Michigan

[fuzzybutt love]

I have d'uccle eggs in the incubator, porcelein and mille, with more porcelein coming next week.

sigh. if only you didn't live in the UP, and if only i was sure of chickenstock. (that goes for all porcelein's going to chickenstock, i have fallen in love with them) Not just the color, that color of that breed.
the 2 chicks i have met of that kind have a very shy gentle personality.

Roger got hawked! BUT Roger lives! Poor Roger looks like a bald old man!

OMG (( my heart stopped,)) You talk so much about the little stinker, i didn't want anything to happen to him! I remember the time my roo went through a couple fences to get in a roo fight, and i wasn't there..... he looked about the same. It took until the fall molt to get his head feathers back in, he went from mid winter to early fall. I was resigned to have a bald roo, but thankfully they all came back! It will take time.

Yay to him kicking hawk butt, i hope he got a few good ones in! My hen who is in love with my roo stood by him, though the blood smell made the others shy away. If you think he'll be good with the babies, it may make him feel a whole lot better to have some good company.

 

[M.sue]

I love his tuffs or whatever you call them.....Makes him look sorta Vivking-ish!!

 

[NovaAman]

It was getting dark, but here's what I have done.I have to cut the door in the back, make a walk up, interior wall, and then get the hardware cloth for the bottom, chicken wire for the top, 2 wheels to be able to pull it around. OH, and paint and shingle. That funky little odd ball triangle there is because I wasn't thinking 2 clearly when I put it together. I was flying by the seat of my pants, and all was working out just fine until I got to that corner and it didn't line up! WTH! SO, that was my fix it, and it works so. Yeah. HAHA

 

[M.sue]

Looks good, you got a lot done. What color are you going to paint it? Mine ended up Burgundy, we used left over stain from our deck.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I forgot to tell you guys that "my" garden hummingbird is back today! He always sits on the telephone wire next to my garden while i'm working, and occasionally buzzes near DH or I when working just to see what we're doing. He's never gotten territorial with us, just been curious and friendly. I may have to make one of those babyfood jar feeders for him. ( you put a hole in the lid and poke a long hollow stemmed plastic flower into the hole, and wrap wire under the threads to hang it)

I haven't fed him in the past, other than a my little pot of flowers in the garden, but i think this guy's persistence has won me over. At least until i can get a few more flowers in for him.

eta, that yes, i'm dutifully looking into natives.

 

[Farmerboy16]

All of this sounds like she's an extremely submissive dog.  You have the exact opposite issues as those of us with headstrong, dominant dogs.  It sounds ridiculous but you actually need to build up her confidence.  There are tons of things on submissive urination that also delve into other aspects of dealing with the submissive dog.  Such as this article:  http://voices.yahoo.com/training-submissive-dog-2877399.html?cat=53

Basically, Google Training Submissive Urination.

Having had a submissive dog at one point in my life (though she admittedly wasn't a working dog) I will say this.  Once she got her confidence up she would do ANYTHING to please me.  Extremely obedient, didn't wander off on her own, etc.  She lived to do what I asked.

So, work with her for a while using the training tactics for submissive dogs.  It may very well turn out that she'll be better than any "normal" pup.

Daron, having met your dog I can say without any shadow of doubt she has fear and confidence issues.  It's why she would stand back and bark/growl at visitors but refuse to come near -- with  your description it seems like she has quite a case of it.  I think I still have a book I can send you on helping her learn to trust; the one I was gifted with by another dog owner when my big guy was a pup.  I have your address, so if you'd like I can drop it in the mail.  When I first met her she reminded me a lot of him when he was young.  FWIW, he's a good dog now.  Still has his inborn personality to be more cautious, but has learned to greet people without being fearful most of the time.  It can be done.   

One thing on teaching commands is to make sure you're setting her up to comply.  So, for instance, if you want her to learn to come, don't say "come" unless you can enforce it.  So in this case you would want to practice on lead, so you say "Come" once, and then if she doesn't comply you help her do so by pulling her to you with the lead and then praise.  If you want her to sit you teach her when she is right in front of you so you can help put her in position upon giving the command.  Another good way to teach commands is to give them as the dog is naturally doing the thing you want.  If you see she's about to sit down, as she does it say "Sit" and then "Good Girl!"  make a big deal out of it whenever she does something well.  Use treats liberally with her.  Even fearful dogs can usually be motivated by food.  When my big guy was young I kept hot dogs in the fridge, precut into small pieces in a ziploc.  Those were his favorite treats so whenever someone would pull into the driveway I'd pull out the baggie of hot dogs and give them a fistful.  He could have all he'd take from the visitors.  In pretty short order he came to associate strangers with hotdogs.  

