katetk

Thanks for all the responses and discussion. Feeling better re the dogs and Isobel. Chatted with another cairn owner and have more of an understanding standing re our Isobel. I mean she is a lovely dog, I think I was annoyed re Alvin the guinea pig, combined with the escaping... (Fence fixed, and gp - gone) As for Hugo, he is good, and is a great dog, no he isn't harvey and it was unfair for me to put that in him in a sense.. Things are good.Thanks guys,

Thanks peoples Will be having the conversation with husband tonight. And yes, Hugo is just over 12 months and going through that teenage boy stage, I feel he is a great dog. Am annoyed with myself for taking so long to realise isobels situation. Wobbly, would not put her down. My children annoy me too LOL so I don't blame her. She is a funny one, anytime I have thought "oh she is a snappy thing" she isn't, it is generally the childs doing. If I take Isobel to the dog park with my older child isobel follows her around kinda protecting her, she is just a timind type of girl, hard to explain. As for the guinea pig, I understand it is total normal terrier behaviour, so I don't blame her (or either of them) for Alvin's death.. Thanks for all the responses, giving lots of food for thought.

Yes the boarding thing could be confusing. I think rehoming isobel is the way to go. However something Showdog said has stuck. New dogs come with new beginnings and I accept that, it is not fair on Hugo to be compared or seen as a substitute and really he isn't, but perhaps indirectly has been. This has to be stopped. such a crap situation, although it would seem others have been in the same boat too.

yes, I have to stop over thinking. I understand what you mean with being scared by the thought of feeling nothing. Right now my thoughts are with re homing Isobel. She is a great little dog, but if I think (gee, cant help that thinking thing) she isn't getting everything out of life she deserves. I think then, I can concentrate with Hugo and go from there.

The idea of boarding them has come up before, as I have spoken to another breeder regarding this isobel situation a few months ago. Everyone is making very valid points, thank you. I will have a chat to husband tonight. Yes, I have to stop comparing Hugo in particular to Harvey, this has been my undoing. Isobel, is slightly different, we have never gelled, I always kinda put it down to her being a female (never had female dogs before) lots of thinking to do, I the meantime I may look into a boarding arrangement either at a kennel or family member.

Good point trisven13, very good point, you are right. We have never gelled. And in the meantime perhaps that has hindered the hugo bonding situation too. Who bloody knows. ETA thanks Alpha_bet too, very good point also.

oh gawd, now I have tears. I feel for Isobel, I really do. I really hope it is a case of us being upset/angry re the guinea pig, but I just don't know. I mean, how can I have a dog for 5 years and now be thinking of possibly rehoming her, this seriously is not in my nature. I have only ever had one dog in my lifetime that was rehomed when I was 5 due to a neighbour issue. Then there is Hugo, I know my husband is not wrapped in him, we have had this conversation, but came to the conclusion on the weekend that Hugo, is not Harvey (I know this, husband needs to acknowledge it). he does have his good points, he is a great dog, he has his bad point, he is destructive but we are working on that too... far out, stoopid thought process.

I personally don't want to rehome Hugo. That's not to say I want to rehome isobel; but that thought has been in the back of our minds for a while now. I am at home all the time, apart from the odd few hours when we are out. Weekends we generally spend most of the time outside with the dogs, and my girls are always in and out. If I am sitting outside, Hugo is generally right next to me or on me. Isobel will be near me too. They do get plenty of attention, but there is just something, I am so frigging angry at myself to even have these thoughts going round in my head.

