A day at the dog park

[drumstick diva]

I have really enjoyed reading along. I haven't had a dog since the last passed at 14, January '89. I did have a breeding/show kennel of Cocker Spaniels and while they were not house trained they learned to "Go Out," the dog door and mess outside in the run.

Not like house training because kennel dogs didn't have to hold on. They could come & go outside at will, except when locked in for night.

When it got down to having only -3 older dogs left, I allowed them to come into the house. A few times a day they would go back to the kennel(garage) with me, go through their dog doors and take care of business.

Soon I didn't have to take them back - they learned to go by themselves. That entailed going down a short flight of stairs to the basement. Then through the furnace room , up a short flight of stairs into the garage and thru their old doggy doors into their runs. Then back.

They did that so well, we'd keep the door to basement and to garage open. They would sometimes disappear and just as we were wondering where they went, they would pop up the stairs and join us again. This included our oldest female who was sweet & beautiful but real derpy. Near the end, she would start her trip down stairs too late and sometimes lose a bit of poo on the stairs but finish the rest out in her run. I knew she was doing her best.

The other dogs never had an accident.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Duchess was a VERY good girl last night! She went potty outside after dark...TWICE. We did not withhold water and waited a half hour to put her to bed. She went in the crate no problem and got a treat. Just woke up and took her immediately outside and she pooped. But...no pee in the crate! I'm sitting with her on our back porch right now listening to the sounds of the morning. She farted then looked at her butt like "did that come out of me?" Then ran up to me like "momma I'm scared". Nothing like a little laughter to start your day. Now I just need a cup of coffee

 

[aart]

That sounds great!
Maybe your 'fight'(the nips) was a turning point.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

That sounds great!
Maybe your 'fight'(the nips) was a turning point.

Idk but it could still be an infection. Hopefully I get the results today so we know for sure. Either way she had a really good night and I'm starting to feel a little better about the situation.

 

[aart]

Idk but it could still be an infection. Hopefully I get the results today so we know for sure. Either way she had a really good night and I'm starting to feel a little better about the situation.

Eh, the behavior improvement around eliminations and the crate is profound....hopefully that sticks regardless of an infection.
Have you been dealing with all this crap for 2 months?

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Eh, the behavior improvement around eliminations and the crate is profound....hopefully that sticks regardless of an infection.
Have you been dealing with all this crap for 2 months?

No actually. She was completely housebroken when we got her. This was very new and startling behavior. She's peeing fine now and drinking lots of water. It could be she wasn't drinking enough water because she was trying to avoid an accident in the house. She peed fine for me this morning. She is really smart though and picks up on things fast. But she has to want to do it. Shes been incredibly good all morning. Normally she plows right past me and tries to jump in the bed with daddy. But this morning I made a big "awwwk!" And she deterred. I said "back door. Go outside." And she met me at the back door. I said "go potty" and opened the door and she immediately went to do her business. Its like she's a completely different dog and I'm not complaining!

 

[aart]

No actually. She was completely housebroken when we got her. This was very new and startling behavior.

Ah, OK(I probably knew that but forgot, CRS)...that's why the emphasis on a UTI.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Ah, OK(I probably knew that but forgot, CRS)...that's why the emphasis on a UTI.

I'll post if I get the results today. They said it might not be til monday because they have short hours today. Anyone know how to prevent UTIs in dogs?

 

[Folly's place]

So much better! Having issues with behavior means no time spent on the bed!!! She shouldn't stand over you, or share bed space. It's YOURS!
Avoiding UTI's can be difficult, and depends on the results of this UA, and repeats.
Mary

 

[Willowspirit]

I

Five, small dogs and large dogs DO NOT MIX at the dog park. Most owners will put their small dogs in the large dog park because they also have a big dog. Big problem. These large dogs will get together
.

I have a weird dog park story related to this. A dog park I went to occasionally had a separate area for small and infirm dogs. I took my little dog and my 15 year old Springer Spaniel to this area. What I didn’t know was there was a clique of people that used that area as their special domain regardless of size or breed of dog.

So this guy had a lab in that area that started to hassle my Springer. I politely asked him to take his big dog to the big dog area and he became infuriated. Just blew up.

Blah blah blah...he did move but my dog started following him and went through one gate. I reached to get my dog. I don’t know what he thought .i was doing besides trying to grab my confused old dog but he reached out and shoved me in the chest twice!! He was an over 6’ tall man and I’m a 5’ tall woman!

I was so shocked! I yelled get your hands off of me! Then I had to go grab my other dog to leave. I went to the police department and filed a report. They told me to also go to the city so I did. That’s when I found out he was muckty muck in the Dog Park volunteer assoc. The woman at the city was sympathetic until she realized who I was talking about and then everything changed.

The police did nothing because it was a misdemeanor and they didn’t witness it. It’s such a weird turn around that if hubby had done that he would have gone to jail even if the police didn’t witness it.

So I’ve never been to a dog park again. I did have secret places to go to let my dogs run. There was a whole group of us who rotated among these odd places giving each other nods as we came and went.