Nekhbet

I live in constant hope stonebridge if I had gotten the pup earlier I would have done it then but we only got her a week ago. I'm going to try cutting out some thick shoe insole to the shape of the ear and glue it in. Mals ears can still be a bit shitty at this age on some dogs and end up setting OK so I have my fingers crossed. this is miss shitty ears now

she better bloody be a natural considering her lines OH is a n00b but learning all about training so feel free to pick on him I'm working my Mal bitch with the little one too, she's had a big break but hopped right back into it the other day. I'll have to take some photos of us practicing tonight ;) Will have to get some more books too while I'm at it here's a photo of the little terror butter wouldnt melt in her chompy sharp little mouth would it

dont worry there are plenty of us nutty enough to try, hell eat, the odd dog treat. Thats why I use human foods

You'll have another visitor on here soon, OH just got himself a working Mal pup good nose on her she's started tracking and after one lesson now keeps her nose firmly planted to the ground all the time we created a monster. I want to start scent detection with her too but we'll work on one at a time Hey Kasey what did Kris write about proofing? I'm curous now for those that dont know Kris Kotsopolous is the owner of Von Forrell kennels in Melbourne

yeah pity she's not a Stafford or I'd have no worries her ear set has flopped to the sides too it's pretty bad so I have to try something. Never seen a shep with such crappy ears before we hope it's not something she passes down to her pups down the track.

Remember everything comes down to perception - the owners can be totally wrong in diagnosng their dogs behaviour hence you run a big risk of giving wrong advice. Roman is right, most people find it easier if you show and help them through as well. That way you see if they actually have understood or are just doing the old 'I didnt really get it but I'll say yes anyway'

Dunbar knows jack then. I have a pup here at the moment whos primary aim in life is to turn me and anyone within toothy range into a pincushion. She's been that way since 7 weeks of age. If the dog has the right genetics bites on people are amassive amount of fun for the dog and will do so with gusto. Like I said, pet dog trainers and behaviourists know little about real bitework unless they've specifically worked with it. If the attacking dog is in NSW it's not surprising if it has done bitework. There are still companies out there who will train APBTs in bitework which they can excell in due to some dogs drives. Bitework is still legal in most states of Australia.

just ordered glue from Sway. Having some problems with the internet at the moment I cant watch anything on YouTube because we're at dialup speed and below (it's killing me ...) but I know how to do straight tapes for shepherds. this was her a couple of months ago. It's the weirdest flop I've seen, now they flop even more, almost in half out to the sides. Just worried about ear problems later on. Bring on the glue!

Phenergen is an antihistmine. It can make some dogs drowsy, others you can dose to the eyeballs and nothing. My rottie gets them and sleeps like a log I find the best value dietary supplement is to use a horse calming paste for the dog. A GSD needs about 1-2ml per day. It's basically Magnesium, Tryphophan, Vit B and some add chamomile. I think it works very well, wont zonk them out but takes the edge off the stress

sorry Leema you're right I was meant to write negative reinforcement instead of negative punishment have a new puppy in the house I'm sleep deprived She tried to use me as a trampoline at 3am I just want to sleep treats to use are bits of hotdog/kabana/cooked roast meat/jerky/cheese etc. Corvus it was a suggestion, helps dogs just get the idea if they're consistently stuffing up or wont stop a behviour you dont want. For the 20th time, it was a suggestion I dont force anyone to do anything. I dont like confusing dogs further or trying to fix mistakes the hard way if another method can be done that helps the dog learn exactly what is required, whatever that method is for that particular dog. Some dogs learn faster with an aversive applied, but again horses for courses. As for the tug/food game, your dumbell should not be used as a tug toy. It's not going to be a prey item in obedience routines it is an item to be retrieved. Spitting the treat can also help he handler get the hand and body movements right without trying to juggle 10 items at the same time. If you can take a shorter, straighter route to get to your end goal why complicate things.

contact Mark Singer if you need a good trainer/behaviourist in SA

oh dear I'm so sorry to hear that hugs to the two of you

well the little shit thought ripping off the tape is a great idea. No pain threshold that dog. Going to have to use glue and make supports. I've never seen such bad ears in a Mal in all my life

you can always train onto other odours later, you just need something for the moment.

you dont usually have your reward hand busy doing other things like manupilate a dumbell in obdience :p

depends if they did thyroid or not it's a separate test - if the vet is now saying it's hormonal obviously did not test for that when in fact it should have been the first thing to look for. Cushings can result in weight and hair loss as well Erny, there is a special test to confirm it which I'll have to rememeber ... it involved the dog taking a course of tablets then having blood tests done.