On the going to the bathroom in one spot, she may be more successful if you make that spot smell different than the rest of the yard.  It's hard for a dog to understand the difference between one area of grass vs another area.  To them it all feels and smells the same.  So maybe sprinkle some pine shavings in the spot you want her to go, and then keep them refreshed so it's clear to her that this spot is different.  That or just let it go.  With a sensitive/submissive dog sometimes choosing your battles is even more important than usual.  As long as it's not in the house it may not be worth worrying about.  

And on breeding, even if you're not worried about placing the puppies, etc.  one thing is that she can pass her temperament along, but another entirely is finding a stud.  Health problems -- especially hip problems -- are very common in GSDs and any breeder who allows you to use their stud on a mutt ***** probably isn't going to be hip certified. 

Thank you all for the advice. That sounds like what is wrong with her. Yes Olive I would like the book. Please.
My mom did look up Submissive Urination a few months ago, and tried that training method, but I think it is overwhelming for her where there are 8 plus people giving commands and enforcing it. Would she respond better with just me working with her? She follows me where I go in the house, outside, but not past the coop where the cows are. Right now she is behind me sleeping by the pile of wood slivers that use to be a baby's toy. She is a big chewer!

I talked to my mom about breeding her and what you guys said. What she is most concerned about her getting a C-snip, is that she will attack the vets at the C-snip place. She does not like strangers as you have see, Olive. Remember that she would not stop barking at you, and I had to send her to the house? When she first came here at 10 weeks old, she have never left home, we have not taken her anywhere. The reason we got her is to guard our place, not to accept strangers uninvited.

 

[teeville5]

She wets a spot on the floor when we greet her.
Is skittish of things, would sometime bark at someone behind one of us.
Biggest issue is that she only obeys part of the time, like- not coming when we call ''Come'' 50 percent of the time, she would go under a van or truck or a bench and lay down and wag her tail, but won't move.

Any help is appreciated.

I agree with Olive's reply. Also, one of the things we were told to make sure to do was socialize our dog by taking her out to meet new people, take her for walks or drives, just basically anything that gave a new surrounding or experience to help build her confidence. We just had to be assertive with her on commands and praise, praise, praise with treats, treats, treats. I can tell you doing so helped. When we first decided on getting a whippet, we went to a dog show at Cobo Hall in Detroit. The thing we noticed most was that the a lot of whippets tended to be shy, timid, and would hide if they didn't know you. It concerned us, but we found a breeder who gave us good info on what to do to avoid her being like that and she is very friendly, confident and nothing like the show dogs.

WAAAAAHAAAAHAAAAA!!!

Roger got hawked! BUT Roger lives! Poor Roger looks like a bald old man!

Poor guy. That looks like it had to smart!

I got my first double yolker egg today! Courtesy of my Australorp girl! Poor gal, she and the others got some nummy oatmeal today as a treat!
The a yolk broke upon entry to pan, darnit!

That's awesome and looks so huge! Gotta say, even though one broke, beautiful yolks.

 

[Olive Hill]

She needs to obey everyone in the house, but it's important that everyone not try to train her all at once -- as in right at the very same moment -- and that everyone use the same commands and tone with her. A list of commands hung on the fridge would be a good idea to keep everyone on the same page. And if someone can't be consistent, then they should just not partake.

If you're afraid she'll bite the vet/techs you can get an inexpensive muzzle. You can put it on her before she goes into the car at home and then take it back off once she gets back home, no risk of her biting anyone. The mesh type are loose fitting enough that she can open her mouth slightly, pant, even drink with it on, but will not be able to bite anyone.

A dog doesn't need to be fearful or aggressive to protect your home from strangers. A good guard dog takes her cues from her owners. She alerts you to anything amiss, but follows your lead. If you welcome someone, she needs to welcome them. A well-adjusted dog can tell the difference between threatening people/a situation where her owners are in trouble or uncomfortable and just friendly people her owners are happy to see and should act accordingly.

ETA: I totally agree with taking dogs out for socialization, but having met this dog my opinion is that it's not an option or the time for it. Yes, she needs it and yes, there will be a time, but she's very, very fearful of people. 1) A fearful dog is a dangerous dog, and I would definitely recommend a muzzle if she does have to go out anytime soon, but also 2) I think with how fearful she is you'd be setting her up for failure. When you go out you can't control every interaction she has, with as sensitive as she is I think it'd do more harm than good at this point. I'd start building her confidence at home first.

