Kavik

One thing I would do is keep Casper on lead when meeting new people, so that he cannot jump all over them. Does he know sit? If so, I would work on getting him to sit when people come over (on lead) and reward calmly for doing so (praise or food). I would work on him doing this around people before trying to include having people pat him. Have guests ignore him for now. Does he have a mat or bed? You could also teach him to go to his mat or bed when there are people over.

I was thinking that too Stormie and asked about using potato or sweet potato, as even Eukanuba has a skin food that is fish and potato. Vet thought most likely problem a protein source. But would make more sense to make the carbs novel too. ETA: Those prices look good! Will talk to OH

I'm going for a recheck at the vet in 2 weeks so will see how he is going by then with the antibiotics and antihistamines. I'm going to look into alternate meats to use for an elimination diet and check prices etc to see if there is one that is not too expensive, and may do that if little improvement. Vet suggested to use rice or pasta as the carb as the starch in potatoes can cause problems with some dogs?

I don't think it is such a balancing thing. Eg One bad experience with something (other dogs, the car, a bike, a moving surface) can scare a dog and make it fearful of that thing or experience even if it has had good experiences with it previously. I don't think they go 10 good experiences - 1 bad experience = still 9 good experiences, so will be OK. And I agree with Poodlefan - you don't want them to get scared, but you want them to sort out potentially scary/harmful dog interactions by themselves?

Blood results back - all normal So that's good news. Still not sure why he needs 5 times as much food as Kaos though

All right, you caught me out. I just like them more than you. The most intense advocate for socialisation I know is a certified behaviourist and trainer as well. She doesn't like dog parks very much either, but she will get anyone she can convince into puppy preschool with the pups the moment they get them home. She trains with the basic rule that if your dog isn't being responsive enough it's because you aren't being interesting enough and concentrates on becoming more interesting rather than conditioning the dog to find you more interesting in the first place. I like this general philosphy because it treats dogs like individuals and the focus is on them rather than you. I am extremely leery of philosphies that turn dogs into something that is not good enough if left to develop on their own. Why tamper with what is naturally dog? I know you don't think that dogs naturally like to spend time with other dogs, but, well, that's something I can never agree with. They are social critters after all, and I don't think I can take the place of a dog for my dogs. They know I'm no dog. I think if I continue this discussion I'm just going to be repeating myself over and over. So I concede to you, K9, as a better debater on this topic, but you still haven't convinced me so it's only second prize. I usually say I'm easily convinced by a good argument, but I think in this case I'm not because it goes so against the grain of everything I love about dogs that I could never see it as a good argument whether it is or not. I LOVE that Kivi adores other dogs. It's who he is and I wouldn't have it any other way. If I wanted a dog that thought the world of me alone I'd get a different breed. Penny's verging on that kind of thing and I don't like it very much. It's too much pressure for me, especially when I spend so much time away from home. I hate coming home from a field trip to have her glued to my leg for the rest of the day. So dog parks can be good or bad. I don't like seeing them all tarred with the same brush because they have been a source of great, safe fun for us so far. I haven't actually found one of these bad ones yet, although I absolutely believe they exist. Socialised dogs sometimes think other dogs are awesome fun. Well, I dunno about everyone else, but I love taking my dogs places they think are awesome fun. You know, because I love them and stuff. It puts a big smile on my dile to see them having fun. I don't think there is much risk in this, but other people do. If you do, then don't let them, I guess. If you can't be bothered putting in the work to condition your dog to come when called then condition them to not find anything else in the world but you particularly amazing in the first place, I guess. I reckon the recall would be less work and more fun, but K9 assures us neutralisation is easy. Maybe not fun, though. I don't really subscribe to pack theory, but that's a bit complicated and a topic I'm not getting into. Suffice to say I'm not the only one that doesn't and it's not necessarily a fact. Why chase scary dogs away when your dog can safely tell them there's no need to get the teeth out? I have chased dogs away on occasion and it upsets Penny more than just letting her deal with it does. If I chase she thinks there's something to be worried about. If I don't she calmly handles it herself. Good for her. Maybe other dogs aren't as worried by chasing. I will say again, you know with Zoe, I did want her to find other dogs fun and run in the park with them, because it was fun to watch them all interact. I thought that enough interaction would teach her how to deal with troublesome dogs because she could read their body language. Well, all I got for this was a dog aggressive dog. So now I know better, that this was the WRONG thing to do and the WRONG way to go about it. Now if I don't like the way the dog is acting, body language wise, I don't allow my dogs to interact with it, don't stick around to see what will happen. I do sincerely hope that you do not end up with the type of dog that can't cope with your socialisation preference.

My understanding of neutralisation is that you don't let them play with other dogs. That they only meet 'neutral' dogs who will be disinterested in them, so that they have no value for dogs as they will just be ignored and are boring.

Pretty much for the questions you raised - if the dog only ever encounters neutral responses from dogs/people (no reaction, play, patting, screaming etc) I'm not sure how they are supposed to know how to react when that does happen later on. I may be completely wrong, but at the moment, that is how I see it.

