So pleased with yesterday mornings walk we had another go last night, but this time brought the camera. As you can see we do appear to have a far happier dog. Although even after 8pm last night it was not much cooler for them (or us). Above is Custer actually doing a recall, does not really happen so often, he comes back but not close enough, though at least he is staying with us so thats a start.
Here they are playing a bit of ball around the water, Jaja is faster of course..
As I said in yesterday's blog entry, Custer was a changed dog - this we believe is in part down to us with a greater understanding of him, some of it might be his starting to settle down too. Now today was another lesson, OH had gone back to work so it was all down to me. I took the other dogs out first and came back for Custer's turn as I have been doing, now... usually we then have a battle royal to get the harness and head collar on, but I had left the car open ready to put him in and take him to the beach. However, Custer decided he does not like my walks, likes his Daddies much better, I got his collar on, and he then went back to his crate and lay on his back...
Now, I could have forced him to do as he was told, but from our latest discoveries decided against it, it was very hot anyway (still only just after 9am) so I went out the front door, shut up the car, and came back in......... Custer was sat in the hall ready for his walk, I had managed to get him to make the decision (I read about this in a Victoria Stillwell link about dogs making their own choices). I got half the harness on, but was a bit of a battle for the other half..
Went out to the car which he more than happily jumped into. Not being quite so brave on my own, I had him on a long line, which I kept hold of, but he was very happy to mooch about on the beach, ignored 2 dogs we saw even though he was quite free really, did not pull, stayed with me, just did his own thing..
I have to say it was the most 'chilled' walk I have had on my own with him, despite the heat. Although with the sea breeze it is the coolest place you can walk around here, back to the car no problem at all.
The only down side, was when we got back he refused to get out of the car - which on a normal day would have been fine, I would have shut the doors and left him there but its way too hot to leave a dog in a car, thats for sure. So, I attatched the long line again and walked in the house, no.. that did not work, I sat on the step for a while, so he just lay down... Afraid it really was just too hot for either of us to stay there, so I did drag him out by the harness, BUT stayed totally cool about it, he DID get the chance to make his own decision but he blew that one I'm afraid.
Here is a dog that does need to learn to make his own choices, and a human that needs to learn more patience - at the end of which one day will be a good dog.
Looking forward to dog club tomorrow after a break of a couple of weeks, usually we have stayed in the corner and observed, hopefully tomorrow we might be able to take part.
Now, Custer and I are going to try find somewhere cool to relax in..
Having had a couple of poor days with Custer, we arrived at the conclusion more exercise was needed, although walkies are not a great deal of fun, it had to be done. So, on Sunday morning we set off on one of my usual walks with the other dogs known as the 'velvet trail' by the side of the beach. We practiced a 'sit n stay' on the bridge on the way to the little pond we thought Custer would adore.
He was very tentative towards the water, we are not sure if he has been taught to stay out of it, or is just genuinly fearful of it? he hates rain and does avoid puddles. But this pond was not met with your typical Labrador enthusiasm.
On the way back we did some more bridge sit and stays...
Looks really good doesn't it? but we did leave out the rugby tackle OH did catching him after the runner after this shot..
Note the harness, this does help a bit with the pulling, but I still cannot manage him with just this. Usually I have a half check chain too, but still last week he managed to pull every muscle and joint I have. So, I have started this week with a head collar again, and the harness - does stop him from pulling, but does not however stop him from hurling himself to the floor, as he is really cross he cannot take control of the walk. Now with the harness I can pull him back up off the floor but as he weigh's about 6 stone, this cannot go on for much longer, I am hoping he will soon stop. Three times today, so aside from my arm ligaments being torn to bits, he has now done my back with all the lifting. Our 'gentle lead' arrives soon, so hoping that will be better still. Will link to it as and when.
Tonight its one of our training evenings, we are taking him to the tennis courts or the beach to practice some recall, and tire him out a bit. (fingers crossed)
I will end with a photo of the boys on the way back from our very successful walk, having said that we didn't see any other dogs so that did help.
I remember when we were close to loosing Alfie, recording the days for when 'the bad days were more than the good ones'. With that logic, here is hoping that the good days for Custer will get more frequent.
I am having to be far stricter than I have EVER been with a dog, but this morning I did manage to get Custer past a cat (on the other side of the road) without being dragged into the road.
We are just back from our regular evening walkies, when OH takes the lead. Usually we have battles with every dog we see - Custer lunging to get across the road at the dog, today we did 4/4 with no lunging. We were walking on air. Okay, we still cant get past one on the same side of the road, but as OH pointed out, for the last four weeks we couldnt get past anything in the same town without a huge 'kick off'.
