Cazwah

Hey everyone... So we've done a bit of searching for people in brisbane who could help us.. has anyone heard of the K9centre? It's based in QLD but is a franchise... from what the trainer says it's positive reinforcement style training, introducing the dog slowly to the problem and getting the dog in a calm state. Sounds good to us, but has anyone heard of them or know anything about them? Their website is: http://www.k9centre.com.au/k9-centre%E2%80%99s-founder/ Cheers!

Wow I've created so much discussion, this is great! http://www.thebark.com/content/reducing-fear-your-dog That's the article I was referring to before about whether treats are rewarding emotion or behaviour.. I have a few more questions if that's okay.. first, Nekhbet, what do you mean by 'correct and reprimand' if he doesn't give me his attention when I first ask him? To be honest I've never used reprimands in training.. I've used witholding of treats/toys, but never a physical punishment and I'm not keen to- would you recommend a verbal reprimand? If I had to? What you said about not rewarding while my dog is still acting aggressive does make sense, I think it would be important to first get his attention, then move him away from the offending dog, then when he is calm reward. Is that about right? And Corvus, what you say makes perfect sense too! Just to clarify though.. it's okay to treat Chestnut if he is scared of something, so say if I can see he is on edge, or shivering or something, that is okay to then give him a treat, but what I should avoid treating is a behaviour I do not want, for example, snarling? or barking? Is that the difference? Thanks heaps guys!

Thanks heaps Corvus! I've been using dried chicken to treat him for looking at me every time he looks at me. It's really useful actually for lots of other things in training! And I read an article on thebark.com recently about how food and pats will calm an afraid dog and not reinforce the nervous behaviour, so that was reassuring. Not that I am sure this is afraid behaviour.. but.. I'm sure a treat can't hurt?

Thanks Nekhbet, that really helps. Yesterday on my walk I was able to redirect Chestnut's attention to me with a lot of success (the 'offending' dogs were behind fences, I think that helped, also this was Chestnut just wanting to bark back not so much overt aggression). I think you're right, I'll have to work on this gradually.. dogs at a distance first and then gradually get closer as he improves. I haven't been walking backwards when he begins to focus on another dog, so I will definitely try that. Do you think eventually he will offer to look at me when he sees another dog he doesn't like? Just curious! Thanks again for all the advice, I am putting it into practice =)

Thanks Kavik, that makes sense. I think I will have to get someone who knows what to look for to look at the situation and help us come up with a plan. Nehkbet, thanks, Chestnut is definitely 100% dachy You know this morning because I left early I didn't get a chance to talk to any of the instructors, but I really would like to.. next week I'll go early and see what they say. Do you think I should use a correction when he is barking and then redirect his attention to me and ask him to do something else? Thanks again for the help!

Hey, thanks, I had hoped it wasn't at that stage yet but you're probably right, and I don't want this to get any worse. I live in Brisbane, close to the city. Thanks =)

Hey everyone! I hope I can get some ideas to help.. I'm getting concerned because this behaviour is getting worse. So, I have a miniature dachshund "Chestnut" who is a desexed male and is 1.5 yrs old. The problem we're having is that at training class on saturdays Chestnut has taken to barking and lunging at dogs that are ones that need space. What I mean is, the only dogs Chestnut tries to 'have a go' at are the ones who are standing back with owner and an instructor, dogs that need more space or they will bark/lunge at other dogs. Even from a distance (at a guess 30m) Chestnut will look at the dog and go crazy.. Chestnut is otherwise fine with the other dogs in the class. It is only the ones who have identified issues that he chooses to go off at. Weighing in at 6.5kg you can see my concern! What bothers me is that today we were unable to participate in a lot of the class because he was so distracted by this one dog. And towards the end of the class, Chestnut was starting to bark at other dogs as well. Right at the end of the hour, and just as I had him relaxed and focussed, this dog and its owner came up behind us Chestnut flipped out again. So we left early! I hate leaving on a negative note! Does anyone have any views on it, what might be the cause.. and what I can do to help the situation.. even advice on what I should do in the situation would be great =) I have had some success with a 'leave it' then 'watch me' at a distance from the dog... but mostly I just turn and walk Chestnut away. Any ideas would be great, I am at a loss! Thanks =) Cazwah.

Mm, we wanted to see how he did on a different food, so we tried Nutro for a few months, then, as we thought Advance sounded good too (Vet liked it as well) PLUS we were able to snaffle a couple of free bags.. so used it as a comparison. Now we've given both brands a good run, I'm sticking with Nutro now. It does smell though, but I think that makes it more palatable to my Chestnut!

My 10month old mini dachshund has been on alternating Nutro and Advance. He is healthy. a good weight and has a great coat. I like the simpleness of the ingredients of Nutro, i think it's a good product, and I'm sure the 'beet pulp' in it helps his poos stay more consistent (bit gross but they are very inconsistent when he's on Advance). I love the Nutro, I love that I can buy it in a store that doesn't sell pets and I love that it is Australian made. Happy customer Oh, and we use the Nutro wet can food as well to mix into the kongs.

