Lablover

I would be more worried about the ear problem than his anal glands. Ear problems usually mean an underlying infection. Telephone your vet and ask if you can fix them up for a consultation and treatment (antibiotics) when you are paid. I would not go poking around with any foreign object. The problem may become more apparent if you use simply a suitable canine shampoo. Good luck.

Sidoney, Absolutely. When we break down what a pupy learns in every day life, it is amazing. I only added the smile, as just one tiny example, of how dogs learn to read us.

I think it depends on the dog whether or not they feel threatened by being stared at. I should imagine as they read our body language so well, it may have something to do with them realising that when we are not looking at them, we will not be giving them any commands. Another point BTW, in dog "language" a raised lip showing teeth is a sign of aggression. When we smile at our dogs do they think we are getting ready for a nibble? How I would love to be a dog (for a day) and learn how they really think. Trying to work out how my dogs think, give me a damm headache, LOL.

I just wanted to add this particular 5 month lab, was a real confident dog. She obtained her first CD pass at 7 months of age. She loved loved loved training at anything. This is one dog, that never wanted to be a pup, so to speak. Do not start scruffing your young dog if you feel it will cause flinch patterns, confusion etc.

I understand. Years ago one of my labs (she was actually my first - very high drive lab, as my husband already had his), broke a stay at 5 months of age and ran onto the road while I was collecting the mail. She gave me such a scare (even though it was a relatively quiet street), I picked her up to the scruff of the neck and really gave her a shake (while her four feet were on the ground of course). She NEVER broke another stay.

Overseas in working competitions it is very common for sit to mean sit etc until otherwise. I have never thought it particularly fair on the dog. I train wait and stay, probably because that is what I have always used!!! There comes a day when a dog will have high distractions (for example in retrieving trials). If I am convinced the dog knows stay or wait, a large correction will be given, even for one tiny step. I dislike nagging a dog who "does" know better.

Annie, When will you be in Victoria again? BTW after the nationals, are you planning on entering any retriever trials in Victoria?

Yogibear, I was thinking more in the line of theory discussion, we could call it "How to think like a dog" of something along those lines, LOL. We would try to have the best available like search and rescue, customs and other high level trainers.

NOW!!! there's an idea. Why don't we organise a day or weekend get together and swap ideas.

Tonight on the way home from dinner I decided to swing by, my old obedience club. The memories came flooding back as I parked my car. The evening was mild so I sat and watched the various classes. I am still shaking my head. All those big classes, going round and round in aimless circles. People jerking their dogs around, no focus from their dogs, instructors telling the owners to yell commands to their dogs, and at question time everyone expecting their dogs to sit like well trained soldiers. Please learner handlers, at the very least, make sure you have time out with your dog at question time. Squat down and relax the both of you. I must be getting old.

Damm. All my spacing disappeared. Oh well, aren't our different breeds wonderful.

Breed-typical motor pattersn ## = connected motor patterns CAPITALS = hypertrophied ( ) = fault Wild type Orient## eye## stalk## chase## grab bite## kill-bite LGD (Orient) (eye) (stalk) (chase) (grab bite) (kill-bite) Header Orient## EYE## STALK## CHASE (grab bite) (kill-bite) Heeler Orient## eye stalk CHASE## GRAB BITE (kill-bite) Hound Orient## ---- Mark## CHASE## GRAB BITE## KILL BITE Pointer Orient## EYE (stalk) (Chase) GRAB BITE (kill bite) Retriever Orient## eye stalk chase GRAB BITE (kill bite)

Oh no. They do not want to stop, they want to retrieve. I had a scare very early one winter morning while at a local football field while doing pattern work with one of my labs. I felt a tap on my shoulder, and jumped in fright. I turned around expecting the worst, but it was an elderly man with a border collie. He asked me what I was doing. I told him I was training send aways for blind training (from one set of football posts to another) which required me to stop the dog at a pile of bumpers, and cast the dog to another pile of bumpers. Anyway he observed for a while, then walked up to me again. He told me he used to have a sheep property in Gippsland and competed in herding trials. He called my dogs circus dogs, LOL. Best trained god damm circus dogs he had ever seen, LOL. When anyone asks me nowadays at the football field what I am doing, I simply say I train for retrieving trials, which is like sheep dog training. Makes it easier that way.

