Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => Pets without Feathers => Topic started by: Nicki85 on March 16, 2012, 15:27
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Well,i've considered getting another dog for a while now and as I've just got the go-ahead to start working from home part of the week it seems like the ideal time :tongue2:
So... after contacting Battersea they suggested I come see Alfie, a 3yo Sharpei x Lab. Apparently he gets on nicely with all other animals (important- I have a 14yo springer, chooks, rabbits, a cat and a 6yo nephew!) I also go horse riding and it would be nice for him to come down the yard.
Now originally I was after a collie x to do some agility with! But I have been assured that Alfie would enjoy training... They also know his full history so that is a plus!
Does anyone have any advice on this x breed or taking on a rescue?
It's all very exciting- I just hope Tess gives her approval :D
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This subject is very close to my heart, as others will know, :D ( see Bessie and Brood ). Bessie is a rescue lab and is an absolute darling. Sorry I have never heard of Sharpei so know nothing of them.
If you fancy an eight week old lab X pup, all of bessie's litter went to Dorset Dog Rescue this week and are seeking permanent homes. ( totally unashamed plug here :D ). Whatever you decide it is wonderful to take a rescue dog and I applaud you for that. Good luck and pics please of your new family member.
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I have no experience of Sharpeis but they are lovely looking dogs :).
I get rescues and have always been encouraged by Babbington Rescue where my dogs come from to take my older dogs along to meet and greet their prospective new brother/sister. Could you do this with Battersea?
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I would love a little bundle of lab x pup! But we aren't home all the time and that's not fair on a puppy :( I have to work three days a week in the office so new dog will have to be left 8-5 those days with a dog walker at lunchtime on those days. I expect that they will be snapped up though the minute they go on the website!! They are soooo cute :wub: :lol:
Battersea won't let us take him until Tess has meet him and given her approval :wub: he has kennel cough at the moment though so she will need inoculating first... I'm going to be so nervous! (even though she is the least dominate bitch in the world!).
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All dogs are individuals and you can never judge fully by breed. Sharpei's over history have been used as guard dogs so they are willing to work and although may not excel like a collie would probably still eagerly learn agility and labs well they are always eager to learn. Any dog will if you make it fun. sharpei's are very unusual gorgeous looking dogs. Also if it has lots of wrinkles keep them clean but giving a quick sponge wash between them regularly ;) Good look would love to see pics.
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You are absolutely right Nicki - a small pup wouldn't suit your circumstances.
Good luck with the meeting, I hope they take to each other. :)
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We have all kinds of dogs at our agility club and because its all reward based, I don't know one who doesn't enjoy it!
Now having trained for a couple of years I know it isn't just collies that do well at it. Both my dogs ARE Collie Crosses but there are some disadvantages - they always have to work ahead because they are impossible to keep up with, so really become reliant on following verbal commands rather than visual cues and you have to get into position quickly! There is also a ABC (Anything But Collies) competition at most clubs/shows. The labs at our club are really accurate, whereas in their rush to be quick borders can sometimes knock down fences and thus gain faults.
Seriously whatever kind of dog you get big, small, fast, slow - they will love agility! :D
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Oooh, how exciting! Let us know how you get on. No experience at all of that cross - only ever worked with collies or collie crosses, but all rescue dogs are different anyway & a full history is definitely a plus as you are more likely to know about anything that might worry or upset him. The only thing I'd say is not to rush anything - give him lots of time & space to get used to new things. I know some people say it takes 6 months for a rescue to settle in, and other people say a year, but I think it depends very much on the dog & on how much upheavel he's had in the past. Good luck with finding your new friend :).
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Well to update I went to see the lovely Alfie today! He was very sweet but unfortunately not quite what I was looking for. I like really "sharp" dogs that are almost one step ahead of you, he was definitely one step behind! He was also mastiff build and I couldn't see him jumping (maybe bulldozing?!). He will make someone the perfect family pet and they have another 5 homes lined up for him. It was so difficult though, he was such a lovely dog but just not MY dog :(
The search continues!
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Well to update I went to see the lovely Alfie today! He was very sweet but unfortunately not quite what I was looking for. I like really "sharp" dogs that are almost one step ahead of you, he was definitely one step behind! He was also mastiff build and I couldn't see him jumping (maybe bulldozing?!). He will make someone the perfect family pet and they have another 5 homes lined up for him. It was so difficult though, he was such a lovely dog but just not MY dog :(
The search continues!
