lappiemum

By the sounds of it, your puppy is an active, intelligent and confident youngster, who probably knows you better than you do - and is running the show. You need some help - not for the puppy, but for you! You need to get someone in who can assess your home situation and show you techniques to re-establish your position (which, by the way, you probably lost about 30secs after you bought puppy home!)LOL In the meantime, I suggest downloading this and having a read! http://www.dogstardaily.com/files/AFTER%20...our%20Puppy.pdf Click on the link and the file should begin downloading. Its by Neil Dunbar, and quite interesting.The blurb is as follows: House soiling, nipping, growling, resource guarding, destructive chewing, excessive barking, hyperactivity, jumping- up, leash-pulling and general unruliness are reported as primary reasons why people surrender their dogs to shelters or let them stray (to be captured and taken to shelters). The presence of these same behaviors is also a major reason why people do not want to adopt shelter dogs. Yet these typical puppy behaviors are so easy to channel or eliminate with the right tools and information. AFTER You Get Your Puppy covers the last three developmental deadlines that your puppy needs to meet before he is six months old. Skills that will keep dogs out of shelters and in their original homes: The most urgent priority — Socializing Your Puppy to People The most important priority — Teaching Bite Inhibition The most enjoyable priority —Continuing Socialization in The World at Large

That's just one page of pictures of Samoyeds. They don't have the full feature on their website. Sorry - you are correct. To read the issue online you would need to register (which is free) at http://server14a.pressmart.net/nationaldog/ - access if granted once your registration has gone through. Flick through the e-book pages and the spitz special is at the end.

I like em - esp the really hairy ones. The OH won't let me have one though - he's terrified of them (can't even watch them in the movies!)

that's COOL!!! :D

The National Dog magazine's spitz special liftout is now available online which (amongst other breeds) showcases Finnish Lapphunds. To access it go to http://nationaldog.com.au/2009/2009-nov/br...x011rlei001.pdf

Our two love to dig - and bury their bones. A combination of dogs and drought saw us loose every blade of grass in the backyard last summer. So over winter we laid down kakiyou grass, covered it in chicken wire and pegged it in, and grew over the top. The grass is needed, because it grows really quicky and has an invasive root system, so it also holds down the wire. Its also the only type of grass that puts up with the constant mowing that my two lappies give it...! Anyway has worked a treat!

Yes, i thought the assertion was more to do with association - it is unlikley that they would be going out to non-problem dogs that had attended PPS.

Yes, I was thinking pretty much the same thing.

Hi DoLers - Saw this when I was trawling through doggy websites (yes, I'm a nerd!) and was interested in this opinion - what do people here think of puppy preschools in general - are they a good thing for socialisation and an introduction to basic obedience, or do they do more harm than good? (note: The bolded bits I have highlighted ) This is from AusDog Training site: http://www.dogtrainingaustralia.com.au/Con...d-selection.seo Puppy Pre-Schools We totally disagree with this concept. People are generally told this is important for socialisation. Nothing in our opinion could be further from the truth. Puppies do not socialise with dogs out of their pack in strange environments. The highest percentage of dogs we attend to with anti social and undesirable behaviour have been to puppy pre-schools. The first 18 weeks in a pup's life is the most crucial learning period therefore pups should be trained and handled correctly in and around their own environment. Owners should only accept advice from a very experienced dog trainer in relation to puppy rearing and training to suit their individual pup's character and temperament . Do you feel you have no control? AUSDOG produce results fast and in an easy to understand way that will provide you, your family including children with education and understanding on how to correctly manage and handle your new pup and bring balance back into your life! AUSDOG specialise in providing you with the right advice when it comes to managing your puppy's rearing and training; Puppy Obedience Toilet Training management Conditioning and Socialising your puppy in realistic conditions Sleeping and Feeding arrangements Jumping on people issues Nipping, Mouthing or biting Chewing Overly excitable puppies Setting boundaries at home

Hi Shelle - We'll be at Kepala in December, so if you can make it you can catch up with the lappies then!

It also depends a bit on your dog. Tasha takes patrolling her backyard very seriously, and if there is an intruder (eg bird!) she lets us and the intruder know! But she never barks out of boredom, or for the fun of it - there is usually a reason (mind you, occassionally the reason is that Boof has her bone!). The way we deal with it is to acknowledge the thing that she is alerting us to, tell she is a good dog, and then tell her to come inside. We find that, generally, if we have seen it and said that's ok to be there, she is fine with it and will come away. (with the exception of the rat living in the back bush - she REALLY wants to get that rat - but thats our fault, because we taught them to hunt mice!). We are always checking with the neighbours, and both sets are fine with the current noise level.... Generally speaking, they seem to spend most of the day napping while we are at work! Boof, on the other hand, doesn't usually bark at birds in his yard - he has more of a live and let live policy! However, if strange people come to the door that he doesn't know there is usually a good WOOF (scared the hell out of a guy selling subscriptions the other day! LOL). Funnily enough, its only with adults - if we were to be burgled by kids I'm sure you wouldn't hear a peep from him.....! What is comes down to is that Boof and Tasha have two different personalities - Tasha is more active, Boof more laid back. She loves racing and agility, Boof prefers the leisurely stroll and down stays are his fav command So I wouldn't say Lappies are yappers, or that they are any noiser than any other dog that barks - just don't expect to have a silent breed!

