betsy

KTB - sorry to hear that. Hope you have lots of support, I'm sure Elbie and Hoover help too

Flyball sounds like fun! My club does it but I was looking at starting maybe next year. Which is one of the reasons to pursue crate training... I notice you're in Vic - Maybe we will be competing in flyball one day! Max looks like a very handsome boy. :D

After much debate I decided to brave the river! After making a small child cry (who takes a toddler to a designated off lead dog area???) And putting dirty muddy paw prints over a nearly white lab... It was time to go home. I will be frantically monitoring for any signs or symptoms of snake bite for the next 96hours...... But we've had a small win. I have a confession. I wasn't convinced in the early days re crate training. So we didn't do it. Then I was seduced by the Top-Buy online soft crate sale (as I suspect many were), so have a soft crate. Over the last week I have been using it to give treats in, and perhaps zippering up for at the most 5 min (with the dog inside, not me!). Twice today Ziggy has taken himself off to the crate for a snooze . YAY

KumaAkita that is a great bit of advice for waiting for puppy owners. I wish I had done that, but maybe if I had I wouldn't have found the DOL forum as I was googling 'how to settle a new puppy at night' after 2 sleepless nights with a crying puppy......(And throwing my smelly socks/clothes into bed with him) Well I left Ziggy out last night, only to regret it a 5.40am when he decided it was time to wake up and have a noisy game of Rattling the Pot Down the Side of the House (next to bedroom) Whilst Barking Really Loudly Because its So Much Fun

Hi All Thanks for all the nice comments on my cat. I feel like she is sooo neglected now I have the dog cuz they don't really get along. She doesn't had any dog-sense and Ziggy just gets all revved up and want to chase her. Hence a baby-gate in the hall way designating the house into the 'cat-zone' and the 'dog-zone'. KTB, Wuffles, KA - loved the vid of all the kids playing - they seem to get along really well. Hoover seems like such a chilled out doggie. Love his beautiful markings Clastic - Your BCs look like they have such a great time playing together, I love their tri colourings! I cannot wait to get another dog but I must say at the moment with full time work and its just me, I think it would be hard to fit in the training etc. Ravenau1. All I can say re puppy toys is that I can't remember exactly which ones were faves for the dog, but I love the treat ball things just for those times you have to confine them inside... (Oh and the half chewed coir back door mat was a big hit ) Not much happening in this house. Ziggy is outside chewing on a massive bone that is about 2 weeks old. He's been out their for hours and I suspect he'll be sleeping outside tonight! I have the builders coming tomorrow to put a roof on the patio/deck area so we will be confined to the house or outside the house. If the weather's nice we might go to the beach. I have been reading all the horror snake stories on DOL and I'm now too afraid to go to the river. :D

Gee, imagine trying to secure him in the back yard :rofl:

Maybe we could all pitch in to buy KTB a shovel to fix those holes! I have been busy at work so haven't checked out the other thread you are referring too, except a quick glance... For the record, my dog is now on Nutro Puppy. He possibly would eat anything so can't make it a recommendation for those fussy eaters. But his poo is firmer on that than it was on Advance... KA, love the pics of Kuma on the couch. I love the fact dogs try to be sly but once they are caught out they tend to stop! My dog just tried to bring one of his roo tails (dried, disgusting things) inside as the door was open. He thought he was 'sneaking in' but as soon as I saw him and told him off he turned 180 and walked back out the door. He knows! I'm not sure who was mentioning clicker training cats, but I can't believe you would even try! I have one very spoilt Burmese here and she would not be impressed at all if I tried that one on! The only other mildly interesting thing that has happened is that I took Ziggy out for a walk yesterday after work. There were some dogs playing off lead and I approached the owners and asked if it would be ok to let my dog off (Given my DOL education...). They were fine, but explained the BC may get cranky. I also explained it was possible my dog may try to hump (thought I would be up-front about his habit!). Lo and behold he did try to hump the BC and was told off by the BC. He then behaved very appropriately and backed off and was very cautious and well behaved with the other dogs! It turns out the lady with the BC is a flyball instructor at the obedience club I go to, so we have already tentatively booked him in for next year! I am hoping from that interaction that 1. she doesn't think I'm a totally irresponsible dog owner, 2. Ziggy's "habit" perhaps is a bit curbed and 3. We can do flyball next year! my "princess"

Who needs a lawnmower when you have a HOOVER!

Great thread, aren't puppies cute Here's some of my dog Ziggy....(Australian Shepherd) First day (8 weeks) 10 weeks 3 months 6months And now, 8months What a great bunch of dogs we have. It's been nice to share their puppyhood on DOL

:rofl:

Okay, okay. Some more photos so I can remain in the thread..... Took these tonight in between poo patrol and being eaten alive by mosquitoes Standard shot Close up On the poor man's grooming bench The next socceroo recruit (holes made in cover of ball make it much easier to carry round for zoomies )

