RPMgirl

Hi Lucy's Mama - (this is going to get confusing now). Lucy is my dog - she's a yellow Lab. The motel I was recommending is just past Ipswich - called the Country Pet Motel. The Zammits (owners) also breed labradors. Abbey (owned by the Zammits) is my Lucy's mother. Whew - that was confusing. Hope you are having a better day :D

I have used Country Pet Motel on numerous occasions and can thoroughly recommend it...the people who own/run it are lovely, the place is clean and nice, and no charging through the nose for "extras". I agree, the dogs also get hydrobathed before they leave which is a nice touch. Lucy's mother, Abby comes from their kennels.

There's the Moggill Pet Motel in the Western Suburbs. They are also breeders of Beagles and have owned and operated for nearly 30 years. Also the Country Pet Motel in Glamorganvale, past Ipswich - very nice family and well cared for dogs and only 17.00/day.

I'd tell the truth and if need be remunerate the neighbour for the cost of the rat.

Thanks for this suggestion, I'll see if I can find it :D

HI Miss Monaro, Thanks so much I'm in Brisbane - I am glad to know I am not alone. Do you breed Labs - I love your avatar photo

so question here- I'm a dog novice who has a female Lab (who is desexed and very submissive) but wanting to get a Rescue dog - perhaps a Husky - would it be preferable to get male or female and should the two dogs meet before the rescue comes home>

Thanks for the input everyone. She's back to being her normal Labrador self I haven't had the experience of any of my dogs ever being frightened by storms so it was a new experience. Many thanks.

I did take her for a walk and she saw a few of her doggy friends - tail wagging and much happier - the tail goes between the legs as soon as we get home. I wonder if she's associating the back yard with "bad things". I also called the trainer who has been helping me and she suggested to just keep on doing as I'd been doing. Thanks for the walk suggestion. It did help!

Yes, I dried her, warmed her up and popped her into her Hound House. Where she is, the neighbours can't see her but I might take her for a little walk and see how she goes. I did call the vet and they suggested to just go about normal routine to help her calm down.

Hi everyone, I don't post a lot but I'm the proud owner of a seven month old puppy, Lucy. She's a yellow Labrador. She's usually full of joyous puppy behaviour, but something's happened today that I need help with. She had her usual morning walk and was very happy - then I had to take my kids to school. Whilst I was at the school a very noisy storm struck and there was an enormous clap of thunder. When I got home she was saturated, drooling and shivering. My initial thoughts were that she's got a fright from the storm - she's an outside dog but has a kennel on our deck which is enclosed on three sides. She's been mopey and tail between her legs all day and keeps shivering on and off. She'll accept a liver treat but wouldn't touch her daily bone. I'm wondering now if there's the possibility she may have been bitten by something but I thought if that was the case she'd be frothing at the mouth (she isn't) and not eating or drinking. How do you deal with a dog that's been scared. I've just tried to bustle around the house as usual and keep our routine normal but I hate seeing her like this. Cheers.

Oh my goodness Aussie Lover, I am feeling your pain. Lucy got desexed on Tuesday - I've got five more days until the stitches come out and the poor girl is beside herself not being able to run around. We were told no walks, nothing. She's tried racing round the backyard and unfortunately developed seroma from her incision. She's now on antibiotics but these next five days will be a test.

Can't believe it is that time. Lucy goes in tomorrow

Thanks Bub. At the moment 4 hours absolute max and overnight. But she'll be outside in a fully fenced back yard in a few weeks and she'll only be in at night.

Yipes CW-EW - sleep well Well I've fed her, toileted her (1 and 2 and it is now 6.45pm - will go back at 9.45 pm and check her and take her to toilet and give a food reward if compliant. I have a plan - thanks so much DOLiners!

Something I have tried is the "shush" command. I have Lucy in the laundry (as you know!) and my bedroom is next door. I leave the door open so I can hear her and she can hear me and when she's barking/whining, I have stood behind the closed door and said "shush" until she's quietened. I waited 5 seconds and then food rewarded her, stretched it out to 10, then 20 then 30, and usually she's settled herself after 20 seconds and I leave. But I've still gotta get the toilet training down!

Aussielover, your little MIndy sounds like she's going great guns - and your experiences have been most helpful - thanks a million!

