Vik - Weimaraner, Dog (5 Years old)

Well, we spent the morning at the kennels. First job was to meet and recruit my first fosterer, in my official capacity as FDR Foster Co-ordinator - woo hoo!!

Becky and Richard are a fabulous couple, and while we left them to decide between Jack and Paddy (tough call), we spent the time walking Cookie, Rusty, Baz, and Ace. Then we shot off to do Becky and Richard's homecheck (passed with flying colours) and left them with Jack (https://rescue-dog-support.forumotion.com/t8-jack-border-collie-dog-5-years-old).

Welcome, Becky and Richard, and thank you so much!!

Back to the rescue, and our next meeting was with Vik.

Vik has had a few problems at the kennels, mostly to do with stress. He has been moved from the main block to the block up by the play pen to give him some peace and quiet away from the other dogs. He was presenting with a lot of stress issues, including catching staff and walkers with his teeth when feeling vulnerable.

We asked Mary to let him into the play pen to meet Phoebe. Phoebe has the last word on who we bring home as a foster dog. Mary nearly died on the spot when the two immediately went nose to nose, but we are very confident in Phoebe's communication skills when it comes to meeting dogs (she'd already proven her communication skills with Jack and had managed to totally calm him down). After a good chase around the playpen with Vik, it was clear that there weren't going to be any altercations, so we collected Vik's paperwork, loaded him in the car, and left a speechless Kim and Lisa with a tear in their eyes as we drove away.

What a star in the car. No issues at all, he lay down, with the occasional head out of the window with the wind in his chops and flapping his ears when he wanted to see where we were going. He was totally calm (even with Phil's driving!).



First stop, my mum's in Leominster. Sadly she has very limited vision (registered blind), and at first she thought it was Gino!! Vik checked out her flat, and was treated to a nice dentistick, which he ate with great relish. He was constantly trying to engage Phoebe in horse play, and as mum's flat is quite small, and Vik is very big, Phil decided to take him out for a nice long walk. An hour later, Phil reported that Vik walks beautifully to heel (after the initial excitement has worn off), does not get distracted by other dogs, screaming children or traffic, and is an absolute gem to walk. He will wait when instructed for you to go through doors and gates first, and listens to commands. On returning to mum's flat, we introduced him to the warden and a neighbour, and he behaved beautifully. He was given a treat, which he takes gently. He absolutely cracks me up when you give him a treat. I always tell them to sit and then make sure they're not going to snatch, while I reinforce the command, "Gently!". Vik screws up his nose and bares his teeth (not in a threatening way) and shows his gums as he takes the treat. I must try to catch the moment on film, because it looks so funny!

He knows all the commands - sit, down, paw, off. Sadly he doesn't know how to drink out of a bowl without turning the floor into a swimming pool or swallowing the majority of the water! He is a very wet, slobbery chops after a drink. He is also panting and drooling a lot, but we had the same with Gino for the first day, and it all settled down, and I am expecting the same with Vik. It's so exciting having all these new experiences.

He is definitely house trained, and pees for England when outside. He is also running for champion poo maker - it would be nice if they were a little more solid, but I am grateful that he is dropping them in one place.

Another journey home in the car, and a good investigation of the house. He completely ignored the sheep at the bottom of the garden. He was more interested in engaging Phoebe in more horse play, but the minute she starts chasing him, he freezes.

He was relatively slow eating his dinner, but after we placed his bowl on top of a crate so that it was at a better level, he tucked in. Outside for another poo and numerous pees, he had another good prowl of the garden, front and back.

After five hours, he has finally slumped on the floor and is gently snoring alongside the sofa. The whole lounge is covered in Phoebe's toys, which he has taken out of her bed in the corner and spread around the floor. He is gentle with the toys and Phoebe is more than happy to share, and I am happy that they are giving him some comfort. He has picked up her bones, and I have taken them away from him to gauge his reaction - no problem at all. The same with toys - he gives them over when you instruct him to leave it. This is a well trained dog.

My first impressions are that this is a dog that is without malice, is well trained and polite, has very high energy levels and is engaging and loyal. We will be taking him on the FDR sponsored walk tomorrow with Phoebe and our friend Sarah and her GSD Jess. I think we will try the seven mile walk to see whether we can put his stamina to the test.

More news tomorrow!

Jess & I are really looking forward to meeting Vik tomorrow, probably more than walking 7 miles!! Lets hope for lovely weather & a good time for all.

Oh my goodness, I'm so pleased you decided to give Vik an opportunity to shine, will be watching this space for some more of your very entertaining updates, good luck and thank you x

Well we tested Vik, Phoebe & Jess's stamina with the 7 mile walk, the score Dogs 1 Humans 0 we all had a wonderful walk & I hope that someone will offer this handsome fun loving, well mannered boy the active home he deserves. A really smashing dog, thanks to all for a great day

Thank you Ria for that lovely welcome to fostering!

We will do our best to give Jack the best possible chance for a fantastic forever home. He certainly deserves it, as do they all...

Vik sounds wonderful! It is so sad that kennels often prevent dogs from displaying their true character, and yet this is the time when it is most necessary for them to prove their worth to their prospective new families. Jack and Vik (and Gino) are proof that foster care can help a dog shine when kennels prove too stressful for them... If people can't offer a permanent home for a dog, maybe they could consider offering a foster home? Either way, Forest Dog Rescue needs you!

I can't wait to hear more about Vik!

Vik went to bed in the kitchen without fuss or any noise. We do like a bit of a lie in of a weekend, so it's usually my job to get up at 7am, let the dogs out, feed them and come back up to bed with the dogs in tow. Not much of a lie in this morning because we had to get up and ready for the sponsored walk from the Ramada at Bewdley. However, Vik had been a very good boy in the night, and peed for England as soon as I let him out. What is it about my flipping barbecue that attracts the dogs? I envisage the cover perishing this summer! Anyway, feeding time is a bit of a minefield at the moment. Vik is so excited about his grub that it is impossible to put Phoebe's food down first without him diving in to it, so at the moment top dog getting fed first is a bit out of the window! Fortunately, he has three times the volume in his bowl, so he can't quite manage to scoff his and then steal hers, because she is like lightening when it comes to clearing her bowl too. I did away with putting his bowl on a crate after reading up on the breed and the recommendation that the food bowl in not highered to prevent rushing his food and creating bloat. Both fed, and we came back up to bed, with Vik deciding he likes the bed very much, but Phil deciding there's only room for one man in our bed, and it's not Vik!! In the end, Vik was happy to flake out by the door and carry on snoring his head off.

We got up after an hour and set off for Bewdley. Unfortunately, the Teme Bridge was shut today, so we had to take a winding detour through very rural single track lanes via Eastham. Vic's colour went from silver grey to a green tinge and I was a bit fearful that we were going to have a multi coloured yawn, but he thought better of it himself, and decided to lie down flat. By the time we got to Bewdley we were bang on 10am and the last to register and set off, bar one couple, who later over took us. We were walking with Sarah and her GSD Jess, and at first Vik was rather excited. Fortunately, Phil was reining him in, because he probably would have been a little bit strong for me. By the time we got off the roads and onto the tracks, and we could let Vik go on the extending lead, he was fine. Our speed was hampered by two things - Vik wanting to explore every nook and cranny, especially around the river bank, and us chatting away to all the marshalls and reassuring them that yes, this was Vik, the notorious thug of the kennels! Everyone who met him was thrilled to do so, and was so pleased to see him out of the kennels and being given a chance to show that kennel life was responsible for some of his anti-social behaviour. He met other dogs very well, although one dog did rush up to him and stick his nose right under his privates, and he was not impressed at all and gave the dog a real telling off. Phil concurred with his reaction and said he would have done the same (unless it was a woman, of course!).

We finally made the 7.2 mile finish in 3 hours 11 minutes. We did an average speed of 2.2 miles an hour, FIVE poos, a zillion wees (and that's just Vik) and met lots of dogs and people on the way. We burned 859 calories (less the creme egg that we bought at registration!) and we had a delightful time. If this was sound and vision, you could hear the dulcet tones of Vik's snoring, as I type. Phoebe (on the opposite couch to Vik) is dreaming of chasing rabbits (which has actually just interrupted Vik's deep sleep). I think we will ALL sleep soundly tonight!!

After the walk we took Sarah to have a look around the kennels, and being total gluttons for punishment, Sarah and I actually walked Rusty and Stryker. We let them have a mad ten minutes together in the play pen too, while we lobbed balls from one end to the other. Vik was a bit narky with a couple of dogs, but nothing too untoward. We drove home with Vik and Phoebe sound asleep in the back.

After all that exercise, Phil and I decided that we should replenish our calorie burn with an all you can eat buffet at the local Indian in town! Sadly, being vegetarians, our choices are limited, but it never ceases to amaze me just how many onion bhajis Phil can stuff into his face!!

A bit later we were sat in the conservatory when we could hear Vik up to no good in the dining room. He had snaffled the bag of treats that I had left on the dining table (the ones that I had got out for the walk, and forgotten to take - yes Alzheimer's does run in families and I don't rate my chances at this rate) and was attempting to rip the bag open and gobble them up. Unfortunately, I completely forgot the new dog etiquette and rushed in and went for the treats, and Vik gave me a very menacing growl of warning and baring of his teeth. I have to admit, he sounded less threatening than Phil does when I stop him indulging in his bag of aero bubbles when I'm trying to watch the telly and all I can hear is a rustling bag! My fault entirely, and it was easy to distract Vik and retrieve the treats with no harm done. We will continue to monitor the guarding of his food - although when he is eating his dinner, you can get very close and touch him with no reaction whatsoever, and I did take a bone off him yesterday with no reaction. It was probably my intimidating him in such a rushed manner with a raised voice that contributed to his growl, or the fact that he was starving after his seven mile hike!!

Tonight he managed to get an empty cat food tin off the worktop and trot into the lounge with it stuck on his nose. Not a good look, although I did pee myself laughing as he looked such a total klutz. He actually met the cats this morning at very close range - they are feral cats that I have fed outside for 8 years. They are so grateful they turn up twice a day without so much as a thank you, and won't let me anywhere near them. Vik didn't think much of them, and at first they stood their ground, raised their hackles and hissed at him. Unfortunately, I broke the 'caught in the headlights' moment by coming round the corner, and the cats legged it, with Vik in hot pursuit. I get the impression he will be beaten up by dog savvy cats, but will chase those that run (like most dogs). I will continue to monitor his reactions.

So that's been our day so far. He has such character, and is such a handsome boy. I cannot believe why someone would abandon him, but then again I have said that about all of my foster dogs.

I will post some pictures tomorrow, but until then, goodnight from a very shattered household!!

Beautiful Vik in his element what a perfect photo it just melts my heart to see him lying there looking so relaxed. I can only imagine what he must be dreaming about but I bet they're happy dreams. Miss you Vik xx

There are a number of things I have learnt about Weimaraners today. Rather, Vik has learnt a number of lessons that I have shared with him:

1. If the Patterdale bitch has no interest in a bit of nookie, and aims her sharp teeth at your jowls or goolies, move on.
   
2. If the next object of your desire is the female human of the household, choose your time carefully. Do not take the opportunity when the husband is standing behind you, because the short, sharp, slap on the bum will definitely interrupt your thrust pattern and put you off your stroke.
   
