Fivos

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:07 pm

Your message made me laugh. Laughing

I think you and Fivos are well on the way to dog dancing! Laughing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3_aq9pfX_Y

Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:46 am

Again Fivos went for a swim Laughing

and because we are going to Athens next sunday and he has to be very clean in order to be welcome in friends houses,i decided that it was time for a bath Smile

so,fivos went in the shower(we dont have a bath tube here)...that was a hard job Laughing

water everywhere,i got completly wet trying to keep him in the shower,and because he has so much hair it took a long time to soap and rince him,i even used condicioner so his hair may be easier to brush.After 30 min.the job was done,not as good as i wanted,but the best i could.He's full of matts Sad

i'm forced to cut some,i try to untangle others,but in some parts things are difficult Sad

i really don't want to cut his hair again, i may try a trimming on the groomer some time in spring.
That's all for now,i expect you are all getting prepared for christmas,baking,cooking Laughing

nice smells for our littel friends Laughing

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 8:31 am

Hi everybody,we just arrived from Athens after 15 days,fivos went for his yearly check up and vacination and behaved really well,besides that he arose lots of curiosity and admiration.In greece he's the only serra,so people have no idea of what kind of dog he is,i was even asked if he was a bob tail in small size Laughing

.
The trip by boat and the first days in Athens were very stressfull for him,only in our walks was he relaxed,the remaining stray dog we take care in Athens is a lovely girl,very sweet and never agressive and fivos got along really well with her,they runned and played and it was a pleasure to watch them.But,while visiting friends or walking in traffic areas he was very restless.
After a week my husband brougth him back to serifos(i needed time with my daugther and with fivos it was difficult).I guess from what i heard from Kostas that fivos had a difficult week,kostas is much stricter than me,usually fair.So,fivos was obliged to walk on the village(he hates it Sad

)to stay in the office for hours etc etcin a way i really would like to see kostas more involved with him,as far he's my dog and noone has a say on the matter,but we are a family and kostas can be really good with dogs,he has a natural way of dealing with them,they love and respect him a lot.Of course we agreed that beating or screamming was not allowed,leonidas had 2 or 3 beating during his life and i don't agree at all,but once it was agreed that with fivos that will not happen,i'm looking foward for his cooperation.
And that's all for now

Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:55 am

Here i'm again for an update on fivos.I'm very proud of my doogie,he's improving his concentration,can be glued on me for longer periods and keeps learning whatever i find.He's already very skilled passing under my legs,like a zig zag,with only one word Very Happy

.This last days i'm trying to teach him to obey my commads with hand movements and no sound.It needs some time,but i belive we will get there.For the time being,when he's bringing his ball back to me i make him stop on the way and lay there until i call him.Because he's quite far from me i'm using my hand together with the order to lay and stay.I guess he's already understanding what the hand movement means.Lets see how it goes.
Everymorning i take him alone for a walk and play,it's our qualitie time together and he's always very happy about it(me too Laughing

)when Lisa comes or kostas or both,things are always different,nice as well but not the some Smile

.
This last days we had lots of rain,so it's muddy everywhere Sad

i have to wash fivos legs and belly at least twice a day,wet hair means more matts than usual Sad

i just don't know what else to do about it,i cutted some,i'm brushing hard other parts,he hurts and doesn't stay still unless i oblige him,it's not fun and things are getting out of control.I really don't want to cut his hair again,but when spring cames and all those grass seeds etc etc how am i going to manege?it's fivos hair,it's me...

Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:31 am

A few days ago,my neigbours female dog came to our garden,she was in heat and fivos is the only available male around Wink

(my neigbours are farmers and have 3 dogs,2 females and a neuted male).
Poor fivos Sad

he tried and tried to get on her,but he couldn't,his hint leg was also a problem for him.At firts i thougth they were playing and didn't pay much attention,then when i realized what was going on i took him inside and he was really exausted.
I think that probably it would be better for him to get neuted,anyway he shouldn't reproduce and it's stressing for him to smell the females and not be able to do a thing.Do you think it would change his behavior?for what i read it doesn't but... Question

Leonidas had a very active sexual life,since 7 months old Embarassed

,he would became crazy,wouldn't eat and was difficult to handle when there were females in heat.Fivos seems cool about it,his behavior didn't change at all with the female in heat next door.

Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:40 pm

I think you may have answered your own question. It's not impossible that Fivos could mate and impregnate a bitch who then would go on to have an unwanted litter. The puppies may or may not have hip problems. However, Fivos would probably become even more interested in females and not such a good family dog. The operation doesn't make a big difference to the character except that he would not be distracted by his hormones. He would be more settled. If dogs are not used for breeding I think it is best to have males or females neutered. Wink

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 7:36 am

Here I'm again with Fivos problems Sad

something happened last nigth that left me thinking and worried.
It was late and I was getting ready to go to bed,went to the bathroom and fivos lay down on my feet,as he does whenever i forget to close the door.When I bend to caress him, he made a strange noise,like a growl,but very low.I didn't know how to react,I'm not even sure if it was agressive or not,but he's body talk was peculiar,he standed and was stiffed with his tail half way up and intense.My heart started to race ,I felt really bad and just couldn't react.At the end left him outside for a while,mostly to calm down myself.I don't know what to make of this,any ideas?I'm getting really worried about his behavior,affraid I may lose my trust in him and than???how do you live with a dog you don't trust??I'm trying to keep myself focus and calm,but I just don't know what to do.

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 6:13 am

I think you did the right thing. Putting him outside and then ignore him.
He is trying male dominance. Don't have any of it...............and don't give him too much affection when he does growl it makes the situation worse.

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 7:06 am

I read that this kind of reaction is called being territorial???,i just wonder why he's doing it to me.I do to him any thing i want,i turn him on his back to check for grassseeds and lots of other unpleasent things and he never complained or growl at me,why do it while i was just caressing him?It's the first time a dog growls at me Sad

and my dog Crying or Very sad

with fivos I'm doing everything "by the book" and he's very obedient,learns fast and is always eager to please.
One thing is sure,I have to stop this for good,I can't feel unsure of him,like last nigth,before caressing him i found myself wondering if i should Sad

.
May be the trainner may help,all due I'll not be able to take him to Athens often,I'm the one who has to learn how to deal with it.

Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2010 12:14 pm

Perhaps he's being stubborn and dominant. I think Gina is right, ignore him and be clear and firm about his boundaries. Sometimes Nespa is stubborn. For example: if I am on the computer she will lie by me and make it difficult for me to open the cupboard where the printer is kept. Also I never step over the dogs I expect them to move for me. I usually say 'Excuse me .... Finn/Nespa/Bonita/dogs' and they move. Smile

But Nespa sometimes doesn't oblige and would growl if I tried to move her. Twisted Evil

I then try a sharp (authoritative!)'Move!'. This usually gets the right response. I know how you feel as I imagined when this first happened that I'd have a real confrontation but she has to have respect for me and know I will not be ignored. Having said that, I avoid making such instances into a confrontation. At other times, I distract her to move and come towards a treat. I give her a reward only if she has moved willingly. If she's been stubborn I just praise her when she finally moves which she always does. Rolling Eyes

I think she and I understand one another better now. Dogs Wink

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:37 am

Thanks once more for your support,it's nice to have someone who can understand and hear when such problems arose.
No more events on fivos growling,he's his usual self.I was wondering if I should behave like Lisa,she's pretty good with him,plays but takes no nosense,so,he gets beaten very often,sometimes very hard.But because he's already taller than Lisa,I let them be,it's probably good for him to be discipled by another dog.May be I should growl at him as Lisa does when he boders her on her bed Laughing

with them is so clear who's the boss.
By the way,Pauline,how's Bonita and Nespa going along?
I was thinking about what you said about moving the dogs out of the way,I try to do that,but it's a constant thing,our house is very small and fivos is always on my feet.But I'll keep doing it. Last week we decided that he can not stay on our feet when we are eating,so,I just asked him to stay in the livingroom,something he did and waited until I called him back.In general he's a pleasure to have around.
Dogs Laughing

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 7:26 am

Good morning,
Some times our dogs can be very stubborn Rolling Eyes

at the begining of our walking path there's a dog(female) who's tied most of the time and has her small house on a higher ground.Everyday fivos runs up there barking,,drives the other one crazy,and then runs down again.If I tell him not to go,he stops,but I have to tell him everytime,and sometimes i just forget.I get mad at him,but,at the same time he's so funny,that i can't avoid smilling,even laugth.Of course by now he knows very well that it's not an aproved behavior,but he just can't help it Laughing