I reckon its a girl thing......!

and they talk. Tell you off for going out and not taking them!

I walk my two lappies on a brace lead every morning. It took a day or two for them to get the idea about staying to the left of me, but it works well now.

I'm sure he'll be at the next one!!

Due to concerns regarding the warming weather here in Victoria, the Finnish Lapphund Club of Victoria has just announced that the Brighton Beach Lappy Picnic to be held on the 5th of December has been cancelled. Details of the next lappy picnic are on the Finnish Lapphund Club Website.

Ah Fran, you will be a lappie person posting here about the antics of your little one soon.....! And remember, we will be insisting on pics!!

Sorry!!

Well, ofcourse you do! Seriously, has anyone noticed that this thread is in the top 5 for regular hits?? Not bad, esp when lappies are still becoming known. However, popularlity is a double edged sword....

Ok. 1. Lappies usually have no sense of when its not ok to say hello to another dog. Even when that dog is ready to eat them, lappies tend to think they are just playing hard to get. 2. Unless you start early with recall, they can take their own sweet time getting back to you. And even if you think they are reliable, they can still take their time getting back to you. Especially if there is something more interesting on the way. 3. They are a spitz, and can be stubborn at times. You have to be more stubborn then them. 4. They are very, very smart, and will work out how to get you to do what they want, when they want, very qucikly. Worse still, you won't even know about it! On the other hand- 5. They are simply the most personable, gorgeous and clever dogs I know. They want to be with you, and have your love and adoration - and you will get the same tenfold in return. They are fun, they enjoy life to the fullest, and they simply make you feel great whenever you are around them. And finally - they are far too clever for their own good!

I want a black one some day. Hopefully a boy that I can name Devil.....LOL Really, how cool would it be to be running a cream and a black in the ring??

:D

Hugs to you and Jarrah - hope that its just a minor bug and that everything is fine.

Absolutley no worries - always very happy to help where ever! I would say def go and see Melissa at Watersedge - even if you decide not to get a puppy this time around, you should see lappies in the flesh. Melissa is lovely, and most happy to have people come and see her lappies - just arrange a time with her and you will be welcome, I am sure. Mind you, once you have had a lappie cuddle, that's it - you're GONE!! (Ugh - my OH is behind me making sooky noises at Tasha - who ofcourse is scoring a cuddle and a smooch! )

Hi Francq- You have great taste!! ;) LOL Answers to your questions are below! Lappies actually take the heat quite well. I am in Melbourne, and it gets pretty hot down here in summer - during the heat wave last year of 45degree plus days, my lappies did better than we did!! We don't have any airconditioning either (just an evaporative cooler) and although we've had 35degree this week, both of mine are still bright as buttons (little buggers!). I lived in Townsville for 15 + years, and before that grew up in Brisbane so I know what the heat up there is like. As long as you don't walk your lappie in the heat of the day (which is the same as for any breed of dog!) and make sure that he/she has plenty of water, you will be fine. Don't forget that the spitzes have an insulated coats, so it actually works to help them stay both warm in winter and cool and summer. And you may be surprised, but it can get very hot in their homeland too! A well adjusted lappie loves other dogs. The official finnish guide to the breed standard says that they should be in harmony with their environment, including other animals. To give you and idea, we take our two to DOL events at Kepala, and last weekend they were running with around 20 other dogs - from little maltese to rotties - in the large grassy run. Not one scuffle (check out the pics on the Kepala thread). You will have to work on your bull terrior in terms of introducing a new puppy, but that will have to happen regardless of breed. In your situation, I would advise a female, and unless you are planning to show/breed, de-sexing is always the best option. Lappies are excellent for agility and obedience - and ofcourse, you can do all that with a de-sexed dog. My girl went through the agility tunnel on her second go when we first introduced her to the equipment at 6 months of age, and is completely fearless about it all. She's also very speedy, which is what you need for trialling! My boy, on the otherhand, is very laid back - he will do the equipment, but at a far more leisurely pace.....not good for a trial! He, however, does very well at obedience - and his fav position is down....! Both have one a few club ribbons, but as our old club didn't do trialling (and I've been in the show ring) we haven't done much else - although that will change next year when we change clubs. Lappies are naturally very intellegent and want to please you - a great combination for training. I have trained a few breeds in obedience, but by far lappies is my favourite - very easy! Your welcome There is a special on lappies coming out in this month's national dog magazine (although we are sharing the limelight with some of our other spitz cousins!) - make sure that you check that out. And if you have any questions just as - you can PM me if you want and I can help out with whatever you need to know!