~JoLu~

Funny you should say that - playing with WMM was much more fun than cleaning my kitchen strangely enough Cheers

I never tire at looking at little Bakari - he is so cute.... And so he should be, being from the best breed ever (biased much )

Hi I have a similar situation with Lulu, a 9mth GSD that we adopted through rescue.... I found that where my Ridgie will come in and settle straight down, she always seems to be on high alert, does sniff patrols of the house and wants to engage both Jonty and the cat. I don't mind them coming in and playing for a while (as they are both still young), but there comes a point where they need to settle down. I figure Lulu thinks she has a job to do a patrol of the house, so I will take her on one first. Then she has to settle in her crate, which is off to one side in a quiet are, but still within view of us and Jonty. I have this week been giving her a few drops of Rescue Remedy on a treat and that seems to settle her to a point. She still goes to apesh*t when the cat walks past, however I think this is more to do with the cat roming free and her being stuck in the crate. Sometimes she is fine and will settle down outside of her crate on the floor, or her beanbag, but usually somewhere she has a view of either the cat or the rest of the house.... Sorry, probably not much help. We have only had her a few months and have a long ways to go with training etc. but like you, I thought it couldn't be healthy for her being wound up all the time. She is getting better though

Thanks BC . I have no experience with agility (I have seen it though), but that was pretty much what I did . Lulu got it really quickly, a couple of passes and she was going up and down like an old pro (hmmm that doesn't sound quite right ;) ). Jonty took a little longer to get it on the ground, and then took a little longer when I leant it against their bed to actually climb up it (he was like, "Why do I need to climb up that, I can just hop on myself, see mum??). He did go up eventually, but then stepped on the end and knocked the ramp which scared him, so now he's wary of it. So back to square one. Maybe I should get one of those car lifts???? We'll get there :D .

Thanks for reply JulesP I didn't even know there was such a thing as baby agility!!! When I got the ramp out, the kids said it looked like the thing the dogs run over - I guess they were right. I'll give it go after lunch and see how we go.... Rather have people laugh at me than put my back out ;) I hadn't thought about where to put it - it can go in the back seat when the kids aren't here. Will have to think about that one

Hi all !!! Tomorrow I want to start training Lulu (9mth GSD) and Jonty (11mth Ridgie) to use the car ramp that I borrowed from Duncan & Dougal. Was wondering if anyone had any advice on how I should approach this???? I thought I would start by getting them used to walking over it whilst it was lying flat on the ground and then progress to it being sloped (lots of yummy treats of course ;) ). I would need them to go up and down it (obviously) as I would prefer that neither jump out the back of our car (X-Trail). Neither do, they wait for us to lift them out which is fine for Lulu but Jonty is just a little to big Any ideas appreciated

What a spunky boy Gotta loove that last picture - typical ridgie (big sooky la la's)

Yay for Bruno and Bruno06 But (ahem) where are the photos of this strapping lad???? Oh and Russ_ren the short answer is .... yes

Jonty is on Royal Canin Maxi Junior - plus chicken wings, chicken frame, bone, lamb neck (something different eveyday to chew on). I also think you should get your sister to join DOL and the come over to the Ridgy thread and post heaps of pics

So Jonty just got up off his beanbag to follow OH into the kitchen. As he did so, he kinda stumbled, the limped out the room holding one of his front paws up. He then put it back down and walked on it awkwardly at first and then fine as if nothing happened.... which brings me to my question. Can a dogs leg "fall asleep" from sleeping on it like our hands, legs, feet, arms etc can when we lay on them for too long??? I wonder if he feels "pins and needles" like we do?? Or is it just one of the great mysteries of life

Thanks for the suggestions BC and Cavandra I shall go on a shopping spree :D I assume I can get all these things at chemists, Priceline etc???

