Nekhbet

The way I go before my daily caffeine shot ... I'd probably make my way through half a bag before realising that the dogs have polished off my Gloria Jeans :D But hey, they keep my coat shiny and I learned a new trick this week too :rofl:

be a bit dangerous with a lead trailing behind them I would have thought. The dogs run the lure coarsing individually unless you want to pair up with someone else but you dont have to. Both mine run by themselves and have an absolute ball!!! We'll be bleary eyed from dropping the OH at the airport at 6:30 am but enough coffee and liver treats in us and we'll be A OK ... just have to remember to give the right thing to the right creature :D Bartess I'll put up the photos of the Bordeaux running as soon as I get the photos

nan a dog is a dog moreso when you get those big puppy eyes staring at you like "awwww mum I didnt do anything wrong, how could you tell me off" you have to be strong ehehe

Rexy once they get into the spirit of it and watch other dogs run round like loonies very few will not get into it Skoota and Mina will definately be there! See if Skoot can beat his previous record hehehe

which breeds have you had experience with before, and also do you plan on making this dog an indoor dog? Are you after something small or large? yes most dogs can be child friendly if you train and socialise them properly. Tiny breeds may not be the way to go with toddlers as dogs like chihuahuas can be hurt if dropped.

Go to both and grab a course outline or talk with the instructors ... I have seen some really interesting people come out of both courses - you have to look at them and think "well you can lead a horse to water ..." hence I dont take one trainer to be a perfect example of what the course has to offer.

keep her where you can see her. Dont just give her free reign of the house to get into mischeif. Now see the problem is you guys have turned this into a super fun game: steal somthing, get caught, whiz around the house and even get TREATED FOR IT!!!! wowweeee this dogs in heaven Push the dining room chairs right in under the table. Shut doors around the house so she's only in the room near or with you. No hopping up onto furniture unless invited and hops down when told. Give her heaps of toys of her own and cycle them - one for each day of the week. Throw away or move anything she can steal - then grab an item she regularly goes for and wipe some bitter apple spray or a little tabasco on it (just a little) it wont be so fun. Plus ignore her completely and only retrieve the item when she gets sick of it. Dont chase her, call her from where you are. Reward her leaving it and returning to you, not hiding under furniture and hoarding.

you cant do much but catch her before she gets to do it. Tapping her on the nose when she's done it teaches her nothing but 'pee and run'. She obviously is missing that middle bit of telling you she needs to pee and to be let outside. After ANY activity say 'need a piddle?" and take her to the litter box (if she goes inside) or call her to follow you to the door, praise her, then go outside and stay there until she goes. You have to get her to go where you want. Praise her for piddling or whatever and then go back inside. You have to teach the whole process Maybe a litter tray is a good idea, when she alone at home all day she cont go outside and she's too small to hang on all day so she may be teaching herself to piddle anywhere. Also be receptive to her. If she starts getting a bit antsy or sniffing around repeat the above. Better safe then sorry! This will teach her to give physical signals and she wont be in trouble for needing a piddle. Have you tried installing a doggy door? then you can teach her to let herself out.

since she's so tiny, I would reccomend waiting till she's about 5 months before desexing. Before she has her first season would be good, or just after if she's early. As for microchip, any vet can do it for you. Although 4 Paws and More on Keilor Park Drive is having a microchipping day and I think its about $25. PM Sagittarius (she owns the store) or see if your local council is running a microchip day. Better done now while the skin is soft.

was not suggesting the dog had cocker rage. I know it is more common in golds and sometimes dog aggression can be misdiagnosed as it or vice versa. So just if it has been seen in the line NOT in this dog. Sorry should have made the question a little more detailed.

nothing wrong with the dog having kibble in the mornings and the raw food in the evening. Kibble for energy and while she slows down in the evening gives her a chance to munch on the chicken while you are there and digest things calmly. If you want treats you can bake some dog biscuits (do a search on the forum there are some great recipes) or some carrot sticks. Grab some Schmacos or liver treats, hide them around the living room and teach her to 'search' for it on command. Its knee grazing fun heheheh my Belgian now searches on command easily.

just a few questions first ... - is he desexed - he obviously sees the need to protect you. What do you do when he exhibits this behaviour - how is his behaviour with other dogs/people in general - what were his parents like. Do any of his relatives have 'cocker rage" (i'm not a professional on this but the cocker spaniel people on here may be able to help you more on that) Sounds like a combination of adolescence and him becoming your leader and protector. Sounds like you need professional guidence from a behaviourist for this and a few lifestyle changes for starters. Have a look at this http://www.leerburg.com/groundwork.htm its informative, glean what you can. You dont have to run a boot camp but get the gist of what Ed has to say about becoming the dogs boss and getting the dog to allow you to be the decision maker.

