waht really hurts them, is a “Bad!” followed by ignoring them for a bit. Worked every time for me.

Have to say that waking up with a monster GSD across our duvet, was never SWMBO’s idea of a threesome…. :unsure:  🙂 Although when I was young, I once woke up next to someone that – no, not going there.     :whistle:  :negative:

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[JayCeeDee]

I just spent 45 minutes formulating probably the longest post I’ve made and it kicked me out. Told me I had to be logged in to reply to the post, well I was, or the “Reply To” box wouldn’t be there!! :scratch:  🙁

[The Duke]

Yes bob I don’t like the old school appoch, the File say you need to give shit a two IP the rear that’ll teach him. I’ve definitely felt like it , but preserved with the way you outlined.

It eventually sank in with him. But tbh I think his iq isnt the highest around, and shiztu are known to be a stubborn dog, with a mind of their own. So alot of repation is needed .

I could of probably beat it into him in a quarter of the time, but I’d rather be respected me than fear me.

I have my pissed off voice down to a tee. With  20 years with a women and 5 children , it just comes naturally!

ATM my girl is 8, so the voice is brought out by 08:00 each morning then not long after she gets in from school, then again once her and my 15 year get together soon after 16:00h . And anytime my 3 oldest, now adults, are in a room for more than 5 mins , my voice is used often then

As a child, my day was old school, and straight to fear is the answer, punch , kick then ask what I’d done. The worst work)d in the word was mum says “that’s it, enough chances, wait till I tell your dad” that was enough for me to fall in line.

I said to my wife, that would never be me. But must admit to just 2 times I come to blows with our eldest, (the one now at uni), and on both occasions was him seeking domanance and being drunk , first at  17, I just put him in a stress potion untill he calmed, the second he was 18, and drink, but in)icky for him I was a bit worse for wars to, and I payed him out, after he hit me 3 or 4 times.

He hit me 2or3 times and o had hold of him and said one more time I’m going to really hot you, I slowly let go and he landed on on the top of my head. So… He learnt a lesson that you don’t mess with  overwieft ex marines.

His mother went mental with me and so how it was all my fault. Tho to be honest, I’d done wonders for our relationship, in the father son thing, there from 14 or 15 they just stop talking to you, it wasn’t long after when we start getting along again.

He broke he kills on my head to that night …. Another lesson leared I hope. It to me more than one head to work out it’s a bad idea. I have, or rather don’t have the knuckles to prove it :negative:

Between my misshapen knuckel, numourous large scares (on my right) and my nail nighting, when meeting new clients ,or old interviews, I’ll all was attempt to hide them. They had a rough 10 years from 15 onwards.

[JayCeeDee]

People are always asking us about training, and one of the best house training aids are crates. A few people are against them as they would not “lock up/imprison” their pets, however the dogs see it as security – a place they can enjoy. We have had dogs that have never seen a crate and yet they will claim one as theirs. If you give them a treat like a dentastix or Bonio, they will take it off you and go into a crate to eat them. A good way to acclimatise a dog to a crate is to put their bowl of food down into one and leave the door open.
Dogs will never voluntarily soil where they sleep, it’s inherent in their nature.
Dogs will normally let you know when they need to go out, you just have to recognise the signs, and they vary immensely. Take every opportunity to imprint what’s what with the dog. Take him into the garden when he asks, tell them ” Good boy/girl, go do your wee’s and poo’s” – yes you sound like an idiot, but dogs are inherently smart and will pick up on a phrase and react accordingly. Always reward the desired behaviour. Just a small piece of chicken can be the best training aid.
Choose yourself a place in the garden that you want them to use and next time they wee indoors, mop it up with one of those training pads and stake the pad into the ground at the spot with a tent peg or similar. Placiing a dump there helps too – no!! – one of theirs:):)
Bob, that’s a great idea with an older, smaller rescue dog, just be aware what you might be taking on. Some insurance companies heavily penalise ( or won’t cover ) dogs with pre-existing illnesses and that can get seriously expensive. Don’t always believe how the rescues describe the dogs, try for one where the history is known. Always judge with the head, not the heart.
I only ever knew them as Alsatians up until the mid to late 70’s. They were called GSD to distinguish them from other “wolf like” Shepherd Dogs as opposed to “border collie like” Shepherd Dogs from around the world. Belgian and Australian SD’s are probably the next best known.
I got my first dog – a GSD – when I left home and went to live in a big flat. I got him from Battersea, and to this day I still think we chose each other – eventually. The first time I saw him in his pen, he was at the back of the pen, snarling at anyone who went past. But there was something in his eyes that I read as not meaning it. ” I don’t trust anymore, so go away”. I did due diligence and went round the other pens, but my heart wasn’t in it any more, so I went back and stood at the front of the pen, looking into the distance. About 5/10 minutes later, his curiosity got the better of him and he came and stood at the front, leaning against the mesh. I put my fingers through and scratched behind his ears and that was that. He was 2 – 2 1/2 years old and I had him for 10 years, until his back legs gave up on him. We also got a GSD pup, he was a big lad too. He weighed in at 98 lbs at 6 months old. The only way we could get him worn out enough to start training was to take him on a 5 mile walk and hope to meet something that matched him for energy and chased around. Then I’d stop in a field just before the car park and put in an hour with him. He had so much energy he would jump over a settee to get out of the room, instead of walking round it. Unfortunately, we had just brought our son home and whereas he would never have hurt him deliberately, he could easily have just landed on him.:( Still, as I was into training at the time, we had two police dog handlers that ran the group and they sent their Inspector round to see him and he said they would love to take him on, so he became a Police Dog and had quite a career by all accounts.
Steve – I describe that voice as a cross between a stroppy teenager and an anal headmaster!!

[The Duke]

John they was called German shepherds up until Ww2 then their names was changed,(probably took to the 70s to fully catch on),  bit like great grandads name, he wasn’t an dog though , well he was if you believe the storys. He was a royal navy officer, of German birth, and had all the navel traits apparently, as did his sons.

Alsatian is now the propper name again. GS is just a hangover. That’s why I didn’t get the reference of GSD.

[JayCeeDee]

It’s a generational thing then, being born in 51 I knew them as Alsatians, ( their origin being from the Alsace-Lorraine region on the French /German border, that belonged to either country depending on who won the last war and which date you used!!) but it all changed back to GSD again in the late 70’s which was when I was heavily into dog training.

There’s an interesting article HERE.

[The Duke]

Sorry your correct, I got it arse end round. It always was GS then it changed for the war years then back to GS afterwards , wonder if it was a EEC membership stipulation lol.

I grew up in the 90s calling them alllies, and still refere to them as such, and get pulled up every time by my local dog trainer and food supplier.

I don’t know how I mixed it up above. Just ignore me. Lol

[Author]

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