persephone

That's a good update ... keep up the learning !!

itchy dogs I lived with one who was allergic to many grasses /artificial food colourings /pollen. he just had anti histamines/prednisolone every 2nd day ..plus the addition of Vit C (injections) and some kinesiology . Diet was all sorts of vege peelings - cooked , plus many types of raw meat /bones . TThe itches never ever went completely - but he died at around age 12 , after 10 yrs on that regime ..and was active and happy for 98 % of that time .

Hope puppy is feeling better very soon .

:) have fun !

:) good update . Hope you get some sort of work soon .

http://photographyconcentrate.com/introduction-to-smartphone-photography/ Emil and staff are amazing here ???? http://iphonephotographyschool.com/

You know what? I was originally going to suggest a smartphone ????

http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/category38_1.htm http://www.camerahouse.com.au/products/Compact-Cameras.aspx have a look here too - to see pics taken with all sorts of camera- and HERE, on how to best use one ;)

yes, exactly :) it's certainly not 24 hr noise :)

:)

I certainly could not live in a small space with one noisy dog! ours are all over the place ..and every bark has a meaning ..

Friends adopted a gorgeous rescue tibbie, Zou Chai. For months, he didn't utter a sound. Then, one Friday night, the family was sitting around eating pizza. Suddenly, there was one percing, loud bark. The family got such a fright, that pieces of pizza flew up in the air. It was Zou Chai wanting some pizza , too. That's when they knew he now considered himself 'family'. Loved your post, persephone! :) ha!! cute story, mita .

That's lovely, Gilly :) * goes to google fauve songs*

I guess , working in kennels for around 15 yrs ..then moving to the bush with dog communications happening all the time - I do find it odd to be around silent doggies As I sit here now , I know The Boss has left a worker behind ...the pups are playing , and someone is very annoyed at the apostlebirds who fly in &out ... I also know the sheep is up asleep in the shed , and there is no unusual activity anywhere close by :)

Ha, ha!! yep :) Earlier..it suddenly got very quiet ...Don had taken some of the youngsters for a trot along the cliffs and down to the river.... they also found our current visitors, and had a wonderful time playing !! Oops ..Don is now asleep under the table .....

Unless it's REALLY hot - yes!! it feels weird , and I wonder who's gone missing or is ill !! ;)

yes, I know it has become necessary for urban dogs to not bark much/if at all. ... Living here, with our largeish pack of beasts is a noisy existence ;) luckily the neighbours are far enough away to not worry ...plus they have their own 'choir' ..and by listening at night to THEIR voices, we know if there's anyone at home, whether there are roos invading , or if they have guests ... There is SUCH a diversity in vocalisations- a whole long conversation happening continuously .... from the 'bored'-or 'The Boss has taken xyZ& T out working - why can't we go? to the different barks for different animals spotted nearby ...sheep, emus, roos, foxes... yes, and magpies! I can sit inside , and have a fair idea of what's happening ( or not) around the house/ dog personal space ( about 350 mtrs diameter) is the pet sheep munching fruit trees, or are there roos in the yard? Does a dog have a shingleback lizard bailed up ..or is it an echidna ? maybe that was a 'SNAKE" bark ? Is there a vehicle driving past , several hundred mtrs away ..or have they turned into our drive? is it someone we(the dogs) know? Is that a tourist walking along the clifftop over 300 mtrs away? Is there a gunshot somewhere ? Has someone got a flea/mozzie problem ? is someone coming in season? Are the maggies scrounging dog food? is there a bit too much rough& tumble , and is someone acting as referee? At sunset, if The Boss isn't home ..there is usually a fairly dedicated howl session. When some of the dogs have been with the boss , working away for several days/a week .. and everyone comes home , there is much howling/barking , etc as everyone settles back into the pack ... Must admit to being very used to it ..and miss the conversation when everything's still!! Arrooooooooooooo ;)

Some really inappropriate x's

:) Why not prepare meals when dogs are outside /asleep /shut in another room ? Then pop them in fridge or wherever ... doing it like that may just cut down on all that anticipatory excitement/noise. if my dogs bark .. they get nothing ;) I also never prepare food with dogs watching ....

maybe she is just getting her balance and co ordination in order ...I have seen elderly people do much the same ...

poor old girl - seems, with age , her brain has its gears mixed

Indeed!!

LINK TO ARTICLE This is one person's writings about her very strong feelings against P O training . I agree with a lot of her points .. but, in the end, it is just her opinion . :) short excerpts : We people live in a world of boundaries and consequences. Ignore the crossing light and possibly get hit by a car. Exceed the speed limit and you risk a ticket. Be mean too many times to a friend and you risk losing themBut in the PO universe there are no consequences for canine bad behavior. You are supposed to either ignore or distract bad behavior. Don't correct the dog for chewing your shoes; pick them up. Don't correct the dog for chewing on the couch; give him a toy. Don't correct the puppy for jumping on you; step back. Don't correct the puppy for biting your hand; move it higher or ignore it…he'll quit eventually. (Then give him a cookie for ceasing to bite!) Ignoring bad behavior will extinguish it, because they get no positive reinforcement from it. (Really? The dogs I see get a heck of a lot of positive reinforcement from jumping and chewing and biting what's around them.) `````````````````````````````````````````````````` Competitive obedience trials are 60+ years old. During most of that time, Novice dogs lined up to perform their Sits and Downs without muss, fuss or controversy. Open dogs waited patiently for their people to come back from out of sight. Obedience trials once the bastion of canine compliance are now too regularly concerned about dog fights and mayhem. How has this come to pass?In the last 10-15 years, group Sits and Downs have become "Awful", "Impractical", "Dangerous" or "Foolish exercises". How did the sport manage to get from Group exercises being a "no big deal" part of the sport to a constant whining tempest?A culture, quite frankly a cult, has risen. This cult believes that a dog should never be corrected for bad behavior and that a dog should live in a world without framework, boundaries or consequences. Living in this type of environment makes a dog hyper, hysterical, aggressive and unable to function out in the world. ``````````````````````````` Back in the day, training methods were pretty harsh. After all, when you start with the premise that you have to wait until a puppy is 6 months old to be strong enough for the training…that gives you a clue. Now the Pendulum has swung all the way to the other side and Positive Only is the only sound that may be heardIf none of us can stomach the idea of going back to the choke and puke methods, and PO is dangerous and ineffective, what is left for us to try?How about a Balanced approach?Balance—to bring into harmony or proportion (Webster's DictionaryWhat a beautiful, rational goal. To accomplish this goal, a savvy teacher seeks out and dumps words with an extremist leanings such as Positive Only. When something is an "only" it is by nature unbalanced. Instead look for the balance of positive and negative reinforcementsReinforcements are information. I've used the example many times that teaching a dog is the process of escorting him down a hallway full of doors. These doors represent choices of action. The teacher's job is to help him make good choicesIn the PO world, if my dog chooses to walk to a door I can say, "Yes! Behind that door are cookies and hot dogs and all manner of good things to eat." If he walks to another door I can again say, "Yes! Behind that door are games and play equipment, friends and ball tossers." However, if my dog walks to a certain third door, I can say nothing. My dog walks thru the door…and gets eaten by a tiger.I think, "No, don't go there" would have been useful information.

These links may help... CLICK CLICK CLICK

You can also try using a word.. "quick" , or 'wees" etc EVERY time she toilets outside . Use the word, and give much praise ... in a while - she will toilet for you when she hears the word .. this is SUCH a good thing !!