Struggling With Play Time

Animal Freak

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He's become a bit of a pain if I'm being honest. At first he was completely wiped after our morning walk and would mostly just sleep until later in the afternoon. Now he's only briefly napping and then he starts bugging Stella and getting mouthy. It makes schoolwork a bit harder since I have to keep stopping, but hopefully we'll get into a routine pretty soon.

Frost decided he was using the litter box in the storage room this morning and he was not taking no for an answer. We'd only gotten in from a walk a few minutes prior and I couldn't get my peanut butter cup as a distraction. Frost got out there though.

To scare them off, I'd say. I'm not experienced, but I think he learned pretty quickly that by acting tough, he could scare them off. Then all of a sudden acting tough doesn't work and he doesn't know what to do. I'm not experienced, of course, but if he were playful then I would've thought he'd behave more like he does with Stella which consists of play bows, pawing, and a totally different noise. Could be some prey drive involved with him chasing too. He barks, they run, so he chases. He's proven that he doesn't actually want to get to them though. Ember snuck out right under our noses not long ago. She's the last one I expected to come out and they were probably five feet or so away from each other when Osiris jumped up and started barking. Ember got stuck against the gate and Si went for her, then stopped. Then he took a step back, stepped forward, and just stood there barking until I got the peanut butter cup in front of him. My mom got Ember back over the gate and threw food in the hall, so we did have a good session after that where Si, Ember, and Ash were all relatively close together. He got all the peanut butter and then went to look for the fly Stella had caught, completely ignoring the cats still in the hall. It was a scary moment when he went for her and I feel bad that she went through that and we let him have to opportunity to do that, but I'm also kind of glad that we know for sure he isn't trying to get to them. At this point I'm thinking fear is better. Even Stella is a little bit afraid of the cats. It makes her more responsive to them. I think Si would have to be pushed pretty far to have a severe reaction. As long as he's able to keep that space between him and the cats, I think they're all safe. If it was play based then I'd have to worry about him accidentally hurting them and continuing to chase them when they run.

I don't think Frost would've gone anywhere with Si in his crate. That's way too close and, quite honestly, too close to expect Si to be able to behave. Maybe if we'd taken him out and into the living room, but even then a cat on the floor and at that range might've been too much. Our house is too small to be able to create distance, unfortunately. We might be getting to a place where the cats can handle themselves as Frost showed this morning, but even just yesterday Frost wasn't handling the barking very well at all and would go wherever he needed to in order to get away. And there's no water in the storage room so I don't want them out there all day. There's three litter boxes back there, so I'm reluctant to have any food or water there because it's likely to just get gross quite quickly.

It is actually coming along a bit quicker than I expected. I'm sure there will be times where everything regresses, but overall it seems like we're figuring things out. The cats are getting braver maybe a little faster than I'd like. It seems like every time I think I know who will come out and for what someone surprises me. Ember earlier being a good example. I figured it would be at least another week before she came out other than at night while Si is sleeping.

Definitely hasn't gone to plan in the slightest. Lol. I think we'd all feel a bit better in a larger space though. We're sort of on top of each other in this house and that was originally why we weren't getting another dog. Plus if we had more of a yard then I could just take him outside for a game when he gets too energetic. Or take Stella outside for some one-on-one time. But hopefully by next summer we'll be moving.

I can't say he's my ideal dog yet (need to get over the reactivity towards the cats and leash reactivity), but I can say I think he can be. He is stunning. It's amazing because we both have a preference for black shepherds. Of course we'd never be so picky and say that's all we'd accept. It seemed unlikely we'd have the chance to get that. And yet here he is. And he has a beautiful temperament as well. Just needs some work and we need a proper routine.
 

calicosrspecial

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:/ Yeah, he is feeling more comfortable and being a puppy. Yes, hard to focus on schoolwork. :/

What did Si do? Sounds like Frost wasn't too afraid.

Interesting. I do like that he was totally distracted eating and then looking for the fly. And really good the cats were out eating as well. That sounds like it went pretty well. Ember sure bounced back fast so it couldn't have been too traumatic for her.

Ahhhhhhhhhh. Yeah, I think you will be getting close pretty soon. Today sounds like a really good day.

Hahahaha, well, I guess we are on the same page!!! I read one paragraph at a time and then I got to this one. I agree. Oh yes, there are always steps back but in time there is progress. It is going faster, better than I would have thought as well. Well, cats are good at reading whether something is a predator or a threat so I think they are telling us something. Of course they could be wrong but I think they are evaluating. Ember is being really impressive. I would have expected more caution as well.

Well, maybe tactically but strategically I think it probably is. Meaning, maybe you are doing different things but the progress is there. Yeah, I think space is a help but not a panacea. But I agree being able to get him outside and run a bit and try to tire him out a little could be helpful. But when they see something fun they do get a second wind. :/

That is understandable. I just see a gorgeous, smart, goodhearted dog. I definitely think he can be as well. He seems really smart. Make it 3 with preference for black sheps. Yes, there aren't many opportunities to get them. He seems like the ideal temperament. Of course I am not there but he seems so wonderful. Really cool dog.
 

Animal Freak

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Sorry for replying sooner. We didn't have Internet all of Friday and about half of Saturday. I had to spend the rest of Saturday (and now part of today) catching up on schoolwork. I had a lot I wanted to say too and now I'm not sure I remember everything.

Si barked at Frost, of course. We've noticed he seems to do worse when we hold him back as the frustration builds, but at the same time I don't want him getting in the habit of chasing the cats even if he doesn't go all the way up to them.

Frost has decided he's over the dog. He's been coming out more and more and not just going from one room to another now. He's been up on the dining room chairs and under the computer desk. He's even just hung out in the corner of the kitchen between the laundry room door and the storage room door. Osiris has gone up to him a few times, but stays probably close to two feet away. Once Frost acted like he was going to run, but then he stopped, turned around, hissed, and slapped at Si. I was behind Si at that time, so I couldn't see everything great. I'm pretty sure there was still about a foot between them. Si's hackles had started to lift, but he still didn't get any closer.

Ember has come out a couple of times. She's the most skittish and she does run from him, but if she gets stuck or doesn't think she can outrun him then she turns around, hunches down, and hisses at him. She does recover a lot better than I expected.

Ash hasn't quite gotten to the point that Frost has, but he is coming out more. I think he's probably taken his close calls with Si harder than Ember has. He's not quite as scared as she is, but yet doesn't recover quite as well. When he first started coming out, he was a lot calmer. Since being chased, he seems a little more nervous though it hasn't stopped him from coming out.

