"don't Expect It! Your Talking About A Whippet You Know&#3

[Sadie]

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That was the line by OH threw me this morning when I tearfully said we seem to be taking one step forward and ten back with Jacques. :>

Yesterday really threw me when we trotted off for our morning walk, and Jacques insisted on jumping up at me every 2 feet. I managed 50 yards then turned for home, grabbed OH and we tried again. This time no problem. He still spends almost as much time looking behind and around him than in front, but at least he kept four paws on the ground! o

I really value my quiet time around the block or over the fields, and to think Jacques will only settle if OH is around makes me cross/upset/confused/frustrated. Past years have seen such joy with our whips, that this new scenario is sickening. I never realised how much Jacques depended on Sammy.... :huggles:

Perhaps swapping leads doesn't help. We use the short, leather lead for road work and the longer extend-able lead for when we go up the lane as Jacques loves to stride out before we get to open fields. This tends to lend itself to Jacques weaving and wandering across the pathway and into the road. (w00t)

My sadness is at 63 and with 40 years of whippet keeping behind me, I feel as if we are novices struggling with the simplest of things. My middle son and partner are still waiting for Baby to arrive, and my youngest son has started a rather `shock to the system` 2 year course at College. Where I used to take solace in my hounds even there it's not good place to be!! :teehee:

I even said how lovely it would be to take him into town on quiet days, or to the local pub for outside lunch, or to a Car Boot Sale to socialise him more - which is when he said "you don't do that sort of thing with whippets!!!"

Sorry to moan. I need to get this out of my system! (w00t)

I know that getting a puppy was a sort of life line but unless the whole family are on the same page as me it won't work. Perhaps once Jacques settles and starts enjoying life outside the home, we can find a young girlie for him.

A tearful and weary Sadie x

 

[Hula]

I don't know why you can't take him to car boot sales , pubs etc ?

I regularly go to everything with 3 whippets and a poodle . Of course they don't always behave perfectly but then again neither do people and it doesn't stop them going ! If I didn't take my dogs everywhere I would never go anywhere .

Perhaps Jacques is picking up on your anxiety ?

 

[Sadie]

Hi Hulu. Well I am certainly stressed, but only since this has happened. As we come up to ther dog walkers I get Jacques to "wait" until they pass in order to give everyone space and peace. Hubby says I should carry on as if they weren't there, as stopping only makes Jacques more nervous. Any thoughts on this one???? We often meet other dogs at Car Boots but OH thinks Jacques is still to nervous to cope with it all.

BTW I PM`d you.

Sadie x PS I so agree on the canine/human behaviour thingy. Amazes me how many people (doggie ones and not) MISbehave when out!!

 

[Hula]

Sorry to say it but I agree with your husband ! I would just keep a firm grip on the lead and walk by anything he is frightened of . Keep up quite a speed and totally ignore any behaviour you do not like . If he ignores things you can praise him once you have passed them .

If Jacques gets nervous about things just ignore that too . By reassuring him you are just making things worse .

 

[Sadie]

Thanks Hulu. I'm having a day off today, so the boys can sort the hound out. Found a good book and decided to stay in my dressing gown too. Personal TLC I think! o

Perhaps the new baby will arrive soon and we can put the doggy thing on the back burner for a while!!!!

Thanks again for your advice. :thumbsup:

Sadie x

 

[TTT]

Reading your posts over the past few weeks, I honestly think you are exacerbating this dog's behaviour and run the risk of ending up with a neurotic animal, causing more stress to yourself and the dog. I don't think bringing a young pup into this situation is going to be good for anyone involved. Working on the dog you have first may be your best option. There has been plenty of good advice given to your posts. Good luck.

 

[Sadie]

Thanks TTT. How are we exacerbating Jacques behaviour? We are putting most advice into practise, ie praise for positive behaviour ignoring negative. For some reason, Jacques can be almost perfect one day, and a real trial the next though! I see him shaking and quivering and think we are a long way off building his confidence - then something will happen and sanity is restored - just! (w00t) Hindsight says we would have been silly to add a young pup to an already unstable canine atmosphere but it was more clutching at straws idea than anything. Thankfully hubbie said "wait until Jacques is in a better place" and that's what we're doing. (Still loved the lurcher girlie though!)

K9 support has been really useful for which we are grateful. I think taking a step back from this "good dog, bad dog" syndrome we find ourselves in is a good idea, though. All of a sudden he is more a trial than a pleasure, and this can't be right! :sweating:

Thank you for your good wishes.

Sadie x

 

[Breeze mum]

How I sympathise! Both our dogs are rescues and although not puppies they have both had issues, particularly with other dogs. I've gone home in tears before now, convinced I would never get them to be manageable. It took about a year with Breeze the greyhound before I felt fully confident of her behaviour. I've yet to get to that wonderful state with our naughty little terrier, Sky, but he was a lot older and had a bad time before he came to us. He's wonderful now compared to when we first got him. Do persevere and don't get downhearted, you will get there gradually, two steps forward and one step back. It's true that your mental attitude has a great effect - calm and assertive is the state to aim for and always picture a good outcome, try to keep out the negative thoughts. Dogs pick negative thoughts up in a flash. All the best!

 

[Sadie]

Breeze Mum thank you for that verbal tonic! I am aware I've begun to sound like a demented menopausal idiot recently but truly, this has got me down.

We have a the young lady who first offered her help to us coming in on 4th Oct for 2 hours. She said to buy a pup with Jacques present state would be disastrous as he could try to protect her as well. Also the pup would probably pick up on Jacques behaviour then we would have two unstable hounds!! I hadn't thought of that....

We are being more firm with the boy now. Not cruel just firm. I'm rejecting the longer length lead in favour of the short leather one and will ask Rachel if she feels a half-choke chain will give us more control.

I admire Cesar Milan and his techniques, and realise that calm, assertive attitude is what counts. We will get there!! o

Sadie x

 

[Breeze mum]

Firm is definitely the thing! Yes, I'm a Cesar Milan fan, he saved my life with the greyhound, I was in such despair then I discovered his programmes. On the subject of leads, for our terrible terrier we got a fairly short one of the loop type that Cesar uses and found it gave us good control. However, my husband takes him out on an extending one nowadays so he can have a bit of a run around - he's not trustworthy off lead as he ran away twice. I still walk him on the other lead though. It's true that dogs pick up the bad habits from a new dog instead of the good. Breeze was well-behaved by the time we got Sky but she started copying him, even including trying to lift her leg to pee instead of squatting! It looks so silly!

 

[Sadie]

I often wish i could lift my leg to pee instead of stripping all the layers off...especially in winter!!!!