[rainie]

  I meant the mucky paws have been filled with soil and horsemuck and what to plant in the mucky paws. 

The dogs do have a good area of lawn and flowerbeds where they can have a sniffy track through.    :happy: Or mad half hours.  Flowers werent successful but the shrubs are fine,and somehow bulbs still come through and grow and flower.

The veg plot is fenced off and they are onlyallowed in there when i say.

[arugula]

Oh I see. They must be very mucky paws then.

[twissle]

Haha glad his doing so well . Bet he love's carrot's now .
As for the muddy paw's when you think of something to grow in them let me know

[rainie]

Been to the vets this afternoon. Harry shook. Ben was with him as a calming influence, good boy Ben. It doesnt seem that long since Ben was a wreck at the vets. Hes a big boy now- as if he knows Harry needs reasurrance and stability.
Anyway, we visit the vet and Harry is overweight as I well knew. Weighing 17.6kg and needs to get down to an ideal weight of 15kg. He is flat across his back. Teeth are a bit tartared up. Pulse and respiration are ok. Eyes and ears are ok. I completely forgot to ask for bloods. Do you think I should take him back and get them done? Would love your opinions/advice please.
He was scanned and is chipped.
Got some worming tablets for him (Ben was done last week).

I've not heard Harry cry in his sleep since that one time.

Tomorrow at 4pm we have a training session booked and am really looking forward to learning about where I am going wrong with him.

Gosh this little dog loves life and is very special.

Regarding the mucky paws, I have rigged up a short hose and spraygun, so my boots get done and so does 8 mucky muddy paws. Oh and I cant wait til friday as i can spend most of the day in the garden and greenhouse. Yey.

[madcat]

I only have rescue cats but if they are fit and fabulous, and you know if they aren't, I don't worry them or me with the bloods.  He's fat but you will fix that and otherwise, he is good.   Enjoy life Harry, Ben and Rainie!  Just remind yourself of the ridiculous price (45 min £43.00) people pay for mud baths and your boys get them for free!   

[twissle]

Glad it went well at the vet's . I wouldn't bother with the blood's if your vet was worried about anything he'd have surjested it anyway. One of my foster dog's teeth were completely brown . After a week or so munching on carrot's they were as white as white can be. I'm shaw now his got you and Ben to play with the weight'll soon drop off  . Please keep us up to date with how his doing.

[rainie]

Thanks peeps, will keep you posted.
Twissle, hows the sciatica? Thats interesting about the munching on a carrot and teeth changing from brown to white in such a short time. Tomorrow i will try and take some pics of inside his mouth, so i can compare.
Madcat, free mudbaths for the dogs is great, seems i get my fair share of it too

[twissle]

Siatica's not as bad thank's, I'm out of bed and playinging with the dog's in the garden and have a very good daulter who's doing the walking in the morning's and her Dad does the evening's. Yeah i was shocked at how quick they cleaned up, He did have a couple of the dental chew thing's aswell, But i found they upset his tummy. Just had a look through my record's, sorry i ment they looked cleaner in a week and by week 2 they were white. Yes it would be good to see a picture of his teeth. Bone's are good as well but i don't give them when i have foster's just incase it start's a fight. My four are fine they all take there's and run off and hide until it's all gone . Apart from my cocker how eat's her's so fast i have to give her another one

[rainie]

Dog training lesson yesterday was very good and very intense. My brain was fried! Harry is fine though. 

We walked the perimeter of the 7acre field, and chatted, then headed to the sheep and horses, du du derrrrr! Harry was perfect bless his little cotton socks, or rather his muddy hairy paws and legs! He didnt chase anything! Nothing. Different dog!
So we worked around the animals, practicing the recall and sit and stay and wait. Trainer went right back to basics. We had an intense hour.  Harry had time out in that time though, i didnt  Bendog was a star too, he was off the lead all the time and so when i called Ben back , Harry came too. Very basic work and really productive. I learned i need to slow MY walk down, and my commands need to be at the same time as my body language. Sorted. Ha.  Er no,  its really difficult. It comes very easy to me with horses but actually not with dogs, even though i have always had one.

I plan to do 10minute slots throughout the day when i can.

It doesnt sound very intense reading it back, but it has taken till now for me to be able to break it down into text.