3. Hang around, not drawing any attention to yourself, when the cats' dinner is being dished up. The telephone might ring at an opportune moment and the dim-wit human might be distracted and you can jump up and steal the contents of the bowl, even if it is a bit of a stretch and quite an undignified stance. However, do not bare your teeth when you are caught, because you will be put on the naughty step to repent your sins
   
4. Be vigilant. Sometimes the human male ignores the nagging female and leaves the toilet seat up. You can get a good drink out of a toilet, but remember that human males are very unobservant around toilets and might not depress the flush button fully. It is asparagus season after all, and that is definitely an acquired taste
   
5. The pet shop is not self service, and you might be used as a decoy by the said aforementioned Patterdale, distracting the shop assistant while she cooes about how beautiful you are, while your accomplice nips behind the counter and nicks the bagged treats. Don't think for a minute that she will save any for you - there's a reason she's called a bitch!
   
6. Don't start pushing the envelope just three days into your foster placement. Pulling on the lead and making the human look like she's out of control on the main road will result in you being fitted for an anti pull device which has zero street cred
   
7. Don't expect any kisses when you plonk your nose into a nice big cow pat, and you look like you're wearing a nice shade of brown lipstick
   
8. When you grunt and groan loudly when you're trying to get into a comfortable sleeping position, expect some laughing ridicule
   
9. Between 9 and 5.30 the office is not a playground. You do get an hour reprieve for excessive horse play in the middle of the day
   
10. If you're going to keep nibbling your skin and scratching, then don't be surprised when you're doused with aloe vera spray. You might smell like a pansy, but you have to admit that it helps to cool the irritation.
    

Vik's had another good day. He loves his walks and gets very excited when he realises that we're going out for one. This morning we introduced him to the regular morning circuit. For every step we made, Vik made double. There was no way we were going to let him off the lead today. There were just too many exciting distractions. At one point we were crossing a field being closely followed by 30 inquisitive bullocks. They came incredibly close, but Vik kept his cool. Normally when you stand your ground they move away, but this bunch were right up to my hand when I put it out to them. They seemed to have no fear, and followed us the entire length of the field. We met a friend's young son with his little male whippet, which rushed up to Vik and sniffed him through the gate. Vik was not impressed and gave the poor dog what for. We checked him over, but he hadn't been caught. We need to keep an eye on Vik with uninvited advances by male dogs. He was perfectly fine with other dogs we passed who were barking over their gates, and took absolutely no notice. By the end of the walk he had calmed down and was starting to walk to heel.

At work he settled really well, and plonked himself by my feet, snoring his head off for most of the day. At one point, I was on the telephone and the caller asked what the noise was!

By the end of office hours he was starting to come to life again. Unfortunately, he was also starting to get a little too amorous, and not just with Phoebe. We will definitely have to get a water bottle to dampen his ardour!

Tonight he has spent most of the evening curled up on my feet on the sofa, while I have inspected his ears and pulled off the sticky bits around the edges. He absolutely loves the one to one attention and positively melts into your body when you give him cuddles. A real softy!

The issue with the stolen cat food brought a grimace to Vik's face when I challenged him, but I kept my voice under control and told him to get off the top and out of the utility room. After staring me out for a good ten seconds, he reluctantly got down and sloped out. Result.

Other than the food issue, there has been nothing at all negative about Vik today. He is very entertaining, particularly when you see a big dog with a tiny squeaky toy in his mouth. There are about 15 of Phoebe's toys spread over the lounge, and one solitary toy left in the bed - a Sylvester the cat. He obviously has an aversion to cats!

I am very pleased with his progress, and the fact that there have been no incidents of any anti social behaviour towards us. I think he was incredibly stressed in the kennels and he is starting to unwind. He hasn't really engaged in proper play with Phoebe, which is a great shame because she and Gino had such fun together. It seems to turn into a dominance/sexual thing when he plays with Phoebe, so it ends very quickly when she gets annoyed with him. She tried chasing him in play a few times around the garden, but he just puts the brakes on and doesn't know how to react. She and Gino used to run round and round the garden for ages, and I'm hoping that Vik will pick it up soon. He does play a bit with the tennis ball, but soon loses interest. It'll come, I'm sure.

I've been doing a lot of research into the breed and it does make interesting reading. A lot of Weimeraners have been dumped after Watchdog made them their logo and people were attracted by their beautiful appearance before realising they're a hard breed to keep entertained. They are, after all, bred as a working dog and need a lot of mental as well as physical stimulation. When I went into the pet shop today I was told by a number of people who know I foster, "Oh you won't any problem getting rid of him!" and that's the problem. People go for the aesthetic beauty of the dog, and don't think about the demands of such a highly active animal. We will make sure that whoever adopts Vik is well aware of his needs, because we don't want him to be dumped again like he was in the forest. He so does not deserve that sort of life.

Love hearing about Vik and seeing the Photos...Thanks x

Phil was out very late last night, so me, Vik and Phoebe had a night in cosied up on the sofa watching the telly. I went to bed at 12.30am and rather than put Vik in the kitchen, I left him on the sofa. When I came down this morning, he hadn't moved an inch! It's great to be able to totally trust a foster dog so quickly, because often there are issues with toilet training. Not with Vik. He's absolutely brilliant.

Vik's day has been pretty good overall. He enjoyed his morning walk again, and the anti pull device worked wonders. However, I was definitely not expecting him to jump into Cadmore Lake as we were walking around it this morning. He can definitely swim very nicely! He managed to get out with more decorum than Gino managed when he went in the lake - although Gino fell in, whereas Vik jumped in. He even managed to jump the stile, so Phil didn't have to pick him up, which was just as well given his wet state.

Vik is very much like Phoebe - he has a high prey drive, and the pair of them were going nuts when they could smell rabbits. We still don't trust Vik enough to let him off lead yet. We will try him at the weekend when we have more time to catch him if he takes off. He is constantly searching the horizon and is so engaged with what's around him that it is difficult to get his attention. I think this will wane as he gets used to the morning walk. It's all so very exciting for him at the moment.

