The Dog Cafe

[Biker John]

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Today we met a lovely Lurcher, it was a Bearded Collie cross Greyhound. Never seen that cross before but this chap was really nice, a brilliant temperament and a lovely looking dog. As she must have classified it as a Sight hound Folly went towards it and he came towards her, both wagging then of course sniffing each other. Talking to the Women with it it acts very much as a Sight Hound, being basically lazy and loving comfort. The one Bearded trait they had noticed is when they were out camping, if they separated it tried to round them up, circling round till they were close again.

 

[excuseme]

@excuseme I really, really wish I hadn't seen that image!

But it's only on the inside of a chunk of tripe.

We once bought some fresh tripe from a slaughterhouse and 3 of the tripe were badly affected by the fluke. I did not feed the affected tripe to the dogs, but threw them away.
YUK

 

[Flobo]

I think I got put off feeding tripe to my dog when I was a lot younger and my house mate couldn't stand it defrosting slowly in the fridge. I had left a bowl of it out on the side to defrost while I was at work and when I got home it was crawling with maggots!!...

 

[JudyN]

Moving on from maggotty tripe....

The friends who have lent us their car ramp have had their current rescue dog for 3 years today so when we went over to get the ramp, we had a mini Gotcha party in the garden with cakes and Prosecco. Jasper nearly got a whole load more cake when one of them left the door to the house open by mistake....

Their dog is a very shaggy saluki x greyhound who was about a year old when they got him. He clearly had had some abuse in his background - he really doesn't like men with sticks. Apart from that, he's generally very aloof/undemonstative, even by lurcher/longdog standards. He has known me for just about all the 3 years they've had him and will take treats from me, but when I was giving him treats today and experimentally moved my hand down to the side of his chest (I was sitting so didn't stoop over him) he immediately moved back before I'd made contact.

What I'm wondering is... is this still anxiety, or, even if his personality was moulded by his early treatment, does it become part of the personality of a dog who is actually happy, content, secure, etc., just not into physical contact? I don't think he's even into physical affection with his owners - they just go along with what he seems to prefer.

He was even reserved with his birthday cake - his 'mum' pulled a bit off the cake in her hand and he sniffed it carefully before delicately taking it. She then pulled another bit off, with him watching, and he had to sniff that bit carefully before delicately taking it. That is so not like Jasper!

 

[Hemlock]

Very like mine though!

Saluki types tend to be that way although they do let their hair down and act giddy at times. It's a real compliment if they allow you to give them food. Jasper has two lots of terrier in him so he is much more the eat-it-then-wonder-what-it-was type.

Re: the early days - if humans have a bad sequence of events to look back on, we too are programmed always to fear that sequence. Survival needs mean that we don't forget or get over those incidents that really scared us. It doesn't matter if it hasn't happened for years - it did at one time so might well again.

I bred my own dogs, and have never raised a hand, stick or anything else to them, and nor has anyone else. They have all been nervous of people lifting sticks near them, except for the Bedlington cross (terrier again)..

 

[JudyN]

His owners previously had a Staffie and a spaniel so were used to full body contact! They were rather taken aback with his salukiness at first but all credit to them, they always mould themselves to their dogs rather than expecting the dog to conform to their expectations

I was thinking last night about the lurcher/longdog distinction. You really can't win - if you refer to a saluki x greyhound as a longdog you sound like you are showing off your esoteric knowledge, but if you call the dog a lurcher some pedant will soon pop up and tell you it's not a lurcher, it's a longdog!

 

[Hemlock]

I always say lurcher - then if I get a pedantic correction I feel it's a sort of social work helping someone feel they know lots more than I do.

You could say "sighthound" I suppose.

 

[JudyN]

Or 'pointy dog'!

 

[Hemlock]

Or 'pointy dog'!

Ah yes - perfick!

 

[Finsky]

