Several weeks ago, I volunteered to look after a dog for someone I work with. She told me that he's a lovely dog, calm, doesn't bark, loves long walks etc.

Well, we have been considering getting a little friend for Tilly for some time so this seemed the perfect chance to see how she would respond to another dog in the house.

We picked him up at 10.30 this morning, and my nerves are now well and truly frayed. :hihi:

He is just the most gorgeous dog but 'calm' and 'doesn't bark' are not apt descriptions of him. He is constantly wanting Tilly to play with him and she is obliging him, so we now have 2 whirling dervishes in the house, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. The kids love it.:rolleyes:

I just hope they are going to settle soon. Having said all that I think I'm going to struggle to part with him in 2 weeks time.:love:

Suggestions for a calm, sane fortnight welcomed.

The word 'no' expressed firmly goes a long way, but you need to get them very used to the idea that they aren't supposed to tear about the place ;)

Obviously they should be allowed to play together in a suitable space such as the garden or on an offlead walk, but it isn't difficult to teach them that you'd like the house in one piece by the time your visitor goes home :)

Several weeks ago, I volunteered to look after a dog for someone I work with. She told me that he's a lovely dog, calm, doesn't bark, loves long walks etc.

Well, we have been considering getting a little friend for Tilly for some time so this seemed the perfect chance to see how she would respond to another dog in the house.

We picked him up at 10.30 this morning, and my nerves are now well and truly frayed. :hihi:

He is just the most gorgeous dog but 'calm' and 'doesn't bark' are not apt descriptions of him. He is constantly wanting Tilly to play with him and she is obliging him, so we now have 2 whirling dervishes in the house, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. The kids love it.:rolleyes:

I just hope they are going to settle soon. Having said all that I think I'm going to struggle to part with him in 2 weeks time.:love:

Suggestions for a calm, sane fortnight welcomed.

I know how you feel! My mums dog is coming to stay for a fortnight tomorrow. The Chocador loves other dogs, however my Mums dog isn't that keen.

Its usually bedlam for a few hours after she arrives and then eventually it settles down.

souds like our dog when we go to motherin laws tia goes barmy the whole time with there dog lol. So now both dogs are not allowed in the garden together as the garden gets churned ut with dogs chasin each other

hehe, I know just what you're going through alirosdan. I doggy sit a 6 month old choccy lab for a friend of mine. She's mad! Our dog Perry is normally as placid as anything but when they are together they are a right pair!

I filmed them both yesterday. Here's a little clip... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhKSn218I34

Same here - our dobermutt is usually totally disinterested in other dogs but whenever we get together with our friend Janet and her Lab Laurel it is MAD! (Mind you, lovely to see the 2 girls getting along so well and having a whale of a time). Fortunately, we are either out on walks, at the seaside or at Janet's and she has a long garden they can go mental in. Dread to think what chaos they would cause here.

On the plus side- your 2 should hopefully tire one another out and sleep tomorrow - hope all goes well xK

hehe, I know just what you're going through alirosdan. I doggy sit a 6 month old choccy lab for a friend of mine. She's mad! Our dog Perry is normally as placid as anything but when they are together they are a right pair!

I filmed them both yesterday. Here's a little clip... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhKSn218I34

Cute (and quite mad too) I want to upload video of Ailsa on Youtube of her singing along to a Pink Floyd track but havent yet figured out how

It's funny, a couple of you have mentioned labradors. That's exactly what Woody is, an 18 month old lab. I love the video clip Ally - it looks just like these two here.

At around 9pm, we split them up. Tilly sat with my OH in the living room and Woody sat with me in the other room (luckily the house is quite big) and they both had a chance to chill out.

Let's hope tomorrow is a bit calmer, otherwise I'm going to be a basket case. Glad I'm working this weekend.:D

Several weeks ago, I volunteered to look after a dog for someone I work with. She told me that he's a lovely dog, calm, doesn't bark, loves long walks etc.

Well, we have been considering getting a little friend for Tilly for some time so this seemed the perfect chance to see how she would respond to another dog in the house.

We picked him up at 10.30 this morning, and my nerves are now well and truly frayed. :hihi:

He is just the most gorgeous dog but 'calm' and 'doesn't bark' are not apt descriptions of him. He is constantly wanting Tilly to play with him and she is obliging him, so we now have 2 whirling dervishes in the house, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. The kids love it.:rolleyes:

I just hope they are going to settle soon. Having said all that I think I'm going to struggle to part with him in 2 weeks time.:love:

Suggestions for a calm, sane fortnight welcomed.

I would say you have made two dogs very happy to have somebody to play with. But you obviously have to keep them controlled and rough play should be kept outside.:D

Our little lodger has just arrived. Its a madhouse. to add to the madness of whirling cats, dogs and children, Mr Scoop has decided to start knocking the kitchen out!

