Dalesred

My Rhiw does this to get my attention - he's also fascinated with a shaving mirror of my husband's which is usually balanced on the edge of the bath. When he comes in to supervise me peeing, he'll bump the mirror. Then me.

I'm sorry you're going through this, and you've had some good advice already. It sounds like you and Steve are very close so I also wondered if there's anything going on in your life right now that is causing negative emotion - however subtle - that Steve might be picking up on? Just a thought.

Right. I'm english and I know about these things. Wanker is definitely in the same category as bitch. Here in Yorkshire, there's another term too. I've never seen it written down anywhere. It's a local dialect word for a clumsy, ineffectual, male. Unlike bitch or wanker, though it also contains a vague hint of affectionate exasperation. Nearly always used by women of men. Rolls off the tongue nicely too. It's buggalugs. ('Luggs' are ears and luggoils ear holes. I know a dog with splendid aural appendages. He's called Luggs, for obvious reasons.)

I can't stop crying. Then I saw his pic - a merley boy like my boy - and cried some more Lucky Gent. Good boy. You deserve all that is best and soft and wonderful.

I agree with what everyone else has said. First, your new boy may take a while to come out of his shell. Also, some dogs aren't all that into playing. Both of mine, though perfectly polite, don't really interact hugely with other dogs. But they are definitely companions,and very close even if they don't 'play' together all the time. Also your resident dog may need time to adjust to teh newcomer and start initating play. There's also a strict hierarchy at work with Meg as senior dog and teacher of all the secrets of dogdom to the young lad! In fact my household may be one of the very few where the resident BC is not top dog! They both love love love to play ball and frisbee with me, however. I remember it took me several months as a novice dog owner to realise that Meg, my rescue girl, needed to be 'taught' how to playfully interact with me. (Though on our very first walk, she stopped and looked up into the branches of a tree and looked back at me and smiled, then ran on to the next, and did the same thing. I said 'where are the squirrels, Meg?' and ever after that when walking through woodland, she'll do the exact same thing and look back at me, grinnning, for a response. It's like a private joke! So I think she was just waiting patiently for me to catch on!) Above all, give it time - three days is not very long at all, especially for an intelligent and sensitive dog. I really don't think it's grounds to take the dog back to the shelter.

I am so happy for you Mary. Beautiful Vala is one lucky, lucky hound. I've followed your previous posts about Pan with a mix of growing admiration and respect. I can think of no-one more deserving of a lovely dog like Vala than you. PS. Admiring that lovely newly bathed coat and thinking .... do you have a Dyson Animal yet

As I'm lucky enough to live surrounded by spectacular countryside, mine get half hour to an hour daily during the week and, in the spring and summer at least one long walk at the weekend. By long I mean five hours plus - because that is what I enjoy doing. If for whatever reason they cna't get a long walk, we play fetch instead. I have to watch Rhiw though as intense games of fetch make him very hot very quickly. I have noticed that when this regime has broken down - (illness for example) the dogs do adpat themselves accordingly. Conversely I think the more exercise they have, the more they will take.

Pansmom I am so glad you have stayed with us. Your tenacity and dedication to your dog is really impressive. I have no advice to offer as I have no experience of what you describe, but I have read this thread in its entirety, though, and at times I began to despair when the discussion descended into point scoring and flaming. I was most relieved when I saw you were still contributing. My heart goes out to you in this truly awful situation, and I hope that the answers become clear soon. Elizabeth

Hi Ailsa First reply disappeared into the ether! As you know, I've only just seen this - I hope Skye is much improved by now - how is she doing? The injury sounds very nasty and I am sure you were frantic with worry. I hope too that your neck and back did not suffer too much from your night(s) on the sofa. Random Acts of Ow = another Mr Snappy classic. And I'll remember that tip about foam round the neck. Hugs to you both Elizabeth

This follows a recent documentary on British TV about the whole issue, which I mentioned on another thread. The KC came out of it looking like blundering idiots. Clearly the RSPCA has decided to take a firm stance. Good. The withdrawal of the RSPCA made headline news nationally too: so much the better.

I think the 'Rainbow Bridge' clamouring must have been fairly constant thereafter as well - what with the number of innocent civilians killed in Iraq and all.

Hi there I am a novice, definitely so I can't really offer realistic advice with this problem. There are others on here far more qualified than I am. I have recently bought and watched two excellent DVDs from bluedogtraining.com, recommended first on these boards. They contain hundreds of examples of dogs reacting under stress and have been excellent learning tools for me in how to approach dogs, how to spot subtle signals in their body language and so forth. I realise now I have assumed too much in how much I really understand. Both DVDs made me realise it is a miracle humans are not bitten by dogs more often, and the knowledge I gleaned will be very helpful in the volunteer work I do with a local rescue. The trainer's name is Sarah Kalnajs and there are two tapes: One called The Language of Dogs and the other Am I Safe? aimed at rescues doing behaviour assessments, but also contains some really useful info. Perhaps these will help you identify any clues your dogs are giving before they lunge. If they give no clues at all, that is also very significant of course. Sarah K uses a waist attached lead to better control the dogs she works with. Maybe this is something that would work for you too. Sorry if this is basic stuff, but thought I'd offer it up, just in case.

Are so worth it. I learned loads. The Language of Dogs and Am I Safe? are both excellent with loads of footage as examples which I find easier than line drawings or photos. They'll help not just woth my own dogs but invaluable in the rescue volunteer work I do too. Highly recommended.

Melanie I can't make the case because it's something I don't believe in either. Rhiw comes from proven working stock but, he is 'only' a pet. Thanks to this board I now know more than I ever did before about the breeding for working ability only argument, and I understand the case for it. My next dog, however, will be a rescue as I feel that would be an even better choice for our situaiton than a working bred pup. I know you will know all about this anyway, but others might be interested to hear that there was a brilliant TV programme aired recently about this very issue here in the UK. BCs weren't mentioned specifically, but the appalling consequences of what has happened to a number of breeds through inter-breeding from a diminishing gene pool for size/ looks/ colour/ designer characteristics etc, was truly awful. Whilst I accept that the breeding for herding ability versus breeding for sport is another and slightly different aspect of the argument, the programme gave a vivid and disturbing insight into what goes on in the show breeding world. And how appalling and irreversible damage can be wreaked in a very short time. One woman admitted quite frankly on camera that , as a Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder she 'culled' all pups born without a ridge. Even though the ridge itself is a deformity. She said she had to 'shop around for an old fashioned vet willing to do it.' I bet she did. Then there were the King Charles Cavs whose skulls are too small for their brains. The pug who had horrible spinal curvature due to breeding to produce the double curl in the tail, the GSD hip/joint problems and so on. What is worst of all though, these damaged dogs, some living with chronic ailments of varying severity, from mild impairment to acute and constant pain, can be bred from and shown in the show ring. And the Kennel Club has done very litttle to address the issue, saying that they were wary of 'driving unscrupulous breeders underground. ' All of this leads me to conclude that every time you breed selectively for something other than that with which the breed is primarily meant to be or do, has to be a retrograde step. So much damage has been done to the health of many breeds, in order to further the financial and ego needs of their breeders, that their very future is in question. And there are so many, many cross breeds in rescue waiting for loving forever homes that it seems awful to me to deliberately add to their number.

Rhiw: DH calls hinm 'the lad' or 'boy'. I call him Pie-stealer. We both call him RhiwBone Meg: DH used to call her Devil Dog, or DeVileus. ( he pretends to hate her). I call her Megster, sweetheart, etc. We both call her MegBone.