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| Stripygitface Member Since: 16 Sep 2014 Location: Kent Posts: 78  |
Our vet wasn't specific, we had always fed the dogs a Working Dog formula of various brands, but now Raw Meat complete meal, which contains vegetables, and also raw veg, especially brassicas, they enjoy it.
We had also switched Rosey from dry food to raw, and she instantly lost weight and became a lot more active, which was great to see, but this year she had repeated water infections, which the vet diagnosed as being caused by crystals due to protein in her food, so she had to go back onto a specialist dry food, and the weight started going back on, despite cutting her food back. Hopefully in 10 years time I will be able to tell the vets whether they were right, as the 2 we have left now are only 18 months and 8 months old. |
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7th Apr 2020 1:14pm |
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| Huttopia Member Since: 23 Feb 2016 Location: West Midlands Posts: 1972 
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This is the pup, just before I go on a work call.
 Click image to enlarge This is 5 minutes into the call. Click image to enlarge I felt the same. |
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7th Apr 2020 10:19pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3499 
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Pups do sleep a lot. And like you, so do I during business calls
Very cute pup  |
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8th Apr 2020 6:46am |
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| 90 Dreamer Member Since: 13 Jul 2019 Location: Oop North Posts: 2156 
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One of ours assisting with the local clean up after the recent floods & winds..........
Click image to enlarge |
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8th Apr 2020 2:52pm |
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| shaggydog Member Since: 12 Aug 2012 Location: Kent Posts: 3347 
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So time has flown somewhat faster than I thought
To fill you in, me and my Girlfriend from the moment we started dated agreed one day we would get a dog of our own. I always wanted a Gundog or a German Shepherd, my girlfriend had a Spaniel previously and always wanted a spaniel thought was open to the idea of a Labrador. While living with my parents after uni we as a family adopted Teddy! Who was a German Shepherd Cross who had quite a difficult life. We were told he was a "guard dog" which basically meant he was tied to a caravan and taught to bark at everyone. Which he did very well! He was rife with mange which has eaten away all the fur and skin on his back and left him with quite bad scarring. He was found abandoned tied to a fence having been left to die and that’s as much as I’m going to say on the matter because I'll just get angry and upset. He was taken in by the RSPCA who did a good job rehabilitating and feeding him up but despite there best efforts he wasn’t happy in Kennels and the stress was making his fur fall out, which meant everyone walked past him, till we turned up! Click image to enlarge Seen here about 3 months after we got him we spent alot of time settling him and getting him adjusted to life in a house with stairs and a garden that was just his! With lots of food and love very soon he was basically a puppy again having had his life reset almost. Click image to enlarge Roll on Christmas time! I don’t think he had known anything like it with so many people coming over to sniff and play with and walks and food smells it was fantastic! Until shortly after Christmas he became suddenly very ill. He was not eating or drinking and after alot of tests and trials the vet came back with a diagnosis of Addisons disease, not a death sentence by a long way but at least we knew what it was so could treat it. This went on for another few months until one day he was not himself again, another trip to the vets and it was discovered he had Lymphoma. We asked what we can do and the vet said "Treat every day with him like its his last, enjoy the time you have and when he says its time, it will be time" We gave him the best next few months any dog could have had, Walks, treats, playtime, he wanted it he got it and i can safely say with a clear conscience that Teddy had the best time of his life. Easter bank holiday we took him on a walk and he was having the time of his life. He would do a Herald of Free Enterprise impression by running through water with his mouth open scooping up as much as he could before rolling on his side and splashing around. We played sticks and ball, came home for more boiled chicken, rice and sweet potato and he had yet another best day ever. Click image to enlarge The next day he passed on, we had been his guardians for 9 short months. But I like to think they were his best 9 months of his life 
Time moves on, Me and my girlfriend moved to Canterbury into a very nice but expensive flat in the city centre. Jobs changed, priorities changed but we both still agreed we wanted a dog. After a while the opportunity arose where we could move into a house which was a proper house with a garden and everything! We negot5iated with the landlord for the provision for us to have a dog which they agreed too so it was green lights all the way. I changed job and finally the time was right once again for us to get a dog. We toyed with the idea of a puppy but found our way in touch with a pair of organisations, one which specifically focussed on Labradors and one which focussed on Spaniels. We were home checked and passed with flying colours and eventually were all set up to collect a Black Lab called Thor. Until the morning we were supposed to receive him the owner pulled out, once again we were heartbroken. Until we got a call.... "We have a Lab, he is a bit of a handful and the current family just can’t deal with him. He has bitten all of them, thinks he rules the house and doesn’t do as he is told, but he is house trained! Would he interest you?" Off we went to meet him, we found out he was a pedigree gundog with alot of red on his certificate who had basically been allowed to just get on with it really. Without consistency or rules he had just gotten used to getting his way and was now the pack leader. The next evening we went over and collected Monty. The Mont-ster. Click image to enlarge The first night we didn’t really get much sleep as his favourite game was to run at a wall or door, jump half way up it, use it as a kick off to come back at you snapping- because that got alot of attention! This was accompanied by lots of whining and howling, which naturally we ignored.
