OSoSwift

I have made some for my Whippets, although I don't use elastic as they hate their ears left in them. I tuck the bottom bit inside their coats. I also make my dog coats with extended necks that sit just behind their ears but you could make them longer if you wished. That way they wouldn't get lost.

I did try it, but I am not good at keeping any diary! I do have a very good memory so in my mind I will have an idea of where I want to go and the next thing I want to teach. Sometimes I forget to do something ie - finishes for obedience, but on the scheme of things I remember most of it. I always ( in the diary in my brain) have a plan I want to follow. One from lesson to lesson and all the exercises I want to learn from now to well forever I am quite often adding things as well.

I use shaping and luring, and have not - since I started clicker training - used guiding (as in hands on) and placing. I find that enabling them to do it themselves either with shaping or luring enables them to get the muscle memory required to do the movement more quickly. Because of the fact the do it themselves I find that they will offer it very quickly and therefore learn at a much more rapid rate than a dog placed into the same position. Trying to place a dog into a down can cause stress and as dogs are oppositionally defiant it will cause them to push against the pressure, rather than go with it and before you know it there is a struggle brewing. So essentially you are teaching your dog to respond in exactly the opposite way than what you require. I have in the past trained that way, but now it is never a method I use as I have had a much higher level of success with what I do now. I do believe you never stop learning and if a better method came along I would be happy to try it.

Might have to try it on the old boy - he wouldn't even notice yet another tablet thrown on his tea! He has been going quite well and I wonder if it is because of all the supplements he has had added to his food over the last 6 months. Twelve months ago I would have been suprised if he had lasted a month, now he looks like he could go on for another 12 months!

Am checking back in, had a bit of a sleep in theis morning - excuse the morning scary hair won't you. ***moves a Newfie and and Aussie to one side, sits down and gets a Whippet draped across my lap***** Ahhh coffee and a muffin, excellent. Now where did I leave my book??? ***picks up book, cleans off some drool and sits quietly reading... We are all still waiting patiently Jed, we are only just outside your door willing you a little better each day. All the healing vibes we can muster are being sent to you. Whippet kisses and cuddles to you

All the vets I have know have prices for immature, mature and in season/early pregnant bitches (but rarely if ever did them in season) So that I can handle. But up to $900 that is insane! My vet tells me I would be a scary client as I have worked in the industry for 15 years, 5 of those for him. I asked him why and he said it was because I had lots of knowledge and would tell them if I wasn't happy, didn't agree etc. He also realised on some things I had more knowledge than him and was happy to ask my opinion - so that I like. We have no commercialised vets down here as yet and I hope it stays that way. Both are owner operated with some extra associate vets of course.

How is the handsome boy going today?

I am not sure I would like the idea of being offered a "package" At our hospital they are all induced with Valium/methone from memory, given Iso as their GA and given pain relief and antibiotics as a routine. If it is a dog that is older or unwell the benfits of running bloods and fluids is discussed and yes it is additional cost if the owner proceeds. I know that things can be ticking along unnoticed but as a general rule a 6 to 12 month old puppy that is fit and full of vitality is at a lower risk of having an underlying problem. I doubt I would do a pre-anaesthetic screen on a young dog, and if it was a routine desexing then I most likley wouldn't have the fluids either if I was given a choice. If I went to a vet hospital and was told it is "X" amount and this includes Desexing, bloods, fluids, pain relief etc etc, then I most likely would go yes okay and have it done. Not sure I like the concept of bronze, silver and gold packages though.

Oh I forgot to add collapsible crate in the boot fo the car along with HOund bag and my Pedigree training bag full of training gear, scent articles, poop bags, I-Squeaks, poo bags and various other things - all are required though. I am having a small clean up and donating extra coats and collars to a Whippet rescue.

Great to hear there has been some improvement. Well must vacate my seat as well, tis still warm you'll just have to wrestle with the Whippet to get enough room.