That's disappointing, but at least you had the courage to say no and wait for the dog that is right for you. :)
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That must be the hardest part, turning down a dog :(
You are so wise to make sure you find the right one, after all they are for life. I think we all know the right type for us. For me it is the eyes, apart from a fairly athletic build. I love those open intelligent eyes that seem to be always enquiring 'what next?'
Good luck with the search, there are lots and lots out there waiting for homes.
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That must be the hardest part, turning down a dog :(
You are so wise to make sure you find the right one, after all they are for life. I think we all know the right type for us. For me it is the eyes, apart from a fairly athletic build. I love those open intelligent eyes that seem to be always enquiring 'what next?'
Good luck with the search, there are lots and lots out there waiting for homes.
I'm with you here Thrift, eyes are important to me too, and an athletic build. (Might sound odd with having a lab, but she is athletic still!)
Saying that, I watched Casualty this morning, and there was a Mastiff with gorgeous face, but he was about as athletic as me! Can't cope with slobber though! :ohmy:
There will be the right dog out there for you Nicki, but I know how you feel. We actually brought one home as companion for Bonnie, and had to return him next day, heartbreaking, but he wasn't right for our girl, even though they got on great at introduction.
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Aww shame but well done for putting lots of thought into the dog you choose far too many rescue dogs end up back because of impulse buyers. I like dogs that have that cheeky look about them. Although having 3 that i chose because they looked cheeky i have my hands full ::) but at least they are full of character and i wouldnt change them for the world :happy:
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I think because my current dog is a very quick and intelligent Springer that any dog I adopt will have to have the same quick thinking mentality! I've contacted a couple of specialist collie and Springer rescues so hopefully they will be able to find a suitable dog for me :tongue2:
It was seriously hard with Alfie as he was such a lovely dog but I could see him in a family home running around with the kids... not marching up mountains and going to agility competitions with me. When they said they had other homes lined up it made me feel not quite as bad. Funnily enough my mum loved him- he would have been the ideal dog for her!
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I picked the one that was most unlikely to be rehomed
I lived to regret it as he was a total person! He needed someone to take him on though and I loved him despite the turmoil he put me through on a daily basis. No-one else could have put up with him as he was so difficult to deal with :)
Had I been more sensible I would have made my life much easier, and that of my family and neighbours. I think you are right to be careful and not rush such a life-changing decision. :)
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Hi Nicki, I was just looking at Dorset Dog Rescue and they have young springers, lab X collie and a lovely border collie ...... might be something there for you :)
Sorry, am not accomplished enough to do a proper link. :D
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here you are :)
http://www.dorsetdogrescue.com/dogsneedinghomes.htm
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They have some lovely dogs! .... I must NOT get any more rescue jack russells, two terrorists in one house is quite enough :D
Good luck in your search ... the right dog will find you ;)
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here you are :)
http://www.dorsetdogrescue.com/dogsneedinghomes.htm
Thanks joyfull :)
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Oh wow thank you for the link! They have some lovely dogs that would fit the bill! Especially Dougie, he is gorgeous :dry: I've made an appointment to visit the local Dogs Trust this weekend but will give these guys a ring if they do not have anything suitable. I really want to take them all home!!
Thrift- Bessie's pups are gorgeous- you must be so proud of her!
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http://manytearsrescue.webs.com/dogslookingforhomes.htm
These are also good and have lots of collies etc :)
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Sometimes you never know if the not-right dog might turn out the best. After our first dog died, I was almost heartbroken and after a time realized I needed another dog. So I called the shelters about another lab mix. The one I was interested in didn't answer their phone, so I called another place where a dog was almost at the end of it's last temporary placing before being euthanized since no one wanted it.
Like Nicki, this wasn't the dog I really wanted, but my OH fell in love with this big hairy mutt that was afraid of adults. As big hairy mutt followed us to the car, a Persian cat began to follow us and we learned the next door owners parted company and simply left their cat. So we went home with a big hairy mutt and a big hairy cat.
Lucy, the dog, had been abused by adults but quickly trusted us, and she turned out to be the most loyal, loving, sweet dog and we took her everywhere with us. She adored car rides and was happy just to snooze wherever we were going. The cat was another almost human adorable sweety that everyone loved. You could do anything to him. True, we had to deal with a lot of pet fur around the house and some raided garbage bins but the joy they gave us was worth it.
