Ever felt you may have failed?

[Lois McCullough]

I have definitely failed, my seventh IS and I admit it I have no control. This is not something I admit to easily however Micawber and Hamilton came back from their holiday home on Saturday evening and as you know IS do not amble indoors they tear through like some sort of tornado. Sunday was a pleasant day and they were presented with their new beds 'yummy says Hamilton nice and thick just what I need' even Micawber at 18 months curled up on his.

Monday a different story Micawber got bored and while we were working in the office his bed became fair game he must have spent at least 1 hour making a large hole so he could pull every ounce of stuffing out and when I arrived back there he was sitting in the middle as pleased as punch and as if that wasn't bad enough he had also emptied and torn a box of tissues.

The trouble is it's the eyes that have it just one look and you give in or maybe Micawber is just a very naughty and mischievous boy and such a joy to have around never a dull moment.

 

[Ilona & Gina]

I so feel with you!

We bought these wonderful, expensive beds for them, and what did Madam Gina do with Anton's bed? First she tried her Feng Shui Thing (twist it all into a nice doggie nest) and when that failed, she poked a hole into the material and pulled out the stuff. I was in tears.

 

When Gina was young, she tended to be the destructive one. Funny enough, she always has a thing with her brother's stuff - his bed, his harness, his lead. She hid the stuff, as if she wanted to antagonize him.

 

One day I was so desperate to find Anton's lead, and I mumbled "were on earth is it", when suddenly Gina rocked up behind her favourite bush, with the lead in her mouth. You should have seen that guilty look!

 

Anton and Gina  are 2 1/2 now and sort of grew out of it. But Gina was a very very expensive puppy, and I felt like a failure at times. As you said, it's terrible when they feel bored. I sometimes did some games with them in the afternoon, like hide and seek in the house or garden, or silly things like hiding stuff, and they find them - just to keep them out of mischief. Not that it stopped them from destroying things...

 

I still walk around with my much loved Sunday slippers (the holy ones), look at them, count my losses and love my two red angels just they way they are.

[Lois McCullough]

Well I guess our personalities must determine we all like a challenge in life, are somewhat extrovert and possibly a little mad. Is this the average IS 'owner'? Please don't take offence it really is meant to be very light hearted however do own up if you fit the very brief description. A lttle fun for the New Year.

[Angela Roberts]

I must be a failure most days! I love them no matter what but spend hours putting things right before the other half gets in

[Sue and Cash]

Sure after I ordered the hundred dollar custom dog bed for Cash I read this post!  Gulp......

Cash never has chewed up anything.  Then again he isn't left home alone for hours on end.  If two hours twice a week it is the most he is.  So I am not sure what he would or could do if I had to leave him long hours.  But it sounds like some do it in 5 minutes with their owners in the other room.  One time we moved his puppy bed from our room to the office thinking he might prefer sleeping in their while I left him for an hour.  I was testing him out of his crate at that point since he hated the crate.  I did come home to the bed torn from him dragging it to the door.  I swear he was trying to put it back in the bedroom.  Otherwise the setter gods have been kind to us with this dog.  BUT that isn't to say I haven't had destruction from dogs.  We had a Cheasapeak Bay Retriever (retrievers are the worst at chewing) that took up the kitchen tiles and dug holes through the drywall to try to get out of the house.  HE was known as Cujo to you Stephen King fans.  I think if Cash had another setter to live with he would be much worse behaved.  He seems to become a different dog around other dogs. 

[Michelle Webster]

I've never had a destructive Irish, but that doesn't mean you've failed, some of them do love to chew and put their 'mark' on things. Actually if I had come across the scene you describe I would have been helpless with laughter. Whenever I gave Fergus a new soft toy, he always chewed the corner of the right ear and then left it alone, as if to mark it as his!

[Louise Perry]

I am a def failure as Reuben ate the cats bed, 3 books, a marrow and decorated the kitchen with foil. And all last weds! I just have to be more careful and the cat was prob on our bedroom bed, so serves her right haha
I do most certainly have a cheeky pup but is so good in other ways, just a blasted thief...