The dog thread is better than the cat thread, because it features dogs.

[kabbes]

has anyone tried a dog tracker? I was wondering in case at some point I do let Frankie off the lead somewhere and he saw a rabbit and disappeared into the distance. I presume most GPS trackers need a mobile signal though? Which in my case I have not got.

Yes, we have two of them. There are a bunch of options on the market, so ideally you would learn from my failures. Long (very long) story short — get the Tractive, take the plunge and sign up for the five year subscription (which is by far the cheapest per month). There’s no trial option for the Tractive so it’s a bit of a leap of faith. However, I can tell you that it works really well, unlike some of the others out there. The downside is that if you or he are not in mobile signal range, it’s just a lump of plastic. The upside is that eventually, he will be in mobile signal range and then it will pick him up wherever he is.

(Also, if you have pet insurance through Many Pets, I think you can get a Tractive either cheap or for free, but don’t take my word for that).

Personal experience is that if Ted sees a deer, he’s gone. He’s brilliantly obedient in all other situations but if he sees a deer, he doesn’t even hear us screaming right next to him. He’s also a complete fucking idiot and so he then gets lost. I can see from the Tractive that once he comes down from the deer high, he panics and runs in circles and figures of eight trying to get back to us. He’s been gone for six hours and more in the past. Without the Tractive, there would have been times that he would have been three countries over by now. Unfortunately, we do have terrible mobile signal where we live. Nevertheless, he’ll eventually wonder stupidly into a hotspot somewhere. It’s stressful and half the day will have gone trying to get him back, but better that than lose him for good. However, these days he just isn’t allowed off the lead at all. It’s not worth the risk.

 

[tonysingh]

View attachment received_539581164582408.mp4

Kail having himself a singsong at the groomers. he smells bloody amazing atm

 

[eatmorecheese]

Quincy discovers the Broads...



...then Winterton Dunes, where he got excited and used Mrs Cheese as a cushion.

 

[a_chap]

The dunes at Winterton on Sea

 

[weltweit]

..
You’d be better off spending your time when out walking working on your bond with him. Mungo goes off piste from time to time but he’s always going to come back to me eventually because I’m his person and where he wants to be.

Larry is the same, he can't resist investigating in the woods and going in the river, I just call out from time to time so he knows where I am and he always comes back.

However one time it all failed me, last summer on a hot day and loads of people and kids were in the river, I let Larry go in again in a place he never usually went in and some kids started throwing stones for him. Well that was that there was no way I could get him out. At one point he put his ball down and looked around during which time the ball floated away in the light current such that when Larry dipped his head to get his ball IT WASNT THERE ANY MORE cue much howling. Anyhow the only way I could get Larry out of the river was to phone his actual owner (I only borrow Larry) who came down, stood on the bank and said come here Larry, to which Larry came immediately.

 

[Saunders]

Still barks a bit aggressively and randomly at people but I have a feeling that it's when they look at him for too long, he seems uneasy about that.

Yeah Mungo the same. I just tell them he’s a bit nervy and to ignore him. While thinking, ffs you’re obviously making him feel uncomfortable, stop trying to be his friend. If it’s people I know I do tell them. Because he also is everyone’s favourite dog, they love it when he’s decided he trusts them and goes in to them for a lean and a fuss.
Interestingly, he never barks at a ridden horse but will bark at someone leading a horse past the house. Also interestingly, no horse has ever spooked when he’s done that. And actually, now we’ve been here full time for the last year, he mostly doesn’t bother any more.

 

[two sheds]

Yes, we have two of them. There are a bunch of options on the market, so ideally you would learn from my failures. Long (very long) story short — get the Tractive, take the plunge and sign up for the five year subscription (which is by far the cheapest per month). There’s no trial option for the Tractive so it’s a bit of a leap of faith. However, I can tell you that it works really well, unlike some of the others out there. The downside is that if you or he are not in mobile signal range, it’s just a lump of plastic. The upside is that eventually, he will be in mobile signal range and then it will pick him up wherever he is.

(Also, if you have pet insurance through Many Pets, I think you can get a Tractive either cheap or for free, but don’t take my word for that).

Personal experience is that if Ted sees a deer, he’s gone. He’s brilliantly obedient in all other situations but if he sees a deer, he doesn’t even hear us screaming right next to him. He’s also a complete fucking idiot and so he then gets lost. I can see from the Tractive that once he comes down from the deer high, he panics and runs in circles and figures of eight trying to get back to us. He’s been gone for six hours and more in the past. Without the Tractive, there would have been times that he would have been three countries over by now. Unfortunately, we do have terrible mobile signal where we live. Nevertheless, he’ll eventually wonder stupidly into a hotspot somewhere. It’s stressful and half the day will have gone trying to get him back, but better that than lose him for good. However, these days he just isn’t allowed off the lead at all. It’s not worth the risk.

Interesting, ta. Yes the valley hasn't got mobile coverage either so they might not be much use here. We met a playful whippet in the valley this morning so I let him off the lead and he had a bit of a romp which he enjoyed greatly. If he sees a rabbit or squirrel though he loses it so I might not be able to let him off the lead outside the garden either.

 

[two sheds]

Yeah Mungo the same. I just tell them he’s a bit nervy and to ignore him. While thinking, ffs you’re obviously making him feel uncomfortable, stop trying to be his friend. If it’s people I know I do tell them. Because he also is everyone’s favourite dog, they love it when he’s decided he trusts them and goes in to them for a lean and a fuss.
Interestingly, he never barks at a ridden horse but will bark at someone leading a horse past the house. Also interestingly, no horse has ever spooked when he’s done that. And actually, now we’ve been here full time for the last year, he mostly doesn’t bother any more.