However, with consistency and a few minor scuffles for power he quickly realised he was no longer "top dog" and would have to do as he was told. Click image to enlarge He was getting the train with me to work, every guard and lady on the train knew his name and how he was and what a good boy (tart) he is. One morning I was approached by a gentleman who inquired if he was “intact” so he may breed his Bitch. Unfortunately he had been given the snip before we got him so the offer was politely declined. Click image to enlarge He loved it up until I decided to drive into work instead as it gave me greater flexibility. Also when he eats a chocolate bar (with wrapper) while out on a walk, its far easier to drive to a vet as opposed to get the train home, walk home, get the truck, drive to the vet to be told, should have got here sooner nothing we can do now! 
Click image to enlarge He is being trained up as a gundog and we are having mixed success with him. Occasionally its almost instinctive the way he reacts and picks a dummy straight back to hand. Others he just looks at you and goes pffft no, jog on mate. So there we have it, thats how we ended up with a ginger Mont-ster. Click image to enlarge Sorry that was a bit of a longer intro than planned Running Restoration Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/post323197.html#323197
Self confessed mileage hunter  |
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12th Apr 2020 4:03pm |
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| Huttopia Member Since: 23 Feb 2016 Location: West Midlands Posts: 1972
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/\ He’s a good looking hound! If you have the inclination I’m sure there are some Gundog training groups in your area, and they are great for training you and him. It’s all about mental stimulation with the Gundog breeds, and of course working out just what sort of monster you’ve got on your hands.
Great effort picking up another rescue dog, hats off. 👏 |
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12th Apr 2020 4:10pm |
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| Huttopia Member Since: 23 Feb 2016 Location: West Midlands Posts: 1972
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Click image to enlarge If you can spot the little rat on the base of the netball post....she is now 11 weeks old and on great form (after a shaky start). She is in the phase of terrorist one minute, wiped out the next. The old lab is even taking to her a bit more. Click image to enlarge The middle one is so soft and is putting up with a lot of the terrorism, to the point I put the pup away. Click image to enlarge The chances of a pic of all 3 of them together at the moment is pretty slim! |
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12th Apr 2020 4:17pm |
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| shaggydog Member Since: 12 Aug 2012 Location: Kent Posts: 3347
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We are doing gundog training with a fantastic chap called Matt in Wooton Near Canterbury who has helped from day 1 with how to make sense of what Monty is communicating to us and how to respond. He is training us as much as we are Monty and is very paitent
Paitence is essential with this process. He is our first Gundog though so keen to meet others in the area (Kent/Sussex)
Your pack looks fantastic, I had to get the pup off the screen quick though as my girlfriend was getting jelous! Running Restoration Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/post323197.html#323197 Self confessed mileage hunter |
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12th Apr 2020 7:06pm |
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| 90 Dreamer Member Since: 13 Jul 2019 Location: Oop North Posts: 2156
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We have had virtually nothing but rescues over the years and just glad we can bring a little joy......don't really get hung up on bloodlines or pedigree albeit pretty sure the Golden Retriever must have some heritage judging her against known examples
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12th Apr 2020 7:23pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3499
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Great story shaggydog and congratulations on giving two needy dogs a home. Great heartwarming story
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12th Apr 2020 7:37pm |
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| ickle Member Since: 22 Jul 2010 Location: South Vendee Posts: 1782  
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Having a cuddle with our 11 month old Malamute a couple of weeks ago:
Click image to enlarge He's now 27" at the shoulder, over 50kgs, we walk 5 miles a day (with relevant paperwork) he looks very handsome but bloody hell is he a stubborn thing to try and train! Click image to enlarge |
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12th Apr 2020 7:47pm |
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| ZeDefender Member Since: 15 Sep 2011 Location: Munich Posts: 4731  
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Came downstairs to find my son and "Maple the Migraine Dog"...
Click image to enlarge Tell someone you love them today because life is short. But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing... |
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13th Apr 2020 7:55am |
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| shaggydog Member Since: 12 Aug 2012 Location: Kent Posts: 3347
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Now he is a big ole boofer! One of our friends has a similar malamute and his paws are massive! I have always been fond of them! Thank you Rashers
I must admit I got a little choked up writing it but I always remember something the vet told me on a visit. "They may be a big part of our lives, but we are everything in theirs" it really stuck with me because there is so much we can do to make their lives better so why not spend the 5 mins to do it? 90- Quite agree- we did look briefly at puppies quickly decided it wasn't for us. I was very keen to get a Gundog for training into a working gundog and speaking to various rescues it became clear that a lot of working dogs get re-homed because people cant deal with them. Monty is a classic example of this! His previous owners got him from a well established working gundog breeder with a long line of champions in his bloodline so has been selectively bread to be bright, intelligent and energetic. They then left him home alone all day and wondered why when they came home he had wrecked the house and wouldn't calm down. So the restricted his food, which gave him food aggression and asset guarding issues and then they wondered why he kept attacking them. Had they gone down a non-working line like they had done previously the result may have been different. But i do agree, pedigree and bloodline counts for nothing if you don't put in the right training and nurturing. hence the struggle we have sometimes Running Restoration Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/post323197.html#323197
Self confessed mileage hunter |
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13th Apr 2020 8:38am |
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| Smilesapart Member Since: 28 Sep 2013 Location: Suffolk Posts: 735
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Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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16th May 2020 4:29pm |
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