Joe Cocker Has Arrived

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I'll take some pictures tomorrow and get them posted.  We adopted a lab/retriever/blue-heeler mix at the Central Nebraska Humane Society today.  3 months old and an absolute pistol.  He and 3 litter mates were found abandoned in south east Nebraska.  A volunteer picked them up Friday.  They have been through vet checks, first shots, etc.  They were put up for adoption this morning and by the time we got there, the first male was already adopted.  We snapped up the brother and now only the sister is waiting to be adopted.

Jimmy is interested but can't be too interested.  They sniffed noses and butts at the "meet and greet" and Joe swiped a bite of Jimmy's pizza this evening and lived to tell about it.  Totally adorable.  A touch of white on his tail, tummy is mostly white, otherwise jet black with the sweetest brown eyes.

Cats of course have their noses out of kink but will be okay.  They are staying in the living room this time on the top shelf of their cat tree.  Even cats couldn't hate this little dude.  Totally adorable but so obnoxious in his enthusiasm and zest for their approval.  ; )

Virginia

[kodydog]

Sounds like a handful of fun.

[gene]

I've always thought Joe would be a good name for a Cocker Spaniel. But, I'm sure a lab/retriever/blue-heeler mix will do just fine.

They do grab your heart, don't they.

With a little help from my friends...

gene

[Mojo]

Congrats Virginia. Nothing like a new puppy. Ours wore us out. It is just like having a toddler running around. :)

Enjoy and Best of luck with your new little guy. :)

Chris

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Well, we survived our first night.  Whew!  Wore me out.  

Joe did great bathroom-wise until about 8.  Prior to that we had him out about every hour and a half and we'd get one or the other or both.  Around 8 he jumped off the couch and started looking around, Bob asked if he should take him out.  Before Bob even had his footrest down, Joe found an acceptable spot in the dining room to pee ; )  Showed him his spot, told him it was bad and out we went.  

Took him out a couple more times before bed and he was pleased to perform.  We put him in the bathroom with water, food, his brand new toy I bought him, an old comforter and put the baby gate up.  Bob hadn't even made it down the hall before Joe came sailing over the top of it.  Bob let him roam with him as he got ready to shut the house down and the boys went outside one more time while Bob took the trash out.  Then we decided we would leave a bathroom light on and shut the door.  We wanted to contain him as he was wormed 2 days ago and so his stool is still pretty loose.  Anyway, after 30 minutes of alternately whining and throwing himself at the door, I gave up and took him out to the living room where we cuddled on the couch most of the night.  I was hoping I would hear him jump down.  I didn't.  Bob woke me up in the wee hours as we had several spots of loose stuff, one in the dining room and one in the bedroom.  

So, we'll try the bathroom again tonight but I think I'll sit in there with him until he goes to sleep and then tiptoe out.  Once he gets the worm medicine and its by-products out of him, it will be a bit easier.  Right now, he and Mama Cass are in the middle of a stare down.  He went over to meet her acquaintance once already as she's on a lower level of the cat tree and she growled and hissed at him.  That was all it took to send him scampering over to me so he obviously has met a cat with claws at the Humane Society.  He really wants to meet her badly right now.  He's belly crawled over there once now with the same result.   The pecking order is being established.

Back to nights, we do have the cats carrier which is pretty big as we bought it to transport both cats at the same time but we're not really big on those.  Plus it's not that big so if he would have an accident, he's liable to get loose stools all over him.

Today we have an appointment with our regular vet.  The Humane Society gives them an abbreviated exam and now our regular vet will do the more detailed exam.  A few more puppy shots due as well and neutering when he's old enough and then he'll be down to annual exams.

I had forgotten how outrageous puppies can be.  Carly and Jimmy were believed to be 6 months when we got them so they were through some of this.  Also because of their having been abused, neglected at best and abandoned, they just didn't have as much puppy abandon as this goober has.

Gotta go, Joe found Bob's slipper.  Not a good chew toy.

Thanks Chris!  We will!

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

Gotta go, Joe found Bob's slipper.  Not a good chew toy.

