Or, more to the point, the family wants a dog. I have fond memories of our border collie when I was their age and I do think there’s life lessons when it comes to looking after a dog – keeping it happy, healthy, fed and exercised. I’ll be looking to the whole family to share in this but I am realistic enough to know that after a brief period of devotion, over the long-term, this responsibility of daily care will fall to my wife and I.
We now have 4 teenage children in the house and this has been something I have been delaying because our house wasn’t well fenced. We now have a dog-proof fence so we are pretty much mutt-ready. We haven’t told the cat but he has had a good look at the fence and even with his pea-sized brain, he knows something’s going on.
According to the song, Pet Shop Boys wanted a chihuahua, but I’m not looking for a tiny yappy thing. I also don’t want a giant slobbery buffoon, unaware of its size and strength. Don’t want a staffy, rottweiller, Alsatian or anything along those lines. A mid-size pooch about the size of a carry-on suitcase would do the job. Too big to squeeze through or around our new 1.5m high fence – but too small to jump over it.
Other helpful requirements from the family is that it should be “cute” and “fluffy”. I will tolerate occasional barking but only when something important is happening.
The twice-daily walk discipline is a major reason why I want one. I like to walk and listen to podcasts and music but I need to be forced to exercise and I think I will enjoy it more if I have dog.
What are your thoughts?
As usual the answer is do the opposite of the pet shop boys.
Get a cat.
A dog is a cat designed by committee.
Go East? Give away lots of money?
Be interesting?
Deramdaze preferring cats to dogs is as shocking as Dai preferring Oppenheimer to Barbie.
The best kind of dog to get is a Rescue.
Yes. There are all too many of them needing good homes. Also all too many breeders of pedigree dogs with bred-in medical problems.
Also, you’ll find once you have a dog that they generally like to socialise with other dogs and thus the owners end up socialising too, whether they want to or not. As well as getting you out and about and exercised, your dog will increase your social circle. Those podcasts might have to be listened to at other times.
There is that option, but as an introvert that aspect is really not for me. When I’m out and about, I’ll politely say hello, let them (the dogs) have a good old sniff and a play if they wish, then get straight back to my podcast. A decent-sized episode of Chart Music can soundtrack my dog walks for most of the week.
You can’t go wrong with a Springer spaniel.
…. is the correct answer.
Lovely dogs but they are fucking nuts
Tend towards slobbery too.
Xena our 9-yo Springer is considerably saner and less slobbery than Brownie our 1-yo Irish Water Spaniel Kerry Blue cross – all 35 Kgs of him
Get a rescue then get a dog trainer in after about a month.
The trainer is actually for you and your family not the dog
Get a rescue then get a dog trainer in after about a month.
The trainer is actually for you and your family not the dog.
I’m a cat man, but I do love dogs as well. Best avoid a Chihuahua as apparently they are the most destructive of dogs when it comes to furniture. A bit like a having a 1970 Beaver rock band in your house. Personally, I’d go for a dog that could looks good with silk. A pekinese perhaps?
Pekes are horribly over bred – their flat face means they suffer terribly with breathing problems.
Good point. Very cruel. I forgot that. A dacshund perhaps?
Prone to spina bifida.
Not all dachshunds are prone to spina bifida. A good breeder is helpful as you can see any problems in the family. Mine is nine and still gambolling about quite happily. You have to keep them lean tho, a fat sausage dog is not a healthy dog
We have a rescue Australian Kelpie. Frank is the most affectionate hound we have ever owned. No idea what his back story was but I’m glad we got him.
There’s no such thing as a bad dog, just bad owners
There ARE occasional bad dogs, but they’re no more common than bad humans.
Schnauzer every time. Adorably cute, bonkers without being crazy.
I also got a dog relatively late in life, having not been a ‘dog person’. Kids wanted a breed of some sort, but we couldn’t possibly afford it – the dog itself costs x£100s, then you have to factor in various vet’s fees. We got a rescue dog instead. It sounds like the ethical choice but for us it was purely financial.
