poodlefan

You might want to post about that in Breeders. If those lumps aren't dealt with, I seem to recall they can become permanent.

I get that plus more in a week I think some of the bite marks on my hands will be permanent Put Manuka honey on them or use a cream with it in it.

If only someone could raise those puppies and hand them over beautifully mannered at 12 or 18 months old. Howard has given me two fat lips and a black eye so far.

Just out of interest GB did you buy him from a registered breeder and did he come with Main Register papers? You need those to show a dog and register its progeny. I agree with Cosmolo.. he's too old for puppy school now.. a good group obedience class and some one on one help with the mouthing do sound like the way to go. Don't rush him into flyball. Its a very physically demanding sport and he'll need to be fully mature to cope with it.

I agree with poodlefan! Keep your mind open I do agree that pancreatitis is a tricky one... but also there is a lot of vets who don't recommend raw diets for bad reasons. Dr Fougere would be the first person to tell you (she told me) that raw diets don't suit every dog. I think we all need to keep an open mind on that issue.

If it's not aggression, it might be worth a try. There is also the possiblity of a telephone consult with someone like Dr Kersti Seksel in Sydney.

The first time I heard the "staffy scream" I thought it was a possum fight! It seems quite unique to the breed. Are many SBTS vocal?

Honestly? I can't recommend one here. I'd be headed for Sydney. What's the issue? Is it something that needs a behaviourist or would a decent trainer assist?

I see allergies mentioned in health issues. What sorts of allergies do SBTs suffer from and how are they best avoided?

How much would you expect to pay for a well bred SBT from a responsible registered breeder?

Must you use food? How does she feel about balls, toys or tugs?

Was your parents dog there too?

Why are you 'not fussed' about feeding your dog their natural diet? I can understand that raw meat can be gross but if your dog benefits more from it than form the cooked equivalent, isn't it worth it? especially if your dog has already some dietary problems.. :p Yes if i knew she was going to benefit from it i would definately feed it to her. But the vets have told me not to feed her raw as this makes more work for her Pancreas which is already struggling! They think it would be a big mistake as she has already had a few attacks. Pancreatitis is a tricky one. There does appear to be link to diets heavy in cereal. I'd keep an open mind on the issue Lizzy but I'm pretty confident that your dog wouldn't be the first pancreatitis sufferer to be treated by Natural Vet Care.

Maximum your pup is an apartment dog isnt' he? How much mental and physical stimulation is he getting daily?

Sorry to go OT but just read this bit. Have I been wrong all this time thinking Dachshunds were a hound ie. group 4? :p They are Group 4 both here and with the FCI but are somewhat unique in that they are bred to hunt both above and below ground. The FCI gives them their own Group, separately from both scent and sight hounds. I'd rate them as more Terrier like in temperament than most hounds I know. No doubt the Dachsie people will have their own views about that.

DCR: To you it's a much loved book. To him its a teething rusk. Pack the away or get them up out of reach.. he's at teething age and if he can rip something to bits he will.

Actually, a visit to a good groomer may be more productive. They can have a good look at his coat type and recommend just the right gear. Sad to say, but most petshop grooming gear is shite. You're probably better off getting some recommendations and buying online.

If his coat matts you need to brush him with a slicker brush and use a fine/medium metal combon the areas prone to matting. I suggested he was a poodle cross and his coat sure sounds like that. You could shorten it to make it more manageable but I think with the right grooming gear, it would be.

The last two. He ain't FAT. But he ain't lean either.

My guys really like dried kangaroo tendons and beef sinew.

Belinda, it's not only what we think that matters here, but what Justin thinks. For all we know (and this is where Jane comes in) he's saying.. "well I told Belinda what she was doing wasn't acceptable and warned her to stop and she attacked me!" I don't doubt for a moment that you love Justin.. your efforts to resolve this issue are testament to that. Jane's helped a lot of DOLers.. lets us know how you get on. 6 week old pups don't create much of a threat to small children. For all we know he's been roughly handled by them and that was the start of it. I would suggest a vet check up and a chiro visit to rule out any physical issues but no doubt Jane will cover that.

DRC one more thing. It may be that a professional evaluation by an experienced behaviourist may conclude that your pup is unlikely to grow into the kind of dog that's suitable to have safely around very young children. Dogs with short tempers and low bite thresholds are not a good combination with toddlers. It may not come to that but you need to know what you're dealing with. The more information you have now, the better you can decide on the best future for your dog and the household. Personally, I'd be ringing Jane Harper today. Obedience training and socialisation will in all probability not solve these issues. You need behavioural assessment and a program of modification. If your behaviour towards your dog is provoking him to bite more, you are making the problem worse. His counter attacks may not be 'pushing the boundaries" but him defending himself from you.. gee I hope not.

Try this on the wrong dog and you'll be on the receiving end of a very serious bite. What works on a dog of one temperament doesn't automatically work on another. A serious resource guarder would be provoked by such actions. I'd never ever behave in a way that deliberatley provoked a dog to to bite me. Ever. Hi poodlefan What is your method for a biter? Belinda :p Summon a qualified professional with a lot of experience in dog aggression. No other method is recommended by me. I don't believe in online diagnosis of these kinds of issues. Its dangerous. You need to know WHY the dog is biting. Currently you don't and anyone here would be guessing. If its dominance then you work generally on the relationship. If its resource guarding then you work on lessening anxiety about losing food or again work more generally on the relationship. If a dog is growling or snapping at you these are warnings. Ignore the warnings and the behaviour may escalate. Discipline the warnings and they may disappear, leaving you with a dog that bites without any. You've got to remember that your dog will not differentiate between one member of that household and another. If you're poking him and taking resources, what do you think his reaction will be when your grandson comes near him and he has something he treasures. When a dog bites hard, it learns that unwanted human behaviour stops. What you can see with dogs that have learned to bite is that the bite threshold plummets - they bite earlier and harder for less provocation. Dont' play with this DRC.. get professional help now. This is a safety issue - for your grandson AND for your dog. The results for both of them if a serious bite occurs will be tragic. This is precisely my concern with TV training shows. Watching a professional with hundreds of hours of experience in both evaluating and training dogs work with one dog will not give you a surefire method of solving your own dogs's problems. More physical forms of correction are fraught with risk for amateurs. ETA: Over do the corrections and you're teaching your dog that confrontation with you provokes a physical response from which he needs to defend himself. That's a lesson you never want to teach. If you'd not be game to use these very same methods on a 40kg Rottweiller dont' do it to a pup. To do it because he's smaller is simply bullying IMO.

DRK: I'd strongly recommend against this until you talk to a person who assesses your dog in person. You could make things worse.

DRK: I'd strongly recommend against this until you talk to a person who assesses your dog in person. You could make things worse.