RexAppeal

MonElite I see you're a fellow dobe lover - I've had trouble with food allergies with one of my dobes, putting her onto a 'sensitive skin & stomach' purina food. I want to feed her raw food instead, I don't think dogs should be eating food out of a packet - but I've tried the BARF & she just vomited & $hat everywhere for weeks. Have you had any probs with certain allergies & what meats do you feed? Thanks a bunch!

hey all, have to agree with everyone here when it comes to the media, & BSL etc ---- total BS if you ask me! Anything looking remotely black is a rotty or dobermann. I have two dobies and i'd have to say that probably half the people I walk past on the street cross the road to avoid us, especially people with small dogs. My dogs have have been harassed by many hostile dogs, & naturally they defend themselves ------people instantly think that my dogs initiated it "cos they're dobermanns" It's uneducated idiots that have that perception, and if more people were educated about how to care for dogs & be responsible pet owners, be it pedigree or not, then there wouldn't be half as many dog attacks. Staffies & rotties have to be the softest sweetest dogs I know. It's the irresponsible owners (of any breed) that we have to look out for.

hi all. i'm a newbie at the whole agility thing, have only been doing it for about 12 months. I have found that just having a regular sized ss is the best way to practice, as that's what they'll use in trials. With someone holding the other end (standing @ side), get dog to walk up to their pivot point & use stop/slow/drop etc (on leash, giving them a treat etc when they stop at the right spot), then the person slowly takes it to the ground, then walk the dog over the colour. This way it teaches them to find their own pivot point, (or using slow/stop/drop) then wait there for the person to lower it, then walk off the end. I see way too many dogs race right to the end, let it smash on the ground, possibly damaging their joints etc. As well as many dogs thinking it's a dw, and doing a 'superman' off the end - still running in the air, while the ss disappears beneath them...not good either! I think that both methods are just as quick, but the first method is much better for the health of the dog. Eventually the dog can do it without anyone lowering it for them, but it must be slow progress, and the last thing you want is to spook them, then you have to start all over again... I did this with my first dog, it took about 3 months for her to do it by herself again. She is still not comfortable with it moving underneath her, but she does it! As I said, I'm a newbie, and am just so stoked that I found out about all these dog sports last year, it's a great way to meet fellow dog lovers!