Pinchy

The only people I know in real life who call their dogs fur-babies actually think that their dogs are their children and treat them the same. Naughty spoiled and untrained:( Spoken to like humans and laughed and cuddled and ignored when they bark and jump and carry on for hours on end. Erk. Fur-babies just reminds me of these dogs. It's not a term I use. My children are my children and dogs are dogs. Love them all though❤️. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't know if you know about this but there was a dog lost last year named Maisey in Sydney. Her owner created a Facebook page and had about a thousand people putting flyers up and looking for her all over. They found her. Anyway to get to the point they have a page called please help find maisey. They will share your photo and info if you post it to the page, in turn their followers will hopefully share too. May help get the word to a few more people. Good luck!!! (I dont know how to share the link). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The article sounds great! I know about the yellow ribbon idea but only because I have seen it on the internet. I think there are a heck of a lot of dog owners who don't use the internet at all so a wider audience needs to be reached;) Newspapers, posters in clubs and vets etc. I think are a great idea. Good on you for doing the article, can't wait to read it! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks guys again for all the suggestions:) tonight I am going with devon and chicken roll, though reading this I may have cut them too small! Haha they're about 4mm lol. Oops! I'll check out that sheet too thanks Sheena! We are leaving in about 40 mins and he is a bit poopy that he hasn't had dinner yet hanging in the kitchen giving me puppy eyes hehehe. I'll see how he goes and how much he eats tonight and decide if he needs any dinner when we get back. I'm not expecting too much of him tonight but do secretley hope he is not a total goof ball in class, imagine the reputation damage we could do to BCs . I do hope it's a good class though. The instructor sounded great on the phone. Will let you all know how we go:) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I found some old threads;) lauging at cheerios! Have to yry that! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Time for another random question from me:) We are starting puppy class tonight. I'm super excited, I hope it's good:) They said to bring enough treats for an hour. That seems like a lot of treats!! I'm looking for suggestions of some things to keep interesting. So far devon and chicken have been a hit. I don't think kibble would be enticing enough unless he was really hungry. (I know not to feed him before we go). Cheese and carrot seem good to. Can I mix it up or am better off keeping to one food per session? Also I know they bury food and eat dirt and things but is it really ok to leave say meat or cheese in my bag for an hour and then use it? I always worry about it not being in the fridge, is that crazy? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks guys:) having fun here as always!! I seem to always have a pocket full of treats and a toy or two tucked into my shorts haha. I'm trying to be calm and gentle, I knew they could be softies:) I don't want to scare the poor thing:) I think he was a little tired this morning when we walked, it made it a calmer 15 minutes for sure. I bundle up the leash a bit so he doesn't get such a run up, that way he is closer to me all the time. If it tightens he sometimes sits but he knows that we will stop and wait for the leash to slacken. Here he is now asleep under my chair. I'll try for a better piccy when he wakes up:). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We had a great 15 minute walk on the lead today (i kept the flat collar and fabric lead for now). No leash biting and hardly any pulling at all. The mouthing is still a work in progress. Distraction followed by time out for escalation seems to be working at the moment. He seems to be doing it less but still has those silly periods. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Persephone:) working on it. Slowly but surely. Been a while since I've had a puppy. And my old dog was a lot to live up to;) want to make sure I do this right!!

Thank you for the encouragement:) he is good generally and learning quickly at other things. It's just mostly this yhat I am not on top of. Even today with me taking it slowly and rewarding small steps his leash walking is way better. I think it's the devon in my hand!!

Thanks Kelpie I'll try to be super firm. I need to fix this now.

Thanks guys. Walking out of the room gets my ankles nipped. Standing looking at the ceiling with crossed arms works for a minute but taking a step starts it again. A toy distracts for a second if I'm lucky. Nekhbet the growling no, and thumb under the tongue works for an instant too but as soon as my hand is out we are back to silly.

We did a few short leash sessions today, he was ok for a few minutes:) Just quickly, with the nipping: is time out in his crate a bad idea? I don't want to make the crate a negative place, he doesn't use it during the day much but sleeps in there at night. If I put him in there with a chee toy or bone is that reinforcing that he will get a treat when he uses his teeth?? At the moment the only way I can get him to stop the mouthing is to physically remove him. Toys, food distraction aren't working when he is in silly mode. I just don't want the crate to be a bad place. I did put him in the laundry once but he went off scratching and whining. He knows in his crate if he wines for a minute he wont come out but if he is settled he will and he settles quickly in there. His crate was in my bedroom for sleeping but this afternoon I have moved it to the loungeroom so he can see us. For bed he gets his kong but for biting I have just been popping him in there calmly. A play pen is no good, he can climb:| I want to make sure this isn't a punishment just a removal to calm for a minute. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Haredown:) we are starting puppy class with someone down here who has a great reputation as a police dog handler. I have spoken to him on the phone and am really happy with how he came across. I also have some good feedback about the obedience club in my area so that will be next when he's a bit older:) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm trying to answer everyone but I have no idea how to quote:( I usually do one of three things with his kibble. Spread it around and get him to look for it, use it to train at night or he sits to have it in his bowl. I think I am confusing him making all different ways to get dinner. I'm such a softie! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk