poodlefan

What is your long term plan for confining her when you aren't at home? Personally, I'd be wanting to go to that situation as soon as practicable. I fear for your lino confining a large breed pup on it while you are at work. You will find it more difficult to toilet train her if she can't access outside and prepare yourself for at least a few evenings of coming home to find poo tracked all over the lino. The sooner she as 24/7 access to outside the better in terms of her toilet training.

If you don't want your dog to interact with other dogs, why bother with "socialisation" at all. I'm think avoidance would be preferable to the constant application of aversives.

Do you use a spot treatment on her neck?

Yes. She probably has an eye infection. Take her to the vet.

Lamb is good for putting on weight but I have a feeling that age is what this boy needs. My guess is that once he's fully filled out, he'll put on a bit of substance. My Darcy was very light on until about 18 months of age. There are some really slender toys around..

How many times a day is he fed?

I would caution against any strong physical response to aggression. "Scruffing" a dog may provoke further aggression.. the last thing any dog needs to learn is to defend itself from you. You may be dealing with more than one issue. Some drowsy dogs to have strong startle reflexes.. and will defend themselves if disturbed. However a clear warning from her to your OH when she was awake and a bite to follow up spells trouble. I agree with all the recommendations about reinforcing boundaries and I would ban her from the couch. I would also strongly recommend you return to obedience training to reinforce respect from her. If this continues, I would also recommend you seek the help of an experienced behaviourist. She sounds like quite a handful.

Not a young dog.. harsh coat... I'd be off to the vets for a thyroid panel. Better diet, regular stripping and coming may also help. I'd definitely be adding Omega oils to her food, regardless of what she's fed.

I'm not sure what Eaglepacks are but I would love to see an image of the packaging. My 9 month old Cavalier is sending me in circles, the whole time I've had him he has just turned his nose up to almost everything I feed him, I find something he'll eat and within 2 weeks he doesn't like it anymore.. :p You're being played. Don't cave into it. Reduce the amount and frequency of feeding and see if that makes a difference. Up the exercise too.

Fussy dogs will eat just about anything if they are hungry enough. Do you feed them twice a day? If so, reduce that to once and offer them food half an hour after they've had a long, vigorous walk. If they don't eat after 15 minutes, pick it up and offer NOTHING until 24 hours later. No treats.. nothing. They won't die. They will be better off if they eat what you wish to give them, rather than what they wish to have. Fussy eaters really complicate their lives and yours.

The vet of choice for many Canberrans is in Wollongong. If you luck out with a Sydney Recommendation, post here and I'll get the contact details. After op care is important. Your dog will need to be kept quiet for the op to work really well.

Clean run has a few different types. Here's one

Generally it means checking bitches to see that they are not in season. This is usually done by someone at check in for the trial. It's a physical check of the bitches bits. Often the schedule will say something like "vetting - entire bitches only" which means if you have a desexed bitch you don't have to worry. If they want to vet all bitches, I show the ear tattoo on my desexed one. If you have a boy you don't have to worry anyway.

Don't worry if it happens - you won't be the first handler to stride confidently down the ring with the dog sitting back at the peg watching.

Yes, you can use the same form. Put "Associate" for breed and there should be a spot for Class on the bottom right. I'll have a look at one when I get home if no one can be more specific now.

Alpha dogs or wolves do not sit or sleep alone.. they are with their pack.

My understanding is that with correct training, the frantic offering of behaviours doesn't occur.

Or alternately, he finds the couch very comfortable and wants to be close to you.

Show him were he is allowed (eg. a basket) and reward him for going there. Or put a blanket on the lounge.

Nothing.. I'm too impatient. I tend to lure... Free shaped dogs that constantly offer behaviours annoy me. I must have had my grumpy pills today.

You need to train in less distracting environments and work up to high levels of distraction. I doubt you'll ever be more exciting to him than sheep. If you want him to herd, you need to build focus and control in low distraction and work up. However, I know zip about herding so will leave that to the experts.

Either that or you'll build his frustration levels and ramp up his excitement in other dogs. Its exactly the same technique you're using to build his prey drive isn't it? Why do you want him to think other dogs are boring?

I think the dogs cope just fine. It's the handlers that sometimes appear to have the challenges adapting!

There are some brilliant dog trainers in WA and one of the best does obedience and agility. My advice is to join one of the leading training clubs and get some personal instruction with your dog. He needs to become accustomed to working under control around other dogs before he can start agility training anyway.

Are you sure its the dog park that Jessie doesn't want to go to or the car that she doesn't want to get into? Is she reluctant to get into the car all the time?