poodlefan

Poor Howard, I think his true calling is a concierge at a swank Russian hotel. We all know he lives to serve the lovely Russian ladies. I was thinking of a professional greeter/smooger.. He's definitely Mr Congeniality. But yes, something involving beautiful leggy ladies. Russian and otherwise - modelling agent to supermodels ??

I have a dog who has never, in his entire life, got through the night without a pee. He may be able to hold it but I choose not to force the issue. He's never had a bladder infection. I know of dogs that are forced to hang on that have.

To be quite frank, it sounds like the key issue here is that your boyfriends attitude to his dog is different to yours. I don't see the dog as being the problem at all. Fleas can be treated. If the dog is dirty, wash him. A dog door can be installed if Scooby needs to go out during the night. Scooby can be taught to sleep in a basket by the bed. Talk to your boyfriend. It's not the dog's fault. And it doesn't sound like dominance is the issue here but lack of training and boundaries. Scooby is the product of your boyfriend's training/attitude. Treat the issues at the source.

You didn't break anything Robbi.. you weren't trying. I've broken a wrist walking ONE dog... but two more dogs got into the onlead mix.

Shows on Ozentries allow you to pay by credit card but I gather not too many Qld shows are listed there. My chequebook is pretty much used only for shows...

I have a UV protective coating put on my clear specs as well as my sunnies.. keeps the glare down from the computer. I show in clear specs always - wouldn't want the judge to get spooked from not being able to see my eyes.

As long as the judges don't read/know their breed standards!

You're only crying because you know a good long coated sighthound is always a Group contender!!! Watch out Borzois!!

I hope I've got enough Plush Puppy Swishy Coat to make it through the weekend.

DaniM: Dog aggression is not necessarily an indication of poor temperament Dani.. especially in a breed of fighting origin. If provoked to fight they will finish and ice that particular cake. That doesn't make them "bad" dogs. The particular combination of dogs in your home and the fact that one of the dogs has been attacked will be contributors. Was the person who visited a "behaviorist" or a trainer?

And if the RSPCA has their way, those beloved pet poodles will be a thing of the past. I wonder how Mrs Bartlett would have felt if she'd known her bequest would contribute to the denigration of her beloved dogs as genetic disasters

DaniM: Hope it wasn't serious. Dog fights are bloody scarey things.

The RSPCA don't seize restricted breeds dogs unless welfare issues are involved. Rangers and Animal Control Officers do that.

Most oncologists don't have cancer. What's your point? Would you be suggesting that someone who doesn't own a problem dog can't help others resolve problems with theirs? Comparing an Oncologist (20+ years of study and experience) with a Dog Behaviourist (anyone can hang a shingle with that moniker on their door and quite often doesn't even have a dog). Now I really have READ it all! You can pay $300 an hour or approach registered breeders with the breeds involved who have had to deal with this problem before and are usually more than happy to help. They may even recommend a behaviourist they have used and found to be good value. At the moment from what you've described it sounds to me they are play fighting but make no mistake it will escalate. Your local CC can give you the numbers of breeders in those breeds. Good luck and please let us know how it all pans out. Why would you expect a breeder with potentially no experience in behavioural issues to become involved in resolving aggression issues for dogs they haven't bred??? What makes you think every breeder of these breeds has practical experience with aggression anyway? The liability issues alone should be enough to make any breeder keep their mouth firmly shut. The issue with any professional you call on for advice is not whether or not they've got personal experience of the issue, but whether they've been able to practically asisst other people to resolve it. You don't need to own an aggressive dog to sort out dog aggro in other homes. One good behaviourist I know has had dogs but doesn't at the moment because her practice is too time consuming (in her opinion) to do justice to a dog in her own home. Serious issues require qualified professional help. Sorting the wheat from the chaff as far as behaviourists go (and some do have years of study and experience) can be done. A decent professional could probably be identified by the OP asking here. Sometimes $300 an hour beats $$$$$ in vet bills anyway and we are talking about large powerful breeds here. $300 an hour should also buy you someone who carries professional indemnity insurance - very important in this line of work. Don't go advising the OP to take a course of action that is doomed to failure. CC's should not be handing out breeders phone numbers to people on the pretext you propose anyway.

