Springer Harry update. He gave me a real proper cuddle last night. You know the one, the one that says 'i like it here, its actually okay'.
Havent had any problems with him disliking people with glasses, but baseball caps - now thats a lot different. He does a big bark but scared with it, lots of noise and standing his ground but it the person removes the cap then squats to his level, he calms down. Stil not relaxed though, but gently gently does it.
He wittles a bit when in the kitchen with the other dog and people are in the adjoining room, but again this is improving tremendously. (he had run of house in last home).
A single piece of gravel in a plastic bottle with the smallest of a shake (just enough to slide the gravel from one side of the bottlebase to the other, so really gentle), is enough to let him know the whittling isnt necessary. This again is getting less and less as time goes on.
Oh and he has learned to use a dog flap on the outside kennel , he was so excited when he first came from the inside to the outside bless him, he scooted round the lawn and bushes like a, well like a happy springer!
Introduction to horses, oh my god, one came up to him and he ran back to me and hid behind me as if the horse was a dinasour going to eat him. Again with gentle introduction he is fine, in fact a bit too comfy for my liking, so will carefully assess him all the while so he doesnt get trodden on when he leans into their legs as if the horse was a human.
Sheep? Well theres 4 old ones in the field,quite secure in their fat sheepy life. He was interested whilst he was on the extendable lead and I aired on theside of caution big time. The sheep owner insisted I let him off to assess him, and relucatantly i did. He rounded them up, kept them tight, lost his recall and hearing, ran a very tight circle round them.
I dived to catch him, much to my freinds amusement and held him, he was fine, he just stood, and so did the sheep. Back on the lead he was fine, didnt misbehave.
That was yesterday. This morning, sheep lesson 2...friend said to let him off. I didnt. Let him have full length of lead, sheep moved to the stables and stood between the two horses. Sheep turned to face him and stamped their feet.Harry thought twice about moving towards them and did so eventually a cautious step at a time and when he was head to head with the bossy one it butted him, but not too harshly, which is what i was hoping for. Harry now has respect for the sheep. I will use this exercise again tomorrow morning and feel confident there will be improvement.
Electric fence? It didnt zap him so he pops under it and sniffs inside the hedge then comes straight back to me. Recall isnt immediate though. But after about 5 or 6 calls hes back. Other dog Ben and his Lab friend Nelly dont follow him, they stand andwatch as they know the rules and greet him nicely, then run off to play together. Phew.
If theres not many fullstops here, its because there arent many during these real life adventures