megan_

Then my honest advice to you is to keep dog training as a hobby and don't do it for living. I think it would break your heart. Many people use dog trainers as the option of last, not first, resort. You'd stand between dogs and the pound or the needle a lot. Many of their owners are only interested in quick fixes. Most you will only see for 6 weeks tops. In that time the dogs will learn all they'll ever know. Agree. To add to this, we often equate people who want a quick fix as "lazy" and not willing to do the hard yards with their dog. This isn't always the case. A mum with young kids and a dog that jumps NEEDS a quick fix for her sanity and the safety of her kids. People also need to see some quick results to get some hope that other problems can be fixed too. Show a person how to loose lead walk quickly and they'll have faith in your methods and start to put in the hard yards. The dog will also get more mental and physical exercise and will most probably be a better behaved dog all-round. People who land up with problem dogs aren't just people who didn't put enough effort into their puppy. They may have been doing their best with very misguided information, or adopted an older dog with problems. To add to this, some dogs just don't respond to the "normal" training methods - they need something different. I think we hit the biggest problems when philosophies take precedence over actually helping the human and their dog. It happens in all aspects of life, not just dog training.

It's the rat poison - it kills them in the most awful manner (breaks down red blood cells, internal bleeding etc).

thanks - I am seriously thinking of moving! The fact that I manged to get within one metre of one shows my love for my dogs - I feel like I want to vomit.

Let me start off by saying I hate rats - and quickly add that I've already called the emergency vets. Lucy got hold of a rat this morning (I don't know where) and was proudly carrying it around the house. I only noticed when she growled at Fergus. They each had a turn at holding it until I figured out what to do. I bribed them with steak to drop it (normal "give" command didn't work with this high value item) and I put a clear bucket over the rat. The rat is intact, but dead - which means it was poisoned? I have rung emergency and they've said that as long as the rat is intact they are okay. I have examined the rat again and it is all intact (a tiny tuft of fur is missing here and there). If they had ingested any, they would assume worst case scenario - make them vomit and put them on meds for 6 weeks. What would you do? Am I negligent for not taking them? I normally rush them to the vets for the slightest thing, but I don't want to fork out $1500 for nothing (feel like sh*t for thinking about money, but I've had loads of maintanence bills lately and I honestly don't know where I'd find this money from). If they need to go to the vets I'd take them, but I don't want to do it unnecessarily.

My experience is that vets have experience with medicine, not behaviour. I suggest getting a qualified behaviourist in who can spend some time with you and the dog and see his reactions. If you let us knwo the area you live in I'm sure someone can suggest a behaviourist who is great.

Whatever their exercise requirements, most dogs need to be walked every day. It is the mental stimulation from different sights and sounds that they need too - not jsut the physical exercise. Walks don't need to be long, but they do need to be interesting.

As long as you buy from an ethical breeder, don't feel guilty. Anyone who buys from an unethical breeder - purebred or not, is contributing to the problem.

thanks

A long bike ride for a young GIANT breed? Googling as a way to diagnose and treat issues? A trained behaviourist is a waste of money? You've managed to sus out who is the dominant dog via a bried description on the internet? By a self-confessed newbie who may be reading the situation incorrectly? To the OP - yes, there are some behaviourists who dispense silly advice. Anyone can call themselves a behaviourist. There are many that are worth their weight in gold. I have dealt with a dog with severe, severe fear and the behaviourist that I saw has helped change her life for good. I paid a lot less than $300, and I got a 2 hour consult and unlimited email support. I have used this support over and over again and I've always recieved detailed feedback, and even a follow-up phone call to explain complex advice. It is the best money I have spent in a long time. I can't stress this enough. My girl has moved from being a broken spirit who couldn't step outside of our house to being a happy, outgoing little girl who can't wait to go on her walk (and she loose lead walks perfectly). Again, best damn money I've spent. Please seek professional help. Don't waste your time trying to fuddle through it by yourself only to have them fighting more and for the behaviour to become ingrained. Don't just use google or the Yellow Pages to find someone though. Follow the recommendations here. Ring the person and ask about their methods. If they only have one methdo give them a miss, if they dismiss your concerns skip them too.

As per the title, does anyone know when the next lure coursing run will happen at KCC? Thanks, Megan

Only on DOL can a victim of a dog attack be made out to be the bad one. The dog was loose and attacked - that is offence enough. When I joined DOL, I asked what I should do if my dog was attacked. There were a range of responses, so there is no consensus even in the dog community.

thanks everyone. She had a biiiiig sleep this morning and seems to have pepped up. I gave them both some homemade chicken broth as per Persephone's advice and they lapped it up with gusto. She had a little play (I have tried to keep her quiet) and she seems much better now. She has yet to cough, so she might have avoided it. She ate her dinner tonight (a bit of kibble with warm broth) so I hope she's on the mend. Erny - Thanks for the advice. I'll keep an eye on her and if she goes downhill it will be another trip to the vets. I'm pretty sure it is all up now (when she ate the doog, I re- assembelled all the bits that she threw up - zipper included - to see if it was complete. I forgot about the logo though). She is an absolute guts this one! When she doesn't eat I know something is very wrong.

thanks CM- I was very surprised when I picked it up and it said "doog" - it took a while for me to process how old it must be. I guess she could have found it again, but I have done a spring clean or two in the interim and I've never see it. She is very tired so I'm going to let her sleep. If she doesn't toilet then we're off to the vets. It is raining now and my two will hold it in for as long as possible. It is hard not knowing whether her tiredness and being off food is due to CC (she hasn't really coughed at all other than vomit) or due to the doog logo.

