Sayreovi

Im going, with Darcy this time.

I dont leave any toys around here either, i use them for training. There is though an odd tennis ball that gets thrown over from next door that they play with, but really the only time they will get toys is when i give them too them. ETA Being idiotic retrievers though, anything is fair game for a good fetch and that includes little twigs and leaves

Sure sure......i recognise the address

Its never too late to train a dog, or join a club. I have the same problem, i have a 3 year old dog that has gotten away with not coming when called so what i did is never put him in a situation where he has the opportunity to not come back, so he was basically on a long lead/line all the time. Find something your dog really loves and use that for recalls and only recalls and everytime he comes to you reward him with that. Start off in your backyard until he is coming every time you call then move to a quiet area where he is on a lead and repeat. Just slowly build up the distractions and never put the dog in a situation where he has a choice to come or not. That is my experience only and has worked well so far, i am able to let my dog off lead and he will return every time i call but only in that one area i am building up in other areas but it takes time and patience

I would say no, i have 2 dogs both the same breed, that are known to be extremely intelligent/trainable. One, Darcy, has the best temprement to want to please and when i start training him fully has the potential to go very far. My other boy, Nova, while being smart is harder to train, i personally find him 'smarter' then the other boy but doesnt have the wanting to please temprement, there MUST be something in it for him to want to do it and that something better be really good. Im making Nova sound like a hard dog to train, when really once i found out what he wants he was pretty easy the hardest part was finding that special something. So the breed doesnt really play much into it as much as the dogs individual personality does However i would be able to train Nova much more easily doing agility and retrieving as he isnt that dependent and is willing to work at distances more while Darcy is more responsive to obedience as it has close contact with me

Like Sas said, his hormones have to settle and could take a few months. Nova got done about 2 months ago now and he has definately changed, like he is still the same over the top Nova but he is more cuddly and is initiating hugs instead of me just giving them to him haha. Not sure what is happening with his dog aggression as we havent been to training much to see what happens due to school and other committments, he still hates one other dog there but i cant expect him to like every other dog. Good luck, it will all fall together eventually haha

Personally wouldnt use a chocker on a puppy that young. A normal lead and collar would be fine.

Didnt upset me.....just because you understood though doesnt mean that other dog owners would have and they could potentially ruin their dogs trust

This would depend on (a) The intensity of the "aggression" shown to the pup; and (b) The frequency of the "aggression" shown to the pup (by comparison to good stuff). If 'prevention' method is activated, and it's only the occasional 'accident' that occurs, if the intensity of the "aggression" (for want of better words) is appropriate and if the pup receives praise and good things for chewing on appropriate chew items, I see it as aiding towards sending a message, in black and white, to the pup about where its advantage lies. As I mentioned, using ONLY one method is not the answer (IMO) ... it's about using the best method FOR THE MOMENT (not yelling, just emphasising). Tollersend: I don't believe there was any real 'physical' punishment (in the sense that many people read it) dished out here, other than to hold the skin on the pup's neck. I think the punishment would be more in the look of the handler's face and the manner in which "No" is expressed. Also, note that Kitty's puppy ran away BEFORE she had the opportunity to enact this method of discouragement. I doubt, therefore, that it could be fear from that (if that's what you were implying). I'm not trying to convince you towards or away from any club. There is still no need to grab a puppy while reprimanding it. Alot of dogs will learn to fear the person doing it, if i did that to my pup he would never trust me again. It is very harmful to give out that advice without knowing every puppy well and to possibly inexperienced trainers. I did say that the puppy while running away could been seen as either fear or play. I would use yogibears suggestion, puppy proof your home, rather prevention then cure, there really is no need to grab your puppy and growl at it, when it is really your fault for leaving them in reach during the teething stage. I would try every other method available to you before using the method the trainer gave you but thats just me. I have 2 dogs (one still a pup) that dont chew on anything apart from their toys/treats, and i didnt have to use any sort of punishment. JMO

This is different, it is not the dogs mother telling it off, it is its owner and some dogs could very well learn to fear their owner. I dont physically punish my dogs. Why is the pup running away? Could well be from fear but also play. Puppy proofing your home would be a good start, use prevention rather then cure. Still stand by my original statement that i wouldnt go back to whichever club she is attending

Personally i wouldnt use that method, i like Tess32s suggestion though, thats how i taught my dogs. IMO i wouldnt use any aggression towards a young puppy, and i wouldnt be going back to that club.

I used white plumbing stuff and just stuck those in the ground haha Dogs should enter with their left shoulder going in first, make sense haha

Haha, Agility is really fun though. While we were waiting around during obedience while they talked, i started doing tricks with him or started training them, he loves doing his tricks so keeps him somewhat amused

Nova was the same, he used to be great in obedience and then he burnt out a bit. So we started in Agility and gave obedience a break for awhile, his obedience has actually improved and we are hopefully gonna start trialling soon. I also use positive reinforcement, with special food and toys i guess after awhile he got bored doing the same exercises over and over again and too be honest so was i and maybe he was picking up on that.

Like Shekina i have 2 dogs one with front dewclaws, and the other with none at all. The one with them hasnt hurt them or anything, I just need to cut them more. I dont really mind either way if they have front ones, but back ones should definately be taken off if present

Yeah i second that

Just clearing up something just in case that was directed at me, due to Novas back problems. Nova has been started back in flyball and a bit of agility no where near as much as before, just enough to keep him fit and "in the game" He has been cleared by the vet and a specialist of any skeleton problems, he was given several months off to recover went back to the vet who gave him the all clear to resume agility and flyball lightly

Definately teach swimmers turn. Nova is shocking on his turns at the moment, he used to slam into the box hard but after him doing that a few times i started working slowly with him to do a proper turn. That may have actually caused his back problems in the first place. Darcy is well hopeless at the moment haha, he loves the idea but he doesnt do it right yet and he puts very little weight on the box so the ball doesnt pop out :D

Mine walk on the left because that is where i trained them for obedience, so they just automatically go over that side when on a shorter lead or when asked other times they are just everywhere . Nova does have a command for the right side and that is handy for agility, just trained him the same way as on the left but with a different command/signal

As soon as i got them, but they started obedience school when they were about 4-5 months old

Congrats FHR!!!!! Its like every competitors dream!!!! Good Luck

Was very nice to meet you all, well sorta, there was so many DOLers there!!!! Nice turn out of Tollers too, we outnumbered the Collies!!!! Very proud of that Nice to meet all you other toller owners Cant wait for pics now....

If only Mel (StaffordsRule Mel) was coming

Not really a weekly thing, its run by the RR club and they send out an email for people on the mailing list about it. So dont really know when it happens

Im thinking of bringing Nova just for some socialization, he hasnt been anywhere much so he could use it i guess. Yay Sparty!!! Its gonna be a mini Toller get together, you should try and sneak Rus and Teela down as well