Agression

Well I'm starting to take seriously Xena's growling. I was thinking that it may because she is sick. But, I just read a good article about dogs and aggression and can now see she has had the early signs of an aggressive dog right from the beginning.

1. She was a puppy who didn't like to be around other dogs, quite scared.

2. She growled at us when we she was little but we did what the trainer said and put food on her nose.

3. She attacked my youngest daughters head while she watched TV

4. She has growled at me when I didn't put her food bowl down- fast enough the other day. She was in the sit/ stay position at the time.

5. She growled at my oldest daughter last night when she came through the sun room door (where Xena was) into the living area (No Xena zone)

6. She blocked the doorway and growled at older daughter this morning.


Xena will do what a male asks her to do but doesn't do what I ask unless the rewards are high.

I am positive that the vet is correct. She needs training for a dominant dog. I don't think she should be around my children any more. I feel there is too much risk. She is medium sized puppy now and big teeth haven't come through yet. I don't trust her at all with my girls anymore.

I'm disappointed because everything I read about ridgebacks they are fine with children. But, maybe its in the training.

I don't have the skills to deal with a large, dominant dog. I can be honest about that. I also have children, who come before a dog.

If my partner was here I am sure he could have this pack order thing sorted out very quickly and he wouldn't have a problem getting her to do what he wants. But he is not here and cant expect me to be him in his place if I don't have that personality. I don't know of any trainers here in this little city that could trainer her... being that rewards only training is the politically correct thing here.

Therefore, the stress of a dog that has allergies, a dog that is trying to become pack leader, a dog that in a month or two will have big, sharp teeth and a dog that is not respecting us has lead me to the following decision...

I need to give her up. She needs a male owner who has had large dominant dogs before. We aren't the right people for her.

And no matter how much we love her or how some people will think that we are awful for not continuing with her.

MY CHILDREN COME FIRST.

And Xena has had a good start, a lot of love and care and has at least learnt to be fine with other dogs and some basic training.

Clothes on the Line

Xena has discovered that pulling clothes off the line is a lot of fun. It's not so fun for me to rewash over and over. I hang them out, she brings them down soon after I go inside.

Amazingly I don't have endless time to guard my clothes line. I will be setting up some repellent traps for her, meanwhile I have a heap of washing to do and she will have to go on the chain until they are dry.

If she was at home by herself all day I could understand. But we are here and going out to play with her quite often.

She is not happy when we go inside without her. This morning my 12 year old played with her for about 20 minutes. Then she tried to come into the house to have her breakfast and Xena blocked the back door and started growling at her so she wouldn't go in the house.

I really do think Xena's personality has changed since that bee sting. She isn't the same dog no matter what the reasons for it are. I don't let the youngest daughter go outside to her anymore.

I spoke to her trainer and the girls need to drop treats into her food bowl.

We will keep working on it.

Where Puppies Go When They Pass Away

There is a bridge connecting heaven and earth
It is called Rainbow Bridge because of its many colours



Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge there is a land of meadows,
hills, valleys with lush green grass



When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this special place
There is always food and water and warm spring weather



The old and frail are young again
Those who are maimed are made whole again



They play all day with each other
There is only one thing missing



They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth
So each day they run and play until the day comes
when one suddenly stops playing and looks up !



The nose twitches !
The ears are up !
The eyes are staring !
And this one suddenly runs from the group !


You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet,
you take him or her into your arms and embrace



your face is kissed again and again,
and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet



Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated

Author Unknown

I just met the nicest vet since James Heriott!

I took Xena to the vet near our house because I couldn't get an appointment in at the other vet. I hadn't found this out until we drove there. All the way she was licking my face, looking out at the motorcycles, pedestrians and cars. She was looking so adorable and being such a good girl. I held it together well. I knew I had to do what had to be done. But I enjoyed the car ride with her. I almost drove off and went to the beach with her but stopped myself. Can't keep putting it off.

I was day dreaming and wishing that Xena and I could have gone for our walks and just hung out together like mates. I arrived at the vet clinic. It's just a little place, tucked away at the end of an old row of shops. It has a couple of large trees shading the car park and some shrubbery planted in the entry... which of course Xena romped through.


We went inside and wow, what a lovely cosy little waiting room. It felt so homely. I could have been sitting in Grandmas sun room! There was a big old Golden Retriever inside, whom Xena wanted so much to cuddle. But, out of respect for the older dog I kept her away. There's a time and place for everything.

I had expected Xena to be a bundle of super dog enthusiasm but she was being rather well behaved. She still needed to do her hound dog thang and sniff every surface before flopping down at my feet.

You remember how I told you Xena seems to prefer males to female humans. Well usually she does the whole big uncontrollable puppy thing to the female vets she has seen and they go grab all their nurses and try to hold her down.

Not this vet. He came out. An older gentleman with snowy white hair and crystal blue eyes. I noticed he didn't have even a line on his face, which means he is either a very calm person or he's had botox. He kind of made me think of a fit, shaved Santa Claus. LOL.

She followed him into his room. He scooped her up and popped her nicely on the table and gave her a pat and told her to sit (once). She sat there as her checked her ears and looked in her eyes. Only getting up to have a thermometer stuck up her bum... which she didn't seem to mind at all hehe.

Xena has lost 5kg (about 11lbs) since the bee sting 4 1/2 days ago. He said the medicine wears off after about 12 hours so he didn't think her sudden 'turns' were due to the bee sting.

He did think that the reasons for her 'turns' was due to her being irritated by the hives and unable to focus on commands from us. He also felt that she may be beginning her teenage 'Need to find her place in the pack and that she is going through a dominance thing.'

Which, is so nice to hear because you just don't hear people talk about training dominant breeds of dogs anymore. He told me he didn't believe that Xena had a bad bone in her body nor did he believe that food reward based training would be effective for her, no matter how much she loves food because... well "she's just not a beagle"! (his words lol)

So this is the plan of action.

1. Low does antihistamine medication 1 tablet ever day. But she can have up to 4 tablets in a day if the hives show up. He thinks the hives are environmental like pollens and this should help her as she builds her immunity up. She should also start eating again as she wont be feeling so sick. This won't be long term as they aren't good for her long term. But probably till she's 6 months old.

2. A new dog trainer, who understands the training of Dominant breeds of dogs. Although I will continue with the classes she is already in as well. The vet said Xena's rewards should be attention and affection. If she isn't behaving- she gets none of that from us.

3. At home- she needs to know her place in the pack. The only thing that has changed around the same time as the bee sting was me letting her in the house. Since then she has been rivaling with my youngest daughter. So no more coming in the house.

4. No more puppy milk or milk products. 90% of the time this is what causes diarrhea. She doesn't need them (regardless of what the manufactures say) and can get her calcium from other sources.

Of course all this means is that my partner, who has had a lot of big dogs in his life and has been saying this all along, was right and I was wrong.

So I called him and told him so. But you know what, he didn't even care... he was just so happy she was alright and didn't have to be put to sleep.

