Tilly

My boys have run of the back yard during the day. You just need to be satisfied they are safe and can't get into too much mischief if they are not supervised. I have had to fence off all my gardens (so I will actually have a garden). Make sure all chemicals, garden tools etc are securely put away. I have to lock away the poo bin because my boys think it is fun to tip it over and find the plastic food bags that also get put in there.

We started training basically from day 2. It was basic stuff like toileting ... giving him "go toilet" just as he was about to go and then "good toilet" when he was going. He was taught his name. Sit and drop were more of a lure with treats and hand signal ... and then the words was added a bit later. He quickly learnt to sit before he was fed and then we taught him his food words. Teaching walking on a leash didn't come until he was fully vacinated but we did practice in the house with luring for food - so he understood the walking side and position. He was doing brilliantly until he hit 6-7 months and the teething started ... and then he turned feral ;) About 80 percent of the time he is great but then he has these feral moments when I just want to walk away from him. If you give him an inch then he will take it a mile ... He is just such a high energy, high drive dog that you need to get in before the distraction otherwise you are playing catch-up.

I have always smelt my dogs ... their ears, breath, feet etc. That way I know what they smell like normally and what is normal for them. If they smell different then I know there is an issue that needs to be sorted.

Some of our dogs fart when they get too many bones or when they get roo. Normally I just give them a few less bones and some yoghurt and it goes away. Not sure what causes it in my brother ... but he is much worse then the dogs. They should bottle his for a deadly weapon of mass destruction!!!!

My older boy had stinky feet ... I used Malaseb medicated shampoo. I was told to make up a solution and sit the dogs feet in it for about 10 minutes and then rinse and dry thoroughly ... like I had any chance of the dog staying still for 5 seconds let along 10 minutes. I ended up wetting his paws, pouring a small amount on his paw (one at a time) and the massaged it in and then rinsed. I only did it twice before the smell was completely gone.

Yep - no collars or harnesses while running ... for safety reasons but it also makes it more fun at the end to catch the dog if they don't want the fun to end

Well ... the day was long. Recall wasn't an issue but it was his disgraceful behaviour while he was waiting to run. Lets just say he doesn't like waiting... and I am sure my arms are longer now then they were this morning.

No healthy dog will starve to death if food is offered ...

We will be there ... the brat is dying for another run. He has been practicing his high speed recall at the local off-leash area but I know he will have other ideas on the day

Royal Canin and Artemis are too good alternatives. I would be feeding Artemis if I wasn't feeding raw.

Wally Tate Park, Kuraby - there is a map here It can be a little difficult to find. You basically drive through the car park and then get on a bumpy dirt track. Just follow that up to the gate ... then find a nice place to park (closing the gate behind you)

My boys get ... chicken frames, chicken necks, chicken wings, whole rabbit (minus fur and guts), whole fish (scales and gutted), brisket bones, lamb flaps, lamb shanks and turkey necks. Their "recreational bones" are usually marrow bones and roo tails because they don't tend to eat them fully ...

I took my older GSD boy there ... it isn't the worst place I have been I was considering the Doggy Gym ... but really I am running out of time on the weekends (too much doggy stuff already) and it is a bit far for me on a week day ... but I will see how I go :D

Slightly ... ok completely OF .... but I think the same thing about young girls who have babies ... and then the novelty wears off and she can't be bothered with the child anymore leaving others to raise her. Of course she still gets the "single mothers" benefits just without having to worry about baby!!!! Vent over

I don't think I could leave my boys at a vet for an overnight if I knew there wasn't going to be staff there monitoring them. When our oldest was very sick with what turned out to be a paralysis tick ... the vet I took him to on the Sunday wanted to admit him overnight. When I asked if there was going to be staff there overnight then told me someone would check on him every 4 to 6 hours. I told them straight out that I wasn't going to leave him there and if he needed anything - tell me what to do and I will do it. They kept insisting he was "on death's door" and need to be hospitalised. I had to explain he didn't do well being in a hospital environment and I was taking him home ... they only agreed (reluctantly) when he got annoyed at their 4 or 5th attempt to put in an IV line that he bite one of the staff. They did tell me what to expect etc and I took him home ... but it was very much like pulling teeth to get the information.