Hi All Long time no post. Am guessing there are a lot of new members here! Now, I need help, ideas, thoughts anything on what to do with our current situation. to give a brief background - here goes. 2 years ago in sept we lost our beloved westie Harvey to a tick, it was a terrible time, not only with loosing Harvey, our cairn got a tick (recovered) I had a 6 week old baby and my husband collapsed out of bed and was rushed to hospital (the dogs and husband thing happened all in the same week - it was nuts) ANYWAY, we lost Harvey, he was 9, and the best. Isobel (cairn) had a rough time and needed a helping hand from the vet to relax, calm her etc, this was done and she picked up a bit. Fast fwd to this time last year we decided to add another dog to our family - introduce Hugo, the border terrier, a breed we originally wanted pre Harvey but could never get in Qld at the time. He is great. He and isobel get along great. He is also great with my two girls. Hugo and I did some basic obedience etc, things going along great....BUT, did we do the right thing? was it too soon? The relationship between isobel and the family is another issue. I don't 100% trust her around the girls (I know I know, they are never unsupervised anyway) we (and this will sounds terrible) have never warmed to her, we can not put our finger on it. This has always kinda been the case (she is 5) BUT please, don't get me wrong, we love her, she is well looked after, taken to the park, vet, feed a good diet. One the weekend just gone my husband and I had a conversation about the above, how we cant put our finger on what it is with the dogs, but something just isn't there. for example, hugo has been getting out (I think we are up to about 6 times - (fence fully fixed now) and, ok, if that was Harvey I would be frantic, when it is Hugo and Isobel, I am angry and frustrated... Shouldn't I be feeling frantic, worried? fast fwd again to last night... arrived home and isobel had eaten our guinea pig... this is where husband stated the "get rid of them", now, we have discussed rehoming isobel after Harvey as she was miserable, but she came good. The conversation has come up numerous times as she does kinda seem sad, but she is a naturally timid girl. I thought husband may have just said the rehoming thing in anger/sadness about the GP BUT have just got off the phone from him and he has said it again and that "we will have to think about it" I don't know, and apolgies, this post is all over the shop. My concerns are I am not feeling the love for either dogs as I did Harvey, did we rush into adding hugo? Should we rehome isobel, none , one, both, gah, I don't know.

Hi, I will be after a new bed for outside for cairn terrier and border terrier, given border terrier has ruined (with help of cairn who had shown no interest in bed until his arrival) So, saw these advertised in here Miranda dog bedsWhoops, Kuranda dog beds... Basically am after something for outdoors (under cover) for during the day, they are crated at night (wire crate - he ruined the soft crate)... Something comfy for two and not chewable... Or at least not easily chewed lol. Hopefully this one works

That was my next port of call, no outside bed. Will do the lead and see how we go. Thanks

Ok, so, I know the mornings are a little chilly and the grass is cold and wet - I know! But littl Hugo insists in pooing and peeing on the outdoor dog bed, it's a big pillow type bed. He will do this on the blankets or straight on the bed. While I'm at it actually, he will do the same on the bricks outside as oppose to walking say 5 m to the yard. I pick him up and put him on the grass but he (most times) scurries back to finish what he started where he started? Any tips on how to reinforce that the grass is where he should go? He is 14 weeks..

Cute Cleveland...Cairn pups are funny little things aren't they?! Have fun, glad your boy has a new lease on life too.

Thanks alkhe :) Well, I am glad to hear that it means she is happy... I honestly believe she had come out of her shell after reading others comments. She was a zombie there for a bit, and with hugos arrival I can now see how sad she must have been.... She would seemingly mope about, not for lack of trying with her. It's great ...not the chewing or the digging or the "lets climb the retaining wall and get stuck and mum had to walk over wet grass" ... I'm just glad she is having fun. They are both In bed with a hot water bottle after a play date with myfriends terrier mix....

:D she is now officially out of mourning ! and boy did she mourn the poor girl. Within 1 week of harvey passing she was at the vet for an UTI (never had before) then we would go for a walk, if she saw a white dog she would come home, lie on the bricks and HOOOWWWL, sometimes randomly just sitting there howling... It was like she just didnt know what to do with herself, if the postman came, harves would usually run down the side of the house and have a bark.. when he was gone isobel just looked damn confused about what to do.. it was just the saddest thing (this was then back to the vet for some "puppy homeopathic valium LOL) Oh, dont get me wrong, i am glad she is loving life again.. just strange as she can be such a moody thing. They are currently both zonked out on their bed, after isobel showing Hugo (who is a midget at the moment) how to scale the retaining wall (now blocked off).