Nekhbet

APBT PP are big encouragers of puppy farms and BYBers ... they also fly and shift puppies around like stock many many people will avoid them on here, as well as their 'PC' version

FHO requires the dogs muscles to then hold the hind legs in place - this is probably why the hip denervation was recommended over FHO if his hinds are weak. I treated my dog with acupuncture, electric stim therapy, massage and chiropractic because fixing him up was just an insane amount of money with 2 severe hips and 2 bad elbows as well. He's bouncing about and off medications since 9 months of age (he;s about 18 months old now) and we;re very happy with the result as no surgery was required. It also allowed him to build muscle since he was using his hinds again and took pressure of his bad elbows. eta swimming was not recommeded as the dog does not adequately exercise the hinds enough, hence underwater treadmill or what we did - go to the beach in water just a third up the rib cage to wade

from day one you should be handling and manipulating your puppy. Hold him and touch everythin - ears, eyes, paws, mouth, legs etc and change positions so he realises that he has to accept human handling. If he struggles and carries on just hold him and ignore him until he settles - Then nice calm quiet praise. If he bites you just put your hand over his muzzle to prevent him getting a decent bite into your arm. Dont be rough but at the same time dont take no for an answer. The little fluffies can be great at this I saw them regularly - never trained to be manipulated and they try and take chunks out.

depends what the breeder was feeding. If the puppy is already on a good dry food like Advance, Royal Canin, Eagle Pack etc then dont change it. The cheaper brands I would be trying to wean off unless the poos look good. Raw meaty bones are good for all breeds Giant breeds need a good dry food as majority of the diet whilst growing with some raw meaty bones thrown in. canned food - I find it a waste of money. If you want variety add some yoghurt, cheese, egg or offal to the food in TINY TINY quantities as not to upset the tummy. And by tiny I mean really tiny! puppies have teeny stomachs (despite the amount they try and cram in) so a little can go a long way Treats -- well anything not jam packed full of colours, flavours and sugar. I like the dehydrated liver treats because you only need teeny tiny amounts at a time and a little goes a long way flavour wise.

sounds like a vet check is in order ASAP. This is in no way a healthy little dog - are you sure its not deaf?

think about - how consistant are you with your shaping - how clear are you with your shaping - have you inadvertantly created a pattern in your dog he thinks he has to follow if he is not asked, ignore him. If he does not comply with a known command then is there a consequence? Also if he is pulling random moves then withold food completely - he is doing it because he knows it will come eventually but he is not sure what for so his entire repetoire comes out at once. It sounds like he is a little confused about the whole process they are cute though

collars are usually set of by the vibration in a dogs throat and hence wont be set off by outside influences. You can find the main 'ring leader' and put a collar on those to quieten the whole pack. The static collars will not 'shock' the dog they simply cause a little muscle contraction in the neck area a little like a poke (I have tried them on myself ) and they work quite quickly. Dummy collars can be put on the dogs to trick them to stop barking too. Many things cause barking - boredom, territoriality, prey drive - and you have a prey driven breed! I would rotate their toys, get out there in the yard and play fetch for a while to really wear them out. You can also put up a fake owl in the trees or on the roof to keep the birds away. Hang toys up on bungee cords so they are more 'dynamic' for the dogs. THere are also balls that make barking noises, animal noises and even ones you can record your own voice, made by Prestige Pet which keep the dogs interested.

I have used RC for quite a while and have swapped owners with GSDs onto it. It has done wonders, it was the ONLY food that would keep my rescue GSD in any sort of reasonable condition (even just the large breed food is good too) I have also seen it turn quite a few average or ratty looking dogs into stunners! I would recommend it over any others, just feed less then what the bag says it tends to get a little carried away with amounts. I also gave them raw meaty bones anyway to keep them happy and keep their teeth clean

there are wire crates available that come with a divider so you can decrease the area the puppy has. Crates are something you keep for life, they are incredibly useful and all my dogs are crate trained. No matter where the crate goes they know that in there is bed time. As for socialisation - well I say there is no such thing as too early or too much. Speak to your breeder and see what they have success with. I will never agree with the 'no going out until 16 weeks' theory though, and as a trainer I havnt seen it as a plus. You can also desensitise at home. When you puppy has settled in you can put different surfaces down (like tarps, planks etc) you can put on CDs, mower, whipper snipper (NOT with dog running free in yard :hide:) and loud movies to get the dog used to loud noises as well. This decreases chance of the dog becoming firework/thunder shy. Also having different people visit, men, women, children, older people etc is a good start. Also train your puppy from the start how you want it to behave - dont listen to 'oh they grow out of biting you' or 'they grow out of chewing your stuff' ... they only do if you help them know what to do and what not to do. Rules first, learning starts from when they open their eyes. oh and the best lesson ... it might be cute now, but will it be cute at 20-30+kg of bouncing, barking, biting dog? Goldens are strong dogs if you dont want the behavior as an adult then dont allow it as a puppy. OK I'll stop sounding like a doomsayer Be positive, encourage your puppy to follow and focus on you, and most of all - for every time you tell the puppy off for something naughty you should guide and praise at least 2-3 times

again teach in incriments. I would get the kids to walk away as soon as she misbehaves or throws herself off the ground. I rope kids into helping and they love the fact they are little 'trainers' when she is calm, praise her. If she starts getting too excited get the kids to walk away or simply turn their back on her until she is calmer. Praise for calm behavior and dont let the kids run around yelling or playing as it simply excites her more. Food is especially good for this, and no breakfast first. You can really hold a dogs attention with a treat if its hungry!