Even then, getting a British rescue dog wasn’t an option – the main charities such as Battersea wouldn’t even consider us, with three kids (one under 10) and both of us working. We went to a charity called Friends of the Strays of Greece. They take in dogs off the street, look after them and find them a permanent home in the UK.
Their criteria were more relaxed, but a volunteer still came to visit us to check that we were suitable for dog ownership and had a secure garden. She also helped to match us to an adoptee and gave us a few options – we got to choose from videos of the dogs they had at their rescue centre in Greece. And so Mocha came to live with us. All we had to pay was the cost of her flight (this was pre-Brexit).
We still don’t know how old she was when we adopted her, but it would have somewhere between six months to a year – so we’ve had her almost her whole life but didn’t have a puppy destroying our house.
Later we found her a friend from a similar charity which rescues Romanian dogs.
It changed our lives. Can’t pretend it’s always plain-sailing but barely a day goes by that I don’t silently (and vocally) thank Mocha and Indie for what they’ve done for us. It’s the unconditional love, having someone in the house who’s always pleased to see you no matter what, and – yes – getting out of the house twice a day for walks.
(When I’m less grateful, is when I’m towelling them down or getting dirt out of their feet after another wet walk. For that reason I’m glad neither of them are long-haired; can’t imagine the faff that must cause!)
Your story is very similar to mine. Always had cats as a child but Ms Steady had dogs. Got our first one about 20 years ago, a terrier collie cross. Now onto our second, a springer collie cross. Both medium sized and loads of fun, both rescued.
There are moments, early mornings in the winter mainly when it’s hard but I wouldn’t be without.
Edit. The unconditional love👍
My story is the precise opposite – from about the age of eight until about 30, there was always a labrador in my parents’ house and I am, by nature, a dog person. However…
My other half was a cat person and there has always been a cat (sometimes two) around our house for the last 30 years or so. A different experience, to be sure, but no less rewarding – just different! Secretly, I think I’m still a dog person – I just “get” cats a bit better than I used to. I still share the house with one cat…
Well, quite: dogs have owners; cats have staff.
Not if the dog is a Scottie.
“Wha’ daur meddle wi’ me?”
My ex partner was Scottish, she once bought me a calendar with a similar picture.
This was printed on it.
What we referred to as tartanery.
Jings, crivvens and help ma boab!
Gar, I lolled out loud at this video. Brilliant! Thank ‘ee.
It’s a bit off the OP, of course – but here’s a picture of the boy in repose…
Quick competition: can anyone identify the combo from the small corner in the picture?
Uhhhh … Fender?
Uhhh…..no.
The wife’s son and his wife have 2 rescue dogs from Greece and her daughter has one also.
All three settled into their new homes without any issues and are beautiful and loving additions to the families.
As Joe says the charities looking after the dogs have someone check out that they will be going to good homes. The dogs have all the medication required before being sent over.
Remember dogs are like people and the breed does not necessarily dictate their behaviour. Key to a happy life is early training (dog and family!) and then consistency in following the ‘rules’. As a very, very broad rule I find larger breeds easier to manage, less ‘barky’ and generally calmer. Personally I’d avoid any ‘hound’ as their hunting instincts can sometimes mean they are harder to control when out walking.
Dogs aren’t cats – need much more attention and dare I say overt love. Factor in costs and limitations of what to do when you go away – if you have reliable family and or friends who will look after pooch then great otherwise get recommendations for kennels or dog sitters.
Having said all that a dog is a wonderful companion and good for your overall physical and mental well-being. Just go in with your eyes open.
I’ve never had a dog. My closest acquaintance was with a Jack Russell called Dave belonging to a colleague at Eden. He used to sit under my desk – sometimes on my feet – and fart noisomely. The cry of ‘Dave, for fuck’s sake’ was often heard in the office. He would sometimes shoot off during lunchtime walks and make his own way back, arriving with blood all round his mouth. Wouldn’t advise a Jack Russell – stone cold killers.
Jack Russells are the best of all dogs (30 plus years of experience talking here), and a rescue dog is always the way to go these days – there are brilliant people all over the country doing their damnedest to compensate for human stupidity and selfishness when it comes to canine companions.
