Nekhbet

No breeder is going to wait that long and then use a stud dog just because you want a pup from it. He will have achieved nothing and what is she going to do with the rest of the litter from a totally unknown, unproven sire? You can't say you dont want to breed from him because really, you do. One litter and leaving him entire for all that time is considered 'breeding'. She doesnt know you from a bar of soap and you're asking her to give you a dog to breed with - put yourself in the breeders shoes, would it not sound suss to you? Considering it's one of the most overbred breeds in the country too?

Dutchies can be a whole separate thing ... they can article guard so it might be more a case of possession aggression over the item. It just comes to relaxing more with the whole thing. Like I said, take a few steps back in order to go forward. You're completely right with this :D

Unless your dog is trained, no don't rely on it. Having untrained dogs is then leaving it up to the dog to see if it's capable or not, or if it's just going to come out the back end of being expected to guard traumatised.

OT ... I know some people with a male golden retriever ... they wanted to breed him as he's so 'beautiful' and want a pup from him ... so health scores? No. So what happens if the owners of the pups cant keep them or they end up with genetic problems? Well thats the bitches owners problem, she gave birth to them. Nothing to do with the sire

just thinking with the weaves, that you harness the dogs enthusiasm towards his toy and ergo onto you, so he goes through the weaves, right into the toy in your hands, massive tug game YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! release tug and start again. So momentum and drive is towards you WITH the toy ... just something to work with. Ahh I see where you got the idea from. Yup was a great idea but see how he keeps up the enthusiasm and momentum? The dog's on a roll and wants more, and thats the thing you use to your advantage ;) No because the dogs focus will immediately be on the toy thrown, not you holding the toy. Doesnt have to go out for miles, just a few meters of it. Wave it around, especially in front of your face, raz him up a bit and throw it for him. You will find he wants to do his keep away but reel in the toy, especially if he misses it. If he's tugging with you praise him, but dont let the line out any further so the only option is to return to you. When he does return, big pats, get down with him and a good strong cuddle while he still has the toy (close proximity of handler doesnt = loss) then ask him to give it to you while he's still happy. Repeat :D

See a dog doesnt follow a manual :laugh: and I find that a bit confusing for the dog. If your dog is not that type of dog, you can't make him into something his not. Then you get the problems your having now. If I threw food at my girl she'd duck to miss it because prey drive is more to her. No more toy and she's still only a little keen on food but will search for a prey item from me. Why would I want to bounce my dogs brain around like that in a session by chopping and changing on my own demand? If a dog will walk over hot coals for something then don't take it away from them ;) let the dog decide (to a degree ... you know what I mean) what will make a really strong, productive session. Releeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease ... formality. Just play with the dog. No release commands, no sit, drop, stay just have fun with the dog. Put it on a rope, tease him a bit with it and throw it for him. Let him go get it, cheer him on and encourage him to come back with it, tugging more the closer he gets to you. Just like a flirt pole crossed with a fishing reel :laugh: My point in all this is, we tend to get caught up in commands, procedures, reward schedules etc. I see it with people at dog club a lot and then they look at me like a lunatic when I tell them to spend the session just mucking around with the dog. Many people can't do it ... they have to throw commands in, or formality. The basis of making rewards effective is they are no pressure on the dog - and too many commands we tend to teach the dogs just switch them their brains into old habits which you're trying to fix. As soon as the dog latches on, there's your win. They don't have to do victory laps with the prey item thats how you teach dogs to bugger off down the field and self reward. You marked the dog at the wrong time - effectively you taught him 1) the prey is yours to do what you want with 2) if you come near me I'll take it from you when your drive is really high (loss) 3) when you decide to come here I'll reward you ... but I'll have to wait until my reward is worth something to you ... so you have to lose a buttload of drive around me to accept it and I'm marking it! It's fixable. Don't think I'm being a negative ninny or coming across like that :p It will just take some time BUT be informal with it. Trust me it does help a lot especially with those who's prey drive really shuts down around their owners in situations. Will he weave towards you or only away from you? What happens if someone holds his collar for the weaves, releases, and you reward him when he comes out the other end?

sorry had removalists arrive :p Merely trying to gauge what your goal was with the dog :) Just got a little confused as I wasnt quite sure what you were doing What I meant is you have to go backwards to go forwards. OK your dog wont return the one his got - then no more throwing it until he learns otherwise. Fun only happens, for now, right in your hands. Put it on a rope if you have to, throw the toy out and reel it back in fast, then reel him in too 'tugging' as you go - praise heavily as he's tugging 'good dog, GOOD DOG! GOOD DOG!' so you're part of that joyous moment of prey capture. When he gets back to you ask him to give you the toy and start again. Swapsies keeps the momentum of the prey drive going. I would be having a look why the dog is finding being away from you with a toy more rewarding then you yourself. This might be the reason why, instead of you being associated with the good part of the prey reward you're the one trying to take it away - he might see you as a potential loss of the prey item instead of part of the rewarding experience of tug. Chewing a prey reward item is part of the drive, he's really getting into it and then you take it away instead of having him offer it to you.If you keep swapping the prey item around and going for ones he's not too keen on then you're also prohibiting moving forward with tug around food. You cannot force a dog to like one thing over another at that particular moment - if he drops the toy for food and forgets it then you have to think 'ok why is the food suddenly more rewarding'. Is it because the prey reward just isnt what he has been conditioned to respond to over food? Is it one he's been half hearted about and had food rewards over it (eg accidentally reinforcing leaving the prey item and going for food) Using a tug he likes less, waving something he loves like food under his nose and then expecting him to just want to bring the tug to you ... pushing the proverbial wheelbarrow uphill and you'll sour the dog to training. Conversely if you want the prey to be more, don't mix prey work with food rewards in the one training session. Prey drive is meant to suppress food drive - if you try and get his prey up then bring him back down to food, you're then trying to build him up again in the one session. No hyped up dog will take food, they have to come down to a calmer level to accept and find it a reward, and bye bye nice prey drive level. Have the food there by all means for conditioning purposes (ie to ignore it), but I would be tempted to not use it until you see his prey drive is starting to peter out, then a small break and change exercise to a food based one if you're doing an extended session.