I have noticed a change is Osiris's barking. It's funny how much his bark can tell you. Very useful. It's hard to explain, but the change is definitely there. He seems to be shifting from a fear bark or a bark to create distance and into a more curious/cautious bark. He kind of seems like he wants to go up to them and check them out, but he's still too unsure of them to do so. The barking is definitely a bit calmer, slower, and less serious when they're in the hall. He can still get pretty worked up when they're on this side of the gate though. He has sniffed Frost and Ash's tails and has no issues being quiet when food is involved. The problem is the cats are coming out more and lingering longer. It's not entirely possible for us to stand there the entire time feeding him. For one, we have work and school to do. Two, he's going to get fat!

There have also been a couple of times that he started barking at the hall and there was no cat there. Then he looks at us like, "Where's my peanut butter?" Clever dog.

He is getting worse with a lot of other things though. Not really anything that's surprising though. We're just seeing more puppy behaviors from him. He's a lot mouthier and he's gotten worse on the leash. He has a hard time settling sometimes as well. I've had to send Stella to my room a couple of times because he gets too crazy and she doesn't help because she growls when he even gets close to her and she wants to get up and walk around, but that just brings his attention to her.

We did take him to PetSmart last night. We went late in hopes of avoiding other dogs since he is quite leash reactive. Fortunately we only heard a dog once and never saw it. He doesn't react to other dogs barking. Si did well all things considered. I would prefer to focus on training in that situation, but I mostly just wanted to get what we needed and go. He let me try on a number of harnesses though and was quite tolerant. He would focus on me when I was offering food. He did throw a fit when my mom and Stella walked away though and he got barky towards the end. I think he was just frustrated because I wasn't letting him go around and sniff. He got a new rope toy, a stuffed opossum, a chew toy, a Kong, and a couple of other chews. All of which he got to pick out. Stella got to pick a chew too. No harness though. They didn't have what I wanted in his size.

I do see a ton of potential in him. I mean, his focus is already pretty great when he knows I'm giving food out. Doesn't matter where we're at. At home, at the park, or in the pet store last night. If I had food, he'd focus on me. He's really not hardly interested in people at all which is fantastic (to me). The only issue is other dogs. Otherwise there's really not much that fazes him. We had people working on our road the other day and he wasn't bothered. We had the door open trying to figure out what we we're going to do because the road was blocked off and we needed to get the dogs to the park. He just ended up laying down in the doorway while we stood there.
 

calicosrspecial

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You never need to apologize. I totally understand. I had computer issues a week or so ago so I know how frustrating it is!!!

It is not good to lose internet for school. Hopefully you didn't miss much. :(

I know, if I don;t put in down I forget everything. :( For me it is because of age, for you, too much on your plate. :/

Yep, some wil do that when restrained. BUT I agree, it is best not to have the chase. A bark with no "bite" can be dealt with.

Wow, Frost!!! THAT was fast!!!! I am guessing Si has learned a cat scratch can be a bit painful. REALLY good that he respects the cats.

Yes, I expected Ember to have the most difficult transition. But she is using her instincts. That is good. And REALLY good she is bouncing back quickly.

Awwwwwww, Ash. :( Hopefully he can start getting more confidence. He is more sensitive then we think. I just hope it doesn't cause him stress that causes UTIs. Keep reassuring him and making their encounters as positive as possible. Good he is still coming out. Good sign. He will come around.

SO TRUE!! They do communicate. Oh, I know exactly what you mean. You can tell. Yes, hard to explain but seeing it (or I guess hearing it for myself) I know what you mean. Yep, have been there many times. It is a balance. But you sound like you are doing great. It is actually going better than I thought. Going faster.

Hahahaha, yes they are (he is!!!).

Yep, he is warming up to his new home and feeling like he can "be himself". Happens every time!!! You'll teach him.

That sounds like he did really well. WOW, you SPOIL him!!!! Hahahahaha. TOO FUNNY!!!

Wow, that sounds like he is doing really well. Yes, they can be distracted by other dogs but at least you don't have him distracted by everything else as well like most other dogs. I am amazed he laid in the doorway. Really impressive. He sounds not only smart but a really good temperament.

What a great update!!! They are usually much more challenging at this point. I am really impressed.
 

Animal Freak

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It's really annoying. I like keeping up with these updates too because it makes it easier to see the progress we've made. And I can look back on it later on to remember how everything went.

Yes, Frost got over it pretty quickly. I'm glad he's getting over it, but it does make things a bit harder because it means he's coming out more and setting Si off. It's hard to keep to any sort of plan when you're dealing with a bunch of animals with minds of their own. I'd like to focus on cats in the hall for at least a few more days since we're definitely making progress there. Then I'd like to work on getting cats out more. Frost says that's not happening though.

Ember definitely had the most difficult transition with Stella, but Ash had the longest one. I think Ash uses avoidance so much that, while he may seem comfortable for the most part, it takes longer for him to fully accept. Looks like it'll be similar this time around. Ember has the strongest reaction of them all, but Ash will probably have a weaker reaction for a longer period of time.

I think Ash will be alright. He is sensitive. I noticed he was more sensitive than I thought when we were going through cycles of fighting between him and Ember. He hasn't fully trusted her in a long time. It doesn't take much to totally break down his relationship with other animals, but he isn't one to go out of his way to start fights either. He just sort of pretends they aren't there until he can't.

It is going pretty well. I feel like I can relax a little knowing he isn't going to hurt them. I still don't want him chasing them, but at least that's one less worry. So I might be a little less tense when dealing with him around cats as well.

Haha. All the stuff I bought is really more for my sake! I need things that'll keep him occupied. He's also kind of hard to play with. He wants to roughhouse, but I've struggled getting him into any toys. I mean, he'll play, but he usually does it laying down. Sometimes in my lap! I also wanted a toy I could potentially use as a reward for training, but can't do that if he isn't really into a toy. But if I can use a toy then I don't have to buy as many treats!

He is a good dog with a stable temperament. Once he's trained and over the leash reactivity then he could probably go anywhere which is what I really want.

Don't get me wrong, he's a total pain. Especially the last couple of days. But I'd say he's still easier than most puppies. We got to skip the worst of the puppy biting. He just gets mouthy when he's excited/playful. No accidents in the house. We just have very few ways of communicating at the moment. Hopefully that won't be the case for very long.
 

calicosrspecial

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Arghhhhhhh, I never was notified of this update. :(

Agreed. It is good to have a record.

Yes, but it is good he is coming out more AND Si will get used to him. Yes, plans are plans and animals will do what they do. Your plan is good though. Of course, Frost is making it tougher. They always do.

Interesting. I would not expected that from Ash.

Yes, Ash is more sensitive and I am guessing that is maybe where his UTIs etc come from. Poor guy. Some cats just have a harder time getting confidence.

Yes, I am glad to hear that. That was my sense, good to get confirmation. No, you don;t want chasing but the novelty should wear off soon. And being less tense will help the cats as well.

