Max#1

I just want to defend the flyball training. Rather than being hardcore on his joints or anything like that - the training that we're doing so far is specifically aimed at puppies. Like I said, the emphasis is on socialization (or is running and playing with other puppies of the same age too much?) and recall (I'm sorry, but if my dog will come to me despite other dogs being nearby/barking/running - well I'll be pretty happy to that). I think of it as an extension to obedience at the moment - because we're only in puppies and so far it hasn't been much of a challenge unfortunately. We're looking forward to beginners though. Good grief, that you tube video is a bit scary - though I don't know if the water dribbling out of that hose would put any dog off! We do live on a fairly busy street, and since he's been a puppy I've made sure to expose him to the sounds and sights of the road so that it doesn't become an issue. For example, before he was fully vaccinated, I would go out onto the driveway, walk up and down, and give treats and do training. Our puppy pre-school emphasized this sort of thing - they actually gave us a checklist of sights and sounds for the puppy to experience during those early crucial weeks! This thing with the car lunging has only started since I've been trying to keep him confined with his stitches. Today I tried a few different things - playing gentle (!!!!!) ball with him before we started walking and doing some trick training. This produced excellent results - he only gave one woof as we walked out the gate and didn't do it again. Then every time a car went past and he looked but didn't respond I'd reward him a lot. ETA - so I did feel a bit silly walking along holding the ironing spray bottle! Nehkbet - I appreciate your advice. I can imagine its really rewarding working with dogs (particularly borders) and making a difference to their behaviour problems. Question: are you implying that by doing flyball (even though we haven't actually touched a ball as yet), or even playing ball for that matter, and thereby encouraging the prey drive, I'm encouraging his instinct whereas I should be trying to squash it? To be honest I didn't think that was possible.

Oh oh. My turn now..... And Ava sure is one gorgeous dog!

Clearly. Or just ignored. You don't punish bad behaviour remember?

Ah I think I see a point of confusion. I don't think people are putting down a bowl full of food - then using that same food to do training - ie from the bowl. There's also certain things that I don't touch when the dog is eating - ie chicken necks/carcasses/lamb 'flaps'. I'm even careful not to look him in the eye then. I don't know why, I just got a feeling he didn't like being watched!

Looks like everyone is over at the other thread. Who's going to say something first?

Hear Hear! I also try to do my best, with a good serve of common sense, and I know its not always perfect and often far from ideal.

We only specifically went and bought Max a dinner bowl when we were told he was going to need one for puppy school! Needless to say, he was a natural.... ;)

I just had to go back and have a look. I edited, because I'm thinking about seven things at once in three different conversations! I really wanted to know how big the kibble was! That person with the hand-feeding.... makes me feel a 'little bit cross' that people are so quick to judge that noone has as much common sense as them. It kind of defeats the purpose of having a 'puppy problems' thing if you're just going to get criticism for asking something. I always post there with trepidation. I nearly died when I read that someone had said 'there you go again, cross bred dogs and us pure bred owners pick up the pieces' - or something to that effect. High horse anyone?

I'm also curious about hand feeding. We had a mini-poodle growing up who was sooooo fussy. She turned her nose at basically everything, and seemed to be able to survive on air and water. We never hand-fed her because that encouraged her to eat - and then she wouldn't eat from her bowl. Max, on the other hand, gets hand fed while working for his dinner. I'm conscious that as a working-breed type dog, he needs to feel that he's been working to be happy. I often will play ball with him before meals, because of the way he gets so into it - that's his work. And then working for his food as well, seems to 'work' well for us keeping him stimulated and happy. I do alternate (and sometimes just throw his dinner across the lawn so he has to find it) and will put his food in a bowl and he'll just as happily eat it. If he started not eating it out of a bowl then I might reconsider.

*Sits in the corner and feels a bit left out...* I liked the way in the other part of this thing someone suggested they wanted to tape Hoover's ears? Now why would you do that?!

Might have to give RC a go - though I can't find any pictures of the kibble. From the information on the website I'd go for medium-junior.

