poodlefan

Calling us twits and fools isn't either ;) If the dog's behaviour has caused the OP sufficient grief that she wants to rehome him, how on earth can she possibly consider consulting a professional about his behaviour "overkill"? Last time I checked a nipping Border Collie or a Newf that wanted to rescue the kids from the pool, didn't necessarily result in a traumatised owner that wanted to rehome the dog. Some difference eh?

I'd not criticise him for trying the crossbreeding. It's not his fault the idea took off with the wrong people. ;)

How seriously do you want to do obedience and agility. Are you are novice handler? To answer the other questions, most pups should have one hours access to unfiltered sunlight every day. No pup will develop fully confined inside and a JRT - such an active breed - would probably go spare. Could the pup be in a run during the day and inside at night?

Thankyou Wally

The thing I find with group classes and clicker training is that most pet dog owners aren't interested in "gadgets" won't use the clicker outside a formal training environment and have difficulty juggling a leash, treats and clicker (step 1 is get them to put treats and clicker in the same hand) So teaching them to use a marker word is more likely to be something they'll continue to do outside training. Its hard enough getting people to reward their dogs half the time - marking just adds to the challenge. One test of just how much timing will differ is, with your class armed with clickers, toss a ball and catch it, asking them to mark the catch - you'll get a range of marks!! Corvus I think its not that the clicker sound is a "surprise". I think its a sound unique to training and that a charged clicker in use brings anticipation of reward. A clicker trained dog is hardly likely to be suprised by a sound its heard thousands of times. Dory, my note of caution in your other thread was there because I'd not have liked you to think that there's something magical about clicker training as opposed to other methods of marking and rewarding. I can see you don't suffer from that illusion. We all get the dogs we train one way or another

Fanaticism my arse. You propose to rehome a dog with a history of killing small animals and that you freely admit you you cannot handle. Given your level of breed and training experience, you can hardly call cautionary calls for a behavioural assessment and careful rehoming to a competent home "fanatical". No one's assuming anything. The posts are based on what you're posting. Really? Yet you said in an earlier post: How does a dog fight without displaying aggression? How does the fact that you have concluded that another dog "started" lead you to conclude your dog can't behave aggressively I don't think anyone is assuming your dog has issues with people. Most posters know that animal and human aggression are different issues that aren't commonly linked. You can say "overkill" if you like. I'd prefer to think of it as equipping yourself and any adoptive family with more knowledge of what's going to be involved in a successful rehoming. You, an experiened breed owner AND trainer, despite careful socialisation (I'm sure you did this) cannot control this dog's prey drive. What makes you think anyone without such experience and wthout professional help will do better? Since when was an SBT a coursing breed by the way? You need to have a very clear understanding of what you're rehoming and so does the adoptive home. You have to plan for a home that won't be as careful as you and that may not understand what they're dealing with. My guess is that you do so many things instinctively to manage and control this dog that you don't even realise how much you're working on that. Having a professional assessment can help others to grasp this. If this boy is a highly reactive prey driven dog, do you see him down the dog park every afternoon? Chances are an adoptive family might try it out to "see how he goes". Your assertion that he's never been aggressive will ENCOURAGE it. I think you need to calm down, and carefully read what's actually been said. No one's made any negative comments about you. Indeed, people are concerned that the next home for your dog won't be as capable as you. There's nothing "wrong" with a dog with extreme prey drive IN THE RIGHT HANDS. If you're going to rehome this dog to a family that's never seen what he's capable of, that doesn't have the knowledge to control his behaviour and that doesn't have access to professional help then those are not the right hands. Do the right thing by this dog and any potential adoptive home and have him assessed. To do otherwise is to be standing into danger IMO. I'll ignore the insults you, while calling others who insult "shameful", have freely heaped on people who have demonstrated genuine concern for your dog. Some of those people work with dogs like yours professioally. However I can only conclude that if its made you think harder about what you are doing then that's a good result. If you wanted advice from a bunch of folk who probably wouldn't say what they were really thinking for fear of offending you and would make only noises of support, and who have never met the dog then you should have stuck to a group in which you have been a long term member. No one here knows you - perhaps you might care to contemplate which advice was more frank. ;) Best of luck with the rehoming. If you think any cautionary advice you give at the time of rehoming will be followed for the next 12+ years of this dogs life without reinforcement and professional help I'll say this - YOU ARE DREAMING. Ask any rescuer. As a dog trainer you know how complacement people can get around their own dog. You know how bloody awful it feels to be dealing with this dog now. For pity's sake do the responsible thing and do everything in your power to see that his next home doesn't end up in the same traumatic situation over someone elses pets. No way in Gods green earth would I recommend this dog to anyone without an objective professional assessment of his behaviour. The fact that your long time cronies on another egroup are blowing air up your skirt about it doesn't change that fact for a minute. As Vikki recommended, talk to the Army - sounds like an ideal solution that will see your dog working for a living with professionals.

Show an ounce of courtesy for your fellow exhibitors and you'll do just fine. If your a newb locally, you'd probably be shown a shady spot to put your dog, have help grooming him, given a few deep breathing lessons, have your number put on, be escorted to the ring and pushed in. I recall a newb missing his call on Day 1 of a two day show. No one knew to look out for him . I think about half a dozen folk made sure he was ringside for the next day. The issues I raised were those committed by folk who've been around plenty long enough to know better.