With all the exercise, Vik has definitely dropped a few more pounds since he came to us and is actually looking a bit on the thin side, despite his hearty meals. I have upped his food, although I do have some concerns about the noise of his guts when he eats and drinks. He often burps very loudly too.

At work he was pretty chilled, and slept soundly at my feet for most of the day, although he chose his time to try and bonk me when I was on the phone to Cindy discussing the FDR website. She did ask if the heavy panting was Vik, but I didn't enlighten her entirely! At lunchtime I purchased a squeezy sauce bottle and filled it with water. It works instantly - unfortunately we've had to put it to the test three times! He's definitely getting the picture. When he sleeps he dreams and he is so funny. His feet are constantly moving, and unfortunately because he plonks himself so close to me, he tends to get his feet entangled in the vertical blinds of the window behind my chair. When he's in full flow of his dream, the blinds are flapping away, and he normally ends up waking himself up with all the noise! His other hilarious habit is his groaning as he gets himself comfortable. He's so vocal.

Tonight we had an issue with him guarding his food, or rather Phoebe's food, which I was trying to feed her after he had already eaten. We will feed them separately in future, and remove him from the room when she is eating. It is something that we will continue to work on, because it is important that he learns it is anti social to guard in such an intimidating way. We have no fear with him, but I can imagine it would frighten people if they didn't understand it. It is a common issue in a lot of dogs, and it can be overcome or at the very least managed. The important thing is that we recognise the triggers and avoid them. Anyone interested in adopting Vik must understand that this is an issue and be alert to any changes in behaviour. He was obviously poorly trained as a pup, and believes he is top dog and not at the bottom of the ladder.

He and Phoebe are slowly engaging in play around the garden, although he is quite slow to learn. I don't think he has been socialised that well. We met a number of dogs on our lunchtime walk, and he was absolutely fine with them. The ones he doesn't react well to are the ones that rush up to him.

A lot of people took an interest in him when Phil was waiting for me outside various shops in town. He was patted by various people, and he enjoyed the attention. He gets admiring glances all the time, and I'm sure if I put his FDR coat on I would get enquiries straight away. However, I think it is important that we assess him more thoroughly to ensure that we have the full measure of him. Weimaraners are notoriously stubborn, very active dogs and can be very highly strung and destructive if they are not engaged fully. Vik needs some surgery to remove a number of fatty lumps that have developed under his skin. I am going to make the appointment tomorrow, and get it scheduled. He can then recuperate in a stress free environment while we continue to assess his behaviour and get a fuller picture of who he will be best suited to as a forever home. In the meantime, if anybody would like to meet him, then please get in touch.

Interestingly, Jack is also very distracted on walks and has not really been engaging with me or whoever is walking him - but it's getting better. It is difficult to discern what behaviour is due to pent up stress from the kennels and what behaviour has been learnt from their previous life.

Jack is definitely calming down now and actually sleeps during the day, whereas before he wouldn't or couldn't settle. He has issues with social situations too, like Vik, he probably has not been encouraged to have social activity.

Thankfully Jack is yet to attempt to hump anyone... although little Phoebe was hard for him to resist too (I won't tell him about Vik's advances or else he might get jealous). She must be the Angelina Jolie of the dog world.

It is early days for them both...

This morning I got up to find Vik in exactly the same place as we left him - sprawled on the sofa. He doesn't even get up to greet you in the morning, just makes it last as long as he possibly can.

We set off on our morning walk, and Vik seemed to be in a bit of a funny mood. The dogs across the road (4 in total) were all barking at the gate. It's like a Mexican wave - they bark, which sets off the farm dog next door, which sets off the terrier next door to that. Vik was almost a bit panicky with the barking, which was strange because it didn't seem to bother him before.

We walk a half mile down the lane, then turn off onto a steep downhill track which levels at the bottom and takes us to Cadmore Lodge, a local hotel and golf course, then we trek a further mile and half across the golf course, a field, along the brook, along another track and back to the lane towards home. Today we decided to try Vik off lead between the lake and the first field, because we knew we could leash him again at the gate to the field. He walked and ran beautifully, never too far from us, and when we got to the gate and could see no cattle in the field, we let him through to continue his run. He had so much fun, and it was great to let him have the chance to blow away the cobwebs. We got him back onto the lead at the stile, and he managed to get under the fence as he was a bit apprehensive about jumping over today. He was running up and down the woodland, getting into the brambles, and actually collected some minor cuts on his legs. He's a rufty tufty sort, so a quick dab of aloe vera when we got home and he was fine. He met our friend's dog at their gate. Although Buster, a big Golden Retriever, was stood up on two legs at the gate barking at him, Vik went right up to him without retaliation. However, when Rudy, the Lhasa Apso came bounding up to the gate barking, Vik went off on one. They both calmed down quickly.

We had to go to a meeting in Rugby, and I'd been unable to arrange any cover for the dogs, so we piled them into the car and took them with us. We were dropping off a conference table that was in four parts, and the back of the Jeep was a bit full, but Vik's bed fitted nicely into the metal frame of the up-turned table, and he settled down quite nicely. The problem was the table was surface to surface with another table, so the winding route saw Vik slide from one side of the car to the other! He was completely unperturbed, and I think he was quite enjoying the experience. You could almost imagine him going, "weeeeeeeee!" It was hilarious, because Phoebe wouldn't sit down and looked like she was surfing at the front of the table, as she has the most phenomenal ability to lean into the bend one way, as the table slid to one side of the car, then the other as it slid back. You had to see it to believe it.

When we got to our destination the dogs were welcomed into the meeting, and Vik was extremely nosey, checking out the surfaces, bins, boxes, etc. In the end, his constant tap, tap, tapping of his paws on the wooden floor was driving us all potty and he refused to settle, so we popped him back in the car with all the windows down and a hell of a breeze blowing through the car and he settled straight away and went to sleep.