Great photos of Hoover! What a clown! I ended up getting my bumbag from the op-shop - indirectly. The lady running the stall at dog obedience also works at an op-shop and sometimes brings stuff to sell. They had 'brand' name bags for $30+, and this one for $2. I gave them five and considered it a bargain! Though it does tend to ride up, pulling my shirt up with it, so that can be awkward..... hehe When my OH is wearing one, well that'll be something else! Yes Max is still lunging, in fact it gets worse as his 'confinement' continues. Though I've been given some good tips now. I will have to try them out! ravenau1 - you must be so excited!!!

How big are the RC biscuits (or kibble) pieces? When I was considering what's best to feed I didn't like how the puppy food was always such small pieces. Like KTB I like to sometimes use meal times as training times and having such small biscuits makes it hard.

Thanks for the tips!

Okay, well that's a relief. We've started flyball training to help him use and enjoy some of the prey drive/herding instinct/ball loving energy. Though obviously no training this week. It is fantastic though - a big emphasis on socialization and distraction-proof recall at this stage - we both enjoy it. Its a bit of a thing to try and avoid though - when walking down the street isn't an option. Is there somehow I can let him know this is a not good behaviour?

Hang on a sec - what do you mean by prey-driven? I've heard of herding instinct...

A normal collar - it has a metal clip the lead goes into. I've never walked him on a harness - and he's had the same collar since a puppy. That's what I'm afraid of. Stitches come out in five days. Thank goodness.

I have a six month old puppy who's recently been desexed (last Friday in fact). On Monday we took him for a walk and on the way home he started lunging at cars that were driving past and barking. On Tuesday same. Today he did it the whole walk, not just on the way home. The car can be coming from either direction, he gets alert, lunges to the end of the lead and has a few woofs. He particularly gets 'excited' by motobikes - or deeply revving engine sounds (can you tell I'm a car person? Not!). First of all, does anyone have any advice for preventing this behaviour? Should I be doing something at that moment? I've tried calling him as a car is coming and trying to hold his attention til it goes past. I've tried waiting til he gets to the end of the lead mid-lunge and giving him a sharp pull back, and at one point I actually picked him up and carried him (all 15.1 kg) the rest of the way home. I'm a bit perplexed. I was wondering if its because our normal routine has changed and he's not getting stimulated enough? Normally we walk to a park, he gets a free run with some well-known dogs, and then we walk home. Now while he's healing he gets no off-lead time at all, and I've slowed down our walk and made it shorter (helped in part by the fact that I have a bit of a sore foot myself). Any advice?

How's Jager going? I hope it all went smoothly! And I understand how you feel I felt exactly the same! Like KTB said, Max had his pockets pinched last Friday. He was a bit more sleepy than usual that day, and the next day was a little quiet - but it didn't take long til he was back to his rambunctious self! Bear in mind what I'm about to say is purely my own experience and any advice given should not be considered expert! Please! What I've been doing during the day is leaving him inside, but in a small room where he can't do too much damage to himself (or the house!) - and where he has a good view of the garden. He's toilet trained so that hasn't been a problem. We've been giving him lots of different things to chew on, especially at the start - whatever you can get your hands on that he might be interested to chew! It works twofold that it keeps them quiet and distracts them from licking. Think kongs, real bones, fake bones, anything and everything! And I smear the 'inside' of different things with vegemite to make them more interesting or hard work! That being said, it hasn't taken long for him to get restless - and as far as keeping him quiet has gone I've been a bit of a failure. I even took him for a short walk on the first day after the operation. I found some moderate activity prevents or helps to reduce really crazy activity. For example, Max has never been one to do zoomies, though now he does. I would rather that he goes for a gentle stroll than zoom around the house hurtling himself over furniture, sliding around the slippery kitchen floor and flying through the backyard like a spring lamb on steroids. He's ball-obsessed. We lasted a few days but then he was begging for it and so I played some gentle ball ie I throw it to his face so he's not scrambling for it. The other thing I've been trying to do is lots of training. Every meal has become a 20-30 min training session. All that being said, we're getting pretty frustrated - him with not getting a good run or being allowed to play with other dogs, and me with trying to keep him somewhat contained! Five days to go!