I love: * that my dog loves his day out * seeing, nursing and playing with all the new baby puppies * seeing and talking about breeds you'd otherwise only see in books * catching up with friends, cheering their wins and commiserating their losses * retail therapy (I hear Sunbury on the Melbourne cup weekend is very good) * visiting country towns and meeting the locals * seeing the best my breeds of choice have to offer and learning more about them. * RED trifle. * forgot to add - winning - when it happens.

Oh, and do this outside.

Paul Bright: Well why don't we start with these questions. Why can't you?

I'd recommend you fence it off from the dogs or put rigid cover on it CW - that's deep enough for a small dog to drown in.

Howie my Whippet was car sick initially. I found when he travelled in the passenger footwell he was better. It has worked for other DOL Whippeteers too. :p

No one rubbishing the idea seems to have considered that it might actually work.

Yep, fortunately I've not stewarded the toy ring often enough to get seriously cheesed off by that yet, and it doesn't occur in my breed TG. I have seen some great little set ups where people have those velcro number holders and the number and each lead in little named pockets for each dog and a helper who knows which dog is which and has them all set up to go. And then there's the helpless and hopeless Not to mention those who seem to think that others should simply have to wait for them. Ditto those with serial escape artists who seem to regard all other exhibitors as there to watch out for and catch their dogs.

This one only cheeses me off if I know they're doing it as an attention seeking thing. Then it's really particularly if it's hot or raining. It certainly annoys me when rather than have each dog on a lead ringside and ready to go, they have one lead, put the dog in its crate, get the next dog out, put that lead on.... you get my drift. Same goes for RUBOBs being ready for Best in Group - the process is the same every time. You wouldn't think it would be that hard to be ready just in case.

Christina: Only so far as understanding that parentage can matter when it comes to issues like car sickness.

How do you think adding a clicker as a marker (best tell the OP there's no such thing as a clicker "cue") is going to help with this Paul? Before I posted, I didn't see anyone else address the key issue the OP is having with her dog. No amount of trick training or shaping behaviours using a clicker as a marker is going to get your dog to reliably come when its called unless you train specifically for that. And clicker training a recall over distance is a bitch. I'd argue that it's one behaviour that's pretty difficult to clicker train actually. Most longer duration behaviours are.

1. Check the law in your area. It may not be legal to gait a dog off a bike 2. Be realistic about how far/fast a Jap Spitz will be able to go, ESPECIALLY in hot weather. 3. Teach a reliable loose lead walk. Have the lead around your wrist. 4. Add bike and away you go!

Dory: She's selectively obedient based on her perception of whether or not she'll be rewarded. Adding a clicker to to mark desired behaviours will not alter that. What you need to do is randomise her reward schedule. Teaching tricks won't improve general obedience unless you manage to teach her that her obedience is not predicated on whether or not you have food. If you don't want to do that then best you always have it. A clicker is a tool. It isn't a cue or a reward - it just indicates to the dog that the behaviour it has offered is what you want. Its not a training method and it doesn't replace weaning a dog off luring or randomising reward schedules.

But can you DNA test for it.

Before you do Paul, can you outline what your training qualifications are and what you think "clicker training" is? I don't see that there's any magic to using a clicker to train as opposed to doing it any other way. It's a marker, nothing more.

Could be a very good resolution to the issue.

This is interesting as she thinks she may be a cross between a stumpy tail, border collie, smithfield & maybe a bit of dingo mixed in. The history of where the litter came from is not known to the rescue centre...for some reason. I have been delving back into the archives or DOL for her & passing on the information. She has tried ginger tablets, different positions in the car & all the medications the vet can think of. At present she is taking a tablet which actually puts her to sleep, but of course this is no good if my friend wants to take her to training, as it zonks the dog out. I don't think she has tried a static strip on her car yet. The dog doesn't appear to get stressed, she just lies there & chucks. She only travels her on an empty stomach, but then the poor thing vomits up bile. I have suggested that just because the dog lies there quitely, doesn't mean that it is not stressed. I suggested it may be because she drives a very small car, but if all the pups are doing the same, then that theory goes out the window. I have now bought her a "calming cap" from America & will try to get it to her, to see if that helps. Driving style matters too. Has she had the dog in the car while its stationary?

Taperhund: As usual failing to successfully argue with facts sees you resort to personal insult and hyperbole Taperfund. Seems to me that the "carrying on" is coming from your end. You have no idea what's going on my my life - or indeed what's going on in the world of dog ownership it seems. Do you even live in a suburb? EVERY irresponsible dog owner is another nail in the coffin of the privileges of the rest of us. And FYI my local primary school oval is literally covered in dog shit. Dogs are BANNED from primary school ovals in this city. I'd love to see those who think that allowing their dogs to shit were kids play every day is just dandy be indentified and cop a decent fine. I'm sure the teachers who have to clean up kids would too. I know who at least some of the offenders are. They are there every morning.

Unless this is a very dog savvy family prepared to work with a behaviourist on this dog, I think this is heartbreak waiting to happen. What a family think they can handle and what they can handle in reality may be significantly different. I hope they understand they are buying into a dog that can never be walked on lead by a child or go to a dog park or a beach? I think you need to at least have him comprehensively temperament tested by a knowledgeable professional for your own protection. If something goes wrong the finger of blame is going to be pointing squarely at you. Protect yourself. Unlike rescues, you won't be able to shelter behind Incorporated status if the lawyers come calling. What is this dog like with small dogs?