Post by elmuervo on Jun 5, 2008 12:51:56 GMT -5
Hi All,
Once again, I can't thank you all enough for your help and support. I value and have pondered upon every word of advice proffered, and just have to say that this forum is an absolute goldmine of a place (thanks andywillow!) - full of lovely people with wise heads, years of experience and and endless willingness to share it all. Where would us newbies be without you?!
Well, there we were thinking that we were doing really well with helping our boy to start his new life and then *BANG*, we were woken-up sharply. How stupid were we? Oh well . . .
The big news is that Steve caved-in to the torrent of muzzle advice. How could he not when faced with such good sense from so many people . . . oh, and me sulking like a child! Moral indignation doesn't last long when you're getting the silent treatment 24/7! So, Barnible Lecter (as he is now known) is sporting a racing muzzle whenever he is out and about (unfortunately he can escape from his box muzzle in seconds with a deft flick of the foot). He ain't that happy about it but we've had to explain to him that hey, that's what you get if you act like a psycho (ha ha), plus it's a small price to pay for being spoilt rotten the rest of the time. Naturally, he understands every word . . .
I'm starting to calm down down about it all now, can you tell? ;D It helps that we haven't seen the idiots with the weimeraner since, of course . . .
A real down-side of this is that over the past couple of days Barney has definitely become more reactive when loose dogs come close. He's starting to buck and twirl in anticipation of what might follow (and we're probably tranmitting anxiety down the lead, much as we try not to), but he settles very quickly once the 'threat' has gone. Fortuitously (or however you spell it) we had already ordered a body-harness for him. That should arrive really soon, and we'll be pleased for the extra control and peace of mind that it'll offer in case he starts to become a bit of a Houdini (at the moment his lead is only attached to his collar - big neck, little head . . . !).
Barney's booked-in to be neutered on the 25th of June, so hoepfully between now and then we'll find a good socialisation class who won't judge him just because he's a greyhound (Ellie will be coming too). Who is Jim Greenwood, by the way? Sadly, we've already been turned down by one place - they didn't ask about him being neutered (Barney that is, not Jim Greenwood!) but apparently they could not 'risk' him as they have so many little dogs in attendance. We were really naive . . . there we were thinking that we just had to help him learn how to be a normal dog (whatever the hell that means!); we didn't know that we were going to have to fight a propaganda war at the same time. Speaking of which . . .
Our next-door neighbours (a nice couple) had their grandson over yesterday. He, and they, have kissed and huggled and cuddled Barney a million times over the past few weeks and they all love him, but they saw him in his muzzle for the first time just as we were leaving for our evening walk. Little boy says "Grandma, what's that cage on his face?" and Grandma replies "that's so he doesn't eat all the other dogs in the park". Indoctrinate them young, eh? Unbelievable. I screamed silently inside and walked away. Won't be mowing their grass as a favour any time soon!
There seemed to be a consensus in your replies that we had nothing to apologise for and were "too nice" at the time of the incident. You know what? You're all dead right! So we're banishing the Minnie Mouse attitudes from now on . . . we'll be as responsible and reasonable as we posibly can be, but we're not going to apologise for being who we are (memo to self: must eat another packet of Jaffa Cakes to keep up daily quota), nor will we take any c**p for being the proud parents of a manic fur-ball and a highly-strung string-bean! So there!
Thanks again. You're all great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jo, Steve, Ellie and Barnible the Carnible
Once again, I can't thank you all enough for your help and support. I value and have pondered upon every word of advice proffered, and just have to say that this forum is an absolute goldmine of a place (thanks andywillow!) - full of lovely people with wise heads, years of experience and and endless willingness to share it all. Where would us newbies be without you?!
Well, there we were thinking that we were doing really well with helping our boy to start his new life and then *BANG*, we were woken-up sharply. How stupid were we? Oh well . . .
The big news is that Steve caved-in to the torrent of muzzle advice. How could he not when faced with such good sense from so many people . . . oh, and me sulking like a child! Moral indignation doesn't last long when you're getting the silent treatment 24/7! So, Barnible Lecter (as he is now known) is sporting a racing muzzle whenever he is out and about (unfortunately he can escape from his box muzzle in seconds with a deft flick of the foot). He ain't that happy about it but we've had to explain to him that hey, that's what you get if you act like a psycho (ha ha), plus it's a small price to pay for being spoilt rotten the rest of the time. Naturally, he understands every word . . .
I'm starting to calm down down about it all now, can you tell? ;D It helps that we haven't seen the idiots with the weimeraner since, of course . . .
A real down-side of this is that over the past couple of days Barney has definitely become more reactive when loose dogs come close. He's starting to buck and twirl in anticipation of what might follow (and we're probably tranmitting anxiety down the lead, much as we try not to), but he settles very quickly once the 'threat' has gone. Fortuitously (or however you spell it) we had already ordered a body-harness for him. That should arrive really soon, and we'll be pleased for the extra control and peace of mind that it'll offer in case he starts to become a bit of a Houdini (at the moment his lead is only attached to his collar - big neck, little head . . . !).
Barney's booked-in to be neutered on the 25th of June, so hoepfully between now and then we'll find a good socialisation class who won't judge him just because he's a greyhound (Ellie will be coming too). Who is Jim Greenwood, by the way? Sadly, we've already been turned down by one place - they didn't ask about him being neutered (Barney that is, not Jim Greenwood!) but apparently they could not 'risk' him as they have so many little dogs in attendance. We were really naive . . . there we were thinking that we just had to help him learn how to be a normal dog (whatever the hell that means!); we didn't know that we were going to have to fight a propaganda war at the same time. Speaking of which . . .
Our next-door neighbours (a nice couple) had their grandson over yesterday. He, and they, have kissed and huggled and cuddled Barney a million times over the past few weeks and they all love him, but they saw him in his muzzle for the first time just as we were leaving for our evening walk. Little boy says "Grandma, what's that cage on his face?" and Grandma replies "that's so he doesn't eat all the other dogs in the park". Indoctrinate them young, eh? Unbelievable. I screamed silently inside and walked away. Won't be mowing their grass as a favour any time soon!
There seemed to be a consensus in your replies that we had nothing to apologise for and were "too nice" at the time of the incident. You know what? You're all dead right! So we're banishing the Minnie Mouse attitudes from now on . . . we'll be as responsible and reasonable as we posibly can be, but we're not going to apologise for being who we are (memo to self: must eat another packet of Jaffa Cakes to keep up daily quota), nor will we take any c**p for being the proud parents of a manic fur-ball and a highly-strung string-bean! So there!
Thanks again. You're all great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jo, Steve, Ellie and Barnible the Carnible