With a dog door that big ... people could enter unbidden, couldn t they?

o j

The big dogs would have to let them in.

This turned into a fun stroll down memory lane for me, thinking about my 2 beloved doofuses. As they aged they turned into perfect labs, so sweet and docile. Their younger years? Holy hannah.

I came home one day and both met me at the door all happy. As I walked further into the house all I saw were red streaks all over the floor. Looked like blood. Like someone had butchered a deer levels of blood....

Except it wasn't blood. For some reason they got up on a bed, wadded up all the sheets, pulled a brand new wool blanket (red) off onto the floor, and tried to fluff it up into a bed for themselves. They shredded it. 😄😳 And then dragged smears and streaks of it all over the house.

Good times. 🤣

This was decades ago. Every dog since then has been crate trained, because those idiots trashed my house one too many times before they settled into perfection. 😄 I am a slow learner apparently.

If I had a dog door, my house would be full of critter carcasses from voles to moles to ruffed grouse. Frank is a hunter.

With a dog door that big ... people could enter unbidden, couldn t they?

in theory, yes. however, the welcoming they would get would be less than pleasant and i'd have an awful mess to clean up and then i'd have to bury the body. 😉

to be clear, my danes are very friendly but they are also very protective. living where i do and being very isolated, i have never discouraged their warning barks when people drive up. as soon as i tell them that all is well, they quiet right down. if you're a friend and you come in and sit down, they will tussle for your undivided attention.

@Ally De aren't lab puppies supposed to pretend to be satan's spawn? it's so unfair how adorable they are when they're little rascals because it must have been hard to discipline them without laughing!

@roxsol i have a frank who fancies himself quite the expert hunter, too! rabbits, possums, raccoons, groundhogs have all been victims. i once came home to a young groundhog dead on my kitchen floor. thankfully, his kills are always intact so there wasn't anything to clean up other than than the body. another time he brought in a "dead" possum, a rather large one. again, no blood. i retrieved the snow scoop from the deck, scooped him up and deposited him over the fence into the woods. i watched for a few minutes as he miraculously came back to life and sauntered off into the trees. it took a while but every time i saw frank with something furry in his mouth, i would catch him at the door, tell him to drop it and then let him come inside. he learned to do this voluntarily so it hasn't happened in a long time. whew! occasionally, he will eat the rabbit all i'll just find a pile of fur in the yard. both dogs are on year around dewormer!

funny story...last year i had workers here for a week building a new deck and installing a new sliding glass door. they always brought cookies for the dogs and became fast friends with them. i was gone one day and since they were hauling lumber in through the gate, i closed off the dog door so the dogs couldn't bother them and to prevent any chances of them (dogs) escaping. one of the guys told me he just wanted to see what the dogs would do if he tried to enter the house with me not being there. he told me all he did was open the slider about an inch (which was all he ever intended to do) and frank came unglued, charged the door and in his big boy bark let him know in no uncertain terms that he best not even think about it. this happened a few days after the dogs had already become acquainted with them, it was just the fact that mom wasn't home and frank wasn't taking any chances.

roxsol, that made me laugh so hard.

Make or buy a carpeted step or bench and put in front of each window you want to block. The height will be whatever is needed to get the dog’s eyes able to look out. It will not have to be very wide.

I would probably still put the clear plastic covers on the window sill.

roxsol, is Frank a Shih Tzu? I wasn’t aware of any hunting traits in that breed! Wow - I’d surely have fainted at the first ”treasure” he brought home to show me! Now, Ninapearl’s Danes, that’s more like it! This is a funny thread - lots of laughs about our dogs. foodonastump - I hope you circle back and show us your friend and your solution to help her be your watch dog which sounds like what she wants to be doing!

PS roxsol - maybe Frank is a Lhasa Apso?

FOAS, yes photo of perp in needed!

KW, Frank is a Shih Tzu - Poodle cross. I got him because I wanted a small house dog. He has turned out to be a scrappy, dirty, horse poop eating, adventurer. I adore him.

I used to have a coonhound and his favourite spot was in the house, on the couch. Go figure.

Funny you mentioned Lhasa Apso. I also had one of those. His name was Gus and I had him the same time I had the coonhound who was named Sparrow. Collectively I called them Asparagus. When I called them, I'd say Sparrow! Gus! and it eventually became Asparagus. 🤠

KW, this is a before and after of Gus

And a photo of him when he was older. His nose is a little bloody as he had a nasal tumour. He was a very laid back dog.

