Nadsi

This is so awesome :D An ASBT from the Ukraine is skilled in parkour, and does some pretty amazing stuff in this video. Also, it's the cutest! Look at that grin! http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9d7_1344547665

I came across this article in the Sydney Morning Herald (originally from NY Times), it's good to see more types of dog sports coming ino the frey. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/let-leaping-dogs-fly-20120716-225ie.html You can lead a dog to water, but can you make him jump? That was the question at Summer Splash, a three-day event held at a dog training centre an hour northwest of Chicago. More than 150 dogs competed – yes, competed – by leaping into a 1.2-metre-deep pool from a dock 60 centimetres above the water. It was part of a growing sport called dock jumping, a laid-back pastime that does not have the high profile and histrionics of better-known canine affairs like traditional dog shows. The premise behind dock jumping is simple: Dogs jump into the water, and they are judged on how well they do. In this competition, a mutt is as welcome, if not more, than a purebred. There are different disciplines in the sport. In the Big Air event, the dogs' jumps are measured for distance. Lanky, athletic dogs tend to gravitate toward the Extreme Vertical, in which the competitors jump to snatch a dog toy suspended 2.5 metres over the pool. The Speed Retrieve tests how fast a dog can swim when fetching a thrown object. A dog can enter all three events and compete for the Iron Dog title, a distinction of all-around canine athleticism. Although many dogs have a natural instinct to retrieve something, not all are inclined to leap off a dock into cold water. At Summer Splash a few of the competitors merely sniffed around looking befuddled. The dogs must jump of their own volition; handlers cannot nudge or bump the dog into the water. But, as an incentive to individual competitors, anything that floats can be tossed out over the water. Flying discs, tennis balls, rubber ducks and retrieval toys called bumpers are common choices. Dock jumping takes all comers “There are no professional dogs,” said Beth Wiltshire, the event's organiser. “They are all people's dogs.” She added: “I mean, they're just jumping off a dock. It's kind of hard to take it too seriously.” The sport does not have excessive amounts of prize money and does not promise stud fees for champion jumpers. First place at Summer Splash paid out $US75, after a $US30 registration fee. Dogs can earn titles such as Ultimate Air Dogs and Splash Dogs competitions. “It has grown steadily, and interest has definitely increased since we began offering dock jumping titles,” said Sydney Suwannarat, the United Kennel Club's executive director of performance events. “Last year, 310 dock jumping titles were earned.” There is a dock jumping circuit, and a handful of dog owners travel across the United Staes to win recognition and set records. The Chicagoland event had three big-jumping dogs who had competed against one another before, and they were the ones to watch. Wrigley, a 7-year-old rescued Weimaraner, first jumped off a dock in 2009. “He was jumping off a dock into a pond with a life jacket because we didn't know if he could swim,” said his owner, Meghan Williams. “He figured it out.” A year later, they travelled to Oregon where Wrigley took second place in Big Air at the DockDogs World Championships. He took second place again at the same championship in 2011. Meghan and her husband, Pete, travel to dock jumping competitions once or twice a month from their Chicago home. “He goes everywhere with us,” Pete Williams said. “We've met tons of people and have done some awesome things with him.” One of the people they have met is Brad Weicht of Wentzville, Missouri. Weicht's jumping dog is Guinness, an adopted Great Dane-Labrador mix. Wrigley jumps long; Guinness jumps high. Both dogs compete in the Iron Dog competition. “They beat us in Big Air and we pound them in vertical,” Weicht said. Henry, a three-year-old up-and-coming Lab-pointer mix, has competed against Wrigley and Guinness. He was adopted by Kansans Michael and Julie Kittinger, who noticed his strong drive to chase toys. They started Henry in dock jumping a year ago. His first official jump was 5.3 metres. At the Chicagoland event, Henry passed his personal best with a jump of 7.9 metres, beating Wrigley in the Big Air finals by 7.6 centimetres. Henry's jumps keep increasing as he matures, the Kittingers said. They intend to travel around the country with him. “I'm getting ready to burn my vacation time for the year on events,” Michael Kittinger said. “He wants to go again, again and again. He's not happy when you take him off the dock.” The New York Times Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/let-leaping-dogs-fly-20120716-225ie.html#ixzz20v3DZNM8 Sorry if the formatting is off, I'm posting from my iPad.