On the way home we stopped at Pets at Home to pick up some provisions (including an anti spill water bowl that is guaranteed to stop 90% of water being spilt on the floor). Vik unceremoniously cocked his leg against an intricate display of Pedigree Chum. Fortunately, he'd had a massive pee just before we'd entered the shop, so there was only a trickle. He never pees indoors, so I reckon he was over-marking. We managed to get him on the scales in the shop and he weighs 30kgs, which is 3.7kgs lighter than two months ago. As I said yesterday, he is looking quite skinny, so I have added a third small meal a day. His ideal weight should be between 32 and 36kgs. His backbone is visible and he looks thin around the hips, but he is getting a lot of exercise now. I'm going to aim for just a couple of kilos increase, and will discuss this with the vet when he goes in for his operation next Wednesday.

We are now feeding the dogs a good ten foot apart in the kitchen and we've had no issues with food guarding at meal times. However, when I was upstairs ironing tonight, Vik came into the room with a bag of treats that he'd picked up from the bedside unit. He lay down right in front of me, and started to try to open the bag. He refused to drop it, and I wasn't going to put my hand near it, so I tried distracting him with a toy. That didn't work, so I ordered him out of the room. He went out, but came straight back in, with the bag still in his mouth, then settled down and started pulling it apart. I was worried about him swallowing the plastic, so resorted to spraying him with water to get him to leave it. That worked well, and he dropped the half chewed bag, but the carpet got a soaking! We really need to keep things out of reach and remember how tall he is.

All in all, a pretty good day. He is definitely starting to relax a bit now, and is having a longer mooch in the garden on his own. At work he is totally chilled and just snores at my feet. If I leave the office, he isn't right on my heels now. New surroundings, like today, and he is very curious and takes more time to settle.

He still hasn't learnt how to play with Phoebe. She was in a silly mood tonight and was doing her usual boxing, up on her back legs. Vik showed some interest, but then he starts to play too hard, and Phoebe gets very angry with him, and it ends as quickly as it started. I just don't think he is well socialised with other dogs, although there is no actual problem with Phoebe and they co-exist very well. He doesn't really play well either. He'll chase a tennis ball, but will then not bring it back, or will rip it apart. We met a challenging dog near work - the owner stepped aside on the path and pulled his dog tightly in. As I approached, I asked if his dog might be a problem, and he said no. Then all hell broke loose as his dog nearly pulled him over in an attempt to get at Vik. Vik retaliated, and I had to pull him off very quickly. Thank goodness his Lupi harness works so well, and I can control him quickly with it. Vik hasn't made the first move on another dog, but he obviously intimidates some dogs.

We are spending the weekend at some friends where there will be a lot of other dogs and children, so we will be able to gauge his behaviour closely.

Until next time ....

Vik is continuing to settle nicely. He is really stretching his legs now on his morning walk, and we have been confident to let him off lead for 2 miles of the morning walk. He rushes here, there and everywhere, and he has two main aims - to find rabbits and water. He has been in the lake again, and also waded across the brook. He is keen to climb up steep inclines, but doesn't always get his footing, so he has been sliding down and get some small cuts to his legs. Being so short haired, you can see them quite clearly, but they are superficial. He has no problem with me cleaning them and putting some antiseptic spray on. He also enjoys his towelling dry when we get home. The first time I did it, he wasn't keen on his back legs. The key with Vik is to let him know what you are doing, rather than rush at him. Although he looks big and bold, he does lack confidence and feels he has to protect himself. Every day he gets better.

I absolutely hate it when dogs are left loose and come rushing up to you without any form of reprimand by their owners. We had one yesterday morning on the lane and one today on the golf course. Vik doesn't like it at all, and we have to brace ourselves and try to make him ignore the advance. Unfortunately, today's dog came up barking at us all, and Vik feels he has to protect us, so retaliates with a lot of barking and baring of teeth. Again, it's predictable, so it can be managed.

We have changed his Lupi harness to a full harness, as the Lupi was rubbing under his front legs. He walks really well on a harness. We did try going back to the collar, but as he is such a big dog, we feel more in control with the harness.

The highlight of his walk this morning was being head butted by a ram. It was so funny. We were waiting by a gate to a field for a car to pass us in the lane. There were two sheep in the field, and one came over to the gate. Vik put his head through the gate, and the ram sniffed him. They were nose to nose, and it was quite a sweet moment. Vik then thought he had found himself a similar sized play mate, so he adopted the 'silly bugger, let's have a play around' stance, when BOP!!! The ram decided no, I don't like this dog and head butted him. After he had regained his dignity, Vik started barking at the ram, but not in a nasty way, more in a playful way. The ram just looked at him as if to say, "Talk to the hoof!"

Well, I'm going to close now because Vik has just taken an empty biscuit bag out of the bin under my desk and is checking it out for crumbs! I will have to move fast if I am to stop him eating the bag itself! Phoebe is ever the optimist, and is hanging back to mop up the crumbs while Vik gets the reprimand!

We've had a great weekend with Vik.

Vik is definitely getting used to the routine, and is settling well. He adores his walks and gets very excited when the lead comes out. He knows, however, that his lead isn't going to be put on until he sits and waits nicely. It might take some time, but we aren't letting him get away with bad manners. The same for going through the door or gates. He's all for pushing past at first, but once he is reminded of his manners, he waits well.

He is trustworthy off the lead and goes further now that he realises you're not going to leg it and abandon him.

