ShellyBeggs

Hi guys I was told my aussie puppy has goggles.......which is shorter lighter/grey hair around his eyes looking like he is wearing goggles. I was told there is a name for it and it happens in border collies. What is it? What causes it? What can i do about it? thanks heaps!

I have had great success in conditioning my kelpie who was so petrified of the clicker he used to run down the other end of the house and hide under the bed. now he loves his clicker so much......... rather than retype my experience here is a quote from a previous thread.

I too am working with this........ I use a front exercise with the clicker too.......and only c/t the close ones and working up to only c/t the excellent ones. Its a bit of a spinning game and Ranger loves it......hold the bait real close and high enough that to take it they have to sit close with their head tilted up, dont look at the dog but look at the bait, when they come in and sit where you want, c/t then not waiting gor them to finish the bait, turn 90 degrees in one direction with feet still in the same spot. and repeat. they get really quick at coming in close and following you around to get the next treat. of course make sure you turn both directions.........and work up to the exact position you want. then when they get excellent you can add half turns, following you on a full turn etc..... I wish i was up to that point but getting there..........

whats the news from the vet???

Being this bubba hasn't come from the best of starts......... Maybe consider Rickets......... From memory its a vitamin deficiency affecting the growing bones. First thing I thought.......... I have never seen rickets in a puppy but I have seen it in foals. They tended to fall over a lot, hobble around and tilt to one side. Its been a long long time and I am likely way off............but do a google search!

So sorry for your loss......I wish there was something we could all say or do to make it easier! But there just isn't anything that would come close. We are all thinking of you!!!!! Peace to you Zed! Fly free with your angel wings!

ZednQ....... My thoughts are with you during your time of sadness. Please remember to look after yourself and do what you need to do for you, everyone else will understand. And if they don't, too bl**dy bad, send them my way! Call me anytime if you need anything......or need a chat or someone to rant at or yell abuse to, sometimes you just need to, dont worry I wont take it personally! I can be there in 15 minutes.....anytime day or night. Zed......may your wings take you to places you never imagined could be so wonderful! Do not fear, there will be plenty of winged angels to greet you and make you welcome! Rest in peace angel and go over the rainbow with love in your heart because you have made so many people smile, I only knew you briefly but like so many of our 4 legged friends, touched my heart with your goofy grin!

can i please have help with a new signature...................i can post piccies tomorrow!

how much exercise are these dogs getting??? Who is the leader of the household??? (I am hoping you say that you are and that you do leadership exercises daily......traingle and NILF)

I found it very easy to crate train my older dogs. They were not old old but out of puppy stage that is for sure. My dog hated the crate as soon as I unpacked it. I left it in the loungeroom and after a day or so......started paying it attention. Patting the crate. talking to it and even giving the crate a big hug and telling it how good it was :rolleyes: It ws tough but I payed more attention to the crate than the dog. But it made the dog interested in the crate.........I then, while praising the crate and ignoring the dog, started randomly throwing treats inside it. So the dog started going in and out looking for these treats and wondering why this object was getting all the "good boys" and he wasn't. Once he had no objection to going in and getting a treat I started playing crate games..........rolling the bell in there, throwing a treat and making him wait before he could go and get it and it always finished off with the crate getting a nice crunchy biccie or a bone......which the dog would have to go in and get......and eventually started staying in there to eat it....because you never know just when this crate was going to get another small titbit thrown in. And then started adding to the games the words..... "into your bed" or what ever you want to call it....so roll the ball and say "into your bed" as he enters and as he came out "out you come" (what you use doesn't matter). Eventually working up to not letting him enter (holding collar, stay or what ever level he can do) until giving the command and not letting him out (a hand in the way stops them coming out).......and eventually shut the door, just for a few seconds and opening it again (but not if they are crying).... And now the games are building anticipation "i know a treat is in there and when mum says I can get it" It was now a place of fun....and a happy place. It was then a very simple task of putting SOME of his bedding that he was already comfortable with, inside the crate (use the dogs old crappy stuff no matter how comfy the crate bedding looks coz he needs to feel like its his......you can change later)............now keep the really best of treats, something that takes a while to chew, throw it in the crate give the command to enter, and close the door and walk a few steps away......sit watch tv, do the ironing. The dog needs to know you are close by. You then lengthen your time and lengthen your distance.....and remember ignore any cries (check they are ok but not to give attention).....and let them out when its time and only if they are quiet. I found it very easy to step to sleeping in the crate as I put their crate next to the bed, so they had company right next to them, put a sheet over the crate and gave them a chicken frame (its the only place the get it so the race me to their crates at night to get it). Once they were comfy sleeping in there you can inch by inch start moving it across the room and to where ever you want them to sleep, in another room or where ever.

sounds like fun mum......... Not very safe tho!!! It would worry me that if he fell I would run him over.......

