Mystiqview

Last One: Included a frame on this one:

Second Photo:

These are posted for Ruby and Axel, Sorry. I am housesitting at the moment and cannot email the files back to you from here. First Photo: Tracie

Also try: www.thevetshed.com.au www.vetproductsdirect.com.au

I would not put 100% faith any any tick product. The best way is daily/twice daily checks of the dog. At Samford in Brisbane's northside, we are high paralysis tick area. Our local vet treats many a dog who is on Frontline Plus, Advantix, Proban, Tick Collars and dips for ticks. Even though the products say they cover ticks for UP to 2 weeks. I would not rely on it 100%. Fido's Free Itch wash is supposed to deter ticks for up to 2 days. I had a friend who found a tick on the dog within hours of bathing. Vigilance is a true weapon against ticks.

Although I have not been the last couple of weeks due to work commitments and having a friend's litter of puppies here... I am there. In class 3 with my Tricolour Border and a black/white in class 4.. kind a bugger as they are both on at the same time.

Paralysis ticks can be just as bad in suburbia than in rural areas. Where-ever there are possums, bandicoots, Flying Foxes etc, long grass/scrub, water. Those listed animals are some of the natural hosts to paralysis ticks and areas where they like to live..although they can live just about anywhere. Products like Maldacin/Malaban, are classed as an insecticide.. And I would advise reading the label before use and use gloves. If you do use it, use in well ventillated areas. The fumes are not good..

Adobe make a book called "classroom in a book" They can be quite expensive in normal bookstores. But if you go to the likes of Amazon.com or www.bookfinder4you.com (think that is how you spell the url) you can normally pick up these books much cheaper. Can I make one comment though on photos posted here (or any photos posted in photos thread)... Is is possible to resize some of them before posting?? Even on broadband, some just take SOO long to show. Hate to imagine those on dialup.

I will grant that different breeds require different attitudes to leadership. Some require more work than others. Before getting into borders, I have owned and still part own siberian huskies and dobermanns, one of which was protection trained. All I am saying.. Leadership is more than allowing dogs to get higher than you. Leadership is in everything you do. Even dogs who permanently live on the floor can run roughshod over their owners. It is the boundaries you set and how you stick to them is important as welll as being consistant and fair.

Dogs that have never been crated and learned about crates cannot go straight into a crate and be expected to 'behave'. Now put a similar situation to yourself. You have just been told that you must stay in one room... You would not like it unless you have some 'comforts' there. Similar can be dogs who have never been crated. When you start crate training, you have to make the crate a positive area. this envolves sessions where you feed in the crate, play in the crate, and make the crate a place of retreat rather than a jail cell. Essentially this is what you have done. Zorro has been able to do what he likes. All of a sudden he is locked in a small area that he has no idea why. You need to make this area HIS place of retreat. Do a google on crate training. There are some excellent articles online about successful crate training.

Try: You throw ball/toy once dogs 'fetches' and is coming back towards you, you turn around and run the other way to get the dog to chase you (hopefully with toy in mouth). Have a treat ready and do a swap... If you dog likes tug, you play tug with him. My first thought is the first time he stopped bringing it back.. you may have pulled a face which he has interpreted as he has done something wrong.. hence dropping it.. and it has continued from there. while some dogs just love chase ball, others get bored with owner throw ball, dog brings back and then owner throws ball again. Hence the tug at the end.. there is some interaction between you and the dog.

No product does everything yet. I use Advantix for fleas/ticks. Proheart for heartworm (do not trust any of the top spots for worming) Drontal/Propantal/Paratac plus for all worms (they also do the hydatid tape worms) Proheart comes in a yearly injection too. More money up front, but think it works out just as much for monthly. Proban tablets (Ticks): have to be given every 2nd day at roughly the same time each day to be effective.

2nd hand wooden baby play pen with shade cloth stapled around the outside to prevent puppies from getting out.

In part I agree with not allowing the pup on the bed, but I also disagree. I hear what the others are saying about breed differences. Just because you let the dog on the bed/furniture, does not necessarily mean that it WILL dominate you. You run a higher risk especially if you do not have 'control' of the dog in other behavioural areas. I have borders, and while not the same breed, they still can run roughshod over the household. While mine are not allowed free hold on the bed. they will come up when invited only. Otherwise I have mats around the house where they prefer to lie.

Much to my current OIC of club's friendly disgust... I do the flip finish....Something I kinda taught from the start as soon as I found out it was allowed in Qld competitions. Do not like the conventional finish..although my dogs do both if needed.

I would get your OH to start training the dog at home when you are not present. Like others said. get him to start taking over the general maintenance of the dog (feed/bath etc). what you may have to do is this week, you OH goes to class with dog (you may have to stay home to start with).. then the following week, you go to class with your dog. You may have to do this for a few weeks. Let the dog get used to the distractions at classes with your Oh without adding the worst distraction (YOU) there as well.. Once the dog is comfortable with OH and general class distractions, you can both then start going together again.

Mary ray teaches it rather simply by luring. With the dog sitting in front. Move the left leg back so that you are standing almost sideways to the dog. The left leg back kind of acts as a guide for the dog. Lure the dog along the line of you body. For those that use clickers click as the dog reaches the end of the line.. from there bring your left leg back so you are standing square while luring the dog with you. and click and treat when the dog is back at heel. Best way to describe it.. the dog does a circle at your left. as the dog gets to learn the exercise. the circle becomes smaller with the end result in 'flipping' back at heel.

If you have a collie breed. Be beware of products containing Ivemectin as collies are sensitive to this drug and in some cases is fatal. Drontal make a puppy worming suspension paste. They also make tablets (up to 5kg) for small dogs/puppies. When you worm your puppies they may experience a slight case of the runs for a couple of days. This is normal. If it continues after a couple of days, consult your vet.

