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Growing a Kelpie...

 
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Ok, check your Gaelic mythology, but I'm pretty sure Bailey is a Kelpie, in disguise. And, not a very good disguise, at that. Irish Wolfhound are considered by the AKC to be the tallest breed of dogs, and they're definitely TALL. I'm 5'4", and sitting on her haunches, at just shy of 10mos old, Bailey can lay her head up the center of my chest, and very nearly lick my chin. Her head is bigger than mine. The bottoms of her paws are bigger than the palms of my hands, reaching almost to my first knuckles, and were have no idea exactly how much she weighs,  but at her last vet check, 2mos ago, she was already about 105lbs, and I'd I had to hazard a guess, I'd put her at about 120lbs, now. She'll continue to grow for approximately another 8mos. Her dam was almost 160lbs, and her sire was about 180. The thing is, these aren't prone to being fat. This breed is long, lean, and lanky, like a greyhound, but built more like Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his body building days.

Sight-hounds bred for hunting and vicious battle, these war dogs are the reason wolves are extinct, in Ireland, and could take down elk and wolves alike, solo. They did their jobs so well, they nearly went extinct, until the breed was revived, in the 1800s, by an incredible gentleman, who saw them as too amazing to let them die out. He took the ones he could find, and mixed them with Great Danes, and a couple other breeds, trying to rebuild them to something as true to the originals, as possible, without too much dangerous inbreeding, and it's believed that the originals were even bigger than today's IW. Their massive size, hunting ability, and war capabilities made them an incredible asset, and they were restricted to royalty only - for obvious reasons. While not territorial, they will die to protect their family, but their prey drive makes them terrible LGDs. Yet a 30" gate keeps Bailey out of the kitchen, because (again, like greyhounds) they're runners, not jumpers. At this age, Bailey's jaws could take off my arm - yet, as the breed is also known for, with her family, she is loving, and lets me reach down into her throat (!!!) to retrieve her beloved-yet-verboten string-cheese wrappers!  These dogs are aptly known, in modern times, as 'majestic goofballs'. Galloping across a field or through the woods, as their incredible ancestors did, or even standing or sitting at attention, one can easily see them as the awe inspiring, noble creatures they truly are. But, at home, their highly social, relaxed and playful, noisy, goofy - and often unintentionally destructive side comes out, especially if they get bored &/or lonely. Bailey has eaten/destroyed 2 door frames, the stairs, the hardwood floor, the back of the leather couch, the rug pad (while we were removing the cow-skin rugs, to protect them until she get through her chewing everything passed - holy HELL, I hope it's just a puppy phase!), shoes, 2pair of prescription glasses & at least 3 of the cheap readers, hats, 3 heavy-duty leashes, the dining room bench, 3 dog beds, and more. But, in the first week after we brought her home, she also saved our barn & goats, chicken coop & chickens, and who knows what else, from a fire!

While they're not all 'extreme chewers', our precious Bailey absolutely is. We get the 'Super-Chewer' version of the Bark Box, for her, and so far, only 1 whole toy, and half of another (it was a 2-in-1 toy) have lasted more than 5 minutes. John bought a 50foot horse training lead for her, so we could take her to the park, and let her run (she will never be intentionally off-lead, for her own safety. Sighthounds are notorious for being hit by cars and simply disappearing, because they tend to be so focused on whatever gets their attention & runs, that they don't stop running until they catch it, or die trying). It lasted only 5 minutes, at the park. It restricted her run, so she turned her head, and in a single bite, sliced right through it. Thankfully, I was there, in front of her (with my little Cavalier pup) and saw her running free, and called her. John was out of breath, from being dragged (his own fault - he threw her ball too far, lol), and in her happy excitement, she'd completely tuned him out, in favor of the chase. I'm just glad he threw the ball in my direction, and that we'd spaced ourselves apart as far as we had!

It's been a wild 8months, since we got her, and I'll add pics, below.

Edited to add: in this thread, I've really only intended to document and share our crazy experiences, in raising this incredible, sweet creature.
 
Carla Burke
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Da baby kelpie: Gotcha day!
When we picked her up, she was 9weeks old, and already weighed 32lbs. That pic of the three of usalso includes her dam, who was sitting downhill of me - she looks like she's eating my arm...
And those cowskin rugs were rolled up and put away just days later.
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Nov 25, 2019 GOTCHA!!!
Nov 25, 2019 GOTCHA!!!
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Home sweet home...
Home sweet home...
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Getting ready to leave her mama in Kansas
Getting ready to leave her mama in Kansas
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We weren't so sure about the 4hr car ride, but she did great!
We weren't so sure about the 4hr car ride, but she did great!
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Carla Burke
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Dec 5, the cowskins gone, our new 'rug' is a moving blanket. We hadn't quite given up on having a pad under it... yet.
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Carla Burke
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December 8 - her first car ride in the back seat, with the new doggie seat-protector/seatbelt thingie. It's kinda a hammock, attached to the back of the back seat and the backs of both front seats, with the bottom resting on the back seat. It keeps the seat safe from her, but it also keeps her from getting thrown to the floor, if we have to stop fast, plus, there's an attached clip for her harness, to keep her from jumping into the front, or becoming a killer projectile. Now, she sits with her butt on the seat(still fastened into the hammock), and happily drools on my head, shoulders, and the puppy in my lap.
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Carla Burke
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Our baby hero!!! Friday, December 13, 2019 (ok, it was almost 3weeks after gotcha day, not a week, as I'd said before. The date shouldn't have been lost on me! ) That particular Friday the 13th could have been utterly disastrous, if not for our sweet little hero! I'd started the fire, but had it(only temporarily, obviously) contained. I had to run inside for something, and was in for about 3 minutes, when Bailey went nuts, trying to get outside. I grabbed her leash and out we went - then right back in - I wasn't risking her! Because of her, I was able to get the fire almost completely out before John even managed to get outside.
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Scorched earth by the goat barn... I got it stopped only about 3feet from the straw around the open door...
Scorched earth by the goat barn... I got it stopped only about 3feet from the straw around the open door...
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Our own scorched earth experience... entirely my fault.
Our own scorched earth experience... entirely my fault.
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A shift in the wind would have taken this fire straight to the (occupied)chicken coop
A shift in the wind would have taken this fire straight to the (occupied)chicken coop
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Our precious little heroine...
Our precious little heroine...
 
Carla Burke
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Dec 19th - at exactly 3mos old, her head is already almost as big as mine!
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Sweet Bailey kisses
Sweet Bailey kisses
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Silliness - Kelpie-sized!
Silliness - Kelpie-sized!
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Tiny footies...
Tiny footies...
 
Carla Burke
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New bed, for the New Year, because she's already torn up and outgrown the first 2!!
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No bigger beds available - except maybe grown people-sized...
No bigger beds available - except maybe grown people-sized...
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Memory foam, to cushion her rapidly growing bones...
Memory foam, to cushion her rapidly growing bones...
 
Carla Burke
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Jan 4, 2020 was GOTCHA! dayfor Bailey's new baby sister, Charlie - a Cavalier King Charles, who finally, at 8wks old, weighed 5lbs. We're pretty sure that's about bailey's birth weight. On the 2hr drive home, we stopped at a Harley Davidson dealership, and took the pups in. That hat lasted until just after I shot that pic, and Bailey had had enough of it. We didn't buy hers, but Charlie's is now hanging on the fireplace mantle, because she finally outgrew it. Charlie is a whole different story, but we have to keep them apart still, because being impetuous and impulsive puppies, it would only take one playful nip from Bailey to end tiny Charlie's life. We're working toward both being loose in the room together, but for now, Charlie must stay on the leash, in my hands or at my side, if they're in the same room.
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Fifteen weeks old, and just met her new baby sister, and reeeeally not loving the hat!
Fifteen weeks old, and just met her new baby sister, and reeeeally not loving the hat!
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Charlie, taken from her first family, at exactly 8wks old, meeting her new (giant-sized) big sister, and not quite sure what to think of that hat!
Charlie, taken from her first family, at exactly 8wks old, meeting her new (giant-sized) big sister, and not quite sure what to think of that hat!
 
