New dog!

kylith

I collected my new friend from the rescue this afternoon. He's a very handsome pointer cross who has been called Fudge, and will now be known as Finn, I think. He pulls like a train, and is too nervous at the moment to assess what training he does have, but I'm looking forward to getting to know him

Eyespy

kylith wrote: »

I collected my new friend from the rescue this afternoon. He's a very handsome pointer cross who has been called Fudge, and will now be known as Finn, I think. He pulls like a train, and is too nervous at the moment to assess what training he does have, but I'm looking forward to getting to know him

Congratulations Kylith, he looks smashing! The very best of luck with Finn and I hope you have many long and happy years together 😀

ncur

So delighted for you Kylith, I know you and Finn will have many happy years together. Your 2 dogs Rani and Tegan had a great life with you, as will Finn.

bluecherry74

He is gorgeous Enjoy!

DBB

Ooohhh, best of luck to you both... He's gorgeous! You can see he's nervous alright, but once he gets into the swing of things he'll fly it.
Beautiful boy!

aonb

CONGRATULATIONS!
He is really gorgeous - course we are all biased on here, and doubly biased because you did the wonderful job of rescuing him

Poor little chap - he looks so worried - but no doubt with your loving care, he will settle in quickly and have a lovely happy life of love and care Keep us posted often on progress and lots more photos!

Lucky little man, he doesn't know it yet, he will by this time next week though

I'm jealous tbh with work etc I can't have a dog but I love them.

Layinghen

Congratulations he is a beauty. He mightn't realise it yet but he has fallen on all four paws getting to go home with you.

kylith

Augeo wrote: »

Lucky little man, he doesn't know it yet, he will by this time next week though

I'm jealous tbh with work etc I can't have a dog but I love them.

I'm very, very lucky that I have a dog-mad retired neighbour who volunteered herself to call in every day as soon as she heard I was thinking about getting another one. And all I have to do is keep her in crosswords

shakencat

awh, the poor guy looks like he dosent have a clue what going on he'll realise soon!

Amazing! best of luck!!!

kylith

Actually folks can anyone recommend a good front-attach harness? He pulls like mad and the rescue has trained him to walk on one. I've seen the Halti one around but I don't like it because there's no padding. If anyone can tell me where to find one with some padding I'll owe you big time.

molly09

Kylith, enjoy getting to know your new bed friend!! What a beautiful name, Finn, for a stunning dog. He really is a gorgeous doggie��

coathanger

Welcome Finn & well done on choosing a rescue dog.
I recommend the Easy Walk harness or the Walk Right harness, they made some difference to my new rescue who arrived in November.

I hope ye will be very happy together.

kylith

The Walk Right one looks pretty good, any idea where I could get it one in Dublin?

coathanger

kylith wrote: »

The Walk Right one looks pretty good, any idea where I could get it one in Dublin?

Petmania stock them I believe, there are a few stores dotted around Dublin, give ur local store a call, I always find them very helpful.

VonVix

I personally favour the Freedom Harness. http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0285/7756/products/HARNESS_SIDE_-_CLOSE_1024x1024.jpg?v=1430945014 Front attach loop and martingale-style back attachment.

kylith

Getting a new home is very tiring

kylith

Getting a new home is very tiring

Valentina

Aw, bless! He has a lovely face. I hope you have many, many happy years together

I use a Halti harness on my Ridgebacks and find it great. I got mine in my vet's but I think Petstop have them too.

kylith

He was quiet last night; I got up a couple of times to check on him, but all he did was eat half the chew I left with him. He isn't keen about being in the garden, but I sat out with him before I went to bed until he had a wee and he didn't toilet in the house which is great. He's not keen on my dad at all, and I think that a man must have hit him in the past. He's also not eaten much but that's likely to be nerves and stress so he'll probably start wolfing food down in the next day or so, and he needs it because he could definitely stand to put on a few pounds.

The only problem so far is walking him. He was surrendered in the first place because he dislocated his previous owner's shoulder and I can see why; he pulls like a carthorse, and when you couple that with how he starts and stops it'd be very easy to topple over or get your arm jerked. He's also clearly used to being in the lead when walking because he wants to be directly in front of me so I keep almost falling over him because he's trying to get under my legs (I'm keeping the lead short to keep him beside me so he can't get into pulling position). We're off to a petshop shortly to get a front-attach harness which the rescue promised would make him a different dog to walk. I hope it does!

kylith

kylith wrote: »

Getting a new home is very tiring.....

Wow...... few days he'll be licking you to death

kylith

I got a Halti harness today and the difference is phenominal. It makes him much more manageable. Hopefully I can use it to train a loose-lead walk and eventually won't need it

maggiepip

He's georgous, he's a lucky dog now! He looks so vunerable in the pics. Whats his personality like?