My personal recommendation; try these people, they are the very best: https://www.manytearsrescue.org/
As regards Jack Russells, a warning word of preparatory estate management: unless your ‘new fence’ is COMPLETELY free of ANY possibility of ANY creature WHATSOEVER being able ‘to squeeze through or around’ it, any self-respecting Jack Russell will laugh in your face, laugh at your fence, and promptly fuck off. Seriously. It won’t be good for your blood pressure, your bank balance, or the possibility of ever seeing the poor little mutt ever again. The inadequacy of your DIY skills will ensure that the rest of your family will hate you for the rest of their days. Jack Russells, as a breed, are Universal Platinum Escapology Champions.
Oh, and a fence a full 1.5 metres high? You’re ‘avin a laugh. My Jack bitch (that’s not a hip-hop term) can climb (why bother even trying to jump, when you can just shin up the bugger) a wire fence over 6 feet high. I have had to install a two foot overhang at eye level using horse-fencing stand-off brackets. She’s still staring at it from time to time to see if she can figure out some sort of high-speed approach Steve McQueen manoeuvre.
Finally, whatever you do, don’t buy any brachycephalic breed.
Fence warning – I concur. Even the smallest gap will be seen as a challenge to win for the determined JRT.
My smallest does the climbing thing too – fortunately once escape has been achieved she will trot round from next door and sit and bark at the front door
(unless she sees a pigeon)
or a pheasant.
or a cat.
or another dog.
or a postman.
or a dried leaf.
(cont’d page 94)
Friend had a Jack Russell – lovely wee thing but obsessive. Would play fetch stick for twenty fours straight if you allowed it. Couldn’t take it to the seaside – had to bark at every, I mean every , small wave that came in. Every wave for hours and hours and hours.
My escapology girl loves to bring nice shiny pebbles to my feet and demand they be thrown for retrieval.
On holiday we often find ourselves at Shingle Street in Suffolk…..
It can be exhausting.
Shingle Street is one of my favourite places in the world.
I grew up not far away, and used to get stoned there – nothing to do with pebbles – on my early 80s lunchbreaks.
@nigelthebald
We’ll be there in a couple of weeks from now. Can’t wait. Love the area. Over on the Felixstowe Ferry for fish and chips from the little cabin cafe. Lunch at the Ramsholt. Sausage rolls from the shop in Alderton. Cottage on the Sutton estate. Walk along the Deben to the heronry in the evenings. Marvellous!
@Vulpes-Vulpes, currently I’m in hospital in Ipswich, having suffered a stroke while clearing out my late Mum’s Melton bungalow. The plan is to move there once I’m well enough, back to the land of my upbringing, having moved to Hollesley before I was five, and then to Woodbridge in ’66 at the age of eight
Despite having lived north of the Waveney for over half my life, the Woodbridge area still feels like home, and three of my four oldest friends are still nearby.
Very sorry to hear this Nigel. Hope you make a good recovery and get home soon.
Ruddy heck, Nigel. Look after yourself!
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Nigel.
Look after yourself Mr thebald
Adding my best wishes Nigel
All good wishes Nigel – I hope you manage a fast recovery and home soonest.
Best wishes to a swift recovery, Nigel.
@nigelthebald – get well soon, buddy. May you recover in time to spend some lazy afternoons this summer in the bucolic hinterland of Hollesley and on the rattling pebble shores of the Street, watching the boats negotiate the Ore and Alde currents, and seeing how many container ships you can spot at any one time on the horizon, as they slip in and out of Felixstowe. If you are there in a couple of weeks’ time, and you see this greying couple with over-excited small dogs in tow, say hello… it would be extra special to be able to buy you a pint in the Sorrel Horse!
