Hi. I decided to get a dog and found a cute female 18 mo. old Whippet mix, she knows her basic commands, is really sweet but she's getting to me. She is very sneaky and if you turn your back she will be in the kitchen standing at the stove or counters checking to see if there is something she can eat. If anyone has a Whippet would you let me know if this is a common problem and how you handled it?

Thanks,
Terri

I had Afghan Hounds for years and they, along with your Whippet mix, are sighthounds. I believe it is inherent in the sighthound breeds that they are all very clever and sneaky little thieves. One of my dogs would raid the garbage can and then I would bait it with steak and hot sauce. This would keep her out of it for about six months. Another one stole a whole freshly baked loaf of bread, ate it and was constipated enough to be taken to the vet. You will have to keep things on the counter well out of her reach. Some of my Afghans never did these things but the majority of them did. You might try taping some balloons on the edge of the counter and place something that smells wonderful to her behind them in hopes she will pop one or two of them and not like the noise. You will be very fortunate if you can turn her loose outside and she doesn't run off as that is what they are bred to do, that is run. I am not trying to discourage you as they are also loving and endearing pets. They just need their owner to be one step ahead of them.

Terri, I don't have a whippet but I have a Lil Soot who does that exact thing. I keep threatening to get an e collar, but until then, we just keep the baby gate to the kitchen closed.

You can also try putting something up on the counter that is noisy but will not hurt her, like coke cans with gravel in them, taped securely and situated in such a way that if she takes something enticing off the counters the cans will fall onto the floor and make a loud noise. It will scare her but not hurt her.

Course, that doesn't work with all dogs. Some will not like the sound so not repeat the behaviour, while others will find it fun.

You all will likely skin me for my response, but when all things fail, I have had two stubborn dogs that insisted on eating things off the counter or opening pantry door etc and both times I used mouse traps. It won't hurt her and it's not nearly as cruel as her getting ill from getting into something she shouldn't.

I wish you well Terri. My dogs don't even wait for me to turn my back. Come to think of it I'm not even trained to not take food off the counter.

Dogs are trainable. Hope yours starts behaving. Time and patience will do the trick.

Cats are 100 times worse. They find ways of getting around any barriers, noises, etc. One of my adoptees actually jumped on the table during my wedding reception (hubby #2) and ate the corner off our cake. So funny.

Another actually dragged an entire uncut 15 lb. turkey from the dining room table into the bathroom. Imagine following that greasy trail over hardwood and rugs and tile.

Tried to train one with the squirt gun trick. He loved to eat and pound on my indoor plants so we tried it. First time it worked, second time he started to run and then looked at us. Third time he just stayed there killing the plant while we soaked him. I think he liked it. Ugh.

So many fun times trying to train animals and husbands.

Sorta, that reminds me of the time my ferret, Tina, stole a frozen roast. She dragged it out of the sink, across the counter, up through a window that goes from the kitchen to the family room and then hid it under the couch.

I used to own a 3 legged Siamese cat named Bosie, and he did a similar trick one time with a turkey which had been laid out on the kitchen worktop to defrost. He didn't get very far with it before we collared him. I think he was as surprised at himself as we were!

I had a doberman years ago..That was the BEST sneak of all....

Hubby would make a sandwich leave it on the table then had to go to the bathroom..Come out..It was gone..Plus Rocky was laying nicely in the living room on the rug...So

Who took the sandwich?

So Hubby made another, and decided to go upstairs..But he peak down the stairs, and there was Rocky..Snuck, Grabbed the sandwich, and took off for the living room, and was laying down nicely

What a Character he was...I have to say we just could never leave any food unattended at all...We never could break him of that habit..

Oh gee. These are some funny stories and I hope Miss Daisy doesn't replicate any of them. I'm afraid if I don't get a handle on her behavior she is going to have to go back to the SafeHouse, my husband isn't going to tolerate it. (I'm fostering her with option to adopt) My daughter believes that we can change her behavior but I have my doubts. Also, when she spots a squirrel it takes all I have to hold onto her. I read that these dogs are even good for "Old Folks". However, I don't know any old folks, including myself, that can sprint 37 miles an hour if she gets away. lol
Thanks for all the input!
Terri

It's our pets' little 'quirks' that makes us love them more. I just figure that I'd be bored if one of my fur kids wasn't up to something. I can't even tell you the number of antique breakables they have accidently killed. Now I look at life differently. Things are just things, pets are US.

