Cavalier King Charles in flat?

UKTigerlily

suki1964 wrote: »

Just a quick question, am I reading that you are perhaps in a studio flat?

If so then perhaps waiting a bit longer for your one bedroom would be better for you - and your future dog. Its just if they get used to being beside you 24/7 in one room - you may end up with separation anxiety at a later age when you yourself feel ready to go back to work. As I say many times, Im no expert on dog behaviour, but having had three spaniel pups I know how difficult its been just getting them to stay in one room while I go for a shower

Hiya, not sure what a studio flat is but it's probably similar? I'm in a bedsit, so a small kitchen, small bathroom, hallway & big livingroom/bedroom. I'd still be going out to the gym & such before getting a job, so from day 1 i'd be looking to get it adjusted to spending up to 3/4hrs alone with the cat! Tho i'd probably have someone come after 2hrs or so to walk it.

Obviously i'd build up slow, starting with just a few minutes. Don't mind having a dog or a pup, i'll probably call the breed rescue aswell, assuming the council say yes. Personally i'd quite like an older one but i'm really not worried. The dog would be able to be left in the room while I went into the other rooms if needed to get it used to being alone.

Had a look at the Greyhound websites & don't think it'd be the breed for me, partly because I think the cat would be nervous of such a big dog, partly because it'd seem cramped in here, partly cause i'm worried it'd chase things! and also because it's just not a breed i've wanted, wheras a CKCS i've wanted since I was 12/13 & i'm now almost 30 :eek:

I'd take out for life insurance, probably with Pet Plan though i'd look around for the best, also i'd save about £100 a month or more towards the animals in case of any bills. The cat is now 10.5yrs so i'm prepared for her to start getting some, so far she only has daily medication for some arthritis of the spine but that's only £25 a bottle for 90 days worth

Would it not be possible to train them to be used to me leaving if I began with just a few minutes & built it up? I do go out sometimes to the gym or to meet people, though when I meet my Mum i'm going to try to convince her to meet the dog! lol anyway this is all IF the council say yes! Thanks so much all for helping here I'm thinking about all you're saying!

foreign_correspondent

Yes, if you train the dog from the start that you will often be leaving but you will always come back s/he should be fine. Leaving for a few minutes regularly right from day one is good for the dog, getting him or her used to this being a normal pert of life and not a big deal.

The key thing is not to make a fuss of the dog just before you leave or as you return (no big cuddles, fuss and 'see you later doggie, bye bye doggie, yes bye bye, see you in a bit, don't worry' type shenanigans) -as this makes the dog think you coming and going is a big deal!!

Just pop out normally, pretty much ignoring the dog, and on your return ignore the fuss the dog is likely to make, wait till it is calm, then call it to you for a fuss (you should choose when the fussing happens rather than the dog) - this has always worked for me anyway!

Mely

First of all i think you are going to have A LOT of very hard work ahead of you with toileting your dog, as you dont have an enclosed garden. Especially with a puppy.
Im being a hyprcrite here as i have a pedigree dog...but mongrels do have far less health issues. I find the kennel club breed standards a TOTAL DISGRACE! So many dogs are made to suffer because of these standards, and healthy pups that dont meet these standards are often put down.
Dont a lot CKCS'S have problems with their brains leading to seizures, or is that another type of Spaniel?

suki1964

UKTigerlily wrote: »

Hiya, not sure what a studio flat is but it's probably similar? I'm in a bedsit, so a small kitchen, small bathroom, hallway & big livingroom/bedroom. I'd still be going out to the gym & such before getting a job, so from day 1 i'd be looking to get it adjusted to spending up to 3/4hrs alone with the cat! Tho i'd probably have someone come after 2hrs or so to walk it.

Obviously i'd build up slow, starting with just a few minutes. Don't mind having a dog or a pup, i'll probably call the breed rescue aswell, assuming the council say yes. Personally i'd quite like an older one but i'm really not worried. The dog would be able to be left in the room while I went into the other rooms if needed to get it used to being alone.

Had a look at the Greyhound websites & don't think it'd be the breed for me, partly because I think the cat would be nervous of such a big dog, partly because it'd seem cramped in here, partly cause i'm worried it'd chase things! and also because it's just not a breed i've wanted, wheras a CKCS i've wanted since I was 12/13 & i'm now almost 30 :eek:

I'd take out for life insurance, probably with Pet Plan though i'd look around for the best, also i'd save about £100 a month or more towards the animals in case of any bills. The cat is now 10.5yrs so i'm prepared for her to start getting some, so far she only has daily medication for some arthritis of the spine but that's only £25 a bottle for 90 days worth

Would it not be possible to train them to be used to me leaving if I began with just a few minutes & built it up? I do go out sometimes to the gym or to meet people, though when I meet my Mum i'm going to try to convince her to meet the dog! lol anyway this is all IF the council say yes! Thanks so much all for helping here I'm thinking about all you're saying!

