Reezy44

Does anyone else have a K-9 Flyer by RuffDawg?? It is BY FAR our Lileigh's favorite "frisbee"-like toy. It's soft and pliable (you can fold it up!) and can be used as a tug toy (but not a chew toy they say...). It's good to MY hands and gentle on Lileigh's mouth and teeth. Says it is 100% non-toxic, superior quality rubber and made in the USA!!! No, I don't own stock in this company. haha!!

Right now just about our entire house constantly looks "angora-ish" with Lileigh's white hair coating floors, carpets, furniture...on and on it goes... I could (but won't) run the dust mop around or vacuum every couple hours and still it would seem like it's way ahead of me. Oh woe. Is there any special (maybe a brand name) brush that you have found effective for removing some of it before it blows all over?? I refuse to use the ugly short wire ones (they certainly must hurt, mustn't they?); the one I am using used to be my own--it's gentle, but does absolutely NOTHING to remove all those loose hairs. Oh my, do I ever need help.... I don't want to be paranoid over it when we have house guests all through the month of May. Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.

Hi Mudthirsty: There IS hope!!! hahaha ... The 50' clothesline thing really helped me with Lileigh. On the rope she had lots of [what SHE thought was] freedom, yet I had the peace of mind knowing that mom still had control. When we worked on the "come" command, I wouldn't confuse her with PLAY by taking along her holey roller or any other toy during the same trip.

How do you other BC owners feel about giving your dogs the leather "chews" .... I've heard the pigs' ears aren't good, but what about the plain leather ones? Thanks ...

I want to thank everybody here for their input ... Lileigh just celebrated her 10-month birthday and is becoming more and more obedient/less and less distracted. She and I haven't really "gone for walks" lately since she has gotten through her "rebellious stage" (which lasted about two months!) and has beautifully mastered the "come" command: it's just so much more FUN for BOTH of us now that she runs free and we can play with her "holey roller" ball (which she adores). Guess I really DO need to start working soon on some of the neat suggestions you folks have made. Thanks again.

We've had Lileigh since she was 11 weeks old...she was obedient in coming when called until she was 7 months old, at which time she realized, "Hey, I don't REALLY have to come when I'm called--I'm not on a leash--I can do as I please...." She knew what I wanted her to do: she would stop and look at me, then run in the opposite direction. Somewhere along the line I read about using a 50' clothesline will help with the "come" command. It worked--along with a little maturity on Lileigh's part. I would load my pocket with tasty treats, and out to the field we'd go. I would let her go out to the end of the 50' line, squat down to her level and call, "Lileigh, come." She immediately came: she would immediately receive a reward. We would also romp and play with her favorite ball using that rope--for weeks and weeks until I thought she could be "trusted" once again. She is now 10 months old and wonderfully obedient. She's made the "connection" that life is so much more FUN with Mom than it is going off by yourself. Mom plays ball...Mom plays tug...Mom praises me...Mom and I are great pals. Hope this will be of some encouragement. I think it really is a "phase" ... just a little independence and a little rebellion that maturity seemed to remedy!

I appreciate all these suggestions and can see that there IS hope for Lileigh and me. Thanks again to everyone who replied...

Well, we did pretty well today on the leash as Lileigh walked pretty close beside me. She obeys immediately when I tell her to sit, stay: I can walk all the way around her and then come back to her right side--she remains sitting until I say, "walk." Here's the problem: She constantly PULLS me (with much gusto--and I'm recovering from whiplash--ouch!) because she's determined to put her nose to the ground (due to being TERRIBLY distracted by all the delicious smells of the field in which we are walking)!!! I hate to keep giving the "corrective jerk" in order to keep her mind on what she's supposed to be doing. Can anyone suggest something that will encourage Lileigh (and me) in this goal of ours to "walk nice" ... ??? Thanks so much for your help....

Yes, it's not me, it's our GUESTS I'm concerned about Sandra---Lileigh doesn't jump up on me!!! I like your idea, "If you can make the guests understand that they have to turn away and ignore her..." Definitely think I'll try that approach. Thanks very much to you as well as everyone else for your suggestions.

Our Lileigh is almost 5-1/2 months old and is doing great, learning new things, adjusting well to new situations and surroundings as we take her with us in her crate in the van, etc...but in the "socialization" department, perhaps I'm expecting too much from an enthusiastic 5-month old??? The problem: She just loves people to death and in the excitement wants to just JUMP ALL OVER THEM when she meets them. How have you gotten your BC to just settle down a bit when they meet new people??? Am I expecting too much from her at this point? Help!!!!

Ohhhhh Alaska....thank you so much for the heads up on stick-throwing. What horror stories. Many, many thanks ...

We are really doing so much better just since yesterday. Last night she learned the "closer" command quickly with her ball indoors (thanks Cheri for that one), and her love of tug outdoors worked great again today with her bringing her toy to me very quickly. Deanna--I also appreciated your advice regarding "not play[ing] the game unless they play by your rules--ever." I needed to hear that!

3:30 p.m......SUCCESS!!! I can't believe it! I took Lileigh and her tug toy back outdoors and played tug for a few minutes before saying, "drop it" so I could give it a toss. SHE BROUGHT IT BACK TO ME TO TUG!!!! She did it again and again, but we played lots of tug in between the throws. As you folks indicated--she just enjoys tugging so much she finally realized that if she brings it TO ME, that's what we'll do! Thanks so much to ALL of you for your helpful suggestions. Tomorrow I think we'll work on bringing her tug toy (rather than a stick) back to me near that "infamous" bush. And BTW, we only have 6" to 8" of leaves in our yard...wow, did I miscalculate and exaggerate on that one.

Thanks for so many hints...I will definitely try the long line soon. I've tried standing in other places outdoors, but she doesn't want to bring her stick anywhere near me then--haha!! She loves to tease, I guess. Yes, INDOORS she does bring me her tug toy (which she LOVES), and we tug--lots. Also, during a game of catching the tennis ball (also indoors), she does drop it when told--but again, it's where SHE wants to drop it, not where I would like her to. (Sigh) A half hour ago I decided to try something different: take her favorite tug toy OUTDOORS, and maybe she would want to bring it back to me so we could tug. Ahhh..brilliant, I thought. Well....what a performance. We live in the woods and so have LOTS and LOTS of fallen maple leaves in our back yard (we don't let fallen leaves bother us and so do not rake very much!). Anyway, Lileigh romped and twirled in so many circles with that toy in 12"-18" of crispy leaves so enthusiastically that it was like a small tornado--for probably 10 minutes, non-stop. I laughed until my sides hurt. The whole episode didn't accomplish what I wanted it to, but it sure was the highlight of my day so far--and just another way she brings such joy to my life.

I'm new to the board (just this week) and have been enjoying reading and learning SO MUCH! Here is my question for today: My 5-month old BC loves to fetch a stick after being told to sit, stay, then o-kaaaaaaaay as I zing her stick about 40' .... she immediately brings it back. When told to drop it, she does---BUT, it's always under the same low-growing bush which is about 5' from where I am standing! Any suggestions as to how I can re-train her to bring it to ME before dropping it??? Thanks for your help. (BTW, I do recall reading on this board about a similar problem someone was having, but I got interrupted before reading their entire post (and replies), then couldn't find it again when I came back to the computer. Frustrating!!!)