dee lee

Squeak, my dog sounds like a combination of both your dogs!! I can relate to how you feel. I know people who always point out the bad things - like Evie jumping up, like you everytime a doggie person lets her we are back two steps. It can make me feel very discouraged. But then I watch my dog lie quietly next to me if I go to a cafe, even obeying a stay (reluctantly but still...) when another dog walks past, and a stranger will comment on what a well behaved dog she is and then I feel good about her progress.

For some reason I have found some flea treatments work on some dogs and others on other dogs. I had my dog on Revolution last summer and she ended up becoming infested with fleas! However I have a friend who uses Revolution and swears by it. I had to use capstar once a week along with it until recently when I switched to Advocate. Now we have no fleas. I don't know why this is the case, but perhaps suggest your client switches to another brand?

That is when you give a couple of little pulls on the lead, letting the lead go slack after every "pop". It's to get your dog's attention not to pull it along. I can empathise with your frustration, I have a dog who I must maintain very strict heeling with or she is a freight train puller . Drives me nuts and I too envy those owners with trotting dogs. You are going to have to decide how much of this behaviour you wish to tolerate and train accordingly - some people dont care if their dog is more interested in its surrounds, some like me feel that a walk requires the dog to listen to you and walk beside you. Not to mention that all dogs are different- some just naturally like to walk with their owners- unfortunately not mine or yours .

God you're a nag!!! BUT... one week after applying the Advocate and... *drum roll*... NO FLEAS!!!!!!! Shame about the woine though. (will still get the permoxin to dose the place though... promise. ;) ) ETA: one month on and STILL no fleas! Thank goodness. that reminds me, time to reapply!

I have used the sporn harness and initially it gave me more control, but then for some reason my dog reacted quite badly to corrections with it and became increasingly dog aggressive. Could be several reasons why (she didnt tell me :wink: ) but I found the harness impeded my ability to control those outbursts so I stopped using it.

Sorry Coopz, no advice to give- my dog is just as bad as yours. She even goes mental if we go past somewhere where she has seen a cat before. Im hoping for answers here too!

OK, day ONE and Evie doesnt have any fleas after applying the Advocate yesterday. I am tentatively optimistic since I havent put any Capstar on her for about 4 days now and usually by now I will start to notice some fleas (she has a white strip down her throat and tummy so they are easy to spot). I am wishing SOOOOO hard for this product to work. Unfortunately I just think that all dogs/environments are different. I have NEVER had as much trouble with fleas as I have in this house with this dog. Its been driving me crazy.

I couldnt find it last time I looked for it at the pet store and the hardware store. They were all sold out of a lot of flea control products. (... and then i forgot about it - I actually have a list with that on it still in my bag! :rolleyes: ) Ive been using a flea control spray and fleapowder with Capstar in the meantime. Will have to look for the Permoxin again next time.

Bloody revolution- completely useless on my dog. (didnt make her itch though) Have just today started her on Advocate- I read more positive feedback on this than anything else. I just dont understand why these topical products seem to be pretty much the same but work with differing efficacy on different dogs. This had better work- Im sick of spending big money for nothing. In addition to the revolution I have sprayed my yard, house and flea powdered bedding. Still fleas- once the capstar wears off. Dont want to fleabomb, my house and yard is too small and I have kids.

Ok, just put some advocate on Evie today. Took me 2 weeks to get some. Lets see if this works better than Revolution- hope so, I have 6 months worth oh well at least she is heartworm protected. Really hoping I'm not going to have to buy anymore Capstar. So far the environmental sprays aren't working either. My next step will have to be professional pest control. Crossing fingers.

Wow. I dont think I would be able to keep a straight face if I had a trainer come and try that new age approach on my dog. It would be all I could do to keep from laughing. Well, until I had to pay for it... Sorry for being cynical, but whilst I do believe that staying calm helps- I don't believe that that itself trains the dog, and it certainly doesn't sound like its working for your dog.

Yep, about the same for me- a bit extra for a followup visit. But I am in Sydney and it may be cheaper where you are. If you get a decent trainer they should be available by phone if you have further problems. My wonderful trainer has been extremely supportive in the ensuing months after i saw him. However, the first trainer I used was not so helpful (in all ways... ). It really pays to get a good recommendation from someone who lives near you. And Nekhbet- I reckon you are STILL undercharging!!

I came home from dropping the kids off to school to find the new plants (yeah, I know, what was I thinking ) I bought on Sunday had been "customised"- despite being screened off and sprayed with bitter apple. Luckily she left the plants alone but decided the big wooden stake was fairgame. Its only a matter of time though... And she had had an hour walk already and was left with a bone and I was gone for only an hour. Really, the only way I have found to avoid the chewing (and at nearly 2 Evie has gotten better) is to leave NOTHING chew-worthy accessible. Can you put up a run for them?

I dont know what fetishes ruthless has, she might be up for that type of entertainment, but for me (if Im still the member of The Club) a vodka and cranberry will do and a bribe. Smirnoff Ice, Lemon Rusky, they are all ok Oooh, a classy club?!

