Podengo

This! Since finding the book depository I have not bought books from anywhere else. To find stuff like Susan Garrett's books you may need to buy from somewhere else (Clean Run etc), but the Book Depository has lots of Dog Wise books, and loads of other great training books. I bought Pat Miller's book the power of positive dog training from there and it worked out to be around $30 LESS than what I would have paid in store at Borders, and it arrived to my doorstep I loooove this store!!!

This is a really interesting thread thanks guys! I am currently trying to find the "perfect" breed for our household that will also be an agility star! I have always had and loved Dobermans, but we live in quite a small house with a small garden, and this will be my partner's first dog, and I'm not sure if I want to throw him in the deep end with a Doberdemon puppy! Looking at small/medium breeds, not so keen on terriers (personal preference) or typical small dog temperaments... I think my list so far is Iggies, Whippets and Miniature poodles...

There are LOADS of Miniature Schnauzers doing very well in agility here.

When I am pulling dog treats out of my pockets at random times because I have left them in there When I say I can't go to something because there is a dog show on!

My grandfather in Australia has a JRT named Skippy who they got just before I was born, I am 20. He is blind and deaf, but still enjoys his walks, sleeping in the sun, and getting all of his meals cooked for him by doting grandmother.

I grew up with Dobermans and a GSD. I just love Dobermans, and have not yet found any other breed that stacks up... I probably will own other breeds, but I can't imagine not being around Dobers They are so great... - Easy to train - Intelligent - Biddable - They seem serious when you don't know them, but are total goofballs around their family - Loyal and aloof with strangers - Big time snugglers - Medium size - Very short minimal shedding coat - Velcro... I love a dog that loves knowing what I am up to, going to the toilet alone is lonely hahaha - Not messy/dribbly - Gorgeous looking, so sleek and athletic...

I used to work at a kennels where we would get boys to stay while the girls at their house were on heat, at least their owners didn't have to deal with them whining

Bumping this as I see the cheap price on the puppy peaks thing applies today for SG's birthday. Who is using puppy peaks already? Thoughts? Is it comparable to the 5 minute recall one? Think it's worth the money? I don't have a dog yet... so can't put any training into practice and am just learning as much as possible...

Depends on the dog and the situation. I train two dogs at agility (not mine), that are highly excited by other dogs. The Border Collie becomes fixated on a few dogs that she regularly plays with (but not the other dog she lives with), and if they are ANYWHERE within sight at training or a trial, she will spend the whole time intensely watching them and gives a very poor performance, plodding around the ring. I try as much as possible to not let her have any contact with her friends right before we train or run at a trial- this works well and keeps her focused, but if one of them wanders by and she sees, then I really have my work cut out for me trying to get her attention back. What's funny is that none of these dogs are very interested in her, they don't look at her or try to play, if she is naughty and runs off to them, they just ignore her. So much unrequited love! She is allowed to play with other dogs at warm up, seems to be a roll of the dice as to whether she will obsess over dogs that day. The other dog I train (a standard schnauzer) isn't allowed to play with other dogs at training or at trials, it doesn't take much stimulation to turn his brain into a crazy mess. He is very, very excited by barking Border Collies, so I keep him away and quiet at trials until the last possible minute. He is great with other dogs and loves them, but it's just far too stimulating for him. If I can keep him focused he is a great dog to run, if I lose it, then it's very difficult to get him back on task and he will most likely just do zoomies around the course. Both of these dogs are owned by people with multiple dogs, so they play with dogs at home, and the Border Collie is allowed to play with other dogs regularly, I'm not too sure about the schnauzer, but I don't think he regularly plays with other dogs. As for what I am happy to do with my own dog (when it finally gets here!), I think playing with other dogs after training is great, but when they are on lead and working I prefer my own dogs to just ignore others no matter what they are up to. I am very uncomfortable with strange dogs at the park coming up to mine and would not allow my dog to play with strange ones at the park- too risky. I would be happy to talk to the owner and maybe arrange some walks together and get to know them, but wouldn't let my dog off lead with theirs right from the get go.

I think rosettes are prettier, but I do like well made sashes as they look pretty impressive on the wall, and I like being able to drape them over the dog for pictures :p

Do you normally get snow there? It's such a big deal to have so much here, very exciting! Do you have EBTs? My partner's cat was very unimpressed too, he kept meowing at the door and then when it was opened for him he was like "oh yeah it's yucky out there" and ran back inside... then 5 minutes later would be back meowing at the door. Silly cat!