This is a really good question, and one I hope K9 Force answers. I have asked similar questions myself. I plan to carefully socialise my next dog, choose who he/she interacts with carefully (certainly no rough play at dog park, instead meet with friends dogs who I know etc), but at the moment don't think I will neutralise.

I get the blood results this afternoon - will let you know what the result is

A dog does not have to get hurt for the incident to have a long lasting effect on its temperament or its attitude towards other dogs. If you read my post, I don't think Zoe was ever hurt at the dog park, but her experiences there (the usual stuff that happens at parks - rushed at, run into, growled at, possibly humped, jumped on, etc no worse than any other dog park) was one factor in her becoming aggressive towards other dogs. For the rest of her life. Like dislikes ALL other dogs and taking her for walks can be stressful in case we meet one.

OK just got back from the vet. Had some blood tests to check liver and pancreas? Did skin scrape and got skin sample on sticky tape - no mites or yeast infection. Vet thought symptoms not indicative of thyroid or other metabolic problems. Sent home with antibiotics and antihistamines and bathe twice a week in Malaseb. Recheck in 2 weeks. Not cheap though, OH gonna kill me

What have you done training method wise to train her to stop pulling? IMO an 8 kg 11 month old Whippet should not need any of those devices. Have you contacted a trainer or gone to any classes?

PICSI was showing us RFP, which Kaos will do OK at home, but did not read at the club. He did read drop shoulder/push fine though. I think you were right when you suggested he was reading my shoulder and not my arms, I think I drop my shoulder more at home (as I only have 2 jumps and I guess I give myself more lead out? or something) than I did at the club that night when doing it.

Hi guys How does everyone do their serpentines? Does everyone use RFP? Anyone use anything else? I found a video of different techniques, which one do you use?

Hope you don't mind me using this video as an example Reddii http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf8AWQVol00...re=channel_page Jules can you do the tunnel as shown at :56 - :59? That is what I mean.

I think this would be a good way to figure out whether the tunnel is the issue Moreso if you change which end of the tunnel you send them to. I don't think this needs to be Derrett vs other, if she is happy with Derrett, this issue is not big enough to change the whole of how she handles. Whatever you are comfortable with. And I WAS at the recent Ronda Carter seminar It ROCKED

I would scrap the threadle move for the moment, and work on getting them comfortable going in through the right side of the tunnel from your left side. Not standing in the middle of the tunnel, but make it easier by standing in line with the tunnel entrance, as if you are running that way anyway, in a straight line to make it easier. left entrance/middle/right entrance .................................... Dog/You

Ignoring the threadle arm for a minute, have you sent them in the right end of tunnel with left arm before? Like having them on your left with right tunnel entrance straight ahead (so tunnel is turning away from you) and sending them in like that?

I agree with Tassie. We are also only entering Jumping until we are confident on our contacts. There is still lots to do in Jumping

Have you sent them in the right side of tunnel from left hand before? To do a rear cross at tunnel or something? If not, maybe practice that first. I felt very awkward first time I tried, and it took a couple of goes before Kaos would go in the tunnel that way.

When I first got Zoe, I wanted a dog that I could do obedience and agility with, and have fun with at the local park. There was a dog park less than 5 minutes walk from my house at the time. I guess I thought like corvus that interaction with other dogs would teach her how to read them and how to deal with rough behaviour as after all they are a pack animal right? So I took her to the offlead park for a run. At first she was playful and appropriately submissive for a puppy, but sometimes did get run into (or over, by a whippet there I remember), I don't remember any horrible attacks or anything that major. Once she reached about 6 months I noticed that she would sometimes act aggressively towards other dogs, and onlead would put on an aggressive display from a distance but be OK if they met. Really confused me and I did not know how to deal with it. I had taken Zoe to puppy preschool and then to obedience classes from when she was 4 months old, so she had gotten plenty of socialisation. From 6 months, it just got worse and worse, and I no longer took her to the offlead park, going to quieter parks instead or onlead walks. My intentions were good, I did what I thought at the time would give me a social dog that enjoyed interacting with others, what I ended up with was a dog that dislikes all other dogs, and that I could not compete with.

I'll have a shot though I am not using Derrett, so it may be completely wrong At the moment dog is on left side. So threadle arm should be right arm? and then send to tunnel with left arm again? (then I presume you would have to do a cross at the tunnel)

So what, now I have to assure everyone that I don't force my dogs to do things they don't like because I like it when they do it? Fine... That is not what I said at all! What I meant was that one day you may get a dog that does not like rough and tumble play with other dogs. I hope that if you do get such a dog, that you can recognise that and be more selective about what other dog you let that dog interact with, instead of how you approach dog to dog interactions at the moment, or you may end up with a dog aggressive dog. As K9 Force said others may do what you have done (or you may do it with a different dog) and end up with a problem.

I think the issue is doing right by the dog. Some dogs may be find with rude doggy behaviour and being jumped on, but others are not. Those of us who have learned the hard way that off leash play may not be suitable for all dogs (and whose dogs have aggressive problems due to the type of play allowed) are obviously going to be more cautious in how we approach this in the future. I have had the opportunity to speak to lots of other people with the same breed as me or breeds bred for the same job and who also do sports, and most are very careful about who they allow their dog to visit and play with.