Staff'n'Toller

Where do you live? We can recommend some trainers or training schools for you. Mel.

How's your little miss blue border collie going, Stella? Mel.

Wow, really? Haven't had even one dog you couldn't fix? So where did you study and learn to train dogs? Where are you working now? Mel.

I certainly don't seek to denegrate, Australdi. As I pointed out in another earlier post - when you are dealing in potentially injurious matters, it's not IMO satisfactory to advise ANY method that could be taken as challenging by a dog over the net in the absence of knowing the people and dog/s concerned. In addition, whilst I applaude that your methods have been successful in relation to your two dobes, two dogs out of the whole population does not make that method right or appropriate for others. What some of us have been pointing out here is not to degenerate you as such, but it is to inform the OP (and her friend, for whom this thread was generated) that there are dangers in simply removing food and also dangers in creating a challenge. Please always keep your mind open to the fact that what has worked for you might have been a bit flukey and may not bring about the result required in other people's instances. Please also keep your mind open to the fact that many who read here (not only the OP) may well be very new to the world of dogs and, feeling they know less, take literally and for gospel a lot of what is said. Hence the need for caution in what you say, about the topic you say it in (bearing in mind the sensitivities required for potential injuries) and how you say and explain it. What if this dog/pup did not respond in the way you imagine it might? What then? This is the sort of information people need. Training - especially behaviour modification, is not black and white. It's not simply a matter of "do this and the dog will do that" .... because all dogs are different and all people are different. Ergo the perception between dog and human and vice versa is different from one to another. Thanks Erny, I was playing around with writing the same type of thing but after a long day am having trouble articulating it.....err...umm...non-inflammatory. Mel.

Yep he is learning: a) I can't trust humans around my food, and they confirm the fact that I think they are going to steal it. b) If I growl, I get attacked, if I give the humans warnings, they ignore them. Punish the warnings and the dog stops giving warnings that is the most dangerous situation to be in with a dog, the kids/parents may well get bitten if they keep hitting the puppy. They are going to need to spend some money on getting themselves some education on how to live with a dog. ETA: If the owners would like to PM me, I am more than happy to point them in the right direction. My email is also under my nickname details.

Australdi The history and misconceptions of dominance theory

Thankyou Jeff Jones and Cavnrott for stepping in with some useful - and safer - advice.

Try googling natural skin pigmentation in dogs or something like that. I have heard giving kelp powder helps the nose pigment up, but I don't know if that's a fallacy. I wouldn't tattoo either, I think you'd need to see some scientific evidence that it actually works. Mel.

No nurofen, asprin is the only safe thing for dogs but it's debatable whether it would provide any pain relief for him, and it needs to be worked out on a mg/kg dose you really should take him to your emergency Vet if he is that distressed. Mel.

I feed chicken frames to my Toller and he does really well, but he has always been a slow eater. My Stafford, I think, chews once then swallows necks. ETA: Chicken frames are soft bones, the bird is so young, the bones might look sharp but they crush easily. Mel.

so true! My aunts whippet cannot roll over to save herself > which, as my brother said "is hard when your shaped like a potato wedge" LOL Yep- my Stafford can do it but she finds it uncomfortable, and needs a lot of coaxing to do it lol. The Kelpies, Borders etc seem to find it easier. Mel.

Roll over has two parts- first you need to get her to happily lay on her side, then extend it to rolling right over. Luring with food usually works- you just need to get in going in the right direction for her. Some dogs find roll over easier than others. Mel.

Is he in a wire crate? If yes then you could get him a crate bowl/coup cup that hangs on the crate, and give him a small amount of water. Cover his crate overnight- leave the front and perhaps a bit of the back open for air flow. I only use sheets or cotton doona covers, nothing hot like a blanket. Sounds as though you are in as much of a routine as he is, try going back to sleep- I bet he will stop stirring eventually once you do. Mel. ETA: I think you would do more harm than good by with holding water overnight i.e. kidney problems particularly when you feed dry food. Oh and get yourself some 'tranquil calm' tablets from the health food store, natural tablets that help you stay asleep. :rolleyes:

How long during the day is she crated for?

Definitely see the Vet, but what you're experiencing can be an immune system reaction- fever, lethargy etc. for a few days. The other thing is 'puppy stress', happens when they go from the breeders house, to the vet, to the new house, new people, new surroundings etc. They do sometimes go off their food, and have gastro type symptoms. Take it easy, give her lots of quiet times to sleep, perhaps get a crate and do a search on crate training so she can have her own spot where she will not be bothered by anyone. Try to ensure your daughter plays quiet games, and lets her sleep, she is a baby puppy and will need to sleep ALOT over the coming weeks. Don't overstimulate her, give her quiet areas she can go, and don't force the food issue, (if the Vet gives her the all clear) her appetite will come back when she is feeling more settled. Mel.

You can get major physical deformities from breeding brothers and sisters together. Desex all your doggies, they'll be healthier for it, and alot less narkiness when the females are in season. Females who are left entire their whole lives can get pyometra (infected uterus) ovarian cysts, cancers or mammary gland cancers. It will be cheaper for you to desex them now rather than wait until they are in their old age and something happens that forces you to have one or more of them desexed. All my dogs are desexed (pure and xbreeds) apart from one who is Purebred, with papers, on a breeders contract and will be DNA tested, hip and elbow x-rayed and scored, and then only mated if we find the right purebred, papered, health tested female. After he is finished, he will be desexed too. Mel.

Well after my last pup (now 20mths) next time......I'm asking for THE quietest pup in the litter!

Natures Creatures looks as tho she is closing down her website, but you can click on her ebay store. There is a lady called Jean, her business name escapes me, but when I remember it I will let u know. She has a home business not sure if it's still running. She used to be into Jack Russells and earthdog/lure coursing. Unfortunately I buy most of my stuff from Amazon, because they seem to be cheapest by far for most things, and quite often have big sales on their dog books. Cheers, Mel.

Yes, it will wear off as the cortisone does. Other side effects include weeing alot and appearing ravenously hungry. Cheers, Mel.

Get a new boyfriend who doesn't abuse dogs. Then find yourself a nice positive trainer, you shouldn't need to punish a 5 month old puppy. Mel.

Sunstop- specially made for doggies. Mel.

Have people Demonstrate one thing they and their dog can do well, go around each individually. Yes it does put the pressure on them, but if they are cruising through the course and not practicing at home then they might just think twice about a few training sessions before next weeks class. You might like to do some web searching on adult learning in general, one big thing I learned at the first Delta intensive was that each of us learn in different ways, just lecturing the class you may only reach 30% of the people, we need to see, hear, and try it ourselves for things to sink in. Tricks are great, as are training games, they lower the stress levels of the humans, and it encourages them to have some fun with their dogs. As tricks aren't part of your 'pass' criteria, there is less pressure on mastering the tricks. It doesn't matter if the dogs learn roll over or shake a paw before the end of their course, it matters that they have thought outside the square in regards to 'getting' behaviours from their dogs. Mel.

Don't crate your dogs together overnight. My Stafford is usually under the doona by that time of the morning, she doesn't start off there, but she does eventually wake up cold, so perhaps think about a rug or jumper for Loki to wear. Mel.

Have you tried covering the crate with a dark sheet/blanket/doona cover? 5 am is when the birds start making noise. Mel.

I use Advantix too, and it usually deters flies as well in the summer.