kiesha09

I am ALWAYS planning too :laugh: But OH and I had a serious talk and it won't be until my current two pass away (they are 6 (7 in Jan) and 5 so not for a while yet). That leaves me a long time to toss up between a Australian Shepherd, Toller or a Boston Terrier

That post brought a tear to my eye and it is such sad news that Pacers will close down Thank YOU for all the work that you did, it certainly hasn't gone unnoticed.

Fantastic post MRB!

Both my two small breed dogs were kept inside in a pen (same setup as the OP described) as puppies. This was because the only outside area was a VERY small courtyard in full sun and no shade. In hindsight I wish I had spent more time training them to accept being outside on their own. They have a doggy door to come and go as they please but as we found out from filming them while we were at work they stay inside ALL day. So probably about 10 hours. They go in and out a little bit while we're home but not much. They also HATE being left outside by themselves and jump and scratch at the doors and whine - unless of course they have a bone. So my advice to the OP from my own experience is that if you want to pen your pup inside while you go out that is fine, but make sure you practice putting him/her outside on their own both while you're home and when you go out. It is good for them to have some outside time without you some times without them fretting. It's all about making sure you're pup is adaptable to all situations.

Yep this is her - she is such a soft dog and has a big 'thing' about being stepped on. She always sits about 1 step away from me so she's out of the way, so sitting on the floor is a perfect step back.

A bit of an update from our training session last night. We started working on a nice and tight front... turns out she really doesn't like sitting too close - more like a foot away, so definately something to work on there I also tried shaping both the dogs to pick up th item and then touch my hand. Chip (who can already retrieve) got it straight away - he'll hold the item and touch. Kiesha will pick up the item and as she goes to touch my hand she drops it at the same time. So whilst she isn't holding it and touching my hand at least she isn't flinging it in the opposite direction Edited to add - as soon as I posted this I realised I think I should go back a step, not worry about picking it up from the floor and touching my hand but instead I should put it in her mouth and get her to touch. So whilst she doesn't have the touch and hold yet I feel like we made positive progress by not flinging. Every journey starts with one step forward :D

TSD I'm happy to hear any random thoughts so go for your life She currently doesn't know a tight front and generally I am sitting down with her in front of me either standing, sitting. I haven't set a criteria for this because at the moment I just want her to pick up the item and put it in my hand and I hadn't given a thought to whether she should be sitting or standing.

Whenever someone mentions their dog and poo, I think of you.... Ha I think so many that sen that original thread think the same thing, even when mine roll in something gross nothing ever comes close to that day. :laugh: Glad I can laugh about it. And for those that missed it. heres a recap! My girl loves poo of any kind (except dog) :laugh: I could smell it before I seen it!! My white Girl, thank goodness I clipped her this morning, My friend with her hand over her nose, the smell was unbelievable, We walked to the beach which was about 10 minute walk but by that time it was sticky and so stuck on it was almost impossible to get off, I had to put her in the water and actually rub her all over with my BARE hands to get it off and then it still wasnt all off. all the while trying not to lose my lunch!!! To make matters worse while I was rinsing her off I got nearly dumped by a wayward wave that decided to come to shore really quick so had to do the rest of the walk in my wet clothes. So after shampooing her 4 times and conditioning her, I feel the smell is finally gone...I hope!! But the whole ordeal will stay with me for a while... like I said at least I can laugh now. and if anyone is still wondering yes it was human POO!! TLC I can so relate!! My girl did this EXACT thing at the park. She found human poo and rolled in it until she was literally covered in it from head to toe. There was no water at the park to wash it off and I had to put her in the car to get home. It was the first time I have ever contemplated leaving her there :laugh: She ended up getting it all over the boot of my car (hatchback) and was seriously THE most disgusting thing I've experienced to date I can still remember the smell when I think about it

OMG I want that puppy Not only is he incredibly cute(!!) he is a natural retriever solves all my problems :laugh: TSD because I have been training this on and off for so long now (probably overall about 2 years with LONG breaks in between)inadvertently I've used three different items (tug toy, dumbell & cardboard bin liner roll) in probably about 3 different locations (outside, in loungeroom and in other loungeroom). I've been doing some youtube research and kikopup has this which might be a help. The trainer shapes the dog to pick up the dumbell and nose touch their hand. The video explains it better but it could help with her coming forwards not flinging backwards.