Its a kelpie thing........ my kelpie will lay ontop of anything rather than be at ground/floor level. And the higher he has to climb to get up there the happier he is. I think its why he likes being in the ute. He also likes to lay, looking over the world, with his front legs crossed over out front......sometimes hanging off the edge of what ever he is sleeping on. I think this too is a kelpie thing as I have seen a fair few do it. I did draw the line with him laying on the kitchen bench and dining room table........ I often wonder if its because he likes to see that his 'sheep' are all in their right place.........because if one of his 'sheep' leaves the room, he follows behind and almost pushes them back to where he can see them. I think every living thing in the house is one of his 'sheep' and he even gets awfully upset if the cat goes down the other end of the house.

This may be worth a try......if you can't catch them doing it. my ex's 4yo bc has never been reliably house trained at night and he is staying with me for awhile and I havn't got enough crates.........when I heard of this method and gave it a go it worked. When I got up in the morning and saw the pee on the floor.....i went berserk at the pee. Ranted at it, raved, stamped my feet, pointed at it, gestured at it and got really really angry at the pee for being there. I never once looked at the dog, ackowledged the dog or directed anything towards him.....but make sure the dog can see and hear.......to me, it was as though the pee had crawled in from outside and got there on its own. I put the fear of death into that pee.........and it hasn't shown up again since!!! I don't know why it worked but it has! Making the area a food area is a great idea to try, maybe put a dog bed there too.......so this becomes a 'home' and not a toilet. But you really need to get rid of the smell first.....just make sure the dog doesn't see you cleaning it. If none of it works I guess you could restrict access to this area for only when you are around to supervise.

I hope all the unwell babies have had a great day today!!!

Just found this by accident and so glad I did! RIP Kiesha!!! BP....take care buddy, its a hard time but make sure you look after yourself. That is the most beautiful thing I have ever read.....I am sitting hear with tears down my face and the images so clear in my head of Keisha bounding around running into all of our lost friends over the bridge that must be there.....having a play and chasing critters through the grass. I wonder if this is the place dogs dream of when you see them running and giving little yip barks in their sleep!

My dogs reguarily get fruit with no ill effect..... they love grated apple on their dinner, especially if they have been off their food a little bit. banana on toast for breaky.........pineapple from the BBQ Havn't found many fruits they dont like......i think a lot of dogs have a sweet tooth! start off with just a little bit to avoid upset tummy........avoid giving whole fruit with large stones/seeds as they can get stuck and avoid citrus. No grapes!

Its nerve grating.......but the key is nerves as steel and patience! I got one too, you're not alone My boy IS dominant, arrogant, you name it. Aversives didn't work to stop his jumping as he was more likely to respond with back chat - sort of "come on, make me stop jumping!". Checking the leadership did the trick with him - no greeting him until he was calm, I initiate all contact and ignore him if he's being a pest. Initially if the jumping persisted, I walked away, no eye contact, no reaction at all, he lost his chance to interact for a few minutes (my dogs live outside so this is easy for me, I just go inside). I would then try again, call him over once calm and ask for a sit/drop/whatever. He now throws sits at me for attention (smart dog still knows how to manipulate me :rolleyes: ) and only jumps (on me, that is) when invited. He will still jump on anyone that shows him the slightest encouragement, even if that is only eye contact. When we greet someone, I ask them to please completely ignore him if they dont want him to jump on them. Then when he is calm and offering sits, they can greet him. My elderly aunt (who is not dog savvy at all and is actually a little afraid of them) is able to spend time outside with the dogs without getting knocked over using the method I did. Mind you, all you really need to do is carry a tape measure with you and the kelpie runs a mile! Scary Oh you have a backchatting kelpie too.......mine does snappy turtle at me if I try and make him do anything he disagrees with or from forcing him to stop something he is enjoying. and with my kelpie its the zoom on the camera - freaky stuff! But the ignoring them until they give you the behaviour you want really works coz they HATE being ignored and they have to use their brain.........and you are not forcing them to do anything and not necessarily giving them direct orders.....but they have to think, to analyse what worked the previous time but they still have that freedom of choice. Edited to add.....since he loves it, he is invited to jump up and get a rough scruff when he has done something really really well at training........