Thanks for posting Shellsboers! I'm always keen to hear stuff like this- would rather not have to learn it first hand, you know?

Hey thanks guys, Went to the vet this morning, to have his cough checked out (on antibiotics now but it's nothing too bad =)) and I asked about the leg weakness thing. The vet said it sounded like either some sort of nerve compression like a bulging disc or perhaps he had slept in a position that had caused some nerve compression that gave him 'dead legs'. If it was a bulging disc, she'd expect to see it happen again, maybe for a longer period of time, in which case we would come back straight away, but if not then it probably was just 'dead legs'. She checked out all of his neuros and reflexes and found them all to be normal. So here's hoping it was just dead legs! Poor thing was shaking for most of the vet consult- he does not like having his temperature taken! Wouldn't even take a shmacko from the vet. AND we've still got to go back for his big desexing operation. Life is just not fair for the adolescent pup!! Anyway, I'm feeling slightly relieved, thanks for all the messages guys

Crazy, I wonder if dogs can get sleep paralysis? I have an appointment with the vet this morning to check out a cough that he's woken up with (when it rains it pours!!) so I will ask this morning about that episode and let you know. Poor puppy

that's true, they can look quite different can't they? I will ask the vet... thanks wizzle

Thanks for the post wizzle. We wondered about a seizure, but it didn't really look like seizure activity, in that he wasn't jerking repetitively... but then he did just kind of recover all of a sudden, which can happen with a seizure. Hmmm...

Hey guys, Chestnut is fine now, but last night I had the 'bleep' scared out of me. Just wondering if anyone has seen something like it or knows what it could be? Last night Chestnut was sleeping on the couch under a blanket with my partner. All of a sudden I heard him whimper and cry, it sounded so distressed, not like a whine, and when I uncovered him he was wriggling around and crying- He tried to walk but was just dragging his hind legs.. I picked him up, he was floppy and couldn't be consoled.. checked his airway which looked fine and he tried to bite me which was a good sign I guess! Tried him again on the floor, to see if he could walk but he still couldn't. Also seemed to be posturing a bit, like with his head curved around to one side, and his back was kind of hunched up at times, as if doing a poo, but without standing on his hind legs. Picked him up, he was still floppy, breathing seemed normal. Was out the door on our way to the vets within 5 mins of onset, I would say, and while I was on the phone to the vet he suddenly stood up in my lap, no longer crying, no longer floppy. Tried him on the pathway and he trotted along like normal. He was calm, and interacting like he normally would... Ended up taking him back inside and watched him sleep. I've never been so scared!!! What the??? Any ideas? He has been a little constipated, that's all I can think of, maybe a tummy cramp? Also checked him over for ticks, found none. He has little spots of dry skin over him, but has had them for a while. No obvious bites or stings.... I'm really worried about him, poor love, but he has been completely normal today! Normal poos too! Thanks for any ideas guys!

Thanks Kelly Louise, That's really interesting what happens to Chloe... hopefully it's something similar with Chestnut! We ended up buying a new cotton blanket for him, a new one for us and he was thankfully lump-free this morning and has remained that way all day. Also kept the windows and doors closed again. Anyway I'm so relieved! Fingers crossed he's just had a bout and now he'll be fine...

Thanks Mas, we will definitely look into allergy testing if we can't figure out what's causing these reactions. The vet has mentioned that we can arrange that if we can't find out soon what is going on. It just seems so sudden! Although I have noticed him licking his paws more lately (over the last few weeks I guess) although there's been no hair loss to date. Thanks Persephone, food for thought... I will try clean cotton linen tonight and no blanket.. didn't think about not using detergent though, I will do that. I also want to get him into his own bed, will be buying the next size up crate asap (he's grown since 8 weeks!). I/we don't use any creams at bed time but I have bought a new soap.. maybe that's it? although, usually the shower comes long before bed time, so I would expect to see a reaction between shower and bed time. But I can change the soap easily enough. We're in a unit and Chestnut has an indoor toilet. Outside is a courtyard with pavers but there is a communal garden bed beyond that, which is elevated so he has no access to that. It also extends to our bedroom window. I suppose there could be something new in the garden though, that might be blowing into the house. I can ask our building manager, even though he hates dogs! Treats at bedtime... we don't give him anything... we use his kibble in kongs.. get him to pee in his indoor toilet and then he's carried to bed. Especially since the first reaction on friday it's been just kibble, liver treats and chicken...

