VJB

NO YOU ARE NOT!!! You are doing well, I think. I still have horror moments of embarrassment... but I just keep working at it, and accept that sometimes the messages will be a bit mixed. I'm human, and therefore not perfect 100% of the time. As time goes on, you will be able to predict more and more they way your dog thinks, and how you react to it. Its all in the learning, and you will continue to work things out together... and stumble along the way sometimes. Before you know it, this problem will be solved and you will be dealing with another. This is normal, and it is also good to remind yourself of how far you have come from those first problems you may have faced. I can get a bit absorbed in my doggy issues. Before I know it, a few months have passed, and so has that phase.... must have done something right along the way. ETA: Just don't give up working on issues though. It helps you understand more, and also prepares you for adolescence. Pick your battles, and focus on the ones that impact your life the most. At the moment it is teaching your dog "calmness". I've yet to fully work that one out... If he is as food motivated as you say so, then wear a bum bag around the house, and then you can teach all sorts of house rules with treats on hand.

You and me are on the same page. Heidi has settled down a lot over time. She has just turned 2. A year or so ago, she was the queen of excited body slamming, at full speed when having off leash exercise, especially in wet grass which excited her more. The more I verbally reprimanded her, the more hyper she would become.... almost scary. She would just charge at me, (with loving intentions) and had no respect for personal space. I always wear a bum-bag, with treats, and I take a toy, so that I can divert this happening. This is a picture of her mauling me with her love while I sit at the computer.... similar to your lounge experince. Holding her down just made me look like the crocodile hunter with no assistance.... Legs flying everywhere. With the spray bottle, make sure it actually works. A nice straight stream. I never worried about her seeing me with it. Funnily enough, I can spray around my home at other times, when cleaning etc, and she gives no reaction at all to the spray bottle. She knows full well it is intended for her. Not unlike a toddler testing the boundaries. Exercise and mental stimulation plays an enormous part in her mischief making though. I've learned 101 ideas of how to entertain her, and hopefully redirect her more annoying traits. There are obviously time though, when you have the right to your space and relaxation.... just gotta get the message across. I've heard Dobes are not unlike GSP's by nature...?.... beautiful sooks they are!

Please consider getting him to the vet today. Something is not right at all. Hope it's nothing too serious.

Yes, I agree with persephone about trying to do something with the excitement. I nearly mentioned it in my previous post, (but daughters needed toast) . It was suggested that I do this with Heidi (put lead on her). I did do this around the house. She seriously thought we were going out, and that I'd forgotten to take her, so in the end, she started to spin from frustration. Full helicopter spins. That being said, I never have issues trying to get the lead on her for walks etc, so I can see why she was thinking I needed reminding to go for a walk. To me, the whole lounge experience is just him using whatever tactics work to get you up and moving. How much exercise is he getting? Mental stimulation? It's hard work sometimes trying to find ways to give our dogs amusement, but I do find a tired dog a much better dog to live with.

Sounds just as cheeky as my GSP use to be. Persistent too. You could always try the water spray bottle..... I've only ever used it on Heidi in extreme cases (usually jumping on people at the front gate when she was about 1, I may have only actually sprayed her 2 or 3 times). Now, if she continues to push the boundaries and I have tried various things, all I need to do is pick up the bottle, and she immediately stops the nonsense. My dog also gets more excited with verbal reprimanding, at times. Sometimes, the best defense has been totally ignoring her... no reaction what so ever. This is hard to do when you are being mauled, but there is no 'game' to be had with someone who isn't reacting. Holding Heidi on the floor was just as fun for her, and would make her more feisty and excited. Sitting still, no eye contact while on the lounge, no throwing toys, no attention at all. Eventually she would try and get in my face, and make eye contact. Loads of tail tapping on the floor, and some whining, everything she could do to say "Hey, look at me". She found no fun in it at all with us ignoring her.

I have just returned from a visit to the oval which resembled a dam. Heidi had the time of her life, while I sloshed my way around in puddles deep enough to reach my ankles. We had some heavy downpour while there a few times. I took some pic's on my moblie of her zooming around with her cuz ball, which was purposely dropped in these ankle deep puddles. Once home, do you think she would run from the garage down to the front door...... NO, she looked at me and tried to hide in the garage. She didn't want to get wet in the rain.

Wonderful news. Speedy healing vibes sent Jed's way.

Yes, your right, I'm going to go and fetch my lump and heat it up.

But it doesn't quite 'bend' into my lower back perfectly... I must be hard to please.

I dont see why you cant do that. She might not care but who knows, it might at least bring a smile to her face to know a dog she bred has brought so much joy. She might have bred so many litters and become jaded by now but at least YOU can be a good owner, the kind that caring breeders would hope the sell their puppies to. I sent Kibahs breeder a photo of her on her 10th birthday. I haven't heard back from him but some people are just like that. I think the previous year I said something along the lines of I just wanted you to know how loved she is, and he wrote back and said of course! I know she is. He's just happy to know she's in a good home, he doesn't need to keep hearing about it I suppose, even though I want to keep telling him. Yes, I think I might send an email with pic's. Hope she replies, but I won't keep my fingers crossed... just hope she see's how well Heidi is and how much joy she brings.

I paid about $65 for mine at the time. It is hard, hard as a rock, so it makes a big noise when it falls out of the bed. I only use it for myself now, while sitting at the computer of an evening. I also have another disc thing, exactly the same as the pet snuggle pad thing, but it is soft rubber with liquid inside.... I am in love with it. I put it on my lower back, tie it around my waist and get on with my daily duties. I bought it from a chemist for $25 and when I tried to get more, they told me that they are no longer making them. It's lasted 2 yrs so far, and I won't look forward to when it dies. The snuggle pad doesn't mould to my body the same way. I love heat packs... they are the best.... I'm sure you'll end up using the dog one for yourself most of the time.

