And baby makes three!

[MegF.]

Mine wrestle with each other and eventually the fabric covering gets tattered and torn. The collars themselves are washable and they wash up beautifully, but the fabric after a while can't be saved. They are rough on collars! I bought 3 of her collars for everyday use...all beautiful but not as fancy as their "dress collars" and have had to replace Akilah's once so far. Ona and Tavis's are looking pretty ragged now thanks to Summer. She loves to jump and chew on their necks when they play.

 

[diamondlil]

Remember the rat infestation next to the park? Well there's one less tonight as one was stupid enough to run right next to us. Bertie did the classic bite shake kill, Rosie grabbed it to help and Mr rat was dead. Flash got to rag on it after I'd checked it was definately dead. I have 3 very happy dogs!

 

[MegF.]

Good dogs!!! Mine get squirrels now and then....they've also caught mice, moles and of course...grasshoppers...

 

[diamondlil]

Squirrels are a bit of a torment at the moment, as they are active in the areas where I just can't let the dogs offlead! So I've been using them to reinforce the 'Leave it' command' with treats for ignoring the perky little tree rats!
Luckily for me I spotted the rat just at the same time as the dogs so I was able to hold Flash back and let the others at it without getting in a tangle. Bertie has needed to do this all summer. He gets enormous pleasure out of stalking along the brambles and weeds where the ratholes are and quivers with excitement on their scent trails

 

[Nanci]

I don't want my dogs viewing any outdoor animals as prey, so they get praised for "leave it." The one exception to the rule is if Ella spots a roach in the house, and alerts me, she gets tons of praise and treats. She even spotted a frog on the bedroom door once, and didn't go after it.

That's great that you can let yours follow their instincts.

 

[MegF.]

Mine usually catch the squirrels when I'm not out there with them....they hang out all over the farm and often taunt the dogs from the trees. Occasionally one gets a little cocky and gets nailed. I usually find the carcass laying in the yard without a mark on it. They just snap the neck...and after that it's no fun I guess. Given time I imagine they'd eat it but usually they don't. The puppy likes to carry the dead moles around but no one...not even the cat will eat them...at least not usually. I did rescue one squirrel that got lucky because all 4 dogs were fighting over the squirrel so the one that actually had it ran about with it in her mouth while the others tried to get it, but didn't get a chance to kill it...she was too busy trying to keep it up away from the others. She eventually tried to bury it in a corner of the yard and I sent everyone away and tossed it over the horse fence...stupid thing tried to run back through the fence towards the dogs! It finally changed course and ran up a tree...stupid animals....

 

[diamondlil]

Due to the start of some unsettled weather (Brit-speak for torrential rain and gusting winds!) Flash has had to get used to the idea that we do go outside in the rain and yes we do have to walk through puddles.

 

[diamondlil]

And this week I'm really working on the 'wait' before going out for our walk

 

[diamondlil]

And thanks to a Raw feeding group on the Devil, here's my first order of very good quality and well-priced food for the dawgs. No more searching the supermarket for bargains, there's a month's worth in their freezer!

 

[diamondlil]

Sunday was bright and breezy, so off in the van to Mote Park. Flash didn't enjoy traveling, he was drooling by the time we got there. I'm hoping he won't get travel sick!
while he found his feet, the others got to race around and we found some lovely big mushrooms that came home for our dinner.

 

[diamondlil]

SO after Bertie an Rosie had let off steam, it was time for Flash's first ever off-lead run

 

[diamondlil]

And then for his first swim!

 

[diamondlil]

We met lots of other nice dogs and harvested sweet chestnuts.
Bertie's recall was absolutely beautiful.unless he was too busy chasing squirrels or ducks to listen! We interspersed off-lead running with walking nicely for a great morning out. Bertie did much better with checking back with us rather than haring off into the distance.
Flash was a bit quiet again for the journey home but thankfully wasn't sick. 3 exhausted happy dogs when we got home!

 

[MegF.]

You might have to try doing short trips or just getting in the car and then out again to break the cycle of feeling crappy. You can also use dramamine to help as well although it might make him a bit sleepy. Better than having him actually get sick and then that turns into a chronic problem. Make sure his crate is at the back of the car where he can see out the back window. My dogs seem to feel most comfortable when they can do that. Looks like they had fun!!! We have tons of mushrooms here but I don't know them well enough to trust my ability to tell the difference between edible and poisonous

 

[diamondlil]

The dogs aren't crated when we travel, that's the back of Mick's van. This was Flash's first trip apart from the 5 miute ride home when we got him, but was about 1/2 an hour so probably a bit too long for his first time. Obviously I want him to associate the van with fun trips out like the others do, but in the worst case scenario if he does puke it won't matter from a cleaning up perspective!
The others do look out of the back windows but Bertie's favourite place is behind Mick's head!
I'll get an old blanket to put in there for next time as their last one got too funky and got thrown away, although I do also have spare pieces of carpet from when my bedroom was done I can put in so Flash can get a better grip if he's standing up.
The mushrooms not only got scrutinised carefully there, they were tested and compared with guides before I'd risk them (I love the internet!) These were horse mushrooms. And they were absolutely delicious with bacon and eggs!

 

[MegF.]

The only thing is, you don't want him to get sick even once if you can help it. A lot of time if they get sick once, the anxiety that the dog develops from the feeling sick in the car, makes them sick every time. Puppies are especially susceptible to motion sickness at first so keeping the trips short and sweet for a while until they get used to it works well. Some don't seem to be bothered at all but if he's drooling...he's very close to sick.....
As for the mushrooms, I have friends that like to go and I know I've found some safe ones but I just know I'll be the one that THINKS that it's safe and voila! ER!

 

[diamondlil]

No more rats caught yet, but exciting hunting for the dogs anyway, and just look how much Flash has grown!

 

[MegF.]

They grow so fast! (a tear running down my cheek)

 

[diamondlil]

A great day out yesterday. We took the dogs to Burham to meet Cathy's horses, but that was cut short by the farrier's visit, then off into the woods and around the reservoir.

 

[Buzzbee]

OMG - he's gotten so big so quickly :O I do love that last picture though