sidoney

I find a lot of people aren't interested in training the way I train. They don't have the same goals. They don't want to put the same work into it. Don't have much fun doing that. I like training people who want to learn.

Ah why not look forward to it? It's good to have a target. :D

Oh that is good news, that it's not a problem.

Who needs memory when you have detailed note taking!! So says someone with a shocking memory. :D 3. Desensitise. PS. I can be such a show off.

There was an improvement in behaviour, reduction in lunging, etc. Of both the fear aggressive and the highly reactive dogs. Both dogs better with Steve than with their owners - they have a long history of lunging with and being able to drag their owners, but there was improvement with their owners too and I can see that if the owners persist that it will continue to improve. The detailed description of the desensitisation programme will come in useful for them. I will use it too, as my girl is a bit reactive. Gosh, what an eventful morning you have had. Good to hear that you achieved what you wanted to. I achieved what I wanted to as well. Bought a martingale collar and had a nice loose leash walk with my Kelpie, including past a lunging Min Schnautzer - although there was some hackling on my dog's part. I need to get her out more and see more dogs - as I mentioned above. Argh about the signage and speed camera ... oh well. It's been many years since I had a fine, suppose it had to come to an end some time. I was just so full of thought that I was driving on autopilot.

I looked up how to get a dog to vomit on the web after one of my dogs ate half a chocolate cake. That was something I could get the ingredients for easily. I remember reading somewhere not to give ipecac. The HP worked fine.

I use those rolls as rewards when training. When I was instructing I'd take it along and had very few dogs refuse them, even the fussy ones. And they are better for the dog than cheese or cabanossi. Especially when giving a lot of rewards. Never had an adverse reaction.

How long ago? I don't know how harmful it might be, but I'd be getting her to vomit ASAP. I've induced vomiting with hydrogen pyroxide, available from a chemist.

I went along to this workshop not sure what I would experience, as discussions I had seen were based on "drives", and drive theories (originating mainly from psychodynamic theory) are a quite small and decreasing influence in psychology. And training is massively to do with psychology. However from Steve's posts I could see that he was a knowledgeable and effective trainer and so I went along interested to see what I would learn. What I learned was, I think, very valuable. Behavioural training (and behavioural psychology) regards the brain as a "black box". It works only on behaviour. While it is very useful, what lies outside the paradigm are cognition and emotions, and these areas are tremendously important. Part of what Steve described to us, I think, is a useful working theory of the part of emotion in canine learning. He has an approach that influences emotional states in the dog in a way that maximises training effectiveness and dog effort. As behavioural theories leave out emotion, they cannot directly address this aspect of training. What Steve described fit in well with the theories I am currently working with of emotion. Emotion is a theoretical area that has been rapidly developing over the last 3 or so decades. Note that this is POST behaviourism - which was the dominant approach for some time but is no longer. Before I go any further I'll describe a simple model of a current and dominant theory of emotion. Situation -> appraisal -> feeling or affect -> action The whole of this is the emotion. Emotions involve behaviour. Very simply, some emotions we like to have and try to have them more, while some emotions we don't like and try to avoid them. The situation, the way the situation is appraised, and the associated action, are all subject to influence (say, by the trainer). How would this model work for dogs? Situation: let's say, a park full of dogs. Appraisal: different dogs would appraise this differently. Dogs that like to play would appraise it as a situation in which play is available and may become excited. Dogs that have been attacked would appraise the situation as dangerous. Let's develop the second one further. Note that appraisal doesn't have to be reflected on; it can be or become automatic. The feeling would be the feelings associated with "fear" (although "fear" as an emotion is the whole construct). So, perhaps heart beating, shivering, fast breathing, a feeling of discomfort. Action can be expressive action, that communicates the feeling state. For example, raised hackles, ears flat, closed mouth with tight lips. The instrumental action would be whatever makes this dog feel more comfortable: perhaps running away, perhaps attacking, perhaps standing still. Note that the feeling of greater relative comfort would be the "reinforcement", in behavioural terms. The way this emotional model would be applied to a human would be much more complex as there would be greater social influence and cognitive activity. Also, there are differences in dogs and humans in other aspects, for instance, I don't get excited or aroused at the thought of chasing and catching an object, while in many dogs this is a very strong instinct. Overall dogs have more instincts than humans. There are also commonalities. Fear and anxiety are emotions that could be described as similar in a number of ways in humans and dogs. For this description, a simple one at this stage, let's run with the dog model. I won't try to apply this directly to the theoretical part of what we learned at the workshop; I'll let people make their own connections. I believe that there are connections. So let's take the fear-aggressive dog as an example. This is a dog that appraises a situation as dangerous, feels an uncomfortable feeling, and attacks and relieves the feeling. Steve described a number of ways that one can address this. Modifying the situation, modifying how the dog behaves, and desensitising. You can see how plainly this accords with this model of emotions. Modifying the situation: well that's an obvious link. Modifying how the dog behaves: that is modifying the action part of the behaviour. One is still likely to see the expressive action but may change the instrumental action from one of lunging to one of standing still, or walking quietly with the trainer. Desensitising: that is modifying the appraisal part of the emotion. By a process of taking the dog into situations where it can reappraise the sitation as less dangerous or not dangerous, one can modify the "feeling" part (and the associated action as the uncomfortable "fear" feelings are not occurring). This is only a simple overview of how I see what I learned about dog training as fitting into current psychological theory. Obviously it can be expanded more than this (and I've been thinking about more than this but I can only type so much). All night and all morning it has been running around in my head and I needed to put it down so I can think about something else!! LOL!! And I'd also like to say thanks to Steve for giving me a way to access something that is absent from behavioural theories of training. And to Monika for organising it. I'll be wanting to increase my knowledge in this area. BTW, I was so engrossed in thinking on the way home yesterday that I don't recall whether there was a lack of speed signage between the turn onto the main road and the speed camera, or whether it is there and I just was so focused on my thoughts that I didn't see it. I noticed a flash of light and realised I'd been pinged. If there was a lack of signage I'll contest it. If it was just me not seeing, I'll wear it. Is there signage or not?