My two are nightmares in the house! So much for getting a calm 12 year old to make sure they don't wind each other up :rolleyes:

I'm afraid I fail to agree with Strix on this one :lol: It is not easy to teach these two not to rough house in the house!

It doesn't help that a) we don't have a garden and b) Eddy hardly ever plays when out on walks.

However - 'no' means bog all when they're in the middle of a game and I would advise no-one to put their hands in the middle.

Instead - I stand up and say 'time out' and they both stop and playbow to me :rolleyes: I then remove both (if it was mutual) to the kitchen where they don't like to play so have to chill out and allow them to return two minutes later. As soon as it starts again, they're back in the kitchen :lol:
If one of them starts it, that one is removed to the kitchen whilst the other one is allowed to stay as long as they're calm.
That way, they learn it pays to be quiet! :lol:

However - in my current state (incapacitated, having to keep foot raised) they know I can't keep getting up and removing them and they're horrible :shocked:

Just to add: I do it this way because they enjoy having a quiet 'dual' (mouthing) and as long as it stays that way, they're allowed to continue, as soon as it gets to a stage where they're leaping around, they're out!

We are still having our moments - Woody is wanting to chew Tilly's ear for some reason. She stands for it for a while but then gets stroppy with him.

Tilly has made it quite clear that this is HER house and HER family, to the point where she tries her damndest to stop him going near her favourite person. It's funny to see because she is half his size! Luckily Woody is so laid back he just does as she wants.

We have a bit of a worry though because Woody has started to cough. It's not all the time but enough to cause concern (is there such a thing as hypochondria by proxy?). If he's no better tomorrow I think a trip to the vet is on the cards.

One of the problems that we uncounted was that I mistakingly thought it was cute to see them both sharing Perry's bed! Perry, never complained but made his point quite clear by then sitting on the settee. He's not allowed to go on there but it was his way of telling us! She was then relegated (favourite word of the day) to her own bed. :D

She was then relegated (favourite word of the day) to her own bed. :D

:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

Im supposed to dislike dogs immensely, but last year we looked after the other halfs parents little dog for two weeks and by the end of his time with us, I had grown attached to the little sod. I hated letting him go and Im happy to say that we`re looking after him for another couple of weeks in July.

Even the cat liked this dog, and played on the lawn with him, they were chasing each other up and down the garden.

The mad dog is coming tomorrow morning. Hope they behave themselves as I will be suffering a slight hangover in the morning! :hihi:

Had Woody to the vet today. She thinks it could be a combination of pulling on his lead and barking (he hasn't EVER barked in his life!!) that has caused an inflamation in his windpipe!

They have been wonderful today. He has stopped marking his territory and 'top dog' status has been established (Tilly won that hands down). They have been much calmer and have actually left each other alone. I think we are over the worst.

Ally68 I hope your hangover was worth it!!

Had Woody to the vet today. She thinks it could be a combination of pulling on his lead and barking (he hasn't EVER barked in his life!!) that has caused an inflamation in his windpipe!

They have been wonderful today. He has stopped marking his territory and 'top dog' status has been established (Tilly won that hands down). They have been much calmer and have actually left each other alone. I think we are over the worst.

Ally68 I hope your hangover was worth it!!

Poor lad! Hope things are getting easier - all this excitement, no wonderthe pair are driving you spare. I wondered if you might have problems with marking territory but didnt like to ask-it is an obvious coping mechanism when a dog (or cat) feels threatened by a newbie. Anyway, hopefully you can start to rest now they are over the worst of it.

It's just a mad here at times, with one dog and 5 cats: tonight, we've had Alfie our barmy bengal cat tormenting the dobermutt instead of vice versa- and just when I thought the pair had calmed down, Alf jumps on the sofa where Ailsa is snoozing and then starts chewing her ears...Ouch! Not a wise move. A pair of whirling dervishes - no wonder I've stopped having fine ornaments and other breakables...

Katkin your house sounds as mad as ours! Thing is, you wouldn't change it for the world would you?

Woody was here a little longer than anticipated (a day short of 3 weeks), and he went home this morning. As I thought, it was difficult to part with him because we have had such a lovely time together - he is just so full of the joy of life. We have been to Rother Valley several times (he loves the water), to the seaside and many walks through the woods.

I can't believe the difference in Tilly. She has been so well behaved! She hasn't been on the settee with my OH for the whole 3 weeks, but now the big lad's gone, she's back up there again. She is missing Woody already - she is wandering about looking all sad and pathetic. I just hope she gets over it quickly.:(

Phew! peace reigns at last- aww bet you're missing him though. I'm sure Tilly will soon get used to being the only dog again soon- but will be full of beans as soon as she meets up with him again!