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Can you try socialising your friend's dogs one at a time and not try both at once - might be a bit overwhelming. Also, don't have the dogs meeting head on, walk at a small distance but parallel to each other and in the same direction. You can decrease the distance as they get used to each other. Sometimes as dogs get older they can find puppies really annoying. They may be snapping to bring him in line but not as a form of aggression. My female did (and often still does) the same thing after being attacked - barks at other dogs but still wants to meet them. I carry a squeaky ball and its squeak distracts her from the other dog - plus being a ball nutter she focuses on the ball. Re: MPW - When I was seeing the behaviourist about this it was just before last years MPW and I thought I wouldn't be able to go. But the behav. said with that many dogs around she won't bark - and she was right. I did regularly pull my dogs aside to a quiet area so my female wouldn't be overwhelmed by all the other dogs. But we ended up staying for 7hrs and she only barked twice!

They definately have a better range of sizes - wish I knew about this one before I brought the pig in mud.

I am not happy with mine. I got the XLarge - even though I have smallish dogs the width is narrow on the medium. At the store they were not that gracious in helping me get my dog through the medium test door. The XLarge can fit a human male through it - and therefore easily let thieves in. My (middle aged) brothers easily climbed through and they are 6ft+ and have the middle age spread. I wanted to use it when visiting friends/familly so my dogs could come inside. Now no-one will let me use it at their places - and frankly I wouldn't use it at mine either. Also kids can easily step through it. Unless your dog is scary enough to scare thieves away it is a risk to use one when not at home. Mine cost $380.

My male sheltie has a very dry coat - no matter what I give him. I think it is the exceedingly dry climate I live in. It's a problem because we do a lot of bushwalking and he gets all manner of burrs and grass seeds tangled in his mane and hocks. I regularly give him a 'rinse' with seabreeze oil from Plush Puppy. About every 2 weeks I put a small amount of the oil in a bucket of water and use a big car sponge to wet him down with the oil/water mix. His coat is much better after that and he smells nice too. It is easier than giving him a full bath because it is really only the outer coat that gets wet. You could also contact Cheryl from plush puppy directly for some advice specific to your needs.

My Shelties are on Advance and I have been swapping them over to Eagle Pack Holistic dry food. I had a sample pack of the Duck - they loved it, Anchovy - not so keen and Super Premium - liked too. When it came to ordering, there was no Duck in stock so on the suppliers suggestion I got the Chicken. Now my dogs have iron constitutions and often dine on roo and rabbit poo for snacks, but my male has been throwing up his breakfast since switching them to EP Chicken. They get 1/4 cup of dry food for breakfast - half advance and half EP. Dinner hasnt changed (VAN or home cooked meals, occassionally EP Holistic canned) so I cannot think of any other cause. It is only the breakfast that comes up anyway, dinner and snacks stay down. Has anyone else had this problem with EP or specifically with the Chicken? The Chicken is Adult and Puppy so maybe it has additional ingredients for puppies?

Your puppy has hit adolescence so the bad behaviour may not just be due to your guest. They sometimes revert back to silly puppy behaviour - luckily it only lasts to about 18mths so persevere. This is the age that many dogs are dumped because they get a bit uncontrollable. Putting your dog back on lead is a good idea. I put mine back on lead at that age even though they were shadows as pups (and now) as their recall just isnt that good as an adolescent. Go back to basics with training too. I kept up obedience until I got mine get thru this stage - even though it looked like they taking in nothing. I also kicked off mine from the couch for a while - then they learnt that the couch was my area first and they had to get off when told. TIme out is a good idea - this was a favourite of mine. It's worthwhile being a bit stricter during this stage so they learn boundries. Good luck.

I trained my dogs to back off and growl/bark to me when they see a snake. It was easy - just brought a brown and a black rubber snake and first showed them when the rubber snake was dormant to leave it. Then I tied some string around it and moved it around and taught them to leave it, back off and growl or bark. We do alot of bush walking and this snake season and the dogs came across about 6 brown and black snakes (that I know of) and the dogs reactions were exactly as they were trained. They associated the rubber snakes with the real snakes (plus I rewarded them when the reacted correctly on seeing a real snake) and didnt get them confused with hoses or cords or other long rubber things. I used a both brown and black coloured snakes because they are the colours we most often come across - this was recommended to me from someone at the RSPCA. I didnt need to use corrections to train them - just used commands they already knew, like leave it and back and bark/growl. I have sheepdogs so it may be more difficult if you have a terrier, not sure.

Dancing with Dogs: Easy-to-Learn Techniques and Fun Routines For you and Your Dog by Mary Ray and Andrea McHugh This is the best of the two books I have (from Amazon.com). Its easy to use and has lots of good pics. Its pretty easy to adapt or change the order to suit your needs.

Both my male and female went through a piddle on my things stage during adolescence. Not me exactly but close (pillow, bed, clothes). So I would go for the adolescent thing (which is kind of adolescent dominance anyway). Lucky for mine and me they grew out of it. Although, since we have been spending more time at the off lead oval with more dogs (incl entire males) my male (who is now desexed) has been cocking his legs and humping much more - picking up bad behaviour.

I was told recently by a friend who swears by it that phernegan (the antihistamine) is good for both human and dog car sickness. In fact I checked with my local pharmacist who said phernegan is often prescribed for motion sickness. I also called my vet, who agreed and gave me the dosage amount for my dog. I will be trying this next trip.

Have the same problem with a Sheltie that gets 3-4 hours of exercise everyday plus agility and flyball and chasing bunnies. So dont bank on increased exercise reigning it in. My sheltie is a nutter and unless physically restrained goes wild - she loves barking at the cars going past. Problem is my other dogs have recently decided it looks like fun! I have to contain my dog but have the same problem with fitting a crate in. This is really not an easy problem to fix - I am finding the only solution is to limit the dog's vision. Do you have something to fix her lead and harness/collar to the floor or some other method to keep her on the floor? On 'wagging school' they put the dog on the front floor and the dog seemed quite comfortable. Victoria Stillwell blacked out the windows - but this is a very dangerous way to drive. Unfortunately thanks to her heavy ruff my sheltie worked out how to wiggle out of the collar and back onto the seat but you might have better luck with a border collie. Recently I made a "box" with flywire screen on the outside to restrain her - but I am sure she will get out of this pretty quickly. In the meantime I am waiting on a crate that will fit my car to come into stock at Deals Direct. But good luck these crazy car barkers are nutters but are great fun dogs too because they get sooooo excited.

Please post if you find anything like the jacket. I have been contemplating trying to make something myself. I have the same problem with Shelties - we go bushwalking almost everyday and I spend as much time picking out seeds and burrs than on the walk. And lately with the morning fog and dew (and if it ever rains) they get really muddy bellys and hocks so a coat that covers this area would be great - and one that breathes and does not make them hot (double coat after all).

I wouldn't leave an electronic collar on them when you are not at home anyway. I understand about the coat - have the same problem with shelties and citronella doesn't work because the smell just clings to the coat and they become innured to it. The jet spray doesn't get thru thick fur either. On the whole I find the sonic sound works with mine but shelties are more sound sensitive. Whatever the dogs exercise, dogs sleep 14+ hours a day anyway. I don't use kongs because it takes mine 2 seconds to get thru them. Instead I either give them treat bottles (water bottles with holes cut in them and they can push them around to get kibble out) or a 'treasure hunt' with kibble and bits of treats - I hide/scatter the kibble and treats around the yard or house (depending on the weather) and they search for it. The latter keeps them occupied for quite a while and by the time they have exhausted looking its nap time. Just don't let them see you hiding/scattering the treats as they have a good memory for where to look and it takes less time to find the treats. When I lived in last lived in Vic (it was over 5 yrs ago) debarking was illegal - had to go across the border to get it done. If the council hasn't even investigated the complaint or sent you a letter then I wouldn't worry too much. They are a bit more understanding than you think. But it is worth checking with them what they believe constitutes a "nuisance". I had the same problem with someone houses away from my place who just hates dogs.

I have a lot of problem getting out the door in the morning with my dogs so I rotate the morning entertainment. - treat bottles - similar to what corvus does, water bottles with holes in them and kibble inside so they have to roll them around to get the kibble out. - little dog bones (I know, shouldnt give them unsupervised) - puppy treasure hunt. This is their favourite. I just cut up small pieces of treats and kibble and hide it all around the house or outside (outside I might just throw the kibble around but I still hide treats otherwise they find it too quickly). I lock them in the laundry while I hide the stuff otherwise they remember where I put things. This keeps them entertained for ages - at least long enough from when I leave to when its time for their nap. They get thru the Kongs and commercial treat dispensers before I even make it out the door so I don't bother with them. Mine also get an hour walk in the morning.

Yea, agree with Kelpie pup I'ld go with the back to basics too. Both mine reverted back to piddling inside in their adolescence so I would take him outside for a toilet break just in case. With the whining - my male reverted to a full blown banshee wail so I understand completely. You really need to give him something to distract him when you leave. I do one of the following to get out of the house: - a little bone, - a treat bottle - water bottle with holes cut in it and kibble inside that they push around to get the kibble out. - the 'puppy treasure hunt' (their favourite). I just hide kibble and bits of treats around either the house or the yard (depending on the weather). In the yard you can also just throw some kibble around the lawn and but hide the treats. I shut them inside if the hunt is outside and vv until I hide the treats otherwise they are really good at remembering where I put them, and then give them a "go" when the hunt is on and they are more than content to forage. Mine now actually look forward to when I leave! Remember dogs sleep most of the day so you only need to distract him while you leave. Thankfully puppy adolesence only lasts about 9mths instead of 9years!

Absolutely agree. Kibble will be the best way to ensure he is still getting enough nutrients to grow. I don't think I would half it for a dog that age though, maybe a third less at that age he should be able to burn off the excess fairlyl quickly. Did the vet specify whether to use the weight loss, adult or puppy variety of kibble, how fast the weight should come off and what quantities to feed? I would go back and get more detail if not. Puppy/young dog kibble tends to have higher fat and protein so you don't really want to be adding more protein by way of mince. You could add cooked pumpkin to the kibble for a bit of variety tho.

My female was attacked at 4 and 9 mths and was petrified of any dogs for a long time after. A year later she is finally wanting to meet other dogs altho she barks and curls her tail over first (we're working on that). I was warned that when dogs get attacked young they often never get over it. I found limiting her interactions to small dogs helped alot. Is there an older small dog in the neighbourhood that the owners will let your dog meet up with (may only need a few minutes a at a time)? I found that really useful - a steady older dog rather than having her around playful younger dogs. Taking her to training helped her be around other dogs without having to interact with them. I also taught her fetch (she is now a ball nutter). We had a little walk to an open area and played fetch and then walked home. At first she didnt want to walk but it made a huge difference when she knew we were walking to play fetch. The behaviourist also suggested initially driving her to another area to walk until she was comfortable. Definately slowly and very small steps - maybe play fetch in the backyard for a while. Good luck - it is damn hard work but worth it when you see them getting more confident.

Where do I get some lectic soda crystals? I think I had better keep a stash. Luckily she was throwing up herself this time but I would have felt better if she threw up as soon as I knew she had eaten the choc rather than waiting the 2 hrs. Ironically I had taken my other dog to the vet when she did this. I can imagine Cashew what you went through - I felt so helpless because they cannot do a lot. I also brought a container with a screw on lid for any future choc things that come into the house.

This weekend my small sheltie got onto the kitchen table and opened and ate a family-sized packet of smarties. So after this experience I have (thanks to my local vet) more details about chocolate toxicity. Of course this also depends on the health and age of the dog. As a rule of thumb for toxicity (ie, levels that have a harmful effect): Milk chocolate - 60gm/1kg of dog Dark chocolate - 20.5gm/1kg of dog Cooking chocolate - 7gm/1kg of dog White chocolate - has negligible amounts of theobromine and caffeine (levels in milk and dark choc do vary) Death can occur Milk chocolate - 140-280gm/kg of dog Cooking chololate - 15-31gm/kg of dog Signs of toxity - look for increased heart rate and tremors/shakes My Sheltie still got sick, even though she ate less than the toxic level (too much caffeine and sugar). She was vomiting 2hrs after ingesting and had green sloppy poo 14hrs later. And the moral of the story - a smart dog will find a way to get into anything.

Be very careful. My dogs also love salmon, but it can be deadly. There is a disease called salmon poisoning that is fatal to dogs if they eat raw salmon. It comes from bacteria found in the food salmon and other upstream swimming fish consume. Not all salmon will carry the bacteria but to be on the safe side do not feed it raw. Freezing will usually kill the deadly bacteria but to be sure you may want to also cook it.

Same problem with one of my Shelties in Canberra. She gets a shot every 6-8 weeks of an antihistamine from the vet - works wonders. She does still lick a bit when it gets really bad but the difference is amazing. Once I discovered the excessive licking was from an allergy I also avoided going to heavily grassed areas (ie the local ovals) everyday.

I agree with Percy. I had the same prob with my female as a pup. She still barks at other dogs but not as bad. I brought in a couple of behaviourists - they weren't great but I did get some pointers. Your female is probably quite shy and scared. Firstly - not all socialisation is good. You don't want to overwhelm her. She is better off spending time with another small shy puppy or much older, very quiet dogs. Don't push her to interact, just being around another dog is okay. Sometimes they get overwhelmed and it is hard for them to focus - it is better to take the dog away from the situation before she gets into the 'red zone' where she cannot hear you because she is barking and growling so much. Try to limit rough play between your 2 pups - you don't want her thinking that to play with another dog means roughness. Walk her seperately - it is impossible to deal with this with 2 dogs on the lead (sorry - I walked my female seperately until she was 12mths old - a pain but it helps). Can you get her interested in balls? This made a huge difference with my female. Going out for walks meant playing with the ball so she really enjoyed walks and I can (often) distract her with getting the ball out (or squeaking a ball) when another dog goes by. Plus she is now happy to interact with other dogs that are chasing balls - it is not as confronting for her. Lots of cuddles and affection!!! There is a book "Help for your shy dog" which has some useful tips.

Firstly - yes males will always mark territory - desexed or not. But I think your problem is more to do with puppy adolescence. My dogs (and male cats) have done this as well at the teens. Part of it is pushing the boundries. He will grow out of it (again) fairly quickly but you do need to be really firm. You may need to reinforce the potty training again from when he was a puppy for a while (eg, take him out and supervise toilet). My female peed on my pillow as an adolescent when I left my bedroom door open one day. So I truly sympathise!

Trucks and motorbikes are the worst - shelties and noise and movement are not a good combination (herding dogs and cars generally are a prob). I have the same problem. At some point he will prob try it with bikes, skateboards and scooters too. I brought a trainer in and the advice was pretty basic. Treats. Get the dog to sit. Hold a treat at his mouth and let him take it but hold on to the treat for as long as poss as the car goes past so he is distracted with getting the treat off you. It is hard if you are walking more than one dog. Don't let him stay at the roadside for too long to practise - he will prob always have the herding inclination and you don't want to get him worked up. My male sheltie now stops as soon as he sees a car - whatever distance we are from the road. He seems to think car means he must stop. I occassionally treat still (just his kibble). My female sheltie is a nutter and goes wild at cars even from the back seat of my car. So I always have to carry treats (food or a ball) to get her across roads.

Your girl may be flexing her independance. When mine reached puppy adolescence I put them back on lead for a while (we walk everywhere off lead) as their recall cannot always be trusted at that age. Also - carry cheese or salami or cabonassi or something equally smelly and tasty. Haven't met a sheltie yet that wouldn't come back for a tasty treat. Give her a piece when you first head out so she knows you have the treats. Keep doing this while you get thru adolescence. Eventually you will have a little shadow (my shelties are attached with velcro!) - it's just a difficult time for pups.