Max#1

I'm with you there.

Lilli_star - my Mum is in QLD! Glad to hear they're not mixing things up too much in NSW though. KTB - very interesting to hear about the assessment. I was wondering how different things are between dog schools as we've never encountered 'go to your mat'. We do have sits and stays though that have to last a couple of minutes! And do you mean off-leash heeling? Elbie sounds like he's come so far over the past few months! And besides, there's nothing wrong with having a happy dog! Betsy - mine either!!!!

We will all be awaiting with interest! ETA... and there's p.101....

Wuffles - my sincerest congratulations! Betsy - I also have a dog on speed tonight! I was blaming the humidity? Ha! Lilli_star - my Mum is a teacher, so I can understand with the reports. And in QLD, it sounds like they keep changing things, like the tests that need to be done, the way the reports are written etc etc. A big headache. As far as mowing is concerned... think of the exercise!? That's what I try to do!

And its fat-soluble - along with vitamin A, E and K - so the body can store excess. Unlike the water-soluble vitamins, which need to be consumed regularly.

Regarding the play training - I am just grateful to have a place to share it! I was pretty excited when I saw how it worked so well. Though that it did work so well was probably contributed to by my excitement (a positive feedback loop.... must remember this for LLW)! Speaking of things excitement - as well as a joint birthday party, is there a wedding coming up for someone????? Lilli_star (or was it Niques?) - one of you seems like you're in a constant state of lawn mowing. And I just wanted to say having an OH doesn't solve that! Mine has hayfever like anything, so guess who ends up doing it?! Good luck tonight all for the assessments/spectating!

Kuma - the garden looks great. And you guys are doing that yourself? Well done! But a quarter of house worth?..... So. I have just been practicing play as a reward. It has resulted in a few hand chomps, I can tell you. We've been practicing on lead and off lead. Inside and outside. Some things don't work so good (the tricks), some things work really well (the 'obedience' commands - sit, drop, stay, off, come, etc). Its a concentration thing. So of course here's the video to demonstrate. I tried not to make it too long, as I don't have the patience for the you tube upload, so its more of a snapshot - just sit and drop - we're slowly increasing the amount of time Max can hold it for - with the end result me being able to walk around him without him budging. And of course the video is set in my favourite 'viewing room', the kitchen. I like it. Max likes it. I just need to work on my technique. So for example, I've been working on getting him to drop the rope. I'm not sure how long to play with him before its enough for a reward. And I'll ask our instructor on Sunday what she thinks. This will get me fit I can tell you. Still uploading.... Hmm what else? LLW is improving every day I'm happy to say. As long as I'm consistent......! Wuffles - I'm going to make LLW about walking to my left. And, as I'm told is the final outcome, I'm to only hold the lead in my right hand (which means I hold my right hand quite high, cause otherwise the lead dangles down in an obstructive way). At this point, I think its too confusing to have one walk that's okay for down the street, and one walk that's okay for across the obedience grounds. I've never walked so many circles! Still uploading.... Oh yeah! I saw the thread about the party on the weekend. Have fun guys! And big happy birthdays from us! Okay here it is (and I know my technique is not perfect - its a very useful exercise to video yourself!).

I have been following these threads with interest. And while I'm late to post a reply, I hope it still helps. My experience is of buying pet dogs from pet shops. Why? I thought breeders were only for showdogs. Now, of course, I know better. I also have a scientific background, though not a genetics major, and I stumbled across this on the dogzonline home page (when you click on 'why buy a purebred dog') Hybrid Vigour A lot of the hype with Designer dogs is due to the mistaken belief that they are healthier than the pedigree pure bred dog due to so-called 'Hybrid Vigour'. Hybrid vigour can only occur when both parents are clear from genetic problems. Their breed does not matter. It is the genetic make up of the parents that counts! The only way to be sure is to ask the breeder if they have tested for known problems. This is a point, I think. My experience of purebred dogs so far (now I'm paying attention) seems to indicate there are problems with the genetic variation in some breeds in Australia. Saying that 'hybrid vigour can only occur when both parents are clear from genetic problems' is incorrect. Hybrid vigour is usually only used to describe offspring that have been proven to be superior to its parents. In any case, there will be some genetic benefit from crossing distantly related dogs, but this advantage, I'm assuming, will be vastly outweighed by knowing that the parents are clear of certain inheritable diseases. My point is - another issue to address might be the reputation that purebred dogs are more likely to be 'inbred'. And maybe that sentence on the webpage can be changed? Something like, 'any hybrid vigour seen from crossing two different breeds is outweighed by the advantages of knowing that the parents of your puppy are not carrying known heritable diseases'. Or something like that.

