A new Member of the Family

[Plantaholic]

I think you are doing an amazing job with Eva, or is she training you?

[Daisy]

Thanks, Gem


Plant -Hahaha Eva is definitely training us!!! We are learning to 'read' her and understand her better, but there are still come surprises. She is also learning that she shouldn't try and second guess us. If she thinks she knows what we are going to ask her to do she ploughs in and does it without waiting so anything new we work on has a lot of false starts while she works out that something is different.

[Daisy]

It's nearly 4 months since I posted about Eva - time for an update. At the beginning of the school holidays we had Bailey (DS1's collie) for two weeks. They enjoyed each other's company, and after a few days they started to play together. It was lovely to see the two rescue dogs relaxed and having fun together.

The Advanced class has proved very tough for Eva (and us). Towards the end of term we temporarily changed from Monday evening to Tuesday evening, and the mix of dogs in the Tuesday class was much less threatening for Eva - a couple of Leonburgers, a reactive but elderly BorderCollie, a Doberman, a German Shepherd and Eva - but it can vary from week to week. The only problem is it's OH's night out woodturning, so mostly it means that it will be just me and Eva - OH will come as and when he can.

We then had 6 weeks break from training - this doesn't usually happen, just one of those things this year, and we started back 3 weeks ago. OH came with me for the first night, and Eva did well with me handling her. I must admit I had forgotten most of the routines though. I'm definitely in need of more training! LOL Eva did fairly well that first night. We have been giving her lots of time in the paddock, but I can't say her recall has improved much, but I trust her a little bit more not to try and escape.

Last week was the first week I'd taken her on my own and she was brilliant! More relaxed than she'd ever been around the other dogs, making great eye contact and a pleasure to work with. Pam, the trainer was so pleased and I was euphoric!!! Short-lived as it turns out. Last night she was a monster - just like a spoiled teenager determined to get her own way at every turn. Hey ho - whoever said it would be easy? Oh, was that me??? I consoled myself that a bad class only lasts 2 hours, the same as a good one, and there's next week to look forward to.

Our dog family is growing. I mentioned elsewhere some months ago that DS2 and family were very sad to lose their 16/17 year old Jack Russell cross. Midge has left a huge dog-shaped crater in their family, which after careful thought and lots of research they have decided to fill with a puppy. They've researched various breeds and have chosen a Hungarian Vizsla. The litter was born just over a week ago and on Sunday they went to meet the breeder and the puppies' mummy. They could only see the pups through the window as they were too young to receive visitors, so they're going back a week on Saturday to meet the new member of their family. As you can imagine, the girls are super-excited and are coming up with endless names - but somehow I can't see their parents agreeing to Princess Charlotte (the puppy is a boy) or Pup (GD2's suggestion - I think she thinks it's close enough to her name to enable her to blame the dog for all sorts of misdemeanours).

If you've never met a Vizsla, this is what they look like. They're gun dogs - point and retrieve work, with lots of energy and stamina. I think DS2 and family are in for an exciting ride, but they're self-employed so will be able to take him to work with them, and they have a large recreation ground across the road from their shop, so it will be easy to give him some exercise during the day. Plus, of course, they have the beach and the whole of the New Forest to walk and play in.

[Plantaholic]

That is a very elegant dog, love the colour. Hope he and Eva get on.

[WeeGranny]

Beautiful dog Daisy!

[Clover]

I bet they can't wait until it's time to pick the pup up.A lot of hard work ahead but so rewarding.I hope agreement can be made on the name.When the family actually meet the puppy a name might just come to them.

[Gemini]

Lovely looking breed of dog, the little girls must be so excited

Good luck with Evas continuing training Daisy

[Oma]

Oh lovely looking breed , Eva sounds like a teenager Storm has no recall either , if he gets out he will run for miles so its like fort knox at all our houses

[Enfys]

Gorgeous dog, love the idea of Princess Charlotte 😀. I'm sure a name will come to them, look forward to hearing how they get on.

[Gemini]

My DD2s cats name is Princess Angelina of Bakewell. That's not her pedigree name (she's a Ragdoll cat) but one they chose! But to everyone she is Angie, and often Ange

GD was not involved in this naming. It was before she was born!

[Daisy]

They are beautiful, elegant dogs - and hopefully introducing him as a puppy to Eva and Bailey, they will all get on together. Grandma can see a whole new lot of 'child' minding on the horizon.

Oma - I can imagine Storm could be 100 miles away very quickly. At least around the house we can stop Eva in her tracks with a stern "no". She can come out into the front garden with no fences, and just wander onto the grass verge. It's just when we're out for a walk she gallops off. I hope DS2 and family get their puppy trained with good recall - Viszlas are only about 3 mph slower than a greyhound, but with more energy and stamina.

Gem - I love your DD2's cat's name - very grand. But Angie sounds friendlier!!

Enfys - it will be interesting to see what they come up with - all suggestions are welcome, ladies!

[Daisy]

After our disastrous session about 3 weeks ago, Eva has been really good - until last night!! She was on top form - until she had to walk quite close and pass by one of the Leonbergers. We were doing an exercise where we stand on opposite sides of the room, walk towards and past each other, turn round and do the same on the return trip. They were both on leads and the LB owner was between the two dogs. I'd positioned myself on Eva's other side because the next dog along was the reactive but elderly Border Collie. Suddenly Eva was like a rabbit caught in headlights, staring at the LB. I kept her walking away from the LB and the LB owner kept going with her dog, but when we turned round and passed each other again Eva was really agitated. Her panic seemed to go right round the room, with the German Shepherd barking at the Border Collie and the other LB looking very unsure what he should be doing - if anything.

None of us had any idea what had sparked Eva's behaviour, and she settled down again after a few minutes, but it made me think that there's still a lot of work to do with her - it was as though she'd never seen that dog before!

[Gemini]

There seems to have been something about that dog which spooked Eva, doesn't there Daisy?

[Daisy]

Gem - yes, she really was spooked but neither the trainer nor I could pinpoint what had happened. Eva tends to look at other dogs (just because she wants to go to them an play, I think) and other dogs can misinterpret that a being too 'in their face'. She's upset the whole roomful several times without even trying!! Yet other times there doesn't seem to be a problem. <sigh!>

[Plantaholic]

Leonbergers are very large, poor Eva.