Our cats once teamed up to steal an entire chicken which was thawing in the sink. They pulled it out of the sink, pushed it off onto the floor, and then coordinated the pull out of the kitchen, down the hall, and under the bed. If I had not seen it, I'd have never believed it.

But that behavior can be changed--sounds like she needs lots of exercise and some training. It will take patience though

My late Husband and I were never able to stop our two Great Dane Brothers from running off with food

The solution was that they got their own quarters - with "access" to our quarters - but the slightest opportunity and they were back in and at it.

Stealing !!!!

Thought nothing of wolfing down pies straight out of the oven - hot as you like

And the eldest would regularly make a beeline for the pressure cooker and try to get the lid off it .... whilst it was still cooking ....

Because he knew his dinner was inside it

LOL........You gals have some funny stories. Are you'all sure you aren't making them up? I think everyone should submit their stories and a book should be written about the pets and their antics, it's a hoot! Miss Daisy hasn't done anything like this.....Yet!
Earlier I was blowing bubbles (gum) and she was so afraid, she would have absolutely nothing to do with me. She's a strange duck, oh I mean dog.
I did hear from the SafeHouse tonight asking if I was leaning one way or another. Truly, I don't know!
Thanks for the stories, their great.
Terri

Hi, Terri...

I know for a fact...These stories are oh SOOO True..

I have been brought up with feline,and canine animals all my life...

Also I might add we had a parrot name "Zipper" when I was a kid...

If you let him out of the cage he would try his best to sneak something off the table...If you didn't give him something...He would curse at you and scream..

Too Funny all the stories are...I too have some good cat capers..

I have no doubt that the stories are true, I just had to add that because they were so bizarre.

Terri

Oh Teri, living with dogs, cats etc certainly has it's share of excitement.

I do know that a large part of getting dogs to do what you want is to be very very consistent, to keep them exercised so they are tired, and to remember that our rules make no sense to them. They aren't thinking, "Mom doesn't want me to have that sandwich. I'll show her." They just see an opportunity to do something nature built into them (get food). But if you are clearly the one in charge and expect them to behave in a certain way, they usually will.

For years we let our dogs be with us at meal times and saved the last bite for them. But they started to become a little pushy and little overweight so I decided they should not be in the kitchen or dinning room when we ate.

I thought it would be really hard to get them to do this, but it actually was pretty easy. So now all but the puppy (because I don't know what he would get into while I was eating) lie in the hall while we eat, and sometimes while I cook. No baby gate needed.

But almost any dog will take food if they think they can get away with it, so we long ago learned to set food we didn't want them to have in the microwave or in the oven if we were not going to be paying attention.

It is possible to train a dog to refuse any and all food except that freely given by the owner, but it's a long hard slog and I'm certainly not up to it.

Strange stories? Nah. How about the time my George cat, now long gone but not forgotten, climbed into the fridge when I got the milk out cause he loved foooood. I didn't notice anything till I went to put back the milk, and there he was just sitting on the shelf. Gaaahhh! Good thing I wasn't away longer.

Then of course he also loved to hop into the open oven. Had to be careful since sometimes it was very HOT.

Then there was Snatcher, who loved to jump into my clothes dryer when the clothes were cuddly warm and dive under everything and hide. Ugh. So I always check every little door or appliance I open now. You never know who is going to be IN.

I love pet stories! I've got a ton of them, but stealing food isn't a problem at my house. Right after SIT and STAY, the next two commands Toby learned was TAKE IT and LEAVE IT. He won't even touch a dog bone laying on the foot stool unless I tell him to TAKE IT. He has to work for any food he receives. It can be as simple as SIT, WAIT, PAW, SPEAK ... but he always has to do something to earn food, even his dog dish. Maybe he doesn't steal food because he hasn't worked for it? Hmmmmm, a dog with ethics.