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I so agree with you Trillium. Our Bonnie lab was the opposite to what my OH wanted, he likes hairy lurchers. But he knew I liked labs, and when this timid characterless lab came up for re-homing through a work colleague of his, he said we would give her a try. Within a week he was besotted and as her lovely nature came out and he realised she wasn't going to turn out to be a blobby show type, he became more so and she became his shadow (with a ball,) always hopeful for a walk, something almost unheard of before we got her.
She has brought us a great deal of happiness these past six years.
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Thanks Nicki; the pups are fairly irresistable and Bessie was a very lovely mum.
Trillium and Tosca, those are both such wonderful stories. It is often so hard to see a dog's true character until they have settled, and the thought that you may have overlooked them is a heartbreaking thing to think about.
Last year I tried to take a young GSD bitch from a rescue in Dublin but because of a lack of proper organisation and no one in my area to do a home check I didn't get her. :(
Bessie is a changed dog, playing and wrestling with Ben, learning very quickly to fetch and give plus a few tricks not on the agenda :unsure:. She loves to pick up my shoes and carry them around, also cushions can be found tucked behind chairs instead of in them! :D :D
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Such a change in Bessie from the timid dog that you first encountered.
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That's the beauty of dogs; once they decide to give you their trust, they give their all.
Last summer, after my last beloved lab died, my OH said no more dogs. But I heard of a family who was moving away a fair distance but couldn't take their lab/collie cross. I also heard that the family often didn't have money for dog food and that they frequently left the dog alone for days while they went places, often in winter. Although I decided not to have another dog, I was asked if I'd take her and despite OH's strong objections, Lyra came home with me. She's such a lady and will do anything to please. She and OH are even stronger friends than she is with me :D And of course, everywhere Lyra goes, so does one of her many balls, even while we sit watching telly :D When her time comes (she's only 4 now), she'll be buried with a pile of balls.
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Hi all :) Some lovely stories here- thank you for sharing .
I need some common sense... I've been offered a 6 month male Springer. Now, do you think this is to young to be left at home 8-5 (dog walker for an hour at lunch...) for three days a week? THe chap at the rescue seemed a bit at odds that I wasn't snapping his arm off for him but i'm just concerned that it's a long time for a young dog (well pup really!) to be left home alone (although he'd have Tess for company...). I need to ring his foster parents later today but any thoughts on the above appreciated :blink: it's a minefield!
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I think your older dog will have quite a calming influence on the youngster, assuming she's not hyper herself and you don't give the impression of that being the case. We brought our Border Collie pup in with a Terrier who was nine at the time and it worked very nicely. She's five now and on her own, for no more than 3 hours at a time, and copes perfectly well.
:)
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A relative got a young springer spaniel because she had them when she grew up in Ireland. But if you haven't lots of land for them to run in and time to devote, they're not a good choice. After a few months, she had to give the dog away as it was literally roaring through her house and causing havoc. It's the dog's nature to be active and the family wasn't.
If a springer pup has to be left alone that long, I dread thinking of what you'd return to. There are a lot of young dogs I'd trust alone for long periods, but not a springer, lovely as they are.
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its hard to say cause age isnt the issue its entirely down to the dog itself. some dogs take to being left alone and some suffer major separation anxiety. You may already do this with your current dog but a good walk before you leave the house could help and maybe leaving something like a kong to keep the pups mind busy. Also you could try getting a friend or relative to pop in at some point between the times your gone. Springers do tend to be extremely high in energy so when i say good walk i mean major good walk lol :)
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oh yes i'm used to the excersise needs of Springers :lol: Tess is now 14 and still requires 1.5hrs split into two walks :blink: otherwise she is very unsettled! We are lucky to live next to a big forest which is ideal Spaniel walking territory! She trashed the house as a puppy (think chewing off plaster, taking foam out of the sofa...) so i'm very cautious about taking on a young Spaniel!!
I've seen a photo of this chap and have to admit that I have fallen for him :wub: We may not have the ideal set up but we will make it work. I'm going to talk to a couple of friends about popping in twice a day on the days i'm in the office. Dogs will get a good hours run in the morning then at least one break in the day and a final early evening walk for an hour or so.
i'm meeting him on Saturday- will let you know how I get on ???