Thank you for our kind words, everyone. And given the rate of progress – discernable, but very slow – it’ll be weeks, more likely months, before I’m released into the wild, @Vulpes-Vulpes. Next step will be a transfer to the Oncology unit at the Norfolk&Norwich once there’s a bed for me, which could be tomorrow, or weeks away. There’s also a day trip to Addenbrooke’s at some point to see if tbe neurosurgeon considers putting a stent in the vein which is being pushed on by the tumour remnants, causing the stroke, is feasible
And it remains to be seen whether I’ll ever drive again. Currently I’m learning to use a zimmer frame, which is scary and exhausting.
All the best Nigel – here’s to a full and speedy return to 100%.
All the very best to you NTB and as speedy a recovery as possible.
Just saw this (I’m not a dog person); joining in the choir of well-wishers Nigel – hoping for a full and speedy recovery.
I’d suggest that you pay to get everything packed and moved by others, when the time comes to reclaim your past stomping grounds – moving is said to be one of the most stressful things you can do, and you don’t want to risk damaging your health again!
Then it’s next summer. If you’re not driving I’ll come and find you; nowhere is very far away in that idyllic area. The Lemon Sole at the Sorrel Horse is fab, or their baked Camembert is equally great. Usually a decent Adnams on tap too…
My brother, stepmother, and friend and guitar tech Olley are going to deal with the Herculean task of clearing out my flat, @Locust – I’ll be in no fit state to do it, I suspect, and probably not even to supervise…
@Vulpes-Vulpes, that would be lovely!
When I was with Retro, Cheshire and ‘Squeezer last month I said how I’d like to meet you. I regret not doing it so far but hopefully when you are better I’ll make it down.
All the best NTB
Looking forward to it will be all the more motivation to work hard at my rehab, @hubert-rawlinson.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Nice to be near old friends too – good luck with the move.
If I had constructed a wooden fence it would indeed be laughably ineffective – but I got an expert in and it’s a purpose-built black aluminium “dog fence” which apparently frustrates even the most determined pooch, unless it can jump high enough to clear it fully.
Does your expert have JRTFTA* accreditation?
*Jack Russell Terrier Fence Testing Association
Have had a number over the years, and, short of a Heinz rescue mutt, a cross breed is the way to go. Collie cross, Casper, was a timid and fretful beast, moulted constantly and lived to 19(?!?). Millie, labradoodle, big, lovely girl but died too soon, age 8. Wilma the Jackshit is a 10 year old high functioning sociopath that everyone thinks is cute. We know different. Indi is a big, very big and very dim golden doodle. Loves fetching balls and swimming.
I am privileged to be able to confirm that Dr and Mrs Retro’s dogs are utterly lovely.
“a tiny yappy thing”
I’ve got 3 Jack Russell Terriers, and that is spot on description. Will yap at anything that moves, but -despite reputation- not constantly.
Jack Russells are the clown princes of the terrier clan. Very characterful. My old friend Bob Shaw in West Wales had a jack russell (as well as his working collie, Tam) and every Monday, when the gang of us met up in the Angel pub in Aberystwyth, his terrier would go for a wander around the town on his own, scrounging at the butchers shops, before returning to the pub in time to go home. Tam would stay behind and guard Bob’s caravan on the farm where he worked.
We have two dogs one is a cockerpoo, crap name but she’s a great pet, lovable, superb with kids and very bright. She’s 8 y.o. and is called Marley. The other is supposed to be a cockerpoo but I’d say she’s 75% spaniel we’ve had her nearly 12 months from when she was 3 months old. She’s called Bob and is a nutter but in a very nice way, she has all of Marley’s good points but much more lively than Marley at the same age.
The thing is they are great companions who are very good for mine and the Baroness’s well being. As others have pointed out they love to be out and about which is great for us because we exercise much more than we would sans pooches.
There is the cost, food, vets fees, insurance but we think it’s money well spent.
The important thing is having a dog 🐶 means having time to give them. Some people/idiots get dogs when they are away in the day working. That is a no-no, You need to be either very rich, no need to work or retired.
I’ve also got a cockapoo and a Bob (although my Bob is 45 kilos of very calm and hippie like gentility – a Newfoundland cross)
Get a Golden Retriever. Biggest heart combined with huggable daftness.