On Saturday afternoon, we were at an outside party (freezing to death!!), with a mixture of dogs, children and adults. As we don't entirely trust Vik yet, we kept him on an extending lead. He took absolutely no notice of the free range chickens (unlike Phoebe) and wasn't perturbed by the children and adults who petted him. A couple of male dogs took an interest in his (lack of) genitals , and he was okay, but a Sprollie bitch, who was particularly narky with most of the dogs, brought out the fight instinct in him, and we had to keep them separated (although in fairness, it was the bitch that was antagonising Vik, not the other way round). There was too much food around to keep him under control, and we ended up keeping him close to us, or letting the two dogs sleep in the car. I took them for a fantastic walk around a massive wheat field, and Vik had a wonderful romp. He just loves being off lead.

Yesterday, we took the dogs to Mortimer Forest, which is a particular love of ours, because there's such a mix of pathways, open roads, ponds, hills, etc. and it's a place where we trust Phoebe on a trailing lead (although in the past we have been stood there for half an hour waiting for her to come back ). The pair of them had a fantastic time, and were both in the pond at one point. Phoebe loves running round and round the pond like a loon, but Vik just hasn't got the measure of having fun yet, no matter how many times Phoebe tried to engage him in a game of chase. Nontheless, he had a great time, and was a pleasure to walk. Most of the time the pair of them would go off into the forest while we walked on the road, and they would stay close together and re-appear further up the road.

Last time I wrote, I moaned about people who let their dogs rush up to you without any form of reprimand. Well, that was us yesterday, I'm afraid , although it didn't go without reprimand! Vik was straight up to anybody with a dog that was coming towards us, and went all cloth eared when we tried to call him back. However, each meeting went well, and there was no fighting or growling. He is definitely socialising well with other dogs, and he is not the antagonist when it comes to a fall out.

By the time we got back to the car, it was raining quite heavily, although finely, and the pair of them were in a right state. It was great to see they'd had such a lovely time, though.

Once Vik has had a really good run, he is quite happy to slob out. He does, however, love human interaction, and he would definitely be suited to a family that is around most of the time. We have walked him around 4 miles plus most days, and he seems to be happy with that, although the key is definitely having the ability to let him off lead, as he probably doubles the distance with his constant running backwards and forwards. This doesn't mean a home with acres of land where the owner thinks the limit of his exercise is being put outside, however. He definitely needs to have a mission. His stamina is phenomenal now, and he actually looks like he has lost more weight since he came here. He has a massive appetite, and eats over a kilo of food a day. He is on 800g high protein meat plus mixer, and I will speak to the vet on Wednesday when he goes in for his op on his fatty lumps, to ask about his diet, as he may need a better suited diet.

Once he has recuperated from his op, I will push his rehoming, as I feel at the moment he is not entirely fully assessed. We have had a couple of mouthing incidents over the past week, although on both occasions I feel it has been related to a feeling of being hemmed in. He hasn't bitten down, nor broken skin, but being such a big, powerful dog, we have to be entirely sure of what the reasons are and that they won't escalate. I am 99% confident that this is just a nervy reaction, and that it will be overcome once he feels confident and without stress. He will definitely need a home where he will not be allowed to become dominant, and where his owners have the confidence to handle this size of breed. In no way is he an aggressive dog - he is actually a big softie at heart. He will make an absolutely wonderful addition to the right household.

Hi Ria really glad to hear Vic is doing so well and it does sound like he is more of a lover than a fighter, he is having so much fun with you guys and you are definately bringing out the true Vic, well done and long may it continue to get him in the home where he can make that very special bond and finally become a member of a family all of his own. Thats what I believe Forest Dog Rescue aim for with all the dogs that come into their care and with the help and support from people like yourselves, it makes a dream more a reality, well done to you both and phoebe of course ( she has to be such a strong influence )

We've had an eventful few days since Monday.

We nipped out on Monday for a pub lunch, leaving Phoebe and Vik in the kitchen for an hour. I have already cottoned on to Vik's interest when I'm feeding the cats, so make sure that the lid is on the half full cat food tin, and it's pushed towards the back of the worktop. We came home to find the empty tin on his bed, lid on the floor. I nearly died, because the tin was completely chewed to bits with holes and metal splints all over it (I will post the photographic evidence later!). I grabbed Vik and carefully inspected his mouth, expecting to see blood everywhere, and ripped gums. Not a scratch! There was the teeniest bit of jelly stuck right at the bottom of the tin, so I got a fork to it and let him have it - if a job's worth doing ....

It just didn't seem like it was going to stop raining on Monday (always on a Bank Holiday, eh?), so we donned waterproofs and took the dogs out for a walk. It's funny how Vik loves to jump in the lake, but he doesn't like rain at all!

Later on we popped over to Hereford to get some cabinet lights for mum, and as we approached a car at the traffic lights, we noticed that the dog with it's head hanging out of the window was a Weimaraner! Vik also had his head out of the window, and suddenly we were going around the roundabout side by side with the other Weimaraner barking it's head off at Vik, who was just looking at it bemused. What's the odds of that happening in Hereford, of all places!!

Mealtimes are so much better now. I get him to sit while I prepare his and Phoebe's food, and he waits patiently, smacking his lips, watching me intently. I always feed Phoebe first, and he follows me to her bowl, but I tell him to sit and stay and he does. No more trying to snatch her food. He then waits until I've put his food down and given him the go ahead to eat. Perfect. He loves his treat of 2 chicken wings after his dinner (wonderful for cleaning teeth, but they must be raw), and always accepts his treats gently when reminded (although his funny grimace as he takes them still makes him look a bit ferocious, although when I was showing a friend, she laughed and said what a lovely smile he gives!).

Yesterday I had to have him to the vet for 9am for his consultation and surgery. He has a number of fatty lumps under his skin, with two huge ones on his chest. It was decided to go for the two huge ones, then see how he reacted under anaesthetic and how easy they were to remove before embarking on the other four small ones. We managed to weigh him and he weighs 30.5 kilos. The vet was not concerned about his weigh, but said we should keep an eye on it, as it was probably just the increase in exercise. Next came the killer statement - because of where the lumps were, Vik would need to have complete rest for 10 days, as any form of exercise would cause friction under his arms and make the wounds swell. I asked if he could just be walked gently, and was told it would be much better if he was just taken out on the lead for his business and a bit of fresh air and brought back in. Yikes! The thought of Vik not having any exercise fills me with dread. However, the vet did say that if he was kept really quiet for the first 7 days, he should be able to have a bit more exercise if his wounds are healing nicely.