Oh yes you can (and should) start training a pup to be left alone right from the start - a few seconds at first even - slowly increasing the time. It was just with you having such a small place i was concerned that perhaps it wont be so easy. I remember with my last two pups Id start of by leaving them down stairs while I went up stairs, bit more convenient that walking out the door every hour

But you sound like you are really taking on board what a pup needs and from what you say and ask, it looks like you have seen pitfuls and problems and are working out solutions - you are going great

Pet insurance is a must, although if you are on income support you could be seen by the rspca. The dogs trust do cheap neutering (here we pay £10 if on benefit ) and the PDSA are there to help out with low income pet owners

I do hope you get good news from the council - fingers crossed xxx

UKTigerlily

Mely wrote: »

First of all i think you are going to have A LOT of very hard work ahead of you with toileting your dog, as you dont have an enclosed garden. Especially with a puppy.
Im being a hyprcrite here as i have a pedigree dog...but mongrels do have far less health issues. I find the kennel club breed standards a TOTAL DISGRACE! So many dogs are made to suffer because of these standards, and healthy pups that dont meet these standards are often put down.
Dont a lot CKCS'S have problems with their brains leading to seizures, or is that another type of Spaniel?

They have a couple of health thingys, can't remember the names of them, my Aunt has two CKCS & so far they're both fine, but any dog can get health problems, my ex's Sister has a diabetic & epileptic dog! I'm not worried about hard work or health issues, well, of course I don't want any pet to get sick, but if & when they do they get the care needed.

I'm the sort of person that won't back away from something just because it might not be simple, i'm not necessarily wanting a Pup, i'm happy with a 10yr old disabled dog too! It really doesn't matter what body it comes in, it's temperament & personality & if we click. I'd be just as happy with a CKCS x rescue too!

For toilet training the only difference is it'll have to be supervised, it can still go out on the grass anytime it wants to, day or night as I don't work right now. Not sure yet how it works with letting it on the ground, as in if a neighbour had dogs, would someone with their own private garden be able to let their Pup out before it's vaccinated? As in are the diseases airborne?

If not there's not much difference as no other dogs use or come near our shared grass area, the only person that goes on it is the litter picker from the council, even the other tenants don't, just me! I sit out on the bench & read! So if it's a case of the Pup can't go where other dogs have been, that wouldn't be an issue, i've lived here almost 3yrs & have never seen another dog there, just the cats!

Be interested to know if it's a case of the Pup can't go on ground another dog has been on, or if it's near other dogs (Like a neighbour with dogs in their garden)

If not, i'm sure we'll work something out even if I have to use vet bed or something for a few weeks until it's vaccinated, might be a dog tho not a pup

10past6

Have you made sure you can have a dog in your property?

Most flat Tenancy agreements state no pets allowed, the last thing you need is to get a tenant who wants to live by the rules.

We live in a leasehold flat our lease forbids dogs, when we purchased this property we took the chance, but we were living on tender hooks for sometime in case we were reported.

UKTigerlily

suki1964 wrote: »

Oh yes you can (and should) start training a pup to be left alone right from the start - a few seconds at first even - slowly increasing the time. It was just with you having such a small place i was concerned that perhaps it wont be so easy. I remember with my last two pups Id start of by leaving them down stairs while I went up stairs, bit more convenient that walking out the door every hour

But you sound like you are really taking on board what a pup needs and from what you say and ask, it looks like you have seen pitfuls and problems and are working out solutions - you are going great

Pet insurance is a must, although if you are on income support you could be seen by the rspca. The dogs trust do cheap neutering (here we pay £10 if on benefit ) and the PDSA are there to help out with low income pet owners

I do hope you get good news from the council - fingers crossed xxx

I have my cat registered with the PDSA, but I won't use them unless it's an absolute emergency! I don't mean I wouldn't take her to a vet, I mean I use our own vet. To me just because i'm on benefits doesn't mean I should use free vet services also. I CHOOSE to have pets, if I can't afford them from the benefits, which we all know pay stupid amounts/too much, then I shouldn'tn have them at all.