Final Days

I will be taking Xena to the vet tomorrow morning. The girls are going out for the day and I will let them know Xena needs to go see the vet for observation. This will give them a chance to say goodbye without being upset all day.

I have decided I will tell them the truth about putting her down. They need to know. I will have the day to cry and can deal with their tears in the evening.

I wish I had been able to take Xena to the beach. We never got to go. I think she would have loved running on the sand.

She will never know what spring feels like either.

I'm going to cry again. She brought a lot of joy and laughter into our lives and although everything in me is trying to find ways to avoid tomorrow, it has to be done.

***

Next morning...

I cried almost all of yesterday. I don't usually cry... not much of a crier at all. Woke up with swollen eyes. Xena hadn't eaten her dinner and isn't touching her breakfast either.

What confuses me is that she still has enough energy to look bright and happy to see us. She is behaving very normally although her condition is clearly not good.

I don't know what to do anymore.

I rang another vet (where she had her emergency treatment) and they suggested she may have food allergies. That this bee sting allergy could have made her allergic to everything and she could try a 6 week elimination diet and use only hypoallergenic dog food and added 'but if you can't be bothered.' !!! God that pissed me off. Its not about not being bothered. I am watching my dog deteriorate in front of my eyes and I don't want to mess about for the next 6 weeks while she's in pain.

At the same time I wish I didn't have to put her down. I looked up allergies and the food elimination diet can take up to a year to figure it all out. It is also less effective than the shots she has already had.

If the shots she has already had are ineffective then it is just masking the problem.

Allergies are a symptom of internal problems like low immunity / hormonal problems the dog may already have. Dogs with severe allergies (like Xena) usually go through these sets of different vet tests/ treatments etc.... but still are suffering until by 2 years old they are in so much suffering they are put to sleep.

I don't want my dog used as a guinea pig, drugged up and having to endure needles and discomfort only to make my vet richer and to have to put her to sleep anyway.

I also wouldn't give my dog up to a vet because I wouldn't want her ending up in some animal testing lab. No that that was on offer, I'm just saying.

I just want to do what is right for my dog. The whole moralistic, ethical and humane debate is doing my head in. If there was any way for her to live a healthy life free from pain and drugs I would take it.

I wouldn't dump her on a shelter either. I think shelter staff have enough to deal with with the unloved dogs of the world, let alone taking my loved one. It's not fair on staff or their very limited budget and it may take another dogs space that really needs it. Xena is also a fearful dog. She has improved but I'm sure she would revert into her shell and be terrified in an animal shelter.

Oh anyways. It's morning and I'm still not at the vet yet. Once again I'm putting it off and trying to contact some more people to get more opinions to see if I've missed anything. I don't want to put her to sleep only to find out later it wasn't necessary.

Midday...

Xena has still not eaten her breakfast. She is sleeping a lot and when she is up is a bit listless. I told my eldest daughter that we will probably have to put her down. She took that quite well. She wants to be there when it happens. I'm not sure about that. Right now she's is sitting outside with Xena, hand feeding. The dog is nibbling a little and wanting lots of cuddles and petting. Xena has always been an affectionate dog but the last couple of days even more so, when her new Mr Jeckle personality doesn't pop up and start growling.

Xena even lept up and mouthed my eldest on the cheek yesterday but there was no growling. My daughter was hurt and thought she was bleeding but wasn't.

She got me in the evening too, seemed like she wanted a hug then mouthed at my face. It hurt but didn't break the skin. As it didn't seem to be meant to be aggressive- just naughty mouthing which she hasn't done before we weren't to concerned.

But she snapped at my youngest last night which was accompanied by a terrible growl and I raced in and shoved her away from my daughter's skull/ hair... guess what, my daughter still wanted to play with Xena! These a brief Mr Jeckle turns and go as quickly as they came. Of course I'm not letting the younger one go near her at all now.

The only reason I am letting my older daughter is because she has always loved animals and has been waiting a couple of years to be old enough to volunteer work with them. I think she needs to take it as it comes. She has a very calm and quiet nature and most animals like her. If I told her not to it would be like saying I didn't believe she was capable of caring for a sick animal and really I think she is. I think she is exactly the type of caring person and animal would want around it when its feeling unwell.

Xena is sneezing a lot today. We also noticed her doggy odour is really strong to where you can smell it a meter away from her. She usually doesn't have a strong smell. Her lumps, which we now know are hives, are inceasing in number as well.

My son pulled me up about 30 minutes ago... "Mum, go take the dog and have it put down. Your just putting it off."

5pm Kisses and a Hand Shake

Do dogs know when to say goodbye? I now believe they do. I went outside and washed Xena. Her skin is loose on her belly. No matter how much I wish she would get better, she isn't.

The girls played with her and she ran around with them a while. She sneezed some and her eyes are a bit crusty.

Then I took some final photos of her with the kids. She gave them lots of cuddles. Then I ws talking to Xena as she sat in front of me and she raised her paw. As I have never taught her to shake hands I thought maybe there was a problem and checked it. The girls clicked a photo. She began kissing my face. And I let her. Kiss, kiss, kiss. I swear this dog is killing me.

My kids were disgusted in an 'ewe mum don't you know she licks her bum ewweee' way but you know I honestly didn't care. I really felt like she was saying goodbye.

6pm Mr Jeckle Returns.

I took Xena's food out and she growled and lunged at me. I had to push her away with my foot. Not hard, she paused and looked at me in a confused way like she hadn't done anything. I left her to eat and went back later as she was fine again.

I'm sitting in here crying. I know its time. I know tonight will be her last night home. And for some silly reason the song Ruby Tuesday comes to mind.

So here it is.... Good bye Xena.


She would never say where she came from
Yesterday don't matter if it's gone
While the sun is bright or in the darkest night
Nobody knows she goes and goes

Goodbye ruby tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still i'm gonna miss you

Don't question why she needs to be so free
She'll tell you it's the only way to be
She just can't be chained
To a life where nothing's gained
And nothing's lost at such a cost

Goodbye ruby tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still i'm gonna miss you

There's no time to lose i heard her say
Catch your dreams before they slip away
Dying all the time lose your dreams
And you will lose your mind ain't life unkind?

Goodbye ruby tuesday
Goodbye ruby tuesday
Still i'm gonna miss you

Goodbye ruby tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still i'm gonna miss you miss you



Next Day

Yes I know... the days are passing by.

Anyone who didn't know Xena wouldn't have thought she was sick this morning. Not the way she was pinging around the back yard like superdog. Ripping the clothes from the line, ignoring my requests for her to 'leave it' and tearing around like a lunatic dog.

But that's the thing... that isn't the Xena we know. Normally Xena is an excitable dog who races up to us and scoots in on her bum for petting. She will jump around all happy but about 2 meters away from us as she she's her food. Then she will sit and wait for me to give her the command to eat. She doesn't move until I say 'eat.'

