sidoney

Always to come when called. I also start this with the litters I breed as soon as they are able, with a generic come cue, and also with a whistle.

Couple of ideas. Layers of tape (e.g. insulation tape) over the metal part of a box clicker makes it much more quiet. The only time I use an unmuffled box clicker is outdoors at a distance when the noise needs to carry. Click from a distance and throw the treat to the dog. Use a pop top jar lid at first. You need to counter condition the reaction to the noise. Quiet noise and distance will help.

I had an ACD that was kicked in the head as a pup trying to heel a horse ... compound skull fracture (into the sinus), had to be kept quiet, and developed into a ball nut and tug that would never give up. She would also help me move cattle when I lived on a cattle property. No lack of drive ... wish I knew then what I know now about using it for training - this was about 30 years ago.

I had a pet silky rooster and also a litter of puppies. There was no desire in the pups to treat the chook like a prey animal. He liked hanging out with the pups. However unknown to me, one evening he went into the puppies' kennel to roost (had I realised he would not have stayed there). The next morning, all there was of him was two feet. There had been no previous indication of this behaviour. Ended in disaster:

Open jumping has weave poles. But not the others.

No, she means ADAC. NADAC in Vic (affiliated with NADAC USA). There was a code AA that was similar/the same, that was in NSW & ACT but is now ACT only I believe. Different people running them but all similar in style.

When you say "run both my dogs on either side of me on a walkydog", do you mean you have two of them, one for each side of the bike?

I've owned neither but have looked into it. Apparently the springer does not fit all bicycles. The walky dog is adjustable. Looks like the springer has some adjustment too. I have decided on a walky dog and will be getting one as soon as they are available (importer has none, some expected mid march). Either would keep the dog from getting in front of the front wheel. Springer has the spring to absorb shock of lunging dog which it looks like walky dog has not, however none of mine lunge either. Mandy from Callicoma has told me she can take two pulling kelpies (on harnesses) on one walky dog.

For those whose dogs enjoy the home alone toy, did you do anything in particular with it when you hung it up? ... Mine is currently in the puppy yard unused , they had a go at trying to get the cat food out, which I have in there as the pieces are small enough to fall out around the rope, I think I might try turning it so the hole faces down and more food comes out.

Oh no, I just read this, I am so sorry. I just was posting in the long thread about my ACDs and remembering the good times I had with them, and then was checking your website to see your lovely doggies ... then found this. It's so hard to lose one that you love before their time. My thoughts are with you.

Wow four months is just a baby still. Have to agree with the getting someone to see you on site comments.

Did I? LOL! I don't remember that! Well I'm glad it's worked for you!

Cool, I'm happy that something I've said connects with your training problem ... I'll look forward to hearing how you get on.

Xia's Wubba is one of her totally favourite toys. I'd like a little Wubba for the pocket but with longer "legs" - more to grab onto for tug.

I have trained my most recent dog the 1RTO (which is actually two rear feet on) behaviour, as that is a "hind end" behaviour. She understands that the back feet have to make and keep contact. My older two I trained with a nose target and feel that this is a front end behaviour and that the dog does not necessarily understand that the rear end needs to stay on. As she does sometimes keep her rear feet on, you can choose to only reinforce behaviours where the rear feet stay on. If it's the speed swinging her, this may mean that you release her to the target from very close, and only gradually build up the distance, so that you keep up the rate of reinforcement. Allow her to make errors, this helps her to learn, but keep the success rate at about 80%. Did you do stair work? This could help too. Harder to swing off stairs. Is it possible that at some stage you have inadvertently reinforced the hind end coming off? How high is your plank? SG recommends 4" - a bit of height helps distinguish for the dog between "on" and "off". How wide is it? Mine is too narrow ... I need to make one that is 12" wide, as it's too easy for my dogs to come off the side.

Clear criteria, lots of successful repetitions, and proofing in different places/contexts. You have a travel plank?

It would have been more effective to build a properly dog proof barrier in the first place. Now the dog has the idea of destroying barriers.

I have one of these, among other things, and have found that moving it around (always away from the dog) really gets a dog going, gets the desire to chase and catch going. You can really move it fast and excite the dog's interest. It's good for the softer, submissive or timid dog as these dogs may not want to tug close to your body ("it's OK, you can have it" they seem to say), and this gives some distance. I've started a few dogs off playing with this toy, from a timid rescue who developed a very big desire for toys, to puppies. Something like this could be useful - you could make something like this if you wanted to. Although it's not too expensive even with shipping. After learning to enjoy this, I generally move the dog onto a long plaited tug toy as I can create movement with that too. And experiment with others ... the dogs tell me what is their favourite. I have built up a fair old collection of dog toys, esp. tug toys, including sheepskin, rabbit fur, squeaky, and so on. Kong Wubbas are good for squeaking, throwing, tugging.

It's pretty basic to make PVC stuff ...

That is along the lines of something I do to reduce dog toileting on our paved area ... I scatter dry food over it and let them hunt for it. Typically when I am about to go out ... keeps them occupied and not thinking about leaving, with the side effect that the area is seen as a food area. First it's good to get all the smell out though. You may need to use an odour neutraliser not an odour masker.

IMO depends on the dog. Shaula won three novice ob. classes at 12-14 months old. She was just ready! Easy to train, focused. Her sister and her sister's owner were training with us, and Adele (the sister) was not as focused at that age. Xia has become more drivey somewhere around the 2 - 2 1/2 mark.

We use dog mesh and star posts when we make dog barriers.

This is a common misconception. The dog was responding to your tone of voice and body language. They are unable to connect an object with behaviour that has occurred some time before.

This was going to be my suggestion. Modify the environment. Dog mesh is not expensive. While you are not there to supervise, preventing unwanted behaviour. When you are there you could make a training session of redirecting his attention onto acceptable toys. Teach him the difference between acceptable and not acceptable. If he loves to pull at hanging things you might want to consider getting him one of the Aussie Dog Home Alone dog toys and setting it up AWAY from the clothesline!

Here is an additional idea: Go to this dog behaviouralist's page and watch the movie, "Ben Guards the Food Bowl". IMO it will help you.