Monah

I agree with all of this. I also think the OP has done the right thing for their situation and it must have been emotionally draining and very upsetting. It's one of those situations where 'you're damned if you do and damned if you don't". awful, best to go with what you think is the best decision. I'd just like to add that even though agree with this post, I had lakeland terriers, giant schnauzers and irish wolfhounds with my 'babies' and all indoors etc. and the giants did knock the kids over a lot, but also 'picked' them up , protected them and all the dogs were excellent with the kids (and vice versa). So you can have really great experiencces with all sorts of breeds, sizes, energy levels. It does take training and supervision, and can be tiring and I think taking an adolescent, boisterous, untrained dog would be much more difficult. But don't give up on the idea. My kids ended up being so 'stable' that the girlchild cares for large (african) animals and both kids can handle anything with 4 legs

Pfft!!!

Both gorgeous doggies As long as the family realises just how ACTIVE both these are (also Weis), BOISTEROUS etc. and they do need a lot of mental stimulation. Also, if they are in a cold area and may have the dog sleep outside , a vizsla (dont know about the others) would not cope, they feel the cold badly. Also depends on the family, all these 3 breeds will knock younger children, and even an adult (zoomies) over and if this is a worry to the parents, they would need to be prepared. Luckily I never worried about it but I know it is worrying for many people. I've had schnauzers, GROOMING as someone said, and some (mine were giants and fantastic) of the smaller ones can be a little yappy/snappy depending on breeding lines. Our best ever all round family/kids dog was a cattle dog. Easy to train, perfect size, would play endlessly with the kids or do 'adult stuff', great 'guard dog' (protective), hardly any grooming, happy in or outside etc. I know some have a 'bad' name, but IMO they are terrific dogs and great at dog sports too. A well trained /socialised cattle dog is a wonderful thing. Is your friend able to go and check out some dogs at shows? Or, maybe an older purebred that needs rehoming would be OK. Just less boisterous and easier to care for than a juvenile I adore whippets, I think any breed can be a great family dog, but it depends entirely on the family

I know what you mean, I did TOT and NILIF etc. too and it worked really well, but you do feel the 'lack of cuddles', but I think this is more a human need and we feel 'bad' etc. stick with it, I use these tools daily, but can also be 'cuddly' now that mine know the 'rules'. We have balance. eventually I hope you will too. It does take time. Don't give up. I used many other ways with mine to have 'fun times together' that also helped greatly with control too and staisfied both dog and I with our needs. Flyball was a great saviour as my dog LOVES it and loves doing it with me!! same with agility, we also do some obedience, but both of us find it boring (could be our club I think!!) so it was not as rewarding re relationship. Find something fun to do together, that also show the dog they need to behave to get the reward. Flyball and agility usually use clickers, and also, wear their brain and body out, which is a great thing for a dog with other things on it's mind

PF, I don't know anything about training, this post was incredibly informative, one of the best I've read!

:D Lovely. I also didn't mean to imply only Poms do this just that she is like many people I know!! I like them both, love the way they make little comments about each other, have a dig, but then say 'kind regards' etc. Fantastic scripts.

HOpe everyone, including dogs, are feeling better!! I did flyball 'instead' of a walk yesterday. :D Pouring this morning, so will have to get 'wet weather gear' out :D We had an early morning play in the garden (2 acres so lots of running) and the girls are asleep, but we will go for a short 30 min walk. Do your dogs have 'friends' on their walks? I try to do different walks but the girls really miss the meet and greets with their friends and if a 'friend' is not outside they will look for them. Glad I dont have to face the cold Cuchulain, more MAX pics! :D

All our dogs have been longlived on all sorts of diets. Same with cats. All have been very healthy until their final few months.I think it's like humans, my parents smoked since the age of 14, lived through the blitz, starved, lived on 'bread and dripping', never exercised etc., same with grandparents etc., all lived (mum still here) well into late 80s and 90s. I feed my dogs mainly raw these days, and they are very very healthy, fingers crossed they live until at least 16!! :D

well, being a Pom this is what I find normal. It doesn't matter how house proud a Pom is, they will have the pets in the bed, on the settee, share a plate etc. Growing up everyone I know was like Vera, and still had all the pets in bed. I was amazed when I became good friends with non poms and found they thought pets in the house dirty?? and disease carrying. I missed the bit where the little bitzer (was it a jack russell?) died. Aww. Great photo Fru fru. I love the way Sydney 'sleeps' while vera is 'writing' etc. So cute. I want him!!!!!!

