Reilly RedSky Ramblings and update

[Dogband1]

Hello beautiful Cairn Terrier forum and members.  It has been a bit since I posted a question about Reilly.  He turns 18 weeks tomorrow, and last week weighed 10lbs and 6 oz.  He is finished with all his shots, and we did not have any issues.   At the vets advice we did do Lepto, as she had seen 5 cases in the past year, 3 fatal.  We also hope to be in campgrounds over 100 days this season, and rabbits and chipmunks inhabit our rain and snow soaked, muddy, standing water back yard/fenced dog area. It has been raining, or snowing, or soggy since the day we got his home--which has not helped the housetraining issues.  Any comments on continuing to do Lepto in the future would be welcome.   I had really hoped to avoid this poison in his system.  We would never intentionally let him drink from streams or puddles, but everything goes in his mouth it seems.

About two, maybe three weeks ago, Reilly finally got it!!   I need to potty outside.  Yippee.  While we are still a good bit away from reliable, at least the theory is there and he is trying.  We are most happy.  He will also play with his toys, which he at first ignored.  I finally now realize that they have to be taught that these items are OK to chew.  [its been 16 years since our last puppy] .

He is in a puppy training class, will sit reliably, stay pretty good and will somewhat heel in a calm environment.  Yesterday at the park, meeting our friends 10lb mixed breed for the first time, he would still sit and remain reasonably calm for a short bit, very short!   We use an iPuppyone adjustable neck and girth harness, and take 1-2 walks every day in which the ground around here is not floating.  I'm not kidding, step hard and water squirts in every direction from your shoes.  Nasty. 

We are at a very blessed stage, and now ..... wish he would slow down his growing and stay this semi-reliable housetrained, beautiful little puppy.  it is going too quickIy.   I still have a picture from 1987 of our first puppy, that I put up after he died and it says:  Never forget how fast it goes, love them with patience and kindness always. 

We still have one, maybe two issues.  He still will drinks tons of water if allowed.  I have been in touch with his litter mates, and the same thing, and I remember that all our other three really, really liked water. One of the litter mates has been tested for kidney infection with a negative result.  Reilly will not drink much at all from awakening at 7am and breakfast until about 9am, so I am pretty sure he is getting enough.  I try to give him 12-14 ounces in him per day, a bit more than 1 oz per pound, and any time before a walk, and mid way thru a walk he gets as much as he wants-which is very little.  It seems like during the day he will drink out of boredom, and with the rain and snow, huge drinking results in back to back to back trips outside every 15 to 30 minutes.  Not good.  Hopefully in a week or so we may see some spring and some drying, and I will return again to try leaving out unlimited water.  Any thoughts here would be welcome.

The only other issue is when we let him romp in the small secure back yard, he will not yet come to me upon command unless I shake his treat container really loudly. It is the catch me if you can game.  So I will get a 20' rope and work with him on this, getting him to come and sit/stay, then get a treat, and then release him to continue playing, so he will not associate outside come as a stop in play.  He will never be off lead, but I still want this to be reliable as possible in an emergency situation.

Blessings to you all, hope the beautiful days of your Cairns pass slowly and that the healing days pass quickly.

Pics: Snowy Reilly, two weeks ago.  Reilly in chair, note pics of Kyra and Brodee in background.  Reilly, would to our dismay, pee on this chair just a day later. Now, for a bit, we have this blocked from his access. Geez!!

 

 

[hheldorfer]

Wonderful update!  Isn't it the best thing in the world when that 'housetraining switch' in their heads finally flips to the ON position?  Way to go!  Reilly is growing up quickly and seems to be coming along right on schedule.  You may see some backsliding here and there, but your uphill battle should now be leveling out a bit. 

Now for a reality check:  You seriously expect a Cairn to come on command when he is frolicking in a back yard full of strange smells, bugs, critters and mud?  

 

[Hillscreek]

1 hour ago, Dogband1 said:

Never forget how fast it goes, love them with patience and kindness always. 

You've got that right for sure. 

Can't really advise re lepto. I lost a dog years ago who'd had her shots. It's a bit of a gamble as all the various strains of the bacteria cannot be covered with one shot. Since then I've not given it. Haven't had a problem. I live in an area with little standing water and which does not get very warm/humid for long periods in summer. Northern PA climate quite different from eastern Tennessee. 

I used a long line with Angus when he was young. It was very helpful. However when the prey drive kicks in well..........he's a cairn..........he's blind, deaf to all else.

Sounds like cute little Reilly is coming along just the way he should......enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

[Lynn in TN]

Awesome to hear from you! This weather we've been having is something else. It's a muddy mess here as well. When the snow melted I was shocked to see my daffodils were about 6 inches tall. I'm hoping that means an early Spring! 

Kelly drunk a lot of water when she was young, but she slowed down the closer she got to 1 year old. She also loved to play in her water bowl. haha

I haven't given Kelly and Prissy the Lepto, but we have a slopping yard and not much standing water to worry about.

Isn't it wonderful when the little light turns on in their brains and they start understanding what you want from them. It's awesome that he is getting the potty down. He still may back track a little here and there, but your on your way. 

