emmabelle

Yessir!

I forgot to mention... I slipped on floor covered in blood and broke my toe. It's ok to laugh. My dog doesn't even realise he's sick. Vet was astonished he was walking on it as soon as we were out of surgery. GSP=mad. I'm not sure about honey. He may want to eat his foot.

Well my poor GSP... get back from a walk on Monday with blood everywhere and a split open across two pads. The vet says to wrap it overnight and she'll see it in the morning. Realise kids have taken emergency bandages to use on dolls. Drive out to get more whilst educating children on not using emergency medical kit on soft toys. Get back to blood everywhere. Looks like opening of CSI Miami programme. Just missing arterial blood spatter over walls. Call friend to wrestle GSP to floor I wrap like maniac with bandages. Half dog, half mummy To vet in morning Vet operates... cost $350 (OMFG) I pay half and am paying off rest as we go. Vet tells me cut is so deep they couldn't get to the bottom to clean it out. Dog on antibiotics and no walking, no nothing. Vet suggests giving her sedative so she stays still for a week but so far, so good. Just changed bandages myself... vet said ok to do that so it costs less. Using Vaseline gauze stuff and crepe bandages, plus tape and so far so good. Mid change, dog wants to lick and chew on stitches. More dog wrestling Call friend again mid wrestle - he's out Thinking vet might be better at this. Manage to wrap up foot again... Dog thoroughly unimpressed with whole procedure. Gives me filthy look and stares despondently out of window to yard. Owner pours glass of wine and thinks Thank **** it's Friday.

Done lots of obedience classes and not one seems to make a difference to the car chasing, recall or pulling on a leash. I wish they had.

Thanks Dee. I'll keep you informed how it goes by updating this thread.

What does she do when real bird feathers are near her? I picked up a load of feathers from off the strip when I walk my dog and he loves them. Goes crazy to get them. Would it be possible to modify a fly ball by adding feathers to it and seeing if that had any result for you?

Thanks deelee. Yes, you make a good point about walking on leash. The alternative is horrible... although last time he attacked a car, he caused $1500 worth of damage to the car and just a bloody lip for himself. When I was looking for him, I thought I'd find him broken and in a mess. It was a terrible time. Then we got a call to say he was up the road at someone's house.... and he was absolutely fine. I think GSP's are blessed with high cartilage and they bend on impact slightly. The car wasn't going fast then, but like you say the alternatives are horrible. I've emailed Steve from K9 and if he sounds quite confident that he can help so I've blown my food budget for two weeks to pay for it... I shall be ebaying and trying to get some clients in the meantime . We're now at crisis point. A friend said 'Why don't you just spend the money doing a few weeks of training with a local trainer?' but this isn't something that can take a few weeks. It's got to be done and got rid of as soon as possible because he's become a complete liability ... escaping, chasing cars etc. The behaviour has to go, and I have to learn how to communicate better with him... You're right, my dog is treated very well. I rescued him from the pound with only a day before they pts. He eats well, is loved, is walked and played with, is adored by my kids. But he is wearing me out and I haven't got this much energy to spare... so this is crunch time. I'm going to do the training with him and Steve and then we'll see where we go from there. ;)

I know that is true for prey drives, but thats not possible for food driven dogs is it? Interesting replies. I especially like the fishing rod ideas! Great fun. So far, he loves a pull toy, one of those with the frayed ends and the twist in the middle... I run like crazy, he grabs, we tussle a bit, he wins eventually.... but the fly ball took over that yesterday. It must be good. Thanks - I'll have a look at the other threads too.

My dog met a flyball for the first time tonight... at least, I think it was what you call a fly ball... a weighted ball on the end of a rope? He thought it was fabulous and so I am going out in the morning to get one. My dog has a high drive to hunt birds.. huge instinct there. I need to channel it a bit ..... So apart from fly ball thingymajig, what do you suggest?

VJB, thanks but there in lies the difference between an 19 week old GSP you've had from tiny and my dog who was 9 months or so (not sure, a guess by the vet) when I got him... and who knows what happened to him in his early life or the time he was roaming on the streets. I am not sure she ever bonded with me and this makes it more difficult between us. I have sent Steve an email to see if there is anything he can do to help me.

I hear what you say, Lablover. The fencing is not ideal. I need 6foot colourbond though he's jumped that before. I'm looking for a new rental though finding a dog friendly one is hard. His training is as good as I've been able to give. I got him as a rescue, he was neurotic and had huge separation anxiety. He barked at everything and everyone. Didn't have a clue about other dogs, got attacked by a larger dog and then would yelp every time a larger dog came near - still does that now. Wrecked whole rooms and equipment, shoes. Now he sits, doesn't eat until I say, he returns a ball, I give him treats on every return, he drops on command, he's really a great dog. I've put hours of training in... but he won't come when asked to and won't stop chasing the cars. The improvements in him are huge. He is great. I'm trying the things I've read here and it's improving thigns a bit but this weekend I wanted to take him to the off leash area and he wouldn't even get in the car. Wanted to play chase with the car. I couldn't catch him, in the end got him into the house by luring him with my daughter's pet rabbit (which he'd like to eat given half the chance I'm sure) and then I was able to grab his collar. Its like 2 steps forward 5 steps back at the moment. I seriously wonder if I am really the best thing for him or whether it wouldn't be better to give him to a new home where he can get the attention he needs. I hate it when he won't come and goes all nuts. It's ruining our relationship.