Did I hear devil dog? Someone want the recipe for a devil dog? (I'll swap for the number for the glue factory....). 1. Take one 6 month old puppy 2. Remove balls 3. Keep quiet for five days (ironically by removing 'balls', amongst other things) 4. Turn your back and at the same time *essential* have stockings drying on a clothes horse 5. Turn around to find said puppy hooning around the house with newly acquired and highly prized stockings - going over the back of couches, over coffee tables, around tight corners, u-turning on the bed, out back door, flying down three steps, zooming around yard..... straight into fence.....! Forget the stitches - they're fine. The poor dogs nose is a bit worse for wear! Betsy - what a beautiful dog! Nicques - I like James's style! Wuffles - don't be so modest! Ravenau - good luck!

It doesn't matter how you feel or what your day has been like - but when you see a body wag like that it just makes you feel good! KTB: I know how you feel knowing Max won't be starting beginners obedience until next Feb (classes stop Dec and Jan) - by which time he'll be 10 months old!!!!!!! While its fine to be teaching them what you can on your own, its not quite the same as doing it officially. We just received our assessment for puppy classes - its things like, 'demonstrate that you understand the principals of loose lead walking'. Note its not actually doing loose lead walking. The only thing on there that will be a challenge is being able to greet someone with Max keeping all four paws on the ground (and not jumping up/throwing himself into the half roll he does at the person's feet). So there's always something to be working on - but when I look at Wuffles and Ava, I think we've got so far to go before we even START doing any of that kind of stuff! (Go Ava!). While obedience can be frustrating, you at least want to feel you're making some kind of progress. Woah. That's a bit of a rant. Sorry!

KTB: what a video. I'm going to have sweet dreams tonight. I don't know why its so mesmerizing to watch them play? You've got the two dogs with the wonkiest ears in the country! Elbie looks very happy! I love Hoover's run to the camera with ears back and the body wag. So sweet. Max is getting fluffier as he gets older. He's getting the collar, and feathering on the back of his rear legs and tail. He also has along his spine longish hair. I hope he doesn't lose it!!! But I doubt he'll get more. He used to have like a shorter undercoat that was oh-so-soft, but that's gone now, perhaps that was his puppy fur?

Max smiles for the camera. ETA: I did adjust brightness on this one...

Nicques - I know. Don't worry, he was on lead the whole time, but would've been off like a shot if he could've been. I'm going to have to start researching. Thanks for the 'handsome' (as opposed to 'pretty') votes (as if I have something to do with his handsome-ness - ha!)! He's still quite little - only 15.1 kg at 6 months..... precisely... hehe. He's a fair bit smaller than the other bc's at flyball who are 8 days older than him, which makes me wonder considering his 'breeding' (crossed with lab). I think you can see the lab in his face though. They have such distinctive faces! Clastic - hope Mars is getting along okay. Max is back to his normal self, which is a bit worrying, in case he hurts himself. But stitches seem to be forgotten (thank goodness, and I hope I don't speak too soon....!).

Was replying and got distracted by the Sophie's choice website..... I love the bc smile! Those poor dogs! Chin up to those suffering the obedience blues. Don't forget to have some fun too....! KTB - have you ever heard of fotobuch? Or photobook? Its a craze sweeping Germany, where you make, well, a photobook. (I haven't looked it up myself). I think you'd be able to make a fantastic album! More photos from everyone! And stories. I love reading about all the dog's antics! Well. My puppy has showed a side of himself today (and yesterday) that's going to be our 'Next Big Challenge'. Someone has decided he's a car chaser. Not on the way to the park, where he usually plays with the other dogs, but on the way home - and I'm hoping its just because at the moment I'm keeping him quiet and he's not allowed off lead. Cross your fingers this isn't going to be bad. I posted this one on another thing, but check out my wally of a puppy: (Having mental images of trying to pose TWO dogs ears for photos....)