Just some pictures of the dogs out on the farm enjoying their first snow! Got their coats on to go out first thing in the morning (note Libby having herself a snow feast) Libby is the queen of the castle! Tentative steps, the long grass makes for good traps beneath the snow! Libby happily unaware of Lottie stalking her in the background... *cue Jaws music* Lottie's turn to be queen Omnomnom! Enjoying the life of a farm dog For some reason puddles are evil and Doberman melting, but snow is no problem! Bumping noses with one of her friends from the paddock Hope you all enjoy

Saw this mentioned about another breeder earlier, but I guess a few of us have to live with these dangerous animals.... A Dobermans brain will outgrow its skull and it will go crazy and attack you

In my breed (Dobermans), I would never take one of the dilute colours (fawn and blue) because of the potential for colour dilution alopecia giving you a bald dog, and from what I have read they can often have very coarse and sometimes smelly coats! I love both red & rust and black & rust though, I would be happy with either. I am secretly hoping that I can get a red when I get my pup, as I have had 4 blacks growing up so a change could be nice, but temperament is more important and I would take either- red would just be the icing on the cake In other breeds, I do have colour preference in some of them... I like fawn great danes Red bullmastiffs Broken blue Am Staffs Any broken colour on a Greyhound Chocolate labs

Oh dear, just updated my browser and flash played needs to be updated... best get on to it :D

Irish Terrier? There are some lovely ones at my agility club who are great with children, I've heard they can be dog aggressive, but the ones I've seen don't go looking for fights and aren't eyeballing other dogs! Cocker Spaniels? Miniature Poodle?

Yep I am signed up for the 8.30pm one (midday NZ time). I am excited to see her "how to pick a puppy" segment, as I am still puppyless

There are lots of dog walkers in my suburb which is nice, mostly men with little dogs! There is a couple who live across the road from me that have 3 Malamutes, I see them out pounding the pavement 2-3x a day with their pack, they are nice dogs, very well behaved. At agility there is someone who has just imported a Pyrenean Sheepdog... very cool looking dog!

Beautiful pictures!

Big breed puppies (Mastiff breeds!!) and sighthound puppies are pretty darn cute! Lots of the small fluffies are cute adults, but I don't think the puppies are very cute. The cutest puppies of all, are obviously Doberman puppies! Oooh the eyes!!! This is Lottie, my mum's Doberman (she is almost 2 now)

Just a teeny brag from me! At last weekend's agility champ show I got 2nd place in Novice with the Border Collie I train, and 3rd place in Starters with a Standard Schnauzer! I was so excited! First time up on the podium :D

Beautiful girl, she looks a lot like the German Shepherd boy my family had 10 years ago. His name was Roy, he was out of a police dog, mum was a pet... was a very gentle, lovely boy who never put a toe out of place- always very well behaved (but did have an evil Doberman bitch to keep him in line!)

I often see dogs around campus at my uni (Canterbury, in New Zealand)... one of my philosophy lecturers used to bring her puppy to ethics classes and use her as a discussion point. I have seen a man bringing his Irish Wolfhound into the cafe too, though I think everyone was too shocked at the size of him to say anything. There is a public road running through the middle of our university with a river and lots of trees, so there are often people walking dogs through there. I have not seen students walking dogs through the buildings though, except for the service dogs, and I am sure that if someone was walking a dog around inside the buildings that they would be asked to leave- but there are no signs saying that dogs aren't allowed.

No recommendations for showing in particular, but The Book Depository has to be my favourite place to buy books! Free worldwide shipping woohoo! Not sure what books prices are like in Australia, but I have bought books off here for $30 less than what I find in stores! The place I always look for dog books is the Dogwise website, there are loads of books here and they have got reviews so you can get an idea of what is/isn't good! > Showing & Conformation

There are a few fully fenced dog parks around my city, and some off-lead dog areas which are not fully fenced. No big fenced areas right in the city though, which I would love to see! One of parks here, which is about 15 minutes from my house, has a number of different fenced areas which is pretty cool... a large one with a doggy playground, two or three smaller areas with trees and another large area with a section of river running through it. It's a really nice dog park and because of the number of paddocks you can get away to another area if there are some bossy dogs in the one you are in! I'm not as much of a fan as the parks which are just a great big paddock with loads of dogs running loose, it's asking for trouble in my opinion, especially on weekends when inexperienced dog owners are there drinking coffee and chatting while their dog that hasn't been exercised all week is running around humping everything like mad! A lot of people I know avoid dog parks at peak traffic hours to avoid these sorts of dog owners.