Since the strange case of Nicky biting Becky, he has been sharing with kennel-horror Angie.
Angie is a big, confident, black girl who takes no prisoners, and the theory is that no-one will be brave enough to bite her.
The first time I met her - several months ago - she bounced all over the place as she was being bought out of her kennel.
"She seems very pleased with herself," I said to the kennel hand. At which the kennel hand rolled her eyes and said: "Yes, she's just very pleased at being Angie."
Angie is strong, and will chase anything. As a result for the last few weeks I've been walking Angie and Nicky separately. However, she has proven to be really well behaved on the lead. (I've not seen the cat or the foxes while I've been out with her - and I suppose it could be a different matter if we spotted them).
She's also been quite good in the yard, and although she's very keen to take treats, I've found that if I tell her sternly "nicely" before I give her the treat, she'll take it very gently from my hand.
So this all resulted in me offering to take both Nicky and Angie out for a walk together. Silence fell. Then a quiet: "Are you sure?"
I replied that I was and that I'd bring the dogs back immediately if there were any problems. We were out for 40 minutes (I had to take a long phone call half way round the paddock) and both dogs were really well behaved. I'm sure Angie is just biding her time...
Showing posts with label dog treats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog treats. Show all posts
Monday, 12 January 2009
Friday, 9 January 2009
Smarter than the average hound?
I think my little Topsy might be smarter than the average hound. (Now I've posted this I'm sure she'll prove me wrong be doing something really daft - either the next time I walk her or with someone else at the kennels).
She seems really quick on the take-up. I've already written about how gentle she is when she jumps up - most of the other dogs put their full weight on you and can knock you for six when then put their paws on your chest - but she seems to know that it's best to put barely any weight on you and just lean very lightly.
This has served her well. Topsy's partner Joe is a bit of a pig when it comes to treats. He's working towards the labrador-greyhound look and will eat all his treats and anyone else's that he can get his chops on.
Topsy has learnt - within a couple of weeks - that an easy way to ensure she gets her fair share of treats is to lean gently on my left forearm while they are being handed out. This means she is high enough above Joey to be able to take the treat from me without him being able to snatch it.
Another thing she learnt very quickly was how to open the gate at the bottom of the sprint. It only requires a push, but every other dog waits for me to open it for them, which can sometimes mean a juggling of leads. Topsy doesn't even break step, and opens the gate with her nose, and strides straight through. Clever girl!
I think this means that it might be quite easy to train her... although I suspect, like other smart dogs, she might become naughty if she gets bored.
She seems really quick on the take-up. I've already written about how gentle she is when she jumps up - most of the other dogs put their full weight on you and can knock you for six when then put their paws on your chest - but she seems to know that it's best to put barely any weight on you and just lean very lightly.
This has served her well. Topsy's partner Joe is a bit of a pig when it comes to treats. He's working towards the labrador-greyhound look and will eat all his treats and anyone else's that he can get his chops on.
Topsy has learnt - within a couple of weeks - that an easy way to ensure she gets her fair share of treats is to lean gently on my left forearm while they are being handed out. This means she is high enough above Joey to be able to take the treat from me without him being able to snatch it.
Another thing she learnt very quickly was how to open the gate at the bottom of the sprint. It only requires a push, but every other dog waits for me to open it for them, which can sometimes mean a juggling of leads. Topsy doesn't even break step, and opens the gate with her nose, and strides straight through. Clever girl!
I think this means that it might be quite easy to train her... although I suspect, like other smart dogs, she might become naughty if she gets bored.
Friday, 7 November 2008
Table manners
Most of the greyhounds at the local retired greyhound rehoming kennels have impeccable manners when eating dog treats. In fact for many of the dogs, and the volunteer walkers, the best part of the walk is dog treats and cuddles in the yard after a brisk 20-minute spin around the kennel's fields.
Some walkers bring their own treats - sausages, cheese, anything from Bakers, and Schmakos always seem to go down well - and there are a couple of large dog bowls containing an assortment of treats.
Many of the dogs will wait and eat the treat gently out of your hand. When you give them the dog bowl full of treats, they'll root around until they find one that they like, and eat that one, rather than scoffing the whole bowl at once.
There are exceptions and one of them is Josh. Since coming in as a poor sorry skinny thing a couple of weeks ago Josh has come out of himself. He's now one of the happiest, most gregarious, dogs in the kennels - and definitely a larger-than-life character, which is saying something given he's the size of a small cart horse.
He has also lost his appetite and found a donkey's. And he's very cheeky when it comes to treat time, and more than ready to help himself. (Post-walk treat mantra: This is not a buffet).
He disgraced me a couple of weeks ago, when he landed head-first into one of the dog bowls - they had turned into plastic pumpkin buckets in time for halloween - tipped it up and guzzled about a dozen down. He only stopped when I managed to manhandle him away.
That was nothing compared to the trouble one of the other walkers had today. There was a tempting bag of sausages on the table. The walker didn't have a chance, in one swoop, Josh grabbed them with his teeth and PULLED, sending sausages flying all over the floor and causing mayhem amongst all the dogs in the yard.
Pandemonium ensued as volunteers desperately tried to pick up the scattered sausages before they were all hoovered up by an exultant Josh.
Made me think that Josh was wrongly named though - surely he should be Scooby-Doo?
Some walkers bring their own treats - sausages, cheese, anything from Bakers, and Schmakos always seem to go down well - and there are a couple of large dog bowls containing an assortment of treats.
Many of the dogs will wait and eat the treat gently out of your hand. When you give them the dog bowl full of treats, they'll root around until they find one that they like, and eat that one, rather than scoffing the whole bowl at once.
There are exceptions and one of them is Josh. Since coming in as a poor sorry skinny thing a couple of weeks ago Josh has come out of himself. He's now one of the happiest, most gregarious, dogs in the kennels - and definitely a larger-than-life character, which is saying something given he's the size of a small cart horse.
He has also lost his appetite and found a donkey's. And he's very cheeky when it comes to treat time, and more than ready to help himself. (Post-walk treat mantra: This is not a buffet).
He disgraced me a couple of weeks ago, when he landed head-first into one of the dog bowls - they had turned into plastic pumpkin buckets in time for halloween - tipped it up and guzzled about a dozen down. He only stopped when I managed to manhandle him away.
That was nothing compared to the trouble one of the other walkers had today. There was a tempting bag of sausages on the table. The walker didn't have a chance, in one swoop, Josh grabbed them with his teeth and PULLED, sending sausages flying all over the floor and causing mayhem amongst all the dogs in the yard.
Pandemonium ensued as volunteers desperately tried to pick up the scattered sausages before they were all hoovered up by an exultant Josh.
Made me think that Josh was wrongly named though - surely he should be Scooby-Doo?
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