Lollipup

Thanks for sharing your experience, I my be able to try this. Have you found that herding breeds like to always be that bit out in front even if not pulling? How long does it usually take for the average dog to learn with the technique you shared?

I agree with Persephone, good post! I have found that tools are a bandaid solution and its best to teach the dog what is expected. I am training mine to walk nicely on a flat collar. When we're not training and we're just going for a walk, I use a front attach harness to stop the pulling. If we go for a walk on the flat collar and I let them pull on that, I am undoing all the previous training not to pull on the flat collar.

Oh and I look forward to seeing that video!

Well done getting him over there. I can only imagine how hard it would have been for your mum being apart from Rover for that long and how happy to be united again!

I'm not sure but I would say better to be safe than sorry and call a vet. Could be something more serious or something minor but time counts. Hope he's ok

I know a bull terrier named Indi but she's not as nice as your new pup! I like it and I like Harli too, tough choice! (the people I know who own Indi also have a male amstaff named Coupe, I like both their choice of names)

Good article. The part you quoted is so sad

Here's some on ebay, although overseas http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Herm-Sprenger-Prong-Pinch-Collar-Plastic-Cover-Caps-/260362216370?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3c9ecc23b2

Thanks I will do that. I spoke to the lady that owns the cat that was chased up the tree. She has lived here a long time and isn't in our street but is on the other side of the vacant land, so sort of across the road. She said the little dog has been a nuisance a long time. When it was just that little dog at the start it didnt bother me too much but i realise now that even though she is small she still is a nuisance. All of its the owner's faults of course. I worry that if the little one is impounded again he wont bother getting her out. When she was impounded last time, he asked me if i want her because he wont pay to get her out again! ETA: bad grammar!

I'm finding it frustrating and draining to keep up with these threads. They seem to go round in circles and some people just will never listen

I'm going to make it anonymous and just say these house numbers in this street let their big dogs loose all the time.

Sorry if this is long. I live in a small cul de sac. At the street entrance there are two houses on the opposite side of the road - the rest of the street is all on the other side and only has six more houses. Its a nice quiet street most the time and we like it here. My problem is with the people in the end five houses that our house is a part of. From the start of these five houses to the end we have: House one: New neighbours just moved in with a GSD cross entire male 3yrs old and an old female ACD. They can get out of their yard but a lot of the time they just leave the gate wide open or leave the dogs sitting off leash on the front porch. The dogs then come running out to any dogs passing by. They run over to me when I am walking my dogs. They did this the other day when I was walking Chester. They both had their tails straight upwards and their hairs on end. Luckily I only had Chester and he is very submissive to other dogs and flopped onto his back. The ACD then stood over his neck staring at him and both dogs were stiff standing over the top of him. I calmly backed away with Chester and as soon as he moved to gt up the ACD snapped at him but thats as far as it went and I went back home. The GSD cross wanders to my other neighbours next door to me and stirs up their big dogs through the fence. If the fence wasn't there they would be killing each other. One of the dogs is an American Bull dog cross mastiff and it and the GSD make their mouths bleed from bashing up against the wooded fence fighting. I can chase GSD off but he comes back for more within a minute. Last time I cracked a stockwhip and it stopped them. House Two: They are fine but are friends with house five which takes his dogs there off leash every day. More on that later House three: Us, we keep our dogs in our yard and house. House four: owns the American bulldog cross mastiff and a mastiff cross great dane. They are both entire males aged about one and a half and two years old. Mostly keep them in the yard but lets them out the front off leash when he washes the cars once a week. The american bulldog cross had a long and apparently serious fight with house number five's rottweiler cross a few weeks ago. They also try to fight through the fence. House Five: Owns an entire male rottweiler cross (apparently cross belgian shepherd) and a jack russell cross foxy female who someone gave him. The jack russell cross has wandered the street since we moved in. She sunbakes on the road and barks at anyone new who drives / walks in. She follows us to the beach when we walk our dogs and people think she is ours and I feel responsible for her, but don't have a leash for her - she isnt my dog! (she is the middle dog in my sig photo, followed us down there that day)When I asked her owner about it, he said she is a free spirit, he can't keep her in the yard, the street is hers and no one can tell her what to do, she is a free dog. And also that he doesn't mind who she follows to the beach. He also owns the Rottweiler cross. He walks them without a leash every day. He visits house two every day with his dogs. The rotti cross stops for a dump on our front lawn. Owner doesn't care. Both his dogs chased another neighbour's cat up a tree on Sunday. Owner watched until cat's owner came out. Then he got his rotti away but left the jack russell there barking at the cat and just watched from a distance. The Jack Russell also chases the postman. The postie reported it to Council as he was worried he would fall off his bike. He even recorded it on a video camera. Council came out and gave him a warning. Then he "spoke to" the postie and I don't know what happened but he hinted he told him off. Now the dog still chases postie but no more complaints. The JR has been impounded once when she followed someone to the beach but he got her out and thats the only reason she is registered. He has also told me he dosn't beleive in vets and has never given any medical treatment to his dogs. No vaccs, no wormers, nothing. So i have potentially desease carrying dogs leaving poo on my lawn. He was telling me this when I mentioned Chester having an op for his elbow dysplasia. He thought I shouldn't treat him or confine him but that these things sort themselves out naturally. One day at about 5.30 am when we were getting ready for work, one marked and several unmarked police cars were at his house and then no one was there for nearly two weeks. I was told it was a drug raid but can't say for sure. He is a bit scary though. I have permission to use the vacant land accross the road to do training with my dogs. This is great becauase our backyard isn't suitable. But with all these dogs about all the time now, there are too many distractions. The houses not involved in all this, at the other end of the street, have young kids living there. The young boy is afraid of dogs and squeals when they come close. They have SWFs so I worry one of the DA dogs might go at their dog and them be caught in the middle. I'm going to call council tomorrow and report them. But I'm almost certain they will know its me. They know I love dogs but they must see me get annoyed and got inside when their dogs are all out and I can't train. I also worked for the Council until May this year so they may think I have connections. The guy in house five is who I am worried about. He doesn't seem like someone you would want to cross if you know what I mean. I know I should report them. But should I feel confident in doing so?

