Kavik

I use wire crates from Vebopet online for general use/trialling/training and have a soft crate specifically for Crate Games but that is all it is used for, wouldn't trust it for proper use at a trial.

I've never been told what the puppies were being fed, so all of mine have been on a different diet to what the breeder fed from day 1. I have never had a problem.

This an interesting paper I came across on "drive", you might find it interesting :) http://www.auf-den-hund-gekommen.net/-/paper3_files/drive_1.1.pdf In your situation, I think it is irrelevant what drives are being utilised, and you are never going to know anyway. I will still use the term "drive" in areas where there is a common understanding of what it means, even though it is pretty vague. Mostly I guess to describe whether the dog has enough interest in something to utilise it as a reward - with prey being interest in toys, mostly tugging, and food being food rewards. Though of course these can be manipulated to a degree, and you can grow them. I have found it tricky when talking to breeders to describe the type of temperament and structure I am looking for, especially breeders of working stock dogs who do not know a lot about dog sports (and why should they lol), as we don't really speak the same language as such when talking about these things

I'm not sure that it is important to know what drives are being utilised in this situation? The more important thing is how to deal with it?

I'd go a 2 pronged approach. Mental stimulation - teach some fun tricks and behaviours which will tire her out. Management when you can't keep an eye on her - confine her to a crate or run. Then she can't destroy stuff.

Yeah I agree that you could use them for throwing, but not real useful for shaping & a bit messy. I find cheese really good for throwing, though I would normally use a Lotus Ball with a dried treat inside. Lotus Balls I agree, you wouldn't catch me using raw chicken necks, rather messy, yuck! lol but people do! There is a reason I don't feed raw to my dogs in training :laugh: . Cheese is great, I currently use cut up dog roll http://www.prime100.com.au/Pages/Our_Range/Single_Protein_Diet___SPD___-_Vet_Recommended.aspx

people I know cut up chicken necks to use in training. Very useful if you are throwing your rewards in agility, where larger treats are easier to see.

chicken necks?

:laugh: ouch! Diesel did that once to me when I went through my food spitting phase with heeling, and he is not a high drive dog!

I will use negative punishment. Eg This morning I was holding a toy he really liked, and asked for a left spin, and he spun right instead (his preferred side). So I simply covered the toy with my hand, then opened my hand and asked for left spin again, and this time he got it correct and got rewarded with the toy. Just seeing if he can still respond to verbal cues when aroused.

Not much you can say to those sorts of people!

One of my previous dogs got pyometra, I can't remember whether it was open or closed though, sorry. She was with my parents and it was over 10 years ago. She was an older dog (12 or older from memory), and recovered well after being speyed.

People who use terms and methodology derived from dominance and 'alpha wolves' are basing their premise on the need to show that they are the 'pack leader' by showing physical dominance/force/alpha rolls - physically holding the dog down etc. They say that 'this is what would happen in the wild'.All of these are based on the terms and methodology that Mech founded and which he now says is not true, that is not what would happen in the wild. So the pillars of their dog training methodology are false.

It is quite obvious as to why Mech's work is listed under scientific links about positive training vs dominance and punishment training. If you have read anything of Mech's or watched the YouTube clip linked there, you would know that he has been studying wolves for a very long time, and is the person who pretty much pioneered the term and usage of the dominance hierarchy such as the use of alpha and omega. The original study was done on captive wolves which were not related and were just thrown in together. Not on wild wolf packs which he explains are family units. It is important, because dog training commandeered those terms, and the 'alpha roll' which he explains (and anyone with any sense can see when watching dogs interact anyway) is actually one dog choosing to roll over to the other one, there is no physical force used to get the dog to do this. He is basically saying his previous work showing a dominance hierarchy in wolves was incorrect, that wolves create a family unit, and that the adults are in charge merely because they are the parents. So any dog training based on his idea of a dominance hierarchy cannot be correct, as even wolves do not have one

I still remember my introduction to protection training - they told me "we are going to let this dog out. Stand still and don't move!" I did what I was told! The little I do know is that I don't know a lot :laugh: and that I would follow directions from someone more experienced if in a situation where protection trained dogs are involved

I have been bitten by other dogs twice, both times while volunteering at a well known rescue place, one dog had bitten all the volunteers. I watched protection training for a few years, several years ago now, participated very occasionally with very safe dogs or very green that were loaned to me or on the other side as a decoy with very experienced dogs and handlers, and in that time I saw the decoy get nailed by a live bite a couple of times, by dogs that were 'dirty' biters and would go for places they were not protected, or by handler error by being in the wrong spot when they recalled the dog off (and dog was a 'dirty' biter there as well).

I don't know all the facts behind that video either, but you can't in good conscience recommend rehoming for a dog with a bite history. If you have a dog that bites, your only options are to keep the dog and get help and lots of management, or euthanasia. The family in that clip said they wanted to rehome the dog.

I agree with that - too many new things all at once

the 'out' couldn't have come soon enough! that would have been one very firm and unhesitating chomp! I think - to get both legs so severely - there must have been more than one chomp. And don't they usually go for an arm? Schutzhund/IPO dogs are trained to go for the arm only, but police/protection dogs are trained to go for the closest limb or body part as TSD said. In training they can be taught to target legs, shoulders as well as arms, through the use of special bite suits, and are also taught to be 'civil' and not equipment oriented, whereas IPO dogs are taught to be equipment oriented.

Yes I read that too. Not sure what to think, I haven't been keeping up to date with her and what she is doing. I have done enough training with protection/security dog trainers to know that you don't mess around with that sort of training, some of the dogs are very serious, you have to be very careful and that things can go wrong.

Feeling scared as you say is a behavior and rewarding that fearful behavior gives the message that being scared is ok. Only reward dogs when they are relaxed confident and doing the right thing. I am personally not a fan of constant food rewards.Praise and positive voice / body language speaks volumes to a dog. Sorry Purdie but feeling scared is not a behaviour. Feeling scared is an emotion. Biting someone (triggered by feeling scared) is a behaviour. I use food rewards extensively with my clients' fearful dogs. If used correctly they are extremely powerful - much more so than praise. Ok if that works then great.I guess i must have a more old fashioned outdated approach / understanding of dog training. Cheers..:) One way to look at it is this: You are going to feed your dog anyway. You might as well have fun/train your dog/reward your dog/change your dog's behaviour at the same time!

They are both lovely, active, bouncy, bubbly breeds, I certainly would not call them placid! :) I like both breeds, they are relatively common in agility over here in the 600 (large dog) class and do quite well.

All 3 of my current dogs are male :) My previous female who passed away 2 years ago was dog aggressive, but more likely to get along with males in the household (she was OK with my own dogs, but didn't like anyone else). I love my boys :) I haven't decided whether my next dog is going to be a female or another male yet.

With the breeds you are considering mixing, I would go opposite sex, so get a male puppy.

Great job!