OH, ATM we have 4 indoor cats and 2 dogs plus a BC who stays with us most of the time as his owners travel a lot.

Same as Gayle, no issues here at all. We have always had several cats and dogs together. Many older dogs (rescues) who have never been with cats, and cats who have never been with dogs. No issues, the dogs learn very fast that the cats are GOD. Most of my cats, exs oriental breeds (eses, ie. burmese, tonkinese, siamese), and my devon rexes are bossy with dogs and the dogs let them do everything first. It is funny seeing wolfhounds wait for a drink while a 2kg. kitty is drinking :D I have had feral cats too and they have been great with the dogs. All eat , sleep together. Interact a LOT! Fiona, Talin can live here anytime!! :D I"m still in love with him!!

;) Well glad I'm not the only one! (just about though ) It is an hysterical program. Even funnier because I know LOTS of women exactly the same :D and yes the poodle is massive, but god he's adorable and takes it all in his stride, as though it's the exact right way to behave :D Under the blanky, he looks incredibly 'normal' and unfazed. Love him to bits.!!!

A short heads up. Anyone else been watching Ladies of Letters about 10pm friday nights abc? Or am I the only sad sack who has no life? Anyway, two ladies write letters to each other, widows, it's HILARIOUS! THey are like the Odd couple! One has a jack russell, the other a standard poodle. I think it must be a male as he is HUGE. Goes everywhere with her, but the really funny part is he sleeps with his head on the pillow, under the blanket, in her bed. He is just so gorgeous and so good. I crack up every time!! Any other poodle lovers out there will get a good laugh and lots of ooohss and ahhhss out of it.

There's a male pup for sale in Brisbane.

Yes, keep him in He should be fine at that age, my two are in bed from about 9.30pm to 7.30am most days :D and they are 3 and 4! Dont have any washing out after dusk, and yes, keep the cars out of batties aim! The stuff they void will eat the car and set like cement.

Could you get the neighbour's permission to chop the branches off that come over to your garden? The bats wil move on when the fruit season is over. We have a lot here and our dogs ignore them as they are there every night. I dont think the bats would be swooping your dog but they do fly low. As the link article said, there isn't really a problem with bats and cats and dogs. I wouldn't like a pet to be bitten though as they have sharp teethy pegs My daughter had one 'stuck' in her hair when on a bike ride, but it didn't bite or scratch and she was fine. My dogs have eaten bat crap and so do all the dogs at our kennel club and none has ever been ill (not recommended though ) Is there a way to desensitise the dog? does it sleep indoors? This would be a solution if it doens't, otherwise quick wees outside and take it back in. Hopefully the bats will move on soon and you can sleep!

Bernese mountain dog?? similar colouring, huge, fluffy, gorgeous temps will keep thinking

Awww. I forgot Alfred. gorgeous gorgeous. Loved him to bits. Now they have a gorgeous spinone ;) wish they'd show her more. spins are INCREDIBLE, wonderful temp. dogs. The best :D

Ok, well OH and I were walking the dogs Monday night and a house in the street had 3 cop cars and 2 ambulances outside :D No idea what had happened, the couple there are our age and lovely. THeir ACD was 'helping' the uniform people. Last night we walked them after OH took Monah for a bike ride. She needs more exercise than Roisin, then on our walk it POURED and I FROZE. I am thinking of moving back to SA. How will I cope, I was sure the temp must have been about 10, but, news said we had a low of twenty something ;)

Yes to both, Rex LOVE LOVE all of them, and the dog in Doc marten is so full of personality and expression it cracks me up :D Of course, Eddie, and his son Eddie jr. ;) from Frasier.

