Alison Ma

Hi there, I recently lost my 1 and a half year old Siberian Husky x Alaskan Malamute to Cryptococcus and wanted to know if any other dog owner has lost their dog to Cryptococcus? She developed a lump on her gum, then lost her eyesight from the bacteria in her gum within not even two weeks. Treatment was not successful and we did not want her to suffer anymore. Please write to me, and let me know your outcome. (allyma74 at gmail.com) Thank you.

NO- your main problem, as I see it is to get BOTH of you some help so you can TRAIN your dog- then you will be able to go for walks/runs/ all sorts of things. An untrained ,confused dog , as you have found out- is not a happy and settled one Your partner may well be stronger and more able to physically hold and control Lola- but all that is doing is making her stronger and more likely to pull Ego has no part in helping educate a dog,or child, for that matter. if someone does NOT understand the way a dog/child behaves/learns/responds to certain stimuli- then that person will gain much from learning with a professional! Good for you in calling the trainer!!! ____________________ Thank you for your advice. Along with Lola, I am confused too. I know we definitely need a trainer, so I am going to call Craig Murray today.

Explain to him that the dog can only listen to one person at a time, and you need him to think about that and step back sometimes so you can work with her too. I know, not easy to say that to his face if he's ego driven - but I think you are going to have to. ______ Yeah, I need to take charge and do what I think is right, because at the end of the day, she is my dog. I am definitely going to call the trainer and ask him to help me out.

______________ My partner has this huge ego-trip when it comes to me telling him how it is with Lola. Last night, Lola was getting confused, because I am the one doing the exercises with her, but my partner is int he background yelling "sit, stay".

_____________ I know. That is exactly what I said to my partner. Stuff him, I am going to call the trainer.

Alison- so , how did you get on with the trainer? ________________ I spoke with my partner when I got home about calling a trainer. He told me to wait until we go to the training course on 28 March. I’m going to call Craig Murray, even though my partner doesn’t want me too. It is like me and my partner aren’t on the same team when it comes to Lola. Once he joined us outside, he was a distraction to Lola. It is very frustrating to me, that once he steps outside with us, her focus is not on me, when it needs to be. We did a lot exercises with her last night. I went outside, and put her harness on, took it off, put it on, took it off again. At the end, she was very calm and was happy for us to do this. We stayed at the front door until her excitement wore off. Once she was calm, I walked out the door first telling her to stay, I could tell in her eyes that she wanted to please me, so she stayed. (its a look like “is this what you want me to do mummy”). We stood on our front veranda, and she got excited, she barks like “why are we stopping” kind of bark. Once her excitement worse off, we walked 5 metres, I continued this exercise for an hour or so. I just took her for a walk up and down our street last night because this is our problem area. She gets distracted when it comes to other dogs barking, I need to have her in a confined area to practice.

_____ Thank you for your advice. She gets moody. Sometimes she is happy to listen, and other times, I tell her to stay, I move 10 metres back, and then she decides to walk to me. So, I do the whole exercise again. Repeat, repeat and repeat. Last night I did some practice with her. I put her harness on, took it off, put it back on and took it off again. Continuous, until it got very boring to her. I then walked her through the house, stopping whenever she pulled. I stood at the front door with her, she got excited, I told her to sit and we stayed there for 5 mins (until her excitement wore off) I opened the front door and I walked out first. She got very excited then and nearly pulled me down my front steps. We stayed there for 5 minutes (until her excitement wore) off. I would do that every 5 or so metres. Our main problem is exercising her. I need to take her for an hour walk every day. Once I have that in place, all will go into place. The Husky Club of NSW is having a day course, which will help guide us in the right direction. We do an hour presentation, and then hour outside with the dogs. I have a number of a trainer that another member of DOL provided me.

I'm pretty sure the trainer who I mentioned would be able to squeeze you in this week. What I was aiming at when I was saying before you trying anymore different tools just wait until you see a trainer otherwise you're wasting your monye on tools that your dog is going to ignore I took Lola for a walk this afternoon, just up and down our street and see seems to get that I don't want her to pull. Whenever she hears dogs barking, she gets distracted and starts to pull. I just stop and turn back. Any kind of excitement, I would walk back to the house.

_____________ Yeah, we tried putting her harness on and taking it off, then putting it back on and taking it back off. To make her feel as if it is boring and just another routine kind of thing. So, that next time we take her on a walk, she won't be so excited. I am attended a course in two weeks, and I will see what that does. Hopefully, they are supportive as they say they are and will help me, my partner and Lola.

I know right. As soon as we put a joggers on, Casey on older dog knows what that means, then going to get their leads.... They are already going nuts. Walking out the front door, down the stairs. More like being pulled out of the house and down the stairs!

