missmoo

When doing socialisation/desensitisation with any pup you need to start slow and small. Turn the volume down to a level the pup is calm with then reward; do this 10 times without your dog showing any anxiety or fear then turn the volume up slightly and repeat 10 times...if you go to loud to soon you risk long lasting anxiety and fear to such things. Remember to always start small and build up....dont molly coddle the pup for showing fear; this only teaches the dog that there is something to afraid of...instead reward and play for not showing any fear, this way the dog will start to understand there is nothing to be scared of. You havent left it too late.....which is good to see ......socialisation to noises, surfaces, environments, other animals inlcuding other dogs is an ongoing lifetime thing for every dog.....the importance thing is too start right and build a solid foundation in the pups critical period of development (up to 16 weeks of age). keep doing what you are doing..its nice to see a responsible owner trying to do the right thing for their pup :p

Hi, You can also buy reflective leg bands for dogs. Works the same way as the reflective silver stripes on safety vests. The other alternative is a doggy fluoro safety vest. cheers, Missmoo

I also have a black lab. I grew up with labs and love them dearly. As mentioned previously until you actually own one and train one you will never know the joy they give their owners. My boy is so switched on its scary. Yes he can be over the top but he is being trained in self control which he is getting the hang of. They are so willing to be trained and please their handlers which adds to the joy of owning one. Unfortunately most people only see them when are they are "misbehaving" and boistrous, and owned by people who have no idea what to do with them and only have them because they are seen as a "safe" breed. I encourage all to take a look a lab that has had training or look after one in your home sometime. They are adorable and i will always have at least one in my life.

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone knows of a Dog Agility Club in South Vic. that doesnt have a two year waiting list? I have a 14 mth black lab i would like to start training in aggility just for fun and confidnece building but cant find a decent club without a long wait time to join.

You need lots of patience for crate training. Your pup wont necessarily like being in a crate straight away. Put him in his crate only a few times per day - but only letting him out when he is quiet. Do the smae thing over and over again all day is tiring and boring for your pup. You want to create a positive association with the crate, any "bad experiences" that happen now will be hard to change. Also, the soft collapsible crates are good for grown dogs who no longer chew due to teething or general puppydom. Buy a proper wire crate to use and use the collapsible for when you take the dog on overnighters, visits etc when he is old enough. You must be patient, the more frsutrated you feel the more your pup will "misbehave". If it is becoming too much, stop for a day or so and then come back to the crate training. Dont increase the time he is in the crate too soon. When he is quiet for 1 min x 10 times in a row then increase to 1 1/2 mins x 10 times in a row etc. Remember not to do this all in one day...patience is the key.....and it will take time. Crate training is a real advantage for any dog and their owners.

How much time do you spend with your pup? Pups can quite easily become dependent on their owners if you do not do indepence training when you first get them. Independence training should be done throughout the dogs life not just from puppy hood. This teaches them that being alone or not being with you is no big deal. A dog that is stressed and anxious when left alone because it has become dependent on you is not healthy long term and creates all sorts of behaviour issues which the dogs does just so it can cope in your absence. You need to start slow and small.....leave the pup in a another room or outside for a short period of time i.e: 1 to 2 mins, then let the pup have access to you but do not make a fuss of him and gradually build from there........remember not to jump too far too soon or the pups behaviour will regress. Try not to give the pup "freebies" with your attention all the time. If you want to give the dog attention get him to do something, whether that be a trick you've taught him or an obedience command such as sit, drop etc.....this teaches the pup that he cannot get your attention unless he works for it.......too many freebies can create a pup that is demanding of your attention; NILIF Nothing in Life is Free......... Some ppl might see this as a bit harsh, but it isnt.......dogs will work for what they want at that particular moment in time Have you crate trained your pup? This can be a very good training tool that can be used for not only sleeping in but for independence training and also a place for the pup to feel safe in, travelling in, camping etc. You need to also look at what has happened recently, over the last couple of weeks. Has anything changed in the pups routine that may have caused the behaviour you are now seeing? Dramatic changes can upset some dogs, by dramatic I mean dramatic to the dog and not us.......it could be a new baby in the house, a new dog even, moving house, the pup may have had a fright or scare etc etc Sometimes it can be difficult to find the root cause of behaviour issues, but there is always something, if you can identify what that something is then it makes it a little easier to "fix" the issue Good luck

When i walk my 2, it is a mixture of training while out and about and also just social walking. When we are "social walking" they are allowed the full length of the lead as long as they do not pull, they can sniff and pee. When training we do things like, sit, drop on the move, heeling etc, I change directions or stop suddenly to keep them thinking. What you want from your dog when you are walking is your choice. I persaonally want my dogs to "enjoy" their walks, but i also use that time to proof their commands as well. :rolleyes:

Slather the dencorub on. A thin layer wont be much of a deterrent. But remember by putting such a thing on the collar if any gets on the underside of the collar you are going to cause the dogs neck to heat up as well. The more you apply the hotter it will be.

