LisaCC

And yes it would be nice if this thread didn't turn into the other two.

I agree with Simply Grand, every non dog-crazed person (I say that with the best intentions :) ) I know doesn't think about any of those things when buying a pup, most don't even realise that you can health test dogs. I guess thats why BYB do such good business.

How did the workshop go today guys? I don't have bull breeds myself, but I know plenty that do, and plenty that could probably use a little help. If today was successful it would be great if you could do this in rural areas :) I stand by what I said earlier, this would be amazing for someone who wants a bull breed. I see too many here that people buy because they think they are vicious, and many more that are not given the attention they need. Education can do a world of good.

I have noticed my lab has more webbing than other dogs. And I can see how it comes in use, he spreads his toes wide apart when he swims!

Was just about to say the exact same thing RiverStar-Aura :)

Thanks for your answers. Biker girl thats how I supposed it would work. When I did obedience with my lab (never to trial though) he got in the habit of focusing on me even during a relaxed walk. Becks, If the head wrapped around look is more popular, would the dog be marked down for not doing that? I do agree that in some of the videos I was watching, especially the Crufts trials, the dogs head seemed to be so tight in front of the handlers leg that it seemed to be getting a bit in the way. I know I would find that annoying.

I've been watching lots of videos of obedience trials lately (2 weeks holidays with nothing to do ) and noticed that when heeling all the really good dogs are focused so intently on the owner with their head up. I've also been to a few dogs shows lately and noticed the opposite, head down etc, Im guessing to show top line and gait. This got me wondering, does anyone do both obedience trails and shows with their dog/s, and if so do you have to train them to heel without the focus for shows?

So I just got a call from my mum saying my 11 yr old Lab just caught and ate a bird for the first time in his life, good time to do it. Does this mean that even though he is regularly wormed via a generic all wormer from the vets, should go out and buy a wormer that treats lung worm just in case?

Where did you get the harness from aussielover? I could do with one for my reactive dog that can be read from a distance. That company 'Dog friendly collars australia' actually makes harnesses too and I believe they just released a special Training one with matching leash. This is their facebook page and they have links to their online stores http://www.facebook.com/DexilFriendlyDogCollarsAustralianDistributor?ref=ts&fref=ts I think its a great idea, as well as the three Caution, No Dog, Friendly collars they also have 'nervous', 'Blind dog' 'Deaf Dog' and the one I mentioned above 'Training'. Not sure it will work on everyone, but if just one person pays attention to it and it stops an attack then it might be worth it.

That ad reminds me of this one, Not much slow mo but still great.

I love them! The weave poles in slow mo are excellent! And was that second one to the theme from the new Alice in Wonderland?

Two dogs that are a little strange about pat and scratches. 1st my lab boy, is the most vocal dog I have ever heard! He is a moaner It doesn't matter where you give him a scratch but if he likes it he will moan the whole time lol. Normally starting off with a soft cat like purr, but it gets loud enough to not be able to hear the TV over him! 2nd my partners ACD is obsessed with butt scratches (well just above her tail). If she knows you will do it, she will back up to you butt first. Then once you start scratching her she puts her head up high and starts licking the air. Its very strange.

My lab does that exact same thing but with visitors arms and will lick their hand constantly if they allow it! For some odd reason he will also hold down your arm with his paws when you scratch him under his chin.

I forgot about that commercial. I've seen it before as too, its very well done!

Haha Spotted devil! That photo reminds me of plenty of cats! Give them a nice sleeping hole. No I will sleep on top of it!

When my partner and I visited my mum for the weekend, we took his ACD Ruby. Her and my lab Sam get on quite well and will tend to share kennels, she also had her bed bought down but when we woke up in the morning Ruby had perched herself on top of the expensive glass outdoor setting and Sam was sitting on one of the chairs upright but fast asleep! I can't imagine either of those being very comfortable!