Food is a higher reward for him, why force him to do something he doesnt value? If food works more, run with it. Don't let him have it at all then. Trying to work out exactly what you're doing in using it as a thrown prey reward too. Why don't you try the swapsies game? Have two prey items and when he has 'won' one show him the other which is the same thing. Swap one for the other, the faster he gets the one he has back to you and gives it too you the faster he gets another to play with. I think letting him run around with it at all is becoming your downfall, when he has a good play with it then ask him to out, start again.

are you using the tug as a prey reward and retrieval item? That could be why you're having problems with chewing. If he's playing well on a tug apply more pressure, he'll learn if he chews it he will lose it.

http://web.vw.com/star-wars-invite/ I can only imagine how much they would have had to pay to LucasArts to use that *L* they better sell a buttload of VWs

Because all dogs throw exact clones of themselves on one litter dontcha know ...

I think people need to realise that saying 'I dont want to breed' and 'oh we'll only have one litter from him/her' do not mean the same thing. I dont want to breed means chip chop, no chance ever. One litter is still breeding. You just come across as a fibber really.

the basics ... Yes it did. You then obviously told her about you wanting to breed him after she put conditions on the dog. You are paying for a pedigree dog which is someones pride and joy, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears attached to the kennel name. Most STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER breeders will not want their dogs pimped to within an inch of their lives by unregistered breeders - it's all too common just look at the local paper. It makes them and their dogs look very bad. Maybe the breeder is trying to help you at least do things responsibly since you want to breed the dog and show you what should be done when breeding dogs. If you want it bred then show it, make sure it is a good enough example of the breed and that breeders will want to use it for a good reason. I would have refunded your money too.

I can make time for Ballarat as I'm only in Geelong, email me [email protected]

To save confusion ... This is the Complete Mix which you soak then add to your choice of protein This is the premium choice which is a ready to go already made up product with the Complete Mix + meat :D Sometimes it's just easier to see packets then have things explained especially if you don't know the product :)

It comes down to the predominant drive of the dog to take that bite in the first place. Then there will be other factors both genetic and environmental that dictate what then happens from when the dog engages the decoy/sleeve/toy whatever to when it outs. Dogs that take sleeves in prey you will find will then hug a slipped sleeve and if allowed to, will lay there and start chewing on it. There are dogs that thrash their heads while on a sleeve but that doesnt say the bite isnt full or 100% prey either.

http://petbreedersrecordbooks.webs.com/ she's in Queensland :)

OMG THEY HAVE DC COMICS PLATES ....

THe manufacturer of the product IS in the BH thread. Retailers are also in the BH thread. Other people on here have threads pinned as free advertising for their services. There is nothing to be threatened about, this was about Dr Bruce Syme event where people could go talk to an animal health professional with a lot of experience, for free. He makes products but everything is horses for courses ... you want to buy it, buy it, you don't stick to what you like and get on with life. Drama Queen wednesday I think ...

Doesnt Black Hawk have it's own thread in Health and has been running since Oct 2010? I wouldnt call that howled down. And both BH and VAN are paying advertisers. I think people need to just settle a bit, unless of course you're getting kickbacks yourselves.

I think we both mean that prey etc in conjunction with other factors create a calm, solid bite. There really is always going to be more going on then one pure drive to create a bite.

predominantly for the GSD - saying that it's not really that internationally recognised when Australia has a massive bee in its bonnet about it as does the GSDC... but anyhoo ... In other breeds, other sports and lineage that predominantly participated and excelled in sports like KNPV/ringsport etc are also accepted. Also some breeds excel over the GSD in that particular sport or endevour, or it's more popular in that country hence you will find less dogs with Sch titles and more with KNPV/Ringsport etc So a dog can only have a full mouth, solid grip only in prey drive? I wont agree with that and I've seen some pretty shitty grips in prey too particularly those that like to chew on their prey items instead of grip because they're so hyped up. They've also bounced off or spat the sleeve when a bit of pressure has been applied as their prey drive just cant hold them there. Prey can be quality over quantity and doesnt have the be the predominant force exploding forth from the dog every single moment and in everything it does. The more dogs people see across the board of different working lines they should see the difference between prey and other drives within a dog. A dog doesnt have to chase everything that moves to be a good dog. It just wont make the best sporting dog in all probability and that just makes it a dog more developed for other uses :)

sorry yes 3 monthly.

intestinal wormers only need to be given monthly, heartworm tablets are the ones you have to give monthly. http://www.greyhoundproductsdirect.com.au/products_valueplus.htm those who want cheap heartworm ... The Value Plus range is quite good I buy even some of the supplements for myself (eg epsom salts in a 5kg bag etc) Have a trawl through the website greyhound stuff will always be cheaper. It just wont come in fancy packaging.

Yes, the type of dog where you wave a toy at their face in an animated fashion and all you get back is a very quiet, hard look of 'are you kidding me ...' aaaand then just back away slowly