Weasels

Depending on your doorbell set-up, one option is to get a couple of cheap bunnings doorbells and set one up outside, and set the second one to the same frequency and leave it somewhere you walk past a lot. Then randomly set off the doorbell but ignore the dog when it starts up. Once the dog is a bit less crazy about the chime, you can start making it the cue to go to mat/crate/do handstands/whatever. Then slowly add distraction, starting with someone who has just left the room coming back in, then a new but familiar person, then 2 ppl, a stranger etc. Plus you can add duration :)

Sorry I haven't read through the whole thread but are you able to set up a video recording device to see what he is doing while you are out? I just use the webcam on my laptop and the pre-installed software which will record video. If it is outside maybe up on an undercover perch somewhere so you can angle it towards the door but keep the camera safe. If you are not sure if it is separation anxiety some video footage would be incredibly useful for you, and potentially for a vetinary behaviourist if this dog ends up needing to go on medication. All the best with this tough situation

Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere, but I really loved this vid - both the dogs and the handlers!

Yay puppiieee! Now make sure you two kick ass in the show ring on behalf of all the tan-point kelpies out there :D :D

Not sure, but in my case I wasn't thinking about the harness in terms of curbing the behaviour, I just mentioned the reactivity as something the harness would need to be able to hold up to (and a reason I don't like to use collars on longer walks or a halti). If I do get one when I am back jogging on the road I'll let you know if I notice any difference :)

Very cool. Fantastic photos Td!

Excellent! Those are my favourite when the penny drops for both of us - I work out how to communicate properly, and the dog finally relaxes because they know what I want :) Everyone's happy!

I've had the same thing Sheena With my boy getting distracted between the tie-out spot and the start of the agility course. Ummmmm.... I have a leash sitting right there! :laugh: I'm probably too spoilt from training my girl, who would rather run the course than do almost anything else!

Except I want to move home to SA in a couple of years :p :D If I thought there was a way around the 'big genetics' companies it would be something I'd seriously consider. From what I've heard the current providers aren't winning a huge amount of friends

maybe we should team up Ness and solve both our problems! ;)

Sorry ML I kinda dropped you in it there :laugh: But I was pretty sure you'd know who held the patent (and if it was one of those 'using without holding the patenet' dealies) Agree with the patent issues tho I was breifly considering adding genetic testing for companion animals to our current services, but then I realised the legal issues would do my head in

I've noticed recently that all of the best advances in training my dogs are when my immediate response is "derr, of course!" I had one this week, when my boy was getting further away from me than I was comfortable with and I tried to call him back. I had been able to call him back from that distance before, but I was tired and late for work so I yelled "Diesel! Stop!" in a stern voice and got no response It was at least 30 seconds of yelling before he turned to me and started paying attention again. I ended up putting him in a down-stay and going to get him Thinking about this the next day, I realised that a) I never call him 'Diesel' in training (only 'Deez') and b) I don't use that tone of voice either. Of course he didn't respond! Yesterday he was the same distance away and started heading for another dog. This time I used "Deez! Leave it!" in my normal happy training voice and got a 180 degree turn He did try once more to go meet the dog but I called again and got the same response, then he trotted back to continue to chase the Foxdog. Has anyone else had these "derr" moments? I'm sure there is a bunch of other obvious stuff I haven't thought of which the DOL brains trust has figured out :D

Thanks Deghj! :) I've put off buying a harness for now since I've damaged my foot so can't jog with the dogs anymore, but I'm leaning towards the Sensible harness when I get back in action. The short amount of time they spend on-lead at the moment I'm spending doing heel work and focus work so I just use collars for that.

You could try making the bear an 'environmental cue' to look at you instead of seizing it? Start by holding the bear out to one side, then click and treat when Max looks at you. Then build up to putting on the ground, throwing it on the ground etc. until he gets that want bear = look at Minimax. This is a good compliment to NILIF in making the dog realise that all good things come from you and should be asked for rather than taken (plus both build self-control) (flame suit) I'm not so sure that either 5-month-olds or pugs are the most biddable of creatures, so it may take some patience :) Edit: I also taught Weez, who was a chronic Destroyer Of All Things when I got him, that he is only allowed to put his teeth on things out of his toy basket or that I give him, by saying 'uh-uh bad chew' everytime he had something wrong and replacing it with a 'good chew' Took a few destroyed thongs but after a couple of weeks he got it and now we can leave pretty much anything on the floor (except food!) without fear.

If you PM DOLer MalteseLuna she will have the inside scoop on these things :)

Have you ever tried to shop with a 2-3 yr old?? Its the worst thing ever and if I have to give my son something to eat to shut him up in the supermarket ,I will. I am after all paying for it!! Seriously some people ought to mind there own business. I'm sure all the child haters would prefer my toddler to be happily munching on something than screaming the place down. Sheeze, you just can't win. AND don't ask me to bring food from home as the supermarket workers think you may have stolen it . AND don't ask me to feed my child before or after I shop, they are not machines that are programed to eat when you want them too, as much as I would love that!. I would of course prefer not to have a hungry kid with me at all when I shop ( just to keep you happy) but thats impossible. SORRY !!! Coles has an excellent shopping delivery service, order on their website and they deliver to your door for about $10 extra. I hear Woolworths' one is good these days too. I for one plan to do the vaaaaast majority of my shopping this way once I have a kid!

This. No point trying to process complicated data in the form of responses if it turns out only a couple of ppl in your survey use aversive collars anyway (as an example). Research is always just the starting point for more research (fortunately for those of us that like to stay employed!) Plus, as someone who's been on the receiving end of media 'science reporting', it does not necessarily represent the original work. Journalists do fun things like focus in on one specific stat, get someone else with a vested interest to say something OTT and controversial, then find someone random who isn't a scientist and knows nothing about your work to say the study is flawed So I'm just sayin', just because a hack newspaper reported some hysterical story doesn't mean that's what the scientists talked to them about.

Great pic I struggled to be able to vote for it, finally managed after right clicking on the thumbnail and viewing in a new window. Good luck Me too, I really wish people wouldn't use Offerpop! Can't use it on a mobile device, can't use it with Firefox. I have to use Internet Explorer to vote for offerpop stuff Got there in the end though, good luck Emery!!

Poor little BCs .... I could post you a kelpie? ;)

Yes! :laugh: The Foxdog does a 2-tone howl along with the changing pitch of the siren Fortunately we don't have too many emergency vehicles come past here, but the first time it happened I had to explain to her she wasn't a wolf :p Weez does it too but I think he may just be copying her (maybe?)

The reason I like kongs is that you don't need a diagnosis on the chewing first. If the dog is anxious, the licking and sucking will ease its anxiety, and if it's bored the kong will give it something to focus on and provide a more apprealing chew target than a chair leg, for example. And it requires a shorter training period than crate training, although of course crate training as well would be good too. Plus how is keeping the dog in a run more cruel than confining it to the backyard? It's still an enclosed space, just a safer one! Plus as to SecretKei's point - some Bunning's dog fence, a few star pickets, a hoe and an afternoon is all you need to create a 'dog-section' of the backyard.

Frozen Kongs. Edit: and training on what is and isn't appropriate chews during the day.

Who knows where love comes from? From an evolutionary perspective, loving your child is as rational (probably more) than loving a partner or a pet.

I just spent the morning training on ducks Only their 3rd time and they did so well! Especially Weez :D Going to put them in Started ducks at the first 2012 trial next month :) We still have issues to iron out on the sheep, so not sure yet if I'll enter them in HSAs runs.

: thanks SSM! :laugh: Sorry to hear about your morning Superminty Stupid Murphy's law!!