The Chillout Zone (Off-Topic Thread)

ShaShaBear

tk123 wrote: »

It begins! >_< Playing firework sounds in prep for Halloween to try and get Bailey used to them! Keeping it very low today playing from my phone and will gradually build it up and stream to the tv - what must the neighbours be thinking with firework sounds blaring out of the tv lol! He was listening for a few mins but has gone back asleep!

I hate hate HATE firework season! :(:(:(:(
Opie passes no remarks on them and this is his second year of them (they are on over Halloween, and there is a huge display twice yearly here for New Years and the Muckno Mania festival). But then again, Shadow didn't start to react until he was 3 or 4.

To think that its alright for people to stand outside and look at pretty lights in the sky for 5 minutes while I watch my heavily sedated dog chew at the walls so hard that his gums bleed...

tk123

Yeah Bailey was the same he wasn't bothered about them until he was 4 then one night he was asleep in the hall there was a big thunderstorm that terrified him! Since then he gets afraid of thunder/fireworks. Lucy not bothered with them so far. Last year in the park he bolted when kids were letting stuff off - I managed to get him the second time I shouted stay! He wouldn't have had to cross any roads or anything to get home but still very scary. I plan on doing what I did last year and take him for a really long walk to tire him out.

ShaShaBear

So, so proud of my bestest boy. Second lesson today and the difference was astounding. He is still extremely excited entering a new environment but this wears off SO much quicker. 20 minutes at first lesson, less than 5 at this one. He is coming from a belly-rub position straight to a sit when we stop petting as opposed to jumping straight for our faces. He's also started to learn touch and is becoming far more accepting of a fast-moving hand. We've also had much less trouble redirecting his attention on a walk and he doesn't bark at everyone anymore

He will now lie on the couch beside us with no need for physical attention whereas he needed to be right on your lap with constant petting before.

After his lesson, he had his first ever calling visit to my mum's house since he was 7 months old. His behaviour was so utterly exemplary that my mother was in utter disbelief that it was the same dog.

Have to say, it has been hard work this past week, but it was worth every second (and penny ) to be told by the trainer that our efforts were obvious and that we should be very proud!

SillyMangoX

I'm getting awful broody for a puppy, everyone coming into work with their new puppies is at risk of not leaving with them when I'm on

mymo

2am and Oliver was whinging, I told him to go to bed (crate by my bedroom door) but he paced a little and whinged more, I asked did he want to go out, no response.... More whinging, I told him sternly "into bed!" He quietly keened. Then whinge do some more!

I got up turned on the light, while giving out to him, only to find Mrs Figg (youngest cat) in his bed on her back with legs in the air!
Had to apologise to the dog at 2.15am, move cat, who then got in my bed!

Kovu

Kovu got into a fight last night, now has one eye closed with a large cut down it. Appropriate, yes. Workable from college miles and miles away, no

angeldaisy

Interesting walks this week. Because we are surrounded by farmland we get great off lead walks. However this can mean that we are often accompanied by the local cattle.

This week, we have 4 bulls in the field next to our house, and a field full of cows and calves behind us. This has meant lots of zig zagging to avoid walking through these fields.

One of the bulls has taken a shine to us and often comes for a scratch - behind an electric wire and a big wooden fence - I hasten to add!! I'm not stupid:eek:

aonb

Kovu wrote: »

Kovu got into a fight last night, now has one eye closed with a large cut down it. Appropriate, yes. Workable from college miles and miles away, no

We are going to UK for several weeks. I have a former-feral adoptee, and Ive decided that she will have to be in a cattery while we are away. I was so reluctant to do this to her (shes out/in all day, sleeps in the house at night), but there is a local cat that has started coming and beating her up :eek:, so now Im very glad that she will be safe in the lovely cattery Ive found.
Cats are just wierd - love my cat to bits, but they are such a different pet (to dogs)

FelineOverLord

Kovu wrote: »

Kovu got into a fight last night, now has one eye closed with a large cut down it. Appropriate, yes. Workable from college miles and miles away, no

We had this yesterday with Felix and Toby. Toby'd had his booster on Wednesday and stayed on the bed with me until the early hours, then Felix came home with a cut ear and mud splashes and I knew straight away he'd attacked Toby. When Toby got home it was obvious that Felix had gotten the worst of the beating, he always does. Thankfully no major damage but Felix is still feeling very sorry for himself and keeping himself to himself. I wish to Jesus I could figure out why he hates Toby so much, Toby does nothing at all to him. He just wants to eat and sleep and have a good brushing every day. I thought we'd got over this crap but it's been going on for a month now.:mad::(

Cows Go µ

I'm trying to pick a new food and it's driving me around the bend! Grrr! It's easily my least favourite part of owning a dog

The more I read the more confused I am. I just got a new job and I'm earning a bit more so I thought I might get some better food for my two and it's proving a more difficult decision than I thought it would.

