Nekhbet

yup I have the same problem, mines a skinny minny! Try the 4300 diet from Royal Canin

There is a 4300 and 4800 calorie working dog food from Royal Canin. You have to ask for it to be ordered because most suppliers wont stock it. I have mine on Adult Maxi dark blue bag with a German Shep on the front) and it suits them fine, they keep the weight on even with all the running around.

Vets have the prescription diets which are only for animals with a diagnosed problem and wont be sold to you without a consultation.

I dont see the vitamin/mineral content of that food being balanced enough for a pup. Grab a good dry food and stick to it. If she doesnt like it persist for 2 weeks, dont go mixing or feeding any treats. Dont create a fussy puppy but doting over her all the time. Try adding some nearly hot water to the food, let it soak and when its just warm feed it to her. It smells more palatable and its a bit softer. have you checked her teeth? Lucky Dog isnt very hard so maybe she has a sore that is preventing her from chewing the others

take stool samples to the vet to get tested right away. He's eating like a horse because he's not absorbing enough nutrients, he may have some sort of infestation. Do you live in the country or city? Dont change the diet, I would be getting a new vet right now and making a big deal about it. He is losign valuable nutrients that a growing pup needs, and I wouldnt be giving him home remedies like yoghurt or biscuits, rice, chicken etc because you could just be feeding the problem. Get a stool sample analyzed by a laboratory, and get a blood test to check him for parasites and internal organ function right away.

OK My turn The first is my rescue shepherd! He is finally being cuddly and playful, even hopping up on the couch for a snuggle when I ask him. He has turned into such a giant sweetheart! Complete opposite of the fearful, shy and empty mess he was when I got him about 6 months ago AAAAAAAAAAAND! (Drumroll please) I helped my first family with their aggressive dog through the dog training business I just started! They have an 18mo 47kg bull arab that would attack the mother and brother while completely posessing the daughter. They were afraid to go to the toilet or be alone if she went out! After giving them an ultimatum on the dogs behaviour I was so happy to visit them this past weekend and see the dog playing happily, anyone could walk around the house at night and even move the dog off its bed without a peep from the animal! I love seeing people confident again in their own homes, I was starting to doubt the dog but they worked hard and pulled it off in 2 months! We have a little more to go with some general obedience but they now understand their dogs limitations and that he's never going to be a cuddly lap dog with everyone and the dog is stress free and chilled out because of it!! The little terrierxchi is even telling him off and he listens

dog door maybe? Unfotunately encouraging the dog to start whining or barking can lead on to the dog starting to do it when it wants inside, outside, food etc so it can be a catch 22.

I have 3 big boofas coming to crash the party ... get ready for a monster sheppy debut! Hopefully he catches the bag without pulling the course out of the ground like the other two

If you trained him to not react or get excited he's doing what you want him to do. And can I ask why you train at 2 different clubs that use 2 different methods? The biggest things with dogs is patterns and consistancy, thats how they learn. If you are not consistant they create something that is. If sometimes you do it 'positively' and sometimes you use the more traditional correction method, then sometimes you work another way the dog will just go 'ok you know what I'm just gonna sit here because I dont know what else is expected of me'. Pick a method and stick to it. If you dont feel confidant and happy dont train your dog. And dont pretend for the sake of the dog because he'll pick up the fact you are anxious or unhappy. What your first club essentially taught was the ultimate in drive suppression. They were taught to remain calm and quiet with minimal reward being enough of a motivator, hence obedience now shuts down that exhuberance. If he is learning his obedience well then can I ask why you NEED him to get into drive? The 'drive' you mean is Prey Drive. The innate need for the dog to chase, catch and kill its prey. Feeding a dog wont push it into prey drive, thats simply receiving a reward but some dogs motivation and excitement does stem from the prospect of being fed (could argue a modified form of prey but we wont go into that genetic argument)

if she insists on snacks cut down the meal size again adn let her have some of the dry food as a treat. Try things like carrot and celery sticks, chicken necks as a healthier snack option

I would have them checked by a good vet anyway. Some antibiotics could be needed or it could be a hormonal problem, or a hair folicle infection.

what else are you doing during your training? what equiptment are you using and can you write down a few steps as to what you do if the dog doesnt comply? Use what motivates the dog at the time. ALso, if you are used to not having motivated training sessions the dog can be habitually supressed when formal sessions begin. Have you tried incorporating a few commands when the dog is playing and already in the heightened state?