What dry food are you feeding? Maybe he just doesn't like the taste of it ... I stopped feeding my boys dry food when we got our 12 month old boy - we went fully over to raw for both dogs shortly after getting the pup - he disliked his dry food and it was upsetting his tummy. I often used salt reduced chicken stock in their rice or as a filler in their kong toys (frozen).

I did a google and found a number of off-leash parks ... I haven't sorted them or removed the ones from the wrong side of town but you should be able to find a local one from this list Hamish St Park, Calamvale - Hamish Street, Calamvale Qld 4116 Marnham St Park, Acacia Ridge - Marnham Street, Acacia Ridge Qld 4110 Norma Croker Park, Acacia Ridge - Gregory Street, Acacia Ridge Qld 4110 Crosby Park, Albion - Crosby Road, Albion Qld 4010 Arbor Street Park, Ferny Grove - Arbor Street, Ferny Grove Qld 4055 Dash Street Park, Keperra - Dash Street, Keperra Qld 4054 Grange Forest Park, Grange - Mornington Street, Grange Qld 4051 Northey Street Park, Windsor - Northey Street, Windsor Qld 4030 Sedgley Park, Alderley - Enoggera Road, Alderley Qld 4051 Shand Street, Stafford - Shand Street, Stafford Qld 4053 Teralba Park, Everton Park - Gordon Parade, Everton Park Qld 4053 Endiandra Street Park, Algester - Algester Road, Algester Qld 4115 Dutton Park, Dutton Park - Gladstone Road, Dutton Park Qld 4102 Fauna Parade Park, Rocklea - Pegg Road, Rocklea Qld 4106 Hyde Road, Yeronga - Hyde Road, Yeronga Qld 4104 Kianawah Park, Tingalpa - Wynnum Road, Tingalpa Qld 4173 Salisbury Recreation Reserve Salisbury - Evans Road, Salisbury Qld 4107 Shaftesbury Street Park, Tarragindi - Shaftsbury Street, Tarragindi Qld 4121 Wembley Park, Coorparoo - Jackson Street, Coorparoo Qld 4151 Woolloongabba Rotary Park, Wooloongabba - Camberwell Street, East Brisbane Qld 4169 Yeronga Park, Yeronga - School Road, Yeronga Qld 4104 Booker Place Dog Off Leash Area, Bellbowrie - Birkin Road, Bellbowrie Qld 4070 Green Hill Reservoir, Chapel Hill - Russell Terrace, Chapel Hill Qld 4069 Kookaburra Park, Karana Downs - Caringal Drive, Karana Downs Qld 4306 Merri Merri Park, Chapel Hill, Off Leash Area - Greenford Street, Chapel Hill Qld 4069 Monoplane Street Park, Ashgrove - Off Barnett Street, Ashgrove Qld 4060 Wittonga Park, The Gap - Alutha Road, The Gap Qld 4061 7th Brigade Park Dog Off Leash Area, Chermside - Reinhold Crescent, Chermside Qld 4032 Marchant Park, Aspley - Gympie Road, Aspley Qld 4034 Anzac Park, Toowong - Wool Street, Toowong Qld 4066 Milton Park, Milton - Nerida Lane, Milton Qld 4064 Neal Macrossan Park, Paddington - Moreton Street, Paddington Qld 4064 Barrett Street Water Reserve, Bracken Ridge - Barrett Street, Bracken Ridge Qld 4017 Barungwarra Bushland Reserve Dog Off Leash Area - Bald Hill Road, Bald Hills Qld 4036 Canterbury Park, Bald Hills - Feuerriegal Street, Bald Hills Qld 4036 Gus Davies Park, Bald Hills - Charlock Road, Bald Hills Qld 4036 Albert Bishop Park, Nundah - Street, Nundah Qld 4012 Kalinga Park, Nundah - Park Avenue, Nundah Qld 4012 Northgate Rec Reserve, Northgate - Edgar Street, Northgate Qld 4013 Nudgee Waterhole Reserve, Nudgee - Nudgee Street, Nudgee Qld 4014 Colmslie Rec Reserve, Colmslie - Lytton Road, Morningside Qld 4170 Keralgerie Park, Morningside - Brittania Avenue, Morningside Qld 4170 Gilbert Park, Ithaca - Fulcher Road, Red Hill Qld 4059 Powerhouse Park, New Farm - Lamington Street, New