great to hear! yes it does take some time and some owners get frustrated with it BUT remember this .. if you take the training in baby steps and proof it little by little, just like school, if your pup does regress its only a little way not back to square one and she's only a baby too so forgive her for being loony sometimes

yes that would be a little .... mmm ... err ... whats the term? I'll be the one in the old panel van with the crooked rottweiler well the greyhound in a rottie suit anyway

drive training is not the be all and end all for every dog. remember too there is other drives beside prey and food that can be utilised. Not every dog can be motivated through prey/food rewards sometimes handler praise can be more effective. I wanted a drivey dog so I got a Malinois - why make life difficult for myself lets face it I think some people too have to look at is their dog the right dog for the activity they chose - choose the right dog for the right activity, if its not working after a myriad of techniques then swap the sport. ETA your post though is really excellent and easy to follow for the drive handlers

Keep up the apologies and the Malinois will not need to be released :laugh: woohoo I am SO going to this - another one for the Melb brigade awww we could all wear, like, matching tshirts or something hmmm maybe I should take Diesel ...

He should not be exhibiting anxious behaviours all the time. Having to drag things around, running like a loon etc are all anxious behaviors - he needs to learn how to relax or if he has a serious problem start a combination of medication and behavior therapy. Have you ever used a no bark collar on him? He needs to be taught what is allowed, what is not and that you are the supreme authority. at 17 months yes he is still a puppy but he should be controllable in your house. as poodlefan said has this dog ever learned to be by himself? He sounds like a very demanding uncontrolled dobie boy who has now worked himself into a permanent frenzy. What would happen if you put another dog IN the run with him? ALso when did this behavior start or did you gradually see it get worst from a young age

no this wont be for debates - its simply to state what you found useful and worth the coin! Everyone has their own methods and tastes so I dont expect everyone to go for the same things every time

What does everyone find a good watch or read? Which trainers have you found to release excellent material? I want to increase the collection and while I have a few 'antique' type books some DVDs would be good as well. It doesnt have to be particularly on one subject, you can never learn to much!

nothing the supermarket has to offer I used to feed Royal Canin, and hold that as my #1. Now due to budget restrictions its Coprice with chicken carcasses and scraps.

the diet will depend on what they are sensitive too, what is the % of fat they can take before inflammation occurs. Is he completely allergic to dry food? maybe for the average dog but he may have slowly been on the decline, as I said, and now his ratios are not right. I would be feeding low protein, low fat small meals. Try alternative meat sources such as rabbit, roo, turkey and fish instead of the traditional fatty domestic animals. Conversely you can pre-simmer the meat in water, let it cool slightly and pour off the fat to decrease the content again.

depending on the obstruction. Sharp and hard to pass obstructions risk tearing the intestine or the constant contractions can lead to pain, or an intussuseption (where the bowl folds in on itself) so mostly vets will open up. As for the pancreatitis, what has their diet been on so far? If they are a similar breed it could be genetic, remember also they could have been showing little to no symptoms and after the anaesthetic which put their body under stress it was a little more pronounced. Diet changes will be required for both of them but in the mean time avoid fatty foods!

could be several things - muscle swelling - fluid lump which may need to be drained - suture reaction - herniation of the site and that lump may be some intestine poking through the abdominal wall keep the dog crated at all times unless on leash and ring the vet. golf ball, eh ok livable until vet is called, mango sized on the other hand sounds like it needs veterinary attention

aha but are they actually bored or just demanding to do what they want? Breaking of a regular habit can be difficult for a dog, but sometimes they need encouragement to redirect their energy into what has been provided. If you cannot be out there with them to let them play together and have provided them with their food in toys, bones etc then they need to learn that is what they must accept.

aqhhh smart bugger you have a remote?

many of his pitbulls are from fighting backgrounds, not pet/work that we see more commonly in australia He SHOULD tout the bad side as well as the good. Irresponsible idiots owning the breed (and other breeds that need more knowledge and control) is what caused problems in the first place. If he didnt love them he woudlnt own them - is you see his episode on behind the scenes you will see how his dogs are kept on a fine balance within the pack

Depends what training method you use A chain remains slack until you apply a quick correction - no correction no pressure A halti on the other hand provides no correction, it is more of a leading aid The only cruel method is one that doesnt suit or help the dog in a productive manner.