A year and a half ago we bought a dog, well a bitch if you want to be arsey about it. She was a 9 week old Collie, and at roughly six months old the decision was made to get her spayed because everybody said "it'll calm her down". The day after the operation there was a fuckin' monster in the house. Calm her down, my arse! It was as if somebody had flicked a switch but instead of on and off it was asleep and monster.
I love the furry little fucker, I really do but it's only matter of time before she hurts someone to be honest, so it's up to us to try and prevent that. The problem she has in my eyes is that she has a dislike to other dogs and people. Fuck all wrong with that in my opinion because I'm exactly the same, I also hate dogs and people. She also barks like fuck when people leave the house because she trying to keep the pack together. But that's where we differ. I couldn't care a fuck if you have decided to leave my home and go on your way. Off you go, you told me your leaving so don't put your jacket on, perch on the edge of the couch for 10 minutes and wait for me to ask 'why don't you stay for another coffee/beer/ciggie' because there's a fuckin' good chance that it isn't going to happen. Nothing personal, just stay or go don't fuckin' hover there waiting for me to beg for your company, longing to be needed. But the dog on the other hand...
Meg (the dog) has decided it's her job to keep the pack together. Now unfortunately for us 'the pack' is myself, the better half and every other fucker I know that comes into our house. The second they say they're leaving, her ears prick up and the eyes widen and the barking starts. Does the visitor leave house quickly so Meg can calm down and give my ears a rest? No do they fuck, they stay perched on the couch, or in the living room door way. If I know you well and see you regularly then I trust you to see yourself out without pilfering the kitchen on the way out or steal a jacket from the coat stand as you go through the door. If I don't you know very well then I'll see you to the door, it really isn't a problem. Don't be afraid to visit me, I'll either come out on to the drive and chat in the fresh air, sit in the house or in the back garden on the picnic table. All of these places are acceptable talking places to me, so don't go away paranoid if I don't invite you in, it's just the way I am.
Anyway. Dog training. The first thing learned at dog school is do not get your bitch spaid before her first season (that's period, rag week to the non dog people) because it fucks them up hormonally. Our dog has too many male hormones which is where her aggression comes from. That combined with the fact she suffers from nervous aggression. She'll be trained to calm down down when told to, which will give my ears a rest, but one of the things I learned today was the aggression will never go away. Thank fuck for that. A dog with no attitude is like a slut without a fanny. I mean, what'd be the fuckin' point of that? Her breed - Collie makes her naturally aggressive, her colour Merle, makes her naturally aggressive, her blue eyes add to the aggression. We bought the most evil Collie the farm had. Maybe that's why she was more expensive than the others? A dog that'll only calm down when we tell it. Now that I like!
Dog training is really easy by the way. You sit in the car smoking ciggies whilst the missus does all the work. Well OK that's not strictly true. The missus was supposed to do the training and I was only there to observe the course to have a say in whether or not I wanted this particular woman to train said dog.
Meg saw 12 dogs and kicked off. We knew she would so had her on a lead and muzzled. I was going to make a small straight jacket, muzzle her and wheel her in on a hand trolley that I bought from B&Q but I couldn't teach her to say "toughened your nipples didn't it!"
The trainer took Megs lead, shouted at her for barking. Meg (whos's never been on a lead or shouted at by a stranger) jumped up and with her front teeth, bit said trainer on the tit. A must admit that it brought a smirk to my face. I wasn't pleased with the aggressive act in itself, but an admiration for her attitude I think I'll always have. "Fuck you I am what I am".
I must admit though, she has been much more manageable around the home after one lesson and that will make life easier for us. (I will admit right now that already I am missing the play fighting, she really does fight me well) But I am looking forward to her only behaving when we tell her to. So don't perch on my couch for too long hey.