 

[Idaho Cairns]

Neat update on your pup!  It takes patience with these little hard heads but once learned they tend to stay learned.  Not to discourage you but we still have a treat jar near the door to motivate our two on those days when they persist in hanging outside.
However, if you work really hard with Cairns on obedience you can bring them to a point of almost electric response to commands, even when they have something else in mind.  Let me share a video with you so you know what, as a Cairn owner, you can expect in the future, if you really work hard, with Cairn response!
 

 

Edited February 23, 2016 by Idaho Cairns

[sanford]

"Reilly, to our dismay would pee on this chair..."

Ruffy did that once, out of the blue...  Although it never happened again, I put down a piece of a heavy plastic sheet just in case. So he's still able to have access and I don't have to worry.  Friends of mine put sheets of newspaper on their sofa. The crinkly sound and slippery feel of the paper has kept the dogs off, but these are 2 Bassett hounds, not cairns, so all bets are off!?

[Sam I Am]

Chuck that is so funny. Could she walk any slower....you would think you had a crippled old dog barely  being able to make it up the stairs!

I personally would never withhold water unless under the instructions of a vet  (i.e. pre anesthetic). I think that might lead to UTI or kidney issues. I have always left a full bowl of fresh water 24/7 .Just makes me a bit nervous if they can't drink as much as they need. Also if you are feeding dry kibble the requirements for liquids is way higher than if you feed fresh or raw. 

Reilly sounds like a blast and you obviously are doing a great job at starting him on the right paw.

[_whits_]

Addie gets the lepto because, like you, we live in an area with a lot of standing water, tons of moisture, and a high prevalence of lepto in dogs. Every year I check with her vet to discuss whether it's still the right choice, based on current risk factors.

I will always, always choose the small risk of vaccine reactions over the very real risk of preventable death. I didn't give Addie vaccines for lepto (or Lyme, or give her Frontline) when we lived in Colorado because the vaccine risk outweighed the basically non-existent chance of her getting those diseases. In our part of Virginia, her chances of having a bad reaction are minuscule compared to the 1 in 5 chance she will get Lyme Disease. 

Vaccines have saved far more lives than they've harmed. It's one reason I'm so grateful to live in 2016 instead of 1916!

[Dogband1]

Now for a reality check:  You seriously expect a Cairn to come on command when he is frolicking in a back yard full of strange smells, bugs, critters and mud?  

No, not really, but should he get thru a poorly latched camper door, or a lead clip that has been poorly snapped---in a quiet environment, I do want a chance, hope for a chance, to get him back before he gets going off in trouble or hurt.

From the terrier centric training book I read, I am trying to get him to come when he is free in our fenced yard.  His reward is a treat, a good quick verbal and physical rubbing praise, and then let free to continue his play.  I try to do this several times per play session.  To him, come is come and get a treat.  Hopefully this will help, and when the one time comes, come means come get a treat and let me hook you to your lead.

We shall see.  Off to lowes in a week to get hardware to make our rv door more secure, and prevent him from going thru the screen.  And ocd me will sometimes use two leashes in areas around traffic, like our walking downtown area, just to be super secure.

still fighting the water bowl-had full bowl out for three days.  90% of the time, and for 1-2 hours after waking up, he has little interest more than a few laps of water here and there, then at the boring late afternoon hours, he will drink and drink if allowed.  I think if this were medical, he would drink practically all the time, so we will continue giving this a try.  

[Pepper Bug's Mom]

Pepper will come out of the tunnel during earthdog when given the command and the rat has been removed (a miracle according to the judges).  However, trying to catch her when there is a squirrel in our yard up in the tree is near impossible!!! She does "sit" on command and then I am able to snag her otherwise she can scamper and maneuver amazingly well to avoid getting caught!  If she bolts out the front door and open gate she is gone!!  At the dog park she does great! She always comes on command, but we have a small dog park with only 5 or 6 dogs at the most at any time.  She will retrieve a ball at the dog park and will only bring it all the way back if I have a treat in my hand, otherwise she will drop it 10' away or leave it where I threw it....She races like a bullet after it but the retrieval is half- hearted.

[Dempsy's Mom]

That's just how mine respond to me to this day Chuck.  First, they totally ignore my presence or that they have heard any noise that resembles a "Come" command.  Amazing that they can be so hard of hearing.  Then, after you have adjusted your tone, they may give a glance in your general direction - I think just to judge your facial expression.  After several more commands and adjusting to that lower tone of impatience, they decide that maybe they should respond.  But, just to make sure you understand that they are doing you a favor - they very slowly and reluctantly wonder in the direction of the door.   Their response is painstakingly slow .... dogs may not talk, but they communicate loud and clear.

... actually Jim responds to me the same way sometimes.

[sanford]

1 hour ago, Dogband1 said:

.... 90% of the time, and for 1-2 hours after waking up, he has little interest more than a few laps of water here and there, then at the boring late afternoon hours, he will drink and drink if allowed...

I noticed this with Ruffy also, so I decided to leave a second water bowl at the other end of the apartment from his kitchen water bowl. The result has been that this lazy cairn drinks more, now that he doesn't have to walk as far for a drink! Like Reilly, Ruffy also drinks less in the A.M. and more in the late afternoon, usually after exercise/activities such as a walk in the park or visit to the dog run.