Zug Zug

Don't let that stop you with Shelley - that's just a stage that you train your way through. Start with short, fun sessions and build up the time gradually (very gradually). Make sure she is having a ball and getting lots of rewards! Make it a game. If she is high energy then teaching her to hold focus would have real benefits in real life, not just in your training. I can say this with some experience. My girl Zamba was utterly, utterly, utterly bonkers when she was younger (she is now 12) and I never thought she could keep her feet on the ground long enough to heel. But now she heels well. Staying, however, will always be difficult for us. But again, we're still working on it. But it is possible with training to turn that bonkers energy into a fantastic, intense focus. Honestly, it's easier with a dog like that than it is with a slower, low drive dog (which is what this thread is about). When a high drive dog decides to work with you, they turn all that energy towards you and that means a very keen, enthusiastic training partner if you can get the motivation right.

oodles of poodles a blizzard of bichons a posse of Aussies

One or two small toys is a good idea, too. But no more than that.

Yep - definitely no peeing in the crate. Bed only. If the pup is small (for now) and the crate is big, use some kind of barrier inside the crate to make it smaller. Your dog should be able to sleep comfortably, get up, turn around etc but not have enough space to get away from the bed.

What about eve's dog salon, on Magill Rd? It used to be excellent, but I don't live over that side of town now so not sure these days...?

Yes it is a good point. I think I will talk with her before class next week and try to identify some training goals. And yes, her handling is pretty good but her dog is young and still learning the basics.

I wondered about that. Labs can land heavily on those hips and elbows, can't they? I'll find a way to work that into the conversation. This is a medium to heavy-set Lab too, especially given it is only 10 months. So yes, good point.

Thanks everyone that has clarified things for me. I do recall thinking that a dog that graduated from our Level 5 would be ready for agility. But there is a lot more in graduating Level 5 than just a good recall, so I'm thinking now that a good pass at Level 3 with a rock solid recall (albeit with a bit of space around the dog) may be enough for her to get started if she likes. I also really like the idea of retrieving trials and gundog work. That might require a bit more travel for this person, but may be a lot of fun for both her and her dog. I'll talk it through with her next week. In the end, it depends on what she wants to do with her dog and she did say she would like to do agility so I suspect it's a question of working at our club as preparation work to get the basic teamwork happening, at which time they are ready to go off and do some agility training elsewhere.

The paws thing is important. When I was 19 or so I had a wonderful heeler cross who would chase after me all day on my bike, visiting my friends and having a wonderful time. One day it was really hot and she'd been running on the road after me and when we stopped I realised her pads were bleeding. To my horror, all the pads had lifted off and left her running on bare exposed bleeding flesh. Awful. So yes, err, I never forgot after that. Hot roads (i.e. any road on a hot day) are hard on your dog's feet. So build up slowly, take it easy and don't wait until your dog protests - lots of dogs won't make any visible sign until you stop. I know some people may think it's mean towing the dog with the bike. I don't think so. So long as you are sensible about heat, drinks and distance, the dog will get a lot of joy and valuable exercise out of it. And you'll have some nice days out together too.

That's another good option - I might suggest it to her next week. Train in her own way at the edges, and join the class from time to time to help her dog feel comfortable with other dogs close. I think the dog will be fine. It's the handler that's bored. But I do see her point - we are going through the basics in this class, and she already knows the basics. I took my dog out of class-based training for quite some time when we first started. We just went on with our training at home, and came back to class when we were ready to move up.

You need to be conscious of the Australian Road Rules, which were altered just over a year or two ago and I'm pretty sure it is now illegal to tow a dog on a public road, either from a car or a bicycle. So it's off-road only, strictly speaking (lot of people ignore this law however). I would definitely suggest you look into a gadget that attaches your dog's leash to the bike, so you can hold onto the handle bars. It's much, much easier and much, much safer. Two options are the Springer and the Walky-dog. I have a walky-dog and find it really easy to use. Way easier than trying to hold onto the dog's lead myself, and a safer spot for the dog to be as well (i.e. near the side/read of the bike, instead of running alongside the front wheel).