________________ I do those things with her now. We play in the backyard when I am at home. I haven't thought of that before. I am going to practice putting the leash on and taking it off. We went away for a week and when it came time to going for a walk, she wasn't excited. She went out for walks all the time when we were away. I have another dog at home too. A 10 year old Dalmatian. She still acts as if she is a puppy when it comes to walking, I am going to do the same with her.

Did you see SaS's post. Everyone would have been looking at you because your dog was behaving like a pork chop, not because you weren't welcome. That's why you go to training - to get help getting past it. However, I agree that a private trainer is going to get you a lot further than group classes. Yes I saw that. I am going to call him after work and see if he can help me out.

Hi Alison, the important thing is to want to fix it but at the moment it's the blind leading the blind. Judging by what you've said above Lola doesn't understand that a check means don't pull. She thinks the check means sit, so she sits then you walk off and she pulls again, you check and she sits and so on. She thinks she's doing what you want her to do. I've been training dogs since I was a child and it is something you have to learn, it's not difficult but it's one of those things where you need someone to show you not just how but when. A trainer or and obedience club will help you. Don't be embarrassed we all have to learn, no one is born knowing these things. Good luck! _____________ Well, that makes sense! When I pull her to the side, she sits. So, she isn't understanding that we want her to stop pulling. Definitely going to stop that then.

and she pulls so much because neither you, or Lola have been trained in how to walk correctly using a check collar .(or anything else) Alison- you have the canine equivalent of a V8 towtruck on the end of the lead! Would you just hop in a vehicle like that and go? NO. You would be shown, step by step, how to start off slowly, how to apply the brakes at the right time, so you don't skid, or crash.. all those things. Now, dogs are WAY more complicated, cos they make their own decisions- and react instinctively to so many things we are not aware of!! Unfortunately, the more training collars, etc you try, and the more they do not work, the longer it may take to get the two of you working together You will both be in the grip of bad habits. So- as you are embarrassed in public- and want it fixed ASAP- so you can enjoy your beautiful girl - private training now would be a grand thing to do _______________ Yeah, I completely understand what you are saying. I just don't know what to do in the meantime. I want to walk my dog, but I don't want her to be walking me. I don't know what to use, harness, halti or what? I want to take my dog to the park and have a run around, I don't want her to be stuck in the yard while we wait for a trainer to come. Get what I am saying?

_____________ I sure am going to walk her everyday. I don't want her to be sad and depressed, or bored at home. I live near Parramatta. Do you know of any around my area? I attended a training lesson at a school in Bankstown, and everyone looked at me like I wasn't welcome because of how she was acting.

I hope you mean a check chain rather than a choke chain....a check chain becomes a chock chain when you put it on incorrectly and it can't release. A check chain wouldn't have worked for you because you haven't trained the dog how to walk on one because you probably haven't be taught how to use one. You gotta ditch the normal harness. Just because one tool works for someone with a similar breed doesn't mean it will work for yours and then as I said previously a tool isn't going to work unles it's fitted correctly and you have been shown how to use it properly. ________________ I never intentionally choke her, its because she pulls so much she ends up vomiting. I'm going to try a martingale collar, see how Lola goes with that. Thank you :-) How about letting a trainer help you find a suitable tool and show you how to use it? ________________ But what will I do in the meantime, keep using my harness?

_______________________ It is just a normal harness. The harness seems to work the best. We tried the choker and the poor thing ended up vomiting. The halti was a huge failure. So, you recommend a no pull harness? It just gets very frustrating. I went to a pet store on the weekend, and I didn't see anything about a "no pull harness". I spoke with another owner of a husky/malamute and she told me that the halti works great. It is very disappointing when you can't take your dog on a walk when she mucks up. I own and exhibit arctic breeds and although I don't have Mal's or Sibes I have had a lot to do with them and no one I know uses a harness be it no pull or otherwise. Flat collars, martingales and check chains have been the most common. With the chain have you actually been shown how to use this? The most common problem people have is not the tools but not being aware of how they work. EDT, a martingal is similar to a check chain but softer. Ok, so she knows the basic, what do you do when she jumps or pulls? _________________- With a choker, I sit it just below her ears. When she jumps, I say no, and she will sit down and bark like "lets keep walking" kind of bark. When she pulls, if we pull her back to us or to our side, she sits as well. She knows that she shouldn't but she keeps doing it.

______________ Yeah, I understand the whole advice for free thing, but I felt like he didn't have a clue what I was going wrong. Oh well! I am really looking forward to going home and walking Lola!