Hahahaha. Ohhhhhhh, in your lap. That is really cute. Yes, toys instead of treats is GOOD. I can see him roughhousing. They do love that.

That is what he seems like. Good to hear you think that. I am so envious. He sounds so good.

Hahahaha, yep. A pain in a different way. not normal young puppy way. That is really good that some of that isn't there. Mouthy does happen. But you'll be able to train him. Some day you'll miss his puppy ways.......................... :)

Ok, I need to just check instead of thinking alerts work!!! There are 3 days of stuff that I am missing. :(
 

Animal Freak

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That sure happens a lot. I wonder why.

Definitely like having the record. I have a thread going on the dog forum too. I'm going to have every detail written down!

Frost is a pain in the butt! Ash is becoming one too. They both keep coming out, going back to the hall, coming out again... Ash goes back and forth between the bedrooms and the storage room. Ash tends to be more nervous and runs low to the ground, but he's getting more confident. Frost I swear is just trying to cause trouble. Every time Osiris stops reacting to him, Frost finds another way to start his barking.

I wouldn't have either, but that's how it went with Stella. As long as they had a good distance between them or he was on a different level, he was fine. However, he was the most persistent about slapping her when she wound up too close to him. And he went through a phase of rubbing on her and then slapping her. That stopped more recently actually. It was never an extreme reaction from him, but it did go on for the longest.

I've been trying to make sure they all get plenty of water to hopefully prevent UTIs or any other issues. Their water bowl is in my room now which I haven't had in a while and was honestly never good about remembering it when I did have one in there. So I've been giving them all a little water in their food to make sure they're getting water.

It is cute when he lays in my lap, but kind of hard to play with him like that, especially since he usually lays on my arm holding the toy. He is getting a little more into toys. I'm keeping his opossum toy for special occasions. It's his favorite, so eventually I'd like to use that for training.

Overall today has been a good day. We've had some pretty drastic improvement in his behavior around the cats. Last night we came in from our walk and Frost was on the arm of the couch. Osiris didn't even notice him for a while. We just kept watching him because it was hard to believe he hadn't seen Frost who was maybe three feet away and just above Si's eye level, but he was being way too good to have seen him. Well, he noticed him and started barking of course. Fortunately, I still had treats on me and he was fine once he realized I had food. I got him sitting pretty close to Frost without issue.

This morning shortly after I fed everyone, Ash decided he needed out in the storage room. Frost followed right behind him and went into the kitchen. Si just watched them both quietly. Frost ended up wandering around a bit while Si laid on the living room floor. I'm not sure if Si was awake because I was behind him and knew if I moved, he'd wake up if he had been sleeping. Frost got to the edge of the living room before Si jumped up, but he still didn't bark. Frost finally left after that, but he's been in and out and all around today. Our success didn't last all that long as Si has gone back to barking quite a bit, but it's been a mix of his loud, intimidating bark and his quieter, more curious bark.

His reactivity towards other dogs on walks seems to have diminished quite a bit in the morning. He still locks onto them more than I'd like, but much less barking. However, he's quite alert and suspicious in the evening. It's getting dark so early now too. We had trouble with a man walking a mostly black dog the other night. I didn't even see the dog at first, so was a little late on trying to get out of the way. And then the man cut off the path in the same direction I did, so I had to hurry up and go the other way. We passed them a second time and I was a bit quicker to get out of the way. That time went better than the first, but Si was still very focused. Last night there was a man on his own wearing mostly dark clothes and I could tell Si was really watching him with his head kind of low. I got off the path just in case he decided to react. And ended up walking into a spiderweb. :doh: I hope Si appreciates me.

I hope the day comes that I miss his puppy antics! I'd be lying if I said I didn't still sometimes think I made a mistake in getting a puppy or at least this puppy in particular. Sometimes I think I'll never get another puppy again. But then he comes and snuggles with me on the couch with his head and paw draped over me and I wonder how I could ever think he was a mistake... I'd still like to get a purebred GSD pup someday too.

That's weird that you have so much trouble with the alerts though. I don't have nearly so much trouble with it.
 

calicosrspecial

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It is really frustrating. I don't understand why. Especially when I am helping on an intro and it is really time sensitive. My memory is not so good anymore so I forget who I am helping sometimes so I really rely on the alerts.

That is great. I wish I would have done that on all mine in the past. There are so many details we forget.

Interesting. I am not surprised. Curiosity and I think a bit of play. And testing Si. Frost seems to be pretty confident. Ash is a bit lacking still but still seems to be getting better. Cats..............

Interesting. Yes, distance and height do help. Yep, the slapping/warning and then comes the rubbing and the slap (I want to own you, like you BUT don't think you can take advantage of it!!!). So common. Yes, they seem to have a good relationship now which is great. I think he will come around with Si as well.

That is great. Yes, extra wet food is a good way to get them their hydration as well. That is all we can do, give them options.

That sounds so cute. Yes, it does make it hard BUT it is so darn cute!!! I love the opossum toy. One of my dogs that is sadly gone now was friends with an opossum. That is a great idea to keep it for training.

WOW!!!! THAT is REALLY impressive!!! He must have known Frost was there. Maybe Frost moved OR maybe it was just time. A lot of times animals can wait but then they need to have some fun. That is really impressive.

WOW!!! This morning sounds amazing. I think the good news is progress is being made and it is going pretty quickly. It is impressive.

Hahahaha, oh my, doesn't that always happen? The spiderweb? SI is going to be a protector it sounds. He sounds pretty good. If that is as bad as he is that is not bad and can be improved. A neighbor is maybe a 100lbs and she has a dog about 150lbs. That dog is really hard to control and the dog does go after other dogs sometimes but also animals/birds etc. I heard her scream the other day because if he goes she can;t really control him. :( Si is doing pretty good.

Oh, I think a day will come when you miss the puppy antics. It always happens. It is good you are honest. Yes, we always have some doubts BUT that is in the moment usually. Then we get perspective when we see the progress. Hahahaha, I think we all have thought that!!! NO MORE PUPPIES!!! And then we get more!! HAhahahaha Oh my, when he is cuddling........... THAT IS SO ADORABLE!!! Yep, makes it all worthwhile. Oh you will. He has a lot of GSD in him it seems. Seems like a purebred to me AND he is SO GORGEOUS!!

It is so frustrating. I know other people have trouble as well. It is good you don't have as much trouble. I have no idea why. And sometimes I am helping with kinda important stuff so not knowing for days really causes issues for the person. I honestly don;t know what to do other than try to go through the threads but I miss them there. I kinda need help with the alerts. It is really frustrating. :(
 

Animal Freak

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Yeah, I bet. I wouldn't be able to keep up on multiple threads either without the alerts.