Hi DOLers Was inspired by myValkyrie's tail injury thread and was wondering about a Doggy First Aid Kit???? We have a human one, but I was thinking that there are probably some products I should have on hand that are specific and/or safe for dogs also... Any suggestions for things I should have on hand "just in case"???? Ta muchly MP

I'd be interested - but I don't think Jonty would be old to enough to compete yet (but I would still like to get involved) :D

Hey Bruno!! I can sympathise with the sea-food diet (see it = eat it). Jonty can have some brilliant walks, but the next time he's hoovering the ground eating everything in sight like I starve him or something. Prior items have included cans, plastic bottles, leaves, cigarette butts, bottle tops, duck poo ( ) - if it's a solid item, I usually ask him to "give" and try and swap the item for a treat. He just thinks it's a great game He has a penchant for attacking flowers and one by one has knocked out all of these tall flowering plants growing in our park (I'm no gardener so I don't know what they are)... eventually there was only one left which is now used as a "Leave it" training tool!!!! Pretty much I spend my walks with him looking ahead to see if I can spot what he's going to go for next so I can instruct him to leave it... he is getting better (or maybe I'm just delusional). As for grooming, we have one of those grey rubber spikey things... I do it on an as needed basis. He has to be in a calm frame of mind, else he tries to eat that too

Well, we finally have success!!!! Jonty is now coming in and out of the room with the heater on He's still a little wary of it, and gives it odd looks every now and then, but he's no longer afraid !!!! We used the "Hansel and Gretel" method with a trail of his dog biccies into the room (thanks sas) and just pretty much ignored him. Eventually his need to be near us overcame his fear of the heater and he is now sleeping happily on his beanbag one again ;) The cat (my namesake Maya) also assisted by helping herself to one of Jonty's biccies and snuggling up on the couch with us. So to everyone who helped :D DOL to the rescue once again... PS. He just moved himself and is now lying directly IN FRONT of the heater :D

Bruno - soooooooooooooooo funny but sooooooooooooooooo true!!! Between OH and Jonty it's a wonder me and the cat survive!!! We must have an immunity built up Back on post - Jonty is on Royal Canin + chicken frames, bones, whatever treats etc. He doesn't fart often, but when he does he makes it count!!!! I reckon his all smell the same (unlike OH but that is a topic for another forum - medical )

Hi everyone!!!! Thanks for the great suggestions :D . As luck would have it, it's not been cold enough since this incident to put the gas heater on (Murphys Law ). I've moved it into position though. Jonty has taken the opportunity to have a good sniff at it, and no longer pays it any attention. Rhi, the sound theory is interesting, as he is quite afraid of the buses when they make swishhhhhhhhh noise (sounds like alot of air escaping at pressure - sorry I'm not very mechanically minded ). The heater is fairly new though, but as you say, his hearing is better than ours. Hopefully it'll start get cold enough to try out some of your great ideas. I'll keep ya'll posted.....

Hmmmmmm. One day (a loooooooooooooooong time ago) whilst I was being a typically horrible teenage girl, my mother said to me " I hope you have a teenager someday just like you, so you know what I had to put up with". Here I was thinking I had beaten the "curse" by not having any kiddies (my OH has 2) - only for the curse to manifest itself in the form of a wrinkly, wrigglebum Ridgeback !!!!! Bloody mums - always right in the end ;)

Well, I've been trying my best to be a little miss dominatrix Actually, what you say Bruno06 is true of Jonty also, he can be very dominant at times and then a complete and utter sook the very next minute ;) BTW I hope Bruno is much better after the "Teddy Incident". Ah, TessaBella, yes I have no trouble being consistent - it's trying to get OH and the 2 skinkids to be consistent thats an issue . I filled up my pockets with tasty treats to try Nekhbet's suggestion to stop him lunging at joggers on our walk this afternoon and wouldn't you know it - there was not one jogger, cyclist, runner - NOTHING!!!!! I may have to take OH next time and he can be the "test subject" We did some obedience training in the park instead The little boy is now curled up asleep looking just like a sweet innocent little angel (fallen angel that is ).