Hey everyone, long concerned post ahead! My pup Chestnut, 6.5 months old, miniature short-haired dachshund, has had his 3rd allergic reaction in a matter of 5 days. On friday I woke up and his mouth was swollen and lumpy and he had a welts over the back of his body and hind legs. I took him straight to our vet where he was given a cortisone injection and an antihistamine injection. By the end of the day he was lump free and looked great. His breathing was not affected, nor was his mood or his interest in food. We were hoping it was a one off thing.. Saturday and Sunday he was fine and was away from home with my partner camping by a waterskiing dam... home sunday night. Then monday morning we woke up and he had a collection of welts over the back of his head and generalised welts over the back of his body and hind legs. Again, went to the vet, this time the reaction had started to settle down by the time he was seen so he got an oral antihistamine and a take home pack of the same tablets. At this stage the vet said the reaction was not typical of something he may have ingested (as there were no gastric symptoms like vomiting or diarrhoea and also not the typical red skin itchy rash of food allergies), but of either a contact reaction (she asked if we'd changed our laundry detergent which we haven't) or most likely it was an insect that was biting him in the early hours of the morning before we woke up. She also said the thing that is causing these reactions is biting or contacting him 45mins to an hour before the reaction shows up, so it is not due to anything we may have done or given him the day before. We gave him two more tablets that afternoon/evening because we weren't seeing any improvement and it started to come back on the side of his face. So we slept with the house all closed up last night- windows and doors closed and this morning when we woke up he had more welts! Certainly not as bad as the first or second time, but certainly more of them than he had last night, they were more swollen and this morning he also had them on his belly. We gave him two antihistamine tablets straight away in case it might get worse and i can see it settling down now. I've also washed him in aloveen shampoo and conditioner this morning, washed all his blankets and mats at 95 degrees... His info: He is up to date with his vaccinations- 8, 12 and 16 weeks. He is on monthly sentinal worming chews and monthly advantix. We feed him Nutro puppy chicken and rice dry formula mixed with a bit of their wet puppy food and have done since he was about 12 weeks old. We use chicken and liver as training treats, and feed him chicken necks once or twice a week. He sleeps on our bed (shameful I know!!) on a polyester blanket which I have now washed. He's been sleeping on our bed on that blanket for one month... Usually we sleep with the window open (garden bed right outside) but it was closed last night. Each time he's been welt-free or mostly welt-free when we go to bed and then first thing when we wake up he's had a reaction. He is also currently intact, but we will be getting him desexed soon. I can't think of anything that has changed in the last 5 days but obviously something has! Has some mysterious bug that only wants to bite dogs set up home in our garden bed? Or could he be allergic to dust mites like me? I really want to figure it out so we don't have to keep medicating him.. he gets so sleepy with the antihistamines. If you have any advice or thoughts I would love to hear them! Thanks for reading... Caroline and a lumpy Chestnut.

How old is your little pup? I remember I expected too much too soon from my puppy- he was 9 weeks old and I was confused as to why he wasn't whiling away the hours on his kongs- until our trainer came over, and said he was doing really well to focus on the kong for even a minute!! It took a long time before Chestnut could focus on just chewing his kong. However, we did introduce him to pig's ears fairly early on, and he LOVED them, he was able to stay focused on them much longer than the kongs. So if you need a time out for yourself, maybe try settling him down with a pig's ear, or like Persephone said, a raw bone- nothing beats a bone! I could be juggling all Chestnut's favourite treats in front of him and he still would not look up if he was chewing on a bone! Ooh, and I also found fetch was a great game to play when I was mentally tired of entertaining my pup- you can just sit there and he does all the work, AND gets tuckered out from it =) Have fun!

I feed Innova Puppy at the moment

Best of luck for the trip! I hope it goes well for you. I give Chestnut a pig's ear when we travel in the car (Kangaroo tendons are good too, last a while). We recently did the 12hr brisbane to Syd trip and he slept as usual as soon as the engine turned on. We fed him small amounts of just his dry kibble through kongs on the journey- he didn't eat a lot because he slept so much. We found we had to stop about every three hours (He was 15 weeks at the time) for a pee and water break. Also found that after the first six hours he got really bored so we had to stop for a proper break and let him have a run around. But for the first chunk of driving we didn't need to stop for him for the first 4 hours. I reckon as your leaving so early she might sleep until daybreak so you can get a big chunk of the drive done. I hope your drive is safe, I'm sure your pup will let you know if something's wrong and she needs to stop. Maybe just have a contingency plan in case your trip does take much longer than you expected? (Without pup the bris to Syd trip takes 10hrs with minimal stops, but 12 with regular ones). Oh, also, we don't have the 'go pee' as a command yet, I wish we did for that trip, would've saved much time encouraging a sniffing puppy to 'go pee!'. And yes, some kind of wipe or old towel for the worst case scenario would be a good idea. We always carry puppy towels in the car- just in case!

A free fun day for people and their pooches. Run by Purina, they are holding this Beneful day in: Brisbane on the 27th March and Sydney on the 13th of March http://www.beneful.com.au/events.html Sounds like fun!

That's so awesome!!

don't leave us hanging KismetKat.......................

lite philly cream cheese is a hit, use part of their daily ration of food and pack it in real tight, and/or squeeze a round slice of carrot in the big end (with food deeper down)- this keeps my pup very dedicated on the kong =)