Nekhbet

Also give these guys a call, also in Geelong www.decorimpact.com.au, really lovely people and make absolutely everything, price isnt bad either :D

The old pug we have sits there and licks a bit, she's staring off into dream land and plonks straight down asleep :laugh: seems to be an old habit. Frankly I wouldn't be worrying too much, if the dog is comfortable and not stiff as a board, just give her gentle pats and enjoy her. Look too deep into things you just worry yourself more over really nothing. Dogs are not cut and dry, if they all fit into the same mold we wouldn't have so many theories.

Oh there are pair of them down here in Geelong, it was at the Mill Markets big industrial store in North Shore, behind the old Pilkington Glass factory. Give them a ring they may still have them, gorgeous I wanted them :) 03 5248 2390 is their other site, see if you can get hold of the owners specifically as they will know what happened to them

Depends more if the dog actually has a vitamin deficiency more to the point and also how severe the animal is.

Troy Behave paste at 2-4 mls a day works a treat

Oh I think there might be considering the dog is encouraged to grip the drive toy in order to get satisfaction through interaction. Unless you treat it as a 'retrieve' where the bird itself is not a 'play' item it's something to retrieve and return to get prey satisfaction through the tug toy. Might be worth talking more to some seasoned bird hunters to help you out.

HOw old is the pup? Usually a change of coat at a young age is enough to give them dandruff and cause itching which goes away naturally.

no because you still put parameters on the behavior to get the reward. I train a couple of dogs tracking in drive and they wont stop until they fall over to get the reward. It's all wrapped up together, the process and the reward :)

WOrks perfectly, a lot of people use live birds such as pigeons in training them as well which involves a high chase component, dog returns to handler for 'release' of another bird.

No it's about winning and possession, she's allowed to tear off and 'own' the piece whereas with the tug she has to share it with you. The more you let her tear up and possess the bigger rod for your own back you will create.

It's because the association of the reward is the object, not interaction with you. If you stop letting her play with anything except with you and if she isnt enthusiastic cut all play/toys she'll pep up in no time. It's a self rewarding behavior you're letting her do, she'll never focus on you properly if you keep letting her do it herself.

I agree with Sas thats a wowser from me too that a dog still physically and mentally developing is on medications.

They breed out of standard, recreating that oversized american tough guy dog on a chain look. They started out through Adonis kennels which says it all. You can try showing him if he's not built like a tank but if he's too far out of the breed standard don't be expecting a win. The dogs look way oversized.

Dog training is about learning and problem solving. Everyone makes mistakes, EVERYONE! Even the pros sometime do something absolutely stupid - we're only human. The difference is some people take it to heart and bring themselves down, others dust themselves off and chalk it up to experience. You need to make mistakes to learn, you see the consequences to your actions so don't be downheartened. Don't scale back the rewards, just give them for good performance. You need to show and help the dog to achieve that reward so just scaling back and suddenly putting firm parameters on the dog will decrease it's drive. Baby steps,small achievements and the dog will keep it's momentum. Remember, don't suddenly wake up today and shoot your expectations through the roof because you leave the dog behind. I'll try and take a video today of the GSD pup we're training at the moment and put it up for you to see, it's all through food at the moment because he's teething and I've banned tug toys until he's done. I'll tell you what I tell my clients. You have a $50 note and I have a $5 note. I ask for the $50 in exchange for the $5 I have. Now you would tell me that's not fair and you wont give up that $50, but I'm telling you they're both money and therefor should be an even swap. It's the same with a dog, if the perceived value is lower then what they have right in front of them it's not rewarding enough. Now if I have a $50 and ask to swap for your $50 it's no problems, we can swap back and forth quite easily for ages with no stress on your behalf :)