Today she was not racing up to us, she was simply racing all over the place. even my 12 year old came in totally exasperated saying she was totally out of control this morning, but 'is she better or not cuz one minute she's sick and weak and the next she's crazy?!'

All I can say is... she isn't the Xena we know and I still believe she is not well. But when I see her all energized I think to myself God, how can I put her down? Except that I am also wondering if she was left with some brain damage from that bee sting because you may as well just through all her puppy classes and obedience work out the window. She is acting like a completely untrained, well... kinda wild dog!

The girls have gone out for the day and I looked out the window at Xena and watched her a while. She was laying down but looked very 'on guard' and twitched her head to any sound. She is acting so strange. I'm a little scared of her right now.

And I am so confused. I think I have gone through so many enotions in the last 4 days.

Sadness, extreme sadness
Barganing with myself
Wishful thinking
Denial
Fear
Anger- at myself for allowing myself into taking the 'runt' for buying an unregistered dog, for buying a dog from the paper
Disapointment
Feeling sorry for myself- why my dog, why after all this training and care and love
More anger- Its not fair, some people have dogs they abuse and dont love that have long miserable lives- why my dog, she's so young
Betrayal- Why are vets so expensive, why do they do things the way they do them
Guilt- at not taking her to be put down earlier, guilt cuz maybe its still to early

None of these rational or logical but unavoidable feelings.


And most of all - all those feelings totally mixed up.

And what's worse is

I know its NOT about me at all. It's about the dog and that makes me feel even more guilty!

Then I wonder things that only prove I am as going as crazy as the dog...

Why do I have a staue of St. Francis in my house - if it isn't working (mind you the cats ok so I wont be getting rid of it)

Maybe someone put 'the evil eye' on us (totally superstcious)

Where is God in all of this?

Where is God in all of this?

I have to keep my faith to pull through this.

Now Im crying again.

I am going to take her now. If I can catch her to get a lead on her. I hope she doesn't bite me. She's all over the place she may just give me kisses.

Time to go.

And you know what.... I've had long term partners I've loved less than this dog. She has taught me to love and to cry. Wow how dogs can touch you.

Kissing From the Other Side of the Window

I will lick your face and tease your hair..
I will,
I will :o)

Over Phone Vet Consulation

I have spoken to Xena's vet. The diarrhea and vomiting are a problem and he wants her to stay overnight for testing. That would be an overnight stay $500 +

The severity of Xena's bee sting allergies put her at high risk of having to be taken in for shots several times a year. Clearly as the injections haven't worked completely she will have to have them again.

We talked about this and it is going to add up to $1000s each year. It is a severe life long condition. She will be suffering and even the medicines will cause damage in the high doses she will need.

He recommended I take her to an animal shelter. I said no, because the next person who gets her will end up putting her down anyway due to the expenses.

I also said because she is my dog and shes a good dog and I don't want her suffering to continue on over time. The medications cant fix this problem, they can only help her not to die from it. She is still a weak and sick dog.

He said I need to bring her in soon due to the vomiting and diarrhea. Really the only kind thing we can do is have her euthanized and the vet agreed and said he was sorry.

I got off the phone with him and bawled my eyes out. I tried to phone the breeders to check if the parent dogs had any known allergies/ conditions that may help us but they weren't there. I called Xena's dog trainer but shes off work till tomorrow due to Easter.

I spoke to my eldest daughter about Xena's illness but haven't told her about putting her to sleep. She wouldn't be able to handle it and right now I'm trying to keep myself together emotionally.

I told her that is we gave her up to the vet then he could find someone who works in that field to take her and they'd be able to give her the medicines she will need. She seemed ok with that.

I had to go run some errands and cried in the car. Ive come home now. I feel numb. How can I take her back to the place that she was born, to the people that held her a she was cut from her mothers womb and ask them to put hold her with me while she dies?

I should be taking her now but can't bring myself to do it. I want more time with her. I mean you know when you get a dog that one day it will die,but you hope that its after they've had a long life.

You wonder things.... I wonder if Xena ever would have survived in the wild as a natural dog, with her mothers csarian, with her extreme nervousness when I first bought her. With her severe bee sting allergy. It's unlikely.

What's sad is that with all the work put in, the puppy classes, obedience school, training and lots of love she really has become a wonderful dog who was well loved by family and friends.

And it just hurts.

Update on Bee Allergy

Well its the long Easter weekend. I will be taking Xena to the vet tomorrow to see what can be done about her bee and secondary unknown allergy.

Since Good Friday, when I raced her half dead to the emergency vet, she has improved but there are still problem.

She was very weak the first night and rested in her kennel.

The next morning she was pinging off the walls and seemed back to normal. Except that she started growling at my youngest daughter. I put it down to the steroids- I don't believe that steroids are a good thing... Ive seen how it can turn decent people rather aggressive and zombie like too!

The following day she seemed to have lower energy (drugs worn off I guess)but her growling has become worse and I wont let the youngest daughter go out with her. She is still being friendly and happy to see us but she has 'turns' in her personality that weren't there before. She refused to eat all day which I don't think is good for food loving ridgeback. I was able to tempt her with a sausage. In the afternoon I let her sleep in the sun room with us all there watching TV and she suddenly started growling at youngest daughter and barking at her for no reason. I moved the dog outside. I kept her in her kennel again to rest over night.

Today she has continuing diarrhea, is off her food and rapidly loosing weight. She is vomiting up whitish clear liquid even when she drinks water. She was always a slim dog but now looks like a bag of bones. Her personality this today seems OK but very calm- not normal for her. She just comes over for a pat and hovers. This afternoon, new spots appeared on her bottom.

I feel like the medicines have worn off and the condition is worsening again. This is a sick dog and I have a feeling we are looking at a long term health problem. I really do think she is slowly passing away.

And now it has come down to making a hard decision because she seems to be suffering. We may have to have her put to sleep. It's something my partner and I have started talking about. It seems cruel and yet it may be the humane thing to do.

Trip to the Emergency Vet

Happy Easter! We had a nice day. My daughter Mona made Xena a doggy food Easter egg :o) We had visitors over.

About 2pm the girls noticed some lumps on Xena and told me about it. As it was only a couple I put it down to a new puppy food.

She played for about an hour with the girls then they came inside for dinner. After dinner I saw her through the glass door. Xena's eyes were swollen almost closed and her lips looked fat and ragged. Her ridge was looking weird and thick and standing up. Her body covered in lumps with red weeping eyes, red swollen ears and between her toes. She looked like a very sick dog. She didn't even look like a ridgeback, but more like a rabid pit bull. My youngest daughter took one look at her through the glass door and ran to the other room saying she was 'scared to look at her.'

I called an emergency vet and put her in the car. She was gasping and making wheezy/ rasping noises on the way.

I kept trying to comfort her at each traffic light we stopped at but she seemed confused. I noticed she was licking her back paw a lot.

