Blitza

Having an obsession with an article will cause more problems than it will fix in most cases, but if its bringing you success in the ring, then great. This type of training often causes mouthing, and reliability problems. My response was more directed by the information that you gave us regarding your dogs drive. ie; the ball had more value than the dumbell. Thats good! Use it to your advantage. My advice would be to watch some dvds featuring drive training. Once you understand the rules of basic drive training (food or prey), you will be able to answer most of your own questions. my other 2 are reliable and non mouthers,infact they go for months without no work at all, and when i bring them back into work they instantly remember what to do. I have also began formal training with the dumbbell once they turned the age of 1, the intial game part is to make the dumbbell a fun thing and nothing to fear, and i have always found this to work.

man wish all solutions were as easily solved like this, i found by placing elasto plast tape around the mouth piece of the dumbbell worked, Ash successfully retrieved on 5 consecutive goes and i gave tons of praise!!! Ash is fetching the dumbbell, not the formal way just a fun game way, least its a start.

i had no problems with my other 2 aussies with doing this, infact they are dumbbell obsessed because of it.

Just been trying to make a game out of it, like you do with tennis balls etc. only differance is i never leave the dumbbell out. But once i get the squeaky ball out, its a differant dog. She was picking it up as a 3mth old when at kerrys place as i was there when she was doing it.

just been working on it and so far so good,i been able to out smart her , without force of cause, just by pretending i was guiding her down with the food, and when she dropped i than rewarded, after she was consistantly doing this, i tested her by not using food at all for a few drops and she done it, so know im click and rewarding when she drops. I did a short heel work, by just doing one sit,stand and drop in a line with out using food and she done it I just had to work out a differant way in going about it. My next obstacle is the dumbbell she wont have nothing to do with it even if i play with it, she ignores it HELP, i just want to get her used to it thats my aim so it will make the progression to formal work later on that much easier.

My aussies are like this , though makes it hard when you try and play fetch with them at the park,as my puppy is going through the chase,attack mode at the moment, and turns the adults off from the ball.

only mDTC does obedience work CABKC does show only(no training )

Thanks i have trialled dogs up to CDX level, and this my first time i have come across this hurdle im looking forward to differant peoples ideas.

I got a 5mth old pup(aussie shep) that wont drop unless she knows i got food in hand, she does other commands brillantly without constantly using food.I was told her sister has a stubborn streak in her to.any ideas? i have tried doing one drop with food and one drop without, and she has worked this out!

i wont ever touch frontline, it simply does not work!, i find advantage type products do including advocate.

Ooohhh, dont tell me that persephone. I want to think that if it comes from the butcher it's killed humanely (if there is such a way) Provided the shooter knows his stuff, often a bullet to the roo whilst its out in the field is the more humane way. That's the sort of thing I want to know about too, SecretKei. If you regularly worm your dog, he/she will be ok.

some professional dog groomers can do swabbing to, providing they are registered with the GT lab, as thats where i get my dogs swabbed, and its free, it you did at vets they would charge you for a consult on top

how do i pluck without hurting her? i dont recall having to do this with my red tri girl.

I have a black tri 5mth old aussie shep, that has a head that lacks shine,yet the rest of her is shiny, i need ideas please. She is fed on Nutro - Natural choice for puppies.

On that note is it for the dogs benefit to keep it alive, your dog has had a good quality of life, he/she is 9years of age. I have had to many years ago make the heart welching decision to end my dogs life, was not easy but in the end it was for the best for him. The vet suggested i do a mri scan to see if my boy had a brain tumour but at his age of 12 i could not put him through that.I had to push through my emotional side and think of him and what he has given me in all those years. If it was a young dog will yeah i would consider doing it, but not a senior. Would you want to go though all that yourself if you had cancer or a terminal disease, i now i wouldnt want to.But we got not choice but to do it, we are not allowd to end our lives of suffering from this, unlike our pets. So please think carefully are you doing this for yourself to get a extra year or 2 out of your dog, or are you considering your dog well being. I personally if had a dog with a terminal disease i would much prefer him to be comfortable,and live the rest of his life happy and enjoy the creatures comfort of being home with you, until it was time to let go. I now this is hard for many of us, we all love our pets and are part of our family,But as i said before it comes a time when you just need to do the right,and for your pocket.