Job on the line. Debt must go!

*Robin*

All sounds good, Sparky! :j

Do make the most of the puppy 'co-operative days' with Penny - take her to training classes - which will pay off big-time when she hits the 'dog-teen aaargh!' time (usually between about seven to fifteen months of age). If the basics of good behaviour and obedience are well-ingrained by then you probably won't even notice..
But if you think:
"Oh, she's ok; Penny isn't a 'difficult' breed like Robin's dogs - we don't need classes" ..then start saving now to replace chewed shoes, damaged sofas and doors, peed-on favourite rugs etc!

Brightspark87

Hi Robin, Penny is having one to one training with someone who specialises in collies - we are well aware that it is very important! Thank you for your kind advice. She has nibbled on a few things don't you worry! We chose this local lady as she understands the intelligence of this mix of breeds! the lady who helps out (second one this week) is the lady who will be looking after penny when she needs to stay elsewhere. Only has 2 rooms for dogs and only one household (ie one from one house 2 from another to a total max of 4) at one time. We did ask lots of advice before choosing them!

I think we are just shocked at all these tales of how much work puppies are, but actually being prepared for the worst has paid off well. I know the 'teenage' time can be testing too and I think I am prepared for her first season.... We are of course going to get her 'done' but the vet suggested 6 months and I don't feel comfortable on her being that young. I feel slightly older, after her first season would be more suitable. Although any thoughts on the matter gladly welcome!

Forgot to mention - I got a new credit card - good cash back deal... the credit limit they gave me was eye watering. £12,000. Scary!!

Eager_Elephant

Brightspark87 wrote: »

I think I am prepared for her first season.... We are of course going to get her 'done' but the vet suggested 6 months and I don't feel comfortable on her being that young. I feel slightly older, after her first season would be more suitable. Although any thoughts on the matter gladly welcome!

!!

Nothing prepared me for my dogs first season - we covered everything with towels which were changed every 6 hours and washed on a boil wash.


We got our dog at 6 months old and she came into season the following month - my vet suggested that we allow her one season to make sure everything was ok and then for her to be spayed 3mths after the season ends. Only problem was a few days before she was due for the op she started producing milk:mad: - cue lots of date changes as she was still producing 3 weeks later - she was eventually spayed and I am so thankful she will never come into season again.


The hardest part of the spaying was how morose and tired she was - my dog is usually into everything, I was so worried and thought she was dying. Also they are not allowed to do anything strenuous in the first few weeks so I went everywhere with the dog, she was only allowed in the garden on a lead to stop her running, after a few days she was so well behaved I let her off the lead in the garden where she proceeded to run about and jump all over the trampoline:eek:

*Robin*

Brightspark87 wrote: »

Hi Robin, Penny is having one to one training with someone who specialises in collies - we are well aware that it is very important! Thank you for your kind advice. She has nibbled on a few things don't you worry! We chose this local lady as she understands the intelligence of this mix of breeds! the lady who helps out (second one this week) is the lady who will be looking after penny when she needs to stay elsewhere. Only has 2 rooms for dogs and only one household (ie one from one house 2 from another to a total max of 4) at one time. We did ask lots of advice before choosing them!

..Should have known you would "do it right" Sparky; well done! :T
One of my RL friends has a beautiful pair of collie/lab crosses. She keeps them and herself fit by doing agility which collies seem ideally suited for (given that a collie is one of the working breeds which can be notoriously badly behaved in a family setting, if their minds and bodies aren't kept stimulated and exercised). Might be something worth thinking about when Penny's a bit older, and has mastered the basic obedience commands? You'd find the 'agility crowd' a friendly and knowledgeable bunch, and their events are generally great fun MSE outings.

Brightspark87 wrote: »

I think we are just shocked at all these tales of how much work puppies are, but actually being prepared for the worst has paid off well. I know the 'teenage' time can be testing too and I think I am prepared for her first season.... We are of course going to get her 'done' but the vet suggested 6 months and I don't feel comfortable on her being that young. I feel slightly older, after her first season would be more suitable. Although any thoughts on the matter gladly welcome!

Tbh I haven't made up my mind on the best time to have a lady-dog spayed. There does seem to be evidence that doing it before the first season reduces the chances of cancer later in life; my Dear Vet is very keen on it for all girlies who will not become part of a reputable breeding programme - but diet also has a big effect on the odds of getting cancer.. So for me it would depend on the dog's character; a breed which can be bad tempered and snappy I'd definitely have spayed early, because such traits tend to develop after puberty. It does seem a good idea to castrate male dogs before their testosterone levels rise, as this keeps the goofy, friendly, teenage character which fits better in a family situation, avoiding a lot of behavioural problems (think it would save lives too, but don't know whether anyone has made a proper study of the dogs' history in cases where an attack has caused injury or death).

Worth mentioning that crate-training now will make both your and Penny's life much easier after she's had the op. EE's experience explains why, perfectly!

Brightspark87 wrote: »

Forgot to mention - I got a new credit card - good cash back deal... the credit limit they gave me was eye watering. £12,000. Scary!!

Which one, please?

Brightspark87

Hi Robin,

thank you - we wouldn't have got Penny without feeling we could do it properly. She loves this lady and even got to meet her new puppy a pure collie who is a couple of weeks younger!

The credit card is TSB - does apple pay 1% on £500 - so not amazing but 0% on purchase for 12 months so taking advantage of the last few months of Santander 3% before then paying it off.

This weekend was SO lovely, we did our car boot and made £100 and would have been in the money if we'd charged for petting Penny! She was so well behaved with all the strange people and children petting her. Luckily, most people know to ask if its ok to approach so she knows not everyone wants a cuddle.

I am seeing my brother (on his way back from Devon) so enjoying my first day back after the bank holiday.

hope everyone else is good?? xxx

Brightspark87

Hello all! Happy Friday.

Its been a busy old week and I have to hold my hands up. I lost another 4 pounds last night bringing the weight loss since 19th May to 36 pounds. I've been watching an amazing scarf on ebay for nearly 3 weeks and last night I bought it. It was expensive. £100. But was £500 new! Gorgeous and a big buy but I love it will wear all the time and a little reward for me and an incentive to get to my 50 pounds target! hahaha

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend. xx

Brightspark87

Hi all

not written for a while as simply I've been in a pretty bad place. I was attacked by a neighbours children (well taller and wider than me teenage boys) as they were damaging my car and I asked them to stop. The police became involved and I said I didn't want to press charges then I accused of assaulting one of them - all I did was hold him back and stop him from hitting me.

I've had to hire a very expensive lawyer as his dad (who threaten to kill me and said he would make my life hell) won't leave it - even though I physically there were not injuries.

Its still ongoing but is causing me a huge amount of stress and cost.

I will be back when it is better

please-let-me-be-lucky

Sorry to hear that sparky. Anything we can do to help?

Nice to have you back though Xx

monz

omg!!!! how are you now!!! sc*m!!!! Them not you xx

please-let-me-be-lucky

Just read your edited post. OMG that's awful. So, so sorry to read all that. Fingers crossed lawyer gets it sorted for you Xx