I do some volunteer instructing at a local dog club, with beginners. I had a student in class today with a 10 month old labrador pup who is doing really well. The pup is still getting distracted from time to time, but the handler is finding the beginner's class too simple and a little boring. She is a former obedience instructor herself, so she knows what she is doing. She wants to take her dog into class for the opportunity to work with other dogs around, but she is bored at the moment. We talked about a few options. One is we assess her early and look at putting her up into a more advanced class and she works with her dog in, say, class 3. She could handle it I think. Not sure if the pup is ready but he's pretty relaxed so I think he would cope fine. The other option is she does agility training at a different club. I talked to her about where they are - she likes the idea of doing agility with this dog. She thought it was only German Shepherds that did it, but I assured her she would find lots of breeds there. The thing I wasn't sure about is what would her dog need to know (in terms of training) before they went across to agility, if that is what they decide to do? I have heard previously that they really need off-lead control. This pup is a long way from that, and would need to be working on lead for some time yet in that environment. Can some agility people please let me know what the entry requirements are?

Havanese are nice dogs too. No bigger than the bichon I don't think. They will have a great time browsing at the shows!

I agree about the Lagottos - they would be ideal for a family like that. And they looooove to play. But if they want a smaller dog then fair enough. They do need a fair bit of running around, but it sounds like they could handle that. What about a Tibetan Terrier? Hardly any shedding (I think - but I would suggest you verify this to be sure) and a very sweet-looking and sweet-natured dog. I think they are lovely, and I really like their temperaments. Might need to pick a more bouncy one - some of them are fairly quiet I think, but certainly not all of them. And the grooming is relatively straightforward which is a bonus. I agree with you a poodle would also be a good choice. But if they don't love poodles, no reason to push it. Bichons are of course the perfect dogs - lovely temperaments and a pretty, sturdy little dog so I would say they are also be a breed worth them thinking about. Perhaps a little on the smaller side than they were thinking...?

I would look for a dog that likes to run with me, enjoys being close to me, is confident in lots of situations, loves to play, likes to chase a ball. No sign of nervousness or anxiety - you can train with an anxious dog (I have one) but it is harder.

Funny isn't it? We're all still contemplating different breeds and the original poster appears to be long gone. Happens every time. So much for the OP apologising for boring us with this request - we all love picking out puppies!

I would agree with an earlier post - most Viszlas are definitely easier to train than most boxers. These are all fairly large dogs. Another one you may like to consider is the flat coated retriever. Beatifully black (or sometimes chocolate) and smart like the Labrador, but a bit lighter and often with a slightly softer temperament. Great runners, great family dogs, not bonkers. Some medium sized dogs you might like - English and welsh springers. Middle sized, both breeds very trainable and biddable. The Welsh is the more active of the two breeds, but I think either breed would suit you pretty well. They will be your best friend. Make sure that, whichever breed you choose, you absolutly love it. All young dogs need work and it is so much easier to do for a dog you really adore and feel proud of.

I'm jealous! The suburbs you listed are all great places to live. I think your new routine should include cafes on Sat morning, followed by a frolic at the beach on Sunday morning. There are plenty of places to take your dogs here. Not as many as in Switzerland though. I just got back from there and people had dogs sitting under their tables inside restaurants. Loved that!

Good luck to you getting your new Maltese puppy! While I have an obvious Bichon/Havanese preference (my little bichon Mozart can take full credit for that) I also think it is very important to get the puppy you REALLY want. Let's face it - puppies are a lot of effort during their early years. The more you absolutely adore them, the more you will enjoy dishing out all that training they all need, including all those cold nights standing outside waiting for them to pee. It's one of those decisions that each person makes for themselves. We can offer suggestions, but in the end once you've done all your research you should pick the puppy that you adore and that's all there is to it! So my absolute best wishes - and make sure you keep us posted. Puppy pics when the time comes please!