I’ve never had one (home here is kind of a rescue centre for mutts, three at the moment), but if I was ever in the position of buying a dog, a “Go-den” (as they’re called here) would be my first choice.
Thanks for these posts, they are really helping. Rescue dogs are my preferred source and I’m thinking at the moment that golden retriever appeals the most but I guess it depends what is available.
We have a Shih Tzu (and 2 cats, one of whom is basically the same size as the dog). loves everyone and every other dog. Tolerates the cats. Not terribly bright but smart enough to be cheeky.
Been known to fake a leg injury if the walk is too long (but he is 9 now).
Lassas are very similar (I can’t tell the difference).
Small, not too demanding, hardly ever barks – but does snore and fart.
Recommended.
Mind you he did cost £300 9 years ago.
I would recommend doing your research on the breed & it’s lineage if you’re buying a pup. Read the background of a rescue & be realistic if having read its bio that the dog is right for you. The wrong breed can be a nightmare for both you & the dog.
My pet hate is seeing working dogs: labs, spaniels, collies etc being brought up badly in urban environments & this leading to problems with boredom, lack of exercise & stimulation.
If you go for one of these breeds, then they need to be well exercised but they are usually easy to train & desperate to please. We have a small working cocker who will work occasionally but we live on the edge of my in-laws farm & we have space to let her off the lead & exercise her well. She does go for miles but is pretty good on recall (see above) We see similar dogs on the beaches in Norfolk up from London & the owners can’t let them off the lead. Be consistent & train them as I believe watching a dog run free, wagging its tail in a safe environment is one of the biggest joys in life.
Our previous dog was a terrier. A great dog but wilful! If you get one be prepared for their independent streak. In the early days, a command is more of a basis for discussion but again persevere. Equally don’t get one if you’re squeamish. The are bred to hunt & can & will go off hunting. Ours did & would trot off quite happily in search of prey. Our neighbours hired out a field for horses & the feed used to attract rats & we potentially had a rat problem or I did, having to shovel the victims up & chuck them in the field for the foxes to tidy up.
They are great & rewarding & will add immeasurably to the quality of family life. We hadn’t had a dog for about 18 months & our new one has transformed our lives. I love hearing the clack of her claws on the kitchen floor. She makes me smile every time I see her (not always guaranteed when I see the kids!!!) But you have to work hard to ensure they are biddable & behave. I get the desire to rescue a dog but we always get pups & start from scratch.
Get the right breed, train them well & you won’t regret it! Have fun!
Agree re: prey drive in terriers. Fledging ’round our gaff is a high-risk extreme sport.
As for reading the background of any rescue dog, you’ll be unlikely to get anything that will tell you all the murky history. A lot of rescue places need to promise not to pass on more than vague details before they can take the poor things from the unscrupulous/cruel/ignorant/inadequate in the hope of a re-homing. You’ll read anodyne source information like ‘from a breeder’ or ‘from a market’ or ‘from the streets’, but you won’t be told about prior treatment, any previously manifest behavioural issues, or an extensive veterinary history beyond what their own vet has been able to fathom.
What you will get is an honest but anonymised assessment from the rescue home based upon their background knowledge of the previous owner, the area the dog came from, the dog’s demeanour during its transit through their hands, and a vet’s thorough appraisal. The rest is down to you, the more dog owning history and experience you have, the better.
We have two rescue dogs; their very individual behaviours tell us that they both have very different histories, neither of which we can do more than imagine. We can also feel that, from the little we were told, there are deep sadnesses somewhere in both of their previous lives, which makes the unimaginably profound, devoted love they have for us, and the bountiful joy of life they both exhibit, all the more astonishing and rewarding to share.
Agree entirely.
What rips my knitting is looking at spaniel rescue sites & seeing the rehoming criteria as no children/other dogs. Fuckwits have got these dogs because they look nice & with little understanding of their requirements. If my wife didn’t work on the farm, we’d never have got a working cocker.
We have a rescue. A mongrel who looks exactly like Hairy McClary. About once a month another dog owner, normally with a cockapoo, will ask what breed she is because she is gorgeous. Based upon the current dog population, poodles are getting all of the action it seems.