I do have a helpful hint regarding pulling and yanking you on his leash. First, buy a Gentle Leader. It looks like a muzzle because it fits over his nose and then snaps behind his ears, but it's doesn't restrict his mouth at all. When he tries to pull away while being walked, the Gentle Leader turns his head to the side without pulling my arm out of socket. An added benefit of the Gentle Leader is that it doesn't put pressure on his dog collar which can damage a dog's throat.

I learned another extremely helpful hint just recently. Although Toby can't yank and pull on his leash, he still would never HEEL properly. Dogs love to go on "pack walks", but their nature is to follow the leader. You have to go through the door first to establish that it's YOUR walk, not HIS. I had always let Toby out the door first and then followed him to pull the door closed behind us. The very first time I had him SIT at the open door, went through first and then let him follow me, he HEELED the entire walk without a single protest. Could it have really been that easy? I just never thought about the significance of who went through the door first, but in doggy mentality it's what sets the tone for the entire venture.

Good luck with the whippet. They are definitely high energy dogs. All breeds have positive and negative traits, so you take the good with the bad. Establishing yourself as his pack leader will help tremendously. He'll do anything to please you and will feel safe and secure when he knows you are in charge and he doesn't have to make decisions. A well-behaved dog is a happy dog.

I'm reading this post and it brings back so many memories. I've lived with dogs almost constantly since I was a kid. When my husband and I adopted our first, Rusty, a collie/shepherd, I went to obedience school, came close to quitting and learned a lot.

Since then I've come to accept dogs for the love that they give and decide what's going to work and what isn't. Unfortunately, we have to tether our current terrier mix or he'll jump or crawl under the fence and we live near two heavily trafficked main streets. He's very limber and strong, even at 9+ years old. We have to put a large ball or dinner tray or something on my hubby's lounge chair because the dog thinks it's his. He won't touch mine because it glides. Early on we pushed him off the bed once or twice with lots of 'no!'s and that stopped.

I completely agree with whoever said it takes a lot of love and patience to learn how to work with any dog. They all have their habits and preferences. But they're also resilient. You can push em away, carefully smack 'em (like the mousetrap idea) and they learn quickly. Our trainer once told us to take time when the animal is not around and practice hitting a pillow on a couch from a few feet away with a small ball. When you can hit it in the middle several times, then you're ready to work to catch the animal in the act of being naughty. All it takes is one smack on the right spot, usually the middle of the snout (which is all cartilege) to get your (no, get out, leave it alone) message across. The animal will most likely yelp but there won't be any blood just a bruised ego and a big memory.

Of course, besides the discipline, lots and lots of love! I don't mean treats but petting and pleasant tone of voice.

Good luck and enjoy!

Dog and Cat Tales you gotta love em

That brings back memories of my dog and two cats that have gone to Animal Heaven a few years ago, and I miss them dearly. I only have on Cat now and her name is Cali. Anyway our dog was named Duke and aptley so because he was a big guy part Great Dane and Sheperd, but with a gentle personality and everyone was a friend to him. The insident that I remember most was one evening I had prepared chicken for supper and my son filled his plate and carried it in the family room to watch a little tv and as the got close to the snack table and was about to put his plate down a large chicken breast went slipping off his plate and wouldn't you know it that dog grabbed that chicken so fast it didn't even have a chance to even come close to the floor and off he went running to his bed. We all laughed so hard that tears rolled down our eyes and our bellys hurt.

And my two cats Corky and Quig where the worst little pair of thiefs when it came to food that I've ever laid my eyes on. I would no more get done at the stove using the frying pan but Corky the siamese would be up on it trying to steal the food even before I could reach in the cubbard and get a dish to serve it on. The other tiger one Corky would at least wait until I left the stove and served the food and then go and lick the pot clean. So many tale to tell about the to little rascals.

The time my 110 lb. Alaskan Malamute, Wuuku, was on the dinner table - each paw at a compass point and chewing on the roast chicken. There were 7 of us when we all were home and the dinner table was big and I had fully set it. Roast chicken mashed potatos and odds and ends but she preferred the chicken..And one of my kids yelling don't let her get a long bone it will hurt her. I patched up chicky and great white father never knew a thing.
L4L that chicken in the sink could have been on that TV program. Those poor kittys had to work!!