Ok I guess I got the only dominant arrogant pig headed kelpie out there.... Mine was a jumper......and all brought about by excitement.... "oh your home Yipppppeeee" usually. It was hard and really a waiting game but I fixed it within a week. I wouldn't let him out of his run and inside with me until he was calm and preferably sitting calmly but that came later. Not one little shiver of excitement because rewarding the excited state would reinforce that excitement as a 'wanted' behaviour. It began with waiting until he stopped the excitement, got bored and usually went off to sniff something and I would open the gate.......if he raced back towards the gate excitedly then the gate was closed and the waiting started all over again. He very quickly worked out that nothing would happen until he was calm. Then I added in the sit calmly because once he was calm, he could listen. The key is to be able to see any hidden excitement.......that little shiver, a really low whine because that is still excitement and not to be rewarded. I worked on the same theory putting on the leash, going out the door, getting in the car, being fed etc...... anything he got over excited about. The leash got put away at the first sign of excitement and it didn't go on until he was calm.....he didn't go out the door until he was calm, he didn't get in the car until he was calm and he wasn't released to eat until he stopped sooking and shaking and being excited and gave me focus. Its frustrating at first coz it seems to take FOREVER for calm.....but it gets quicker each time. Some of our training sessions at home was just 30 min of trying to get out the door calmly. But patience is the key and they do get it eventually........ But all 5 dogs at my place at the moment, incl 2 x 12 wo pups, can line up to come inside all very calm, we can get leads on and out the door and into the car in an orderly fashion! My family think its very impressive as their two little dogs run around in circles, tangle leads and almost pull them out the door. Calm = reward Excited = no reward P.S If the excitement is intense, it can help to be near the dog so they can see you but ignore them, no eye contact, no sound and no touch for a period of time when the excitement usually begins and for a period of time when you first come in contact with the dog (first up in the morning, just home etc....).

Bummer I didn't get the email about tickets!!! I sent an email so hopefullyl I get it soon....... Sorry I didn't respond sooner, just back at work and internet after hitting a roo monday night!!!!

Thanks guys....... he has been to the chiro twice and although was a little out in the back the first visit, he got the all clear on the 2nd. Although with how violent his tantrums are not suprised if he hasn't put himself out again. I have had a puppy in the house for the past week but this started before he came..... I have started back at work.....and the two weeks of my holidays the routine changed to staying up late and sleeping in. Maybe it is the routine changing back to normal.........and of course I am going to work and not home all day.

Anzac (1yo kelpie) has taken to destroying his crate, bending all the bars with his teeth (he even got out twice until I wired it all up with tie-wire)...........He bangs and crashes aroung in there for over an hour or more trying to mangle the bars with his teeth and sooking. Not only cant i get any sleep, he is destroying his crate (it looks like WW3 has gone on inside it) but I am worried he will hurt himself. He is 27kg and in a large size (36inch) wire crate......he is in the run all day with Ranger and Diesel, gets a 40-45 min walk every night and an hour ball play (he chases Ranger) every night plus training. Oh and games inside.......He usually is tired before bedtime and sometimes puts himself to bed....lately he is always eager to go to bed and get his chicken carcuss but once that is gone he has just in the last few weeks started these tantrums. He used to go straight to sleep! He has toys in his crate but doesn't play with toys. I have tried completely covering him, un-covering him, spraying him with water pistol when he does it, ignoring him, leaving the room.....yelling at him, leaving his collar on with lead out the bars and correcting the bad behaviour. Nothing seems to work......he is having a big destructive tanty! A friend at work who crates her dog, said he has too much room to mess about and put him in a smaller crate where he just can't do it. Put him in the smaller crate for 3-4 weeks, as long as its no more than 8 hours at a time...... and by then he should be used to just laying still and resting. I have a medium crate at home and it just looks too small. He will be able to lay down if he curls his bum up a bit and just be able to turn around, but can't stand up with his head up and wouldn't be able to sit. He would need to scrunch down to walk in the door. Any ideas guys???

I would definately speak to your vet about medication.....dogs get dementia like people and although its hard on everyone around them they usually dont seem to notice. At the chemist or safety gear shop...you can get soft squishy foam ear plugs.......safety plugs or something they are and its for people who use heavy equipment like chainsaws......and they work a treat. My ex used to snore that loud even if I went to the loungeroom to sleep he kept me awake at the other end of the house!!! They are about $1.50 a pair and you can wash them, are very comfy and the silence is bliss......and I still managed to hear the alarm buzzing to get me up in the AM. Well worth a try if it means your dog gets a few more months/years!

maybe try him on some live gastro tablets especially if he is on cortisone. Innerhealth or any of those with live acidophillus (sp??) in it, usually found in the fridge at the chemist or health food store.......yoghurt is good for live cultures but one of these tablets is about the same as 1000 tubs of yoghurt. Start at 1 tablet twice a day (you cant overdose).... Also consider that he may be a bit acidy......my lab had a acid stomach...he used to eat a lot of grass and I think it was to try and settle his tummy.......I used to give him a 1/4 cup of buttermilk about 15 min after every meal and it settled it down quickly. May be worth a try if he isn't lactose intolerant. Youghurt may work too........

I recommend George Scofield here in Mickleham (not far from the airport).... He has done wonders with my dogs who are ALWAYS hurting themselves doing zoomies and playing.... The first time I went i took both dogs, one with an obvious problem and the other just for a check coz I was there. Turned out the one without the obvious problem was worse.....his shoulder was out. At 8mo he wasn't a settled sleeper, and was obviously due to the shoulder........now he sleeps like a lamb all night and most mornings I have to wake him up to come out of his crate. George is very gentle and highly recommended by a LOT of people!

Rest in Peace Murphy..... Its amazing how kelpies managge to get right deep into your heart like no other......