I’m not sure why people get rescue dogs from overseas when there must be plenty of homeless British dogs available? And no, I’m not playing the anti-europe card!
Joe Robert writes above that UK charities have stricter criteria for adoptees.
Whereas too many pedigree breeders have no criteria at all beyond paying the asking price.
The rescue dogs are generally in rescue as a result of people who aren’t prepared and/or suitable people to have dogs. That’s why the rescue organisations check on you before letting you have a dog. They don’t want to see them back again.
My late brother wanted to get another dog after his previous one died. He was by then an elderly widower, a bit frail and generally in poor health, so of course he was turned down by every rescue place he contacted. He was rather angry about it. It was definitely for the best.
All sounds like a good thing. I’m sure your brother would have been a careful owner despite his frailty, but as said a few times above, the issue is problem owners, not problem dogs.
My (late) brother was deluding himself about his capability.
A dialysis patient and just starting to suffer dementia. He died not very long after.
If he’d managed to get a dog, someone else would have ended up having to take it over before it had managed to settle in properly with him.
Sharon and I have Hope. We got her from a rescue about 2.5 months after Sharon’s old dog, Sophie, passed. We’d been seeing each other for just over a year, so I thought we might be in this for the long run.
She was just shy 4 months old when we adopted her in 2014, and she’s a lovely girl. She was a bit destructo as a pup – nothing major, but I have a hoodie with patches sewn into it, we have an old sofa with patches sewn into it, and there were a couple of incidents we don’t discuss. But one day, when she was about 2 and a bit, she just calmed down. Loves being walked, but loves lying in her three spots on the furniture and just sleeping or watching us.
Phil Hammond, the resident doctor for Private Eye, said that the single best thing you can do for your health is have a dog, and I believe him.
Now that does surprise me. I would have thought a plant-based diet and regular swimming/gym might be above dog ownership.
I suspect the argument is that it is good for both physical and psychological health in a way that exercise struggles to match.
It was an Eye podcast some years ago. Might have been late 2015.
I think he might have been joking, S.
I certainly hope so.
I was.
(Or was I?)
Dunno…were you?
Another vote for Hack Russell’s. Pretty smart not too big. I reckon dogs with a bit of something else , as opposed to designer breeds, are much more resilient, tend not to have medical issues – presumably due to the genetic diversity.
Agreed. Some people near us have a boxer. It’s sad to hear the poor bugger fighting for breath through his genetically engineered “best’ face
I have a JRT. First couple of years he was very destructive, but he had to be left alot at the time which didn’t help. But to be fair to him, it was my wife’s clothes and boots he chewed, not mine. Now aged 8 he is a joy, just don’t leave him off the lead in the vicinity of sheep. Difficult at times when you live in a crofting community.
I think it’s a case of making an appointment at the animal shelter and seeing what’s on offer. I will keep this thread posted as and when it happens.’ I might even get a hamperrr-ruff-RUFF!
Good luck with – and one post closer to – that hamper.
If it ever arrives, do not, repeat DO NOT succumb to the temptation of giving your new furrever friend a bowl of Corsair Chicken.
Its much-ballyhooed “creamy goodness” proved so bad for my dogs that we are still paying off the vets’ bills two years later
Ask them what day they list new arrivals and arrive just before they open on that day. Sounds a bit mercinary (and probably is) but your will more likely find one that suits you if the choice is bigger.
Cats all the way here.
Our lovely 18 year old Kismet died in March…all my first cats were named after curry houses I used to frequent whilst a student in the 1980s in Bradford. The other two were Shimla and Manzil. You never saw a stray cat in Bradford in the mid-80s!
We bought the kids cats as pets in 2019 and we now have two very healthy boys who will turn 4 this year. They are called George and Bertie.
New generation and new names!
Curiously enough, the ginger lad in my photo above is called Barty. He’s 13.
His sister (recently put down, due to an inoperable tumour) was actually named Mollie, but was known for most of her life as The Hairy Madam.