Have you tried looking at Pookinuk's website? They list the ingredients for each product, which may help a lot, and they also deliver. http://www.pookinuk.com.au/for-dogs/shop-by-brand-a-h.html

And she's in Virginia . . . don't blame California. (Sure, we've got more than our quota of loonies . . . but this one doesn't belong to us) :D I didn't mean to highlight or generalise behaviour from Cali, just that the article was published there, for a bit of context :)

As soon as I saw that I was like "No one with full control of their mental faculties would consider publishing such a one-sided article, this is the worst piece of journalism I ever-- oh, riiiiight. PETA. Got it." I mean, what rubbish. My dogs spend about 8-9 hours a day in their crates; at night for sleeping, and maybe if they need to calm down a little after play or when guests have just walked through the door. If they actually need to be confined somewhere while they're awake, they go to the back yard or my back deck which can be gated off (and is about 4x5m). It makes me sad that this stuff gets published. It's so biased, I'm scared that there'll be a wave of anti-crate madness going through the media; there probably won't be, because dog training tools are not high up there on the news value register, but it's possible.

I found this on Facebook: http://www.presstelegram.com/opinions/ci_21037216/comment-dog-crates-are-cruel-and-dogs-hate It was one of the more absurd things I've read about dogs and crate training. It's written by a Senior Director of PETA (of course). The article mentions that it causes dogs psychological damage; well, maybe if the dog is being crated 18 hours a day like the article claims, but a responsible owner wouldn't be crating their animal every day for 18 hours a day; the problem is the owner, not the tool. Dog crates are cruel and dogs hate them: "What if, at your local pet-supply store, you could purchase a dog-training tool that would make your dog weaker, klutzier and less intelligent? And what if this tool increased your dog's frustration and fearfulness about the world and made him or her less likely to bond with you? Would you buy it? Of course not! Yet, millions of these "tools" are sold every year to unsuspecting dog lovers who want the absolute best for their dogs. The tool is a "crate," which is just a euphemism for a cage. In fact, dog crates are even smaller than most cages that are used to house dogs in laboratories. In their new book "Dogs Hate Crates: How Abusive Crate Training Hurts Dogs, Families & Society," Ray and Emma Lincoln discuss in detail the detrimental effects of crating on dogs' well-being. They explain how the crating trend got started, what continues to fuel it, why it's so harmful and what the alternatives to crating are. The authors are experienced dog trainers and behavior specialists who found that they were spending much of their training time trying to undo psychological and behavioral symptoms caused by crating. Shockingly, it is now commonplace for people who use crates to keep their dogs in them for upwards of 18 hours per day, according to the authors: nine hours while the owner is at work (including a commute), another eight hours at night, any hours during which no one is home in the evening and on the weekend and any time that company comes over or the dog is simply "underfoot." Pro-crate advocates will say, "Yes, but a crate is just like a cozy den." But dogs, wolves and other wild canids are not true "den animals." Wolves use a den for only eight weeks, right after their pups are born. Afterward, the den is abandoned. And since dens don't come with a locked door, there is no true comparison between crates and dens. Others will say, "But my dog loves his crate!" This statement defies logic. No animal on Earth "loves" to be caged. However, dogs do love people and will tolerate almost anything that their guardians force them to endure. According to some experts, dogs who appear to "love" their crate because they keep running back to it are often really exhibiting a lack of self-confidence or even fearfulness toward the outside world brought on by the extreme confinement and isolation of a crate. In truth, crating is an inadequate substitute for comprehensive dog training used by trainers who lack competence and wish to increase their client base rather than taking the time needed to solve individual dog problems. At best, crating only postpones the day when real training will have to take place because dogs simply can't learn how to interact with the world while in isolation. At worst, crating makes behavior training, including house training, more difficult, often creating serious and sometimes even dangerous behavior problems. But trainers aren't the only ones who profit from crates. There is a lot of money to be made from crates in the dog industry, not just from the crates themselves, but also from all the peripheral industries, such as products and services meant to cure behavior problems as well as medications and supplements for dogs who have not learned to cope with the world because of crating. If crating were widely denounced, many dog-based industries would shrink. No wonder so many dog-related professionals have jumped on the crating bandwagon. Crating is a cruel practice that has tormented and harmed millions of dogs and brought unhappiness, guilt, stress and confusion to millions of people who simply want what's best for their canine companions. Dogs - and their guardians - deserve better." Karen Porreca is a senior director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 501 Front Street, Norfolk, Va. 23510; www.PETA.org. Information about PETA's funding may be found at www.peta.org/about/numbers.asp.

I used Comfortis when my Brittany got fleas, I saw them literally fall off of him over the next few hours, but the time four hours had passed there was nothing on him at all! He gets it every month now, not a flea since.