That's the lab in him. He'll do that for 2 years. And labs will also do that to get attention  if they feel separation anxiety. I shared a house with a friend of mine years ago when his significant other and the kids left him and 4-5? year old black lab. She was a sweetheart---but if she felt she hadn't seen enough of George, she would chew up something of his and leave it by the door for him to see. Usually it was the sock lining (often mis-called the insole) of his shoes. Lucky he was working for me at the shoe repair kiosk LOL.

My first dog was a golden lab that we got as a pup. He was terrible for doing that too. If Winnie's part time shift was too long for him he'd SHRED something of mine, carry it across the "not allowed here zone" , leave it by the front door, and be lying on the dining room linoleum with his nose plumb bobbed to the living room carpet staring me down when I got home. Bear had attitude!!!!! He wouldn't even acknowledge that she was speaking to him, and I had to use what most people would consider " excessive force" just to get his attention---let alone correct a behavior. He'd just look at you as much as say "Yeah, what ever---take a hike". We had almost sorted that out at 9 month's  when he got poisoned, and we lost him. Don't give up the ship----just puppy proof real hard, long term. my experience .

So, we'll try the bathroom again tonight but I think I'll sit in there with him until he goes to sleep and then tiptoe out.

You and Bob have probably had more pets than "Liz Taylor had  husbands, but I am still going to throw in my .179 USD . I used to have an issue with kenneling dogs---I've changed my mind. If the kennel is their " safe place/bedroom" they will appreciate the den feeling,especially if they can see and hear the cat coming to taunt them and go " NANANANA".   I do alot of inhouse work and it is not uncommon for the pet to wake up when I plug the little portable compessor in and book it for their "room".

A layer of shredded news paper + loose stool is easier to deal with than couch, carpet, dog, floor,etc...

[Darren Henry]

Bear was only 6 weeks when he came to us, and liked to cry, or sneak into the bedroom and sleep on my tee-shirt at night. l would fill a 2 litre pop bottle with warm water and wrap it with today's shirt. He was happy in his bed;could see me /hear me snoring/ four feet  away----but cuddddlllledddd.   

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

He's been very good today.  Went all day without an accident.  "Helped" me work on a chair that is in the dining room.  LOL.  Around supper time, he did sneak a pee in the dining room but made up for it by having a huge poop outside.  Peed outside several times this evening and I snuck downstairs to sew a seam that probably took all of 45 seconds.  He inaugurated the tile in the kitchen which was a breeze to get cleaned up. 

Saw the blue heeler in him in action this afternoon.  He was herding Jimmy around the back yard.  Too funny!  : )  Don't think Jimmy was amused but he is definitely doing better.  He's gone from ignoring to stare down's and an occasional growl when warranted.  Also, Jim's laying on the floor where he's fair game as opposed to hiding in his chair.   Cass no longer has to smack him, just raise her paw and he tucks tail and runs.  So, all in all it has been a good day.  He definitely knows that it's good to go outside, just doesn't understand that it is NOT good to go inside.  He's smart as a tack.  Took our vet all of 5 seconds to either teach or reinforce "sit" with him.

Got a great picture of him this afternoon but my battery in my camera is recharging so I'll upload what's on my card in the morning and post it then.

Darren, I have absolutely lost count of how many pets Bob & I have had.  Our house was on 7 "city lots" (slightly smaller than a regular lot as I understand it) and we had it all fenced with a 6 foot chain link fence when we lived in Leavenworth.  At the height of our insanity, we had 5 dog, 4 of them large -- 2 St Bernards, a collie/husky mix and a Siberian Husky -- and 4 cats at the same time.  Our vet enlarged the clinic and said that having us as clients had enabled him to do it without a lien on the business.  LOL  We're pretty laid back as far as puppy antics.  It's part of their personality and they do grow out of it.  I do think he is the cuddliest dog I've ever seen.  Definitely a keeper.

Jimmy likes to snag my slippers when I'm out running errands.  Sometimes sock but generally just a slipper.  Then when he hears me coming in, he will grab it in his mouth and run our circle path.  What a nut job!

