Jasper's diary

[Whippylove]

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Marley is the same, if he knows he's going for a walk or during play then thats when he starts to disco dance!

 

[JoanneF]

That would fit into the general arousal (not sexual, just excitement) description then @Josie. Timber does it if he is both excited and a little unconfident in his environment. In hindsight I wish I had had him neutered a little later but you can't sew them back on!

 

[JudyN]

Thanks @JoanneF - as Josie says, it's a great article. With Jasper, it's overexcitement too. He has a lively time when he's just had his tea and that's the time when if I play with him - or try to do my yoga - he'll get that look in his eye...

Of the two girls he tried to mount, one had just come out of season. The other was a 7-month-old pointer and he was really persistent, though I don't think she had her first season for some time after. With the cockerpoo, it's definitely overexcitement from play, but I'm not quite sure what's going on there as he's never played with another dog like that. He can be a bit of a bully and doesn't really self-handicap (apart from when playing chase) so he gets a bit rough and I have to make sure F is still up for it, and give them breaks if J gets a bit intense.

The other dog was a lab who had several medical problems and was on medication. Jasper was completely OTT with him, and had his lipstick well and truly out which he hasn't on the other occasions. I had to put a stop to that as he really wasn't going to take no for an answer.

I do find it fascinating how different he is with different dogs. But then humans are the same too, aren't we? We're all choosy to some extent about who we hump with

He has been known to do it with his bed too but I discourage that simply because he likes to grab it in his mouth as well and make big holes in it. When he was young and did it more he had a special octopus toy I encouraged him to use instead.

 

[Josie]

Oh @JudyN that did make me laugh!

 

[JudyN]

Woof!

Yesterday we spotted a big tree-eater!!! It was eating great big normous tree trunks as if they were tripe sticks and pooing them straight out the other end in teeny weeny bits that went flying through the air! (A bit like when I had a very poorly tummy, Mum says.) It was very noisy too and I was a bit worried. But I know I can tell Mum if I'm frightened and she won't make me do anything I find too scary so I was a Brave Boy and walked past it with her.

Then I looked at her to ask if I got a treat for being a Brave Boy and she told me I certainly deserved one. It was very nice and is called 'Leftover Broken Bits of Crackers'

 

[Caro Perry]

Ooh Harri loves left over bits of crackers too Jasper. Things like that make the best treats.

 

[Violet Turner]

Olive loves bits of crackers to! and Digestives without chocolate

 

[JudyN]

Mum, Dad and I went to Moors Valley Country Park today. We had a long walk by a river and I was feeling hot but I couldn't find anywhere safe to get in the water. Silly Mum and Dad don't seem to recognise the danger and kept saying things like 'But it's only 6 inches deep there,' and 'There's steps down into that bit.' But you never know when it's going to suddenly get deep, or the bottom is actually sinky mud. I still haven't got over the time I jumped into a deep pond and even my long legs couldn't reach the bottom and Mum kept shouting 'SWIM dammit' whatever that means and then took off almost all her clothes and came in to save me, even though her legs can't have reached the bottom either. It can take a dog years to get over that sort of trauma...

Finally, just as Mum decided to video what a sensible cautious boy I am, I found a bit of water that was actually safe to get into. Phew! Shame Mum hasn't worked out which way round to hold the camera...

Then we went to 'Paws in the Park' which was held in the country park. This was pretty boring as Dad just stood with me looking bored while Mum chatted to all the stallholders and made Dad give her money to put in the donation boxes and buy some treats. I've sampled a few and they're pretty good!

We had lunch then - or rather Mum and Dad did. I made eyes at Dad and he gave me some of his sandwiches and said Mum was cruel to be able to resist those eyes, but then I hadn't made eyes at Mum because I know it doesn't work on her. Sometimes Dad's pretty stupid (says Mum)!

Then we had another walk through the woods, before going home. I did have a token whinge around 3pm as I'm sure I was overdue my afternoon walk by then, but I was pretty tired and soon stopped whining for my afternoon walk and started whining for my tea instead.

 

[Josie]

Sounds like a great day!