Hmm....now that I've been browsing through various posts and seen adorable puppy/youngster photos..and had a look at photos of my current girls when they were still little..I HAVE HORRID urge for another dog!? I don't have puppy fever, that is too much of a hard work to live with rose tinted glasses on, but I LOVE when they start growing up and learning new things and you discover how they develop into their personalities.
How many terriers is enough? I'd thought I've reach sensible madness level with two in the house. I have read many times such a claims from 'experts' that you should not have many terriers, particularly bitches together...but..but…??
I've gone and done it and so far so good, they getting on REALLY well....but would a third one tip the balance and turn things sour? I've never had any more than 2 terriers in same time. First time they were dogs and different terrier breeds too. And now these current girls..Eva is just about to turn 1 year old and Iida almost 2. Iida is just in that lovely stage, she is still young enough to be playful at times and getting brainy enough to show her adult potential...still lots to learn though. And Eva...well..she is still 'loony'..lovely little loony and god knows how she will turn out to be in a another year or two... ...she is FUNNY, I have to give her that and now starting to show her loving gentle side as well (when she has time for it). But boy can she play.....it is never ending !
Despite these 'don't-do-that claims' I know several dog owners in my walks who have multiple terriers and they get on together really well!? Is it mainly a case of correct 'management' from their owners or do dogs really have that conflicting personalities that they do not get on..bitches particularly?
Do try to talk some sense into me....what do you reckon...should I or should I not...am I mad even thinking adding another bitch to the group?

 

[JoanneF]

Would you consider a boy? It's just that if girls fall out, it can be impossible to get them to make up (I have read, this isn't from personal experience).

 

[Hemlock]

I can vouch for it taking a lot of management to have more than one terrier safely. And I have known several instances of a terrier being killed by the other one/s because an owner didn't see the signs.
So Good Luck but be aware that terriers are like that.

Not to rain on your parade but to save you from an awful experience.

 

[Finsky]

Would you consider a boy? It's just that if girls fall out, it can be impossible to get them to make up (I have read, this isn't from personal experience).

I'm not against boys as such but I've come to have preference having girls...particularly with working type Lakeland/fell terriers. I've not owned these types as dogs myself, but have had some with us as holiday visitors, and each time they've been really lovely with us, but proved to be taking unexpected behaviour outdoors...guarding my girls like they are his 'property' and no other dog may approach.."my bitches". But I've not been able to work out if it has been because they haven't been 'mine' but brought up as adults into different household or if it is something within the Lakeland dog behaviour. And I've also come across more often that some Lakeland dogs can be bit 'moody'...so based on those encounters and the fact that having a dog when my girls are intact will make life some what difficult at certain times of the year.
I supposed, it could be different situation later on...when my girls are that bit older and they might have to be eventually be 'done'...then having a dog and possibly a 'second hand one' rather than a pup...then it would not have to be Lakeland type neither..any 'old' terrier would do

 

[Finsky]

I can vouch for it taking a lot of management to have more than one terrier safely. And I have known several instances of a terrier being killed by the other one/s because an owner didn't see the signs.
So Good Luck but be aware that terriers are like that.

Not to rain on your parade but to save you from an awful experience.

Thank you for your warning. Yes, I have heard such a instances, but because my experiences with terriers have been luckily so positive, I have started question it and wondering if it has lots to do with our human 'husbandry'..or lack of it.
I'm now in home 'full time', hence taking on with these 2 current dogs from pups rather than second hand dogs like I've done in past. And as my OH is working only part time now too...our life is shifted into even more dog oriented direction than before. So A LOT of management is something we do 24/7 anyway....we don't go for holidays or where ever we go..dog do too.
Anyhow...I've 2 replies already and it has started to work. It has slowed my urges down and brain is slowly coming aboard and trying to talk some sense to the heart......for now....

 

[JudyN]

I don't have puppy fever, that is too much of a hard work to live with rose tinted glasses on, but I LOVE when they start growing up...

Is that like hitting yourself on the head because it's so nice when it stops hurting?

 

[Flobo]

I'd say instead of another terrier, get a ferret, or 2 or 3....

 

[Finsky]

Is that like hitting yourself on the head because it's so nice when it stops hurting?

Yes...exactly... The puppy hood is necessary 'evil' to go through to get nice home raised young dogs..

 

[Finsky]

I'd say instead of another terrier, get a ferret, or 2 or 3....

There was a time when ferrets were in my list of interest, but then I got some chickens instead. We've been chicken free just over a year now and once the new shed and pen is completed, next spring those are introduced back into our schedule. Ferrets for now might be bit too much to handle....though I do know where I can get some should I just say yes please..

 

[Rinkydinkydo]

I've had 5 terriers with no problems,most of my life I've had teams of multiple terriers. At one point there werr 8 in the house when me and the ex girlfriend were together. Out of the 8 dogs 5 were bitches,life ticked along nicely.

 

[JoanneF]

Out of the 8 dogs 5 were bitches,life ticked along nicely.

I have no idea if this could be the case, it is total speculation but I wonder if several girls is better than two because everything is more diluted, spread thinner if you know what I mean?