Firstly, slow down. He's 8 weeks old, the attention span of a mosquito and everything is SUPER NEW AND EXCITING! If he bites you, grab his scruff and hold until he lets go and settles, don't say a word. Offer again, rinse and reapeat until he sniffs/licks then QUIETLY praise him. Hand feed him a lot of his meals he has a tiny tummy and he wont be too hungry for treats. Make him do basic things like come when called, look at your face, pay attention when his name is called, not jump up etc. He will learn faster being rewarded for the right things but dont be afraid to help him out and show him what you want. If you dont have a dog crate, GET ONE! They're brilliant, he cant make a mess, cant toilet inside and he will have his own bedroom. You can also feed him in there to start him getting used to the whole process, bed and toys.

not necessarily unusual, the dog obviously has some territoriality issues that need a behaviorist ASAP before it bites someone. Get a hold of Pet Resorts Australia if you can and get the dogs behavior looked at before even attempting any more agility. Rushing behavior and barking is probably only the tip of the iceberg

I can't even remember where I learned that about 10 years ago lol I think it was from a schutzhund guy and I used it with my Mal pup. Rock solid outs and the dogs have never regressed, any of them. Even in full work mode I can out my dogs and I've never had to be heavy handed about it. To out should not be finality for the dog or they won't, when it's taught to be a theoretical 'swap', even if they don't get it again straight away they don't lose it. It will come again eventually and that's good enough :D

The only thing to worry about with this dog is confidence and relationship building. Spend time on the reeeeeal bare bones basics - being handled, basic house sounds, her name (say name, she looks, treat, say name, she looks, treat) where to toilet. These dog's are usually emotionally stunted and some can actually stop learning to learn. Such a sterile, repetitive environment for that prolonged period needs to be taken into consideration. 4 weeks in a new environment with a dog that has such an upbringing is nothing. Just spend time with her, be happy and love her, when you see the brain start focusing and wanting to interact with some more confidence then try tricks through luring. Do everything in ever so tiny baby steps and slowly so she doesnt get confused or fails which obviously shuts her down quite quickly. Poor little poppet, she sounds like a little angel though :D

The accident happened because the dog had some access to the child, and really the 'barriers' were not suitable for a reactive dog that already had issues with the child. Realistically speaking how long does a 10 year old dog have left? I'm giving a maybe workable alternative so the OP doesn't have to euthanise her own dog. Putting your child first does not mean euthanising a dog in every situation though.

When you reward the dog with the tug your hand should not be off it. If you're teaching a retrieve and she's a possessive dog then only use an item that has no reward value (which is why in things like Schutzhund you should never use the dumbbell as a prey item, if you watch Sch fail reels you will see the dogs go into a pattern of victory lap, possession etc because they are getting reward from the item) Try the two toy method and don't let go on the toy, her out will get faster for you.

That's OK I don't mind! The dog doesn't have to be locked in a tiny run, even cutting the backyard in half with a finger-poking and climb proof fence so the dog has enough room to run and play. As for the crate, the dog is not enjoying interacting with the child loose, a roomy crate so the dog is not uncomfortably confined but cannot be accessed. If the crate is in the family area like a living room then the dog is not being necessarily separated fully, it can still see and feel part of the family without accident. When the kids have gone to bed the dog can come out to be with the OP and put two baby gates between the kids bedrooms and the living area where the dog is with the OP. If one of the kids wakes up and comes out of the bedroom you will know without risk of them just wandering in, and you put bells on the baby gate so you hear them being touched. That is very true but you are right, you cannot put the dog and child face to face to sort it out. You can get to a degree but a nip is a nip and the chance is now there. It's why I recommended padlocks on the crate and gate to the run. It can't be accidentally left unlocked or be opened by anyone by the owner. If the OP is the only one in charge of accessing the dog then there can be minimal chance of slip ups. Its when there are multiple people involved invariably the process slips. I'm just giving management ways so the OP can keep her dog alive. The dog will cope, it has to cope with it and I think a tougher approach in general would not be a bad thing. Routine for a nervy dog can be a good thing, lack of ability to make panicked decisions too by being loose would help as well. If you control this dogs every movement everyone might be happy for a longer term solution.

