My dog is broken again and its my fault!

[GBov]

We have an Irish Red and White setter and she is broken in the head. Not her fault, she was one of a litter of 17 of which 12 survived so we think she got the short end of the stick brain wise, that is :lol: .

So about 12 weeks ago she decided to go mental when there was a storm and fire works going off and I just had enough so I tossed her out into teh pool cage to get over it by herself as nothing I had done was helping.

We had all the just weened buns - three litters worth - in a big cage right by her dog door.

When I put her out into the noise she looked at the bunnies, the bunnies that were perfectly calm and quiet despite the noise and wind and fireworks and lightning and thunder..............

And she lay down between her dog door and the rabbit cage and went to sleep.

She was totally calmed down by the danged rabbits. :shock: And she has stayed as good as its possible for her to be for the entire time we were fattening them up.

But we have now eaten some and sold the rest and taken the cage down and our poor dog is, once again, a basket case. Stealing garbage, stealing food off the tables, cringing and hiding from storms and going mental at feeding time and not totally house broken once again.

I really dont want rabbits in the pool cage anymore but I might have to, just to help keep the dog sane. :lol:

 

[akane]

I think your dog could use a flemish giant house rabbit to follow around. :lol: I was talking to a breeder who said one of the rabbits he sold actually acts like a dog in the house and yard and unties his owner's shoes when he gets home.

 

[Piper]

But we have now eaten some and sold the rest and taken the cage down and our poor dog is, once again, a basket case. Stealing garbage, stealing food off the tables, cringing and hiding from storms and going mental at feeding time and not totally house broken once again.

I really dont want rabbits in the pool cage anymore but I might have to, just to help keep the dog sane.

rabbitosis enabler by any other name. Which one(S) will be the dog's pet rabbits? That is good, to have to have pets for the pet, but if it works! :mrgreen: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

For the sake of your dog's mental stability, I would highly recommend filling that cage with some rabbits ASAP. Perhaps you could invest in a young breeding trio of a heritage breed to occupy the space until you have more litters to wean... :twisted:

 

[GBov]

For the sake of your dog's mental stability, I would highly recommend filling that cage with some rabbits ASAP. Perhaps you could invest in a young breeding trio of a heritage breed to occupy the space until you have more litters to wean... :twisted:

:lol: I love you guys, I really do! And I would refill the cage in a heart beat but it has been taken to bits, leaving only the 5ft by 6ft by 8ft section that is now housing my two sons Water Dragons.

But a cage of rabbits might HAVE to go back out by her door, just to bring her back to the edge of sanity!

Have just answered a CL seller this evening, just in case I have to get more rabbits. :lol:

 

[ZRabbits]

I have to agree with akane, a flemish giant would be a perfect partner for your dog. My Fawkes and Jake are becoming fast friends. Jake loves the bunnies but with my dwarfs they just are a bit tiny for him. But with our Flemish, who's growing leaps and bounds, a big bunny is turning out just right to be a partner for our dog.

Sorry to hear your dog is so frightened by noise and drives him to such distraction. Coming from a big litter like that, some pups depend on companionship. Maybe one big bunny can do the trick. Your dog needs a team member.

Karen

 

[GBov]

I have to agree with akane, a flemish giant would be a perfect partner for your dog. My Fawkes and Jake are becoming fast friends. Jake loves the bunnies but with my dwarfs they just are a bit tiny for him. But with our Flemish, who's growing leaps and bounds, a big bunny is turning out just right to be a partner for our dog.

Sorry to hear your dog is so frightened by noise and drives him to such distraction. Coming from a big litter like that, some pups depend on companionship. Maybe one big bunny can do the trick. Your dog needs a team member.

Karen

We tried to get her a dog companion but it didnt work to well. When we contacted a rescue society we asked for a fluffy, small, housebroken dog good with other dogs, cats and kids.

So they told us they had the perfect dog for us and we went down, with the kids, to meet her.

__________ Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:59 am __________

She was a short haired Jack Russell mix. But the kids fell for her and she was a sweet little things so I thought why not?

Got her home only to find, over the next week, that not only was she not fluffy, she was not house broken and had a mortal terror of the outside world. I would put her out and she would press against the door for hours until I would let her in and then she would relieve herself inside.

So we took her back to the rescue people after I called to ask about this odd habbit of hers only to be told "Yes, she doesnt like to go outside so we just clean up after her."

:evil: So not only did we break the kids hearts over her but our dog, who doesnt need any help being broken in the head, spent the next SIX WEEKS terrified of the outside world! What ever that dog had been afraid of had gotten her and perhaps she (our dog) would be next!

