Lollipup

Thank you fuzzy82 that is really very helpful :)

Just went to her seminar at Camp Tailwaggers, it was awesome :)

I met this trainer at a seminar. She has something like 20yrs experience and was very helpful to me.

Thank you. I remember one of them a while back. I searched for more before posting but couldn't find them. I thought I would put it in general to get views from both trainers and attendees.

If you run or attend dog training classes, how are they run and what do you like/dislike about the way they are run? For example: How many dogs are in a class? How many different skill levels are there? What time of the day are they run? How many trainers are on staff? Can you keep going or are there a set number of lessons? Where are they held? ie sports grounds, schools, clubs, council grounds? I currently run a 6 week course but many people want to stay on, which is great except I need to limit numbers and they are all at different skill levels. I want to restructure it for the new year and bring in any improvements I can to make classes better for both the students and my needs. So I am looking for all kinds of ideas. I know this is something that lots of trainers struggle with. A few I have asked that run their own classes have said when you find the perfect structure, let me know! I am the only trainer and my husband assists me by helping setting up, looking out for anyone who is stuck, filling water bowls, etc. So class size has to stay at a manageable size for one trainer and one assistant. Looking forward to hearing all different suggestions :)

Yay! Sharyn will definitely put them to good use! I was just coming in here to recommend her :)

I have to say, I can understand why some say that its unethical. I didn't agree with rehoming the blind great dane puppy, especially if he wasn't going to a home who was experienced with special needs dogs. He is going to be a huge dog who can't see where he is going. I think decision needs to be made with the emotion taken out of the equation.

A client recently asked me to help her rehome an 8 week old blind great dane puppy. She ended up finding it a home locally. I can put you in touch with the person who now owns the dog if you like, obviously the size difference would make a difference. This pup was born blind.

From when I have been there, they have padlocked gates. That would be enough to deter me I suppose. I guess if you really want to get in somewhere you find a way. I wish they could afford to put an inspector on locally. We have no local RSPCA inspector that can investigate cruelty complaints on other properties. Unless its changed very recently and I didn't know about it. I know about 18 months ago I complained about some neglected animals and was told they don't have a local inspector.

This one at the moment reckons she is in touch with a member of parliament to push for compulsory desexing, so its that kind of thing that worries me.

I hope so, then it means these people are really wasting their time!

I am getting really sick of online petitions for every. little. thing. I am on several dog realated FB pages and this is where I am seeing them a lot. They are posted by animal activists who I'm sure have the best intentions. But they sweep people in who sign without being fully educated on the issue. Some common ones - Bring in compulsory desexing Ban Pet Shops Ban Puppy Farms Ban Prong/shock/choke Collars So whether or not you agree with the proposals, do you think these petitions carry much weight? I think we need more education and a tidy-up of existing laws that currently aren't enforced, rather than adding in more laws. But it does worry me whether these petitions have much likelihood of causing new laws. For example, compulsory desexing, I would like to have the choice on that one so I worry that it will become a law. There is one girl trying to start up some more petitions at the moment. She calls herself an animal activist. She says she will not stop until laws are brought in to protect animals (banning byb's, puppy farms, and compulsory desexing) and that she is meeting with a member for parliament. Of course I don't support puppy farms or BYBs but how will they discriminate? Would you be worried about people like this and their proposals?

This thread is freaking me out. We are going away in 3 weeks for 10 days and have arranged for a friend to house sit and look after the dogs. She is very responsible but not really a dog person either. But I don't really feel comfortable leaving them in a kennel either.

I was going to suggest Kikopup too. She is great :) Chihuahua's can be trained just like any other dog. As long as the owners treat them like any other dog :)

I agree. As long as you understand what socialisation is and how to do it then you can do it on your own. Lots of people think that socialisation only means exposure to other dogs though. In my puppy classes we talk about how to socialise safely with a range of things, teach puppies to focus on the handler amongst distraction and only have short controlled play sessions between 2 pups at a time on leash, and only for those who want to. We don't force pups to intereact and take it slow and carefully for any shy pups. We don't push products like some vet schools do, and we learn how to start training obedience as well.

I've heard Urban is good. You could also try VIP at Ormeau. Have heard good things about them as well.

I think it can be hard to find a good one but if you do, worth it :) I'd try and get one run by a qualified trainer. Sorry I'm not too familiar with any in your area.

Good question. I want to know too.

Was just thinking about this thread and the manager of the RSPCA walked into my work at my other job this morning. So I asked her about it. The children are well known to them. They were banned because they were always going in and trying to let animals out. She said they had cruel intentions and were not trying to save the animals. They have shown cruel behaviour in the past. The parents are known drug users and apparently do not care where their children are. They have another son in prison.

While I think parents have an influence, they can't take all the blame. My sister and I are complete opposites even though we were raised the same way, same parents, same environment. She has always been the problem child and still is these days as an adult.

This ch7 video shows some CTV footage. It says they are under 10 years old. I'm sure I read somewhere that said they were aged 10 and 7 but I can't find it now. http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/watch/4705133c_435a_3320_920f_c922054e38e1/more-tourism-promotion-funding-labor/ http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2012/09/24/animals-in-shock-after-pet-rampage-avoca-rspca/

So appalling!

I live in the area. I think it was earlier this year someone also broke into the pound to bust the animals out. They are just endangering them more!

I know a friend who drives one for work. He likes it. He is a builder though.

I don't have a problem with it as they can be such good company for them. But I do think there needs to be arrangements in place for what will happen to the dog in the event of the owner no longer being able to care for it before it is brought home. A couple of examples that I thought weren't appropriate - My in laws got a puppy from a friend's accidental litter with unknown father and gifted it to my OH's grandparents without any discussion. They are in their 80's and travel a lot. The dog is a terrier type and is a menace. Really too much for them and has serious issues, very aggressive to other dogs and rude. They love it now but I think it has been more of a hindrance to them. I met a lady in her 80's who bought to golden retriever puppies only a few months apart. She said she bought them young because she wanted to die before her dogs this time and not have to go through losing them. The dogs are out of control and run the house. She can't walk them and the house smells horrible. I guess both those situations are a case of choosing the wrong dog more than anything.