If she cant afford a behaviourist or expert advice this dog may be better rehomed with a professional or put in for assessment. Although this behaviour may be the dogs death warrant. This dog should not be let near strangers at all, its been unsettled and doesnt know the pack in the house then suddenly new people come in and start touching it. The dog is not sure whats going on and showing you its not happy with the situation so it shouldnt be put in it. Let the dog settle and make sure she shows the dog good leadership, dont try and initiate play with the dog I would be ignoring it. This dog has growled before to get out of an uncomfortable situation and I bet when the dog growls the people move away - dog gets what it wants. Take an overall look at the dog, PM K9. If the dog cannot be managed satisfactorily or safely rehomed then PTS is an option.

i've been watching his show and I really do think he is on the right page [with what I have seen] he also understands that dogs are dogs and should be treated accordingly which I think is the most important point. But Kelpie-i has a point, most peoples problems stem from lack of leadership and thinking that the dogs offering of behaviour means they are 'obedient' and under control. But I have implemented some of his methods and the control people have over their dogs again, especially larger dogs, is such a confidence boost for them and helps them see that to regain control over their dogs they just need a bit of effort but it will happen. His calm assertive leadership is the basis for the relationship for the dog. Its not the cure all but if you have a dog that doesnt have any serious mental or health problems that require veterinary attention, then yes you need to be a calm and assertive leader before you get anywhere with your dog. E-collars have a time and place as well, as well as using what the americans call 'dominant dog collars' which are nylon slip leads. wish we had more of those here actually.

I can see an uphill battle with Sch and other dogsports because a lot of breeders who have turned good working breeds to useless show ponies dont want to look stupid. They want their widdle doggies to just prance around a ring and then just exist to get more ribbons. How bad would some people look if the only way we could have great sport dogs for some breeds would be to import them - gee thats showing how well Australians have preserved the breeds isnt it. And frankly its just perpetuating the ignorant public image that big dogs are dangerous so dont train them! Careful that schutzhund trained dog will eat your children, so keep it barely trained and bored in your backyard people! And I've found the security industry has succeeded in producing more cowboys and morons who breed vicious, ill tempered and uncontrollable animals then schutzhund. An animal that loopy would never be able to be titled, plus most dont have the patience and skill it takes for a Sch title. Why bother with 3 different disciplines when you can suit up and poke that angry bugger on the end of the leash until it attacks you. Voiala - security dog. When people realise that schutzhund is a sport, that the dog is simply playing an advanced game of tug-o-war and is equiptment orientated (some sch dogs are miserable in a real confrontation) and that tracking and advanced obedience are part of it then we'll get somewhere. Unfortunately the ONLY image people see are dogs running at decoys, teeth bared and then hanging off a fully padded guy with a stick. There should be public demos of the tracking and obedience part, its legal and shows beautiful control. But as with a couple of clubs I've been to, the only thing I see is bite, bite, bite, bite, oh yeah we should teach it obedience. We shouldnt confuse a sport with a real working animal where the balances are different and allowances are made for a little less in some areas.

canned milk for an 8 week old? holy jeezus do they feed it anything else? Remember your new pup needs another 2 vaccinations and remember that you need to socialise this new pup as much as possible in the next couple of months, especially around children and loud noises. stick to the Royal Canin, its the best quality on the market and perfect for small dogs. Dont panic, you seem to be worrying too much about your pups diet. Dry food can be fed multiple times a day, your pup is not going to starve. Feed a little for breakfast, a little for lunch and then maybe a chicken neck for dinner. The same diet for the new puppy too. Wet food is over rated. The only reason I use dog milk is if my dogs look a little thin and need fat. At that age I see no reason for it, the puppy is weaned. Dry food, fresh meaty necks for nutrition and clean water at all times. Healthy, happy puppies. If they DONT want to eat it (and Royal Canin is rarely rejected) just persist. Pups are like toddlers, they refuse just to push your buttons and get their own way, but no puppy will starve itself. Dont leave the pups with a bowl full of food all day to graze either, you'll end up with fat pups or fussy eaters. You are the leader, you control the food.

you worry too much. She has learned so well that you will feed her and it looks like you gave up. A dog wont die after 3 days of no food, especially if its in good condition. Be tough. Put the food down, 15 minutes then nothing till tomorrow. And keep going until the dog eats it. Dont give tid bits, snacks etc in between either and DONT GIVE IN! Dont ask the dog, tell the dog. Here is your food, you eat it or you dont eat anything at all. Hence why I have owned nothing but pure canine vacuum cleaners for the past 15 years hehehe irrespective of breed

