BDJ

on a slightly different note, how would you handle the below if you were the owner (please note I am not the owner - just an aquaintance) Puppy bought from pet shop (please remember - I am not the owner and my only input was DONT DO IT :) ) - it is supposedly a poodle/lab cross. And it is aggressive - from when she bought it home at around 10 weeks. When it has food or a toy (and even when it is standing near where the food comes from - ie: the kitchen) it will snap and growl. In her words "it has bitten me twice". Her trainer is going down the path of distract it with other toy and praise it when it walks away My thought would be - give him something he does not want to share, place hand next to muzzle, every time he growls/snaps he gets contact with his muzzle (initially a light shove/tap which increases to a rap and then a smack if it does not stop), the hand must not retreat and simply sits next to the muzzle (contact every time there is unwanted behaviour (lip curl, growl, mumble, snap etc) until the body language relaxes then the human fully retreats. Repeat as necessary. For this to work it has to be a) instant b) hand must not react if it gets a nip and c) the smack should never be over harsh or a belt, it is simply a response (on the muzzle) to an action frm the pup What other trains of thought do people have - this is an owner who genuinely wants to do the right thing (she has told me that she wants to fix it before it becomes a problem) but uses trainers who (from conversations with her about her other dog who did not have this problem) always take the 'softest' method (ie : it is usual to take 2 months to teach a 6mo puppy to sit etc). thoughts?

Sorry, I haven't read it all - got to about page 8 and that was all. However, I found the statement ...... "My new child is smarter, happier and more fulfilled than the average pet because he is given every opportunity to be human. He is also completely calm and not anxious because he has been brought up so well".... from the OP bizarre to say the least. Firstly - it was a rescue, so by definition it needed rescuing! Dont know the circumstances or age when he was rescued, but obviously some part of his upbringing wasn't good. And I wont even go near the concept of wanting to turn animals into humans - think about what humans do, how they interact and everything else Is it possible/probable that the dogs final moments were pain and confusion - Yes. Is that truly upsetting - Yes, but was it a dog - Yes, should it be treated as a child - No, unless you wish to remove everything that makes it a dog. A dog is not a lower life form - nor is a cat, or a horse. But they are different - and thank gad for that :)

I definately dont think it should be a first point of call, but it is an option with some dogs. Many years ago (over 20) we had a sheltie - and Bec would bark literally constantly. Was she bored ?(nope, someone home all day, Aust Champ showdog and CDX obedience - certainly mentally stimulated) were other methods tried ?(yep, not just the owner (who had trained dozens of dogs) but multiple others as well), what set her off ? - anything, and often nothing :) Even when she was being told off she would 'sneak' a bark, it was compulsive In the end took her to our vet and asked him to debark her. Answer was NO. Our response was "then can you please put her down". That made him stop and think and have a discussion. We had exhausted all avenues and there was nothing left. Reluctantly he agreed to do the op, and when we went to pick her up he said he could fully understand the decision. Apparently she just about woke up barking :D (or at least her version of it). From that moment on she 'huffed' all day and was a different dog - happy and outgoing, never in trouble and lived another 15 years huffing away. Have had many (and I mean many :D ) dogs before and since and never had the need to consider it. But with Bec it was a godsend

thanks guys - he is just over 2yo - waiting,....waiting,.....waiting.....

Hi guys, My brother has a whippet and he is great. My brother is phsyically disabled and drives a gopher rather than a car. Wilson happily trots next to it, has a great recall (food trained as an 8wo baby and reinforced with plenty of praise etc) and is a favourite at the dog park etc. I wouldnt call him timid - not happy with strangers patting him etc, but more that happy to be around strangers etc But - he is the most destructive darn animal I have ever known! If it can be dragged through the doggy door (and trust me, many things can :) ) it goes out on the back lawn and is ripped and chewed to pieces. Thankfully he doesnt jump, so small fences save the gardens, but the back lawn looks like it has been attacked by moles ;) . Is this normal ??? I assumed it was(he is the first whippet I have known), but the comments here are that they are quiet. This boy makes a 2your old child on red cordial look asleep . Exercise, diet, mental stimulation etc - all tried, no change