Hi all....logged in for the first time in a couple days and wow! What a lot of posts! Busily catching up and enjoying all the interactions. I faceTimed with my middle son last night. Not a great report on Simba... Luke was mad at him because Luke had left a bag of snacks in the kitchen counter and the dog ate them...all. Oreo cookies and something else...dunno what, exactly. Sigh. My hubby is looking at the bright side and thinking of how this will train the boys to put things AWAY, which is a skill they are sadly lacking . I'm feeling anxious about the whole thing though...hoping it will all be okay, feeling bad that my sons have to worry about the dog after working long days, worrying that Simba is getting bored and lonely, worried that the solution in their eyes to problems with the dog is just to leave him outside (leading of course to MORE problems)..... I am enjoying the vacation but wish I could feel more positive about all this. I know this is nothing you all can fix for me but just need to unload on people who understand (yet again)!!
Re: Checking in... Oh for the days when there was no Internet ,mobiles,iPads or Skype and you only phoned home on your holidays once a week.....if that!Sorry you didn't get great news....but you know Lisa,it wasn't bad news either....it's only the snacks that got snaffled not car keys or the tv remote...and your Hubby may well have a point....... There is nothing any of us can say that can affect how you feel,so ill just say if you are anxious try not to be TOO anxious...everything will be ok.Things won't be getting done the same as you did them I can guarantee that but as long as everybody is safe and well when you get back,success! Enjoy your holiday,theres absolutely nothing you can do from afar and don't feel guilty,circumstances dictated you took Simba when you did,yo u didn't bring this on the boys x
Re: Checking in... I know!!! Thanks, Angela .... Just need a bit of hand holding....trying not to go down too many "what if" paths.... One day at a time. I'm on vacation and I'm going to enjoy it!! So there!!!
Re: Checking in... I think it's going to be a great bonding experience for Simba and your boys. You wait - you'll come home and they'll start telling YOU what you should and shouldn't be doing with him! Just try and relax.
Re: Checking in... What they said He only ate some Oreos, not fell down a mine shaft (HE IS NOT GOING TO FALL DOWN A MINE SHAFT). Don't worry about Simba. He is safe and fine (and full of Oreos). If you had not come along, this dog would have gone to a shelter (as you have said). Who knows where he would have ended up after that. You quite likely actually saved his life. Against that background, if he is a bit bored and lonely for a little while then it doesn't matter. If he needs a bit of 'back to basics' then you know you have the skills. He will be totally fine So relax and enjoy your holiday
Re: Checking in... Hi Lisa, I wanted to assure you that Simba isn't a patch on my Charlie (Lab x Pointer) who we rescued at 9 months and is now 2 1/2 years old, we have been literally to hell and back with him but we are getting there. I couldn't begin to list all the things Charlie ate so a packet of Oreos is nothing believe me. Try to relax and I bet your boys will have done a great job looking after Simba. I have a house full of teenagers and they always take care of Hattie and Charlie when we aren't here. Enjoy the rest of your holiday and try to come back with a clear head and be positive to enable you to get on with consistent training for Simba and I PROMISE you will get there. I was desperate on more than one occassion. Helen x
Re: Checking in... [quote author=charlie link=topic=1982.msg16573#msg16573 date=1373705664] I was desperate on more than one occassion. Helen x [/quote] She was, she really was! And now she has Charlie The Wonder Dog, who is going to wipe the floor with the competition when she enters him into his first obedience trial... And with perseverance (and a bit of support from us) you'll get there too. 8)
Re: Checking in... Thanks Karen but if you read my recent thread 'Socialisation has gone to pot' you may well retract those words I think we are a million miles away from any kind of competition if Charlie can't cope with other dogs. Lisa, believe me I got more than a bit of support and you will too ;D Helen x
Re: Checking in... Read the other post afterwards, Helen. But I'm sure you'll get it sorted - you've dealt with so much with Charlie, you can beat this one too, I am certain.
Re: Checking in... Thanks all...as I've said, I wouldn't have made it this far without you all. Talking with the boy last night....we'll owe him a pair of flip flops when he comes down to visit us...Simba destroyed both his pairs.... It's a bit of a pickle - my oldest, Josh, whose girlfriend had Simba to start with, is much more on board with the whole dog program. Luke sees Simba as more of a nuisance, which I can't exactly blame him with the nipping, growling, biting/grabbing at hands, eating, destroying....etc, etc, ETC!!!! But Luke is trying to be a help all the same, bless him. BUT of course Josh's job is taking him away on the weekends, leaving Luke as doggie caregiver...the one who really doesn't much care to do it. But in talking with him last night I really tried to encourage him to spend time with Simba and do some training, etc....he is going to try, I think. Sigh. It's hard but nothing I can do from here. Poor Luke....HIS job is requiring him to leave the house at 4:30 AM, and as I've previously discussed, Simba doesn't like going outside at the best of times. Being shoved and manhandled (and trying to protest with his teeth)'outside at 4:30 AM is NOT helping the whole "bonding with the dog" program.... :-\ Helen, thanks for the encouragement....think I might have to go back and find some of those threads!!