Yankee, yes they did. It was so funny that I just watched to see how far they'd get it.

Your story sounds like our first Christmas. We had a nice turkey dinner, and then went to play with the baby in the bath tub with his new bath tub toys. When I came back, I noticed the turkey was gone. I very happily thanked hubby for putting it away only to be answered "I didn't."

Turned out our Border Collie had helped himself

Lfour thats like that movie A Christmas Carol, I think where the 2 neighbor dogs rushed into kitchen and commanderred the turkey so the family ate chinese for Christmas.
So many hilarious memories because of our pets and don't get me started on the horses. Our Appy pony was a genius.
And the time Quippy, a sweet little black and white kitty was sitting butt down, tail up on a dinner plate. Family was waiting for Sam, husband at the time, to come downstairs for dinner. So I just quickly and with extreem deft switched plates so Sam had the violated plate. The kids were like 4,5,6,7,8 - just a good age. The 2 double scorpios were doing summersalts - almost - throughout dinner and Sam barely noticed. The only way he's to know this happeded is if he reads this post, which is highly unlikely.

Yankee

Yes, our pets do most certainly keep us laughing

I don't think any of the 3 dogs I've owned ate a whole meat from off the table. But Rusty had a thing for licking the juice/fat from empty lunchmeat and bacon packages. Even though Rusty was strong and could easily jump over things, he never did. He had learned as a pup to stay behind barriers and it was as if he never realized that, as an adult dog, he could, so we left him in the kitchen, behind a waist-hi board. That worked except for finding the garbage all over the floor.

The one thing I haven't heard mentioned here yet is pets who bring home 'presents' from outside or get themselves in trouble with a critter. Hubby and I dealt with the skunk experience one summer when Rusty killed one in the back yard. Thank goodness it was a baby. We were soaking him down with either tomato or lemon juice at 10pm that night, then a good bath and thorough brushing the next day got rid of the worst of it.

Our terrier, Buddy, has found and tried to play with a nest of new rabbits. One afternoon I opened the back door to go sit outside and Buddy faced me, from a few feet away, with a limp rabbit in his mouth. I was horrified. Thankfully, instead of making me chase him around the yard, he dropped it when I told him to, then went into the house. Then I grabbed the poop bag and went around the yard to find and pick up several more victims. They were old enough to have some fur. In his desire to play all he needed to do was catch (pounce)on it which snapped the poor thing's back. After one summer of several mama rabbits losing their young to our dogs, they don't bury them in our yard anymore.

Ah, yes, they can be soooo entertaining!

Poor critters, but then again, dogs and cats were built for hunting. George Cat, although declawed on his front feet, would stake out gopher holes. He would lie down and put one front leg in the hole all the way up to his shoulder. In short time, he would actually catch a gopher, which usually ran all over and then ducked into another hole.

One day, George banged on the back door (his signal to let him in) and rushed through the house. Before I could stop him, he had deposited a LIVE unharmed, very scared gopher on the living room rug. It promptly ran under the couch and hubby and I spent 2 hours trying to capture it, while George just looked on smiling.

That was the last time I opened the door for him without looking FIRST to see if he had anything in his mouth. Usually he brought us tiny mice, but this was a biggie deal. Ugh.

Definite on that Sorta. Your description of George and the gopher is similar to our Buddy who absolutely loves cicadas. He can hear or feel them moving about in the ground. He'll lie in the grass patiently waiting. The poor bug (ugly though it may be) won't see the light of day. It goes right from the ground into the dog's mouth for a crunchy treat. In fact, our vet told us to watch the dog carefully during bug time 'cause some dogs eat too much and get sick on the protein leading to a costly vet bill for having the stomach pumped!

Our Great Danes had to be banished from our main garden - but not for eating creatures of any kind.
They developed a taste for roses and would eat a whole bush, each, in minutes - thorns and all !!

However, one of the most amusing sights for me was when they discovered a mouse in one of the outhouses out back.

Each dog weighed 210 pounds so there was no way they would be quick enough to chase the mouse and catch it and they must have known it because they both lay down outside the door "in wait" ....