OK, that's a lot of questions and I can't pretend to answer all of them, but have some info... You mentioned the Havanese, and said they were quite large. They are not large - actually not a lot bigger than a pure bred Maltese. They are similar in size (and temperament I gather) as a Bichon Frise. These are small dogs (4-7kg approximately) so definitely toy-sized but a little larger than a Chihuahua. They weigh a bit more because they are a little more solid, but should not be chunky or fat. They look fatter because of the fuller coat. Underneath, the body should be lean. They come in really lovely colours and have beautiful, sweet faces. I have never had a maltese, although our neighbours have one. He barks a lot, but I don't know if all of them do. I think it is not an uncommon problem with the breed. But all breeds have some kind of problem and there is always something that needs to be managed. My poodle x barks a lot too, so I'm not judging. Just an observation. I have a poodle x and a Bichon Frise. The poodle x is a genius but she can be demanding of your time and attention. The bichon is a saint. Hardly ever barks, and very, very, very friendly and sociable. Lap dog and love sponge - but also calm and undemanding and peaceful. Bullet-proof as far as people go - he is very trustworthy and lovable and has been for his entire 12 years so far. He has a very typical bichon temperament - they are famous for it. From what I've heard the Havanese have similar temperaments. So I would recommend either of these breeds (bichons and havanese) - they are gorgeous friendly dogs. Problems with them? Grooming is the main one. A bichon coat in particular is very high maintenance - soft and curly and a prickle-magnet in summer. So you need to keep up with the maintenance just like with a poodle. Havanese coats are straighter, and I suspect a little easier to brush out than a bichon coat. Maltese quite straight and also not as thick, so I suspect a little easier again. And of course there are health problems with all breeds so ask lots of questions. With my bichon, he has had problems with ear infections (when he was younger) and his hips are a bit stiff (as he got older). But for an older dog, he's really good overall. We have been lucky. I had a friend with 2 chihuahuas. They were dedicated, slightly obsessive barkers. All night, if they had the chance. I could not have lived with them. So again, ask questions and do your research. Perhaps they were poorly trained, but I think this can be a problem with Chihuahuas so best to check it out I think. ETA: I have bad allergies to dogs, but no problems with my Bichon or the poodle coat. Non-shedding, clean and nice to have around. And my bichon is very laid-back - I can walk him and he loves it, but he doesn't really need it and if I don't want to walk him he's happy with me on the couch. Very unlike my poodle, who NEEDS her walks... So again, placid and undemanding. I understand that the Havanese breed is very similar to the bichon that way, but I have never owned one.

Great to hear from you Dova! No my hubby and dogs will be holding the fort over xmas and nye, while my daughter and I are away on our grand adventure. We will be back in Feb - I'll tell you all about it then. So we'll miss the NYE trial but if at any time you feel the need to put a rude person back in their place, then do it and be proud I reckon. Yep I would definitely steal Pebbles if I could. She's just so lovely - a really beautiful dog inside and out. Sounds like she did really well for you in the rain, too. What a good girl!

Yep I think so too. I'm going to persist for one more week, and it it's still there just let the vet know I want it to go. I keep thinking 'what if...'

The cost seems very reasonable for me. I keep my two a fair bit shorter in summer, mainly because I'm concerned about grass seeds getting into their coat if it is longer. In winter there are no grass seeds around, so I relax a bit and keep it longer. But it is definitely more work when it is longer. I bathe and trim them every 2-3 weeks at home all year round these days. I used to go to the groomer's every 7 weeks and get it cut down really short, and in those days only did bathing and brushing at home, no trimming. I agree with earlier posts that an annual clip-down just doesn't do the job. The dogs will be matted and horrible long before then, unless you do a lot (seriously, a LOT) of coat maintenance at home (which well within the year would need to include trimming the coat anyway).

Thanks Jag. I'll get some castor oil and give that a try.

no you have understood except the "crime" was not the debarking but the showing of a debarked dog I am amazed. Honestly I think that makes it even more absurd. If debarking is against the law in that state, or was done unlawfully in some way, then surely a fine would suffice. To the owner and maybe also to the vet who did it. But I don't see the point of seizing the dogs. And if showing the debarked dogs was against the rules of the Canine Council, how does that become a crime? Why would showing vs. not showing even be relevant from a legal/animal welfare standpoint?