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Hi Benny We go to the Leichhardt Dog Training Club which is held near Cafe Bones in Haberfield. It is just wall to wall dogs down there on a Sunday morning and I must admit I am now feeling nervous. Carter only started going last week as he had to still have his final vaccinations. Rori has been going for four weeks now and they are both doing really well. Rori is a clever girl and has learned lots of tricks and Carter is a fantastic walker. He also likes hunting for cockroaches when we take him out to do a wee last thing at night! He really is hilarious, sweet and such a gentle boy. Your dogs look lovely. It is hard when you lose a dog who has been part of your life for such a long time. We lost our cross cattle/collie last September. I can't work out how to post a picture or I would post one of her. Thanks for your replies everyone. Just gave me a bit of a shock that's all. Sure we'll all be fine after a good night's sleep.

Hi Jaanka No vet visit needed. We have bathed his leg and ear and put some antispetic powder on the abrasions. The owners were there, but it just happened so quickly. They did ask if he was alright but quite frankly I just wanted to get the dogs in the car and get out of there. What I am worried about is what you mention, the fear factor. Will watch him tomorrow when we go to obedience class to see if he behaves differently. Maybe we should give it a miss tomorrow and let him get over the shock of it.

We were walking the dogs and they were off leash in the off leash area. Had a lovely swim and play and then just as we were getting back to where the car was parked, our six month old Cattle/Mastiff cross started playing with a new dog who then turned nasty. She had him pinned to the ground and made his leg and ear bleed. I was so scared and he is just miserable. Our other pup is scared too. I was always afraid that he would be a target for other dogs as he is such a big fellow but had let my guard down over the last couple of weeks. This is the dog I wrote about a while back who kept laying down. Well he adores his walks now and is getting very fit and never lays down now. I feel guilty for having him off the leash and then him getting hurt.

Is there an echo! Didn't think the first post went through as I got an error message. Thanks for your reply Doghouse. It is lovely to find such a great group of encouraging people. Your dogs are just lovely. I was sitting with the dogs a little while ago just thinking how wonderful it is to have dogs around. Certainly eases my stress levels. Dogsonline.doc

Carter is now doing very well. He loves his walks and paddles and is just the most delightful dog ever. Thanks for all your advice.

Just to let you all know that he is walking a lot better now. I think he just didn't have any level of fitness and now enjoys his daily walk and paddle in the bay. He is just the most delightful dog. Thanks for your advice everyone.

HI there. Congrats on your beautiful new puppy. One question, do you have children? If so, when they were tiny bubs did you expect them to be obedient? They just want their needs met and the buck stops with you. Just enjoy him and let him get to know and love you all for a wee while.

Yes quite! Our boy can seem to be very deaf until you watch him move when he hears me feeding the cat. Apparently, this club is run by volunteers. Don't know what it is like. The vet gave me the number. Might see you down there. If you see someone trying to get their dog out of a totally prone position-that'll be us!

Will give your suggestion a try Tony thanks. Keep you all posted as to our little miscreant's progress.

He would lay there for ages except we pick him up and try to keep moving.

It varies. Tonight he was fine around the block but the other night I took him across to the shop with me, I can see the shop from my front door, and he laid down at least ten times.

We are starting one of the pups at Leichhardt Dog Training Club on Sunday. The other will start after his last vaccination. It is held down at Cafe Bones in the park at Haberfield. It costs $15 to register and $2 per class. Starts at 10am on Sunday mornings and finishes at 11.30. The lady advised us to be there by 9.30 on the first visit so we have enough time to register before the classes start.

Not very far Tony. This morning my nephew took him down to the park and back so maybe 500m or so and then tonight I took him round the block which takes about ten minutes. Is it too far?

Yes, it is indeed Rori and Carter from SAR! They have settled in well and are now doing normal puppy things like digging and chewing! That makes us feel relieved because they must now feel secure enough with us to do so. With Carter, I don't think it is fear of walking on a lead; that doesn't seem to bother him at all, it is just a reluctance to actually walk very far at all. I have just spent the last hour or so reading up on the mastiff breed as it is a breed I am unfamiliar with. Apparently, and please correct me if I'm wrong here, they don't require or desire the level of exercise that our old dog (BC/Cattle X) did. This makes me feel better as I was stressing out about him not getting enough exercise. I am looking forward to being able to take him to obedience classes where he can socialise with other dogs. I know he just wants to play with the other dogs as he doesn't have an aggressive bone in his body but I can imagine what they think when they see him barking and straining on the leash at their dogs. Our cousin brings his boxer down to ours to play and we took the dogs up to their place on the weekend and the three dogs all got on well although Carter's favourite activity was sleeping on Bruno's trampoline bed! On the weekend we are going to take the three of them swimming and see how they like that. It is lovely having dogs around and Carter and my eight year old daughter have already decided that it is love at first sight. Thanks again for your replies to a stress head, I do feel better.

Thanks so much for your fast replies. We take the toy he likes with us and also some doggy treats and this is why I'm getting so desperate-nothing seems to motivate him. I took him to the vet last week and the vet said he seems healthy and has good hips and knees. He even had him stretched out on his back with his hind legs fully extended. He said that usually to get a dog in a position like that you would need to anaesthetize them; that is what a sweetie he is. Obedience classes start this Sunday but we can't take him yet as he still needs his last vaccination. As far as the other dog is concerned, he doesn't really care whether she is walking on or not. We do try to take them out separately at least once a day as the vet said they need to develop some independence from each other. I guess it will just take time and patience which we have plenty of. I'm just concerned that they have both had such a rough start in life and I don't want to muck things up. Thanks again, I appreciate your input.

We recently got two rescue dogs. One is a four month old BC/Shnauzer cross and the other is a five month old Cattle/Mastiff cross. The problem is with the Cattle/Mastiff. He will not walk for more than a few metres without laying down. He won't listen when we tell him to get up and just seems so stubborn. He has a lovely nature but will bark and lunge at other dogs when we are out because he wants to play. At home he just lays around all day interspersed by bouts of playing with the other dog. It is getting to the point where we are reluctant to take him out for walks as the other night we had to carry him back home. Also the barking at other dogs is very stressful. Our sixteen year old dog passed away last September so we are unused to puppies after having had our dog for so long. Please can anyone give us some advice about how to get him to behave? Thanks.