New girl on the block.

[Val 3 dogs]

I collected Querida's sister this morning. We drove straight to the vet where she was microchipped, had her first rabies injection, was weighed and wormed.
She is taller than Querida and soon will be a bigger dog but at the moment weighs in at 34kgs, which was Querida's weight at 6 months of age, (they are currently 18 months old and Querida weighs 44kgs).
She currently answers to the name of Linda, (which I do not like as a dog's name) so I have renamed her Bonita (Bonnie for short).
She is a much calmer more relaxed, laid-back and quieter dog than her sister much to my relief.
I think she will soon be accepted by the others and settle in well.

 

[movan]

Beautiful girl. She's keeping her eye on you to make sure you stay close isn't she...

 

[Val 3 dogs]

Well it's Bonita's 3rd day with us and all is going very well.
Querida has naturally been a 'bit off' with having to share her house and her Mum with tbe new intruder but has done nothing worse than giving her the evil eye and muttering abour it.
Lass bless her heart has kept a low profe and just snook in for a quick cuddle when the opportunity has presented.
With my lack of Spanish there is a big gap that I don't know about in Bonita's life.
I know that like Querida she was removed from her mother at 3 weeks of age but then returned unwanted within 24hours as she cried too much, (what did the wretched woman expect ? !!! Grrr).
She was then rehomed again. I knew nothing of this for a couple of months. When I did hear about it I thought that she had gone to another Spanish farmer in a neighbouring village. Although I often wondered, I saw and heard nothing more of her until I saw her out with the goats a couple of months ago.
My friend with the goats asked me at that point if I wanted her or would swap Querida for her as she was not used to the countryside or the goats.
He got a "No" to both of those suggestions.
It was soon after this I learned of his cancer and he asked me again if I would have Linda (now renamed Bonita), hence her arrival here........she happily and confidently enters and leaves the house, is house trained, walks on the lead and plays with sticks.
So where has she been to learn that - not tied up on a Spanish cortijo?
It doesn't matter, I don't need to know but I am very curious.
Latest update: a major break through - while we were out this morning the three dogs were happily playing tag together.

 

[Zoobec]

She is beautiful

 

[Val 3 dogs]

Thank you I totally agree with you.

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[TheBig1]

I absolutely love your commitment to rescuing dogs that really need a loving home. I know the dogs can't say it verbally, only with love, but THANKYOU x

 

[Reallyretired]

What a lovely dog

 

[GBon]

What beautiful dogs, well done for saving her. We are massive dog people and have 3, 2 Westies, granny who is 10 years old, the second one is 5 years old and unfortunately has deformed hips, and the third one is a Yorkie/Jack Russel cross, she is such a loveable dog, likes nothing more than cuddling But the best thing is that they just give unconditional love. They all absolutely loved the caravans we have had, we haven’t introduced them to the motorhome yet (only got it on Saturday) but I know they will dive in and claim their spots just as they did in the caravans.

 

[Val 3 dogs]

GBon congratulations on your new moho, may it bring you much fun and happy memories.
The dogs will undoubtedly love it- if you do, so will they and even in these difficult times what wonderful trips and outings you will be able to have together.

 

[steve 6644]

Gorgeous dog

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[jumartoo]

Lovely dogs (except when they surround you when riding bikes through "their" sheep!!!). Twice this summer we were surrounded by up to 7 of them. I didn't get any photos, strangely .

You'll be very safe in your van with three guardians.

Keep us informed of Bonita's progress.

 

[Val 3 dogs]

jumartoo
I know just what you mean about being surrounded by a pack of "livestock guardian" dogs, scary indeed!
I have a confession to make: Querida (my original mastin espanol pup) is a BIG (44kgs) coward and is frightened of people on bicycles, anything that she is afraid of causes her to bay, like a real hell hound in the hopes it wont come near her.
We have a narrow dirt track circumnavigating the lake here that for a lot of its distance runs through a fringe of pine trees. It is very pretty,a bit undulating and has many blind spots.
If I see or hear cyclists approaching I call Querida and hold her fast until they are safely past but sometimes they take us by surprise, also in places the track is so narrow that passing has to be in extremely close quarters.
People are understandably frightened by her and her behaviour. She will not bite but strangers don't know that.
I am at a loss to know what to do and unsure if holding her makes matters worse.(dogs on leads are often more aggressive).
Sometimes if she is running loose ahead of me she will ignore them and pass quietly but not always.
I have rehearsed the Spanish for " she will not bite ,she is just very noisy", but I don't know that I would believe me if I were a cyclist! That is even if they can hear me above the noise she is making.

 

[jumartoo]

Somewhere in that bucolic spot are about 7 of "them". Little did we know what we were heading into .

The shepherd was way up the hill. He did call down to say they were harmless

 

[Val 3 dogs]

and you believed him ? !!!!

 

[irnbru]

You are a star! Well done on taking a rescue dog, she looks lovely.

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[TheBig1]

sadly grabbing a dog's collar and pulling it close will only reinforce learnt behaviour. Especially fear responses and guarding behaviour. If the dog sees you as the pack leader happy and relaxed, so will they be. Or if they pick up on your worry, it is an automatic behaviour to protect you. Not something you can easily turn off with training

 

[Val 3 dogs]

TheBig1 thanks for your response, I was hoping you might come in with some words of wisdom.
As I am certain she won't bite should I just leave her loose changing my direction to give them a wider berth if and where possible ?

 

[TheBig1]

TheBig1 thanks for your response, I was hoping you might come in with some words of wisdom.
As I am certain she won't bite should I just leave her loose changing my direction to give them a wider berth if and where possible ?

from what you have said, she shows no aggression, just noise and guarding behaviour. I would try leaving her loose and where possible place yourself between the dog and perceived threat

 

[Val 3 dogs]

from what you have said, she shows no aggression, just noise and guarding behaviour. I would try leaving her loose and where possible place yourself between the dog and perceived threat

Thanks for that, thankfully her sister (new dog) and Lass (my collie) are both quiet and unfazed by bicycles, long may that last and may Querida learn from them. (She does copy Lass in most things).

 

[jumartoo]

and you believed him ? !!!!

We didn't stop to find out!

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[jumartoo]

We had a similar experience on our next ride. The shepherd was nearer then though, so we didn't feel so vulnerable.. We were mesmerised by how "fit" the shepherd was (even Martin commented!) so the dogs barking were only an irritant

 

[Val 3 dogs]

The three dogs are all good pals now and have great fun together when out with me in the buggy.
Bonnie has also made herself quite at home indoors

 

[phillipsheila]

sadly grabbing a dog's collar and pulling it close will only reinforce learnt behaviour. Especially fear responses and guarding behaviour. If the dog sees you as the pack leader happy and relaxed, so will they be. Or if they pick up on your worry, it is an automatic behaviour to protect you. Not something you can easily turn off with training

from what you have said, she shows no aggression, just noise and guarding behaviour. I would try leaving her loose and where possible place yourself between the dog and perceived threat

Spot on in my opinion