Re: Checking in... Oh this isn't easy at all is it ....when does Luke come and join you?I think that week Simba goes into board might be the most relaxed you feel.I think this is how it's going to be ,you coaching the boys from afar especially Luke to keep his pecker up....but that is really all you can do.its too easy to say don't worry because I know that you are ,whatever is happening now will have a line drawn under it when you get back and you'll smooth Simba out.You might have the colly wobbles in your tummy now but you will feel a lot more relaxed about training Simba when you get back as you haven't got the pressure of the holiday coming up.....Simba will sense that too and respond.You had the countdown ticking away all the time before you left.Hope you have a lovely day today doing something really nice,and I hope the ac hasn't been playing up again!
Re: Checking in... Definitely the week the boys are here and Simba's at the boarding kennel will be the most relaxed I get!! AC issues not solved completely... Still sorting out how it's all going to be fixed (we have a temporary solution now) and still might to come home a little early. BUT assuming all goes well Josh joins us Aug 1-8 and Luke Aug 4-11. So Simba's boarding Aug. 3-9. If we all survive that long.... On the plus side...pool is lovely.... ;D ;D
Re: Checking in... enjoy the break......back to basics when you get home,.......he will settle soon , then they will all be fighting over who sleeps with simba the wonder dog
Re: Checking in... Ha ha doubt it, Lynne!! Had a long text from Luke about how bad Simba was this weekend, not listening to him, etc. Apparently, among other things happening, Simba destroyed the TV remote....sigh. Luke should know better to leave it somewhere Simba could have got at it...but I just feel so bad he's having such trouble, although I'm not surprised. This is so hard! I sent a long text back trying to encourage him, but not much else I can do from here. My oldest son will be home tonight...hopefully he will take over some of the doggy care and give Luke a break. :'( :'( :'(
Re: Checking in... Oh Lisa,hope I didn't bring that on...... 'Sorry you didn't get great news....but you know Lisa,it wasn't bad news either....it's only the snacks that got snaffled not car keys or the tv remote...' :-[ Don't know how to highlight in blue like others when they quote from an earlier post... Lets hope Rachael isn't a prophet either : He only ate some Oreos, not fell down a mine shaft (HE IS NOT GOING TO FALL DOWN A MINE SHAFT). I know that Simba has come to you from owners that were finding him too much but any chance of Josh's girlfriend taking a watch.....just to give the boys a hand?Probably a pointless suggestion as I guess if it was an option you would have used it,because you did organize this as much as you possibly could,so don't lose sight of that. I feel for you.Checking in is all you can do and letting the boys vent to you,even if its giving you pain in the brain......BIG TIME !
Re: Checking in... Sounds like Simba is having all the fun......but your boys are probably doing just fine and having a bit of a moan when they get the chance. Sometimes the boys and the dog will just have to man up and get on with it bless them all ;D Do enjoy your holiday it will be ok!! (Says the woman who still hasn't found a kennel she's prepared to leave her beloved dog in and therefore has no holiday booked!)
Re: Checking in... Oh dear Lisa..... I DO hope you are enjoying your holiday and not worrying ALL of the time jac
Re: Checking in... Ha ha Angela....thankfully no mine shafts around.... ;D I would love to have the girlfriend help out with doggie care, and truthfully she would love it too as it was her mom whom she lives with that laid down the law re: Simba but unfortunately she lives an hour and a half away, so not possible. However, I woke up this AM determined to stop whining to you all and to enjoy my time here in this beautiful place, for as long as we can. We are having AC issues which ultimately are going to involve a rather extensive repair (replacing the lines that run through the walls of the condo - and this is a duplex so not just us involved) so lots of things up in the air re:the vacation anyways. And yes, I do think that Simba is the one having all the fun....while the boys were trying to program the universal remote they got from Walmart he ate the instruction manual... : Okay, even I can laugh about that one!!!
Re: Checking in... Just think of Helen as she emerged from the thorn bush reinforcing a PMA about keeping us keeping a sense of humour!And you have always done that Lisa in how you have written your posts,even in your darkest moments......what about Dexters last 24 hours.....randy lad!only nature taking its course ,but oh Lordy !I've had a really easy ride so far so it was a shock to the system!Having felt the Power of the Dex....Simba on Testosterone would have been a resource governments would have tapped into for weapon development... You never whine....if you did ,I would wait until you were silent before I responded..... Wouldn't want to reward undesirable behaviour!!! ;D ;D ;D I'm sorry that you've got maintenance issues and really hope you get it sorted as i know its uncomfortable( and expensive ???)but God works in mysterious ways......if its looking likely that you will be back early though,really try to enjoy your time away while you can.when Simba is the wonder dog he will become you will look back and think it was a shame you didn't enjoy and make the most of this break you deserve x
