KellyR Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Ok, time for a new thread. We seem to be over the initial hurdle. General consensus from most of the communication on BCB and local is that HrrGrr is simply a hardhead who's never been handled. I don't think he's been abused (he doesn't cower or show other fear based behavior). Two short staring experiments have shown me that he's defers to me (eventually) but isn't scared. Day 10, 8-27-2007 A good night last night, he finally decided that the marrow bone and rawhide in his den aren't poisoned and gave them both a try and seemed to enjoy them a good bit. Today was another mixed bag (none of it HrrGrr's fault). As we were heading out to the pentagon, my cat, Arzee, was just outside the door that leads from the kitchen out to the garage. Arzee sees HrrGrr and I trying to get out and moves back, as we exit the kitchen door to the garage, Arzee reaches around and lays HrrGrr's left eyelid open. I swear, I've never wanted to filet an animal SO bad in my life. Anyhow, the other great point was that as I was switching him from his leash to the lead, (just as I noticed he was bleeding) he IMMEDIATELY, without warning or sign, squatted and pooped in the run. I praised him and went to get saline to flush his eye and brought back a treat and some more water as well. And just as WoobiesMom feared, he did scale the fence this morning as I was inside getting more supplies. And just like I planned, he was on the ground with exactly 5 feet of lead. He hasn't attempted it again, which is good. I think he figured out that all the trouble to get over but to still be secured wasn't worth the total effort. So, after the fence effort, I figured he had a good bit of energy, so I watered him again (water for blossoms, water for blossoms) and switching him back to his leash and we took a walk up and down my cul-de-sac. We made three full block passes, and it wasn't dragging (like the early attempts). He was always pulling for his own direction, but he did heel properly about 10% of the time. I tried to be very consistent with his command structure (HrrGrr Heel, *pause* Good boy and HrrGrr Heel -gentle tug-). So 10% is a start. I figure if we take two good walks a day, he might have heeling down in a week or so. Anyone who thinks this is a dog thats scared and that I'm being too impatient hasn't seen him look at me like this. He thrives when I challenge him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Kewl. Now HrrGrr needs his own blog. I just thought I'd add a link here in case someone is new to this thread and wondering what all the fuss is about: The introduction of HrrGrr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyR Posted August 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Kewl. Now HrrGrr needs his own blog. I just thought I'd add a link here in case someone is new to this thread and wondering what all the fuss is about: The introduction of HrrGrr Yah but I refuse to have a dedicated blog out of personal principles. I hope no one minds me posting about him.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 I don't mind at all - after all, it's the way we can learn. We never know when a dog with 'issues' might arrive on our doorstep, do we? Besides, no one is forced to read the posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Yay! I'm glad to hear about all the progress!!! I'm no expert at all, but I'd say if he'll stare at you, he's not too scared. Woobie didn't make eye contact for a long time. And heck! If you can get him heeling 10% of the time now, that's great! Woobie is just now starting to heel consistently and he's 1! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OurBoys Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 I hope no one minds me posting about him.. Absolutely not!! It's very heartwarming and uplifting to watch his progress. Keep the updates coming!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet_ceana Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Please post, we like to hear stories of a dogs progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin's Momma Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 Yah but I refuse to have a dedicated blog out of personal principles. I hope no one minds me posting about him.. No wayyy!! I love reading about HrrGrr! *hypnotizes* You wannnt to make a bloggggg!! You wannnnnnt to make a bloggggggggg!! Did it work? *points to a great dog blog* ---> http://threewoofs.blogspot.com/ (I hope RDM doesn't mind me posting that ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha J Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 You post away, i agree it is nice to read about how well Hrrgrr is doing. I don't think it was intended to mean don't post, just that you could easily do a blog too with Hrrgrr and his progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin's Momma Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 I don't think it was intended to mean don't post, just that you could easily do a blog too with Hrrgrr and his progress. Yes, this is how I took it as well! I'd love to see a HrrGrr Blog, but not if it means you'll have to stop posting about him here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 We LOVE the HrrGrr posts!! Sounds like such an adventure!! I had the pleasure of experiencing the HrrGrr cam when it was working, and I'll admit to squealing when he raised his little head up while I was watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyR Posted August 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 We LOVE the HrrGrr posts!! Sounds like such an adventure!! I had the pleasure of experiencing the HrrGrr cam when it was working, and I'll admit to squealing when he raised his little head up while I was watching. Aww he's destined to be a heartbreaker I'm betting. He had a good afternoon, a bit of runny poop in the dog run, but the good news is that he IS holding it til he gets outside. What we've been