Do Jackadoodles Need A Lot Of Exercise
Posted on | May 16, 2012 | No Comments
Another question that is searched for a lot. However I can only answer from my experience… and that is ‘as much as you want’.
A dog will always behave better if it has had the exercise it needs, and this depends on your level of commitment to the dog. Personally speaking, our two get (typically) 3 – 5 miles a day during the week, however that will go up to 5 -10 miles on a Saturday and then again on a Sunday. They can of course get less than this, but it means that they are pestering me to play with them all day.
I tend to take them to places where I can let them off their lead and allow them the freedom to run and chase each other, therefore covering a lot more ground than myself. Whereas my Wife will walk them on their leads… but she only takes them out when she is going for a long walk herself. This way they get the best of both worlds and we cover a fair few miles.
What I would add is that any problems you foresee with walking/exercising a dog is far outweighed by the love and joy these little critters give you. Even on the worst of days, when you really can not be bothered venturing outside, once there and walking, it is fantastic.You not only feel better, but you also have a dog that settles down at your side and distributes it’s warmth freely.
Falling Out
Posted on | May 9, 2012 | No Comments
Marley
I have found it strange recently, but both dogs have been stroppy with each other… Enzo is now three and a half and Marley is Two and a half. There seems to be an underlying problem that you can’t (or couldn’t) put your finger on.
I try and treat them equally, never openly fussing one more than the other; they both walk with me; they eat exactly the same food; they get an equal amount of scraps (when there is any left – which isn’t very often)… yet there seems to be a bit of jealousy in the air. It doesn’t boil over into fighting, just a few odd looks and avoidance in sitting together. When they walk, or run, depending on where we are, they play together and wee up the same trees… here it doesn’t seem to be a problem.
The problem is always in the house!
As said in the first paragraph I couldn’t put my finger on it… but after watching my two lovely (cough) children together, the problem becomes quite obvious. Their ages dictate that they are now teenagers (or young adults) and that is how they act. One minute all playful and getting on like Parents want them, the next hitting each other with whatever is available and calling each other names like ‘nincompoop’ or ‘stinky’ (Well thats what my kids say when I ask what they have said). So, I have taken to dealing with them the same way. They get separated. It seems to work as when they are allowed back ogether they tend to play nicely again.
But… whatever they do, you just can’t help loving them.
Tags: Enzo > jackadoodle > Jackadoodles > Kids > Marley
Fit Marley… Again
Posted on | November 11, 2011 | No Comments
Anti-biotics: the miracle cure.
Although Marley hasn’t been back to the Vets yet, the lump on his back has gone down. He is back to his normal (slightly mad), loving self.
Just a quick entry… more to follow later.
Another Marley Problem
Posted on | October 31, 2011 | No Comments
Marley has developed a lump under his skin. The lump sits half way down the left side of his back. It isn’t a big lump, not one you notice visually, but big enough to be felt and to definitely know it is there. I left it a couple of days to see if it would go down, as it was giving him no problems at all. However as it was not moving, neither growing or shrinking we booked him back into the Vets.
The Vet has diagnosed a wandering microchip. It might be that the chip that should sit in the fleshy part of his neck has decided to go on vacation elsewhere. Marley is once again on a course of antibiotics, except this time instead of four tablets a day, which really was a pain in the behind to administer (They were given orally, ‘pain in the behind’ was meant as a descriptive term), it is now one tablet a day, but broken in two. One is given AM and the other PM.
When I first heard I thought ‘Oh, great’ after the last struggle to get them down his neck, but now it is oh, so simple. My wife came up with the idea (probably tried and tested by many other dog owners) of crushing up the tablet and mashing it in to a chocolate. Marley wolfs them down and I feel ridiculous for massaging his throat for five minutes at a time with the last course of treatment.
We will see what happens with the lump and will post the results here later on… fingers crossed it will be simple, otherwise he will have to have an operation to remove the lump… gulp!
How Big Do Jackadoodles Grow?
Posted on | October 26, 2011 | No Comments
This post is in relation to a question that is searched for many times on this blog: How big do Jackadoodles grow?
Jackadoodles tend to grow as tall as a Jack Russell. However, and there are always exceptions to rules, Marley is slightly bigger, maybe by two or three inches. We know Marleys Sister and she is slightly smaller than the standard Jack Russell.
I went looking into this size dog, so that I could pick them up when I needed to, and regardless of size, these were the cutest dogs I found.
I hope this answers any questions, and if it doesn’t please leave a comment below and I will answer it.
Jackadoodles Out Of Kennels
Posted on | October 26, 2011 | No Comments
King of the Castle (Now demolished)
Well our two little boys came back from the kennels on Monday… as I was not back in the country, my Mother had the privilege. Although I hadn’t spent the whole weekend worrying about them, I did reflect on them often. I thought they would appear downhearted and very subdued, however as my Mother put it “They were that pleased I was there they nearly ate me”. I think I should paraphrase here, they were very excited to see her and jumped up and down like demented space hoppers.