Carla Burke
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Jan 14 - come classic Bailey poses. Notice how much she's already grown, in relation to the new bed, in just 2weeks!
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Lubbinz for Daddy...
Lubbinz for Daddy...
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WIGGLEZZZZZ!!!
WIGGLEZZZZZ!!!
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I think she might be broken...
I think she might be broken...
 
Carla Burke
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At 4mos...
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She saved me a little space on the loveseat!
She saved me a little space on the loveseat!
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Lean and lanky!
Lean and lanky!
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She's already as long as her Daddy is tall!
She's already as long as her Daddy is tall!
 
Carla Burke
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The first half of February, 2020. We're starting to get strong clues that we may soon be facing lockdowns across the country, and we have an extremely active puppy, who needs socialization, in a very big way!
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Quickly outgrowing her crate!
Quickly outgrowing her crate!
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Learning to walk on lead...
Learning to walk on lead...
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The mystery of the shrinking bed?
The mystery of the shrinking bed?
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She's melllllting...
She's melllllting...
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Maybe she needs a chiropractor...
Maybe she needs a chiropractor...
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Sourdough, this is her favorite sleeping position!
Sourdough, this is her favorite sleeping position!
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....
....
 
Carla Burke
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5months old, February 19. Looking down from the upstairs balcony, this mess used to be my favorite book on soap making...
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Icky stix...
Icky stix...
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~le sigh~
~le sigh~
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I can get another copy...
I can get another copy...
 
Carla Burke
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With Bailey not quite 6mos old, my 23yr old daughter, Keeli, came for a visit. Keep in mind, there is only 7wks difference in the puppies ages, in that middle pic, as Keeli says her goodbyes, before going back home to the Chicago area.
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Lots o KISSES!!!
Lots o KISSES!!!
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They both love Keeli...
They both love Keeli...
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Da Baileyphant...
Da Baileyphant...
 
Carla Burke
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Exactly 6mos old. That white gate is 30" tall...
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She could walk over it, but that's just not how she rolls!
She could walk over it, but that's just not how she rolls!
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Raised doggie dishes...
Raised doggie dishes...
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Huh?
Huh?
 
Carla Burke
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May 10, 2020 - her head is now bigger than mine, and her jaw big enough to eat my face off, should she so desire. Might I mention how happy I am that she loves our nightly game of blueberry chasing, better?
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Snugglez for Nommie!
Snugglez for Nommie!
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Kissezzz for Nommie!
Kissezzz for Nommie!
 
Carla Burke
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Oddly enough, all I have for the rest of May & June are on John's phone, so I have to skip from almost 7months, in May to yesterday (July 11, 2020). We'd been in and out, all day, stopping in to check on the pups, take them out, and give them a bit of attention, in between. You know that lovely leather couch, in so many of these pics? Well...


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Sad leather loveseat...
Sad leather loveseat...
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Loveseat guts...
Loveseat guts...
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Sofa evisceration...
Sofa evisceration...
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The battlefield...
The battlefield...
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The sun setting on the battlefield...
The sun setting on the battlefield...
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I used to love that seat...
I used to love that seat...
 
Carla Burke
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And yet, we love her so much, and we know this was sheer, unadulterated boredom. That's something we believe to be our fault, and we love her, dearly. So this was the last pic of the night. I'm pretty sure we will let her live to be 10mos old, this month. I also think I might be able to repair the couch at least well enough to keep it usable, until she gets through this phase, before we bother to replace it...
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Sittin on da Daddy is my favert ting!
Sittin on da Daddy is my favert ting!
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Happy girl - squished Daddy
Happy girl - squished Daddy
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No, Sweet girl, Nommie will not share da coffeez.
No, Sweet girl, Nommie will not share da coffeez.
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I helps!
I helps!
 
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OMG  Carla!   She has grown SO MUCH !! And so cute!
I was showing Liz the pictures of the Bailey zone and the destruction ...
Reading her your words and checking out the photo's  had us both gasping and laughing, saying how, as bad as molly can be... it seems Bailey can be even more exuberant!


Take heart though. Molly just turned one year recently.  (only 102#) She is "starting" to calm down some.
I won't be letting Molly see that photo of Bailey in Johns lap...
Oh , and little Charlie is just adorable !
 