We arrived at the vet. The vet discovered a bee stinger in her paw and a rough spot on her inner lip (possibly a second bee sting).

Xena was given antihistamines and steroids in her neck (! I wasn't in the room at the time and injections in ridgebacks necks are a no no and the vet kind of looked embarrassed and said opps, 'I only remembered not to give it in her neck after I started doing it.')

She gave me some emergency mediation in case Xena gets stung again. Xena is very allergic to bees.

I called my partner who told me to cut down the flowering plants in the yard and we joked about how much bigger Xena will be if she's going to be taking steroids all the time for allergies!

Poor Xena came home shaky, tired and dazed. I have put her in her kennel with lots of icy water and her dinner.

The vet cost $175 as it is a public holiday. I actually thought it it would cost more.
The eye swelling should be down in an hour but she will be a sick dog for about 3 days due to the severity of the allergic reaction.

Later I spoke to my partner again. He wondered if she would need to be put down. I reassured him it will be ok.

Even later in the evening he called me up and said that he had spoken to some of the guys up there, in the mining camp, over diner and one of them told him that he had a mastiff with the same problem years ago but it lived till it was 14 and was an excellent guard dog, probably the best dog he had ever had. He told my partner that yes it happened 3-4 times when he was a younger and he had to have its balls removed because it would be in so much pain it would bite him. But it didn't bite him after that. He also told him that dog was worth ever dollar he spent in the vet fees.

I don't know how true that is but even I wasn't sure today if Xena would bite me or not. She was in a lot of pain and very disoriented. She couldn't even lift her legs to get in the car and when I lifted her she cried out in pain and whimpered a lot.

But I did want her desexed. I know Gav wanted to breed her and never pushed the issue with him. You know, we will get to that issue when we come to it. But he brought it up tonight that this guy had said it was better to have her desexed so she wouldn't be so aggressive when it got bad. Then I said to him, which was the truth, that the vet had tentatively brought it up while I was there that because of this problem it would be better to have her desexed.

He asked me why she said it, was it because it can be passed to the puppies. I said I thought maybe it was because if it happened during the pregnancy and she had to have steroid shots etc... the puppies might get damaged anyway. I really don't know though.

But it is agreed. We will have her desexed THANK YOU GOD. I will take Xena back to her normal vet in a few days and work out whats the best way to deal with this allergy etc... and book her in to be fixed.

Obedience 1: Class 2

It was a hot day to out in the sun training dogs to loose walk on leads. The dog trainer hasn't seen Xena in a month and said she was longer and even wrinklier than ever. :o)

She was quite happy to hear that I'm starting to let Xena into the sun room as long as she isn't acting like a 'pork chop.'

She took Xena for a walk. Xena is an enthusiastic walker. She leaps, lurches and lunges. Some dogs don't want to budge. However, with some training instructions she was walking quite well on her normal lead by the end of the hour. I'm impressed and really glad I didn't have to figure out how to use that halti collar.

Here goes so I don't forget....

Loose Lead Walking....

It doesn't matter if she walks and pulls behind you, keep going.
Keep the lead lose and let her go anywhere she wants as long a she doesn't pull.
The idea to lose lead walking is that she will learn to keep a comfortable distance between you and herself.

'Xena, walkies' is her command and from then on all she gets is 'good puppy, good girl etc' which she loves and comes closer.

If she rushes ahead just say something like 'wheres my puppy' and walk backwards don't use 'come' that's only for recall.

If she's acting like a 'pork chop' stop, don't move until the moment she stop jumping.
Completely ignore her. Keep her attention by saying 'good puppy etc' when she goes to a tree, is distracted by cars, dogs etc. as soon as she looks at you, move on

Sit, Stay, Drop

Xena knows sit and stay, but not today. She just knows it at home in the yard, where there are no distractions. Now she is walking better on the lead we will start taking her to the local parks to practice her puppy class commands. This has been my fault, sine her pulling while walking incident left my back sore I have only trained her at home. I'm glad though because now she is walking in a better manner we can finally get out and catch up.

Xena still needs to practice 'drop' honestly though, she will flop down and rest if I stop a few minutes anyway and that might be the way to teach her to drop... when I see it happen, cuz trying to get her to do it with food is slow. Though we can do both.

Recall

I don't think Xena will have too much problem with recall on the lead but its "Xena come" then walk backwards praising her all the way for coming. She needs to be just as excited to walk towards me as her food bowl. Which thankfully she is.

Leave it

I'm somewhat confused with this one. I have heard 3 different commands from my trainer on it 'yes' 'leave it' and 'thank you' I've been practicing 'thank you' at home.

I think the trainer may use 'leave it' if the dog is rummaging around off lead and has something in its mouth. I think she uses thank you if the dog has something in it mouth near her and she can walk up and say 'what have you got' remove it from dogs mouth 'thank you' I might call her about that.

She starts with 'yes' then changes it to leave it but said you can just go straight to 'leave it'.

The idea is to have yummy treats in your hand and let the dog lick your hand but moment she turns her nose away say 'yes' then give her the treat.

Other Dogs at the Park Although Xena sniffed and looked at the other dogs she still gets shy and moves quickly away if they start puppy play with her. She has improved since being a total scaredy cat when she was younger to at least showing an interest. I do think that later on she may not be a very social dog with other dogs so at least if she's had lead training/ recall it may help.

I think she is doing well.

I didn't need a computer anyway, did I?

Awweee who loves a tummy rub

As the girls were at school and I needed to study I thought it might be nice for Xena to sit inside with me.

No sooner had I let her into the study when I remembered why I think big dogs should stay outside.

First her very waggy tail brought down everything from my coffee table. That included all those things that shouldn't be there but always are like coffee cups, nail polishes, ash trays, smokes, lighters, some candy wrappers papers oh and a bottle of Grand Marnier. No real damage done. I'm sure she was only encouraging me to give up all my vices- fat chance. 'Just cleaning up mum,' she says 'you really shouldn't have left that mess there last night.'

As she lovingly jumped up at me while I rushed to save my study aides, that would be booze and smokes, from being crushed/ broken under feet, she managed to tangle herself up in all the cords at the side of my desk.

And with one great lunge, like a wild dog cutting through jungle, she broke through them. Before I could even let out a gasp she proceeded onwards dragging my entire computer set up and phone base behind her.

Ummm yeah. I took her outside and gave her a cuddle while I added up the replacement costs. I didn't need that computer, my assignments or my vices anyway now... did I puppy?

Amazingly the computer is still alive. The assignments still there and I'm kicking back with a smoke and a coffee pretending none of that just happened.

DS Update

Well the lumps have gone! The vet thinks it was probably an allergy. If it comes back we need to think about any new food/ items she may be allergies to and we can take her to a doggy dermatologist for further testing.

