Today I've mostly bin...

[gill216]

Borrow one first and see how it goes.

Similar situation here fraggle. Except we weren't burgled but everyone else around us was(Caravan not home.) I'm going to go down the borrow one route. Our newest member has a littly that drives her mad but I'd be happy to have her as an overnight guest (Molly) and a mutual friend has Ruby who I can borrow as and when. Another of our friends always seems to be babysitting dogs so they'll be welcome too.

What I cant go back to is picking up hot dog sh** on a regular basis!!

I also have a rolling pin and a bread knife under my pillow and an Avon pedometer by the bed that lets off a wonderful screech if you pull the panic alarm cord out

Thinking of you.

[Redfraggle]

Ivan's uncle gave me a golf club - why? - because he says he knows I would use it He has also nicknamed me Rowdy McIlroy

I will see if I can borrow a very small dog - Im still scared - though I reckon I could maybe manage a puppy I just need a good night's sleep!

[Laura]

By the sounds of things, if they knew you, they'd be more scared of you than you are of them!!!

[LAT]

That's horrible fraggle, poor you!
How about a burglar alarm? You don't have to feed it, take it for walks or clear up after it!

[Wulfruna]

What a horrible experience - something we all dread. Government ideas about actively tackling burglars is not a lot of help!! I like Gill's idea of having a noisy alarm by the bed - I would imagine that would scare them as well as a burglar alarm.....

[Bunnylump]

Oh, poor you, Fraggle! We were burgled when I was 23 years old and we lived in a flat. It took me many years to stop worrying every time I opened the front door that I would find. I can see the sense of having a dog from the point of having an extra pair of ears, but that's not where it stops, unfortunately. It's a big thing to take on, especially when you have grandchildren to think of. Maybe the burglar alarm might give you peace of mind without the hassle? And as for sleeping? Whatever you do don't go down the route of sleeping pills. I'd recommend meditation or possibly yoga to help.

[MBH]

Sorry to hear about your problems Fraggle Ongoing lack of sleep and what the tiredness does to your mind will only make you worse. Hope you find a solution for that part soon.

Do you think I could get over my fear of dogs if I was to get a tiny one?

I'm so sorry you never got a chance to meet our little Jennie - she has helped at least two people get over their concerns about dogs. She was one in a million but 'little' doesn't necessarily mean safe or good.

She would have been an ideal guard dog who wasn't yappy but would raise the roof if a stranger tried to get in. By contrast, the only way Maisie will be a deterrant is if the burgler trips over her and knocks himself out on the doorframe

I'm not sure of the law over there, but a single golf club can be seen as a pre-meditated weapon. A golf club out of a set of golf clubs in a golf bag..... that is a 'weapon of opportunity' Slightly safer ground regardless of what your instincts tell you the villians deserve. [I've got a 2-foot Ash wood 'magic wand' harvested in the grounds of Alnwick Castle {A.K.A Hogwarts} - and somewhere I've got the the authentication certificate to prove it If you use the spell correctly it can make people see stars or even put them to sleep By a similar token my wooden, curve-handle walking stick is with me in the car at all times and I sometimes walk with it to keep in touch with how it moves.]

[giraffe]

Lally was terrified of dogs unitl she met Harvey. He is a huge black labrador, but the best behaved dog I have ever met. He belongs to a neighbour whose son played cricket with Ed. Harvey used to come to watch the matches, and was never on a lead, because he was so placid and well behaved that it just wasn't needed. Lally spent some time watching the cricket and gradually realised that Harvey was no threat at all. I'm not sure small, yappy and fast moving would have been as reassuring.

[Redfraggle]

I bit the bullet and was guaranteed a puppy with a placid nature - so I bit the bullet and got a jackawawa puppy - and he does exactly what it says on the tin. He's a little sweetheart and Im totally in love with him. He has followed me everywhere around the house and is so placid everyone is loving him. I'm stuck trying to put up a pic. I've called him Scooby because of Ivan's love of campervans.

[eirian]

saw his pic on FB - he's so cute!

[Bunnylump]

Aw! Hope he's not placid as far as burglars go though!

[Redfraggle]

I think he might be - he did one bark since I've had him and it was a squeak My mum reckons he has taken to me because Im nervous and he's placid. He's followed me all over the house and he is so friendly. Leah got a puppy for Carmen and she is half the size - a teacup Jackawawa but she is really feisty and she makes me nervous.

[Redfraggle]

This is Scooby!

[Bunnylump]

I'm not a doggy person but I must say that is a cute little dog! You know, you could have got some geese. They are AMAZING guard animals. The racket my gran's used to make when anyone came past was terrifying. And if they are loose (goose on the loose?) they go for your ankles!!

[Redfraggle]

I've seen that - my sister was chased by a flock of geese years ago at Jersey zoo - they also stole her belt in the process My Scooby is the most docile little puppy - he hasn't barked, growled or did one wrong thing. He just fits right in - he's like my shadow and if the phone rings he runs into the hall while i answer it - I am so amused!

[Bunnylump]

How many times a day will you have to walk him?

[Redfraggle]

I let him out into the back garden and he chases the leaves - he's not allowed to walk until he gets his second injection which could be tomorrow. I wont take him to our park because there are too many big dogs there!

[Bunnylump]

Probably a good job he's a small dog. Otherwise he'd take YOU for a walk!!

[MBH]

Great photo - great name - and what a lovely addition to the family

If a Jackawawa is what I think it is, then you need to start training it NOW. I don't care how placid he is, you need to remind him he is smallest member of your 'pack' and he's going to remain that way Otherwise he will dominate the lot of you.

If you can get to training classes and get him well socialized, that is great - also give him as many 'experience' as you can while he's young. When we found Jennie started making mad dashes for bycicles we had a neighbour's kid cycle back and forth until she got the message that she was safe.

[Redfraggle]

He is half Jack Rusell - half chihuahua. But the lady told me he's the most placid of the litter. She was worried that he wouldn't go to a good home because he is so timid. He is just like my little baby. He even cries when I go upstairs and he cant find me. He's going to the vet today and he gets to socialise with Leah's puppy everyday. So far so good!