Rudie is driving me crazy.
BUT HES DRIVING ME INSANE. 1. He has serious GI issues. For the first year we had him, following the obstruction surgery, he had major GI upset almost weekly. It really took a toll on us, and especially Dave, who was walking him at 2am all the time. Since then I've gotten him on probiotics and a good quality food that he was doing really well on. We had a 2 poop schedule down pat, and my evening walks (Dave works evenings now) were 15 minutes and super easy which was good because of my recent hip surgery. The past two weeks something has been way off. I can think of a few things that are effecting the schedule, but we're having a hard time correcting it. This week he woke us up at 3 am two nights, and 6am last night. He is now huffing and puffing at me despite having been out and pooping an hour ago. We're losing a lot of sleep over this and it's driving me insane. 2. He destroys my house. We had things under control for a while, but he literally tipped our oven over last week. What if he snapped the gas line? What if Marley was under there? These are the things I think about all day when he's alone now. We anchored the oven to the wall, but what will he find to destroy next? I don't know what to do and I am constantly anxious because of it. 3. He has no manners. He is increasingly difficult to walk because he is leash reactive to dogs and now people. The upside is that he is not aggressive and would not fight a dog he just has a loud, rude greeting/warning which people aren't really excited about. We've done several private training lessons and a group class. He was amazing in the class, it's near our house that he is like this. We also cannot add a third dog like I want because he protects "his" kitchen. I love him, but he also is not affectionate like most dogs. He will not cuddle, sit on the couch, or lay in bed with us. He's very independent and only shows his affection subtlely. Sometimes I wonder if I am giving him the best home, and if he is actually happy  |
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| And Marley's stomach gas problem that lasts for days and keeps us all up just started. I'm having a really hard week... |
| oh... soo sorry. most of us know that with our 2 legged kids, most phases pass. this sounds like an ongoing issue. I don't have any advice... maybe the "pros" will. I will say that Cambridge is a lot less Velcro than I expected. he's happy just being in the same room as us. Too hot to sleep on our bed, doesn't necessarily follow everywhere, and as often as not will play by himself. So, I guess not all sheepies are attached at the hip. |
| When the girls were little, Tonks and Luna were GREAT at the training school, and monsters at home. So I hired the trainer to come to the house. I thought the girls were going to murder me, but the trainer showed us how to get the same good behavior at home that we were getting at the school. Is this an option for you? |
| I was just going to suggest what Allison did: can you do a training session or more at your home? My dogs were usually better in class than at home. Which meant to me that I had to be better at home than I was. I made a point of repeating lessons at home, not on a regular schedule, and stepping up my expectations of their behavior. Sophie, especially sometimes still likes to try me. But I know her game and she pretty quickly figures out I won't let her get by with much. But it is work with her. Always. I can't speak to the destructiveness or GI issues. The only GI issues I've had to deal with were easily managed by either diet change or meds, depending on situation/dog. I am grateful I haven't had to deal with destructiveness, other than puppy chewing. Re: affection. Sophie is very independent for an OES. She is affectionate only on her own terms and more so in the last couple of years than every before (she's 5). Her favorite thing to do in the evening if we are sitting together on the couch is to come up and sit between us and to get us BOTH to pet her simultaneously. Even if she refused to get up on the couch with me (or hubby) 2 minutes before when there was only ONE of us on the couch. She mostly only likes to be on the bed with us to try to demonstrate ownership over us, preferably to irritate Sherman. We've never been ones to sleep with our dogs. They all, at various times, have come up on the bed with us, but it's always short term. I think they get really hot, even though I keep the house pretty cool. The only real exception is that when my son got home from the army, they all slept with him, at the same time, for months. Now, they'll just pick a kid who is home for a visit and spend part of the night with them. |
| We've had 3 lessons in our home, but they were mostly geared towards getting him to stop foraging for food. I have another lesson paid for but due to my hip surgery I postponed that part of the training. So that's kind of a vicious circle since the bad behavior is stressing my leg! As for his affection, he never comes and sits by us. He will sometimes come and rub his head on us, but he also rubs his head on the coffee table. He gets very excited when we get home, but he also demands to be fed immediately. He will play with us sometimes, and I know he loves Marley, but it's rare that we have a true affectionate moment. I like that he's independent, and I'm not a huge fan of needy dogs anyway, so it works most of the time.. but it would be nice if he would lay by me and lend some of that fluffy fur when I'm stressed out due to him being naughty! |