I am very relieved its not DS. I did speak to a lovely lady, Kate Smith, from the Ridgeback Assoc. in Victoria who let me know that DS is never a large amount of lumps and it doesn't go away once its there. Yes I waas that concerned I called another state and would have called the USA if I had too! She recommended I join the Ridgeback Club here so that I can meet other owners and share information ie where to find a vet who knows about Ridgebacks etc.. She's going to send me some information about DS and even a membership form for her club if I'm interested :o)

I couldn't contact anyone from the RR Club here as their website is down and no phone number available. I did find the Ridgeback Assoc. here but the guy just blew me off... 'we're just a social club' and that's the only sentance I got from him after telling him I needed some advice on where to go/ who to call here about my sick RR.


Funny how things like this can change the way you see things. I let her in the sun room yesterday but only if she behaved. At first she started playing tug o war with my floor rug... out.

5 mins later let her in again. Then she came in and youngest daughter and Xena started playing boisterously..... BOTH of you, OUT.

3rd time lucky, Then 5 mins later I let her in again. She just flopped out and rested. Later she went out again. I think I may slowly introduce her to being in the house but not when she acts like psycho puppy.

Finally her coats have arrived and her halti leader too which for the life of me I cant figure out how it works. I will have to watch the DVD.

Of course all she wanted to do was tear her doggy coat to shreds... but the kids managed to distract her from i by chasing her all over the yard. I took it off her after that. We need to go slowly there.

Shattered

Happier Times only a day ago.

It's been a rough evening. I called Gav and sent him the pictures. He is shattered. My oldest daughter has been crying for hours. I haven't told the youngest yet. I am having a hard time holding it together myself. I'm in shock. I'm trying not to get overwhelmed by my feelings of sadness. I have to keep it together for every ones sake but its not easy. It's a loss. She's a sweet dog, her training is coming along well and give her another month of lead training and she would be excellent. It's a loss emotionally and financially. My daughter was trying to understand it. Why our puppy, why our bad luck etc. I just told her maybe God just wanted this dog to have a short life but a really good short life. I'm pretty shattered too and that's the only way to describe how we are all feeling. Gav and I both agree that the kindest thing to do is put her down. Not everyone would agree but that's our decision.

Tomorrow Xena will go to the vet and we will see what he/ she says. I'm going to ring around and see if I can find one experienced with Ridgebacks.

I'm also going to ring up my Obedience class trainer and let her know what's going on. She likes Xena a lot and maybe she will be supportive.

My daughter asked me if we will have a funeral for her if she has to be put to sleep. Wow I hadn't even got that far on my thinking. I feel numb. I did mention this blog site to her and that it will be a good memory and we can make a memorial last post.

Now I'm all cried out, the kids are in bed and the house is quiet I'm finally starting to get my head around it all. We have to prepare for the worst and at the same time maybe there is hope. Let's see what the vet says.

And isn't it strange, I can't believe all the small things I've worried about in the last 2 months during training. They all seem rather insignificant right now.

I've worked as an AIN for about 5 years in nursing homes and what hit me tonight was palliative care. Even though Xena may be on her way out perhaps she still can quite some time with us with pain relief etc. She can still do her classes (which she loves) and socialise and enjoy her final days. Once the pain is apparent then we will put her to sleep (not that that's what we do in nursing homes!). It may give us time to find some medicines etc that help the problem. I just don't know.

I can't wait to see the vet.

I found a good website about DS in Australai (where I am). The vets here don't see it a lot and most don't know how to operate on it. The dog with DS is euthenized here as the kindest thing to do.

http://tyandroma.com/dimple.htm

Also, that DS on the rump can cause spinal malforations.

Ahhhh I am going to sleep now. Its 3am I'm a wreck.

Dermoid sinus??

OK as my daughter is a worry wart I really didn't think that there would be a problem when she said, "Mum I think the puppy is sick.'

"What is it?" I asked her.

"She has lumps all over her bottom."

I saw Xena this morning when I gave her breakfast. We have been out all morning and arrived home around 1pm. I sent Mona out to play with Xena while I made her food. This morning Xena was fine.

I went outside to see her and yes she did have lumps on her rump. A lot of lumps! They felt medium hard underneath. Xena didn't seem bothered by them.

I haven't changed Xena's diet or taken her anywhere she could have caught anything. She's had all her shots.

I took some pics and rang my boyfriend up north but he was out. I will take her to a doctor tomorrow. I looked it up on line and it looks like the genetic disorder that Ridgebacks get called Dermoid sinus.

I hope it isn't that but it looks like that from the pictures I've seen online.

I can't believe they showed up just like that!

This is not a good situation for the puppy. Anyways I will take her to the vet tomorrow and find out.

It also could be insect bites but she doesn't seem bothered by them.

No Landing Zone

Our bodies are no longer landing zones for our ridgeback puppy. I can't believe how quickly the trainers advice worked. Xena barely jumps up at all now. There are still moments but we do as told and she soon cuts it out. Its going well.



No it's not a parachute... it's the net from one of our fruit trees! Whose been a bad puppy! hehe. Ok I should have sstopped her but the kids were singing 'here comes the bride' and she does look sooooooo cute :o)

Xena herself is beautiful as ever. As for her sleeping outside, I have been putting her into her kennel at night but letting her out just before I go to bed (late). That way most of her night is warm. I'm still waiting for her coats to arrive.



It's little things like this that prove to me that city dogs need toys....

And she has been having a wonderful time with her new toys too!

Obedience Class One: For Dog Owners Only

hmmm I took myself to obedience class today hehhee

I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo relieved that I did. I feel much better now. My sweety is a lot better behaved than most- from what the other owners were saying. However, for a lot of them their dogs are older and its their first time at any kind of training classes. Some of them are rescue dogs.

I met another ridgy owner, hers is a x... by the sounds of it, the type that my partner Gav would have liked.

There were people with terriers and beagles too. I always liked beagles. I asked the questions I needed to ask. I even stayed back for a few minutes as well. My trainer thinks that Xena is sweet. 'She's so laid back' 'A really nice dog'

I asked her if I should get another dog? She said No because Xena was shy from dogs at the beginning and it may make her regress. Also because unless Xena is 100% trained, bringing a new dog in will only add problems. This is like my partner said. So its ok. I did go look at the rescue dogs anyway. *smile* I do love going and looking at them. Seems most are fence/ people jumpers. Some are not socialized. Some have been abanoned. Oh and there was an adorable American pit bull puppy in a champagne and white colour with light eyes... to die for.

Jumping: We need to address the jumping at the glass door and the people who come out immediately and from inside. When she is at the door we can walk to it to go out to her but the moment she's being stupid, we turn around and walk back inside. She will soon learn that jumping around like a clown leads to being completely ignored.

Landing on my knee: She needs to be taught to stop when she gets to me, without the hand signal. That's not a hard one and she should learn that at obedience classes.

