Letters
We adopted Archie from NWESSR on Saturday 27/03/2010, having walked him in the paddock at the kennels he seemed to take to us very well. The Sunday morning walk proved a little more difficult, he clearly had not been road walked on a lead, for an almost 3 year old dog he acted like a puppy out for the first time. Anyhow difficulties apart we arrived at the field where we have exercised our previous 2 springers (Ben and Ty). As he needed to bond with us we decided not to let him off on that trip, and continued like that for a week. However, his lead work was not improving any. Over the next 2 weeks we continued to road walk him on 1 walk and field the other each day. We took him to Woodbank Park, Stockport, where we knew there would be many other dogs for him to see, we needed to do this as we had been told he was not good in the company of other dogs and needed to asses his actual reaction to other dogs, this turned out to be not good at all, he would lurch at them and when they reacted defensively he would growl and bark back. This was also his reaction to cyclists and he also has an obsession with footballs, he wants to play.
At first we were not convinced he was or had ever been Archie, as he would not answer or react at all when called. Gradually that has been overcome, he now comes most of the time when called.
He is slowly getting better with other dogs less pulling to get to them, however, when he plays he bats with his paws, this generally is not liked by other dogs on the receiving end so they will snarl at him which inevitably results in a fight. As you will see from the photographs of him when out he wears a muzzle, more for the safety of other dogs if a fight should break out.
When we collected him we were told he had a sensitive stomach and could only be fed on James Wellbeloved Kibble, and sure enough he did have a sensitive stomach, no accidents in the house but his stools were loose.
We had bought a bag of James Wellbeloved, at the kennel and that is what he had been fed so we decided to try him on a working dog food Dr Johns Gold. He still has the occasional loose stool but this may be due to the hot weather recently. He is also putting on a little more muscle, which was sadly lacking when we first got him. His coat condition is also improving, he will be getting a clip soon. After 9 weeks he has settled in well and now is a pleasure to road walk on his lead, gradually learning to sit at each kerb. Field walks are getting better he is playing well with a ball, although his return and drop needs some work. He is less distracted by others on the field.
Overall we are very pleased with him as a dog a fine specimen of the Springer Breed, with time and effort we know he will make a great dog.
Many who have seen my wife out walking him have commented on his progress, even the dog behaviourist who took at look at his lead work when we first got him has stopped her car in the street and commented on how beautiful his lead work now is.
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