Greytmate

Not pathetic. Highlight of my day too. But I can see the OP's problem. I find that the layout of the area where you greet the dogs is important. It's fun for me to meet my dogs at the side gate and watch them tear around the yard and then up the back stairs. If I had to greet them in a narrow passageway, It would be a bit stressful. That's all I can think of for now that might help. Greeting the dogs in a suitable area for them to be excited in.

Before you choose the right sire, you need the right bitch. Before you buy the right bitch, you need to be sure you are in the right breed. As Pav Lova says, it is often best to start with a dog, because they are much easier to show. I'm not a breeder (might breed one day), but I learned about dogs from my dog's breeders, from going to dog shows, from going to obedience club and learning to be an instructor, from lots of books and reading, from working with greyhounds, and from Internet forums like this one.

It is a QLD state health law that dogs are not permitted in or near outdoor dining areas anywhere. Cafes risk a fine if they allow it. I think it is a stupid law, because it isn't a health concern. Behaviour concerns can be dealt with under the dog control laws.

Off topic, but has your sister tried to solve the problem by stopping her dog seeing beyond the fence? The easiest way to stop barking is to prevent it.

Yes, in QLD it's a guideline, not a law. The reason dogs are allowed to be implanted before 8 weeks is so that they can be sold at 8 weeks.

Either a dog is good at dealing with new things, or it isn't, so there is limited effect you can have there with training. What you can do is a very gradual introduction to all of the things she is likely to be exposed to over her life. There is no need to show her the world, but you do need to show her what will be in her world, and give her positive associations with things. Start slowly with walks in quiet streets, until she gets used to traffic noise and movement. Don't make the next step into a busier environment until she is perfectly at ease with the quieter one. You may never end up with a dog that is great at dealing with new things. But with work you will have a relaxed and happy dog that is able to cope with most of the normal things that people like doing with dogs. Take it slowly, but if you work every day, within weeks you will have a different dog.

Two days ago this happened on DOL, and you did not advise this. You advised that the ranger would "just put to sleep". What an annoying topic this is, in so many ways.

This dog has shown that it will bite people under certain (normal) circumstances. A behaviourist won't be able to wave a magic wand over this dog. It is better that this poor dog be given his wings and the lady gives a chance to another dog that needs a home. A dog that has been through a good assessment of its behaviour in various circumstances. Once a dog has bitten somebody, it can be declared dangerous and there are fines and other responsibilities. This dog is a liability that no new dog owner should have to take on.

What? Yes, when I hear somebody saying something like that, I respond like this.

You might want to do a bit of googling. I think this might be all bullshit. Did you try googling before posting? http://www.sodahead....estion-1636663/ You don't think it's bullshit? The fact that they did the study? It seems as though they did do one. Or did you mean the findings? What findings? Nobody did any study, there is no Bijon-Frize Care Institute or French skincare giant Bonpeau. It's all just bullshit. Copied and pasted from a weblog posted on April 1st, 2011.

You might want to do a bit of googling. I think this might be all bullshit. Did you try googling before posting? http://www.sodahead....estion-1636663/ You don't think it's bullshit?

You might want to do a bit of googling. I think this might be all bullshit.

No, it's alarming. What sort of puppy is it? How much was it and how much deposit did you leave? The answers to that can often give a clue as to whether it might be a scam or whether it sounds legitimate.

I really miss having a cat, I haven't had one for over ten years since I left my ex, and I had to leave my beloved ginger cat behind. His name was Smokey Mate and he died a few years ago. Cats are generally very anti-social towards everyone except their own family. I wish I could have a pet cat now, but Woody and Coco would probably see a cat as prey.

Be careful of that description, English Staffy. It isn't a breed name, it's a rather lazy way of describing a breed, sometimes used by those wanting to attract unwary buyers. Why not visit a dog show? Top breeders are active in the show ring, and you will be able to see some really fantastic dogs. Not all of the dogs that the top breeders breed will be show champions, but many will make excellent pets.

Fleas don't live forever. It is very hard to see live fleas on a dog unless it is a very heavy infestation. If your dog is not allergic to their bites you may be unaware of them being there.

