# R & R



## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

I decided to mix things up this year and spend Thanksgiving with the dogs. . We've headed to the beach for some much needed R & R - I think my family thinks I've officially become the crazy dog lady. I know it's a little nuts but my birthday is next weekend, so I'll see the family on Sunday and I didn't want to cut my trip short to come home on Thursday, so I figured spending Thanksgiving at the beach with the dogs sounds great! We got down here last night and the dogs are super excited. Penny has assumed her role as official watch dog and when we are at the house she spends most of her time on the balcony or looking out the window to make sure we are safe. Cash is really just concerned about running on the beach and making new friends. It's shaping up to be a great week! Happy Thanksgiving week!


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

Sounds GREAT!!! There is just no way, you cannot have a wonderful time at the Beach!!
You and your pups deserve a fun filled escape ... Have a great time.
I can't think of a better way to be thankful for a successful and happy year.


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

Today the dogs and I had some fun at the beach and when it was time to head back to the house, I put the dogs on their flexi leads so we could walk back up the trail to the car. In the distance I hear a woman yelling for her dog and I see a standard poodle running full speed towards us. I tried to reign my dogs in a bit because they were all the way out at the end of their leash, but before I could the poodle was upon us. It was soooo annoying, this dog is charging in on my dogs and then jumping away just out of reach, then running in a circle around us. Neither of my dogs appreciated the charging, so they were getting a little growlly and I'm trying to hang on to 120 lbs of pulling dogs while this poodle runs circles around us. Finally one of the two women that this dog is with catches up to us and at this point I'm clearly in the middle of dog craziness, but instead of grabbing her dog she starts asking me what happened to Cash's leg! Seriously?? Get your dog under control and then I'm happy to have a conversation with you! Well, her dog is not listening to her and she can't catch it, so her solution was just to run away calling the dog in hopes that it would chase her. Finally it did decide to follow her and we continued on our way. I guess it was an impromptu mini workout for me. 

On another note, I am just so impressed with Cash when we go to the beach - we have to go up and down a pretty steep set of stairs to get to the beach. Today on the way back to the car we starting walking up a different path that didn't have stairs, well halfway up I realized that it got really steep and the footing was pretty iffy. I was going to turn back because I thought it was too much for Cash, but he just powered through and ran right up. Such a little stud.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I feel you on the poodle incident! Scout and I headed to the beach today to burn off some turkey. It was gorgeous and we were having a great time until this big mastiff/bully breed type dog ran up to us with his family far behind in pursuit. Based on his body language I thought he was just excited to play with another dog at first, but shortly after reaching Scout he tried to hump her and then started started fighting after she corrected him. Thankfully, it sounded worse than it was, but I kicked the dog and placed myself between him and Scout until the family got there. Scout was unfazed and uninjured and she actually went right back to playing with me and wagging her tail. We played fetch for a bit after that just to end the walk on a good note. 

I've definitely been the person with the ill-behaved dog, so as long as no harm comes from it, I just let it go and am thankful that I now have a lot more know-how and a well socialized dog.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Cr - Ein - a life off lead is NEVER safe or easy - this what they were bred 4 - we work so hard 2 have a well socilazed pup ! then we encounter a hound from **** - it is never that pups fault ! it is the owners ! but what amazes me ! they blame us - our pup & then walk away if they can catch their pup - THIS never changes - my problem has been with PIKE & the 3 before him - they are ALPHA pups - challenge me or them - the game is ON !!!!! after 3 law suits 2 get Vet bills - I walk out of court LOL - over the years 1 thing is common - the other owner has no whistle hand or voice command that WORKS - because that would require them 2 WORK ! as always - protect your pup - the **** with the other owners !!!!!!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

As aggravating as it can be, we V owners have normally been on both sides of the fence. First with bolsters pups that run up to others, and at last with well trained dogs that stand at heel, while other dogs rush in at us..
As long as no one gets hurt, I just look at it as one of life's experiences.
I either praise my dogs for doing a good job, or it lets me know a area I need to work on with them.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

They were very apologetic, actually. I'm guessing Pike gets blamed because he's an intact dog which is a whole 'nother conversation. I have gotten a look before though when Scout corrected a male V who tried to hump her. The owner wasn't paying attention so probably thought it was unprovoked. Letting the dogs work it out isn't always a good strategy, but we live in a world where every little growl is vilified and rather than trying to understand, people get emotional, feel shame, and throw blame around.

I make Scout drag a check cord at the beach because there are so many things to tempt her. If one person pets her she then thinks everyone there wants to pet her. Vizsla logic. When she was about 5 months old she wandered off while I was packing up our towels, etc. I turned around wondering where she went and 20 feet away or so she was lapping up some soda from the can of an unsuspecting sunbather! They noticed at about the same time. I was mortified, but they just thought it was funny. That cute puppy pass doesn't last long though and soon they become the big, hairy, wet beast that strangers pray doesn't jump on them. 

CrazyCash, I didn't mean to derail the thread this much! Back to Thanksgiving and beachiness.  How's the rest of your trip going?


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

> but we live in a world where every little growl is vilified and rather than trying to understand, people get emotional, feel shame, and throw blame around


This is why my dogs hang with other hunting dogs.
Owners that know, dogs will be dogs. 
A slight scuffle, or a quick correction between dogs is no big deal.
Most of the time its over before it really starts.
Then the dogs have work to do, and pay no attention to the other dog in the field. 
If we humans tried dog etiquette, others would find us strange.
First go up and sniff their rear, and the give them a growl if they touch something that off limits. As much as we love our dogs, they play by a different set of rules.

CC glad all turned out well, and you and the pups could go back to enjoying your holiday.


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

No problem on the derail - that's the beauty of the forum. . I agree with everyone - I think we can all relate to both sides. My dogs are on their flexi leads more than I would like to admit because I don't trust them to be off lead all of the time - they definitely have recall issues. . My two are definitely not perfect, in fact, they are far from it!

Ein - I love the story about Scout drinking the soda, that would totally be Cash. I can just picture him at the beach sitting on someone's blanket munching on their picnic. 

Today is our last day at the beach - we've had a good week, but I think that Penny is ready to go home. I'm definitely seeing some of her fear issues coming out. Yesterday at the beach a man came out of the water carrying his surfboard and Penny freaked out, started barking and trying to run away. I've also noticed in the last two days that she's afraid to go in the backyard. There is a house just above us with a balcony and the other night there were people out there talking and they had some kind of flashing light turned on - something about that scared Penny and now I have to go outside with her and literally stand there while she goes potty or she will just stand at the door and not go. She's so much better than she was before, but in different environments she struggles a little. But she does listen to me, so when she starts getting skittish about something and I give her a command she will listen to me. Tomorrow she'll be back home and all will be right in her world again.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

TR is right about being in the field hunting - the pups are at work - if they give another pup a correction it is short & swift & then back 2 work - the big + is all the owners with experiance know this - Reeds pup Holler (a lab) & PIKE have never liked each other so we take turns which pup goes 2 the blind - better safe than sorry - it is the untrained pup & untrained owner that is the problem !!!!!


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