I don’t think he’s quite figured it out yet. We started seeing a big change in him a week or two ago (about 4.5 months old). He started cocking his leg…..everywhere (not in the house fortunately). And he seems bolder and more grown up. He’s leading chases in the park instead of being the little boy tagging along and getting ignored by everyone. Beanie likes him more too. He’s a best buddy now instead of a pesky little brother.

But he’s still humping the wrong end, and it’s only Beanie he does it to.

Any reduction in the urge to roam will be very welcome. He started showing signs at about the same time he started cocking his leg, but now we’re walking them separately – 45 mins onlead / 45 mins off each morning. We do loads of recal and other training and games while they’re onlead (extender lead so we can enforce it) and it’s really getting results. They’ve been as good as gold the last couple of days – sticking to us like glue both on-lead and off.

Another problem we’d had in the past couple of weeks when they were off-lead together is a kind of pack behaviour. Biggles and Beanie start it and get all the other dogs involved. Then they gang up on timid dogs …. which we’re not prepared to put up with. It’s just a game to Beanie and Biggles, but they get other, more aggresive dogs wound up. Have you seen this kind of thing with any of yours?

Not something we want when we’re working so hard to make sure he doesn’t develop typical Beagle wandering habits! :)

We’ll be keeping a VERY close eye. And counting the days until he gets the snip!

Beanie started attracting the boys before she was six months old. We got her in for the op as soon as she turned 6 months and having seen the problems others have had with seasons, phantom pregnancies and more drastic later spaying ops we’re very happy we did! She sailed through the procedure and we have the peace of mind of knowing that she’s got the best possible chance of a long healthy life.

Biggles is booked in to get the snip in about three weeks time. It’ll be a nervous 3 week wait – we considered keeping him on-lead until after the op, but we think his develpment and confidence would take a big hit. And he would be miserable.

I tried phoning you first Kathleen, and Marion (Biggles breeder). But look on the bright side – at least we didn’t rush Biggles to the emergency vet in the middle of the night with an erection :) (this time…..)

Poor little boy keeps checking to make sure nothing’s hanging out :)