Attention seeking to get us to go outside: Hard luck, get over it. (Finally, I thought we were going to have to mollycoddle these dogs endlessly)

Not sleeping in her lovely warm kennel: Reality check, It's not going to happen, hard luck, get over it. hehe. But she thought the dog coat was a good idea. I also found some waterproof dog trampolines at the RSPCA shop which I will get next week. That can go where she has decided to sleep. It wont be warm or dry but at least she wont be on the hard concrete. For now Ive put down some rugs where she is sleeping. I will have to find a way to put up some sort of awning, but it wont be soon unfortunately because I'm not that handy.

Halti collars: DONT BUY FROM THE INTERNET- apparently they have to be fitted. Hmmm I didn't know that. Mine still hasn't arrived in the post but it does have a DVD so maybe it will say how to fit it properly. She will let us use her gentle leader harnesses etc... during obedience classes. She doesn't mind them. But the dog has to be taught to wear them.

1. Put collar on the dog without the lead then give the dog her meal.
2. Leave it on her a few minutes at a time
3. Build her up.

Lead: Don't forget to praise the dog and call her name to get her attention.

Xena out front of house off lead and following me around: Every time she comes over to you say 'heel' also remember at 5 months she will be a teenager and will want to take off and see the world.

Anyhow I'm feeling much more positive about the whole thing now.



Sucking up water from a slow running tap as it filled her water container :o)

This weeks task.

Keep practice walking in the back yard, one step at a time.
Teach her 'yes' every time she is about to get a treat.

Crates: They are good for nervous dogs and for travelling. You can keep the dog in them for 2-3 hours then take them out to stretch their legs.

Finally, Some great ideas to keep dogs amused when your not at home...

1. THE KING ICE CUBE.

Take your kong and fill it with doggy soaked doggy biscuits. Place the kong in an ice cream container and cover with stock. Freeze. Give to dog. It will definitely keep her amused :o)

2. RSPCA TOYS

Ok I'm guilty, I walked out of that shop with almost $200 worth of toys. A feed ball which you hide in the garden with biscuits in it. It has a ball baring in it too so it makes a noise. Fun Fun Fun.

A new rope toy to hang from our kids tennis pole. Xena loves swinging and pulling on these.

A few dried roo 'sticks' to put around the garden for her to find and chew on.

A large rubber tyre food feeder. That will keep her busy.

3. MILK CARTON TOY

Xena loves chewing up plastic milk cartons. Oh sooooo milky :o) But if I cut holes into it and put her biscuits in there.... Oh JOY!

SUPPORT

The trainer at the RSPCA has been a huge support in getting me through having a puppy. Puppies are hard work. As she said, if you can do it for 6 months and really try to make it work, then you're going to have a nice dog for the rest of its life.

Good morning, or maybe not.

Last night was cooler than usual. Had the dog been in her lovely, large and warm carpeted kennel, she wouldn't have felt it. But, because she refuses to sleep anywhere but next to the house she was probably cold. Not to be deterred she pulled lots of washing from the line and made herself a nest near the back door. No-one could say ridgebacks are stupid in doing what they want to do.

She woke the neighbourhood up by taking her metal water bowl for a walk along the brickwork. (She has a plastic one with water out there too so it wasn't to tell us she had no water). It was like a prisoner with a metal cup on his bars.

She is such a drama queen!

She has been doing fine outside unil the storm. The weather is cooler now too. I don't think she minds being outside at all. I think she loves that big yard to run and play in. Anyways if it does rain I will put her in her kennel until it passes or probably give in and convert the back room into her room!

How Pretty

Winter Storm

We had a wild and wet night last Monday. First real rains for the year came with a massive thunderstorm that destroyed a lot of property in my city. I brought Xena inside as she wouldn't take herself to her kennel and I wasn't going to risk getting hit by the lightning overhead. Then the back room, where we were all sitting, flooded. The entire back wall looked like we had a waterfall coming down through the joins of the ceiling and the roof. Once the storm had pretty much past we took her out to her kennel. It was warm and dry. We closed the door so she had to stay there with the small run. Its scary when the metal shed in the yard is more water tight than the house you live in. It makes you wonder!

Anyway she isn't liking the new cooler weather. Even though it hasn't rained since she still sooks at the back door. She has a perfectly warm, dry and comfortable kennel but refuses to use it. Instead she sleeps out in the open of the back door. I'm annoyed by that. I don't think its healthy. She has also started launching herself at the back glass sliding door to try to come into us.

This is even though I have gone out several times a day to spend time with her and the kids have played with her for quite some time. She's a sook and needs to be near us ALL the time.

I mean she is rather insisting at the moment. She has already destroyed the back screen door by launching at it. It doesn't work on its runs anymore. Now she is aiming for the glass sliding door.

She is not going to be an inside dog. Its as simple as that. But she isn't taking it very well. I cant wait for her gentle leader to arrive so we can walk her and hopefully get some energy out of her.

1st obedience class tomorrow... thank God maybe they can suggest something. I love Xena but I'm desperate here... things are being destroyed.

The one good thing about puppy training is you realise you are not alone... every ones suffering to some extent with their puppy. There are a lot of naughty things Xena isn't doing.

We just have to fix her body slams at us and at the doors and the back gate (so she can run around to the front door to make sure we open it to get her back in the yard- through the house). I would be tempted to let her in the sun room BUT I think I know her well enough to know she'd only launch herself at the next glass sliding door into the house. Then she'd be in our beds! Come on! I am allowed to have rules.

That's just sad cuz she really is a sweet dog. I'm not happy. She's not happy. She wants to be with her pack, and she is for several hours each day. We play with her, I spend a lot of time with her. She has toys to play with and she uses them. She has been quiet at night until the change in weather but now i think shes cold and the ground is damp.

I have ordered her a jacket. I think she may need to be locked in her kennel at night but as soon as the suns up she goes berzek in there barking and sctratching to get out.

I'm losing it here.

We are doing our best.

1. I know the easy answer is get another dog so she can have a friend but I recon they'll just encourage each other in bad deeds. ahhhhh

2.I'll see what the lady says at obedience class tomorrow. Bet she says to let her in the house.

3. Keep her on chain at night down at the kennel

4. Lock her in kennel and find a way to stop her nutting out in morning that doesn't involve me having to wake up at 4am for the next 12 years

Xena 14 weeks (Video) and Puppy Class Certificate

Press play


Yes we are so proud :o)

Lead- Check, Water- Check, 1/2 a 'Dead Chicken'- Check...

'Xena sit,' I say as I look her in the eye.

She looks at me with a kind of, 'Me no comprehehda de english' look.

I rub the bag containing cooked shreded chicken meat in my hands.

Food = Babble Fish for my Ridgeback

'Oh, oh, ok you said sit, yes now I understand,' Xena replies. 'And thank you for inserting that delicious peice of chicken into my mouth. What would you like me to do next? Stay or wait? Come here? Just don't forget to rain chicken down on me like manna from heaven.'

'Xena sit,' I say, holding 1 finger up and making beautiful eye contact. I raise another finger. Oh she is watching them intently with a yes I know look on her tilted face as I say 'Stay.'

