megan_

I'd remprimand the humping. If they both seem to be enjoying playing rough I'd leave them to it. Now that you have two dogs, food and bones left out is pretty much ruled out (there will be some that disagree about that, but why invite trouble?). Mine steal toys off each other, but never fight over them.

My dog with issues gets off leash time - but not in public! I used to drive for 2 hours each weekend to take her to KCC - private park where only one family is allowed in the fully fenced space at a time. Some dogs have issues that can't be cured by magic - they need life long, responsible management. It can be very tiring and stressful to own a DA dog, but that is no excuse to jeopardise other people and their dogs. Letting a DA dog off leash with other dogs in a public space is not training, it is negligent. ETA: Deejay, my girl used to be good with other dogs until she had out of control dogs around her in public. Your mother needs to think of the impact of her actions on other members of the community. If a dog attacked either one of mine I would be devestated - it would break my heart. Owners like this give all dog owners a bad name and puts innocent dogs and people (who get hurt trying to save their dogs) at risk.

It could have been prevented by the owner taking responsibility for their dog and walking it on a leash - end of story.

And people shouldn't be so quick to slam the registered breeder who bred the dog. For all we know, this young bitch may have come from one of the best breeders in the country. It works both ways and many a good pup, has been ruined by an inexperienced owner, but naturally it's always the breeders fault. Agreed - but hte OP hasn't ever slammed the breeder - in fact she has said she has been given good support. Why does anyone need to be blamed in this situation? All the research in the world doesn't prepare you for the ball-of-cuteness-and-destruction that you bring home.

I do the opposite - I'm not a fan of luring unless it is the only way to get the dog to do something - dogs don't think with the lure. I hold the treat away from me (arm extended). The dog looks at the treat. Eventually, they'll be thinking "WTF?" and look at you. The second they look, I click and treat (not the treat being held out, treat with my other hand, food in pocket). After a few times most dogs will focus on you, away from the treat. The dog has learnt to focus on you to get what it wants. To the OP - I'd end the session waaay before my dog got bored, leave them wanting more. I think 10 mins is a long training session! I've done 30 second stints before. I'd add a "we're working" queue and "we're finished!" queue too and move out of the area when we are having a break. Make it super easy for your dog to know when they're training or when they're allowed to goof off.

Before we jump on the owner, she is clearly trying to get help. If we slam owners for not being perfect right from the start people will just stop asking for help.

Have you tried free shaping with a clicker? Google Shirley Chong for 101 ideas with a box. Could you start foundation agility or similar (obviously limited jumps and weaving, but you could do hind leg awareness, circle work, focus building, building a reward system). Does she work for tug?

A dead dog can't bite your kid either. Sound like a familiar argument?

Let her know that the x-breeds they're looking at now need a lot of brushing

I don't think that private citizens should be allowed to keep wild animals as pets. A farm with a fence is hardly an appropriate place for a lion.

It depends on the insurer. I believe that some of the cheaper ones let you claim an ongoing issue for a year only. Others, like PetPlan, will pay for the life of the condition.

You could also try some free shaping - that really requires them to think and is anything but boring. You could then teach your dog some games. My dogs know how to target this free standing target http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=251&ParentCat=494 (they touch their nose to the red bit). I then put them in their crates and hide the target. I let them out one at a time with "go find it!" and they run around the house searching for it (obviously I started off really simple with the target in plain view). When they find it and bump their nose they get a click and treat. They love this game and they really have to think, which leads to tired little dogs.

Thanks for this. I have done a lot of free shaping with my boy and in our early days rewarded just doing something different so he'd get the idea. Little sh*t still throws a tanty if he doesn't get rewarded often though, but I think it might be a bit of boredom too (been there, done that, next please).

While agree that the article is filled with misinformation, I strongly disagree with the statement above. Genetics play s a big role in temperament. If it didn't, we'd happily tell breeders to breed with aggressive dogs because with "socialisation and care, we can turn the pup around". There are good owners with difficult dogs who have socialised, cared for and loved their dogs. I get that socialisation is important, but I'm sick of having all owners blamed for not having a well adjusted dog. After all, we tell people to go to ethical breeders and to spend a lot of time selecting the right breed because breed traits *do* matter. If they don't, then we are saying that people should select a breed on looks and exercise requirements alone.

I think of obedience as fancy tricks.

Sorry to go OT , but what's the trick to persistance Mrs RB? My boy throws a tanty if he doesn't get things quickly. Not really an epiphany - more a slow transition - but when my little ex-puppy farm breeding girl finally learnt how to learn I was one proud muma.

Most trainers don't recommend using a check chain until 6 months, and then only use it if you need it.

Lucy eats sotcking socks (if she ever gets a hold of them). My newphew left some Songe Bob Square Pants lego at my palce and she loooooves/haaaates it and attacks it whenever she can. She actually cries at the door of the spare room to be let in to get it.

pets1.com.au have the cheapest that I have found - you get a DOL discount too (PM then as I don't know if they want it on the web).

I do agility with my dogs (one just to build her confidence, one to hopefully compete one day). My girl trains once a week at a club, my boy up to 3 times a week at a club. A few minutes at home every night. Walks everyday, trick training and games (eg go find the target stick).

But how do you know that is her hypothesis? It is just a topic name she started on DOL.

PF - We really don't know enough about corvus' research (her data set, analysis, what she plans on doing with her initial insight (sighthounds are timid) - is that her final conclusion or an interesting tid-bit that is going to be further explored?) to judge whether it is flawed or not. I'd also suggest that 99.9999999999% of DOL members (myself included) aren't qualified enough to judge whether her science is flawed or not, even if we had all the details regarding her research - and I have a statistics degree *hangs head in shame*.

Sandgrubber said that people should research lines because SOME lines of cockers have temp problems. Do you advise against this? Are all lines free from aggression? Must be the first breed to have that... Having never met a nasty cocker does not mean they don't exist. After all, if I said I'd only met nasty chi's and therefore all chi's are nasty and be roasted on this forum. I think perhaps some suggestions for the OP on great lines, great breeders etc would be helpful?

I'm suprised that people are jumping to the parvo conclusion? My boy had severe gastro and inflamed colon when he was about 1 (came out of nowhere, I took him to the emergency vet immediately after he vomited the first time because he didn't look right). I asked the vet if I overreacted and she said if he was not treated within 24 hours he would have been in a critical condition. As PF pointed out, a relatively harmless virus or bacteria can be fatal due to dehydration.

I've met a fair few timid whippets and iggies (do they count as a sighthound?). The ones that I've met that are timid have owners who doa lot of yelling ("NO!!! Get off that couch! etc) and not a lot of positive reinforcement. The iggies that I've met tend to have owners that baby them.