But the mouse had other ideas. He climbed out through the window and escaped over the roof

SD. Thanks for the info. I did try going out the door before Miss Daisy and have had pretty good luck so far. The gentle leader sounds good but when it pulls her head to the side won't that hurt her neck? When she pulls, she sometimes bolts........if she see's a squirrel.
Terri

Teri, she won't hurt herself. Gentle leaders are nice tools.

Terri, I used to use a gentle lead on Winfrey. That is the only leash that worked and I tried many. It probably was the most gentle on her. With the touch of a finger I could turn her head with the lead. With others she had all the control and I had a hard time controlling her. Good luck. Oh one thing-- she did NOT like it at all when I first put it on her!!!!! Showed a lot of attitude But I am alpha!!! After a few times -- she would run to the door when I picked up the leash..

Hi Winfrey. I did look it up today and it doesn't look very substantial. I say this because even though Daisy only weights about 32#'s she has some nice runners thighs. Her hind legs are quite muscular. I'm no lightweight and she can pull me. I'm concerned with it slipping over her head when she bolts........If she did, I would never get her back. I'm worrying for nothing, aren't I?
After the dog is trained with the leash then can you ever go back to a regular leash/harness?

Hugs,
Terri

Terri, Winfrey was 20 pounds of pure muscle After you slip this over her nose there is a collar around the neck. And yes you could go back to a regular one. But most people that have used them really like them. And it's never too much worry

Hi Terri

I had a Whippet named Sammy, he was one of the BEST
dogs I ever owned, I loved him so much~
I got him when he was a year old, he adopted me
I had him til he was 10. he got cancer & had to be put down)
when he was a Pup I always thought he was being sneaky,
but he really wasn't , they are VERY senseitive, & shy
I swear Sam blushed!! he grinned all the time and would
duck his head down just like a shy person does.
he was such a calm,
well mannered dog after he got through his puppy years.
when he was a puppy he pulled on the leash a lot so I
got a choke chain collar That's all we had back then to
train dogs LOL!) and it worked very well with him.
except for I could never quite get him to stop wanting to
chase cats.
there very clean nice house dogs too. very smart.
Sam was one of the easiest dogs I ever trained.
my sis has a very very hyper border collie Rodeo & she
uses the Yuppy-puppy-non pull harness on him and it works
GREAT!!

http://www.petco.com/product/102822/Premier-Gentle-Leader-Easy-Walk-Harnesses-for-Dogs.aspx

Do you know what other kind of breed she is??
I used to put Foil on my countertops to keep my cats
off and dogs as well. it works good.
I have a 3 yr old Chihuahua -Bella~ and a Min-pin mix Lucy now.
the Min-pin is bred down from the Whippet & the Dachshund~

I hope so much you will want to keep Miss Daisy~

Doc aka Karen

My friend and neighbor uses that kind Doc on her Portuguese Water Dog and it works great for her. Winfrey on the other hand had all her strength in her chest-- and this said to her--- I am in control, but on a Whippet it should work very nicely.

I appreciate all the info you Boomers have given me and the wonderful stories. Thanks.
DrMojo. You are correct this dog is so gentle and sweet. The breed has been dubbed "the velco dog" and it is true, I can't go to the bathroom without her checking to see where I've gone. I want to adopt her but now my husband is giving me misery over keeping her. (nothing new here, he gripes all the time anyway) I do however still think she's sneaky. She knows very well when she does something unacceptable, she's actually put herself in her kennel without me sternly saying "NO". I did look at the link and now am not sure which leash would be the best for her. Will have to do a little more research. She's part heeler. Hope I get to keep her.
Thanks to all!
Hugs, Whippet
Terri

Terri, she is a pretty girl!

My dogs go to their kennels to rest. Most of the time, getting a dog to do what you want just involves consistency and calmness. I'll be crossing my fingers that you get to keep her

What a beautiful little girl!!!!!!!!!!! She has that pretty girley face. She's got those ears that flop when she runs - makes me want want to get another girl dog. She will be loyal,faithful and watchful for you. Keep her and I bet you in a New York minute you better half(?) will consider her his princess. So what if she's sneaky, my g'mother said I was and I turned out just fine.