 

[taprock]

So I am laying on the bed in the Motel 6 with the two chicks for my sister perched on top of me (we are in stealth mode, no pets allowed).

What a picture!

Your poor pup, hope she gets feeling better soon.

Stacykins - my son loves that rooster and says something every time he sees one of your posts. I wish we weren't already over rooster populated.

Nova - poor Roger, baby him up good.

Another day for the books. The bank decided we had abandoned our home, not sure how when I talk to them every three days, we are in foreclosure but even if it sold it would still be ours for 6 months. They sent in a company to "secure" our home for us. They managed to "secure" some things for themselves and stole several items including, with value, silver notes etc. and priceless, my husbands rolls royce derby car. Of course they deny it and say the house was open. I'm glad they talked to my DH on the phone because had it been in person I think he would have come unglued on them. He made a police report but what can they do.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Thank all that is holy and evil that I am not the only one. I am beyond relieved but also dismayed it doesn't get any better by 3! LOL

I can not wait to get the ducks and chickens in their makeshift stealth homes tonight. The ducklings are huge compared to what they were a couple weeks ago and they have no more room in the 30 gal tote and boy do they stink!

I have my grandson this weekend- because he wanted to,not because I had to..believe it or not,that makes a huge difference to me. I love him, I adore spending time with him- yet, he wears me out completely. I love to tell everyone, "There is a reason you have kids when you are young." I love when he comes over, just dont expect me to watch him every weekend while you go out. He wanted me this weekend "I miss you Dramma"...so being wrapped around his finger like I am, I absolutely said he could come stay. He is three- and tons of fun, but wow- this kid is high-maintenance. Wants to be in the middle of everything, but has a fear of everything animal here...which means picking him up, and doing everything I can to avoid scarring him for life. My kids wouldnt have survived being afraid of any animals..I probably would have dropped them right in the middle of the chickens and told them to deal with it...but Im nicer the second time around.
Im here to tell you, they dont outgrow the terrible twos at three...it changes names but I still see it at fourteen, sixteen and eighteen..lol..

I like the hawks... just not munching on my chickens. They are only doing what they do to survive. This is life. I know that, and I take a risk with free ranging. I will continue to free range knowing that, unless I can get several hundred bucks to invest in a 20x50 run on one side, and a 20x30 run on the other side... Hell that would be bigger than my house! LOL. He just got caught out in the open part of the yard. Most the birds tend to stick to the trees and tree line. They really only venture in the front yards in the mornings and when I am out.

I see your hawk and raise you one SKUNK!!!!!!!!!! There is a skunk directly out my back door and it is STINKING UP MY HOUSE. Good ol Yogi went to the back window and barked some ferocious devil-dog bark...few minutes later, drifting in the windows..>SKUNKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK.

I met M2M's husband today. Pretty cool guy. The chicks she gave me are some pretty nice looking birds. I like them so much I decided to keep them all myself lol. The blue ones are just so pretty. I thank God there was no uggo's though haha.
Thank you Kim.

I love you, Robin..I am so glad the chickens have gone to a wonderful home. My big hens are lucky they waited to be jerks until AFTER my husband drove away. They were so loud, they could have ended up chicken dinner and I would have been fine with it.
Of course, I have calmed down now- but this morning...UGH!

Another day for the books. The bank decided we had abandoned our home, not sure how when I talk to them every three days, we are in foreclosure but even if it sold it would still be ours for 6 months. They sent in a company to "secure" our home for us. They managed to "secure" some things for themselves and stole several items including, with value, silver notes etc. and priceless, my husbands rolls royce derby car. Of course they deny it and say the house was open. I'm glad they talked to my DH on the phone because had it been in person I think he would have come unglued on them. He made a police report but what can they do.

Oh Taprock, that is just awful. I am so sorry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am sitting here drinking coffee~~~~ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I should be in bed, sound asleep but there is a ton of housework that needs to be done and I sure cant get it done with this three year old monkey here...love him, but he wants to help and then I cant do it, and he is underfoot- or worse, missing...so now that he is laying down almost asleep I have to get this clean so tomorrow can be fun and relaxing.

Husband is turkey hunting- of course, he didnt get a turkey. He needs to turkey hunt when he is out deer hunting. That is when he sees them.

Rescue rabbit "Cheeks" is pulling out her fur and putting it in a pile. Does this mean BABIES????