Lucy's mama

I have followed a lot of Ian Dunbar's suggestions and we have put the puppy pen in the lounge room, attatched to the crate so the crate opens into it. I would think he would not like to be in a spare room - it could get a bit lonely. If I am busy with something whether or not he goes into the pen depends on his mood at the time. If he is happy to lay and watch me work then I leave him out, if he is chewing/jumping/rough housing I either put him on lead attatchd to my belt loop or into his pen. I have found the pen a godsend. He immediately settles when popped in the pen, has a chew f his toy, watches us as we go about our business then and goes to sleep. So far I have left him inside in his pen if I go out with out him for a short time. When I need to go out for a longer stretch I plan to take his pen and crate out into the garden in a shady spot, then drag the trampoline over it, then put a painters drop sheet on the tramp to ensure he will definately be shaded in case I am longer than planned. I started teaching loose leash walking the day after he arrived.

We are having a very similiar problem with our 10 week old Australian shepherd. We were warned he would do it and thought we were prepared - but holy cow this guy is determined to sink his teeth into my son! Yesterday he put holes through his shirt and teeth marks in his back and side in one quick lunge-and-grab. He seems to get better for a few days (usually when son has been at kindy, he carries the calm of the day through the afternoon even when things are getting busy around him IYKWIM?) then he get worse than ever! I am dreading school holidays! Timeout obviously isn't working. I think it takes too long for me to get him there. I am now going to try keeping him on-lead whenever he is not in the puppy pen, with a small amount of free time in the yard while my son is inside. We have been working on 'GIVE' and 'SIT' and 'DOWN' four or five times a day thinking that he can't jump while he is siting or down etc, but we are a long way from being obeyed when he is excited. Puppy school have asked us to do bite inhibition exercises 100 times a day, which seems to have taught him not to mouth me hard (but mouth me more), but the kids are still fair game. I will try the pressure under the tongue too I think. Any other advice?

No, the parents were not MDR1 tested. The vet reccomended a six monthly injection but I think I will use daily tablets untill I get the test done. His breeder uses frontline plus on hers wih no ill effects so if necesary I will use that. I probably shoudn't be so worried, but he is just so precious and I'm looking forward to doing so much with him and having a lovely companion.

I have '100 ways to train the perfect dog' by Sarah Fisher and Marie Miller. It works through everything from sits and drops to riding skateboards and teaching 'Tidy-up' all with clicker training.

I have '100 ways to train the perfect dog' by Sarah Fisher and Marie Miller. It works through everything from sits and drops to riding skateboards and teaching 'Tidy-up' all with clicker training.

Thanks everyone. Thelinks - it is taking longer than it should to groom him because he has a knack for finding every cobbler's peg on the place! They dont comb straight out of his coat easily the way they do from Lucy's. I'm working on eradicating them from the acre he is fenced into, but he finds more for me than I realized we had!

Thank Sandra. I have been giving him little brushes when he looks about to drop off to sleep so will start with the short time on the table as well. ETA: and I will stop the distraction with toys!

I recently bought 'clicker training for (something) obedience and agility' As soon as I manage to find it again I will come back with correct title and author. I also have 'Mary Ray's Super Dog' but prefered the first title. Eta: O.k, I got them all mixed up lol. The one I love is '100 ways to train the perfect dog' by Sarah Fisher and Marie Miller. It works through everything from sits and drops to riding skateboards and teaching 'Tidy-up' all with clicker training.

I need to brush Banjo dailey to help remove prickles from his coat. He tries to mouth the brush and my hand so we are giving him food or chew toys while I brush and pick out the prickles. He is very accepting of handling and the bit of pulling to get the prickles out, but how do I begin to teach him to stand still?

But it has another drug on the MDR1 list. Will check what it is. ETA: Drug list of what NOT to use So reading that it IS actually safe. Now why couldn't I find that before I posted? And why so many cautions if it is safe?

I have an Aussie Shepherd pup going on 10 weeks old. Most people say it is usually o.k to use drugs on the mdr1 sensitive list in the low doses that are in heartworm medications. I'm not keen on taking the risk and have decided to get him genetically tested for mdr1. Untill that is done I want to use only safe drugs butt can't seem to find a list of 'safe to use' drugs. His breeder started him on intestinal worm treatments so I will e-mail her today to see what she used on him, but what about things like heartworm, fleas and ticks? The name of a brand or drug I CAN use would be very helpfull at this stage.

