poodlefan

Its everything to do with hormones and growth. Cut off the hormones and you change the growth pattern of bones with life long results for the dog's conformation.

I like "happy". I don't like 'obsessed'. Maybe that's how the working dog folk like it but in the video you posted, the dog is actually looking back over its shoulders for most of the heel work. Imagine trying to walk like that on uneven ground. Imagine doing it for 20 minutes. It's just not natural. A dog can cue off more than the handers eyes!!!

Take the dog to the vet for a full physical. After that, I'd be thinking about a veterinary behaviourist. However a bit of time may help and you have to wonder how much the dog is cueing off the owner's distress. A change of scenery for a few days might benefit them both.

All I can say is if he's big, the later he's desexed, the better for him.

Was just on Utube looking for one. I like the figure 8 in That starts at the 2 minute mark in this. The dog is focussed but there is clear daylight between dog and handler.

Dog is making physical contact with handler who uses his leg to guide the dog at one point. Too damn tight!!!

My dog will 'raise' his front legs out like that with little guidance if anything from me, he has practically had zero obedience training, and obviously not to that extent, but he does do it. Considering it was Schutzhund he wouldn't be marked down for it here in Australia AFAIK. In obedience, he could be marked for crowding depending on the judge. I can't comment on Schutzhund other than noting that I'd not like to have a security/working dog heeling that tightly on me. The dog is definitely constraining the handler's freedom of movement.

I hope they do too, especially if he's a larger pup.

How unnatural is it really though? I have found my big dog will give me a nice prancey heel when he is in drive, he naturally comes into heel position without any real guidance from me. Not as refined as in the clip Kavik linked to by any means, but gave me food for thought. How many dogs do you know that "naturally" goose step like that? The dog's reaching skywards with its front legs. Its doing that due to its head position. The dogs's muzzle also constantly bangs the handlers leg. At points the dog almost appears to be mouthing the handler. More contact may look like more focus but I'd hope like hell he'd be marked down for it in Australia. That left turn just about has an extra cue with the handlers arm action to. Very impressive training - but can you imagine trying to spend a day out shooting with a dog doing that?

It may never drop naturally. He can be desexed at 6 months and if the testicle hasn't descended it can be searched for internally and removed. It's not an uncommon condition.

Lovely work Looks one hell of a lot like guidance to me - dog touches handler and handler touches dog's head. They are seeing physical injury arising in obedience dogs taught that style of heeling now. Look at the dog's gait.. completely unnatural. The dog consistently interferes with the handlers arm action. Not to my taste at all. Its exaggerated IMO.

I think it's interesting to watch - the dog looks so doting and adoring - but I suspect I'd trip over my dog if he was that close to my leg I suspect trial work is out for us Teach a less extreme style. Plenty of others do.

Personally I think there's a difference between a dog that's focussed on the handler and one that appears to be grafted around the handler's left leg. Dogs shouldnt be touching handlers and IMO in wrap style heeling that does tend to happen. Bloody hard to do a left turn with a dog in that position.

Wrap style heeling isn't everyone's ideal of 'correct' heeling. The dog was supposed to walk close by the handler's left hand side to avoid interfering with a broken shot gun. It shouldn't be touching the handler or not looking where its going IMO.

Its too humanised for me. I'm kind of twitchy about animals being animals. Dogs on their hind legs in dresses is too "circus" for me. The dog looked to be OK with it though.

Sound like its either a game or resource guarding. Best figure out which.

Actually I advise responsible rescue (not pound) or responsible breeder. I think rescues need to make it plain why they are refusing a home. It might shatter a few myths about rescues being "picky" or "difficult". I don't doubt some are but I also think some folk want dogs that simply aren't suitable for them. No point in "saving" a dog if it headed for an unsuitable home.

Puggerup: Really? Why do you think they do it then? I have difficulty with novice dog owners taking a dog from the pound. Most of them have no idea what they might be taking on. I'd far prefer an experienced breed rescue to take on dogs, evaluate them, retrain if necessary AND rehome them to suitable families. It sure beats the revolving door situation that sees some dogs surrendered to be rehomed again. ETA: The idea of a Whippet being released to be an outside only dog here in Canberra makes me shudder. Its simply too damn cold.

Good thinking poodle fan! I should have been quicker on my feet. I know I probably took it way too personally... But I also think, why ask in the first place... My personal favourite was a friend's boyfriend who told me that training would turn a dog into a "robot". HIS pup was going to be "a free spirit". "Oh really" was my comment "free to pee and poo in the house?" "Of course not!!" he said. "Oh, so you will be training him then" was my comment.

Thanks Sway. I have to say that due to the amount of crap on Ozshow these days, I more often than not hit the "delete" button before reading a digest.

Sometimes it helps to explain that you are teaching "manners" not "tricks". Sit, drop, wait for your bowl, come when you are called and don't pull on the lead are just "good manners".

Nope, definitely not. No tricks taught in this house. Lily will bark on cue but that was kind of an accident. I'm not really into "performing" animals in that kind of way. Dog sports yes but not behaviours I consider "amusing".

Nope.

Hasn't stopped his food stealing issues though. It shrunk his balls, not his stomach!!

The easiest way to find out if its the product causing the vomiting is to feed something else for a few weeks. Some dogs do seem to do better on two meals a day.