ShellyBeggs

Great advice Kelpiechick!!! Sometimes I think it helps to remember that ........its a game and as the saying goes, you are not playing for sheep stations!! this will not change world peace and it will not cure cancer..... But....it's about fun, bonding with your best mate and doing something together!

A good dog behaviourist would be a big benefit to get to the real problem! It certainly sounds like he is worried about these kids (i won't begin to guess if its fear) and I would certainly be having a word with the neighbour (not just the kids) about them throwing stuff over the fence and possibly jumping over the fence. And is it just the one kid that he reacts to? I would be asking what she did to the dog in front of her parents! She may not have done anything but she may well have too! Maybe you could have the kids meet you at the park (non-threatening environment) and see if he reacts to them there away from his territory. Good Luck!

Oh these games are all so much fun!!! And your 'find and fetch' games with household items is handy.....spill a drink and you can send the dog to get the teatowel of the rail. I spent most of my labs puppy life teaching him tricks...... play dead (and not a twitch of movement), shake hands, high five, high ten (both paws).......roll over and back the other way, beg and sook, weaving between your legs and dancing which usually invovlved spinning around in circles until you fall over.....and yep a dog can spin around till they fall over. Was always handy if i needed peace or quiet especially if the phone rang.....would just hold my hand like a gang and say 'bang' and the pesky puppy would flop over 'dead' until I gave him the release word. Must admit he does it now of his own accord and even manages quite a lot of snores while dead and not moving!!!!

I did the same as Benny123 When I lived in the burbs, my lab barked at one particular neighbour whenever they went outside. I went out to correct him one day and started chatting over the fence to the neighbour and we came up with a plan. I loaded my neighbour up with treats, and got my neighbour to tell my lab to sit and when he did would throw him over a treat. We did this a few times when I was there, a few times with me watching from the window. It worked, as soon as my lab heard the neighbour he would sit at the fence and wag his tail and he got a treat. Gradually the treats became less frequent and unpredictable. I would also throw a few of his tennis balls over the fence and they became rewards too!!!! Worked a charm.....the neighbour was my dogs new best friend, it cost me $2 a week on cheap treats that I broke up into small pieces (so he didn't get too much) and for the 1 minute it took for the neighbour to occassionally throw the lab a treat, he got endless peace and quiet. Of course if you are worried about baiting you may need to consider that you are letting a stranger feed your dog. Another option is to move to the country where your neighbours are so far away your dog can't hear them........ It worked for me!!!!!

Ok don't want to be the downer but have you considered your dogs eyesight..... I had a flat coated retriever and she could never catch and I tried all these training methods. It was only one day when she was about 2 that she was running free in a park and ran headfirst into a post did I work out she had poor vision. At home she always seemed fine, but she knew the place. The vet confirmed it. Maybe next time you are at your vet just ask for a eye check up just to rule it out. And I am sure if people can be uncoordinated and not catch, so can dogs!!!

He is beautiful and I am looking for a dog to start trialling earlier than my kelpie will be ready! I will speak to OH tonight!

I have just called for my information pack....... and how nice the receptionist was!!!!

Oh you poor thing, what a terrbile week you have had! I agree with what some of the others have said, you need to reestablish your leadership as topdog and once that is done get your friend to come and visit, make it very clear to Jak that any unwanted behaviour towards your friend is not permitted. And even have your friend establish herself as above Jak, get your friend to give commands 'sit' etc..... and reward the exact same as you. Start with you in the room, and then when Jak is responding to your friend leave the room for a minutes and have her continue. Jak needs to learn that all humans are leaders!!!! and also that they are capable of dishing out the much prized rewards also! Even get other people to do the same, family, visitors etc..... If kids want to pat my dogs at the park I ask the kid to tell them to sit first rather than I tell the dogs to sit..... Although do keep in mind how stressful it was for Jak! I hope things are getting better now!

I never thought of this as a sport...........but often threaten my lazy dogs with it when there is wood to cart about! They seem quite happy for me to push the wheelbarrow up the hill why they lay about! Thanks for the info everyone!

This thread is great............and I don't have much to add to the experts here but wanted to ask something! My lab is very old but is very well trained, every now and then if I tell him to sit (I use signals too incase he doesn't hear) he will just get up and walk away like I had not said or done a thing. Should I correct him or just assume that it his hearing/sight or possible dementia??? (All of which the vet claims he has.) :D And if it isn't disobedience why then can he do exactly as I tell him (and in a whisper I checked) if he knows I have treats??? He will sit, drop, sit, shake and a myriad of tricks asked for in a whisper with no visual clues if I have cheese.

I have seen enough fights break out just on training nights let alone in a ring......all due to a breaking dog. Surely the judge/steward have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the dogs in the ring......and if one breaks should act immediately to secure the wandering dog. There are usually enough helpers on trial day to have someone standing by ready to come and hold the strayed dog out of the way of the dogs finishing the exercise. Mmmm don't want to sound all LA Law but I wonder what the legality would be if the judge/steward/organiser/association if a dog was injured due to lack of responsible action. If my dog was injured I would certainly asking why something wasn't done to prevent it happening by those who could move freely around the ring and could have secured the dog.

Just to add another thing to ask your vet to check.......my mum's dog is a diabetic and has diabetic seizures! Let us know how you go!!!

:D :D I am suitably shocked and laughing at the same time.........this is the funniest thread I have read! I have to say I have three boy dogs and none of them have that little bit of hair trimmed!!! .........and I shant be either! ICK! But it does give me a great business idea.........Brazillians for dogs!

