I’ve always had just one dog at a time, despite growing up with two dogs in the family and my sister always having at least three. Just recently however I’d been getting broody for a puppy -probably the result of Emily’s Labratour! My OH definitely isn’t keen, but was beginning to come round to the idea providing it was a cocker spaniel. Then I met Whisky. He’s a ten year old yellow Lab, who behaves like an insane 2 year old and he belongs to a very elderly and quite frail man, who I bumped into one day. The poor chap was desperate for help so I offered to walk Whisky and have been doing so a few times a week. I have to concentrate so hard on the walks! Thankfully Molly sticks even closer to me than usual when we have Whisky as he needs all my attention to prevent him ending up in the next county. I’ve found myself sighing with relief when I’m out just with my dear girl and thinking she’s all I want.
So it's not just chocolates that are insane . Very good of you to help out @Joy - do you think its too late to teach Whisky any manners?
Kind thing to do. Maybe the issue lies within his name (or I will just get my coat now and leave). It is however nice to read that the 10year old is full of beans and no sign of slowing down
I completely understand! I would love to get a second dog, but at the moment Lucky still requires a lot of attention. The thought of walking two dogs like Lucky is terrifying - I think I'd only be able to have one off lead at a time. I'd need the second one to just plod along next to me - but that's not the sort of dog I like! Do you think Whisky is a bit crazy because he doesn't get enough exercise and has a lot of pent up energy? Maybe it might help if his owner was able to do some things with him at home, like giving him a stuffed kong, hiding treats around the house/garden, etc?
I'd love another puppy but even walking Homer and our friends little parsons terrier together is hard work.
Aah Whiskey is so lucky to be getting these walks with you. My DH walks both dogs together - I am not so brave. Life was definitely easier with one dog but it’s more exciting with two .
Sounds like the best of both worlds, even if Whisky is hard work, at least he goes home Good of you to help out. I sometimes think I'd like another dog when Cass is 2 or 3, but it's space and cost that deter me. A friend of mine does Holidays for Dogs, which is quite appealing. But I think Cass would find it very exciting.
This is me. Exactly. We definitely need to adopt a second dog. But then I think of walking another dog with Coco. Not yet...
Good for you for helping out with Whisky. Before Molly we have always had 2 dogs and we had expected to continue to have 2 dogs but our little cocker Alfie developed a serious illness and died within a very short time. Molly was only a few months old, Alfie was 13.5. However, things are SO different just having the one dog. She expects/demands much more interaction with us than ever happened with 2 dogs and I've found I prefer it. She is far easier to train because she is always listening to us - also not picking up habits from the older dog, so I would not now have a 2nd dog.
There's nothing quite like trial runs to take the romance out of getting another pup . How lovely of you to iffer to walk Whisky @Joy . I'm sure he will quieten down with your training skills and patience - as we know you can teach an old dog new tricks, it just takes a bit longer
That’s really kind of you, I hope he settles down for your walks I think @Emily_BabbelHund ’s Labratour will spawn a few family additions! Me? I want a chihuahua! Taking all the blame is @SilverFalcon .
He’s nice natured - though does want to hump bitches - and I think really, as @lucky_dog says, his problem is just pent-up energy. I have managed to recall him a few times (and rewarded heavily with food) but he also took off once, nose down completely ignoring me, and I was really afraid I was going to lose him. He’s entire so I suppose it’s possible there’s a bitch in season nearby.
Yes, at least I can collapse in a heap at the end of it. We really don’t have the space or money for a second dog, but I had been thinking perhaps we could make it work, but I think now I’m content with one. Whisky’s owner does normally have help but for various reasons he’s suddenly without it. If this turns out to be temporary I might volunteer as a dog walker for the Cinnamon Trust.
Walking Whisky has also made me question my attitude to headcollars. I’ve always disliked them but I can see that Whisky’s owner would be pulled over without it. We meet where the dogs can go straight off-lead and after about 10 minutes energetic running about he’s willing to walk with me on a loose lead just attached to his ordinary collar. I’m trying to put him on lead for a minute now and then so that he starts to realise he’ll get to go free again.
Please volunteer if you can, I've been with cinnamon trust for around 15 years now, and they always need more volunteers.
What a great thing to do for this man and Whiskey Oh yes, I totally get this which is why Hattie and Charlie are walked separately as Charlie is so demanding on a walk, it works for us x I'm not sure I could ever do two dogs again, it's exhausting. x
