sidoney

Thanks for the name, Lablover. I had a quick read of a couple of items after Googling including this interview. I noticed a reference on that page to Marc Bekoff - recently I attended a public lecture of his, in Hobart, and had a conversation with him on the following day - I was attending a conference, the main focus of which was human-animal relations. It was a very stimulating conference. As far as why people have dogs goes, I was just having a discussion about this today (in part). I think there are a number of reasons why people have dogs and a number of things that they want to get out of it. I think that it's likely that they fall into some patterns of ideas, clusters of ideas and practice if you like, that include why have a dog, what they do with it, the care (or not) they take of it, and so on. I know why I have them - for companionship, I consider them a part of the family, I consider them as creatures with needs beyond the physical, I try to understand them, I try to help them to understand me. That's a part of it. As to why people have dogs who just chuck them out the back and ignore them thereafter, apart from feeding them (usually not healthily), I don't know that. I hope to learn more over the next couple of years as these sorts of questions are relevant to my doctoral research topic.

I think there is also a "don't want to hurt the feelings" factor, at least there was for me the other day when I unexpectedly met up with one of my ex fosters and her owner. She looks great and happy but is a bit porky, not badly porky, but overweight. Too heavy for dog sports IMO (he doesn't do any). I didn't think it was the place for me to be critical of the way he was caring for her, especially since it had been some time since I'd seen either of them. Mind you, when I was instructing agility, I did mention dog weight - that is more of an environment where you would. Perhaps vets might be letting it go if it's borderline porky.

I had a rescue foster that would not play with a toy if it was near me - too worried, very submissive, very timid. I got a tuggy on a long line and had that move around in front of her, which stimulated her chase instinct and was less overwhelming as the toy was away from me. She got braver and braver about toys and ended up tugging anything at any proximity, running after balls, etc. (oh and was a natural at lure coursing). She also lost most of her timidity. This was for a dog that did have a high desire to chase moving objects (but never had a chance to use it, or was too timid to use it).

I've also had dogs that did not eat fresh fish, but when on beach walks would enjoy rolling in and then eating stinky dead washed up fish.

I've had dogs that would eat raw fish and those that would not. Ditto cats.

I had a correctly fitted one come off - serves me right, I'd taken the leash off and not removed the collar, and the dog went into a bit of bush. An intensive search found the collar so I ended up OK, but never did that again.

I'm not sure whether people actually realise that their dogs are overweight. Dog obesity is a big problem and a growing one. Re vertebrae - sometimes you can see a few on the top of my Vizslas' spines. I keep them lean but covered (a bit like how I wish I was). It can depend on how they are standing.

I have used snail pellets occasionally but only in small spaces UNDER a heavy object - snails congregate in those sorts of places anyway. I worry though about what might happen if the dog has a go at a dead snail. I've not used the snail pellets for some time. Usually I pick them up by hand and throw them onto the roof. I figure if it can get down from there it deserves to live. Particularly in the summer.

Ah - smacks head. I read "jump" and immediately made a connection with agility. I've not trialed in obedience for some time - long before CCD arrived.

My dogs have learned that they need to sit still for collars and leads to go on. If they sit still, collar goes towards (and eventually on) neck. Ditto lead. If they wiggle, gear goes further away. Taught separately initially. Now they all come close to me (I don't like having to reach out) and sit and wait for the gear to go on. Trying hard not to wiggle. It's a part of the more general "you get what you want by sitting" connection.

I know someone who trials a teeny weeny Papillon - much smaller than most Paps I've seen. The different lowest jump heights for the different codes make an impact on what trials she attends. Seesaws are also an issue. Some of them have the balance set up so that the seesaw lowers very slowly (increasing course times) or she's even had it not go down at all. If he's overweight, even if he's small, he needs to have the weight off, particularly since the littlest dogs always seem to jump much higher relative to their own height. You don't want to go stressing his joints. Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Thats interesting - never knew that. When I got picked up for it in class one day I just presumed that was why Depends on the agility code you are running. Some will fault missing the up contact. Non adjustable A frames stuffed up my Vizslas' 2o2o. Was going really well on training equipment and then the shock of going suddenly to full height saw them slow down a lot. And didn't give them a chance to learn to manage their centre of balance. Can you make something for home? Maybe not full length but something that you can work with the angles on? Even just a coming down would help. Recent Clean Run has an article or 2 on teaching running contacts. Not read it so don't know efficacy of method.

Oooo, good luck for everyone!

My kelpie girl went through a stage of doing what she pleased - I felt that she would do things for me only if she thought there was something in it for her. We persisted with training and leadership, and got through it - now I have a more close relationship with her than I've had with a dog for many years.

Re item 2. IMO that is too simplistic. My "happy" dogs have a range of behaviours, from asleep to calm to active to excited. And to be an effective owner, I need to be able to say to them, now be calm, now be excited. To manage their emotional states. If they were "calm" all the time, they would miss out on many experiences that they enjoy. And also not be as effective in performance, e.g. for high intensity work, low intensity "calmness" is not going to provide the same level of work. Granted that the paragraph is second hand, written by someone else, so the intended meaning may be getting lost in the multiple interpretations (hers and then mine).

That video is good, I saw it a while back. One thing to remember while watching it is that it's very narrow in range of view - "tunnel vision" - dogs (and we) in real life have more peripheral vision than that.

Dunno if it's the focus that is the question, or the position.

There is a reasonable amount written about the effects of a continually high head carriage in horses on the spine and muscles along the back. The handler/obstacle focus balance is definitely an issue in agility. The dog needs to be mindful of the handler and the handler's instructions but to be focused also on the line it is taking and the obstacles in that line. I have also seen dogs with too much handler focus in sheep-herding situations.

I would think it would develop the back and neck muscles in an uneven way.

If you are going to leave it out, have some things to put under the ends that contact with the ground, as they will pick up the ground moisture and swell, even if you do cover it.

Ya know Muttly, cream does go SOOO nicely with black.

LOLOL of course I do ... but the one I have has to be a bit older first!

The last pic made me laugh - she has that "I'm ready" look.

She has filled out beautifully.

Awww those lovely big floppy Kelpie ears!