Daniel Oakley

 

This is intended to be a record of our time with Eddie, recording all his little adventures and how we are getting along (there will be a few pictures as well).

So yesterday, we popped Eddie into his little travel cot and said goodbye to Denise and Chris near Stanstead and set off for home.
He travelled fine in the car, no fuss or upset.
Took him into Pets at Home to buy a Kong, squeaky furry toy and a rope throw/tuggy thing. Bought one stainless steel dish. Eddie wasnt too relaxed in the shop, but it was a lot to ask him after only just meeting us and a long journey.
Back home and on the boat.
Explored everywhere. Ignored his tomato box by the door, and pooed on some newspaper on the kitchen floor.
Watched me prepare supper.
Had some scrambled egg and baby rice for tea at 7pm.
Stayed up with me until 11.30pm We played sit games for Royal Canin kibble, threw his toy etc. Eddie ate quite a few biscuits, drank a lttle.
Took his cot down beside the bed, and popped him inside. Bit of a grumble, so told him to please go to sleep now and let him sniff my hand through the netting. He and I crashed out (Paul had gone to bed hours before) and I didn’t hear anything from him all night.

Sunday 14 Dec
Got Eddie out of bed at 7.15am. He ran around pleased to be up and about. Toileted about half seven. Got most of his long wee on the newspaper.
I made tea and we all went back to bed to drink our cuppa, to read and have a cuddle. Eddie was allowed up with us. He jumped a bit when Paul turned the pages of the book, but then quietened down as he got used to it.
Offered Eddie a bit more warmed egg, and a kong of kibble. Liked the kong, not really interested in the egg.
Took a walk in the marina garden. Eddie on long extending lead and harness. Quite cautious this first time.
Did rubbish. Jumped back when large black and blue dustbin bags appreared. Noise of plstic bag also made him jump. Left them around for a bit for him to sniff and go closer too.
Trip in car, inside cot. Got out at shops, launderette recycling etc. Just looked when I lowered bin bag into skip, seemed more relaxed.

He met people at marina. Seems very confident to go up to them and greet them.
Lunch and another kong of kibble with a tiny bit of cheese, just a taste to tempt.

Crashed out by his cot, then in his cot. I went out to pick up washing and left Paul and Eddie having a cuddle together.
When I got back I took him out again on the lead to have a sniff round the marina garden. Eddie much more confident this time. Showed him the water at the edge of the bank. He approached carefully and drew back when his feet got wet.
3.00pm and still no toileting since this morning. He has drunk more today, so he must have a lot of bladder control!
Going to print out training notes sent by Nina Bondarenko, the dogn trainer.
Eddie in bed at about 11.30pm settled down after a bit of a moan. Paul and I talked quietly and sleepily and that seemed to settle him.

Monday 17th Dec

Good night Eddie slept through again til about 7.15am A quiet day on the boat. Eddie didn’t meet anyone or go anywhere except in the marina garden for a little explore and toileting. He spent a fair bit of time cuddled up with Paul while he read a paper on his laptop.

All went well til Paul had to pack for tomorrow, then Eddie got a bit over excited…

Eddie crashed out at 9.30pm so we had an early night as Paul has to be away by 6.00am tomorrow morning.

Tuesday 16th Dec
Rotten night, Eddie awake at 3.30am and despite being taken out for a wee took me ages to get him to go back to bed. Then he broke the side zip on his cot and squeezed out.

Took Paul to station, Eddie in carrier with mended zip.
About 9.30am went by car into town. Put Eddie into front carrier and walked round shops, and spoke to friends. Marion and Phil at Mailbox were great and let him out in the office. Eddie gave the photocopier a good look when it started up, but didnt move back.

Got back for lunch. Eddie didnt eat much. Put into his bed at 1.30 for an hour. Dozed on and off this afternoon. Off boat for toileting, but didnt want to go on garden. Put a piddle pad on half of tomato box, Eddie used both paper side and on pad. Lots and lots of praise for being a good boy.