If you go to Aldi they have a plain green bag of mixed veges. Its cheap and not just the dodgy offcuts its actually a good mix of veges! although, a diet of just veges, rice and necks isnt enough for a growing puppy. Keep up the puppy kibble as well whilst growing or buy yourself a complete powder formulated for pups that you can add to the food.

The BARF diet is not a solely vegetable diet. More information is given about the veges then the meat portion because of the preparation required. Some veges do not agree with dogs and others, like onions, are dangerous. A bit of garlic though is good for them actually, we have had dogs since I was a baby and all the wog dogs had the odd garlic breath :rolleyes: BARF recommends dogs eat the veges with meat like mince, chicken carcasses, lamb flaps etc. Any bone that doesnt bear the entire weight of the animal (like those massive cow leg bones) can be given freely as part of the meal. As for meat - anyone that tells you any part of the chicken is not good for them is off their rocker ... maybe the feathers and the organs can be too rich. Chicken necks are bone and cartilage. Wings are mainly bone with meat and the problem can be the fat in them more then anything else. Chicken breast is very expensive and mainly high protein. Necks are great because there is meat, a little fat and bones for calcium. I give my dogs wings, necks and when theyre on special maryland or even whole chickens (theyre big buggers :D ) Also meaty bones are fabulous for keeping dogs teeth clean and breath fresh, I cant remember one dog we owned that needed attention to its teeth. And as has already been said ... NEVER EVER EVER EVER give a dog ANY cooked bone. I've had to pull out a splinter of roast lamb bone from a dog that the owners thought should enjoy sunday lunch with them. Lucky it was caught in the teeth and not swalled to pierce the stomach. Pierced intestines/stomachs are expensive and deadly. Not worth the risk. If the dog cant manage to chew up the bone, you will find they leave what they cant manage. Because you have a small breed your only problem is the size of her mouth. Grab a chicken neck and give it a couple of whacks with a rolling pin to flatten it a bit and let her play with it. For her size its probably a whole meal If you get her used to eating fresh meat now it will be better for her in the long run. And yes I consider anything in a can/roll/loaf evil. I frankly dont trust it and i've smelled the aftermath of them too My dogs diet consist of: Eagle Pack dry Chicken necks/maryland/wings lamb flaps/offcuts occasional lamb shank Whatever "falls off" the cutting board when I cut up bulk meat boiled rice with chopped/ grated mixed veges (carrot, peas, green beans, broccoli, some garlic, lettuce, zuchinni) sprinkled with some Vets All Natural supplement Just watch the spices European diets are great for us but all that rich food can cause the dog to become really fat (my grandmother feeds their poor little OVER 10KG Jack Russell everything they eat) or digestive problems.

no they dont do it on purpose at all do they ...

I found this stuff called Dog Polish. Its bees/carnuba wax with some essential oils. You brush it into the coat after a bath and keeps the coat shiny and nicely smelling for ages! Worked well on my mastiff because he's a stinky boy plus the coat doesnt seem to pick up as much dirt if you brush it in really well. Its about $6 for a little container. That or I think you can make your own, i'm looking around for a recipe

if he is not vaccinated then no going outside and ESPECIALLY no meeting other dogs. If he is barking at people and other dogs then bringing him closer will not help. If he is shaking, he is frightened and barking out of fear. If his mother was a biter and a nervous dog then he probably does not come from the most stable stock in the first place. Also if he is ill he would not be feeling the best and so not too keen on stress. If you want to take him out, he looks small enough to carry. Take him around but dont force him into a position of being close to people he doesnt know. He may relax if he is closer to you too. Also PM K9Force for some more advice. Which state are you in?

yup ... here's a doozy ... was trying to teach the malinois to speak but instead she was making snappy teeth at me. Accidentally rewarded her for that ... now i have a dog that is COMPLETELY SILENT but still doing the actions ... taking me ages to get her to actually make a noise past "clack clack clack"

this dog sees himself as the boss ... not you. Sounds like a little brat actually. He is going through his teenage angst period (12 months) and you will find he will start trying to assert his authority on everyone. You have allowed him to be spoiled and now he has become very posessive because you have allowed the behaviour to snowball into this. Dogs are subtle creatures and a dozen small hints left unchecked can turn into something bigger. Get yourself a good behaviourist and enrol in obedience classes NOW. Every dog should attend obedience ... its not just learning tricks its about respect. This dog has his own ideas about what he needs to do but he's not sure how to go about it. His brain is telling him he needs to lead the pack because he has been receiving mixed signals but he's reacting the only way he knows how. What state/area are you in - we can reccomend someone trustworthy to help (PLEASE do not go to BarkBusters)? Get tough on his little butt. No coming into any bedrooms, no furniture, no eating before any humans, no rushing before you through doors and no sitting on laps. Sit before getting attention, food etc and he can only get treats for good behaviour. Be consistant with this. He needs to get the idea he is the dog and you are the boss. I am worried he may bite your child if he is behaving this way. http://www.leerburg.com/dominac2.htm have a read about the signals and where to start ... not all of it will apply to your dog but you will have a start.