First I was thinking Taste of the Wild, but then I saw Orijen and while it's more expensive, you feed less. Then I thought Lukullus but I'm not sure about the ingredients. And now I'm leaning towards Taste of the Wild again for no reason other than I have a good feeling about it.

Plus, my adult dog would normally do a lot of exercise, a 4 mile jog in the evening which includes some off lead time as well as some training which would have a good bit of running. She's not at the moment because she's hurt her leg so she's on short onlead walks and lots of stretches. But by the time I can get the food she will hopefully be nearing her normal level of fitness. So do I need to have a bit of a different diet considering she works a lot or do I just up her food?

Seriously bloody hate picking dog foods.

tk123

Cows Go µ wrote: »

First I was thinking Taste of the Wild, but then I saw Orijen and while it's more expensive, you feed less. .

Just remember they're guidelines and you may end up feeding more!! I had a small bag of it for treats at one stage and no problems. I was using Markus Muhle but it's got maize and grain so threw it out and switched to champion grain free from dogfooddirect. Around the same price as TOTW but the DFD guys will always do a deal with you It's a total PITA trying to pick something that ticks all the boxes and is the best value - one of the main reasons I switched to raw lol!

Cows Go µ

tk123 wrote: »

Just remember they're guidelines and you may end up feeding more!! I had a small bag of it for treats at one stage and no problems. I was using Markus Muhle but it's got maize and grain so threw it out and switched to champion grain free from dogfooddirect. Around the same price as TOTW but the DFD guys will always do a deal with you It's a total PITA trying to pick something that ticks all the boxes and is the best value - one of the main reasons I switched to raw lol!

Champion Grain Free is actually one that I found after writing that post and I really like the look of it. It might be my current favourite, I just have a good feeling about it and I'm not sure why. Which flavour did you use? I'm almost glad the puppy version only has one flavour so I don't have to make a decision :rolleyes:

I love the idea of raw but I don't think I can do the practicalities. I have only one of those tiny freezers attached to a fridge so I can just about fit my own food never mind the dogs. Though admittedly I do put a lot more thought into what food my dogs eat in comparison to what I eat so maybe they deserve it Plus I do a lot of training with their dinner, my dogs don't get any food unless they earn it and I don't think I could really do that with raw. It's hilarious because Pepper will start walking backwards or spinning in circles as soon as she sees her dinner.

mosi

On the way out to visit the parents this weekend, we made a slight detour to take the back roads down to their place. We stopped off at a local beauty spot and, as the OH started taking photos we heard the sound of a farmer with his dogs herding sheep. They appeared soon with the farmer in his jeep, the sheep on the road in front and two collies doing their job. It was really cool to see, and another reminder of why I miss living in the country.

mymo

There's a farmer near here that rattles a half full bag of something, chucks it in the back of the jeep and drives slowly down the road to wherever he wants the sheep.
They run along behind him so nicely, his dog follows in the rear, but never seems to need to do much.

I'd love to know what he has in that bag!

Never seen sheep move so neatly (and I've met a lot of sheep on roads around here), in line, all together, it's quite a sight.

Kovu

Sheep nuts? I'd bet they were brought up to follow the rattle of a bag.


We have our cattle trained the same

mymo

They must be pretty damn tasty sheep nuts!

They're all business following that jeep!

bluecherry74

I reckon my chickens would follow me all the way to China if I rattled their tub of mealworms, so if chickens can be trained anything can.

aonb

bluecherry74 wrote: »

I reckon my chickens would follow me all the way to China if I rattled their tub of mealworms, so if chickens can be trained anything can.

mine would follow me to hell and back if I were rattling stones in a box The sheep will come running too, and the horses if they even see you with a plastic tub, at a gallop. Its nearly instinct in most animals - like Herd Memory!!