What, no initiation rituals? I would like to come- bit of pressure after this thread, I will have to teach Evie some tricks to show off!!! ETA: just read the article, Ruthless you will have to teach me that. Im a little confused. Ah, maybe aaaat "the Club"!! After I have danced with some undies on my head right?

Great! I have some trouble controlling her drive so I imagine this would be VERY helpful. I think Evie and I have become your hobby Ruthless!! Speaking of training- has the DOL eastside training club been braving the wet weather?

I assume you mean as in let go? Definitely. The difficulty is that she goes into "hyperdrive" in such games. Its taken me a long time to get her to "give" her ball when fetching, she would rather chew it like gum . With the tug I felt it was more prudent to avoid it after witnessing her "shutdown" when tugging on other dogs- she only lets go for air, same with tug toy with me. I dont really have the words to describe it any other way- her eyes almost glaze over and she just is "gone" when like that. It hasn't seemed worth it, but now you've gotten me thinking- it may be a good opportunity to teach her a drive "off" command. That was your point wasnt it?

Oh Corvus, to have a dog where such things as doorways didnt make a difference. She is a pigheaded staffy x and yes, she is excitable but not in a way that we can live with. She can be very very rough and we have children- which is also why mouthing also is not tolerated. Backing down on discipline is not an option, the positive changes and obedience improvements that have come about since our "boot camp" has been put into place are amazing. Really she is not a soft dog- she is not interested in pleasing me (you know what I mean- dont dob me into Tonymc!) and yelling at her would get her attention, not upset her. I am careful about playing games with her- tug is out because of a past history of her not letting go of other dog's necks when playing, I dont think its wise to let her "practice" that (I still ave hopes of supervised play with other dogs). Back to the doorways though, I am a bit lenient on that one (cant teach the kids to do it with her) but I can tell you that if she has been pushy and I begin to insist on it again her behaviour improves immensely. Kavik- the send away sounds like what Evie would LIKE to do given half chance, but I dont think she would stop!!

Yes, please! I would love to borrow a clicker book! (need to get a clicker now- ooh how excitement) And thanks for the vote of confidence!! She can be a good girl sometimes- we have come a long way. As for the rest of you geniuses (or is it genii?) Im glad you say you aren't perfect! (don't believe you though!!) MonElite + Kavik, good point about goals. Sometimes I tend to get a bit bogged down by management and lost the objectives. Maybe clicker training will re-inspire me. (And psst- what's a send away?)

Janba- obviously my leadership, whilst I think it is good, is not perfect as I am still needing to use correction on our walks to keep her at heel (she pulls with little focus otherwise). I find that if I have been softer on her (being more affectionate etc) she very quickly starts to play up- ie jumping on me and trying to mouth me when she gets excited, and running through doors before me. She is immediately corrected when this happens but it does signal to me that she starts to feel that she can try it on. It can be a tough battle staying on top though when my OH and the kids aren't as consistent. Not that they are EVER affectionate to her, just dont think about the little things. Tricks sound good- Im afraid the "teacher" is a bit of a doofus though . I have taught her shake hands, catch, fetch and roll over, so I should get the hang of it- one day. Is it just me that feels like my brain gets so overloaded with all the training, tricks and stuff that it doesn't work anymore?? You guys are too bloody clever!!! Please tell me once upon a time you were as clueless as me...

I don't think so. But they can get quite upset if you suggest to them that their selfless love for their children is just a biological imperative Ooh there's a topic!!!

Thanks Monika, I never thought of grooming. She does seem to like that. I've taught her a few tricks, might have to have another look for new ones. And more training can never be a bad thing (may have been a bit lax lately too ) I do pat her after making sure she sits and behaves. Maybe I am just worrying needlessly. Do you think that with such a dog that maybe one day she will give up challenging and we can relax a little?

I too was thinking something like this- but as usual wanted to wait for someone more eloquent to say it and then agree. Really are humans all that different either? Does anyone ever do something just to please someone, without ever wanting something back? Surely what we would want back is acknowledgement at the bare minimum, which in itself is not just doing something for the sake of pleasing.

On the first visit from our trainer several months ago, amongst the mountains of ideas her poured on me (luckily he had made notes for me too! ) I recall him saying something along the lines of "some" dogs will continue to challenge for the rest of their lives. He wasnt speaking about Evie then but I have come to realise that yes she is one of those dogs. If I am not consistently tough on her the passive challenging creeps up. Even if I spend a little extra time patting her I can see my control over her is lessened. I feel like I am missing out on a lot of the joys of owning a dog by being so tough, but I recognise I have no choice but to be consistent- especially since my OH and the kids have no idea what they are doing. Still i would like to increase my bond with her, and worry that she does not have a very "happy" life since I am always on her case. So my question is- what kind of playtime/bonding would you consider to not interfere with my leadership? Bearing in mind that she is never allowed offlead (so I can do agility) and has very high preydrive (so I dont do tug with her).

HA! My dog does NOTHING to please me!! However I seem to constantly be trying to please her!