Sorry its been a whole week since we checked in. As you see, its just so hot here (not what we are used to) the once green grass of the park is no more.
Custer is now having a walk around the park in the morning, after I have take the others out and then another in the evening, either to the park or the beach.
Its so warm for them there is not an awful lot going on really. I rarely have my camera with me, as with having Custer loose most of the time full wits are needed to be sure he is not mis-behaving, and if we see an on lead or older dog we have to get him back asap.
Custer is getting to know some dogs in the park, he has made a few friends but they do need to be able to cope with him, and few can. I think he managed to upset a lady with a Labrador this week as we didnt see her again, whoops. Custer was playing, but he does play nip like a puppy and needs telling by another dog to sort this, the Labrador did this but the owner did not like it.
Today he met a super play mate, weekend now as the OH is not working we take them all in the car to the beach, easier for me with just the one walkies. So, earlier on we were there - we met a lovely what we thought to be 'young' dog for Custer to play with, I thought he was a Pointer, but apparently he was Vizler x Labrador, and FOUR YEARS OLD. Also played like a puppy, so both large dogs and a great time was had. Its all quiet here now.
I had been very worried there was something not right with Custer, he tired so easily. OH said it was just due to him never having had the exercise, but I was worried there was something a miss...
Well, he is now getting used to exercise, recovering a lot quicker and if he does not get enough running time, usually when its just too hot he is a total pest! so thats a good thing.
At Puppy Class last week he was pretty good, better off lead than on - Arthur is happy that he is just improving in general so thats the main thing. At dog club on Wednesday not so good, he just fights on the lead (with us, to be off it I mean), when its his turn to do things he is great - but rest of the time is a tussle. Just been told the hall is being refurbished, so no club for a couple of weeks now - not sure we can go after that either as OH starts a new job, which is very early to rise, and he wont be back till after 7pm in the evenings.
Hoping for an end to the severe heat soon, so the dogs can have more fun and running time.
Not really much to say (which is a good thing) unless you would like to read me waffling on about my hatred of the hot weather? probably not, so give that a miss. But, here we were late last night at sunset time on the beach, as far as the sea as it was just too hot to do much else.
Watching Custer play in the sea did make us smile, as the first time we took him, shortly before he tried to run off towards Birkenhead.... he was scared of the water, we doubt he had seen so much before. He seems to approve of it now though, of course its nice for them to cool off too. Jaja is a big fan of the water, and Lurcher's are not meant to like it at all, so I am told.
Nice quiet uneventful walk last night, which is just the way we like it. Today, (no pics, sorry) we took Custer, Bailey and Jaja out in one car - we have not done that before, was a success too. Although as we were out early for a Saturday morning, despite it being a bit cooler than of late it was very busy, with an awful lot of dogs.. Custer did very well with them all apart from one? not sure what happened there, was a young dalmation he took exception too, we are wondering if the dog had a go at him as we have never seen him react that way, he was all noise but thats not the point, luckily we still have him on a long line so easy enough to reel in quickly. This has given me some concern, as I was hoping to take them all on my own next week when OH is back at work. Still, we are going to try again early tomorrow morning before puppy class, as I have Bailey tomorrow too, so we can see how it goes, and also a quick park walk this evening.
We were out so long this morning, poor Custer had never had a walk that long before - at the end of it I saw one of the 'dog walkers' I know, so he ran round with two other Lurchers, that was a bit silly of him... he has been very quiet all day - so just a quick one tonight.
As I mentioned in another entry, one of the ways we used to teach Custer to stop 'dropping' in the driveway and wanting to go in the car, was to lead walk him to the park in the evening (had to be evenings when hubby was here to heave him off the floor). To enjoy walks we took some toys too, now this is a first for Jaja, we have loads of photo's of our old Labradors playing with tuggies, occasionally Jaja would grab one end briefly, but he has never played like this. So good to see them play together.
As you see, being the boss and the tallest Jaja does tend to win the game most of the time, although Custer is younger and a lot stronger he is also very respectful to Jaja.
It was this day we then met up with one of the dog walkers with a few dogs and Custer had a great play with a big chocolate Labrador, this was our first time playing in the park with him, and it went very well.
See how Jaja likes to remind him who is boss? Not bad from a pup who was for ten years bottom of the pack.