I see intelligence in those beautiful eyes. Maybe she's more 'human' than dog. Awesome gal. She's lucky to have you.

Beautiful looking girl!!!! Lucky you

Hi. All of you are so sweet. Thank you. I think she has the sweetest face and striking eyes. Her eyes are hazel with just a touch of light blue in each eye. She's a sweetheart!

Hugs,
Terri

Terri, I can totally see why you've fallen for her! What a sweet face and I agree with others, I'll bet she's very intelligent so training her shouldn't be too hard, unless she's got a streak of stubborn in her. My Buddy's a cutie-pie and people (except the vet who knows better, LOL) almost swoon over how sweet he looks, but momma knows what a disobedient trouble-maker he can be when he wants his way or no way! I keep calling him a bum and his tail never stops wagging!!!

He's adorable Terri.

Great picture, Terri824, and thanks for sharing

Hope you get to keep her !!

she's soooo pretty Teri! if she's part Heeler thats
where her sneakyness comes from, they are bred to
sneak up on cows & sheeps heals & nip them.

Gee Doc, I don't want to hear this. I hadn't researched the breed, but guess I need to. She is so so sneaky, it bothers me a bit. I don't think I could leave her at home alone without putting her in her kennel.

Hugs,
Terri

Terri, I kennel mine while I'm gone.....they have huge kennels and they love them and I know they and the house is safe.

I think most dogs will take something if they think they can get by with it. They don't think of it as being sneaky (I don't think). They just see an opportunity and take it.

I know my Miss Seagy will.....she will never put her paws on the counter, but she will stand on her back legs and turn her head sideways and help herself if it smells appropriately tantalizing and she thinks I'm not paying attention.

There are dogs that won't.....but I've never had one. Even my Stormi Lou who didn't for the first 5 years of her life made up for it in the next 7

Hi l4l. I don't know, I still think she is sneaky. I think because when I come into the room she knows very well she is in trouble because she heads for her kennel, or she has that... oop's I got caught look. I can't imagine your dog standing on only her hind legs and checking out your counters. That's too funny. Night before last I made myself a salad and added some deli-meat, forgot about her, went to the other room and darned if she didn't get her share. That does not make me happy. I will have to remember to put her in her kennel when it's dinner time.

To the Boomers that recommended the "Gentle Leader",(A Big Thanks!) I bought one and couldn't believe my eyes, I'm completely in control. However, she hates it so we will have to work on it.

Hugs,
Terri

I love the picture! What a beautiful girl. I'm glad you decided to try the Gentle Leader. It sounds terrible, but it's really a very humane way to leash your dog. The choke collars damage their necks and throats and should be outlawed. Even a regular collar can hurt the dog if they pull hard enough. The Gentle Leader just turns their head and the dog won't continue to pull unless he can see where he's going.

Trust me - Toby hated the Gentle Leader too when I first started using it. He would rub his muzzle against the furniture and try to paw it off. Eventually he learned the Gentle Leader meant going out for a walk or a drive and started to look forward to it. Now all I have to do is pick it up and draw up the loop and he sticks his muzzle right in it and waits for me to snap it behind his head.

Positive reinforcement instead of constant scolding is usually best for a dog with sensitive feelings. While training Toby, I would give him an acceptable alternative instead of the forbidden object and then praise him when he made the right choice. Some dogs just can't seem to overcome their instincts when it comes to food, so perhaps putting your baby in the kennel is the best choice whenever food is put out.

Good luck with the fur kid. She's too cute to take back to the shelter.

Terri, I'm glad the Gentle Leader is working for you! Have you made progress with getting hubby to let her stay?

ScarletD, to each their own, but I must take issue with your statement about the "choke" collar.

I've used a training collar with my dogs for years and trust me, my dogs are in no way no how hurt by it or anything else I do (or allow anyone to do to my doggies). Like anything else, you have to use your brain while training. A training collar should never ever be left on....it's used only for training....and if it's not working, you don't just keep pulling it tighter. In fact, you don't pull it all all....you use a quick snap to get the dog's attention and that is all. Anything can hurt a dog if used incorrectly or stupidly.