I have an old cupboard from a school storage room. On the top shelf it has two small plastic containers with drawers - 4 in each I think. They hold, some combs/brushes, collars, leads, medication, crate nuts/bolts, nail trimmers, scissors. There are icecream comtainers between that hold all the shampoo, other grooming stuff and the furminator for the cats. There are spare sheets/towels etc on another shelf along with the large bags of treats and some training things, and another couple of leads. There are some new feed bags that I use on the hessian sack beds ans ome otehr stuff that I can't remember. The bottom shelf has my grooming box, spare stainless steel bowls and some horse stuff. There is a plastic container in one of the dog runs (on top of a crate) with extra dog coats in it. In the other dog run as well as required crate for sleeping their is a cat crate, a bunnigs compost/puppy pen folded against the wall and a large canvas bag of jumps. When I get my girls shed I will have a bath, grooming table and at least two decent cupboards to put my Stuff in

Why are you so condescending? I don't even use a clicker. I have had the privilege of working with trainers who have vast experience, much more than you do, with working security/PP/police dogs etc and I am more than confident their advice and knowledge regarding aggression in dogs is sound. I am not saying that handling a dog exhibiting peak aggression is impossible, but talking about the process you would undergo to train aggressive dogs. I'm not talking about security dogs driven by civil aggression either. Do you honestly think that waiting until an aggressive dog is in drive peak, functioning from the lower cortex of the brain, is really the optimum time to teach the dog it has options other than aggression? Considering the trainer the OP is consulting with has taught me how to deliver appropriate corrections to my own dogs I can assure you that you are talking utter crap. Why are you arguing and questioning the people who actually know this trainer in real life? You can't possible have a clue what kind of trainer they are from one statement, regarding avoiding situations where the kids could get hurt, in this thread. What's the OP on here asking advice for when all the right things are supposedly being addressed correctly???. If it was all working well (which obviously it's not), there would be no reason to post about it???. Snapping at and mouthing the kids is a serious misbehaviour IMO that needs to be stopped FAST and it's not a behaviour I would mess around with given the dangerous level that it could escalate to. I would hang a dog up for that..........choke it out and teach the dog that aggression towards anything results in a severe unpleasant correction it will remember. Or, you could mess around with behaviour until the dog bites the kids and send it to rainbow bridge as an alternative corrective measure I think a trainer that has any idea what they are doing would not need to go so far as stinging a dog up - I know it was done........about 30 years ago, but seriously that is what you deem the correct way to deal with it. I am thankful I did not do that my my young Dobe who had been harassed by small children, than started seeing them as something to gorwl at. Amazingly I managed to get her to the point she liked children and didn't so much as lick them without stringing her up. Oh and I also had never heard of clicker training at that stage. I am glad the trainers I know are not into stringing dogs up as a solution for the dogs training issues No...........why mess around and start off soft then increase the corrective measure when the soft approach isn't working???. Snapping at the kids with aggression isn't just naughty play, it needs to be knocked on the head once and for all unless you would prefer to gamble with a kids disfigured face when you get it wrong. Go in hard, correct the misbehaviour and get it done and dusted and move on. Same goes for the dog that pulls on the leash...........6 months later after every traditional collar, head collar and harness has been tried unsuccessfully, the dog ends up on a prong. If it's a heavy puller, put in on a prong straight up and teach it how to walk nicely in 20 minutes. Too much messing around and productive training time being wasted trying to avoid an aversive as some dogs need aversive measures, and a good trainer knows when and where an aversive is best. There is a wide gap between a CORRECTION and stringing a dog up and cutting it's air off. a VERY LARGE GAP! I have had Rotti's, Dobermann's, A Stafford and currently Whippets. Interestingly I have never had to use any head collars or prongs. I did use Check chains years ago, but now use martingales mainly due to the fact a Whippet has a skinny head and I don't want them to back out of a collar at an inappropriate time - not that they have every tried. All of my dogs did and do walk well on lead, none need to wear anything other than a flat collar or with my Whips a martingale. Why not teach the dog correctly the first time instead of resorting to different devices (yes I know some dogs do need them and I have no problem with that). I have also walked 4 dogs with a pram quite easily in the past, all on flat or martingale collars. I am not a "positive only and no other way" training person and there are some situations that require adversives. But hey what would I know. I am stepping away because I can see that there is no educating some people.

I don't know of any reputable trainer who would use it as a training method, RnL. And that includes trainers who happily use all kinds of aversives, from e-collars to prongs to leash corrections etc. I have to agree Huski. I do know of one person who did it many many years ago after a large male Dobe flew them when they had hold of the lead and he was intent on take Their face off. It was done for self preservation only. I have never heard of anyone, even corrections based trainers that would advocate such a technique. That is canyons away from an adequate correction when it is required.

What Huski is doing, is telling the OP it's all good and the trainer is doing a great job...........I disagree, I think the trainer is messing around with a dangerous situation and doesn't know how to correct it effectively.........just my opinion And I appreciate that you have an opinion different to mine - that is all good. I am just not into you can have an opinion different to mine....even if you are wrong. That I find obnoxious and arrogent. To the OP, I hope that when you speak to your trainer that you get the help you need to stop this behaviour. I am of the opinion that if you are going to get him desexed anyway, then if he is 6 months or older I would do it. Then you know that a surge in hormones is not contributing to the issue.