Who doesn't enjoy a chance to share photos of their dogs?! (You're being such a good sport about this FOAS..)

My two current hooligans. I dropped down a size or two after the labs. :-)

Yes, as we get older, the dogs get smaller!

We went from a 70 pound Golden to 40 pound Fred ( RIP).

I have the 6 pound Chiahuahua part-time.

ninapearl, I love how the dogs are "snoopervising".

What a nice happy thread this is! ”Dog” people are so great. I think it has to do with the adage ”Be The Person Your Dog Thinks You Are”. That’s a high bar to strive for with consistency. Did you all notice that in all of our dog pictures, they are staring at their person with those wonderful deep, trusting and adoring eyes? That’s why we are dog people! roxsol’s Frank is proof that dogs have personalities outside their breed traits. A hunter? Maybe that’s the poodle in him because poodles are bird dogs after all. And a Coonhound couch potato? Really? Ninapearl’s Danes who seem to be lapdogs is another interesting trait. FOAS, your pretty Lab girl will be getting a new lounger for the other window she can’t see out of easily from the floor, yes? Please come back to show us when you get it. 🐶

" Be The Person Your Dog Thinks You Are”. "

Haha. I heard this differently once:

YOU'LL NEVER BE as awesome as your dog thinks you are.

I'm a lifetime dog person. The most terrific in a string of 4 terrific German Shepherds that have lived in my household during my lifetime, all one at a time with a year or two in between each, sadly died a few years ago. We decided that our schedule and our aging prevented us from giving a new dog the same interesting life experiences and fun we were able to give the others and so we remain dogless and with an empty slot for that family member.

I almost get teary typing this. I miss that dog more than I can or want to express. Dogs are wonderful. Having a dog in one's life makes us better human beings.

ninapearl, I love how the dogs are "snoopervising".

well, you just never know when a cookie might fall out of a pocket! 😂

@Ally De your westies are so adorable!! so many sweet looking dogs being posted!

Ninapearl’s Danes who seem to be lapdogs is another interesting trait.

over 18 years, i've had 11 danes and every single one of them was a lap dog. pippin is both a lap dog and a shoulder dog, depending on how far she wants to take cuddling at any given time.

Again, loving all the dogs!

Elmer - GSD’s are a special breed, one of my favorites based on some I’ve known well over the years. So far, I’ve been realistic about the commitment. We’re better suited for self-training mutts for now. Maybe someday.

Speaking of mutts, KW, yes she was presented as a lab mix and that’s everyone’s guess, but she’s got no lab in her. DNA says primarily a mix of golden, Australian cattle dog, and pit, plus 10% ”supermutt.”

Ally De - This is the Easter Bunny my MIL makes:

One more picture, since we are talking GSD’s.

This is my daughter’s Milla with Frank a day after I brought him home.

Aw, that's adorable Roxsol. 💜

Ninapearl, I am impressed you knew they are Westies. So many people stop us walking to ask what they are. I always say terrier hooligans. 😄

Really enjoying all the happy smiling dogs and stories. Fun thread.

I'm always happy to share a picture of Carmelita. She is a Havanese.

MM, i adore carmelita! i've always thought she looks like a little stuffed animal with button eyes. 💖

@Ally De a westie is on my list of small dogs when the time comes. they're so stinkin' cute!

before i had danes, i had 2 corgis. i adored them so much! still had them when i got my first dane, ashley. she and little simon fell in love instantly and they were inseparable.

maggie was my little cowgirl.

Sparky was such a fun dog to goof around with! As long as he was rewarded with a treat he’d pose wearing anything. I miss having a dog. Might start looking at the local shelter soon.

" GSD’s are a special breed "

Indeed they are. When properly trained (which isn't as hard as with many breeds because they're interested in learning and smart enough to catch on quickly), they are the easiest dogs I know of to have in a home. Predictable, reliable, sensible enough to not do dumb things, and great with people. We could take our dogs to dog-friendly restaurants, indicate they should lay down and Stay as best they could fit under a table, and they'd become motionless statues until told to get up to leave. Good with strangers, even better and completely safe with little kids (the smaller the kid, the better they were).

