Leema

Okay, so I tried to make a video... I tried. Please be nice, I'm not a pro at this.

I am currently doing / almost finished the NDTF course. I wouldn't recommend it for many of the same reasons discussed. It's almost all what I learnt at dog training classes 11 years ago, and I feel like I have developed better methods since then (including through online learning).

I select puppies for my puppy buyers. I see the puppies everyday, all day, for 8 weeks, and no puppy buyer can really compare with the time I spend with them. I recently had a rescue litter of puppies that were all much the same in temperament and personality. I let these puppy buyers choose (because I didn't think any puppy was better or worse - all the same!). They chose on very basic things - one wanted a boy, one chose the one that fell asleep on their lap. I let it happen because the pups were all much the same :laugh: , but it was interesting seeing what swayed these buyers... And it was superficial things. I will let experienced dog people choose their puppy, but I will often narrow it down. Funnily enough, in my one 'big litter' (6 puppies), with 5 of them being homed in Adelaide, almost all the puppy buyers said they felt a particular 'connection' to the puppy I picked for them.

Thank-you! Got some books to look at.

Thanks for the responses so far. :) Really like Dunbar's free books.

What would be your top picks for books for novice owners or families? This include puppy books and books about dogs and children.

Got some new photos and added to his profile. http://www.petrescue.com.au/listings/233368

Cosmolo, yes to the right home... He is not an 'easy' dog and I'd have to be a special home that I'd be willing to send him interstate sight unseen. While I don't like any of the local obedience dog clubs and won't be becoming a member anytime soon, he has regularly come with me to tracking training to socialise with other dogs. Unfortunately, it's only a winter sport, so he hasn't been out for a few weeks to the tracking club, but just walks around the neighbourhood. He is much improved, but he is always going to be the type of dog that approaches life (especially other dogs) with enthusiasm. He walks nicely on lead but has 'relapses' where he has to lunge (particularly at flying birds) - which is why there's the disclaimer about needing a strong handler. I weigh about 60kg, and I can easily walk him, on a harness, so he's certainly not as bad as he could be - but that doesn't mean he doesn't need a strong handler for 'relapses'. Here's a video of his nice walking. Alkhe, thanks for your offer of video editing. I am going to get more pictures of him tomorrow, so I'm going to hold off making a video until I get some more pics. I got some cute video of him playing with an 8 week old puppy today, though, so that'll have to feature. :)

Reminds me of Dr Phil. :) He says, "When you say 'but' you're basically saying 'forget everything I just said'." :laugh:

Thanks Ams. :) Will look at rewriting his profile with some of those phrases/expressions.

Anne, Bandit has had a handful of enquiries (mostly from GumTree) in his time in care, but none of them have eventuated in meets. Two of these enquiries were inappropriate (I wouldn't of permitted an adoption so just steered the party to other dogs). There's been about two or so that I was happy to arrange a meet, but the other party never committed to a meet. One said they'd 'call the next day' but didn't. The other I drove 400km to a meet, for the other party not to show up. So then drove 400km back home again.

Did you see the list of things I've done in post #32 showing how I'm taking the advice here on board?

The profile said that Bandit was 'obnoxious with other dogs'. Someone on Facebook said that that the word 'obnoxious' was off putting, so I changed it to 'boisterous'. Now on here people are saying 'you said boisterous too much'. On here, someone suggested, 'why don't you list him as a breed as crossbreed is off putting?', then in the next post, 'the term kelpie x is offputting'. I know everyone is just putting in their 2 cents, but I feel like I just can't win. I'm always doing something wrong by someone, and I must be constantly making the wrong choices because he is still in care. I actually find it very rude that you are suggesting that I 'do some training with him', as though he's been left to sit and rot in my backyard. I have done a lot of training with him, and he is 100 times better than when he came into care. I don't know if you watched the video, but you can clearly see that I've done 'some training'. When this dog arrived, he drooled and paced in the car the whole ride home. When I first met him, he jumped at me with such force that he left huge bleeding welts down both of my arms. I couldn't walk him within 100m of a dog without him losing his shit. He has come a long way. He goes to sleep in the car after about 10 minutes of window-watching. I can't remember the last time he left a mark on me jumping up - nor the last time he jumped up at me. I can now run him with my own dogs, and his critical distance is now only a few metres. Yes, but obviously, I need to 'do some training'.

