Any ideas what could be wrong with my dog

[RGC]

I side with Hemlock re the D.N.A issue. Please don’t take this as criticism, more as a request to be corrected. We have friends who had their lurcher similarly tested TWICE. To an unfamiliar eye ‘Lara’ is a whippet but her coat suggests an element of border collie - she’s certainly as fast as a whippet and as bright as a collie. An unfortunate mix for those in their 70s! Anyway, the tests were by no means cheap and they each conflicted with the other. I know that one was done in Canada but no idea why. The results of the tests haven’t altered their affection nor understanding of Lara. My question to you, Montysdad, is what will you do with the result of the test. Will it alter your attitude towards Vinny? As I said earlier, this is not a criticism and I’m prepared to be ‘put right’.

 

[Montysdad]

Thanks for the info,i did have doubts about the dna testing after reading that many companies ask for a photo
of the dog to put on the certificate, one comment on Amazon said that after recieving his dna the company
confirmed he definately was a rabbit .Will deff bear in mind the comment about down, its not an essential
command but suppose it could be used with dogs that jump up at people.Vinnie doesnt do that anyway.
He was very insecure at my friends house so I wont take him there again for a few weeks,hopefully by then
he will know this is his forever home and hes just visiting a friend.He was quite happy at my sisters house
where we called in on the way home after picking him up,he loved playing with their little dogs, but that
house is so full of doggie love i think he may be ok going there.
I realize the importance of recall, it will be number one training task.
He will be my sixth dog, very different from the others,but amazed how happy and loving he is and how fast we
bonded.Done a fair amount of lead training with him, he was a puller, but if he has a super zoomie around my
big garden before walking, hes a lot better

 

[RGC]

I side with Hemlock re the D.N.A issue. Please don’t take this as criticism, more as a request to be corrected. We have friends who had their lurcher similarly tested TWICE. To an unfamiliar eye ‘Lara’ is a whippet but her coat suggests an element of border collie - she’s certainly as fast as a whippet and as bright as a collie. An unfortunate mix for those in their 70s! Anyway, the tests were by no means cheap and they each conflicted with the other. I know that one was done in Canada but no idea why. The results of the tests haven’t altered their affection nor understanding of Lara. My question to you, Montysdad, is what will you do with the result of the test. Will it alter your attitude towards Vinny? As I said earlier, this is not a criticism and I’m prepared to be ‘put right’.

Addendum - “……..what will you do with the result of the test?” interrogative. Pedantically yours.

 

[Montysdad]

Only reason I might have done a dna test would have been to establish his mix and get some
insite into his expected behaviour and possible future heath issues, dont mind what he is.
After reading all the reviews on dna testing , I am going to pass on it anyway

 

[RGC]

Common sense prevails. Spend the money on Vinny.

 

[Hemlock]

If you want your dog to get down as in off the furniture or a person, the command is "off" rather than "down" which latter means "lie down". Actually it doesn't matter what words you use as long as you are consistent, but just flagging up the difference between the two actions. To us who are verbal, words can change their meaning through context, but to animals, one word= one action. I am not criticising, just informing.

 

[Montysdad]

Just a bit of a update, Vinny is totally settled in now, never leaves my side,got him walking perfectly on the
lead except when he spots something furry moving fast.Still can be reactive to other dogs, i always muzzle him
on walks and keep him away from big dogs, there is a danger that he may lunge at an agressive dog and get
attacked.He is slowly improving (i think) but it will take time.
I let him off his lead for the first time last week, he was fine, stuck close to me most of the time, and came back
when called if he wandered too far.Was a bit over confident and let him off again next day,he went half way up
a bank then a rabbit crossed his path, he shot up to the top of the bank and dissapeared.
Called him for about 10 minutes, no sign, wasnt sure what to do, fortunately he is fitted with a tracker,checked that
and saw that he was trying to find me, he eventually appeared 100 yards away down the path and came
whizzing back to me.Will have to be more careful next time but its good that he was trying his best to find me
so his recall is pretty good.Apart from that no problems.Still miss my Monty very much but this lanky lump keeps
me on my toes.

 

[RGC]

Just a bit of a update, Vinny is totally settled in now, never leaves my side,got him walking perfectly on the
lead except when he spots something furry moving fast.Still can be reactive to other dogs, i always muzzle him
on walks and keep him away from big dogs, there is a danger that he may lunge at an agressive dog and get
attacked.He is slowly improving (i think) but it will take time.
I let him off his lead for the first time last week, he was fine, stuck close to me most of the time, and came back
when called if he wandered too far.Was a bit over confident and let him off again next day,he went half way up
a bank then a rabbit crossed his path, he shot up to the top of the bank and dissapeared.
Called him for about 10 minutes, no sign, wasnt sure what to do, fortunately he is fitted with a tracker,checked that
and saw that he was trying to find me, he eventually appeared 100 yards away down the path and came
whizzing back to me.Will have to be more careful next time but its good that he was trying his best to find me
so his recall is pretty good.Apart from that no problems.Still miss my Monty very much but this lanky lump keeps
me on my toes.

Good for you. Obviously done wonders with him.

 

[JudyN]

That's lovely to hear - thank you for the update.