poodlefan

Luke I would suggest you scope out the dog sports clubs in your area and become a member of one. You can accomplish a lot on your own but there's no substitute for being trained by people who are successful in the sports you aspire to do. There are some very wise people who emphasise keeping it light and fun with a very young dog.. train but don't over face or put too much pressure before they have the maturity to deal with it. Good advice can be found in experienced folk who do what you aspire to. Just look around till you find a club whose training philosphies match yours.

Day running? Three hours each way. Same as for a show.

Both impact negatively on the dog's immune system. That creates a situation where dampness that might ordinarily not create bacterial growth on skin does create it.

I can't comment on a husky but I can on a toy poodle if that helps. First time, stress.. change of home. Other time, gum issues.

Yes, like me too Haven but we are a very small minority. Most people who come through our front door want Rover to sit, walk on a loose lead, come when he's called and not jump on people. That's about it. There are others who think their puppy learned everything it will need for life at puppy school.

Some clubs offer "pre-agility" training for pups that concentrates on focus and control with just tunnels or flat surfaces.

Yeah but for how long does the average family dog get trained? I'd say it's usually less than 6 months. People get what they want for their dog and stop coming.

Point taken Poodlefan I can't remember the last time I ate an entire piece of vegemite toast.

Don't cats like salty food?

Sorry to go OT again Tess - I know there are a few promoters of raw feeding that insist that dogs are carnivores but I have yet to come across a journal article (and I am drowning in them at the moment!) or animal nutritionist who agrees. I have no reference for this next bit of info but I have heard that when some wolves were first brought into captivity, they were fed a carnivorous diet but suffered from kidney failure. It was then that it was discovered that the wolves were scavenging for a significant quantity of fruit/veg in the wild and this was subsequently introduced to the diet successfully. The study I saw showed wolves eating mostly rodents with some berries between caribou migrations.

Oh no... do not put vegemite on your dogs dinner Counting Sheep. You have to make them little toast soldiers with butter and vegemite. Ted's breeder is a greyhound trainer/owner. Everyone of their greys gets a piece of toast and vegemite for breakfast some days. It's basically yeast extract, lots of Vitamin B. My dogs love it (on their toast soldiers)

Get a professional assessment - you've got so many issues in this mix. In the meantime find a way to separate the two dogs or you may end up with a death on your hands. I expect part of what you are seeing is lack of training. No dog comes reliably when called unless trained to. The destructiveness is probably partly generated by boredom caused by lack of physical and mental stimulation. You really do need to see someone about this dog now. Has she actually bitten anyone or do you just think she will? Is she desexed?

They'd be shocked by how many DOLers do then!!

How often does she get out for a walk or do any kind of training? How old is she? How old and what sex is the other dog?

You may be looking at some kind of bowel intolerance - common for food allergies. Usual trick would be to go to some food source he hasn't had before I think EP make some of these. See what the vet says.

To fix these kinds of issues you are looking at a long term commitment in terms of time and effort AND some expenditure on professional advice. If you don't think you're up for it, then as the owner of a dog and people aggressive dog, I'm afraid there's only one responsible course of action. How old is the dog and how long have you had her. Severe behavioural issues don't tend to develop overnight.

OA: Hard, old weight bearing bones. If you stick to poultry or rabbit bones and the ribs and necks of larger animals you should be OK. In order for dogs to access nutrition from vegetables, you have to pulverise them. The most common method is to juice them and feed the pulp or blend them until smooth. Large chunks of cooked veggies will pass right through. Wheat is about the most common source of food allergies in dogs. I'd be trying a wheat free diet but wait to see what you vet says. Removing all that undigestible bulk from his diet should help firm up and reduce the amount he poos. Lots of people think bones will kill a dog. Cooked bones sure won't do much good but most dogs eat raw bones well. For the "bones kill dogs brigade, one wonders how they figure dogs survived all those thousands of years before the cereal manufacturers decided to get into the pet food game. I think dogs are best described as opportunistic carnivores. They can get buy on a range of foods but will go for meat first.

Bones ain't bones. If they were feeding the type that can splinter, I'm not surprised they had problems. I only feed the softer, fully digestible bones to my dogs. I'd suggest you cut the pasta/rice from your dog's diet. Feed only meat on the bone. Feed either premium kibble or a proper BARF mix in it's place. Are you feeding the veggies pulped? If not, there's a lot of undigestible stuff in your dog's diet.

Ulta Ego My apologies for the mistake. I still reckon this calls for a behaviorist though.

PM Sent. I gather skin issues make up a significant part of many holistic veterinary practices. Fingers crossed for a good outcome.

Eye staining can be a sign of depressed immune system. More often than not this can be demonstrated by a decrease in eyestains after treatment with antibiotics. It can be a symptom of tooth or gum disease. I'd be starting there. Some dog foods with artifical colourings are also considered to contribute to it.

Looks nasty Silverblue This is one condition I'd recommend a holistic vet consult for - there may be alternatives to the steroids. The one I use will do a phone consult if sent the veterinary notes.

[Poodlefan gazes into crystal ball] Spotted D I see a Labrador in your future..

Anita, these were demonstrated by Nicola Read (agility competitor) at the APDT seminar last year. They also seem quite popular for remote rewarding away from the handler for exercises like contacts and outs. They can also be used for teaching going to a mat or stays. I know you can buy from the Clean Run (USA website)

And I'm gonna report you for trolling. :rolleyes: Ignore him people - he's clearly trying to provoke responses now.