Grey's castration one week on

People who know Grey have commented on what a changed dog he is lately. I think it's too soon after the op to put it all down to the castration. He had also started to change in his behaviour in the weeks running up to the op too. So I reckon it's a combination of things coming at the same time. Grey seems to have turned a corner in hi behaviour and energy levels. He no longer greets people at home by jumping rudely up at them or me. He does a new move of sitting in front, turning round so he's sitting backwards and puts his chin up to gaze lovingly at them eliciting chin rubs and he leans into their legs and if it goes really well he might end up sliding down to the floor for a belly rub!

I think my own behaviour and body language towards him has also changed, so as a consequence his general behaviour has modified. He's generally a very much calmer dog and has since the op developed into a real cuddle monster. We have a lot of people staying at the house at the moment including a baby. He's taken it all in his stride and has coped with all the new noises and activity. We moved a sofa into the dining room where we spend a lot of time now and he's taken up residence on there with a fleecey blanket and likes nothing more than to lie squished up next to someone on it.

If this is the sign of the new manageable Grey I feel really positive and proud of him.

His wound is healing up nicely. He's not had a buster collar on and didn't lick his wound much at all. His scrtoum is shrinking away nicely. It doesn't look that attractive at the moment! But then who's looking!?

Yesterday we took him up to London in the car to visit a few shops in Islington. He was allowed in all the shops and he was so well behaved and managed brilliantly. His fear period seems to have come to an end, thank god. He was on the halti and more or less walks nicely on it. It's no great love affair with the head collar, but he's manageable. We're awaiting delivery of the Dogmatic which should be sturdyier and fit him better under the eyes.

He's been on strict lead walks only all week, which I think have also done him good. It's broken the link that a walk means pull until you get to the free offlead romp. I'm going to take him for a free running bit this morning. Tomorrow we have a first training session with Charlie. Looking forward to his opinion.

New collar new day

I knew I was speaking of success before I should have done regarding the halti and the new walking technique. After two days, Grey started struggling against the Halti for the whole walk. He would lean into it and made snuffling sounds with his breathing, so generally a struggle and it was uncomfortable on my arm. That and much throwing himself on the floor in a toddler protest and trying to rub it off on my trousers. He really hated it and would run and hide in his bed when I got it out, even if it meant going for a walk and was offered with a piece of sausage.

So over the weekend it was suggested I look at two more collars. The first the Gencon headcollar, which works by contracting the whole head and at the back of the head, similar to the TTouch calming bands. My friend kindly lent me hers so we did a swapsie and I gave the Halti back. He struggled a bit when it was put on like a pony with a new bridle. But after his initial protests he settled into it and really responded. I need to manage him more proactively as well, by lifting his head from scenting and stopping him lying on the floor. So we managed a while walking round the park and then through the high street with a well behaved more with me Grey that wasn't fighting the collar. It also doesn't ride up in his eyes. We'll see how he goes from here on if it continues.

We also bumped into Obi four times on the walk. Which was lovely and interesting because I got to see how different they are. Ok there's a big age gap with Obi being six weeks younger. But even at that age, Grey was a more determined to do his own thing on the lead character than Obi seems to be. Still so strange to see another one at the same time as Grey!


The other headcollar I had been recommended was the Dogmatic. It works like the Halti, but it doesn't ride up in the eyes and is good for large strong dogs. Hopefully we won't need it if training goes ok on the Gencon. If I do get one, I've been advised to get either the synthetic leather or the cotton one because the original leather versions need a lot of softening up.