Nekhbet

I thought wubbas were for puppies

bahaha love the photo ... then the look on the ferrets face like 'hey where's the rabbit gone! I'm sure I had my nose up his bum 2 seconds ago" thats usually when I stumble, trip over trying to get the rabbit then sit there in a tangled mess while dispatching one angry rabbit I went out with a bad cruciate once, last thing OH heard was 'RABBIT!!!!' as I made a semi dive and disappeared into the grass when I clipped a rabbit hole with my bad leg ... who says ferreting isnt exciting eh

apparently they didnt fade just died overnight I'm thinking something may have been hanging around like a big rat, or that there was a genetic problem I asked OH about food and such but everything sounded up to scratch except for them dying at that age, very bizarre. I do most of the vetwork I can here, I've been a vet nurse for years and many vets know little about ferrets especially footrot (some think it's a fungus!) No we have polecats ;) The one albino is just a big lumbering pet (who we think is shooting blanks anyway) he was found on the side of a major road and no one came foreward to his owner (even to council or vet clinics) OH isnt fond of albinos as workers he never found them to be good. Saying that I have heard a lot of people like them as they're easier to see. These are our polecats when we first got them ... fat and lazy they had no arch and just slinked about with big fat bellies. The brother and sister from another breeder are much darker then this lot and out hunting The one with his tongue out is Spaz ... whenever we go out he sits there panting until he gets to go down the hole

footrot is caused by a mite, similar mechanism to scaley let in chickens. Soak them in diesel oil and it smothers the mite hence clearing up the infection. OH used to use sulphur I think, that was years ago. We dont have that problem because we keep their feet dry. we have very horny ferrets. I think our little Caramel is preggers hopefully Widget and Oog will follow her wonderful example. Ahhh OH will be such a proud grandfather polecatty here is a question for you, OH used to have a problem where his kits would start walking about eyes open etc and then he would find them dead the next day. He thinks his parents used to go in there for a touch when he wasnt looking (they do that ... the exact opposite of what you tell them ) and either made them sick or the mum rejected them and booted them out. Any ideas?

so you got the dog from pets paradise - I wouldnt expect a lot of good advice from them 1) Health make sure you worm your pup regularly with an all wormer, and that you keep it away from unvaccinated dogs and dog heavy areas like beaches and parks until its last vaccination. Since you live in WA look at hearworm prevention as well. Something like Advocate, Sentinal, etc is a good way to go Desex the pup as soon as it is old enough too, 6 months should be plenty. The price you were quoted sounds pretty good. 2) keep your kids away from the dog if it has had enough. People are right it is not a toy. Dont let them harass the puppy when it's in the laundry or crate, get tough with the kids before the dog feels cornered and threatened enough to nip them back or they hurt it by accident. It's the only thing puppies know so really it would not be the pups fault. They're exactly like toddlers, they eat, sleep, poo, get cranky then buzz around like flies on red cordial ... then repeat 3) crate training like you are doing now is fine. Think of the crate as the puppies 'bedroom' and teach it that it is really good in there and it will sleep there happily as an older dog. Being a tiny breed he will not be able to hang on properly overnight, hence when you let him out he wees straight away. If you cannot wake up to let him pee then put him in the laundry with a well padded bed, and put some pee pee pads down or get a big shallow plastic container with some paper based cat litter in there, and a tissue dabbed in his own wee to attract him. During the day if you catch him sniffing around take him outside and encourage him to go pee and poo, then praise. 4) as for diet, you are better off avoiding all the rubbish on the shelf and getting something from a pet place. Iams, Advance are good mid range or then there is Royal Canin, Eagle Pack, Artemis etc on the higher end. Good foods are better for your dog. Would you feed your kids McDonalds and KFC every meal? Yes they will be alive but will they be healthy? No! The cheaper foods are filled with grain, animal fats and whatever is scrapped off the abbetoir floor, including heads, feet, intestines etc. Actually you get NO value for money with the cheap junk, it's quite overpriced for what it is (how some of it can even be legally considered dog food is beyond me) But yes, good foods go a lot further and with such a tiny dog a $30-$40 bag of premium food should last you a long time. Poodlefan is right in saying you should introduce chicken necks and wings for nutrition as well as dental health long term. Enrol into a puppy school ASAP. Get one from a properly qualified trainer not just some vet nurse making some extra cash after hours. It is worth the money and you can have practical examples in how to train your dog and deal with any problems you have. The noise of the trucks - your dog should get used to it now. Sit outside with the puppy and play with it, make sure it knows trucks are nothing to be afraid of. Your pup is small enough to put in a bag, so start taking it everywhere and letting it learn what the outside world is before 14 weeks of age. This way it wont be exposed to disease but it can still experience the sights and smells of the world it has to live in.