Ditto L4L, my dogs all have choke collars and none have ever been hurt.

Ana

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I was talking about the cruel collars that have metal links and what looks like reverse barbed wire. When the dog pulls, the collar tightens and the wires dig into their throats. I hate to even see them on the shelves at the pet store.

I used one of the collars that look like a chain and tightens when pulled on my little Brandy dog and it worked just fine. She never lunged or pulled hard enough to choke herself. Toby is another story - when he lunges, he could hurt himself even with the simple chain loop choke collar. However, at this point I'm sure one of my joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, back - maybe all of the above) would give way before he damaged himself.

I actually bought the Gentle Leader originally because my balance isn't good enough for him to pull at all, and then I discovered how well it works without the need for a choke collar. Just offering a testimonial for any pet owners who can't take a chance on being yanked or tugged.

ScarletD, the ones you are describing are the prong collars.

Gentle leaders are nice and I have used them....not to walk but put them on my 2 warring girls.....just having something on their faces seemed to cool their jets sometimes.

Well Terri I hope it all works out so you can keep Daisy! I have only had small dogs so haven't had that problem.

Sassy, a Chihuahua, wears a harnis for walking only and nothing in the house. When I tell her STAY she stops and waits for me to catch up, since I am always lagging behind.

Best of luck in the training.


Nan

L4L. I don't know if your Miss Seagy is a lab but I went to my daughters and her choc. lab would raise up on his hind legs and just stand there when I was giving out treats, it was so strange. My sensitive sweet Daisy did not seem to get along with my daughters golden(female), she was very aggressive toward her, but she did play with the lab.(male)
It appears that she has found a home with us. I can't imagine her not being here. My husband is still complaining, I think because he is going to have to put up a fence. That's an additonal cost plus the deer won't come up close to the house like they have been doing for sometime now.
Sure wish I could teach Daisy to pick up her toys, she makes a mess!
Well Boomers,that's the update........take care!

Hugs,
Terri :chocobunny:

Terri, I'm glad Daisy found a forever home.

Another happy ending. Awwwwww.

Yea!!!!! I love happy endings!!!!!!!

Happy Times Ahead !!

WOO HOO!!! YIPPEEEE!!!! Karen

Terri, Miss Seagy is a Heeler mix we think. She is a rescue so much is unknown about her.

My Solo would sit up on his back legs and pose to ask Pretty Please. He always crossed his front feet and was soooo pretty doing it.

Sometimes, females don't get along with other females....though quite often they do.

Daisy may need lots of exposure to other dogs, or maybe it's your daughter's Golden or maybe both.

I'm so happy you will be keeping her. There is very little in life that brings more joy than the companionship of a dog

You know, you can teach dogs (some anyway) to pick up their toys and put them away, but it is a complex behavior.

Terri, what a beautiful girl Daisy is! Just read your story and want to say how glad I am that she's for keeps! It takes a lot of love and patience to train a dog as I'm sure you'll know. Our dog Holly (my avatar) has been great from the word go except she doesn't get on with female dogs at all nor can we rid her of her fear of loud noises eg thunder, high winds, fireworks etc.

Here's wishing you a long and happy life with your new companion!

Me too! I am so happy to hear you will be keeping her. Time helps things to work out also and lots of patience. I have a friend who has taught her dog all of the names of his toys and he will put them back in the basket when asked. I don't know how she did this as our home looks like a drop-off place for dog toys. Funny thing is, when I pick them up and pile them off to one side they must immediately put them back where we walk. I think this is to remind us to throw them, ! We give them only so many toys at a time and rotate them and they act like they are getting new toys each time we do this. I cannot imagine life with out one or two dogs!!

Thanks Boomers for the kind words and the helpful tips. I need all the help I can get!
Ms.Mercury. Holly is a very pretty girl, what breed is she? Daisy is also startled by loud noises or sudden moves.
Take care,
Terri :easter:

Thanks Terri! Holly's a little bit of Jack Russell (mother) and not sure what else! She was one of a litter of three and the only one to survive. We've had her since she was 9 weeks old and she'll be 7 years old in October!