Tazar

:thumbsup:

My best friend of 13 years a beautiful labrador left me when I made the decision to put him to sleep about 4 month ago. He had laryngeal paralysis and had such a bad turn that it took him about 2 hours to calm down. The thought of having him look at me for help when he could not breathe and me knowing there was nothing I could do to help him was what forced me into the decision. Still today, as everyday, my decision upsets me, could he have hung on longer? Yes he could but I could not have let him suffer like he did in the last attack. I kiss him goodnight as his ashes are in a box beside my bed, same as he slept by my bed everynight. My head knows I made the right decision, but my heart will never forgive me. It is a hard decision but I guess the moral of my story is that you need to do what is best for your dog. I understand that not everybody thinks like I do. My bear had no idea and did not suffer, I could never let him suffer. Go with your gut, you will make the right decision for you.

What was the reason why you stopped training your dog? I haven't stopped just haven't had time to get to training, still training at home though. Do you feel your dog is well trained enough? Whilst they are highly trained, I think there is always room for improvement and proofing. I also teach them tricks as it keeps their minds busy and I enjoy it too. Did you not get results from previous training attempts? I am extremely happy with the club I have been taking them to, it is about 1 3/4 hours drive away (in NO traffic) on a Sunday. However getting there during the week is not possible as traffic is too bad. It is not cheap but I wanted results and professional trainers, you get what you pay for, as the saying goes. What would prompt you to start training again or would you not start training again regardless? If there could be another 8 hours added to my week from somewhere , I would be there every chance I got!!.

Check out the legs in the picture with the 12 year old girl, WOW. He is just beautiful. :)

I too agree with Snook, don't panic just yet, vet check and kids away or closely supervised. Something is amiss. Good Luck

I bet the sheep a grateful for the last one nothing worse than a cold wet nose up your butt.. I guess in different situations it is not so confusing, you obviously do a lot of work with them

My god your dogs are brilliant, I am struggling to understand them all Well done release cues like MRB - "go sniff", "that's all", "off you go" and "have a rest" are variations on "no more treats/play to be had here, go be a dog .............. you could just say free or ok or enough. I have variable speed cues too, so "go!" means run like hell, "walk"/"steady" mean release into a stalking-type walk (a different cue for each dog) but "OK" is the all purpose one ............these sound like new commands (albeit complex :D ) But hey why mess with perfection ..............

Consistency is the key. Do the same thing at the end of each behaviour. Give her a command then release her, then reward her (as appropriate). What if you don't have a treat (assuming I interpreted you correctly and you give the treat as the release) how are you going to let her know that she can move from the position without food? Think command, command, command, release, reward (with praise, doesn't have to be food) i.e. sit, drop, stand, drop, free, good girl.

I use OK as a release, but if I could go back I'd use something different! Often I have my dogs in a down-stay while I am listening to a trainer, then when they finish talking I say "OK" without thinking and my dog goes zooming off I would recommend usuing something you are less likely to say in everyday conversation :) Maybe you could use a double whamy for a release, like you have to face them front on, or go back to their side or put your arm out in addition to ok. I alway return to my dogs side before release or I issue another command like calling them to come. :)

Even better - I just got a weekend project! :laugh: ! Let me know if it works...lol

Forget the chores, teach her to get a beer or soft drink out of the fridge! My old pooch mastered getting the wine and then the glass but I just couldn't get him to pour it

If you ask her to sit or drop, how do you tell her that she can move from the sit or drop? She should remain in the commanded position until you release or free her from the position. A common release word is free. IMHO you should refrain from using food after 10 repetitions i.e. you lure her into a position by showing her the food and bring your hand up or down for a sit or drop. Once she knows it which is after about 10 repetitions you should do it with your hand only, using the same action as if food was still in your hand. Once she has given the correct behaviour then you can reward her with the food. You don't want to bribe her with the food, i.e. show her the food then move you hand where you want her to go, otherwise she may not respond unless you have the food in your hand. You can then reduce your food rewards to every 2nd or 5th or 12th etc repetition of the requested behaviour. That way it is truely a reward. :)

Teach her to stand first, capture the behaviour i.e when she is standing, say stand and reward with food (as you have been doing) then release her. Sounds like you are doing really well :)

Thank you for the advice, very much appreciated. :) Tracked the breeder down, thanks Tarmons. No further insight though as the lady I spoke to said they have not experienced it in their lines. On the upside, I have been interrupting his behaviour and today when I vacummed, he got up close to the other dog, who was lying at the back door, and sat between his legs with his back to the door, the whole time. He did not look in (I have glass doors). I could tell he was not comfortable but he did not circle, he didn't move in fact and I must have been going for about half an hour. No interruptions necessary. So another success albeit minor but still worth a little

Nice question Effects of commercial diets vs raw on overall health and behaviour and more specifically human diseases like, diabetes (and the ones mentioned by OP) Effects of all the preventative medication, like vaccinations, flea, etc on overall health (including behaviour) and their relationship to diseases. Also the impact of these things on genetic makeup - don't want much...

