noisymina

I find it amusing that my "show line" Dobe was a working cattle dog before she came here. She was very hyperactive at first and I was Great experience learning how to calm her and turn her around into what we wanted. She also is very alert and does defend. I origianlly went into Dobes for a number of reasons. I never planned on actually training them for defence - hoping the reputation would put off any intruders. BUT both the well bred Dobes we've had HAVE amazed me with an inbuilt protection instinct. They are/have been awesome. With the right breed in the right home, I do think it works. I also think that a lot of those photos show the same breed of dogs - some are certainly in better condition than others. Surely those in work are fitter, healthier, leaner etc - which would account for a fair amouint of the visible difference one sees? Kaisie, for example, did put a fair bit on around the chest after a while - being less active than she was before. We went through two sizes of car harness! And then gave up. Her weight, however, has remained much the same.

This question needs to be directed to animal behaviourists and dog trainers. They are the people who ask the pet owners who are seeking help because their working dog/pet has driven them and their neighbours round the bend because the dog is bored witless and is probably not going to agility training etc. Pounds to peanuts, one of the first questions the owner will be asked will be something like: "Why did you buy this type of dog as a pet?" Souff Yep. My next door neighbour surrendered her dog a couple of weeks ago. I "walked" it home after it got through the fence. From the photos here, I'd say it had a bit (or a lot) of Aussie Sheperd in it. Definitely working dog. Given to elderly lady as a pup, by her son who, I think, was the "breeder". No adequate fencing to contain it, no work for it to do, and her "training" methods made me cringe. And I'm a rank amateur. While I walked it home she's saying "Gee. I don't have that patience". Yeh. Not enough to even teach it to walk on lead. She was actually having a problem holding it on lead as it was pulling and plunging - which is why I was waliking it home. It grew bigger than she wanted it to. So what were the parents like? Oh the mother is a "lovely dog". Umm. And the father? Oh, we don't know what the father was like. All I could do was agree that is was not a suitable dog fer her. Was not game to ask about her son posibly finding another home for it. By comparison, any home that gives them a job to do - even if it is trialling, agility etc.....is better than that one!

Fortunately, most of our snakes are harmless. I'm sure there are others around, but they seem to stay down in the thicker mess next door. Kaisie seems to know now that we are happy to be told one is there, but she also knows I will call her off - and she now leaves them before I even do that. When we appear, her job is done. She's pretty savvy - as she is with all apparentnt threats - and never goes close enough for them to have much chance of striking her. If one started to come after one of us, I think she would attack it.

I agree with ignoring and drop the odd treat thing. It's about de-sensitisation. That takes time. My Dobe used to head to the fartheat part of the yard if I dared pick up a broom, hose or :D the vacuum! After the first effort that involved me taking all morning to get her back to the house, I decided I just could not do that every time! So did total ignore, followed by brief hello and pat when she came back - not much, just a nice interaction. As we have a ducted vacuum, I used to leave the hose out along the hallway after I'd finished. Gee that thing was scary. So treats lined up beside it down the hall - and leave her to it. Eventually, I could put treats on the other side ...after we achieved the momentous task of actually STEPPING OVER IT! And re-ionforced that. NOW she will come into the house while I am still vacuuming even! No worries. Not that I need her to help me with vacuuming - but that is how far she has come. Awesome! Maybe get your OH to sit quietly when Jester does come in and you do a quick hello and then you both ignore him for a while and maybe a treat. YOU might have to start by casually dropping a line of treats from Jester to you OH and quietly observe him battle with treat temptation versus fear of OH. Each time, he will get a bit closer before he vacates! .

Oh YEH! I have this love/hate thing going with my keyboard. And my fingers are dyslexic. No matter how hard I try, I'll never be a touch typist. The keys keep moving around the keyborad. They never stay in the same place, the buggers. Almost evry post is edited ...often more than once, too! .

Yeh - probably. Fortunately, Noisy is not an impulse dog purchaser. Which is pretty much why she's only ever had one of them at a time. We've decided its probably not a wise decision to add another dog right now, as much as I would love to have him. :D So yeh ...I bet he will be a good companion for someone, tho.

It's amazing how fast they learn. I still laugh when I rememnber the DH soon after we got Kaisie. He comes in and says "What's wrong with that siily dog? She won't go through gates unless I call her through!" Yep - one short lesson and she stopped rushing gates for me .....and for DH too!

I'm sure we are Monah. It might take some of us a bit longer to get there, but that'a not really a problem IMHO. It's the jourmey that counts. It was only when I was handling someome else's dog recently that I realised how much more confident with dogs I have become since getting Kaisie and hanging out on DOL. .