I know people will say if you're on benefits you shouldn't have pets & I understand, but i'm disabled & have a life long illness so sometimes I have no choice but to not work, though I intend to all the time I can! I don't think me saying ok i'm never going to have a pet & just live alone forever will help me. I also know if I had a job, I could lose it for whatever reason & need benefits. I guess i'm trying to say that if I have a pet or not i'd get the money, so i'll pay for it out of that, BUT I won't use free vet services unless I have no choice because I believe I should pay for the pets out of benefits/wages I get.

If I couldn't afford to insure & save for vetbills from my benefits, then no I wouldn't have pets if it was a case of ah well PDSA will sort em. Charities do an amazing job & so I don't want to use them unless I have no option & gladly pay my vet to help mine.

That probably all didn't come out right! I will definitely be saving BEFORE I get any dog (Again if allowed, I bet they say no after all this!) for a years pet insurance, probably Pet Plan's lifetime one. It'll be microchipped & neutered, vaccinated, wormed & flea treated no matter what breed it is or where from! My cat has Frontline Spot On once a month for ticks & fleas so i'd no doubt get a dog the dog version.

I imagine if they say yes i'd start saving & it'd be next year before I got one, would definitely buy a crate & find a nice quiet area. I'd be interested in a rescue, preferably a CKCS but a X would be great too. Not sure what other small breeds or crosses i'd like really, probably rescues would have ideas! Knowing me i'd go to a rescue & fall in love with something as far from a CKCS as it's possible to be.

I always go with my heart tho lol i've wanted one since I was 13 & it's one of few breeds I love. I would like a rescue before a breeders dog though that much i'm 100% sure on, but never say never to something else!

UKTigerlily

10past6 wrote: »

Have you made sure you can have a dog in your property?

Most flat Tenancy agreements state no pets allowed, the last thing you need is to get a tenant who wants to live by the rules.

We live in a leasehold flat our lease forbids dogs, when we purchased this property we took the chance, but we were living on tender hooks for sometime in case we were reported.

I rent from the council & have been here three years in December, so have done my years probation. I checked the tenancy & it doesn't say no dogs, well, it says no dogs in sheltered accommodation, any other pets must be well looked after & not annoy the neighbours.

I e-mailed them on Friday to ask what they think & if it's ok, hard to say what they'll say to me but i'm hopeful. I think once the tenancy is secure it's as close to your 'own' home as you can get without buying & they take each case individually.

I asked about my cat & rats because to me a pet is for life & I can't risk the council saying no pets, the animals have to go down the line. I've also considered the future, as in will I be back in private rented & a landlord take no pets, but i've got no plans to leave here & the council don't evict unless we don't pay rent or harass the neighbours or refuse gas checks etc.

I won't be having kids & probably won't live with someone, so i'm as sure as i can be it's permanent here. I'm hoping the council reply soon & say yes, but if not then it's a definite no, I wouldn't risk it

suki1964

For toilet training the only difference is it'll have to be supervised, it can still go out on the grass anytime it wants to, day or night as I don't work right now. Not sure yet how it works with letting it on the ground, as in if a neighbour had dogs, would someone with their own private garden be able to let their Pup out before it's vaccinated? As in are the diseases airborne?

You can not let your dog on any outside ground until it has been fully inoculated. As I said before if you are bringing home a 8 week old pup it is not allowed to be put on the ground outside unless its a private fenced in garden where the only dogs that could have possibly used it have been fully inoculated.

So lets say your friend has a dog and a garden and her dog is inoculated, then you could take your pup around there to play. But because you dont know what animals have walked across the grass area outside your flat - your pup cant use it.

As I said in my first post, I got around this my getting plastic sheeting to cover the carpet and then putting newspaper on top and cleaning up as soon as pup went. Not nice, and not at all nice if you only have the one room. But untill your pup is 13 weeks old and fully inncoulated - you can not risk letting them on the ground outside.

Maybe if this is soemthing you hadnt thought about (and believe me my husband hadnt and nearly took the pup back ) then perhap an older pup from a rescue would be the better option for you? One thats already toilet trained and innoculated so you can put him on the lead and use the grass area?

Mely

I know what you mean about any dog can have health problems...but what i meant was that 'certain' breeds of dogs are more likely to get health problems that affect that breed specifically. I hope someone can clear up whether its CKCS`s that are prone to the brain disorder or not(hopefully not!). As i saw a programme about the kennel club, and a lady on it had two spaniel type dogs that had this illness and it was very distressing indeed to see.
Please dont on any account let your new dog on the floor outside, untill its FULLY covered by its vaccinations. By all means carry it outside as you need to socialise it as much as possible, and in as many situations as possible. This will set your dog up for life.
Im just trying to help you thats all, and i wish you all the best.