He was great with barking today. A neighbouring black lab came to visit and barked and barked and barked at the cat through the window till the owner came to get him. Perhaps it was just that he couldn't see who as doing the barking last time. He is still settling in so so well and enjoyed the first part of puppy preschool, then found a puddle on the concrete and slept through the rest lol.

I will pull out the diced devon then.

Thanks Nekhebet. I don't think it is serious enough to warrant returning him to the breeder. He has been fine with our dog, neighbours dog, kids, cats, traffic, gurney noise (after initial fright), reversing truck with beeping and flashing light, lightening and mild thunder, sprinklers going off unexpectedly etc. He was afraid of a clear plastic cup on the floor but eventually got over it himself, picked it up and trotted around with it. I would definately not say he is overly fearful, but I don't want a fear of barking to get worse.

This little fella came home on Tuesday He is an Australian Shepherd, 9 weeks old tommorrow, and has his first puppy preschool in the morning. We went to my mother-in-law's today and when it was time to leave we were saying our goodbye on the footpath when a dog across the road barked from behind his fence. Banjo whined and tried to run back into my mother-in-laws house. He was on his harness so I held my ground and encouraged him back to me, then walked him back and forth on her footpath a few times. Each time the dog let out the occasional bark he would startle and try to run the other way, but recover very quickly. Is that normal? Would it be a good idea to carry him on one of Lucy's walks? All the dogs in our street run up and down the front fences barking as we pass and Lucy ignores them. On the one hand it will expose him to it while he is totally safe and secure in my arms, on the other it may traumatise him or make him think he needs to be in my arms when dogs bark. What do you think?

x2

OMG, so I assume this was the first time she had advocate? Or was it a bad batch? Thanks for the warning. I will remember to do a 'spot test' a few days before I use any spot-ons that are new to my dog.

Now that is dedication!

I decided to practice a bit on Lucy today with her favourite naughty treat - cooked bacon rind. At first I just clicked and treated to 'charge' the clicker, then figured I could pobably start shaping at the same time as charging so clicked eye contact (she gives good eye contact already) don'tt think she orkd out it was the eye contact getting clicked and treated yet though. I will see if I can get sustained eye contact next session then add the cue 'focus'. I didn't find clicking at the right time difficult (I'm sure it will get harder when shaping new behaviours rather than clicking old ones), and I did it next to the bench so didn't have to juggle treats.

Hi, I have discovered clicker training and have purchased '100 ways to the perfect dog' and "Super dog, Clicker training for obedience, tricks and agility" I have read through all of the '100 ways' book and am thinking that if I am luring or waiting for a behaviour to click, and not adding a command till the dog is reliably offering the behaviour, I would only be able to teach one thing at a time or he would get confused? Does it take longer than luring and saying the command, which is how I have trained simple commands before? Can I do the simple stuff (sit, stay, down ) my old way, then move on to clicker training, or will the clicker training be more succesful if I do it from the start? Thanks.

I'm also wondering if it is certain grasse? We have never been pet-less in 16 years, live on unkempt acreage, walk in the bush and at parks and never had a grass seed problem.

Thanks. I am probably a bit too anxious about him catching something.

Thanks MsBex. Putting him down but only long enough to do his business is the only idea I'd had. I think if I expect him to hold it he might go in the car on the way home.

Hi. I have every intention of socialising my puppy as much as possible. In addition to puppy preschool I plan to carry him or put him in our old pram while keeping up my older dogs walks at the 3 parks we frequent (not off lead dog parks but lots of dogs are walked there), around our neighbourhood and around a busy suburban shopping area where my daughter does gymnastics (I walk Lucy while she is in class) and also take him on the school and kindy run, to swimming lessons, to job sites to visit my partner and his work mates etc. It seemed like a great idea untill I started to wonder how he will toilet if he is not allowed on the ground? What does everyone else do with their pup when they are out and it's time for a toilet break?

Thanks I will check both out next time I am in the supermarket, and keep my eye out for the happy paws ad to come up. Cheeky sods