Oh my goodness, THEY ARE SO CUTE! Thank you for sharing the photos. That's a great idea with the bed sock for the baby Iggy.

I second this, I have a Puppy Power crate and it's quite solid. I made the mistake of buying a cheap crate from an online discount store, it's rubbish. Flimsy, rattles, bends easily, plastic handles broke almost as soon as I set it up

Please do, that sounds RIDICULOUSLY cute, and would also be handy as an example of how to make a coat for puppies :)

He's probably freaking out that you've left him again; I was gone for one night and this happened with my Brittany (not as extreme as your situation, but there was fussing and whining), but I fixed it by re-introducing a handful of treats or a chew when I put him to bed, like when he was a new puppy. My other dog will fuss if we don't give him a treat no matter the circumstance. He has the radio on low and treats to calm him now, and I haven't had any issues since.

My favourite breed would have to be Brittany, even though my boy has made me tear my hair out some days, he is first and foremost a very loving, snuggley creature and he also doubles as a minky teddy/hot water bottle on colder days, his coast is just SO SOFT and warm! A close second would be Staffordshire Bull Terriers, because they always look so happy and every one I've met has always wanted to lick me to death or would do anything for me for whatever edible item I had in my hand. I also find their 'nuggety' physique very charming. Least favourite would be Chihuahuas. Their appearance unsettles me, and I'm terrified I will accidentally step on one Also, all the Chis I've met had wanted to tear off my achilles, or has been very fear aggressive towards my dogs. My poor boys are really wary when they're near tiny breeds now.

I got the contract, and the vet trip wasn't considered a pre-existing condition. I would have been surprised if it was, I mean, what could it be classified as? "Will not cover pet for illness pertaining to pet's curiosity for dead stuff"? LOL. I would have been impressed if they could exclude it. Thank you for that warning though :) Normally one would do that before signing up with someone! Well, I did read everything on their website but I honestly expected they would have a more in-depth T&Cs document posted out with the details of my policy (like those whopping great legal documents you get with some contracts). They don't, which is a relief in a way because I wasn't up for reading more, haha! They do send out the insurance policy & product disclosure statement which you can find on their website as a PDF. Everything else in the envelope was stuff like billing information and certificate of insurance cover. It's all pretty straightforward. I will post about my first claim experience if I ever have to, and hopefully this thread can be of use to someone else trying to pick an insurer.

I had to recently crate train a 5 month old male dog, so maybe I can help. I had his crate set up with his bedding inside and familiar smells, and then lured him over to it with tasty food (whatever works for you is good, I'd go for something that's high value, like bits of roast chook or ham or cheese). I stuck my closed fist inside, and let him follow my fist in the crate, and once he got his whole body in there, I gave him a treat. I then started throwing little bits of treats into the crate at the back, so he had to go in there. Once he was happy to go in there, I started shutting the door once he was in and fed him through the bars. I kept these sessions really short, but I did a lot of them over the day. As I went on I introduced the word 'bed' every time he went in the crate (you could say anything, like 'crate' or 'flapjack' or 'potato' if you prefer!). I fed him his meals in there, by making him get in the crate first with the command 'bed', then I put his bowl of food in and shut the door and waited for him to finish before I opened it again. Once he was comfortable with this, I put him in the crate to sleep at night with a handful of treats or a tasty chew. He naturally didn't want to toilet in there, because it was his bed and his happy place. I take him to the toilet immediately before and after bed to avoid accidents anyway. This dog was crate trained in a day with no fuss, and he'd never seen one before, nor had he ever been to obedience or puppy school. It can be done, as long as you make the crate the most awesome place to be ever and NEVER use it for punishment or time out. He now charges in there when he hears his food being prepared, and will go there to sleep during the day or late at night without being told. I'd also like to say that I'm hopeless at training him to do much else, just to show I'm no expert, haha!

As an update, I've decided to go with PetPlan. I'm yet to review the T&Cs, that is going to be arriving by mail soon. Here's hoping I've made the right choice!

Snooza are excellent value and they have replacement wareanties. They're very tough as well (which is probably why they're game enough to offer their replacement warranty) and they're VERY comfy. I got in my dog's bed when I brought it home and it was more comfy than my couch, it was AMAZING! Thy should do a bean-bag line for people, haha!