I think you need to go backwards a little to come forewards. Dont keep plugging away at the dogs obedience if the dog has confidence issues. I would be working on leadership and desensitising him to other people and dogs before you keep trying and failing. The dog is nervous he is going to do wrong and get told off, you are nervous that your dog is not doing well and you feed each other. Its a downwards spiral. Rock up to obedience one day, and just do for a nice, confident casual walk around. Expect that you are going to walk around and just be there. No pressure on you OR especially the dog. Dont bother with toys and praise unless you see the dog starting to relax or you will be reinforcing his stress, and dont be talking the dog through it. If he calms, 'good boy' and a calm pat. Lead by example until Brock realises that you are not expecting the world from him. My shepherd was an extremely nervous and skittish dog, and I have been letting him just hang around places and people. I havnt even bothered with any formal obedience since I got him, it was too much to expect him to soak in his environment AND comply to formal commands. I do a little when we go out but thats it. He is become so laid back, he has even started ignoring large men, shouting people, trucks passing etc like they werent there and I do some obedience and heavy praise then so all his learning is done at the excitement level I want - calm and cool. Time and patience!

thats waht dog crates are for and for the sake of the puppies bones and leadership issues breeds like that are best kept off the furniture.

cavnrott he only had an issue with the shepherd. He didnt do it to any other dogs, and the shepherd was very clingy to the owner at the beginning and wouldnt venture too far as he didnt seem happy to leave her side. All the other dogs were not an issue irrespective of size and he hasnt had an issue with others at other group meetings, I think it was the fact that it was two entire males that were at adolescence and the shepherds owner and dog buddy were there too, then boofhead not realising that enough is enough. Like I said I dont know wether he's stressed out because of everything thats happening lately because he's never shown that kind of pushing the point behaviour before with anyone or anything else. That or the ex is getting to him and all the strangers he's bringing in when I'm not home are making him over protective. The doggies have had it really hard over the past few weeks as well.

maybe give them a bit of time apart. Skoots a VERY sorry little shit yesterday and today he's completely in boot camp now and even had a couple of antibiotics shoved down his throat for good measure. So sorry I dont know what the hell his problem is. Dont know wether its hormones or stress from me being upset but he's never had a go like this before. Maybe Bear is just still all razzled up, and Pearl was protective yesterday as well so theyre probably just in the mood for it and the adrenaline took over again. Mina and Skoot had one almighty fight once, and again they both attacked Krueger which I had to try and separate by myself, I thought they were both the end of it but it seemed to subside after that. Bloody dogs. Give bear another rub over again and check he doesnt have any bruises we missed, maybe she did hit a sore spot and he just flew off the handle at her. If you want to borrow a leather muzzle so Pearl cant see Bears mouth and teeth, as well as hiding inflammatory facial expressions, could stop any further fighting until they calm down.

my mastiff had limping problems, turned out it was a couple of discs in his lower back that was making him shift the weight around. Is there a reputable canine chiro in the area?

teenage adolescence starts at different ages depending on the breed. My DDB was a sweetheart when he arrived at 7 1/2 months, and didnt try anything really till about 12 months old. At 18 months he was throwing a couple of temper tantrums, and at about 22 months he REALLY threw the tanties. Boy was he sorry Just because your dog starts earlier doesnt mean its an adult earlier. Sometimes its not adolescence its simply inconsistancy in training or between different family members. If your pup is running away from you how have you been behaving? If you are cross the pup learns its better to run away, or you have turned it into a game. Humping can be an excitement thing too, very few puppies have major challenge issues at 4 months.

How old is he? I would be looking at reassessing your leadership tactics, and if he's pushing to get up onto the couch I wouldnt be luring and treating him. If he's wandering get a crate. You are not there to control his actions and he'll start getting into mischeif. Crate until he gets let out in the morning for toilet. I would get really black and white - consistancy is the key to riding out adolescence with a chance. He's going to start pushing the boundries and want to do his own thing. As for the lunging, I would be making him sit when you sight the object and reward him for remaining calm. Dont feed him before you go for a walk and take really really tasty fresh treats (like Kabana, sausage, hot dogs etc) and when the object goes past WOW BIG REWARD for not having a go at it. He will just want to chase and catch, its a matter of supressing that drive until you tell him its OK to show it. Try an entire male mastiff ... eerrggg .. I have a well stocked bar because I have an entire bitch and another desexed dog too I'm a masochist hehhe

I feed two meals a day and I dont have any toilet issues. The later meal is not right near bed time, I give it a couple of hours before they go into their crates, but its not as big as the morning feed. I beleive in 2 feeds because : The dogs stomach doesnt have to hold as much food (not stretched) so if they DO have to skip a meal for work/training they are not as starving. They can have a little snack and theyre set for that meal. Less risk of bloat - I have a German Shepherd and a DDB, they are not as stretched the dogs have more energy as they have time to digest and use the food, and they dont get fat. If they start putting on a little weight its easier to cut back the amounts they dont miss it as much They are domestic dogs and dont have a wild lifestyle (which is where the 1 feed a day thing came from) if I cant eat once a day and run around like a lunatic I dont expect my dog to.