 

[Mad Murphy]

Good day out by the sounds of it esp the water and the sandwiches!

 

[JudyN]

My normal routine when I want to go out for a walk:

1) Flop around on the floor as usual till approximately walk time, then start whining.
2) Wait till Mum has got up and had a wee, then go and flop on the floor in the hall, just inside of the front door.
3) Lie there till Mum has locked up the back, got lead, muzzle, treats, poo bags, keys, car keys, and so on, and has put on any extra clothing and her shoes.
4) Refuse to budge an inch until she's squeezed through the 6" gap the door can open, wait till she's out the porch and says, 'Are you coming then?'
5) Finally drag myself to my feet and follow her out.

My normal routine when I want DON'T want to go out for a walk because it's too darned hot (Mum takes me in the car to the woods where there's shade and water but even so...):

1) Flop around on the floor as usual till approximately walk time, then start whining.
2) Wait till Mum has got up and had a wee, then go and flop on the floor in the hall, just inside of the front door.
3) Lie there till Mum has locked up the back, got lead, muzzle, treats, poo bags, keys, car keys, and has put on her shoes.
4) Refuse to budge an inch until she's squeezed through the 6" gap the door can open, wait till she's out the porch and says, 'Are you coming or not?'
5) Don't move a muscle while she goes through the usual: 'Are you coming or not?' 'Shall I leave you here?' 'Don't you want a walk then?' Finally, she's got the message!
6) Stay right where I am. After all, she got out through that gap, she can get back in through it!

 

[JudyN]

I've been making dog lollies!

They're a mixture of small bits & crumbs from the dried meat I buy him and some tiddly little treats, topped up with water. Conveniently, some bits float and some sink. They're in the freezer now for a nice cold treat tomorrow.

 

[Josie]

Den loved his ones I made him, although it only lasted 2 minutes!

 

[Violet Turner]

oooo, might have to make some more as i made the ones @Josie made

 

[JudyN]

Yesterday we went to visit a friend and her entire working black lab, Bertie Big B...oy I was a bit worried - in the past we'd take them out for a walk straight away and once off lead, Jasper would make it clear to Bertie that he considered himself top dog - that his were in fact bigger, even if he didn't have them with him right now... But it was too hot to take them straight out and I didn't want to let J off lead till I knew if her chickens and cats were anywhere he could get to. However, with OH holding his lead, J simpy 'postured' - stood next to B, in a stiff erect pose, which I've decided to call a 'full-body hard stare' - B said 'Sure, whatever, I'm easy,' and after that they were completely fine together.

Though maybe J took the 'I'm easy' bit a bit too literally as he later tried to hump B underneath the picnic table in their enclosed garden. It was never going to work, there was nowhere near enough headroom!

Later we decided it was cool enough for a walk in a shaded area with a stream...

There was one worrying moment when J was trying to climb out of the stream onto a bridge with railings at the side. He managed to get his front end up and through the railings, but as his back's so long, he couldn't get his back legs up. We tried encouraging him to go back and get out an easier way but he was going into panic mode and started shaking like a leaf (he's not a wuss, he's a sensitive flower ). Finally, he managed it, helped by OH putting his hand down to give him a leg-up, and of course then he got lots of praise and treats for being such a clever and brave boy

Today we investigated a beautiful Dorset village, Moreton, with a ford perfect for paddling in, an award-winning tea rooms, and a lovely 3-acre garden to walk round. But though it was only 18c today, J was clearly worn out so we left earlier than we'd have liked.

He also flatly refused to get into the car until I asked a couple of strangers to say hello to him through the door on the other side - it never fails

 

[Caro Perry]

Looks lovely - I'd like to be in that stream too!

 

[JudyN]

Jasper's in a funny mood today... He didn't want to go out for a morning walk, so I left it a bit and tried again - nada. He turned down yesterday's afternoon walk too, despite only having had an on-lead walk in the morning.

So after a while, as I needed to go to the post office, I got ready to go out with my non-dog-walk shoes, my handbag, and my shopping bag, at which point he got very agitated, tried to block my way to the door, and even had a little hump. So I changed shoes, dumped the handbag, and took him for a walk instead.