Thanks... I'll check that out. Single parent, very low money at the mo. Feeling very discouraged about my dog... Went off the rails again, escaped, wouldn't get into the car to go to the off leash area... couldn't catch him. I can't help think I am not the right person for him.

Thanks for that Danois. Thank you so much for the suggestions everyone. Really great stuff to try out. I'll update you in a couple of weeks how we've got on.

Thank you Dee. I know what you mean about a love hate relationship. I have got this far and I can't quit, but these two things, the escaping and car chasing are really making me think. I want to get Christmas out of the way first and then I will pay a trainer to come in and see what we can do. I'll of course, be working on the other tips in the meantime though. Anything has to be better than this. I know he has the potential to be a good dog... it is so frustrating when they misbehave.

Thank you Kazzie. I will look into it.

thank you.

Thanks so much for all the lovely tips. I'll start these straight away. I'm currently rewarding him every time he returns to me when we're walking.... in the off leash area, I've found that if I reward other dogs for coming back to me (friend's dogs) that he will be motivated to stick with me because he is jealous... I can keep him inside... it's just he's meant to be an 'outside' dog due to the terms of my lease... but I can't have him outside because he's driven to escape. I wonder if it is a bonding issue... he was 8 months when I got him and I don't think he's really very close to me. I haven't tried many of the things you've suggested so I will do that this week. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond so eloquently.

I'm in a rental place in the Blue Mountains area. The electric fence.... dog run... money, money, money! I wish I had some!

Ok, I have a three year old GSP. He's gorgeous, was a rescue, have kept him despite divorce. I cannot trust him to be on his own. If I let him out the back yard, he escapes. I have wire and posts up... he finds a way. I feel like I'm painting the harbour bridge because I'm constantly going out there to find the holes and block them up. He's an escape artist. He can jump 6 foot easily. He is incredibly slim and fit and can fit under the tiniest gap. It's like he's driven to escape. He then won't come when called and in fact, has never done so other than on his own terms. I understand this is part of the breed but I desperately want him to come back. When he is loose, he's immediately onto the street and chasing cars. He thinks it's a game... runs to stop them by going in front of them, runs along side, barking like crazy. I cannot get him in when he's like this. Nothing I do works. I also cannot train him to heel. I have been working on it for years. Truly. Nothing I do works... What am I doing wrong? It cannot be the dog, surely it must be the owner? I do not know. The dog was a mess when I got him at 8 months out of a pound - totally unsocialised, barked at his own shadow, neurotic, wrecked rooms and expensive shoes (only the best German leather shoes - after all, he is a German so knows the good stuff). He had one day left before they put him down. He is in peak condition after 2 years of hard work. He sits, drops, fetches and returns balls... loving and affectionate, loves other dogs and plays so well, loves my kids, is so very well looked after.. BUT I do not know how to get him to come back to me when I want, not when he wants. I am afraid someone will complain because his behaviour is a nuisance and the ranger may come to visit. He is none aggressive (actually a total idiot softie) but I am afraid that he could be seen as threatening... he is a tall dog and not everyone understands dog language. I need to break this escape/car chase/none recall thing because I fear for his life. One day he may go under the wheels of a car and not return. Can anyone give me any advice as to how to start. I know he is trainable... (though not food driven) because I have trained him to do certain things... I have read as much as I can find on the internet. I walk around with treats in my pocket constantly rewarding his good behaviour... but instinct and drive takes over and he is not controllable. I am a single parent and struggling to work and get jobs right now. I want to get a trainer but I cannot afford one currently - perhaps January. I am willing to get the best and sort this issue with someone because I think it's worth it. This animal is beautiful and could be a great dog... but... Right now, I do not like my dog very much. I cannot trust him to be off leash in my garden. I want a good dog who comes when he is called... If he came when called and was obedient, and walked to heel, I would be a happy dog owner. Right now, I am not and cannot carry on owning him if I cannot resolve these problems. He is making life miserable for me. I don't like to say that but it is true. He is a liability, not a pleasure. I need to change that. I would very much enjoy your opinions on how to resolve the problem. Thank you. Edit to add: He is walked and run for at least an hour a day, both off leash and on, in case you think he is not exercised. Socialises with other dogs. I feed him well, he is played with and stimulated. He has an acre to run on but escapes even this.