I spent the day over at the kennels, meeting with Jules, our new fosterer (who has taken Ace under her wing), and walking a couple of the dogs, until the surgery rang for me to collect Vik at 4.30pm. Talk about zonked out! He was standing, but only just. His eyes were glazed and he was positively swaying without the breeze. I was given instructions on how to feed and care for him over the next 24 hours, and an appointment for his first check up for Friday morning. I was told that he mustn't nibble his incision or stitches, and that a tee shirt would be the best way because it would nicely cover up his wounds. He has four incisions, two of them quite big, and they managed to remove 6 lumps. The vet was happy that they were just fatty lumps, so they have not been sent for analysis.

Vik lolloped out of the surgery, and I managed to get him in the car without any problems. It took me a while to get him to lie down, and it was like talking to someone that was drunk out of their mind! In fact, it reminded me of talking to Phil when he's one over the eight - that glazed expression, when you keep telling them to sit down and they totally ignore you! What made it even more poignant was the fact that I was attempting to make Vik listen to me right outside the Hobsons Brewery - Phil's favourite tipple! Finally Vik flopped down and I could drive the eight miles home. Unfortunately, the road from the surgery to Tenbury is quite winding, and despite taking corners slowly, I could see Vik sliding on the back seat. I was glad to get him home. We found a nice oversized tee shirt which covered his wounds, and I was told to keep him warm, so we put him on the sofa and wrapped a blanket around him. He slept on and off and was pretty much out of it, mentally, for the night. He did, however, manage to change sofas in the night, and also snaffle an empty trifle bowl, so he wasn't quite out of it!

This morning he is a lot more alert, but obviously still in discomfort. He has gone to sleep downstairs at the office, and I keep checking on him. He is fine, but I will be very glad when we can walk him again, because it was hard to quell his excitement when Phil took Phoebe for a walk this morning. He loves his walks so much. Not quite sure how we're going to tackle the lunchtime walk - I will just let him stretch his legs outside and bring him back in.

It's funny what they say about only noticing things when you have one yourself. You know, like realising how many of the same car as you have are on the road? Well, since we've had Vik, I've noticed how many Weimaraners are used to advertise pet products. Have to say, the product they're used most to advertise are harnesses of all shapes and sizes. I wonder if that's because they're not great on a collar and lead? Vik is certainly a hundred times more under control on a harness. We also noticed a Weimaraner on last night's Apprentice! We had to wind back a bit (the wonders of Sky+, eh?) to figure out what it had around it's neck - one of those anti barking devices. Not a good look on such a fine looking dog!

Let's hope that wherever Vik ends up, he's one of a kind and they love him for it! I certainly do!

Hi Ria, so glad to hear Vik has had a sucessful op on his lumps, OMG I bet your heart sank when they told you about the bed rest!!!! having seen Vik striding out on our walk I should think he will be pretty fed up after a few days never mind 10, can you put him on your treadmill!!! Hope all goes well

Glad Vik is going well after his op and that the lumps are nothing sinister.

Your story about Vik and his tin remind me of our old cat Oscar - he wore a magnetic thingy on his collar to make the cat flap work .... I wondered what had happened to the tin of Almo Nature that I had opened that morning .... then the cat came in with the tin can firmly stuck to the magnet and him looking at me as if to say "what???"

First of all, let me show you the picture of the cat food can that I was telling you about in my previous post ....


Hard to believe he didn't tear his gums!!

I took Vik back to the vet on Friday morning to have his incisions checked. They were looking pretty good, and the vet reiterated the need for complete bed rest, otherwise if there is any fluid build up around the wounds from the friction of walking, then his recovery could be put back three weeks if a drain has to be fitted (and it wouldn't be too pleasant for Vik).


While we were in the vets we met Mary with another FDR dog who had come in for a spay, and then another FDR dog came in with his new mum and dad for his vaccinations. It was like a reunion! Unfortunately, it must have brought some bad memories back for Vik, because the second dog was barking so much that Vik became quite a handful and was barking himself into a bit of a frenzy. After we were seen by the vet, we were actually shown the tradesman's exit! How embarrassing! I blame the other dog

Vik was quite restless and desperate for a walk. but we had to stick to our guns and just take him out for his business, bring him straight back in and then encourage him to lie down and rest. Not easy!

This morning I got up at 7am to let the dogs out. I left them to have a mooch in the garden and was on the computer, when I could suddenly hear Vik barking and barking. I went outside and called him, to no avail. The barking continued, so I went down the garden to see what he was up to. He was right in the bushes and I tried to get in, but the brambles were scratching my legs, as I was still in my dressing gown, so I returned to the house to put some trousers on. I looked out of the bedroom window and could see Vik in the middle of the garden guarding the following little booty .....


Obviously the subject of his barking!! He had picked the hedgehog up from the hedge and deposited it in the middle of the garden and was wondering what to do with it next. I brought Vik back into the house, checked his mouth for spikes, and gave him his breakfast as an alternative!! The hedgehog got away safely, none the worse for it's ordeal.

He's had a very peaceful day, otherwise. He's definitely not a happy bunny being confined as he is, but we just have to put up with it for another week.

Here's some photographic evidence of his lazy day ....

It sounds like you really do have your hands full Ria - it is a good job really that you have had to go through all of this prior to Vik finding his new home - seeing as you are an old hand at all of this - it might have been quite daunting for a new owner.

He is going to be a real treasure when he finds his new home, as long as there are no hedgepigs or can about ... naughty Vik!