No unwanted barking, no bothering visitors, and on and on. No begging for food from humans (comes from being taught that their food is only what is put into their bowl). Part of training was to take them to noisy places and with lots of distractions going on. I remember conversations in this forum with people talking about their dogs having difficulty with things like thunderstorms and July 4th fireworks. We don't have thunderstorms but fireworks, unexpected noises, and the like never triggered a response.

A knock at the door or ringing the doorbell would trigger one bark (that was all that was allowed) and nothing more. Stay where you are, no running to the door.

People would marvel when, for example, guests would leave, the front door would be left open, and the dog (if with us) would stay inside and stand and look out. Each was trained to not cross through the opening without permission. Compliance triggered a quiet later payoff - a treat after the door was closed.

No matter what the breed, I choose to believe that unsocial or unwanted dog behavior is the fault of the humans who didn't have enough love and concern for the dog to complete needed training. Dogs learned millennia ago that good behavior with humans meant food, protection, and love. Most are willing to do what they're taught is expected.

I’d imagine that absent repercussions, most dogs would be happier jumping up and grabbing your steak from the table, than lying like a statue as you enjoy your delicious smelling meal. In my experience dogs seek love, attention and affection, food, exercise and stimulus. Agitation, restlessness, negative behaviors can occur when those basic needs are not met, but as far as general happiness goes, seems to me good behavior is a means to an end. I’d need to see evidence that a meticulously trained dog is “happier” than your average well cared for, reasonably trained dog whose needs are met. And I’d challenge that not meeting your personal training requirements is indicative of a lack of love, if those needs are met.

Our dogs (and cats) are part of our family.

Foas, I’m not completely understanding your last line -

“And I’d challenge that not meeting your personal training requirements is indicative of a lack of love, if those needs are met.”

My dog not meeting my training requirements is a lack of MY love for the dog - or the dog’s love for me?

I do agree with your statement though. Some dog breeds ’need’ work or a job to keep them happy i.e. busy herding dogs & the like. Some dog breeds are happiest being companion dogs. All dogs need training in basic obediance commands for their safety & to ensure they’re welcomed when in public or guests are in your home. Most training issues are caused by human failures & lack of consistency. A well mannered dog is a thing of beauty.

“Foas, I’m not completely understanding your last line -”

Full disclosure, my post was a reaction to what I read last night. I see the post was edited so I can't say whether the wording of Elmer’s last paragraph changed or if I'm just interpreting it differently this morning. Regardless, what matters is that I’m now in agreement with him.

food, I'm going to guess that you've never had a well-trained dog. I do see you changed your conclusion, but the earlier comments suggest this. Your comment in thinking about a joyful dog snatching food from a human's plate also suggests so.

Some comments to add:

1) A large, powerful dog cannot be expected to find the right behaviors on its own. Or to find its own way to behave with civility and respect for other animals and for people. Training and the instruction of accepted and not accepted behaviors gives the dog, in my opinion and that of the pros, a structure to their life that in and of itself provides security and happiness. A bad example to compare to a pet but if you've ever seen the joy a highly trained working dog displays when working or being put through the paces of its training, you'll see what comprehensive training provides for a dog's happiness.

You're welcome to think otherwise but a large dog with untrained or unpredictable behavior can be dangerous. Can be a terror in a house, in public, or with family. No thanks. You can live as you like, dog behaviors like I often see other people's dogs do (though many, not all, on the small side) are not acceptable to me.

The thought occurred to me when one of the dog was a puppy when we had little children in the house, that raising dogs is like raising children. They're eager to learn, eager to please, and find happiness and security when they have love, praise, structure and predictability in their own lives.

2. I don't think I expressly said or intimated that the dogs' training was done by us. Far from it. Three of the four had significant professional training. We didn't have the time, the understanding, or the know-how to do what was necessary.

You can see from the time stamp on my comment that you challenged that the edit was done at the same time as the original post. I always go back and reread comments a few times, including after hitting "Submit", to correct grammar and spelling errors. At that time and rarely later. I NEVER EDIT TO CHANGE THE GIST OF MEANING. NEVER. I see that as a matter of personal integrity.

"Most training issues are caused by human failures & lack of consistency. A well mannered dog is a thing of beauty"

This succinctly says it all, in a way I couldn't say succinctly myself.

A behavior it seemed each of our trainers taught had to do with feeding. If any of you have experienced what can happen when someone gets near to or accidently bumps the dog or its dish at feeding time, you'll get where this is going.