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This is a bit of a dilemma Nicki - you're obviously well aware of the pitffalls and know the breed well.
Apart from redesigning your house during your work hours, would he torment Tess who is so much older? I would be more inclined to go for a young pup, who would sleep a lot more, or a 2yr old who would hopefully be past the destructive stage.
A lot of pure bred working dogs end up in rescue because they are unsuited to the domestic life.
Best of luck on Saturday ..... let us know how you get on. :)
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Oh yes i'm aware of the pitfalls... If it really doesn't work we have a "dog daycare" company that picks up the dog, looks after it for the day (plenty of interaction with other dogs/ people etc.) and then drop it back off. Would be able to afford it for three days a week if necessary! Hopefully we will not need to go down this route. But it's there if we need it :tongue2:
He was given up as the ex-owner had to go into different accommodation that would not accept pets. I believe the parents took him on but found it to much with another dog as well (they were retired- couldn't give him enough exercise). He's used to being left 3-4 hours at a time in his old home so I have some reassurance!
We've got a nice kitchen and conservatory that he can be shut in to start with- with or with out Tess! The foster home has him in a cage so that's something to think about... :wacko:
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We've got a nice kitchen and conservatory that he can be shut in to start with- with or with out Tess! The foster home has him in a cage so that's something to think about... :wacko:
But that could just be for his own sense of security....
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cages as long as they are the correct size work very well. all 3 of mine have there own cage for when we go out. They also eat and sleep in them as this is where they choose to go. If a cage is used correctly i.e. make it a good place for the dog to be they will class it as there own secure little den. Also could work out good for giving your older dog a break sometimes from a boisterous pup if you put the pup in the cage with a kong it would give your older dog a bit of me time lol ;) Also great if you have kids my son knows when the dogs reside to there cages they must be left alone as this is there safe quiet place :)
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With regards to a dogs 'quiet safe place' our dogs beds (we had two boxers) were under a table and both my children knew (and the dogs as well) that was their place and they had retired there for some 'time out'.
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We always give our dogs their own special place that everyone has to respect.
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Hope it goes well for you tomorrow. I'd see how you feel when you meet him - I always said I'd never have a dog under two years, preferably not under three because I didn't feel I had the time to give to such a young dog, but took my current girl in when she was about 15-17 months and she has been fine. It all depends on the dog. (Just don't let your heart rule your head ;))
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Well i'm looking forward to tomorrow... and a bit aprehensive as well! I've got a cage installed (could probably fit three Springers in it so should be big enough :tongue2: ) so he will have his own space. At the moment the cat is sitting in it :blink: . I've never caged a dog before but understand the principal behind it and think it will be beneficial for our current animals and the possible new addition!
Yes, we will see how he is- we won't be taking him on if he isn't submissive to Tess or to cocky. I never wanted a dog under two but we will see. I'm going with an open mind ???
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You could be pleasantly surprised we've got 3 dogs one of which is now only 5 months and he was never like a pup which is weird cause he's a Husky so very active. Hes always been so chilled out with our older 2 especially our tiny hairless Chinese crested who hes been very patient with as little Rambo did nothing but growl at him when he first came. You would be surprised how quick an older dog corrects a younger dog and puts them in there place also older calmer dogs are the best role model ;) Goodluck for tomorrow.
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Well i'm sitting on the sofa with a (finally) asleep Springer! Rusty was just what we were looking for- calm around the other animals, submissive and very friendly 8) He is also 8 months according to his vaccination card. The foster owners were very sorry to see him go and we've promised that if it doesn't work out that we will return him to them!! (can't see that happening :closedeyes: )
He's got basic training and knows paw and sit... but not down! Got some work to do with not jumping on the furniture every second but that's OK.
Tess has accepted him and he is being very good- a lot of lick lipping but no jumping or annoying her every second. He's met the cat and is scared of him :blink: and the chooks (scared of them to :nowink: )
I'll update with pictures when I remember!
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That sounds very positive so far. Good luck.
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That's brilliant Nicki; well done for giving another rescue dog a lovely home. :D
I'm sure he'll enjoy his training and definitely the hiking and agility. So good to see a working breed going to a home where his intelligence and agility will be used.
We want pics and updates regularly please. :D
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Great news Nicki, I'm sure he'll settle in just fine. :) Oh yes, pics please. :D
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awww thats lovely to hear :) sound like hes found himself a great home and no doubt a new best friend in tess.