doing is Morning, Noon and Night, we head out to the run for a bit, he pees/poops if he has to. Then we pet for a minute or he gets a drink, then we head out to the cul-de-sac and walk. He's really getting better about it, I'd guess 20 - 25% of the time he's heeling properly. If I can get the walking on a leash down in public, then its just a matter of time before his name, come, sit, etc follows. Once we come in, he has to sit with me for 2-3 minutes getting petted before he's allowed to retreat to his den. At this point the crate has become a hinderance so its use it being shelved. So he only gets his den if he's really stressed and not his fault (the cat episode this morning), I have to leave and he can't come along or its sleeping time. I don't coddle or fuss over him, I just make him sit, on leash within 6' or so. This is really helping him understand that he has to function as a pack member. He's scheduled for his shots/fix on the 6th next week, and we're going to confer about anxiety meds for him at that point. But if he continues to improve, they may not be needed. Anyhow, I'll keep everyone posted, but the good news so far is that he's taking to leash walking and seems to be on the ight path to being house broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OurBoys Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Keep up the good work, HrrGrr!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie&MeBC Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 I don't mind a bit if you post about HrrGrr! I hope you keep us updated! I love hearing about your progress with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronHorse Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 He is really a good looking red and white,,,,and now that he is getting over his shellshock period,hes looking proud and standing proud. That boy wants to see some sheep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockstar Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Wow, what great progress!! Yay HrrGrr! And what do you mean he is going to be a heartbreaker, he already seems to be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Either the perception is screwy, the panels are really tall, or that's a teeny dog! Or is that just me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockstar Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Either the perception is screwy, the panels are really tall, or that's a teeny dog! Or is that just me? Yeah, is he a puppy, Kelly? How old do you think he is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OurBoys Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 HrrGrr is approx 8 months old. If you check out the link Alaska has in her post, it explains a lot of his history. The first picture of him shows just how cute and adorable he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockstar Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 HrrGrr is approx 8 months old. If you check out the link Alaska has in her post, it explains a lot of his history. The first picture of him shows just how cute and adorable he is. Duh, I did know that.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OurBoys Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Duh, I did know that.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Eight months? Still, look at him next to that chair....maybe there is something to the sheltie idea. I agree he's beautiful, either way. Such a nice shade of red. Maybe Kelly can post more pics in the Gallery section for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSnappy Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Eight months? Still, look at him next to that chair....maybe there is something to the sheltie idea. I very much doubt that, as shelties don't come in "red" - and isn't red recessive, i.e., there must be two copies (one from each parent) of it to express itself? If anything, I'd argue that this dog (I'm really sorry to the OP, I can't bring myself to retype his name) is a mini Aussie, or mini Aussie mix, depending on how small he really is. The colour, the pinched little face, the size ... we took in a bunch of minis from a puppy mill raid a few years ago, and they really ranged from looking like itty bitty BCs to oversized pomeranians to smallish Aussies. To this day when I see Zip at a trial, before my brain registers he is one of 'my' dogs my first thought is always "oh look at the tiny little tri border collie!" Anyway, he could just be a small BC. But I'd wager if he is a mix or is something else, it'd be mini Aussie before it would be sheltie. RDM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 I very much doubt that, as shelties don't come in "red" - and isn't red recessive, i.e., there must be two copies (one from each parent) of it to express itself? If anything, I'd argue that this dog (I'm really sorry to the OP, I can't bring myself to retype his name) is a mini Aussie, or mini Aussie mix, depending on how small he really is. The colour, the pinched little face, the size ... we took in a bunch of minis from a puppy mill raid a few years ago, and they really ranged from looking like itty bitty BCs to oversized pomeranians to smallish Aussies. To this day when I see Zip at a trial, before my brain registers he is one of 'my' dogs my first thought is always "oh look at the tiny little tri border collie!" Anyway, he could just be a small BC. But I'd wager if he is a mix or is something else, it'd be mini Aussie before it would be sheltie. RDM I know nothing about color genetics and all that stuff. I bow to your knowledge and experience. He does look like a border collie to me, just itty bitty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyR Posted August 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Panic mode, 4 drops of blood in the stool. Off to the vet, will post more as I know it tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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