Nekhbet

just tell him to move off and dont let him lick at all. Some dogs do it as a comfort thing so dont be too upset with him.

either a massive cheap rug or carpet offcuts from places, you can cover a room for next to nothing. I second a dysonn with a rotating head ... best thing ever

definately not. Plenty of dogs available with no prior injuries if dog sports is what you want them for. I wouldnt even put it on the maybe list.

oh poor doggies jeezus because a bit of enthusiasm and focus work is too hard. Shove a gob of vicks on their top lip and see how nice it is.

what the hell?

can't do bitework here in Vic legally so really wouldnt get as much as going to SA/QLD unfortunately. If he's coming again in 2012 I'll see if I can make it to SA.

Will be very worth going to if you're into sportdogs. If I had more time to prepare OH and I would be down for it, just timed rather unfortunately. Whoever goes tell me how it is!

They really do need someone to sit them down and give them a 'talk'. I think Marks the right person for that http://caninetraining.com.au/

eeeeep wrong. People still desex animal with no anaesthetic, particularly males. Ever seen desexing when the vet cannot find the uterus? Going in for a dig around the internal organs with a spey hook on the smaller or even digging the hand in for the larger. You think when they wake up they dont scream or cry? Confused and in a lot of pain? Why do you think they get a nice long lasting shot of pain killers. no, responsible owners prevent unwanted puppies. I have 3 undesexed animals and have never had a whoops litter or even an a close call. We're just lazy and hence we would rather chop up baby animals and rip out their internal organs then be R-E-S-P-O-N-S-I-B-L-E. Dogs have not survived with their tails since inception. They are not the original form or shape of the animal they came from. Tail docking was invented because the breeds being used for their original purpose were being hurt in their daily life. Ear cropping as well was used to prevent long term pain and suffering to animals. It's a lot nicer to lose your tail when you're barely formed then later as an adult. Ask any veterinarian about the trauma adult tail amputations and large dew claw removals cause to animals.

ditto!!!! :D Why don't you use the Nutritional or Skin powder and use your novel source protein?

neither realistically is the one for dogs - enough people have just been brainwashed by the anti-docking people to believe thats the only reason it's done. For some reason it's just more acceptable to grab an older farm animal, butcher it yourself whether you have any skill or not. If it gets necrotic because you dont know what you doing you leave it do die from infection or shoot it. So ... whinging about dog tail docking really is a moot point. We have double standards and thats what shits me right up the wall. I've seen banding on stock done wrong, calves dehorned with an iron and pass out from the pain right there and it's not blinked at - he'll be right, he'll wake up and be none the wiser ... how about I apply an iron to your skull and see how 'right' you are. It's so much more horrific then banding a pups tail at such a young age a thousand times over. Saying that I still have a greater issue we cut out a pups testicles or uterus at crucial deveopmental stages because it makes them easier for us whatever the cost to the dog is. Too many double standards. More people need to have a goooooooood think about what is being done right now in Australia - tail docking was probably one of the least 'cruel' things out there.

holy moly what a catastrophe. Honestly send him to www.leerburg.com to read up about pack structure and leadership, then have him book a session with a trainer ASAP, someone like Mark Singer. They need a reality check before someone gets injured or another animal is killed. Those dogs are bored, frustrated and from the sounds of it ready to kill each other from stress. Being too soft and depriving dogs of their natural needs like they are will have a great negative impact on the animals mental health, at least in the short term and probably long.

oh you should have mentioned your AmStaffs a blue and white. The skin problems are really no surprise with that colouration. So glad you got his skin under control and he's getting better

Nope. I agree there should be the availability of choice for breeders for tail docking and cropping. If you want it done then at least make the law 'under veterinary supervision' etc. We still remove dew claws so I dont see what the issue is. You should see what we do to farm animals with no anaesthetic. Any random person can go into a store, purchase a bag of rubber rings and an applicator, or a nice big knife and away we go! Apparently they dont deserve the same rights.

... and to this day the question remains eternally unanswered *queue the creepy music*

I'll need to buy myself a show dog then I was put off so really I took a dog that is not for showing. Might have to buy myself a rottie pup to show eh ;) I'll come if I dont have to wear a skirt and you do know if I get picked on someone will be told to get effed :p

Ask your vet to do a fine needle aspirate - they put a fine needle in the lump, suck a little out and look under a microscope. It's the only way you're going to start on the road of knowing what it is. Saving that cut a couple out and send them to pathology for a definitive answer. You can never go just on sight for lumps.

it sounds like the most mixed up club I have heard of yet everyone uses haltis, then clickers, but no food/toy rewards, no praise? WTF honestly. You HAVE to PM me who runs this club. I'm the praise Nazi at training, if I can't hear you praising your dog or you keep yanking/yelling at it you will know about it. We want wagging tails and focus

check some of the breed clubs like the whippet club, they might know about lure coarsing. Make yourself a big flirt pole, grab a furry toy like some lambswool and tie it to the end of a length of thing bungee rope (like a fishing rod) flick it out and get him to chase it, let him catch occasionally and get him to return it. Becks makes an extremely good point dont keep doing it until he's too tired, stop before he falls down otherwise they just think it's something that ends in exhaustion instead of on a high.

if you look at your local council rules, have a read about what 'effective control' and 'vocal control' actually mean. If you CANNOT call your dog back or it rushes another, this is unacceptable and if your dog ends up bitten because you cannot call it back (read that, control it) it's your fault. Particularly if the other dog is on lead. Off lead means simply off lead not run around like a lunatic.

I meant the one that is over an hour away you could always give it a go and see if they have some strategies for home training and sporadic visits. I wouldnt go to any club that 'bans' things for everyone.

no when the line is introduced it will be going through the same wholesaler the rest of our stockfeed comes from. Considering the purchases will be extremely minimal at the start it's probably not worth getting an account started for a couple of bags at a time. Unless you're willing to ring our wholesaler and make a deal for me ;)

jumabaar do you find Livamol actually works on the dog? I tried it on my lot as a tester, even the ferrets, found it did absolutely nothing I did discover seaweed made my dogue turn a funny brown colour O_0

put them in with a dog that is toy mad. They tend to copy. My dogue is drivey to a degree, he LOVES big tug games but he did grow up with a working line Malinois and watched her train and play. He decided it was worth a go and got very far. Saying that his food drive is really high so I combine the two depending on what we're doing. You're right I find the mastiffs dont really have that push to keep tugging and driving themselves into prey items, once they grab it they sort of go 'OMG I HAVE IT! ok over that ... lay down time now' of course lure coarsing brings out the best in every fruit bat ;) try a flirt pole ;)

you can use videos, then go to the club every few weeks for a tweak and practical lesson. Good quality videos are quite a good resource, I do love the Leerburg ones, also a lot on youtube (not saying it's the best resource, but can be good to also see what NOT to do ) Really what you want is the learning theory (rewards, timing etc), once you get that down pat you can teach anything.