Yes, I learned after my rats. I don't have hardly any photos or any documented information. I don't have many pictures of any of the cats as kittens either. My memory, sadly, isn't great either. There's so much I wish I remembered.

Frost still doesn't want to be too close to him though! He'll start growling if Si gets too close. Si's barking is that more curious sounding bark more often now though. Sometimes it shifts to the louder barking either over time when I'm holding him back or because Frost makes a sudden movement. I think Si is more nervous around Ash, but getting better and Ash is getting better with Si.

Yep. Poor Stella was always so confused because he'd come up all sweetly (which still scared her) and then he'd slap her for doing nothing. She's still a bit nervous around him though has finally gotten over pretty much any anxiety around Ember.

Si loves the opossum toy too. It got soaked this morning from playing with it in the wet grass. Poor toy. Oh my. It would be interesting to see a dog be friends with an opossum. That would be quite the sight to see!

Si can be a little oblivious at times. It's not the first time he's appeared to not notice Frost and then all of a sudden start barking at him. A lot of times that still his more serious bark though he can calm down and get more curious. Last night Frost was on the arm of the couch again. I didn't even wait for Si to notice him. Just grabbed his food and walked over to start feeding him the second he saw Frost. Si does really well when food is involved. Completely different situation than when there's no food.

It is going pretty well. I hope we can get through the barking pretty soon though. I know it's going well enough as it is, but it is frustrating (and annoying) to have a dog start barking at random intervals throughout the day. My mom is losing her patience with it.

I'm just grateful I didn't find a spider on me later. Feel sort of bad for ruining it's web too. It had to of been a pretty big web. He is really alert. The first few nights we walked him, he did bark at people, but that stopped on it's own pretty quickly. Still have a ways to go with dogs, but I think I need to work on getting his focus and teaching solid commands before I have much hope on that. Fortunately, he doesn't lunge and pull much, but it does make me a little nervous because he's going to get quite large. If he does end up lunging a lot, he could get difficult for me to handle. It's terrible seeing people who can't control their dogs. I never want to be one of those people.

Honestly, more than anything I just don't think this ended up being such a perfect time for a puppy. I actually thought it would take longer to get a puppy and I have Thanksgiving break in November. I thought I'd be a little closer to that break before getting one and then there would be winter break after that. He is awfully sweet though and already so attached to me. He's definitely that one person dog that I wanted. I mean, he's friendly with everyone and he is attached to my mom as well, but just not to the same degree. She can walk down the hall and he might lift his head. I walk down the hall and am lucky if he doesn't try to tear the gate down to get to me. He's gotten better about it though. He could be from a backyard breeder, I guess. He has too much white on him for a well-bred GSD. Not that it's impossible, but fairly uncommon. Black GSDS often have a white locket, but he has more than just that. I don't see how two purebred GSD puppies could end up on the streets unless they're from a byb either. I still want the experience of starting from scratch too. Getting a young a puppy that still needs all the socialization and desensitization, etc. I'm curious to see what sort of dog I could raise.

I'd be frustrated with it too. Sometimes I don't get an alert, but this is the only thread I'm keeping up with at the moment so I can check it pretty easily. There's no way I could do it if there were multiple threads though. I don't really know what you could do either, unfortunately. I know you can find all the threads you've posted in in your content, but it wouldn't tell you if they've been updated.
 

calicosrspecial

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:( SO frustrating.

That is good you learned. I don't have pictures either. I never got a digital camera and my old regular camera died years ago. :( I really should but the learning curve is just too much for me. We are not good with computers. Yes, I remember some things but surely not enough. :(

Yes, that is good. And he is learning Si respects his communications. And SI is realizing that the cats don't mean harm and they belong. Sounds pretty good. That is normal Si's bark changes. Tells a lot actually. Yes, since Ash is more "suspicious" it probably does lead to more caution. But it is good to hear they are getting better.

Yes, that happens. And sometimes they like to re-direct some aggression and the nice animals get the brunt of it. :( It is good it is better AND with Ember it is over!!!

Awwwwwww. Yep, that will make it wet. Hopefully it recovers. Yes, it was cute. The opossums are really nice here at least. I guess we should stay away but they are pretty cute. Yes, the dog and the opossum would go nose to nose to say hi. It was pretty cool. I feed them chicken with the ferals as well. My experience is the ones I have encountered are sweet BUT I would never encourage anyone to follow my actions. :/

Interesting. I wonder..........Good job preempting a bark with food. Yes, food can do wonders with dogs and cats!!!

Agreed. Yeah, I know. I am surprised your mom is bothered. I didn't expect that but she does tend to be more of a softie in reality. But I know, barking does get annoying. I had a dog that just was a barker all her life. Basically a guard dog. She was lovely but if she heard something it was like serious. He is smart, he will learn soon.

YES!!! I HATE spiders!!! That is good. He seems to learn fast. That is really good he doesn't pull, lunge much. Yes, when they do get big it can be scary. I know she never thought he would get that big. He is HUGE and strong. But she would never get rid of him. But it is hard. :(

:( Well, it is good to be honest. I think when we are in the middle we do think things like that. But later on we don't have those feelings or they are more muted. He does sound perfect. Especially with what you are looking for. Your logic sounds right. Never underestimate what some breeders do. :( Some if the pups aren't "perfect" aren't so good. I know I don't see him but he sure sounds GSD to me. At some point in your life you will have a young puppy. There is a lot of time and experiences left in your life.

Si is like the dogs I always love. I really am envious. :/ I REALLY want another dog but I am totally full now and as time goes by it gets harder and harder physically. :/

Yes. It is really frustrating. :( Where do I find my content? Just knowing what thread I am involved in would be nice. I know I have lost track of some (but maybe the person didn't mind!!). I would hope they would message me if they needed or wanted advice. :/

Give Si a hug for me!!! :) And don't forget pics when you have time. ;)
 

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Digital cameras aren't as hard as you might expect. They have a lot of buttons and things on them, but unless you want to get serious about it then there's only a few you need. You can set it up to do pretty much everything automatically. Transferring the pictures to the computer can be a little annoying, but not overly complicated.

I think Si is still learning cat-speak, but hopefully he'll get better at it than Stella is. Stella thinks cats can only be mean or playful. Ember can slap her playfully and she'll take it seriously. Frost is slap her seriously and she'll take it playfully. All based on their relationships when they first met. Ash certainly isn't letting his fear stop him though. He came out thinking my mom was feeding him even though it wasn't time yet. I was doing school work and of course Si chased him. They had a little bit of a stand off before I could get to them. Osiris mostly just whined though.

