Advice needed

[niamherrity]

As most of you know we have a new pup and my thinking was never to let finn (dog) see benny (tort) we have all been in the garden today steven asked me if finn had met benny I told him I was planning on them never meeting he thinks it's not a good idea he thinks we should let benny out on the grass with finn he thinks finn won't pay any attention to benny if he's used to seeing him supervised of course, by that I mean us sitting on the grass with them what do u all think I would not trust any dog for a minute

[kaz9t9]

its a tough one, i guess the best way to ensure that benny is kept safe is not to let them meet, but then again finn will never learn to be gentle with benny if they dont. i let my puppy have a sniff etc when he was curious of my lot and now the novelty has worn of he never goes near their enclosures. but i would never leave them alone together. im sure someone else will have a better answer

[Bride2b]

I certainly wont be letting my 2 dogs meet my tortoises thats for sure.

Tanya

[niamherrity]

Thanks guys the debate is still going so I feel the same as you tanya but a little of me agrees that if finn gets used to benny he won't bother with him benny is wired in anyway just to be sure. But as finn is only 10 weeks he should learn with us there telling him not to touch.

[dizzywend]

My dog has never been near my tortoises. this is my choice though!
He is great with humans, but he is also a very giddy dog and I wouldnt trust him not to want to "play" with one of my torts.

Wendy

[shelliemavis]

Our torts outside enclosure is covered in wire mesh and has a deep panel of wood around it.

I don't let our dogs, cavalier king charles spaniels out in the garden on their own with the torts. Su is 12 and arthritic so couldn't careless what is out there as long as she doesn't have to go out! Em is 7 but very naughty and wants to play with everything she shouldn't. At first with us there of course Emma pawed at the mesh a little when she noticed the torts and tried to move the wood surround scratching at it. We then let her sniff when the torts weren't in there as well. Today she was fab, had a quick sniff and has totally ignored them; we have been out in the garden most of the day. I wouldn't let Em near them if the mesh wasn't there as I wouldn't trust her not to pick them up. She wouldn't intentionally hurt them but as she still eats toilet paper, soap and plastic it wouldn't be a good idea. She can smell me unwrapping a bar of soap from its wrapper from yards away!

Hope this helps
Judith

[dizzywend]

I have King Charles too.
Seems to be a lot of us on here!

Wendy

I let Buddy out on the lawn with The bigger torts to get him used to them.
He is on his lead at first, but I can now let him off his lead, he does sniff them, and at first, tried to mouth Yanni, now he thinks they are just normal things which he can go near.

I of course, wouldn't leave them in the garden with him being there, i just did it for if by any chance he got out of his part of the garden and into the torts part, which hes not interested in anyway, then he wouldnt attack them.

He totally ignores the babies, even when they are moving, and is most interested in The adults- but even then he'd prefer to run around the garden than play with them.

Josh

my dogs and torts will never meet

unfortunatly freya caught a wild rabbit tonight whilst out walking and killed it

[niamherrity]

Looks like im winning the debate ha ha steven I told him i'm always right Finn is a cavalier too

I will be keeping them apart just wanted to know how everyone felt Thanks

I always said I would never have a tort and a dog together so when casey died I knew the time was right but I never thought I would miss having a dog so much so I had to get another one