The Spotted Devil

Both good questions Helen!

That's very funny DDD :laugh: The slate was there when we moved in - warm colours, cold in Winter but a blessing in Summer and very practical with all the animals! I can't take credit for the TV cabinet either - Mr TSD found it and replaced our big clunky one when I was overseas. It's very simple which suits the room. I do however take responsibility for Miss Ginny's impish side. Her Mum took care of her looks

Well here she is! Officially ANKC registered and officially ADORABLE! :laugh: Meet my baby Ginny - the absolute renegade of the litter, I have started separating her from her litter brothers and the games of learning have begun. She's FULL of energy, is an absolute Houdini, loves to tug and is just a whole lot of FUN. Last night was her 3rd time sleeping in our room in a crate and she slept straight through without one bedtime tantrum or middle of the night toilet break. What a long journey to just get this far but my goodness it's worth it! Why doesn't SHE have to sit? Wrestling with Mum :D Dizzy and Ginny playing their own unique version of crate games... Occasionally she even sleeps!!!

And that takes some doing :laugh:

Awww. I was going to suggest a Clumber Spaniel. I know nothing about the breed but when someone says "plodding" for some reason I always think of them There's always an exception - yes Clumbers do plod with those short legs :laugh: but not really the large dog they had in mind!

If you want a plodder I would steer clear of the Gundog group as a general rule - Labs, Goldens and Spaniels are more likely to be busy, active dogs. Of course there are always exceptions. Like Tassie I LOVE Bernese and always wanted one until I realised I needed dogs with a bit more "zip" for dog sports.

Thanks Lisa - forgot that! Also, you can use straw bales to make a really warm space for him as a stop gap.

Agree with all of the above. Definitely contact Aiden (Aiden2 on DOL). The problem is if no-one has "listened" to his growls of warning and just forced him to do something, an escalation to a bite is not all that surprising.

Welcome! I run the only Spotted dog in agility in Victoria! If you are serious about competing in agility you will need to train with a club that understands competitive agility rather than doing a few jumps/tunnels "for fun." Don't get me wrong - my dogs and I have a BALL but it takes a lot of skills beyond just taking a jump!

You can either lure it as you are doing AND reward for incremental improvement (I have done this with lots of dogs and it works really well as long as you break it down enough) or you can also try capturing the behaviour when your dog chooses to lie down. Use a verbal marker or clicker for the latter and treat!

I don't worry too much about the motivation behind marking although it can be change/stress etc - just show him where you want him to toilet. Confined in a crate when you can't supervise, take him outside very regularly, give him a command to toilet and make a BIG deal when he does - Praise! Treat! Play! Once he gets the hang of this I'd use it as a reward for doing something - trick, control position, heel work etc. Works for my entire male!

Play pen wise (or crates) I would go with Vebopet every time. Great value, strong and if it's Spaniel proof you'll be fine :D

Embrace your nerves. They are there to help you be your best. Dogs are dogs and stuff will go wrong so don't dwell on it. I've competed in 3 Dalmatian Nationals, 1 Agility Nationals and 2 Retrieving Nationals. The nerves don't change but how I channel them into being on the ball and there for my dog has Aim to see your dog full of JOY and the rest will come. Or won't matter :)

Love love love the chasey games!

Yup :D So funny, my ESS litter LOVE the mud and rain at the moment! Means we go through a lot of towels.

Very cute! How can you resist!!! I know my Burmese girl Lilly cried for about 12 months after Miss Brontë died. Then again so did I

The problem is that all the things that you do to prevent her peeing on the couch may well be masking an underlying issue which won't be resolved - whether it's incontinence or bladder infection/stones or anxiety. Might be worth a visit to your vet. Also are you cleaning the area with Urine Off? That's my brand of choice hands down.

I'd have a couple of approaches. Firstly manage - restrict the dog's access either to the room or use a big play pen for her. If you are not around there is little you can do as she clearly likes it. Secondly - train an alternative behaviour. Build value for lying on her own bed, one treat at a time. I would use the dog's daily meals to train this. Shape it initially in a short session and then practice walking past and the dog choosing to jump in the bed. Then I'd work on duration.

Um. No.

HD is frustrating to say the least. It can pop up even when parents had good hip scores, it's affected by exercise and nutrition and effects of desexing are not clear either.

I am an animal welfare scientist, writing up my PhD. My research to date has focussed on the behaviour and welfare of dogs and cats in animal shelters. I hold a number of casual positions…University tutor and lecturer, research assistant, some contract work (mainly writing at the moment but may involve research down the track), dog trainer, cat and dog behaviourist. Love it all. It's hard keeping on top of everything at the moment - especially when my dog hobbies also require a lot of time - obedience, agility and retrieving trialling plus I just bred my first litter of ESS. Phew!

Ah - ok. Well give it a shot then. Maybe get someone to proof read your email before you send it?

Maybe give them a call then? The written word can be misconstrued and it's often easier to chat :)

Don't forget to speak with your breeder too - they might have seen something like this before.

I agree with Sandra.