Hi All I think the reason I like lurking in this thread is that it makes my dog sound normal hyperactive at training jumps on people to greet them variable behaviour at obedience and home (must be lured into obedience class with constant supply of food from left hand, and short tight lead in other hand, to stop him lunging and pulling towards every dog and person we have to walk past) humps other dogs when a bit excited! I am just so ever hopeful that with a bit of age he will calm down a bit and all the training and hard work will pay off! It is nice though to have this little corner of DOL for a bit of a reality check! BTW, Hoover sure is a cutie. Looks like Elbie is being charmed by his puppy ways!

lilli_star - I hope Ruby settles soon. Its very hard work cleaning up and toiletting them with the runs! I'm going to attempt to post some photobucket photos (for wuffles). I'm not sure whether it will work... Ziggy on the first day home (8 weeks, so sweet, how naive I was I thought that was his true temperament and he was going to be one of those gentle souls..) Ziggy about 10 weeks With his favourite (outside) zoomie toy With his favourite (inside) toy (for now) - Tough turtle Oh, we often have trouble with obedience class too. Ziggy gets very hyperactive and is very food motivated (read distracted/obsessed). We managed to pass (i'm sure on attendance rate more than anything). The last class was a games and pizza night. I was unprepared, most people left their dogs in cars/crates for the pizza at the end. As we were going up to accept our 'pass' certificate, I had quick work to steer Ziggy's tongue away from the plate of lemon slice that someone had so kindly brought......Pretty sure it was left untouched after that

Did anyone else notice wuffles has colour co-ordinated dogs and the mat?

Congrats on the new arrival Hope Elbie learns to love him Looks like he might overtake him in size pretty soon.... I only have one exuberant adolescent dog, and would love to get another one day, but I think I will have to wait until mine is a bit older. I had a brief taste of two young'uns the other weekend when I picked up a puppy wandering on he road. She was a beautiful 4mo black lab. Gorgeous. Anyway, after she had a big sleep in the laundry (fell asleep within 5 seconds in my dog's second bed), I needed to take her outside for toilet time. I tied my boy up but she went over to him and started playing bitey-face and jumping all over him. I relented and let him off and they played for a bit in the backyard (under very close supervision). It was so cute! Thankfully tracked down her owners, but for the brief time I had two dogs it was a handful! Hope you have a back-up camera battery. Am expecting lots of photos!

Lurking.......and laughing really hard at the poo story!

Last weekend I found a wandering puppy. Took her home as owners nowhere to be seen. Collar but no name/number. (Sunday as well so pound/vets not open!) After a couple of hours I went to put some posters up in the area I found her. The owners already had some 'missing' posters up. I was able to reunite her within about 15minutes to her very grateful owners. AND they left flowers and a thankyou note on my doorstep a couple of days later (plus I got some puppy cuddles, and my dog thought it was great!) So YES, it can sometimes be worth it and I would always hope someone would pick up my dog if he got out.

It is unfortunate that there are not that many pet friendly places in Oz I have travelled overseas recently (New York, France and Canada) and the majority of the accomm I stayed in allowed pets with a small surcharge. These were places that had been booked without this in mind, and ranged from basic to luxurious. I felt envious when in France guest where wandering around with their lovely dogs by their sides! Wish it was more acceptable here.

Cute video He has such a shiny coat!

I used them for a while. Only put them out at night (in laundry) and put newspaper over the top. It was really only as a backup overnight.

My boy's first act of theft was a banana on the bench, now he's moved on to peanut butter on toast....

Hi, I'm a newbie dog owner, but can relate. I have a similar issue with my dog (he's about 6 months). We have been going to obedience for the past 4 weeks. He is quite nervy there, instructor has commented on it. I think it is the large number of other dogs around. We did do puppy preschool, but a very different set-up. What I have found though over the past 4 weeks.. He is getting better each week. We try to arrive a bit earlier so less dogs to walk past, but he is improving at that (he loves other dogs, and would like to say hello to all of them) We have to take a mat for the dog to sit on, and I notice he finds security by having this. I try to sit in a 'corner' so he feels a bit safer. There is definite improvement on what he is able to do with the distraction level of the other dogs, and he is getting less reactive to the dogs in his class. I take this as a positive sign. He also appears to have quite good focus on me during class, this also seems to be getting better as each week gets on. I also like doing things with him quietly whilst the other dogs are having their turn. We often do a bit of nose targeting whilst he is lying down. Or a bit of a slow neck/ ear massage. I also spoke to my breeder (who does training) and we are going to catch up soon. I find it is helpful to touch base about these things! So, in general, although obedience class requires a bit of preparation and concentration, I am noticing improvements.. Hope this helps a bit.

I vote Gigi Although maybe shouldn't suggest that because if I ever get a girl Aussie I might want the name... She is very cute!

I have my dog sleeping in the laundry. Initially I used to get up once during the night to let him out to toilet, and left newspaper/puppy pad down for accidents. It didn't take very long until he was going all night without needing to toilet (about 3 months), even though I still left the paper down. He now usually goes to bed around 9.30-10pm and I get up 6.15-6.45. He toilets just before I put him to bed. He is now a bit over 5 months and completely toilet trained. I'm not sure though if different sized/breed dogs would have more difficulty hanging on overnight as puppies.

My dog gets excited when he sees BC (he's an aussie, the only other aussies he's seen are family...). Plus he has a husky play mate whom he has a bit of a bromance with. He likes to play rough!