I walk backwards holding my two fingers up as I go as I've discovered that sometimes Xena prefers sign language... with my partner she responds to whistles- I can't whistle :o(

She sits beautifully and stays in her place. Oh I am sooooo proud of her.

'Come here,' I say dropping my hand.

She races full pelt at me and launches her body sidewards at my leg. I feel my kneecap POP...

hmmm may need to work on that... If I don't want to have reconstructive knee surgery any time soon.

She gets some manna anyways.... yeah I'm not calling it treats anymore... Its manna in abundance if I want her attention. But her lunch will be smaller... see I'm not just a pretty face.

'Sit.... stay.... come here!'

I freeze as she runs full pelt at me again.

4 metres till impact... 3..... 2.....

I raise my hand with 5 fingers splayed....and

she scoots in on her bum and heels in front of me!


YAY!

I open the bag and shower her with shredded chicken. That was beautiful :o)

12 Weeks Old

12 weeks

Well Xena has past her 12 week milestone. She has had her last immunisation and nasal spray for another year, she's been weighed (13kg) and wormed.

We took her back to the vet clinic she was born at as her mum had a cesarean. They were very happy to see her again and there was much buzzing and playing with her by staff members cooing about how they'd been there as she had been born. It was kind of cute.

My partner and his dad were down from the mine and spent a lot of time playing with Xena. I threw my back out at puppy classes having to lift her up and down on my lap, whenever the teacher didn't want the dogs hyped up on the floor, and needed the break.

Gav has really enjoyed spending time with the puppy while down from the mines. For all his hard words about training, he hasn't been hard at all. He has a more domineering tone though and Xena doesn't have any problem doing what he tells her to do. He doesn't even use treats. Gav just whistles 'whooo whiii' for come, 'whi' for sit etc and I'll be damned but that dog must have been a sheep dog in its previous life cuz she gets it!

After having no back pain for two days I felt ready to get up and about. Now Xena's all immunised she is ready to take out for walks.

Boy, what an issue we had. She pulled the entire way. I stopped every couple of steps to pull her up. When I stopped she would soon heel but the moment I took a step she pulled. I felt like I carried her around the block cuz no matter how much lead I gave her (or didn't give her) she pulled on it. That and the occasional exuberant launching her full body up at me and leaping ahead of me.... means my back is now messed up again.

I called my partner whose back in the mines, and sulked and moaned in agony.

Now, I have being taking Xena to positive reinforcement puppy training classes and she begins Obedience 1 classes this week and I do want her to go on to obedience 2 and pass her good citizen certificate so I will bare with it.

The trainer suggested to me to get Xena into agility classes as she had a lot of fun at the last puppy class going through tunnels, jumping obstacles etc... the agility club is over an hour drive from me. I would have loved it though.

Right now I'd love it more if I could get her to walk nicely.

Speaking of, we passed 2 other dogs on our little walk and they both barked like lunatics. I was hoping to meet some nice friendly dogs so we could continue socialisation. But it wasn't to be.

One was a small yappy fluffy dog and Xena got all stiff and tail up over it, probably thought it was a cat, but I distracted her and we moved on. The other was a medium sized black Alsatian which Xena decided to quickly trot away from dragging me with her.


Anyways... I'm going to take some aspirin so I can hopefully sleep through my back ache.

Xena's First Night Out

This is the last photo of Xena in the house. She's an out door doggy now.


My first morning in 3 weeks not having to wake up to clean doggy dooos! Woo hoo!

Xenas first night out was fine. No crying or anything. She had her kennel in the tool shed and run of the back yard. We didn't hear a peep from her all night. So at least that's new problem we don't have to deal with.

In the morning she jumped all over my daughter and I like a psycho.... happy to see us but fully launching herself, 4 feet off the ground, at us over and over. I tried to ignore until she calmed down. I then patted her but she walked off and ignored me. She wouldn't come when I called her and went and laid down with her back to me.

So I went back inside.

Uff! More to fix.

1 Very Good Reason to Have a Puppy Outside

When puppies have new foods introduced they usually get diarrhea for a few days. This is what I was woke up to this morning. My lovely Xena who usually gets the puppy pad with a heat seeking missile type targeting system... failed her mission.

It stunk the closed laundry out for about 2 meters through the 3 entry doors. Putrid. I almost vomited when I opened one of them. My partner didn't want to know but almost chucked at the photo. He said, 'Right, those gates have to be fixed. She isn't sleeping in the laundry anymore.'

And he and his dad have been working on those gates for a couple of hours... thanks God.

Poor Xena is currently sitting on the chain while the works being don't. It took me ages to clean up the laundry and 1/2 a bottle of bleach. I feel violated its so foul. It's not the puppies fault but Yukkkkkkk

The guilty culprit



The fence and gates have been fixed :) Thanks to my partner and his dad.



Then we decided that spending $200 on a large second hand dog kennel was pointless when we had a perfectly good tool shed down the back. After cleaning it out and closing it off from the back garden we now have a comfy shelter for Xena.



Never thought I'd hear myself say, "It's nice to have a sparkling clean laundry." :o)

Puppy Class 3

Xena is coming along well. Today's class was great. We worked on getting her to go 'down'. Being a large puppy she 'bow's first. Also teaching how to 'roll over'. Teacher showed us some other doggie tricks with her dog too.

Teacher has a very cute terrier who sits up, does 'stick em up' and 'bang' plays dead... its sooooo cute! I don't really want to teach Xena tricks... do I???? hmmm

I came home and practised getting Xena to leave it. Hoping that will help her with the cat.

Next week our puppies will be assessed and certificates awarded. Then there is obedience school.

Xena was quite boisterous in school today... as long as she was on the leash! Take her off and she was a chicken!

Oh and the guy never came to fix the fence :o( but Xena, smart as she is, has figured out....

go through hole... go on chain
go through hole... go on chain
hole = chain

Puppy Blues

Xena has discovered 2 holes in the back fence (hiden under a mountain of ivy). I am going insane keeping her on a chain and walking her on the lead for hours in back yard. Even the kids are sick of it. I feel sorry for the dog too. I have a man coming on Sunday to fix the fence but wow I am major stressed. Having a puppy is becoming a really exausting thing. Not much fun anymore. I'm all played out.

Anyway its only tempory. Once that fence is fixed she can run around again. I have been teaching her to get used to being outside alone now. I'd rather do it at day time than night when she may annoy the neighbours.

The cat seems to be improving. They have even touched noses and sat in the same room together.


Went to puppy classes the other day and it made me feel better. Good to see Im not the only one struggling this week. Our goal for this week is to teach the puppies to drop (lay down) and to work on the lead. Im having more success with the lead.

Anyways I'm off to work now. Hope Xena will be good while Im out.

"Fetch"

"Ridgeback psychology is not your strong point, and even you can read his expression which says "go fetch it yourself".

This from the Rhodesian Ridgeback International Foundation.

Guess what?