I might allow it if I didn't have a poo eater. Because of that reason Sam knows he is not allowed to lick us, but he will take a chance and give friends a quick lick, and if they allow it he will go to town. But he is much more of a hand licker than face. I will give him a kiss on his head, cheek or snout though. Double standards

So this is a few years old, so some people might have already seen it. But I only just saw it 5 Minutes ago on Rage. Dogs in slow motion jumping and reversed! Gotta love the Basset hound :D

Great photos everyone! I don't have many shots (will have to get some) but Sam loves: Swimming! Hide and Go Seek. Scratches behind the ear. Sunbaking belly up (desperately need a photo of this but he moves everytime I try to get a sneaky photo) And the best toys ever, old plastic garden pots :) Oh and Carrots! Big fan of carrots :) as a pup we used to have rabbits, so he would get a carrot to chew on for distraction while we did anything with them as we would already have a handful to feed the rabbits with. Now he drools and does every trick in the book when the veggie crisper gets opened, all for a carrot :D

Thanks Mim and Kayla for the information, So far is sounds like we are already on the right track. He has a daily swim during his walk, in which he will keep swimming in deep water for quite some time, otherwise he walks in the shallows. It is fresh water so unfortunately we don't have any sand around here, the one place there is sand is around the man-made lake and that is off limits for dogs. We have already started doing the sit and stand exercises, though very few while he is recovering. We also just went for a little on leash walk in the front yard which has a small incline. He is still quite dopey from the surgery so we only took a few minutes until he went to toilet now he is back asleep inside. Backwards walking has always been a little trick we have gotten him to do, so that will come in useful too. We will wait to do any major exercises until we see go back for a vet check and see the physio. I am thinking of making up a small cavalletti course and start him slowly walking over that. He used to love jumping obstacles so hopefully we can get him to WALK and not dive over them. The problem we have now is in the next two weeks he is not able to be in water because of his operation. From the noises he makes when he gets in the water and how he acts once he is out you can immediately tell how much it helps his arthritis and probably his DM (now that we know about it). Does anyone have any ideas that could replace swimming for the next two weeks? Thank you Labradork, at the moment he seems quite content as he is snoring his head off :) I'm hating the fact that in a few days I will have to leave him and head back my house 3hrs away to work for the summer and then back to uni. Mum will continue everything with him, but I wish I could be there for him. I will definitely be making more trips home from now on.

Thank you Kayla. An obstacle course is a great idea, I will talk to the vet and physio about setting one up. At the moment he is on rest recovery for 24hrs. I have also been told that getting him to repeatedly sit and stand is a great hind strengthening exercise. Luckily he knows those commands well :)

Thanks Persephone, we are still planning on making the wool bed you suggested for outside winter use :) Also if anybody knows anything helpful for degenerative myelopathy please let me know. I know plenty of theory but that doesn't exactly help

Just an update on Sam. He had an operation today to remove some benign tumours, including a particularly bothersome one on his eyelid. Operation went swimmingly. :) Unfortunately the other day we have been told that there is a high chance he has early stages of Degenerative Myelopathy, and the hit may of boosted it. At the moment you wouldnt be able to tell unless you examined him. He hasn't even changed his gait or started loosing coordination. We have now updated his bed. We found a forgotten foam egg carton single mattress, its been cut in half and put on top of each other to make it thicker, covered in a sewed up bed sheet and then with a folded doona on top of that. We also have a water proof picnic blanket under him incase of any accidents. After he is recovered from surgery we will be looking into doing some acupuncture, and also hoping to see an animal physiotherapist for some exercises and to teach us how to massage him correctly.

Hi Tara8430, Funnily enough the vet we were discussing in the labrador thread put together a raw diet specifically for Sam when he was ill. They put it together when we were worried about the cost of the hills prescription diet that he was on for a few weeks. Due to his allergies it consisted mainly of kangaroo mince :)

He will be 11 in just over a month. Got some bad news today actually I'll put a post up on the lab forum after dinner, I want to know if anyone else have had the same news. I just hope no other dogs eat any baits.