Minxy - if Max walked like that I'd be over the moon! (I could only watch the first few seconds as I am, afterall, erhm erhm, at work.... )

Clastic - I'm with you on the spiders. Oh I just hate them. So much so, I actually encourage a daddy long legs in every room of the house. I strategically make sure there's at least one in every corner - cause they keep the others away!!!!! When we moved out of our rental, I had to clear them all away - fair enough. Two days later I came back to let the carpet cleaners in and there was this massive spider (I have no idea what it was) on the wall. That was proof enough to me. I had to pay the carpet cleaners $20 extra to get rid of it! Flyball training again last night. Again an awesome time! There's something about that training that is exciting enough for Max, that he's just responding so so so well. So. I start incorporate our obedience training into flyball! ha! I'm focusing on sit and drop, and maintaining those despite distractions. This is what we've been told we need for 'basic 1'. (As well as LLW of course...). This morning more LLW to the park. He's really clicked that he needs to be beside me, and volunteered to come back beside me every time I stopped walking (because he was pulling). Yay yay yay!!!!! Now for the next bit. After three to four steps he still goes to the end of his lead!!! I tried the suggestions that KTB put up from the other thread about walking backwards - though the duffa is quite content for us to make our gradual way to the park by going forward and backwards....hmmm.....

That's a nice offer! But maybe I'd be better to see it done. I'm a 'watch and learn' kind of person, rather than a 'read and learn'. This guy with the golden retriever - all his actions were so smooth. The dog would do something, then out of nowhere was a tug toy, then that game was over and the dog was heeling, then it would take off to retrieve a toy... I don't even know where these toys were coming from! He must've had 35 pockets! ETA: and thinking about it, by the time I make videos and put together questions, it could take months - ha!

The problem with rewarding with 'play' is its not as easy as rewarding with food, and I'm just not sure if I'm doing it right. And with changing the reward, does that mean we have to start everything from scratch? Somehow I think I would benefit from some one-on-one training instruction, especially as Max goes through the supposed 'terror' months! I second the call for a Satch-video!

Wuffles - Ava's wigglebum when she's got the plastic bottle almost looks like she's doing the cha cha! Left, right, left, throw head back! And her heeling is lovely. She is in a perfect position - not too close to you (you need to be able to carry a gun, at least this is what the retrievers tell me) - but she's obviously thoroughly enjoying coming along with you! Do you make sure she's hungry before doing training? I think I've been forgetting that - and then wondering why Max isn't super-excited to do what I want for food anymore. At the same time, toys are more exciting. It could also be his age too... nigh on 7 months. I can't believe Ava is almost 1!! KTB: LLW will be conquered! The vow of the LLW'er. I like it.

And from what I've seen, 5.1 seconds is pretty good!

I wouldn't get too worried, although its important to be able to tell the difference between an aggressive growl and a play growl. Puppies can be very vocal when playing!

I concur Paulp! They looked great!

Okay my day has been a total waste. All I've been doing is reading stuff online!!!! But I came across this pearler, that some people might appreciate... http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/hyperdog

