Jigsaw

Obviously so cute I had to say it twice!!

Daaww! They're very very cute. I would waste so much time if I ever had puppies, not that I'm planning to!

Slightly OT but I know of some kids/people where Phenergan actually hypes them up, literally bouncing off walls I use the Petark Calm product at the moment.

If your dog is super focused that you have food on you or coming from your hand remove the food away from immediately where you're training. Put it in a covered container. So when you mark you then run excitedly to the container with him, it might only be a metre or so away. Have you tried heeling him with the bumper in his mouth? Offer him objects other than the dumbbell such as toilet rolls, soft toys, rolled newspapers. You can even use your finger as you can really tell then when the dog is putting pressure on to hold.. Sometimes it's perservering through frustration as the dog takes, let's go, takes let's go. If the dog understands they have to take sometimes you have to let a little frustration build up. Don't reward for letting go. He wants that reward what does he have to do to get it, just hold it a fraction longer than the last one. Due to my own food allergies I can't put a lot of treats in my mouth! don't think I would if I could though!

Tea bags are good and come in different flavors! My dog loves to search my shopping bags for the docket. She'll even ignore the meat in the bags to find the docket now!

I hope the trainer wasn't thinking of Phenergan! It certainly quietens me down - sound asleep! Not something I'd suggest for a reactive dog.

Simon - love him! Look forward to seeing many more gorgeous pics. Especially some Sid and Simon pics!

I recall reading something regarding T-touch that a patch of hair sticking up or roughened can indicate some underlying problem in a joint. I have no experience with this at all though. It may just be a change in coat and may be something relatively normal for a long haired weim. Keep in contact with your breeder but if your not happy with the way he's moving or he looks uncomfortable in some positions it might be worth getting him checked out.

Just wondering if it being a large group of adults different tones of voice, different speech rhythms, accents, maybe even a different pattern in their walk alerted him initially. Possibly now when you hear them you become more alert after his initial reaction and now he sees you reacting and he becomes more alert and vocal. Sort of a circular thing.

totally agree with the above! I went through a stage with Noah when he was young where I was determined that increasing exercise would calm him down. It didn't, he got worse & worse. All I was doing was keeping him in a permanent state of adrenalin pumping chaos. What worked was a couple of months of leash walking, in addition to our regular training at home & class. now his greatest exercise is getting on & off the couch This is what I was sort of alluding to but did not express it very well. Exercise away from arousing circumstances. Walk on leash where the dog can have some down time to use their nose and away from areas that stimulate your dog. Which for my dog includes anywhere with water!

Hope this clears it up for people! My bolding. Transcript from Kathy Sdao Unplugged: (I've just found the part and she has started discussing the difference between a reward and a reinforcer) "A reinforcer doesn't need to be pleasurable. Mike is being reinforced because ink is flowing out of his pen. Is that thrilling you Mike?" Mike: "um, no. It's just taking notes helps me to remember what's happening" Kathy: "His note taking is helping him focus on what I'm saying and he will remember it. But that's all in the future. In this moment in time, that ink flow is a reinforcer he's not even noticing." Mike: "right, I'd stop it if it " Kathy: "Exactly! The only time it will change his behaviour is if the ink stops flowing and then he'll have an extinction burst to try to getit going again and he'll shake it and then he'll get another pen." Kathy continues: "My microphone working is going to keep me talking. If it stops I'm going to stop and get another battery and figure out what is wrong"

Thanks for that, will put them on the 'wish list'!

I've been wanting to learn about a bit (a lot) more about structure and how it affects stride and gait. Any feedback on the Pat Hastings book would be good!

Actually you could even try not walking him for a few days. If he gets overstimulated on a walk it could cause more problems. He may keep trying to find that same buzz at home as on the off leash walk. As Poodlefan said focussed walks may help. Have you tried some nose work exercises to engage his more natural behaviours? My girl is pretty similar but I have now pretty much got an off switch inside the house, still working on one when I'm in the backyard though!

I've recently watched a DVD of hers where she says that, so possibly the same DVD (Kathy Unplugged?) I thought she meant the ink coming out of the pen was reinforcing because you were trying to write notes at that time about what she was talking about and because the ink keeps coming out we keep writing. If the ink stopped running we'd probably swear and throw the pen away and use a pencil and may not use that brand of pen again! I didn't think she was talking about the drive to communicate so much as we often don't think about how some things are naturally reinforcing like having a pen where the ink flows. If we had to stop and shake the pen or find another one, that would not reinforcing the act of writing. Anyway that was my take on that bit!

Animal Play and Animal Welfare Unfortunately abstract only. Haven't had time to search if full article is available online without paying.

Great shots!! Love to see dogs working!

The environment is extremely exciting to your dog on walks, she's learning about the world and who's been past there recently. This is a good video on training leash walking. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZarFGdcj8s...der&list=UL

Can you possibly video it so you can show the vet. I would think it needs further investigation and would ask vet for further testing.

Congratulations on your decision Huski! You'll have a lot of fun with your new pup I'm sure. Twelve months will go fast! I think Hyacinth would be a lovely English name for a drivey little puppy!

I've only seen my girl "nest" of an evening, maybe a few times during the day. She is generally very switched on and easily aroused but at night when she settles I get a lot, and I mean a lot of scratching her mat, or the rug on the floor, enough to remove the pile on occasion ! If her rug is out of her crate that gets bunched up but she doesn't lie on it. I usually interrupt her nesting and she settles down quickly and I usually then get a lot of deep groaning as she relaxes down. Eta: forgot to mention that often she will be lying down apparently asleep and jump up and start scratching around, either in the same place or elsewhere.

Humping is usually seen when dogs (especially pups) get a bit excited eg meeting new dogs at the dog park or club, sometimes after being revved up from chasing another dog or a toy. They generally don't know what to do with themselves so they hump. As Corvus said it is a displacement behaviour. It is not often about dominance. A dog humping from excitement will hump any other dog in any manner, front, side, rear and there is usually thrusting. Some dogs don't care when they're humped, others will discipline the humper with an air snap or growl. Sometimes they'll even be chased off. If a dog has pain issues or space issues it is less likely to tolerate a dog attempting to hump it. A serial humper is a real pain in the neck that can be very annoying to other dogs as well as humans. My toy poodle had a stuffed toy he used to hump but it was generally after he'd been overstimulated in some way. He'd growl, bite, shake and kill the wombat and then hump it!! Sometimes found him slumped over it in exhaustion!

Go the koolies!!!!!! :)

Thankyou. Go Lisa!!!! Woohoo!!! And congratulations to all the winners!

Sorry I can't be there and I don't know of anyone who could accept on my behalf, if I should be so lucky! Sorry to be so late in answering! Good luck to all the nominees!