Fickle

[Deleted]

Sorry for the delay in responding. It's been very busy here and both kids have been poorly.

Fickle is doing ok. She's been a bit subdued for a few days so she had a blood test last week as she has a mild thyroid problem and we wanted to check that she was ok.

Her reading is up slightly so we have to up the medication she's on but other than that, she's fine.

Here's a couple of pictures taken yesterday as she soaked up the evening sunshine at the allotment.





FA x

[Missredhead]

She looks happy FA...I just want to send her a

[Ruthie]

She's beautiful FA. Makes me want to paint her...........

[Deleted]

May 19, 2008 19:52:38 GMT Ruthie said:

She's beautiful FA. Makes me want to paint her...........

If you want to, feel free. I have no objections.

FA x

[Deleted]

Fa sorry to hear your kids have been poorly hope they are ok soon, hope Fickle is ok too, Hows the lottie going another thread ive got to catch up on ive got lots to catch up on but i will do it.

Karen x

[nightowl]

She looks fab FA

[Susie Snowdrop]

Oh she is just too gorgeous and obviously in very good hands

S x

[JennyWrenn]

What a beautiful doggy and she is smiling

[Tig]

Yep, defo chillin with you now - far more relaxed, with time comes trust

x Tig

[Spruance]

Fickle looks a lovely dog FA and with a friendly face too!

You're almost making me jealous.

[Deleted]

Just a quick update. We've upped Fickle's regular medication as advised by the vet and she seems to be ok. She does seem to have her off periods when she's a bit quiet and subdued but generally, she's fine.

When I took her out the other morning, I took my phone and photographed our usual early morning route around our local country park.

We start off parked by the allotments and walk up the grassy field.....



Up the path and out into the next field..





From where we can look back to where we've just come from (my car is the only one parked there !)



We carry on round the field then along another path and through a gap in the hedge..





Once we've crossed the wheat field, there are 2 more fields to cross, although sometimes we take the woodland walk around the edge of the 2nd field





Fickle enjoys a sniff round along the way.....



Then it's back through a woodland path....





.....to the bottom fields....





.....and the path back to the allotment car park



It takes about 35 - 40 minutes each day and is an utterly brilliant way to start the day. It really blows the cobwebs away first thing in the morning and there are never many other people or dogs around so we more or less have the whole place to ourselves.

FA x

[Amo]

Obviously such a Daddies girl!!!! ;D I'm glad you have no hang ups about letting her off the lead anyway.

[Deleted]

She hardly ever goes on the lead to be honest. We only put her on the lead when we're walking near a busy road. Other than that, she doesn't need it.

FA x

[JennyWrenn]

oOoh what a lovely story and such a nice happy ending - am so glad you are enjoying each other and the morning walk is just the perfect start to the day for both of you

(My cursor seems to have the shakes - anyone else? )

[Deleted]

What a lovely walk you both go on, she looks really happy.

Karen

[Deleted]

May 25, 2008 14:34:07 GMT JennyWrenn said:

(My cursor seems to have the shakes - anyone else? )

Is it your cursor or did you overdo it at the diggit last night.....? ;D

FA x

Ps - mine is rock steady !

[Deleted]

Cor, I'm jealous, great walk lucky Fickle!!

[nightowl]

What a lovely walk FA , but quite a steep hill up from the car park. I always thought Suffolk was flat!

[Tig]

Lovely ramble FA, thanks for sharing.

What with the allotment and all this dog-walking exercise when are you going to change the 'a' for an 'i'

x Tig

[Deleted]

May 26, 2008 13:35:15 GMT Tig said:

Lovely ramble FA, thanks for sharing.

What with the allotment and all this dog-walking exercise when are you going to change the 'a' for an 'i'

x Tig

Fat Indy ? Sound like Indiana Jones in the cheeseburger years...... ;D

FA x

[JennyWrenn]

May 25, 2008 19:24:39 GMT @fatandy said:

May 25, 2008 14:34:07 GMT JennyWrenn said:

(My cursor seems to have the shakes - anyone else? )

Is it your cursor or did you overdo it at the diggit last night.....? ;D

FA x

Ps - mine is rock steady !