I dont see what you are trying to achieve. The dog is a cross, ready to pop. Not the time to be berating them methinks bandogs are considered a type to some, more then a breed, like the APBT. Either way these pups may turn out to have great temperaments or make great pigging dogs. If not, vet trip. What more can you do? I dont see why you're so up in arms about it.

actually a butcher is not qualified to kill an animal. A slaughterman is. Butchers only know how to carve up the meat into cuts and joints. As for qualification ... I kill the animals in the manner prescribed. I did animal anatomy at university so I know exactly how to kill different species. Even commercial rabbits have their necks broken. How different is it to what I do? Do you think everyone who has done a short course is a better person then I am to kill an animal? To many it is a job, to me it is something I go out and want to do. I spend a LOT of money on our ferrets. They get fresh raw meaty bones, premium brand kitten food, straw to sleep in, new cages, play time every day all over the garage, toys etc. I exercise them in the off season to keep them healthy and mentally happy. When one of the young ones got sick I nursed it inside, syringed my special formula down its throat every 15 minutes and warmed it under a heat lamp. I didnt sleep until I knew he was OK and he lived. Suppose none of that really matters when you have preconceived notions. By the way I dont use a gun. I kill with my hands and it is quick. Rabbits, fish, ducks, chickens etc. Done very quickly. When I did my own ducks they didnt even flap I had them stunned before their throats were slit. Considering how expensive a hobby it can be really I dont see where it is a quick fix or a chest beating exercise. I dont mind you adding to this thread Polecatty nice to see some more ferreters! They're becoming a rare breed! We found that placing immature ferrets in with the older ones worked, by the time they were secually mature they all just got along. Ours have the odd scrap but no one has ever fought to the death. Our little female was dragging our big boy around the garage last night by his scruff because he was ignoring her super spastic play time :D As for biting, we get well handled young ones and handle them a lot. If a ferret bites me too hard it gets a flick on the nose, if they latch on a smack. Guy who bred ours had some that bit so hard the only way was to stick a lit cigarette under thier noses until the smoke got to them a bit much. It's easier just to teach them to be gentle and all ours will eat out of your hands as well with no problems. As for the kamikazi ferrets ... OH got one the other day, climbed up the top of the cage and flew at him with all four legs out ... I'm sure I could hear a tiny little scream of BANZAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

we keep all our boys together, none of our ferrets are desexed and they dont fight. We have them together from young and at the moment 4 adult males and a female are alseep in the same box of hay OH always kept his ferrets together, he used to have 14 all in the one big cage. The man we bought the ferrets from had over 20 in the one big aviary set up. Pregnant and in heat females of course we separate off otherwise they just gang rape them ... they're not the most romantic creatures. I too wouldnt desex them. That and when you're onto a winner, how are you going to breed them? The females come in season when the rabbit season finishes, by the time the babies are big and muscly it's cool again to start them down the holes. Mine get a water bottle whenever we go rabbiting and I dont go on warm days, polecatty is right ferrets are not good in the heat at all. True too a hungry ferret will be more likely to stay down and help themselves. Ours get a big meal late the night before and we go early in the morning. Sometimes if it's going to be a long day they get a few kibbles each that morning before going into the boxes. We are finishing a big snazzy all terrain rabbiting station I'll post some piccies when it's finished. You wont believe its all recycled materials dual ferret box, rabbit holder, net and peg holder all in the one handy trolly since I cannot carry things anymore.

rabbits are the ferrets natural prey. Thats why they are a lean body shape, to fit down holes after rabbits, rats, mice etc. Also why their eyesight is so bad, they dont need it really in the dark.

wow so something you have never seen in the flesh you choose to make a judgement on. Awesome. Hunting dogs do not tear up their quarry at all. Dogs hold pigs they dont tear them up. Also deer dogs bail them and hold them in place by surrounding them NOT by actually touching them. Rabbits are caught by dogs and held with soft mouths to be brought back in one piece and not a scratch on them. well that's just your opinion and just quietly, you sound like an absolute snob. Once again seemingly unfounded on enough personal experience. I cook, I clean, I bake, I garden, I sew and I hunt. It's about basic skills and doing things for yourself instead of going out and buying cheap imported junk, or highly processed rubbish that passes for food these days. As for 'rough around the edges' myself and my partner are both tertiary educated, well spoken and mannered. More fool you when you choose to pass judgement on a person because of their hobbies. I don't want a massive flat screen, designer clothing, holidays to 5 star cookie cutter hotels and a bathroom full of makeup, then spend my spare time sipping chardonnay with the 'girls' and watch stupid romance movies. There's a whole world out there, beyond your own backyard. Nature is fascinating. Try it sometime, you may be surprised