Hi All, Lucy (mini schnauzer) the front of my doog belt about three months ago. I called the emergency vet and they said it was most probably too late to force her to vomit (I had been at work all day) and to keep an eye on her. She threw up the zipper and bits of material. After that, she appeared to be fine - input and output was normal. Didn't think any more of it. Occasionally, if she eats too much bone, she'll have a little vomit. Nothing serious and it hasn't bothered me. Input and output still normal. She has been a bit off colour the lat 1.5 days (she hasn't wanted to go in her crate to eat, has slept away from the bedroom and has slept a lot). She thew up spit on Saturday morning and Fergus developed a cough on Friday night. I took her and Fergus to the vet on Saturday. The vet diagnosed them both with CC, and said that some dogs just cough, others go off colour. This morning she vomitted up the doog walking belt logo (big, thick plastic thing). It has been in her tummy for months! She didn't want to eat her breakfast this morning which is very unusual. I'm assuming that she most probably isn't feeling too well after the vomit and just needs some rest. What else should I do? She is scared of vets and I don't want to take her to emergency only to be told to keep an eye on her (obviously, if somethign could be obstructed I'd rush her there now).

I have an extremely timid and shy dog. When I got her (puppy farm rescue) she would freeze and shiver. She never looked me in the eye. She is now a happy outgoing little girl. She does obedience and goes for twice a day walks. The golden rule with a fearful dog sounds very odd, but it works: Ignore her. If you ignore her (ie don't look at her directly) and go about your daily tasks, she'll feel more comfortable to look around and start to approach you. It took 3 days before my girl would even put a paw in my house. Whatever you do, don't try to shower her with love. This will scare a fearful dog and make her retreat even more. It will also validate her fear. Once she's comfortable at home, get a qualified behaviourist (people here can recommend one in your area) to come and give an assessment. That was my approach and my girl is just so different now!

If you're going to feed stock, do this. It is very easy and cheap. Commercial stock is full of crap (many still contain MSG and chemicals that are very similar to it).

and they are charging me the earth as it is !! Well it seems she wasn't getting treated anyway there, if the drip had come out I didn't let boy stay at the normal vets overnight. I took him to a 24/7 vet - with both nurses and vets onsite. I can't remember the exact cost but it would have been close to $700 just for a drip (if my memory serves me correctly). Most vets don't have someone overnight as they just wouldn't get the income for it.

bump. Can't help out with placement either but donation made

maybe it seemed that long but was shorter? If a dog attacked one of mine, I would do WHATEVER it took to defend them. To put if bluntly, I wouldn't bat an eye lid about killing a dog that came onto my property and tried to kill one of mine. It may get me hurt, but I couldn't stand by and do nothing. I doubt the police would come unless the dog was attacking a human.

Note to self: get in on the photocopying business

I have and still do. My girl was terrified of absolutely anything or anyone. She needed to be groomed and there is no way I could do it (not only would she look awful, she'd have a million nicks and cuts). When she is scared she just freezes, so it is easy for the groomer to do her work. I trust my groomer 100% - she was recommended by family, friends and I've had that verified by people on DOL. I've also left her at a kennel when I was hospitalised. She was shaking but relatively happy when I picked her up and it has done her the world of good - she was more confident of strangers.

Huh? I have nothing to do with the ANKC, but comments like this are really unfair. Tango's case was not about over turning BSL - that is something that can only be done by winning the hearts and minds of the public. That battle is far from over - most people are terrified of pitbulls. The fight to overturn BSL is a long-term one. The first step is to stop further breeds being added (as has happened here) and then to win over the public. That is going to take a lot more than petitions and court cases. A strategy to weed out dodgy breeders and owners needs to be developed etc. I am a member of the general public (not a showie or an APBT or Amastaff owner) and I haven't seen anything that would sway most people yet. This case was about: i) Whether Tango was an Amastaff ii) Whether Amastaff = pitbull. It wasn't about whether banning pitbulls was good or bad. It was never test case for pitbulls as far as I can see. Of course the ANKC is going to stick up for their breeders. What did you expect? That they'd come out fighting for dodgy breeders who breed illegal litters? They are paid by their members to represent their members - what is wrong with that? I think you are seriously miscalculating things if you think that showing: i) Amastaffs = pitbulls ii) Amastaffs are legal, therefore pitbulls should be legal is going to win the fight against BSL. Joe public is scared of pitbulls - they have read horror stories in the news and no court ruling is going to change that. No politician is going to campaign on ending BSL and win in the short term. There are only two viable results from this now: i) They will agree that Amastaffs are pitbulls and ban them all ii) They will disagree and Amastaffs will be let off the hook. No politician in their right mind is going to champion lifting the ban on pitbulls - the general public is just too scared. Lastly, the AKNC are not saving themselves at everyone else's expense. They are not saying they support BSL, they are just trying to make sure that their dogs aren't impacted too.

Tell teh media and then maybe they'll do something?

My girl hopped off the bed last night and went to sleep in the lounge - I was heartbroken! It could be because she is a bitch (my girl is happy to see me, but only follows me if she thinks there may be food), her personality or a combo of both. My boy would graft himself to me if he could...

try skipping a meal now and then too - it is actually good for them.