15months to debt free - I hope

badmemory

What you have said about the dog being welsh has made me really think about the rescue sheepdog cross we had about 45 years ago when we first got her.  We lived on the english welsh border then & it is making me wonder if the dog was as she was because she really didn't understand.  Welsh wasn't spoken as much then but maybe it was to her.  I wish I had known as she wasn't easy.  We wouldn't return her because they did a 3 counts & you are out thing & we were her 3rd.  If it had occurred to me I would have learnt some welsh, although pre internet I am not to sure how.

ladyholly

Flying_By said:

I am delighted for you and Mr LH, and of course for your new dog!  Our Welsh sheep dog - totally unsocialised and desperately nervous took about a year to settle.  He would make for the muddiest fields he could find and run for miles until poor Mr FB finally caught up with him!  So worth it though, from hiding from everybody he is the most wonderful, obedient lad now, if a little barky when people come to the door.  Part of the joys of sheepdogs though.  If you need any help with Welsh commands, let me know!  xxxxxx

Thank you. If you could just let us know what the Welsh for down is along with how to pronounce it that would give us a good idea if he is a Welsh speaker. That is usually the second command dogs learn. The only one he really seems to know properly is sit. We have started to teach him down and he sort of did it at the third attempt so he is a very bright lad.

southern_chick

So pleased for you and your new dog 🐕   I’m sure he’ll soon settle in xx

ladyholly

To non dog people my apologies but this is going to be very doggy so feel free to skip. He is very reactive to all animals and birds which is not what we were led  to believe. We will be get him a decent harness and use a double ended lead with him as soon as possible. That is going to be very challenging especially to me as my balance is poor. He does pull on the lead but not too badly until he sees something. A friend with a fairly calm dog haas offered to walk hers at a ditance so we can start his training. We may well try a halti or similar but he is so bright I think he will take it off faster than we can put it on as Mr H did when we first had him.

He has been marking in the house but I think thats only because he can smell Mr H and the little one still as its only been a month. Otherwise in the house he has been very good considering he is unsettled, confused and worried. Collies are noted for be sensitive dogs and he certainly seems to be.

We eat meal on our laps ( Iknow most uncivilised but it suits us) and with a bit of persuasion he went to lie away from us so he did well with that and got lots of praise. I think most of the problems are going to be the Collie focus outside and not having been taught to listen =. First though he has to learn to trust us which will take take. I am sure we will win but it will be harder work than we expected.

In this area everyone thinks we are amazing dog trainers so we will be on trial as well as our neighbours watch us struggle with the same things we have been helping them with.

Anyway enough for tonight. Have a peaceful one and thank you all for your good wishes.

CRANKY40

I'm glad that Mr LH has a new friend. We used a halti on our collie and on our labrador - it did help. Our lab only pulled if he saw food but as with most labradors he could find anything that could be eaten however small.  

jwil

Congratulations on your new friend!

foxgloves

I'm not even keen on dogs & I feel excited about hearing regular updates on how he gets on! Absolutely love a happy ending for a rescue animal. 
F x

ladyholly

Thank eveyone. In the house he is an angel (other than the occasional pee) but outside he is very very hard work. He barks and lunges at every bird that is on the ground or overhead. He pulls like a tractor and does not walk in a calm orderly mammer, in other words he is all over the place. Mr LH was shattered after this afternoon walk from trying to control him. He took him out again after dinner and he was doing well but one of our neighbours brought their dogs out and one of them barked at him and that was enough to start the lunging etc.

I have sorted his neutering. We were going to the charities vet but they want him their at 8.15 am and they are quite a distaance away. It can take an hour just to get on the motorway at that time in the morning and Mr LH is not a morning person. In light of that we are taking him to our vet to be done. The charity will give us the money they would normally pay but we have said just pay £50 which is less than half and regard the rest as a donation. Like all charities they are strapped for cash. His appointment is on the 19th to give him a little while to settle down but obviously it needs doing asap. We are on our own for Christmas as usual ( DD & SiL work and thave their Christmas on boxing day with SiLs mother.)  so we prefer to stay clear. Long story which I wont go into here.

I have booked the panto tonight for the GKs and I. That over £80 I wont see agsin but it is part of their Christmas.  I have been taking them since they were little and they are now 20 and 25. Every year I ask them if they want to go and every year the answer is yes. I thought they would have given up by now. Obviously we have missed a couple of years because of covid. Sleeping Beauty here we come.

Nothing else today so all is quiet. Mr LH and the dog now known as C are both asleep.

Sun_Addict

There is a local lady with a border collie, he crouches on the floor at every person who passes. It takes her forever to get anywhere when there’s a few people about 😆

I love the panto too, we usually go but not going this year. 

Flying_By

He sounds a very bright cookie!  Has he actually been trained as a sheepdog?  Our boy wasn't, and understands "lawr" rhymes with "flour" which in our house means don't jump up, get down!  Sheepdog commands tend to be different. Will be thinking of you and looking forward to hearing how he's doing xx