For lack of a better description, food is presented in a way that DOESN'T allow the dog to think that the food belongs to the dog and needs to be protected. A simple behavior - the dog is put in the Sit position and then an appealing dish of food is placed in front of it. The dog is taught to remain at sit until given the go-ahead to eat, like the word "Okay". Every now and then, a training refresher is to tell the dog to Sit and put it into the position before all the food has been eaten.

Is this a silly and heavy handed thing to teach? Of course not. Ever have little kids crawling or stumbling around in the kitchen? Guests unaware of a dog being dangerous at eating time? A dog running for something on the ground? Talk to a vet about all the life-threatening things they've fished out of canine stomachs with an endoscope, because the dog wasn't trained properly or was just "acting like a dog".

A well-trained dog knows that what goes into its mouth is only food in its dish and toys it's given to play with. Nothing else. Safety for people and for the dog itself thereby achieved.

I agree with you on the training statements, Elmer, but this line:

"You're welcome to think otherwise but a large dog with untrained or unpredictable behavior can be dangerous."

I'd argue ANY size dog can be at best a nuisance, at worst a danger when not trained. Especially those little yappy nippers who think they're 10-foot tall and the boss of everyone and everything... LOL! But I know what you meant in your line :0)

To the OP, I don't have a good solution -- my dog is constantly with the paws on the sills and nose to the window. She also loves to sit in front of the big front door, which is mostly glass -- it's the doggie version of watching television with everything going on outside LOL! I have a wide wooden and metal gate in front of the door to keep her off the door, but she can easily see through it. I bought plastic sill protectors that attach with velcro dots for the window sills, but they come off a lot, she gets all excited (ooooh....squirrel!!!) and knocks them off. My plan when I remodel the great room (7 large windows) is to get stone/granite sills, which pretty much can't get beat up with claw marks like the wood sills can. That's a ways off, so for now I have to live with the ugly plastic sill protectors. Oh well. She's happy and I can tolerate the situation, so it is what it is for now.

" I'd argue ANY size dog can be at best a nuisance, at worst a danger when not trained. "

Yes, but. Size makes a difference.

I'd rather be attacked by an enraged Chihuahua or Yorkie than a 70+ pound dog of any breed. I'm sure most would. A new parent seeing a large dog's snout near a baby's face is going to have more concern than if it were a small dog. But in this case, I agree, any unpredictable behavior is a risk. WIth a well socialized and trained dog, zero risk. Heck, we'd have little ones walking around with food in their hands. Never would one of our dogs go for the morsel. Why? Only things in their dish are food.

I really do think too many people don't have enough personal experience with or encounters with well trained dogs. It's a different world.

Well-trained is subjective. I’ve never had a dog I’ve been concerned about off-leash in open spaces, playing with other dogs at the dog park, that have exhibited aggressive behavior to young or old, or exhibited any food aggression. Along with coming when called and a few other obvious behaviors that make for an amicable coexistence, that’s good enough for me. I’ll admit that there are some minor issues that my current dog could still work on, but none that make her a bad or dangerous pet. I’m sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that you demand 100% unspoken obedience.

“there's no further conversation to have.”

Thank God!!!

I really don't think people put much thought into training or what the needs of the dog will be, especially regarding breed. Getting a puppy because it is cute and the kids will love it is only the beginning. Dogs take a lot of work to have them grow into a well mannered member of the family. Picking the right breed can make all the difference in having a valued member of your family, or something to be tolerated or possibly give up to a shelter because you can't live with the characteristics you had no idea were what is normal for that dog.

Carmelita (Havanese) is the only dog I had from puppyhood. I took her to a puppy class and then after that an obedience class through Petsmart. I wouldn't call it professional training on any level but for the majority of pups, they learned their manners and how to listen. In this obedience class was a border collie pup, a dogue de bordeux and a pit bull rescue pup. She was the tiniest dog there. She walked right up to the dogue de bordeux who was gigantic and he laid down and turned on his back and she sniffed him and he held perfectly still. The border collie was pretty antsy and the pit bull was ready to take both the bigger dogs out! Full disclosure, it turned out that the pit was the newest resident in the house across the street from me. So he had "met" Carmelita but I never let her get near him. The trainer asked to take the pit as a demonstration on how to calm things down. It didn't go well and ended with the pit being removed from the class. All this to say, most people don't even bother with just a beginning obedience class. Carmelita did ok, not great. But she only weighs 7 lbs. She is perfect in the house and outside when on a leash. She has no interest in other dogs and when, on occasion, a neighbor is walking their dog and that dog comes over to say hello, she stands and shows no interest. Most dogs get the hint and move away. I'm lucky that she is as good as she is. She's not a barker or tries to dash out the door. She always waits to be invited out. I think she is this good because she has had stability, routine and rules all her life. She will be 15 May 1.