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Adorable. I love big dogs. She has grown like a weed! Is she a brindle? How tall will she be fully grown?! Charlie is cute too, but Bailiey is cuter!

My poodle is about 1.5 now and 25" at the shoulder, finally approaching "good dog" status instead of "crazy teenager".

I relied heavily on controlled demolishion with her as a puppy/teen. I gave her copious amounts of ,cardboard and paper and sticks to shred for my worm bin in an attempt to keep my house intact, if I was thinking ahead, I confined her to a exercise pen to do it. Other than a couple of computer cords  (including a $150 laptop charger - very good thing she is cute!), a hall rug, and a few particularly tasty pieces of my favourite clothing, my house survived unscathed, which I attribute solely to her having enough allowable things to destroy that she didnt get creative, it sure wasnt because of my good housekeeping! My dads puppy today ate two floor mats, and has eaten about a dozen pairs of shoes, a table cloth, a couple leashes, a harness, and God knows what else in the last month so I am feeling fairly smug about minimal losses, even if it did mean a whole bunch of sweeping of paper bits.
 
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Have you considered Kong balls / toys? I've never had a dog that needed the extra toughness, so I haven't used these, but they have a good reputation. I can't find the quote anywhere, but I used to get a pet catalog that advertised them as "almost indestructible". Allegedly, they used to say indestructible, until some guy gave one to his lion.
 
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I used cardboard boxes as the decoy, yes it makes a mess but my girl only managed to accidentally chew through one charger (while chewing a bone) as a puppy. Also the rope toys. she got very good at unpicking them, but it would keep her quiet for 15minutes or so.
 
Carla Burke
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@Thomas & Liz, thank you, and yeh... she's out there, lol. I think this has been an incredible learning experience, and we do love her more than I can put into words. But, she not sure I'd want to do this puppy stage with a giant dog indoors, again.

@Catie, she will top out at about 39", at the shoulder. Some do get bigger, but that's the AKC breed standard, and both her parents hit that, with her dad being closer to 40". Right now, at less than 10mos, IF we were to allow her to put her front paws on our shoulders, and stand on her hind paws, she'd already be substantially taller than either of us. I've seen photos of people who have done that, and the tops of their dogs heads were pretty much bumping the door frames. Yes, she is a Wheaten/Brindle, and her markings show up much better, in the areas where John has been able to strip her coat. Their fur is considered a 'rough coat', and the protective coarse, longer, outer fur must be stripped/ plucked between the ages of about 8 - 12 mos, or their adult coat won't grow in properly. Now, getting these enormous, willful, almost frighteningly intelligent dogs to hold still for this process is a neat trick. It only takes once for them to figure out what you're up to, and while it doesn't hurt them, and they actually feel better, and their fur will be healthier, afterward, it's time consuming, and many of them have no patience for it. Bailey, of course, is one of those, lol.

@T, she has only had 2 of the kong toys that can stand up to her - the extreme classic 'snowman' shaped one, and the bone shaped one. Their fabric ones are useless, for her. I'm looking into getting some pieces of firehose. So far, I've only found it in a minimum of 25ft lengths, and most of them have been in 'used' condition. That means they've often been dragged through whatever is on the street, in driveways & parking lots, etc, which means motor oil is probably one of the last of my concerns, as far as what may have been absorbed into the fabric. That's not something I'd want to give my puppy.
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Better view of her markings, where her coat had been stripped
Better view of her markings, where her coat had been stripped
 
Carla Burke
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Skandi Rogers wrote:I used cardboard boxes as the decoy, yes it makes a mess but my girl only managed to accidentally chew through one charger (while chewing a bone) as a puppy. Also the rope toys. she got very good at unpicking them, but it would keep her quiet for 15minutes or so.



Our problem with things like cardboard, rope, cloth, etc isn't only that she tears them up and makes a mess; she also eats them. Even the stone fireplace, she didn't just chew on it, she chomps it up and swallows it. On walks, we've seriously considered a muzzle for her, because she is lightening fast at nabbing things like acorns, rocks, and chicken poop, and swallowing them, before we can react.