Try the new bowl for a few weeks. The problem with dogs and itches is that the dog's scratching is what causes the most damage, it gets inflamed from scratching and then it's more itchy and then the dog gets in the habit of scratching. Whatever caused the problem, it can still take up to a couple of weeks for the itchiness to stop. It can take a lot of patience.

I think you are putting the cart before the horse. Choose the best stud dog you can in terms of conformation and temperament and compatibility with your bitch. What is your breeding aim? What could be improved in conformation in the next generation? Have you had different experienced people and judges critique the bitch? They are the important considerations in choosing the stud. Then look at the stud's pedigree, and look at your own bitch's pedigree, and you will be better able to predict the chance of a particular colour occurring in your litter.

The dog is now over the critical socialisation phase. What is done is done. The dog has learned from every experience, including those where the OP has become upset with people. Genetics is the major factor in a dog's tolerance and confidence levels. Pups are not blank slates. It doesn't sound like anything really traumatic has happened during the critical phase to ruin the dog's confidence. This topic is more about the OP's anger at people. The best advice at this stage is to concentrate on the dog, not the other people, and to get the dog reliable and focussing on the handler. Train in private or use the distraction as part of the exercise.

I would expect the vet to do what he did. Start with the basics and move on from there. Because it hasn't cleared up with treatment, the vet can now start looking at other things that might be continuing to cause the problem. Maybe he should have mentioned allergies, because the first thing I would check for would be fleas, and the second thing I would check for is the weed, Wandering Jew. It is a common weed and it makes some dogs itchy. I would continue with this vet, because it often takes a few visits for things to be ruled out before the problem is found out. The vet started with a treatment that is going to clear up secondary infection and make the dog comfortable. Sometimes this is all that is needed. The vet now needs to know that the problem is getting worse, and he will take the next step.

Telling somebody not to pat your dog is pretty abrupt. You may want to add that the dog is in training, so people might understand and may accept why they cannot pat your pup. Aside from that, the people I know that use that method of training tend to keep their dogs away from the public and do most of their training alone. The critical socialisation phase has passed, so it isn't as important for the dog to be exposed to new experiences all the time. Take better control of the situation as Nekhbet said and keep the dog onlead. If you have your dog tied up by itself, you are not in as much control. Your dog will learn how to behave from your reaction to people approaching or touching him. Next time you are out in public, be ready to train the dog what you want it to do when people approach in an inappropriate manner. Your attention needs to be on the dog at that precise moment, not on the thing that might distract the dog. Because you won't get far training the rest of the world to leave you alone. A cute pup or a well-trained adult dog in a public area generally does draw admiration from people.

I would tell them that they have the wrong dog, and avoid walking the dog in that area in future, just in case they tried to steal the dog back.

The photos only show the "after', they do not show the condition of the dog's coat before the clip. We don't know how matted the legs were. Dog looks very well and happy, but we just don't have all the information. The 1st of the 3 photos was the 'before' shot The photos only show the "after', they do not show the condition of the dog's coat before the clip. We don't know how matted the legs were. Dog looks very well and happy, but we just don't have all the information. There is a before photo. The dog is not unkempt, uncared for or flea-ridden. I stand by what I say, that groomer did a shit job and shouldn't be let near any dog with scissors or clippers. No, there is no before shot. The first photo was taken after a grooming session six weeks ago. The OP admits that the dog was matted since then because of bandaging. We have no photos to see the extent of the matting.

The photos only show the "after', they do not show the condition of the dog's coat before the clip. We don't know how matted the legs were. Dog looks very well and happy, but we just don't have all the information.

Is telling somebody their dog's coat is in bad condition like telling them their dog is overweight? 9 out of ten people will argue with that one. In general, people do not accept being told that their dog is in less than excellent condition. They are used to seeing their dog like it is and will take it personally if you find fault. I think that maybe groomers have to accept this part of human nature and develop procedures that work for them. Love the magic and miracles sign. I also like Everything's Shiny's procedure of getting the dog on the table before discussion.