Never Say, Never

[Toto-lee Cairn]

If you recognize me from the random times I pop-in here, and leave an epistle . . . you may recall that my Toto is my second Cairn, and my heart,  and that my husband's heart goes to his Weimaraners, and have since he was a little boy.  He's never not had a dog, and if there was more than one, you could count on one of them being his Weemie.  He can rattle off their names, in sequence, and tell you what was special about each one.

When we lost Rupert (to cancer) after the first of this year, we had decided he would be the last Weimaraner.

Strange how things go.

The end of the week, we'll be bringing home a 5-month-old Weimaraner puppy, that as fate would have it, is a grandson of Rupert's father.  I don't think George is trying to duplicate Rupert.  I do think he just wasn't ready to be 'dog-less.'  The breeder is happy, George is happy, I am moving forward -- hesitantly, but excited for us -- and Toto?

I predict that after a few months of being an only child, it may come as a BIG surprise.  I am hoping my best little pal in the world may come to enjoy having a young-er dog that will play with him, keep him company, ya da ya da ya da.  My goal is to do this right,  the introduction, and adding the Weimaraner into the mix, so I would appreciate, more than you know, on how to make this go as smoothly as possible.

Toto never did really bond with Rupert.  Tolerated him.  And in some ways, probably made Rupert's life 'hell.'  I liken it to a teenage boy, 'into his life,' with a four-year-old younger brother.  The tables have sure turned.  Toto turns 5 today, and we are bringing home a puppy, a very large one.

So, Happy Birthday, Toto.  

 

 

[bradl]

Happy birthday Toto! 

As the older brother I'm sure you will show the new guy the ropes, put him in his place a couple of times, and then become a friendly gang of mischief. w00t!

[Toto-lee Cairn]

Good to hear from you, Brad.  Are you optimistic, or what?

We'll get through it, or we'll die, and then we'll be over it.  LOL.  George's famous saying.

Toto is sitting here, licking me, so I assume that is meant for you.  He has become such an endearing little guy -- to me, especially.  And he is having a very happy birthday, complete with his favorite things:  delicious breakfast, just ahead of schedule, ball-playing on the porch, outside times full of sniffing, squirrel-intimidating, *everything Toto.*

I hope he will like this Weimaraner puppy.  Crazy thing is this puppy is 5 months old, which would put his birth about the time we lost Rupert.  This puppy is also from Rupert's line -- I tend to 'see' things, and it spooks me a little bit, but I have been 'spooked' many times in my life.

But, I digress.

Thank you for the birthday wishes.  Thank you for the vote of confidence in reference to Toto's being a good brother.  Since I tend to get 'spooked' and I 'see' things, this could be the beginning of "Rupert's Revenge."  *BIG* smile

[Toto-lee Cairn]

We will pick up Toto's little brother -- all however many pounds of the 'little one' -- on Monday,  May 29.  It'll be an 8-hour trip, and I have decided to take Toto-licious with us.  I'll share how that goes.

 

If we were the type to register our dogs, like with the AKC, I'd have to make "Rupert's Revenge" part of it.

My goal for myself is to find some who can teach me how to take, and post, photos with my cell phone.  Watch this space.

[Hillscreek]

Well Toto you will no doubt need to give the new "little" one info on how to live in his new home. Rules and regs . Just because he's many times bigger than you we know you don't care. He still just a youngster needing your 'help' to settle in. Good luck little buddy. Let us know how you and the newby get along. Lots of fun ahead with new pup to play with.

[Eliz222]

Happy Birthday to Toto!

 

I would do a slow introduction and monitor their interactions. When we introduced a new puppy, we did it away from the home. When we ended up in our home, we kept the puppy in a crate to let the older dog get use to a new member of the family for a few days.

Someone once told me to think of this situation as if it happened to you. How would you react if your husband brought home a new wife and said that this was going to be our new norm. It was an eye opener for me!

 

I'm sure Toto, and the new pup, will become fast friends in no time!

[Toto-lee Cairn]

On 5/25/2023 at 12:07 PM, Eliz222 said:

 

 

 

How would you react if your husband brought home a new wife and said that this was going to be our new norm. 

 

 

I'd embrace her, and start divving-up the chores.

[Toto-lee Cairn]

It's been five -- count 'em! 5! -- years since there was a puppy in the house.  That would've been Toto, and he was a handful.  The big difference?  My 14-week-old Cairn was about 1/4 the size of this 50 lb. Weimaraner, and he could be contained  1) behind a gate in the laundry room and 2) put in a crate.

Axel is too much dog for me.

We have been on a major learning curve here, and I have reached the conclusion that George did not really want a Weimaraner puppy.  What he was after was a young, healthy 'Rupert.'  I will give him credit -- George has been walking the lummox (I mean that affectionately) 2-3x daily which helps, the longest trek being early in the a.m. and about 5 miles at a decent pace.  It is true that a tired dog is a good dog.

Some of our good intentions have gone completely out the window.  We have been forced to re-group, re-evaluate, re-think.  It will only be until we get with the trainer and begin working on behavior, in earnest.  Problem is, while our trainer insisted Toto 'earn' his place, and privileges, I am not sure how that, exactly, will work in reverse.  I have to work on me, too, because I don't have the strength to tug with a puppy this size, much less a full-grown 85 lb. dog, nor do I seem to have the patience (but that's on me).

