Lucy's mama

Oh your poor daughter. Fear is such an awful feeling, especially when you know it is unwarranted but still can't control it. In all honesty, for both the pup's and your daughter's sake, I would think about rehoming the pup sooner rather than later. Get some help with your daughter first, then maybe try rescueing a smaller breed, older dog. That way you can know before you bring it home that it is suitable for your daughter and will not grow into a scary, boisterous, bigger dog. Sorry you are experiencing this.

Thanks Nekhbet. I did some googling and it seems that is exactly how it is done. I don't think my timing, handling and body language reading skills are good enough to use an e-collar fairly and successfully..

It was a keel back. We have a lot of them here and they help to keep down the toad numbers. We also get browns, yellow faced whip snakes, marsh snakes and red belly blacks so don't want him to make a habit of it.

I went out to hang the washing today and Banjo was rolling around on his back with an almost dead snake in his mouth. He gave it to me no worries at all but I really need him to not touch them in the first place. I like the harmless ones and don't want to risk him getting bitten by a venomous one. I have heard of snake aversion training. Does anyone know much about it or where I can find out more? Thanks

I love the sock ball idea. I'm going to try it with a little treat every layer. And the apple idea sounds great too. The kids had a inner tube tyre swing hanging from a tree that banjo played tug with. It swings around great and because it's stretchy kind of fights back iykwim? But is in ribbons now. We sometimes tie a tug toy to the verandah rail and that keeps him going for awhile. I saw a kong dispenser on line - you sit it where the dog can't reach, fill it with four stuffed kongs and set the timer to drop one out every however many hours you like.

As a pet, how hard are they to keep looking reasonably clean? Would they be suitable for a junior handler's first dog? I am thinking maybe not, due to this comment: Would they enjoy obedience and agility? Are they suitable to live and play with larger breed dogs who are boisterous, but used to playing with tiny dogs? Absolutely no plans here for several years, but I do enjoy finding out about different beeds.

Fair enough if it is a cost thing.

Why do so many not want to sell/respond to people who have mobile numbers only and free email? How is using a mobile any dodgier than using a home phone? Both can very easily be disconnected or the number changed. We have no landline, it is just too expensive to justify when mobiles are so cheap now. We also only have a free email account as our mobile broadband doesn't include an email account. I have had the same mobile number since I got my first phone 9 years ago, and have had the same email address since getting the internet. How people choose to structure their tele-communications plans does not reflect on their reliabilty or suitability as a dog owner.

Thank you Mum of 3, what a lovely post. I began seeing some improvement yesterday. Thank dog! He is still ignorant but he followed several commands without food so at least I know for sure he DOES know them. He did a lot better on lead too. The previous day I gave up because when he realised the leash tasted bad (i sprayed it with aerogaurd) he decided to jump and snap at my hands instead. Yesterday he did well in the yard, so we went for a walk but stopped before we got to the reactive dogs homes. He did really well, just wouldn't sit while on lead. It's a great improvement though. I had to crate him when FIL came because he is as ignorant as the dog. Or more so.

Both Aiden - first as a lure, then as a reinforcer, just using it as a reinforcer occasionally.

Corrie - yep, I understand the analogy. (I have two kids) Huski - He is affectionate - but as part of NILIF I have to stop lots of the cuddles and sitting on me and licks etc. Dogawne - No, it's not a precursor to something else. I am home 5 out of 7 days, and he wass coming to work with me too, so I spend a lot of time around him. I robably have too much time to focus on his bad behaviour. It also affects my day and mood when I have to constantly be onto him and my son to ensure the new rules are followed. I am happy with the trainers advice, just finding it difficult. It's good to hear confirmation that it is just a stage and that many other dogs have done the same and come good. We did faze out food and he still sat, but now he's not. I tried clicker training and I am bad at it!! Maybe I could practice my timing and coordination on the kiids for awhile then give it another go. I will contact thee trainer re obedience lessons, as I had planned to start on the next intake, but I'm supposed to be working him under minimal distraction atm, so not sure that I shoud take him to a class with lots of dogs to distract him. Thanks to everyone for all the feedback and encouragement.

I am getting really down about my dog. He is listening to me less and less despite having a trainer out and following her instructions, including NILIF and TOT. Dealing with him is just becoming depressing. At least before I could enjoy his cuddles and patting him and his kisses, and truly believed if I treated him well, kept his belly full, his mind busy, his body exercised, gave him lotts of pats and love and continued training and enjoying him he would become a great dog. Now I feel like we are enemys in a power struggle. He learnt so well at puppy school, he enjoys his crate time, he toilet trained fine, chew toy trained well, doesn't dig and he used to want to do anything I asked of him. Now in the last two days every time I have told him to sit he has looked at me and walked away! Unless I have food, in which case he sits without being asked. I called out the trainer because he was air snapping near the kids and deciding for himself if he was going to obey me. She was wonderfull and I have followed her instructions fully. I’m just finding it so un-rewarding. I chose a breed who is ‘eager to please’ and active for a reason - so I could enjoy him, take him out, train him in agility and have an on-the-go, take anywhere companion, not to have to constantly be on top of him. Not so I could ignore him to increase the value of my attention, limit patting, no cuddling, etc etc. I’m just so disappointed I want to cry. Please, please tell me things will get better and I can go back to enjoying my big boofa.

Thanks Addicted to Dogs. I have been watching very carefully, and I am thinking I have read things wrong and over reacted, but I a not certain. Regardless, I have a trainer/behaviourist coming out Friday to work with us all. I will read your links in the mean time too. Thanks.