Tracey, You need to change the month on the front post.

Initially I use food and no lead in a narrow hallway or along a fence somewhere the dog cannot go too far offside. almost at every step I will food/toy reward (depending on motivation of dog). Once they have that, I gradually move to other areas and add more distraction. Once they are comfortable with that, I taper off food and reward periodically or randomly. I will put lead on at around this stage or where I start to add more distractions. By this time, the dog is not wanting to pull or lag in most cases.

I would just wish that with every piece of equipment (Head Halter, Check Chain, Martingale etc) sold, they would be sold with basic INSTRUCTIONS on how to use and the dangers of IMPROPER use. Nothing like having an instructor who knows how to train AND be able to teach the correct use of each piece of equipment however.. There seem to be fewer people who take the time to show people how to use their equipment.

Personally, I think the 'trainer' and the 'trainee' thinks problem solvered. Head halter was used to stop the pulling along with the belief (not to mention advertising propaganda) that they are kinder than all other collars. The saying "out of sight outa mind" comes to thought here. Then again, the person may think that there is NO cure to stop their dog pulling, so will not make any further effort to get the halter off in favour of a flat collar. The other problem you face when taking obedience classes, is the size of the class is anything up to 20 people per instructor, so there is no time to take aside each and every person who has a problem. Unfortunately you have to cater to the majority rather than the minority. Another problem, also is the person you are trying to teach, does not want to listen.. You get to the point sometimes, where you will recommend something. If the person does/tries something about it, you will try to spend some time with them, if not you tend to spend the time elsewhere where it is more appreciated.

Never had to use a head halter. I have a couple in stock in case in training class, one needs to be whipped out. Also not needed to date. I tried one out once at a local market when i had all four dogs in toe as a test... the number of ignorants that think they are muzzles are unbelievable! was even told I should be bringing an aggressive dog into public.. You should have seen their faces when I told them it was not a muzzle and the dog could still bite. Too many times I have seen head halters been recommended to a person for a dog which had pulled. The dogs ever since have required head halters as nothing was ever done to correct the problem in the first place.. then the person who gave them the head halter never bothered to explain how to correct on a head halter... :rolleyes: they thought it was the same correction method used in check chains. Head halters manage - NOT fix a problem. Training still needs to be done to fix a pulling dog.

I agree with the others here re the instructor not knowing how to correctly teach methodology with each piece of equipment around. No one has/wants the time to put into correctively teaching. Then again, there are those pupils, that no matter how much you try, they will NEVER listen.. The "oh buts" start. Also as an obedience instuctor at a club, it is also very difficult to take aside each and every individual who is having problems. Class sizes are just way too large! My own puppies I actually train to walk beside me without a leash! I start in the house preferably in a hallway where the dog cannot overally move away from me. I use high value food or toys to encourage the dog to be with me. I do this for very short periods of time - frequently. The problem with classes is that a club/instuctor sees a dog pulling and goes "head halter needed here please" and of course, head halter is fitted, often badly, because one of the leading brands sold, do not allow or variable sizes in muzzle length and bridth. Then to add to the mix they fit a check chain to the dog and attach both to the lead and pull the dog up. No time is allowed for the dog to get used to the new apparatus. We all know that when introducing collars to a dog, is to introduce it slowly, and let the dog walk around with the collar, have a game in it so it does not become a tool of 'destruction' rather than have a positive effect. No time to do this when at a training session. Best thing is to take it home, let it on the dog without a leash, have a game, and let the dog know it is not a bad thing. Clicker training.. Good, but sometimes not practical in a class situation. This is best taught in smaller groups where you can observe and direct accordingly on what you are looking for and what and when you should 'click' to reward a particular behaviour. Then people want to have push button dogs.. Show once.. and the dog MUST do.. Some dogs are just slower on the uptake than others.

All I can say is this: Some judges are good. Some aren't. It is their opinion of what is working and what isnt. I have had one judge say that my dog was forward because it's shoulder was level with my leg. I have had another judge say my dog was lagging because the head was level with my leg. I have been told I cannot give a 'wait' command, then pause before throwing dumbell and sending the dog to fetch. I have been told that you can give a wait command as long as there is a definate pause. I have had an obedience judge lift tail and examine teeth for a stand for exam. (rules definately say this is NOT to be done) I have been given a NQ for recall for dog automaticaly heeling (fair enough) then for same judge to award 29 for a recall where the person had to physically manhandle the dog to sit prior to leaving.. Comment from judge: "the dog performed the key element of the exercise - recall". In saying all this, I have watched the new CCD competions here in Qld....with absolute shock horror. Handlers giving double commands, manhandling dogs, and treating the trial ring as a practice ring..When it it obvious to all and sundry that both dog/handler is not ready for the trial ring. I could have put in a dispute, paid my fee for the time when the judge examined mouth/tail.. the dog did the exercise..qualified..so whats the point?? Mental note made to never trial under that judge again..and a few others. I have also seen some judges that were very nice to trial under while under "judges in training" but once they were fully fledged.. Trialled once - never again because they are too picky. One thing I would love to see, is the end of OC/UDX/UD dogs trialling in Open and being eligible for trophy awards at the end of the night.. Would like to see it be the same as in dressage... Higher level horses (dogs) can compete in the lower level, but their scores are not eligble for end of night point scores. I understand the possible need for those dogs to go down a level for proofing.. but that is more lack of incentive for new open people.. You see trophy hunters in your ring.. what chance do you have to end up in award lineups at the end of the night??