We share our home with a Labradoodle. Yes, despite all the op-ed pieces in the inkies, Sylvie (now four) is adorable, attentive, fabulous company, a restorative balm for the soul and – as the present Mrs Kirk is inclined to suggest – the second-best decision we ever made.
Having said that, we were blessed with good and responsible breeders, invested in weeks and weeks of training (as suggested above, this is principally for the owners rather than the dogs) and are just about able to afford a good dog wrangler for when we’re both out/busy/working.
Having said that, our mates got a crossbred rescue mutt from Greece and the lot of them couldn’t be happier with each other.
Thanks, everyone, for your kind words, and here you are, Austin, one step closer to a hamper!
Indeed. Only one comment away from a tin of Canine (not fit for human consumption) Corsair tinned chicken-flavoured bits.
I’ll nudge it over line by joining everyone else in wishing you the speediest of recoveries, Nigel.
Not at all sure that doesn’t constitute cheating, but thanks, Austin!
Have always been a cat person, but SFWIC has indicated that after our last two (18 and 16yo) cats are gone that she’d like a dog (she grew up with them).
My parents had an Australian spiky terrier that would wet itself with excitement whenever I dropped in – according to them, I was the only human that elicited this response. Make of that what you will!
And back in the early 70s, when the Comics Code loosened their rules about horror comics, Marvel Comics released “Werewolf By Night”: the exploits of a young fellow who discovers that, thanks to a family curse, he becomes a werewolf after his 18th birthday. The character’s name? Jack Russell.
Bit of an update – we met a few dogs last week at the local council shelter and we have plumped for a border collie crossed with “who knows” so it has the markings but with shorter, non-moulty fur. Every family member has to meet the pooch so my 17 year old visited a few days later.
Never been to a dog shelter before. An appointment had to be made and visitors like us cause absolute mayhem. As we walked past each pen to an area at the end, I felt like Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs. I made a point of not saying that out loud because I bet everyone says that.
One of my most mortifying experiences was visiting Australia Zoo, seeing the lemurs and gamely half-singing to the uniformed staff member #I like to move it move it…# . I was hoping for a polite laugh but I got an even smile and a deep sigh “yes, yes, they are like the ones in Madagascar -and EVERYONE makes that joke”. Cringe.
Anyway, each dog we saw was excited to see us but a couple of them were a bit too much and likely to grow much bigger. Amused to learn that the shelter has a very confident cat, so that the dogs learn not to go bananas every time they see one.
An inspector called and approved our new dog fence but we need a bit more fencing on the other side. There’s a fence there already but it’s not high enough. We started the day thinking we could just get some building site-type temporary fencing but then we went to a garden centre and they do 1.5m high flexible fencing made of bark (!). So that’s tomorrow’s job.
So this time next week, if the fencing goes well and is approved – we’ll have a dog in the house. The early life of these dogs is unknown, so the shelter is keen to point out that it’ll take at least three months for a dog to decompress – they only know a state of high alert or anxiety but hopefully it’ll all be OK in the end.
Best of luck. Bark is not like a brush fence is it. Querying resilience with a determined canine.
Got a name?
Been discussing this tonight – it’s looking like Ziggy.
No one goes for Fido anymore. Nor Rover.
Rather strangely, it’s fairly common for Italians to give their dogs English names. (Which seems a little insulting). My neighbour’s dog is called Mike.
Have you actually picked out the dog you’re moving in with? Very
Often the case that the dog (or cat) will pick you
Either way, you might be struck by a name when you see it in the fur
and notice it’s foibles.
If possible, it’s always good to get everyone in the family involved, too.
Hope you have a long and happy life together
Yes we have chosen the dog – big discussion around the table about the name this evening.
We wrote a list and then left the kids to pick. Hence Skyler. Kids were too young for the Breaking Bad reference.
We are contemplating a new dog. I like the idea of FIDO or ROVER. Mrs Wells saw one on some Facebook page – its name was Barry
All dogs have to be called Colin now – it’s the law.
Only if they are an accountant though.
Only if it is a Dachshund
We’ve got a border collie crossed with a springer. Bonkers in a good way. Lovely temperament too. I reckon you’ll have fun!