No he's been managing the table now in a clean leap for some time. Super dog.... ehrm yes well. Niques - that sounds truly gross. And coming from QLD, I know the types of bugs there are up there to be found in a swimming pool! KTB I exactly know what you mean. I understand thoroughly! And with the fly chasing thing - he must be getting some enjoyment out of it, or it could be an attention-seeking behaviour - but I think diversion is an excellent idea. But being careful not to let him associate 'if I bark and jump and stare at the walls like I'm possessed, she'll give me food or play with me!'. And I'll work on doing that before he gets too worked up. What I'll do, if I see that 'black speck seeking' gleam come into his eye, I give him a job to do - like 'go get your rope (I love that he knows the names of his toys!)'. Cross fingers. The behavourist sounds really excellent and it must be so reassuring to know that you're on the right track! I sometimes will growl at Max if he is doing something I don't like - and I wonder if in some contexts this is creating a confrontation? Not in this context, but an example - on the weekend we went to a friends' house, who have a lab. The two dogs played brilliantly and really enjoyed each other's company, in that happy way only labs can! Though from time to time Max would try to hump this guy (35 kg vs 15 kg, you can imagine). My instinct was to growl at Max and push him off. It only occurred to me after I'd done this a few times that the people might think I'm quite mad! I will pay more attention to this. Oh I fully empathize with all those out there struggling with LLW. I'm afraid we've been a bit lax on this, possibly not noticing or worrying about it because he was smaller - and its only now he's getting stronger that he can really pull you along. Also the fact that he would always do it brilliantly at obedience class, I thought I might be able to get away with it. But no. Sunday at obedience class he wouldn't LLW to save his life. He lunged, he pulled, he rolled over onto his back, he barked, and then lunged some more. 'Don't let him pull' my helpful obedience instructor pointed out.... Our walk this morning was less than 1 km, but took so so so so long. I experimented with luring him back beside me, or turning and walking in the other direction. It didn't take long for it to click that he needs to be beside me for forward motion to begin. It hasn't yet clicked that he needs to STAY beside me for forward motion to continue. I'm experimenting with a choker chain. This is quite effective, but I don't use it all the time. Well I've just succumbed and put the aircon on. Anything over 30 degrees is just not on.

Ah some very sad stories -but for those sad moments, there were years of love and happiness. I try to remember that, though sometimes you wish you could have just one *more* cuddle.... I came across a very sad story the other day... http://www.petshaven.com.au/?p=1258 Its a tear jerker - so much suffering. I'm so grateful for being able to give the dogs I have had a good life - it may not be perfect - but its still a good life, with lots of love, attention and fun. I don't know what else to say...! Those sheep herding photos are great. The dogs look so good in action. I love watching agility and watching the really fast dogs weave around the polls (KTB (or Mr. KTB) - my obedience instructor told me not to use the command 'weave' for that between the leg thing as that's what's used for weaving in agility (mind you, she could've also said great work... hmm.. anyhow...)). Its a really pointless exercise - but fun! Maybe in combination with something, like if they go between your legs and touch your fingers, then it could be used as like a directing thing? Speaking of directing. A friend from the park is starting to teach his brittany left and right. I remember you had an interest in this KTB. For him though, its more about retrieving, and involves him just putting his left or right arm out to direct the dog left or right. Retrieving as a sport sounds fascinating, as its using the dog's instinct, but under such fine fine control. Poor Max isn't coping well with the warmer weather we've been having lately. I just took him for a little walk to practice LLW, and now he's heavy breathing on the kitchen floor. Poor guy. (I'm home sick - I have a sinus infection and my face feels like its going to implode!). In terms of new 'bad habits', he's also got one. Fly chasing. Any flying insect that comes into our house. Its one of those things that's kind of funny, but needs 'fixing'... sighs.... He barks and barks (that high-pitched bark that goes straight through your brain like a knife), runs around the house, over furniture, up the walls, and leaps in the air snapping at them. He doesn't eat them, just crunches them. So far we've tried ignoring him, to no avail. Its his 'work', in lieu of sheep, I get the impression. Yesterday he started doing it at the park, much to the bemusement of the other puppies, with whom he wasn't playing anymore - and the annoyance of the other people with that high-pitched bark. You could say its a boredom thing. Or an attention seeking thing. I don't know. KTB: he also doesn't like being pulled around by his collar, and will growl or snap a little. So I will be interested to hear your progress. He also particularly hates at the end of our obedience class the instructor gets us to sit on the ground, put our dog between our legs, and give them a once over, paws, sniffing in ears, looking in mouths. I don't do it, because he just tries to bite my hands (not vicious, more mouthing). I can understand that after one hour of being on lead, having to stand around quietly, tormenting/being tormented by not being able to play with the other puppies, usually he needs a poo, he's bored, and me trying to sniff his ears at that moment just doesn't work. I should add, at other times its no issue, though he's not big on cuddles - but would rather roll over for a belly rub!! Speaking of bad habits... someone had gone quiet... when I went to investigate he was sleeping... on our kitchen table. Yes that is our kitchen table.

