laffi

I was told beginning next year.

So they are available in Brisbane? On the website is says they are only available in WA. ETA: recent thread about them http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=148200

I think the best food the the one that your dog is doing well on. However I do believe that it's important to know how to rate dog foods and know how to read the ingredients. I found these two sites the most helpful: http://dogfoodanalysis.com/ http://www.dogfoodproject.com/

It's not dangerous to give it cooked but it's much better to give raw. ETA It is dangerous if it contains bones.

Agree I also agree. If you want variety just add some raw meaty bones

I am not sure but I think Health/Nutrition/Grooming is not the best forum for your question. Maybe you can move it to General or Training?

I agree what everybody else: it's basically junk food. ~Aimee~ what do you feed your dog?

My two are doing really well on Orijen . My golden used to fart a lot on RC but she is doing very well on Orijen. Small poops, amazing coats. I am definitely going to stick to it.

which bones have you tried?

Another vote for a crate.

I think it's important to get raw meaty bones, not just fat bones with no meat on them (which some butchers tend to sell). I would recommend raw: chicken frames/maryland, turkey necks/wings, lamb necks, too rails. Sometimes brisket bones but they tend to be very fatty with not much meat on them. Marrow bones are very fatty and are very hard (can damage or break teeth).

:rofl:

I want to come too!!!

Im pretty sure I would get kicked out if I did that :) I meant games without toys or food If your naked where do you hide the toys and food? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: ETA GayleK I read your last post. It seems to me like you think it's enough to train in your obedience club to trial. It could be true. It also seems to me like you think you are ready because you are not willing to ask yourself if there is anything you should improve. Maybe there isn't anything and you are ready. I can't know that. So I just wish you all the best with your trial and I hope you will show your instructor she was wrong.

thanks for letting me know

wow he looks awesome Is he still on EPO supplement and shampoo? What diet is he on?

Im pretty sure I would get kicked out if I did that I meant games without toys or food

I think in order to find out the info you first need to decide what you want to work on. Is it how to teach a particular thing (for example heel position or attention or front)? Is it how to proof the behavior during distractions? I think a few questions you can ask yourself: - does your dog know how to pay 100% attention to you (on the field without the leash) without you having to lure him or drag him on a leash - can you play naked games with your dog so he can stay connected to you even if the usual reinforces (toys, food) are not coming? - does your dog know for example how to find heel position from different spots (in front of you, behind you, while you move etc) - did you teach each of the exercises in little steps ("dissected it" as LP said), so that if the dogs makes one mistake he can still correct it rather than the whole behavior falling apart - did you proof all the behaviours in a very distracting situations (like toys falling from the sky ) You have a limited time till your trial. Obviously you are not going to teach him or re-teach him anything new, but you can learn better how to teach it better or proof it better for the next time. Figure out first what your weak spots are, since these you can improve fast. Figure out what Benson's weaknesses are and start addressing them one at the time. When your trainer said that he is not ready, was she specific? Did she mean that he doesn't know well enough some of the exercises or maybe he is not focused enough? I do hope that by now you understand that most of obedience clubs do not teach competitive obedience. They teach average Joe how to have a well behaved dog. In order to really enjoy and be successful at trailing you will have to read heaps about it, watch the training DVDs, find people to talk about how to teach every little step (and by that I don't mean SFE or figure 8), I mean every little thing that the dog has to do during these exercises.

I think it's a great idea. I bet you will get a lot of comments! Probably more than you want

I found this thread very informative: http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=146988 Have you been to any obedience trials? I think there is a big difference in weekly obedience school training for average Joe and obedience training for competitions. For competition you need to work on each aspects of the exercises separately: attention and focus heeling: position, turns, your footwork, (etc etc) (all the obedience exercises broken down into little pieces) distractions .... I think dogdude recommends finding someone who trials and try to train with them; which I think is a great suggestion. I also recommend taping some of your practice exercises (as often as you can) so you can see what you need to work on. Btw I am not competing in obedience (only in agility), but I am planning on competing in obedience. I am not going to join any clubs until my girls are ready for mock trials. I will only use the club as a distraction training and training with people who trial already. I don't think 30 min of heeling during classes has anything to do with 5min competitive heeling with total focus and attention; so I am not going to do that.

You give Advocate once a month. I use Sentinel Interceptor (covers all the worms) during the tick season together with Advantix (flea and tick protection). In winter I use Sentinel Spectrum (worms and fleas protection). I found that my dog's skin was irritated when I was using Advocate and Advanix (both are spot on meds).

prey model diet (mostly) + orijen (as treats)

Nope, Royal Canin has grains. I used to feed it to my dogs but found other dry foods that work much better for us (smaller and less smelly poops, more shiny and soft coat etc).

Grain-less dog foods available in Australia are: Orijen Artemis Maximal Ziwipeak Evo (only available at PP ).