I don't know that I have any useful advise (except get a great dane sized crate if that relieves your guilt and padlock him in it. He tipped over the stove...?  ) Some dogs are just high maintenance and you have to love them a whole lot not to strangle them and in between that some times you just have to vent and remember why you love them. Or at least think you love them. Or are pretty sure you loved them for at least five minutes at a stretch at least once <g> Last night I told my rescue dog I understood perfectly why she was given up, and flunked out of multiple foster homes. P-E-R-F-E-C-T-L-Y. She's always a handful. She's turned my household into total chaos. She's loud, oh, my god, loud, I'm convinced I have hearing loss because of her. She, alone, is easily more work than 3-4 normal OES combined. At least. But you plug along and deal with it because she's fundamentally sweet and she deserves to have as nice a life as you can manage, and since no one else can/wants to manage for her, we're stuck with each other. For better and worse kind of thing. Last night, however, she managed a double whammy. Keep in mind, it's December, everyone's busy in December, and I'm busier than most normal Decembers, so I'm not at my patient best, right? So, first, last night, while I was trimming her feet, she kicked me in the eye. I mean, spot on, wow. I've never had a dog do that before and I was surprised how much force they pack. Did I mention: Wow!? A little later I bent down to pet another dog and she swooped in - unlike Rudie, she is the epitomy of co-dependant - and lifted her head up and slammed her skull into my other eye. I had some pretty rude things to say. Loudly. In several languages. So she got scared and jumped up on my couch and promptly peed on it...  I didn't know whether to laugh or cry so I did both. What can you do? When you're tired, or busy, or stressed, or in PAIN (recuperating) everything seems WORSE. I'm not saying you're blowing it out of proportion, because you're not. He's just a lot to deal with on a normal day and... With Dazzle I know I can keep a lid on her if I get her enough exercise and I haven't been able to do that for the last couple of months and she's well within her rights to bounce off the ceilings and swing from the chandeliers, but I so wish she wouldn't...But she is who she is, and so is Rudie. Every so often I take stock and remember how far she's come and, well, actually, that still doesn't make up for two black eyes...  Kristine |
| Heather - I saw the picture of your stove - that is BEYOND scary! He really, really does need to be crated or somehow contained. This is not just misbehaving, this is dangerous. Kristine - mayhaps Dazzle should find her way in my car next weekend and join the work crew...er, the carting team!! It makes a world of difference with Biscuit....he's actually enjoyable to live with for a day after we run! Like calm, manageable sweet (instead of overwhelming sweet), and not as bouncy!! OMG, he is also 2 black eyes waiting to happen...I've just been lucky so far....  |
| We can't crate right now because we live above and below people and the barking will be a nuisance. He also gets kind of scary when kenneled and I am afraid he will bust out and really hurt himself. We are house hunting and looking for somewhere where we can put a large kennel, or safely confine. We hope to move March 1 when our lease is up, but we've hard a hard time finding the right place. Everytime I rudie-proof he finds something even crazier to destroy... Kristine you hit the nail right on the head. I've spent the past month planning my rescue's largest fundraiser of the year which is tomorrow. I've been insanely busy and had so much to do this week. I've been really stressed out so every little thing is sending me over the edge. Thanks for your stories. It's funny when I hear about other people's annoyances with their dogs and I say "oh thank god my dog doesn't do that!" whereas I'm sure everyone else on earth is thankful that their dog doesn't do what Rudie does... |
| I have to say, I love Rudie. I know I'm not helpful, but he's so damn cute! |
| Everyone loves him. It's funny because people try so hard to pet him, hug him, play with him and he just walks away, couldn't care less about anyone or any kind of attention (unless you are scratching his ears). The only one I know he for sure loves is his sister Marley, which kind of melts my heart. Dave and I? Maybe... |
| okay, so don't have time to go back and read... and this may have already been mentioned... he sort of reminds me of an autistic child.  having said that. is there any meds youcan give him? to calm down/and focus? for his safety and your sanity? it sounds like none of the conventional widsom will help, with the neighbor situation and his issues. maybe an herbal remedy for calming or an actual med! gotta run! |
| Is daycare an option? I was going to say crate! but you mentioned that he would bother neighbors. |
| We do have a daycare that they go to sometimes. It would be too expensive to send them daily, but after he pulled the fridge out and jumped out the window I sent him there for a week. He has been a tad bit less annoying lately, and kind of sweet to me. We took him to the fundraiser I threw on Saturday and he was a freakin' celebrity. It was hilarious to watch him snub all his fans. |
HeatherRWM wrote: It was hilarious to watch him snub all his fans. I'd love to get snubbed by Rudie!  |
Baba wrote: HeatherRWM wrote: It was hilarious to watch him snub all his fans. I'd love to get snubbed by Rudie! |
| My Brooke was not into snuggling or being cozy. I think perhaps it was because she was a single puppy litter and had no litter mates to snuggle up against for warmth. But possibly it was just her personality as she was a very independent minded dog. It took some getting used to. But although she preferred not to sit on your lap, be petted in general or even hugged or kissed, I noticed she would always be NEAR me, she just preferred not to be touching. So I respected that those were clearly her wishes. But although the signs of affection were subtle, they were certainly visibly present. Different strokes for different folks, as they say. You get used to it. Brooke left us last month at 12 and 1/2 and she is sorely missed. I would love to have her at my feet, even if a foot away, right now. -Linda Z |
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