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Just have to brag on the little munch!  Bob bought a night light for the bathroom so we could contain Joe in there last night but when the time came, I didn't have the heart.  He had pooped/peed for me when he and Jimmy went out with me.  Bob took Joe out by himself right before he was ready for bed.  I'd been hanging out with Jim, giving him some special attention then without Joe trying to horn in.  I got up when Bob was in the bathroom and slept on the couch again (so NOT good for my back).  Joe was so excited when I came out in the living room and almost literally flew through the air to get to the couch first.  So we played tug of war with his toy for a while and then he hopped down and curled up on the floor right next to the couch.  I told him to wake me up if he needed to go outside.  In the middle of the night, I feel this ton of bricks hit my legs.  I reached my hand out and of course it was Joe.  I asked him if he needed to go outside and he started running amuck in the living room waiting for me to get glasses/slippers.  I looked all around for wet spots and didn't find any.  Also, no poop!  Yippee skippee for sure!  I took him out and he had another big pee.  He settled back down pretty quickly when we came back in.  Looked around the house when I got up a little bit ago and nothing to be found anywhere.  Took he and Jimmy out and Joe pooped and peed.  He has a bad case of hero worship for Jimmy.  He sat for about 15 minutes at the foot of Jimmy's recliner looking up at Jimmy with total adoration in his eyes.  Too funny!  Mostly now you can tell that Jimmy is afraid of him.  Joe just moves so quickly and changes directions on a dime so Jimmy is a bit skittish of him now.  But he also watches all of his dumb moves so I think he's discovered the entertainment value of having a puppy.

Cass let Joe sniff her butt several times before she swatted and he didn't run in the opposite direction with his tail tucked, yelping.    Michelle is the hold out.  She hangs out in the basement at night and then skulks about upstairs at night when Joe is asleep.  She has always been weird and temperamental.  Basically, I would say progress all around, other than my sleeping on the couch.  Tomorrow night, I'll probably try going to bed after he wakes me up for our middle of the night run.

He just really seems to be catching on.  As my SIL reminded me though, it is easier housebreaking when you have another dog already housebroken.  They watch them and it helps to get the idea.  Then when you give them positive reinforcement and scold/take them out when they have the occasional accident and it all goes much more smoothly.

Enough bragging!  I'll upload his picture in a bit.

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

I asked him if he needed to go outside and he started running amuck in the living room

Too funny! [and a little sad] That was how Buddy (that's him in my picture) asked to go out. Never barked, scratched at the door, or any of the usual signals. He'd find a human and do his silly dance for them until you stood up---Then look out ---there was a black and white bullet headed for the door. In his prime he was the fastest land animal in N.W Ontario, and he did this until he got so arthritic he couldn't come down the stairs anymore and lived up in the porch. By then he and I had had 16+ years together---I knew, if not I'd hear him stir in the night and head up.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Tried to upload Joe's picture last night but couldn't get the link to show up on the thread.  I was using my laptop, which is getting more and more worthless by the day.  I'll be down in Sew & Sew in a while and will try using my tower.

Joe had no accidents yesterday!  He now has a "tell" which is sniffing around the spot in the dining room where he peed last.  I used Pet Resolve on it which is supposed to lift the odor but I doubt that it got all of it out seeing as how he was sniffing in that area.  Once we know the little munch isn't going to have accidents, I'll get the carpet cleaner attachment on the Kirby and clean both rooms as well as the entry way to the bedroom and no one will ever know we recently housebroke a dog.

He got me up in the middle of the night again by jumping on my legs.  This time he also added a sharp pitched bark to the mix.  I'm guessing I didn't respond quickly enough.  I didn't wake Jimmy up so Joe wasn't sure then that he wanted to go but was finally persuaded and rewarded me with a big pee.  We got up a bit ago and he peed again outside along with 2 huge poops.  I can't believe how much he poops but as Bob pointed out, he stops by the food dish every trip to the kitchen and what goes in must come out.

He and Jimmy are beginning to play a little outside.  He's just so quick and you can tell that his speed freaks Jimmy out.  I do not remember Jimmy and Carly having his speed but different blood lines in them.

