MonElite

Some dogs have it and some dont. Perhaps yours just doesnt have enought genetically... You can increase it by doing what you are doing (providing you are doing it right) but if she doesnt have it in her genes than perhaps you should look at other training methods. How is she with food?

My Rex is going to be 8 very soon as well and has also aged a lot in recent months. Noticeable arthritism in his feet, less movement etc. I give him 4 fish oil capsules daily, two glucosamine capsules with shark cartlidge and also got MSM powder which is a natural anti inflamatory, (this is instead of giving him the real drugs) I only give it to him when I think he is in some kind of discomfort. perhaps you can add a chiro visit for Spike once in a while, keep him warm and comfy. Massage areas you think can be hurting. Excercises as he likes, non forcefull but if he is lazy than get him mowing gently, dont let him loose the muscle tone. and dont make him fat. Feed him food that is easier to digest.

Id say that along with teaching your dog some comands than yes. But I dont think that becoming a pack leader, calm and assertive is simple. For most people it isnt.

There isnt one Look at the dog and judge what you are doing wrong (if anything) I like to see two ribs on my dogs, others like to see less, others more. If the skin is healthy, coat shining, dog active and happy and at the right weight than you are doing the right thing. I must say tho that Im a believer that the Missing Link is a very good supplement.

Where is it new?????????????? Where I come from kibble and cans are new, we didnt have them 15-20 years ago.... And even if we compare how humas fed the dogs over centuries Id say that kibble is relatively new discovery.

uppss triple post

uppss double post

From what I understand some medication can supress their ability to scent quite significantly. Cant remember which drugs, but is he on any?

My dogs wont eat raw chicken liver and wont eat kidneys either LOL But they would give the rest of their tail for cooked liver, and they like hearts and giblets.

Sorry I better add. Rex has not killed any chickens, but he behaves completly diffferently around them to Divani. He wouldnt hurt them, but loves and opportunity to chase one from time to time.

thanks Janba. That makes perfect sence. So Divani is a gatherer, Rex is definitelly a killer. Almost like human male and females, istn it?

very good

No its not this type of a drop, she never does this with other dogs. Admitedly she did one bow towards the chooks few days ago, but not since, and she seems getting very serious about the whole thing And both of my dobes point all the time, but to me this is explainable given the history of the breed making. My girls in whatever she does is very serious about doing it, when I take her lure coursing she gets fruitloopy, I started teaching her tracking, I ahve trouble holding her just before the start, when she barks she barks. Now this! She is jumping out of her skin each morning when we let the chooks out! Where do I sign up to do the herding instinct test?

I feed my dogs any type of meat I can get. Mostly chicken of course as its easy to get and cheap. Lamb is next, beef and pork. I give them turkey necks as well, but they are large dogs so they can chew through those with no probs. My dogs dont like kangaroo meat much, especailly when I get it from the pet shop, they must not like the preservatives, and will refuse to eat it.

We can take Ivan onto the golf course and see first how he goes with the resident duck over there. If he passes he can than herd my chooks ;) BTW Divani wants to kill the Muskovy duck on the golf course pond, she herds our one :rolleyes:

Not that Im an expert but I would want him to be wanting the ball more, and I would throw the ball between me and another person for a while. Its as if he is interested in it while its moving and when its dead he doesnt care. My Rex is like that if this is any cancellation for you :rolleyes: and I think a bit of leadership issue comes into it.

that my DOBERMANN wants to herd? I have chickens and at first she tried to chase them and I guess kill them. they were in an enclosed area and she never suceeded. I trained her not to hurt them, and they now can be let out with the dogs. Its been a week or so now when we let the chooks out when the dogs are out and each day I notice that Divani displays herding behaviours! I know nothing aobut herding, but I noticed that she does the stalking movements, that when one chicken separates from the group she will go around and bring it back to the group, she does the low head, lowered body posture all the time, but yesterday and today she even did the drop, like a border collie would do :rolleyes: Now this is a Dobe, I never thought this breed had anything with herding........ Opinions welcome.

After all GSD is the most popular breed in Australia, rottie is another VERY popular breed. Where are they? certainly not at the IPO clubs.... Do breeders encourage, ohhh let me word it differently, do breeders inform buyers of such clubs? I somehow doubt it...

In addition to what everyone already said, why not teach them not to go upstairs. Call them to you ask them to heel and walk in the house with them.

Exactly Jeff. Why is that? is it becouse there are no suitable dogs to do the work? is it becouse its very far for people to go to those clubs? is it taht the clubs dont promote that not all 3 disciplines have to be done? I say its a combo, plus Ill add that its not cheap to train at the sch club - when compared to a local obedience club that is. But I would say that if the clubs promoted obedience and tracking a lot more they would get more members. I had send people to the sch club and they said - its all good but I dont want my dog to do the bite work, and became disinterested, as it seems that this is a must.

Great post Nakhbet Not everyone, but yes the majority. How do we change it? Where do they do those demos? Noobody wants to allow the demos, dogsport people a pushing shit up the hill as is. If everyone starts to think that this is the case than nothing will ever be done. Uniting people might get some results, hnaging the head down will not. How many people activelly train at the sch clubs? I dont have the dogs suitable to do all three areas of the sport but why should I not do one or two? Do the clubs only promote the combo packages? If so perhaps they should have a look at their marketing of the sport and promote the areas separatelly. Would be great wouldnt it reddog? But the working people look down at show dogs and the show people look down at the working dogs. Any ideas on how to combine the two? I mean Im all up for it but hitting my head on two walls isnt going to be pleasant....... Has anyone seen this? http://www.gsdinfo.co.uk/News/VA.htm what does the GSDL saying about this?

You can contact Bernadette from Bisart kennels (dobes in Melbourne - just google the website) I think she used to go to the sch club at some stage and done the BH with her bitch (half sister to my Rex ) she will be able to recomend a club for you. what happened?

There is a book Schutzhund obedince training in drive by (of course I forgot the author) I think Sheila Booth and it sugests hoses as the prey item. ayra where are you located? From what I know you can do the ob and the tracking parts in the clubs.

ML - Id tell them to take the dog to the ob club, aproach the instructors and explain the issue. Hopefully at the club there are some freindly non reactive dogs for the pupp to socialise with under an experienced eye of instructors. preferably out of class. On that note - my biggest problem was and is finding suitable partner to train with. Good luck.

and what about future students? are they also invited?