And when Kostas cames with us,he always makes a comment,like"your"dog doesn't listen to you. Rolling Eyes

.
I was thinking,the way the greek economy goes,may be I should get some goats and put fivos to work Laughing

I belive he would be a great sheepard,they have it in them,I see when we ply with the ball at home,he keeps losing it or just forgeting where he put it the last time,so,I use my hands and noises to direct him to the ball,it works very well,he goes left or rigth acordingly.
So,a nice sunday for all

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:00 am

What a good idea to send Fivos to work. I'll ship Daisy out and they can make a living herding goats together Exclamation

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:29 am

I like the idea of herding. Very Happy

Keeping the serra brain busy Laughing

I looked up one or two options in the UK, for example:
http://www.whiffletreesheepdogs.co.uk/Training.htm I know Lydia Garraud has done a lot of successful work with her dogs. Very Happy

Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:22 am

I was watching Lydias videos on herding,very interesting and for sure it would keep our lovely doggies out of misheave Laughing

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 8:57 am

Good morning,
I was in Athens but didn't take fivos as planned,lots of strikes and some difficulty with the boats,so,our visit to the trainner will be some time in the future,probably next winter.
Our figth against grassseeds started,everyday I check him at least 3 times(every time we go out),he always has lots,some on the skin Sad

,but as far I'm managing to keep him clean, but it's a hard job and poor fivos is not enjoying it at all Sad

, I guess next year I'll cut his hair again,it's so much easier for all of us,also we are swimming almost everyday,meaning lots of cleanning and washing and he takes ages to dry up Rolling Eyes

.I hope soon this will end.

Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 2:01 pm

Good luck - let's hope it's a short season for seeds. I wish you well at this difficult time for Greece. Very Happy

Posted: Sun May 09, 2010 7:14 am

Thanks Pauline,things are very complicated around here,lots of stress and people are very hungry,for sure it will afect us as well,turism will suffer unless the prices get low enougth to atract more foreigners(things are very expensive).Lets see and hope for the best Laughing

I was telling kostas that we should start cultivating some basic things,like potatos and tomatos Laughing

get some goats for fivos to work and for us to get milk.This period of the year the local farmers make a really nice fresh goat cheece,I'm learning how to do it,it's nice to know those things,me being a city girl with no idea about those things.The only things I manage is to grow some aromatic herbs,like pasley,basil,thyme etc,I do enjoy a lot seing them grow and to use them on the food.
Nice sunday for all

Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 6:51 am

Dogs are peculiar,or may be it's just fivos Surprised

.This last weeks,when we go for our walk up the hills,fivos,who used to be always next to me,seemed to have decided that it's more fun to let me go ahead,than,when I'm already far,he cames running all happy with himself Rolling Eyes

.I call him and tell him to stay close by,he does for some moments,then again,I look back and he's laying somewhere behind Confused

.I just can't figure out why he's doing it,any ideas??it seems to me that it must be a reason,but ...I'm in the dark.

Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 10:17 am

I think serras are clever enough to invent their own games for extra stimulation. Very Happy

Finn too has most recently taken to lying down in ambush for Bonita. Rolling Eyes

It's a game they both enjoy and she races off with Finn in pursuit. I try and play games with them while I'm walking with 3 dogs I need to keep them focused on me. I will play hide and seek and well as 'find' when I drop a treat or two for them to search out. Enjoy your walks, hope the seeds aren't too bad. Oh forgot to mention Bonita has taken to camouflaging herself with leaves. Last autumns leaves are broken up on the forest floor so she rolls in them until they are mixed into her hair. I have taken a photo, if it's any good I'lll post it. Laughing

Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 6:34 pm

Probably you are rigth,he does it just for fun Laughing

.With the seeds,it seems that I've it under crontrol Wink

I check fivos everytime we go out and as far I get to take all out before they get in the skin.It seems that latly there are less Laughing

even his hair seems better this days,may be because I just cut the tangles and matts Embarassed

but it's so much easier.I'm brushing him only once a week(I used to do it every 2 days).
We are enjoying the beach,swimming and walking along the shore,it's really nice,the weather is just perfect,not too warm and turists are still few.Good for me and fivos,bad for work Exclamation