 
Carla Burke
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Bailey's 2nd Birfffday was a few days ago (9/19). We were sick, so she got her cake a day later - and we were still sick, and forgot to get pics. Today, her prezzie finally arrived...
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For MEEEE????
For MEEEE????
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I should go, before they change their minds!!
I should go, before they change their minds!!
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Let's RUN!!
Let's RUN!!
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Dis is my luffseat...
Dis is my luffseat...
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Run MOOOORES!!!
Run MOOOORES!!!
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Hey! Wake up!
Hey! Wake up!
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Ok, we naps...
Ok, we naps...
 
pollinator
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Thank you so much for chronicling your "Adventures in Puppy Raising"!!! So few folks seem to "remember" the work, effort and destruction a puppy brings - they just remember the cuddles and snuggles.

I have raised countless puppies (bred here and fosters) and everyone thinks that adult rescued dogs "come with problems" and are "too much work", HA! Nothing compared to the work a puppy takes!!!

I also very much appreciate your unabashed acceptance of responsibility for her periodic moments of destruction; fully acknowledging it was lack of attention that leads to these episodes. So many blame the dog, punish the dog without owning their role in unwanted behaviors.

Puppies are hairy toddlers; GIANT hairy toddlers at times and are a LOT of work if you want a healthy, mentally balanced respectful, caring, furry family member. Thanks for clearly detailing the honest adventure of lovingly raising puppies.

PS: you need antlers, a whole one, not the tiny bits they sell at ridiculous prices at the pet stores. Got any hunter friends?

If not, try cow hooves (the feed store here has them, a buck a pop); plain, not filled with crap. They are the "toe nail" trimmings, super tough, but great for all sizes of dog. Raising mastiff pups with MinPins these were the only two items that could be used safely by both the tinies and the giants.

Oh, and someone makes toys out of used tires that are supposed to be indestructible...

 
Carla Burke
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We're hunters, lol. But, she's... not exactly graceful, and likes to run with her toys, so we've concerns that giving her a whole one could be dangerous - for her, for us, and yeh - for what's left of the house. Hooves would feel safer, but somehow, giving her something that used to plod through cow pies doesn't sit well, with John. She's not chewing as aggressively as she used to, and things have greatly eased, as far as her impulsiveness. We can let both dogs have (always closely supervised) gentle playtime, now, and she also follows directives much more reliably. Overall, life with her has mellowed greatly, though she really is still a puppy.  
 
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I love this thread! Our puppy turns 12 this year and have been humming and hahhing about when to get another pup. It is a good reminder of how frustratingly loveably destructive they can be🥰
 
steward and tree herder
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Thanks for posting the update Carla, I hadn`t seen this thread before. I hope you`re both feeling better. Our puppy Della is just over 4 months, so still a lot of destruction to go. We try not to have dogs on laps, and since she is also gong to be a big girl (mastiff)  I`m sure thats right for us.
Our collie cross lab and labrador were both disgusting for eating poo. The vet wasn`t concerned about it. They need to build their gut bacteria which helps digestion of greens etc. although it is particularly goss. The interesting thing is that, having grown out of it Our lab Dyson started eating his brother`s poo again some months before Douglas was diagnosed with an abdominal tumour. I wondered whether it was to do with hiding the evidence of illness...
 
Carla Burke
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Bailey still eats chicken poop, so... yeh. But, we all have our weird things, lol.