Dunno what was in her dinner - there are a number of mixes in the freezer and DH gets to do the dinners. So could have been... A barf patty and a turkey neck or two or Chicken necks and pet mince or Chicken necks/wings, heart and some Lamb flap etc etc Mornings now she gets some kibble and half a pattie with her meds and some yogurt or egg

Nup - in this thread we get to annoy each other. It's all good.

*Chuckle chuckle*

Three down. Only 98 to go!

Aweee.......................... Do you think he would be OK with a cat in the house too? I hope so cause I have 12 cats living here atm. Yeh - sorry about hi-jack. All in a good cause, tho. ;) Cool! If/when you are seeking a home for him, can you let me know? I'd like to check him out if he's looking. And you can check me out! ;) I think this calls for a Xena fundraiser! I have $10 that says she's a crestie x dachi and she has a staph infection. Are you in with your theory Erny? Anyone else want in? Just add your theory, whoever is spot on wins, all other money goes to Xena's vet bills Hope that's okay Megs ;) ;) Awesome idea! Pity I have NFI, so I can't bet. Just make something up then noisymina! It took me a while to work out what NFI was, I thought oh you poor thing you can't bet because NFI must be a gambling addiction term or something. I didn't want you to fall off the wagon :D :D Yeh - at my age that would be fatal.

I think this calls for a Xena fundraiser! I have $10 that says she's a crestie x dachi and she has a staph infection. Are you in with your theory Erny? Anyone else want in? Just add your theory, whoever is spot on wins, all other money goes to Xena's vet bills Hope that's okay Megs Awesome idea! Pity I have NFI, so I can't bet.

Aweee.......................... Do you think he would be OK with a cat in the house too?

It's been over 20 years since I bought a pup! Since I don't believe that early de-sexing is a good thing - actually. a very bad thing - I never will be in the market for a pup that is desexed too early. Both from a practical and moral perspective. My brother and his wife have recently bought two pups - both desexed and one is spey incontinent already - before it is even 12 months old! Lots of other things wrong with that deal too, but OT here. No I don't breed - have NEVER had a dog that has bred - ever. I always have had them de-sexed - but at a better time if I do it. So I guess - IF we ever get another one, it will probably be an older dog that has not yet been de-sexed or has recently been done. Best bet would be an older dog a breeder no longer wants - hasn't made the grade in the show ring or something. When it comes top the "Mr Average" puppy buyer - like my brother and his wife - there is no logic. They will pay whatever it takes to get what they believe (rightly or wrongly) is the dog that suits their "needs".

I hear ya Chewy - really I do! Here here !!! ;) What about? This thread is inane and shouldn't be in General Dog Discussion. The original spelling error IS in General Dog Dicussion. Why? Are you saying we don't matter as much? no its freedom and being a rebel..i could always change though Then it would not be the same. We'd be looking for a Jaxx imposter.

Oh..oh.. Kaisie is now running around whining and barking trying to find the little doggie.

Ours has different rules for different people. Some of the things my DH lets her do, she knows I won't. Doesn't even try. When my son is home and working in the office here, she doesn't even ask to come into the room. As soon as he leaves, she's in with me. She has a different bark for every car that comes in the driveway. And I know who it is - or if it's complete stranger - by listening to her bark.

:eek:

Kaisie is getting on too. She has been gettting sort of "out ot sorts", whining a lot etc. Just co-incidentally, I did come across info here and cottoned onto a Tryptophan mix called "Good as Gold". It's actually sold for horses to calm them. After few small doses of that in her food, she settled qiute a bit. I have stopped it now, but will give more if needed. I think the barking, attention seeking etc in the older dog is a sign of anxiety, whatever the reason for that anxiety may be.

Sounds good to me!

Probably. Might be kinder to do that, tho, than leave him with the owner who let's him roam on the street, does not SEEM to be looking after him physically and may very well not get him PTS humanely when his time has come. What was that she said? "He's fine." The lady is in denial about her old dog and his need for care. I don't think she will "get it" ....so lesser of two evils, as is often the case, unfortunately. Yes, I agree with darlingdog:

Just thought I'd say that a lot of working breeds seem to lunge when on leash if they haven't been taught otherwise. Even now, my little one does the same if she's overstimulated.. but she is not stubborn nor dominant, just excited and needs somewhere else to focus her energy Ah..ok. She just hasn't been taught too well. I think she was pretty tired towards the end, which might also explain the lying down thing? My Dobe was a steam engine when we got her (as a 4 year old) . I'm sure that, with time and maybe a few treats, I could get a fair way with reducing the problem. I was so wishing I had grabbed a few treats before going out to nab the wanderer. I love that I have learned so much here! A few years ago there would have been no way I could have confidently caught and leashed another person's dog and calmly taken her back.