My guess is they won't be trimming their advertising budget to fund more prosecutions.

Me: Government lawyer Ted: International spy or criminal mastermind. He's cool enough Lily: Princess/diva/Manhattan socialite.. she'd never work. Darcy: Village idiot/bouncer wannabe Howard: Playboy/model/assistant village idiot.

Most oncologists don't have cancer. What's your point? Would you be suggesting that someone who doesn't own a problem dog can't help others resolve problems with theirs?

Ah, no. Tell them you have a young Golden Retriever who seems to show some apptitude for retrieving (bear in mind that what working gundogs do for a "retrieve" makes anything that happens in a backyard look rather tame) and that you're wondering if they have any introduction or training days for beginners coming up. They probably won't be too interested in problem solving for anything but working retrieves IMO. Bear in mind that tugging is not something you'd want in a dog that's meant to retrieve birds and bunnies, returning them to hand without mouthing them and surrendering without tugging. What they will be interested in is assisting you in determining whether your gundog shows any true apptitude for the function she was bred for and if she does, to develop it. Gundgog folk always seem keen in adding new blood to the ranks of those who participate in their sports. It would also be worth your while to actually attend a retrieving trial (I'd be leaving the dogs at home) or a gundog working test. I haven't seen a retrieving trial but bear in mind that retrieving from water is part of what is required of a dog.

Bub when it comes down to it, theories and principles are how skills and knowledge are communicated and passed from one trainer to another and how trainers figure out what methods will be used on their dogs. These are common to all forms of learning. A lot of the jargon is shorthand speak for principles or words that are frequently used by those within the sport. No need to be intimidated by it. The same sorts of principles and jargon exist in all pursuits. Agility nuts talking about RFPs and rear crossing is no different to cooks talking about rouxs and basting.

Stress is another trigger Fru Fru.. probably relevant for your foster.

Nearly all forms of dog sports have seminars where a visiting trainer gives presentations and works with you on issues relating to the sport. They're usually a combination of education and skill building. I know that NSW does some intro to retrieving days (only from hearing FHRP talk about them) at Erskine Park. People do take their sports seriously (you need to if you want to succeed) but that doesn't mean that they don't have a sense of humour about it. However I think anyone will tell you that a fair bit of effort is required to do well. Those who want to play at it, don't tend to stay with it. People have varying degrees of gung ho ness but provided you're prepared to try and respect that others do take it seriously most will help. Turn up in a pink dress and high heels to a gundog day and baby talk your dog and eyebrows will raise. Most of these activities have a 'look' and jargon that goes with them.. but show me one that doesn't!! For a Golden Retriever, competition obedience should be seriously considered. They are in the top breeds for the sport. It's a lot more accessible than retrieving for an urban dweller too. I would suggest that joining a dog club that trains for and conducts obedience trials would be very good launching point.

Why do you think you would need to treat her differently? The folk I know with gundogs who compete in gundog trials still treat their dogs as pets. Yes, when they are training, they require the dog to focus but other than that, they are indistinguishable (apart from being obedient and fit) from any other dog at the dog club. Some trainers use aversives but not all. The biggest lifestyle change required would be that of time.. to attend training seminars, train and compete.

Ear infections and mites. Tooth and gum disease. Eye stains can be sign a dog's teeth need a good scale. Teething in a young dog. Blocked tear ducts. Corneal ulcers Flea infestations in the head/neck region. Allergies. Head/eye structure.

At the seminar I attended she said 8 weeks was preferable BUT if pups were to be rehomed at 8 weeks, then a 7 week vacc was the way to go.

Don't a lot of folk give their pups their first vaccs at 6 weeks? No........proven fact that they do not work in all pups under 8 weeks. I was talking about breeder practice, not vaccine efficacy Oakway. Jean Dodds, noting that most pups are rehomed at 8 weeks, recommends first vaccs at 7 weeks. Not ideal but does offer some protection in those early days. The really unethical breeders don't vaccinate at all.