I think the contracts 'guard dog' meaning is those dogs left to live alone on an industrial site to look after the yard. If only all breeders ensured this much care, unfortunately some prospective puppy buyers see this as snobbery and would rather pay more for something they can get off the shelf. I met one woman who was rather miffed that a breeder in SA took so long to decide if he would sell her a dog (who I know would have his reasons but she was so sour about it). She rushed off and got another similar giant breed - by about 8 months of age the dog had been run over with a 4WD and had its hind leg smashed. She was slightly 'ahh well' about the incident even though it was a while ago ?!?!? BAH humans.

If you wanted a dog for bitework you SHOULD be socialising like crazy. Any socialisation is good socialisation especially for a dog that will be doing high stress work. I dont like people who keep their dogs locked up except for training sessions ... hurricanes on leads. Bitework dogs need to learn to be non reactive and non fearful to new experiences. The worst thing to do would be to keep it at home all the time. There are kennels that specialise in these dogs anyway, not every member of a working breed is good enough. All dogs, irrespective of what you need them for, should have at least basic obedience - being the dog listens and respects your wishes. If thats sitting, staying or dancing a jig I think the point is that the owners are to attend some sort of class that includes a professional dog trainer so they gain experience in raising their dog properly. Your dog could be attacked on the street, in a park, at the beach ... the point is to go to a responsible training centre. I dont see the point of throwing all the dogs in together to teach them to get along, I know ADT puppy classes are on lead and pups are not just allowed to run riot or mix with larger dogs.

this is like baby training but in fast foreward hehehehe clingy ... try having a dog thats 50kg and still tries to climb in your lap for a snooze and then another 25kg piles herself in between just to get a little piece of mum ... you have a dog that was taken from its mother early and kept in a fairly daunting environment. She's still a baby and will want attention all the time because she missed out on it as well as learning to explore at a crucial period. Make alone times fun for her, give her special 'alone time' toys to play with when you both go out and if she keeps bothering you for attention ignore her until she settles. You will find she will start wandering off when you ignore her and find somethign else to do because you are teaching her that mum and dad are not the only fun things in the house.

I dont beleive such a harsh correction is necessary. You are trying to create a dog that is calm and unresponsive to other dogs, not increase its anxiety. You corrected and moved away. I dont think the dog actually understood what the correction was about. For looking? Was he eyeballing? pawing? snapping the air? whimpering? This type of thing corrections are not really useful as the dog gets corrected and then moves away without understanding what he did wrong... hence the problem continues and he becomes more unprdictable. Maybe a good idea would be to not bother at the moment with training him to the point of contact. You dont know what is the trigger so you could set yourself back with him. He will play but then can suddenly lunge etc. Work on focus on you and rewarding for not even looking at other dogs. Stay at a comfortable distance for a few weeks then bring him in closer little by little. Do it gradually and you will find him retain his training and calm down as you progress. If you move him in too fast he will associate training with feeling uncomfortable. If he looks at another dog get his attention with food/toy and praise him. I have been taught if he keeps turning then give a little correction but if you start at a comfortable distance you shouldnt need to. Trainer sounds like a bit of a nuff nuff. Tell him he should demonstrate the technique with a choker chain around his own neck and have someone yank hard enough to 'lift his arse off the ground'. Really its barbaric and the dog learns nothing but to expect pain.

yup pretty much as soon as the puppy pauses and looks around grab it and take it to the toilet. Sas has a point, they do learn to go anywhere instead of a designated toilet area. Dogs are clean animals and will find a spot but if forced into the 'go where you are standing' they continue it on. Just be persistant and if its around the time she could need to pee take her to the place and encourage her. Better safe then sorry ;)

you have to bite the bullet and create a permanent sleep area. At the moment you are letting her sleep in your arms or close to you and she is learning there is the right place. You are right, she is used to company but since you purchased her at 8 weeks she was probably taken from her mum at about 6 so expect some sookyness and extra attachment. Thats a problem with pet store pups they cna be a little clingy. Crate is a great idea, make that her 'den' and leave here in there. If she whines, cries, carries on etc ignore her until she stops. It may take hours but if you give up she will learn that making a fuss will get attention and it will never end. Make a couple of sacrifices now and you will avoid bad habits later on.