I agree with Mita, make that area his favourite place by playing with him there, giving him meals and treats only there, etc. My boy eventually got over being separated, and spends his time sleeping or chewing on stuff. I recommend giving him 'thinking' toys as well, like a Kong Genius toy or a bob-a-lot; any of those smart toys he can be left alone with (obviously not Nina Ottosson puzzles though, while they're great, they have a lot of small pieces/can be destroyed without supervision). That should keep him busy for a while, especially if he's food driven. My Brittany isn't so much food driven as he is smell driven, so I hide a couple of bacon bits in with the kibble for him to hunt out, it keeps him going back for it.

I feed morning and night (about 6-7pm) and make sure he definitely goes to the toilet outside before bed. We don't go outside until he does it, because I know he has to (he doesn't get off the couch or his bed for most of the evening, haha). The only reason he might protest to going to the toilet at night is because the grass is wet and cold and he's a prissy wuss about it, lol. We have been successful with this method, not once have I needed to get up at 3am to let him out to use the bathroom since we started that.

I did crate and pen until Maverick stopped going to the toilet at night for about a week. We had his crate with a cover, comfy blankets and soft toys, a chew like a bully stick or pig's ear, a fan on the crate if it was hot, a radio on in the room to keep him company and the pen was fairly small, just big enough to leave a metre between his crate and the newspaper toileting area (no room to play or run around, just enough to toddle out and pee/poop). Giving puppy a chew at night is the best thing you can do in my opinion, it does magical things for settling them down! Without a chew, there would be hours of whining before they wore out, with a chew, there's a good while of munching away, then maybe a little whine for a minute, then sleep. It took Maverick a few weeks to stop toileting during the night, which was expected, his bladder was only tiny! He hasn't had an accident in his crate ever. It's best to take them out for a toilet time right before you crate the puppy, as in go outside then IMMEDIATELY take him to bed once he's done his business, then get up early to take him out again. EDIT: With my 5 month old puppy I brought home recently, similar deal, but I just used the crate after a night of discovering he was pretty well toilet trained. That first night in the crate I forgot a chew, so there was a very unhappy dog in his crate, but the second night I gave him a chew, and not a sound was to be heard, and it's been like that since. Chews = good night sleep. TL;DR: Take them to the toilet immediately before bed, a chew will help them self-sooth, make the crate and pen area too small for play but big enough to keep sleep and toilet areas separate.

I wasn't a fan of Ian Dunbar, it made me feel guilty that I was doing everything wrong, when I know now that wasn't the case at all. Some parts were helpful though. I read Cesar Milan's books, which were not as helpful as I thought. The thing I took away the most from that is be calm and assertive (which is just good sense), and bully sticks are an excellent pacifier. I like K9 Pro's blog as well, and their blog post about NILIF (Nothing In Life Is Free), which is a great principle to live by, not just in regards to your puppy! The best education I got about puppy preparedness was through the breeder, these forums and a friend of mine who is a competent vet nurse. Taking advice from everyday people who have lived similar situations to you is far better than what any book can offer.

Have you made a claim through them yet? What were their response times? What's their customer service like? That sounds great about REAL. I'll have to look into the ages they cover... I'm so paranoid my second dog will get hip issues when he's an old man and they won't be covered. He's a Border Collie x German Shepherd x other, so anything could happen!

They were rushed to the vet because the naughty little creatures decided to dig up my poor dead and buried rat from her grave in a pot plant. She was put to sleep with a toxic liquid that shuts down the nervous system, so I freaked out as I wasn't 100% sure that it would have broken down by now. The vet assured me that it would have, but he had them vomit her back up just in case. All my pot plants (which I purposely planted with non-toxic plants in case they ever wanted to eat the leaves)are now WELL out of reach. It was a surprise to me, as they had never shown interest in the pot plants before. Cheeky things are now happily munching on chews safely under my supervision. If that counts as a pre-existing condition, I would be surprised. Also, I did do a search but no one really answered the questions I wanted answered, so I asked them here. :) Policies also change, and there hasn't been a proper thread on this in a while, so I wanted to be sure I was getting up-to-date feedback from people who actually use and trust the insurance they're with.

After my crazy dog and his pal had me rushing them to the vet (a "much ado about nothing" scenario), I am concerned that if something actually happened, I would not be able to cover it out of my own pocket. I need pet insurance that will cover him for life, and I don't mind paying a large excess or 15-20% of the vet bill, as long as most of it is covered. I don't want to be stuck out in the cold if he were to develop a condition, only to have it covered for a year or or X amount of dollars before I foot the bill entirely. He doesn't have any pre-existing conditions, and is 7 months old currently. Does anyone have any success (or horror) stories they'd like to share? I just want the best for my handsome guy.

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