laffi

My aussie shepherd has been very itchy for the last couple of days . She is on Sentinel Spectrum and I am sure it's not the fleas. I don't think it's her diet either, therefore it could possibly be some kind of grass allergy or maybe she got bitten... I was wondering what are the natural sources of antihistamine suitable for dogs?

My aussie shepherd is entering her itchy summer phase. She looks so miserable itching all the time ;) I will aslo try the Malaseb and see how it goes. Thanks for your help.

Sounds good! Thank you

Thanks. Just to clarify, in order to 'put a scent' on an object Morgan Spector advises to hold it for ~5 sec. That should be enough. I actually wear it on myself for about 30min-1hour before. (Sort of like with a scent article before tracking, that BTW one of my dogs it really good at. So I am quite confused what I am doing wrong since I am 100% that the two articles smell very differently).

I am trying to teach my dogs scent discrimination. I am doing it using clicker training following Morgan Spector's advice from "Clicker training for Obedience" (I am working on the fluencies). In the book is says basically to first hold one scented leather object and C&T for smelling it. Then hold 2 leather objects in your hands, one carrying your smell and C&T every time the dog indicates the scented object. It also says to switch hands so that the dog doesn't go to the same hand all time time. I think I started switching my hand too soon and now my girls just indicate randomly (go to the hand that they last time got a C&T from without realizing it's switched). Maybe I am switching too much? I am asking them to indicate about 10 times during one session and I switch about 2-3 times? Should I first have a few sessions when I don't switch hands at all? How long did it take your dog to learn it? How far apart should I hold the objects? Usually they learn really fast (within the first session) but here we had 4 sessions already and I decided to stop and educate myself because it doesn't seem like we are getting anywhere?

I have a feeling you will get quite a few replies. I am just going to state few points: Stop the wet food: it's 80% water and has NOTHING to go with meat. If you want meat go to the butcher and geat some meaty bones: necks for example (chicken, turkey, lamb..) You can get good dry food but it wouldn't be Pedigree. Few good brands are: Nutro, Nutrience, Eagle Pack, Royal Canine. They are more expensive than Pedigree but you feed less so it's not AS expensive. Your vet is quite right saying that the pet food industry is a joke, however I am not sure his weet bix and milk suggestion.. You can just get dry food for puppies for your pup. Also do a search about BARF, in case you don't want to feed dry food.

Thank you SO MUCH Tesa. I am sure Laffi will really appreciate your help :rolleyes:

Can anyone please recap how the handlers of low drive dogs were learning to play with them? I would love to learn more about it but I was unable to go to the workshop (I am form Brisbane) :D

Have you read "Ruff Love"?

Do a search because there has been A LOT of topics about it

Congrats everybody! ;)

I recommend this book: ON TALKING TERMS WITH DOGS: CALMING SIGNALS http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB527

I totally agree with Kavik (both on bathing after because of dull coat and on putting on different pots because it runs over hair).

When is Colin coming to Brisbane for the beginners clinic? I would like to book a spot. Thank you!

Did your cats mind it? I think that one of my cats will be fine.. he's very placid. But the other cat is VERY flighty (she was a rescue) and she has sharp claws.. lol... and yep, she's the one that sheds the most. To be honest they like it more than the usual brushes. They both hate being groomed but I would say they don't mind the furminator (thank dog or rather thank cat lol). Both of my cats shed a lot and furminator decreases it by about 80% if I do it every two weeks or every week when it's really hot.

I use it on my two cats and my goldie and I LOVE it. It's not as good though for my aussie shepherd.

I don't remember that bit, I think you should reward and then bang your head on the wall. Glad you liked the DVDs. Hmm I think it was on the 2nd or 3nd DVD. He was talking about the chicken workshops and how people would always reward the click even if they clicked by mistake. However he did say that for the dog training you should really take these mistakes seriously and therefore no reward for the dog and for yourself because you should really try not to make the mistakes. Mistakes slow down your dog, confuse him and you should be aviod them at all costs rather than just say "ooops" and treat (according to Bob).

I use the clicker to teach a new behavior and find it fantastic . In fact my "yes" is not as efficient as my click, I would say because my timing with the clicker is much more precise. Laffi take much longer to learn new things if I use "yes" rather than the clicker. I don't always click if my dogs already know the behavior, I just reward. However if I do change the environment and practice there a new or "fresh" behavior I try to have my clicker there. I always click and treat. However if I click by mistake I don't treat. I used to but after watching Bob Bailey DVD I don't anymore. If I click my mistake I go any bang my head on the wall I am such a clicker addict I even have favorite clickers lol. At home I use IClicker and love it because it's soft. In the fields I use Triple Crown Clicker, it's louder and I also like the shape of it. I never have my dogs on lead when I clicker train, I have treats in the pocket or pouch so the clicker is the only thing I am holding.

LOL thanks LP, I felt a bit bad after saying that though as Daisy ended up behaving herself quite nicely at training last night I actually found a way to get her to stand without sitting again ;) husky87, how do you do it? it turns out my dogs get very tired after standing for 3sec lol! Up until now I had her standing with my hand under her belly, but Daisy just didn't get it. I train with food, so I put a treat (I use chicken) in my hand, and after giving the signal to stand I close my hand into a fist, in front of Daisy's face. She stays standing to sniff/lick my hand. It's works well to get her to stay standing, because as soon as I would treat or praise her she would sit again LOL. Great! I have to say Laffi doesn't get the hand under the belly either lol

LOL thanks LP, I felt a bit bad after saying that though as Daisy ended up behaving herself quite nicely at training last night I actually found a way to get her to stand without sitting again husky87, how do you do it? it turns out my dogs get very tired after standing for 3sec lol!

Well I live close to Ipswich and therefore would REALLY appreciate something on the West side of Brisbane (esp since one of my dogs gets car sick )

congrats! :rolleyes: how did you increase Ally's interest in balls?

I had huge problems with ear mites (with my cats and dogs). I stared using Advocate (it's a spot on). Since you apply it on their neck and not ears it helps a lot esp if your animals get sick of having stuff in their ears. However I did find that with serious ear mites Advocate didn't manage to totally cure it (decreased it by about 80%) so once or twice I did put a drop of it in their ears and the rest on the neck. That solved the problem for ever. (I get it from pricelesspets.com.au)

Ness rocks! She did SO WELL! :rolleyes: :thumbsup:

That sounds great Ptolomy! What type of play - if you don't mind my asking? Is it just 'razzing' up play and being silly or doing a trick or something that the dog sounds rewarding?? Sounds like you had quite a good weekend also Congrats Ptolomy! I would also like to know what kind of games do you play!