I like to think of it as a very spethul skill

You are so right TSD it is amazing what you inadvertently teach!!! She takes everything so 'literally' as well :laugh: Even when she is sitting in front of me she still flicks it just by moving her head. Maybe she needs to be sitting further away from me so she can't flick and have her mouth on it at the same time. TLC as for whether some dogs are just not made to retrieve I think you can condition them to love it. My boy was not interested at all in retrieving but once I back chained it using his favourite reward (chicken necks) he now loves it. Actually he still probably loves the reward for the retrieve the most but I do think eventually the reward will become self-rewarding.

Wuffles what you have said is exactly what I've been trying to do - so much easier said than done with this girl :laugh: Thank you for your suggestions. Ness thanks for your suggestion too - I think the chin target and rewarding in front of the dowel could help.... I actually think the moving backwards is key here. If I can encourage forward movement it should stop the fling - perhaps she could at least fling it towards me :laugh:

Yep she's clicker trained and thats how we've been teaching it. Megan you could be right I may need to click even earlier... I have been trying to click the second her teeth touch the item but I click as she bites and instead of dropping it she does the pull and fling.

I've been teaching my girl a retrieve on an off for a LONG time now (too embarassed to say how long!!) and she just doesn't get it. I'm sure its more an issue with the way I'm teaching it but I just don't know where to go from here (I think I've even started threads on this before and I'm still stuck!). But this time I'm determined to teach it until she gets it. I taught my boy using the Shirley Chong method and he is great at it. I've tried the same method with my girl but I've obviously rewarded the wrong thing somewhere along the line because she thinks that she needs to pick up the item and rather than put it in my hand she throws it (generally in the opposite direction away from me :laugh: ). So I backtracked even further and started holding the item and getting her to put her mouth on it. Yep all good she puts her mouth on it but she still tries to grab it and fling it. She's still trying to move the object 'away' from me rather than 'towards' my hand. So... any suggestions?

I've shared it on my facebook since I was originally from the Barossa and have friends still there. I hope someone finds poor Obi!!

I recommend Bodil Schou-Hansen from Adelaide Pet Dog Training - www.petdogtraining.com.au. She's a positive reinforcement trainer who does private consults and group classes. She's fantastic and I would highly recommend her.

Thanks guys I like the object discrimination idea because as you say its one trick just using lots of different things

My boy has an autoimmune disease which causes him to have symptoms like a dog with arthritis. So he struggles sitting and dropping. Therefore these days I avoid asking for these behaviours because they hurt him and often result in non compliance. But I want to keep doing some training with him to keep his mind active. So I'm looking for some trick ideas that don't involve sitting and dropping. So far I've been doing: - Fetching a dumbell - Weaving through legs - Spin right and left - Walk backwards - Speak (although this is causing us some problems so might rethink continuing with this one) - Nodding head - Shaking head Any others that you can think of? They can be a bit more difficult as we need a challenge :)

I laughed so hard I'm crying PS. btw not laughing at the cruciate damage but more the dive bombing mental image :laugh:

When I moved to my new house about 4 years ago, on our first walk around the streets a dog that was in its front yard scaled its front fence and attacked my girl Kiesha requiring alot of stitches to her wounds. She was only 8 months old at the time and it brought about all sorts of fear reactivity issues with dogs and especially dogs behind fences. So for me dogs in front yards annoys the cr*p out of me. It is only now 4 years on that I can finally walk her around the streets without her losing the plot but she will still always jump on the fence to try to see over incase there is a big bad doggy there trying to get her. ETA - I like the post about the person who uses the dogs in front yards as a training opportunity. I too do that :laugh: but we have to keep going the same route so we know where they are

YAY this is great news!!! Now we just wait for some good news on the rest :laugh:

Haha yeah SG I know Josh. My family is family friends with his family so have known him for quite a while. It's was Wierd but fun seeing him on TV :) My favourite housemate was Delilah though & OH started researching how we could apply to adopt her (rolly eyes) when he's the one that has said all along no more dogs haha!

The housemates go into the house for a week before the show starts with a friend or family member. It is definately not months. I know this because one of this years house mates is a family friend. They do go through some councilling sessions etc. leading up to that but in no way are they weaned off society before the week in isolation.

I just gave them both some rescue remedy. Even if it makes them feel a tiny bit better its something

Thanks for your comments guys. Perse you may be right - he might have just marked where she had already peed. She has been shaking like a leaf during the thunder and practically tries to disappear into my lap. I've tried ignoring her and just going about things as normal and even tried playing a game with her. I think I may have to go to the vet with her and see what meds they can give me. It is horrible to watch and she is incredibly distressed. Argh! I hate storms!!!