I think the toy will survive. Just needs to finish drying out. Haha. I don't think I've ever heard anyone else but me call opossums cute. They do have cute faces! That's adorable, them going nose-to-nose. We've had them in our backyard a couple of times when our gate blew open, but they were scared and we were worried Stella would try chasing them or something.

My mom has a very short temper, but she recovers ridiculously fast too. It's just a lot and it happens so often. But then he'll do so well and it's so encouraging. Personally, I don't care for barking much. I don't mind the occasional bark if it either stops quickly or I can give a command to stop it. I don't think he'll be much of a barker once he gets over the cats though. He only barks about things that spook or somehow agitate him. Our neighbor's dog was out when I let Si out earlier and he barked. Si jumped and then ran back to me. Never made a sound. Though a dog on TV got him going earlier and that was a first.

I don't mind spiders as long as they aren't on me. We might have to get on top of his bug obsession pretty soon though... That's the one time I have a problem with his lunging. He loves chasing bugs. He tries to pounce on them.

He really does have a lovely temperament. I've been working on just basic handling skills. Touching his face, ears, paws, etc. He's so tolerant. He does need to get over the leash reactivity though. I wanted a dog that I could take everywhere and in every other way, he'd be good for that. He does act a lot like a GSD, but I don't think he's going to be quite as intense as one. He may have some other breed further down or perhaps just the parents that ended up being used both were chill. We might get a better idea as he matures if he looks like he has something else in him.

I thought I was full too. Look how that turned out! Lol. I get it getting harder physically though. Part of why I wanted to hurry up and get a puppy is because I have tremors that are likely to get worse with time. It's already hard for me to be able to carry a puppy for more than a few minutes which makes getting them out before their socialization difficult.

If you click your username/picture at the top of the screen by the envelope icon you should get a drop down. The first thing on the left under your account info says "Your Content." Clicking that should take you to a list of all of your posts in order from most recent to oldest.

Will do! Ah, the pictures! I do have a few on my phone. I took some of his progress with the cats. I need to upload them. I'll do it tomorrow. Too late to deal with now.
 

calicosrspecial

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Interesting. Maybe I will try one at some point. It is just a bit scary to be honest. Computers are very foreign to us. Sometimes when a person gets to a certain age the hassle is more than the benefit. :/

GSs are pretty smart so I am guessing he will. Yes, dogs will do what Stella does. In fact, people do!! Being able to delineate the difference can be clouded by how we feel. Trust has a lot to do with it as well. The chase with Ash doesn;t sound that bad. A standoff is not bad as it didn't escalate. Si seems to respect cats which is great.

Good the toy will be ok. Hahahaha, really? They are REALLY cute!! I LOVE them. And in my experience they are really nice. The one opposum sleeps in the cat houses sometimes. He is almost like a pet!!! Yes, it is really cute going nose to nose. It is interesting they can sense an animal being ok. Yeah, I think they can be skittish AND a dog will chase. It is best if they don't get in your yard.

It is really good that she recovers quickly. Many people don't. I think we all at times get short tempered. It is all the stress we all have that build up. It is good for her to get it out then feel more cleansed and less stressed. Yes, well, he is young and new so barking is common. I have no doubt he is going to be fine in time. Those are good signs to support that.

Ewwwwwwww. Spiders are scary. They are kinda cool but I am afraid. Hahahaha, yep, dogs will be bug obsessed (as will cats!!!). :/ Tough to get them out of it. :(

He really seems to. That is good. He seems to do really well with the basics. And actually he seems really good on the leash. I have had pups that have been no where near where he is at his age (and my training). I am interested to see what you think when he does mature. He sure looks and acts GS to me. He is just gorgeous.

Hahahaha. Yep, I guess maybe we aren't as full as we think!!! BUT honestly, I am full. :( It breaks my heart to say that. I have cats in my colony I wish I could take in. Emotionally it is very hard. And that is not even mentioning how much I want another dog. Hopefully something can slow the progression of the tremors. I think it is good you did the puppy now given everything. Then you can rescue older dogs later. I take in all ages. I just love them but there is something special about having a pup. BUT older dogs are more adaptable than many people think.

Oh, wow. Thanks. I will try that. I never knew you could click on that. I don't really get adventurous as I don;t want to blow up the computer or the software so I tend to just do what I know is safe and not try new things. THANKS!!!

YES!!! PICS!!! YES!!! I need to see the handsome guy!!
 

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Yeah, I was nervous getting my camera because it's not a cheap thing and I wasn't sure if my tremors would just ruin every picture anyway. But really, the hardest part is probably picking a camera. I want to upgrade mine at some point, but there's so many options with a lot of information. Honestly, I couldn't even tell you what half that information means. For people just wanting basic pictures to help remember things, it doesn't really matter. You could probably go to a camera store and pick out the cheapest used camera they have and be fine. It does take some time to get used to, but I also did it the hardest way possible by keeping all my settings manual.

Yeah, I can definitely see that being true. No, the chase wasn't that bad. I expected Ash to react worse and run more. Si is just so curious about them, but you can tell he's still unsure of them. Frost is coming out more and more. He has terrible timing. He decided to hang out last night when I wanted Si settling down to go to bed. :ohwell: Got Si going of course. Frost was all over the place too. He can't just hold still. Si gets over his presence and then he gets up and moves somewhere else. Walked all over Si's bed and the laid down next to it. You should have seen him! Frost was laying on the floor on his side, almost on his back though his belly was facing more away from Si. Then he tilted his head back so he could look at Si. Si finally got over him and laid down though. Then this morning Frost came out while I was eating breakfast. I had to walk away while Frost was still out, so left Si to my mom. Apparently he did get a little too close to the cat and Frost smacked him, but Si backed off immediately. Since then he hasn't gotten quite that close. I've been letting him get a little closer though and just removing him once he gets too riled up. They had a nice moment later this morning though and sniffed noses through the gate. Frost doesn't usually let him get that close without making a bunch of noise.

I think it's awesome to find someone who likes them. They aren't my favorite animals by any means, but they surely don't bother me as much as they do most people. The little babies are adorable! I didn't know they'd be so tolerant and friendly, but I guess anyone would be if there was free food involved. The ones we had definitely seemed more skittish. I doubt Stella would've hurt them, but there's only one way in and out of our yard, so they could've felt cornered and hurt her. Our gate is fixed now, so no more opossums.

Sure, everyone loses their tempers sometimes. Some time people lose it quicker though and have seemingly no control over their emotions. My mom tends to get quite loud quite quickly. I don't want Si to end up thinking that cats around means she ends up yelling. I've noticed he can be quite sensitive to harsher corrections too. He likes to push things, but once he's pushed too far he seems to know it. I think he'll be a fairly talkative dog, but that doesn't bother me so much. It's mostly just the barking I don't like.