Go Charlie! Little super dog

how ridiculous.

I saw the video on the ninemsn news site this morning. Doesn't look like the dog has much rottie in it. It looks a bit like a dog in my street which is a gsd cross unknown from the markets. Could be lots of different breeds in there. What will they want to ban now? I hope the kids recover ok from this.

This is just so awful and sad. I feel for her and her family. These things just should not happen.

What a cutie! I have a Chester too

When I first started getting into training I was leaning toward the "purely positive" mob. I saw pictures of prongs and had the common shocked reaction and couldn't believe people would use them. I was judging purely off looks and others opinions. I then decided to go into the NDTF course with an open mind and was properly educated about prongs and other training tools. I now own one, have used them and have tried it on my own neck. Also tried check chains and e collars. I am so glad I decided to open my mind as it has opened up pathways for me and enabled me to further develop my skills and keep learning. I do not support a ban of any training tool. I support further education. If people are against them then don't use them. I'm sure some tools shouldn't be available to anyone like check chains in supermarkets. But I'm glad for trainers to have access to tools for their tool boxes and I hope it stays that way. There are so many cruel things happening to dogs because of idiots and this is what people should be concentrating on stopping, not trying to stop trainers having access to useful training tools.

Always had a love of all animals and still do. Used to own lots of different types and loved them all and miss them (horses, chooks, snakes, turtles, other reptiles, birds, and did wildlife caring of possums and kangaroo and wallaby joeys). Dogs are my favourite though, they are extra special and the one I couldn't live without.

Interesting... I see the bull breed but they are quite small pups. Vet guesses 8-10 weeks old.

I was thinking staffy x BC? I definately see bull breed there too. Most the other pups had typical BC markings so I guess that's why they think BC. But I have seen BC x staffy that look very similiar.

Me too. They are already getting a couple of enquiries so hopefully its soon!

This happened in my area this week. I am fostering two of the pups. Also if anyone knows of good homes for these pups, they can adopt through Red Collar Rescue Biggenden. Not sure whether I should post in Rescue? http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2011/06/23/six-puppies-dumped-road-bundaberg-rspca/#addcomment ETA: Also interested to know what breeds people think the pups are?

Cute. Matches the music well. The chi stayed up for so long!

We've just been through elbow dysplasia with our border collie. He started limping at about 4/5 months too. He is now 14 months and had his elbow surgery at 12 months after a long time of trying rest and alternative methods. I really hope it is something less serious for you though