persephone

I think free-feeding takes away a bonding chance/experience ;) each time we feed our dog - we get a chance to give teh dog something it wants, in return for a behaviour ..we also usually pour praise on the dog ..and teh dog learns that WE are the providers of the good stuff Just leaving a bowlful on the floor does nothing.....except teach otherwise well fed dogs to snack ....

So- if you are at home- he sticks close and responds every time to his name? is he just not doing so when outside? Up until recently , how have you walked him each day ? Has he been like this for years? Or is it just since you started a new routine? I don't train using food- but would suggest associating his name with the TASTIEST things - tiny shreds of roast chicken... or little fragments of dried liver ...and make sure he smells it all -so he knows what is available

Even a tiny bit of shampoo needs rinsing off.. and permoxin is VERY economical if applied with a spray bottle (unless you have a very thick coated dog? I use it most days here- just in spray bottles ;)

;) he is probably 'tuning out' to give himself a bit of peace How is he at home? Does he come when you say his name? Does he know /obey commands without hand signals- just voice? Does he respond to a whistle,or a clicker? Does he respond to barking dogs? Have you done any regular training with him in the past 6 years?

Glad you are happy !

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Indeed ;) Dogs are not all born solid and well-adjusted . My recommendation is to enlist the help of a professional - who can observe the behaviour- then explain it to you, and give you some management help ;)

maybe a problem in her back? How's her gum colour/refill time ? Don't know much about it- but did anyone suggest pancreatitis? Not sure what other symptoms there are apart from pain....

YES!!!! with focus... esp. in animal photography (and humans I guess) always focus on the eyes . Eyes are what we look at first... and if they are in focus , then a bit of fuzzy elswhere is ok

It sounds as if she is in pain..or suffering extreme anxiety.. and,to be sure, you need to phone a vet .She could have any number of injuries/problems... some of them serious - so a call to a vet now will hopefully stop it getting worse. Hope you can get it sorted soon.

Looks good,colour is perfect and it's a lovely happy face !

Fantastic set of images.

A friend of mine does .. she has a biggish dog ..and finds it a much easier way to wash a coated breed :D

*nods* thanks .

i believe in many cases, rehoming is the most honest and the fairest thing to do I am sure Ollie will be placed somewhere he is suited ... and , although you will miss him ,and feel guilty- you will know that he is happy, and that all the work you have done with him has not been wasted . :D for you....

yes,lizandel, - if you construct a goat proof fence- it will probably be reasonably dog proof Goats squeeze thru tiny gaps- the jump- they also will make crawl spaces under fences ....So someone who has valuable goats will certainly have a very well made fence

Animals only wander if they are improperly contained. You cannot, AFAIK legally shoot cattle found trespassing. You can get them impounded ,though- and yes, having had cattle , I know the damage they cause .Neighbours cattle here don't get shot- but they do get a shotgun blast over their heads , as well as a dog nipping their heels!

What a face

Which is why dog owners should ensure their dogs are safely behind fences and at home!

oops- that last image is too tiny to see properly

She's beautiful Thanks for the puppy pics! I guess it's sounding normal... a baby who has been with her pack- showered with attention.. cuddled ..then put out the back and locked away. I have outside dogs- as well as inside ones so I do know it is/can be done - just believe it should be done from DAY ONE , so pup does not get this feeling of being 'cast out' , after sleeping amongst the humans... I also believe that if someone breaks into your house- having a dog in the yard is not much help A pup/young dog outside alone,and bored, will also find ways to amuse itself during the night. This may be barking/chasing possums/digging......

Oh.My.Gosh. How very cute are those two!!!!!

Once you have resized your pic- and are replying.. click on 'choose image' to find your picture on your computer. Once you've done that .. double click on it.. then on UPLOAD . Once uploaded- just click on the green +sign over in the 'manage current attachments box ..and it will be inserted in your post.

it's just practice resize the photo to perhaps 600X800 pixels..and about 80 % quality- see how that goes. I use PICASA for most of my photo stuff- or just for resizing, I use VSO You need to end up with a photo of under 200KB.