It's a Malinois pup, her dad also has floppy ears but not as bad, mum and sister have straight ears Missymoo what kind of glue do you use? I'm going to tape them like you suggest, I tried to make a 'brace' for them with some card but it kept coming off. Fold and tape it is, she's pretty good.

shoes too have too many scents involved - so will your dog scent on the owners scent (which means the whole house is up for grabs) leather, fabric, suede, in insole fabric, the laces, the rubber? Paracetamol can be something but be careful, dogs heavily rewarded can tear apart cabinets/bags etc and even chew the items. Like I said herbs can be the most common things people use unless you can get your hands on some *ahem* different sumbstance O_o

put it in his mouth, gently hold, then take back saying your release word when you have taken it (not before or you will bring back the spit out) then reward. Uta Bindels showed some video of this with her pups, there was no reward until the dumbell was in her hands and the dog was sitting nicely.

positive punishment is the application of an aversive in order to extinguish a behaviour (eg collar correction when the dog pulls on a leash) negative reinforcement is the removal of an aversive (ear pinch) when you want to increase a behaviour (holding the dumbell) The way the forced retrieve works is to place the dumbell in the dogs mouth and pinch the ear when it's not holding it properly. Good hold, release the ear pinch. Weak hold, apply ear pinch. Dog learns to hold the object firmly to avoid the ear pinch. It can be useful for dogs who simply dont want to hold properly. Is it good for all dogs? No. But no one method will suit all dogs now will it? Consistency is more then just a lost dinner. What is the point of training if you're dog half heartedly listens for anything? This comes down to life in general with the dog as well, not just trick training. Squeeze your own ear lobe firmly? Are you now writhing in pain? No. Is it uncomfortable? Probably. It shouldn't be wrenching the dogs ear at all. The reason they want the dog to yelp is to sensitise it to the sensation. Again, a yelp in surprise is different to pain - if you cause true pain to the dog you will find it will be difficult to train anything at all. I never said you did in this situation at all. And there's more to getting a top dog then just the training method. Smart handlers choose dogs that are achievers to ensure performance down the track. As for e-collars they are not really primarily for positive punishment. They're better used in negative punishment situations such as dogs that compulsively run away etc at low stimulations then paired with high positive reinforcement (dog runs away from owner, hold stim. When dog turns towards owner stim is stopped. When dog is running towards owner and arrives massive praise) Again just a tool to help dogs along. The treats in the mouth are a great way to teach a more natural focus and remove the dogs obsession with your hands. If the dog always looks to your face for a reward you're removing half the work down the track. It's how we start puppies off in Schutzhund at times, particularly the food obsessed ones. *Edited due to Leema being right :p

money has too many inconsistencies in the scent. A herb that is not too commonly used in the house can be the best. Bay leaves, oregano, rosemary etc in a little camera film tube with a hole punched in the top can work well. If you're using it in the toy it easily slips into a sock.

you need to the dog to hold until told to release or you put your hands out to take it. WHere is the counterconditioning to not spit when the food is near? Holding food in your mouth builds both focus and allows you to have your hands free to hold the dumbell and dog. Dog learns that food is not in your hand. Work on just spitting food first, then hold the dumbell with 2 hands in front of you and spit more food. The dog will learn food comes from mouth, and quickly learn to ignore your hands.

so no one has ever put a collar and leash on their dog and put any pressure on it at all? That is discomfort. Tethered your dog to the seat in the car by some manner? Never had to physically restrain your animal in any way, even holding its collar, to get a needle or another medical procedure? - that is discomfort too to get an end result. I'm not pushing anyone to do anything. Just have an open mind about things and try and understand what they really are. If you are causing enough pain the dog is actually hurting you're doing it wrong. The point is to just pinch when the dog is not doing it right, then release when it is. It's an aid to help the dog understand what is correct, you still need to reward the animal. So in fact it is not the dog, it is your preconceived ideals. Instead of writing up about the weak nature of your dog next time be honest, then people can give educated advice. ahaa so nothing here is to ever be relied upon to be consistent? The op doesnt really care if the dog mouths the dumbell, retrieves straight or brings it back to her hand at all? Remember these methods were born from necessity of both performance and reliability. Aversives can be useful when you've already stuffed up what you've been trying to train or you're just not getting the parameters to stick. Again not pushing anything on anyone, just a suggestion that may be useful to look at from an educated perspective.

how is using more food going to stop a dog spitting the dumbell and prolong the grip if the dog sees it and immediately spits?

what is the latest anyone has had success with taping ears? They need to be straight up but the outer edge of cartilage is pathetic hence the ears flop out to the sides flying nun style. When the pup is excited they stand straight up albeit a little shaky, but stay there. Pup will be 6 months old on the 10th.