Glad to hear your's is rock steady F-A

Mine back to normal ;D

[Tig]

May 26, 2008 14:02:08 GMT @fatandy said:

Fat Indy ? Sound like Indiana Jones in the cheeseburger years...... ;D

FA x

I knew you would go for that - I nearly wrote in my post!! (Kingdom of the Crystal Ball )

Fickle is looking very fit and trim too

x Tig

[Deleted]

You'd have thought Fickle being a trained and well worked gun dog would've taken a thunderstorm in her stride. We had quite a biggie in the night and I heard her whimper once but that was all. When I got up this morning she'd pee'd on the kitchen floor. Twice. Couldn't really get angry with her though - poor little mite was scared !!

FA x

[JennyWrenn]

Aw you should have taken her to bed with you - between you and Mrs F-A ;D
Some dogs never get any better so expect it to happen next time - maybe leave a radio on or something and close all the curtains

[Deleted]

Sorry folks, with everything else going on in my life at the mo, I haven't had chance to update my threads.

Anyway, just to keep you all informed, Fickle was spayed last week. Mrs FA took her into work and they did the op for us. She was a bit dozy on the day (that's Fickle, not Mrs FA ;D) but has made a good recovery. She's now getting frustrated because she can't walk as far as she did beforehand but she gets to go a bit further each day and within the next couple of weeks, she should be more or less back to normal.

FA x

[Missredhead]

for Fickle

[Deleted]

Is it possible to "un train" a gun dog ?

When we first had Ficlke she used to enjoy her walks, sniffing around and running ahead etc. Now when I take her for a walk, she just falls into step beside me, like I assume she did with her previous owner when she was working and I can't get her to go off and sniff around or run about etc. The only time she runs around is if you throw a stick or ball for her and she can retrieve it. I'd like her to do what "normal" dogs do and enjoy her walks (which she seemed to do when we first had her), not treat them like she's working all the time but she doesn't seem to know any different and I don't know how to get that training out of her. I guess we might never be able to but I'd like to try. Any ideas ?

In the meantime, here's a new picture of her....



FA x

[Amo]

She's looking good there FA!

Perhaps it's something to do with her being older and not wanting to charge off, look how many older dogs you see just enjoying being with their owners.

Also, the shooting season has been upon us for a month and perhaps she feels it's where she should be at this time of year. They are not that daft these canine things. My boy has 'work' and 'play' commands. If we are working he is very different until I say 'Go play' then he ignore guns, game, birds etc and has a sniff around and a wee etc until I call him in and his business brain takes over again.

I think you'd know if she were unhappy FA, perhaps it is you who are the worrying one??!??

[Spruance]

Fickle is a very lovely dog FA, you are very lucky to have her. She reminds me so much of our old black labrador Sam. He wasn't a gun dog but at Fickle's age was more than happy to tag along behind whoever was walking him. Unless another (rival) dog appeared on the horizon of course, and then you had to be quick or he was gone. I suppose that's the advantage of having a bitch rather than an unneutered dog.

I shouldn't worry too much about Fickle. It may seem a strange thing to say but I can tell from her expression that she is a happy dog, and that can only be thanks to you and Mrs FA.

[oldmoleskins]

Generally, dogs are hugely impressed by example, FA. Intelligent ones more so. If Fickle sees you as the centre of all things interesting, she will look to you for guidance - and is only likely to 'run off and enjoy herself' if you do the same!
Take it as a huge compliment that you and the family have allowed this fine lab a relaxed 'second half' and that she feels so secure in your company she tags along. You might, if you want to see the extent of her retained training, try an experiment as a bit of fun for you both: she will at some time have been taught to sit under 'shooting circumstances'.

Somewhere safe, somewhere quiet, sit her down and say "stay", raising your hand like a benign policeman - then back away as far as you can without falling over, repeating, kindly, encouragingly, "stay" at intervals, still with the raised hand. At about 25 yards, bend down a little, throw your arms open in a welcoming gesture and call "here". You should receive about 4 or 5 stone of joyous lab in a couple of seconds. If it works, you might extend the distance, but only for a couple of times, and not every outing: dogs can get bored before we do.
At one time she probably will have done this exercise at 100 or more yards (without the backwards walking bit too). Don't be too disappointed if she won't perform though.

OM.