That is so true!! Also- with choosing a trainer- don't use anyone whose methods make you uncomfortable, or who appears to hurt the dog. Choose someone experienced, and who discusses everything with you Also....try and stay away from Fanchise places like Bark Busters and Dog Tech unless you have heard wonderful testimonels first hand. ________________ I went to Bark in the Park in Sydney on Saturday. That Dog Tech had a stand there. I spoke with a man named John and I told him about our problem. He wouldn't give me advice, he kept saying that he would send someone over to my house. I said to him "You're not even giving me advice, so why would I pay for your services". He didn't have a clue about what I was talking about. I see their advertisements at the RSPCA.

I hope you mean a check chain rather than a choke chain....a check chain becomes a chock chain when you put it on incorrectly and it can't release. A check chain wouldn't have worked for you because you haven't trained the dog how to walk on one because you probably haven't be taught how to use one. You gotta ditch the normal harness. Just because one tool works for someone with a similar breed doesn't mean it will work for yours and then as I said previously a tool isn't going to work unles it's fitted correctly and you have been shown how to use it properly. ________________ I never intentionally choke her, its because she pulls so much she ends up vomiting. I'm going to try a martingale collar, see how Lola goes with that. Thank you :-)

Great post! I know what you mean Alison I was really embarrassed when I took my & my ex-partner's bull terrier to training for the first time, not only was he incredibly naughty and embarrassing but lots of people shunned us because he has the 'look' of an aggressive breed So I know that awful, isolating shame but I am SO SO SO glad I continued, Atlas became the most beautifully behaved, polite boy after a few months of training! Don't give up! Even though Atlas is living with his daddy since we split, I will NEVER regret all the work I put into making him behave and being a better leader, I got easily as much if not more out of it than he did. I use a martingale collar on my Spitz breed (Finnish Lapphund) and it is great for her, doesn't damage her coat and gives really good, soft control when needed. Definitely walk her more, like the others said even if you split it up morning/night then that's awesome. You will find a change in her behaviour really quickly because she'll be more tired/relaxed both mentally and physically. You sound like you have a fantastic attitude and welcome to the forums, it is sometimes hard to hear 'tough love' advice but you have taken it on board with grace and I am so very glad to hear that you are willing to put the work in because it'll be so worth it! Best of luck! ________________ Thank you! I'm going to try this martingale collar. I have seen it in pet stores before but didn't know how that worked. Google seems to be my best friend at the moment. hahaha.

And good on you for being prepared to step and say it. There is no need to be embarrassed about having a dog with a few control issues. If you are committed to doing something about them, my guess is that you'll be feeling a lot better about walking her quite quickly. Perhaps a private trainer can help you on the road. Its you and Lola that need to work on this if you are going to be the one walking her. A trainer can also meet Lola and recommend and fit any harness or collar. You'll get much better advice than from a pet shop. Few petshop staff know the first thing about dogs or dog training. ________________ Yeah, I am going to call a trainer and see what he can do. Also, she is a real picky eater. I gave her lamb the other day, and she turned her nose up at it. Do you know why? Or do you put that down to not exercising her enough?

__________ It starts on 28 March. I think it may be a one day thing, but if that's the case, I will get a trainer. Its not fair on Lola. She is missing out on so much. I feel so slack.

taking her out less and less only compounds the problem as you are finding out. The less she goes out and learns, the more her excitement increases, the more your frustration increases and it's a vicious circle. You NEED to take her to obedience or call a trainer in. Dog like this end up at pounds every day because they're 'difficult, untrainable, etc'. I train at a dog school as well as train privately, and I see people embaressed by their dogs but I tell them DONT BE! You shouldnt be embaressed if you have a dog that you are trying to help , in fact you should be congratulated. And we dont have whispering, staring etc it's not allowed and frankly it doesnt make a happy environment. You purchased a high energy, intelligent, active breed and you need to cater to its breed requirements. Also what works for one dog does not necessarily work for the other especially when it comes to cross breeds. There is not one piece of equipment that is breed specific, they are individual dog specific. If your dog was vomiting on a check chain then you were simply choking it. It is NOT meant to choke the dog. Practice in the backyard if you have to, let the dog on a loose lead and you simply pop in a quick motion, not draaaaaaaaaag the dog. If the dog shoots ahead or pully you simply pop the lead to give a correction and call the dog back to you, reward for compliance. _____________ Thank you. I would never give up Lola. I completely acknowledge that I am the problem and that the lack of training and patience, has not got me or Lola anywhere positive. I am going to really focus on getting Lola up to scratch. I am going to seek training and I am not going to be embarrassed anymore. She is my responsibility.

______________ I love that idea! She has been on a treadmill before but, it wouldn't hurt me to get out for a walk.