Yep it's difficult for people because he does look really sweet and the natural reaction is for people to go 'awwwwwww' and look at him. I want to say to people "he doesn't like being stared at" but that's a bit judgemental so I'll try "he gets uncomfortable when looked at too long".

One thing though I was lent a book mentioning calming signals and realized that he quite often licks his lips or yawns when I'm stroking him. I think it might be because I'm looking at him too much myself . I've been looking off to the side today and waiting for him to come to me rather than me going to him. Early to say but it seems to be working.

Frankie did bark at a couple of horses when I first got him which makes me really uncomfortable. Now when they go past I stand by him with a treat to distract him, working so far.

 

[Saunders]

Anyhow the only way I could get Larry out of the river was to phone his actual owner (I only borrow Larry) who came down, stood on the bank and said come here Larry, to which Larry came immediately.

Ah Larry and his actual owner have obvs got the ‘come back when I tell you’ thing sorted. Mungo and I are Still working on this…

 

[Saunders]

Yep it's difficult for people because he does look really sweet and the natural reaction is for people to go 'awwwwwww' and look at him. I want to say to people "he doesn't like being stared at" but that's a bit judgemental so I'll try "he gets uncomfortable when looked at too long".

One thing though I was lent a book mentioning calming signals and realized that he quite often licks his lips or yawns when I'm stroking him. I think it might be because I'm looking at him too much myself . I've been looking off to the side today and waiting for him to come to me rather than me going to him. Early to say but it seems to be working.

Frankie did bark at a couple of horses when I first got him which makes me really uncomfortable. Now when they go past I stand by him with a treat to distract him, working so far.

Yeah I had a time where he was in the car and I’d said to a neighbour who was excited to see him ‘He’s rather nervy and shy’ so she stuck her head in the back door and said ‘aw are you Shy?’ and then was all cross and unsettled that he’s barked at her.

 

[two sheds]

Fairly soon after I got him a woman's largeish dog bounded up to him and he clearly wasn't sure, and then the attached woman came over and said 'awwwwww he's really sweet' and lent over him to stroke him while the dog was still bouncing round. Frankie started barking at them and the woman said "Not very friendly is he" .... well no

 

[Saunders]

two sheds re calming signals, isn’t it interesting when you realise that dog showing it’s belly isn’t necessarily ‘please stroke me’ but often ‘I’m no threat, please leave me alone’

 

[Saunders]

Fairly soon after I got him a woman's largeish dog bounded up to him and he clearly wasn't sure, and then the attached woman came over and said 'awwwwww he's really sweet' and lent over him to stroke him while the dog was still bouncing round. Frankie started barking at them and the woman said "Not very friendly is he" .... well no

I think Id probs had reacted the same as her if I hadn’t got mungo and actually looked into how dogs behave and what they need and how to make that comfortable for us as companions where neither of us felt stressed and we could just walk out together

 

[Sweet FA]

View attachment video-1656495789.mp4

 

[keybored]

"Nellie, want some poppadom?"

 

[tonysingh]

"Nellie, want some poppadom?"

View attachment 329614

Goodness me but Nellie is beautiful.

 

[Dovydaitis]

 

[Puddy_Tat]

"Nellie, want some poppadom?"

i'm not sure i can photoshop an animated gif on to a picture of a car parcel shelf...

 

[rubbershoes]

Wiggle hiding badly under the cushions. It's her main hobby

 

[eatmorecheese]

The Quincible objects to the temporary barriers outside the chalet. Beach addicted.

 

[tonysingh]

The Quincible objects to the temporary barriers outside the chalet. Beach addicted.

View attachment 329793View attachment 329794View attachment 329795

Tbf those barriers don't look insurmountable, it's not like he/she is a chihuahua.....

 

[Epona]

The Quincible objects to the temporary barriers outside the chalet. Beach addicted.

View attachment 329793View attachment 329794View attachment 329795

Gorgeous creature

 

[eatmorecheese]

Tbf those barriers don't look insurmountable, it's not like he/she is a chihuahua.....

Shhh. He's not worked it out yet... but he will

 

[two sheds]

Photo 2 does say "you bastard"

 

[Saunders]

The Quincible objects to the temporary barriers outside the chalet. Beach addicted.

View attachment 329793View attachment 329794View attachment 329795

It looks like he’s been having great fun with his bucket though.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

two sheds re calming signals, isn’t it interesting when you realise that dog showing it’s belly isn’t necessarily ‘please stroke me’ but often ‘I’m no threat, please leave me alone’

does this apply when the dog comes up to you and rolls over or only if you have approached him first?

 

[kabbes]

does this apply when the dog comes up to you and rolls over or only if you have approached him first?

There isn’t a universal language, there’s just contextual intent that needs to be understood relative to the dog’s situation. Sadly, most dog language gets badly misunderstood by well-intentioned humans, who impose their own frame of reference into the animal.

 

[two sheds]

You can always tell though, if a dog lies down exposing his stomach and wagging his tail, by stroking his stomach. If he sinks his teeth in it was 'please leave me alone'.

 

[8ball]

There isn’t a universal language, there’s just contextual intent that needs to be understood relative to the dog’s situation. Sadly, most dog language gets badly misunderstood by well-intentioned humans, who impose their own frame of reference into the animal.

Like with those people who think dogs can feel emotions such as “guilt”…

 

[bcuster]