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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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 Posted -
14/10/2004
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09:57
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Jack is making a lot of friends in Barlick. I don't know why, maybe it's his face markings but people on the street feel the need to stroke him. Women in particular fall for him.
As you know, I had a bad experience with Joe, the lurcher from Irlam. I was very wary about taking another feral dog on but I'm beginning to think that Jack will make it as a member of the team. He's good at coming to hand when off the lead but I'm not saying he'd take any notice if he was distracted.
He's fast and very agile and seems to have lungs as big as a bucket, I haven't heard him pant as though he's out of breath even after a hard run. As for jumping, he's like a cat. Here he is on his favourite perch. Someone asked me the other day why I don't stop him doing it. It's easier to clean the drainer twice a day!
[This topic started as Jack's blog but in Jan 2008 I had to put him down because he started attacking strange dogs. His successor is Black Jack. a Patterdale pup, no point erasing Jack the Lurcher from history.... he was a good dog and what happened wasn't his fault. He had too bad a start.....]
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 25/01/2008 : 05:54
Something just struck me about Ben. He's a fit little dog but nowhere near as good as he could be. He walked about five miles yesterday with me and today he'll do the same. I don't think he's ever been walked more than 100 yards in his life so it'll be interesting to see how he muscles up in the next few weeks. He has no idea how high he could jump for example and has a job to get on your knee. All this will change.......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk  |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 26/01/2008 : 09:55
Latest sitrep..... We are gradually building up a working relationship. The house traing goes well apart from an accident yesterday while I was on the phone. Every time he does anything outside he gets a treat and if inside he gets a loud NO! BAD! Slow job but it will work in the end. The house smells of Dettol..... Putting his bed behind the chair led to him chewing it so it's been re-stuffed, repaired with gaffer tape and brought back into the open. I'll put an old blanket behind the chair so he has a choice and see how we go on....
Dog psychology is fascinating. It's a full time job at the moment and apart from popping to the supermarket I'm with him 24X7 which is a great benefit. He was tied up to a bollard yesterday twice while I was in shops and he was anxious but OK so long as he caught sight of me occasionally. Doc and I met on the park yesterday and I let him off the lead outside on grass for probably the first time in his life. Hilarious watching him with Meg. He'll soon build some muscle.
Feeding him twice a day, he can eat a bucketful more than a pig! I shall cook some chicken carcasses and break them up in the blender, the calcium will be good for his bones. All slow but all progress. He's a magnificent bed dog but I'm still taking him out for a pee at about 3am. Well.... you'd do it for a baby wouldn't you?
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
softsuvner
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Posted - 26/01/2008 : 16:41
Fascinating stuff Stanley.
Of course, there is the school of thought that would say that, in Ben's mind, he's training you!
Malcolm
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 27/01/2008 : 08:42
Course he is! And doing a very good job. Here's what I mailed to the kids this morning:
Morning All, I have just realised I have to modify my activities again to fit in with Ben. He needs a short walk to unload completely when he wakes. Normally I warm up first, I am going to have to go out as soon as I get up..... A stiff whisky first I think. He's now emptied, filled up with breakfast and lying between my feet warming them up.Had an experiment with chicken carcasses. He's probably not ready for roast carcass yet so I boiled four up in water, simmered until cooked and liquidised them in the blender. After it's been in the fridge overnight it sets like a stiff blancemange and he didn't seem to feel any pain as he had it with biscuit and some meat bits off the slicer at the deli. I weighed him yesterday and got a surprise, he's 17 1/2 lbs! Much more than I would have guessed. By the time he's grown out and muscled up he'll be 20lbs, a lot for a small dog. All is well, he has the happy facility of going invisible once his needs have been satisfied. He's sat on my chair now and was thinking about chewing the sheepskin...... I have spoken to him! It's been very windy since last Wednesday when I got him. He's only known wind on his walks outside, he'll be pleasantly surprised when it drops! Off lead again yesterday at Letcliffe for a run.
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So the message is he is modifying my behaviour to fit his. No bad thing because it means I spend more time outside in the fresh air and walk even further. I haven't weighed myself for a day or two but I'll bet I am losing weight faster. So, it's a two way process. The other thing is that it's a very good lesson in keeping your temper. No use losing it because he has done something wrong. A flash of autority is OK but not pure temper, gets you nowhere. On the plus side, he's a wonderfully attentive companion......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Julie in Norfolk
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Posted - 27/01/2008 : 09:06
It sounds to me like Ben chose a brilliant companion in you Stanley. Keep up the good work, it sounds like both of you are as one already. "One dog and his man" to misquote a title.
Measure with a micrometer.
Mark with a pencil.
Cut with an axe. |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 27/01/2008 : 10:14
I made another management decision this morning. I've noticed that when you used Ben's name he seemed to freeze. I reckon that's because someone has been using his name as a punishment, shouting at him. So.... he is now Jack. Can't do any harm and he'll soon get used to it seeing as he didn't like Ben anyway. We don't need old associations......
SO TAKE NOTE! IT'S JACK FROM NOW ON!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
moh
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Posted - 27/01/2008 : 12:14
It will be easier for you too Stanley - strange thing we had a Jack Russell who died about 1988 and hubby called Sam 'Rusty' yesterday
Say only a little but say it well |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 27/01/2008 : 15:56
You're right Moh, it's come very easily to me. Jack met a border terrier called Scooby today when my mate John Ingoe called in. They had a whale of a time......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Doreen
hippies understudy
429 Posts
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Posted - 27/01/2008 : 21:43
Im so glad that you have found little jack, and just in time to train him,
lucky dog by the sounds of things.
he he like looking after a baby? , think yourself lucky many babies want seeing to every 2 hours.
Dordygail 
always the one to make the best of things. |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 28/01/2008 : 08:13
So does Jack. I am getting him house trained by making sure that during the day he gets out for a walk every two hours. He does about 4 hours at night and it's working. We go to see the same vet that put Big Jack down 14 days ago this morning. I made sure it was her because she was very upset and it will do her good.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 28/01/2008 : 16:51
Mrs Marsh, the vet, has passed Jack as perfect and agrees with me that if there is anything in him other than Patterdale, we can't see it. I wormed him today and he's been a bit off-colour after the pill. I shan't feed him again until tomorrow. I asked her to guess his weight before she put him on the scale and she was very surprised when she found she was four pounds out. We reckon he has a lump of lead up his bum....
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 28/01/2008 : 16:52
PS. He met a pure white Bull Terrier up on Letcliffe. She used to play with Jack. I let Jack2 of the lead and they had a wonderful time racing round together. This sort of thing does him the world of good. Guess who tired out first......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Big Kev
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Posted - 28/01/2008 : 20:20
Guess who tired out first......
I reckon it was probably you, Stanley......
Big Kev
It doesn't matter who you vote for, you always end up with the government. |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 29/01/2008 : 04:47
It would have been if I'd been trying to run after them! Mind you, these constant trips out to empty him are shoving my mileage up as well and it's not doing me any harm. I think I'll put me pedometer on today and check the mileage.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
frankwilk
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Posted - 29/01/2008 : 06:59
That 30lbs or so you are going to lose by June looks like it might be on. take care
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
Update on Jack
