puppiluv

Thanks! Much appreciated :)

Is show training still on at Caboolture? I keep hearing rumors that it has ended. Please say it is still going!!

Thanks, dwilds, I will check them out and see if they have anyone located up there.

Reposting in this forum on the advice of another member... Hi everyone, hope someone here can help. I have some friends in Townsville area who are having some problems with their 9 month old desexed Rhodesian Ridgeback boy. Nothing really awful, but he is a big strong dog, and displaying the usual challenging 'teenage' dog behaviours which they'd like more help with. They've suggested they'd contact BarkBusters to help them. Now, I'm not really sure about BarkBusters methods, so anyone with experience please feel free to shed some light on how BB manage the training, I'm happy to hear pros or cons. I was also wondering if anyone here could help with some alternative suggestions, perhaps of other well regarded trainers or dog behaviourists in that area? Many thanks all

Thanks persephone, I will do that

Hi everyone, hope someone here can help. I have some friends in Townsville area who are having some problems with their 9 month old desexed Rhodesian Ridgeback boy. Nothing really awful, but he is a big strong dog, and displaying the usual challenging 'teenage' dog behaviours which they'd like more help with. They've suggested they'd contact BarkBusters to help them. Now, I'm not really sure about BarkBusters methods, so anyone with experience please feel free to shed some light on how BB manage the training, I'm happy to hear pros or cons. I was also wondering if anyone here could help with some alternative suggestions, perhaps of other well regarded trainers or dog behaviourists in that area? Many thanks all

Not sure where you are... Is the dog arriving at Brisbane airport? Where would it be coming from, NZ? If it's going to need to travel by air, you could try getting a quote from Jetpets? There are other air transporters but I can't think of names atm.

This thread has given me the best laugh!! And I no longer feel so bad about the back door, and the solar lights hubby had just put in the garden. Our 7 month old pup also loves to denude the paperbark tree! She has a heap of toys but nothing compares to peeling bark off, apparently.

This gave me a giggle! I heard the segment in the car while taking the kids to school, and immediately we started to think of all the odd oodles that would suddenly start coming out... rottwoodle saintbernadoodle dobermoodle got to be very silly I understand completely. I wonder why people who want an oodle don't just get a poodle, it's not as though they don't already come in several sizes and colours??

Jane Harper travels to Brisbane. I haven't any experience with her, but she comes very highly recommended by many here. Others may be able to provide further comment. Her site is dogsontrack

I knew I shouldn't have read this. Off to hug my doggies.

Thanks MissMonaro, we will look forward to it! Unfortunately won't be able to make it tonight as we're suffering with headcolds, but next week is the plan. Does training still go on in the event of wet weather? What equipment will we need to bring? And will I be the only person there with a big excitable dog? She does reasonably at obedience (when she wants to) but she does get a bit hyper sometimes. At least we're used to being sent to the naughty corner.

Just wondering if training is still being held on Wednesdays at the above time and place? Also, is it possible to join the club on the night or should I be a member beforehand? ;) (We are complete beginners)

For anyone who likes crochet, here are lots of doggy and cat patterns for coats, sweaters, toys, blankies, snuggle beds etc : http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/pet_items.php

Thanks for that!

I've tried searching these forums, but haven't had any luck so far finding anything that explains what NILIF is and how it works? I assumed from the thread where I saw it, that it was a training method of some sort? thanks!

I just got one from Deals Direct, absolutely the cheapest I found anywhere. It's a wire style with the plastic tray. It's not strictly the collapse/fold and carry style, as it goes together with 4 pins but does fold down and is really pretty easy to put up. It was the XL size and a mere $60 including shipping anywhere in Australia. Less than a third of the price of the ones in our local pet shops!!! I think it'll be cool for summer and for winter I'll just put a blanket over it or buy a cover for it

We haven't got our puppy yet, but I'm busy reading as much as I can about training! It's been a long time since we've had a puppy and I know methods have changed, so I want to be sure I'm doing the right things! (have not even opened my old dog training book as I know it uses some harsher methods, choke chain etc) . I've just started reading about clicker training, (not even knowing what it was at first ), and so far have encountered opinion both for and against it, and others which say it's just ok, only another method. So I wondered what everyone here thinks of it? Does it work better than using words and how has it benefitted your training? If you didn't like it, what do you prefer? Also, we have children who, although not the puppy's primary trainers, would no doubt be asking the dog to do things at times. If we used a clicker, does this mean our kids would need to each be armed with a clicker as well? Would I need to train the kids to use the clicker, or is there a time when the clicker ceases to be used and only words? Sorry if I'm not using the right terms, I'm just a beginner! I'm sure I'll want to learn more about it depending on the responses here!!

Wonderful! Thanks everyone, that's one less thing to have to think about!

Ok, so you're saying that the individual pup's temperament is more important than sex? Which I take would mean there's not a huge difference in the part gender plays in a puppy's development and behaviour? Is that only true for altered dogs? Does the age they're being speyed/neutered make a difference at all?

Well, still talking about our hypothetical dog, but we're now thinking about which gender to choose. Given that our future puppy will be speyed/neutered probably around the 6 months mark, is there much of a difference in behaviour between males and females afterwards? Are there any particular concerns or behaviours regarding either sex that we should be aware of before making a decision?

Thanks everyone! Great ideas! I'm loving the pictures of the beautiful doggies with their toys!!!

I'm astounded by the range of dog toys in the shops! What and how many does a puppy really need? Which are your (or your puppy's) personal favourites? Which ones should be avoided?