Staff'n'Toller

In the meantime you might like to check out the Whole Dog Journal and see if they have anything interesting on it. Here are my search results for obsessive compulsive articles you can buy them separately and if you click on them you can read the intro paragraphs. I have a copy of chill pills somewhere if you want it. If Whole Dog Journal recommends to keep him on a higher carb diet then it might be worth keeping him on EP. Mel.

See there's your problem!! What Staffy wants to get up at 7.30 in the morning??!!

Angel can have a very fulfilling life without having to be around a huge group of other dogs each week. Actually it does sound like this is actually hindering her learning and working relationship with you at this time- not helping it. Explore some other avenues and find what she likes to do. ETA: If you are having trouble with discipline, then a private trainer would probably be more suited to Angel because they can tailor sessions to work on what you want and experiment with different reinforcers in an environment that Angel is comfortable in.

Sounds as though she is possibly quite anxious at training with the behaviours you describe, maybe that is why you aren't getting the best out of her. If I were you I would look at doing something different, my best advice would be to find a clicker tricks/animal actors/fun agility type of course where you can just go do some 'fun' training and there is no pressure on you or her to perform. I find that there are Staffords that you can train and train non-stop and they will perform, Staffords that shut down after a few exercises and Staffords that just plain don't see the point in obedience. Mel.

If Cam Day can't help you I'm sure Gaille Perry can. Mel.

LOL we certainly could use a few left field ideas....that's for sure. :rolleyes: Agree with the big shed idea, you really do need a horse arena, which is why Doveton works- but I find it really hard training on their surface of chaff or whatever it is- great for horses but it wrecks my back! Mel.

Even still - it's a time thing. It's also a grounds thing, I know in my municipality, precedence is given to sporting clubs and we have been fighting for about 2 years for council to give us ONE reserve that we can use for dog activities. Then you need storage...more permits!! Cost of building a shed, then some a**holes come and burn your shed down- bam you've lost all your equipment. If you don't store all your equipment on the grounds you need someone with a 6cyl car to pull a trailer full of equipment, and petrol is of course sky high. If you want to train year round at night- you need floodlighting, then you need to pay more rent if you can even manage to get a grounds with floodlights. Clients want instructors who are very experienced and are trialling their own dogs to great things, if you are already working full-time, teach at an obedience club as well, it just becomes a huge drain, it doesn't matter about the money you are getting paid it's work/life balance. Instructors are always there for an hour before and after classes, you need more than one instructor, you need someone to run a 'desk' situation and do paperwork. Then you'd also need to be forking out to attend workshops with overseas and Oz experts each year- more weekends out of your slightly skewed work/life balance..... Get the drift???

If you were tossing up between harmony and easy walk I would go the harmony...the fit is better and the cotton weave is less slippery. I have fitted a lot of easy walks. Mel.

Debbie Calnon would be an excellent person to see, I have been to a few of her seminars and I know she is very well respected in the industry. She travels to the South East. I have even consulted with her in the past about my youngest dog when he was displaying some fearful behaviours that were worrying me, she was great for bouncing ideas off and for me to check that I was 'covering all bases'. She gives a very thorough report (usually 4 pages+) and has very good follow up procedures. Dr Debbie Calnon - Victoria, Western Australia & Tasmania BSc BVMS MACVSc (Animal Behaviour), Delta Canine Good Citizen Accredited Instructor Behaviour Counselling Service PO Box 130 OAKLEIGH SOUTH VIC 3167 Phone: (03) 9807 2751 Mobile: 0412 178 032 Email: [email protected]

I downloaded the recording from pet talk radio, there was a thread in general with the link to it.

Lynda Bonning and Jim Greenwood are both exotics Vets in Melbourne, you should be able to get onto them here: Canterbury Vet they may offer a phone consult service, or be able to recommend someone in exotics over your way. Have had my Green Tree Frog seen to by Jim and he was very good. Lynda Bonning teaches at TAFE here in Melb and has many ferrets (or she did) and was active in ferret rescue here. Cheers, Mel.

No I never have, I have had a fair bit of correspondence with Gaille Perry @ SABS who says he is good, there was a doler (trainer) on here who worked with him for quite some time doing the behaviour training side of things, she is not here much any more though. I think you can have a phone consult with Kersti or Gaille at SABS though, if that helps more...I think they just have to have a permit to practice in QLD? Mel.

Dr Cam Day - Queensland BVSc BSc MACVSc Cam Day Consulting Adjunct Associate Professor Veterinary Behaviour Consultant PO Box 8406 WOOLLOONGABBA QLD 4102 Fairfield Consulting Rooms 59 Fairfield Road FAIRFIELD QLD 4103 University of Queensland Veterinary Teaching Hospital Therapies Road, ST LUCIA Phone (07) 3255 0022 Fax 07 3846 4625 Email [email protected] Website: www.pethealth.com.au

SABS Mel.

You need to read this- He Just Wants To Say Hi I agree with the other replies, either wait until your older boy has crossed the bridge, or ensure that his routine and access to the house does not change when you get a puppy, and that they have separate areas when there is no supervision so new puppy cannot annoy your existing dog. Dogs always give warnings, but he is acting appropriately to very rude behaviour from other dogs, you may not be seeing the warning body language because it is happening too fast, or he is not expecting to get jumped on! He may also be losing his sight!!!! Pretty hard to give a warning when you can't see it coming!! :D Mel.

Ok, that was my other question, can he do distance work without wanting to run off to other dogs. You need better controlled classes, tailored for your dog, I doubt you will find what you are looking for in a club situation, volunteer run or otherwise. I know where there are some, but you'd need a behaviourist consult first and I'm guessing that a) you have already spent a bit on K9 lessons and b) the information may be conflicting. Unfortunately I don't know any clubs that will allow 'known' dogs that rush other dogs into activity classes :D it's an insurance thing more than anything else. Mel.

I can't help but wonder if you should scrap the obedience side and focus on agility if that's what you want to do? If you choose a club that is agility-only or (since he has advanced level obedience) end up going through the Croydon levels and focus on agility, then you can work your socialisation exercises at a distance that suits your dog. Mel.

What is your goal jaybeece? Mel.

Awesome, cheers. Mel.

Thanks for posting this up, I don't suppose WGAA have an idea of venue yet? Mel.

You'd need to ring and ask them, to be sure. I did have it in the past and was very happy with it, but the conditions and payouts were better then. Mel.

Anyone know where I can get some on the East side of Melbourne? Mel.

Thanks for the 'cups per day' comparisons so far.... I figured since no grain it should be a bit less but it helps to get an idea from others. Mel.

Are you guys feeding the same amount of Orijen : Eaglepack..?? Thx, Mel.

Yes it definitely should be tapered off which I is why I can't stand people who get on here and scare new dog owners because they are scared of the drug themselves. Very short courses of cortisone do little to no harm, the point is to stop the chewing/scratching cycle and let the area heal for a few days which often clears up the problem. Food allergies are generally a reaction all over, more often on the trunk, ears and head. Chewing PAWS ONLY is much more likely to be allergy or irritant based reaction and is rarely food related. Some people need to do more reading from peer reviewed dermatological Vet articles before they try to diagnose on here. Cortavance is a newer and much safer option as it is a topical treatment and does not enter the bloodstream, that said, I wouldn't have issue with using a weeks' worth of macrolone on any of my dogs. Mel. ETA: Keep going with whatever your Vet has prescribed, and mow the clover, you might find that solves the problem.