katied86

Aussielover: thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I work so it's impossible to do 1:30... Thanks Thespotteddevil! Will definitely look into that one! Close to home and doable time wise!! :D

In January my boy turns 1 and as well as doing Rally-O training I was thinking of starting retrieving training. I eventually want to get him into flyball, but want to wait until he's a bit older so it's easier on his joints. I just don't know where to start with retrieving training. He has a strong retrieving instinct and will retrieve both in water and on land (using toys) and I have been working on getting him to drop it at my feet (today he did quite well!). I'm based in Western Sydney. Is there somewhere I can go to learn the ropes of competition retrieving or can someone point me in the right direction?

My boy shakes, high-5s, begs, weaves through my legs but refuses to roll over! I have tried so many times to teach him and he just won't do it!

Thanks! I have been thinking about changing over for a while now and am nearly finished this bag of food so I might look at doing the change-over over the next couple of weeks! :D

I have a gorgeous (incredibly tall) 8 month old chocolate lab. He is a ball of energy and loves his trips to our local dog park, the beach and his rally-o training classes. He is still being fed the same puppy food the breeder sent him home with and has been thriving (at 33.5kgs, the vet is says he's on the lighter side of normal and could beef up a bit ). He has always had "extras" and will do anything for a banana or strawberry! I am wondering when you would be moving onto adult food? It was recommended to me that at 10 months I could move him on to working dog food. I will be away when he turns 1 (he'll be with my parents who love him almost as much as he loves them as he licks them to death!) so ideally I'd want to be transitioning him around 10 months or just over 1 year (I get back 6 days after his first birthday). I am planning to ring the breeder tomorrow to talk to him about this, but I was wondering what your experiences have been. Links below are some videos of my little guy having fun these school holidays! I think he likes having me home and being able to take him to the beach!!! :D

I used a gentle leader style harness on my boy (now 8 month old lab) as he pulled a lot when using his car harness. Last week I took him away and whilst wearing his gentle leader sitting at a café (tethered with the lead to the leg of my chair) he managed to chew through it whilst I was eating breakfast. Since then I have just been using a flat collar and he is walking a LOT better. That said, I am still terrified that he will slip his collar (which he has done!). I find that he pulls less on his collar as he feels it more.

I have an 8m lunge line. I may look at getting a longer one, but we'll be coming down through Braidwood... I love the long leads!

thanks kelpiecuddles! Cant wait to take my boy to the beach!

I have checked webites and they focus on dog beaches... They may not have parks like I'm used to in Sydney, but thought I'd throw the question out there. There are heaps of dog friendly beaches - many in walking distance from where we are - but his recall isnt good enough to be off leash in unfenced areas...

I'm heading to the South Coast to visit my gran and am taking my 8 month old puppy with me. Her place has no fences so Merlot will be confined to inside, the enclosed veranda or out on the lead. Whilst we will be regularly taking him for walks or to the beach, I have been looking for fenced dog parks where he can run but haven't had much luck online. Any suggestions?

I've been wondering about this too. My boy is 5 months old and varies between being crated at night and sleeping outside (he has a covered kennel in the backyard that he loves). When he's in the crate he sleeps in the lounge room as has been sleeping through the night (about 9pm-7/8am) since about 9 weeks. He generally is good with toileting but can get himself into things he shouldn't. I'm thinking of puppy proofing my bedroom and letting him sleep in my room. Not sure if he's ready or not. I have wood floors so if I shut all the other doors he'll only have access to my room and the hall so can't get into too much trouble... :S Should I try leaving him in a very safe room (like the laundry) first?

I notice a big difference with my Pups stools when he has banana - they're a LOT firmer... My little man will do anything for a banana (sit, drop, shake, twirl - all at once!). He's 5 months old and we discovered his love of banana by accident (dropping it when I was making fruit salad) and he now gets banana at least every second day. He gets them frozen a couple of times a week since he's teething...

My 19 week old lab will do anything for a piece of banana or an egg!!

Thanks Sandra! I think he's doing well - lots of energy, seems happy and is growing like there's no tomorrow. I've had so many people tell me that I shouldn't be feeding it because it's a low-quality food. I am quite happy with him and as I said, he gets lots of "extras". I guess I'm looking for advice on should I be changing and if so, what to.

My little man had his first trip to the local dog park (Bungarribee Dog Park) on the weekend and I'd love to know about more in the area. Someone was telling me on the weekend about a dog park out Richmond/Yarramundi way where the dogs can swim in the river. Does anyone know where that is? Google isn't helping! lol... Any other suggestions for outings for a friendly 19 week old lab who I want to continue to socialise?