I'm looking foward to see Bonita in camouflage Laughing

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:20 am

Just to let you know that we are good,too much work and no time for writting.Fivos is adapting himself to my new shedules,always with me,at work,out at restaurants,beach,etc, I'm so used to have him around that I start getting worried about my "fivos dependacy".
But I'm doing my best to have the dogs Happy,I wake up at 6.00am,so we can have a good 1hour walk before it's too hot(and before work),and by the end of the day we go again.If it's too hot we just stay on the beach,swim and play.Of course,at 10pm I'm exausted Laughing

then is my husbands time to complain Sad

It's difficult to have all of them happy.
And that's all for now

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:01 am

Glad to hear you are having a busy summer in Greece. I'm sure Fivos understands Very Happy

Winter comes too soon and then you will have Fivos all to yourself. I'm sure your husband understands Exclamation

Wish we were with you..........................

Best Wishes,

Daisy,
Floosie
& Spud
xxx Wink

p.s. We are having a Greek BBQ tomorrow - Exclamation

Hopefully if Peter does it right Rolling Eyes

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 1:20 pm

annie had you seen Fivos'picture was on poster 2010 for the monografica dog show Santarem (Portugal)?

Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 1:48 pm

No, how came? where can I find it? That sounds amazing Laughing

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 9:27 am

sorry it's in back and white........but in coulor it's very nice!
on this picture there are Fivos of the top and Boscu down

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 10:23 am

What a fab photo Annie:!: You must be very proud of Fivos Very Happy

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 10:27 am

Well done Fivos - such fame Laughing

It's all because he is so handsome. A real

serra

Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:52 am

It's one of the pic I put for the calendar last summer. I wonder how do they got it. But for sure he looks his best on that pic Laughing

Because this breed is new for me I really don't know if Fivos is a "good "dog, of course for me he's the most beautiful dog in the world, but that doesn't mean he's a beautiful serra.
Shame he has HD, I would love to have him breed Sad

Back to work Crying or Very sad

no time this days.

Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 8:22 pm

Annie, I send the poster in a mail for you

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:53 am

Hello,
I miss you all, too much work and no time at all Sad

,after a long time i got a breack and came to check, nice to see that the serras meeting went well.
Fivos is doing well in spite of the heat, we walk early in the morning ,have a swim late afternoon and ussually a smaller walk in the evenning. He sleeps all day,either here in the office(I always bring him to work with me) or at home. In general he's more social and daring Laughing

I think that being here at work with me helped a lot, he hears and sees lots of people and he's getting used to it, of course he still doesn't go to people (lots try to caress him Laughing

he just gets way Laughing

), but he's less distracted and more self secure and with the people he sees everyday he's even getting friendly Laughing

He's 2 years old now and as time goes by he's more and more attached to me, we are almost all the time together, sometimes I wonder if I over do it,if I should leave him by himself more often.
Time to go back to work

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 5:43 pm

Good to hear that Fivos is matuing well. I think serras are always reserved with strangers, they allow them a certain familiarity and then that's enough. Smile

My dogs always want to be with me. I do leave them alone from time to time usually with toys to keep themselves amused. However, I think they just lie by the door waiting for my return. They seem to be OK when I get back no sign of distress - Bonita hasn't chewed anything for a while (fingers crossed). Very Happy

Serras are not home-alone dogs! Perhaps you could find a way to see how Fivos is when you leave him for a while. It would only be if he became desperately distressed that you need to do anything. I think you mentioned he was OK when you went to the mainland on one occasion? Enjoy you morning swim Very Happy

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 4:55 pm

Hi Pauline, good to hear from you, Fivos stays very well at home by himself, he sleeps and waits(he always has a sleeping face when I arrive Laughing

) The main reason I bring him with me to the office is to help his socialization, of course I rather prefer to have him close by than at home alone for so many hours,but last summer he was at home alone all morning.There are so many people passing by everyday, that even without having close contact with them he feels their presence and hears the noise they do.This is a turistic office, doors open to the street and as you may imagine thousands of people pass by during the summer, reason why I'm soooooo tired Sad

,fivos is always on my feet and never goes outside without me(Leonidas was always going around when he was here with us) on the restaurants is also very well behaved. All in all, he's a easy dog to have around.
And thats all for now