Some VERY important rules for us, for big dogs are pretty obvious - no jumping; lap time is by invitation, only; physical boundaries are potentially life saving for us AND our critters. A couple commands that are imperative here, are 'OFF' - any time her feet come off the floor, other than for locomotion, she hears 'OFF'. This ensures she doesn't jump or whack anyone with those ginormous BATTLEPAWS. I've had those giant paw/claw marks on my face & neck (& other parts, lol), for days, while we were teaching this. We also had a friend (now deceased), with disabilities whom she could have killed, simply in her efforts to welcome and beg for his attention. John and I both have disabilities, as well, and our first year and a half with Bailey was difficult, often physically excruciatingly painful and even debilitating, at times. Another rule is that if she wants to be petted, she MUST sit for it. This not only saves us from the battle paws, but the tail! Getting hit by that insanely happy tail is much like being hit with a bat! Due to her perfect height for it, she's not only left both of us with innumerable, huge, dark bruises, she's also left John singing tearful soprano solos poignant enough to make an opera singer cry. Her tail is also at the perfect height to knock food, hot coffee cups, and other tableware into our laps, or onto the floor. For quite some time, we crated her, at our meal times, for all our safety. Gradually, we allowed her out, with the caveat that she'd be sent back in, if she got too active, near the table. If we're eating something potentially very messy, we still just crate her, before we sit down. When it's time to meet someone new, we leash her, and the initial meeting is outside, where she's accustomed to being on her short leash, and John can control the excitement, a bit better.

We absolutely love and adore this wild, crazy, sweet, affectionate, too-smart-for-her-own-good, too-big-for-our-own-good KELPIE, and even with all the expense and damages (to us and our home!), I'll never regret doing this. But, we can't do it, again. For reasons of our own physical health, even if money were no object, we just can't - at least, not to raise one, from a pup. I could see us taking an adult, but the physical demands of going through the exuberance, teething, and hormonal/mental challenges of gargantuan puppy puberty? No. 🥺
 
Lorinne Anderson
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Take the saw to the antlers and cut them into shorter lengths, but keep the outside intact.

The cow hooves are cleaned and sterilized...

NO lap time for large dogs is very key! I acquired a 2yr old 120lb lab once that insisted on sitting in your lap, ooomph!

The rule here when fostering any dog is they must wait to be invited up and more often than not that OFF command is one of the first they learn. OH, and it is OFF as in get the F**K OFF, not down, that is for LAY DOWN. The puppies that will be large only get "lap time" if the human is sitting on the ground, so there is zero confusion.

The dog eating his brothers (with abdominal tumor) poop was likely doing so as the mass prevented proper digestion and there was nutrition to be had in that poop (in his opinion, anyway!)!

Did you "intend" or wish to get a Kelpie? Is the pups name Kelpie? I still don't understand that reference.
 
Carla Burke
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Her name is Bailey. Yes, we knew exactly what we were getting into, as far as the breed. A kelpie is a mythical creature of the Celtic cultures, like the brownies, sprites, faeries, leprechauns, etc., said to be an enormous, horse-like creature from the sea, with a coat of kelp. The reference hearkens back to both her heritage and ours.
 
Lorinne Anderson
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Ahhhh, there is also a dog breed called Kelpie; I get it, it references her boisterous puppy ways!
 
Carla Burke
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Lorinne Anderson wrote:Ahhhh, there is also a dog breed called Kelpie; I get it, it references her boisterous puppy ways!



Yup. This thread was never about looking for help or advice, lol. Just a chronicle of our life with our huge, wild, silly, loveable pup.
 
Nancy Reading
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Lorinne Anderson wrote:Take the saw to the antlers and cut them into shorter lengths, but keep the outside intact.


I definitely second the use of antlers as chew toys. Luckily Della keeps hers in her bed as she likes to exercise her teeth lying down.


The puppies that will be large only get "lap time" if the human is sitting on the ground, so there is zero confusion.


That`s what I did with the boys. We joke that they are `born in the wrong body`, since they are all cuddle dogs.
 
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Carla Burke wrote:. . . Just a chronicle of our life with our huge, wild, silly, loveable pup.


Thank you for sharing it with us! Makes for enjoyable reading and the photos of Bailey are wonderful.
 
Carla Burke
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Today is a day we're extra thankful. It's both Thanksgiving and Bailey's 'Gotcha' day. I suppose that with her gotcha day being this late in November, this will happen, periodically. Her celebration today included John's (grown) kids joining in, both pups enjoying a piece of (totally pup-healthy) pumpkin custard, for dessert, and a new tiger "flattie" toy - most of which came during our post-smoked-turkey-Thanksgiving-dinner-semi-coma. It's been a good day, for Bailey and family!
 