Farm Qld 4005 Victoria Park, Spring Hill - Herston Road, Spring Hill Qld 4000 Pioneer Crescent Park, Bellbowrie - Pioneer Crescent, Bellbowrie Qld 4070 Abbeville Park Dog Off Leash, Mt Gravatt East - Abbeville Street, Mt Gravatt East Qld 4122 Boondall Park, Boondall - Sandgate Road, Boondall Qld 4034 Curlew Park, Sandgate - Curlew Street, Sandgate Qld 4017 Decker Park, Brighton - 25th Avenue, Brighton Qld 4017 Northumbria Road Park - College Way, Boondall Qld 4034 Tallowwood Place Park - Karri Place, Bridgeman Downs Qld 4035 Whites Hill Reserve Dog Off Leash Area - Boundary Road, Camp Hill Qld 4152 Preston Road Park, Cannon Hill - Fursden Road, Cannon Hill Qld 4170 Carindale Recreation Reserve Dog Off Leash Area - Bedivere Street, Carindale Qld 4152 Newbury Place Park, Carindale - Cribb Road, Carindale Qld 4152 Julie Road Park - Julie Road, Carole Park Qld 4300 Richlands Depot Park, Inala - Government Road, Richlands Qld 4077 Upper Kedron Recreation Reserve Dog Off Leash Area - Wimbledon Circuit, Carseldine Qld 4034 Wimbledon Circuit Park Dog Off Leash Area - Wimbledon Circuit, Carseldine Qld 4034 Faulkner Park - Chelmer - Leybourne Street, Graceville Qld 4075 Mactier Street - Fig Tree Pocket - Mactier Street, Fig Tree Pocket Qld 4069 Kenna Street Park, Chermside West - Kenna Street, Chermside West Qld 4032 Martindale Street Park, Chermside West - Stringybark Drive, Chermside West Qld 4032 Beryl Roberts Park, Dog Off Leash area - Baroda Street, Coopers Plains Qld 4108 Beanland Street - Jamboree Heights - Beanland Street, Jamboree Hts Qld 4074 Cliveden Avenue Park, Corinda - Pratten Street, Corinda Qld 4075 Delapine Place Park - 17 Mile Rocks - Delapine Place, Svtn Mile Rocks Qld 4073 Tigris Street - Riverhills - Tigris Street, Riverhills Qld 4074 Durella Street Park, Durack - Blunder Road, Durack Qld 4077 Real Park, East Brisbane - Heath Street, East Brisbane Qld 4169 Boorabbin Picnic Ground off leash area - Stackpole Street, Wishart Qld 4122 D M Henderson Park - MacGregor - Granadilla Street, Macgregor Qld 4109 Fairfield Park, Fairfield - Fairfield Road, Fairfield Qld 4103 Bill Brown Sports Reserve Dog Off Leash Area - Telegraph Road, Fitzgibbon Qld 4018 Phillip Place Park, Forest Lake - Forest Lake Boulevard, Forest Lake Qld 4078 Stannard Rd Park - Manly West - Stannard Road, Manly West Qld 4179 Hercules Street Park, Hamilton - Remora Road, Hamilton Qld 4007 Raymond Park, Kangaroo Point - Wellington Road, Kangaroo Point Qld 4169 Bancroft Park - Kelvin Grove - Kelvin Grove Road, Kelvin Grove Qld 4059 Twilight Street Park Dog Off Leash Area - Sunset Road, Kenmore Qld 4069 Keryn Place Park Dog Off Leash Area - Keryn Place, Keperra Qld 4054 Wally Tate Park - Runcorn - Beenleigh Road, Runcorn Qld 4113 Bill Lamond Park - Lota - Bethania Street, Lota Qld 4179 Elanora Park Dog Off Leash Area - Wynnum - Granada Street, Wynnum Qld 4178 Tones Road Park, Mansfield - Tones Road, Mansfield Qld 4122 Vectis Street Park, Norman Park - Halifax Street, Norman Park Qld 4170 Kedron Brook Park Dog Off Leash Area - Raubers Road, Northgate Qld 4013 Tuckeroo Park, Nudgee Beach - Nudgee Road, Nudgee Beach Qld 4014 Englefield Road Park, Oxley - Mabel Street, Oxley Qld 4075 Greenways Esplanade Park - Parkinson - Greenways Esplanade, Parkinson Qld 4115 C. J. Greenfield Complex Park, Richlands - Kimberley Street, Richlands Qld 4077 Nathan Road Park, Runcorn - Nathan Road, Runcorn Qld 4113

