Fin in Training

Fin in Training

He has been going for 5 weeks now,  he can sit and lie down and leave a treat until he is told to take it,  but unfortunately that seems to be the extent of it.  

We are not really sure what we were expecting but I guess it was more .  I would have liked to have some tricks to get him to walk properly on a lead, but have resorted to looking on you tube for some guidance.  He is brilliant when he first starts but soon gets bored and lies down and just want to sleep.  I suppose it doesn't help that he goes training on a day that I take him into work with me.  I am always so keen to make sure he behaves in the afternoon for students coming in ( which he is usually brilliant at) that I take him for a really long walk or two in the morning.  I think by 8pm he is shattered and just want his tea.  That another thing we are not so keen on , he is not suppose to eat for 4 hours before training.  It does help him to be desperate for food so will do just about anything for a treat,  but not sure its fair on him as he doesn't eat them until late in the evening after training and he is starving.

We did change his food as suggested by a few people in my previous blog.  He now has tin meat and a complete food that is sugar free, all low in protein.  He seems much better and we don't tend to get manic hour as much any more, in fact he seems generally calmer.  Only really on days when he hasn't had enough attention does he play up.  He gets loads of attention at the studio ,  where he come with me to work as all the visitors and staff fuss him so much.  He also gets to have lovely long walks in the countryside.

I am not sure he would make a good sheep dog as he is terrified of sheep.  We got near a field of them ( he was secure on his lead) when he heard then Baaah- ing he just lay down and started shaking...rubbish!!!!

Generally though he is being very well behaved for a 5 month old pup, of only we could stop him bringing the garden in the house and walk on a lead a bit better

Pet rules

PET RULES To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height. Dear Dogs and Cats, The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest. The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run. I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm. For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -- canine or feline attendance is not required. The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough! To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door: To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets: 1. They live here. You don't. 2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"niture.) 3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people. 4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly. Remember: In many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they: 1. Eat less 2. Don't ask for money all the time 3 Are easier to train 4. Normally come when called 5. Never ask to drive the car 6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends 7. Don't smoke or drink 8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions 9. Don't want to wear your clothes 10. Don't need a "gazillion" dollars for college. And finally, 11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.

What do Fin's like......

Slippers
Sticks
Sleeping on the sofa
Digging in the garden
Chasing cats
Barking
Jumping like Kangaroos
Eating horse poo
Trying to lick your face after eating horse poo
Chasing after balls
Being let off the lead when on the beach
People



What don't Fin's like...

Coming back when called
Getting wet feet
Mornings
Being told off
Getting off the sofa
Cars
Bicycles
His lead
Being ignored
The hoover
Having his picture taken in wellies  - Very sorry Fin but I just have to show it.......

Excited and evil!

What an exciting few weeks.  Lexie out daughters 2 year old dog came to visit for the weekend.

Lexie was very patient as Fin wouldn't leave her alone, he constantly went for her throat,  but the end of the weekend Lexie did put him in his place but it took a while.
Fin even stole her new toy!

 Then the follow week Lexie came back ( for my surprise party) , she was a little bit less patient this time,  but was still incredibly good with such a persistent pup.

Fin has also been to socialising at the vets.  It didn't go that well as there was only one other puppy there ( not much of a socialising session!) Daisy a little Norfolk terrier, got completely bullied by our Fin,  we wanted to intervene but the veterinary nusrse said we had to keep out of it, and that her dog Bailey would sort them out,  but Bailey just wanted to beg for treats.  Poor daisy!

Fin is coming to work with me regularly now, he didn't like the cage, he does at home, but at work it seemed to be an issue,  so I bought a child play pen off ebay and he can now go in and out of the little garden at the back of my studio.  He likes lots of attention and loves when people come into the studio but unfortunately not all of them love him :-(

His toilet training is going very well and apart from a odd couple of times, when he has asked to go out but we haven't got there in time,  he is dry in the house.  He is generally very well behaved,  but of an evening he has a 'manic hour'. He just goes ballistic, and is almost uncontrollable, we call him evil Fin at those time!  We are trying to wear him out by walking him quite a lot,  but I am not sure if he is getting over tired or if he needs more? I am sure we will figure it out, well I hope we do.

He pulls a lot on the short lead but is brilliant on the long lead.  we are letting him off the lead a bit to but he wont go far away from us,  I am sure that will come when he is more confident.