I've been laughing so hard I could hardly stop since Jimmy and Joe and I came in.  First of all, we had a dusting of snow last night.  It's either raining now or still light snow.   So, he got to slide around in a touch of snow.  We came back in and had treats.  Had to work to convince him that he didn't need Jimmy's milk bone (that boy does not have one assertive bone in his body).  Then Cass ran up to the top level of their cat tree and started ringing the dinner bell (a cat toy with a bell that Bob attached to the cat tree).   Joe went over to the tree and Cass flew down the tree and they had a session.  Then they got beside and behind a recliner and continued their "dance" -- Cass is still doing the low pitched cat moan from time to time but it doesn't have the venom in it that it had when Joe first came home.  Michelle spent most of yesterday hiding in the basement but is up skulking about today.  I think that when Cass quits with the cat moans then she will come up and make Joe's acquaintance up close and personal.

But Joe is now on good terms with 2 of his 3 "siblings" and has gone over 36 hours without an accident in the house.  Not bad for a dog who has only been here for 3 and a half days!

His only negative behavior is that he likes to use my hand and wrist for a teething toy.  We bought him a teething bone and I try to keep that in reach so that I can substitute that for my hand or wrist.  I'm sure his gums hurt like crazy as he should have a bunch of new teeth that are getting ready to pop.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Don't know why but my laptop would not let me copy the IMG link.  Came down to Sew & Sew and tried it using my tower and no problem at all.

Without further ado, here is Mr. Joe Cocker:



I know I'm partial to him but I find him cute as a bug's ear!

Virginia

[Mike]

puppy are great I got my 2 new a year ago at 3 months Cavachons (bichon terrier mix)  brother and sister jenny and barkley  .    they chase each out hell out back jenny out front and barkley on her tail ine day me and my brother were sitting on the patio watching and jeeny made a quick get away from bark by jumping and flying 19 into john crotch feet langing you know were lol . they sleep on my feet in bed and jenny has adopted john as hers, so last month when john was in the hospital for a ful month they were out of sorts the day I brought john home I shit them in a bedroom so as not to trip john after a stoke he was sitting in the couch seen here with jenny on the left 

well bark came out first from behing the couch and headed to the back door followed by jenny when john called here she about went weak on the knees and coulnd walk she was so happy to see him .

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

That's pretty cool Mike, how much the dogs love your brother.  Love the picture of your two, one in each recliner.  Spoiled much???  I always tell people that if I wasn't going to spoil our animals, there was no reason to have them.

Joe and Jimmy are now buds.  Trot outside side by side and Jimmy is no longer trying to run the opposite direction once we get outside.  Cass was laying a can of whoop@ss on Joe yesterday (as much as you can with no claws) and Jimmy went flying in the dining room, where Joe & Cass were.  Looked to me like he was going into protective mode.  Last night, I caught Cass sniffing noses with Joe.  None of the "I am really displeased about this" kind of noises.  Michelle is now the lone holdout and she was really growling up a storm when Joe came in there while Jimmy was getting his before bed snooze in bed with me.  Joe was walking around the bed, trying to figure out how to jump on it (tall enough that I have a set of steps to climb up on it with.  Michelle was on top of the bed growling like there was no tomorrow.  She hasn't seen Joe this morning so I don't know if her attitude has changed or not.

Joe finally broke his streak last night.  He went over two days without an accident.  Bob was just reaching for his shoes and Joe started to squat.  I grabbed that boy and flew outside with him.  He finished peeing outside and then pooped as well.  He was very interested in watching how I cleaned his spot up once we came back in.  He peed again for Bob right before bed.  I took him out at 3 and he pooped for me and was good the rest of the night.

At any rate, I think he's having a pretty smooth transition overall.  Absolutely one of the smartest puppies we've ever had.  We've had other dogs while housebreaking before and it's never gone this smoothly but I've not had a "working dog" before so I'm wondering if this is from his blue heeler blood.  Whatever it is, I approve.  I was kind of worried about housebreaking as I haven't had to in over 12 years and the last time we did, it was before I "did" my back and was, obviously, 12 years younger.  This dude has been a breeze so far.  Know that we aren't there yet but it's certainly going much better than I anticipated.

We had at least 6 inches of snow yesterday, which Joe liked playing and sliding in.  I was laughing so hard at him.  This morning, actually during the night, cold and winds moved in and Joe was not pleased about going out in it.  No problem, I wasn't happy about going out in it either but we both sucked it up.  He peed the fastest I've seen him pee thus far ; ) 

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

Hey Mike. Where do you and John sit? Have you got a blanket on the floor?LOL.