When the OH's Mum and Stepfather announced they would be visiting this weekend, I was in a total panic. So far Custer has not been too good about letting people in the house, and he is not fond of everyone he meets. Not to mention we dont exactly have 100% control of him as yet.
As you can see above, I need not have worried. Custer totally adores his Grandma Nora, she is to date his favourite person in the world. He was indifferent to my father-in-law, but that was okay.
Is this the face of a stressed dog? his behavoir was better than it had been since he arrived with us. Was just as well really, as from 5am he had been a nightmare, we had arrived at the conclusion despite what we had been told this dog 'NEEDED' more exercise. This is him just 'next' to his beloved Grandma..
So, last night off we went armed with several feet of rope to the beach to begin a tough course in 'recall training', this was not to be though - the tide had just gone out and we had never seen so many jelly fish, which all look very appertising to a Labrador. (Do you know how much it costs at the vet when your Labrador eats a jellyfish? we do, Alfie has done it).
Not to be defeated, we walked back to the car and set off to the tennis courts to try there, alas no.. too many people there playing tennis, and it was raining! We had to make do with a long walk around the park, which was fine for the boys as it was somewhere different.
My next blog post will be our 'successful' walk today - it needs a post of its very own, but as a sneak preview here is Custer from this mornings walkies......
Oh, and Custer featured as today's dog on Yellow Dog here https://www.facebook.com/YellowDogUk?fref=ts
Custer's new coat arrived, unfortunatly its too big, and too hot for him - and he is not keen on things over his head on a good day, so not going well. We do have our badges and car stickers though to still promote the concept, and the yellow ribbons.
Further to my last post I discovered Custer is not hurling himself at random people, its little old ladies he does not like, especially one's with grey hair. So, I have managed to sort this out now with a 'firm' LEAVE command now I know what the trigger is. He is totally fine with children, teenagers, men etc its just older women he has a problem with.
It was two weeks yesterday since Custer came into our life, I would like to say the time has flown but it has been a tricky time - but I have to say Custer is doing great, for such a short time he is learning fast, and his own sweet personality is in there somewhere, just needs coaching out.
I just got back from our evening walkies with 'Daddy' and 'Jaja' and its the best walk I have had so far, with just a half check chain and ordinary lead, no halti, no harness - the boy did great, I even got him passed two dogs with a treat (ok they were on the other side of the road, but still a plus for Custer) and escaped an old lady who charged over to fuss the dogs, eeeeeeeeeeek!!! that was a bit scary, but I got him out of the way with treats whilst 'Daddy' and 'Jaja' allowed the fussing thing. No lunging or barking.
Tomorrow is a big day, as we go to the gundog trainer and his puppy class - sure he will be fine, so its a very early start tomorrow as its so hot here I need to walk Jaja before taking Custer to training. Just hoping he is as laid back as this tomorrow...
What we got to day 4 with Custer already? how on earth did that happen, and it has gone so fast. Well, actually with the sleep deprevation it has pretty much all rolled into one Custer experience.
Not that much to say today - which can only be a good thing, right? I think the boys are both still pretty tired from their big day yesterday. It was also another long night, Custer didn't do too badly really, aside from being a guard dog so he went totally nuts at 4am when some drunks went loudly passed the house. Then, Jaja had a poorly tum, so we were up at 5.30am and 7am with him. Custer was good and slept mostly on his own bed though, probably would have had a quieter night if Jaja hadnt been so unsettled. Lets hope so as 'himself' is back to work tomorrow after the bank holiday so its a 6.30am start to the day, could really use some sleep for that one.
Custer's walkies went fairly well today, this morning with his new Daddy he only sat down 3 times - we have now concluded he has not been walked on a lead before, as is showing typical puppy behavoir with the sitting down and not liking the collar, halti or anything over his head.
I took him for the later walkies, he did superb.. I noticed he was getting a bit aggitated so we stopped for a cuddle and that helped. All went well until 'little miss idiot brain' and her collie came from the park on a long line, saw me asking Custer to sit, wait and be good but still proceeded to let the dog run toward us, so Custer went nuts of course, I then had to wrestle him back, thanks for that 'Miss idiot brain' next time maybe think, and 'give a dog some space' - maybe have a read of this website,
http://www.yellowdoguk.co.uk/ and learn that NOT all dogs want another in their face, they may well be new rescue dogs that the owner is TRYING to train. Luckily, after that we settled back to the route home - I did have a relaxed lead aside from the incident time, so things 'were' getting much better.
Custer and Jaja did have a long relax on the sofa together today, the growls and teeth from Jaja are getting a lot less. although another incident earlier when Custer thought barking loudly at Jaja would be a great idea did not end so well, I did have to intervene with that one, most of the time I try not too. Poor young pup has an awful lot to learn.
Yes, that ungainly sight above is part of the Lurcher, just to show he was on his back on the sofa so not the pose of a stressed dog is it? Poor Custer just wants to be his friend.
Just the three of us tomorrow, see how we get on. Feel awful as I do have to leave Custer in the crate first thing while I walk Jaja and Bailey. But we have left him for a couple of short periods to test him, and he has been fine so far. The neighbours are good too, as we have warned them, and they are fine - which is always a good thing.
Today was a big day for Custer. The RSPCA had their big fundraising event at one of our town center parks. So we took Custer and Jaja along to see how they got on..
As you can see in order to have any level of control with Custer when out, this requires a collar and lead, and a halti and extra lead - and even then its a struggle. We are still not sure of Custer's intentions with other dogs, although we have now worked out that he really is not so fond of entire males (un-neutered), they are the ones he will shout at the most and lunge forward, then their are the lady dogs who he is quite fond of and again will lunge to get at them. If you have a large untrained rescue dog forget ever having shoulders that dont hurt again!!!!
One of the things that did upset me during our time there was other people, or more to the point other dog owners. They see a Labrador (with their great reputation) and assume it to be just fine to allow their dog to jump in his face and startle him, when he is still unsure of life as it is. I will always remember my fabulous dog trainer demonstrating this fact human - human.
Imagine if you will, I was to come right up to your face and jump around right infront of you, blocking all your field of vision and demanding your attention, what would you think? would you find this kind of behavoir acceptable? so why should my dog?
I have been a supporter of 'Yellow Dog UK' for sometime, but until now not needed their help. I came straight home today and ordered a coat and a car sticker, also printed out a poster - and I have also ordered a yellow lead with 'I need space' printed on it. You can find more information about this organisation here http://www.yellowdoguk.co.uk/
We did enter Custer in the 'Best Rescue Dog' part of the dog show, he did very well behavoir wise, and did wow the judge. Alas not his turn for a rosette yet. Here is proud Daddy in the ring with him..
Another plus to the day was our dog trainer (from when we took Alfie) was on the Battersea stand raising funds, and amazingly invited us and Custer to dog club for some socialising and training, she loves a challenge! So, we are going to go along on Wednesday evening just to watch and introduce Custer to some pals, he has already met Barney who he was very good with, until he tried to mount him of course... yes, he does need a lot of work on manners.
At the end of the day, and after another walk - for me to practice control, only four battles of Custer plonking his bottom to the floor and my having to heave him back up by the collar... he came home and annoyed Jaja again, but then got up on the sofa next to him, were they both went to sleep for a while, we were very happy with this result in such a short time..
They have done it again since, so there is hope that we may well have a peaceful household again in a few days. All is quiet again now, as they have had a big day.