I wish I was in contact with my breeder, but now I feel like if I was to ring, she'd wonder who the heck I was! She was very busy once I brought Heidi home (with shows and stuff I think), and weeks went by without contact. We had a great phone connection initially, and I wish I'd kept it up, but those weeks turned into months. I do have thoughts of sending her some pic's and a letter telling her how loved Heidi is, and what an impact she has had on our lives.

Heidi also gets walked regardless of the weather. I think she's only ever missed about 3 or 4 walks ever and she's just turned 2. I don't always enjoy the rain walking, but will happily stand on an oval with an umbrella, and boots, while she makes zoomies everywhere. Nobody else is ever hanging around the ovals in the rain, so it's a good time to go usually.

Do not let anyone slap her face/nose. These people need to respect the fact that you are putting the efforts into researching and training your dog as you see fit, and you do not want them to interfere in a physical way with punishment as the effects on the dog could be lasting. Maybe try and educate them on a more modern way of positive dog training. I once had someone absolutely slap Heidi really hard (like a fierce whipping) with the end of her lead, all because she was going through a stage of getting excited and putting the other end of the lead in her mouth.... sometimes pulling. I found a better way of getting her to drop the lead, and that was by just standing still and saying "let go". You can still get a firm message across to distracted puppy with consistent positive reinforcement. This same person grabbed my dog by the muzzle and squeezed really hard (till she yelped), and shouted up her nostrils. This is because my dog barked at us, and was being cheeky. She was 9 months old, and we found her looking fearful after this occasion, especially when we went to get something out of her mouth. Having to open her mouth up to remove item (slipper, sock etc), she was scared and blinking lots. Some dogs may need firmer training methods, but I do not believe everyone should be doing things so differently with your dog. My dog is confused at times, due to irregular methods (I'm only human, and I do try) , but I would never want her to fear my approach.

He is certainly special.... gorgeous boy. I am home with Heidi a real lot. I think it is routine that makes her harass me. Routine of the morning walk, rain, hail, or shine. Routine at 2.30pm, as she knows there is half hour before kids get home, and it's worth another walk up to the school to pick kids up. Routine that she gets a venison ear when a particular friend visits (so we can coffee in peace without Heidi trying to butt into our conversation all the time) She can be a bit of an attention seeker, which gets ignored the best we can, but my gosh she is the queen of persistence. She could probably do with a few more manners, but we can only continue to work on it. Being such a social breed, they really think they are entitled to be involved with EVERTYHING. I'm happy at the moment. The only reason I am able to be typing this at this time of the morning is because I bought a heater and she is in love with it. (Nice big electricity bill will arrive no doubt).

Hmm, I'll just keep an eye on him whenever he gets them and see if it happens again. Hugo is unlike the GSP's I've had before, he really is a lounge lizard and to see him not settle last night was very strange. He slept overnight though and is back to his usual self this morning, sleeping at my feet while i work. OMG, I'm jealous. I want a lounge lizard, especially today, the last week of rain has been unpleasant. She has a drizabone to go walking with (I don't)!

I haven't noticed anything unusual with Heidi after giving these biscuits. That being said, I only started buying them about 6 weeks ago, and the weather has cooled down. I have therefore put her extra hyper behaviour down to the cooler weather. She gets about 3 a day.

I have my first batch of cows ears here, and they are going well. Heidi loves venison ears and was getting one a day (sometimes 2). I thought I'd try the cow ears, and buy a bag of sheeps ears. The sheeps ears are much smaller, but as far as Heidi knows, it makes no difference, as she always gets an ear when we finish our morning walk. It is more cost effective for me, because I can purchase a 100 sheeps ears for the price of 50 venison ears. Heidi cannot have a fatty diet, and the venison and sheep ears are perfect. No ill effects on the bowels at all, and I've been using them for about a year now.

My dog use to do this with sticks and other bits I didn't want her having in her mouth. As soon as she knew that she was not suppose to have it, it was a massive game for her, and we had zoomies galore. I got myself a small squeaky toy, small enough to fit in my pocket. I would hide myself out of her sight, and squeak the toy, which had her coming to me. I would then treat her with a small bit of kibble, or play a quick game, praising her for coming to me. Eventually I got myself a whistle, which replaced the toy and I had this around my neck. I can now use this whistle when we are at beaches, ovals etc, and she will come. It worked because it distracted her from what she was doing, but she never connected the whistle/squeak with the sticks she was carrying around. (If she did, I'm sure she would be teasing me with garden stuff hanging out of her mouth daily, just for the fun of it). She is terrible with stuff around the home though, kids toys, shoes etc. She doesn't necessarily chew them up anymore, but will come and show me 101 things a day, just for the attention she gets out of it. This is a habit that we caused, because kids use to give her biscuits to get things off of her. She touches nothing in the yard though, thankfully, but redirecting for months probably had more to do with it (I'm home a lot though). I was always paranoid of sticks etc, and the damage they can do.

We got one for Heidi when she was a pup, but now she is firmly wedged in bed with OH and myself. Plenty of warmth to go around. I now use the head pad for myself when I'm sitting on the lounge watching tv... stays warm for ages and ages.

Nicely sun baked is definitely the way to go.

Venison ears. They are great.

The Cuz toys are excellent. Last for a long time in this household.

I fill it the same as if I'm making a drink of cordial....... maybe 1 part odourgo, 6 or 7 parts water. You can do whatever strength you like.

Great news. I think of this brave lady and her family several times a day.