I have had him for about 10 months and yes he has always chased his tail but not obessively, when he did it he would just sit on it with his hind leg but not chew it. Chewing has only recently started. I don't know what he did before I got him but he was in a small back yard with no stimulation and minimal contact. He ripped the yard apart including an outdoor setting that he reduced to small sticks. I think it is a learned behaviour that was started well before I got him. I consider him to be a bit highly strung. We are on a couple of hectares and he has company and lots of things to do, they amuse themselves with balls, playing tug with each other and playing chase. He is also highly trainined and gets, at a bare minimum, about 10 minutes a day. So I don't think stimulation is the problem. The other dog I have is definitely more dominant and the play can get a little rough but he gives as good as he gets and always go back for more. He chases butterflys and bugs, leaping in the air to try to catch them. I have been observing him closly since Monday and loud noise seem to be a red hot trigger for circling. For example I vaccumed inside yesterday and he started circling at the window. I have started interupting this behaviour and he seems to be responding as he just stood and watched after three interruptions. I did not continue vaccuming for much longer but I saw it as a win, all be it small. He did come from a reputable breed as I understand so I will be trying to track her down, the only info I have is her name is Michele and she is in North Queensland. Trying to get hold of the original owner to see what further info he has. He is registered but I have not seen his papers.

Hi, I am currently reading The Truth About Dogs by Stephen Budiansky and it is a very entertaining and interesting read. Recently finished: - How Dogs Learn by Burch and Bailey which is about operant conditioning and easy to put down IMHO.... - If Dogs could Talk by Vilmos Csanyi which was also entertaining. Slowly getting through my library and it helps if the books are entertaining as well as interesting otherwise I get a bit bored.... Enjoy your reading :D

No skin problems or fleas, very healthy and super lean (can't put weight on him, actually). Has anyone had any success with behaviour modification with or without meds? I am looking for some success stories I guess... thanks for the feedback too :) Taking it all in :0)

I don't think it is attention seeking, anxiety yes but there appear to be soooooo many triggers.... I hope it doesn't get worse, I have him inside now and he is not at all interested in it. I will persist with the training as I am not keen to medicate him without exhausting other avenues first. It is just yuk as when he wags his tail bits of blood flick on the walls

People just don't know GSD's I think, I have had the comments that my boys look old due to the white fur on the end of their muzzles. One was 1 year old and the other 1.5 years at the time!

Hi, I know this has recently been discussed but maybe specific info may bring more specific advice. Rescue GSD, not a bad situation but he was in a small yard with minimal human contact and he absolutely destroyed everything in it - due to boredom I assumed. He is a delightful dog, fairly submissive and very obedient. He ha no training until he came to me and he has responded really well. Initially you could not touch his legs or feet but I can now put my fingers between his toes and whilst it is not his favourite thing he is ok with it. He is extremely protective of his turf (when I am not home) but has never shown agression to people or other animals. He is about 2.5 year old. He came from a reputable breeder and as such, was an expensive pup IMHO. He has always chased bugs and butterflys and sometimes his tail. Now I am forced to think about it, he seems to chase his tail when he is around noise, any noise really, I'd even go so far to say when people are around him if he is not being patted, trained or otherwise occupied, he is tail chasing. He has trimmed the fur on the last 6 inches of his tail recently and today I noticed the tip is bleeding. If he is inside on his rug, in a commanded position, in his crate, in the car, he doesn't go near it. I have always gotten his attention to stop him tail chasing but just by distracting him. Obviously I really need to up the anti BIG TIME. Reading through the recent posts about this, I guess I am wondering if anyone has had much success in stopping the behaviour once it has reached the level of drawing blood? Any feed back will be greatly appreciated and thanks for reading...

Beautiful photos, fingers. toes and paws crossed that they are both ok

Hopefully the begining of the end of puppy farms.... I so hate walking past those shops.

Thanks Nekhbet :)

I have been reading through your post everyday. She was a very luck girl who had an exceptional mum to take care of her and for what it is worth I think you did the right thing and being with you at home in the end would have been peaceful for her and will give you the best memories you can have at such a traumatic time...