Just thought Id post an update of shadow, her training progress, and how her condition is progressing.
As most of you know shadow was diagnosed with a "functional disorder" about 3 months ago. It was a big relief for it to be finally diagnosed, and its not that serious. She has problems with her balance, and her head tilts, this usually happens when shes tired or excited, or after long trianing sessions, so I try to keep them short. The Vet told us that she will learn to live with this behaviour, and hopefully grow out of it. I dont really notice her doing it much anymore, but I know its because I'm used to it, my family and friends notice it straight away when they see her. But I do think she's doing it less. Yeah.
She's doing great with commands, she knows sit (has know that for ages), paw, down, roll over, off, leave, look, wait, thank you (which means let me have it), go get it (fetch) and up. I try and do training with her every day, but not for too long, because it seems that long periods of looking up at me make her dizzy, so she'll try and do sit, but end ups falling into a lie down, cos she cant keep her balance. I stop when she gets like that because I cant really reward her when she's in the down position when shes been told to sit, and I know she's trying to do it, but I think it would confuse her, so I stop and we have a quite play around.
Shes now almost 7 months and looks really big, we took her down to play with Monty (lee's parents beagle) and shes almost bigger than him, shes really filling out! She's such a bully with monty, she keeps trying to mount him, and he keeps trying mount her, and then they start almost fighting, I can tell shadow is trying to play, but monty doesnt like it, and she's starting to really bite him, so I take her away from him when they get like that, I put her on her leash, and she sits by me until she calms down a bit. I just want to check, is that an ok way to calm her down? When shes with me then, shes calm, doesnt pull on the lead, I think she knows it a "time out".
She was spayed last week and was driving her self crazy, the Vet told us she wasnt allowed out for a walk or anything until her stiches were out, so she was in the house for 10 days, it was horrible, she would sit and look at the front door, but the vet gave us strict instructions, NO WALKS until the stiches are out. So we didnt. But now they are out (came out yesterday) and we took her down lees parents to play with monty, and she exhausted herself!
She's almost completly housetrained, she rarely has accidents these days, it seems only when she's really tired, or bored, and then she'll only do it in the kitchen. Last Friday she was really hyper, and bored cos she was stuck in the house, we were trying to keep her entertained, but to no avail. She peed in the kitched 3 times that nite, and Im sure it was because she wanted to play with the mop! Other than that she's very good, she has a dog flap so she goes out the back when she wants to, but when she 1st came back from her spay, we put the lock on it, we didnt want her to go through it incase she pulled her stiches. And she was really good, she whined when she wanted to go out, I was so proud of her.
And thats pretty much it, just wanted to let everyone know how well she's doing, and how much I've learned!!
As most of you know shadow was diagnosed with a "functional disorder" about 3 months ago. It was a big relief for it to be finally diagnosed, and its not that serious. She has problems with her balance, and her head tilts, this usually happens when shes tired or excited, or after long trianing sessions, so I try to keep them short. The Vet told us that she will learn to live with this behaviour, and hopefully grow out of it. I dont really notice her doing it much anymore, but I know its because I'm used to it, my family and friends notice it straight away when they see her. But I do think she's doing it less. Yeah.
She's doing great with commands, she knows sit (has know that for ages), paw, down, roll over, off, leave, look, wait, thank you (which means let me have it), go get it (fetch) and up. I try and do training with her every day, but not for too long, because it seems that long periods of looking up at me make her dizzy, so she'll try and do sit, but end ups falling into a lie down, cos she cant keep her balance. I stop when she gets like that because I cant really reward her when she's in the down position when shes been told to sit, and I know she's trying to do it, but I think it would confuse her, so I stop and we have a quite play around.
Shes now almost 7 months and looks really big, we took her down to play with Monty (lee's parents beagle) and shes almost bigger than him, shes really filling out! She's such a bully with monty, she keeps trying to mount him, and he keeps trying mount her, and then they start almost fighting, I can tell shadow is trying to play, but monty doesnt like it, and she's starting to really bite him, so I take her away from him when they get like that, I put her on her leash, and she sits by me until she calms down a bit. I just want to check, is that an ok way to calm her down? When shes with me then, shes calm, doesnt pull on the lead, I think she knows it a "time out".
She was spayed last week and was driving her self crazy, the Vet told us she wasnt allowed out for a walk or anything until her stiches were out, so she was in the house for 10 days, it was horrible, she would sit and look at the front door, but the vet gave us strict instructions, NO WALKS until the stiches are out. So we didnt. But now they are out (came out yesterday) and we took her down lees parents to play with monty, and she exhausted herself!
She's almost completly housetrained, she rarely has accidents these days, it seems only when she's really tired, or bored, and then she'll only do it in the kitchen. Last Friday she was really hyper, and bored cos she was stuck in the house, we were trying to keep her entertained, but to no avail. She peed in the kitched 3 times that nite, and Im sure it was because she wanted to play with the mop! Other than that she's very good, she has a dog flap so she goes out the back when she wants to, but when she 1st came back from her spay, we put the lock on it, we didnt want her to go through it incase she pulled her stiches. And she was really good, she whined when she wanted to go out, I was so proud of her.
And thats pretty much it, just wanted to let everyone know how well she's doing, and how much I've learned!!