So, yesterday Custer and I got to the park on our own which was fabulous - our second successful outing, during which we met another dog walker 'Jo' from Power Paws she had a few dogs with her, and 3 lovely German Shepherds who were very good to Custer who had a great time with them.
Last night was dog club night, and went very well. Okay, Custer is by no means perfect but at least he can join in now and is much calmer, he is still reactive to the hyper dogs I'm afraid, but hopefully will get calmer in time. Hubby was very pleased with how he did.
This morning we had another great walk on the park, met up with 'Jo' from Power Paws again, today she had a German Shepherd called Ruby who Custer loved to play with, they had a great time, played some ball, not much as its a hot one today. I also ran into a lady I met at the fund raiser when we had just adopted Custer, she was amazed at his progress, we chatted for a while - best bit was during this chat were was Custer? laid down by my feet!! I was so pleased, I did have to check him from bothering other dogs, but only gently and he stayed with me. He is still on a long line as I dont have that total trust just yet, and the park as too many exits to roads, so need to be able to stop him if necessary, only had to do that once though, and that was due to him bothering a dog who did not want to be bothered.
He has also taken a telling off from a little dog today - doing well with the little ones, more dogs are starting to see him as the big harmless lump that he is, which is great.
I did 'of course' forget the camera (again) must try do better at that. Do wish it was cooler though, its so hot for them all, even my first early walk with Jaja and Bailey on the beach was too hot for us all. Will be another park walkies tonight and in the morning.
Saturday we are planning our first trip with them all in one car, going to the beach - should be interesting.
For the last few weeks, THIS is what happened for my morning walkies. If he had fingers we know what he would be doing with them! This is Custer saying 'if I am not going in the car, I am NOT going'
I told him yesterday I would take these photo's add them to his blog and show everyone just how Silly he is. As you can see, no way would he move...
This is Custer on the long line whilst I went and sat in the hall. I could drag him in, but what would be the point of that? Eventually he would come in himself and I just calmly took off his lead and harness and carried on with my stuff and ignored him...
Guess what?? Today, he came with me to the park!!!! hurray, victory was mine, happy dance to the park and around the house when I got back. No idea what changed, but we did it - not really any playmates just the one, the dog was fine to play but the owner didnt like it so I had to turn around with Custer, but we did a whole walk round the park and back home, hurray!!!!!!!
I think its still about those choices, he needs to make the choice himself. Hopefully we will find some friends to play with on the park so he can enjoy it more, still a bit hot though - in time.. when it gets cooler, and the good ol' golf tournament has finished, we can go back to my regular walk all together, cant wait - be great to do just the one walk with them all, be even better when the weather cools down a bit.
Yes, I know - sorry about the strangely attired woman at the end of the lead - Its a hot day, all I thought of was how to keep the sun off me, not what I would actually look like! Here is Custer looking like a well behaved boy no? Well, actually no he was not, he had hurled himself to the floor and refused to move, this is how he stayed for the first 15 minutes. Then our trainer for the day (who was Nick, as Arthur was away) got out the tennis balls...
Looking good, he is sat up now and all is well... or not! "Next, throw the ball" he says, so I throw the ball and off he goes, to the shaded area with said ball. As its a gundog class, you do not take the ball from the dog, he has to give it up......... that was a long wait.
After that, Custer did actually manage some lead walking - I wont say heel work as it most certainly was not that. Then, it was time to practice recall........nobody thought this would be possible, but it seems left with the alternative of me or a stranger Custer did actually prefer me as an option, even 'Daddy' didnt think it would happen, as he had the camera poised for Custer disappearing into the distance, but no.. this was a run back to me!
Last night we took them to our local park, 'Daddy' is practicing taking Custer out without the car, as he now will NOT walk with me in a morning as he wants to get in the car, so we are trying to teach him lead walks are fun too. I took some great pics of him playing with Jaja, which is a first for them both - sadly was just too amazed to take photo's later on when he played with a very large Chocolate Labrador as bolchy as him, very rough playing but they both had a great time.
Needless to say we have not been out today as yet, I took photo's of Custer laid in the drive refusing to move.. so you will get to see those soon too.
Its off to the park again soon...........