Either side. But I do have to overcome several years of obedience training, and make sure I do the right side.

I never give unbroken eggs. Didn't want to teach them to nick eggs out of the nest. 'Course I don't have chooks now.

Roundabouts and maps? Gads, too many roundabouts and I get stonkered. Canberra gets me confused.

None of my dogs have issues with halters. They learned to associate it with good things. I used to put one on them while I was teaching them to walk the way I wanted them to.

I used to use one of these with my sheep. Never tried it with a dog!

I'm getting one of these but for barking: most specifically, crate and tether barking. I wouldn't work my dog in one. I read a review that said their dog still could bite. Any kind of muzzle is going to give an impression of something. I'd be going the wire or basket kind of muzzle. And maybe working/training with people who understand, until the behavioural issues are sufficiently addressed.

Doesn't sound silly. Sounds like stress. Vizslas are such gentle creatures and they don't do well with dominant handling such as you were recommended to do. Not your fault. I'd be doing relationship building stuff with him. Clicker training is good for this. Breeders would rather know if their babies and their families need help. His breeders are very experienced and I'm sure would be happy to help you. I sent you a PM. Did you get it?

Did you mention to the vet the growling? Or was that after you took him to the vet? Does anyone else pick him up in the way that you do? I ask only as I want to absolutely rule out physical causes. Sometimes they can get bored of a kind of treat (esp. if a low grade treat), but for a dog that usually loves its food, a very likely reason for refusing a reward may be stress. What kind of treat does he refuse? What is happening at the time? Vizslas can be prone to stress - I know!!!

Best part of the roo (tenderest) is the back fillet. But the dawgs don't mind the tough bits.

Have you actually had him to a good vet and ruled out anything physical? Whereabout in Sydney are you located? (approximately)

WOW! That is fantastic! reckon I'll be cheering for the VIZSLAS!!!!

The Hungarian Vizsla Club of NSW has a website at www.vizsla.org.au. There are contact details for Vizsla people on it. One of the club's functions is to help out Vizsla owners with problems. Oh and there are some great social events too. If you contact the club they will be able to point you in the right direction. Also, I'd advise joining, if you are not already a member. Lots of benefits for Vizsla owners.

What is a shearing shed dog? I understand that Xia should be an "all rounder" which I like the idea of (can't see myself having time for more than a bit of a go and like the idea of having a bit of a go at a lot of things); not sure what a shearing shed dog is? Is that a yard type dog?

I understand some of these terms but not all. I think I can basically understand distance. What is natural break? What does a dog do when it has heading ability? And what is the footwork that one is looking for? (and do any of these have anything to do with "square flanks"?) Is there a "herding terminology for dummies" site anywhere? I think I know what driving is now but still don't know what cross-driving is (unless it's me in a traffic jam). BTW Kavik your description of Zoe staring at the cat and poking at it with a paw is EXACTLY what happens here. Sometimes Xia gets swiped when said cat has had enough. Oh and Xia is used to being lain on, hugged, etc. by a 4yo child. Connor says, "Xia is my favourite".

They do leave them. It wasn't that long ago that I saw a wombat on the road - not been there long, as I'd gone the opposite direction previously. When I checked it, it was a male and very dead - but it could easily have been alive and in pain.

As the liver is the body's filter, it tends to accumulate things like hydatid cysts. Liver flukes also live in the liver. If you check the liver for lumps and bumps and there are none, and it's that dark red brown colour, you should be right. You can also cut into the liver to check the large veins that are in the liver for parasites. In my experiences with rabbits, I can't honestly think of any occasion where we found a parasite ridden rabbit. Insides of animals can be interesting to look at. Sometimes you might find rabbit foetuses in the uterus, strung out like peas in a pod, that is interesting for those who find these things interesting. Most rabbit diseases such as myxo don't transfer into other animals (it's some parasites you need to watch for); allegedly they are safe to eat even with myxo. I woudn't do it though. I went on a school excursion to the Snowy Mtns many years ago and there were many rabbits dying of myxo - horrid. Didn't do much to the population though. Some years later I regularly drove between Adaminably and Tumut and it was, truly, impossible to do the drive without hitting at least one rabbit.