OneGuyFromBarlick

Merlin barked the other night too, I've no idea why, unless my neighbours had visitors.

A house on East Hill Street seemed to have a pack of dogs on another day too, but that didn't disturb him

He can, however, be very bad tempered and does bark at everyone. It may be one of the reasons that I got him

I keep forgetting to pass on a trick I saw the other day for stopping a dog pulling on the lead. It was a simple rope and ring choke lead but the trick is the put a second loop in at the bottom after it's round the neck and lift this up over the nose. This makes a muzzle as well and the lady assured me it had worked like magic.

RIP Alfie. Decision made to say goodbye this aft.

Sorry to hear that Wendy, never easy but you must think for the best. Thinking of you and Col.

It was a tough decision, but he was struggling with eating and walking more than a few steps. The vet came here to do it...costly... but we couldn't have sat in the waiting room with him. He just gave up at the end, as if he knew what was coming and didn't even notice the vet or the injection.
Buried him in the garden, alongside much loved cats. Very empty house this evening!

Thinking about both of you. It's a bereavement. Right decision, no doubt about that and what you have to do is remember the happy years he had with you. So many dogs never get that advantage. (It took me 6 months to get another mate after 19 Years with Eigg)



Eigg at Morar.

Wendy my sympathies are with your family, the loss of a pet is awful, though they live on in our memories.

Very sad news about Alfie, thinking of you all.

Not trying to influence you but there could be happy days ahead.....

Stanley wrote:Not trying to influence you but there could be happy days ahead.....

I think you are!

It won't be too long till we start thinking about another one. I'd love a puppy but Col feels strongly that we should get a rescue dog. Alfie was from the RSPCA but he was just 3 months old when we got him. We need one that isn't going to go for cats, hens, sheep or horses....which can be a tall order with a rescue dog.

For what it's worth Wendy I think you're right. I'd get two small dogs as pups out of the same litter. They look after each other and you can imprint good behaviour on them easier because while the bond is forming they aren't big enough to cause a problem. If I ever get another dog it will be a pup. My last three have been rescued and all had problems, even Black Jack needs a very firm hand at times. Once they have been imprinted as pups you can never eradicate the flaws, only control them and sometimes that can be very hard.

Plenty of puppies at dog rescue centres, and as Stanley says you can get on top from the start.

Sorry to hear about Alfie, Wendy.
(Have just caught up)
I still can't face loving another dog...it's been 7 years for us. Mind you, having son's hairy loveable mutt living at ours for over four months may have put me off forever. I cannot cope with the hair everywhere. I seem to be constantly chasing it.

Maz, the trick is to leave it alone and wait till it gathers in drifts in the corners, much easier to deal with then!

I found out what has been bothering Jack at the top of his right thigh. I was beginning to think he had leas because he couldn't leave it alone. I had a good root through his thick coat and found a wound which I think he got when he was playing with his Ridgeback/Mastiff mate the other day. It's a tear caused by a claw, just an accident but ragged. I gave it a good clean up with Dettol and warm water and am treating it with an ointment that has a small amount of antibiotic in it. Haven't seen him bothering with it since.

We are going to call in at the RSPCA in Bradford tomorrow...there is a 7 year old Jack Russell there who looks very appealing.

He's a grand little dog who took to Colin straight away. He made a big fuss but quickly started to assert himself by growling and snapping at the hand stroking him. I'm sure that would settle, but it might not bode well for a happy life with cats. I think he might need a one man/one dog situation! The staff at the RSPCA are going to test his reaction to a sacrificial cat today and let us know the result.

Sounds good Wendy. Not the biggest problem under the sun because I've had terriers that chased strange cats but not the ones they were living with. I reckon they would soon sort out permissions....

Alfie would happily chase any other cat except his own, but if they stopped running he wouldn't go near. He was low down in the pecking order (even the hens bossed him around) and I suspect it wont be easy to find another with that attitude. The RSPCA rang yesterday to say that Teddy had shown aggression towards the cat, and I think he would definitely want to be "top dog" in the household, so we have decided against taking him.
We have registered with Pendle Dogs in Need, and had a home check last night. Happy to wait for the right dog.

In the past I have brought a dog into a household where there was a resident cat, and within a short period they were the best of friends. The dog never lost its hatred of cats, and the cat was always aware of the danger of dogs yet they came to a mutual affection. On a change of note our great grandson has just acquired two rabbits one week after arrival he came out to find one had lost a leg. the vet was surprised that the animal had survived, but managed to clean and suture the wound and the rabbit is thriving. It was obvious that it had been attacked through the wire of the outdoor run. Two days later the culprit was observed with its paw through the wire, a free roaming domestic cat. This had been my first guess as to what had caused the harm. As I may have mentioned in the past I used to keep birds in an aviary, on many occasions I found birds with their wings or legs torn off after cat attacks, this was with 1.cm mesh. The cats claws have been used to reach through the wire and pull back the object of their desire. The cats owner has been found and left in no uncertain terms what will happen should there be a repeat visit.

Good luck with the search Wendy.... Funny thing domination isn't it. Jack has no problems dominating me but regards cats with great suspicion! We have a Top Cat in the back street who has no fear at all of Jack. The other day it was laid in the sun immediately outside the back gate as Jack and I went out for a walk. Jack did a neat jump over it and the cat never moved for either of us. Definitely in charge!
Nice thing is that you are actively seeking a new dog, whoever he or she is they will get first prize in the lottery of life!

We are going to meet "Big Bert" tomorrow, he looks like an ideal dog for us though I think he may be knocking on a bit more than they are saying here...
Page down to Big Bert ignoring all the other poor wee doggies looking for homes

West Yorkshire Dog Rescue

I hope he suits you Wendy.

Well, Big Bert...or Bertie as he will be known from now on, has joined the Faulkner family. He is a lovely lad, and has settled in well...claiming his place on the settee with Col. The cats aren't too impressed and the hens are a bit alarmed, but I'm sure everyone will settle back down soon...

Good. Of course he will.... He has won first prize in the lottery of life!