Thanks. I have given her a call.

Does anyone have a recomendation for a good trainer/behavourist who does home visits? We are in Caboolture. No one very harsh please. Ta

O.k, that makes perfect sense. Same result, but using positive commands. That is a great way to avoid the situation in which he snaps, and is something we often do, but not always. I will remind the kids that that is what we should do. He does sit and drop and roll over for the kids to get treats. In the long term I would also like him to get the idea that snapping is never acceptable.

Hello. I think we are developing a bit of a problem with Banjo, our 7 month old Aussie shepherd, and thought asking here would be a good place to start. He finished puppy school 1 and 2, and does all the basic things - sit, drop, stay in both sit and drop positions, roll over, fetch, waits to be told to eat, knows 'out' and 'off the lounge!' He does all these things for me and the kids. He wouldn't walk nicely on the lead outside of the yard so I resorted to a choker and he learnt by the time we got to the end of the driveway not to pull. He trots alongside my bike nicely, just the short distance to work where he follows me around, chews a bone, or finds a cool place to sleep. He is great with other dogs, and still accepts Lucy as his boss unquestioningly (She just has to look at him the right way and he backs of from whatever yummy treat he has dug out of the garden and lets her have it, we feed him in his crate or he'd get none!). We took him camping recently and he behaved beautifully. Anyway, the problem is, I have seen him snap at both the kids when they give him a command. A few examples - he was sitting and waiting and hoping I would give a command (I was cutting ham) My son (4 yrs old) came over and told him 'out the way' and pushed between him and the bench (not between Banjo and I) and he snapped. Today my daughter (10 yrs old) saw him counter surfing, told him "get down" (he got down), then told him 'out' and opened the front door for him, he walked to the door, stopped and started to walk back inside. She put her hand on his butt to guide him out (push him gently toward the door) and repeated 'out' and he snapped at her. No teeth have connected, and he's not growly, it just seems to be if they are going to push the point after he has decided he is not obeying then he will snap. He did the same to me a few time when I would pull him by the collar off the lounge after telling him 'off' and I just sent him to his pen each time and he has stopped, but he is persisting with the kids. So far I have just used my rousy voice to reprimand 'Uh uh' and in his pen or outside etc. It seems it is only happening when they actually touch him to make him obey - never roughly - just a push in the right direction type of thing. Any other time he is happy to be touched all over. We did a handling exercise at puppy school where you run your hands over every part of the dog in a calming pleasurable way, ears, tail, in mouth, between legs, tail, between toes etc and I have kept that up, so I don't think it's a sensitive spot or anything. He is almost seven months old, his testicles have just decended, but he doesn't mark or cock his leg yet, so I'm wondering if he is just starting to mature and trying to establish dominance over them, and what I should do about it? I am hoping not to desex till he is around 12 to 18 months old, and would prefer to fix the behaviour than think of desexing as a cure all. Thanks, I really hope you can give me some pointers. If it continues or escalates I will get a trainer in. Some pics of my gorgeous boy.

I found this on another forum when searching for DogzOnLine and just had to share. How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb? 1. Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb? 2. Border Collie: Just one. And then I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code. 3. Dachshund: You know I can't reach that stupid lamp! 4. Rottweiler: Make me. 5. Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark. 6. Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please! 7. German Shepherd: I'll change it as soon as I've led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven't missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation 8. Jack Russell Terrier: I'll just pop it in while I'm bouncing off the walls and furniture. 9. Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I'm sorry, but I don't see a light bulb! 10. Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark. 11. Chihuahua: Yo quiero Taco Bulb. Or "We don't need no stinking light bulb." 12. Greyhound: It isn't moving. Who cares? 13. Australian Shepherd: First, I'll put all the light bulbs in a little circle... 14. Poodle: I'll just blow in the Border Collie's ear and he'll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

Heres an example of what I am talking about: CANVASS CANOPY You could have a secured crate inside it if necesary

Canvass canopy's are so much cooler than fibre glass. Dogs are shaded and sheltered and different side can be rolled up or down for ventilation. And it doubles as a camper.

Some of the dogs I find terribly ugly today are gorgeous in that book.

O.K, now I am confused! I had been buying the Dr Billinghurst Barf. Is that no good either as it is minced not whole? I might start feeding it only every two or three days untill I have a btter idea of what I'm doing. I think I better buy the books and have a proper look at the whole BARF diet or go back to 100% commercial.

This is for an adult goldie, and a 12 week Aussie. Both are used to eating almost all the ingredients seperately. They have kibble in the am (sometimes with an egg, sardines, or yoghurt), a bone (chicken necks, frames, wings, beef soup bones, lamb flaps, roo tail etc) through the day and this mix with a handfull of kibble in the pm. 4 kg chicken mince (bone in) 3 kg beef mince 1 kg roo mince 500gm liver 500gm tripe 500gm kidney 750gm sardines 500gm natural yoghurt 8 eggs (inc. shells) 5 kilo pureed vegies (peas, carrot, beans, sweed, turnip, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach) 6 cloves garlic big bunch parsley What do you think? If it's no good I can use it as a 'treat' meal once or twice a week.

Either he made his way all the way to QLD, or he is not one of a kind. I met one just last week.Staffie head and stocky, muscular body, with white long hair. his owners were very happy with him and said he was a fabulous obedience dog. When we were kids our cocker female had a litter that included a pup sired by a rottweiler.

Lo, I thought it was going to be another 'My puppy passed a *insert strange item here*' thread and was wondering what the little bugger had eaten whole.