When my dogs were little, I used to carry them into a paddock with the resting rams in, and rattle the nuts in a box, the rams would come galloping, which would scare the dogs - we're surrounded by sheep where I live, so tough love to prevent them chasing sheep - it put them off sheep for life! Before anyone starts complaining about cruelty to my dogs, the pups were in my arms, and the rams were ONLY interested in the bucket of nuts!

tk123

Cows Go µ wrote: »

Champion Grain Free is actually one that I found after writing that post and I really like the look of it. It might be my current favourite, I just have a good feeling about it and I'm not sure why. Which flavour did you use? I'm almost glad the puppy version only has one flavour so I don't have to make a decision :rolleyes:

We've used the turkey and lamb ones. A 2kg bag would last 5-6 months - I only use it for treats!

Kovu

bluecherry74 wrote: »

I reckon my chickens would follow me all the way to China if I rattled their tub of mealworms, so if chickens can be trained anything can.

Reminds me of the time Rua the horse learned how to open his gate. He ate a a bag of beef nuts and half a cool 'n' cooked. Jesus I had such a long night watching him.

angeldaisy

For some reason Elly has decided only to go outside for wees if I open the door for her!!
If my son opens the door for her, she'll just sit and look at him - an unbelievable pain in the you know what!

tk123

My mum got new cushions during the week and put one on either end of the couch.. Bailey is now whinging at the couch until we put the cushions on it for him lol!! Lord Muck!

reallyrose

Henry has started peeing on piles of laundry and in his bed. He pooped on his radiator bed at the weekend.

Any ideas?

mymo

Usually it's a sign of stress, or sometimes pain, as in painful to urinate causing them to go on "soft" surfaces.

Any strange cats around or anything out of the ordinary?

Is the pee strong smelling? Or any sign of blood?
Don't mean to scare you, just asking most obvious signs of urinary infection.

Is he out of sorts, sleeping more, eating less or anything?

Cows Go µ

It might be worth a trip to the vet. It's possible there is a psychological reason like a change in environment (a change in the family dynamic or new more aggressive cats in the area) but any time there is a sudden change in behaviour, you should bring your cat to the vet to make sure there isn't a physical reason. Especially for something like peeing and pooing in the house if there is no previous history of it, as mymo said, it could something along the lines of a urinary infection. It's best just to rule illness or injury out first

reallyrose

mymo wrote: »

Usually it's a sign of stress, or sometimes pain, as in painful to urinate causing them to go on "soft" surfaces.

Any strange cats around or anything out of the ordinary?

Is the pee strong smelling? Or any sign of blood?
Don't mean to scare you, just asking most obvious signs of urinary infection.

Is he out of sorts, sleeping more, eating less or anything?

Cows Go µ wrote: »

It might be worth a trip to the vet. It's possible there is a psychological reason like a change in environment (a change in the family dynamic or new more aggressive cats in the area) but any time there is a sudden change in behaviour, you should bring your cat to the vet to make sure there isn't a physical reason. Especially for something like peeing and pooing in the house if there is no previous history of it, as mymo said, it could something along the lines of a urinary infection. It's best just to rule illness or injury out first

He just got the snip so maybe he's reacting to that. He's new to us so technically the change in family dynamic is him.
He's not out of sorts otherwise, exactly the same as normal, running around at 50 miles an hour, eating everything, licking everything else. He's been playing fetch and everything.

His post-snip vet check was fine, no signs of infection.

hmm. I'll give the litter trays a good scrub out this evening, disinfect them good and see if that helps, maybe he's just being fussy.
(Can't get to the vet til Thursday due to work, etc. Late opening on Thursday.)

FelineOverLord

Felix was back at the vets yesterday after a fight with Toby, the day after we had Toby at the vet for his booster last week, that led to an abcessed ear for Felix and 90 euro in vet fees for us, sigh. He was booked in tomorrow for an anaesthetic to get the wax in his dodgy ear removed. As a last resort I've put a few drops of lavender essential oil on a Q tip taped out of their reach on the living room door frame(a flash point for them), weirdly enough it seems to be making a difference. Toby's calm and playful, Felix is coming into the room and not sitting outside it making meeping noises and neither Jazzy or Poppy have tried to slap each other.

mymo

FelineOverLord?
Those cat names sound like pumpkinseeds?
Did I miss something? Haven't been online much lately.

tk123

mymo wrote: »

FelineOverLord?
Those cat names sound like pumpkinseeds?
Did I miss something? Haven't been online much lately.

Hehe I was the same the other day when it dawned on me lol!!

FelineOverLord

mymo wrote: »

FelineOverLord?
Those cat names sound like pumpkinseeds?
Did I miss something? Haven't been online much lately.

New username, same moggie issues.:D