Rileyroo

Just reading this after my post about raised feeders in doggy chat. Don't suppose he's made any yet has he?

Kevin is currently being fed from a bowl placed on top of a pile of telephone directories in order to raise it up off the floor for him. Just looking at getting a proper raised feeder - so he can eat without me having to hold the bowl for him! - how high in relation to him should it be? Is there a rule like 'six inches less than his height to the top of his shoulders'?

Thinking of you today

Thank you lovely fugees and your lovely dogs. Funnily enough on today's walk we met everything from teacup yorkies with attitude to curious great danes, with a sprinkling of labs, GRs, GSDs and Springers in between. She was utterly fabulous with all of them - Kevin definitely helps - plus she remembered that when she's off lead she can run away if she wants to, she doesn't have to just lie there.

Where's a dancing bulldozer icon when you need one? I am so pleased to hear this.

It's the initial greetings that are a problem for Riley - she is quite unsure of herself around some dogs and a number of things happened to make things worse. We chose the wrong dog walker who put her in situations where she couldn't escape from over-keen dogs, plus her slight incontinence and anal gland stuff made her smell irrisistible to some dogs. So she'd roll over as the dogs approached, but instead of backing off they'd crowd round her and lick her - the dog walker didn't prevent or interrupt this so she'd panic and eventually snap to get them away from her. Add to this the pain her glands were causing her, being accidentally drowned by a Newfie and it was not a good mixture. There are times that I feel really awful for all this - we failed her . She's learned that snarling makes dogs go away and she uses it - sometimes it's appropriate, other times its not. Anyway, she is getting a lot better - I spend time with her doing lots of greetings with other dogs, and lots of click / treat for being relaxed etc - plus Kevin is helping hugely as it takes the pressure off her. He greets the approaching dog(s), she hangs around the sidelines and sniffs / greets as she feels able and then will play or ignore depending on the dog. She does love to run, wrestle and boing with other dogs. Fugee dogs sound like they won't hassle her - I just hope her own manners are as good!

Ok, I'm sold. I apologise in advance for any snarls from Riley - who will also very much be up for games of chase me chase you, as will Kevin I am sure. Off to request the day off from teaching!

I hope the wine helped. Thinking of you all today. Riley and Kevin send special 'raaaaarrr' to Flora.

Great name! Well, I'm assuming that the beach is large anyway so we can hang around at the fringes until she settles and gets to say hello at her own pace (or ignored - either way she'll be happy). Her manners are not all they could be at times either - but she doesn't seem to realise that

Judging by our trip to the Barn last Friday it's about 2.5 hours from us to Ogmore (depending on traffic and how badly you speed ). It could be do-able for me - it's my birthday that day, but Paddy is away in Nottingham and I 'could' get out of agility teaching. My only concern is that, following her bum issues and a few problems with over 'friendly' labradors Riley really doesn't like them and will tell them off (all noise - no contact and then followed up with a greeting usually) if they come too close and there will be a lot of labs there!

I'm sure Sarah has more to do today that check up, but just in case here are some playing pictures: The amazing headless dog Change of venue, but the play is the same

Good luck, Flora. You'll all be in my thoughts

So very sorry to hear this news.

I failed miserably at getting the photos - no battery left in the camera - but it's now fully charged and I don't think it will be the only time they play together. We also had a great walk on the Common with much looning around. Nettie - I'm off work until a week on Thursday so if you fancy meeting up for a walk before then let me know. Agility is at St. Richards with St. Andrews C of E SchoolWoodville Road EntranceHam, RichmondSurrey, TW10 7NLfrom about 12.45 and yes next date is 19th.

Another quick update - things are looking up. They both came up on the bed for a cuddle yesterday morning and Riley was fine about it - they ended up lying facing each other and playing very gently with feet / mouths etc. They had a fantastic run at agility - enclosed space so no worries about him legging it - and he was superb with the other trainers' dogs which range from CKCSpaniels to a very large and sometimes bolshy GSD. Kevin didn't take any rubbish from the GSD and very soon they were playing like old friends. His dog manners are absolutely superb. He is gradually winning Riley round - they're almost playing now at my feet. He's trying really hard to persude her that he's fun and for a few seconds she forgets herself, plays with him and then goes back to ignoring him. Oooooh - he's succeeded - much looney running around going on now. Off to try and get some photos before they stop

You're so nearly there now. Hope today and the rest of the waiting passes quickly

A couple of photos Snoozing this afternoon: Handsome boy after his bath yesterday: As close as they get - beds any closer together and Riley growls...

Just a very quick update. We collected Kevin yesterday and he's an absolute sweetheart. So gentle, but a little nervous and unsettled not surprisingly. He's been very good with the cats too. He's had a bath to help remove his thick winter coat and he's lovely and soft now. He seems to be housetrained which is an added bonus. I will post pictures when I get the chance. Oh and he snores - but it's cute. Riley, on the other hand, is not taking well to sharing and I'm having to watch her like a hawk and keep them separate unless I'm there to supervise as she is being a stroppy madam. Too long on her own, I guess - it's nearly two years since Tracey Whippet came to stay and she was over the moon to share with her. They have had a run together on our walk this morning and she is starting to soften towards him but it can't be fun for him. I have a plan to help her accept him - and tomorrow we'll be at agility all day so there will be lots of other more friendly dogs for him to say hello to which I think he'll appreciate. Paddy's away now until Easter Sunday - it's going to be a long week

Oh, Indy Hopefully this summer's trip to France will revitalise him once more.

This is so true. Nowhere near the scale of what Flora's going through, but when Riley had anal gland problems she also had a personality change, became wary of dogs and people touching her and got snappy if other dogs approached her. After the operation she is so much more like her old self - seeing her race around with other dogs now we can see just how much the pain she was in was affecting her. We really have got our true Riley back and I know that you will get the same with Flora.

Louise - very slim, long auburn hair. You could bring Fluke to say hello to everyone at agility - Ham, about 12.45 on Sundays. Louise is normally there, plus there will be other people and dogs who would love to say hello to Fluke.

Thinking of you all.

I hope the extra pain relief, and the crate rest is helping her. Lots of good wishes from all of us here

They're looking wonderful - great to see Fluke running around. One of the people at agility was one of Fluke's vet nurses while he was poorly. She is thrilled to hear he's doing so well.