Hi everyone,
I have a ten month old Border Collie called Jake - he was a rescue dog who we got at 6 months old.
We've crated him since day one - it's never a punishment but it's always been where he sleeps and also a 'time to chill' zone, so, if he was a bit over excited, we'd pop him in there with a frozen kong or a chew for 1/2 an hour to an hour and then let him out again.
About a month or so ago he started settling of his own accord on an old chair in the kitchen so I've been encouraging that (I work at home). But he wouldn't settle in our lounge unless he had a kong.
However suddenly this week he's decided to settle in the lounge both during the day and in the evening, often without anything to chew. I'm a musician and, for the past four months, he couldn't be in the same room when I played guitar or sung as he'd start barking, but now he suddenly doesn't seem to mind. There is another old chair int eh lounge which has an old duvet on it and that's where he's decided to settle - the duvet was previously on the floor as his space as he doesn't seem to like sharing space with us - he'll growl if he sits next to you on the sofa and doesn't like being moved so we stopped letting him on our furniture straight away and allow him his own space.
He had an upset stomach a couple of weeks back but I put that down to us increasing his food (he was looking a bit skinny to my eye) but, once we put him back to the previous amount of food it settled down and everything is now ok. There was some evidence of worms in one of his stools today but, having spoken to my vet. they assured me that the treatment he's on (Endectrid) keeps the worms at bay and that the roundworm I found today meant that the treatment is working as he's passed it. He's due a health check and a 6 month worm next month and they told me not to worry.
He gets an hour walk in the morning and an hour's walk at lunchtime (about 4-5 miles total for me and more for him with all the running!) and he's as active as ever on those walks. He eats his food with no issues and, when he's up and about, he's fine, not stumbling or anything like that.
So, my question is - has he suddenly learnt that it's ok to chill out in the lounge after a month or two of us working towards that or is he poorly after the upset tummy and possible worms?
I'd love it if he has suddenly worked it out but I'd feel awful if I was happy he was chilling when he's actually sick!
Oh, and here's some photos...