I had to lift all 60 pounds of her and put her outside!


So we have been a bit reluctant to try again with another dog, esp. as my mums new rescue dog goes totally mental when she comes to visit. :roll:

Perhaps a house rabbit might help! Or I could rebuild part of the big cage and put a few of my does in it.<br /><br />__________ Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:02 am __________<br /><br />Its such a shame though, our Penny is the prettiest dog I have ever seen and some times she is calm and ballanced and a wonderful companion and then the broken part takes over. Its like there are two dogs in her head.

Ah well, at least I have found something that actually helps her now. Its just odd that its rabbits. :lol:

 

[Cindi Davis]

I like the get a pet a pet LMAO , too funny but true

 

[MamaSheepdog]

is now housing my two sons Water Dragons.

Reptiles don't exactly give you that "warm and fuzzy feeling"... that poor dog needs some rabbits! :lilbunny: :lilbunny:

Its like there are two dogs in her head.

There are! A red one and a white one! :lol:

By the way... you need to post some pics of your "broken-in-the-head broken-red-and-white-setter". :camera:

 

[raetcd]

This is by far the best excuse to get a rabbit that I have ever heard. "I have to get that cute big one. It's for my dogs sanity not for me! I promise"

 

[GBov]

I mentioned it to hubby only to get the thumbs down but as the dog is bashing and yelping against the door, he is perhaps haveing a rethink. :twisted:

And yes, I will see if I can hunt up a picture of my broken dog.<br /><br />__________ Fri Aug 10, 2012 5:25 pm __________<br /><br />






Here she be. She doesnt LOOK broken, does she?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Wow, she is beautiful!

She doesn't have the excessive furnishings seen on the red Irish Setters- have the red and whites been bred primarily for the field?

We just got our hunting licenses this year, and I could see myself with a dog like her as my bird dog!

 

[GBov]

Wow, she is beautiful!

She doesn't have the excessive furnishings seen on the red Irish Setters- have the red and whites been bred primarily for the field?

We just got our hunting licenses this year, and I could see myself with a dog like her as my bird dog!

Yep, bred for hunting and for field trials. She is from a championship line and, as you see, is absolutely beautiful.

Its sad really but there you go, we got a heaping dose of bad luck with her. Not as bad as it could have been though, she is good with livestock and the kids and pets and HATES raccoons so it could be worse. I wont EVER have another of her breed again though but not due to her quirks but because, with the best will in the world, you just cant tire them out!!!

She can go 40 MILES a DAY! And be ready to go again in the morning.

How can a normal family use up that kind of energy?

The breed history is interesting though. The Irish Red Setter actually comes from the Red and White rather than the other way around. Fashion almost did them in but they were saved on the brink of being lost forever.

In Ireland they are used for flushing game but on the Continent they are used for retrieving as well. And being a soft mouthed breed they do a good job at it too.

I use to torment our Penny by giving her an egg, just to watch her try to break it! She couldn't bite it due to her breeding but she got the better of me by figuring out how to drop it on a rock. :lol:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I use to torment our Penny by giving her an egg, just to watch her try to break it! She couldn't bite it due to her breeding but she got the better of me by figuring out how to drop it on a rock. :lol:

Lol!

I assume they are pretty obedient off lead, since they have to work the birds on their own... would they be a good breed to take on trail rides, or are they prone to getting fixated on, say, a covey of quail?

We have horses, but no treadmill.

 

[GBov]

I assume they are pretty obedient off lead, since they have to work the birds on their own... would they be a good breed to take on trail rides, or are they prone to getting fixated on, say, a covey of quail?

We have horses, but no treadmill.

They are eager to please, fairly smart, not too easy to train adn are prone to enjoying running so much that the run into trees and walls. :lol:

Once trained, a NORMAL red and white is trained forever and a true joy. IF you can drain that energy off some way.

Our Penny would do the tredmill until it shut off on its own - about 5 miles - and never break a sweat and now we swim her daily but nope, cant tire her out.

Going hunting is what she was bred for and wants to do and would be good at.

If you have the time and energy, they are great dogs! Just not for a family with small kids.

I SOOOOO have to rebuild a cage adn stuff it with rabbits for her. The poor thing was frantic this afternoon and yet last week she was the picture of calm happy dog lieing down beside the rabbits cage despite a worse storm than todays.

 

[3mina]

I'm not big on the Sporting group but the Red & White is one I would have. She's gorgeous