I would have happily returned our youngest after the first night with OMG what has we done ... if the breeders where not interstate. He was a complete plain in the butt but he was just settling in and after a week or so he has fine. I think it was just the complete lack of sleep on my behalf. I guess it just shows their level of commitment to the pup ...

Not a wait list as such. We applied for the next obedience/agility class they were running which starts on 18/4/10. They keep class sizes small so you get more time with the instructors. They use clicker training so it is about rewarding the dog ...

I am about to start training with Agility Dog Club of Queensland at Tivoli. I have been out to see them training and love the fact the dogs all look happy and enjoy what they are doing. Their website is http://www.adcq.com.au/

Our older GSD boy is a very dominate dog but was still much of pup himself so when we got our pup we thought they would play together ... but from day one the older dog suddenly became very serious. While they do play together (under supervision) and get along well most of the time ... the older boy gets into a mood and will take it out on the younger boy. Over Easter I took both dogs away to my parents place for the day and they were quite happy to lay side by side for the hour long trip ... once we arrived within a few minutes the older boy became aggressive towards the pup - to the point for the entire day I had to keep them separate. Every time the older boy saw the pup he went for him. I seriously didn't think I was going to get both dogs back in the car for the trip home ... and was contemplating taking one home and returning to get the other one. About 15 minutes before leaving I took each dog for a walk to have a toilet stop before going into the car ... and there was a big change in the older boys body language and he went from being very serious to fun and playful, rolling on the grass and wanting to play. I decided to try putting them both in the car so I put the pup into the car and then put the older boy in the car and they were all over each other ... and then they curled up side by side and went to sleep for the trip home. I don't regret getting a second dog but sometimes I wish it wasn't so much hard work.

I seperate my two during the day when I am not home to supervise them ... when it comes to opening the gate between the two of them they go nuts. I started by standing and waiting until both had calmed a little and then told them to sit and wait. I then open the gate a fraction ... if either move the gate is closed and I wait until they sit again. Each time I open the gate a little more and if they move from the sit the gate is closed again. If they are completely nuts then I have sometimes walked away and come back when they are a little calmer. I can take absolutely ages some time to get the gate open but both have quickly learnt they need to be sitting calmly before the gate is opened and they are not to move until I give them a release. I use the same for doors etc. I can now open doors and gates without the dogs needing to rush through ...

I burn mozzie coils around the veranda and the back yard.

I have two working line GSD's. We do lure coursing, swimming, agility, obedience, walking about an hour morning and night, off-leash time at park, bushwalking and play time in the back yard.

Noooo ... I am closer ;) I want him ;) Besides I saw him first