Malinworx

If you google "Pottengers Cats" and have a read of this experiment you might find the results quite interesting.

Just curious how many breeders are using the BARF diet for their bitches and puppies. If so have you found it to be worthwhile? Have you had better success with BARF litters than litters which were raised on commercial food?

I bought one from the States and it was about 1/3 of the price I would have to pay in Australia. I got a thing that converts the voltage and it was still much cheaper than buying in Australia.

What your dog will do in training and the back yard is one thing but getting that performance in the trial ring is often another thing. The last thing you want is a ring wise dog that won't perform in the ring. I don't know your dog so I'm just offering some thoughts.

I am very spoilt. Indy is an absolute joy. She is too smart at times which has it's own challenges. The working Mals are the best kept secret away from Europe. I have never seen a breed so obsessive about training, they love it. I am led to believe that in Europe they are now considered the number 1 working breed over the German Shepherds. Many German Shepherd owners are making the switch.

Staranais, your dogs is just like her mummy. I'll throw my thoughts into the pot. I think a long line is definitely worth a try. If you want to make the throw and catch the reward perhaps you need to work on the release of the toy and reward that release immediately with a throw and catch so the dog learns as soon as they release the toy the game will continue.

With respect to not getting help perhaps the trainer is not helping because they just don't know how to help. They may be to proud to admit that they are lost for ideas.

Why the obsession with tugging? The tug is suppose top be a reward or something that the dog loves. Not all dogs have the natural drives to play tug. Some dogs just don't love to tug. My dog was tug obsessed at 8 weeks old. If your dog is not mad on tugging maybe you need to find some other reward that the dog will work for. If it is going to be used as a reward in training is needs to have "big value for the dog", if the dog doesn't go nuts for a tug it probably wont have the desired result.

can you explain what this is??? FR is a dog sport which was developed to test dogs for working ability before breeding. The dogs are tested in obedience, protection, food refusal and jumping exercises. It is similar to KNPV and makes Schutzhund look like a glorified obedience competition...oh wait up a minute. You would have buckleys of getting french Ring accepted. The ANKC won't accept the glorified obedience sport of Schtuzhund. These are terrible sports and teach dogs to be savage and bite people and become dangerous, and anyway dogs weren't designed to perform these functions they were designed to dance, and catch frsbies and stuff. If these sports were introduced it would be interesting to see how many dogs would be suitable for breeding. Not many I would think. The strong show focus of some breeds has well and truly damaged their ability to work like the breed was initially designed to do. But hey they look pretty.

Interesting conclusions. Those results are worth remembering. Never heard of a quitting signal before.

That is a good Idea. I do in fact have a friend with a litter hopefully on the way. I might need to get to know the bitch a bit better first.

I will be having my first litter of pups the next time my bitch comes in season. I have had her hips, elbows and eyes tested and have some semen in storage which I plan to use and have a vet that I will be using to perform the procedure. The scary bit is whelping the litter and raising the pups. I have a heated whelping box lined up that I can borrow. Keen for any advice of things that you have found that have made to process easier Hopefully these tips may be of benefit to other breeders as well. Thanks in advance.

I've seen the DVD. Might be able to get it from Leerberg in the States. Ivan BALABANOV has two DVD's that are probably just as good if not better. One is called Obedience without conflict and the other is called the game. Very good and he trains using a lot of drive type of rewards.

Ivan Balabanov has two DVD's that are very good. His Obedience without conflict DVD set is excellent and will set you on the right track.

Is it common for a bitch to take a while to come into season following a litter of pups. My bitch had a litter and it has been 12 months since she has had a proper season. Can dogs being worked hard physically affect their cycle? Many thanks.