He seemed OK on the walk, though he wanted a cool-off in the stream sooner than I expected. He seemed to keep smelling people/dogs he knew and trotting off with tail ready wagging, but though he did eventually find a couple we knew, they had only just arrived. And he made an absolute pest of himself mugging for treats though the man only has himself to blame as he gives J treats after J has pawed at his leg. J even pawed the man's hand and made it bleed (the man said he bleeds easily) and he still gave J another treat. Thank goodness J only does this to people he knows it works on.

Once we got home he was fine with me going out without him. But he just seems a bit unsettled and lacking his mojo (unless food is involved). Maybe it's still the weather, though it's only 22c here today compared to the high 20s we had earlier.

 

[Josie]

Jasper's in a funny mood today... He didn't want to go out for a morning walk, so I left it a bit and tried again - nada. He turned down yesterday's afternoon walk too, despite only having had an on-lead walk in the morning.

So after a while, as I needed to go to the post office, I got ready to go out with my non-dog-walk shoes, my handbag, and my shopping bag, at which point he got very agitated, tried to block my way to the door, and even had a little hump. So I changed shoes, dumped the handbag, and took him for a walk instead.

He seemed OK on the walk, though he wanted a cool-off in the stream sooner than I expected. He seemed to keep smelling people/dogs he knew and trotting off with tail ready wagging, but though he did eventually find a couple we knew, they had only just arrived. And he made an absolute pest of himself mugging for treats though the man only has himself to blame as he gives J treats after J has pawed at his leg. J even pawed the man's hand and made it bleed (the man said he bleeds easily) and he still gave J another treat. Thank goodness J only does this to people he knows it works on.

Once we got home he was fine with me going out without him. But he just seems a bit unsettled and lacking his mojo (unless food is involved). Maybe it's still the weather, though it's only 22c here today compared to the high 20s we had earlier.

I guess like humans they can have their off days to. Hope he's back to normal soon!

 

[JudyN]

I guess like humans they can have their off days to. Hope he's back to normal soon!

He seemed back to normal today! It's just one degree cooler but maybe that's all it takes to make a difference.

This afternoon's walk was only short, mainly because while still on the local roads he wanted to go and check out a couple of strange dogs who he probably wanted to duff up, I wanted to go any direction but that one, and in the end we compromised and headed for home.

 

[JudyN]

A couple of days ago, at the end of our walk, I bumped into an older woman with her very arthritic lab. She was in a bit of a state, as she'd lost her car keys and didn't have her phone on her. She'd already done an extra lap of the woods retracing her steps and the poor lab was really struggling - she's at the stage where you really wonder if it's a kindness to keep her going at all

The woman asked if I could phone her grandson, but I can't get any signal in the woods, so I took his number, and said I'd go straight home and phone him from there - also that on my way back to the car I'd keep an eye out for her keys. I got to where our cars were parked, had a look round her car, had a look in the ignition - and wasn't at all surprised to see her keys dangling there So I nipped back into the woods and told her - she was so happy

Yesterday as I was going to go onto Upton Heath, there was a group of people with about 6-8 dogs coming off the heath. Gateways can be a bit of a trigger for J so I pulled him off to the side of the path, but they let their dogs through the gate off lead, and a bouncy young standard poodle came over to him. Gateway - bouncy young big male dog - J on a tight lead - so of course J snarked at him.

One of the women came over to us as she recognised us, saying she hadn't seen us for ages (I didn't remember her at all). She started making a fuss of J, while all the dogs were milling round him, and I warned her that he wasn't happy - I could feel the vibrations of growl coming down the lead. But of course she ignored me, and then he snarked at her. Being a typical Englishperson I apologised, but then she launched into telling me about how it was fine, because he was muzzled, and so he couldn't hurt anyone, and I was a responsible owner and doing the right thing, yada, yada, yada...

I should have told her that she was very much doing the wrong thing by allowing a horde of dogs to mill around a dog who is muzzled and on lead and has been led to the side of the path, and then going and trying to pet him. STUPID person But of course I'm English, so I didn't