Why are you so condescending? I don't even use a clicker. I have had the privilege of working with trainers who have vast experience, much more than you do, with working security/PP/police dogs etc and I am more than confident their advice and knowledge regarding aggression in dogs is sound. I am not saying that handling a dog exhibiting peak aggression is impossible, but talking about the process you would undergo to train aggressive dogs. I'm not talking about security dogs driven by civil aggression either. Do you honestly think that waiting until an aggressive dog is in drive peak, functioning from the lower cortex of the brain, is really the optimum time to teach the dog it has options other than aggression? Considering the trainer the OP is consulting with has taught me how to deliver appropriate corrections to my own dogs I can assure you that you are talking utter crap. Why are you arguing and questioning the people who actually know this trainer in real life? You can't possible have a clue what kind of trainer they are from one statement, regarding avoiding situations where the kids could get hurt, in this thread. What's the OP on here asking advice for when all the right things are supposedly being addressed correctly???. If it was all working well (which obviously it's not), there would be no reason to post about it???. Snapping at and mouthing the kids is a serious misbehaviour IMO that needs to be stopped FAST and it's not a behaviour I would mess around with given the dangerous level that it could escalate to. I would hang a dog up for that..........choke it out and teach the dog that aggression towards anything results in a severe unpleasant correction it will remember. Or, you could mess around with behaviour until the dog bites the kids and send it to rainbow bridge as an alternative corrective measure I think a trainer that has any idea what they are doing would not need to go so far as stringing a dog up - I know it was done........about 30 years ago, but seriously that is what you deem the correct way to deal with it. I am thankful I did not do that my my young Dobe who had been harassed by small children, than started seeing them as something to gorwl at. Amazingly I managed to get her to the point she liked children and didn't so much as lick them without stringing her up. Oh and I also had never heard of clicker training at that stage. I am glad the trainers I know are not into stringing dogs up as a solution for the dogs training issues

Huski isn't training the dog, nor has she given the OP particular suggestions she has mearly suggested that the behaviouralist does actually know what she is talking about. Maybe the behaviouralist has got experience with dogs and situations as per the OP. There are many people around who do have experience and are very good at working with such dogs.

Wow that's so far off the mark it's not even funny - but good to see that you know so much about a trainer you've never met, and have no idea what is actually involved in the OP's training program. I'm sure you are aware that for some dogs attempting to correct them when they are displaying peak aggression is pointless because their adrenaline is so high their pain threshold changes and they don't even register the correction - there are many benefits in avoiding situations where an aggressive dog goes into drive peak. Put your clicker training books away Huski and do a training session with us and I will change your mind very quickly how to handle a security dog driven by civil aggression and fighting drive at it's peak Whats wrong with clicker training? By the way the clicker is only a marker and you could couple it with a negative if that's what floats your boat??? Have you ever tried it? And as Huski knows the behaviouralist that is helping and you don't, then maybe, just maybe Huski actually does know what she is talking about. I am sorry but the holier than thou attitude is sometimes a little wearing.

My pup wouldn't have gone at all. And it was only going a 40min drive away???? Get in the car and drive it! I have driven 750kms to take a puppy to her new owner and as they hadn't actually seen her in the flesh I told them if they didn't want to take her on meeting her I would put her back in the car and drive her home. I am a bit flabbergasted actually as I am sure you are Nickojoy

I'm into playing cards, just need to shove the Whippet to the side and I'll be with you

Would it be possible to put a basket muzzle (plastic ones)on him (obviously he will need to get used to it) so that he can pant, drink but cannot actually mouth or nip the kids? He will probably attempt to but as he cannot they will get more confidence around him? Just a thought

Just google Avgas and the MSDS sheets, and also Jet fuel - quite frightening. Needless to say there is none on the property now.

Happy birthday to a very inspiring person. Hope you had a great one

Any room for me in the waiting room? - I will happily and quietly read my new dog book while patiently waiting.

Yep he loves it, I also leave it plugged in all night - or day if it is a freezing day, but he has another bed to move on to if it gets too warm.

Good to see you are stable Jed, sending healing vibes every day. Loved the photos, what healthy looking little doggies. I am sure they will love to snak inot your room when you are a little better to have a snuggle. Another candle lit today