But that video Cosmolo did not propose that it would 'fix' the dog. He takes them to his centre to do some groundwork with them then future work occurs with the owners. The owners have had a lot of poor conditioning with this dog and it's so automatic that a month afterwards all it takes is their presence for the dog to latch onto whatever is close after stiffening up. Considering the breeds they didnt do as much damage as I expected. You could questions anyones methods. Is any dog safe after 'rehab'? Is any dog safe at all? A dog is an animal and it comes down to management. If the owners are not capable of good management long term, be it they cannot or will not, then the dog cannot be considered safe in their hands. I too have owners who's dogs have bitten or fought before remain in their homes, because their owners can now manage the dogs safely. Owners that cannot manage we work from there. Last owners who could not manage their dog and to whom I could not guarentee safety around their grand children handed over the dog to me. The dog is now in a home with an extremely experienced breeder who uses the dog as a companion for his others. Dog is happy, owners and their family are safe.

yup I'm a chick and I hunt Deer, fish, rabbits etc I have a little more free time then the OH and so I use it to fill the freezer with FREE meat. I dont see anything wrong with that Polecatty do you breed ferrets too? We're always looking for new blood. OH wants to open a working ferret registry and start DNA profiling ferrets, as well as start a pedigree book for them so we dont lose the blood. as for excitement biting ... our little female chased me down a paddock because I had some blood on my pants ... not funny really They're itching to go, last night one of hte twins latched onto my forearm clung on for dear life because I was using charlie carp on my vege seedlings the little turd. Nice marks today only one tooth broke the skin

I didnt write that. Have another read dear. I said that in some cases you do have to be a little more physical. Like I said if you dont like the show or methods dont prescribe or watch. Simple.

Moselle your discussion is best founded in another thread. Nobody is shredding anything so please. But ferreting is fun and very exciting. youtube these guys do it how we do it *warning rabbits dying in screen vews* OK anyhoo, last call for anyone interested, either next week tues/wed or we can make it a saturday morning if you're a weekend warrior It is an early start and get ready to be grotty I have plenty of willing farms available eta Asal problem is once ferrets are chasing down live bunnies the scrunchies dont work to well anymore nice fresh rabbit lures em out though. They're desperate to work one just latched onto my arm tonight while they were running about the shed

In some instances it is what you have to do. I did it to a chow chow that was about to take a chunk out of a very pregnant owner. Dog was about to take a bite, I lifted the dog by the lead slightly and stood there until it decided to calm down. Released the pressure, it went to take another chunk out of her and I did it again. Bingo bango instant dog that learned aggression is not tolerated. It calmed down for the rest of the day. Did it fix it permanently? No, long term training is required for that to happen. Did it stop a violent reaction and prevent harm? Sure did. Did the dog learn what was innapropriate? Yup. Would I do it again? If the circumstances required so I sure would. I have done it to dogs about to attack another person or dog. It's not hoiking the dog off the ground violently it's simply applying pressure in a calm manner and give the dog a choice - keep aggressing or settle down and have the pressure released. This is high end dogs we're talking about here, also something that Cesar deals with. Dogs that are dangerous to people or animals. The USA also has breeds we do not have in great numbers if at all - fighting bred/trained pitbulls, Presa Canario, Wolf mixes, Jintos, protection bred animals etc. Dogs that are above and beyond the league we see daily here in our suburbs or training. This is a thread about Cesars methods. Please enlighten me to the myriad of other ways you have used to retrain aggression, especially a dog that is on it's last chance and needs to learn a little faster then other dogs have the luxury of. It was simpy in reply to everyone bashing the fact he uses physical methods with the dogs. If more people ever met a highly aggressive out of control dog, and had to deal with it for a while you would see then why he does what he does. They are terrifying, especially when they set their sights on you... A dog with the look of 'you're next' in its eyes is not something you forget. Big or small I can tell you it doesnt matter, they will all hurt you severely if they see fit. These dogs will thrash, bite, redirect, scream, growl etc but you have to get that toxicity out somehow. The last one that tried to take a chunk out of me was put on the end of a catch pole and muzzled, it wasnt frightened trust me. Actually that was also the first dog that instilled paranoia in me and that takes a lot. Some trainers are afraid to deal with a problem head on, he is not. It's horses for courses, if you dont like his methods then dont watch the show or emulate his ideals. Personally, I think he has worth and is a smart man with most things he does and says. I think people mistake his methods for a more 'fighting fire with fire' approach but I don't think it is. This video has been bashed to death. Wolfdog that chews its owners and tries to attack other dogs. As for pissing, there are many dogs that piss all over themselves if you drop a pot lid on the ground. I have a 3 year old tough as boots rottie that gets excited, dances about then pisses all over my floor if too many new people come and his brain pops from excitement. Then there was this dog that fought and fought and fought then pissed because it finally realised it met it's match and was not going to be allowed to follow the same dangerous pattern of behaviour it always has. As for the 'kicking', he nudged the dog to distract and it redirected because it was loaded. A slight mistake on his behalf I probably would have turned it 180 and waited for it to calm a little before proceeding, if it arced up I would have tightened a DD collar around its neck and waited silently until it stopped tantruming. You have to weight it up. Use something not so nice to save a dogs life, or send it to the vet because it's in the too hard basket... I'm weighing up keeping the next nasty, aggressive, uncontrolled and unrehomable dog that gets thrown my way to have a demo day. Then people can come see what these animals' behaviour is truely like. Understand what it is like when they lash out and how truely scary it is.