Have to go with this one!! and I adore Coyote (roadrunner cartoons) and also Ralph, the shaggy dog who guards the sheep in looney tunes cartoons. I can't watch animal movies, no enjoyment at all for me there :D and even most animal cartoons :D (much to my childrens' embarrassment) also adore the bloodhound (name?) in the Beverly Hillbillies and the one in Best in Show :D OH, can't leave out Clarence the cross-eyed lion in Daktari ;) :D adorable!!!

Whoooa Nelly! Goodness....way to over react! It was a tiff over food, big deal....all you serve to do by placing unnccessary stress on the owner is make them more anxious around their dogs which could cause the problem to esculate further. I'm not saying a tiff isn't serious...but a fatality :D My advice is to feed them seperately for the moment until you can have a Behaviourist come and have a visit with you. My personal belief if that dogs should be able to eat in peace without competition for their food so I always feed seperately. I also believe that you can not 'pick' which Canine you want to be top dog over the other and by trying to do you can create problems. I'd go ahead and take the Behaviourists advice about how to lead your pack but right now, I'd just take a deep breath and chill :D Yes, I see what you mean, but I have seen what a wolfie can do to a GSD when a GSD went for the owner and also am close friends with a vet neighbour who has a lot of clients whose dogs have severely injured or worse each other. :D and I am over cautious, I know. I didn't mean to frighten anyone, I only wanted the OP to realise that they need to be careful, even though the dogs are now 'friends'. I agree the behaviourist is the way to go, a PROPER one. :D And I appologise if Iv'e caused the OP any extra stress. I admit I am over conservative in any safety issues, animals and kids. xxxxx PF, I too think the aplha only style 'training' is bunkum.

And that's what matters! I think a program that brings structure, boundaries and leadership to dogs in a non confrontational way is a good thing. I just don't agree with some of the philosophies behind it. There are many ways to train a dog but I find AB (and I don't pretend to be widely read on it) talks the language of dominance too much for my taste. "Me Alpha, you dog" programs are a bit simplistic for how I view the human/dog relationship. I was told by an AB fan that the reason my poodles love to sit on the back of the lounge was because they strive to be higher than me. Strangely, when I'm not home there they still are - looking out the window. Its the only view they can access of the front of the house. A friend who drove past the other day informed me that a very precariously balanced Whippet was up there too. :D Visions of faces at the window ;)

I've only had one resource guarder.She LOVES food, and has been known to even guard sticks, holes that are in the digging process, anything at all that my other dog is even interested in. I have had multidog households and cats, my whole life ( a LOOOOOONG time ) and this is the very first dog I;ve had hwo behaves this way. I dont think feeding together or sep would make any diference to her. They are fed separately and I used to have to be very careful treating but she will even wait for the other dog to have a treat first these days. I don't put up with any resource rubbish from her, It's not allowed. she has learnt and improved greatly, but not enough for me to trust her. I worry a bit ATM as I am alone most of the time now (grown up kids and OH works away) and i have to be very careful not to let her resource guard me, so I am always aware of what I'm doing. I know a dog who I babysit very often, a BC, and he guards everything of his owners, even the window of a room he may be in! He also knows we wont put up with any nonsense, but if someone unaware goes near something it is a worry. So I dont have anything at all of his owners around, it's all put out of reach. He is also protective of his lead and even if I give him one of the dogs toys, blankets etc. A growl sorts him out and the item is removed. I have a devon rex who guards my kids bedrooms ;) she weighs 2 kg and will chase any other animal, including the dogs, away from the rooms :D they RUN!! she is a little spitfire.

Hi, I think until you have a resource 'guarder' it's not something easily understood. I've only ever had one, which is why it was a bit of a surprise, even though I've always had 3 or 4 dogs at once. I manage mine, and have trained her to a point where she is very very good and will not interfere with my other animals re food etc. but she has 'guarded' food, her bed, toys, people, the car etc etc. in the past and I would never trust her, no matter how much training there was. I can almost 'feel' her sometimes thinking, GET OUT! so I can take that off of her!!(other dog) This is why a professional behaviourist is the way to go. It is a touchy situation. I also agree that these two dogs may not be real resource guarders, but better to nip things in the bud now.xxx