PAX

Heavens to Betsies = Jesus Christ, I would prefer Heaven to Betsies, I'm sure most would know what it means. Advanced years....Erny, I think I'm older than you. Is that passed down like the soup? I am glad this post didn't get deleted as this will be useful to lots of people. Lets just hope Scope comes back. Had extra letters.

Hey Scope, I hope you come back, I will miss you.

I prefered the blacks but once you own a Brown you will change your mind. The general public aren't so worried about the browns, they will ask you 'what sort of dog is that?'. So who is the Dam and Sire?

So how did you end up with Brown when you only wanted black???? Go the browns. Congratulations

I just went to a Sue Hogben seminar (it was the best) and saw this taught to a very happy, wriggle bum dog. What Sue suggested was to do like doggie zen or food rule outs. Start at a sit and give the dog treats, if he moves his feet, move your arm away. When he is steady he gets the treat. When this is solid in the sit have people come and pat your dog while you do the doggy zen or rule out (really just like watch but keep the reward rate high). Once this is 100% move to the stand and start again. Hope that makes sense. :p

Vaccinations are the same amount for any size dog. Heartworm injection amouts differ with dog sizes. They don't have regulations on what they charge but I think the AVA has recommended fees for (vets)members.

The more one on one time you spend with your puppy the better. I would be taking her lots of places with you and have lots of puppy fun with her away from the other pup. Playing with your pup is really important. It creates a bond and your pup will see you as some one good to be around, so don't just train her, playing is training too.

I would teach it on a step. Have the dog sit at the top step in the heel position so he is less likely to move forward. Gently hold the collar with your right hand and put your left hand under his tummy. As he stands say the word 'stand', try to make the word sound different to your other verbal commands. Once he gets the hang of the exercise use your hand to give the signal as you say stand. When he stands say 'good stand' repeating the word 'stand' while is on a stand so he learns what the word means.

On a serious note...cough cough, our girl Dobe doesn't whinge so maybe it's a boy thing.

Ruben whinges as well but only when he wants something like to come inside, he is cold or hungry or he wants to do some training. Its easily fixed, just give them everything that they want. Problem solved. Dobes are so smart they train their owners so easily.

Hey Lablover, Me and my dog will visit and let you get your 'hands on', my dog is black, will that do?

I would guess that it is from the vaccination, I wouldn't stress about it if she doesn't seem woried. Sometimes they can have a local reaction to the site were the vaccine was given. The best bet is to have the vet that vaccinated her check it out, this should be at no charge.

A good trick for humans to practise clicker timing skills is to bounce a tennis ball. When the ball is at the highest point, click. Its ok to give yourself a smartie as a treat for getting it right. Remember the click is a 'kodak' moment of what you want, don't click too late. You need to click while the behavior is happening. The worst thing that can happen is something might take longer to teach if your timing is off.

Hand targettig is really easy to teach. Once the clicker is charged, put a treat in your hand, (hold it in place with your thumb against your palm) when your dog's nose touches it click and treat. Repeat several times, then start getting them to touch your hand without the treat in your hand, then click and treat. When you think they know it add the cue like 'touch'. Move your hand into different positions to check how well your dog has learned the behavior.

You can buy Dremel copies at Bunnings for around $40. I also use the sandpaper discs. Caslero, thanks for putting the dremmel link up, Its a 'must read' if you want to dremmel nails.

No problems at all. :D BTW Pax's beauty tip of the week. Dremmels are great for removing hard skin from your own feet plus it lets you know how hot it gets and how long to keep it on the one spot for. :D :rolleyes: I have a great attachment for dremmeling dogs nails but I don't know how to attach it. If some one knows how i could email it to them so they could attach to this topic.

I would use the dremmel. Take your time at first (you may need some one to hold him) just have the dremmel running and just pat and reward him, don't try to dremmel or touch his feet. Try to keep it a very low key event and reward him with some really yummy treats when he is calm. You may need to do this every day for a few days. Its a good idea to do it before something that he finds really rewarding like going for a walk. When he will let you do this and doesn't appear to worry try picking up his feet with the dremmel running but stil don't touch his feet with the dremmel. When he accepts this calmly, I would start to dremmel his nails but ony just a quick touch of the dremmel on his nails so he can slowly get used to the feel of the vibrations from the dremmel. I reward with a treat after every paw. If you take your time and don't rush you will be able to get him over this, be patient. You really need to do it everyday until he gets over it and try to make it very rewarding. When you get to the point that you can dremmel remember the dremmel makes the nail very hot so don't dremmel the one nail for more than three seconds. I keep the nail secure between my thumb and fore finger so it doesn't vibrate as much. I work around the dog paw by paw. Good Luck I think most of us have cut nails back too far at one time or another thats why I love the dremmel.

It sounds to me like she is just teaching him his place and her rules for playing. Perhaps Mali sees something in his play biting that you don't see. Unless she really hurt him i would leave it up to her. Most pups cry very easily, and if she lets go when he yelps that is exactly what is supposed to happen. I would let them play together under supervision. Mali's behaviour sounds very normal to me, she sounds very sweet to be so good with him at other times. Besides she is a Dobe so she will be Perfect.

I know at my club (which is ANKC affiliate) agility must be done in a fixed collar, no prong or check collar. I thought it was a ANKC rule.

I think some vet clinics offer to do a blood work up pre surgery and it is or can be an extra If the client choses. Also I think some clinics offer the choice of pain meds. These things are optional to the client at some Vet Hospitals. I think it just confuses people or makes people feel guilty If they pick the less expensive option. I have never heard of testing for drug allergies, it does seem extreme though because they don't do it for humans as far as I know. Well they have never tested me or my family pre surgery for anything.

K9's triangle of temptation would help heaps with your problem. Susan Garretts food rule outs would be a great help as well. You could also try having food in a sealed dog proof container, after doing some exercises jackpot him to the food container. If you do the Triangle of temptation you will be so glad, he will learn to use good behaviour for extended periods of time to gain the food.........like long stays. This is a good problem to have

Puppies and dogs always prefer to toilet on soft surfaces like carpet and grass because when they pee on a hard surface like tiles, urine will splash their legs. It is really good if you confine your puppy to hard surface areas while toilet training. Baby gates make excellent barriers to keep puppies out of the carpeted rooms. Only let them on the carpet areas when you can supervise them 100%. If you pay enough attention to your pup there are usually signs before toilet breaks, like sniffing around and circling. If your puppy does have an accident DO NOT scold them because all you will teach them is not to toilet near you. They do not understand that you are cross for toileting in the wrong place and you will teach them to be sneaky and go when and where you can't see. Happy puppy training.

Erny, The dog (a BSD Mal) is heeling back and forth on a footpath with two staffy type dogs fence fighting it through a chain mesh fence. Eventually one of the staffys climbs the fence and attacks the Mal . I agree that the dog doesn't look happy but thought it could be from all the other dogs swearing at it. I thought the dog was very foused on the handlers hand like it must be food trained or toy trained. I think a dog would have to have very high drive to be able to cope with that situation. Lablover your dogs probably would. I would like to see if my dog could work under that distraction but thankfully i don't know any dogs that behave like those two.

I would suggest you find another club with a more helpful attitude. I would like to say good for you for trying to do something with and for your dog. You should read K9's Prey drive control and focus thread and develop drive for a toy. With work you will be able to maintain his focus IMO better under distraction with a toy than with food. If he is well behaved at shows but not training maybe he is picking up on your anxiety. So find a club that supports your efforts not one that puts you and your dog down. Makes me sad that some clubs are like this. :rolleyes:

LL. Love it, I wanted to bite the brown and white dog as well............lol