I'm more afraid of things that can jump or fly. They can come at my face and it really freaks me out when things come at my face. I can barely handle eye drops. He's crazy with the bugs, but won't catch the flies in the house. We need Ember back out here! I don't mind him chasing bugs (exercise I don't have to give him!), but he does need to learn that there's a time and a place for that.

Our training finally seems to be clicking and I'm figuring out what sort of method works best for him. I've struggled to wean him off of a lure and hand gesture for most commands, but we're getting there. He gets bored doing the same thing repetitively, so I usually go between commands. He's not bad on the leash, but could definitely be better. I've had foster puppies do better than him, but then they started off indoors with no expectations of doing it outside at the park (they couldn't even walk at the park), so there's higher expectations there. He's way too focused on other dogs, but they have to be fairly close for him to actually bark during the day. It will be interesting to see. My guess is either both parents had a fair amount of GSD with a calmer breed maybe a couple generations back or he's from a backyard breeder that somehow had and used two calmer GSDs.

I know, it's hard to admit that you can't take anymore. I'm probably pushing it by adding another dog and maybe I shouldn't have, but oh well. I did it. I'll figure it out. I wouldn't add anymore at the very least until we move though. This is full for us for now. I know I wanted another dog very badly. It drove me crazy and got to point that I couldn't think of anything else. Well, we see the outcome of that. I do want to rescue older dogs too. I agree that they're more adaptable than many people think, but I have also seen the differences in getting Stella at a year, the foster puppies at eight weeks, and Osiris at five months. They do progressively get more difficult.

You're welcome. I've used it to find old threads sometimes. I think pretty much everything up there is clickable though. Probably not going to blow anything up. ;)

I'll include pictures in another post since I think this is long enough.
 

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Pictures! Sorry for poor quality. Phone cameras are slow and our house is dark. I'll get some higher quality pictures someday, but there are mostly to document progress.

One of the first times he was able to watch the cats without barking constantly.
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Another even more successful time with Frost in the dining room.
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Falling asleep with a toy in his mouth.
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Asleep with his new rope toy.
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calicosrspecial

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Oh my goodness the pictures. How adorable is he?!?!?!?!?

Yes, his body language looks good with the cats.

Thanks for the pics!!!

Yes, they aren't cheap and they are complicated. And then you have to figure out how to get them on a computer. Yes, we would need hand holding. :( And with Covid we can go anywhere sadly. So it seems like it is going to be awhile. :( Some of us older people tend to be pretty afraid of technology. We just have a hard time understanding.

That is good the chase wasn't so bad. Yes, I think they all are curious. I would be surprised if a dog wasn't curious really. WOW!!!! Serious?!?!?!?! THOSE encounters are amazing. Frost was actually next to Si???? WOW. Yeah, I would say Frost is doing well. And even better, Si is really coming around. That is going to help Ember and Ash. This is really good news!!!

Awwwww. I didn't know people didn't like them. The babies are adorable. I know they can hiss pretty good to raccoons and the raccoons back down. BUT they have NEVER had a negative encounter (that I have seen) with the cats. Yes, I think food is the key. Yes, they tend to be more skittish generally but ours are pretty tame and good. And the cats have no trouble with them or the dogs. Of course they are wild animals so it is best to be cautious. They seem pretty smart to me but what do I know? Cool the gate is fixed. Better to be safe.

I think Si is going to be pretty smart. Just judging by what you are telling me. I think he is going to be fine. He may be talkative but I am guessing you will be able to control it more than you think. I don;t think those are worries. Dogs are smart and he seems especially smart.

Oh, me too. And spiders that jump. Ewwwwwwwwwwww. Hahahaha, isn't that the way it is?

That is great. That sounds really good. Yes, that is a sign he is very intelligent (getting bored easily). Good job going back and forth. I think he is going to be just fine. He sure seems GS to me. Of course I am not interacting but. Some GSs are calm. It would be interesting to know his lineage.

It really is. Very hard. But I get very tired by the afternoon nowadays. And it is getting harder to take care of everyone. Not so much at the beginning of the day but as the day progresses. I think you can handle it. You seem to be handling it very well. And you are young so physically you can. Yes, for now you are probably full. It is good to know where you are. Know the limit. Now I know you and when Si settles in you'll probably be mentioning certain things. ;) Well, to some degree it gets harder. Depends on what you are looking for. I have taken in older and abused dogs now for a while and I don't find it that much harder. Different yes but not sure harder. Some day you'll see what I mean by that.

Yes, it is really helpful. I want to see what I have missed. :O I hope not!!! ;) Weird things do happen on the computer so I have learned to be really careful. :/

I LOVE I get to see the pics as I respond. I can't get enough of him. He is actually my favorite dog. It is really hard because I really want a dog like him. I just love his looks and the more I hear about him I just love his personality. There is just something really special about a dog like Si.
 

Animal Freak

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I guess he is pretty cute. :tongue:

His body language has gotten even better. He's been wagging his tail in a circle when he sees Frost which I've read is happiness/excitement? Not sure I've ever seen that sort of wag before. But much less true barking and more noise that's similar to when he wants Stella to play with him.

Not a problem! I'm happy to share.

They can be complicated, but once you learn what you need and what you don't, it's fairly simple. I don't even know what all settings/options my camera has on it. I don't mess with a lot of it. Getting the pictures on the computer is probably the most annoying part. Usually, when you connect the memory card everything you need pops up automatically. Sometimes it doesn't though and it took me a while to figure out how to do it on my own. Yeah, I guess Covid doesn't help either. Technology can be hard to understand! Some of us younger folks don't totally get it either, trust me!

They were maybe a couple of feet away, but it was all Frost's choice. Frost is doing really well. Almost a little too well. He won't just stay in one spot! He's been griping at Si a lot too. Osiris can be several feet away and Frost is still complaining. He won't move though.

It seems a lot of people think of them similarly as they do mice and rats. There might not be quite as negative of an association as rats, but many people don't like them or at least don't care about them. It's good they don't cause too much trouble. I'm sure they are smart. Have to be smart to live outside!

He is smart. I just have work on figuring out how he works, thinks, what motivates him, etc. And he needs to learn some patience. We're getting there though.

Ah, yes. Jumping spiders. Probably the scariest spiders of them all (to me anyway). We had one in the house not long ago. Boy, do they move fast! There was a fly on the floor earlier (don't know why it couldn't fly) that Si found. He was adorable. He started off super gentle, sniffing it and watching it. Then he laid down with his head right next to it. I went to get the camera on my phone up and he ate it. :ohwell:

We're definitely making progress. I don't think most good breeders breed for calm GSDs. It's sort of the opposite of what GSDs are used and wanted for. It can happen, but not very often.

