megan_

I agree with telida whippets. I saw pics of a very exclusive Sydney kennel that is one of the most expensive in Sydney, lots of happy customers etc. The dogs spend mist of the time locked in crates :-(

Thanks. This is what I'm thinking too. He normally loves playing at training but his heart isn't in it st the moment. I'll ask the club what the deal is if i just don't come for a few months. They are so hard to get into in vic! Going to the club at the moment just made me more frustrated... CDs I have a tunnel so I'll try a few games with it this weekend

Sudden fear can mean thyroid. The problem us that the Australian tests don't pick up subtle changes so you can send the blood off to Jean dodds in the US. it costs about the same as the Aussie tests anyway. If you PM erny she has all the details.

We went back to training last night after the vets all clear. It was a disaster. He didnt want to tug at all and when he lined up to go one jump (jump was on flyby floor) he ran off. Then to make things worse the instructor told me he needs a good stay at start. Um I know that and he has one he was just avoiding the jumps. So I went away and did dome obedience stuff and he fix that with enthusiasm, but he didn't want to be anywhere near a jump. Lots of sniffing and he ran off when we started going step 1 in weaves 2 by two training(not physical at all, but next to jumps). I got told again I have to play with him but he doesn't want to play because last time play = hurt. That got me really frustrated. He IS a very focused, driver dog who loooooves agility, he is going through a rough patch after an injury which I believe was there for months. I tried explaining that but kept eating told " try to play with him". I don't think begging him when he won't even look at me will do any good? So I'm at a loss at what to do. I don't think going to a club and begging him to play with me for 45 mins is going to do us any good and chances are it will set us back even more. I tried tugging far away but he woulnt even look at me. So I'm either going to go and crate him the whole time, maybe with 5 mins contact training because he still loves that or just stop everything for a few months and wait to see if lessens the negstive association he seems to have. Any advice? He won't play any games at all anywhere near the agility talraining area.

Hi DR, I'd recommend getting a behaviourist who can see what he's doing first hand and can recommend an approach to solving this issue. Where are you located as someone here might be able to recommend one? A common technique (and I'm not recommending this in leui of seeing a professional) is the "Look at That" game for reactive dogs (whether they are friendly or not). If you do a search on the forum it has been discussed many times. It is a handy way of getting your dog to focus on you rather that something else. WRT taking him to the dog park - I wouldn't until I had seen someone. Other dogs might run up to him (it happens a lot at parks!) and this might cause him to react. Also, once let off leash he might run up to strange dogs to say "hi" and get in their face. He might be friendly but there are many dogs who don't like this lack of manners and will retaliate. My girl, for example, would not put up with that. The other issue with your approach (sorry to sound blunt, I don't mean to be!) is that you're waiting for him to react before taking him away. This is a common mistake that people make. Every time he reacts his behaviour is being re-inforced. Dogs are creatures of habit and soon it could just become second nature to him. The trick is to keep him below the reaction threshold so that being calm becomes his new way of life if that makes sense.

Holding a dog by the collar when someone is approaching it is a common move by owners but doesn't leave any flight defence for the dog - it only leaves fight.

RE: ring nerves, Mia Skosgar (sp) - who is a world champion IPO person - said that she still gets nervous. The way around it is that, once she has trained and proofed a behaviour, she gives the same body language that she does in trials in a training session (eg more stiff, no smiling) etc. This only lasts for a second or two after the behaviour has been peformed and then there is a release and a big reward event. This serves two purposes: * your dog gets used to seeing you in trial mode so it isn't unusual for them * your dog knows that after all the seriousness comes all the fun.

I also think that it is worth proofing the different types of weavers - stick in the ground vs metal stand etc. I'm sure they look pretty different from a dog's perspective and we know they aren't good generalisers.

ST - are you sending the blood to Jean Dodds in the States? I sent some of Lucy's blood and it was comparable in price to Australia when I did it. Apparently they can pick up much more subtle changes there.

Sorry about your experience but most good kennels do require appointments to inspect because visitors rile up the dogs. The visitor also needs to be acompanied and that can take staff away from other duties and impact dogs boarding there. I would never board my dogs at a kennel that just allowed walk-ins with no supervision.

I hate roaming cats because of the destruction they cause wrt native animals. They should be outlawed. If you're nit prepared to spend money enclosing your yard then don't get a cat. Simple reallygreat rebuttal there chubsie, what a clear, cogent argument. Do you let the dog roam too?

Maybe she was just seeing who was at the door? I adopted a rescue mini schnauzer at 3 years old, she used to be a breeding bitch at a puppy farm. She ALWAYS goes to the door or gate when someone walks past, she certainly isn't looking for her previous owner.

