Re: Is this a good idea??? He really does sound like a lovely dog. I'm sure he'll make someone very happy You're doing a great job. Pity about the terrier, but good to know that Ezra is calm under fire!
Re: Is this a good idea??? He seems to be doing so well! You've done a good job to be reporting waggy tail, saying hello to strangers and being calm with an annoying terrier. You should be proud.
Re: Is this a good idea??? It must be lovely to see him relaxing and gaining confidence .....AND leaving the cat alone ;D
Re: Is this a good idea??? Hiya. Thought i would give a little ezra update. He is still here with us. He is a poppet. He is really good in the house and much better with the cat. He no longer goes in his crate, he hates it and barks so he just goes in his bed in the kitchen at night and if i leave him in the day I used to shut him in the kitchen with the babygate but he can somehow open that now so I just leave him and Murphy loose. All ezra does is sleep anyway. I let him off lead on a group wallk with my friend and her 2 labs and a springer, as well as murphy and he had a great time playing nicely with the other dogs and he didnt roam too far away luckily. He did go a little lame after running about but I think the is because he has a little arthritis or something in his back legs as he walks stiffly on them anyway. He also came on a huge group walk with me and murohy yesterday with all the vet nurses from my sisters work and their dogs (10 altogether!) it was 2 labs, a springer, a cocker, ezra and 5 border terriers! I kept ezra on the lead for that as we were at westonbirt arboretum and i dontknow it well at all. Murphy was off the whole time and fine as he recalls well 99% of the time (apart from when he decideds to run across a cattle grid int he far distance! I nearly had a hear attack but luckily he didnt hurt himself!). Ezra is scared of the hoover. The first time i hoovered upstairs, i came down to find him cowering in his crate and wouldnt come out. My husband hoovered oblivious to ezras fear and i came home to find ezra cowering behind the sofa . Today I hoovered upstairs first amd kept an eye on ezra on the sofa, he looked scared and was shaking but didnt move to begin with. But when i did the top of the stairs he moved, and when i came down he was shaking by the back door. I let him out in the garden and shut him and murphy out there whilst i hoovered downstairs. When i opened the back door i couldnt see him and had to go out with a torch and he was curled up in a tiny ball shaking behind my big bamboo. He wouldnt come in for ages either. I think i underestimated his fear and will need to do some stuff with him to make him less scared. Id have thougt hed have picked up that murohy isnt scared int he slightest but seems not. Sorry for the ramble!
Re: Is this a good idea??? Sounds like such a lovely boy You can definitely help him overcome his fear of the vacuum. I'd make a recording of it. First, bring the vaccuum out (switched off) and use food or toys to get Ezra to approach it. Might take a few sessions if he is also afraid of the sight of the vacuum. Once he's ok with that, play the recording of the vacuum at the lowest volume you can still detect, feeding treats if he is ok. Over successive sessions, gradually turn the sound up. You can play it softly as they have their dinner. Just go really slow. Until he has improved perhaps one of you can walk the dogs while the other vacuums, so Ezra doesn't have to be exposed to the Real Thing before he can cope with it
Re: Is this a good idea??? Really love getting your updates! You are doing such a good job, preparing him to live in a home - it's a bit sad that he'd scared of the hoover, I hope you get him over it, but it's all great experience for you. It must make you so tuned in to dogs and their behaviours. He sounds to be doing so well! All those dogs and strange places to walk. Good boy Ezra!
Re: Is this a good idea??? He sounds like he's doing well, what a little sweetie! Rachael's advice for the hoover sounds like a good way to go to help him overcome his fear. Good luck with that!
Re: Is this a good idea??? A lady and her daughter came to see Ezra today. Shes already got a 5 year old cocker and she wants to get him a mate as her older dog died. They seemed to really like Ezra, but they are looking at a couple of other dogs from the same rescue first before they make their decision, which is fair enough as dont want them changing their mind. They seemed really lovely, the daughter has 2 cockers herself and they also have rescue horses, sheep and chickens! Im not sure if they are going to have himthough. Couldnt tell! Also have just had a good training session introducing sit to Ezra. I have wanted to do it since we got him but it has proven impossible to lure him into a sit and i never have any treats to hand when he does sit. But today i thogught id give it a go again, so i stood with a handful of treats (murphy straight away plonked himself down in front of me!) and i just waited, and waited and murphy also waited and waited and then ezra suddenly sat so i quuckly gave him a treat (and murohy too). I then walked into another room to get ezra to follow me, and then waited and waited and he sat so i gave him a treat. He then wouldnt move from the sit despite me coaxing him lol, and anyway to cut a long story short he eventually got it and everytime i moved he came and sat in front of me and i treated. Murphy thought it was the best game in the world as i treated themboth at the same time once ezra sat. Im really pleased and will do another session later and see if he remembers. X
Re: Is this a good idea??? Hehe, they pick it up pretty quickly once they understand. Shadow figured out that he got a treat for coming back to either one of us and sitting, so now he spends his walks trotting between the two of us, sitting down and waiting for treats! He's not daft
Re: Is this a good idea??? You are doing a fantastic job! I just love seeing those tiny achievements, they mean so much don't they
Re: Is this a good idea??? Ah he's going to be a lovely special dog for the right family,good job Frankie x
Re: Is this a good idea??? Argh!!! Weve been out tonight as I was singing at a christmas party, we left just after 6, i had someone popping in at 8.30 to let them out and then we got back at 10.30. Apparently all was ok at 8.30, but when we just got home, Ezra was no where to be seen, so i called hi, and then there was an all mighty crash, the sound of running, hisses and snarls. I ran upstairs to find him chasing the cat, everything trashed where the cat had obviously been tryiong to get away, and so i went uo shouting (i was petrifid harry was going to be hurt), ezra went all submissive lying down on the floor, and the cat was petrified under the desk. My husband called Ezra downstairs and then i managed to drag the cat out who then held onto me so tight. He was obviously so scared. I dont know what to do now. Recently weve been letting them all run loose whilst we are out as, ezra can open the babygate, and I wasnt keen on shutting him in the kitchen onhis own with murohy in the living room with the cat. The cat tends to stay upstairs and ezra down. But that has all changed now! I am half tempted to get the rescue to move him because that has really freaked me out and its really not fair for Harry to be so scareD in his own home. But feel thats a cop out too. argh murphy has been more anxious and stressed too. Feel crap
Re: Is this a good idea??? Oh dear, so sorry to hear this, Frankie. At this point I would say it would be a good idea to have a long chat with the rescue place. You have done a lovely thing for this dog and shown him that people can be trusted and that good things can happen in his life. But if you are stressed with having him and you are not planning on keeping him, no one will blame you if you feel it is time for him to move on. Don't feel bad!! You've done such a good job with him, try not to beat yourself up about it all. Hugs to you, hope you feel better about it all soon.
Re: Is this a good idea??? That must've been very stressful. You poor thing!! Is there a way you can keep the baby gate shut when you are out? Padlock?
