poodlefan

It will never be revoked. Anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

Yep, but they come in damn handy for some things. Focus on what tails are doing And just to contrast is a docked corgi doing extremely well at flyball and in my opinion, her turn on the box is a lot better than a lot of the dogs in that video. You're missing the point. This isn't about technique about about the use of the tail BY THE DOG. Are the dogs using their tails to assist their turns or aren't they? We can argue about dogs with better balance till the cows come home but the point I'm trying to make is that the tail gets used to assist balance IF PRESENT.

Yep, but they come in damn handy for some things. Focus on what tails are doing

I never said dogs couldn't do without their tails, someone asked what they were used for. The tail is an extension of the spine. Muscles extend into the tail. Dock it and you've removed bone, nerve and muscle. No doubt the dog copes. I did read somewhere that there was a link between tail docking and increased likelihood of anal gland issues but I couldn't cite the study. I'm not anti-tail docking but I am anti the idea that a tail serves no purpose in a dog.

Watch a dog run at speed. Watch how the tail is used to balance on turns. Poodles have very upright tail carriage.. and quite fine tails. They don't weigh the dog down. A tail is also used to communicate with other dogs. Docking and changes in tail carriage by selective breeding have confused many a dog over time.

Park your temper. If you cannot control it, walk away. It will set you back weeks if you don't get it under control. Don't train angry! As the owner/trainer of a very submissive dog (originally), I'll tell you that the worst you can be with dogs like this in 'training mode' is neutral. Reward like crazy for any of the stuff you want and ignore the rest. If he won't come out from under the house, go inside, have a cup of tea, come back out with a book and some treats and sit on the ground and read.. my guess is he'll come out to see what the hell you're doing. If he does, toss a treat to him. Then toss one a bit closer to you and so on. Keep it up and he'll be in your lap soon enough. What was his immediate reward for going through the scarey gate? When you're training, reward him for even attempting things that frighten him.. it has to be baby steps. It took me 9 months to teach my little girl to do a full height agility A-Frame.

Balance.

Yeech. Tasmanian Tigers were native carnivores.

Poodles were only ever a 1/3 dock. I honestly don't think your average member of the public realised they WERE docked. I'm fine with them undocked and love undocked spaniels. There are a few other breeds that still look a bit 'wrong' to be but we've got plenty of time to get used to it.

Let's see the opponents of the use of dogs come up with a safer, "more humane" way of controlling feral pig numbers.

I paid less than the cost of a family holiday to Dreamworld or a plasma television for an animal that will live longer than the memories or the TV. Howie cost $800 in 2009 - bargain!!

Everything about your requirements says "Spinone" to me. You'll look long and hard to find one but they are are truely wonderful breed.

Having to drag him out of the car and into the home would be a clear one. That's how two of my dogs get into the vets.

Gee, if it happens to you with Basset Fauves, the Whippet folk can't even have got in there. ;) Sometimes you do see dogs go up with features that are real faults in the breed - high stepping Whippets with a lot of knee action are one common example. I agree though, its a $10 opinion and if you want to see what a breed specialist thinks of your dog you have only to search them out.

A "good" judge IMO is one who win or lose you felt gave your dog due consideration, appeared to be making placements with some sort of rhyme or reason and who had good hands on a dogs. I hate rough judges, especially when they are rough with pups. As for "face" judging? Looking at the dog end of the lead is good start. Judges who don't give every dog/breed a decent look won't win any accolades from me. Making group placements before every dog is in and stacked really irritates me. Judges who don't put hands on any breed of dog raise my eyebrows. Ive seen an entire group judged in that manner. A "great" judge puts my dog up!

Up the ante. Write to your state member of parliament and if that doesn't work, take it to the local newspaper.

Some of the health issues indicated can't be tested for (in terms of being inheritable) but you'd not want to breed from an affected dog. I'd be asking JAG for recommendations. She knows way more about the world of Toy Poodle breeders than I do!

Hate to break it to you but the Whippets would be long gone, leaving her to face the music. They weren't poacher's dogs of choice for no reason.

I'm sure I could find a survey where men would prioritise their Play Stations over their partners if the right questions were asked to the right group. I'd be asking on a gamer's website. Just like this was asked on a dog related one. I really don't see the point in this kind of journalism. I'm sure its not to promote dog ownership.. more of a cheap shot at women in a "there are so many crazy dog owning women" kind of way.

Topics for debate: Is becoming "an effective pack leader" really all that stands between most dog owners and their dog's behavioural problems? If you think the answer is yes, you've never owned a resource guarder. Is genetics, environment and learned experience no significant influence? Is all undesireable dog behaviour motivated by the quest to establish dominance over people? Is "leadership" the answer to most if not all dog issues. You know what? I don't think Mr Milan would argue for the affirmative. But that's how it seems to me that his devotees see it. The man's a talented dog trainer but to suggest that his methods will be effective on every dog or for every handler stretches his methods further than he would go IMO. He'd also be the first one to tell you that what he does isn't safe for most owners. If that's the case, unless you can take your dog to see him, why would you advocate his methods? I will wholeheartedly endorse his view that most dogs will benefit from increased exercise and that your emotional state will impact on your dog. But Mr Milan hardly has a monopoly on those ideas. IMO he's taken the methodoloy espoused by the Monks of New Skete decades ago and dressed it up for TV.

Where's the evidence that this dog is hard to handle because it has testicles? If it isn't, how will desexing make it easier to handle? That was the core issue for me. The studies that provide evidence of the impact on desexing on bone density, growth rates etc have been posted here on many occasions. The impact on temperament is also posted. The fact that I didn't refer to them doesn't mean they don't exist. In view of your antagonism and continued propensity to take my arguments as somehow directed at you personally, I think I'll just leave you to it.

Could be a drag hunt.

I think even Cesar wouldn't go that far.

Not saying its the case here Stitch but I'd say for a reasonable proportion of picky/fussy dogs, owner anxiety is a component. How much exercise does she get. It may seem counter intuitive to add more exercise to a skinny dog's lifestyle but exercise is a significant appetite stimulant and stress reliever. I'd also want a general mouth/tooth check to eliminate causes like a slab fracture.

What purpose will the bowl be used for Steve? Where will it be placed and will it have access to a power source?