SammieS

Happy Birthday to Maggie! Asti's week 43 is called "I've been hiding treats but you won't work out where..." Week 43/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr My surprise for Asti's week 44's submission has arrived.... sneak peak here

When Asti has itchy feet I put her in the sink with about 1 inch of water and just rub the malaseb into each paw and then rinse off. I have also found calendular tea (from health food shops) is also a good "foot bath" as it dries the skin, but malaseb is better.

I created a spiral Momento diary for a friend's birthday last year - she absolutely loved it (although I almost didn't have 52 photos to do one a week!). I was really impressed with the quality I'm thinking of doing one for myself for next year

Great Job Ozstar!!!

Lovin' the ones of Chester on the beach!!!! Here is Asti... I'm going to make a bigger effort this weekend :D AND I have a special surprise for next week's submission... ;) Week 42/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

Asti also has a keepsafe collar on all the time (linkie). I agree with wagsalot - its annoying if you want to grab them to stop them doing something, but its good to know that if they get stuck and they pull away they won't be stuck for long ;)

Week 41! Week 41/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

I had a reply all written and my laptop crashed the second attempt is never the same. I just wanted to say that I know how you feel BC Crazy and Pretty Miss Emma. I have the same issues with Asti. We're seeing a trainer and working through it. I have also found it hard to practice walking past dogs, so I go for a drive to a popular spot (which probably has too many distractions) and we walk in arcs around people coming towards us which works well until the people we're going past walk towards us (out of their way because their dog wants to say hi to us!!!) I think we need a bandana that says "in training", I've googled them but didn't find any. On a brighter note, I have been able to reduce Asti's reactivity to humans and bikes/runners. We take her up to woolies, and while OH does the shopping we "people watch", its great as most people are in a hurry so it takes the pressure off Asti as she doesn't have to greet anyoneand I don't let kids approach us for a pat either. This has helped immensely! I have also found that her reactivity increases with the speed of bikes/runners, so if I can cue her by saying "watching for the... " she isn't surprised by a bus, runner or bike going past. I have the Controlled Unleashed book which has been a great help, I thought the massage part was silly, but I now sit on the floor and massage her while watching Dog Whisperer or Pitbulls and Parolees and find Asti is more relaxed and less inclined to get up and bark at the tv (and put scratched in my tv unit) Its nice to know we're not alone with our reactive dogs, and will be watching the replies on this thread closely to see if there's anything new I can try too! I want other people to see her how I see her when she's relaxed.

Week 40! Woot! Week 40/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

From one Frenchie mum another - I just want you to know that Asti is one stubborn girl and that you shouldn't give up!!! I think Asti has worked out that I"m stronger willed than her so I'll keep trainig her until she gets it... I found its easier to get her to sit, drop, high 5 or 'look at me' but we're still working on "watching" and "look at that" and some days I feel like we're getting no where and others I think OMG something's clicked!!!

I love the heart shaped Bokeh!

I can recommend Jane Harper too She's fabulous!

I feel like so many of us started... and there's not many left! Wagsalot - its not a crappy photo, I love it! There's nothing bettr than to see a dog chillin' out! I'm also losing my creativity... but we're so close to the finish line that we can't give up! Weibritty - Marlo is gorgous! I'm always envious of the photos with beautiful backgrounds, I always get random bits of house or things that detract from the rest of the photo! TLC - Sorry to hear you're having a terrible time, and thanks for your comments... I really appreciate everyone's comments because I tell people at work that I'm doing a photo challenge of Asti and they simply look at my like "i'm a crazy dog lady..." ClickingMad - I LOVE all your photos - Lotus looks so happy in her mud puddle and Chester looks like a gentle soul! AnnieK - Cowboy could be the pie's honorary cheer leader! This is Asti's week 39 - it got relly hot up here last week so we got out Asti's clam pool, but ths week its been cold again! I wish the weather would make up its mind!!! Week 39/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

x2 recommendation for Jane as I see her with Asti

Not judging, but reading that is it irresponcible to breed a dog that has that number of sensitivitys? I loev the look of Frenchies but never knew they were fragile... Hi Ali, Frenchie's aren't fragile (far from it if you see how hard they play together) but like other breed's (like newsensation_cleo said below about Dalmation diets) they have certain limitations and because a Frenchie is a brachy breed (like Pugs) they tend to feel the heat a bit faster so potential owners need to be aware of the breed they are purchasing. In this case, I hope the pet store is armed with the information to give the purchaser or as I said the purchaser knows about the breed. I didn't know dalmation's had dietary needs - what kind? If the puppies you saw had kennel cough, they would have been pretty sick! Did that mean the purchaser would have to take them straight to the vet?! :(So on top of the price of a puppy they would also be paying some vet bills!

Poor Frenchie all alone in a glass cage... That price is just about the going rate for a Frenchie, I hope that the person who buys it realises that they have to be careful about their sensitivity to heat and swimming and choking hazards Most Frenchie breeders I talk to are so careful who get their puppies, I can't believe one has ended up in a pet shop in the first place!!!!

Cowboy looks like he has his party smile on too! and Gorgeous Marlo! Week 38/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

2nd this too - we have had ours for years now - wouldn't be without them. 3rd for these... they're great quality, I was very impressed!

Asti the Explorer Week 37/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

You've done so well Pretty Miss Emma! I'm curious - are you using a clicker? I stopped using the clicker to mark the "Look" and started just saying the word and waiting for her to look at me (which feels like forever) but I'm finding that Asti isn't progressing as fast as she did when i was using the clicker (and is even going backwards)...

'We're in the car... but its not going!" Week 36/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr

i'm very interesting in learning more about this webcam thing, i'll google research it. i've no doubt she entertains herself, thankfully she's not needy, she sleeps with me and gets up on her own in the morning to head into the lounge room to play with her toys herself coming in every now and then to jump on me. I have a breakaway collar on Asti and also a webcam which is connected to our internet (it has its own website built in inside) so at work i can log into the webcam via my iphone and see what she's doing... and she is ALWAYS sound asleep in her beanbag!;) The webcam cost $80 off ebay and was relatively easy to setup and you can hook it up to your computer to record on movement or just record all day. I haven't tried it but apparently you can talk through it too, oh, and it works in the dark! Like everyone else, I recommend toy rotation, and treat balls!!! We also leave a treasure hunt of treats around the room before we leave each day. The webcam thing was the best thing we ever did, I always wondered what she did when we went to work, and the answer is: sleep.

Where abouts in QLD are you? If you're in/around Brisbane - I recommend Jane Harper from Dogs on Track if you want to see a trainer. She works alongside K9 Pro so will be able to point you in the right direction.

I'm with Frodo's mum on this one! Asti loves hers and the vet is impressed with her dental hygiene so I'm going to order some more ;)

Time to start off Week 35... This is as much action as I can capture! I think she looks super happy... Week 35/52 of Asti 2011 by SammieS, on Flickr