There were definitely labs at the nationals. And they looked really good too! The pity is not really being able to get footage. It'd be like trying to videotape obedience training. Can you imagine?! Ha! KTB: warn your OH there is running around for flyball. Not so much when they can do it, but at the start you have to do a lot of running and getting your puppy to chase you! I was actually sore the next day after one training session! Picture this: Exercise 1 Someone is holding your dog 6 -12 m away from you - and you are standing next to someone else's dog, which is also being held. Dogs are released simultaneously, you have to call your dog as loud and excited as possible and start running in the other direction, swinging around your tug toy as you go. The more enthusiastically you run the better. And no peaking (if you look back at your dog, they tend to stop chasing you). The dog catches you (effectively its a recall, but you're not standing still) and gets rewarded with the tug. Rinse, line up, and repeat again. Exercise 2 Someone throws a ball down in front of your dog, who you are restraining. When the ball is stationary on the ground, you release your dog to get the ball, then you have to take off in the other direction (as you progress you start doing this over a few jumps). Again, wildly swinging tug toy and screaming at the top of your lungs. The idea is that your dog chases you and drops the ball only when he gets to you in exchange for the tug reward. This doesn't necessarily happen, and to convince your dog to bring the ball actually to you, you have to keep running and running and running. And no peaking back either! The last time we did it I had been naughty and kept peaking back at Max to make sure he was chasing me, and he kept not chasing me - just would stop and look at me, like 'where are you going?'. So I had to really not look back, with the end result being me stomping on poor Max when he caught me. Pretty funny. Poor dog. Wuffles - seems like Ava is really on the mend too. That's great. PS - my OH and I are now talking of getting some new flooring in a particular room of our house. We're very excited and think timber floors/laminate (or something like that) is WAY better than carpet anyway.

I've found it very interesting too! And have since been on the look-out for tongue flicks! And Toshman - that story is so sweet. However I don't get to have a 'sit-down' when I get home! Its walkies walkies walkies!

I empathize with destructo-mode dogs.... Someone decided today would be a good day for some home-reno's. Ripped up nearly 1m2 carpet, including shredding to a hundred million pieces the foam underlay. I've messaged the OH to forewarn, not sure if that was the brightest move. Cross your fingers I'll still have a dog (and a OH) tomorrow - ha! And no. I didn't take a photo of the destruction. In other news.. there's a flyball comp in Canberra in Feb. Max won't be up to competing, he'll only be 10 months old, but might be a good chance for a road trip! Clastic - good luck with getting into flyball. Its SO MUCH fun. Just the training is fun!

I understood displacement to be more of a thing the dog does as an alternative. So from a human perspective - if I wave to you, and you don't wave back or frown at me cause you don't know me, I might pretend I'm scratching my head. The head scratching is the displacement. From a dog perspective - the mouth licking greetings is refused, so they have a drink/pick something up etc instead. How would it be an indicator of anxiety? And what would you be looking for as signs of displacement when training? And why would that be happening? Too many questions!

Ah! But Emmy dancing's foot tapping behaviour is possibly also a displacement behaviour!

So I had to google displacement behaviour and was initially worried as it seemed to be about anxiety! If I understand correctly, when we return to the house, the dog wants to lick our mouths/jump up or sniff us in a way that would be inappropriate (ha!). As we've discouraged all these behaviours, he has to find something else to do as an outlet for his emotions. So its not a bad thing that they're doing it, and doesn't indicate anxiety, but rather happiness to see us. The only other time he does it is at the park. He loves to be chased and will often grab something in his mouth (stick/leaf/etc), show another dog, then take off in the hope of being chased. Its pretty funny as well.