A well adjusted dog will fit in with a new family. We should all try to raise our dogs like this because we never know what might happen in life. We'd all like to think that we're the best owners for our dogs, but there are other good dog owners out there who could care for this dog too. I think it costs about $10k to move a dog o/s, so this would rule out a move for many people. The OP isn't dumping her dog, she is asking about the rehoming potential of her dog. She obviously loves him and that is why she is following it up. As someone has already pointed out, no one is asking other DOLers to rehome their dogs to move o/s, so I don't see how the comments are even relevant?

I was terrified of dogs as a child. I couldn't even walk anywhere near a little white fluffy dog. I once almost got hit by a car because I ran into oncoming traffic when a dog approached me off lead (in my defence, he was charging me). That said, we always had family dogs and I loved them? I never felt scared with any of them and would sneak them into my bed at night for a cuddle. I sort of feel the same way about dogs now, however I'm not terrified of them, I just don't like strange dogs and I'd rather not be around them. Fortunately my boy is great with other dogs so he deals with them very well. Cosmolos course of action sounds like a good one. The boy needs to interact (eventually) with really well behaved, well trained dogs. Most people will say "my dog is good with kids" but the dog isn't well controlled and values the child higher than they value the owner, which could scare the child. I suggest seeing a trainer with well trained dogs (Cosmolo's if they live in Melbourne). The boy can observe them from a locked car at first. Then build up to actually being a few meters away, then holding the lead etc. I'd suggest also stopping all talk of getting a dog until this is resolved, as it could be putting undue pressure on him.

I think your best bet would be to look for an active home that is happy to try sports, as opposed to a sporting home IYKWIM. A sporting home would have researched lines, the achievements of the parents etc and would most probably want a pup at 8 weeks (I know I wouldn't want an older pup because I have very firm ideas on exactly how I want a pup raised for performance, which can be quite different to how you'd raise a pet pup).

I agree with Erny - that is a lot of double and triple dosing on the same chemical set. I'd check the garden for plants that can irritate dogs and stop with all the treatments which could in fact be causing the problem. I'd give them a calendula tea bath to help ease the itch.

Try Pro K9 - Erny on this forum (who is really a woman named Judi).

The seminar was great. I was there for Days 1, 4 and 5. I wish I had taken time off for the other two! For those that weren't there and didn't get the sales pitch, they are going to release an 8 week foundation web-based course in March, with notes, videos and the opportunity to ask them questions directly. They didn't give out pricing, but there will be a 25% discount if you join as part of a group of 10 or more, so it is definitely worth banding together (you still get your own login etc). I can't wait for it to come out as there are so many behaviours I haven't actually taught my boy , but at least he has good tug. TSD - were you at the workshops? I didn't see a dally, it was BC city!

Thanks CDs. I might start another thread on handling systems and why people follow the ones they do - I find it fascinating

Sorry to go OT, but what handling system do you use Vickie? I belong to two clubs and one uses a hodge-podge of things and the other uses Derrett, so I've settled on that. I'm going to have to get a lot more fit though because there is a lot of running! Taht said, we he explained his acel/decel queues it made a lot of sense why my boy was putting the brakes on even if I didn't want him to.

IS this for agility? It would depend on the handling system you chose. For some systems, the handler running/accelerating = go as fast you can (ie acceleration and decaleration queues). Other systems use a word, although I think that is considered a bit old fashioned these days (could be my complete misunderstanding though)? I learnt go at one club using this method: take a chair/barrel and lure the dog around it (you could also free shape this with a clicker). Repeat until the dog is doing this independently. Then move a teeny bit back. Repeat. Build on this until you're botha few meters away and add the command "go". That said, I have never had to use go. He just goes - it is his job to do that until I tell him otherwise :). If I want him to slow down, I'll slow down.

A clicker is a marker, not a sound to get them to come back (like a whistle).

A clicker is just a marker - letting your dog know that it is doing the right thing. Used the right way markers are very powerful things. Used the wrong way they are useless. How are you using it? Have you taught her that click = treat yet (in many different places, positions etc, hundreds of times?)

If there was a high wall I'd rather throw my dogs over it than pick them up. Unless you're very tall and very solid and can hold your dog above your head, then picking them up will only encourage the attackers. It would be better to put your dog behind you on a short leash and turn to block the dogs.

They can do that (although a fine is what they'd most probably get). However, she can also file a civilian suit for compensation. If enough people do this then the d*ckheads might contain their dogs better.