RealityBites

Thanks for that, will try Ballarat first, then Bendigo. Cheers!

I am in Maryborough and just wondering if there are any decent obedience clubs in the area? Don't mind travelling to Bendigo or Ballarat. Would prefer a club that had a behaviourist available as I work with foster dogs, and some come with 'issues'! Thanks

I had [email protected], so will try that one! Thanks!

I haven't read through all the responses, so sorry if this has already been suggested! But what about a Keeshond?? Medium sized, apparantely easy to train, great with other pets, will give a warning bark, and very pretty to look at too! I'd get one in a heartbeat.......

Thanks for that! Will try there

Because my emails bounce back and their phone rings out............

I have two year old and have been doing some research into a good breed, as my last dog was as Deerhound and just constantly knocked him over A few I have come across that I thought would be great with small kids, are Boston Terrier and Keeshond. I LOVE the Keeshonds, everything I have read about them, they sound EXACTLY what I am after, easy to train, friendly, great with kids, however my OH thinks they are ugly! But maybe have a look at them and see what you think? A Golden or Lab is still going to knock a toddler over, and off lead excercising if toddler is around will be an issue with 'zoomies'!

Haven't read through ALL the replies, so sorry if this has been suggested, but what about a Dutch Shepherd? Not sure if there are many here, but would think they'd fit your criteria, plus no one really knows what they are so not scary to the general public :p (and yes it's RB from that horsey forum we are also both on :p)

Both my dogs get walked together, but one sleeps in my bedroom, the other sleeps locked in the shed! Both are allowed inside during the day but the one who sleeps in the shed usually is only in for half an hour or so as he starts destroying things or peeing everywhere! And hes the older of the two! Hes nearly 5 and still as destructive as he was as a puppy, the other one is 8 months old going on 80! It does make me feel guilty but I just can't trust my older dog! He's a turd! LOL

Ok finally got to a computer to upload some recent pix, hés grown a bit Now I have to figure out if I can remember how to post pix!!

Wow, alot has happened since I was here last! And you are all overdue Erik pix! And I have heaps if the big boy, but until I get my Internet working at home I can't show you :-( suffice to say he is a very sweet boy, so laid back and inactive LOL! I am actually going to be rehoming my dobe ( well actually hubby and I have split and he's going to take my dobie and I'll keep Erik! Little does he know he got the raw end of THAT deal!) and then naughty naughty Dave has told me one of his girls is due pups on my birthday..........will take alot of thinking about as I am now a single non working mum with two kids! But Erik has been such a pleasure that I don't think it would take too much persuasion! Lol! And will get updated pix of the now very large boy shortly! Now where is everyone elses pictures?! Hmmm?

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD? (Dog Trainer Version) Pavlov: we fed the chicken on the opposite side of the road each day at 4 p.m. until the chicken’s autonomic system actually began causing the chicken to cross the road at 4 p.m. without even questioning the “why.” B.F. Skinner: on prior occasions when the chicken voluntarily crossed the road, this behavior was followed immediately by a reinforcing consequence. Cesar Milan: I hissed at, pointed, poked, and intimidated the chicken until it raced across the road, because I am a strong leader… Barbara Woodhouse: You just say, “Walkies” with the right accent and place a crumpet on the other side of the road… Karen Pryor: by associating R+ with road crossing and P+ with standing still, with a VR schedule, and offering a reward in keeping with the Premack principle, we increased the intensity and frequency of the road crossing behavior. Bill Koehler: a few well-timed pops on the choke chain and the chicken was happy to cross the road. Nicholas Dodman: I gave the chicken fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, carbamazepine, and azapirone and then it was happy to cross the road. Patti Ruzzo: I crossed the road, pausing every step to spit a treat out of my mouth like a human pez dispenser and the chicken followed along catching the treats. Electric Collar Advocate: whenever the chicken does not cross the road I give it an electric shock. But do not worry, the shock is no more than you would feel if you walked on a carpet wearing socks and it does not bother the chicken at all. The feathers standing up and the smell of burning flesh mean nothing. In fact, they are happier having nice clear communication than they would be otherwise. Yuppie: chickens are just like little people in feather jackets, and if you love them and give them diamonds and feel sorry for them all the time, they will be happy to cross the road for you. Paris Hilton: Because I put it in a Gucci bag and carried it. HSUS member: I do not know anything about animals, I have never been around animals and am not really fond of animals, but we passed a law mandating that chickens be kept without cages because animals belong only in the wild and cannot be happy coexisting with man, so now they are walking wherever they want. PETA member: chickens have the right to live in world without roads. Any chicken that lives within a hundred miles of a road is suffering an inhumane existence and might eventually be hit by a car so we should kill it today to ensure that it does not die tomorrow.

Ah of course! I forgot about Erny :-) She's actually done some work with me and my dobe before. Will give her a call. Thanks

One was an adult male (desexed) the other was a female puppy. The female we had for over 12 months but we bought her on breeders terms which we ended up being unable to meet, so we rehomed to another breeder. The other was a RSPCA rescue that we only had for around 4 weeks due to massive behavioral problems that again, we couldn't fix! In both cases our dobe loved them and they used to zoom around the yard together, sleep together etc etc, which i why I assumed he'd be fine with the new boy. It's just really weird

What has me confused tho is that my dobe has always be great with other dogs! bitches and males, pups and adults, he's always just wanted to play. I've had 2 other dogs since I've had him (neither worked out for various reasons and were rehomed) and he was great with them. We partly got another dog for HIM! And he will play with him for awhile, but will just suddenly turn on him and get really rough Poor puppy. At least we CAN keep them seperated!