Erny, My boy (now 6mths) did exactly the same thing. He loves to take a single tissue from the box, rip it to shreads then go back for another one. being a retriever he would get so excited about having the tissue in his mouth. :rolleyes: All my tissue boxes and toilet rolls are now up high behind closed doors as he has graduated to taking the entire box and destroying it leaving both torn cardboard and tissues all over the house for me to clean up. Gotta love him tho. He's sooooooooo cute

Clyde, I wouldnt be using such a thing with a dog as young as yours. The potential is there to create permanent behavioural issues if things arent done properly. I would seek professional advice from a behaviourist before you attempt to use the fence on your pup. It is better to be safe and do things right first time then you do not have to worry. good luck

try putting deep heat on things your pup is chewing that you dont want to. it will heat up in the dogs mouth, unless your pup is a glutten for punishment it should stop the chewing on your furniture. i used deep heat on my skirting boards to stop my labrador pup from chewing the wood. it will not harm your pup but you need to apply a thick layer. give your pup lots of frozen bones and tetthing toys to help with teeting or the chewing problem will get worse.

not so. the female is desexed

they did the usual as well as a blood test.

some dogs love it, its a game, others do it to cool off. have several shallow bowls with water, that way if one tips over or is emptied there are others to drink from.

my pure breed black lab is 21 weeks and weighs in at a healthy 19 kgs. as long as pup is not overwieght all is good.

Hey all, I need some advice from the Behaviourists out there. I have a 5 year old Kelpie X Rotti. I have had her since she was 10 weeks old. She has critical period issues which I have been working hard on (she is fearful of unknown ppl) My other dog passed away 3 months ago . Before she passed away I had already put my name down for a lab pup which came home 2 weeks after Molly died. Timing wasn't great I know but couldnt be helped. I also had my brothers dog for the last 4 months (now gone home), my girl and my brothers girl get along great, they've had interaction ever since they where babes. Anyway everything with the pup and my girl are going well. She mothers him, tells him off when he gets to rough, plays with him. If anything he has helped to increase her self confidence around ppl. Over the last week she has begun to sleep heaps. She wont come inside very often (the door is left open when i am home) and she just stays in the kennel. She is off her food, she will eat but not the usual amount. She is not drinking anymore than normal. She is not interested in going for a walk. I do train her to keep her mind active but she is not responding to that very well either. She just seems blurrgh (for want of a better word). I have taken her to the vet, physically she is fine. I know she was grieving for Molly (they had been together since they were 10 weeks old). Up until a week agao she seemed like she was OK. Could she be depressed? about Molly or even my brother's girl no longer being there. They do see ecah other at least once a week. I'm stuck. thanks

Contact Julie Cowan from SAR. www.sarda.net.au

Not heard of this either and would need the trainer to provide a bit more explanation, if there is any, to make sure what was said hasn't been misunderstood. My friend swears she has quoted the Behaviourist correctly.

Hi all, I was just wondering if anyone has heard of the below. A friend of mine in Sydney has a friend that called in a behaviourist to help her with a constantly barking male shepherd. She also has a desexed female shepherd. The behaviourist said that because there is a female dog in the same household they could not help them nor would anyone else because the male is "trying to work hard" for the female. Has anyone heard of such a thing - a male dog barking because there is a female dog in the house? Appreciate any feedback!

after this experience you need to get her back into a dog pool as soon as you can..........have on a life vest an and lead in a controlled environment......let the attendant know what happened so you can once again associate water and swimming as a good thing........for the time being i would invest in a life vest for your pup until she is confident swimmer that way if she gets dunked or gets tired she will not nearly drown......... hope all is ok

bitter tasting stuff are good and it won't hurt her. holding the lead up will only encourage her to jump to get at it.....at this stage it's a game that she is enjoying and the more you pull it away the more she will play. if she grabs the lead, grab the back of her collar and yell "no" or "uh" at her in a very loud and intimidating voice. you need to do this like you really mean it and chewing on the lead is the worst thing in the world she can do.....this will also help establish your leadership.

potatoes need to be cooked before giving to dogs. a little won't hurt your pup, but I have heard potatoes can cause bloat. has anyone else heard this??

i use garlic powder and haven't had a problem with fleas for 4 years. 1 teaspoon for adult dogs or 1/2 teaspoon for pups twice a week mixed with their food.

Vrox, you need to find a method that works best for your dog. if you are in any doubt about what to do consult a behaviourist who will work with you in the home. this way you can feel comfortable and know someone will come calling when you need the help. yes it is important to give dogs their space when eating but your pup still needs to have a very clear understanding that growling at you because you come near her when she is eating is not acceptable behaviour. it sounds like you are a little hesitant to try on your own because of your previous experiences with your pup, i don't blame you it can be a scary thing if you don't know what to do. however you need to get a handle on the problem asap before your pup gets any bigger and can inflict serious injury. good luck

when you wash the bedding do you use vinegar? dogs can still smell where they went to the toilet long after we have cleaned up and there is no odour that we can smell. you really need to wash or soak the bedding several times in vinegar 7 warm water for the smell to disappear. it is possible your pug can still smell his urine on the blankets and therfore thinks its ok to keep toileting there. before this started was he toileting at night outside or has going to the toilet at night always been a problem? my boy took longer to toilet train at night than during the day. generally speaking dogs will avoid toileting where they sleep, but this is not always the case. have you had him checked for a urinary infection or similar, this will cause dogs to toilet in places they normally wouldnt especially when they are asleep and especially at night. sometimes it is best to go back to basics when we have a problem with our training. you may need to start getting up during the night and taking him out to toilet & rewarding him for it. as for the stairs, help him down the stairs but don't carry him. start on the lowest step, stand him there, have your hand thru the back of his collar and the other arm over his body with your hand on his belly (where you can feel the V from his ribs), and walk him down. praise and reward, make a huge fuss. when he is confident with that step move to the second last step and so on. you could also start at the last step and use his fave food and encourage him down. with time and perserverance he will be confident with the stairs.