Just over a week since Vik's operation and he is really raring to go. Unfortunately, we are still having to take things easy so that his wounds heal well. I took him back to the vet today to make sure that the swelling around his incision was nothing to worry about, as it has grown to the size of a golf ball. The vet checked it over and said that it was fine, and that if he were to drain it, it would immediately fill up again, and there would be the possibility that infection could be introduced from the needle. So the verdict was to keep an eye on it, and to bring him back in on Monday to have his stitches taken out. Once his internal stitches have dissolved, the swelling should dissipate.

While we were at the vet, Vik was pretty badly behaved with the other dogs. One was a small spaniel bitch, and the other was a staffie puppy. Neither could be seen to be intimidating to Vik, but he barked and reared up at both of them. It was good to get him out of the reception area. I am not sure whether this is normal behaviour, or whether it is purely pent up emotion because of his lack of exercise. He has never met a dog on his walks like this, so I am assuming at the moment that it is vet fear and too much pent up excitement!

Yesterday, we had a real backward step with Vik. There are currently four of us in the office - Phil, myself and two software developers. Neither of the guys are dog savvy, and it is fair to say that one is very wary of dogs. Vik has been the most challenging foster dog so far. I have mentioned his guarding issues before. We have his eating completely under control now, and I would say that I am 100% confident that he has no issues in that respect. Guarding me is another matter. I have no hesitation in believing that if a man approached me suddenly, Vik would fly to my defense.

The situation arose in the office yesterday when one of the guys came into my office to get my mug for our afternoon tea. He hesitated and made eye contact with Vik, who was stretched out on the floor in front of my desk. Vik suddenly, and very quickly, jumped to his feet and then jumped up at the guy, snapping about a foot from his face. He didn't lunge against him, but up in front of him. Unfortunately, the guy basically crapped himself (as you would), and lost all nerve. Vik didn't actually make contact, but the intention was clear. Vik had already been put on a long line yesterday because I could sense the increasing apprehension with the member of staff, and I was using the line to bring Vik back into my office when he wandered out into the main office. Then to add insult to injury, about half an hour later, Phoebe was looking out of my office window and spotted some people coming through the gate into the car park. She started barking and rushed out of my office with Vik in hot pursuit, also barkly madly. The poor guy shot out of his seat and the look of absolute fear was apparent. We calmed the dogs, and apologised profusely. Later that evening, Phil had a phone call from him to say that he couldn't continue as things are, as he was incredibly scared of Vik. We understood completely, as Phil and I had already discussed between us how we were going to deal with Vik at work.

This morning, we took the crate that we bought when we had Gino on foster, and set it up in my office. We then put Vik on a long line and attached it to the crate, giving him enough room to move around my office and just outside my office door. We have instructed the staff not to enter my office without letting me know, so that I can put Vik in the crate or on a short lead. Fortunately, without prompting, Vik actually went in and out of the crate throughout the day, which leads me to believe that he has actually been crated before. He had absolutely no reaction when I pushed the door of the crate to a couple of times.

I have put out some feelers with regards to one to one training for Vik, as I feel that I need to have my ideas of how to progress his training validated. The people that I have spoken to so far have endorsed what I believe to be the correct training methods to resolve this situation.

I cannot stress enough that Vik's rehoming will rely entirely on the new adopters understanding one hundred percent what is required to progress Vik's rehabilitation. He won't be an easy dog to take on, but I am confident that he will, with the right guidance and training, become a dog that will be a genuine asset to the right adopter.

He will be no good at all going to an adopter that has any fear whatsoever of him. He needs to go to someone who has the time and patience to recognise that under the fear and apprehension there is a wonderful dog desperate to show himself in a good light, and they have the experience to deal with his issues.

Vik had all but one of his stitches removed on Monday. He was a very good boy in the vets. I asked for a muzzle, as I was unsure how he would react to having a dozen or so stitches pulled out from four different sites. The fabric muzzle went on without any drama and Vik was very calm during the stitch removal. The vet actually said that often it is really hard to get a muzzle onto a dog, and he has been bitten more times trying to get the muzzle on! He was very impressed with Vik's demeanour during the whole appointment. It was decided to leave one stitch in where there was a little fluid sac, but we will return on Friday to have it removed. Since then, the swelling has gone down completely.

Vik's been back to his full exercise regime since Monday, and he's loving it. It certainly keeps him really calm during the day, and he is flat out at my feet at work.

Since the altercation with the member of staff last week, peace has reigned at the office, and although Vik is on a long line, he is noticably calmer. I think he is finally learning to relax. The return to exercise has definitely helped. I can't imagine what his behaviour was like prior to him being dumped, as he was incredibly overweight and unfit, so he must have been getting little or no exercise and that must have reflected in his temperament.

We finally managed to get him a halti that fits perfectly - the harness goes too close to the incision sites, and he is very strong on the lead using just a collar. Immediately the halti went on, all pulling stopped, and he now walks beautifully to heel. What a godsend. So much kinder than choke chains, which I absolutely detest. Two nights ago, I even managed to walk Vik, Phoebe and my mum, who is registered blind and needs guidance, on my own! Result!! I even let my mum hold on to the two of them while I scooped the poop, and there was no pulling at all.

So, come Friday, I don't believe there is any reason why we can't push Vik's rehoming with a vengeance. In the meantime, before he is re-homed, I am going to concentrate on socialising him a bit more with other dogs because I think it would do him good to have more contact with other dogs besides Phoebe. I am planning to have a dog from FDR on Friday night to take to the new FDR shop opening in Ludlow on Saturday, so that will give Vik the opportunity to spend some time with another dog. He better be on his best behaviour, otherwise he will be going back and I'll keep the guest dog! Only joking Vik!!

Oh Ria that is sounding really good - things do seem to be coming together really well for the lad. Keep up the good work - you must be shattered