I returned that day at 8.30pm and went straight down to pick them up. Once again, they jumped at me, trying to lick my face and get into my arms. All very nice for a man who had missed his best mates. They were absolutely fine and I should not have been slightly worried.
On returning home the only difference in behaviour was that Enzo, who usually cuddles into my Wife of an evening, wouldn’t even look at her. Even Marley, although initially was excited to see her, later on refused to have anything to do with her. This I find strange, but all is well now as when we got up in the morning, both dogs were fine and interacted with the whole family.
I would like to thank (just a little name check) Verstone Kennels for their service and I will be willing to use them again.
Tags: Enzo > Holiday > Jackadoodles > Kennels > Marley > Verstone > Wife
Kennels For Jackadoodles
Posted on | October 21, 2011 | No Comments
Well, I dropped my two little boys off this morning for their first stay in Kennels. When we went into the reception the whole place smelt like a Vets. Needless to say, both dogs dropped their tails and hid behind my legs.
While we concluded the formalities, payment, food, habits etc, they stayed hidden. However, the first thing the Kennel Owners did was to put them both on their leads and took them out for a walk. This I guess is from past experience as both dogs cheered up and went trotting off down the lane with tails in the air, looking at the guy and wondering who he was.
It was nice to see them happy(ish) as I drove away, crying on the inside. I cant believe it is easier to leave the kids for a weekend.
Fit Foot For Marley
Posted on | October 10, 2011 | No Comments
Simply – Marley has four feet he can now stand on. The Antibiotics worked a treat, however how does a dog manage to take the tablet out of the middle of a piece cheese and then hold it in his mouth before depositing it elsewhere?
Marley and Enzo, and probably most other dogs, have amazing mouths… to be able to trick you into thinking they have swallowed the offending pill before trotting off requires a great deal of skill. I am not scared to open either of their mouths, and when giving tablets I will first try and con them, then I force them. However, it doesn’t matter how far down their throats you can get the tablet, they will always regurgitate it.
I ended up fighting with Marley, trying to keep his mouth clamped shut for up to five minutes a tablet, twice in the morning and twice in the evening. Little bugger.
Vets Visit and Quick Reactions
Posted on | September 26, 2011 | No Comments
All I can say is that the Vet had very quick reactions, especially for the Monday morning.
Marley awoke this morning and began licking again. Phoned the vet at precisely 8.30 and got an appointment for 9.30 am. Its amazing, Marley has only been to the Vets twice before, however he knew exactly where we were when we rounded the corner. How he did it, I have no idea as I had to double check the first couple of times I went with Enzo. We sat in the waiting room and all the little guy did was growl at every other dog in there. He is normally very good with other dogs but today you could tell he was really out of sorts.
The Vet tried to examine the problem foot, as he (carefully) lifted the limb Marley moved quicker than I have ever seen him. With a quick movement, Marley went to snap at the Vet. The Vet pulled away, gave a wry smile and asked me to hold Marley in a headlock; as he is only small this was no problem and the Vet got in.
The problem; a cyst that had formed because of a puncture wound between Marley’s toe. He had an injection of antibiotics and prescribed a course of tablets, lasting five days. As simple as that. After paying we trotted out of the Vets.
Enzo and Marley go to my Mothers a couple of days a week, and by the time I had gone home, picked up Enzo and dropped them off at my Mothers, Marley was walking on all four paws as though nothing had happened. I am now sat here yawning… I hadn’t realised how much I hadn’t slept over the past two days, so tonight it will be early… and Marley will be back on the sofa.
Sore Foot – Anxious Owner
Posted on | September 26, 2011 | No Comments
Marley is going to the Vets in the morning due to a problem with his foot. It started yesterday when we were out on the beach. He had been chasing Enzo up and down the sandhills non-stop since we had arrived. When he jumped down a small drop I saw him lift his back leg lift off the floor several times as they came to rest near a stone. I knew he had done something but dismissed it as that was about it.
On the way home, in the car, Marley started licking at his foot, again I just passed it by as sand between his toes. However as the night progressed the licking started to get quite constant. As it was after 12 oclock, I decided to take him to bed and let him settle for his nights sleep, which he did. This morning Marley was on the bed, something he never does without being invited, legs in the air. With a quiet glance I noticed that the pad on his foot was a little swollen.
I have kept an eye on it all day, and tried to keep him as immobile as you can a two year old dog with a great sense of adventure and fun. The swelling hasn’t got any bigger, but as the day has dragged (worry on my part) by, he has started licking the foot more and more. I think he has worn himself with it now as he has just dropped off next to me. However the vets are being called first thing in the morning. I will post tomorrow when I find out whats up with him… I hope I sleep, if not it’ll be me watching Marley, Enzo and my gorgeous wife sleep. Fingers crossed…