Just before Christmas
Noticed Eddie scrating at right ear. John the vet checked him out when Eddie stayed with him for the day. Prescribed some puppy Spot-on in case of ear mites and fleas etc.

Christmas
Lots to report about Christmas. Eddie has done so well. he coped with a long car drive down to Cornwall and lots of different locations and people. !5 or so at my sisters. Eddie loved their garden and had a good run a round. Ran around a lot in the house, got lots of cuddles and games with the teenagers. he was put in his cot and zipped in for his naps.
He found the hotel difficult. Saddows in the mirrors when the room was dark and the noise of people coming back to their rooms in the small hours made him a little jumpy. I got little weary of making silly noises to distract him from barking.
We came back a day early as Eddie was rather hyper (and I had a cold/flu and was feeling shattered with lack of sleep).
he had a quiet day on the boat before we went up to see Paul’s family in Lincoln. He coped well with 6 year old child and the cat. Again got a little excited, and we had to distract him and calm him down from “mounting behaviour” as Josh wasnt too appreciative!

Post Christmas/New Year
Eating well. Her likes his biscuits dry. Has two small meals of moist puppy food morning and evening with his “powder”.
Really confident now back at the mooring. Played with Patch the Jack Russel on the next boat and also other dogs of various shapes, sizes and ages in the local park.
Recalls coming along well. Can get him back with cheese, even from play with other dogs (after a few minutes). Not so reliable when no cheese.
Retrieves nicely. He will bring his squeeker back to me 85%, though he likes to run on by sometimes. I try not to grab for him as he goes by.
Sits are very solid now. Only thing though, he sometimes jumps up at your legs to try to get your attention, before going into his sit.
He did his fist wee on command on 31st Dec. I knew he probably needed to go, and encouraged him into his box and to perform. Brill.
Still working on getting him to lie down.
Quiet games fine – on his back with the tuggy.
Introduced words for toys – tuggy, squeaker. Also Kiss, Kiss for licking. Be clean for toileting (sorry cant remember the longer phrase as it doesnt seem to fit, and Ive been trained to “be clean” with my other dogs and it just slips out).
Lots of scent reaction to “Vanish carpet cleaner, dead mouse, alcohol”
Loves Gouda and Motserella cheese.

3 Jan 09
Eddie to vet as he had been sick 3 times since mouthing a dead mouse in the mooring garden. Mild gastro-enteritis. Treated.

6 Jan 09
Eddie back to John as he is still throwing up about once a day. Good appetite though and bags of energy, so not too worried. John did some bloods, to check for Addisons disease and general health. Nina and Chirag are hoping to come up on 7 to do some training. I had better warn them.

7 Jan 09
Blood test showed Eddie had a virus as his white cell count was up. John said if he didnt improve to bring him back for some antibiotics incase of secondary infection. Eddie fine though. On John’s advice I have cut out all dairy products (so training on hold a bit as I usually give him cheese as a reward, using his dry biscuits instead). Eddie eating his dry food well and having a third of a sachet of JWB puppy/junior morning and evening. Nina and Chirag decided not to come, which was just as well as we had snow and it is bitterly cold.

9 Jan 09
The weather is absolutely freezing but have been taking Eddie out for short visits to the park to meet other dogs, practice recall etc. All going very well. I have him on an extending lead for some of the time and he walks well, not pulling and following with encouragement. He spends a good deal of time off lead. He will come when called, though if ground is wet and cold he isnt keen to drop into a sit. He seems to have sensitive feet. I have had to wash them twice now on returning from our walk as something bothers him after walking in rough grass. Once his feet aere washed and dried he settles down. I haven’t summoned up the courage yet to trim his tiny claws. They are black and I cant see the quicks, and my fingers are not very nimble to handle such a lttle chap. He will be going soon, so hopefully they will be OK til then.

I have got a great video clip of Eddie playing with our friend’s lurcher Sparky. Will try to get it up soon.