wuffles

Are any fellow Canberrites interested in a playdate on the weekend, maybe tomorrow (Saturday) morning? It's meant to rain/storm but I'm hoping the mornings might be nice enough to get the doggies out and about and hopefully tired Forde is easy, but I can go anywhere really... even a walk around one of the various lakes would be nice.

I would probably go back to the beginning with him and really teach him what the word stand means before you start adding time or distance or heeling. So lure him into a stand beside you (I know, hard on the back ), C&T as soon as he stands and release before he drops his bum! Might take a bit of practice to get the timing right... do a big happy release and run backwards if you think he'll sit when released. Only once he understands what the word means, increase the time to 1 second, 2 seconds, etc. You could always do this with you sitting on the ground or him on a table as mentioned above. This way you could lightly use your hand to keep him standing. Personally I didn't teach either of mine using the hand on the side as I found it distracted them more than helped them! But different things work for different dogs obviously. Also make sure your body language is not saying "sit!" For example sometimes dogs think that eye contact means "sit" as we have drilled it into them so much (Satch certainly does). It can take a bit of retraining so they don't think they have to sit every time you look at them/they are facing you/you reach for a treat/etc.

Ummm... I am guessing you are after 'real' words rather than ones we all make up like voff, moof, buh, eeeeeeeeee, where's my dinner? All I can think of is woof, whine, whinge, squeal...

Haha thanks, he is very well behaved, it's more about it being obvious I haven't been training him. It's when I ask him to stand and he gives me that look that says, "What the heck are you on about, woman? I might just lie down and go to sleep", that it becomes pretty obvious I haven't been doing much with him Last week in the middle of class he started rolling on his back and pawing at me instead of "going to his mat"... trust me, that looks pretty funny when a 6-year-old, 36kg dog does it

KTB, the thread is very quiet without you! Ruby sounds very spoiled, not like I can talk The Tug-a-Jug is great. Unfortunately I left mine out in the rain and the rope went mouldy, yuck, so I need a new one... It's great that Roo seemed fine on her own outside at night! I think we worry too much sometimes! Will be fun tonight for us, as OH is away, I have physio after work then obedience for Satch, so the Little Miss will be left on her own which she will haaaaate. I just hope she doesn't whinge too much and annoy the neighbours! And I have done no training with Satch all week so we're going to have an embarrassing class tonight

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter as long as they don't move their feet. Ava stands with one foot out the front as well.

I took the terrors for an off-leash reserve walk this morning and they weren't as badly behaved as I predicted. Ava was really great, she followed the adventurous older brother out of sight a few times but came running back to mummy after a few seconds The grass was taller than them, and they had a wonderful time snorkelling and romping. They were soaked, but at least they had a good time Ah yes, I don't give mine smaller ones anymore for this reason. They can break through the plastic with their teeth and it can cut their mouths. Mine get big juice bottles which they still mangle but they can't get their mouths around them like they can the little ones. Ahh the early morning wake-up Mine would probably prefer to sleep outside in summer but they're not allowed because of this! Any sign of light means wakey time which means play time which means elephant stampede across the yard and joyous woofs to wake the neighbours...

Yep, mine love cardboard boxes too, but it makes the yard look like a rubbish dump

Hrmmm, if you have the patience I would probably wait and see what king of toys your puppy likes the best! For example neither of mine are interested in balls. Something rubber maybe, like a Cuz. Kongs are the most important toy in our house. I think the consensus is that most dogs love empty plastic bottles

Mine are outside while we're not home (we both work full-time) and usually inside when we are home. When we're home they can ask to be let out or in. They're actually quite happy to be outside, but I like them to be with me as I enjoy their company. They both get at least one walk every day, and an extra walk, trip to the dog park or dog club a few times a week. The younger one needs the walk or she will be destructive while we are out. The older one is happy just to snooze all day but loves to go for walks if they are offered, and we figure it is healthy for all of us to get out and about at least once a day.

Most people will tell you to wait until she is at least 12 months old. Have you asked her breeder for advice? There are lots of different opinions OH takes our Aussie Shepherd jogging about 3km, twice a week. We started once she was about 10 months old. Most of this is off leash and on tracks/trails rather than concrete paths. The dog is way fitter than him so they also take a few breaks along the way, they will build up distance slowly We weighed up the advantages and disadvantages in our situation, did a bit of research, and this is what works for us.

Satch and Kuma sound like kindred spirits.

Not much help here... Satch goes 100% in Poo Corner. We didn't train him to, but he is such a clean dog and hates being anywhere near poo (unless it's from a duck or sheep), so won't go anywhere else. Ava is more 90% 10% like your guys. She mostly goes to Poo Corner but not always. Our yard is so small that it's easy to find the renegades, but if we had a bigger yard we probably wouldn't worry too much about missing one here and there.

Yes she is an Aussie

Ava watches all kinds of things on TV. She will even watch cartoons (like the Simpsons) and track the figures across the screen which I find amazing! She also watches sports and follows the 'action' around the screen.

KTB, Petbarn sells RC. With the 15kg bags, when you buy 10 you get one for free! Sounds like a lot but we go through heaps of food with the two of ours. They have sales regularly, the normal price is about $40 for the 3kg bag and $120 for the 15kg bag. When it's on sale the big bags are about $90.

Oh naughty Hoover! But try not to worry too much until you outdo us. Remember we used to have grass as well.

Love the video Our dogs are all super cute, if I must say so myself...

KA, Satch is shedding as well. Not quite as badly as Kuma but he's still leaving mini Satchies all over the house... Mine aren't particularly interested in chewing anything indoors, their indoor beds and the mat are all fine. Outdoors is a completely different matter. I finally made a If you get bored with the heeling stuff scroll through to get to more fun stuff

My little one (submissive) does this to our big one (dominant) all the time. She's not as enthusiastic as when she was a puppy, but she got told off a few times by him so has toned it down. When he yawns, though, it's scary how far in her tongue goes

Naughty Hoover! Sounds like something Ava would do :D

;) I want to use that!

My little one wakes up at 5:30am each morning like it's going to be the best day of her life. I really want to bottle her joy for life sometimes... The big one sleeps in. On weekends sometimes he still hasn't gotten up from his bed at midday when we chuck him out for a wee

All the time