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OK here is the whirlwind himself :tongue2:
Lapdog! Need to stop the jumping up but that will be ok
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7068/7011944185_0337b02726.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69442662@N07/7011944185/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69442662@N07/7011944185/) by Tessmess85 (http://www.flickr.com/people/69442662@N07/), on Flickr
Cute...
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6865828142_662b50fdf7.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69442662@N07/6865828142/)
Meet Rusty- 6 month old Springer from the Springer Spaniel Rescue. Hoping he might be up for some agility when he is old enough! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69442662@N07/6865828142/) by Tessmess85 (http://www.flickr.com/people/69442662@N07/), on Flickr
Going for his first walk with his older sister
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7071/6865825576_86c9148a77.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69442662@N07/6865825576/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69442662@N07/6865825576/) by Tessmess85 (http://www.flickr.com/people/69442662@N07/), on Flickr
Sniff sniff!
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/6865824362_dc59d0dbd2.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69442662@N07/6865824362/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69442662@N07/6865824362/) by Tessmess85 (http://www.flickr.com/people/69442662@N07/), on Flickr
Need to work on the crate- at the moment he hates it. The foster owners said they kept him in a crate but not sure I can believe it! I'm feeding him in there at the moment- baby steps!
I've warned him that he is going to be a busy boy :tongue2: I'm part of a local dog walking group so will be taking him on some social walks to start with. Also will register him with the vets to be neutered and microchipped. Lastly need to find a dog training club i'm happy with! Having done a lot of training with Tess I'm quite cautious about joining a club without going along first.
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what a gorgeous pup. Tess and rusty look very relaxed together. :)
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He's a beautiful boy! He looks so settled and relaxed already ..... I'm sure he'll be fine. :D
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He is lovely! Although currently he is barking, howling and trying to break down the kitchen door :unsure: I'm trying my best to ignore but it is very hard! Poor lad is so unsettled :( Hopefully give him a couple of weeks and he will have settled down :nowink:
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What a lovely dog, both dogs are lovely :D
Pamela
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Gorgeous! :D I'm sure he'll soon settle with routine and his new big sister's calming influence.
Good luck with a training club....there are some shockers out there. :ohmy:
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Congratulations, Rusty looks gorgeous. :D
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In the end I put him in the crate... although he doesn't like it yet we didn't hear another wimper out of him till I went down and let him out this morning. Such a good boy :tongue2:
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he is lovely, and considering you have only just got him you obviously trust him off the lead so looks like you have a good one there :)
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What a handsome boy. :) I love Springers anyway. Well done, it looks like you have a good 'un there. :D
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The first picture tells the whole story :D
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Just a quick update... he is doing fab still. He is alot calmer today not as much jumping on the furniture and people :wub: He is incredibly good with Tess and Neo (cat). He so wants to go over to Neo and give him kisses but a quick shout and he is back. Neo is now venturing into the living room again!
We've discovered that he is scared of water (yup- Spaniel scared of water :wacko: ) and he will only paddle! He is aslo a snorkeller! He was very scared of the horses but took himself off to the car to hide so I left him to it- don't want to overface him!
We started the beginnings of clicker training- priming the clicker with a treat which he thought was great :lol: He also demonstrated that he knew down- clever boy.
Only problems so far is that he is very anxious when left so we've worked out a schedule for the next three weeks to gradually ease him into life here. He is also addicted to the rabbit and would like to eat him very much! Also scared of the hoover but put himself in his crate when that went on :happy:
He's a good boy!
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It sounds as though he's settling very well and it's brilliant that you can have him off the lead so soon. There is bound to be some anxiety for a while ...... it's always a bit more difficult when they are 8 months rather than 8 weeks but he sounds quite sensible for his age. :)
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Yes I was concerned about letting him off but the foster parents said that they always let the dogs off straight away so I trusted that they probably new best. We did do some practice in the garden to start with and had some very tasty treats with us.
His anxiety is settling down- we can leave him downstairs and go upstairs now with no barking so he is improving step by step. All about baby steps! We are his fourth home in six months he is bound to be worried about not seeing us again. Just got to get him to trust us that we will be coming back!
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All about baby steps! We are his fourth home in six months he is bound to be worried about not seeing us again. Just got to get him to trust us that we will be coming back!