I don't know, I'm pretty tired by the afternoon too! I don't sleep very well though. It is a lot of work though. I can't say I'd recommend anyone getting a puppy while in the middle of college anyway. Haha. Yes, that's possible. I think my next goal is to get a couple of rats! Not in this house though. I guess I shouldn't say older dogs are more difficult. In many ways, they're also easier. They do seem to take longer to teach commands/tricks especially if they hadn't had any previous training, which is fairly important to me. Any habits they have have had more time to become ingrained as well. Though I guess I'll find out how much that holds up. Stella was reactive to dogs and she still isn't perfect by any means. That was getting her at about a year. Now Osiris is reactive to dogs. We'll see if he gets over it quicker.

Yes, computers can be pretty weird, but anything on this site should be safe. Now, I've gone to some shady sites and I've messed up previous laptops because of it. Haven't learned my lesson either.

I'll be sure to share more! Yes, it is sort of torture to keep looking at/talking about something you really want. Having foster puppies both helped me and made me want a puppy more. He is pretty awesome. Except he did get in the litter box last night and had a bedtime snack. :barfgreen: He got his teeth brushed for the first time. Turns out he likes having his teeth brushed! Could hardly get the toothbrush out of his mouth.

Oh, we also had someone knock for the first time! Some guy telling us we're on a boil order (have to boil all our water!). Stella went nuts, of course. I was afraid a puppy would pick up on her bad habits, but he was fantastic. Just came right over to me while I sent Stella to bed. I held his leash my mom answered the door, but he never even tried to go over there.
 

calicosrspecial

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Hahaha, understatement of a lifetime!! :)

Awwwwwww. Yes, my experience is that is a happy wag. I have had several dogs do that wag. That is so good. Isn;t it amazing how they communicate?

:) I honestly love seeing him.

Yes, I guess once a person learns. It is just as a person gets older it gets more difficult to learn. :/ Interesting. They do make things more complicated. There are all these things on all these cars and appliances etc. I just like easy and simple. But everything gets more complicated. :/ I guess so they can charge more!!! Yikes, sounds complicated to get it on the computer. :/ Yes, it really is. Hard to get ahold of it in my mind. Well, I think you are pretty good with technology.

WOW!!! He really is doing well. Oh my, Frost. Does he want him to play? Very interesting!!!

Interesting. I didn't know that. I have never seen them cause trouble. Raccoons do but I never saw an opossum do anything bad. Interesting. Well, I guess like most things it is our experiences that shape our views. Yes, they really do have to be smart especially with as many predators as we have. :(

He really seems like it. Yes, you will figure it out. Patience, well, even adults need to learn (and remember) that so a puppy............. He is doing well.

Oh yes, the jumping ones. :( REALLY fast. OH my, THAT is adorable!!! He seems so sweet. Of course he eats it before you can get the pic. Always happens. :(

Yes, I think a lot of progress. A lot more than I would have thought to this point. Really? I don;t know anything about breeders so I didn't know that. I wonder why. I would have thought because they tend to be protectors they have to be calm until they are needed not to be. Most of the GSs I have had (and they all have been rescues so that could be why) have been really good. Sure wild at times but overall I would say just perfect. But if they don't like someone they sure do let them know not to try anything. Very protective. I just don;t really know much about traits. Very interesting.

Well, probably a different tired. Yes, with school that is hard. BUT if anyone can handle it it is you. It is a lot of work but since Si is already house trained that helps a lot. No, for most college students I would not recommend either but you are much more mature and responsible. Your mind is much more advanced and focused if that makes sense. Yes, I think it depends on the dog. GSs are better at retraining or training wile some smaller dogs can be more challenging. I think it depends. But I do think you will be better than the vast majority of people. My guess is Si will get over the reactivity faster but that is my sense.

Yes, computers are really weird. And there is no dashboard or anything. Like, something will be going on and you have no idea what. Yes, we don't really go onto many sites. And we don't click on things because we were told about all those problems. It is hard that people target other people. Well, sometimes when people know more they are more confident and that can cause problems. Like if I only make right hand turns it is safer than crossing traffic. The other driver might be better but there is risk of crossing traffic rather than just dealing with one direction of traffic. If that makes sense. I know smart people with computers have been scammed with those emails and viruses.

YES PLEASE!!!! It really is hard. Especially when you see the exact animal you want. Si is like my dream dog. Looks wise and what I can tell personality wise. I love all dogs but there are just some that rally connect. There are a few people on here where I see their cats and get to know them a little and I just fall in love with them. And I have my ferals which I love and wish I could bring in. It really is hard. Oh my, he is a litter box lover. :/ Yep, going to have to secure them in some fashion. :( Hahahaha, he is so funny. He loves his teeth brushed. That is really good. I can see him allowing that, he seems just so good.

OH MY. Good to know so you and the animals don't get ill. What a hassle. :( I am AMAZED he was so good. WOW. That is so impressive. He is really good. I am amazed.
 

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Haha. Yes, it probably is.

He still growls at the cats a bit, but it definitely seems like he's wanting to be friends. I don't think he knows how though. It is amazing to see their communications. He has a very obvious language too. Once you get to know him, it's pretty clear what he's thinking.

People do like making things more complicated than they need to be. Simple is always nice. Like I said, I don't even know what all my camera has on it. But you can put it on all automatic settings and then it's just a matter of having the lens attached, turning the camera on, and taking the picture. Getting the pictures on the computer is really easy as long as the computer cooperates. I can get around technology well enough, but my knowledge barely scrapes the surface.

I don't think Frost is quite ready to play, but Si would definitely like to play with him. Frost is still a crab. I'm convinced he just likes causing trouble and is taunting the dog. Frost has been getting closer and closer to Si though. I was cutting chicken in the kitchen and Si was laying down at the edge of the kitchen. I turned around to see Frost right behind Si. Like, probably could have reached out and touched him close. That cat just walks around like nothing is different while this forty-something-pound puppy trails behind him, whines, and barks at him.

I haven't seen them cause trouble either. We had a raccoon get into the dog food in the shed when we had our malamute x GSD though. I can't say I have anything against any little critters though. They're all just doing their best to survive.

I do need to work on his focus some more. I can see he has the potential to be very focused, but he gets distracted easily and focuses on the food/reward more than on me. But we'll get there. We have made progress.

It was adorable! I'm so upset I didn't get the picture. They just can't ever let you take the darn picture, can they?