Just an update for anyone who is interested. We now have a puppy called Piper – who is a cheeky little border collie cross from the Saving Hope Foundation (www.savinghope.co.nz).
The fencing became an issue with dog #1 because the council came for the second fence inspection without telling us, so they couldn’t actually go up close. Inspector 2 looked from a distance and thought the bark fencing was standalone – but it’s actually well attached to an existing wire fence with additional metal waratah posts that are hidden from view.
“Ah – sorry, didn’t realise that” said Inspector2. He agreed to visit again and will let us know when he’s coming.
We waited 3 weeks and then chased up the council.
They came back to us a week later and it turns out that another, different gentleman (Inspector3) had already visited without us knowing. And he said the same thing as Inspector2!
Inspector3 said “Ah sorry, didn’t realise that!” and recommended we contact the council again.
If any of the Inspectors had just texted to say they were coming, we could have let them in and they could have seen for themselves. Council said that they are not sending anyone else, so that’s that.
So we went to the Saving Hope Foundation. We were introduced to a litter and we chose Piper. The next day, one of their Inspectors came round at a pre-agreed time and had a good look at everything and saw that the fence was fine. She asked if we’d consider taking 2 or 3 puppies because our garden area and fencing would be perfect! Take that, Auckland so-called Council !
@black-celebration
And how is life with a puppy? I’ve had two dogs , both from about a year old do have missed the puppy years.
From a behavioural point of view, pretty sure dogs are
considered pups until they turn two.
“Put your shoes on a shelf”.
My late Mum bred Border Collies for years as a hobby, @Freddy-Steady. She’d warn prospective buyers that having a puppy was akin to housing a hyperactive toddler prone to chewing the furniture.
Didn’t know that! The point I was making, in my head, was that I haven’t experienced the toileting years, the endless training years though Oscar, our current mutt, needed some.
The picking up aspect of the toileting years never really ends, it (hopefully) just moves outside
Small price to pay for all the fun and love your dog will give you
A small price indeed. Worse thing ever is accidentally picking up another dogs poop.
Spare us the feeble excuses for your coprophiliac tendencies, F…
We’ve just been given – yesterday – a Golden Retriever pup. Named Coco by my wife, who tells me it’s short for coconut. Which makes sense. So we’re in that delicate stage of reassuring the other three dogs that yes, we love you just as much if not more, but no, you still can’t sleep on the bed.
@freddy-steady
It has been a lot of fun, I must say. But when will she be reliably house-trained, I wonder…? When she does her business outside, we give her a treat and make a fuss of her – but we still come across the occasional “surprise”.
Our 10 year-old cat was very offended to begin with, but is relatively chilled now. I don’t think they will ever be buddies, but the cat has asserted his dominance I think.
Cats? Pah.
The very definition of a rhetorical question
It’s been about 3 months now and Piper is so much part of the family that it’s like she’s always been here.
We had to keep her in for a couple of weeks after her de-sexing op, but she’s all good now.
At about 7am we hear gentle whimpering from her and, honestly, her delight first thing in the morning is a lovely way to start the day. We are fortunate enough to live near a large beach and she completely loves going there.
She’s starting to understand things and “accidents” are getting less frequent. When that happens, she bows her head in shame and seems to apologise.
There really is no lovelier or life-affirming start to ytterbium day then the way your dog(s) run across the kitchen to jump up and lick your face
I missed Ytterbium Day – I know there was a parade on Gadolinium Day…
@fitterstoke
Well spotted and sorry for the typo which should have read “Yterbium” Day – the equivalent of December 25th on the canine calendar.
Since it’s happening in a couple of weeks, Xena and Brownie have asked me to extend you their Gadolinium Day greetings
Most kind.
I’m old enough to remember when Molybdenum Day was a novelty…
The worst thing about being a dog is that those red letter days only roll around once every seven years
Woof!
Nice update BC, good to hear…
❤️
Funny ,I was driving along just a day ago and out of nowhere I wondered how BCs hound was going.