He is getting very tall, and we are starting to think he is part Kangaroo!!!

More updates soon

Sooo exciting

Fin is settling in well, well what I really mean is he is getting us trained.  He likes being outside and he find everything sooooo exiting,  Birds especially pigeons are great to chase but I think his favourite thing in the whole world is leaves,  he loved them  picking them,  eating them and chasing them.  He can't understand why we wont allow him to bring them inside so tries to sneak them in when we are not looking.

 He helped Steve with the weeding and likes to stick his tongue down the gaps in the paving slabs to get them out along with bugs and soil  Yum yum.

He likes chewing everything and I mean everything, arm, legs, ears, hair,  fingers, sofas, carpet,  curtains, toes,  dressing gown cords,  belts,  flower,  bugs, worms, his lead, his collar,  his bed, his blanket, trees, grass, his own tail and soooo sooo many more things.

Toilet training is going well,  we had a complete day yesterday when he asked to go out every time and no accidents,  and we have only had one night with a mess to get up to in the whole time we have had him.  We weren't sure about cage training but I am pretty impressed,  our daughter lent us the cages they used for 2 year old Lexie and I have to say I am very very impressed.  He goes quiet happily into the cage at night or if we have to leave him,  I pop a blanket over the top and he is out like a light.  last night he even put himself to bed, as we were obviously staying up to late and he wanted to go to sleep!!
We have started some simple training and he is starting to sit to get a treat,  not everytime and I am not sure its sunk in yet but its a start.

He came to work with me one day this week and seemed to settle a bit better although I got no work done as I was watching him all the time.  My students want me to make sure he is there Wednesday for them to met,  I am not sure they will be that pleased when I do !!

He also had his first ball,  I am not sure it will last long as he has started to skin it already .....

He knows his name and he knows the word NO!! but he just looks at you then carry's on as before only having given you lovely puppy eyes first.

Bless him x

Silent Sunday - Fin's 1st Bath time

Fin goes to work ...

I don't think Fin likes work!  But then I guess 10 weeks is a little bit soon to be sent out to earn a biscuit or two.

The studio is apparently a fascinating place,  as its great to wander round and pee on, but not a place to sit and behave when I am trying to work. 

I put a large cage out the back in the garden, but he yapped the whole time and scared the horses,  so I bought him in and then he scared the customers.  I am sure we will find a suitable compromise soon,  but he needs a bit of practice and I may need to supply ear plugs to all my visitors.  But he loved all the fuss he got from all the fellow crafters and I am sure they will all be helping with his upbringing very soon ( not sure they know that yet!)

Then Big brother Christopher came to visit and wear him out,  actually I am not really sure who wore who out but they both ended up flopped on the floor.

Dads are also fun to play with and when out in the garden Fin  is very bouncy.

He had a visit to the vets today,  for his second lot of jabs. I was working so Steve had to take him,  I don't think he minded though as all the nurses wanted to fuss him, Fin that is not Steve!!!!.

We had wondered if he had mites or fleas as he scratches a lot but he doesn't ( phew) but he has scurf and needs a good bath.  He also got chipped so if we take him to a supermarket he might beep going through the scanners,  but I don't think we will try that, just yet.

He seems to be settling well,  he his helping with gardening, picking up leaves and eating them and when dad puts weeds in the trug Fin takes them out again.  But he's not good at housework as the hoover is a very scary thing for a little dog.  But as its only his first week we will let him off.....

Meet Fin........

He came to us called FinTown but we decided to shorten it.  Fin is an Irish rescue dog,  he was the runt of a litter on a working farm and not wanted so we thought we would have him,  We had decided not to  get another dog but have missed having one after our lovely Wellydog died in October last year.
We hadn't also thought we would get a puppy,  but thats life for you,  no point in planning as we always end up going with the flow......

These are the pictures we got in advance and are what made us fall in love with him.

We heard about Fin through our very lovely friends Trevor and Michelle and they were getting one to.  So it was decided that I would pick up Fin from there house after the arrived in the country, so here is Fin and Ruby together at Trevor and Michelle's house  Fin has the collar on, Ruby is very similar but has the most amazing pointy up ears.

When Fin Finally got home he was exhausted and slept quite a it on his first day in Wellydog towers.

He also started to play with his new toys.

 He was very good on his first night he cried for just a few minute and then settled,  he was so quiet we sneaked down early in the morning just to check he was ok.

Lots more photos and updates soon x