Thanks Bub, this really does encourage me - big time. A few questions - without wanting to sound super dense - what is clicker training? I've seen it mentioned but wasn't really sure what it was. I've put a lead on her and let her wander around with it to get used to it. I'm going to try the Triangle training that is listed in the Obedience section - I have a fabric adjustable collar with a ring for the lead on it - when "back tie" is mentioned, what does that mean - that the pup is tied fairly firmly with the lead and ring at the back of the head. Sorry for the inane questions - I'm pretty green at this, but keen to learn! Thanks!

Hi Aussielover, I was hoping not to have to do crate training, more because of the expense of the crate than anything else. Saxon, I think I'll just get up and offer a food reward if she will do her business. Often we get up and she sits on the driveway staring into space! Thanks for the suggestion!

Hi Saxon Pup, Someone actually suggested securing it with tent pegs, so that it doesn't move. I've just bought it and a clamshell and some sand - when I'm at home I won't have her in the enclosure, just if I go out. Currently she's in the laundry but I'm not having much toilet training luck as yet - but I do realize it's early days and my expectations of her may be too high.. But I don't want her, as Persephone said, to think that toileting there is the right thing either. We had two solid accidents last night and just wondered whether I should get up every four hours or so and check if she needs to go out. It's getting my hubby (who is not as patient as I ) really really cranky and last night I thought he was actually going to hit her - which I don't think teaches them anything, particularly after the fact. I am really all ears as to any thoughts. I want to do the right thing by the dog, my hubby, my garden and myself I know that once she's through this puppy phase we are going to have a beautiful natured girl on our hands. Thanks!

Thank you for your beacon of hope Black Magic - am going shopping for the enclosure and the clam shell now. How did you train her to stay off the garden? Just hide the treats under the sand? Thanks so much!

Persephone, anywhere you'd suggest going to find a decent puppy pen? I had a look at a few pet stores and local produce and they all seemed pretty flimsy (I was having visions of Lucy running the pen around the back yard) - but if you've got any suggestions I'm all ears - I'm in Brissy if that helps any. Yes, every thing is away and out of reach. Thanks so much, Liz N

Hi guys, yes, just wondering if a temporary fence may do the trick. I, honestly have to laugh at myself for even thinking that there was compatibility in the first place I will definitely post some pics of Lucy - will have to resize them I can see and Aussie lover, I've headed over to the Lab forum - after all I think you'd all be the experts. This is only Day Four, but she's just been so loving and so eager to please. I hadn't realized about toilet training (always having had outside dogs as a child), but she's coming along there slowly but surely as well. And when we picked her up from the breeder, she came toddling across and sat in front of me and put her front paw on my knee - and melted my heart on the spot. Thanks Liz N

Hello all, I am now the proud owner of a nine week old Labrador puppy, Lucy. I've got all sorts of questions about training and what's best for the pup if I have to go to work. My current situation is that 2 days out of 5 I have to go to work which is a 5-6 hour round trip. Apart from that, I'm home most of the day, except for an hour here or there. In a couple of months I may have to work full time hours, but 2 days a week. I have been reading lots about training and manners on the site and I'm really keen to put in the work so I have a well mannered Lab at the end of it. I don't have any training experience but have booked her into Puppy Preschool in two week's time. Based on what I've read here I've been able to get her to "come", "sit", and she has been learning "stay" today as well as "shush" (she is going to be in our laundry when we go out and she has been whining when we lock her up. I've been putting her in with her toys, and giving her a reward when she has "shushed" for 5 seconds, then 10 seconds, then 30, 45 sec etc. She seems to be responding beautifully so far. Now here's my dilemma - we've just landscaped our place with a beautiful new garden and I'm worried that if I leave her unattended outside (which is the plan eventually, so she can roam around) that she'll dig up our garden and generally be destructive. How can I train her to know that the garden is off limits?. Is this an impossible ask? Or is it "silly me" to think that would be even possible (like who gets a new Lab when they've just planted a garden, right? ) I won't be crating her during the day, but is five hours too long to leave her in the laundry (it's a pretty big one though) to go to work? Thanks for any suggestions. Liz N When she's old enough, she'll be getting twice daily walks about 30-45 minutes each and play time with the kids.

What a fantastic pic of your poodle and burmese. I had a Burmese cat in my youth but my hubby hates cats. I wish I could have a cat as well However, am just sticking with the one lab puppy for now. I'm going to wait (as you suggested) for another dog a bit later on. Cheers Liz )