I have a 19 week (wow time flies!) Labrador puppy. My little man has been fed on Bonnie Puppy as supplied by the breeder. I am nearly finished the food that I got when I brought him home and I want to swap to a more premium branded food. Does anyone have any suggestions about brands? Would you recommend feeding puppy food? Would you recommend large breed puppy food? My little man gets a number of "extras" (fruit, veg, raw and cooked meat, bones, as well as the odd treat) every day so he is not solely kibble fed. I have had a lab before who suffered hip dysplasia and I spent a long time looking for a breeder with exceptional hip/elbow scores and I don't want to do anything to jeopardise that by letting him grow too fast. ALL suggestions welcome!! I just want my little man to lead a long, happy and healthy life!! :)

I visited my boy (chocloate lab) when he was 6 weeks old and then picked him up at 8. At the 6 week visit I measured his neck with my hands and used that as a guide for the collar. I got a really cheap flat collar that my measure was the smallest size in. The collar only lasted 2 weeks and now he's in an adjustable collar and he's still going to out grow it in a couple of weeks I think!! The best bought toy he has is the kong wobbler. It's great when I go to work. I put his lunch in it in the morning and there's still some left in the afternoon, but a fair chunk has gone! He LOVES plastic bottles! (Juice/soft drink bottles with the lids/ring/label removed) I bought a soft dog toy and slept with it for a week and gave it to my breeder at the 6 week visit along with an old towel. 2 days before pick up he put them in with the litter and mum so my boy was a) used to my smell - and came running to me when I went to pick him up - and b) had a comfort item when he came home that smelt like his litter/mum. Start saving ice cream containers! I use mine to make big ice cubes...! I freeze things like bits of mince (I use human grade mince and freeze it in ziplock bags for training treats), carrot, cored/seeded apple, or banana and he loves chasing it around the yard! The big ice blocks are also slow release food while I'm at work. I also have a puppy ice cube tray in my freezer. I mash banana (his favourite food!!) with a little bit of water so it freezes harder and he gets 2-3 a day... I went to Vinnies and bought lots of blankets! LOTS!!! Puppy chews everything and it meant that if he had an accident I could easily change his bed...! For about $4 you can get a double blanket that will keep your little one happy!! I have 3 on the go at any time (1 in the crate - where he sleeps at night - 1 in his kennel - where he sleeps during the day - and one on the only section of couch he's allowed on)... He knows now (14 weeks) that he can only get on the couch where the blanket is... I also have a "mat" for him in the lounge room so he has his own special place to sit with us...! Sorry, lots of things I've discovered!! :D Enjoy your little one!!

Hi! My 12 week old had his 2nd vaccination on Thursday and was given a heartworm tablet. On Friday he was totally insane, ripping up plants, biting, jumping, zooming. He's normally a really settled puppy and has been fine since. Could this behaviour be the result of the Vacs?

I've noticed with my 11 week old Lab he bites when he's hungry. Unfortunately that's when I'm first up in the morning and when I get home from work!!

He seems to be in proportion at the moment - can easily feel his ribs - but he's growing so quickly and wanted to check he's getting the right amount of food total. He seemed so hungry the last couple of days but looks healthy...

Hi! I'm feeding my 11 week old Lab on Bonnie Puppy on the advice of my breeder by I'm an idiot and threw out the bag after checking what to feed him when I got him 3 weeks ago. He is now 10kg and growing before my eyes! Is anyone able to pass on the feeding guide for this food? I ant find it anywhere online and he seems to be starving all the time - I know labs are food motivated but this seems like genuine hunger not just being a guts!! He also get fresh meat, fruit and veggies and loves his bone! Thanks!!!

My little man will be 10 weeks old tomorrow and went to his first puppy preschool class last night and loved it! I would love to get him together with other dogs once his vaccinations are all done! Blacktown/Rouse Hill is ideal for me...!

I pick up my chocolate Labrador puppy On Friday!! So very excited!!!

Which preschool did you go to? I'm picking up my lab pup on friday!! :D

Thanks! Merlo is a feisty little guy and the whole litter are growing up so fast! They're all between 5-6kgs at 6 weeks old!! They're pretty cute. I guess my concern with puppy food is them growing too fast. I've read that their bones need time to develop and strengthen so I don't want him to grow too fast. Just want to make sure I have a happy, healthy little boy on my hands!