Dubl07

kylith wrote: »

I got a Halti harness today and the difference is phenominal. It makes him much more manageable. Hopefully I can use it to train a loose-lead walk and eventually won't need it

"300 pecks" is worth investigating alongside actual training classes. Always keep a good supply of tiny but yummy treats when you're out and about.

cocker5

wow he is stunning!! well done on rescuing him!!! he has fallen on his paws with you!!

Try the dogmatic head collar i find it great to stop my guy from pulling XX

http://www.dogmatic.org.uk/

kylith

aonb wrote: »

GREAT to read the progress of a rescue dog! Just goes to show that a bit of TLC is what it takes to get past the fear. You must be thrilled to see that you are getting there More photos please!

He's still nervous, especially around the road, but he's doing so much better. He's even started trying to complain if we don't go the way he wants to on a walk like you say; we're getting there. He has decided that the sofa is never off limits and since he can get onto it by leaping over the coffee table it's impossible to keep him off so I've had to develop manners myself and start eating dinner at the dining table like a grown up.

He's off his food today, which I'm not smiling about. Probably just a stomach bug. He's currently on a mix of Burns and Markus Muhle, but i'm thinking of switching to a totally grain free food. He also gets an egg in the morning and half a tin of sardines in oil in the evening.

Dinky22

Finn has fallen on his feet!. Well done for giving a rescue dog a forever home. My very best wishes to you both for a long and loving relationship.:)

kylith

Just to update ye on Finn;

The lead training is going really well. On some streets he is walking practically perfectly, on others we're still at the 'stopping every three steps' phase. I guess he has to learn that I mean it on every street. One thing that has really helped is that we are now at a stage where he knows me and he knows I'm his human and he doesn't want to go too far from me (treats really help, even if sometimes he gets a bit caught up in smells) so I can actually have him off lead for most of the walk and he can run himself ragged then kip on the sofa for the evening.

The best thing about the training going well is that I have been able to switch from the front-attach harness which was chafing his armpits quite badly to a normal harness which fits much more comfortably around his ribs. He's quite lightly coated and thin skinned and really has been rubbed raw by the Halti harness and had all the hair on his chest chafed off by the Truelove one*. The one I'm using now is Rani's old one; how a harness previously worn by a 9kg cairn can be adusted to fit a 21kg pointer/lurcher/great white dope I'm not quite sure but it does and it's great.

* Which is in all other respects a great harness: well made, good reflective stitching, padded, handle on the back that can be used with seatbelts, and looks darn snazzy on him. I'm annoyed I can't use it and am considering getting another one in a smaller size and donating this one to the rescue.

"This is my couch. There are many like it but this one is mine"



"The joy of flight"

bluecherry74

Those photos are worlds apart from the ones in your OP. He looks so content and relaxed on his sofa. And so, so handsome too!

borderlinemeath

For a comfy harness for a thin skinned, thin haired dog, you can't get better than a perfect fit harness, it's fleece lined so it won't chafe and you can buy different pieces in different sizes to really get the perfect fit.

And it comes in pretty colours too:)

http://www.dog-games-shop.co.uk/perfect-fit-fleece-dog-harness/40mm-harness.html

kylith

Isn't he just Bluecherry!

Then


Now

muddypaws

Pointer cross that loves to pull - perfect canicross partner

kylith

muddypaws wrote: »

Pointer cross that loves to pull - perfect canicross partner

The bikejoring might be more my speed

Odelay

He looks so much healthier and happier now that he has a happy home, well done:)

aonb

always LOVELY to read about a rescue dog settling in to his new home, and a bond starting between him/his human
Could you put a fleece undercoat under the harness to stop chaffing?
These very fine coated dogs rub easily - will he build up a better coat do you think, or is that the way he is?
He looks so much better btw - you must be so pleased with him? Is the bond there yet? COntinued success with the training and the settling in

kylith

aonb wrote: »

always LOVELY to read about a rescue dog settling in to his new home, and a bond starting between him/his human
Could you put a fleece undercoat under the harness to stop chaffing?
These very fine coated dogs rub easily - will he build up a better coat do you think, or is that the way he is?
He looks so much better btw - you must be so pleased with him? Is the bond there yet? COntinued success with the training and the settling in

I've thought of cutting up some old sheepskin boots to make wee sleeves for the harness, but the new one seems to be doing the job nicely. I think his coat is just how it is, unless I start keeping him outside.

muddypaws

Sometimes sled dogs wear special t shirt type things under their harnesses to prevent harness rub. You could probably find a child's tshirt to fit him, in case you have to change harness again, the harness would keep it in place I would imagine.