Its Saturday today, when normal folk take it easy and perhaps enjoy a lay in after the weeks early mornings. Not when you have dogs though, its very hot and threatening to be the hottest day yet - its up early and get them out. Despite being early it was still too hot for Jaja..
..and Bailey, who I also walk each day (Bailey is not my dog, he belongs to a friend). The photo did not do this justice, but before this point Bailey had been in the ditch and rolled in all the mud, amazing though he arrived home clean (ish)
The 'second' best bit about today's walk, was Custer did plenty of socialising with some new pals - at one time we were not sure this was ever going to happen, here they are all cooling off in the stream..
Custer is good with the smaller dogs too , this is little Ben - he likes people more and was looking to me to see if I had any biccies, we see Ben often on my other walk its my friend Sylvia that gives him Biccies, he thought it might be me..
This little chap was a lot of fun, he arrived with more mud on him that Bailey having visited the same ditch on the way, and was only too happy to find a pal to run around with..
But, the very best thing about today's walkies was Custer is 'FINALLY' learning recall, this was the first time he came back from playing with some dogs he ran off with, then he did it every time on the way back - Okay it might not be 100% yet, and still needs a lot of work, but having just celebrated (I think) our 8th week with Custer we are very impressed, its a start. This is Custer running back to me after I called him..
He does still need an awful lot or work, he is in dog years a teenager, so being very stroppy on occasions.. like if I want to take him out without the car he will not budge, just throws himself at the floor in the driveway and I cant move him, have to tie him to a long line and go inside. So, that one needs work which is a shame as the rest of the time he is pretty good.
Now he has had a good walk later on this evening we plan to just lead walk them to the park and around there, another first for Custer. Tomorrow is puppy class, but looking like another hot day so maybe not doing so much again.
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..
Unfortunatly, us silly hooomans have forgotten the camera of late. So, no camera for yesterday's Puppy Class which was such a shame. You may have read that Custer lunges at every dog he see's, we have never been totally sure of his intentions.
We arrived at class yesterday (its in a field) and one of the Labrador Puppies ran over to welcome us, I had Custer on the lead so was a bit wary, but confident in the trainer so I totally relaxed and let it happen, Custer was happy to see the pup and did nothing. We usually then try to walk him around and calm him down, but instead took him up to were the other dogs were, it was a very very hot day so everyone was pretty chilled, Custer lay down by the water bowl and 2 of the puppies climbed over him, I was a bit worried but there was no need, he was totally fine with them, he really does think he is one of them it seems.
Not much went on in class as it was too warm to do a lot, but of course Custer threw himself to the floor during 'heel work' and Arthur said to walk away and leave him, so I did - first couple of times he did come and find me, but after that he mooched around doing his own thing, so was left to it.. he didnt bother anybody or any of the dogs.
At the end of class 2 of the pups were playing in the field and Custer went with them, total puppy play although he is an awful lot bigger than them, but nobody bothered. He was also good with one of the older Labradors and one of the nervous cockers in class.
Our trainer has said it is going to take a very long time, and he may never be 100%. But we have learnt an awful lot about Custer in the last few days.
This is Custer after this mornings walk. Remember he was afraid of the water? well, not anymore. As it is very hot, and this was at 8.30am today - the other dogs were straight in the water, so he went in too, my OH had to drop the lead (or choose to go in with him) and Custer had a great time playing with Jaja in the water, sorry we had no camera today. We left him off the lead for the rest of the walk, he came back to the whistle (which I worked on yesterday) and stayed with us, played with an irish setter pup on the way back. Only downside was when he went back to the black ditch (as you can see) and is very smelly just now. I have had to wash his harness, lead and collar. So, there is a lot of hope that one day he will be able to go on the walk with our friends, thing is he is recalling ok for the OH, but not me - so a way to go yet.
We have also found Custer is very sensitive to moods. Last week I had some troubles, and anxiety - he was appauling in behavoir. Now, today we are both happy and smiley and so is Custer, just shows you how dogs do respond to our moods.
Here is Custer doing lap dog...
he does like to sit with his Daddy.
So... this is a good blog again, seems they are getting more frequent. It does take time to sort out a rescue dog, we are now in week 7 of life with Custer, and only just starting to work him out.
We have now concluded Custer is a v. large, sensitive PUPPY.
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.
