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Should I Or Shouldn't I? Any Thoughts Appreciated.


spottychick
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Warning for the squeamish - slightly gruesome bits ahead.

Dear diary

Yesterday I took the gang for a walk up in the forest with Rusty the heeler. I must get some photos up there to show people how beautiful it is.

Anyway, it's a tourist walk and there are random life-size statues of people made of tin planted amongst the ferns and trees along the way. Dylan didn't like them (art snob!!) so he would start barking at them and then run to me, still barking. :laugh: Rusty and Pepper would look at Dylan as if he was stark raving bonkers! LOL But even more interesting is that Dylan's barking would cause Tango to emerge from wherever he'd been and come running back to see what was wrong. He normally doesn't come back for anything! I reassured DYlan it was all okay and acted nonchalant about it all so on the way back he passed them by without so much as a glance.

When we were nearly back to the parking area Rusty took off through the trees in the direction of her home and we continued along the walk. I was keeping an eye on Tango as he darted through the forest nearby trying to make sure he didn't follow Rusty and nick off on me as usual.

Suddenly I saw him stop, sniff around and then start excitedly pawing and carrying on at something on the ground. When it didn't look like he would leave it and follow I heaved a sigh, pulled out his lead from my backpack and prepared to go bush bashing up to where he was. After a bit of a struggle and numerous slaps in the face from waving branches and ferns, I arrived at Tango's spot, Pepper and Dylan by my side, and discovered what was so interesting.

He was near a large hole in the ground and it appeared that a wallaby had landed awkwardly in the hole and broken it's leg. The poor animal had clearly been unable to get up and had died of exposure/starvation. As I drew near I expected Tango to make a grab for the wallaby and run away - or at least dart away from me. He did neither. He just glanced up, wagged his tail and started happily munching into the poor creatures head. Now I didn't want Tango to associate me coming up to him with a negative, as this was the first time I 'd come after him like this on an off-lead walk. SO I just patted his back and said happy things to him like "What have you got there Tango!" and "Oh arent you clever" - stuff like that - when really I wanted to vomit and drag him bodily away!!!

Not knowing if he'd snap at me I reached over and attached the lead to his collar. He didn't even flinch or pause in his joyful munching. Meanwhile Dylan and Pepper were swarming all over the carcass, noses and tails going wild. Dylan grabbed hold of a leg and made a few futile attempts at biting into it. Tango did nothing and continued eating the head :laugh: . I let them keep going partly to reinforce me being there as a positive thing and also out of curiousity to see what Tango would do with all of us hovering over his "prize".

Tango seemed, if anything, proud to share his spoils with both dogs. Even to the point where Dylan started pulling on the leg and pulled the head right out of Tango's mouth. Still Tango just kept wagging his tail and sort of calmly moved in the direction Dylan was hauling to get hold of the head again. Somehow Dylan managed to get in between Tango and the head and take over that part. Tango just backed up a couple of steps and looked around casually as if wondering if he should start on another bit. At that point I decided it was a good time to go so I led Tango away (he came with me easily). Pepper followed next to me and Dylan tried to follow behind us while dragging the dead wallaby hee hee. Not possible sonny-jim!!!! It was bigger than him. Hahahaha I just kept going and picked up the pace as much as I could while stumbling through thick forest and undergrowth.

After a short distance Dylan abandoned the wallaby and caught us up. (I guess the driving off and leaving him behind episode of a few days ago did the trick!!! hee hee *evil laugh*)

I found that all very fascinating as it was like watching a couple of dogs in the wild, with the adult dog sharing his "kill" with the pup. I swear Tango looked like he thought he'd killed the thing and was magnanimously offering it to everyone. :laugh:

Tango still has some issues we need to work through when it comes to snapping and inappropriate biting, but none of it is down to aggression. He really is a lovely boy.

Meanwhile, I've taught Dylan his first "touch" lessons (with my hand as the target) and he is able to identify and touch my car keys on command. Smart little dude. And just because they are there and also want treats, Tango and Pepper are learning the same things - tho not as quickly.

Edited by spottychick
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Great story SC!!! Lovely that Tango is learning to share and be magnaminous with his "kill"!!! :confused: It's lovely when they find the dead things. It's not "I see dead people" it's "I smell dead things, find them and eat them"!!!

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Great stories, s/chick. Loved the one of Tango getting the better of Dylan and leaving the puppy boy moaning and whinging in a basket on his own.

Those three seem to be a great pack and terrific that Rusy can come along for the ride. I think I'll have to start going back to where I used to walk my lot when I first moved up here. Nothing as wonderful as your walks, but at least a teensy bit bush-like.

Edited by Mother Moocher
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Dont worry too much MM - that "poor boy" seems to get his own way far too often LOL

The boys names seem to be changing regularly - I've been calling them Tillen and Dango or Talon and Dingo.

Dylan continues to amaze me, he's just such a fast learner.

I finally convinced Pepper that Dylan was safe to play with and wont attack her like Tango does. 2 days ago they had a brief tentative play and now I can hardly get them to stop it. It's like a spotty whirling dervish all round the house with Pepper snarling and carryiing on and Dylan yipping and yapping (which is hilarious in such a big puppy) as they joyfully hurl themselves at each other. Their fave is to stand on their back legs and wrestle each others heads.

Poor old Tango keeps alternating between getting distressed because he thinks it's a real fight and attacking one of them

OR

realising its a game, wanting to join in so he attacks them anyway LMAO

His idea of "play" is really scarey and he bites without understanding the harm he does.