Xena plays Fetch! She will chase her stuffed toys that have been thrown and she will retrieve them... 75% of the time. The other 25% she will bring them close to me but not close enough that I can get them off her. Cuz she'd love me to chase her and play tug of war too hehe.

Even I'm amazed she is playing Fetch. My 12 year old Mona got her started on it yesterday. Today we played Fetch for about an hour.



Another interesting thing happened today. I went outside with Xena. My daughter 12 went out the back as well but Xena didn't see her. Daughter went right down the back of the yard, through the bushes and under the trees to play. Meanwhile Xena and I were doing our thing. After a while we relaxed and Xena laid near me chewing on her squeaky toy in a pile of fallen leaves. My daughter decided to come back up to the house.

Xena heard her moving through the undergrowth, her ears pricked up (kinda) and she listened. She heard some cracking of leaves underfoot, Xena stood up.

Then she saw legs....

What amazed me was that she crouched and went low while still eyeing those legs moving towards the house. She couldn't see it was my daughter.

She lifted her crouched body a little and much like a cat would do when another cat comes onto its territory.... then she growled a long low growl.

As daughter came out from the bushes, Xena stood up all stiff. I spoke to her calmly, 'its ok'

It took her a moment to register that it was my daughter... she looked, and looked again.. passed a thought telepathically 'what's that child doing down in the backyard without telling me she was going down there' (hehe).. grr... then laid back down.'

Of course I called her over to me for a big cuddle... Xena :P

My daughter went and got her a doggy treat just in case there were any hard feelings but there weren't.

Cats and Dogs

Angel, the cat, came home late last night. She has been grounded! She is not going out again for a while. I took her over to Xena again. Xena was sleeping at the time. Angel didn't fight or struggle she just wet herself... and my hand... and the floor. I am really surprised by her fear. Maybe because the puppy is as big as a fully grown Jack Russel she thinks its an older dog.I don't know. I would like them to be friends but also respect the cats need to have a safe space.

I took Xena to the kids school again yesterday. She is not the scared puppy I first picked up. She is quite happy sniffing around the park and playing in the sand. She's also much better in the back yard. Not trying to hide but listening to noises.

Although Xena still jumps up a little it has been not to bad in the last 24 hours with the kids. Mona tried walking towards her, rather than standing still or turning her back on her. This gently threw Xena off balance and she cut out the jumping. Although the dog trainer at puppy class has taught us heaps I also found a few good sites online that deal with the more dominant minded breeds of dog. That's where we found out about walking into the jump. If she jumps on me she gets the 'Cesar Millan.' (Anyone who watches the show would know what I mean... on her side on the floor, held down.)

My boyfriend who used to have very large pig hunting dogs (mostly ridgeback x rotties/ labs) on the farm growing up says to put their front leg through the collar. Which is a good idea too... if the other things don't work.

I don't like putting Xena in the laundry during the day. But I do it anyway to show her that I can do it if I want to. I assure you its a good sized laundry. Today I played outside with her for an hour after morning work and gave her a bone. Then we came inside and I placed her in the laundry. I honestly don't want her under my feet 24/7. Does that sound selfish? Probably. She cried a little then had her nap. If I feel she is going to nap anyways, she may as well do it in her kennel... not under my legs. I cleaned the house just trying to get her used to household noises while she's in there. Every now and then she would cry and scratch the door then go back to rest. Part of me feels guilty but the gut feeling is I'm doing the right thing.

The laundry has her kennel, mat, rotated toys, water, no food bowl as I gave her lunch outside and blankie. It also has her puppy peeing mat which is fresh.

I can't wait for her to be an outside dog more than an inside one. It's just that she's a little young right now. This afternoon I will take her to a new park near where my younger daughter is playing netball. There is a pond there with geese and ducks. I want to see how she is with them.

For a ridgeback, she doesn't seem to have too great a prey drive. She was eating her bone earlier and a lot of birds came down for the figs in the backyard (I don't mind sharing) She watched them but really wasn't interested. She enjoyed her bone. Then a pigeon flew right up to us and landed about a meter from Xena. She watched it with a kind of 'What is that?' whimsical look on her face but still laid there chewing her bone.

Although we don't need Xena to be a farm dog, both my partner and I have grown up in country areas and think dogs shouldn't go other animals unless instructed to. Anyways its all quiet here. I'm going to read up a bit more and get the floors mopped.

Whimper, Cry and Howl

Day 5 with Xena. She is a very fortunate puppy to have a Mummy that works in peoples homes... therefore able to pop into home for a while here and there. Xena doesn't like being left in the laundry but it is safe, clean and lots of fun thing for her to play with. Whimper.... whimper... whimper.

Just like the 2nd night home I am having to listen to my puppy cry. It sucks. Xena has started to sleep well at night though now. She only cried about 10 minutes last night before settling down.

Today I've been home for 2 hours from work The kids are at school. Xena has eaten and played outside with me for a long time. I brought her back inside for quiet time. I unpacked shopping and started to tidy the house. Then I took a coffee break and instead of letting her sit under my legs.... I put her in the laundry.

I don't mind Xena sleeping or walking in the house but she needs to learn that she is also ok by herself. This is because eventually I will be putting her outside while I'm at work and I don't want her crying, whimpering and howling there.

I also need to do things like mop the floor, and that means I don't want a puppy chasing the mop or walking on the wet spots. I do feel guilty putting her in the laundry, but there should always be a place in the house that we can safely place her when we don't feel like having a large dog around... say when young children are over or my elderly mother comes to stay.

Yes I know.... proper training should mean she will be well behaved around people... I just can't `100% trust a dog what will grow to be the size of a small pony.

There she's settled down now. Sounds like she's off to sleep.

I have to go do all my ironing in the section of the house she is not allowed into. Now I don't have to worry about her tearing up anything in the living areas while I'm at it.

Oh... I have trained Xena to 'wait' The puppy class teacher said something about teaching a dog not only to stay but to wait. Cant remember exactly what she said but I think the idea is that if you ask a dog to stay you will eventually call it to come to you. If you ask it to wait, you will be back shortly and it needs to relax about that.

Whenever I go into the sleeping section of the house I tell Xena wait and I close the door. At first she sulked till I came back a minute later. Now she just trots off and has a drink or something. She handles it well. That's ok for a couple of minutes.

I'm pretty sure she knows her name now... though she doesn't always choose to acknowledge it. Xena also knows 'come'.

One thing that is bothering the kids is her continuing jumping up on them when she first sees them and is excited. We will be dealing with it tomorrow morning... see how it goes.

The cat came home breifly yesterday. She ate and left.... haven't seen her since. Kids were happy to see her. My elder daughter followed her and found her in the secret garden... yes our house has a secret garden down the back. I wish she'd come home.

On the other hand, for a puppy that hasn't looked twice at the cat, I heard Xena growling and tearing something apart this morning... it was the cats bed! I've never heard her play so visciously. Perhaps the cat is right!