Amazes me how I could out-think and out-maneuver my child, and students (of all shapes, sizes and temperaments) and a dog can run circles around me.

Stay tuned to this space.

 

[Hillscreek]

 Oh my goodness! What a challenge. May be George be the primary trainer of the Weimeraner and you the primary trainer of Toto. Each backing the other up with same commands each one uses for their dog.

I don't know about training Weimeraner pups. I've trained a few retrievers. They quickly learned to work for me. Angus my cairn soon told me he was working for himself. It is not at all easy to make a cairn "earn" his priveledges. He's always asking "What's in it for me?" He usually learns very very quickly what you want but only does it if he wants to. It's all a game to him. 

I'd make sure the trainer is familiar with terriers and in particular with cairns. I found, for me anyway, training retrievers and cairns like night and day - polar opposites who both could become great companions if time and patience and with cairns, a sense of humor is used. The twinkle in Angus's eye made me laugh many a time as he went into play mode and clearly said " So do you want to make me?? Try.........". I will say it took months well actually several years before he began to settle and after that I had the best little buddy I could ever want. 

Very best wishes for the ride ahead!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Toto-lee Cairn]

Thank goodness we are headed to our first class with the dog trainer tomorrow.  Axel is little problem when George is here, but I cannot handle this puppy -- not that he is bad, mind you, but a handful.  I had forgotten how quickly a puppy can get into something, create a mess, yada yada yada.  This is a large puppy, and I forget he is only pushing 6 months now.  Except for the gangliness and enthusiasm, he looks like a d-o-g.

I put him on his leash to take him outdoors to potty, and earlier, he jerked my left arm so hard until my shoulder hurts, and I am debating whether I need to call my cardiologist's office, or a nurse available with my health provider.  I have a pacemaker, and my whole left shoulder, arm and general area of that part of my chest 'smarts.'  George is at work, and when he works, they are usually 10-12 hour days.  He is not one who likes being retired, and so he works 3 days/week, but they are long days.  He is in excellent health, few issues, takes good care of himself, and individuals never guess that he is the age that he is.

Anyway, I've secured Axel in the laundry room -- one gate is mounted above the more permanent one, and I've had to adjust the upper one twice now (with my arm hurting no less).  I'll probably have to ask my neighbor to help me carry him out later, and I am sure if he's available,  he won't mind.

So, life with a puppy right now s-t-i-n-k-s.  But it will get better.

 

[Eliz222]

Oh my, I just looked up this breed since I have never heard of it. My Google states that they need to be walked for two hours a day!

 

I hope your arm/shoulder is all healed by now. Can you DH take the dog to work with him?

[Toto-lee Cairn]

Weimaraners are sporting dogs, bred to hunt.  Their ancestors include the German short-haired pointer and the Great Dane.  I'd like to know which of the (2) or others in the stir-pot contributed the separation anxiety and tendency to be slightly neurotic.  They are beautiful, with their amber eyes and coats in varying shades of grey.  Like white Cairns of yore, the Weemie the color Axel is (a 'blue' or dark grey) are not preferred.  The AKC accepts the color, but not the show ring.  But, we're not show ring competitors.

They are generally mild-mannered, easy-going, but because the Weimaraner is a working dog bred to do a job, that's what it wants to do.  The Weemie needs activity, and as much of it as you can provide.  They can adapt, but still there is a minimum you must give it, or it is frustrated and unhappy, and can become destructive and obnoxious.  We have adopted a number of them over the years because 1) George loves them, having been given one at about age 8 (George, not the dog) and 2) they are often re-homed and even abandoned.  Our last one was an INcredible dog.  We refer to Rupert as perfect, and he was, really, darn near close.  His owner had died, and I suppose the wife felt she just couldn't handle 85 lbs of dog.  He was incredibly sweet, loyal, and attached to George at the hip.

If George were a dog, he'd be the Weimaraner.  We'd been married a few years when I told him  I was confidant he'd never divorce me, as he never got rid of anything.  Loyal in all caps.

Me?  I'm most definitely a terrier.  Scrap and more scrap, but can be sweet and loyal, especially if there is something in it for me.  *BIG smile*  

It's gotten better since obedience classes.  Axel doesn't 'try me' to the extent he had been, and we are developing a relationship of our own.  Dad will walk him, jog, him, take 5+ mile hikes.  I will actually play with him, my gestures large and animated, and I can be downright silly.  I'm also a push-over if you don't push over beyond what I am willing to give.

My arm has recovered, and I did not develop symptoms indicating the jolt had broken a lead in the pacemaker.  Until I talked to the DR, I didn't know how common that could be -- particularly in people who try to do too much (think::weightlifters, perhaps).  My HR is good, no dizzy spells, *blah blah blah* -- none of those things that warranted it in the first place.

Axel is 6 months old now, and right at 60 lbs.  He is getting ready to enter his adolescent phase, and I'd be a big fat liar liar pants on fire if I said I wasn't worried.

One of us has to emerge as boss, and I guess if it's going to be him, I just hope he's easy with me.

 

[Kathryn]

Is there a doggie daycare near you where your husband could drop the dog on days he is working? Or at least one day a week, or two? Good daycares monitor dog interaction so they don't develop bad habits, but they do provide exercise and stimulation.