I think have a good think before PTS if you love the dog so much. Build a dog run for him when he's outside with a padlock on it, and when he's inside he should be in a large child proof crate. Any welder or engineering place can make one for you out of fine mesh fingers cannot get through. I think the advice you have been given personally is not what I would give, nervy dog or not. I don't think this comes from a place in the pack, it's an already unsure dog more unsure and noone guiding him in definite no no behavior. I'm not saying push the child in the dogs face at all, but the dog needs to know life is now like this, cope with it. Run to crate and back, only by you and both padlocked. The dog can have one on one time with you when the child is inside or in bed and the dog is attached to you. I would try something different to at least make the dog less reactive towards the child. You cannot make a dog like or love something, but you can teach is what is acceptable or not and at least the dog learns if it feels threatened it backs off from the child and goes to an adult or it's crate in case of emergencies. It can be done, I wouldnt give up yet on the dog.

Your technique is great I think you're doing really well. The only thing I'd yell at you about if you were on the field is DONT MOVE INTO POSITION FOR THE DOG :laugh: the dog moves to you, NEVER move into position for the dog or it never learns to keep in its mind to adjust its own positioning. Also, make sure the dog understands the start of the exercise. Stop, get the dogs attention, and move off. When you reward the dog dont cup your hand as you lower the dogs head down, do that long enough and you will find if you praise the dog dips it's head out of habit. While the dog is looking feed in that position. Instead of cupping just use a flat collar and a leash, have leash in right hand, treats in left. When you turn anyway you should be asking for the dogs attention as you start turning so it knows to keep paying attention as you change direction and you wont need to cup :) You're offering a dog a lower reward to relinquish what it finds valuable. The reward for the out command is NOT the toy but your promise of interacting with the dog with that toy again. There is a difference. If the toy is seen to be a reward without you involved it's why the out can be difficult. Also when you ask for out hold the toy still and only ask once, I teach young dogs with two toys, one in each hand. Stop your toy, show the other toy and as the dog spits to go for the other 'OUT!!" then wiggle the new toy and get the dog to interact a big before it grabs it. I think you're doing a marvelous job

You don't have to cup the dogs head, that is something that comes from when heeling was more compulsion - high correction chain, leash across your body long enough to hold the dog in position and you cup/stroke the dogs head to keep it up and verbally reinforce the right behavior. Heeling is easy, have food in your left hand and have your hand just low enough at your side in line with your body that the dogs head is facing up and licking your hand. Heeling is positioning, it means stick with my left leg at your shoulder not just a walking exercise. Stand still, have the dog lick your hand and say heel. Take a step forward leading with your left leg and keep your hand at your side, walk sloooowly enough the dog can keep up and reinforce heel. Dog gets reward when you stop. Do it slowly, reinforce heeling also means pay attention at a stationary heel position, you can slide your hand up to your face, when the dog looks at your eyes not the food mark and reward. We get lovely freaky deaky heels at dog school like this without food obsession. I don't like constantly feeding dogs to extend the heel, thats a habit from those people who treat it as a walking exercise. If you need to keep feeding to extend a heel it means you've gone past the dogs concentration capability for that exercise. Wobbly the reason I would say use food is so you can bring Jarrah's head up. Use something fresh and let Jarrah get the taste between your fingers licking but NOT getting a piece yet. Her head is forward and she's setting the pace, you've got Ninja skills I'll give you that lol. Just use the food to get her to understand what you want at a calm pace then reward with the toy at the end as a reward for a good job. Food is useful for positioning without wearing the dog out and fine tuning :)

Just a question is this practical or just theory? I have a couple of clients who would like to come and benefit from it. Also what will Steve be covering with his Expanding Working Capabilities and Increasing Drive? I know the GSDC does not agree with SCH or protection training so can Steve consider questions in those wanting to go into those fields or is the seminar more tailored to ANKC obedience level and style only? Not being rude about it BTW :)