Similar to the situation with our Terrier when we rescued him as a pup. He soon became the most loyal little companion. :)
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Sounds like you've got yourself the perfect pup. Hes bound to suffer a bit of anxiety at this early stage and at least hes not being destructive with it. :)
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Poor Rusty, I didn't realise he had so many homes! He is bound to be anxious for a while; it's a fine line I think, between reassurance that they won't be abandoned and yet not allowing total dependence.
Bessie has been with us for 3 months now and is only just starting to feel really secure I think.
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Poor love. No wonder he's a bit unsettled. I was Bonnie's 4th home in 2 weeks & she didn't stop shaking for the first week, but soon settled down. I'm sure Rusty will too; he looks very sensible for such a young dog.
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It's so heart breaking knowing that they have been in so many homes only to be moved on again. And as you say you want to offer them all the love in the world but they need to learn independence as well!
We did have a scary moment on the common today... we met the cows :unsure: he was very scared and pulled his lead from my mums hand and just flew. Eventually his lead got caught in the gorse and he stopped. But it was so scary... poor lad was just so scared of the cows. Anyway, we walked him home on the lead as he was so scared still. So we have some work to do getting used to big animals!!
He is also booked in to start dog training classes from the 9th April... should be fun :tongue2:
BUt all in all he is an absolute delight :D Not sure he will like me as much after this weekend as he is going to get microchipped....
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... the microchip is only a biggish injection really. I find they do like you less for a while after the other op...... :unsure:
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He he well I spoke to the vet about that op (shush he will hear!) and they said as he is not showing any dominance/ mounting etc. to wait till he is a year old so he has a chance for his bone plates to fuse (something to do with testosterone! I think!). So he can keep 'em till September!
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We did have a scary moment on the common today... we met the cows :unsure: he was very scared and pulled his lead from my mums hand and just flew. Eventually his lead got caught in the gorse and he stopped. But it was so scary... poor lad was just so scared of the cows. Anyway, we walked him home on the lead as he was so scared still. So we have some work to do getting used to big animals!!
At least cows are reasonable things to be scared of. Our Sheltie couldn't cope with hedgehogs! ::) :lol:
Would break out of his collar and run home from the park; how he successfully crossed the main road without his Green Cross Code we'll never know...
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our Dalmatian is scared of frogs and our dwarf hamsters lol yet she thinks she is a cow and would happily graze in a field with some ::) a good bit of positive reinforcement will help with rustys fear of cows etc but make sure when you give him treats only do so when his body language is relaxed else you will be praising his fear :)
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but make sure when you give him treats only do so when his body language is relaxed else you will be praising his fear :)
That's a very good point which we so often forget in our rush to console them. :)
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My old girl was terrified of sheep - bit embarrassing to have a border collie who is terrified of sheep :unsure:.
Bonnie was petrified of EVERYTHING at first, but introducing her gradually with lots of treats overcame most problems really fast. I would give her treats as we walked towards the scary thing (or as it came towards us), stopping when we got to the point where she started to look a bit anxious & soon found that the distance between us & the scary thing grew rapidly smaller. It helps if they have a food treat they love & they only get it when coping well with the scary thing! I also found it helpful to concentrate on one or two areas at a time - my first priority with her was for her to be ok around men & dog leads, then we moved on to sticks, water, tractors, cows, sheep, ironing boards and vacuum cleaners (also gave me a great excuse to give up housework for a while as 'it frightens the dog too much' :lol:) We are still working on cars ::)
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My old girl was terrified of sheep - bit embarrassing to have a border collie who is terrified of sheep :unsure:.
Bonnie was petrified of EVERYTHING at first, but introducing her gradually with lots of treats overcame most problems really fast. I would give her treats as we walked towards the scary thing (or as it came towards us), stopping when we got to the point where she started to look a bit anxious & soon found that the distance between us & the scary thing grew rapidly smaller. It helps if they have a food treat they love & they only get it when coping well with the scary thing! I also found it helpful to concentrate on one or two areas at a time - my first priority with her was for her to be ok around men & dog leads, then we moved on to sticks, water, tractors, cows, sheep, ironing boards and vacuum cleaners (also gave me a great excuse to give up housework for a while as 'it frightens the dog too much' :lol:) We are still working on cars ::)
You should have concentrated on the cars more and left the housework until last!! :lol: