Barbara B

Hi, I love my Black Dog leads. Barbara B

Hi, my shelties are on Purina ProPlan - have been for years. I forget which one it is, but it's one for dogs with sensitive stomachs. (which they haven't - they just like it.) I think it's fish and rice based. Barbara B

Hi, congratulations on your pass-up. Try some ginger biscuits for the car-sickness. I have a shed where I store all my dog gear. I have the ribbons up around the wall in there with photos of the dogs that won them. The certificates are in a filing cabinet inside the house. Barbara B

Hi, why do you want to clean his scent away at all? It's not something we worry about here and I've never had a problem with new dogs coming in. We're a multiple dog household here and sometimes we look after dogs for other people if it's urgent. Dogs are very accommodating - all they need is love. It might even make them feel more at home. Barbara B

Hi Tara8430, the secret with the washine machine is to fully load it each time you do a wash. Mine's the same - it tangles clothes if it's not fully laden. We have a front loading Bosch and I love it. It's very gentle on clothes and creates very little lint. It's not Australian made but it's a good machine. We had a large simpson top loader for very many years. I would have bought the same model if I could get one now. Barbara B

Hi, this may sound strange, but try rubbing tomato sauce into the coat, leaving it a while then washing out. I've heard they do this in places where there are skunks. It might work. Barbara B

Hi, it's probably a good idea to teach the dog to wear a muzzle anyway. I've thought that I should teach my GSD to wear one - you never know if they're going to get hurt one day and need veterinary treatment. Much easier on the dog if they're already accustomed to a muzzle. Barbara B

Hi, I have an itchy dog and we've tried all the avenues you have. At the moment she is fine and this is our regime: Fish and rice based dry food which we moisten slightly. Sardines in springwater occasionally. Megaderm (Omega 3 + 6) but not every day. Prednil tablets - but only two each time she starts to scratch again - not as a course. Getting rid of capeweed in the lawns the dogs use. Best of luck - I know how frustrating it can be. Barbara B

Hi, try giving a spoonful of crushed pineapple with the dinner. It seems to stop the behaviour by supplying some enzyme they're missing. Brabara B

Hi, I love Vebo Pet too. I bought a terrific dog pen for my GSD when we're travelling. Really good quality gear. Barbara B

Hi, realistically, if you take steps to stop her visiting your in-laws, you could be laying down problems with them. Best to avoid problems with in-laws in the interests of a happy life. You could ask them just to make sure they're not just "putting up" with the visits because they don't want to offend you. On the training front - we have always had multiple dogs, sometimes as many as eight at a time. Each one that I am doing intensive training with always takes "ownership" of me. I think if you started the formal training, the same would happen with your dog. Penny will always enjoy her visits to your in-laws, but you're the one working and training her. Dogs love hierarchy and leadership more than anything. Good luck, stay calm and don't make waves - they're not worth it. Barbara B

Hi, we have a box with a cover of carpet, beside our bed on both sides, near the foot of the bed, just so the dogs don't need to jump the full height. I know - we're soppy about the dogs. :D Barbara B

Hi, thinking of you. Sally sends her good wishes too. Barbara B

Hi Arya, I use a method similar to the Sch one too. Food in every footstep to start, but I don't want or accept any pressure on the lead though, and I don't want to track at any more than walking pace. Yes, I track them in harness, on solid collars, on slip chains, free. It doesn't matter - they love tracking anyway so they do it. As there's no pressure on the lead, it doesn't matter what collar is on the dog. If I've tracked several in the one session, I often let them "run the track" off lead together afterwards. It psyches up slow trackers. Barbara B

Hi Alanglen, it's good that you've found a club that suits you, and very nice of Arva to refer you to it. I think we're quite lucky in our wide choice of local clubs. I can't comment on the black labrador and handler in question, because I didn't see it, but really I see nothing wrong in tracking a beginner dog in a collar. If I don't have a harness handy, I'll track them without it....sometimes even off-lead depending on what aspect I'm training for. It's all training. I guess if you were heavy-handed, or your dog pulled like a steam engine, it wouldn't be a good idea but mine are all very gentle dogs. Best of luck with your dogs' training. Barbara B

Hi Alanglen and all, I've recently joined the Western Port club and I am not an instructor there. If you saw someone training a dog for tracking in a slip collar, it was probably me giving my pup a quick track before or after class. It's a pity you didn't come over and chat as we could have swapped ideas on tracking. I'm always ready to learn about tracking from anyone. Have you done a lot of tracking? I think you must have struck the club on a bad day because I'm really enjoying my time there. I actually joined because of their positive approach to training. I particularly like the Community Companion Dog program they have introduced. I was looking for just such help with a golden retriever I've been trying to help. This club has a planned "meet and greet" exercise in the early classes that will be just right for her. I'm a current member of Frankston and I think it's a fine club too. I have found over the years that Frankston allows experienced handlers a great amount of leeway in training techniques, but they're always ready to step in with help where it's needed too. Good luck in finding a club that suits you and your dog. Barbara B