Carla Burke
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Is been too long since my last update! Bailey is now 3 1/2yrs old! That first couple years was hilarious, sweet, stressful, wild, and... EXPENSIVE!! But, in the last 18mos, she has calmed down so much, she seems almost like a different dog. We now have actual human-use furniture in 'The Bailey Zone', again! Still no rugs, but that's because those giant 'battle paws' do much damage, just walking. When the zoomies kick in, all bets are off.

Bailey and her little Cavalier sister are often together most of the day, now, though we scoop Charlie up and get her to safety, when Bailey goes into zoomy mode, and they're not left together, unsupervised. They snuggle up, some, but Charlie has learned to stay somewhat alert to the possibility of the earth moving out from under her, if Bailey decides to roll over, or get up. There's a small bit of jealousy toward Charlie, if she seems to be getting too much human attention, sometimes earning Charlie a mostly gentle shove out of the way, by her big sister. We do occasionally have to remind Bailey that no matter how much her little sister is bouncing around, the rule of, 'No eating the CHARLIE!!' is still in effect.

Company coming in have noticed a drastic calming, too. She used to jump (not on anyone - we've been VERY STRICT about that), and spin, barking and wild-eyed, every time she'd see someone, even if they were here for days. Her thought seemed to be, 'You're BACK!!! I thought you were gone, FOREVER!!!' - and the greeting insanity would begin anew. Now, there's no mistaking that she's excited to see them, but it's in the form of maybe a couple barks, big smiles (which can be a terrifying sight, for the uninitiated, lol), and her tail wagging her whole body, as she leans into her person of the moment. As long as our guests come directly in, and close the door behind them, the wild&wooly greetings are pretty easy, now. The longer people hesitate in the door, the greater the difficulty in getting her calmed - and Charlie, with her wiggly excitement definitely feeds Bailey's excitement.

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Aw....LOVE this tread! They're so lucky to have so much love and beautiful home. Thank you


(My girl is gray and black, turned 6 years old last January).
 
Carla Burke
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Ela La Salle wrote:Aw....LOVE this tread! They're so lucky to have so much love and beautiful home. Thank you


(My girl is gray and black, turned 6 years old last January).


Thank you, Ela! We took both girls along, for our youngest daughter's wedding, 11hrs away (not including stops) in TN, last October. Charlie, being a quiet, itty-bitty 18lbs is easy to travel with. Finding pet-friendly hotels willing to accommodate a dog Bailey's size, however, is a bit more of a challenge. Our destination was easy enough - staying in a beautiful cabin, in TN's amazing Standing Stone State Park. Both dogs had plenty of room to roam and relax indoors, and (obviously, on lead) stretch their legs, outdoors.

We had 2 huge coolers full of food, for the rehearsal dinner, all our stuff, and all the dog's stuff - far more than our car could hold - so we rented a large SUV - and Bailey's crate was too big to get inside it, and to heavy to strap on top. Four people can easily sit cross-legged, inside it! But, she did amazingly well, the whole trip, absolutely loving the chance to sleep in bed with her daddy. John wisely ensued we had 2 queen sized beds, everywhere we stayed, so he would have a bed with her, and I had one with Charlie - so no one would accidentally get injured in the middle of the night. This was all new, to Bailey, and we had no idea how she would react to it - especially without her crate to retreat to. John's dad finally got to meet both dogs, on that trip, and feel head over heels in love with Bailey (he said Charlie was awfully cute, but since he's 100%Irish, he felt a very real draw to Bailey). In fact, he loves Bailey so much, he had a bunch of Omaha Steak Co hamburgers sent *just for her*, for Christmas! Lol!
 
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I was reviewing the lovely pictures of a growing Bailey when I got an emergency call from a long-term friend. After solving the short-term emergency, I mentioned that's what I was doing when she called. She could *really* use a distraction, so I'd like to put you to work:
1) how tall is Bailey now, from floor to "shoulder" (that's what they call it with horses at least...)?
2) how long is Bailey from nose to butt and nose to tail?
3) how heavy is Bailey?
4) is Bailey now considered "fully grown"? I'm expecting that's a yes, but some animals seem to do an extra growth spurt after a bunch of time at size. Do dogs ever do that?

Hopefully you won't mind? Or can pawn this task over to your husband?

 
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