There are some breeders breeding for different traits than what the breed (how many times can you say "breed" in a sentence?) calls for, but "enthusiasts" don't think that's right. I'm not sure why, honestly. A lot of people just don't think a breed should be bred for anything other than what they were created for. I do think a lot of those breeders breeding for different traits have a tendency to not be as good as other breeders. Maybe not backyard breeders, but they may not do all the necessary testing or something. We ran into that problem when we considered a nearby GSD breeder. They bred calmer dogs, but their breeding dogs hadn't been tested for dysplasia. A well-bred GSD should absolutely have the capability of being calm and settled. However, that doesn't make them any less low energy or less intense. They can only be calm when their needs have been met and even then many need to be taught to settle. I think going to rescues you'd be likely to see the extremes of the breed: the calm and the crazy. Most people aren't going to surrender a dog they spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on to a shelter. They're likely mix breeds or backyard bred, so not guaranteed to match typical GSD traits.

Well, I guess we're going to find out if I can handle it! I do find it easier now that I've accepted things. Wondering if it was going to work out, if he was the right dog, if we were the right home, just stressed me out more than anything. I had to tell myself to suck it up and deal with the decision I made. I do still feel bad for putting the cats (and Stella!) through this, but I think I'm taking it even harder than they are. Him being house trained does help some, but then I probably spend about the same amount of time trying to get him to stop barking at the cats as I would have taking a young puppy out. I am more dedicated to my animals than a lot of people my age, I'll say that. I hate hearing the stories about parents getting their kids pets and the kid loses interest. It's so sad. I hope he gets over the reactivity pretty quickly. He seems to have improved quite a bit just in the two weeks we've had him and I think it'll get better when I get him more engaged with me.

They can be. My computer forced me to update it recently and I lost a feature I really liked. :( I hate those forced updates. Yes, people can be quite mean and attack other people's computers. I honestly haven't had that much of an issue with it. I just go to my anime sites, but they aren't good sites. I don't open unknown emails (usually) though.

I understand! I tortured myself constantly while wanting another dog. I still can't completely believe I have another dog, let alone such a beautiful, lovely one. I don't know what we're going to do about the litter boxes though. We have five boxes. We can't put them out of his reach. We don't have enough surfaces for that or enough space to put in those surfaces. We can't have all covered litter boxes because Ash doesn't care for them. We already have two. He only uses one and it isn't his favorite. And Si has figured out how to open that door. Stella is a cat poo eater too, but she won't touch the door to get out there. Yes, I was surprised he liked his getting his teeth brushed. Makes my job a lot easier.

It's a huge pain. We go through a ton of water. The dogs need the bowl refilled 2 or 3 times a day. Osiris was awesome though. So glad I don't have to deal with that problem!

We had a big day today. We went to a dog-friendly store today. I was hoping there wouldn't be any dogs and, fortunately, we only ran into one. Osiris did bark at that dog though and I felt bad. It was a little pom and it got scared when he barked at it. Then I struggled getting him over it. He kept looking for the dog. He did get better after a few minutes though. At the end he started barking as well and the only thing we could figure out was that there was a pumpkin. But other than that he actually did way better than I expected. He didn't drag me around or anything and was still interested in treats.

He also got a bath. We found a dog washing station nearby and took him there to give him a better bath than what we were able to give him before. He didn't like it any more than the first one. He did calm down though. They had a blow dryer too that we used. He did better with that than the bath. I will post bath time pictures.
 

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Pictures of Si after his bath. Would've liked to take some during, but even if I'd thought of it I had my hands full just trying to keep him in place and get him washed.

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Poor baby felt so betrayed. We lured in him with food and chained him to the tub.
 

calicosrspecial

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Hahaha yep!! :)

Yes, that is expected. I think he is probably excited wanting to play. Oh yes, the language can be picked up. It really is fascinating.

So true. That is good to know that maybe it is a bit easier. When it is safe to go out maybe I will try. I do worry about the computer connection. We are really bad with computers. :/ I think you have more humility (which is good).

Hmmmmmm, I don't know. Cats are curious and they do like fun. I am guessing Frost is still cautious BUT wants to check him out, play but still isn't quite sure. So he is in limbo. Usually when they want trouble it is more fun based. But who knows? Cats. THAT is amazing he was behind Si AND that Si accepted it. Cats are good judges typically so Frost must think Si is ok.

Yes, interesting. Oh yes, raccoons, they will cause trouble. I don't want them hurt or anything but they can move on!!! Hahahahaha. Yes, they are just trying to survive.

Oh yes, that is puppy. He will get there as you say.

It really is. It is interesting,I wish I could know what they are thinking. It really is adorable. Nope, so hard.

I don't know but your use seemed acceptable!!! Interesting. I just don't know much about it. Interesting the different views. I get your delineation. Makes sense. And that really makes sense about rescues. Interesting to get a view into a world I don;t know.

I think you can easily handle it. The unknown is pretty much always worse than the actual. So we fear things that probably wont happen. Then we get into it and realize it is ok. It is all about expectations and how we handle it then about the realities. I don't think you should feel badly at all. They are going to love Si I suspect. S for the short term issues the long term value is going to be well worth it I suspect. We always are hard on ourselves because we love our animals and want what is best. But I always view making another animals life better is worth the short term issues. I am not surprised you might be taking it harder than the cats. We tend to put feelings onto cats even when they aren't feeling that (most likely). In intros pretty much everyone worries about the resident and even when the actions don't support the worry. but it is normal. Interesting about the difference. I am not a fan of potty training so for me anything is easier!!! Hahahahahaha Yes, young people are fickle. You are definitely more thoughtful. Not self centric. Oh yes, he will get over it. He has made really good progress so no reason to think that will stop. AND I believe in your ability and desire.

Oh that is not good to lose a feature. Yeah, they do that update and I never even know what the update is. I just use the internet and I can email. But I don;t even click on things and even in emails I never click on links. I was told that is how they often hack into your computer. Oh my, Usually???? Yeah, we get a lot of weird emails, I never click on them. :/ I figure if they want to get a hold of us they will call BUT then we get these scam phone calls too so....................................

I know, it is really hard. I have used foldable gates where the cats can safely go through and it isn't a hassle for the humans and the dogs respect. It is hard. :( A lot of dogs are. :( YES!!! He seems so good. I am surprised he liked the brushing. Was it chicken flavored or something?

:( Yes. Hopefully it goes back to normal soon. He REALLY was good. I am kinda surprised really. WOW!! GOOD JOB Si!!!

Wow, if that is the worst he does that is pretty good. Did he try to get the pom? Yes, they wil bark at pumpkins and things. Anything out of the ordinary. :/ But he is going to be good I think.

My goodness, is he adorable or what?!?!?!?!?! He looks so regal!! My goodness is he gorgeous. So it sounds like it went better? Good that he did calm down in time. Yeah, those are really nice. makes it so much easier to bath them. Funny he liked the dryer. They tend to. Yes, it is "all hands on deck" for them. Would have been fun to see him.

Awwww, they do tend to take it hard. BUT most of them get over it. He seems like in the pics he sure was doing fine.

My goodness he is gorgeous. Look at those pics!!!
 
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