The animals up there are not wild caught, they are bred in captivity. As for domestication, I can tell you a domestic dog not handled or socialised when it's a pup will turn into a complete feral, especially in some breeds. Last one I got from that situation was like looking at a wild animal, the same frantic behaviours and look in its eyes. I think we are a little tainted by the domestication argument and place different animals in different categories.

I didnt say dominant dog collars are the only option. They are one and they work quite effectively especially in shutting down an explosive reaction. As for the alpha roll he doesnt do it with all dogs.

It depends what you want from the dog. Also, are you going to be keeping a working bred kelpie in suburbia? Personally I'd steer clear of a WKC bred one unless it is much less drivey then normal. If the socialisation has been very little to off farm situations I wouldnt buy it.

I agree with what he does. As for choking, dog has an option - continue your behaviour and you get a consequence. If the dog calms down it stops. The options are in the dogs hands. He deals with a lot of large, strong dogs who are past the point of playing nice. Many of them are fix or go for a one way trip to the vet. Not every dog can be fixed with cuddles and food. what, like on every episode it is written do not try this at home without a professional?

funny how we're perfectly happy to keep dogs and make them do tricks all the time yet circus animals are abhorrent

yup owner and trainer here. Do you have a puppy or an adult?

a basenji and a schipperke are not dogs that a 10 year old should be in charge of if the boxer is not able to be controlled tell them to invest in a pinch collar - much safer. Personally I would be investing more time and effort in to the dog they haev and fix its issues before getting another puppy which may follow suite. Also a dog the 10 year old wants to carry about - it's on the shelf at Target. I would be wary of small breeds being carried around by children, especially puppies.

Yesterday I found one of my snakes dead. I had fed him 2 days before and he still had the lump in his tummy I had him for almost 2 years and he had barely grown, he would have been almost 4 years old and still not even the length of my arm. He was hard to handle, aggressive and sporadic in his feeding. I think there was something wrong with him from the start. But I loved the lttle shit of a thing he was awesome in his own zappy little way, so much character for a snake and by the end I was hand feeding him without tongs. He knew he didnt bite when I had food, all other times were open season Oh well. Bye bye Myron mummy misses your crankyness already

Not every border collie will develop herding instincts, I've seen plenty without. Depends on what the lines and breeding the parents are.

Did I say it is for every dog? Do I generalise and use one method for all dogs I train? No. I understand perfectly well that you require reinforcement in order to perpetuate a wanted behaviour, but what I AM saying is that you cannot discount corrections as being useful for some training. I have tried, with and without. The difference is more then 5 minutes, in fact it can be significant periods such as days or weeks. I think that type of saving is worth it, particularly for the owner. If the dog is not really requiring it then it doesnt get a correction, but if the training is dragging on, the dog is not listening and is refusing to accept rewards (and I am not going to send the owner half a kilometer down the road in order to get to a viable distance) and the dog is receptive to a correction in order to learn then why not? Corrections are only useful if they produce a good result. It may not be immediate, the dog may pull behaviours to get out of having to deal with life but hey, it's not all doggy cookies and cuddles all the time particularly when the behaviour you are trying to prevent can be potentially harmful or dangerous. I personally believe a dog that refuses to listen under distraction is potential for disaster, and in some cases can snowball into anti-social behaviours (this is not a generalisation but taken on a case by case basis). As with everything there is TIME and PLACE and REASON. Correcting an overly soft dog and making it hit the deck because the handler cannot be bothered being rewarding is WRONG. Reefing a dogs head off because you do not implement a fair or consistent training routine is WRONG. Correction when at the same time you give a command and do not give the dog a chance to comply is WRONG. I will always use corrections but I dont think they are an ort we should completely throw out the window. If you dont want to use them, fine, everyone has their own preferences. I simply choose to have it in my toolbox along with a myriad of other techniques to be able to deal with whatever is thrown at me in a timely and efficient manner.