Charlie - now living in Scotland!

[Loops]

Thanks to you all for your messages and congratulations! We really feel part of the community we now we have a doggy friend from MKF!!!!

When he put his head between the two of us on the centre console in the car, it was so sweet - he's a real attention seeker - could still be the puppy in him (hoping the 'snip' will help snuff out the puppy side of his character). As I work from home, he follows me round the house like a shadow! He does the same to Scott when he gets in from work!

However, his puppy-ness is causing just one problem - his idea of playing is nipping our hands, sleeves, shoelaces and jumping up, licking and nipping anything he can get to on you. It's no fun, we have to keep pushing him off us and ignoring him to calm him down. He keeps trying it, but I've had some success just giving him affection when he's lying on the rug quietly. If he starts to open his mouth to bite, I correct him and stop giving affection. It just makes it difficult to give him the calm, quiet affection we want to give him.

We're only on Day 2 (feels much longer!!! ), but that really is his only bad point - he's excellent in the car, he sleeps all through the night without a peep, doesn't whine too much when we leave him to go to bed, etc. We haven't left him in the house on his own yet, but there's time for that.
When we ignore him to encourage calm behaviour, he plonks himself on the rug with a big "HUMPH!" but soon rests. He's even learning not to pull too much on the lead.

So I think we're doing ok - the problem is, we're perfectionists and we doubt ourselves sometimes!

I can promise more photos and updates!

Louise, Scott & Charlie. xxx

I don't think the accents are bothering him too much and as yet I haven't heard him bark outside MKF!!!

[Ann Mee]

However, his puppy-ness is causing just one problem - his idea of playing is nipping our hands, sleeves, shoelaces and jumping up, licking and nipping anything he can get to on you. It's no fun, we have to keep pushing him off us and ignoring him to calm him down. He keeps trying it, but I've had some success just giving him affection when he's lying on the rug quietly. If he starts to open his mouth to bite, I correct him and stop giving affection. It just makes it difficult to give him the calm, quiet affection we want to give him.


:

I have had the same problem with Millie she gets way too excited sometimes and when she nips it really hurts. She has improved a lot, as when she starts this kind of behaviour I push her off me and ignore her. Hope i'm doing the right thing, we are in our 7th week now

Ann x

[Loops]

Ann, it's good to know that someone else is using the same technique - it HAS to work!!! Patience and consistency are the keys, I think!!

Charlie nipped my hand last night and it hurt! Later, I was lying on the sofa and he just got up off the rug, came up to me and shoved his mouth right in my face, licking and nipping, slobbery, dominant love, which is not the kind of doggy love I appreciate when I am trying to relax and watch the TV!

How old is Millie? Charlie is just over 2 years old, obviously he wasn't encourage to stop his puppy behaviour in his previous home...?

We want to get him neutered as soon as possible, but want him to settle into the house and our routine first, before we take him to the vets for THAT!!

xxx

[Ann Mee]

Hi Louise

Millie is almost 2, she was 21 months in February when we got her, Glenys was unsure when her birthday was so we're assuming it is next month (May) sometime.

If I am lying on the sofa (she's not allowed on here) she will literally climb on top of me for sloppy licks and then start to nip - anywhere! And it does hurt, i'm already trying to get her off me as I don't allow her on the furniture, but even more so when she starts the nipping.

Millie needs speying too but I wanted her to settle with us before we had this done, and the vet recommended 3 months after her heat, but I don't know when her last heat was. So i'm waiting for the next one.

We must update one another with this nipping thing! I'm interested to follow Charlie & your progress

Ann x

[Loops]

You're on Ann - we can be nipping-beating buddies!!!

It sounds like we have more in common - we don't allow Charlie up on the furniture either!! However, when we come down in the morning, we can tell he's been sitting on the smaller of our 2 sofas!
I caught him on there 3 times today during the day, first time was when I went out to the garage, the other 2 when I was in my office -I think it turned into a game for him after the first time as I grabbed his collar and gave him a very stern "OFF!!", which he seemed to understand, so I think perhaps his previous owners told him that a lot??!!

[Gemma T]

Charlie sounds lovely - just a typical young, playful lab. He'll soon learn when the boundries are consistent.
Just enjoy him!!
Gemma xx

[Melliott]

Charlie is gorgeous, remember it's early days - he will soon settle once he knows what's what - he is testing you - he doesn't know what is expected of him and it's all new to you too.

As Gemma said enjoy him, he will make a lovely dog.

Love Michelle X

[JoanG]

Congratulations on your new addition, Charlie is gorgeous, I also love the photo of him with his head between the two seats, he looks so sweet.

He will soon get the hang of what you expect of him, after all it may be totally different to what he's been used to in his previous home. When we got George at 10 months I think he'd been kept in a paved area as when we let him out for a wee he would wee all over the patio, and not go on to the grass. With me going out with him every time and encouraging him to go on the grass, plus lots of praise he soon realised what we wanted. Getting him to have a wee last thing at night was more difficult, I'd be out in the garden in the dark, telling him over and over to "have a wee" and then getting all excited and giving him loads of praise when in went - I don't know what the neighbours thought

Enjoy Charlie, he sounds like he's going to be a real star.

Joan x

[Loops]

Morning All! I have another update and some more pics!!

Well, today is the start of Day 3 and already (hope I'm not jinxing us) Charlie seems to be settling down - we had the best walk yet with him last night before bedtime - he hardly needed correcting at all, just walked nicely by Scott's side, not sniffing around too much, either. We're hoping that means he's getting used to his new surroundings.

He's still trying to nip and jump for playtime, but we just ignore him and he flops down on the rug with a "HUMPH!".

Day 1 (Monday) - I introduced Charlie to my office and put his new cushion bed in there, hoping he would lie on it (seeing as he didn't seem to like it in the living room)... he did!!



Then, in the afternoon as it was warm and sunny and I had to work, I let him go out into the garden to enjoy the sunshine; firstly on the decking:




Then on the grass (I think the decking was a bit uncomfortable for him after a whileHe had a roll about in the grass:


Then settling and enjoying the sun quietly



More again soon,

Louise, Scott & Charlie. xxx

[jackiem]

You are a lovely handsome boy Charlie. Very pleased to hear that you are settling down a little.

[Mad Maisie]

I just love his face

Gill, Meg and Maisie

[Loops]

Gill, so many people have commented on how big his head is - actually, ust how big he is in general! I had a lot of 'fun' taking him into our local Pets at Home yesterday and the staff (who I know through work) and customers all looked at him, looked again and said "Oh my word! He's a big boy!"

I sent some photos to my boss (as I work from home) and he phoned to say "He's like a big bear, isn't he??!" That's exactly what I thought when I saw his photo in the "Dogs needing a new home" section before we went to MKF!!! I call him Charlie-bear sometimes (amongst some out choice names that I have muttered during the more 'trying' times with him!!!)

Louise. xxx

[rhoda4]

Sending hugs for your gorgeous big Charlie-bear.

Ann, Paul & Zac x

[tosca100]

So that,s your office is it??????????? Hmmmmmm! Do you recycle wine bottles for a living then? Can I come and work for you if that's what we get instead of tea break?

Sara

[Ann Mee]

Lovely pictures of Charlie Louise, blimey your office is tidy i'm not posting pictures of mine on here I also work from home.

Millie is in my office at the moment gnawing on her first bone, we are currently prisoners in the house as my driveway (to all those who have followed my story for a very long time) is being sorted this week just haven't had chance to post pictures

He's a lovely boy, I haven't been nipped today yet

Ann x