I was writing my success blog post in my head as we walked in, all smug - told Custer what a 'good boy' he was and life was good.
Then him and Jaja just had quite a 'set too' which is a first. Jaja has been on his case since he arrived, but usually plays happily with him, and Custer wont even go to get his dinner without fetching Jaja first. So, that is a bit of a backwards step, maybe we let our guard down too soon? who knows..........
I had a smug moment this morning too, the elderly couple who have watched me battle my walks each morning from their bus stop gave me a thumbs up when Custer crossed over and sat nicely for a treat - they can see the progress. Its just very small when out though.
In the house (with the exception of this evening) things are usually good, few problems and no raised voices.
Fingers Crossed for another positive post.
We are usually at dog club tonight, but our trainer has just been for a new hip so no club for a couple of weeks.
Didn't manage a blog post yesterday as it was dog club again last night, so ran out of time. Not the best of events either. Custer was a nightmare yesterday. I think despite my best efforts I was too soft with him, and things got worse very quickly. Whilst I was out lead walking yesterday he started barking wildly at two seperate ladies for no reason at all, other than he 'felt like it'. At dog club he spent the entire hour lunging, barking, growling and carrying on. We are both exhausted by his behavoir.
I have had to become a drill sergant today, which is NOT what I had in mind. We are also in need of another v. large crate, it has already cost us more than Custer's adoption fee, in halti's, leads, harnesses, yellow dog stuff etc - so I have been trying to borrow one, but seem nobody I know has a crate that is 48" or more.
Today's walk was a 'challenge' I did mange to have no repeat of the behavoir towards people, but an awful lot of control was needed. I found it interesting that men are looking at me and smiling (I think I remind them of some sort of dominatrix) and women are looking at me in total horror, not understanding that a dog THIS size has got to learn to behave or somebody will get hurt. Every single 'sit' command he objected too, I would walk on and go back to the same place until he did it, then lavish on the praise at which point he would then refuse to move... The strangest thing is I am having no problems with him in the house, just outdoors?
I know I will look back at this day in time and smile, but today I am finding it really tough going - I just wanted a Labrador I could cuddle, not one I have a daily battle with and have to order about continually.
I miss my boy Alfie so much, he too was a challenge for the first 12 months, but nothing like this. We were saying at dog club last night, Alfie never ended up in the naughty corner! Anyone who doesn't know this is my adorable boy Alfie http://custersfirst.blogspot.co.uk/p/alfie.html
Lets hope tomorrow is a better day...
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.
Meet Custer!!! This is the photo taken on day 2 of his meeting with us his new family . As you see Custer is a Yellow Labrador, he is aged 16 months and we are to be his fourth home. Can you believe that? a dog so young...
But that is just the thing these days, firstly poor breeders - and I mean 'Poor' as in 'BAD' breeders of which they are NOT all - will give up a puppy to anybody with the cash. Then, many individuals are just not prepared to put in the time and training it takes for a good dog, they are not born!!! but trained. But that lecture is for another blog post (and trust me its on its way!).
Custer has had zero training. My husband describes him as a 16 week old puppy in a 16 month old body, which is BIG and powerful - not a good mix. Custer has been with us for 28 hours, in that time he has pulled hubby on the floor twice, peed on the bedroom carpet, kept us awake for most of the night, and is a complete and total pest to the Lurcher, resulting in an awful lot of teeth and growls.
On the plus side - yes there is one! I have taught him what 'ball' is, taught him to 'find' ball and sometimes even retrieve it, this one is going to take more work. He is loving his grooming, and his coat is starting to improve and having been out this afternoon and purchased a 'halti' he is learning to walk on the lead without pulling folk on the floor. Not a lesson he is enjoying much as this is the most stubborn Labrador I have even met in over 16 years of dealing with Labradors and rescue dogs.
Custer is a loving and insecure boy, he is guarding the house (a bit too much) and obviously has no idea what is role in life is, very confused by all the homes and lack of guidance he has had so far.
A busy week ahead, he needs registering at our vet, and taking to meet our supervet Uncle Owen. Also needed is a training school, were he can learn some controlled socialisation, as this is something else he has no idea about. In the future we hope there will be other activities to focus his brain and teach it how to work more positivley. Custer is of course too young for agility as yet, but hopefully this is something he can do in the future.
Thats all for now, whilst I make sure he is not chewing anything he shouldnt be.
