How Is Sidney Getting On These Days?

[eve]

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Hi

Just wondered how things were going with your parents and Sidney. I remember that there were a few problems in the first few weeks.

 

[Esty]

Aw, he's doing really well, thanks for asking. The DAP and time out worked for his weird reaction to the living room. He still has his moments but responds very well to training. He's great off the lead, although he just goes for my two if we let them run together It's not nasty to anyone who has sighthounds but when my two retaliate and pin him it must look like a planned dog fight to the uninitiated! Will have to wait til he's older and they are more evenly matched in terms of size. His terrible diarrhoea was an intestinal infection and after some strong antibiotics he was fine. He's a very confident and adaptable little fella, has learned not to jump up (better than my buggers who scratched me today!) and is very good with other dogs.

When we were out last week we bumped into another whippet owner and got talking. Turned out this man had also had Sidney for a night before he came to my Mum and Dad's! His theory was that the original owners had bought the pup on a complete whim (his original name, Marley, is a good clue - did they watch the film and just go out and buy a pup?? Jeez). So this man took Sidney in for a night on foster (Sid had the raging runs already then) but Sid completely harrassed his young whippet to the point where they knew he couldn't stay. So he got passed to the people my Mum got him off and stayed there for a night - did the same with their whippet. He obviously just hasn't been socialised at all. As you know, he was due to go to rescue if my Mum didn't get him. We had him for a couple of weeks and although delightful as an only dog, he's very hard work sharing a home with others. Rosoce and Grover were quite glad when he went home! I will say, he was superb in the car with my two, though. I have the back seats of my car down permanently to make a 'whippetmobile(!) with a big duvet in the back and the three of them travelled together in there no problem at all. :wub: He also adjusted to sleeping in the kitchen again at my Mums with no problem (he slept in my son's bed when he was here as our cat owns the kitchen!)

So it's slow progress but I am still convinced he will be an adult dog in a million once he has settled more.

 

[pepa]

its nice to hear hes settling down if some what slowly one day at a time. :thumbsup:

 

[TillynPip]

So glad to hear he's coming on, albeit slowly. We all earn our place in heaven somehow or other, mine was with our rescue Pip, you and your mum's is Sidney! :blink:

 

[eve]

FANTASTIC

I am pleased that things are going well.

Sidney looks so like Toddy

Toddy is beginning to settle down at last. It just takes a bit more time with rescues. They need to learn all the new boundaries.

I am sure things will continue to get better, just as they have with Toddy.

It has taken 6 months and his passing his 1st birthday before he really settled down.

 

[Esty]

It's definitely a boundaries and socialisation thing with Sidders (as we call him!) I'm becoming more convinced he may have been taken from his litter too early, although the fault could also lie with a lack of socialisation once he left his first home. He still has occasional evenings where he will bark constantly for several minutes (at nothing) and then get himself worked up to a frenzy and start his wheel of death. But when he's like this he will go to bite and really mean it - it's not a mouthing bite, it's a proper I'm gonna get you bite! He does get told off but still does it occasionally. He really needs someone to show him who's boss. My two have started doing it but it looks so mean as they are bigger than him They don't hurt, they just pin him by the neck. He really harrasses them and doesn't get the message when to stop. I find he's like those naughty Year 8 kids who can't control themselves but secretly want someone to be firm and just say stop.

Still, it's early days. I have to keep reminding my Mum that he is only seven months behind my two in age and Roscoe and Grover are dream dogs most of the time now :wub:

 

[eve]

Let Roscoe and Grover do their stuff. It is how he will learn. If either your Mum or Dad have the courage (perhaps wearing gardening gloves), They need to grab him by the scruff of the neck (firmly) and push him to the floor and hold him down untill he calms down. Talk to him firmly but kindly while doing this. A bit like R+G do when putting him in his place. If your parents are unsure of doing this, you could do it the first few times, but in the end, they need to show him that they are the bosses. If he is allowed on the furniture, stop this for the time being (several months) once he has eventually learnt his position, he can be invited onto the sofa by the bosses as a treat. It took Toddy a long time to learn 'NO'! I do agree that both his and Toddy's problems are likely to be the result of very poor socialisation. Toddy was shut outside in a kennel from the age of 4 - 7 months. I would really recommend Jan fennells book the Dog whisperer if you have not read it yet. There is a lot of common sense in it.

I understand just what your parents are going through. There was many a time I felt like giving up and letting someone else deal with Toddy. Time makes such a difference.