Yes what's going on today we need our Shandy fix.

He's coming along in leaps and bounds.

I have discovered that he will 'sit' on command, he barks at you when he wants to go out for a wee, he barks at me when HE thinks it's feed time.
OH took them for their usual walk this afternoon and he ran, well fast trotted really up the garden with the girls.
He will eat cooked carrot but is not partial to banana, he has regular good 'poo's' now, had to get a bit of poo talk in :)

He whine's and gets a little frisky around my bootilicious babes :-D, not sure what to do with him when they have their first seasons, he'll have a heart attack 

All in all so far has been really good.

Aaah, currently my favourite thread - The loves and lifes of Shandy Valentine- (sorry that name is going to stick because he has captured so many hearts).

What's the latest Pinky?

One thing I'll take some advice on, he will not eat kibble, he's on AG senior or supposed to be, as all of my girls are on AG this suits me. Trouble is he will not eat it and it's not the AG, it's kibble or rather anything hard and crunchy.

When we collected him from DT they gave me half a dozen tins of various wet foods, like Winalot Casserole, Pedigree Chum etc and they said that they had not been able to get him to eat the AG although they gave me a bag anyway.

So at the moment I'm still putting the AG in the blender to break it up.
His meals are mixes of pilchard, tuna, wet food, cooked veg, boiled fish or chicken and rice with the powdered AG, but if I put too much AG or sneak a few whole pieces in he notices and won't finish the meal or eats around the whole pieces, oh and goats milk and cereal in the morning.

I'm concerned about roughage and the lack of crunchy stuff for teeth and gum health. Any suggestions on crunchy stuff to get him into liking to crunch.

The vet has checked his teeth and although quite a bit of tartar and some gum swelling they're not too bad and he does have molars, I just wasn't opening his mouth enough when I looked.
I have bought a tooth brush and that is being tried but he's not very keen :(

I think maybe his dear old mum may not have ever given him kibble.

Got seriously 'fond' of Isla just after tea.

Lots of whining, tail wagging and he tried to place a front paw over her back as if to pull her towards him, but he lost his balance and fell over :(
Promptly got up and stood by her, bottom thrusting type movements :-p.  Poor Isla looked terrified and just stood still with her tail between her legs, a sensible girl covering her virtue :)

Seriously though do you think when they have their first seasons which must be in the next month or two, that for the poor old chap's health I should seperate them with a stair gate when we're not about?

Firstly, so glad he's home :-)

On the subject of seasons,  it'll take more than a stair gate to keep them apart, dogs can and have mated through cages, gates, dog runs. Also it's not really fair to keep entire dogs and bitches together when the girls are in season. You may find that he howls the whole 3 weeks, or longer, and goes off his food. Are you going to be neutering any of them? If not then you may have to kennel one or the other.

How old are your girls? Is it possible one of them is coming into season now?

Hi Tigger2

Sorry for confusion, my 3 older girls are speyed, he's neutered and the babies are 10 and 11 months and I won't be spaying them. So although he may be able to make all the movements even if wobbly he can't come up with the goods if you get my drift ;)

> So although he may be able to make all the movements even if wobbly he can't come up with the goods if you get my drift

I would not count on it :-) and he will certainly exhaust himself trying.  They could be coming into season anytime now so I think you should be considering arrangements.

> They could be coming into season anytime now so I think you should be considering arrangements.

I think I'll have to post another thread on this particular subject, as I'd like to keep this one positive and about how an old unwell chap is blooming :)

> but he lost his balance and fell over :-(

LOL.. shouldn't laugh but had visions of that episode of Only fools and horses with Del-boy at the bar "play it cool Trig, play it cool" and keels over :-D

Loving the updates Pinky :)

Poor little sausage, I did laugh at him and I shouldn't , you know manhood and all that ;)

He's been really bouncy this evening, but I reckon he's not too keen on the dark as he takes a lot of persuading to come up the garden in the evening.

Any suggestions on crunchy stuff to get him into liking to crunch.

Fish for dogs do fish skin treats that are quite hard and crunchy, might be worth a try.  For getting his teeth in better condition, I don't know if they would be up to it but a juicy raw marrow bone may encourage a bit of chewing and keep his mind off rumpy pumpy for a while :-D

Rumpy bumpy havent heard it called that for a while!! He's definately thinking he died and woke up in heaven about 5 babes and doting new "parents".

Hope you have a good weekend and I'll look with interest at Monday's link.

A quick update:

OH took all six for their usual walk and Shandy RAN yes RAN up the track to the gap in the hedge to get into the field, a distance of 200ft, might not sound much for some but for him that was some going, not at the speed of the Shelties and BC and not even keeping pace with the old GR but those little ole legs were moving :)

He's eating kibble mixed in with his fish and veg now and some of his skills are coming to light, he can catch a titbit thrown to him, he sits on command as I've already said and he walks beautifully on the lead  >says quietly to herself probably better than my girls hmmm hmmm<  ;)

He's started going around the house rubbing his face and body in to the sides of furniture and up against our legs and wagging his tail whilst doing this, OH reckons that he's scent marking as he's beginning to feel relaxed and that this is his home :)

There has been no more fruitiness with the bodacious babes but he has been sharing in their games with toys, play bowing and barking with them :-D  The babes have been indulging in lots of what OH calls 'humpity bump' between themselves, this seems to confuse Shandy and he goes and sits with the old ladies     I'm checking the babes girlie bits every day just to be sure.

