Rebellion in the Ranks

[sallyannh]

Hi, Darcy here.

It's been a year since I found my forever home and in the main, the staff have trained up nicely. They produce pretty decent grub at regular intervals, give me plenty of tummy rubs and take me out to meet and greet my adoring public from time to time. They didn't consult me before acquiring Roma, but it's not too bad as I get to scoff her leftovers if I nip in quickly before the staff clear the dishes.

Until today we had two walks a day, unless I refused to go because it was raining too hard. This morning my hoomum behaved in a way that was very out of character.

She came in at 7 am after being at work for 12 hours, served breakfast and then announced that she was going to bed for a few hours and our walk would have to wait, as it was raining (not very much though) and she was tired.

We though she was joking and patiently waited for her to come downstairs again. Dad went to work and there was no sign of the teenage hooman. We waited, and waited and nothing happened. I decided that shock tactics would soon bring the hoomans into line, so I burst into song, and Roma accompanied me with barking.

I heard strange noises from upstairs ("ALICEGERROUTOFBEDANDSEETOTHOSE DOGS") and then the teenage hooman appeared. While it was reassuring to see someone, I was concerned that my hoomum didn't come to see me.

She finally rolled out of bed at about noon (what does she think she is, a greyhound?) and took us for a walk. We got our evening walk as well, so hopefully things are back to normal.

Have any other hounds experienced such bad behaviour from their hoomans? Do you think the singing tactics will keep them in line, or should I try something else if it happens again?

[suethejam]

Ah well, I am a hu-mum who has noticed that an afternoon nap keeps my hounds very happy so I thought I'd have a nap every day too...

When Lou, Ty and Ollie need feeding they send Ty to push his cold nose under the duvet (he has the coldest nose) and press it against whatever delicate part of my skin that he can reach...it works every time!

The old "barking at an empty space" also works because it makes hu-mums thinks that the house is haunted so they can't sleep anyway and may as well be doing greyhound stuff...

Hope you find these hints useful - Lou has had to resort to non-verbal as she seems to have lost her bark after radiotherapy :-(

[Deleted]

Hoomans are funny things but easily controlled! If I find myself awake and there is nothing going on and the 'old fella' is busy working (huh!) on his compooter I find that walking up to the front door a couple of times tends to get his attention! He says things like 'what another wee!' but he takes me out anyway. Once out I take my time and always manage to find a few drops to make my walk look necessary! He has what he calls 'power naps' but it's easy to get him up - I just jump on the bed, pull the duvet thingy off and use my cold, wet nose as a 'weapon'!!!! Works every time!!

Mr Ted xx

[prince]

i find what ever they are doing, if you take it away from them that really gets there attention. once my mummy was doing things with paper i barked to say i wanted to go out, but she was saying wait 5 minutes. well i don`t know how long 5 minutes is. so i took the paper from mummy and throw it on the floor, and as she was about to pick it up i laid on it, and wouldn`t let her have it till she got her butt off the chair. she got up and we went straight out.
She is learning, but you do have to keep letting them know, going out is more important.

[patricksparents]

Hi Patrick here. Some luvverly ideas up there. I find putting my nose or my tongue in mummy's ear works and then I rub my face from side to side on her shoulder. If she is being very stubborn I start to sing and do my really good Irish dancing routine on the wooden floor and it's really noisy. Well, my mum is an entertainment agent and she keeps saying "you sing and dance like that and if you are not careful, I will put you on Britains Got Talent". Then she kisses me and says - "no I won't, I wouldn't let that nasty Simon Cowell near you". Then she gets up and gives me my weetabix. I can wrap her round my little paw easy peasy!

[pumalass]

Hi Mersey and I have to keep our hu-mum and hu-dad in line as well they tend to think they can have a lay-in now and again so we put them straight, Mersey goes in first to scout (seeing as she has been home the longest) if she gets a response then I go running in and put my front paws across them reaching dad if he doesn't take any notice and kiss them and sing to them, Mersey also nudges them they finally give in and get up, our lunch time walk is usually about 12 but Mersey and I get up and jump around by the front door from about 11 this also makes them say we might as well take them out they aren't going to settle. So like others we are gradually training them to take us out on demand, although we love them lots.
Beau & Mersey

[Deleted]

I'm thinking a 'Hooman Training School' is in order!!! Here we come Dragons Den!!!!!!!

[sallyannh]

Some useful tips there, thanks very much.

Sometimes one of the hoomans will fall asleep on the sofa. Me and Roma then go and do close up staring at them, that always wakes them up and the first thing they see is two big black noses in their face, it's really funny watching them jump and scream.