I've been working with him to calm him and get him to leave them to play which he sometimes gets. I can see tango is tryiing to work out how to deal with it all. Today he was attacking them, I distracted him with treats and patted him. He watched them a while, went to attack but stopped when I looked at him. So he ran into the kitchen and came back to the doorway with Headless Teddy in his mouth then ran out the back door when everyone looked at him hahahahahaha

It's a madhouse but we're getting it together.

Edited by spottychick
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Go the mad house spottychick sounds like fun you are doing a fantastic job and your stories make for wonderful reading and for that I thank you :rofl:

You're more than welcome sebastion - I love sharing them. I just hope people don't see me as one of those 'look at me posters" I've seen mentioned in dark disapproving tones now and again round these parts :rofl:

I just cant help but want to tell people stuff LOL

Edited by spottychick
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Great story SC!!! Lovely that Tango is learning to share and be magnaminous with his "kill"!!! :rofl: It's lovely when they find the dead things. It's not "I see dead people" it's "I smell dead things, find them and eat them"!!!

LOL Jigsaw! At least he doesnt also roll in them. The ladylike elegant Pepper is more likely to do that!!

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I think it's nice of Tango to let the others share his prize... it shows what a great job you are doing with them all.

T.

It really is remarkable to watch how a dog can change just because he feels safe and a part of a "family" (however dogs percieve that!!).

Tango found another dead thing today (road kill that had been put on the footpath) when I had him and Dylan on leads. I was distracted and didn't notice it or notice him snatch it up. It wasn't a very big thing tho and Dylan tried to grab hold of it. Much too close to Tangos mouth. Tango just growled and flicked his head away and I pulled Dylan away with the lead. I thought that was perfectly acceptable behaviour from Tango given that the "prize" was only a small one, he was on a short lead and felt a bit constrained and Dylan was leaping at his face. Dylan actually managed to get a bit of bone or something anyway and proudly carried it all the way home (like tango) and then promptly lost interest in it.

I swapped Tango's revolting smelly whatever it was for a juicy bone when we got home so that was all sorted too.

Edited by spottychick
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I just hope people don't see me as one of those 'look at me posters" I've seen mentioned in dark disapproving tones now and again round these parts eek1.gif

Who cares what those sort of people think? I'm loving your regular updates on the spotty clan... keep them coming!

T.

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I just hope people don't see me as one of those 'look at me posters" I've seen mentioned in dark disapproving tones now and again round these parts eek1.gif

Who cares what those sort of people think? I'm loving your regular updates on the spotty clan... keep them coming!

T.

:laugh:

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I just hope people don't see me as one of those 'look at me posters" I've seen mentioned in dark disapproving tones now and again round these parts eek1.gif

Who cares what those sort of people think? I'm loving your regular updates on the spotty clan... keep them coming!

T.

:laugh:

x2

spotty, i take real pleasure in reading your posts --- irrespective of some aspects like yukky dead things i always end up smiling :laugh:

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Dont worry too much MM - that "poor boy" seems to get his own way far too often LOL

The boys names seem to be changing regularly - I've been calling them Tillen and Dango or Talon and Dingo.

Dylan continues to amaze me, he's just such a fast learner.

I finally convinced Pepper that Dylan was safe to play with and wont attack her like Tango does. 2 days ago they had a brief tentative play and now I can hardly get them to stop it. It's like a spotty whirling dervish all round the house with Pepper snarling and carryiing on and Dylan yipping and yapping (which is hilarious in such a big puppy) as they joyfully hurl themselves at each other. Their fave is to stand on their back legs and wrestle each others heads.

Poor old Tango keeps alternating between getting distressed because he thinks it's a real fight and attacking one of them

OR

realising its a game, wanting to join in so he attacks them anyway LMAO

His idea of "play" is really scarey and he bites without understanding the harm he does.

I've been working with him to calm him and get him to leave them to play which he sometimes gets. I can see tango is tryiing to work out how to deal with it all. Today he was attacking them, I distracted him with treats and patted him. He watched them a while, went to attack but stopped when I looked at him. So he ran into the kitchen and came back to the doorway with Headless Teddy in his mouth then ran out the back door when everyone looked at him hahahahahaha

It's a madhouse but we're getting it together.

Oh boy!! I can relate to so much of this particularly getting the names mangled - LOL :D ;) . I call Danny "The Fun Police" because he gets soooo jealous if the others start to play.

It is just so thrilling to see how wonderfully well it is going and how Tango looks to you for guidance and approval. Love it all.

Go the mad house spottychick sounds like fun you are doing a fantastic job and your stories make for wonderful reading and for that I thank you :rofl:

You're more than welcome sebastion - I love sharing them. I just hope people don't see me as one of those 'look at me posters" I've seen mentioned in dark disapproving tones now and again round these parts :rofl:

I just cant help but want to tell people stuff LOL

Well if you stop telling people stuff, you'll soon hear from us with plenty of :laugh::laugh: . I don't think I read more descriptive material on DOL. I can just "see" it all :laugh::laugh:
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Go the mad house spottychick sounds like fun you are doing a fantastic job and your stories make for wonderful reading and for that I thank you :laugh:

You're more than welcome sebastion - I love sharing them. I just hope people don't see me as one of those 'look at me posters" I've seen mentioned in dark disapproving tones now and again round these parts :rofl:

I just cant help but want to tell people stuff LOL

I think your posts are wonderful :rofl:

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I just hope people don't see me as one of those 'look at me posters" I've seen mentioned in dark disapproving tones now and again round these parts eek1.gif

Who cares what those sort of people think? I'm loving your regular updates on the spotty clan... keep them coming!

T.

:)

x2

spotty, i take real pleasure in reading your posts --- irrespective of some aspects like yukky dead things i always end up smiling :party:

X3!

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