My brother got a German Shepherd puppy last fall. His girfriend thought she could train the dog. At 4 months old she was already getting big and out of control. They ended up sending her to a Boot Camp for 3 weeks. The camp came highly recommended and they got videos of how she was doing along the way. When it was time to come and get her, they had a 3 hour training. Elsie now is a joy to have around. My brother can take her anywhere, even without a leash. She is welcomed in most of the stores in his town. She loves kids and is great with them. None of this would have been possible without professional training.

But again, most people do not do that with their dogs. Depending on the size of the dog, it's a smaller problem on up to a very big problem. The public suffers from these people and it's not the dog's fault. I know I would not want to live with a dog with no manners.

Well said, murraysmom. Maybe your words of understanding about this matter, similar to what I learned, will be useful for the doubters and rationalizers who think "My dog is fine as is, more training was never required". But probably not.

Ruff day at the park:

A new friend?

That's a pretty view, the photo with the sea in the background.

Maggie on top, a mixed breed who probably had hound and certainly husky. She definitely had a mind of her own. She was a sight hound and could not be trusted off-leash even when she was sixteen and almost crippled with arthritis.

Rufus is a golden doodle, very smart and very easy to train.

I believe dogs have different personalities and some are much easier to train than others

FOAS, before i enlarged the "friend" photo, i thought NO WAY because i thought it was a wild turkey. 😂

pippin and frank are great with other dogs. we occasionally have play dates with other danes, sometimes at our house, other times at another house. we don't do dog parks because there are far too many clueless owners. i know too many dane owners whose dogs have been blamed for injuries to other dogs. it always seems to be a consensus that giant dog=bad/vicious dog so s/he MUST be the one that caused the problem. never mind that the giant dog was at the opposite end of the playing field. any good dog owner knows that just one bad experience can have a lifelong impact on a dog's psyche and for me, it just isn't worth the chance.

when frank came to live with us 2 years ago, rough play was and still is the norm. it's nothing for him and pip to knock each other down playing tag. and "bitey face" to someone not familiar with the game can be quite unnerving. this is a photo of bitey face play. the first time i saw this, i put a stop to it immediately. i've never had 2 dogs that play this hard and i was afraid it was going too far. in reality, this is 100% normal for these 2 hooligans and once i realized it, i just started ignoring it. there is much "talking" that goes on during these play sessions and it sounds for all the world like they're trying to kill each other. it always ends up as you see in the second photo.

Ninapearl, your comment about the "big dogs" always get the bad rap (I'm paraphrasing) is very true. It all depends on the individual dog.

But it put me in mind of when my vet opened her own office and for the grand opening, she hired a pet psychic. I took Fred and Carmelita up there. Carmelita was just a puppy so I signed up to have Fred "speak" with the psychic. Fred had belonged to my sister before he came to live with me, so I'd known him all his life. So it's my turn and I take Fred over to her and she sits and talks to him for a few minutes. He is listening intently. She turns to me and says that Fred is afraid of a big black dog. I couldn't for the life of me think of what dog she and Fred were referring to. She tells me Fred is very happy and has had a very good life which I knew but like hearing anyway. So we go home and a few days later I am walking both dogs around the block and we come up on a neighbor who lives on the street behind me. She had two great danes. They were walked semi regularly but were not really socialized. Anyhow we stop to chat for a minute and her black dane when after Fred. He didn't do any damage but Fred got scared. I thought back to the psychic and wondered................ :)

I thought the same thing as Ninapearl about that pic of FOAS friend photo - that it was a giant turkey she was chasing! That’s a great action photo! I do love to watch the big dogs in the dog parks run & play - poetry in motion!

My Whisper & I often walk around the path outside a couple of these parks near my home - we never go in even to the small dog areas. She prefers people interaction or meeting neighbor dogs on leash walking through our neighborhood.