I hate jargon........I work for the government so I live in a world of jargon and acronymns. anyways I have just done a communication course through work and I know it is about people but it suprised me to learn how many people are actually passive aggressive. And I can guess from this what passive dominant in a dog 'could' mean........... But I agree with Erny that its impossible to guess the true meaning of what the person was intending with the statement. Guessing could just be dangerous! good luck JonathonDB!

Thanks , you are all the best! I may try to feed them seperately and well I guess when they stop sulking about being seperated or get really hungry .......they will start to eat! Cheers guys!

Since reading this post I have made some enquiries and if I could start the course tomorrow i would! I can't wait to read more about your adventures!!!

Thanks Pax! I don't believe in crating (waiting to be hit over the head with a big stick)....... But i did think about really sticking with seperating them when feeding. But there are a lot of situations in our lives where they would be required to eat together......camping, family BBQ (yes the dogs get their own BBQ snags cooked for them), picnics etc...... I would prefer to work within the situation than try and change it.....not to mention it doesn't seem fair to the two older dogs who have always eaten together every day to suddenly be locked iaway in a room and expected to eat. I am sure they see being seperated as punishment not to mention they are with us 100% of the time when we are home so to be locked away from the 'people family' would be double punishment. Thanks for your ideas!!!!

.... at home I have Sarg, 12yo lab - generally the boss of the dogs, sleeping tiger, doesn't get involved much but a slight grumble from him and the others move! Diesel, 2.5yo border collie - very sensitive dog, will sulk in the corner if you move a bit of furniture - but he isn't a submissive dog at all and will stand up to his playmates when they come to play if they get a bit rough or go somewhere not allowed. Anzac, crazy hypo 18week kelpie pup - New kid on the block but taking charge. For the past 2 years Sarg and Diesel have gotten on great, will even eat out of the same food bowl and chew bones all day without a bicker. Add crazy kelpie puppy and things have gone pearshaped. Anzac will take the food off Diesel and run off with it. I have been trying to do the "leave it up to them to sort out" and secretly keeping an eye on Diesels weight (he hasn't lost any at all so is at least eating the bones I leave for them during the day). Sarg will grumble at Anzac if he tried to take his food and so Anzac gets the hint and leaves him be, why risk getting nipped if the other dog is an easy target. Its now to the point where Diesel will spit out his treat for Anzac to take before Anzac even looks at pesting him for it and is still chewing his own treat. Each day Diesel is looking more and more 'nose out of joint' and sulking. I thought by now he would have realised that the pup is here to stay and would have started to deal with it. I have tried seperating them at feed times but then none of them eat, even just taking Anzac out of the mix and none of them will touch a mouthful (not even the lab who is usually a food scoffing machine). so the question is....... Should I let them work it out for themselves and not get involved in their heirachy? (keeping in mind that Diesel isn't loosing weight) or could Diesel be looking for me as 'leader' to stick up for him??? and if he is.............what should I do??? Thanks guys, I know you are all so much more knowledgeable than me and I will really value any help! Cheers Shelly P.S on a side note which may help, when inside at night Diesel ignores Anzac and will have nothing to do with him. When outside running around (5 acres) if you don't look they will play and wrestle and round things up (the cars, the house etc.....) together but as soon as Diesel knows you are watching he hates Anzac again and wants nothing to do with him. So his dislike seems to be for my benefit only.....

He is 18 week kelpie..........we call him crazy, feral or schizo.....his real name is Anzac as I got him ANZAC day. MMMMM maybe my idea to wear him out now so I can sleep later....isn't the best idea. It seems to have worked with Jak so I might give the dining room table a go tonight too!

My pup does too!!!! I work all day too.....and he goes nutes about 8pm also! I wonder if it has to do with the food giving them a boost........after he eats, he has a little rest, plays by himself but come 8pm he goes feral and bites and runs around so silly he runs into things and bites and steals socks and shoes and runs and bites.....yep the biting is a common theme! He even wears out the other two dogs and I am exhausted running after him turning the chairs back up the right way, taking the sock off him that he stole or that bit of something he found to chew..... I call it 'feral hour'...... Any advise you get I will greatly cherish also!

Owwwweeeee she is so beautiful..........not quite rolypoly but getting there! She looks fine and I wouldn't worry!!!!

is it the leather or just frustrated and he doesn't like it??? I would try a web or cloth collar for a few days, if he scratches at that it icould just be that he doesn't like it. the dye they use on leather is harsh and could be causing the allergy!

I went through this with my lab for ages and ages and ages...... tried everything......he is a water lover, loves pepper and developed a love of chillis. One day i really cracked it did the "you want it so much have it" and tied the wet and now muddy towel to his collar. He played with it for 4 minutes, dragged around for over an hour in disgust until he started sulking in his bed. I untied it and he has never touched anything on the line since............I guess it isn't as much fun when you are not just allowed to play with it but forced to!

Hey did I hear Go-Getta line....... My boy Anzac is from them............... Hey small world!!!!! Our dogs could be cousins.....(back to the kelpie thread i guess) But it makes me feel better too that someone has a non-dog agressive kelpie from them! I am used to training highly socialable dogs such as my lab and was starting to worry I wouldn't cope!

*big hugs* Its been such a hard time for you and I hope you are looking after yourself and by that I don't just mean health wise but those extra little spoilings you need. Take a bath, paint your nails, get a new haircut or something.....!!!!! If not you will have all of DOL there to drag you out and to spoil you rotten! All my love to you and Cassie over the rainbow bridge and to Polly.......and my best wishes to the puppy and his new home! Please know we all have family over the rainbowbridge.......and you are not alone! Anytime you wanna chat or what ever feel free to PM me! Cheers Shelly