Today i worked with both dogs on the empty part of the field (no animals but lots of sniffs of fox, rabbit and muntjac and squirrels). We had a good time with no problems. If Harry didnt come when i asked him, then i changed my direction and kept doing that until he came to me. Each time he came back i said 'sit' and he did. Yey.

Ben kept looking at me with arent i a good boy eyes.

Someone who saw him on Saturday and then today,said he already looked healthier.

I know i have got my work cut out. I know i need to take responsibility to the highest degree for this happy harry. I know its going to cost me a few more training sessions. I know i am going to be broke for a lot longer. The trainer said it wont take long to get him right. Last night i had little sleep wondering what on earth i had done. Today i decided not to worry but to enjoy the lifestyle i have created for myself. And guess what I had 3 new clients for my work call me today. ...I can breathe.

[twissle]

AWW i'm sitting here with tear's in my eye's. You should be so proud the way you've brought that boy on already . Nice to hear Ben's helping you out abit as well . Lol I used to have to run away like mad when my first springer ben wouldn't come back .
I hope the people who are coming to see my foster boy tomorrow are half as kind as you, then i won't feel quite as bad letting him go, lol who am i kidding it's going to break my heart seeing him go.
 
I found 10min's here and there was better than an hour springer's are abit like kid's they get bored don't they . Great news about work by the way

[rainie]

It must be really difficult letting a foster dog go. Look at the work you do with them though Twissle, they must be in a really good place in their head and i am sure you rehome them to the best person so both the dog and the person fit a tight criterea. Bet you wouldnt let them go if you had any doubts. Do you stay in touch with the people you rehome to?

I had thought about fostering now instead of making a permenant home for another, but have so many other commitments to fulfill i wouldnt be able to give enough time each time a fosterdog came to me. And it would be better if i owned a field to train them in. But maybe one day.....til then i now have quite a few good years ahead of me with 2 5yo springers and an 8yo pony...and i still have a lot to learn  .

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

I've loved reading the updates and it sounds like Harry has really landed on his paws finding such a fantasic owner.  You're doing a fab job and I can't believe reading through this post how much progess you have made in such a short space of time.  Just remember, Rome wasn't built in a day and you're both allowed a bit of time out to figure out what you've both learnt before moving on to the next bit. 

[twissle]

It must be really difficult letting a foster dog go. Look at the work you do with them though Twissle, they must be in a really good place in their head and i am sure you rehome them to the best person so both the dog and the person fit a tight criterea. Bet you wouldnt let them go if you had any doubts. Do you stay in touch with the people you rehome to?

I had thought about fostering now instead of making a permenant home for another, but have so many other commitments to fulfill i wouldnt be able to give enough time each time a fosterdog came to me. And it would be better if i owned a field to train them in. But maybe one day.....til then i now have quite a few good years ahead of me with 2 5yo springers and an 8yo pony...and i still have a lot to learn  .

Yeah it is hard letting them go, This little man's even harder as i've had him about 5month's now. The people that came to see him took to him from the minute they saw him , And best of all Jamie took to them. they played in the garden with him for oyer an hour, Which is amazing Jamie normaly come's and find's me every few minute's but no not today .
I'm more than happy for them to have him. His going to have a great life going to work with them on a farm and in a forest a couple of day's a week the dog's are aloud to run and play alday Just the life i wanted for him. His going at 11 in the morning. It is quite hard but at the same time to see this little mouse come into my house and to see him leave as bold as brass just like a springer should be does do the heart a bit of good . My horsey day's are gone know we last our old girl a couple of year's ago. I'm sticking to the dog's now. Lol don't think you ever stop learning with dog's or horse's do you . Yes i do get to keep intouch, Someone will go and check everything's going ok in about amonth. Then i'll pop and see him in a couple of month's so his nice and settled before he see's me. the son has already sent me an email to show me all the place's he'll be going to play, It's spaniel heaven

[rainie]

Thats really good news Twissle.  The dogs do tend to find the owners dont they?  Just him not coming back to you every now and then and staying with them says a lot. Hope when 11am tomorrow comes you will have proud tears as he goes off on his new adventure, knowing you have set him up for it. 

[twissle]

He went today, Lol i cried my eye's out, But yes i was proud to see how proud he was walking head and tail up, unlike when he came. Had a call his made his self at home and get's on great with his two new friend's and his new owner's are over the moon with him . How are your two getting on still the best of friend's?. hehe wait till they start ganging up on you