About the dog training options. I did attend formal training classes locally with Ginger, my first Papillon, when she was just over 1 year of age. The trainer was a professional dog trainer at her dog day care business, not the pet store type training. The participants were varied - mostly very large dogs & some were rescues with bad histories. The trainer put much emphasis on success requiring that the humans understood they needed training right along with their dog. The personal time invested was well spent. My tiny dog impressed many with her immediate response to both my verbal commands & hand signals. When doorbell rang she would bark once, run to entry & sit. She would stay until I said ’ok’, her release word & then she would jet to the guest to say hello.

My current Papillon, Whisper, is a retired show girl. I learned, much to my surprise, that show dogs aren’t trained to usual obedience commands. I thought we were getting a fully trained dog given her age & background. They train them to show ring needs not the usual pet commands. I have now taught Whisper to sit & stay on command & on silent hand cues. Her recall to her name seems instant but she’s only ever off leash in my yard. She is currently being trained for the guest entry routine at front door. That’s going well! Problem is I need to keep recruiting neighbors to come ring our bell. And, after they do that, courtesy demands I offer coffee / wine etc. so we’re all getting more socializing! 🐾

i'm glad i'm not the only one that saw a turkey! 😂

I learned, much to my surprise, that show dogs aren’t trained to usual obedience commands.

i learned this with my corgi boy. he, too, was a retired show dog. i agreed to leave him intact so that he could be shown in veteran classes when his breeder was anywhere within a few hours of me. he was such a smart little dog and teaching him various behaviors was so much fun although it never occurred to me that one of those behaviors might backfire...

simon quickly learned how to shake hands but if you can picture the physical traits of a corgi, you will see that when they shake hands, there's no "bend" in their little front legs. picture this...he is doing a great job in the ring, the moment he stepped in, he knew exactly what he was to do. it was a class of 6 veteran corgis. when it came simon's turn to stand for inspection, it didn't go quite as planned...

as the judge was walking towards him, he sat down on the table. his breeder kept standing him back up and simon kept sitting back down as the judge got closer and closer. when she got right up to him, he raised his stubby little front leg to shake her hand. the whole place roared with laughter and while the breeder was blushing in embarrassment, the judge was grinning from ear to ear. he placed first at that show and i'm not sure if it was because he was the BEST corgi in the group or if it was because he was the cutest thing she'd ever seen. 😊

Hilarious!!

Ninapearl - love that story! Simon obviously preferred his new life of leisure with you!

back in the day, i had 2 sibes that were working dogs when we had enough snow to make a trip to the country worthwhile.

flag (red harness) was one of our wheel dogs, juneau (red dog) was one of our swing dogs. when we were out in the open spaces, they all took turns being the lead dog. the other 3 belonged to a friend of mine. sometimes we hooked them all up together, other times we'd race, me with my 2, she with her 3. we both had sleds. first photo is me with my 2.

i boarded my horses just a few blocks from my house. this is flag hauling a sack of feed to the barn. love these trips down memory lane!! 💖

Love that ^^^

Ninapearl, sounds like such a lovely life. I know how much you loved your horses as well.

I'll add a word in favor of Westies. We've had four -- one at a time. We wanted a small dog that DH wouldn't feel silly walking, and I'd known Sealyhams as a child. I also wanted a dog I could wash in the laundry sink.

Charlie was a pet shop "mostly Westie". He rescued my diamond ring when it came off in the wash tub -- unbeknown to us -- and brought it back up weeks later. I'm certain this led to his death from tongue cancer years later. Love story.

Rosie was a terrible choice. We didn't know better. She'd been crated until we got her at 6 mos., after her breeders decided she wasns't up to snuff. She ran whenever she could, eventually killed by a car. Fully female, she dominated every dog, everywhere, and never gave up trying to sleep on DH's pillow overnight. (None of our dogs were allowed in bed or on furniture.)

Pip was show perfect, babied by his breeder's first litter, pretty and loving, but with skin allergies common to purebred Westies. We kept him intact at the breeder's request, but never bred him. He died at not quite 17 -- nasal cancer. Another love story.

Eliot was a puppy farm rescue. He was a vet's dream with constant medical troubles and never quite 'right in the head'. We foolishly took him from Westie Rescue after a first owner said "No way!" OK, our mistake to think there could be another Charlie or Pip. We put him down at 16 after he'd completly lost the plot. That was 2016. We're dogless.