hmmmmm.........what to do

[QueenScoopalot]

This just makes my heart so happy to know that you not only saved the dear boy from probable death from exposure/starvation...who knows what, but that he's going to be yours! I'm sure in no time, he'll be a well behaved boy.

[delidog]

Well said Queenscoopalot!!!!

[schteve_d]

Please,Please Check on Him!?!?!

Oh, don't worry Nicole (delidog), by next thursday the SPCA staff will be quite tired of me! Like I said earlier, I may not be able to get in every single day, but darn near, and even the days I may not be able to walk him I'm sure I can at least pop in to give him a couple 'o pets!

Do you have a Bowl,Bed,Blankies,Toys for him????

This brings me to one of my first questions (I have a few but I'm gonna try to spread 'em out a little bit rather than ask 'em all at once!!): I have a large crate and nice fluffy, freshly-washed blanket for him. Buddy and Tasha have always just shared the same bowl and have food down all the time. I have dog-sat many dogs in my house and the only problem ever is that Tash gets upset if the other dog heads into her food bowl (though she could care less when Bud does). Ultimately I would like for them all to share food that will be there 24/7 (it's in a little holder thingy with two bowls, right now I only keep one full but I could fill both). Do you guys think I should give him a seperate bowl in a separate area and then try to slowly move it closer, or should I just let him at it and try to monitor it to make sure Tash is not trying to stop him from eating? I don't think it's fair at this point to all of a sudden put Bud and Tash on scheduled meals after ten years of food having always been there.

I'll slip in one more question while I'm at it. Bud and Tash get 1 hour a day of off-leash walking and more often than not another short on-leash walk. Obviously, the new pup will not be off-leash until he has some training with me and I know I can trust him. Should I take him and keep him on leash (which seems kind of mean while Bud and Tash run around freely), or leave him at home (which might be a good chance for him to "check out the place" without anyone else around? Or, a little of both?

By the way C&S, no great names came to mind while walking him. If I had to name him based on todays walk it would likey be "wingnut" or "yoyo" (he was back and forth to the end of that leash just like a yoyo!), but neither of those seem all that appealing to me!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by schteve_d

... Buddy and Tasha have always just shared the same bowl
and have food down all the time. ...

Do you guys think I should give him a seperate bowl
in a separate area and
then try to slowly move it closer,

... Should I take him and keep him on leash...
or leave him at home (which might be a good chance for him to
"check out the place" without anyone else around?

... based on today's walk it would likey be "wingnut" or "yoyo"

Item 1 - Feeding ~

Definately keep NewPup seperated till he "learns the ropes"
AND finds his place in the Pack Pecking Order!

You do NOT want a Food Fight to spoil the Old Dogs'
early acceptance of the NewGuy!

Also watch that Bud or Tash don't start to *bolt* their food
just to keep NewGuy out of their bowl.

Item 2 - Walk or Stay Home ~

Home Alone - "checkin da place out"??
Are you DAFT/Dinggie????

NOT a 'gud idea'!!
"Home Alone" is a set-up for disaster ...
a) UPSET kuz he got left...
b) too 'curious' to stay out of trouble
c) and a dozen other 'risks'

KEEP him *WITH* you as much as you can!!
And - he will 'learn' from watching Bud & Tash 'stick close' to
you while off-leash.

Wingnut ... YoYo ...

Well, at least you're <thinkin> about names.

/s/ Phred

[schteve_d]

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke



Are you DAFT/Dinggie????





Wingnut ... YoYo ...

Well, at least you're <thinkin> about names.

/s/ Phred

to answer your first question: Well..........Yes I am


and to answer your comment:

I said neither of these were appealing, but just based on today's walk............

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by schteve_d

"wingnut & YoYo...
I said neither of these were appealing,
but just based on today's walk............

Pretty "common", too ...

Cinder & SmokeMutt have heard those names -
MANY Times!


"DingBat" ...
"RockHead" ...
"Hey Dummie" ...
"STOPPIT"...
and a few others will come to your mind in the next few weeks.


..

[Logan]

Y'all are crazy! LOL!!!! Schteve, that name will come toyou, I'm sure of it. Congratulations on working it out to get him.

Logan

[delidog]

I agree with Phred...especially if Tasha is protective of her food....
like Phred said...you don't want the first thing...eating to be a negative experience for anybody....
if you want to leave food down all the time,first make sure that He doesn't eat so much he gets sick....you can get those containers that let food out a little at a time,and just put in a different area than Buddy and Tasha...then he'll have His space and they have theirs....

Off Leash????
You've had your guys since pups,right???
Remember he is full grown....and already has ideas of his own...I'd hate for him to run off again....Like you say,Steve....get him some Leash Training.....
also, to make You and He feel better...when you let the other 2 run.....
You can go to a Feed,Tack Store and get a 20,25 or 30 ft. longe line....it is used to exercise horses....it is thick nylon....with snap on one end...for collar....and loop on other end for you to hold onto.....he can have a Nice Romp with this,and he won't be loose....In the U.S. they cost about $10.00....
I use this on Joey all the time,so he can get some of his "Bucks" out...and get tired too!!! he comes right home and sleeps!!!!
They Really are a Great Tool...I got All of my kids Fully Grown...So I Never have them off leash.....They came with Habits....I know that they would All be good ....Till a Bunny or Squirrel ran by...then they'd be Gone!!!
I can't risk that....

