Kavik

Toilet paper rolls and cardboard boxes are great! If your dog is not overly keen at the start, I find a little smear of peanut butter gets them going

Here you go - whole subforum for tricks! http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showforum=54

If you look up clicker training you should find heaps of fun things to teach! It is fun as the dogs really have to think about it. Targetting (teaching the dog to touch its nose or paw to an object) is a fun one that I often start with, you can get them to target anything, your hand, a piece of paper. My dogs will nose touch my hand, a target stick, one will paw target a piece of paper on the ground. That one will also collect a toilet paper roll and put it in the bin. Mostly taught with a cliccker. Spin is also fun and easy, you can use food to lure the dog to spin in a circle, then fade the lure. There are heaps of tricks you can teach, I think there was a thread on it somewhere? I'm not that good at searching.

I think some mental stimulation would help. Do you do much training or games with her? Doesn't have to be formal obedience - tricks are great, keep her mind occupied (which gets them tired) and fun for you - you can show them off to friends (or husband )

Some more information about what you would like in a dog would help. Would you prefer long or short hair? How much grooming are you interested in doing? How much exercise and training are you willing to do? What size dog are you after? What sort of dog appeals to you? - do you like chunky or more lean types, terrier or spaniel types etc Are you interested in any dog sports or more interested in a companion? (not that they can't be both )

I would like to get Kaos and I up to trialling standard in agility and do more herding.

Kaos is better than he was, has run offlead at herding with other Kelpies and BCs, with sidoney's dogs and with some I know in local area, depends on the temperament of the other dog. He has some that he adores. He is better with other Kelpies and BCs and with calmer dogs. He reacts to dogs which are bouncy and playful or dominant. I would love to get him to be more tolerant of bouncy, playful and dominant dogs. Not play, but at least be more tolerant and not react. ETA: Not back at training at homebush yet, hopefully at the start of next year. Have to wean him onto a martingale, think they would flip if I used a pinch collar, even with a bandanna . . .

I think management vs training depends a lot on the strategies you employ. I use management with Zoe's dog aggression - I avoid other dogs when walking her. But with Kaos's reactivity with certain dogs I would really like to use training to improve his behaviour - just need some help as to how.

OK she says that the dogs are fed raw meat (chicken, lamb and beef) from the local abatoir as there are quite a few of them. Everyone in the local area buys from this place and there are no other animals (dogs or cats) at the vet with symptoms even remotely similar. Only 2 adult dogs have been affected and two babies. There is no access to cats. The vet is still waiting for blood tests to confirm toxo but is pretty sure this is the problem. EFS

I have helped train command refusal in class a few times. What we did is have the dogs in a stationary stay position (normally sit to start with) on lead by the owner's side and have the other person (instructor etc) come along and tell your dog to drop. You keep the dog in a sit, think of it as a distraction exercise, you put dog back into sit/correct dog for leaving sit position if the dog moves, praise if he doesn't. You might want to start at a distance first so the dog is not likely to obey the stranger. I think this should be OK for family (you don't have them be the stranger) - they will obey who has the lead in theory. Is this what you meant?

I used to assume all dogs were scared of storms and fireworks, as until I got Diesel all of my dogs had been. I think whether the dog is scared or not comes down to temperament, I have done nothing different with Diesel and Kaos and they are OK while Zoe is a mess. I worry about the dogs in storms, which I think is perfectly normal. I also worry during fireworks, and make sure the dogs are locked up on NYE. I enjoy watching fireworks and don't think they should be banned.

So true! I looked after an 8 month old GSD for a few months. She was timid around people and scared of men particularly. Heaps of people asked me if she had been abused. I knew the history of the pup, and she simply hadn't been socialised - been in a yard her whole life.

Can dogs get toxoplasmosis from raw meat? If so, how serious is it likely to be? A friend has had a dog diagnosed with this and the vet said it was from raw meat and is trying to convince her to feed dry only.

Well Done!

You learn heaps about psychology, behaviour and motivation types and different styles of training. Definition of drives etc but not so much practical working with prey drive (or not when I did it - 2000 - may have changed). You don't need prior experience for thr dog trainer certification, but do for the others.

Welcome! There are a few NDTF people on here I did the course in 2000, there are some doing it currenrly. Well worth doing

IMO the most important thing is to find what your dog finds the most rewarding If your dog likes chasing moving objects, squeakies, balls, tugs, then you can utilise this in your training - training in prey drive and using them as motivators. If your dog goes crazy for food rewards, you can use them in your training by using them as rewards. You can use any combination of motivators, including pats and praise as well, access to preferred areas, people, other dogs, etc. For competition (not that I'm quite there yet :rolleyes: ) you want precision, control and desire. You want to keep the excitement there. Try to find a trainer or club that helps keep the excitement, and doesn't become too boring with the same exercises. It helps if they are flexible to allow for different approaches (I am sure my club thinks I am quite mad I have tried a few interesting things such as spitting food)

Zoe is the same when she gets scared All she wants to do is go home and hide. Normally she is really responsive, but when she gets scared or stressed I can't get her to pull out of it. She normally walks well on lead, but will pull and choke herself if she is scared/stressed. No amount of coaxing/changing direction/distraction or correction will get her attention.

Has anything changed recently? Zoe, my Kelpie cross, is also scared of thunderstorms and fireworks. Several years ago, when I was living at home, my parents were renovating the kitchen. Serious renovations, they knocked down walls and it was very loud. Zoe was in my room when I was out so that workmen didn't let the dogs out. During this time, Zoe, who normally loves going for walks, did not want to leave the house. The only way she would go out was if she was with my other dog. She got more nervous than she is normally, and I considered taking her to a vet behaviourist to see if she needed medication. Eventually, a few weeks after the renovations stopped, she was happy to go on walks again. Her favourite spots are under the coffee table and in her crate if she is scared.

Number 1

Agree with poodlefan

It sounds like he gets very excited and frustrated that you are not letting him get the ball straight away. One thing you could try is put him on lead and stand on the lead or hold the lead when you throw the ball. Then if he throws a tantie at least you won't be bitten. EFS

I guess I am lucky. Zoe is dog aggressive towards strange dogs and a right b*tch, but I have never had a serious fight with injuries among my lot. Zoe tends to just use intimidation tactics, works on Diesel though he is twice her size! Interestingly, she doesn't try to intimidate Kaos. She is toy and food possessive with dogs (not people) so I feed them separately and keep an eye on them when playing fetch in the yard. Was throwing a toy for them yesterday, she will intimidate Diesel off going for it, so I have to hold her if I want Diesel to get it. Luckily she doesn't do it when I distribute treats.

Manly and Districts train at Allan Border Oval in Mosman on Tuesday nights, and Thursdays and Sundays at Deep Creek Reserve, Narrabeen http://www.northernbeachesdogtraining.com.au/index.htm Western Suburbs train at Bressington Park, Homebush on Tuesday evenings (trialling class) and Saturday afternoons (pet class) http://www.sinch.com.au/wsdtc/

To prevent them from bouncing, mine get tied up (actually they are really good! My mum came over to do them when I had just had Luke and she had no problems). In winter I do them in the bathtub, in summer the hose. They don't like it but they tolerate it and stand still, though they may shake at a bad time