Thanks Nekhbet for your reply. Is is very appreciated. Jonty is nearly 8 months old. I wasn't sure when doggie puberty starts. I've read it can be later in large breeds. I have to say over the weekend, that his behaviour has improved. He is still getting on the couch, however a firm "off" has been enough to get him well ... off and he was also pretty good on his walks. I don't know if the improvement is because we've been at home with him though. I did think about crate training (it's not too late at 8 mths???). I thought this would also come in handy should we go on a dog friendly holiday as he could take his den with (hmmmmm). He gets fed after the walk and is very food motivated (spends most of his walk trying to eat everything), so taking tasty treats along will probably work really well. I'll try that with him on his arvo walk and see how we go. Any idea on how long this lasts, or is it a "how long is a piece of string" question Thanks MP

Hi DOLers !!! Just wondering when doggy adolescence starts??? Jonty has started to show some changes in his behaviour this week such as: - when we're out walking and he spots someone, instead of going into wigglebum mode, he's started to do the "I'm a big dog stand"; - he's started lunging at moving objects (ie. joggers, cyclists, ducks etc.); - he's tried his best to get up on the "good" couch with OH and I all week (had to revert back to food reward training to get him back on his beanbag); - been waking three / four times a night. Not to go out, just wants a pat, annoy the cat, wander around the house, back to bed; - he has been poking Maya the cat with his nose. Previously they had a love/hate thing going on. Now all he wants to do is nose-butt her until she goes away - the weird thing with the heater last night. There have been some positives, I find he walks better on his lead (except the lunges), as he is staying close to me. Also, his sits when we stop to cross the road have improved (maybe this just clicked in his head ). Anyhoo, just wondering what DOLers experiences have been with teenage dogs (especially large breed, entire, male hounds). What should I expect, how long will it last, should I re-stock the bar now Thanks, MP

Hey RG!! Thanks for the reply. Maybe it is yet another weird Ridgeback quirk then !!! I think it may have been the smell (hence why he wouldn't walk down the hall at one point). He's had a couple of "sniffs" around the heater this morning (it is switched off), so we'll see how he goes. I hope he gets over it, or else it could be a loooooooooooong cold winter . MP

Hi guys, I know that there are a couple of other threads relating to dogs and fear, but I didn't want to hijack anyone elses OH and I just put the gas heater on for the first time since we got Jonty and he did not like it He point blank refused to come into the TV room with us (whereas usually we can't keep him away), and wouldn't even come close to the heater. He would have to walk past the heater to get into the room and was having none of it. I read some of the other threads which suggested treating the "new object" like nothing special, so OH and I just carried on watching TV, talking, typing whatever, in the hope Jonty would realise he was missing out on the company and come in. Jonty started "freaking out" and howling so OH (big softy) turned the heater off and put it back against the wall where it had been. Eventually he disappeared and I found him lying on our bed (naughty boy). He would only walk half-way down the hallway back to the TV room. We put him outside (as we usually do around this time of night so he can do his thang) and when he came back in, he finally came in the room with us and has settled on his beanbag!!! Any suggestions as to how to approach this tomorrow??? I thought I might move the heater into it's "winter" position whilst he's out for his morning walk, so he's got all day to get used to it being in that position. But I don't know if it is the heater, the heat coming from it or maybe even the gas smell that is freaking him out. I used to live with a dobie and he loved the gas heater... we'd all fall asleep in front of it!!!! Sorry for the long post but it was really weird!!!! Any help??

Yes - sometimes removing the item in question is the only way Having said that, everytime a walk him he tries to eat the flowers in the park/peoples front yard. Sometimes a "Leave It" command works, but it has to be perfectly timed - I tend to spend our walks scanning the area ahead for things he may find tasty to eat :p Jonty has is own area outside which has no plants, but did have some grass.... he has done some excavating, but we bury his poos in the holes. He doesn't like his own poos. This helps deter him for awhile, but then we have to "re-fresh" them!!! OH spends most Sat mornings tidying up Jontys outdoor area for him to destroy during the week!!! Funnily enough, he hasn't eaten the retic yet (I thought that would be the first to go), but has a thing for the plastic drain covers...