Re: [IRLGuideDogs] Viv
- From: "Joan Ann Brosnan" <joanannbrosnan@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <irlguidedogs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 22:38:16 +0100
Hi Alison
That's brilliant news about Clint, well done.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your update about Viv who sounds like an energetic
dog who will keep you very busy for the next while.
Look forward to hearing more.
good luck
Joan Ann.
----- Original Message -----
From: Alison Flack
To: irlguidedogs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 10:26 PM
Subject: [IRLGuideDogs] Viv
Just to bring you all up to date on my news. The big news is that Clint has
been matched with a lovely lady who, I think, is a first time guide dog owner.
They tell me she is a lovely lady who is tall with long fair hair just like
Clint but I think they may be pulling my leg! Either way I wish them all the
best together.
I now have my work cut out with Viv. I was delighted to get a German
Shepherd pup again as I really love those dogs, they are great fun, always with
you and very intelligent. The down side is they are awful as pups as they need
constant attention and stimulation to keep them amused, in fact they demand
attention which is great when you are not busy doing something else like
cooking or cleaning and as for gardening it is a disaster as they continually
want to help and insist on doing some digging for you. Viv is a demon for
water and is also very intelligent, she knows I do not allow her in the garden
pond but you can see her walk past and just accidentally slip in. she then
climbs out looking contrite only to run off with a smile on her face and I feel
she has just got one over on me again.
Her house training was a disaster initially but suddenly one day it clicked
and she is now great except for night time and that is another battle but no
doubt it will come. The big problem I have with Viv is she is very car sick, I
have tried the Dap spray which Ken Brydon gave me, initially it seemed to work
but is not so great now so I have attached a static strip to the car bumper and
we will see how that goes. At the moment it is just too hot to have a pup in
the car anyway.
When I do get her to the shops she is excellent and loves to parade around
and inspect everything. She is the complete opposite to Clint as a pup as she
has no interest in talking to people at all she just wants to observe things
and people. Just wait until she grows a bit bigger and everyone will avoid
her, people seem to be very afraid of Shepherds particularly the black ones yet
children really love them and come over to hug them with no fear at all, but
their parents are freaking. It is a big problem,as the children really need to
be taught to respect dogs but parents seem to think teaching the children to
fear dogs is the way to go which is sad.
The other problem we are battling with Viv is her mouthing, she still has
needles for teeth and wants to chew everything including your hand, she is
better but we have a long way to go. I keep getting her chew bones and toys
but she hides them all over the garden and only 'finds' them when she want to
and not when I need them to amuse her. As we have a large garden this is
becoming a problem. I really need to train Poppy to find them all for me.
Poppy is now 12 and is finding the heat a killer, she will go for a walk with
us in the morning but has no interest in a second walk in the evening and if I
insist she comes she manufactures a limp and pus on a hang dog look until we
give in and leave her at home for some peace from Viv.
Our poor cat is also suffering from Viv's attention, she has tried everything
to stop Viv from annoying her and trying to pull her off chairs by pulling her
tail and now at last has started to retaliate and take out the claws in order
to win, one of these days Viv will get a good scratch on her nose and it will
serve her right and I hope teach her a lesson. But being a typical shepherd
when anything hurts her she just howls and howls till you think there really is
something badly wrong with her and when you give her some attention or a hug
she is miraculously cured.
Hopefully by the next time I write we will have cured some of these problems
and moved on to others!!
She is a street angel and house devil and we love her.
Alison and Viv
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