Fickle

[Deleted]

Meet Fickle.....



She's a pedigree lab (and a field champion) who has been used as a gun dog and she's also been bred from. She's 7 years old and (we think) pregnant for the 4th time. The owner (a professional breeder) says she's no longer in her prime as a gun dog and she doesn't want to breed from her again after this time. Once she's had the puppies and they've all been sold, it looks like we will be giving her a home in her retirement years.

We've been top see her today and she's as soft as butter and the most placid dog I have ever met. She is absolutely lovely and a perfect first dog us as she'll be no bother and will be ideal for my children to get used to a dog.

She has a mild thyroid problem but Mrs FA can get the drugs at cost from work so it won't be too expensive (hopefully) ;D

We'll probably be getting her around the end of May when she's had her last litter of puppies and they've been weened and sold.

More pictures will undoubtedly follow in due course when we get her home with us !

FA x

[Ruthie]

Oh FA she's gorgeous. Looks very placid but I bet has a sense of fun too! We had cats for 20 odd years before we got a dog. Love cats, don't get me wrong, but there's more interaction with a dog, AND it keeps us marginally fitter with all the walks and we have grown to appreciate the countryside in which we live.............never used to go walking locally until we got the dog. Absolutely no regrets!!!!

[Spruance]

Good for you Andy, she looks a lovely dog.

What was that about Mrs FA definitely not having a labrador?

How about having one of the puppies too, or would that be asking for trouble. ;D

[Deleted]

spruance said:

Good for you Andy, she looks a lovely dog.

What was that about Mrs FA definitely not having a labrador?

I know............ she has a way of making me think that what she wants is what I want too....... ;D

How about having one of the puppies too, or would that be asking for trouble. ;D

Don't even go there. We've already had this conversation and the answer is most definitely NO. Because she's got such a good pedigree, her puppies are £600 each. No, no, no and no again !!!!! ;D

FA x

[nightowl]

She's gorgeous FA, but fancy being "retired" at 7 years old!! You might easily get another 7 with her!

[Deleted]

nolawn said:

You might easily get another 7 with her!

We hope so ! It would be a shame to only have her for a year or two.

FA x

[MamIDdau]

She's gorgeous!!

Mum's dog Sally is an ex breeder's dog, she was retired at about 4 years old. She's soft as anything too but because she wasn't a pet, she wasn't house trained.

[JennyWrenn]

Oh F-A well done

And at 7 you wont have all that potty training to do ;D

[Amo]

She looks a beaut! How they can say she's now longer in her prime at 7 I don't know. She's at her steadiest and can teach the pups a thing or two!!

[Tig]

What a nice looking dog FA - she deserves a well earned rest with a loving family - will she have been spayed when you get her then? Tig

[Deleted]

Yes, she will be Tig. The breeder is going to pay for that before we have her.

FA x

[Ladygardener]

She's a beautiful dog FA, I'm sure she'll be a great addition to your family. ;D

[Deleted]

Thanks LNG, I hope so ! As she's past the puppy stage and extremely laid back, I'm hoping she doesn't cause too much mayhem in the garden either ! Just got to worry about how to stop her wee killing my lawn.......

FA x

[JennyWrenn]

fatandy said:

Thanks LNG, I hope so ! As she's past the puppy stage and extremely laid back, I'm hoping she doesn't cause too much mayhem in the garden either ! Just got to worry about how to stop her wee killing my lawn.......

FA x

Pave the lawn with flag stones as I did F-A otherwise it will look awful - male dogs can spend pennies up posts but sadly girl doggies dont ;D

[Plocket]

FA she is just beautiful! I hope she doesn't live up to her name though!!!

[Amo]

You can get this stuff you put in their food or feed as treats to neutralize the scorch Andy.

[snowowl]

She is lovely FA well done you giving her a loving home in her later years.
Bet she will be glad not have any more puppys to

[Susie Snowdrop]

Just seen this

FA, she looks absolutely beautiful and I'm so pleased for you all! All those lovely long walks ahead of you, should be good for the waistline ;D

S x

[Deleted]

Jan 30, 2008 12:54:10 GMT Susie Snowdrop said:

All those lovely long walks ahead of you, should be good for the waistline ;D

;D

FA x

[Deleted]

Jan 29, 2008 11:44:06 GMT Amo said:

You can get this stuff you put in their food or feed as treats to neutralize the scorch Andy.

Amo

I discussed this with my wife because I'd never heard of it. I've also had a Google to see what I can find out.

The burning of grass by dog urine is caused by the high nitrogen content of the urine. Some people believe that it is also down to the high acidity levels of the urine but it isn't.

You can buy additives for dog food that can alter the PH of the urine but because it interferes with the dog's metabolism, it can have serious and life threatening consequences (the dog is not excreting all of the acid from its body that it needs to, so it can damage the liver & kidneys, apparently).

The advice I've just read says it's better to treat the grass than put anything in their food !

I know the old saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks but I'm going to try and train her to go behind the shed where the grass doesn't do very well anyway because it's very shady.

FA x

[Amo]

Probably a good option Andy. My Jane Russell only does little piddles so they don't show and my boy only pees vertically. ;D

[MamIDdau]

Jan 28, 2008 20:44:16 GMT JennyWrenn said:

fatandy said:

Thanks LNG, I hope so ! As she's past the puppy stage and extremely laid back, I'm hoping she doesn't cause too much mayhem in the garden either ! Just got to worry about how to stop her wee killing my lawn.......

FA x

Pave the lawn with flag stones as I did F-A otherwise it will look awful - male dogs can spend pennies up posts but sadly girl doggies dont ;D

You'd THINK that wouldn't you. Eric squats and Sally cocks her leg lol

You can buy "pee posts" where you can train the dog to go near that post. There are plenty of training aids anyway and plenty of stuff to buy to put on your lawn. Another trick I was always told is to water where the dog has urinated so it's not as concentrated. I think...

[Deleted]

We're having a trial run with Fickle this weekend. I've got Monday off work so we're picking her up on Sunday morning and looking after her until Monday evening.

We want to see how she is with the kids for a couple of days and also how the cats cope with having an interloper in their territory !!

FA x

[MamIDdau]

The cats will get used to her eventually!!

Hope it all goes well xx

[Amo]

It's the better way of doing it, dogs into a cat home. Good luck!!

[Deleted]

Just seen this FA she is adorable labs are lovely my mum had one and are a very affectionate breed.
Good luck for the weekend my mum used to water the part of the lawn the dog went on and it helped.

Karen

[MamIDdau]

Just realised, you've got Fickle, we've got Schmickles and soon Tickles and Pickles hehe

I hope the trial run has gone/going well?

[Missredhead]

Lots of lovely ickles there ;D

[Deleted]

Well, the trial run is going well so far. Fickle is an absolute joy and she is THE most laid back and easy going dog I've ever known. She growled at the cats when she first arrived but I told her not to and she hasn't done it since. The cats don't seem to mind her and the kids have loved it today.

She definitely is pregnant though so we won't get her permanently until around early May, when she's had the pups and they've been weened and sold.

Here's a couple more pictures







FA x

[Missredhead]

Awwwww shes lovely.