*Listed him on a bunch of buy/sell/swap sites. *Contacted Mina from Big Dog Rescue again. *Changed his listing name to 'Bandi''. *Organised for new photos to be taken on Saturday, where the photographer will be bringing a bunch of props. *Redid his PetRescue profile to include a brief bio in the middle. (Still same content, but a brief summary appears need the start.) : http://www.petrescue.com.au/listings/233368 *Made up a flyer that I'll distribute soon. *Changed his breed listing to kelpie x mastiff (what he was surrendered as). I am investigating making a video, but I don't really have the experience in making videos, nor much interest, nor much patience for the job. And I'd have to get a lot more photos/videos. Basically, it's a time intensive process.

I rotate the first picture on PetRescue on a weekly basis, hoping that one of them 'will make you look further'. What is 'something funny' that I can dress him up in? I have never had a dog who had their name surrendered get renamed on adoption. Any dog that I have chosen a name for/changed the name of has been renamed (except for 3 :p). I have never had a comment that my adoption profiles were 'too long', but I am willing to accept that criticism. Should I make a more dot pointed list like: Children: Yes Cats: No Poultry: No Other Dogs: Yes ?? To me these profiles seem impersonal, especially for a dog with so much personality like Bandi'. But obviously I'm doing something wrong.

Thanks Cosmolo. ... And we think he actually looks prettier in his pictures than he does IRL. :laugh:

I am not going to be able to call him a new name after 6 months of calling him 'Bandit'/'Bandi''. For a long time, his profile read, "Hi, my name is Bandit, but the only thing I'm guilty of stealing is hearts". I've changed it as I have changed everything else on his profile/pictures/etc numerous times in the hope of getting the right person to look at him. Not only has Bandit been in care for 6 months, but he has had no meets in those 6 months, which is all the worse.

Bandit was surrendered into care with the name 'Bandit'. However, we mostly call him 'Bandi'', so I'll change it on his PetRescue profile. He knows and responds to Bandit/Bandi'.

Thanks - I have listed Bandit on both of those pages now. It was in June that I messaged/email Mina with details for Bandit. As far as I can see, she did nothing with them - a shame as there is 10,000 likers of BDR on Facebook. I could do with some of those views.

Mina said she'd list him but never did (unless I missed it). Can you link me some good buy-sell-swaps on Facebook? I'm on some but feel like I'm not that savvy. :/

Courtesy listing where? He is on Bull Breeds in Need on Facebook. 'Adelaide All Breed Dog Rescue' and 'Paws and Claws' have both listed him on Facebook for me.

I have had a dog in care for 6 months. I want him gone. Any suggestions? I have tried: -Listed him on PetRescue with nice photos, videos and nice bio http://www.petrescue.com.au/listings/233368 -Listed him on Gumtree http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/happy-valley/dogs-puppies/bandit-lovable-big-crossbreed-looking-for-a-home-of-his-own/1029768565 -Listed him on Perfect Pet Finder and another classified site -Advertised him in the popular local paper for 4 days (a Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday) -Taken more pictures of him with children to try to 'soften his appearance' -Made a little graphic for Facebook and had is shared far and wide (including amongst friends and on other rescue groups pages, and on gym pages) -Promoted said little graphic on Facebook where it got shared a bit further - end total is 8000+ people seeing his little ad -Rotated his main picture every week on PetRescue, just in case people are flicking past the last picture for some reason -Taken him for walks wearing an 'Adopt Me' harness I am just about to promote him on Facebook again, but I'm wondering if there's a better way to spend my money.

How do/can you assess the temperament of a potential stud dog that is not owned by you?

Where is dog located?

You might find some good resources here: http://leemakennels.com/blog/links-of-interest/resources-for-new-puppy-owners/ :)