He was on the sofa this eveing rolling around and making contended soft growling noises, his LITTLE manhood was visible and OH said to him  'oh my boy the girlies wouldn't fancy you for that, it's no bigger than a baby doggies girly fluff'  >this must be man talk me thinks<

He still has the occasional coughing fit and some laboured breathing, got to collect more tablets for him tomorrow but I have to say he's coming along beautifully.

There will be photo's soon, I'm on a learning curve. :)

Pinky, I so love your Shandy updates, I was thinking about the two of you on my walk this evening :-)

My Cavalier (bitch) does the rubbing face and body thing on our furniture and carpet! Strange isn't it. She does it when she's wet mainly though so dont think its a scent marking thing - although I have seen her do it when dry!

So glad he's sounding so relaxed - he must be loving his new life with you, and especially all the ladies :-)

Its funny isn't it - when you've never owned boy dogs before and you spot them with their 'lipstick' on show - was looking after my friends Springer pup the other night and he got a bit excited and out it popped -

Really looking forward to the photos...(of Shandy, not the lipstick!!) :-O

> when you've never owned boy dogs before and you spot them with their 'lipstick' on show - 

This one didn't qualify as 'lipstick' :-p  more like a tiny little powder puff, all fur and no substance :-D

Wounderful seeing an oldie "Bloom" there's life in the old dog yet! keep them coming.
We call it "lipstick" also!!

> Really looking forward to the photos...

Ditto! :)

> (of Shandy, not the lipstick!!)

DITTO!!

Now don't laugh but I've got some being developed, well put on to a CD  :-D and will be collecting tomorrow from that I've got to get them on to the photobucket thing. It has taken some time for technology to move into our house, I mean I never even learnt how to program the video recorder and that's dead and gone now an decaying in the loft.

Oh and there won't be any lipstick shot's, I promise you it's hardly visible, if I were a man I wouldn't advertise that little specimen ;)

Pinky,

Any news on the old guy and his powder puff? Missing the Shandy fix.

Hi freelancerukuk

He's doing really well, he's behaving now as though he's lived here all of his life. His appetite is really good, legs are getting stronger and he's so keen for everything now.
He can run a bit, catch a ball, bark for food (a lot) and is just a sweet sweet boy
No more fruity episodes with the babes, mind they have been prancing around him today.

I've put some photo's on photobucket but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to type into my profile and where so that people can take a peek if they want. Any ideas?

Pinky,
So glad to hear he continues to improve. Sounds like he's setting himself up as a love god with the babes- they can look but not touch!

Photobucket-hmmm. Methinks you need to confer with one of the younger forumites or perhaps admin can help?

Looking forward to seeing the pix once in the bucket, so to speak!

> younger forumites

*Pushes,unashamedly, to front of queue!!*
                    ;)

Pinky just click on 'options' this will take you to your CD profile and in the line that says 'website' cut and paste the url add from your photobucket and simply paste it into that space!

(hope that makes sense)

Easy Peasy ;*

HG, I knew we could rely on you!

Oooooooooh!!!!!!!!!!
He's addddddddddddddddddorable!!
They are brilliant pics!! :-D I love the one of him running (with the caption mouth open and puffing) and the 'Grease lightening' one is hysterical :)
Love the pic of your OH with all the gang (lovely pack you've got there!)

(Your link takes us to an empty album though! album entitled 'shandy' so I just clicked on the main rialto album and saw all the shandy pics there :))

Oh Pinky

How I have laughed at some of your posts!! I am soo moved by your fostering (or is it adopting?) of the lovely Shandy.  What a lucky lad is he.  I (as you know) also have a sheltie pup Isla and (she is my firrst sheltie) they are the most delightful of dogs.  By the sound of it Shandy needs all the TLC you are giving him bless.  My Isla is an awfully cute little minx who won't let me catch her if she doesn't feel like it LOL.

Seriously I think what you are doing is awesome and I hope to do the same in the future.

Good luck  to you and Shandy who is a truly lucky sheltie to have found you.

Harriette

Awww....thanks for sharing the photo's.
They are a fine pack you have, old shandy is a very lucky dog.

Karen :)

Thanks for posting the photos Pinky - Shandy looks lovely, and so do the rest of your 'pack' :-)

Claire

*Sob, sniff* - I can't get the link to work !! :-(

Is it just me being thick?! I want to see him!!!

Hi Alice

It's probably not you, I expect I've not done it properly, I've been tweaking it so try again, and it should just go straight to it now (I think) I've got to learn how to put the pics into an album now.

Hi Snowflake

If you have alook on my profile and click on the photobucket link it should take you to some photo's assuming I've done it properly.

Got them this time he looks really good in the later pictures and what a lovely "pack" you have with that lovely collie as well. Im v. envious I want more dogs.

> *Sob, sniff* - I can't get the link to work !! :-(
>

my meanie work say its unsuitable business material :( i am on break though!!!!! boooo

He is lovely :) he looks like he's always been with you, good on you :)

Well I have seen him - and he is absolutely gorgeous - what a sweetheart!! I particularly love the one of him on his first night - the look on his face, I could just squeeeeeeze him! :-) Your other dogs are quite lovely too!

You've inspired me to do a photobucket for my pooches - watch this space!!