Listen to Me...I feel Like I'M Getting a New Dog!!!
It is just So exciting!!!

Sounds like you have all the right goodies to start.....

You'll be Such the Proud Pop!!!

Now for a Name.....Hmmmmm....

Do you like Auggie???
Frisco???

I know,it takes time to get to know him....

Keep us posted!!!!!

[4 Dog Mother]

What I have found with dogs that have been in shelters or "on their own" is that they have not had as much to eat or as often as they like so they tend to eat everything in sight until they get used to the idea that food will always be there on a regular basis. So yes I would get a separate bowl right now and try to get him used to the idea of eating only from that bowl now. As he gets used to you and your fur-kids and they get used to him, you might gradually be able to use the one bowl. I have 6 bowls down and usually there is food in them. They eat when they want and aren't too particular about who is eating out of what bowl. We did have to revise that a bit when Snoopy started on phenabarbitol for his seizures because it made him hungry all the time and he really put on some weight. We also have 3 water bowls down.

This is very exciting! Can't wait til you get "Woody" home and we can start hearing stories about his adjustment to your home.

Oh, and some pet stores carry what they call long lines that are I think 50 feet so you can have them run well ahead of you. Might be something to see if you store has too.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by 4 Dog Mother

... some pet stores carry what they call long lines
that are I think 50 feet so you can have them
run well ahead of you.

"Long Lines" can be Sooooo much *PHUNN* for
you anna Frisky Pup!!!

You'll be *amazed* at how MANY "things" a Pup can find
to <run around> and <snarl> a Fifty Footer on!!

And while you're busy un-wrapping your end from that sign post...
Fido is Happily wrappin up a few more Rocks, Trees, Picnic Tables,
loose Twigs, a fallen Branch, and even the occasional
Slow-Moving 2-Legger who got too close!
Lotta Phunn... LOTTA Phunn!!

You can Make Yur Own for less than $10 bucks...
Go to a Home Center / Discount Hardware and get:
.. 50 or even a HUNNERT feet of 1/4" to 3/8" Nylon ROPE
.. and a $2.00 SNAP (just like is on a regular leash)

Get the SOFT, Loosly Braided style rope - not the "stiff" clothes-line
type (soft is easier on you hands!)
Tie the Snap on His End, and a loop on Your End -
and you're All Set to go <SNAG> sum Stuff in the Great Outdoors!


/s/ Phred
.

[Rachel]

Okay, I'm going to look at it from another angle. *Woody* probably isn't housebroken, right? So we got that hurdle to deal with too. Feeding *at will* might make housebreaking an extra challenge. I don't know how much adjusting it would take for your two to adapt to feedings twice a day. No, maybe not fair but theoretically not the worst of things that can happen to them. That way you can supervise the eating experience to make sure no one gets what someone else is suppose to have, etc. etc. I really do worry about the Wood Man eating himself sick. My Tucker (once a stray) would do that to this day and he has been well fed for over 5 years.

I too used the 20, 30, and 50 foot lines to let Hannah run BF (before fence). Actually I let it drag on the ground and used the *step to stop* method. I was a bit more agile 9 years ago. Don't know if I could do it now. Be aware that one can get a nasty (and infected) rope burn should dog whip around your legs and you don't jump out of the way fast enough. Hey, you're young! There is always the retractible leash which would allow a bit of leeway for Woody.

[schteve_d]

While walking Bud and Tash today I was racking my brain for a good name and I came up with "Docker", here's why:

I made an agreement with myself that in order to adopt this dog, I had to quit smoking (today is day two!), something I've been putting off for some time, so in a way, he well be saving me as much as I'm saving him.

Anyway, Docker is a shortened version of a good friends last name (Rodocker) whose wife recently passed away from lung cancer directly related to smoking.

Thinking along that theme, I started to think of other people who have died from smoking and the only other one I came up with and liked was Spencer (after Spencer Tracy) but I think I still like Docker better; it's not a bad dog name and it has meaning.

[Shelteez2]

First of all, congrats on quitting smoking. I've heard it can be pretty hard to do.

Second, I think Docker is a cute name, and it has a personal meaning to you, so that makes it even better.

[Christiansmommy]

Originally posted by schteve_d
While walking Bud and Tash today I was racking my brain for a good name and I came up with "Docker", here's why:

I made an agreement with myself that in order to adopt this dog, I had to quit smoking (today is day two!), something I've been putting off for some time, so in a way, he well be saving me as much as I'm saving him.

Anyway, Docker is a shortened version of a good friends last name (Rodocker) whose wife recently passed away from lung cancer directly related to smoking.

Thinking along that theme, I started to think of other people who have died from smoking and the only other one I came up with and liked was Spencer (after Spencer Tracy) but I think I still like Docker better; it's not a bad dog name and it has meaning.

Cute, and even Doc, for short, is cute too

[Rachel]

*Docker* will work well with your other dogs names. I was a bit concerned that Woody sounded a bit to close to Buddy. The *Doc* nickname also implies the *saving you* aspect, doesn't it?

Having also lost a good friend to lung cancer many years ago, I couldn't be more pleased to hear of your resolve to quit smoking. This thread is turning out to be a real place to find happy news.

I know both raising Docker and quitting smoking will have many challenges. Even though I don't know you personally, I want to say how proud I am of what you have set out to do.