Are you speaking of a dog that knows sit before hand or a knows nothing dog? Yes. I am referring to a dog who has been taught the concept of sit very well, but in full prey drive (especially on a mark), requires weeks of education on stopping to a whistle command, never more so as distance from handler increases.

LOL LOL. I JUST knew I should have stayed out of this topic. LOL. I have been to herding seminars in the past and attended herding Championships, but as I am so into retrieving training and trialling, I admit my memory of your concepts becomes dimmer by the day.

Gee wizz. Really!!!! Would it not be confusing for a dog, in herding drive, if it does not know what it is being reprimanded for, if its basic obedience (stop) is not already taught? I am trying gain a picture in my mind, as I would never expect a lab, for example, to sit to the whistle while training, without WEEKS of conditioning to stop/sit on command in a controlled setting.

Sorry to butt into this thread as my interest in retrieving training and trials, where stopping on the whistle is also very important. Do you work on stops to the voice and whistle extensively before introducing stock, as we do in retrieving circles?

KJ, It depends on how their waist lines are looking. They are also supplemented with chicken frames, necks, and treats (treats - when at home not at training). During winter I find they need a little more and of course how much swimming etc. My dog base line would be 3 cups per day. The bitches 2 cups per day.

Regarding switching formula, now that is a curly one. I have asked soooo many vets this very question. 14 vets: 4 say ideal age is 2.5 years. 4 say ideal age is 18 months. 4 say 12 months. 2 say 6 months. My labs in hard work are changed over to Power at 14 - 16 months.

Fresh grass eating, plain and simply, I think is normal for dogs. All my dogs over the years have eaten certain types of grass. I have not worried about it at all, except when it comes out the other end and aggravates them!!! Labradors should at least try and chew the damm grass not swallow it LONG.

They do not have breeders club like a couple of other brands, as they try to keep their costs low. They do not seem to be advertise for that very reason, just word of mouth. Yes I have raised puppies on the natural formula before large breed puppy become available in Australia. My girls are fed Power. Naturally after whelping their appetites are HUGE. Interestingly, pups from a repeat mating seemed to have slower growth spurts, when fed large breed puppy than the first litter which were raised on natural, but at nearly 8 months of age have caught up. I was concerned feeding Power (protein levels) to an elderly labrador who switched to Eagle Pack at 12 but at 15 still continues to plug away. As previously posted she had been tried for 2 year periods on BARF, Pro plan, Euk but since she has been fed Eagle Pack she keeps amazing me. All other extras including drug therapy are no longer required!!! Needlesss to say I like Eagle Pack dog food, LOL. It might not suit every dog but my experience has been positive.

No worries Nat. Next time one of my labs suffers from cold water tail I will post a photo. I can tell by the angle how long the recovery period will be. Also by the pain features displayed during the first night. It helps having an ailing dog sleeping with you, LOL. Their discomfort level is interesting. Only I would find that so, LOL.

http://www.thelabradorclub.com/library/coldwatertail.html Natasha, Here is one of the links. I can tell within a couple of hours if one of my labs has suffered the condition. The degrees of pain and physical angle of the tail differs one time to another. As mentioned dry the dogs as much as possible. A car chammy (sp) is very useful with multiple dogs. Remember to walk/or run the dogs (I place long blinds on land) to help dry the dogs off or at the very least peg them out in the sun is possible.

What formula is $72.00? The prices vary between the formula's.

Excellent dry dog food. About 30 friends are now Eagle Packers and all are amazed with their dogs improvement. Cat owners report the same in their felines. It is suggested to gain maximum benefit at least 70% of the animals diet must be Eagle Pack.